Heya guys! School's back from the whole winter break thing. What a bummer. Still, I'll try my best on this chapter!
Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!
'Come on, come on, come on!' thought Elize, frantically walking down the hallways at a fast pace while nibbling on a piece of toast with her teeth. She stayed up for two hours after 3 to rearrange her deck and only got 2 hours of sleep, so she imagined that she was late, seeing that all the hallways were empty.
Once arriving at her classroom doorway, Elize took her half-eaten toast off her mouth before opening the door with one hand. To her surprise, Crowler wasn't present anywhere; the classroom was filled with chattering students, though.
Elize walked down the stairs and headed towards her seat, finishing off her toast. "Good morning, Chumley. Um...am I late?" she asked to Chumley, who was looking at one card to another in his giant palms.
"Huh? No. Actually, you're ten minutes earlier than usual. So, it's all good."
"Elize!" called out Blair, who was sitting next to Chumley. "Thank God you're here! I thought you wouldn't make it in time! I mean, Jaden isn't even here yet, either!"
"Uh..You mean, Jaden and Syrus. You forgot to mention Syrus," reminded Alexis, one seat behind the tomboy.
Blair's face flared up before she pressed her hat closer to her. "I-I knew that! Anyways! Elize, wanna help me review before our written exams starts?"
"Okay!"
Watching Blair and Elize taking out their review sheets and reviewing one another caused Alexis and Chumley to feel some sense of their strong friendship. Ever since Blair came into the picture, Elize has been spending an awful lot of time together with her. Soon, it came to occur to both of them that Blair may one day be the ideal boyfriend Elize could have later in the future.
"I feel happy for both Blair and Elize," Alexis whispered to Chumley, smiling. "They might end up like a good couple later."
Chumley nodded. "Yeah. Some rumors have spreaded that they like each other like that. But...I do feel sad for Syrus. He has a crush on Elize, you know."
"Oh...Oh...!" If Alexis didn't know before, she knew now. "That's why he acts to differently and much more nicer around her. Yeah, one of us is going to have to break the news to him someday, you know."
"Yeah, but-"
SLAM! The front doors slammed open, and a frantic-looking Jaden and Syrus rushed down the stairs and jumped onto their seats; sweating and breathing heavily.
Blair couldn't help but be mesmerized by Jaden. 'Oh...his hot face and how he wipes off his sweat...I wish I had a jar with me so that I could-Wait-GAH!' Blair's face was extremely red like a volcano before she glared down at her lap, refusing to look at anyone in the eye.
"What happened?" asked Alexis, concern for the two best friends.
Syrus was the first to regain his breath, holding one finger up for Alexis to be patient for a moment. "We...We were running down the hallway, and we accidentally made Crowler spill coffee all over his clothes! Then, we ran all the way here!"
"Did he see the two of you?" Elize asked out of curiosity.
"No, I don't think so," replied Jaden, still wearing his trademark child-like grin. "But man! The look on his face when the coffee spilled on his clothes! It was hilari-"
SLAM! Once again, the front door slammed all the way opened, but emerging from the hallways and into the classroom was a pissed-off Crowler with coffee stains visible all over his Obelisk Blue clothing. All the students stayed silent the moment they noticed his presence, including Jaden.
Storming down the stairs towards his desk, Crowler began muttering threats about what he'll do to the culprit that made his appearance like this. He was even using hand motions such as wringing a neck out of thin air, or stomping on his foot for dramatic effect. Jaden and Syrus made extra measures to stay low in their seats, not wanting to be seen by their Slifer Red hating teacher.
"CLASS!" He hollered, making everyone literally jump from their seats. "WE'RE TAKING THE WRITTEN EXAM NOW! I DON'T CARE IF THE BELL RANG OR NOT! JUST TAKE OUT YOUR PENCILS AND DO IT! YOU HAVE ONE HOUR! DON'T WASTE IT!"
Nobody complained nor spoke back to the teacher; all of them quickly taking their pencils and erasers just in case. After being handed their papers, everyone began scribbling down their answers as Crowler watched each one of them very carefully.
Several hours later...
Fidgeting her fingers over and over, Elize glanced back and forth; nervous and close to a breakdown. Many other students have had their field test, but so far, she and some of her friends hasn't. Still, she had to admit, her other friends' duels were amazing.
Bastion's arranged elemental decks helped him through his duel with ease. It didn't matter what deck his opponent chose; for it was either DARK, LIGHT, FIRE, WATER, EARTH, or WIND Attribute decks. Since his opponent chose a FIRE deck for Bastion, it didn't take long for the Ra Yellow genius to scorch his opponent's Monsters and burn his Life Points to a crisp.
Chumley's duel ended up in a tie, but still, Chumley put a good fight in the end. Both him and his opponent were using Beast-Type decks, so their card effects ended up affecting one another and causing the two to lose at the same time. Still, the duel was almost like a fight in the jungle, like a lion pinning against a lion. Except, a koala vs bears, a weird combination.
It was a close call for Syrus's match, but he managed to win eventually. His opponent focused his deck based on Wyrm-Types, and all Syrus could do is defend and strike back using all the effect damage he could use. The only thing that saved him the win was his Trap card, Magic Cylinder, redirecting his attack right back at the opponent's.
Alexis's duel could only be described as enchanting and elegant, for Alexis, that is. Everyone was captivated by Alexis's dueling style and how she used her Monsters' effects all the way to maximum. In the end, her ace Monster, Cyber Blader, finished off her opponent in a swift dance of multiple attacks.
Afterwards, other duels went on; one another beating the next and so on. Someone passed, someone failed, but there was always next time. Many interesting decks were shown throughout the duels happening in the gym, but apparently, a lot of the male students used Warrior-Types, while the females used Fairy-Types, both Types being especially popular with duelists these days.
Elize couldn't help but tremble in her seat, her hands covering her mouth as she began hitching her breath. Everyone else were busy watching the duels to notice the timid girl shaking like a leaf. What if she failed again? Will the mean bullies from last month tease and make fun of like last time? She couldn't bear being humiliated like that again! Even though they were given detention, she still felt like they haven't learned their lesson. Even so-!
A hand clamped onto her shoulder, startling the girl as she turned her head and saw Alexis. Alexis had been wanting to see the rest of the duels, but seeing Elize all scared worried the older girl. She remembered that the last field test didn't end so well and ended up with Elize getting picked on for her bad dueling skills. She couldn't let such a thing happen to a nice girl like her, so...
"Elize? Are you okay?"
"Huh? Yeah! I'm just feeling a little cold, that's all!"
"...Elize? I want to give you a few of my cards for your duel," offered Alexis, taking a few cards from her deck and handing them over to Elize. "That way, you'll be able to defend yourself even more."
Looking at them, Elize recognized them as Doble Passe, Waboku, and Etoile Cyber, some of Alexis's favorite cards. She shook her head and took a step back. "N-no. I can't. These are your cards, after all."
"That's why I'm letting you borrow them for a while. I just don't want others teasing you for your dueling skills. You're a nice girl, Elize, and nobody that nice deserves to be bullied with."
Elize looked unsure what to do. Sure, using these cards would help her deck and possibly help her win, but still, she wanted to use her own skills to win. She didn't want to borrow Alexis's main cards and borrow off her strength. She wanted to duel using her own ability and skills.
"Alexis, I'm sorry, but I don't-"
"Attention, all students! Those who haven't dueled yet must come down to the gym immediantly!"
Knowing that was her cue, Elize bowed to Alexis, giving her an apologetic look. "I'm sorry! But, thank you for the offer, anyways! See you!"
Alexis sighed and gave her a weak smile. "Okay then. Good luck in your duel, alright? Try your best out there."
"Yes. Thank you, Alexis!"
In a few minutes, Elize managed to make it all the way towards the center of the gym, where the other remaining duelists waited. Other than her, three other people haven't had their turn yet; Chazz, Jaden, and Blair.
Elize was panicking on the inside, knowing each of them could easily beat her, Jaden and Chazz especially! Chazz crossed his arms with a bored expression, though he wanted to duel Jaden. Blair stayed silent, hoping not to attract any attention. The only one excited through all this was Jaden, as he was anxious to know who he was going to be facing.
Crowler walked up to the four duelists, holding up a microphone in his hands before bringing it close to his lips. "Alright, so apparently, four Slifer slac-I mean, Slifer Reds are left in line! Here's what we're going to do! Instead of two duels, we're making it a four-way Battle Royale! So, it's Blair Flannigan and Elize Simington vs Chazz Princeton and Jaden Yuki!"
"WHAT?!" yelled Blair as Elize's jaw dropped, both girls shocked at the sudden change in the field test.
"Alright, sweet!" cheered Jaden, pumping his fist up as Chazz was taken aback. "Wait...What's a Battle Royale?"
Chazz facepalmed, knowing that Jaden would ask something as stupid as that. "Idiot! You really don't pay attention in class, do you? A Battle Royale is sorta like a Tag Team Duel, except, there are differences! Just listen, 'cause I'm only gonna say this once!"
