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CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
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Respect Play
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Can you trust a police officer? The answer to that question could differ greatly, depending on where you were in the world, and what the time period was.
For example, in Great Britain in the early 20th Century, it was a definite yes. The constabulary there acted like paternal figures, and only had to talk to a group of troublemakers to restore peace. To this very day, the typical British patrolman doesn't usually even carry a gun.
But at other times, and other places, things could be very different. In Prohibition-era Chicago, you had to think twice about trusting an officer – a lot of them were on the take. In Apartheid-era South Africa, only the upper class could depend on them for anything. And Germany under Nazi rule had a special police force called the Gestapo who existed to combat enemies of the Third Reich, not to truly help anyone. They were little better than actual Nazis, and often worked with them.
Basically, how trustworthy the local constabulary is depends on who's in charge of running the system. That's the short end of it.
I used to think that the police force of Neo Domino, the forces under Godwin's control, was a group that I could trust. But as my time with the Shadowchasers grew, I was starting to doubt this. Little by little, I was beginning to hear about things I didn't like, now that my eyes had truly opened. And as we left the restaurant, it seemed I was about to learn more…
"So," said Ember, "I'll meet you guys in about an hour. I've got to go, and…"
"I don't believe it…" said Shichiro, looking ahead. "Gakushi?"
About twenty feet in front of them was a Security officer next to a police motorcycle, making a call on a radio.
Shichiro knew Gakushi only too well. He was a Security whose rank went up and down so often, his captain called him a yo-yo. It usually went up when he blackmailed some other Security into letting him take the credit for some big collar, but then went down again when he loused up and had no-one to pin it on. From what Shichiro had last heard, his rank was up again. But right now, he seemed incredibly nervous…
"This is officer Gakushi," he said, in a nervous tone. "Requesting assistance…"
"I don't believe it," said Shichiro, walking up to him. "A thug threatens a whole fast food joint full of customers while a Security sits outside doing nothing…"
Gakushi looked at him and scowled.
"Don't start with me, Shichiro!!" he howled.
Shichiro saw that Gakushi was not in the best shape. He had a black eye and a fat lip.
"Were you in some sort of fight?" asked Jinx.
Gakushi sighed.
"If you must know, nosey," he said. "I had just gone to get a hot dog, when some bum dressed in rags, with the worst case of body odor, swiped the deck of cards off of my bike!"
"Huh…" said Gears.
"Uh, this deck of cards…" said Shichiro. "It wouldn't happen to be a Special Pursuit Deck, would it?"
Gakushi sighed again, and held his head with an embarrassed look.
"Yes…" he groaned.
"Oh, man…" said Jinx. "You are in big trouble this time!"
"I tried to stop him," moaned Gakushi, "but he slugged me twice and ran so fast he was out of sight before I could get up. What do these bums eat that make them so tough?"
"A bum dressed in rags," whispered Gears, "with a bad smell, who's both very strong and very fast…"
"Wererat," whispered Shichiro.
"What are you blabbering about?" shouted Gakushi. "Do you know who did this?"
"I have a general idea," said Shichiro, turning away.
"Could you get the deck back?" asked Gakushi, eagerly.
"Yeah, I could," said Shichiro. "C'mon guys, let's split."
"WAIT!" shouted Gakushi. "You said you could…"
"Yes, I said I could, Gakushi, and I can," replied Shichiro. "I didn't say I would, and I won't."
"Oh, c'mon!" shouted Gakushi. "I'll make it worth your while!"
"Where have I heard that before?" asked Shichiro.
"You can trust me!" pleaded Gakushi.
"Stop right there!" said Shichiro, spinning around.
He glared at Gakushi.
"How can I trust a word you uniformed dictators say?" he asked. "I seem to remember one other Security who promised to make it 'worth my while' if I helped him. So like a fool, I helped him.
"The next time I saw him, he claimed he didn't know who I was, and then threatened to arrest me if I didn't leave."
"Uh… That was Officer Kohara, wasn't it?" asked Gakushi, nervously.
Shichiro nodded.
"Next time you see him," replied Shichiro, "ask him what it's like working mall security, will you?"
"Look, Shichiro," said Gakushi, nervously. "I can't let any other officers know about this, but I have to get that deck back! If I don't, I won't just get demoted this time… The cost of those cards will be coming out of my salary for the next year!
"So, I can offer you this much… If you get it back for me… Tell you what… I'll… I'll owe you a favor…"
Shichiro crossed his arms.
"Well, it's a start," he said.
