I've met a lot of folks who, quite honestly, I didn't like. As someone who duels in tournaments, this includes a lot of duelists too.
Duelists I don't like include people who gloat, poor sports, sore losers, and most of all, cheaters.
This guy I'm up against… The duel hasn't even started yet, and already, I don't like him. The underhanded way he's gotten me to agree to this duel is one of the most despicable things I've ever seen.
You know, even if there is someone out for us, which seems likely, I doubt that the story Merlow told us about the three of us being descended from three saviors has any basis in fact… But… I kinda wish it were true… Because if this is how the Shadow Queen operates, I'd be VERY proud if a member of my family had taken her down.
So let's do this…
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DUEL TEN
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Poisonous Winds
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The inside of the Great Tree was like a cave… A cave made of wood. It had several levels, with houses and businesses built into the inside of the trunk at each level.
The ground floor was like a large, circular cul-de-sac, separated from the outside by a large door made of stained glass. That was the public entrance; there were other entrances, but they were less extravagant.
In the middle of the cul-de-sac, a man was nervously pacing back and forth. He was about forty years old or so, somewhat portly, and had a bushy moustache. He was wearing an expensive-looking black suit, vest, and a tie.
"Punio…" said a soft, billowing voice that echoed through the cul-de-sac.
The well-dressed man growled. He didn't answer right away.
"Punio!" said the voice, more forcefully this time.
"WHAT?" he shouted back.
"They'll be here any minute now," said the voice. "I trust you know what to do…
"And once I'm done with them, we can discuss that other thing…"
"For the third time," shouted the man, who was clearly angry, "I don't know what you're talking about!"
"We'll soon see…" said the voice.
Punio waited a minute to see if he'd say anything else. Then he looked at the door.
The Shadow Queen's flunkies can tear this place apart and they'll never find it… he thought. This guy seems pretty important to her… I can only pray that whoever he is, he manages to escape…
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A sign was posted outside the front door of the Great Tree:
WELCOME TO THE GREAT TREE
No Littering
No Vagrants
Absolutely No Fire Allowed
"Well, I guess that makes sense…" said Francesca.
They heard a loud caw. They turned and saw a Yata-Garasu perched on a bush, looking at them.
Then it flew away.
"Man…" said Andy. "If there's one Duel Spirit that would give me the chills, it's that one…"
"Oh, don't worry…" said Francesca. "It only has 200 Attack Points, and fighting this weird wildlife isn't the same as facing a duelist using it. If it tries to mess with us, it's history."
She rang the bell, and an odd chime echoed through the clearing. The large stained glass doors slowly opened.
They walked in, and marveled at the sight of the strange town.
"Seems awfully quiet for a town…" said Andy.
"Uh, hello!" said Punio's voice.
The three of them turned to see him. He quickly shook their hands.
"Ivan Punio, at your service!" he said, trying hard not to show how nervous he was. "I'm the mayor of this humble berg… Call me Ivan…
"Welcome… Contestants…"
"Uh… Hi…" said Andy. "Uhm… Does everyone get this warm welcome?"
"Uh… Only since the tournament started…" said Ivan.
"Uh… My sister and I were going to have lunch… It would be our pleasure if you'd join us… My treat…"
"Your treat?" said Andy. "I thought food was complimentary for tournament contestants."
"Uh, yes, so it is…" said Ivan. "Still… We'd love for you to join us… There's a Japanese restaurant on the top floor that not many people know about, and…"
"Uh, buddy?" said Andy, nervously. "You can stop shaking my hand now…"
Ivan slowly retracted his hand. Andy looked at his hand, which was covered with sweat.
"Can we have a minute?" he asked, as he wiped it on his shirt.
He backed away, and huddled with Stan and Francesca.
"Guys…" he said with a shiver. "This guy is hiding something…"
"No kidding…" said Stan. "I think he wants us to be suspicious… It's like he's telling us 'come in' but really means 'get the Hell out of here'."
"Fran… How far is it to the next town?"
Francesca unfolded the map. She sighed.
"Unless you count Petalburg, about ten miles away…" she replied. "That's where this Twilight Town place is…
"There's a place near here where you can take a blimp or something to a town called Glitzville, but apparently, you need a permit from the Arcadian Parliament for that…"
"Which we don't have…" said Andy, nervously.
"Guys…" said Stan. "This Punio guy… I think he may be in just as much trouble as we are…"
He sighed.
"I know we didn't sign up to be heroes, and we don't have to make a habit out of it…"
"You don't' actually believe that fairy tale, do you?" asked Andy.
"No…" said Stan. "But… If something is wrong here… Maybe we can at least see what it is?"
"All right, fine!" said Andy. "But if it's another living Duel Monster, you're handling it!"
They turned towards Ivan.
"Sure, Mr. Punio, we'd love to join you…" said Stan.
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A glass elevator took them to one of the highest floors of the Great Tree, giving them a view of the whole town. Strangely, no-one seemed to be out and about.
This is bad… thought Stan. Something has made everyone too scared to come outside.
Ivan hadn't been lying. A very fancy restaurant with Japanese letters on the front was in the promenade of the floor they stopped at. He straightened his tie, and opened the door.
As they walked into the main dining room, a beautiful woman who seemed to be about ten years younger than Ivan was waiting for them. She had long, blonde hair, and sparkling blue eyes.
And she looked scared.
"Ivan…" she started.
"Petuni, get out of here…" he whispered. "I'll handle this… Don't look back…"
"No, Punio…" said a voice from a chair at the table. "Tell your sister to stay right where she is… The more the merrier, I always say…"
"Listen, buddy…" said Stan, looking at the chair, "you're not fooling anyone… Are you going to show your face or do I have to come over there?"
The chair turned around, revealing a young boy about Stan's age with a face that was hard to forget. He had pale skin, and snowy, white hair. He was dressed in a wool outfit, colored blue and white.
"Who are you?" demanded Stan.
The strange boy leaned his elbows on the table.
"Kurtis," he replied. "The Shadow Spawn of Wind… I believe you three have met my sister…"
"Kids, I'm so, so, sorry!" stammered Ivan. "He's been holding this place hostage since this morning…"
"Calm down…" said Stan.
"This fifteen-year-old has been holding the town hostage?" asked Francesca, in disbelief.
Kurtis chuckled, and put his whole arms and hands on the table, a move that made everyone in the room flinch. His hands were bird-like talons.