In a Battle Royale, the dueling rules were changed a little to make it more interesting and fair for all parties participating in such a duel. One; Your partner can either help you or attack you. Two; Players can cooperate against another player, such as two guys ganging up on one player. Three;Nobody can attack on their first turn. There were a few more rules, but these were the basic ones.
"Well, Blair and Elize are done for," said Bastion, already calculating the outcome of the upcoming duel.
"Don't say that!" snapped Alexis, glancing fiercely at him. "The duel's barely even started yet!"
"Yes, but knowing Elize, she might be the first to get kicked out of the duel. According to my calculations, anyways."
"And did you forget that your own calculations couldn't help you win against Jaden?"
"...Fair point, I won't deny."
"Wait, Dr. Crowler!" called Blair. "We're clearly at a disadvantage, me and Elize! Can't you have Elize move to Jaden's side? Although I hate Chazz's guts, I'll gladly take him as my partner! ...And then knock him down when we're done."
"HEY! I heard that!" the black-haired spiky teen yelled, but was sadly ignored.
"No! It has to stay like that! Besides, there's a good reason why I want to arrange that way," admitted Crowler before he sported a nasty-looking grin that spelled trouble for Blair and Elize. "If you and Miss Elize lose this duel...You have to take off your caps in front of the whole audience!"
"WHAT?!" Now this was unfair and a stunning turn of events for both girls! Elize didn't mind if she took off her cap, but, if Blair had to...in front of everyone, her gender idntity crisis would be exposed!
"D-Dr. Crowler! Surely we can come to a better term!" pleaded Elize, trying to change his mind. "How about, if we win, we hand over our lunches! Or be servants to the winenrs for a week! Or whatever!"
"Nope! I've felt that the two of you have been suspicious for some time now! So, that's when it hit me! I realized that there must be something hidden under your caps!"
"Their caps...?" Chazz suddenly gasped, snapping his fingers. "Aha! I got it! The screaming girl they were hiding before...was hidden underneath one of their caps!"
Now it was Syrus's turn to facepalm; having heard all what Chazz said. 'Oh, really, Chazz?' he thought, unable to cope of how much of a dumb meter Chazz had compared to Jaden's. 'And how exactly big is this girl?'
"Now, with your caps on the line, come and duel like proper good duelists should!"
"Alright! A cap-strip duel! This should be interesting!" said Jaden, laughing happily.
Determined to prove his theory, Chazz quickly got into position for the Battle Royal duel. "The secret behind those caps better get revealed! Come on, Jaden! Hurry up and get here!"
"Coming!"
Blair and Elize huddled close together, trying to form a sort of strategy. "Blair, if they win, you'll be forced to take off your cap!"
"Yeah, but...I don't really..."
Blair was about to finish her line when she saw the sorrowful look in her best friend's eyes. That look was the same one as last time, when those Obelisk Blue bullies threw tomatoes at her and insulted her. No way was she letting her friend experience that painful moment again!
"What are you two whispering about?!" demanded Crowler, his shrilling echoing throughout the entire gym. "Hurry up and get the duel started already!"
"Yes, Dr. Crowler!" Both girls ran to the Duel Field, activating their duel disks simultaneously. Both glanced at each other one more time, knowing that they were definitely not going to have a good time.
"Hope you two are ready!" encouraged Jaden. "Get your games on!"
"Pfft! Yeah, right! This will be over real quickly," said Chazz, not really interested. "You and I are dueling later, Jaden!"
"Bring it on, Chazz!"
'I hate to admit it, but Bastion may be right,' thought Alexis, silently praying for Elize and Blair. 'Jaden and Chazz sure don't show mercy to their opponents, and as a team together? They're a powerhouse not to be dealt with! It'll take a miracle for them to actually win!'
'I have at least one advantage to my side,' Elize thought, looking at her deck. 'The element of surprise! That's one of my main strong points in my deck! Please, let me and Blair win! I don't want her kicked out of Duel Academy!'
'Please let Elize win!' Blair begged to herself, looking at her deck and hoping they would choose the right cards for her. 'I don't care about myself, but don't let her lose!'
"DUEL!"
- DUEL -
Blair - 4000 LP
Elize - 4000 LP
VS
Chazz - 4000 LP
Jaden - 4000 LP
"I'll go first!" said Blair, who quickly drew six cards. One of them being the card, The One to be Protected, a very special card. 'I'll save that one for later.' "I set two cards facedown and play Maiden in Love in Attack Mode!"
A beautiful, tiny girl sporting a yellow dress with a pink ribbon attack to a headband appeared, causing a lot of the female fans in the audience to awe at the cute girl.
Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/300)
"Then, I'll end my turn!"
"Chazz! Be careful! I've had my fair shares with that Monster!" warned Jaden, already seeing where this duel was getting.
"Yeah, I know! I've faced that Monster before, and it wasn't pretty," admitted Chazz, scowling at the lovely girl. "It's my draw! I summon Armed Dragon LV3 in Attack Mode!"
The small, big-jawed Dragon pumped his fists before standing tall to fight for his master.
Armed Dragon LV3 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV3 - (1200/900)
"Next, I set a card facedown and end!"
"...My turn! Draw!" Elize didn't waste time drawing her sixth card before examining her hand. 'Alright! Polymerization! But, if I use it now, that'll spoil the surprise. For now, I'll play some defense and fortify it with my facedown card!' "I set a Monster in Defense Mode and set a card before ending my turn!"
"My turn, then!" said Jaden. "Sweet! I play Bubbleman in Attack Mode!"
The WATER Attribute Elemental Hero bursted out from a large bubble and revealed his heroic appearance for all to see.
Elemental Hero Bubbleman - (WATER/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1200)
"And, when he's all alone on the field, I get to draw two more cards!" After drawing his two cards, Jaden nodded and revealed Polymerization in his hand. "Sweetness! I activate Polymerization and fuse together my favorite Hero, Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"
The two Elemental Heroes gave each other friendly nods before springing up in the air where the swirling portal awaited the both of them. It took a few seconds for the Polymerization circle to merge their bodies and powers together in the form of another Monster that had their colors and half a wing with a demonic dragon's arm.
Elemental Hero Flame Wingman - (WIND/Fusion/Warrior) - LV6 - (2100/1200)
'Here he is! Jaden's current ace Monster! I have to take him out!' thought Blair, frowning at the appearance of the powerful Fusion Monster. 'His special ability is nasty, so he's Target #1!'
"I'll end my turn! Let's see what you've got, Blair!" said Jaden.
"With pleasure! Draw!" Blair drew her card, knowing that anyone could attack now. "I activate my Trap, Jar of Greed, letting me draw one more card! Now that that's done, I play Shining Friendship in Attack Mode!"
A petite green Monster with angel wings sprang onto the field, making a lot of the female duelists in the audience squeal at his cute looks.
Shining Friendship - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV4 - (1300/1100)
"Now, I'm attacking Chazz's Armed Dragon with Shining Friendship!" declared Blair. The green-skinned angel Monster used his powers to create an arrow of light before aiming towards Armed Dragon.
"I activate my Trap! Call of the Earthbound!" shouted Chazz, revealing his facedown card. "Since you just declared an attack, I can redirect it to another target, and I choose Bubbleman!"
"What?!" Jaden was shocked; clearly not expecting his partner to target his Monster. "But we're on the same team!"
"Cool it, slacker! I need to protect my Monster! Besides, you'll only be losing a few points!"
"Still-"
SWOOSH! Shining Friendship redirected his aim at Bubbleman and shot an arrow through his chest, destroying him the instant the arrow hit.
Blair - 4000 LP
Elize - 4000 LP
Chazz - 4000 LP
Jaden - 3500 LP
"Grrrr! When we duel, I'm gonna get you back for this, Chazz!" promised Jaden, holding his fist up as tick marks swelled in his forehead.
"Yeah, yeah! Whatever!"
Blair glanced around both their fields, trying to figure out what to do. If she attacked Chazz's dragon with her Maiden in Love, he'll be hit with a Maiden Counter, but she best not risk it because of Chazz might use his dragon's ability to level it up. On the other hand, attacking Flame Wingman might be good, but she wants to increase her Life Points first. Therefore, she won't attack.
"I end my Battle Phase," announced Blair, causing her two opponents to stop arguing with one another. "But, that doesn't mean my turn's done! Now, I play Ookazi and inflct 800 points of Direct Damage to...Chazz!"
"Damn you-AAAH!" Chazz cursed at Blair, ready to throw a fit when a lightning bolt from above struck down on Chazz, making him fall facedown on the floor.
Blair - 4000 LP
Elize - 4000 LP
Chazz - 3200 LP
Jaden - 3500 LP
Jaden tried his hardest not to snicker in front of Chazz, but failed miserably. Chazz stood back up, glaring at him. "Hey! Don't you dare laugh!"
"B-b-but you deserved it! Ahaha! A-and that scream, too! Hahaha!"
