Halloween…
You have to love a holiday that combines ancient Celtic rituals with bite-sized Snickers bars.
It was once called All Hallow's Eve, and was believed to be the last day of the year when ghosts and spirits could roam the earth before the winter chill sealed them in their graves. Nowadays, it's a holiday merely for play, where folks dress up in scary costumes, people bob for apples and children go for tricks or treats.
I want to enjoy myself tonight, as I do at every Halloween party, but I know I have to keep an eye out…
An eye out for a dark lady with blonde hair.
She'll take us one step closer to solving our problems…
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CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
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The Emperor's Holiday
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Wednesday, October 21, 2106, 4:27 PM
Dr. Peters had four objects on his desk.
From left to right, they were: a glass case full of ants, a gas canister that was connected to the case via a tube, a small tank of water, and a holder that held a test tube holding several small stones.
"I have here on my desk," he said, "an incredibly lethal poison, and an incredibly volatile explosive."
He motioned to the gas canister.
"This is the poison. Breathing a small amount would be lethal to most animals. Watch as I introduce a small amount to this colony of ants."
He turned on the canister, and then quickly turned it off. The ants fell dead.
He then motioned to the test tube.
"This is the explosive," he said. "Ounce for ounce, it is much more powerful and volatile than standard TNT. Watch as I place a very small amount in water…"
He took a pair of tongs and lifted one of the stones out of the tube. He dropped it in the tank of water.
Sparks flew, then a small explosion, and then a burst of flame erupted out of it.
Eventually the flames died down, and he put the objects away under the desk.
"The poison is called chlorine," he continued, once he had finished. "The explosive is called sodium."
He walked in front of the desk, and reached in his pocket.
"When these two elements combine, we get sodium chloride, also known as…"
He took a salt shaker out of his pocket.
"…salt. A valuable substance that is necessary for survival, and has been used as a food preservative for centuries. This combination is a necessary part of life.
"Why do I bring this up? Ever since Duel Monsters has started, combining Monsters, also known as Fusions, has been a vital part of the game. It started with the old fashioned Polymerization… Then, someone added Fusion Gate…
"Then specialized Fusion cards came out. Dragon's Mirror, Power Bond, Miracle Fusion, Future Fusion, Overload Fusion, and many others.
"While Fusions may not be a part of every deck, they form one of the foundations of Duel Monsters.
"And that is the focus of the chapter which we will be starting tomorrow.
"Before I dismiss, as you know, the big Halloween party will be held this Saturday at nine PM. Those of you who wish to gain extra credit by helping, report to Dr. Macader. He's in charge."
Trisha held her head…
Dr. Macader planned a party like Godzilla planned a trip to Tokyo…
Big.
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As Trisha left class, June called to her.
"Hey Trisha, what sort of costume are you wearing?" she asked.
"I am not about to tell you, June," she answered with a grin.
As she walked back to her room, she smiled broadly.
She walked in, and took a box out of her closet.
Everyone will expect me to go as Nanobreaker, she thought. But this will surprise everyone.
As she walked back into the common room, she saw Old Ben sitting on a couch, reading a hardcover book.
Trisha was quite surprised when she saw what the title was:
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
"Who'd have thought?" said Trisha with a smirk. "The Strongest Left Hand In The Land a fan of Lewis Carroll?"
"Yeah…" muttered Ben. "You found me out… I've become rather attached to this book…"
He took a photograph out of the front of the book and handed it to Trisha.
She looked at it. It was a photo of an adorable, blonde-haired girl, about eight-years old, with a smile that would melt your heart.
Written on the photo were the words:
To Ben,
Keep reaching for the top. Never let anything stand in your way.
- Nichole
February 12th, 2096
Trisha looked at it for a minute.
"Who was this?" she asked. "She's precious…"
"My biggest fan," answered Ben.
He sighed.
"When I was a boxer, I fought a lot of charity tournaments," he said, "including one big one where I represented the American Leukemia Fund. This little girl was only eight at the time, and she came to watch, because, well, she benefited from that charity. I won the tournament and earned a lot of money for it, and she started showering me with letters and homemade gifts… It was touching.
