Author's note: Same deal as before.
Chapter 14: Poolside
As Rebecca got to see the penthouse suite where Leo and Luna lived of the area called the Tops, she marveled at what they had in the way of comfort. Not only was the living area with a soft couch, but it was also bathed in sunlight, and there was a swimming pool on the outside balcony.
"First question, do you know if I can find any bikinis anywhere?" Rebecca blurted out.
"Not really, there are just a few in Mama's room, but why?" Luna responded.
"I haven't had a swim since I was in the Void. Find me an E-cup bikini this second please."
"Uh, fine. Try not to let Leo taunt you into starting a fight while I'm gone."
"Actually, better yet, show me where the room is. I can see what fits me from there."
"Alright, come with me."
After being led to the room in question, Rebecca had Luna stand guard outside while she tried to see which bikinis fitted her well. Maybe she guessed wrong with her previous size estimation, but there were still enough sizes for her to pick one that she liked. After finding and donning a bikini, she returned to the lounge area, walked onto the balcony and jumped straight into the pool, splashing much water onto Luna and a gawking Leo. The feel of the water was one she missed dearly: for all she cared at the time, she could have sunk underwater and almost drowned, but it would still be worth it. She dived underwater, thrusting her arms forward and propelling herself across to the other side of the pool with what she remembered was freestyle swimming. Once there, she swam back to the side where she dived in, making it to look up at a smiling Leo.
"Like what you see?" she teased.
A few seconds passed without a word. Leo just continued to stare
"I'll take that as a 'yes'."
"Huh? I-I'm not a pervert!" he suddenly exclaimed, a pink blush emerging on his cheeks.
"Don't worry, looking is free."
"Come on Leo, you're not still moping about that, are you?" Luna groaned. "Rebecca, you seem to have been the first person to snap him out of that."
"Out of what?"
"He has just had a bit of a losing streak at Duel Academy recently, most recent of which has been against Lester."
"So he's sulking? Strange, when I last Dueled you two at Café la Geen, I didn't get that sort of impression from him. I actually got the complete opposite vibe. What has happened to make him this mopey after losing?"
"Usually the consequences have been dire."
"In that case, get my Deck and Disk," Rebecca ordered, climbing out of the pool in front of Leo. "Doctor Scarlet prescribes a healthy dosage of one Duel against me!"
"Huh? Why would you want to Duel me?" Leo asked, shocked at what had transpired, although it may have also been provoked by how Rebecca almost towered over him.
"Nothing like a good game to clear the air of all that unhealthy doubt. Besides, I still have a score to settle with you."
"You do? How?"
"It's simple; we never finished our match at Café la Geen. I want that Duel to have a conclusion. I'm sure one win is all you need to get this stress off of your shoulders."
"And if I lose, you'll rub it in my face and make me even more stressed?!"
"Actually, if you lose, you're joining me in the pool. There's nothing like going for a dive to de-stress. Do you want me to give you the first move, or shall we play ladies first?"
"Don't patronize me! You can take the first turn!"
"Fine," she sighed as both players retrieved their disks and Decks from Luna. As they drew their hand, Rebecca started her turn by drawing, and placing a card face-down.
"Are you underestimating me?! I draw, summon my Morphtronic Boomboxen in Attack mode, and attack you directly with its Bass Fist! You take 1200 points of Battle Damage, and since it is in Attack mode, it can attack twice during each Battle Phase!"
"Leo, it is precisely those blundering attacks that make you such an easy target, especially for a Deck like mine. Reveal Trap, Cross Heart. Whenever I take Battle Damage, I also take control of my opponent's monster, making Morphtronic Boomboxen mine. Yes, I'm on 2800 Life Points, but you shouldn't be so reckless."
"I place two cards face-down to end my turn."
Rebecca drew again, placed a monster face-down and activated Polymerization, fusing the Maiden in Love and Succubus Knight in her hand for Succubus Temptress (2000/1500). The first thing she attacked with, though, was Morphtronic Boomboxen.
That was when Leo revealed his Trap, a card called Morphtronics, Scramble, triggered when he was attacked directly. The attack was negated, and he Special Summoned his Morphtronic Cameran (800/600) to the field with its secondary effect.
Before launching a second attack with the effect of her stolen Morphtronic, she then attacked Cameran with her Temptress, whereupon its effect activated to make her flip a coin, resuming the battle if it landed up on tails.
The result of the flip was heads, normally placing a Maiden Counter on Cameran and moving it to her side of the field, but Leo revealed that while in Defense mode, Camerann stopped all Morphtronic monsters from being targeted by effects, meaning that the battle ended there. When Rebecca used Boomboxen's second attack to target Cameran, Leo's other Trap revealed itself: Morphtronic Bind, stopping all Level 4 or higher monsters controlled by Rebecca from attacking as long as he had a Morphtronic on his field. As Succubus Temptress was a Level 7 monster, this effect also targeted her. Her turn ended there, but she praised Leo for coming up with that combo.