"I will pummel you later! My turn!" Chazz aggressively drew his card before smirking. "Nice! Now that my Standby Phase is here, I now send Armed Dragon LV3 to the Graveyard and Special Summon Armed Dragon LV5 from my deck!"
Armed Dragon LV3 disappeared into thin air, but replacing him was a much bigger and stronger red and black dragon that would serve Chazz well. His entire body was full of spikes and drills so that no ordinary Monster could touch him that easily.
Armed Dragon LV5 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV5 - (2400/1700)
"I activate Armed Dragon LV5's special ability! By sending 1 Monster from my hand to the Graveyard, I target 1 face-up Monster one of my opponents controls with Attack Points less than or equal to the sent Monster's Attack Points and destroy that Monster! I'm sending Bite Shoes to the Graveyard, and since he had 500 Attack Points, Maiden in Love goes bye-bye!"
Blair grunted, watching her ace Monster cry out as she exploded from the card effect. The only Monster she had left was Shining Friendship, but he's not strong enough to face off against Armed Dragon LV5!
"Oh, Blair!" Chazz called out in a sing-song tone. "I still haven't forgotten what you did to me last turn! Now, Armed Dragon LV5! Attack her Shining Friendship! Burn him to the grounds!"
The LV5 Monster nodded before gulping down some air and releasing it in the form of fire breath that incinerated Shining Friendship, causing all the girls in the audience to groan and boo at Chazz.
Blair - 2900 LP
Elize - 4000 LP
Chazz - 3200 LP
Jaden - 3500 LP
Armed Dragon LV5 glowed before slowly growing in size as his jaw grew sharper like actual steel; his entire body transforming to a taller, older version of the Armed Dragons and even providing some sharp defensive armor for himself.
Armed Dragon LV7 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV7 - (2800/1000)
"This could be it," said Bastion, having watched the duel long enough to fully know the results of the duel. "Chazz and Jaden are definitely going to win with those powerful Monsters on their side."
"Could you at least give some encouragment to Elize and Blair? They're trying the best they can, you know!" snapped Alexis, who's heard enough out of Bastion for one day.
"...My turn! Draw!" shouted Elize, not hesitating to draw her next card. "I...From my hand, I activate...Polymerization!"
"What the-?!" cried out Chazz, wide-eyed.
"Huh?!" gasped Jaden, surprised.
"It can't be!" said Alexis.
"She's Fusion Summoning?!" exclaimed Bastion, not expecting her to have that king of card.
"What Monster is she going to bring out?" wondered Syrus.
"..." Elize got nervous, still showing her opponents her card. Well, she sorta expected everyone to be surprised, but she was still a little shaky on sacrificing her Monsters.
Noticing her hesitation, Jaden smiled and nodded, knowing it was alright. Blair, who was stunned for a moment, also nodded. "Go for it, Elize! Show us what you've got!" emboldened Blair.
Elize nodded and activated her card in her Spell/Trap slot before revealing the two Monster cards she planned to use for the Fusion Summoning; Eria the Water Charmer and Aussa the Earth Charmer.
"I'm using Aussa and Eria to create a whole new being! Caster of the bottomless pits of earth! Beautiful bearer of the ocean waves! Plant a new seed of hope that'll lead to a new path to victory! Fusion Summon! Spread your powers forth, Forsythia the Forest Charmer!"
A raindrop fell from the sky and landed onto the ground in front of Elize, doing absolutely nothing. Suddenly, a small stem sprouted from the ground and grew larger and larger into a sort of flower bulb that was shut out from the rest of the world. The petals slowly fell down, allowing the being inside to reveal her full figure. She was gowned in forest green robes with a brown cloak covering over them, her wood-colored hair held in curly pigtails while a blue raindrop hairpin was placed somewhere in her hair, and she carried around a wooden rod made from the finest of harden wood.
Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2000/1800)
The audience was left stunned by the beautiful Charmer Fusion Monster's appearance. Never before have they seen such a Monster in a duel such as this. Compared to Elize's other Charmer Monsters, this one was exquisite and special, due to being a Fusion Monster.
"Just when did Elize pick up on Fusion Summoning?" Syrus wondered, his breath still taken by the beautiful Charmer Monster.
"Yesterday, Elize played like a newbie. But now...it seems that her dueling evolved even greater!" said Alexis, smiling for Elize.
"One problem, though," said Bastion, noticing something amiss. "Her Charmer Monster's only got 2000 Attack Points. That's not enough to beat Flame Wingman or Armed Dragon LV7!"
"Not yet! I'm not through yet!" said Elize, looking more confident than before. "From my hand, I activate Magic Formula, raising Forsythia's Attack Points by 700!"
Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2700/1800)
"Now, please attack Flame Wingman!"
The Forest Charmer raised her rod towards the air before bringing it down to the ground with a loud thud sound. The ground started shaking, causing Jaden and his Monster to start wobbling back and forth. The earth beneath Flame Wingman cracked opened, and vines quickly wrapped around the Fusion Monster before pulling him downwards right before the hole closed up.
"Oh no! Flame Wingman!" shouted Jaden, shocked that his Monster was gone, just like that.
Blair - 2900 LP
Elize - 4000 LP
Chazz - 3200 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
Seeing how she had only one card left, Elize glanced at it; the card being The One to be Protected. "I set one card facedown and end my turn! At this moment, Forsythia's ability activates! During my turn, if any Spells and/or Traps affected her, then they'll all destroyed at my End Phase! That means the Magic Formula equipped to Forsythia is destroyed, and her Attack Points return back to normal."
Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2000/1800)
"As powerful as she may be, even Fusion Monsters like Forsythia have weak points," commented Bastion.
"Cool summoning, Elize! You've really improved!" acknowledged Jaden, drawing his card. "Cool! Let's see how you top this! First, I'm bringing back Bubbleman with the Spell card, The Warrior Returning Alive! Next, I play the Field Spell, Fusion Gate! As long as this card is on the field, Fusion Monsters can be Fusion Summoned without a Polymerization, but in exchange, they're removed from play instead of being sent to the Graveyard! Ready? I fuse together Clayman and Bubbleman to create Elemental Hero Mudballman in Defense Mode!"
The two Elemental Heroes joined together in a swirly portal before a enlarged Elemental Hero with a body of hardened mud and a heart of good popped out, kneeling down and blocking with his heavy arms.
Elemental Hero Mudballman - (EARTH/Fusion/Warrior) - LV6 - (1900/3000)
"Forsythia's effect activates!" shouted Elize. "During either player's turn, every time someone Special Summons, I can take a Spell card from my Graveyard and add it to my hand! I return Magic Formula!" The Equip Card slid out of her Graveyard slot before Elize added it to her hand.
"I end my turn!" said Jaden. He knew that at times, a good defense is a good offense, so if he had placed Mudballman in Attack Mode, Elize would have finished him off with her new Fusion Monster, but with Mudballman in Defense Mode, he was invincible.
"My turn, then! Draw!" Blair drew her card and began formulating a plan. "I activate Double Summon, letting me Normal Summon twice this turn! Now I play Marshmallon in Attack Mode!"
A bouncy, light pink-colored Monster that was as squishy as a bean bag appeared, looking all happy.
Marshmallon - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV3 - (300/500)
"Next, I play my facedown, Monster Reborn! It allows me to Special Summon a Monster from any of our Graveyards, and I choose Maiden in Love!"
Maiden in Love - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV2 - (400/300)
"Because of Forsythia's effect, I return another Spell card from my Graveyard to my hand," interrupted Elize. "Now this time, I choose Polymerization!"
Blair nodded and continued her turn."Now, I sacrifice both these Monster to bring out one of my toughest Monsters! Go, Guardian Angel Joan!"
Both of Blair's Monsters vanished before a light flooded the area and blinded everyone nearby. Once the light dimmed out, everyone clearly saw a female angel-like being that looked like a dancer of sorts.
Guardian Angel Joan - (LIGHT/Fairy) - LV7 - (2800/2000)
Knowing this could be her only chance to set it, Blair set down a facedown, thinking she might need it for later. "I set a card facedown and end my turn!"
"My move!" Chazz said, drawing his card. "Alright, Armed Dragon LV7! Finish off Forsythia! Claw Slam!"
Armed Dragon LV7 let out a roar worthy of a dragon's before opening his claws and slashed down at Forsythia, destroying her with his mighty power that she couldn't stand up against.
Blair - 2900 LP
Elize - 3300 LP
Chazz - 3200 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
"I'll end my turn now after I finish placing this card facedown!"
"My turn!" said Elize, drawing a card. "I play Graceful Charity, letting me draw three cards, but discard two from my hand!" She discarded the two Spell cards that were returned to her hand; Polymerization and Magic Formula after she drew her three new cards. "I...summon Spell Striker to the field in Attack Mode!"
A miniature Monster looking like an everyday warrior with a small, fitable Vikings hat and carrying out a stick appeared on the field.
Spell Striker - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV3 - (600/200)
"That Spellcaster's still no match for Jaden or Chazz's Monsters," said Alexis, frowning.