"I don't know who gave you that manicure," said Francesca, "but I'd ask for a refund."
"Real funny…" said Kurtis. "Melissa's loss is a stain on our family, and I'd love to correct that, Francesca…
"But… I'm here to duel Stan."
"Suppose I say no?" replied Stan.
Kurtis grinned.
"Suppose I say no, he says…" he muttered.
He pointed his talon, and a fierce wind blew through the dining room. Then the wind literally snatched Ivan's sister, and lifted her off the ground.
"Petuni" shouted Ivan.
She screamed as the wind pinned her against the wall.
"Stop it!" shouted Stan.
"There's more to me than these talons…" said Kurtis. "I can control the wind itself… Melissa is the baby of the family… Her powers are nothing compared to what I can do.
"People take the air they breathe for granted… Maybe I can demonstrate just how lethal it can be by sucking it right out of this woman's lungs…"
"Kurtis, NO!" shouted Stan. "Let her go! I'll duel you!"
Kurtis waved his hand, and Petuni fell to the ground. Andy, Francesca, and her brother rushed to pick her up.
"You beast…" snarled Stan. "She was defenseless… You think you can force me to duel you by threatening people?"
"Dunno…" said Kurtis. "Can I? I'll do it again if I have to…"
Stan looked at him with a look of rage.
"You're nothing but a bully, Kurtis…" he said. "And bullies need to be put in their place…
"So fine… I'll duel you… Just name the place…"
Kurtis smirked, and got up.
"Seeing as Punio promised you three lunch, I'll give you one hour to do that…" he said.
"I'd rather get this done with as soon as possible," said Stan.
"Are you going to let the food that Ivan ordered for you go to waste?" asked Kurtis. "Besides, a condemned man is always entitled to a last meal.
"I expect you on the observation deck in no less than an hour… If you aren't… I may just decide to blow this whole tree over… Which would be a shame… Because a town of this type is pretty much irreplaceable…"
Everyone looked at him with fury as he left the room.
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The "no fire allowed" law in the Great Tree had been on the books since the town's founding a thousand years ago (as Ivan claimed), and was taken very seriously by its citizens. Fire was a problem for any town, and could be a disaster for this one.
As a result, most food in the Great Tree was imported fully prepared and then eaten cold or heated using microwave ovens. Food that was actually prepared here had to be done without using heat. The place was home to a great many chefs who were experts at doing just that. The restaurant they were in specialized in sushi, and it would have been magnificent if the immediate problem wasn't hanging over their heads.
So, exactly twenty minutes before Kurtis's deadline, the five of them rode the elevator to the very top floor. Stan tried to tell Ivan and his sister not to come, but they insisted.
"Ivan…" said Stan. "Do you know what kind of deck he uses?"
"Each Shadow Spawn has multiple decks," said Ivan, with a sigh. "They always stay within their Attributes, but they keep their victims guessing as to what they'll actually face."
"Well, the Wind Attribute is rather neglected as far as archetypes go…" said Andy. "You've got your Armed Dragons, Dragunities, Mist Valley, Gusto… And not much else…"
They got out of the elevator, and Ivan opened a door to a stairway leading up.
"I can't offer much help except to say that the whole town is supporting you," he said, as they walked up. "This is far from the first time one of those thugs has been here…"
He opened the final door, and they saw it.
The observation deck.
The view was phenomenal. They could see almost half of Arcadia from this point. But there was no time to enjoy it… Kurtis was leaning against the guardrail, now holding a Duel Disk.
"You actually came…" he said with a low chuckle. "Most folks try to run if they think they have a chance… Not that they get very far…"
"I didn't want to run, Kurtis…" said Stan. "You're a class-A sadist, and I'm taking you down."
Kurtis looked at him strangely.
"What?" asked Stan. "Surprised you finally found someone who's willing to stand up to you?"
"I don't know whether you're really brave or really stupid…" replied Kurtis. "Either way, your big mouth isn't gonna be saying such things for much longer…"
His Duel Disk activated.
"Stanley Mason…" he said, "you stand accused of the crimes committed by your ancestor against the ruler of this principality. How do you plead?"
"Not guilty…" replied Stan.
"Then shut up and duel…" said Kurtis.
Stan turned the cap on his head forward… Then he activated his Duel Disk.
(Stan: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Kurtis: 8,000)
"Are all trials on Arcadia done like this?" stammered Andy.
"Only the ones that these kids preside over…" sighed Punio. "If they accuse someone and he pleads not guilty, the 'defendant' has to duel them… If the 'defendant' loses – which always happens – he's declared guilty and is never seen again…"
"And if they plead guilty?" asked Francesca.
"I have no idea…" replied Punio. "No-one is foolish enough to actually do that after what these kids have done…"
"Well?" asked Kurtis. "What are you waiting for? An engraved invitation?"
"I take it you want me to go first…" muttered Stan, as he drew his first card.
He set a card in his Monster Zone, and a set Monster appeared.
"Move…" he said.
Kurtis grinned as he made a draw.
"I think I'll defend too…" he said, as a set Monster appeared on his side of the field. "And I end my turn."
Okay… thought Stan, as he made another draw. Here goes…
"I summon Frontier Wiseman!" he shouted.
He played the card, and a Spellcaster materialized in front of him. It was an old man with a beard, wearing a green robe, a crown on his head, and a monocle in his right eye. He held an old, leather-bound book. (1,600 ATK)
"Next, I Flip Summon Magician's Valkyria…" he said.
His set Monster flipped up, and the young, brunette Spellcaster in blue leapt onto the field, brandishing her scepter. (1,600 ATK)
Stan paused.
I can't make an Xyz Summon yet, he thought, because my Monsters have dissimilar Levels… Still… This might be a good chance to take an early lead…
"Valkyria, attack his Monster!" he shouted.
The Spellcaster fired a burning bolt of plasma at the set card. A humanoid Winged Beast with black wings wearing a mask appeared on the card, and burst into an explosion of black feathers.
"HUH?" said Francesca. "That was Battlestorm!"
"Is that bad?" asked Ivan.
"No… but strange…" said Francesca. "See, Battlestorm has 1,700 Attack Points, and it gains 100 more for each Winged Beast the controller has on the field, including itself."
Ivan and Petuni looked at her.