He started to walk to his D-Wheel.
"You know he's likely going to break his word just like Kohara did," said Jinx.
"And be demoted two ranks and lose his benefits like Kohara did?" asked Shichiro. "Kohara didn't know that we knew who we knew. But I'm sure that anyone who knows Kohara won't make the same mistake.
"And it might benefit us in the long run to have Gakushi owe us a favor. I really don't like having to go talk to you-know-who when I have to deal with Security.
"Ember, you go talk to your boss. Gears, you go check on Mistle. I'll go find this wererat. I think I know where he might be. We'll meet at the place on Cherry Blossom for ice cream at seven o'clock. Okay?"
"Great," said all three of them at once.
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In Satellite, in the ruins of the Domino Mall, a group of more competent Security had cordoned off the large room where the mysterious chest had appeared. The sergeant in charge was talking on a radio.
"Yes, sir, it's very strange," he said. "This stone chest of some sort just seemed to appear out of nowhere. Some witnesses say it fell from the sky. No, frankly I don't believe them…
"Anyway, it's covered with weird symbols that we've never seen before. Kinda looks like runes of some sort, maybe Old English or some Gaelic language.
"Gaelic, it's one of many old languages of the British Isles? I kinda took an elective at the Academy. No, I can't translate them! I'm just guessing here.
"Yeah, we checked. The portable Geiger counter didn't detect any radioactive materials, but for all we know, the stone might have a lead lining on the inside. I don't think we can open it right now anyway. There doesn't seem to be any latch or lock or hinges or any way to open it. And it seems too heavy to lift.
"Uh huh… Uh huh… Okay, roger on that…"
He turned the radio off.
"Okay folks, they're gonna send some people to watch this thing until they can do a more thorough test. We've just gotta watch it before they get here."
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At the Limburger Cheese Co. factory, where Gears had fought Maccal, a wererat thief stopped for a minute to ponder his plunder. A Special Pursuit Deck that Security used was full of very powerful cards that only law enforcement officers were allowed to use, and thus couldn't be obtained anywhere else. To the right person, this deck was worth a small fortune.
He ranked higher in Neo Domino's wererat clan than Maccal did, having become admired by other wererats because he was so smart. At least, he was smarter than the typical wererat. A while back, some of the other wererats had started calling him Algernon, believing it to be the name of a rat in a short story who was very smart. He was flattered, and started using the name.
Of course, those wererats were not all too smart, and had never read Flowers For Algernon. If they had, they'd have realized that Algernon was actually a mouse rather than a rat. Algernon himself had read it, but he kept the name, as his underlings seemed to respect it more than his previous name.
As of right now, he was talking on his cell phone.
"Yes, I've got the goods," he said, in his soft, seedy voice. "It was easy to get… The Security in this city couldn't protect a playground.
"I'll have the deck to you within the hour.
"Oh, don't worry, I'm very discreet…"
"But I'm a big blabbermouth," said Shichiro's voice.
Algernon leapt off of his chair and spun around, to see Shichiro standing in the doorway.
"Stealing a deck of cards from Security," he said. "That takes guts…"
Algernon squawked, and dashed towards a loading bay at the far end of the room. Shichiro gave chase as he dove through a door.
Then Shichiro heard the roar of an engine starting…
Shichiro dove aside, as Algernon drove at full speed out the door on a D-Wheel built in the style of a motorbike. It was painted black with flame decorations, with rat skulls hanging from the seat and handlebars.
"You want this deck back?" he asked. "Well… Come and get it!"
"I never turn down a dare like that," replied Shichiro.
As he drove out the door, Shichiro ran after him, leaping on his own D-Wheel parked right outside. He started it up, and started to drive after the wererat.
Then he was shocked, as Speed World activated on his Disk, and the Duel Mode engaged.
"HEY!" shouted Shichiro. "I didn't…"
He paused.
"Oh yeah, that's right…" he said. "When you're up against someone who's using a Special Pursuit Deck, you don't have a choice.
"You realize, pal, that now you've just added another offense to what I can arrest you for," he shouted. "Impersonating a law enforcement officer!"
"Only if you can beat me!" laughed Algernon, as Shichiro chased him. "I was just itching to try this deck out anyway!"
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It was about five-thirty in the afternoon as Ember walked into the office she had been so familiar with since getting the job as Mr. Draco's secretary.
It seemed that her desire to find Mr. Draco in a good mood would be a pipe dream. He seemed to be very upset as he spoke on phone.
"I'm really sorry, Onimako," he said, "but I have to cancel.