"Spell Striker isn't a Spellcaster-Type," corrected Bastion. "Although the name suggests so, he's actually a Warrior-Type. Looks like Elize has added more than just Spellcaster-Types to her deck."
"I activate Spell Striker's special ability!" Elize said, her arm extended. "He can attack anyone directly! And I choose Chazz!"
"What?! Why me?!"
"Because you're the most potentially dangerous one right now!" Elize pointed to Armed Dragon LV7, and although his Attack Points can't penetrate Mudballman's defense, he still poses a threat.
"...Fair point."
"Now, please attack Chazz, Spell Striker!"
"Heh! The perfect chance to take down your set Monster!" shouted Chazz, smirking. "I activate Dark Mirror Force! I was waiting for you to gather as much defensive Monsters as possible, but this seems like an okay time, too! Now, since you declared an attack, I can banish all Defense Position Monsters you control!"
"Oh no! Mystical Elf!" Elize saw her facedown Monster flipped over and being sucked in a dark hole, her arms wriggling around for help. She looked away and bit her lip, unable to watch one of her favorite Monsters disappearing like that. "S-Still! Spell Striker can still strike your Life Points directly! Please do so!"
Spell Striker gritted his teeth, having witnessed one of his friends vanish right before his eyes. He jabbed his stick at Chazz's forehead a couple of times before flying back to Elize's side, fully satisfied.
Blair - 2900 LP
Elize - 3300 LP
Chazz - 2600 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
"Damn it...My next target's that guy," growled Chazz, rubbing his forehead. If Elize kept that Monster in play, then she can continue attacking his Life Points directly, and he couldn't have that!
"I end my turn!" shouted Elize, sweat trailing down her neck. This was bad! She and Blair were both in tight situations, and Chazz and Jaden still had their powerful Monsters intact! Still, she and Blair were doing alright so far, but for how long?
"My turn goes up next!" said Jaden, drawing his card. "I play Wroughtweiler in Attack Mode!"
A robotic dog with a blue visor-like cover on his head leaped onto the field, barking loudly like any ordinary dog would do when in danger.
Wroughtweiler - (EARTH/Machine) - LV3 - (800/1200)
"Wroughtweiler, sic on Spell Striker!"
The dog-like Monster wagged his mechanical tail as a way of saying yes to his master before pouncing onto Spell Striker, defeating him by biting the small Monster in the arm.
"Spell Striker's other ability activates! I take no Battle Damage involving him!" said Elize.
"If that's the case, I end my turn!"
"My turn!" After drawing her card, Blair was much more concerned about Chazz's Armed Dragon LV7. Since it was a LV Monster, it's possible that Chazz could level him up in his next turn. She couldn't let that happen, so she did the only reasonable action she could think of. "Guardian Angel Joan! Attack Armed Dragon LV7!"
"What?! But then, both Monsters will be des-"
"Dude, you seriously didn't think I thought of that?" interrupted Blair, sounding annoyed. "I don't care! I'm giving you a chance to power up your Monster, damnit! Go! Attack!"
Guardian Angel Joan sang a high tone as she charged up her light powers to face off against Armed Dragon LV7, who prepared to fire another one of his powerful breath attacks. Both fired simultaneously; each attack hitting the other and destroying one another.
"Now, I play Card of Sanctity, forcing each player to draw until they have six cards each!" said Blair, ending her Battle Phase. She frowned when she found no Monster cards in her hand. "I end my turn with a facedown."
"Heh! No Monsters? This'll be easier to take you out!" scoffed Chazz, drawing his card. "Nice! I play my own Ookazi! Now taste your own medicine, Blair! You receive 800 Points of Effect Damage!"
Blair - 2100 LP
Elize - 3300 LP
Chazz - 2600 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
"I summon Armed Dragon LV3 in Attack Mode!" continued Chazz. "But he's not staying for long because I now activate Level Up! By sending him to the Graveyard, I Special Summon 1 Monster from my hand on deck that's listed on Armed Dragon LV3's text, ignoring the Summoning conditions! Rise, Armed Dragon LV5!"
Armed Dragon LV5 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV5 - (2400/1700)
"Next up is Level Copy! I Special Summon 1 LV Monster that has the same name as Armed Dragon LV5 from my hand or deck! I Special Summon another Armed Dragon LV5!"
Armed Dragon LV5 - (WIND/Dragon) - LV5 - (2400/1700)
"I'll end this duel right now! I just want to hurry up and duel Jaden!" roared Chazz at the top of his lungs. "I attack Blair directly!"
"I'm not going down that easily! I activate my Trap, Burst Rebirth!" countered Blair. "By paying 2000 Life Points, I Special Summon 1 Monster in facedown Defense Mode!"
Blair - 100 LP
Elize - 3300 LP
Chazz - 2600 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
Elize gasped, knowing that if that Monster was gone, then Blair was a goner for sure! She closed her eyes, wondering what to do to save her friend when she remembered her facedown card! Sure it may cost her Points, but that didn't matter! Once Blair's facedown Monster was gone, she had nothing to defend with in the next assault!
Snapping her eyes open, Elize raised her arm. "I activate my Trap! The One to be Protected!"
"What kind of card is that?" Alexis asked Bastion, turning to the Ra Yellow. "I've never seen that card before!"
"Neither have I. Looks like we're about to find out."
"The One to be Protected is a card that activates only when an opponent's Monster attacks another Monster. I can send 1 Monster with higher Attack Points than the Monster that's attacking from my Deck to the Graveyard!" explained Elize, pulling her deck out and shuffling through the cards until she found the one Monster she needed. "The Monster I choose is Blizzard Princess, and I change the Battle Damage to 0. The attack target can't be destroyed by the first attack. But, I lose Life Points equal to the Monster I sent to the Graveyard. Blizzard Princess had 2800 Attack Points, so I lose Life Points by that amount!"
Armed Dragon LV5 slashed at Blair's facedown Monster, but because of The One to be Protected's effect, her Monster wasn't destroyed. Armed Dragon LV5 moved towards Elize and whirled around, whipping her with his tail and sending her flying not too far back. Her cap fell off her head and landed near Crowler's feet since the teacher himself was standing nearby, witnessing the duel eagerly.
Blair - 100 LP
Elize - 500 LP
Chazz - 2600 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
"She gave up that many Life Points for Blair? But...why?" wondered Bastion, who was shocked as the other students. "Because she's his partner?"
Alexis shook her head, proud at Elize's risky decision. "No. It's because they're...friends."
"Elize! Why did you give up that many Life Points?" asked Blair, taken aback as she watched her friend standing up.
"It's obvious! I won't let you lose this duel! I...I don't want others to know about...you know!" explained Elize, turning to her best friend. "If they did, well, you told me what would happen!"
"Elize..."
If Blair and Elize lost the duel, both would have to lose their caps in front of everyone. Blair's identity as a girl would be confirmed, and she would be sent home forcibly. Both made a promise with each other not to allow that to happen.
To go this far to protect a friend's secret is true friendship, indeed.
"Jeez! Fine!" Chazz looked over to Elize's side and said, "You're low on Life Points anyways and you're all out of defenses, so I'm targeting you next, Red Hat Girl! Get ready! My second Armed Dragon LV5 attacks!"
"Huh?!" Surprised by the turning outcome, Elize's eyes went wide when the dragon's clawed palm headed towards her direction.
Jaden went wide-eyed, shocked at Chazz's decision. If Elize received that hit head on, she'll be out of the duel! And it was starting to get interesting, too! "Wait! Don't-!"
Regaining her senses quickly, Elize lifted up her arm and declared, "I activate my Trap, Call of the Haunted! This Special Summons a Monster from my Graveyard to the field in Attack Mode! I choose Forsythia the Forest Charmer!"
"Doesn't mean you'll avoid the Battle Damage and destruction of your Monster!" reminded Chazz. "Attack, Armed Dragon LV5!"
Continuing on with his attack, Armed Dragon bared his fangs, about to strike down on the Fusion Monster. Forsythia glared at the offensive Monster, ready to take any blows necessary to protect Elize.
"NO! I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN!" Blair screamed; her voice now resembling that of a girl's. "I activate my Trap, The One to be Protected!"
"Another one?!" complained Chazz, watching Blair switching card to card as she looked through her deck for an appropriate Monster.
Blair raised her chosen card, revealing to be her second Guardian Angel Joan. "Guardian Angel Joan has 2800 Attack Points! Elize's Monster isn't destroyed, she takes 0 Damage, and I receive damage equal to Guardian Angel Joan's Attack Points!"
"Blair, no! But why?!" cried out Elize as Armed Dragon LV5 walked closer to the gender-mistaken girl.
"Easy! To repay you back for what you did!" answered Blair, giving her a smile. "That card you pulled out, The One to be Protected, proves our friendship! I was so touched by it, I couldn't let you lose! You deserve to win better than anyone right now! And I won't let your action go to waste! I'm giving up all my Life Points just to save yours!"
Chazz and Jaden gandered at one another; percepting each word carefully. Was Blair about to admit his own crush on her? Was that the reason why Blair protected Elize? Even so, it was real sweet for Blair to repay the debt to Elize.