"Oh, I get it…" said Petuni. "That means it made little sense for Kurtis to have put it in Defense Mode…"
Kurtis may be a bully… thought Stan, but he doesn't strike me as stupid… He's up to something…
Still… I can't pass this up…
"Frontier Wiseman, attack him directly! Sacred Lightning!"
The Wiseman lifted his hand, and lightning bolts fell from the sky to his palm. He hurled them, and Kurtis groaned.
(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 6,400)
"Enjoying yourself, Stan?" he asked.
"Oh, you bet…" said Stan.
He threw two cards into his Disk, and two cards flashed into view behind his two Monsters.
"Make your move…"
Kurtis drew a card. He smirked a little.
"I'll set another Monster," he said, "and then play the Field Spell, Castle of Clouds…"
As he fit the card into his Disk's Field Zone, mists started to rise around them, the mists quickly turning into a cloud that seemed to extend for miles. Behind Kurtis, a palace made of sparkling blue stone rose.
"So what does your Field Spell do?" asked Stan.
"You'll find out soon enough…" said Kurtis.
He fit three of his cards into his Spell Zone, and three facedown cards appeared in front of him.
"That should do it for now…" he thought. "Take your turn if you dare… The game is just starting…"
"Right…" thought Stan, as he drew a card.
"Valkyria, attack!" he shouted.
Valkyria fired her blast again, and this time, a green mantis appeared on the card. It was blown into bug guts.
"You destroyed Flying Kamakiri 1," said Kurtis. "Now I get to Special Summon a Wind Monster with a weak Attack Score…
"But she won't stay weak for long… I summon to the field… Harpie Lady 1!"
There was a gust of wind, and one of Kujaku Mai's signature Winged Beasts gracefully flew onto the field. Her appearance gave Stan quite a shock… Mostly because the only thing covering her chest was a pair of suspender-size straps. This Harpie was the one with red hair worn long. (1,300 ATK)
"She's not so tough…" said Stan.
"Yes, but Castle of Clouds increases the Attack Score of all Wind Monsters by 300 points," said Kurtis. "And Harpie Lady 1 has an effect that increases those Scores by another 300 points."
(1,900 ATK)
"All right…" said Stan. "I'm moving Frontier Wiseman to Defense Mode…"
The sage knelt and held his book in his lap. (800 DEF)
"I suppose now might not be the best time to mention," laughed Kurtis, "this Field Spell also gives all Wind Monsters the ability to inflict piercing damage?"
Stan frowned.
Maybe so… he thought, but he'll have to get past Magician's Valkyria before he can attack Frontier Wiseman, and my Trap Card is going to make that very hard.
"I end my turn…" said Stan, slowly.
"I draw!" exclaimed Kurtis.
"I first summon Harpie Lady 2!"
He played the card, and another Harpie appeared, this one with short, red hair with a sharp pompadour. (1,900 ATK)
"Now, a Spell Card," he said, as one of his facedown cards lifted up. "Swallow's Nest. I sacrifice her…"
Harpie Lady 2 vanished in a small cyclone.
"…and as a result, I can Special Summon a Winged Beast from my deck that is the same Level. Thus I summon… Harpie Lady 3."
The third sister appeared, this one with spiky, blue hair. (1,900 ATK)
"Good lord, he has the whole set…" exclaimed Andy.
"More than you know…" said Kurtis, as another of his set cards lifted up. "I activate Monster Reborn!"
The glowing holy symbol appeared, and Harpie Lady 2 reappeared. (1,900 ATK)
Stan looked at him oddly.
"What?" asked Kurtis.
"Harpies, huh?" asked Stan.
"You have a problem with that?" asked Kurtis.
"Well, I dunno…" said Stan. "I kinda expected something more… masculine…"
Kurtis growled a little.
"Not that it's any of your business…" he said, sounding angry now. "I use them because I admire someone else who uses them."
"Oh, please, you can't mean Kujaku!" laughed Francesca.
"And what if I do?" snarled Kurtis, looking at her.
"One, she's too old for you," said Francesca, "two, I doubt she falls for men who have talons, and three… Well, she can do better!"
"Really, Kurtis, she's old enough to be your mother…" said Andy.
"My mother is well over a thousand years old…" growled Kurtis.
Stan looked at him strangely again.
Okay… he thought. That doesn't prove anything… Maybe his mom just told him another version of the fairy tale that Merlow told us…
"Yeah…" he said. "By the way… It would have made a lot more sense to have used Monster Reborn to summon Battlestorm…"
Kurtis grinned evilly.
"Battlestorm is exactly where I want it to be!" he laughed. "And I'll show you why…
"I remove him, a Dark Monster, and Flying Kamakiri, and Wind Monster, from play…"
The sky above the Castle of Clouds darkened.
"And call forth a creature that, like me, is both a spirit of Wind and a corruption of it… Come to me…
"Dark Simorgh!"
A storm erupted, composed of wind that could best be described as foul. There was a loud shriek, and two glowing eyes appeared out of the dark wind…
Then it slowly assumed a solid form… The form of a giant bird with demonic eyes and feathers as black as night. (2,700 ATK)
"Fair is foul, and foul is fair," chanted Kurtis, "hover through the fog and the filthy air…"
"Watch it…" said Stan, trying to hide how frightened he was. "Some people think it's bad luck to quote from that play outside of a theater."
"If anyone should be concerned about how bad his luck is about to get, it's you," replied Kurtis, as his eyes began to glow with the same fiendish light as his Monster's. "Dark Simorgh is both Dark and Wind at the same time, so it gains the bonuses from both Harpie Lady 1 and my Field Spell."
(3,300 ATK)
"Plus, it prevents you from setting any cards. Next, I activate this…"
His last facedown card lifted up. The smell of strong incense wafted across the field.
"Anti-Spell Fragrance!" gasped Andy. "Stan is in big trouble!"
"What?" said Petuni.
"It's called a Simorgh Lock, and it's almost unbeatable," said Francesca. "See, Anti-Spell Fragrance prevents both players from activating Spell Cards unless they're set a round in advance.
"Because Dark Simorgh prevents Stan from setting at all, that means he can't use Traps or Spells, period. Nor can he defend. And it's going to be hard for him to even defeat the Harpies with only Monsters, let alone that thing!"
"Harpie Lady 1…" said Kurtis. "You first…"
The Harpie shrieked in glee, and flew at Magician's Valkyria…
"I still have the Traps I already set!" shouted Stan.
One of the Traps lifted up.
"I use Gagagashield!"