"I had to meet her in person, and, well… I became sort of like a big brother. She didn't have anyone else… She just needed someone who cared."
He picked up the book.
"She loved this book… Alice in Wonderland. She never got tired of me reading it to her. The story of a young girl who follows a White Rabbit into a fantasy world and has so many strange adventures…"
He sighed.
"Whatever happened to her?" asked Trisha.
"Didn't I tell you she had leukemia, Trisha?" asked Ben.
There was a long pause.
"She was never scared…" he said, sadly. "Up to the end, she was never scared. The last time I saw her, she gave me this, and made me promise to always keep it to remember her…
"One year later, I had to give up boxing… So she only knew the boxing Ben and not the dueling Ben.
"You know, sometimes I wonder what we could have done if she had survived… If the remission had lasted. I could have taught her the game… I'm sure she would have been a natural."
"Oh?" asked Trisha. "What sort of deck do you think she'd play?"
Ben looked at the book.
"Dunno…" he said. "Maybe Fairies… Or Spellcasters…"
Trisha put her hand on his shoulder.
"I'll keep it a secret," she whispered.
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One hour later, Sean Kishore was in the main room, opening a box that had come in the mail.
Oh, good, it's here, he thought, looking at the costume. My mom sure can sew…
"So Sean," said Russell, walking in, "how's it feel to be a year older?"
Sean blushed a little.
"How'd you know it was my birthday?" he asked.
"I keep track of things," said Russell. "You shouldn't get so hung up on birthdays. You should be happy to have them. You ever hear about Methuselah?"
"Uh… rings a bell somewhere…" said Sean.
"According to the Bible," said Russell, "he was a guy who lived to be nine-hundred and sixty-nine years old. Bet it was hard to get him a gift every year."
Sean chuckled.
"So, going to the party?" asked Russell.
"Wouldn't miss it for the world…" muttered Sean, stashing the box behind his back.
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Sebastian sat on a couch, watching TV.
He flipped the channels. Even in the year 2106, there was rarely much good on, at least not until primetime.
As he surfed the channels, he searched his mind, as he had ever since he had dueled Trisha. That duel had wiped his mind clean of a painful memory, and as far as he was concerned now, that lover who had loved him and then betrayed him had never existed.
His plan had done the job… The pain in his heart had been purged. But somehow, he felt… weird.
He noticed a magazine that Cassius had left on the coffee table – Playboy. Even in this day and age, Hugh Hefner's brainchild had never lost popularity.
He frowned and picked it up. He opened and leafed through it.
He looked at one of the pictorial sections.
Now there's a decent rack… he thought.
He frowned.
"Oh, what am I doing!" he growled, tossing it away. "This is sleazy even for me!
"If I want Trisha ever to accept the situation that is to come, I can't cheat on her, even with magazines."
He took a box of cards off the table and looked through them.
He found one…
Nanobreaker.
"Trisha…" he said, "next time we duel, you won't be so lucky. You will be mine.
"But I swear to you, you won't find it so bad after a while…
"You might even grow to like it…"
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Dr. Macader promised everything for the party – live music, catered food, the whole nine yards. And of course, dueling was allowed if a challenge was accepted.
Jason had a plan to get someone to duel him, and he had asked his mom to send him something. They knew they had to look for this "dark lady", but they were going to have fun.
Jason was escorting Trisha, of course, and Russell had asked Sersei – she couldn't say yes fast enough. Jason and Trisha were glad that Russell finally had a girlfriend, although Trisha was worrying what would happen at the inevitable time that she and Sersei dueled again.
Finally, at 8:30 on Saturday, Jason put the finishing touches on his costume.
Most of the costume had been easy. He had gone to the biggest suit rental place in Manhattan and asked to rent a purple tuxedo. They were able to get him one in his size (technically it was "violet"), and he combined it with a formal shirt, tie, and a purple derby hat that he had gotten in a costume store. The costume store had also supplied the long, pale, blonde wig, fake pointed ears, and red contacts.