"But, you'll lose-!"
"I don't care anymore! You've..." Blair hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. "You've always supported me, no matter how selfish I was! You protected this cap...and myself as hard as you could! Which is all the more reason why I can't let you lose! I...I don't want you to be teased and bullied anymore by those Obelisk Blue bastards!" Blair turned and glared up at the audience; more presumably the Obelisk Blue area. "You hear that? You Obelisk Blue guys are dicks! You're not true duelists! You're just weak bullies trying to pick on someone you think is weak!"
Many Obelisk Blues gritted their teeth and started throwing insults back at Blair, shaking their fists. Because of last month's field test, the Chancellor made it a rule that nobody could throw things, otherwise, they'd get detention, and nobody wanted that. The best the Obelisk Blues could do was yell and shake their fists.
"Well...That's one way to rally someone up," muttered Chumley, sweatdropping at the large amount of angry Obelisk Blues.
"Despite Blair's...language, I have to admit, he is right," spoke up Bastion, nodding his head. "Oh! But, you're alright, Alexis."
Alexis shook her head, clearly satisfied. "No, it's fine. Those guys deserved to be called that, even if I'm in the same dorm as them. I lose respect for others who pick on the weak anyways."
"Blair, I..." Before Elize could say anything, she finally noticed Armed Dragon LV5 drawing near her friend. "R-right in front of you!"
"Wha-"
Armed Dragon LV5 slammed his body right towards Blair, causing her frail body to fly into the air momentarily before landing down by her side. Luckily, the blow only sent a small electrical shock through her body, or the pain would have worsen. Everybody had forgotten about The One to be Protected's effect until now. But it wasn't the attack that shocked Blair and Elize.
Her hat fell off during the assault.
Blair - 0 LP
Elize - 500 LP
Chazz - 2600 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
Lose: Blair
"BLAIR!" screamed Elize, wide-eyed at her fallen, revealed figure. Blair sat up, her long dark hair flowing down near her waist level as she tried to cover up her head. It was too late anyways; for everyone saw her true appearance.
Murmurs spread throughout the entire gym while others stood by, shocked and appalled by what they saw. Sheppard stood up from his seat, Crowler was shrieking, Elize and Blair were frozen, and all their other friends shared shocked gazes at each other.
"Wait, so Blair's a girl?" wondered Jaden.
"I..." Chazz was left stunned himself. "I can't believe I, the great detective Chazz, was wrong! That...explains a LOT of things!"
"Uhhhhhh..." Unable to handle anymore surprises, Syrus fainted right into Chumley's arm, forcing the boy to panic and try to awake the blue-haired boy.
'So, that friend Elize was talking about yesterday...' wondered Alexis, gathering the puzzle pieces together. 'I...I see. Now I understand.'
Clutching her fists, Elize walked up to Crowler, who stepped back, wondering what the girl was going to do. Instead, she just picked up her cap and placed it back on her head before returning to the dueling field, not speaking a single word.
Noticing it was still his turn, Chazz looked at his hand before placing it down. "I'll end my turn!" 'There's no way she can take down any of my Armed Dragons with the Monster she has now. Even if she destroys one of them, on my next turn, I'll just sacrifice one of my Monster for Armed Dragon LV7 and end this duel. Or, maybe Jaden will end this turn? Who knows? All I know is, she can't summon any stronger Monsters without sacrificing a Monster, and we all know she'll never do that. It's over for her!'
"I hate to say it, but Elize is done for," spoke Bastion. "She could have summoned Blizzard Princess since she was stronger than Armed Dragon LV5. That way, Blair wouldn't need to sacrifice herself with her own Trap card."
"Maybe...But, maybe since everything was happening too fast, she panicked?" questioned Alexis, shrugging her shoulders. "Something tells me that Elize needed to summon Forsythia, though."
"My...draw!" Elize was quick to draw her card without showing any signs of hesitation; flipping it over to reveal the card she needed, De-Fusion. "I activate the Spell card, Double Summon! Instead of Normal Summoning once this turn, I can do it twice!"
"So, wait..." said Jaden. "In order to summon a high Level Monster, you need two sacrifices. So, if you summon one Monster, then you have two on your field. Which means, you'll be able to Tribute Summon and then call out a strong Monster, right?"
"No! I still don't want to sacrifice my Monsters! That policy still stands!" shouted Elize. "The Monsters I'm Normal Summoning are Hiita the Fire Charmer and Lyna the Light Charmer!"
Both female Charmers of different Attributes flew onto the field in perfect harmony, clinging onto their weapons and ready to deal any damage. They knew what Elize's next move was and smirked at her soon-to-be victory.
Hiita the Fire Charmer - (FIRE/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)
Lyna the Light Charmer - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)
"Next up, I'm activating De-Fusion! This sends one Fusion Monster on my side of the field back to the Extra Deck and Special Summons the Fusion-Material Monsters that were used to Fusion Summon that Monster! I return Forsythia back to my Extra Deck and resummon Aussa the Earth Charmer and Eria the Water Charmer!"
Aussa the Earth Charmer - (EARTH/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)
Eria the Water Charmer - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV3 - (500/1500)
"Now she has four Monsters on her side of the field! What now?" wondered Bastion, curious to see the outcome of her turn.
"So you have four Monsters. So, what? You can't Normal Summon anymore this turn!" reminded Chazz.
Elize nodded, telling him that she already knew that. "That's not what I'm aiming for anyways! I'll show you how much stronger I can be without sacrificing my Monsters like they're useless! I mean, I will sacrifice them, but-You'll see!"
"Yeah! Go for it, Elize! I'm all pumped up to see what you've got!" cheered Jaden. 'If what Elize says is true, I wanna see her true strength!'
"I activate the effect of Jaden's Field Spell, Fusion Gate!" yelled Elize, pointing to the sky. "With it, I can Fusion Summon a Monster, but the Fusion-Material Monsters are banished instead of going to the Graveyard! I Fusion Summon Lyna the Light Charmer and Eria the Water Charmer to forge a new Monster! Cheerful light sorcerer that radiates in all brightness! Beautiful bearer of the oceans and waters all around! Crystalize together and shine your beauty forth! I Fusion Summon Isis the Ice Charmer!"
A dark portal appeared beneath the two Fusion-Material Monsters feet, dragging both of them in before closing. A large ice shard popped up from the ground and shattered, revealing the new Monster that appeared. Her beauty sparkled just like the shattered ice pieces that sparkled all around her. She wore a clear veil on her head with a tiara crown that contained one blue gemstone, her long pure snow white hair was tied in a low, long ponytail, and she wore an adoring light blue gown while holding a staff with a large blue crystal on top.
Isis the Ice Charmer - (WATER/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV6 - (1900/2100)
"Not yet! I'm not done! I use Fusion Gate's effect again and banish both Hiita and Aussa to Fusion Summon once more! Tempered mage of fiery powers! Caster of knowledgeable earths! Forge your powers together to blast through your enemies! Fusion Summon! Come on out, Lavonne the Lava Charmer!"
BOOM! A pillar of lava erupted from the ground below and vanished right before a new being emerged to fight. Her red eyes matched her spunky and fierce spirit as she grinned maliciously. Her attire was different than the other Charmers, for her brown cloak was practically in tatters. She wore dark red robes that reached down her waist where she had black shorts on, and leaning against her shoulder casually was a sharp naginata.
Lavonne the Lava Charmer - (FIRE/Fusion/Spellaster) - LV7 - (2500/1500)
"Two Fusion Summons in one turn?!" exclaimed Bastion. "Remarkable!"
"Awesome Monsters!" complimented Jaden; his eyes shining with excitement. "Now give it all you've got!"
"I activate Isis's special ability!" said Elize. "Once per turn, I can declare one Attribute, either LIGHT or WATER, and I gain 400 Life Points for each of the correct Attributes for each Monster! I choose WATER, and since Clayman and Isis are WATER Attributes, I gain 800 Life Points!"
Elize - 1300 LP
Chazz - 2600 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
"So you gained a few Life Points. Doesn't matter!" Chazz said. "Your Lavonne might stand a chance against one of my Dragons, but not your Isis!"
"Not yet! I activate my Spell card, Dian Keto the Cure Master! This card restores my Life Points by 1000!"
Elize - 2300 LP
Chazz - 2600 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
"And now, I activate Lavonne's special ability! By discarding all of the cards I have in my hand and giving up Life Points equal to Lavonne's Defense Points, I can destroy all cards on the field except her!"
"Say what?!" exclaimed Jaden and Chazz upon the realization that their powerful Monsters were about to be destroyed with ease.
Elize - 800 LP
Chazz - 2600 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
Lavonne grinned and yelled, raising her arm to activate her special ability, causing a large wave of lava to rise up to the ceiling and crash down onto the entire field. All of the cards on Jaden and Chazz's fields were melting rather in a painful way, crying out for mercy before disappearing. The two boys were left empty on their sides of the field. The only Monsters still standing were Lavonne and Isis.
