"Where am I?"
This was the question Chris was asking himself, observing the surroundings around him. He was on some sort of dirt trail, which stretched out in front and behind him. Brown, half dead grass lined the trail. A light fog was descending upon the trail, making what lay ahead of him impossible to see. Chris walked forward, his arms held up in front of him.
"How did I get here?"
That was another question running through Chris's mind. The last thing he remembered was lying in his bed while the nurses were giving him another shot of painkillers. Chris decided that it was a dream. But it was unlike any other dream he had had before. It felt so real to him. It actually felt like he was standing there. He actually felt the dampness of the fog surrounding him. He actually saw his surroundings around him. But how was this even possible?
Chris was jerked out of his ponderings when a new thing made itself present. It was a sound, a loud, clanking sound. Chris could best describe it as some one walking around and carrying several large metal plates. Chris's guess was proven half right. The fog in front of Chris suddenly dispersed. There, standing a few feet from Chris was a man in a full suit of armor, covering him from head to foot. The man made no move towards Chris. He just stood there, staring at him.
"Who are you?" Chris called to the man.
"That," the man replied, "is of no importance, or at least not to you at any rate."
"Then where am I? Why am I here?" Chris asked.
"In answer to your first question, I've no idea where we are," the man replied. "In answer to your second question, you're here to receive some information from me."
"What kind of information?" Chris asked.
"Information in regards to the duelists who caused your current condition," the man replied.
"What…" Chris stuttered, caught off guard.
"Look, our time grows short so I'll be quick," the man said, looking around at what surrounding them. That was when Chris noticed that everything around them was fading away into a pale, white light. "Remember that Obelisk Blue girl you dueled a while back?" Chris nodded. "Well, I know she was behind it, or at least orchestrated it at any rate. Also watch an Obelisk Blue boy named Masaru. I know he had something to do with it. Also watch Faron, Myrine, and Edon too. I know for a fact that they had something involvement in it."
"Can you tell me why they did it?" Chris asked. By this point, only the trail still remained. Everything else had faded away.
The man shrugged. "Sorry. I'm as clueless as you are in that regard." Then the man himself began to fade away. "Looks like our time is up. Now remember what I told, watch them closely, I know they're up to something."
"One last thing," Chris said. "Is this all real, or has it been happening inside my head?"
The man laughed. By this point, the man had completely faded away, but Chris could still him. His voice echoed as if he were a long way away. "Of course its all been happening inside your head. But since when did that mean it wasn't real?"
Chris whited out, and knew no more.
The next morning, Chris sat propped up in his bed with several cards spread out on a special table that he had swung across his bed. He examined each card, and then placed them in several separate piles. Chris sighed. Upgrading his deck was tedious work, but it was necessary. At least he would have some privacy though. Most of the students were in class, which he was exempted from do to his injuries.
Bur no matter how hard he tried to concentrate, his dream kept forcing itself to the forefront of his mind. Chris couldn't help but think that he had seen the armored man before. Everything about the man seemed vaguely familiar. The man's style of armor, its color, and its physical appearance all seemed familiar. He racked his brain, trying to bring up the memory. Unfortunately, all that happened was that Chris developed a headache. He groaned, clutching at his head. The last thing he needed was more pain.
There was a knock at the door. "Come in," Chris said, expecting it to be Rubye. He was surprised when Trevor and Alexandra walked through the door.
"Hello Chris!" Trevor said joyfully. "Here to see everybody's favorite laid up duelist."
"And to ask a few questions," Alexandra added calmly. ""If that's alright with you."
"Sure," Chris replied. "Ask away."
Trevor and Alexandra pulled up two chairs. "We wanted to ask you about your duels with Nekkyou and Osore."
"I should've figured that," Chris muttered.
"If you don't want to talk now," Trevor started.
"No, no, no," Chris said quickly, "ask me anything and I'll try to answer you."
"Alright," Alexandra began. "Did either of them say who they were working for?"
Chris thought about it for a moment. "Well, Nekkyou was barely coherent. As for Osore, he was too busy trying to kill, and I was too busy trying to save Rubye and stay alive to ask anything."
"Okay," Trevor said. "What exactly did they do that caused you to get these injuries?"
"I don't know what they did," Chris said, "but they somehow many the duels real! It was like everything was really happening, not just holograms!"
Trevor and Alexandra glanced at each other nervously. "Shadow duel." They said simultaneously."
"Shadow duel?" Chris said, confused.
"To make a long story short," Trevor said. "It is an ancient magic that make the duels real. No matter what you duel with, everything will really happen."
"You're lucky you won," Alexandra said. "If you had lost, your soul would have been consumed by darkness."