"Yes, I know it's short notice, but I don't have time for golf tomorrow. I have to work. This whole place has been a mess since my secretary left on vacation. The temp agent wouldn't know a good worker if she bit him on the…"
Then he saw Ember.
"Uhm, I gotta cut this short. Look, I'll still be able to meet you for lunch on Monday. Probably."
He hung up.
"Ember!" he said, trying hard to smile. "Didn't expect to see you so soon. There are still a few days left of your vacation… I thought you'd be at some resort hotel right now, with a cocktail in one hand and some gorgeous hunk in the other."
Ember giggled.
"So, how have things been while I've been gone?" she asked.
"Oh, just great," muttered Draco, standing up. "Ember, I am a billionaire…"
"Then… Why aren't you happy?" asked Ember. "I thought you were already a billionaire…"
"I'm a billionaire," growled Draco, "because the amount on my paycheck this morning had two extra zeroes! Everyone's did!"
"Oh…" said Ember. "Problems with the payroll, huh?"
"The worst," replied Draco, as he sat down, and leaned his head on his hands. "And the temp secretary that the agency gave me keeps messing up. She can't even make decent coffee…"
"Heh…" said Ember. "Seems that this place needs me in order to function… Kind of a nice feeling, in a surreal way…
"That's why I'm so sorry I have to give you this."
She handed him a slip of paper.
"What's this?" asked Draco.
"My resignation, sir," said Ember. "I'm sorry… But I've found a new job, at a… new company, with a better position. It's time I moved on."
Draco looked at her closely for a second.
"Well…" he said. "I guess I can understand… I knew you weren't planning to be a secretary all your life…
"Is this a company I'm familiar with? Can I write you a recommendation?"
"I don't believe so," said Ember, "and that won't be necessary. If you really need me, I'll work part time until you find a replacement."
Draco got up.
"No, no, no need," he said. "I can manage…
"It was good to know you, Michiko… I wish you good luck wherever your road may take you."
He extended his hand, and they shook.
Draco watched, as Ember walked out of the office, towards the elevator.
Once he was sure she was gone, he sat back down, and opened his laptop. Then, he input a second password, one that let him access his most confidential files. He opened one file.
The file contained eight lists. These lists were unofficially named "People of Power". Lists of individuals who could conceivably benefit or threaten him in one way or another. List 1 had the names of the most powerful individuals, while List 8 had the least, although those on List 8 were worthy of notice. Each name had a file within the file that could be accessed by clicking on it. Some were more extensive than others.
Some of the names were marked. A gold mark next to a name meant that the person was considered an ally. A red mark meant he or she was an enemy or a threat. No mark meant that he was neither – yet. These lists were subject to change, and the number of gold marks wasn't very high. It was well-known that being a power player in the world of business and finance was similar to swimming in a tank full sharks, and you didn't have many true allies in such a place.
Only seven names were on List 1 currently. One of them was Godwin, who was unmarked. (Draco didn't trust Godwin, but didn't truly distrust him either.) Five others were heads of state in very powerful countries where Draco Industries had a foothold. The seventh name was only a set of initials: S.S. It had a gold mark.
List 2 was longer. It consisted of less powerful heads of state, as well as the four known Signers (Godwin's plan was hardly a secret to Draco), and the three current Dark Signers (neither was theirs). The true Signers were unmarked, while the Dark Signers had red marks.
Jalal was also on List 2, with no mark. So was Divine, who had a red mark. (Again, Divine's true plan was pretty obvious to him. It was very hard to keep any secret from someone as well-informed as he was. Draco paid people well to find out what everyone on these files was up to.)
DaPen was slightly further down, on List 3. He had no mark.
What concerned Draco right now was someone way on the end, on List 8. Near the top of the list (they were alphabetized) was "Eiko Michiko". Her name had no mark.
Draco highlighted the name, then input an option. The name moved to List 5. He left it unmarked. Then he clicked on the name to open the file.
He sighed, and leaned his head on his hand. He stared at the screen for a few seconds…
He started to type in the new information.
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Shichiro chased after the wererat, the very streets of Satellite having been changed into Speed World.
(Shichiro: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Algernon: 8,000)
"Catch me if you can, Shadowchaser!" he laughed, drawing a card.
"I'm calling out my Assault Dog!"
The portal opened, and a large greyhound dog with a gun harness mounted on its back leapt out. It started running next to his bike. (1,200 ATK)
"I like dogs," he chuckled. "Dogs hate cats, and I hate cats too."