"Aah! Mudballman!" cried out Jaden.
"Hey! Why didn't Isis get destroyed?" demanded Chazz.
"Isis cannot be destroyed by card effects," answered Elize. "That's her second and last effect."
"My God! These Charmer Fusion Monsters are simply amazing!" replied Bastion.
"Yeah. Not only are they powerful, but they're quite beautiful, too," commented Alexis. "Wonder if there are more Fusion Monsters Elize has in stock?"
"There's one more thing I forgot to mention," Elize spoke up. "On the turn Lavonne activates her ability, she can't attack. But that doesn't apply to Isis! Go! Please attack Chazz directly!"
Isis twirled her staff around before slamming the tip against the ground, bringing forth ice pillars that went sent towards Chazz's way. Chazz yelled in pain as he was flung back by the impact of the ice pillars.
Elize - 800 LP
Chazz - 700 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
"That ends my turn," finished Elize, seeing as she has no more cards in her hand to activate or set.
The whole audience gasped and murmured among each other, completely taken aback by the unexpected twist of events. The only female Slifer Red backing two of one of the most strongest duelists into a corner? They didn't think she's hidden such talent!
"Clearly, I was mistaken," Bastion admitted. "Perhaps Elize does stand a chance against those two."
"Yeah. But, her dueling style's changed," said Alexis. "Elize usually focuses on defensive tactics, but now, thanks to her miraculous break, she's on the offensive. I kinda feel sorry for Chazz and Jaden. They haven't even tried to cooperate as a team."
"Plus, if Jaden or Chazz tries to summon a really powerful Monster, all Elize has to do is give up her hand and some Life Points to destroy the field!" Syrus said.
"No, you're wrong there, Syrus," Bastion tried explaining. "What you say is true, but she has to give up Life Points equal to Lavonne the Lava Charmer's Defense Points. Her Defense Points are 1500. Elize only has 800 Life Points, so she's going to have to regain more Life Points before she can activate that effect again."
"Oh, right."
"Okay, here goes!" said Jaden, looking at his drawn card. "I play Elemental Hero Wildheart in Defense Mode! And that's gonna end my turn!"
A Monster with dark skin and tattoos all over his half-naked, muscular body pulled his weapon out of its sheath, jumping down and slashing at the air just once before kneeling down and using his weapon to defend.
Elemental Hero Wildheart - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (1500/1600)
"My move! Ha!" Chazz mentally groaned at the card he drew. Ojama Yellow. Guess he used up his best cards way too quickly. "I summon Ojama Yellow in Defense Mode!"
The yellow, alien-like creature appeared, whistling a happy tone when his eyes bulged at the sight of the two Charmer Fusion Monsters. "Ooh lala! Hello, ladies! Are you seeing anyone right now?"
Ojama Yellow - (LIGHT/Beast) - LV2 - (0/1000)
Isis giggled, blushing as she covered her face with her visible veil while Lavonne scoffed and turned away after spitting at the ground. Ojama Yellow didn't mind Isis, but gaped at Lavonne's harsh rejection.
"Hey, get it together, you!" scolded Chazz. "Now, I end my turn!"
"My turn! Draw!" It didn't take long for Elize to decide who she was targeting next. "Isis! Please attack Ojama Yellow!"
The Ice Charmer nodded before giving Ojama Yellow an apologetic look and a friendly wave, shocking the small Ojama. She soared up into the air before firing an ice pellet from her crystal staff, hitting Ojama Yellow in the head.
'Damnit! Choose Jaden's Monster next! Do it!' Chazz silently urged, biting his lip out of desperation.
Elize pointed to Chazz. "Now, Lavonne! Please attack Chazz directly!"
"Damnit! Why me?! Jaden has more Life Points!"
"Oh, don't worry! He's next after this! Lavonne, please! SCORCHING RAGE!"
Responding to her owner's anger, Lavonne glared at Chazz before closing her eyes for pure concentration; signaling a magic circle to form in front of her. Finished casting, Lavonne fired a stream of lava at Chazz. Unable to block the direct attack, Chazz fell down on his back as the rest of his Life Points dropped.
Elize - 800 LP
Chazz - 0 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
Lose: Chazz
"She defeated Chazz! For the first time!" cried out Syrus.
"Oh! Syrus, you're awake?" Alexis was surprised that Syrus was up and moving, considering he did faint when he discovered Blair was a girl all along.
"Yeah. Chumley told me everything, so there's no need to explain. Has anyone actually seen Elize Fusion Summon before?"
"Nope," both Bastion and Alexis said.
Chazz struggled to stand up, pounding his fist against the floor. "Damnit...I lost!"
Placing a hand on her chest, Elize began breathing in and out to regain her lost breath. Okay, so good, so far. Since Chazz is out for the count, the only opponent left is Jaden. If she beats him, she and Blair will win the duel!
Jaden smirked; his heart beating and pounding with overexcitement. All the previous duels he's had with Elize were nothing like this! He was glad he didn't regret using everything he got to push Elize to this point, since she's now filled with the will to beat him just as he was to her.
"Jaden?" called out Elize. "I'm sorry I had to do that to your partner, but now, I can't stop! I'm going to beat you and-No, me and Blair will be the winners of this duel! I won't lose! For her sake! I end my turn! Just try and defeat my two Charmer Monsters! I dare you!"
Lavonne and Isis held their weapons tightly to their bodies, refusing to let their guard down for even a moment. For their master's sake, they'll just block anything thrown in their way and achieve victory! Just a little bit more, and their master will win!
"Same for me! I'm not gonna hold back anything! And I'm gonna bet everything on this last draw! I DRAW!" Jaden drew his card for his final turn, turning it over to see the card he needed. "I use Polymerization and fuse together the Wildheart on the field and Bladedge from my hand!"
"Jeez, it's just one Fusion Monster to another, huh?" wondered Chumley.
Bladedge only appeared for a moment besides his comrade beside both he and Wildheart leaped into a swirling vortex nearby. Coming out was Wildheart, though he was claded in golden armor and a fancy new weapon to boot off.
Elemental Hero Wildedge- (EARTH/Fusion/Warrior) - LV8 - (2600/2300)
"Wildedge's special ability activates! He can attack all Monsters on your side of the field once each! So go, Wildedge!" commanded Jaden. "Attack both her Monsters!"
The first target Wildedge had on was the most dangerous Charmer at the time; Lavonne the Lava Charmer. Unsheathing his blade, Wildedge pounced off the ground and raised his weapon upwards as he began falling towards her. Lavonne tried fighting for her life by shooting lavaballs at Wildedge, but he blocked them all with his strength and slashed her in the chest, destroying her.
Elize - 700 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
Before Isis could gain a chance to defend, Wildedge twisted his body and swiftly slashed at her, making her scream before she dissipated into tiny pieces that fluttered in the air for a moment.
Elize - 0 LP
Jaden - 2900 LP
Winner: Jaden
"Well now! The winners are Jaden Yuki and Chazz Princeton!" announced Crowler.
"...Eh?"
Elize couldn't move nor speak a word out of shock for the reality of the duel. She worked so hard, even Blair sacrificed herself for Elize to continue the duel and yet...She lost. She failed Blair completely and now, thanks to that...
Blair, having seen enough, walked up to Elize, wanting to place a hand on her shoulder to assure her that everything was alright. But, she knew herself that Elize didn't want any physical acts at the moment, seeing how last month's field test ended up badly for her.
"...Elize? Even though you l-lost the duel and all, you did a really good job! So, you should stand tall and proud! At least you managed to defeat Chazz all by yourself!" Blair tried her best cheering up her best friend even though she herself was stuttering.
Elize faced her, trembling as tears streamed down her cheeks while she choked back sobs in her throat. "But I...I lost..." she muttered quietly. "Because of me, *hic* you're going to be sent home, and we'll never see each other, and-*hic* and the bullies will-*hic* I'm not gonna be as good as a duel as..."
She trailed off, unable to speak properly due to her hiccups. Her knees were shaking just like the rest of her upper body, ready to collapse any moment. She covered her eyes with her palms, trying to muffle her sobbing.
Putting an end to all this depression, Sheppard spoke through the intercom. "Well done! All four duelists played well up to the end! Especially Elize and Jaden! Everyone! Let's give a round of applause to these four duelists!"
Breaking the silence, Alexis, Bastion, Chumley, and Syrus were the first to start clapping their hands for their friends. Soon, a few other students joined before eventually, everyone in the gym applauded for the wonderful performance demonstrated for the last field test of the month.
"Hey, that duel was actually neat to watch!"
"Yeah, did you see her Fusion Monsters? Those Charmer Monsters looked kinda cute!"
"I know, right? Plus, their effects rock!"
"Both teams ruled! Awesome dueling!"
'They're...happy? They're not going to start yelling insults or anything?' Elize thought, wiping away her tears as she blinked in surprise.
"Hey..." Chazz, having gotten over his loss, walked up to Elize. "...You did good out there, I guess. But, I'm still the better duelist."
Elize sniffled, covering her face with both palms. "Thank you, Chazz..."