The large shield appeared in Valkyria's hand.
"It lets a Spellcaster withstand two attacks this turn!"
Harpie Lady 1 tried to strike with her claw, but Valkyria blocked it with the barrier.
"Well, fine then…" said Kurtis. "Harpie Lady 2… You give it a try…"
The second sister swiped with her claw. Valkyria shielded herself again. The shield was smashed to pieces this time, but she survived.
"Harpie Lady 3… She's all yours…"
The third Harpie swooped down on Valkyria, and she had nothing to protect herself this time. She was thrown backwards with a claw wound across the stomach, and then shattered.
Stan was breathing hard…
"Dark Simorgh…" said Kurtis. "Blow Frontier Wiseman away with Blighted Hurricane!"
The attack could not have been better named. Dark Simorgh beat its wings furiously, creating a storm of foul, filthy wind. Stan screamed and was blown backwards as Frontier Wiseman shattered.
(S: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 6,400)
That really hurt! thought Stan. Lord… Is this what Fran went through when she was up against those Lightsworns?
Kurtis chuckled evilly. He threw his last card into his Disk, and a set card appeared behind his Monsters.
"It's your move…" he said.
"Laugh while you can…" growled Stan, as he got up.
His other Trap Card lifted.
"Thanks to Shock Draw, I now get to make three draws!"
He drew three cards.
"Is that supposed to scare me?" asked Kurtis. "Can any of them possibly threaten my Monsters?"
Stan made a draw.
"Maybe…" he said. "So tell me, Mr. Corruption of Wind, if your strategy is to prevent me from setting cards, why use her?"
He pointed to Harpie Lady 2.
"You do know what her effect is right?"
"And you ask why her and why not a second copy of Harpy Lady 1, right?" asked Kurtis, with a tired look.
He smiled evilly.
"A lot of people ask me that Stan…" he said softly. "When and if they discover the actual reason… They wish they hadn't asked…"
Stan looked at him. He trembled a little…
Clearly he has a card that requires all three of them… he thought. Well… If my defenses are down, I'm gonna have to go on offense!
"I summon Gagaga Druid!" he shouted.
He threw the card on his Disk, and a mysterious, robed and hooded figure appeared, holding a shillelagh. The only feature his hood didn't conceal was his eyes, and they sparkled with light. He wore an amulet shaped like the Gagaga insignia. (2,200 ATK)
"Hold on!" shouted Kurtis. "That's Level 6!"
"True…" said Stan. "But since you have at least two more Monsters than I do, I don't need a sacrifice to Normal Summon it.
"Sure, it's no match for Dark Simorgh…"
Gagaga Druid aimed its shillelagh at Harpie Lady 1.
"…but all your Monsters will be cut down a peg if your booster is dead!"
The Spellcaster shot multicolored lightning from its staff, and the Harpie shrieked right before she shattered. The Attack Scores of the other two Harpies fell down to 1,600 (and they both gave Stan dirty looks) while Dark Simorgh fell to 3,000.
"All right!" cheered Petuni. "Go, go, go!"
"Petuni, please…" said Ivan.
"Listen to your brother, Petuni," growled Kurtis, "because while that was a good try, it wasn't as effective as you might think…"
His facedown card lifted up.
"By activating Miracle's Wake, I can summon Harpie Lady 1 right back to the field."
The Harpie appeared again, looking at Stan with an angry glare. All three Harpies went up to 1,900 Attack Points again, and Dark Simorgh back to 3,300.
"That's the thing with Trap Cards, Stan…" said Kurtis, "you take them for granted until you can't use them."
"I end my turn…" said Stan, with a sigh.
(S: 4,600) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 6,100)
"And now it ends…" said Kurtis, as he made a draw.
He looked at the card.
"Dark Simorgh, eradicate his Druid!"
The Blighted Hurricane started again, and Stan struggled to brace himself as Gagaga Druid burst. A sharp pain ripped through his chest.
"Feast, my Harpies!" shouted Kurtis. "Attack him directly!"
The Harpie Ladies gave a cry, and flew into formation…
"I don't think so!" shouted Stan. "You just declared a direct attack… So I can Special Summon Gagaga Gardna from my hand! Defense Mode!"
There was a flash of energy, and a Warrior wearing an overcoat, army boots, an armored vest, a scarf over the lower half of his face, and an aviator's helmet, holding what appeared to be the Gagagashield, appeared, kneeling and defending with the shield. (2,000 DEF)
Kurtis sighed.
"You have more lives than a cat from Hell…" he said. "The attack is called off…"
He looked at the card he had drawn this turn. It was a Spell Card, so he couldn't play it this turn, due to his own Trap Card.
He set it in his Disk, and it appeared set in his Spell Zone.
"Just move…"
(S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 6,100)
Stan took a deep breath.
He drew a card. Then he looked at it in shock.
This… he said. It's one of the cards that Merlow gave us…
He looked at it hard…
"He told me that the souls of the Companions lie within the cards, and are eager to help fight the Queen again…
"Add them to your decks, and they will tell you that themselves…"
Stan sighed.
"Time to see for myself…" he said.
He threw the card on his Disk.
"I summon Goombella the Scholar!" he shouted.
There was a small aura of blue energy…
The Monster that appeared hardly looked formidable. It looked like a three-foot-tall mushroom with a face – with feminine features – with a ponytail in the back, wearing a necktie and a strange visor with a circular lens in the center. (500 ATK)
Now, all duelists feel an odd sensation when using a Duel Disk… There's a certain thrill upon seeing Monsters come to life in this manner…
But when Stan saw this one, there was something different… And Andy and Francesca had the same feeling by watching him…
Upon seeing this Monster, they felt a feeling of friendship… As if they were seeing an old friend who they hadn't seen in a long time, and were delighted to see again.
Unfortunately, this feeling was interrupted as Kurtis laughed out loud.
"You think I'm afraid of some oversized salad garnish?" he laughed.
Goombella looked at him angrily.
"You're going to regret that…" said Stan. "I use Goombella's effect, which I can activate by Normal Summoning her… It's called Tattle…"
Goombella hopped up on Stan's shoulder.
"Huh?" said Kurtis.
"She did it to get a better view," said Stan. "See, now I get to look at the top three cards on my deck…"
He picked up three cards.
"I get to keep one of them, so long as I ditch another one… I shuffle the third back into my deck…"
He looked at the three cards. Then he looked at Goombella, and then she nodded.