"Yeah?" said Shichiro. "I rather like cats."
He drew a card, and both Speed Counters rose to one.
"You can kiss your Assault Dog goodbye," he said. "Come on out, Obnoxious Celtic Guardian!"
The portal opened behind him, and the elven soldier in armor, holding his gleaming sword appeared. (1,400 ATK)
"Attack his mutt!" shouted Shichiro. "Silver blade slash!"
The Guardian made a swipe with his blade. Assault Dog howled, and burst into pixels.
"Mutt?" said Algernon. "Don't you know that the law uses careful, selective breeding techniques to raise police dogs?
"And you may have gotten rid of one of them, but when you take down one Assault Dog, I get a bonus. I get to summon another one."
A second Assault Dog flew out of the portal, sitting in Defense Mode. (800 DEF)
"It's your move," said Shichiro.
(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 7,800)
Algernon drew a card, and both Speed Counters rose to two.
"I'll toss two cards facedown, and that will be all," he said.
Two facedown cards flashed into existence, and then faded from sight.
Got to be careful, thought Shichiro, as he drew a card. I'm pretty sure that this deck he's using has some pretty powerful Traps…
Both Speed Counters rose to three.
"I call out Marauding Captain!" he shouted.
The portal opened, and the armored soldier holding twin blades leapt out. (1,200 ATK)
"Now, I use his effect," he continued, "to summon Gearfried the Iron Knight!"
The portal opened again, and Gearfried flew out as well. (1,800 ATK)
Both duelists turned down a side street, the three Warriors following close behind Shichiro's bike.
"Captain, take out that Assault Dog!" ordered Shichiro.
Marauding Captain flew at Assault Dog, and made a swipe with his blade, blowing it to pixels.
Algernon gestured, and a third Assault Dog appeared. (800 DEF)
Obnoxious Celtic Guardian flew at the third one, cutting it in half.
"You're out of dogs," said Shichiro. "Gearfried, direct attack!"
Gearfried grunted, and flew at Algernon, slamming his bladed hands into the lycanthrope's bike. Algernon grunted as his vehicle shivered. His Speed Counters fell down to two, and he started falling behind Shichiro.
"My turn is over," said Shichiro.
(S: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 6,000)
"Okay, Shadowchaser," said Algernon, drawing a card.
His Speed Counters rose to three, while Shichiro's rose to four.
"I was gonna be nice about this, but you're starting to get on my nerves…
"So, I'm bringing out the serious stuff. I summon Gate Blocker."
He played the card, and a large barrier materialized in front of Shichiro. It looked like an ominous, rectangular stone tablet, with the Eye of Wdjat on the front. (100 ATK)
"Big deal," said Shichiro. "You should have set it in Defense Mode."
"I'm not keeping it," replied Algernon. "I'm sacrificing it…"
Gate Blocker dissolved into particles.
"…for Gate Blocker 2!"
In an intimidating burst, a Gate Blocker twice the size of the first one appeared in front of Shichiro, with two Eyes of Wdjat, and this one was in Defense Mode. (3,000 DEF)
"That's trouble…" muttered Shichiro.
"I hope that four Speed Counters are enough for you," said Algernon, "because so long as my Blocker is there, you aren't gonna get any more. I end my turn."
Shichiro made a draw. As the wererat had said, his Counters stayed at four, while Algernon's went up to four.
Shichiro quickly set a Monster, and it appeared concealed.
"That all?" asked Algernon, drawing.
Once again, his Speed Counters went up, while Shichiro's stayed the same.
"I summon Pursuit Chaser!"
In a flash of light, the robotic drone with two arms and a siren on top blaring flew out of the portal. (1,400 ATK)
"Destroy his defensive Monster!" he ordered.
Pursuit Chaser blasted beams of energy from its hands. Skelengel appeared on the card, and was blown to plasma.
"And now you lose 500 Life Points!" laughed Algernon.
"But I still get to use Skelengel's effect," replied Shichiro, "and draw one card."
He made a draw.
"Aw, make your move," said the lycanthrope.
(S: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 6,000)
Shichiro drew, again not getting any faster, while Algernon went up to six.
"Gearfried," he said, "destroy Pursuit Chaser!"
The Iron Knight flew at the drone, and with one slash of his blade, sliced it in half.
"That's all for now," he said.
(S: 7,500) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,600)
Algernon drew a card, his Speed Counters rising to seven.