Jaden walked up to the three of them, giving them his usual victory pose with his three fingers in front. "Yeah! That's game! Hey, let's duel again sometime, you guys!"
"Yeah! That was pretty fun! Despite the whole consequences of losing," said Blair, her thumbs up. "And, Elize! Turn that frown upside down!" She pressed her fingers against Elize's lips and forced them upwards to make a smile.
Elize giggled and lightly swatted her fingers away. She was feeling a lot better thanks to her friends' support. Instead of mocking her, the audience were cheering and applauding for such an epic duel. Maybe some new changes to her dueling style wasn't so bad.
Later, in the Chancellor's Office...
"...I see. That's why you ran away from home and came to Duel Academy."
Once the field test was over and the crowd dispersed, Blair and Elize were ordered to appear before Sheppard in his office. Knowing the reason why, the two girls forced themselves to endure what was coming to them before doing as they were told. While they did expect Sheppard, never in their minds did they expect to find Blair's parents alongside him.
Blair nodded and turned to her parents. "Mom? Dad? I'm sorry for running away from home like that. We can talk later, okay?"
The woman, most likely Blair's mother, opened her mouth to protest, but the father held his wife back, shaking his head. His wife nodded and stood back, waiting for something else to happen.
"Elize." Elize's head snapped back to Sheppard upon hearing her name being called. "Did you know, all along, that Blair was a girl?"
Blair shook her head at Elize, mouthing the words, "No," to her friend. She didn't want her friend to get into huge amounts of trouble because of her. After all, hiding a runaway kid like that was bound to have consequences.
"...Yes."
"Damnit, Elize! Why? You didn't have to answer! I would have backed you up!"
"I can't lie! Besides, Chancellor Sheppard would have found out one way or another!" Elize turned back to the Chancellor and bowed her head. "I'm sorry! I did hide Blair, and I did know she was a girl! So, I'm willing to accept any punishment for doing so!"
"Elize, no!"
"Hmmm..." Sheppard paused, wondering what to do. "Elize, why did you do it?"
"I...I just wanted a friend my age," admitted the Charmer user. "I don't have many gal friends, and Blair is only two years younger than me. Alexis, Jaden, Syrus, everyone is a good friend to me, but Blair's my best friend. Even so, that doesn't really excuse me actions, I know. So-"
"WAITTTTT!" The doors burst opened, and Syrus rushed in before standing in front of Elize, shielding her with his body. "You can't expel Elize! You can't!"
"Syrus Truesdale?" gasped Sheppard, shocked just like everybody else in the room. "What are you doing here?"
"Stop! Wait!" Jaden, Alexis, and Chumley ran inside the Chancellor's Office, standing in front of Elize and protecting her.
"Chancellor Sheppard, this is hardly unfair!" said Chumley. "If you're gonna kick out an innocent girl, you have to kick me out first!"
"No! Kick me out! I won't let this happen!" shouted Alexis.
"We're all in this together!" defended Jaden. "If you kick her out, you gotta kick us out too! We'll be expelled, too!"
Elize and Blair couldn't react properly, for they couldn't function correctly. They were risking their school lives for Elize? Their dedication for their friendship must be strong indeed if they were willing to risk this far. Everyone was focused on the task ahead, they barely noticed Zane standing nearby, watching everything unfold.
"Hold on!" announced Sheppard, pulling out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat off his face. "I wasn't planning on expelling anyone! Nobody's getting expelled! Besides, if I expelled all you excellent students, then the reputation of this school would drop. I could never harm a strong duelist like Elize, anyways, even if I wanted to."
Everyone sighed in relief, happy that nobody was getting expelled. Elize was touched about everyone defending her. Sure, she was scared and concern since she didn't want anyone expelling their own lives for her, but she was still happy at the same time too.
"Still, this matter cannot go unpunished," continued Sheppard. "Elize, since you told the truth, normally I would have given you two months worth of detention. But I'll cut that punishment in half and give you only one month."
"Yes, sir!"
"Now, the ferry ship will leave tommorow first thing in the morning. Why don't Blair and her parents stay for the rest of the day and night until it arrives? If that's everything, then you can all leave now."
It sounded like a clear plan for everyone, causing them all to leave the Chancellor's Office. Once they all left, Zane entered, and judging from his expression, Sheppard could tell he heard everything.
"...You lied about one thing, Chancellor," spoke Zane. "The ferries are still available, even now. They're just unloading some extra package."
Sheppard sighed and smiled. "I know. I just wanted to give Elize and Blair one more day together before they have to separate. I couldn't just tell them straight away that the ships are ready to sail off. I may be a bit strict at times, but even I have a heart. I'm always touched to see good friendship."
"...I see. This is one of the reasons why I respect you, Chancellor. You always have a good heart and think of others before yourself."
"Why, thank you, Zane! It's always nice to hear a compliment from you at times."
That night...
Elize sighed, fully refreshed from the shower she took as she tried drying her hair with a towel. Receiving that warm bath felt heavenly to her and heated her up quite a bit. Noticing a note on the table, Elize picked it up with one hand.
"Dear Elize,
Meet me outside when you're done. I have something important to give you. ~From, Blair~"
If Blair really wanted to talk to her, why not do it right here in their shared dorm room? Shrugging her shoulders, Elize decided to hurry up and dry herself before changing into her regular uniform to do as the note said.
Outside, Elize noticed that the night wasn't that cold out, only producing a few breezes here and there as crickets filled the air with their musical sounds, hidden in the grass below. Once continuing on to walk part the grass covered with dew, it didn't take Elize long to locate a girl standing behind a tree.
Blair's back was facing Elize, her long dark hair mixing in with the dark night but still gleaming from the moonlight. Hearing the rustling of the grass swaying, Blair turned around and stared at Elize, giving her a sad smile.
"Oh...you made it...Yay..." For once, Blair wasn't sounding like her usual, cheerful self. That was to be expected, since she had to return home on a ship first thing tommorow morning.
Worried, Elize reached out a hand, but stopped. "Um...Are you...?"
"Yeah, I'm fine."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Both girls stared off into the distance, unable to think of anything to pass the time. After all, this was going to be their last night together before Blair leaves. They had no forms of communication, so there was a chance they would never see each other again.
It truly was a tragic tale. A timid girl and an energetic girl; both becoming fast friends and getting along with each other to overcome trials in their way. Now, they were about to depart their separate ways soon enough.
"Hey, Elize?"
"Yes?"
"Why did you keep my secret for so long? You could have done it anytime, maybe even blackmail me in order to do something for you, but you never did. So, why?"
"Well, first off, I never threaten or blackmail people. That's just wrong."
Blair giggled, nodding in agreement. "Yeah. I can't imagine a nice girl like you ever doing that. Now, if it were me, I'd probably do it, but you and I are both different. You're the cute, innocent rainbow pony girl that everyone wants to cuddle and protect. Me? I'm some lovesick fangirl who'll do anything to have her crush love her. Like, going to a different school and dressing up as a boy."
"S-sure...?" Elize didn't know how to response to that.
"Anyways, why did you keep my secret?"
"...Well, it's mostly because I've never had a good female friend close to my age before. I know we're two years apart, and we're about the same height, but...I just wanted a good friend. I mean, everyone else is good and all, but you're a special one. And...I didn't want my best friend to...to..."
Blair knew that she didn't have to finish that sentence, as she couldn't hold back and embraced Elize tightly. Elize gasped a little in surprise, but smiled and leaned against her friend's shoulder. Even though it was cold in the night, both girls hugging one another was enough to warm their bodies up, even if by a little.
"...I'm sorry. I'm such a whiner and a crybaby, huh?" apologized Elize, sniffling as she wiped her tears away with one hand.
"Nah. Sure, you can be at times, but you're alright," admitted Blair. "If anything, I'm more of a whiner than you. I have to tell you something. It's about last night. I met up with Zane and..."
Flashback...
"So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about? Do you want to duel me?"
"...No, it's not that."
Both Blair and Zane faced each other near the lighthouse where Blair managed to find the older boy. She took a deep breath and took off her cap, revealing her true feminine appearance, which surprised Zane a little.
"I'm...actually a girl," admitted Blair. "My name's Blair Flanningan, and I ran away from home and joined Duel Academy so that I could meet you again, Zane. You see, I've been in love with you since we last met. You know, at the Nationals?"
Zane pondered for a moment before remembering that he did talk to a girl resembling Blair. Guess she must have been another one of his fangirls or something. But, he never expected her to go this far just to meet up with him. He nodded for her to continue.
"Right. Well, when you won the championship match, I swore a pledge to do anything to be with you. You said that if I trained hard enough, I could enter Duel Academy. At first, I did do all that and got accepted into Duel Academy, but I hid the truth from my parents and disguised myself as a boy to avoid attention. I really did like you, Zane."
The third-year old boy opened his mouth, ready to voice a rejection when Blair stopped him with one hand, indicating she wasn't finished.
Continuing on, Blair said, "When I got here, I met a girl named Elize. You know, the girl who Fusion Summoned those Charmer Monsters in the last field test?"