Using the mirror, he used a powder puff to spread orange stage makeup on his face.
Finally, he slipped his Disk on his arm and picked up a box that was tied shut with a string.
"Perfect," he said. "If you're going to go to a party dressed as a Duel Monster, you might as well go as one who has a sense of style."
He walked out to Trisha's room where she said she'd meet her, and knocked on the door.
"Two minutes, Jason!" she called.
Only a minute and a half later, she came out.
Her hair was covered by a purple wig, tied in a ponytail. She wore a blue tunic tied with a golden belt, covering a shirt with loose purple sleeves, and wore silken pants and pointed slippers. She was holding a staff topped with a crescent moon.
"Magician of Faith…" said Jason. "Nice…"
"Hmm…" she answered with a smile. "I wouldn't have expected the Witty Phantom. You sure are handsome for a Fiend. What's in the box?"
"This is my key to getting a duel tonight," he said. "Shall we?"
They clasped arms.
He paused.
"Strange…" he said.
"What?" she asked.
"These costumes," he answered. "It's almost as if there's some… synergy between them. As if… As if these two Monsters went together in some way in another place and time…
"Eh, don't worry about it. Let's find Russell and Sersei."
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As they walked out, Russell and Sersei were waiting.
Russell's costume made sense – he was dressed as Marauding Captain, in a suit of armor that might look real from a distance, but was revealed as carefully made papier-mâché up close. A sword was slung on his back. (The real Captain carried two swords, but Russell needed his hands free.)
Sersei was naturally dressed as Harpie Lady, an image of the Cyber version. Her exotic look was punctuated by a whip coiled and hooked to her belt.
"Not bad, guys," said Jason. "That a real sword, Russell?"
"Yeah," he replied. "Making swords is impossible unless you're a blacksmith. But fortunately, my dad collects them. He had someone bring me one yesterday."
"Well everyone," said Sersei, "let's par-tay!"
Little did they know, someone was above on the roof watching them. She giggled.
Halloween… she thought. I love this time of year! It's one of the few times of year I can come out and play…
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A Lord of Dragons stood at the door to the auditorium to welcome everyone in. Orange and black streamers hung in a room that was surrounded by jack o'lanterns lit with flickering candles. And amid the music of the band that had just started to play, it seemed the floor was full of Duel Monsters.
A White Magical Hat danced with a Witch of the Black Forest. Near them, a Roboyarou passed by with his date, a Mystical Elf. An Unfriendly Amazon shared punch with Zombyra the Dark.
The group of four looked around. They saw a few people they knew.
Ansel was naturally dressed as Musician King. Next to him was Malvolio, dressed in the ominous clothing that identified him as Mataza the Zapper.
Nadia and Randy were together, instantly recognizable. Randy's costume was Avian, while Nadia's was St. Joan.
Amanda was dressed as Chaos Command Magician, a reversal of genders, possibly. Ami was Raging Flame Sprite, naturally.
Sean was dressed in an elaborate costume that depicted Mr. Volcano. His date was Fire Princess.
Silver and Karen were also together. Silver was dressed as Different Dimension Master, and Karen as Doriado.
Jack was dressed as Green Phantom King… His date, naturally, was Queen of Autumn Leaves. Russell noticed a Vampire Lord and a Vampire Lady nearby…
He looked carefully. Yes, the Lord was Nathan, but he couldn't tell who his date was.
Even a few staff had gotten in on the festivities. The Buster Blader stood by one end of the auditorium, and while he was clad completely in armor, the metal arm identified him as Old Ben.
And standing quietly in one corner was the imposing form of The Agent of Judgment – Saturn. Even in costume and makeup, Dr. Artemis exuded as much authority as ever. She was serving as chaperone, and the fact that she had chosen a divine being who was also a judge sort of drove the point home.
The band was named Driving Rain (Dr. Macader had said that the lead singer was a duelist), and to fit the occasion, they were also in costume, as Water Monsters. The lead singer was a Mermaid Knight (propped up on a cushioned pedestal, since her costume disabled her legs); the drummer was an Aqua Madoor; a Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness and a Water Magician were on bass; and a Deepsea Warrior played keyboards.