"Now you've made me mad," he muttered. "So I'm bringing out Gonogo to deal with your merry men…"
He played a card, and a huge shadow fell over Shichiro's bike. He looked behind him to see a Monster that was literally huge. It looked like a gigantic bowling ball with eyes and a pointed nose on the front. (1,350 ATK)
Gonogo simply bowled forward, rolling over Marauding Captain and crushing him.
"I'll set a card facedown," continued Algernon, "and end my turn."
A facedown card appeared next to his other two on Shichiro's screen.
(S: 7,350) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,600)
Shichiro quickly made a draw. His opponent's Counters rose to eight.
Darn, he thought, looking at his hand. The only Monster I have right now is Jack's Knight. That usually isn't a good card to have on hand…
Oh well, his 1,900 Attack Points are better than Guardian's 1,400.
"I sacrifice Obnoxious Celtic Guardian…" he said.
The armored elf vanished into grains of light.
"…to summon Jack's Knight!"
Jack's Knight flew onto the field, holding his longsword aloft. (1,900 ATK)
"I was hoping you'd do that!" laughed Algernon, as one of his facedown cards shot up. "Activate… Intercept!"
"Huh?" said Shichiro.
A net shot out of the Trap Card, and Jack's Knight grunted as he was snagged by it.
"Intercept let's me commandeer any Monster that's summoned with one Tribute," chuckled Algernon.
Jack's Knight was pulled over to the front of the wererat's bike.
"Oh yeah?" said Shichiro. "Well, you still made one mistake…
"Gearfried, destroy Gonogo!"
The Iron Knight flew upwards and backwards, flying behind the huge boulder. He made a mighty swipe at it with his blade, and Gonogo's eyes bugged out. It exploded in a huge blast of flames and pebbles.
"Now, Gonogo's effect activates," continued Shichiro, "and Gearfried moves to facedown Defense Mode, meaning I won't lose any Life Points when you attack him."
Gearfried vanished, changing into a reversed card, which faded from sight.
"What you should have done was set Gonogo in Defense Mode," continued Shichiro. "Any smart Duel Chaser knows that it isn't an offensive Monster. I'd have been in real trouble if I had attacked it then."
He took three cards from his hand, and set them on his Disk. Three facedown cards appeared.
"End!" he exclaimed.
(S: 7,350) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,150)
"Oh, aren't we smart," said Algernon, drawing a card, as his Counters went up to nine.
Then another of his facedown cards shot up.
"I activate Level Retuner!" he shouted. "This Trap Card lets me reduce the Level of one Monster by up to two. So I'll reduce the Level of Jack's Knight by one.
"Next, I summon the Tuner Monster Tora Part."
A cackling laughter sounded over the field, and a bizarre-looking clown materialized next to Jack's Knight. Actually, it was more like two clowns, joined at the waist, one above, and one below. (600 ATK)
Uh oh… thought Shichiro. A Level 6 Synchro Summon in a Special Pursuit Deck can only mean one thing…
Then both duelists drove at full speed into a dark tunnel. It was pitch black inside, but fortunately, the autopilot turned on the headlights. Shichiro glanced at the duel field on his console, and saw both Jack's Knight and Tora Part disappear, and a new Monster appear in their place…
As they emerged from the tunnel, Shichiro saw the Synchro Monster standing in mid-air, twenty feet in front of him. It was an intimidating Warrior, with the makeup, costume, and hair style of a kabuki actor, but with a far more muscular build, holding a weapon that looked like a leather rope with a jutte as a grapple.
"Meet Goyo Guardian," said Algernon.
(2,800 ATK)
"Next," continued the lycanthrope, "I activate the Trap Card, All-Out Attacks."
His last facedown card lifted up.
"And by the way, if you're thinking of using those facedown cards to block this attack, forget it. Since I used Tora Part to summon this guy, you can't use Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step.
"Now, my Guardian attacks!"
Goyo Guardian twirled its grapple, and hurled it at the reversed Monster. Gearfried briefly appeared on the card before dissolving into grains of light.
"And that's not all," continued Algernon. "Now, your Monster comes over to my side…"
Gearfried appeared next to Goyo Guardian, crouching in Defense Mode. (1,600 DEF)
"…and thanks to my Trap Card, he moves into Attack Mode, and gets to attack right away!"
Gearfried stood up into Attack Mode. (1,800 ATK) He leapt at Shichiro, and slammed his blade into him. Shichiro groaned a little, as his Speed Counters went down by one, down to three.
"I set one more card facedown," said Algernon, as a new facedown card appeared, "and I end my turn."
A facedown card appeared, and then faced from view.