Zane nodded, knowing he couldn't forget such powerful Monsters. Also, he did know Elize since she was the girl who snuck into his room before. He let her off with a warning, but what does she have anything to do with this?
"Well, she may have followed me somewhere. I went to the Obelisk Blue Dorms and I...I was the one who snuck into your room. I wanted to look at your stuff, see what sort of things you liked. Then she followed me and discovered I was a girl. I ran away and left her alone. So, it's not Elize's fault! I put her in that position! I was the one who was sneaking in and looking through your stuff! She was trying to stop me!"
Now there was something unexpected. Normally, the true culprit wouldn't admit to a crime they commited, but here Blair was, confessing what wrongs she's done. Maybe he was a bit too hasty? Maybe he shouldn't have snapped at Elize that time.
"Later, when we met up, we dueled and she won. I was touched when she didn't confess that I had been the one who snuck into your room. If she did, then there would have been an investigation, and I would have already gone home long ago. But she didn't. Me and her promised each other that I will go back home if I confess to you. But..."
"But?"
"For the past two months, I've spent a lot of time with Elize and her friends. Mostly Elize, but still. We've grown to be close friends. In a way, our friendship was stronger than my...crush on you. So, I just came here to admit the wrongdoings I've done to you, and asked you a favor."
"A favor?"
Blair fell down on her knees and bowed her head. "Please. Please don't say anything to Chancellor Sheppard or any of the teachers about me being a girl! At least, not yet! Please, just give me one day! I want to see through Elize's field test because last month, it didn't end so well. She got insulted and more bullied by those damn bullies! I don't want that to ever happen to a nice person like Elize! So, please! I want to protect Elize one last time!"
"...Okay."
Blair gasped, looking up at the boy. "Really?!"
"Yes. But, after the field tests are over. The Chancellor can decide what to do with you afterwards."
"Oh, thank you, Zane! Thank you!"
"So, Zane knew?" questioned Elize, pulling back and holding Blair by the shoulders.
Blair couldn't bear face Elize with the guilty expression she had on. "Yeah. Zane knew, and I was pretty lucky that he gave me a chance to wait. Guess he's a much more nicer guy than I thought. Too bad I don't have a crush on such a good guy like him."
"Wait, you don't? But, I thought since you came here-"
"Yeah. Yesterday, I forgot my whole crush on him. Now..." Blair smiled. "I have...a new crush on sights."
"Can I ask who?"
Blair giggled and wagged a finger at her. "Now, that would be spoiling!~ I can't tell you that! You'll just have to figure it out on your own. But now, here! I have a gift for you!"
Raising an eyebrow, Elize watched as Blair took out her deck and shuffled through the cards before selecting one of her cards and handing it over. Elize turned it over to see it was her favorite Monster, Maiden in Love.
"Blair! This is-!"
Blair nodded, seeing that Elize already figured it out. "Yup. My favorite ace Monster. I want you to keep her! She's a real charmer!~"
"But, I can't! This is your favorite card!"
"Nah, you can have her. Besides, I already have a second one in my deck," assured Blair, closing Elize's fingers around the card with her hands. "Elize, I'm giving you that card not just as a gift, but a symbol of our friendship. That way, you'll never forget about me."
"T-then, maybe I should give you a card of my own, too?" wondered Elize. "All I have to do is return back to our room and-"
"Nope! See, that's one of the problems you have, Elize." Blair poked her friend's forehead, making her flinch. "You're too considerate, thinking you owe someone a debt once they help you out. Don't worry about it! You'll be fine!"
"But...I...Uh...Well, okay. If you say so."
Smiling, Blair hugged Elize tightly once more. "Elize, I really am going to miss you. We can't write letters or even call each other, but I won't forget you. I mean, how could I? You're the one person-no, best friend who's helped me even though I acted all selfish and stuff. Most people don't take a lot of risks for their friends. But you're different. I can tell."
"Thank you, Blair. I won't forget you either. After all, you did give me Maiden in Love."
"Yup! I know she's not much used for battling, and her special ability is practically useless to you, but I still want you to keep the cutie, alright?"
"I will!"
"Oh, and one more thing!" Blair grinned with a mischevious look on her face before leaning in close to whisper to Elize's ear. "Make sure you find a decent boyfriend in this island. Zane's available. Or maybe cool, cold Chazz? No, maybe smarty-pants Bastion? Or maybe adorable, little Sy?"
Elize's face went from pale to bright red all the way from her neck to her head. "WHAAAAT?! Oh no nonononono! W-we're all just friends! I promise! I don't have a crush on anyone-and-and-BLAIR!"
Blair snickered, pulling back before sticking her tongue out at her. "Meh! You don't have to get a crush right away, but when I come back to Duel Academy someday, I want you to tell me all about your dirty, romantic thoughts on them, you little cutie, you!~"
"BLAIR!"
Eavesdropping on the two human girls, Mystical Elf and Maiden in Love were watching from afar; both smiling. "I see that you are now a new addition to Elize's deck. Please, make yourself at home and hopefully, you two can spend time with her," said Mystical Elf, turning to Maiden in Love.
Maiden in Love winked at the mother-like Duel Spirit. "Of course! But...do you think the others will accept me? I mean, I did pretty much pissed off that Lyna Charmer girl before."
"Lyna may be...childish and easily angered at times, and it may take a while for the others to get used to you, but I'm sure everything will work out. But, at least try not to flirt, alright?"
"No problems with that! I only flirt with the Monsters I try to take control of, that's all! Besides, that Dharc guy is pretty cute!"
"Maiden..."
"Okay, okay! Fine! No more flirting! Can I at least tease a bit?"
"I...suppose at some degree."
The next morning, at the docks...
"Bye, guys! I'll come back here when I'm old enough! See ya!" called Blair, waving from out the window of a ship that was slowly sailing away from the island. "Good luck out there, Elize!"
Elize felt a little embarrassed of her name being called into attention, but she, like her other friends, were waving goodbye for Blair. Seeing how Blair is a good friend for all of them, everyone, even Zane himself, went to say their farewells for the young 11-year old and hope for the best of her.
"Ha! You hear that, Zane?" laughed Jaden, turning to the calm third-year student.
"Oh, please. By the time she gets here, I'll be long gone," scoffed Zane. "Besides, she doesn't have a crush on me anymore. She has a crush on someone else now."
"Really? Who-"
"Goodbye, Jaden!" cried out Blair. "My sweet prince! I love you!~"
"WHAT?!" exclaimed both Jaden and Elize; their jaws dropped agape. Blair...now loves Jaden?! Not Zane?!
"Elize!" Jaden turned to the smaller girl and started shaking her back and forth by the shoulders. "She's supposed to love Zane, right?! That was the whole point of her coming to the island, RIGHT?!"
"H-hey!" said Elize, getting a little dizzy. "All I know is that she doesn't have a crush on Zane anymore! But she never told me who her next crush was!"
Alexis giggled. "She LIKES Zane, but apparently, she LOVES you, Jaden."
"Well, good luck in the future, Jaden," said Zane, somewhat giving his blessing as he turned and left.
"Hey, so wanna go grab some new cards?"
"Sure!"
Chumley and Syrus, not wanting to remain in the awkward situation, quickly left to resume different activities. Alexis followed suit, leaving a stunned Jaden and Elize all alone in the docks, waving back at Blair.
"This can't be happening...This is all too weird," complained Jaden.
"Jaden? If it makes you feel any better, I feel all weird too."
"Thanks, I guess..."
Alright! Here's the profiles for all the new Fusion cards that me and some friends made up!
Forsythia the Forest Charmer - (EARTH/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV7 - (2000/1800)
Any "Eria" Monster + Any "Aussa" Monster
This card is also treated as a WATER Attribute. During your turn, if any Spells/Traps affected this card, then they're automatically destroyed at the End Phase of your turn. During either player's turn, whenever a Monster is Special Summoned, you can return one Spell card from your Graveyard to your hand.
Here's Fusion Monster #2!
Isis the Ice Charmer - (WATER/Fusion/Spellcaster) - LV6 - (1900/2100)
Any "Lyna" Monster + Any "Eria" Monster
This card is also treated as a LIGHT Attribute. This card cannot be destroyed by card effects. Once per turn, you can declare one Attribute, either WATER or LIGHT, and you gain 400 Life Points for each Monster on the field with the same Attribute you declared.
Here's the third one!
Lavonne the Lava Charmer - (FIRE/Fusion/Spellaster) - LV7 - (2500/1500)
Any "Aussa" Monster + Any "Hiita" Monster
This card is also treated as a EARTH Attribute. Once per turn, you can activate this effect: Discard all cards you have in your hand, lose Life Points equal to this card's Defense Points. If done so, this card can destroy all other cards on the field except this card. If this effect was used, you cannot declare an attack involving this card for the rest of your turn.
Yup! That's about it! I'll be busy for the new few weeks, so I won't be updating this story for a while, thus putting it on hiatus for a while! Thank you for understanding and read and review!