She hopped back in front of him as he discarded one of the cards. Then he put another one back in his deck, and reshuffled.
"You know, Stan…" sighed Kurtis. "Playing with food is bad enough, but talking to it?"
"I'll have you know that Goombella happens to be Level 4," said Stan.
Goombella and Gagaga Gardna turned to him, and nodded.
"That means that with her and Gagaga Gardna, I can build the Overlay Network…"
The two Monsters glowed with light, and then turned into a vortex of energy…
Then a very familiar, very rousing musical number started to echo over the field…
"That song…" said Petuni.
"It's 'Toreador'…" said Ivan. "What is he summoning?"
"Someone who's a big fan of classical music," said Stan, "who challenges the notion that it's boring. I Xyz Summon… Maestroke the Symphony Djinn!"
There was an explosion of colored lights, and a tall, lanky humanoid dressed in a red and black musical conductor's uniform, holding a long rapier appeared. (1,800 ATK)
Kurtis's expression quickly changed. Now he was very angry.
"Djinn?" he said. "Djinn? My father was a djinn, Stan, I know a djinn when I see one, and that thing is not a djinn!"
"Oh yeah, your father…" said Stan. "Whatever happened to him? Someone told me that your mother killed him."
"That's what I heard," said Kurtis. "Not that I really care, mind you… He was a do-gooder who would have just gotten in our way…"
"You don't even care about your own father…" gasped Petuni.
"Don't worry, Petuni, he's going to get his…" said Stan. "You see, the card I discarded when used Goombella's Tattle was a little guy called an A/D Changer…"
A short, pudgy guy appeared behind Stan, holding two flags. One was red with the letter A and the other was blue with the letter D.
"…and by removing it from play, I can change the Battle Position of any Monster on the field."
A/D Changer lifted the blue flag, and Dark Simorgh folded its wings, moving to Defense Mode. (1,000 DEF) Then the chubby Warrior vanished.
"Hey, wait a minute…" said Kurtis.
"Maestroke, ground that bird!" shouted Stan.
The Djinn flew at the now-defending Winged Beast, and slashed with its sword. Dark Simorgh let out a groan…
And then it burst into an explosion of dark globules. Stan's supporters cheered.
"That was therapeutic…" said Stan. "And now that I can set cards again…"
Two facedown cards appeared behind Maestroke.
"Your move…" he said.
Kurtis didn't respond for a few seconds.
"Hello?" said Stan. "I said, your move…"
"Give me a minute…" snarled the Shadow Spawn of Wind. "I'm paralyzed with rage…"
He made a draw.
"Stan…" he said. "Ordinarily, this would have been business as usual for me…
"Now… You've made it personal…
"I set this card…"
A set card appeared in his Spell Zone.
"…and then activate this one.
The facedown card he had set last turn lifted up.
"Winged Repayment! I pay 600 Life Points, and I get to draw one card for each Winged Beast I have…"
He made three draws.
"The catch is… I can't use them this turn…
"Now then… Harpie Lady 3… Tear that sorry excuse for a djinn to pieces!"
The spiky-haired Harpie flew at Maestroke…
"I activate… Raigeki Break!" shouted Stan, as his left facedown card lifted up. "I toss one card…"
He discarded a card, Overlay Eater.
"…and I can destroy one card on the field!"
He pointed to Harpie Lady 1, and she gave a look of shock…
Then lightning crashed down from the sky, striking her and blowing her to pieces. The Attack Scores of the other two Harpies fell to 1,600.
"Now Harpie Lady 3 isn't strong enough to handle Maestroke!"
"Nonetheless," said Kurtis, "I choose to have her continue her attack…"
"Huh?" said Stan, as the Harpie flew towards the Djinn.
Maestroke slashed with his rapier, cutting her in half at the waist. The two pieces dissolved into grains of light.
Then Maestroke bent over in pain as a dark aura of energy surrounded him.
"Because I had the sense to attack with Harpie Lady 3," said Kurtis, "Maestroke falls victim to her effect, and is now powerless to attack for two of your turns.
"But just in case… I'll move Harpie Lady 2 to Defense Mode…"
The last Harpie landed and covered herself with her wings. (1,400 DEF)
"It's your move…"
(S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 5,300)
"Draw…" said Stan, as he drew a card.
He looked at the Warrior on the card.
This will help… he thought.
"I summon Trident Warrior!" he shouted.
He played the card, and a beam of light fell from the sky. A powerful, muscular, bearded man wearing a green breastplate with shoulder guards, a blue kilt, a cape, and a helmet, holding a long trident, appeared in front of him. (1,800 ATK)
"By Normal Summoning him, I can Special Summon a Level 3 Monster from my hand… So say hello to Gagaga Girl!"
There was a shower of rose petals and sparkling motes, and a blonde female Spellcaster landed next to Trident Warrior. She wore a feminine version of Gagaga Magician's outfit, with the Gagaga insignia on her belt. She had an accessory that most Spellcasters didn't have: a cellphone, with a chain on the end connected to a pair of small skulls. (1,000 ATK)
"So is that Gagaga Magician's apprentice, girlfriend, or both?" said Kurtis, with a bored sigh.
He's toying with me… thought Stan. He realizes that I can't Xyz Summon with what I have…
He looked at the cards remaining in his hand.
And I won't be able to for at least a turn…
"Trident Warrior, attack the last Harpie!" he shouted. "Power of Poseidon!"
The Warrior pointed his weapon, and blasted lightning bolts from it, striking Harpie Lady 2 and blowing her to shards.
"Gagaga Girl, you're up!" he continued, as the Spellcaster punched some numbers into her mobile. "Attack directly!"
Gagaga Girl held up the device, and shot an energy stream full of numbers at the Shadow Spawn. He grunted in pain.
Then he laughed softly.
"Wonder if she'd tell me who her provider is?" he chuckled.
(S: 3,500) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,300)
"You think this is all fun and games, Kurtis?" asked Stan. "I'm pretty sure that everyone you've hurt didn't see it that way.
"Don't you care about anyone but yourself?"
"I try not to…" replied Kurtis, with a sigh. "It would make it harder to do my job…
"Tell me something, Stan… To give a comparison… Does your uncle show any compassion for the inmates he's responsible for? Or does he just refer to them by the numbers they're assigned?"