(S: 5,550) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 5,150)
Shichiro drew a card, as Algernon's Speed Counters rose to ten. He was threatening to lose Shichiro at this rate.
"I set a new card," said Shichiro.
A new reversed card appeared, giving him a total of four.
"Then, I summon Queen's Knight!"
He played the card, and the lovely lady Warrior in crimson armor appeared, flying in front of his bike. (1,500 ATK)
"Now, she's gonna smash down your Gate Blocker."
"I'd like to see her try it!" laughed Algernon.
To answer him, one of the three facedown cards Shichiro had set last turn flipped up.
"Activate… Micro Ray!" he shouted.
A beam of energy shot out of the Trap Card, striking Gate Blocker 2. (0 DEF)
"No… Way…" said Algernon.
"Way," said Shichiro. "Attack!"
"YA!" shouted Queen's Knight, as she struck the huge tablet with her blade. It smashed into little shards of rock.
"Ooh, you'll pay for that!" screamed Algernon.
"It's your move," said Shichiro.
Algernon made a draw. His Speed Counters rose to eleven, and now that the Blocker was gone, Shichiro's rose to four. He began to pick up speed again.
Algernon turned into a run-down building, one that had been so devastated by the urban decay that you could drive through it. Shichiro followed him, swerving around the dangerous twists and turns.
"I sacrifice your Gearfried…" said Algernon.
Gearfried burst into pixels.
"…to summon Handcuffs Dragon!"
In a great blast of energy, a huge Monster appeared with a roar. It was likely the most bizarre Dragon that had ever been spawned. Its reptilian body was thin and lithe, but it had two large sets of mandibles, one on its head, and one on its tail, which made its entire body look vaguely like a set of handcuffs. (1,800 ATK)
"Next, I activate a Trap Card. The powerful Ceasefire!"
His other facedown card spun around.
"Now you lose take 500 Life Points in damage for each Effect Monster on the field."
"Fortunately, Queen's Knight isn't an Effect Monster," replied Shichiro.
"But my Monsters sure are," replied Algernon.
Shichiro groaned as a red aura of energy surrounded both of Algernon's Monsters, and him as well. His Counters fell one notch, to three.
"Now, then," said Algernon, "I'll be taking your Queen's Knight!"
Goyo Guardian hurled his grapple again, and Queen's Knight burst into pixels. Shichiro's bike shook, as his Speed Counters fell down to two. Then Queen's Knight reappeared next to the Guardian. (1,600 DEF)
All-Out Attacks glowed, and she stood up into Attack Mode. (1,500 ATK) She made a rush at Shichiro's bike.
"I activate… Birthright!" shouted Shichiro, as his facedown card spun around. "Now, I can bring Jack's Knight back from my Graveyard!"
The glowing portal opened, and Jack's Knight leapt out, leveling his blade at Queen's Knight. (1,900 ATK)
"Queen's Knight, stop!" screamed Algernon. "Stop your attack!"
"She can't, stupid!" replied Shichiro. "Your Trap Card forces her to attack, remember?"
Jack's Knight swung his blade, and Queen's Knight shattered into pieces.
(S: 3,250) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 4,750)
Algernon just stared with a vacant expression for a second or two…
"Getting the picture yet?" asked Shichiro. "Using a deck full of new and powerful cards might seem like a thrill, but it isn't as easy as it seems. Those cards all have complex and complicated effects, and can't be used on a whim. It takes a lot of practice to adjust to any new deck, much less one that was designed for use by law enforcement. Using such a deck now and pinning your chances for escaping from me on it was a dire mistake."
"Have it your way!" shouted Algernon. "Just make your move…"
"Oh, I will," said Shichiro, drawing a card.
His Speed Counters went up to four again.
"Come on out, Junk Synchron!"
The portal opened, and the cute, robot Tuner flew out. (1,300 ATK)
"Now, let's bring this home!"
Junk Synchron gave its ripcord a yank, and its motor started to hum. Then it and Jack's Knight flew into the sky above the rooftops of Satellite, turning into eight glowing stars.
With a loud roar, Colossal Fighter descended, moving in time to Shichiro's bike. (2,800 ATK)
"Right now, there are six Warriors in my Graveyard…" he said.
A small phantom regiment appeared behind him: Obnoxious Celtic Guardian, Gearfried, Marauding Captain, Jack's Knight, Queen's Knight, and Junk Synchron.
"And I believe that there's one in yours too," he added.