"Meaning…" Chris asked.
"You'd be worse than dead," Alexandra said quietly. Chris noticed that after saying this, something seemed to change in Alexandra. She looked sad, and possibly on the verge of tears.
Trevor noticed this too. He jumped up. "Look at the time!" he shouted. "Class starts in 5 minutes. Sorry, but we've got to go." Trevor shook Chris hand. "Thank you for your time." Alexandra got up, and was lead by Trevor towards the door.
"Wait, there's one more thing I should add," Chris said.
Trevor turned to face him. "What would that be?"
"Last night, I had some sort of vision," Chris said.
"A vision?"
"Yes," Chris continued, "I was warned by a spirit, or something, to watch some people. An Obelisk Blue girl named Adelie, three of our representatives, Faron, Edon, and Myrine, and someone I don't know named Masaru. I don't know if it means anything, just though you ought to know."
"I'll make a note of it, thanks," Trevor said as he and Alexandria left the room.
The second the door closed behind them, Alexandra began to cry softly. Trevor swung an arm around her shoulders, drawing her into an embrace. "It seems like something left over from last year," Trevor said.
"It appears so," Alexandra said. "Oh Trevor, I though it would be over, but its not! Last year is still here to haunt us!" She began to cry harder. "If it's true, Oliver died for nothing!"
"Don't say that!" Trevor said sharply. "Oliver died save your life, and mine. That's something, isn't it?" Alexandra nodded, but continued to cry. Trevor lead her away to a nice, private spot in the jungle were Alexandra could cry on his shoulder and where he could comfort her, away from prying eyes.
It was a good day for a ride on a motorcycle. Dustin marveled at his luck as he sat straddling the Academy issue D-Wheel on the Academy's Riding Duel Track. Being the Riding Duel representative for Duel Academy and considering it had been a while since he had been in a riding duel, he really needed the practice. The stadium surrounding the track was about ¼ of the way full of students who had nothing better to do. Even Taro was there MC'ing. Dustin sighed as he leaned back in his seat. His opponent, a Ra Yellow named Norio Arai, was much more tense. He nervously scanned the gauges on is D-Wheel, make last minute checks.
"Now lets start this riding duel started!" Taro shouted, his amplified voice echoing through the stadium. "Dustin Seo versus Norio Arai! Riding Duel, acceleration!"
With a loud roar of engines and squeal of tires, the two D-Wheels roared down the track. "First person around the turn gets the first move!" Dustin shouted to Norio. Norio nodded in nervous agreement. It wasn't much of a contest, or at least for Dustin. He easily managed to pull head of Norio and make a really tight turn, leaving Norio a ways behind.
"I draw!" Dustin shouted, drawing his sixth card (SC: D-1, N-0). "I summon Pursuit Chaser in attack mode (1400/600). Next, I set one card facedown and end my turn."
Norio drew his sixth card (SC: D-1, N-1. "I summon Steel Clad Defense Golem in attack mode (0/2200)." A large, metal gray thing appeared next to Norio's D-Wheel. It had a box like body, with two stubby arms and two stubby legs. A small, watermelon shaped head was perched on its large body. "I set one card facedown and end my turn."
Dustin drew a card (SC: D-2, N-2). "Go Pursuit Chaser, attack Steel Clad Defense Golem!" Pursuit Chaser blasted towards Steel Clad Defense Golem, its claws outstretched.
"The effect of my Steel Clad Defense Golem activates!" Norio shouted. "When it is attacked, its battle position changed!" Steel Clad Defense Golem fell to one knee, crossing its stubby arms across its chest. Pursuit Chaser slammed into Steel Clad Defense Golem and bounce off. It spun out of control for a bit before regaining control and it returned to its place beside Dustin's D-Wheel (DLP: 4000-3200).
"Dang it," Dustin muttered. "I finish my turn by summoning Second Booster in attack mode (1000/500)."
Norio drew a card (SC: D-3, N-3). "I activate my trap Defensive Attack Tactics! Once per turn, this trap will switch the attack and defense points of one of my monsters. So I chose to switch the attack and defense points of my Steel Clad Defense Golem (0-2200/2200-0). Now I switch my Steel Clad Defense Golem to attack mode, and attack you Second Booster!" Steel Clad Defense Golem lumbered forward, raising its metal fist high.
"I activate the trap Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" Dustin shouted. "This trap blocks your attack, and returns back to my field facedown!" A small scarecrow made out of bits and pieces of rusting scrap appeared in front of Second Booster, blocking Steel Clad Defense Golem's attack. There was a loud clank as Steel Clad Defense Golem's attack slammed into Scrape-Iron Scarecrow, and then it lumbered back to Norio's side of the field.