"Don't give me that," said Stan. "It's not the same thing at all. Almost all the folks at the prison where he works are there for a good reason. Sure, there are stories now and then of people who are wrongly convicted… But the truth is, for every one of those stories, there are a hundred cases where the convicted criminal's guilt could not have been more obvious."
"I'm sure that's true," said Kurtis. "But does he ever look into the history of the inmates? Learn how they became violent criminals?
"Everybody has a story, Stan, and no kindergartner ever says that he wants to be an armed robber or a drug dealer when he grows up. Bad men usually started as bad kids, like you said yourself, and they had bad upbringings that made them that way. Your uncle probably knows that, and avoids delving into the pasts of the inmates who come through his system too deeply because he doesn't want to start sympathizing with them. If he ever did, it would make it harder to do his job.
"A lot of child molesters were abused as children themselves, you know… And if your uncle knew about what some pedophile had been through as a child, it might be awfully hard for him to order the guy sent to solitary."
"And your saying that's the same deal with you?" asked Stan. "That not caring about your victims makes it easier to hurt them? That's a rotten outlook, Kurtis."
"My move…" said Kurtis.
He drew a card.
Then his facedown card lifted up.
"I activate Magic Planter…" he said. "I'll send Anti-Spell Fragrance to the Graveyard…"
A mass of vines sprang out of the cloudy surface, grabbing hold of the Trap Card and pulling it under the cloud.
"And then draw twice…"
He drew two cards.
"Glad that's gone," said Andy. "Hopefully Stan won't be overwhelmed if he manages to bring back Simorgh."
"Don't jinx it," said Francesca. "Kurtis can do that rather easily… All he has to do is remove a Dark Monster and a Wind Monster in his hand from play. And I'm guessing his deck has more than one Battlestorm in it."
Kurtis set two cards in his Disk, and a set Monster appeared, followed by a set card behind it.
"Your move…" he said.
Stan drew a card.
"Gagaga Girl, attack!" he shouted.
The Spellcaster shot her digital blast towards the set card… Another Flying Kamakiri appeared on the card, and exploded…
"Another one?" gasped Stan.
"You got it," replied Kurtis. "And I'll use it to summon… Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon!"
There was another burst of wind, and a small – as far as Dragons go – Dragon with maroon scales, glowing green eyes, wings under its arms, and a bejeweled crown appeared in front of Stan's Monsters. A young Harpie that looked like she might have been the Harpie Ladies' kid sister was holding it by a chain leash. (1,200 ATK)
"And don't forget the boost it gets from Castle of Clouds…" said Kurtis.
(1,500 ATK)
"It's still no threat without the Harpies to back it up…" said Stan, as Trident Warrior aimed his weapon.
"Good point…" said Kurtis, as his facedown Trap Card lifted up.
"Oh crap, that's Hysteric Party!" shouted Francesca, as Kurtis discarded a card from his hand.
"Exactly…" said Kurtis. "So come on back, ladies…"
Harpie Lady 1 appeared first, followed by 2, and then 3. (1,300 ATK x3) –) (1,900 ATK x3)
"And with three Harpie Ladies on the field," said Kurtis, "the Dragon gains three effects…
"First, you can't attack my Harpies. Second, the base scores of the Dragon itself are doubled. Plus there's the bonus it gets from Harpie Lady 1."
(3,000 ATK)
"And third, it can destroy one card per turn… So what now, Stan?"
"I move Maestroke to Defense Mode…" said Stan.
Maestroke sheathed his sword, and knelt. (2,300 DEF)
"And I end my turn…"
"You're learning how the Field Spell works, Stan," said Kurtis with a smirk. "But it won't help you… Ironically, by the way, this is where Harpie Lady 3's curse on Maestroke wears off."
The dark aura around the Symphony Djinn vanished.
"I draw one card…" said Kurtis, making a draw.
This might be useful… he thought.
"Now I use my Dragon's effect…" he said. "Destroy Maestroke!"
The Dragon exhaled a cone of freezing vapor at the Djinn…
"I use Maestroke's effect!" shouted Stan.
He quickly discarded Goombella's card.
"By detaching an Overlay Unit, I can prevent him from being destroyed!"
"I see…" said Kurtis. "Well then… I still have my Dragon's normal attack!"
The Dragon exhaled the cone of frost again.
"I can use that effect more than once per turn, Kurtis!" shouted Stan.
"But you still take damage…" said the Shadow Spawn of Wind.
Stan grunted as the blast of energy hit the Djinn.
"Harpie Lady 3, you finish the job…" said Kurtis.
Stan looked surprised as the Harpie swooped at Maestroke.
"I know…" said Kurtis, "she isn't strong enough…"
He threw a Quickplay Spell into his Disk.
"Well, Ego Boost will change that…"
Harpie Lady 3's Attack Score shot up to 2,900. She landed full-force on Maestroke, smashing him to bits.
"ARGH!" screamed Stan.
"The fun's just starting, Stan…" said Kurtis.
Harpie Ladies 1 and 2 flew at Trident Warrior and Gagaga Girl, and raked at them with clawed uppercuts. As his two Monsters shattered, Stan fell on his back…
(S: 1,200) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,300)
Somebody please… thought Stan. Help…
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"Stan…" said a voice.
Stan was woozy. He didn't know who had called his name. He had never heard that voice before.
"Stan!" repeated the voice. This time, it was accompanied by a kick to his ribs.
Stan sat up with a start. He was still in the Castle of Clouds field, but Kurtis, the Monsters, and everyone who was watching was gone.
Apparently the one who had called his name… was Goombella. She was right in front of him.
"Get up, lunkhead!" she shouted.
Her voice was sassy, spunky, and rather bossy.
"Did you say something?" he said, not knowing what to make of this.
"Do you see anyone else around?" she replied. "Are you going to take this from that big jerk? Get up and fight! Prove to me that you're half the man your ancestor was."
"Oh please…" groaned Stan. "Not that dumb story again…"
Goombella frowned. Then she leapt up, and head-butted him on the forehead.
"OW!" shouted Stan. "What was that for?"
"I'm trying to knock some sense into you, knucklehead!" she shouted. "Let me ask you something… Just what is the problem here?
"Is it that you can't believe that story, or is it that you won't believe it? Those are two entirely different things. I think you won't believe it, because you're too stubborn!"
"Look…" sighed Stan. "Even if there were three saviors who fought this Shadow Queen a thousand years ago… How do you and Merlow know for sure you've got the right person?"