"Hello everyone!" announced the lead singer. "Welcome to a night of spooky fun… Where we won't only be enforcing the scary… But the comedy!"
The she started to sing as a lightshow started. The students started to dance.
Something familiar, Something appealing, Nothing with kings, nothing with crowns; Old situations, Something convulsive, Something aesthetic, Nothing with gods, nothing with fate; Nothing that's formal, Something erratic, Frenzy and frolic, Something familiar,
Something peculiar,
Something for everyone:
A comedy tonight!
Something appalling,
Something for everyone:
A comedy tonight!
Bring on the lovers, liars and clowns!
New complications,
Nothing portentous or polite;
A tragedy tomorrow,
Comedy tonight!
Something repulsive,
Something for everyone:
A comedy tonight!
Something frenetic,
Something for everyone:
A comedy tonight!
Weighty affairs will just have to wait!
Nothing that's normal,
No recitations to recite;
So, open up the curtain:
Comedy tonight!
Something dramatic,
Something for everyone:
A comedy tonight!
Strictly symbolic,
Something for everyone:
A comedy tonight!
Something peculiar,
Something for everybody:
Comedy tonight!
Something that's gaudy, Nothing that's grim. Pantaloons and tunics! Panderers! Philanderers! Tumblers! Grumblers!
Something that's bawdy –
Something for everybawdy!
Comedy tonight!
Nothing that's Greek.
She plays Medea later this week.
Stunning surprises!
Cunning disguises!
Hundreds of Monsters out of sight!
Courtesans and eunuchs!
Funerals and chases!
Baritones and basses!
Cupidity! Timidity!
Mistakes! Fakes!
Rhymes! Crimes!
Bumblers! Fumblers!
No royal curse, no Trojan Horse,
And a happy ending, of course!
Goodness and badness,
Panic is madness –
This time it all turns out all right!
A tragedy tomorrow,
Comedy tonight!
So intense was the music, very few people noticed when a Dark Magician Girl wandered in.
She looked around, and quickly started to attract attention. Eventually, she motioned to Malvolio, and the two started dancing to the music. Everyone started watching her.
Artemis's eyes narrowed.
So… she thought. The duel world's biggest party animal returns… Sigh… Asking her to leave would make everyone hate me…
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"So," said Jason, "you see any sign of a 'dark lady'?"
"Well, I have some suspicions," said Russell. "We have quite a few Dark Monsters around. You seen where Sersei went, by the way?"
Jason pointed to the refreshment table.
Sersei and the Dark Magician Girl were drinking from the punch bowl and laughing.
"Say, Russell," said Sersei, as he came up. "I have a bet with DMG here… You think this punch is made with Kool Aid or Hi-C?"
Russell took some and tasted it.
"Mmm, I'd say Hi-C," he said.
He looked at the table.
There wasn't quite enough food to feed an army – he should know – but there was a lot. There was almost every type of hors d'oeuvre they could possibly have – mozzarella sticks, cocktail weenies, stuffed mushrooms, finger sandwiches, buffalo wings…
But even more attention had been given to the sweets. On another table were cupcakes frosted to look like jack o'lanterns, fudge brownies, candied apples, five kinds of chips with four kinds of dip, and one of the major staples of Halloween – large bowls full of small individually wrapped Snickers, Milky Ways, Almond Joys, Skittles, Starburst, and every other candy you could think of.
"So much junk," commented Russell. "It's gonna be a miracle if someone doesn't end up sick. Someone always gets sick at these parties, come to think of it."
Dark Magician Girl smiled sweetly. Russell looked at her strangely. He noticed that she had a Duel Disk on her arm.
She picked up a cupcake.
"I for one am glad for it all," she said. "Where I come from, treats like this are almost impossible to get…"
Russell didn't doubt it. She seemed to have a figure like a supermodel.
Sersei looked over her costume…
One which exposed a great deal of cleavage and thigh. She shook her head.
You know… she thought. If I was the Dark Magician's apprentice, I would hope I could score a more dignified outfit…
"So…" she asked. "You didn't have anyone to bring?"