Leo drew, and summoned Morphtronic Clocken (600/1100) in Defense mode, and activated its effect, adding one Morph Counter while it was in Defense mode. He ended his turn with two face-down cards, emptying his hand. When Rebecca took her turn, she activated the Spell Card Trap Pause, negating the effects of all face-up Continuous Traps and drawing one card for each effect negated. Morphtronic Bind was negated this way, netting her one card to come to three in her hand and allowing her monsters to attack. She attacked with her Morphtronic Boomboxen, targeting Leo's Cameran, but he revealed Morphtransition, switching the attack target's Battle Mode and negating the attack. Now, however, it was in Attack mode, and was targeted again by the monster that had just attacked, destroying it. Cameran's Attack mode ability didn't activate, as there was nothing to revive. After that, the Succubus Temptress attacked Morphtronic Clocken. The coin flip came up tails, but Leo revealed Remake Puzzle. By destroying one Morphtronic, choosing the Morphtronic Boomboxen on Rebecca's field, he could end the Battle Phase, and Special Summon a Morphtronic monster whose Level was lower than the destroyed Morphtronic, choosing Morphtronic Cameran in Defense mode. She ended her turn with a face-down card..
After Leo drew, he placed another Morph Counter on Morphtronic Clocken, then activated the second part of its ability: by Tributing it, he could inflict 1000 damage to Rebecca for each Morph Counter on the card, coming to 800 Life Points. He then summoned his Morphtronic Celfon (100/100) in Attack mode and activated its ability, shouting "Dial On!" and stating that whichever number from 1 to 6 comes up, he will be able to check that many cards from the top of his Deck, and if they have a Level 4 or lower Morphtronic monster among them, he could Special Summon it. The number revealed was a 2, with one being Morphtronic Scopen (800/1400) at Level 3 in Defense mode. Since it was, however, Scopen was treated as a Level 4 instead of 3, and that was when he tuned his Level 1 Celfon, Level 2 Cameran and (considered) Level 4 Scopen, shouting "Docking strength with the courage to protect world peace! Synchro Summon. Envoy of Love and Justice, Power Tool Dragon!" as the monster appeared with 2300 ATK and 2500 DEF.
The ability of Leo's new machine Dragon activated: it could add a random Equip Spell Card to his hand, which he subsequently activated: Break! Draw!. With this, whenever he destroyed a monster, he could draw one card, but if this effect was used three times, the card would be destroyed. He attacked Rebecca's Succubus Temptress with its 'Crafty Break', causing the target's ability to activate. The coin toss came up tails again, meaning that Power Tool Dragon continued the attack, destroying the monster and damaging Rebecca by 300 to come to 500. His turn ended there.
"Stop holding back against me!" he demanded.
"Are you sure?" she queried.
"Yes! My victory means nothing if it is hollow, so don't hold back!"
"Alright, your wish is my command, just be careful what you wish for."
Rebecca drew, and activated her Trap, Call of the Haunted, Special Summoning her Succubus Temptress from her Graveyard, and then activated her De-Fusion, returning the Fusion Monster to the Extra Deck and Special Summoning Succubus Knight (1650/1300) and Maiden in Love (400/300) from the Graveyard. She also revealed her face-down monster, Jowls of Dark Demise (200/100), and activated its Flip Effect, taking control of an opposing monster until the End Phase, choosing to steal his Power Tool Dragon.
"Now, since you asked me not to hold back, I will humor you with my strongest monster. I can attack you right now and win, but instead I will Tribute my Succubus Knight, Maiden in Love and Jowls of Dark Demise to summon my Raviel, Lord of Phantasms!"
As the monsters disappeared into orbs of light that resulted in the formation of the Sacred Beast, it emerged with its 4000 ATK and DEF. Rebecca attacked right away with its 'Shimmering Slash', draining all of Leo's Life Points in one strike.
"I… lost… again?" Leo was aghast.
"Let us not forget that you got me pretty damn close to losing myself."
"But…"
"But nothing. You still have some growth to go through, but for now, take the plunge."
"Wha-"
"We had a deal. If you lost, you're coming with me into the pool, now get changed."
A few minutes later, Rebecca was relaxing in the centre of the pool, along with Leo, chained together by her blunder into their apartment to ask directions… and by the Sector Security handcuffs that connected his wrist to hers, deployed after he angrily stated that he was rather going to go back to his room.
"Come on kid, stop sulking and relax. Let the water soothe you and take your troubles away. You'll be surprised by how well it works!" Rebecca called after his seventh tug at the handcuff chain. Just why was this kid so insistent on dwelling on the past?