"I set on monster in defense mode and end my turn," Norio said (2200-0/0-2200).
Dustin drew a card (SC: D-4, N-4). "I summon Speed Biker in attack mode (1600/900). Now I activate the effect of my Second Booster! I can tribute it to allow one of my monsters, my Pursuit Chaser to be specific, cans 1500 attack points!" Second Booster moved over to Pursuit Chaser and attached itself to it (1400-2900/600). "Now Pursuit Chaser, destroy Steel Clad Defense Golem!" This time, Pursuit Chaser blasted through Steel Clad Defense Golem as it switched to defense mode, shattering it into several pieces. "Now my Pursuit Chaser's effect actives! Whenever a monster in defense mode is destroyed, you get hit with 500 points of damage (NLP: 4000-3500)! Now my Speed Biker will attack your set monster!"
The streamlined motorcycle raised its front wheel and made an incredibly sharp turn. It then sped towards the facedown monster. The card flipped up, revealing a large, machine, its parts folded inwards to create a sphere shape. Speed Biker hit the monster head-on, and was sent flying into the air. It hit the ground and was sent cartwheeling behind the two riding duelists. Speed Biker appeared next to Dustin's D-Wheel moments later (DLP: 3200-2600).
"It'll take more than that to take down my Gear Golem the Moving Fortress (800/2200)!" Norio shouted.
"I end my turn," Dustin growled.
Norio drew a card. (SC: D-5, N-5) "I play the speed spell Normal Booster! If I sacrifice 5 speed counters, I can special summon a normal monster of any level from my hand. So I special summon Total Defense Shogun in defense mode (1550/2500). Now I activate the effect of Defensive Attack Tactics, switching the attack and defense points of my Gear Golem the Moving Fortress (800-2200/2200-800). Now Gear Golem the Moving Fortress, attack Speed Biker!"
"I activate Scrape-Iron Scarecrow!" Dustin shouted. The small, rusting scarecrow appeared in front of Speed Biker, taking Gear Golem the Moving Fortress's attack.
"Alright, but I'm not done!" Norio shouted. "You see, my Total Defense Shogun is allowed to attack even when it's in defense mode! Now Total defense shogun will attack your Pursuit Chaser!" Total Defense Shogun drew his large sword, charged forward, and sliced Pursuit Chaser in half (DLP: 2600-2550). "I'll end my turn by placing one card facedown and setting a monster in defense mode."
Dustin drew a card (SC: D-6, N-1). "I summon Sonic Duck in attack mode (1700/700)."
Norio laughed. "Man, that monster looks ridiculous!"
"Oh shut up," Dustin growled. "Now Speed Biker will attack your Gear Golem the Moving Fortress!" Speed Biker made another sharp turn and sped towards Gear Golem the Moving Fortress.
"I activate my trap Negate Attack!" Norio shouted.
"Then I activate my Speed Biker's effect!" Dustin shouted. "During the battle phase, he can negate the activation of a trap card!" Norio gasped as his Negate Attack shattered. Speed Biker slammed straight into Gear Golem the Moving Fortress, destroying it (NLP: 3500-2700). "Now Sonic Duck, attack Norio's facedown!" Sonic Duck sped forward, and pounced down on the facedown card. Unfortunately, it bounced off as a giant, green stone statue appeared (DLP: 2550-1950).
"This is my Stone Statue of the Aztecs (300/2000)," Norio said, gesturing to his monster. "And one more thing I should mention, any battle damage done involving this monster is doubled, so you lost 600 life points, instead of 300."
"I set one card facedown and end my turn," Dustin muttered.
Norio drew a card (SC: D-7, N-2). "I summon Cannon Wheel in attack mode (500/500). Now I tune my level 2 Cannon Wheel with my level 6 Total Defense Shogun!" Cannon Wheel shattered and became three green rings. The three rings flew into the air, along with Total Defense Shogun. Total Defense Shogun floated into the center of the rings. It started to glow, became transparent and began to change shape.
"Synchro summon! Total Defense Cannon (0/3000)!" A large dome shaped machine appeared next to Norio's D-Wheel. It was an overall dark blue color with black highlighting around plates of armor. On top of the dome sat a large, cartoon cannon. "Now the effect of my Cannon Wheel activates. When it is used in a synchro summon, you get hit with 500 points of damage (DLP: 1950-1450). Now I activate my Total Defense Cannon's effect! If I skip my battle phase, you'll get hit with 1000 points of damage!" The cannon on Total Defense Cannon aimed itself at Dustin, and fired. The shell hit just a bit in front of Dustin's D-Wheel. The resulting explosion caused Dustin D-Wheel to wobble, but he quickly regained control (DLP: 1450-450). "I think I'll end my turn at that."