"Eh, I have someone who's sort of a boyfriend," she replied, "but he's always busy… He has a very demanding job…"
"I see…" muttered Sersei.
She looked at her strangely.
The music finally stopped.
"Thank you!" said the Mermaid Knight. "We're gonna take a little break now, but we'll be back later…"
"That's my cue…" said Jason. He went up to the stage and whispered something to someone near it.
After a minute, the Mermaid gave him the microphone.
"Hey everyone," he called out. "I have here in my hand, my mother's homemade chocolate-chip and macadamia nut cookies…"
He held up the box he had brought.
"…and anyone who can defeat me in a duel me will get them!"
Murmurs broke out among the crowd.
"Ooh…" moaned Sersei.
"What's wrong?" asked the Dark Magician Girl.
"I love those cookies…" groaned Sersei. "He shared them once before… But I'll never beat him…"
Dark Magician Girl rubbed her chin.
"Anyone?" asked Jason.
"I'll take that challenge!" said a sweet voice.
He turned and saw Dark Magician Girl smiling sweetly.
"On one condition," she continued. "If I win, you give them to Sersei."
"Very well, I'm jack with that…" said Jason.
He started to shuffle his deck.
"So, uh… what's your name?"
She giggled.
"Tell you what," she said. "Beat me, and I'll tell you."
"Deal," he said.
Russell picked up the microphone and Trisha stood behind him.
"Hello, ladies and germs, hope you're having a good time," he announced. "Looks like an official challenge has been made! So it seems we can stop with the dancing and see some good old-fashioned violence."
"Nice…" muttered Trisha.
"In one corner, dressed as one who presides over death and looks sharp doing so, Jason 'Glad I'm Not Still His Roommate Because He Hogs The Bathroom' Conrad."
"Real funny, Russell," snapped Jason.
"And in the other corner," continued Russell, "dressed as someone who has technically always come second, but will be first in most duelists' books… uh, I don't know her name, but… uh…
"Looks like I talked myself into a corner."
Trisha grabbed the microphone.
"It's time to duel, people!" she shouted.
"Get your game on!" shouted Jason.
The Disks activated.
(Jason: 8,000) -------------------- (Dark Magician Girl: 8,000)
"Ladies first," said Jason.
She giggled.
"No, I insist, you go first," she answered.
"Are you sure?" he asked.
"Positive," she answered.
Jason drew a sixth card.
"Well… okay…" he said.
He placed a card on his Disk.
"I'll summon Peten the Dark Clown in Defense Mode," he said.
Peten appeared on the field. (500/1,200)
To Jason's surprise Peten tipped his hat and made a polite bow to his opponent before crouching in Defense.
Hmm, he never did that before, he thought. Well, next round, I'll sacrifice him or the next Peten to summon my more powerful Monster…
"Over to you," he said.
Dark Magician Girl drew her first card.
"Well…" she said. "I think I'll… place this Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn."
She put a card on her Disk, and a facedown Monster appeared.
Jason drew a card.
"I'll sacrifice Peten to summon Luster Dragon #2!" he exclaimed.
Peten shattered, and the powerful Dragon appeared. (2,400/1,400)
"Yeah…" said Russell. "Look's like Jason is about to take this duel by the horns."
"Luster Dragon…" continued Jason, "attack with emerald flame!"
Luster Dragon shot forth a blast of fire…
A weird creature with red skin and eyes all over its body appeared on the facedown card, and was burned up.
Dark Magician Girl giggled.
"Uh oh!" said Trisha. "That was Big Eye. Now Dark Magician Girl gets to look at the top five cards on her deck and rearrange them any way she chooses."
"And I know just how I want them!" said Dark Magician Girl, looking at them.
She placed them back on her deck.
"Well, it's your move then," said Jason.
She drew a card.
"I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode again," she said.
Another card appeared facedown.
"Back to you!"
Jason drew another card.
Well, it's my old friend Vorse Raider… he thought.
He placed a card on his Disk.
"I summon Vorse Raider in Attack Mode," he said.