He took the pendant in his hand.
"For all we know, maybe a rightful heir lost this thing, and a member of my family just found it… And…"
"Now you're just making excuses!" shouted Goombella. "I knew the original Dark Sorcerer, and let me tell you, I can see a big family resemblance here! Not just in looks, but in attitude."
"Attitude?" asked Stan.
"Remember why you were so anxious to duel Kurtis?" asked Goombella. "Because you didn't like bullies. Well, your ancestor wasn't very fond of them either. In fact, that was exactly how he and I met.
"It was less than an hour after he set foot in Arcadia. He saved me from a group of bullies. I've always been more of an intellectual, Stan, and bullies tend to see people like me as targets. Of course, these guys were working for the Shadow Queen… We just didn't know it at the time.
"You can try to deny it all you want, but sooner or later you're gonna have to accept it…"
She gave him another kick.
"Because like it or not… You don't have much choice here…"
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Stan slowly sat up.
"You're awake?" asked Kurtis. "Huh… For a minute there, I thought I might be able to win by a technicality…"
Stan held his head. That pep talk had been a little on the pushy side, but he had to admit, she made a valid point…
"So…" said Kurtis. "Ready to give up?"
"Surrender to a jerk like you?" asked Stan. "The sky would have to fall first."
His facedown card lifted up.
"I activate my Trap Card!" he shouted, as he stood up.
"Xyz Reborn!"
Maestroke appeared again, crouching in Defense Mode. (2,300 ATK)
"It not only Special Summons Maestroke from the Graveyard," said Stan, "but the Trap Card itself becomes an Overlay Unit for him."
"I'm getting so sick of that guy…" said Kurtis.
He threw the last card in his hand into his Disk.
"I'll set that facedown," he said, as it appeared in his Spell Zone, "and end my turn…"
Stan looked at the set card very closely.
The he drew a card.
Time to take a chance… he said.
"I play… Overlay Regenerate," he said, as he played a Spell Card. "I play this Spell Card, and then the Spell Card becomes an Overlay Unit for one Xyz Monster on the field. So now Maestroke has two of them."
Kurtis snarled.
"I set one Monster, and one facedown card," said Stan, as the two set cards appeared.
"Next, I play the Sweet Treat Spell Card!" he exclaimed.
The smiling gingerbread man holding its pink die flew out of the card. It tossed the die, and it came up a two.
"That means I gain 1,000 Life Points," said Stan. "It also means my turn ends right now, so it's your move…"
(S: 2,200) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,300)
Kurtis flipped the top card off of his deck.
Perfect! he thought. I just drew Sangan.
With a little luck, I can draw a Wind Monster on my next turn, and bring back Simorgh…
But first thing's first…
"I use my Dragon's effect to destroy…" he said.
He paused.
"THAT card!" he said, pointing to the set card in Stan's Spell Zone.
The Dragon breathed its cone of frost, and Stan's set Call of the Haunted was blasted into pixels.
"All right!" shouted Kurtis. "Attack his Djinn, my pet!"
Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon exhaled its cone of frost again, and Stan grunted in pain.
"I use Maestroke's effect…" he gasped.
"On the contrary…" said Kurtis, "you'll do no such thing!"
His facedown card lifted up.
"Harpie's Feather Storm!" he shouted. "Because I control at least one Harpie, this Counter Trap negates the effect of a Monster that activates during the Battle Phase, and destroys it outright!"
A blizzard of feathers flew out of the card, flying at Maestroke and literally consuming him. Kurtis chuckled.
"Your demise is delayed for one turn," said Kurtis, "because I have to end my Battle Phase immediately after using that Counter Trap… But at least that accursed Xyz Monster is gone…"
(S: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 4,300)
Stan bowed his head.
"I see you have accepted defeat…" said Kurtis, with a grin.
"Heh, heh…" chuckled Stan.
"What?" said Kurtis.
"Sucker…" said Stan.
He looked up with a sly smile.
"You did just what I wanted you to do, bird-brain. I figured that you had Feather Storm… I just had to make you angry and frustrated enough to use it.
"And because you did, my set Monster is now completely safe from Harpie Lady 2!"
"Stan is right…" gasped Francesca. "It seems that Kurtis completely forgot that Harpie Lady 2 can negate Flip Effects…"
No… thought Kurtis. It can't be…
"Oh, but it is…" said Stan, as he made a draw.
"Reveal yourself… Trap Master!"
The facedown Monster flipped up into Attack Mode, cackling as he did. (500 ATK) There was a loud buzz as the Hysteric Party card was sawed in half. The three Harpie's screamed, and then exploded into pixels. The Dragon plummeted to an Attack Score of 1,500.
"Now, Monster Reborn!" shouted Stan, playing another card.
The hoy symbol appeared, and Maestroke appeared again. (1,800 ATK)
"Next, the Equip Spell, Gagagarevenge!" he shouted, as he played his last card. "By using this card, I can Special Summon a Monster with the word 'Gagaga' in its name from my Graveyard, so long as I Equip it with this card."
Gagaga Girl appeared again. (1,000 ATK)
"And by using her and Trap Master," he said, as the two Monsters turned into a swirling portal of energy, "I can open the Overlay Network to Xyz summon a Djinn of a different type…
"Muzurhythm the String Djinn, you're on!"
In an explosion of multicolored energy, a new Fiend-Type Xyz emerged. It was a short, stocky little guy, with blue fur and horns on its head. It wore a white leisure suit and a wide-brimmed hat, held a rose in its teeth, and carried a double-necked guitar. A second guitar was strapped to its back. (1,500 ATK)
Kurtis looked ready to explode.
"That thing looks even less like a djinn than the other one!" he shouted.
"Oh, is that so?" said Stan. "Well… At least this one is a Wind Monster…
"And you know what that means…"
"Gah…" said Kurtis. "It gains the bonus from my Field Spell!"
"Exactly," said Stan. "In addition, because Gagaga Girl was Equipped with Gagagarevenge, both my Xyz Monsters gain 300 more Attack Points."
The two Djinns rose to Attack Scores of 2,100 apiece.
"Now, Muzurhythm attacks Harpie's Pet Baby Dragon! And when a Djinn attacks a Monster, Muzurhythm can get rid of one of its Overlay Units to double that Djinn's Attack Score for the rest of the turn.
"And before you ask, yes, it can use that effect on itself!"