Tora Part appeared with the group, and grinned at Algernon with its two faces. Then all seven of the Warriors vanished, and Colossal Fighter's Attack Score rose to 3,500.
"Now, since a Synchro Summon is considered a Special Summon," he continued, "your All-Out Attacks requires my Monster to attack this turn. But hey, that's gonna be a pleasure…
"At least it will be, once I activate this!"
Another facedown card lifted.
"Synchro Strike! Now, my Monster gains 500 more points for each Monster I used to summon it!"
Colossal Fighter glowed with energy. (4,500 ATK)
"Clobber his Handcuffs Dragon!" shouted Shichiro. "Mega knuckle!"
Colossal Fighter roared again, and socked the bizarre Dragon hard, blowing it into shards of metal. Algernon screamed, and his D-Wheel wobbled. His Speed Counters fell down two places, to ten.
(S: 3,250) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 2,050)
…and then he grinned.
"Heh, heh, heh," he chuckled. "I still have one trick… That attack may have cost me some Life Points, but your Fighter is gonna pay for it in spades! That Monster isn't called a Handcuffs Dragon for nothing!"
Then a phantom version of Handcuffs Dragon appeared, and flew at Colossal Fighter. Its two sets of mandibles clamped to its wrists, pinning its arms behind its back like a true set of handcuffs would.
Colossal Fighter growled a little… (2,700 ATK)
"Bet you weren't expecting that," laughed Algernon.
"Actually," replied Shichiro, "it was exactly what I was expecting."
"Eh?" said the wererat.
"You see, I knew that Handcuffs Dragon was usually part of a Security's deck, even though it isn't officially included in the deck recipe for the Special Pursuit Deck. It's like a mascot for them, so I assumed that Gakushi's deck would have one.
"So, taking inspiration from another duel where it was used, I added this little number to my deck…"
His last facedown card shot up.
"The Trap Card, Equip Shot! Now, I can take Handcuffs Dragon off of my Monster, and put it on yours!"
Colossal Fighter roared again. It wrenched the Dragon off of its arms, and then hurled it at Goyo Guardian. The Guardian screamed as the Dragon latched onto its arms.
Colossal Fighter rose back to an Attack Score of 4,500, while Goyo Guardian fell to 1,000.
"No fair!" shouted Algernon. "Grr… This isn't over!"
"I'm afraid it is," replied Shichiro. "Because Equip Shot also lets my Monster attack again."
"Oh… no…" gulped Algernon.
"Colossal Fighter…" said Shichiro. "Take him down."
Colossal Fighter flew towards Goyo Guardian, and socked the mad kabuki in the gut. Algernon hollered as his Monster shattered, and his D-Wheel went into a tailspin.
(S: 3,250) - - - - - - - - - - (A: 0)
Shichiro walked up to the D-Wheel, which was smoking and knocked over. Algernon was lying on his back, groaning.
The Shadowchaser reached down, and collected the deck. Then, he reached into Algernon's pocket. In it were his cell phone, and also a game card.
Cloudian – Cirrostratus.
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In his office, DaPen was watching his own cell phone. He hadn't made any move for about a half an hour.
Then it rang. He picked it up.
"Isn't it interesting what numbers some people will put on their speed dials?" asked Shichiro's voice. "I'm calling to inform you that Algernon will not be delivering 'the goods', as he referred to them.
"By the way, I know who this is, DaPen. And if you think you can keep thumbing your nose at both the Mundane and Jalal's authority, you're in for a rude awakening. We will find you. We will find out who or what you are. And we will take you down.
"I seem to remember you comparing yourself to Al Capone and me to Eliot Ness. Well, let me tell you something about Ness. He was a lawman to the core. He couldn't be bribed, and he wasn't scared by threats. That's why he and his group were called the Untouchables.
"I'd say your comparison was right on the money."
He hung up.
DaPen put the phone down.
He picked up a piece of paper. On it was written his to-do list for tomorrow. It had five items on it at present.
He picked up a pen and wrote down a sixth item under them:
6. Change number on cell phone.
"Interesting call?" asked Edmund, who had been watching.
"Quite," said DaPen. "But Shichiro's little threat helped make up my mind…
"It's time to end the preliminary phase, and start the true plan…"
Then the phone rang again. DaPen looked at the number.
He answered it.
"Speak," he said.
He listened. After about a minute, he hung up again.
"Good news, Edmund," he said. "Your package is waiting at the old Domino Mall…"
He started dialing a number.
"And we can go to get it, just as soon as we give our… friends something to do. And maybe benefit from it as well."