The sinister Beast-Warrior appeared, hefting his axe. (1,900/1,200)
"All right," said Jason, "attack the facedown Monster!"
Vorse Raider charged…
The Monster appeared on the card. It was a woman shrouded in fire, in a blue formal dress and a fancy hairdo with a white streak.
"Huh? Who's that?" asked Russell.
"She's the Lady Assailant of Flames," answered Dark Magician Girl with another giggle. "So now I get to remove the top three cards on my deck from play, and she gets to blast you!"
She took the three cards off her deck, and flames appeared in Lady Assailant's hands… Her eyes glowed…
She shot a stream of fire forward, hitting Jason.
Vorse Raider's axe finally hit, and she shattered.
"Well, that was strategy," said Russell. "Thanks to Big Eye, she knew exactly what cards she was removing from play."
"Yeah, but now she's at Luster Dragon's mercy!" added Trisha.
"You got that right," said Jason. "Luster Dragon, attack directly!"
Luster Dragon blasted his breath weapon forward. Everyone gasped as Dark Magician Girl was engulfed in flames.
But she was still smiling when it stopped.
"Giggle, giggle," she laughed. "Not bad."
(J: 7,200) -------------------- (DMG: 5,600)
"What are you made of?" asked Jason, in wonder.
"Strong stuff," she answered. "Anything else?"
"This is feel-good violence," said Russell. "Come on you sissies! Don't make me come down there!"
"Actually, I do have another move," continued Jason. "I play this, the Continuous Spell Card, Future Fusion."
He played the card, and then took his deck.
"I take fusion material Monsters from my deck," he explained, "like two of my Cyber Dragons, and send them to Graveyard…"
He discarded the two cards.
"And in just two of my turns, I'll be able to Special Summon the resulting Fusion Monster, meaning Cyber Twin Dragon!
"That will be my turn."
"Meh…" said Russell. "He could have sent all three of them there to summon the big guy… Don't tell me he's wimping out."
"Maybe he wants to save one Cyber Dragon for later," answered Trisha.
Exactly, thought Jason. And since the Fusion Monster would be destroyed if Future Fusion were destroyed, playing this card is always risky. I can't afford to lose all three Cyber Dragons.
Besides, I'm already winning… Cyber End would be overkill.
Dark Magician Girl drew a card. She added it to her hand.
"I play the Spell Card, Soul Release," she said, "to remove Big Eye and Lady Assailant of Flames from play."
She played the card, and then chose another one.
"Now, since five of my cards have been removed from play," she continued, "I can play this, Miracle Dig, to return three of them to my Graveyard."
She played the card.
"Now, I'll play Monster Reborn, to revive a Monster I just put in there, in Defense Mode. Magician's Valkyria!"
In a burst of light, a female figure appeared, kneeling in defense. She looked somewhat like Dark Magician Girl, but brunette, with fancier raiment, and a more elaborate staff. (1,600/1,800)
"And finally," she said. "I'll summon a second Valkyria in Defense Mode!"
She played the card, and an identical twin of the first Valkyria appeared.
"Uh oh…" said Russell. "I think I see her strategy now…"
"What?" asked Trisha.
"Magician's Valkyria has an effect like Marauding Captain, only with Spellcasters," answered Russell. "When one's on the field, the opponent can't attack any Spellcasters except her."
"So with two on the field, Jason can't attack at all!" exclaimed Trisha.
"Well, at least they aren't strong enough to defeat Luster Dragon and Vorse Raider."
Dr. Artemis crossed her arms.
After so many years, she thought, still the same basic strategy. Jason will have his work cut out for him…
Jason took the situation in, and drew a card.
"Think I'll pass for this turn," he said.
Dark Magician Girl drew a card.
"I play the Spell Card, Curse of Fiend!" she exclaimed.
An ominous mist formed over the field, and a series of torches lit.
"When this card is played, all Monsters in Defense Mode move to Attack Mode…"
Her two Valkyria stood up.
"…and vice versa!"
Vorse Raider and Luster Dragon crouched in Defense Mode.