Dustin drew a card (SC: D-7, N-3). "I activate my trap Trade in for Tuning! This trap allows me to add a tuner monster from my deck to my hand if I discard a card from my deck." Dustin discarded a card, and pulled a card out of his deck. "Now I'll summon that tuner, Nitro Synchron (300/100). Now I'll activate the effect of the card I just discarded, a monster called Quillbolt Hedgehog (800/800). When I have a tuner on my field, I can special summon Quillbolt Hedgehog from my graveyard. Now I tune my level 2 Nitro Synchron with my level 2 Quillbolt Hedgehog and my level 3 Sonic Duck!" Nitro Synchron shattered and became three green rings. The three rings flew into the air, along with Quillbolt Hedgehog and Sonic Duck. The two monsters positioned themselves in the middle of the rings. Sonic Duck and Quillbolt Hedgehog began to glow, became transparent, and began to merge and change shape.
"Synchro summon! Nitro Warrior (2800/1800)!" There was a loud roar as the green, goblin like warrior appeared next to Dustin's D-Wheel.
"Now I activate the speed spell Shift Down!" Dustin shouted. "If I pay 6 speed counters, I get to draw two cards!" Dustin's D-Wheel slowed significantly as he drew two cards. "This in turn activates the effect of my Nitro Warrior! He gains 1000 attack points whenever I activate a spell card (2800-3800/1800). Now Nitro Warrior, attack Total Defense Cannon!" Nitro Warrior blasted into the air, and dived down on Total Defense Cannon with its large fists raised. Nitro Warrior slammed into Total Defense Cannon, destroying it.
Norio growled in anger. "This isn't over!"
"Yes it is," Dustin said coolly. "You see, when Nitro Warrior destroys a monster, it switches a monster you control that is in defense mode into attack mode and Nitro Warrior is then allowed to attack that monster!" The kneeling Stone Statue of the Aztecs stood up into attack mode. "Nitro Warrior, attack Stone Statue of the Aztecs!" Nitro Warrior blasted towards Stone Statue of the Aztecs and gave it a powerful uppercut, destroying it (NLP: 2700-0).
"The winner is Dustin Seo!" Taro shouted. Dustin pumped is fist into the air and take a victory lap around the track.
Chancellor Arthur sighed as he watched a helicopter fly of into the distance from his office window. He sighed as he looked down at the four files sitting on his desk. Chancellor Arthur unceremoniously pushed the files off his desk into a trashcan and turned his gaze back to the helicopter shrinking into the distance. The helicopter contained the four duelists who had been known as Osore, Nekkyou, Urei, and Ikari. The helicopter disappeared into the distance. He turned from the window.
Arthur was deeply worried. He had had enough trouble in this job already. Even without the supernatural problems, it was a stressful job as it was.
"Damn it," Arthur muttered softly.
The last thing Arthur wanted was a repeat of last year. That would completely drive him over the edge. It had been bad enough to explain it to the parents, what their children had done. Some had broken down, while others simply chose not to believe him. The worst of it had been when he informed the Hirano's of their son's death. He preferred not to think about it.
"I hope this trouble doesn't reach the National Academy Championship," Arthur said aloud.
But then pessimistic of him kicked in. "But it probably will."
Dustin's Card(s)
Trade in for Tuning
Type: normal trap
Image: a man in a store handing a store clerk a Sonic Chick while point to a Junk Synchron on a shelf.
Effect: Discard one card from your hand. Then add one tuner type monster from your deck to your hand.
Norio's Card(s)
Steel Clad Defense Golem
Type: monster/earth/rock-effect
Level: 4
Stats: (0/2200)
Effect: When this card is selected as an attack target, change its battle position.
Total Defense Cannon
Type: monster/earth/machine-synchro
Level: 8
Stats: (0/3000)
Effect: [1 tuner monster]+[1 or more non-tuner monster(s)] During the Main Phase, you may chose to skip your battle phase. Inflect 1000 points of damage to your opponent if this is done.
Speed Spell-Normal Booster
Type: speed spell
Image: An Ojama Yellow, an Axe Raider, and a Key Mace strapped to a rocket that is blasting into the sky.
Effect: You can only activate this card if you have 5 speed counters or higher. Special summon one normal monster from your hand.
Defensive Attack Tactics
Type: continuous trap
Image: a group of soldiers matching forward holding large shields with large spikes on them
Effect: Once per turn, switch the attack and defense points of one monster you control until the end of the turn.