"You sure it's wise to trust that creature?" asked Edmund.
DaPen chuckled. Then his form warped and twisted, as he shed his disguise. Edmund simply glared at him. DaPen's true form was hideous, but Edmund had seen much worse.
"I doubt it will ever come after me," replied DaPen. "Looking like I do is difficult in this world… But it does have its upside…"
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In the heart of downtown, a bookstore stood; Aquarius; Books for a New Age.
Inside, it looked like the typical bookstore; the shelves were organized by topic, new fiction up front, science fiction and fantasy in one wing, nonfiction in another, historic fiction in other, and so forth…
Only Shadowkind and Awares could see the special books that were on sale. They included spellbooks, scrolls, books of alchemy, and books on the history of Shadowkind clans.
The owner and proprietor of the shop was a female elf named Soelma Nilaenish. There's a stereotype surrounding female elves – most think that all of them are ravishing, enchanting beauties. But it wasn't true for Soelma, at least not anymore. She was mousy and plump for an elf, and was getting on in her years, which for an elf, meant that she was quite old. Elves were not immortal, as some thought they were, but their life spans were measured in many centuries. Her dress was plain, her hair was cut short, and her eyes were bloodshot from all the reading she did.
Soelma was a moon elf, a rare offshoot of the elf species who were even more in tune with the magic of the fey world than high elves. Soelma had been a powerful wizard in her youth, but it had been ages since she had used spells for much more than research and the crafting of magic items, mostly potions and scrolls.
Research was her main focus now, the bookstore her means of funding it. She had an extensive library on artifacts and magical items hidden from view, as well as a vault to hold them. Unraveling the secrets of the arcane was her specialty, and the Regalia of the Day was one of her current projects.
Right now, she was sitting behind the counter, going over a moderate-sized text written in Sylvan that she had been asked to translate. Sylvan – the language of fey – was pretty much a second language to elves, so this was going to be a rather boring night…
Then she looked up, as the door to the shop opened.
"Jinx?" asked Soelma, looking up.
It sure looked like Jinx, although she was looking at Soelma with a cold, icy stare that didn't look at all friendly.
Then she smiled slightly.
"Hi, Soelma," she said. "Look, Gears needs the Sword of Noon for a few hours. He got a lead on a possible source for the runes on it."
Soelma looked at Jinx nervously.
"Uh… sure Jinx…" she said.
Soelma nervously walked to the vault. She didn't know if Jinx was acting via her own free will, or if something sinister was afoot, or even if this was Jinx at all. But she did know that all was not right, and she would never be a match for Jinx in any sort of conflict. She didn't want to put her life in danger.
What do I do? she thought, as she approached the vault. If this is a trick, I can't let her get away with it…
Then she got an idea.
She took the Sword of Noon from its shelf on the wall, and then turned to see if she was being watched.
Less than a minute later, she handed it to Jinx, smiling.
"Just call me when Gears is done with it, okay?" she asked.
Jinx nodded, and smirked a little.
Soelma breathed a sigh of relief as she watched her walk out of the store. She slumped in a chair.
"What a fright!" she gasped.
She looked at her watch.
"I'll wait half an hour… She should be gone by then…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
You don't become a wizard by being dumb. Soelma realized that the young woman with the icy cold expression that looked like Jinx likely wasn't her. And since Soelma was smart, she also realized that refusing to hand over the Sword would more than likely result in the Jinx look-a-like trying to take it by force. Soelma had no idea of her abilities, was too old to fight it in a spell battle, and she didn't duel. She was an old dog, and Duel Monsters was a new trick as far as she was concerned.
Still, who was this imposter? Soelma was still on our payroll, and she was going to help us find out, just as soon as she knew she was in the clear. DaPen had made a serious move, and it would prove incredibly dangerous for at least one member of our group.
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ASSAULT DOG (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Beast/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,200
DEF: 1,800
Card Description: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you may Special Summon 1 "Assault Dog" from your deck.
Note: Assault Dog was first used by Ushio in the "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's" episode "Ready, Set, DUEL!" Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
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Coming up next:
What monster did Professor Lupin use to teach Harry Potter how to cast the Patronus Charm? If you know, then you have a vague idea of the threat that impersonated Jinx. However, next chapter, you'll see that J.K. Rowling isn't well-liked among Shadowkind because of the numerous things she got wrong about magical beings. A powerful Shadow Game starts where Jinx risks her very existence and must wager everything against the roll of a die. DaPen isn't playing around any more.
"Physical Double" is coming soon.