"Now go!" she shouted. "Bright rainbow blast!"
The two Valkyria shot beams of multicolored light and Jason's two Monsters were blasted to pieces.
"Ugh…" said Jason.
"Giggle, giggle," laughed Dark Magician Girl. "It's your move…"
Jason drew a card.
"You know what this means," he said, "Future Fusion now activates!"
Cyber Twin Dragon appeared in a flash of light! It roared! (2,800/2,100)
Everyone applauded.
"I may not be able to attack right now," he added, "but your Valkyria can't defeat him."
Dark Magician Girl giggled again.
"Oh no?" she asked.
She drew a card.
"I play a Spell Card," she said. "Magicians Unite!"
The Spell Card appeared, showing the image of two cloaked mages in front of a stained glass window.
The two Valkyria nodded to each other. One of them tossed her staff to left hand, and the two of them linked arms.
"What's happening?" asked Jason.
"Magicians Unite can be played when I have more than one Spellcaster on the field," she replied. "It lets them attack as a team, with an Attack Score of 3,000!"
"Oh… no…" muttered Jason.
The two Valkyria fired a mighty spell, and Cyber Twin Dragon exploded in a powerful blast!
Everyone in the room cheered. It was hard to see who was on who's side.
(J: 7,000) -------------------- (DMG: 5,600)
"Well, uh… Jason's in the lead…" said Russell.
"Maybe not for long…" added Trisha.
"I'll place one card facedown, and end my turn," said Dark Magician Girl, placing a card into her Disk.
A facedown card appeared.
Jason drew a card.
Des Feral Imp… he thought. Let's see them get past this…
"I'll place a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn," he said.
A facedown Monster appeared.
"My draw!" laughed Dark Magician Girl.
She drew a card.
"Mmm, not the best, but I can still use it…"
She took the other card from her hand.
"I play Pot of Greed…"
She played the card, and the grinning jar appeared.
"And I'll chain my facedown card, Serial Spell!"
Her facedown card lifted.
"Now, I'll discard the card I just drew, and it lets me play Pot of Greed twice!"
A second Pot of Greed appeared, and the two of them shattered as she drew four cards.
Sheesh… thought Jason. Clearly, this girl is no amateur…
"Now let's play some!" she giggled. "I play Premature Burial to bring back Lady Assailant of Flames."
She played the card, and the Pyro reappeared. (1,500/1,000)
"And now I'll sacrifice to her to summon…"
She laughed again, as Lady Assailant vanished.
"Well… Take a look! It's someone who's been in front of you the whole time!"
To everyone's shock, a Spellcaster who seemed to be an exact copy of the duelist appeared in front of her! (2,000/1,700)
"How cute," said Russell. "She's using the same Monster she's dressed as!"
"Uh, Russell?" said Trisha. "Isn't this a little… odd?"
"What do you mean?" asked Russell.
"Dark Magician Girl has always been an incredibly rare card," said Trisha. "Most of the known copies have been owned by rich collectors. Very few duelists were actually known to regularly use one – one was the King of Games himself."
"I see…" said Russell. "This is weird…"
Dark Magician Girl took another card from her hand.
"Next, I'll Equip her with this," she said, playing it. "Magic Formula."
A large spellbook floated onto the field, and opened. The Dark Magician Girl on the field perused over the pages.
"I love curling up with a good book, and so does she," said the duelist, "because it gives her 700 more Attack Points!"
(2,700/1,700)
"Now go!" yelled the duelist. "Dark burning blast!"
The Dark Magician Girl cast her dark spell, and Des Feral Imp appeared before it was blown to pieces.
"Well…" said Jason, nervously. "When Des Feral Imp bites the big one, I get to take one card from my Graveyard and shuffle it into my deck…"
He showed her a Cyber Dragon, and then shuffled it into his deck.
"Okay…" he said. "I guess you can finish…"
He closed his eyes…
"Valkyria…" she laughed, "attack directly!"
The two Valkyria fired their spells and an explosion centered on Jason.
(J: 3,800) -------------------- (DMG: 4,800)
For a few seconds, all Jason could hear were little birds flying around his head…
"I'll place a card facedown and end my turn," she continued.