Muzurhythm strummed its guitar, and its Attack Score shot up to 4,200. A powerful blast of sonic energy shot at the Dragon, and Kurtis screamed as his Monster was pulverized.
"Maestroke, finish this guy off!" shouted Stan. "Death Symphony!"
Maestroke waved his rapier, and musical staffs entwined it as orchestra music filled the air…
Then the music reached a powerful cacophony as the notes blasted towards the Shadow Spawn of Wind. Kurtis let out a louder scream…
(S: 1,500) - - - - - - - - - - (K: 0)
The Castle of Clouds faded away. Kurtis was nowhere in sight. Stan sighed. He turned his baseball cap backwards again.
Then Andy and Francesca rushed up and hugged him.
"That was super, Stan!" shouted Francesca.
"Guys, give me a minute!" said Stan.
"Well done!" said Ivan, as he mopped his brow. "I never doubted you for a minute…"
"You're a rotten liar, Ivan…" said his sister, rolling her eyes.
Ivan sighed.
"Stanley…" he said. "Seriously, I'm impressed… And I think this is the sign I was waiting for…"
"Sign?" asked Stan.
"Kurtis wanted something else…" said Ivan. "Something that I was put in charge of protecting until someone came who I supposed to give it to. I wouldn't have given it to that brat if he had threatened to burn the place down…
"I was never sure exactly who I was supposed to give it to… But I'm sure now…
"Follow me…"
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Kurtis landed on the stone floor, crying out in pain as he did.
He nervously turned his head, and saw Melissa… She was still shackled to the wall, but she seemed to brighten up a little upon seeing him.
"Ha, ha, you messed up, windbag," she said.
"So did you, lighthead!" he cursed.
"Melissa, you're in enough trouble…" said a voice that made them tremble.
The Shadow Queen – for it would be pointless to deny that it was indeed her at this point – came out of the darkness, her angry glowing eyes fixated on Kurtis.
"Mom… wait…" he said, shivering.
The Shadow Queen grabbed her son, holding him in a choke hold.
"What did I say, Kurtis?" she scolded. "I warned you that your plan would backfire if you lost, and now it has… Now they have actual witnesses."
She slammed him against the wall, and a set of chains similar to the ones holding Melissa grabbed him.
Once they had fully restrained him, she let go of him, and sighed.
"To make matters worse…" she sighed, "those kids are getting stronger, if the cards they have are any indication…"
"Cards?" groaned Kurtis. "What cards?"
"I believe you referred to it as an 'oversized salad garnish'," replied the Queen. "Oh, I remember that creature very well… It was one of a group that used to pal around with the ones who condemned me to this place…
"Clearly this is going to be harder than I imagined…"
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Ivan led them to place that looked like a museum – a museum full of clocks. All sorts of clocks, from sundials to large grandfather clocks, some that seemed to be hundreds of years old, were on display here.
"Wow, I've never seen so many clocks…" said Andy.
"We're just happy we don't use Daylight Savings Time on Arcadia," said Petuni, with a short chuckle. "It's bad enough keeping them dusted and polished."
"So Ivan…" asked Francesca, "you're the mayor and the curator of this museum?"
"I'm also the Great Tree's movie reviewer and the head of the book club," replied Ivan. "I like to keep busy…"
He went up to an unassuming cuckoo clock hanging on the wall. It was clearly an antique, but was rather plain.
He carefully and slowly turned the minute hand clockwise until the time read 3:17. Then, just as carefully, he turned it counter-clockwise until it read 6:42.
He paused for a second, and then carefully turned the hand clockwise until both the hands rested on the twelve.
Then there was a click. Ivan too hold of the clock and slid it aside, revealing a hidden compartment in the wall. Apparently, it was a safe of some sort.
In the compartment was a single Duel Monsters card. Ivan took it, and sighed.
"I've been looking after this for a long time…" he said. "But now… Now I'm more than certain that you're the one who I was supposed to give it to…"
He handed it to Stan. Stan looked at it. It was a Spell Card called Clock Out.
He read the card text… It seemed defensive in nature, but it was very powerful… And it was clear that this was another of the Enchanted Cards that Merlow was talking about.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Goombella… She gave him a wink.
Maybe there is some truth to that story after all… he thought.
What have we gotten ourselves into?
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HARPIE'S FEATHER STORM (Trap Card)
Counter Trap
Image: A blizzard of feathers.
Card Description: Activate when your opponent activates a Monster's effect during the Battle Phase while you control at least 1 "Harpie Lady". Negate the effect and destroy the Monster. Then, end your Battle Phase.
Note: "Harpie's Feather Storm" was first used by Mai in the original anime episode "My Freaky Valentine (Part 2)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
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WINGED REPAYMENT (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: The image on this card was unclear.
Card Description: Pay 600 Life Points. Draw a number of cards equal to the number of face-up Winged Beast-Type Monsters you control. Cards drawn by this effect cannot be Summoned, set, or activated this turn.
Note: "Winged Repayment" was first used by Harpie's Brother in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "A New World Order". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
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CASTLE OF CLOUDS (Spell Card)
Field Spell
Image: A majestic castle of blue gems on a sea of clouds.
Card Description: WIND Monsters gain 300 ATK and inflict piercing damage.
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GAGAGA DRUID (Monster Card)
Spellcaster/Dark/Effect/Lvl6/2,200ATK/1,200DEF
Effect: When your opponent controls 2 or more Monsters than you do, you may Normal Summon this card without Tribute.
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GOOMBELLA THE SCHOLAR (Monster Card)
Spellcaster/Earth/EffectLevel4/500ATK/2,000DEF
Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, you may look at the top 3 cards on your deck; add 1 to your hand, and send 1 to the Graveyard. Then, shuffle your deck.
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What powerful card did Kurtis have that required all three Harpies? The question will go unanswered… For now…
Two of the Shadow Spawn have been defeated, but the Shadow Queen is has only begun to fight…
Next:
Francesca: We've gotten a pass to a place that even the common folk of Arcadia can only dream of seeing… Now that we're here, it looks like Arcadia's answer to Las Vegas; flashy, ritzy, and gaudy. I'm willing to bet that a lot of its attractions are off-limits to the three of us because we're underage. And the technology that they must use to simply keep this place functioning… It gives me a headache just thinking about it.
But danger lurks in the town of Glitzville, as I'm about to find out firsthand…
"Blind Spot Strike" is coming soon.