She played her last card, and a facedown card appeared.
This is bad, thought Jason. Since Dark Magician Girl is a Spellcaster, those Valkyria protect her from an attack too, even if I could summon a stronger Monster…
He drew a card.
"I play… Magical Mallet!" he exclaimed. "Now, I'll reshuffle all six of my cards back into my deck, and redraw six again."
He shuffled the cards into his deck, and then drew six.
"All right…" he said. "First, I'll place down one facedown…"
He played a card, and a facedown card appeared.
"Then, a Monster in Defense Mode."
A facedown Monster appeared.
"That will end my turn."
"All right!" laughed Dark Magician Girl.
She drew a card.
"Valkyria number one, attack!"
The first Valkyria flew forward…
Ancient Lamp appeared on the card! (900/1,400)
"Gotcha!" shouted Jason, as the Lamp glowed. "Now I can redirect her attack towards your Dark Magician Girl!"
The first Valkyria's eyes glazed over. She aimed her staff at the stronger Spellcaster…
The Dark Magician Girl on the field looked surprised. She defended herself with her own magic, and the Valkyria was blown away.
"Humph…" said Dark Magician Girl. "You… Attack Ancient Lamp!"
Her twin aimed her staff…
"I activate… Negate Attack!" shouted Jason.
His Trap Card lifted, and the Spellcaster's blast was deflected.
"Sigh… It's your move…" she said.
(J: 3,800) -------------------- (DMG: 3,700)
"Well," said Jason, drawing. "Now that I can attack again…"
He placed a card on his Disk.
"I use Ancient Lamp's ability to Special Summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp."
Smoke poured out of the Lamp, and it formed into La Jinn. (1,800/1,000)
"And next… I'll sacrifice both my Monsters…"
La Jinn and Ancient Lamp vanished…
"To summon Tyrant Dragon!"
Everyone gasped again, as the huge Fire Dragon appeared! (2,900/2,500)
"And since your Trap likely won't work on him," he continued, "attack her Magician's Valkyria! Imperial inferno!"
Tyrant Dragon roared, and shot a stream of flame towards Valkyria…
"Sorry, Phantom," said the duelist. "But this Trap affects my own Monsters. I activate Covering Fire!"
Her Trap lifted…
The stronger Spellcaster leapt behind the weaker one, and they both aimed their staffs. Valkyria's Attack rose to 4,300.
With two powerful blasts, the fire was deflected, and Tyrant Dragon was blasted to pieces.
Everyone was dumbfounded…
"Giggle, giggle…" laughed Dark Magician Girl. "Gotcha!"
"Yeah, you 'got' me…" muttered Jason. "It's your move…"
(J: 2,300) -------------------- (DMG: 3,700)
She drew.
"All right sweetie…" said Dark Magician Girl, "let's finish this!"
The Dark Magician Girl flew towards him, scepter first…
He howled as the powerful spell ripped through him.
(J: 0) -------------------- (DMG: 3,700)
"Well, looks like we have a winner…" said Russell. "Eh… It was his own fault…"
He looked offstage.
"And folks can have more opportunity to duel later. Here's Driving Rain again!"
The Deepsea Warrior carried the Mermaid Knight back to her pedestal, and she took the microphone.
"Don't forget our, deal, Phantom," said Dark Magician Girl. "Sersei gets those cookies now…"
Jason grinned.
I hope she doesn't get fat on Russell… he thought.
"That was fun everyone," said the Mermaid. "Now let's mash!"
The music started again.
I was working in the lab, late one night, He did the Mash! From my laboratory in the castle east, They did the Mash! The zombies were having fun; The scene was rockin', all were digging the sounds, They played the Mash! Out from his coffin, Drac's voice did ring; It's now the Mash!
When my eyes beheld an eerie sight,
For my monster from his slab began to rise,
And suddenly to my surprise,
He did the Monster Mash.
The Monster Mash!
It was a Graveyard smash.
He did the Mash!
It caught on in a flash.
He did the Mash!
He did the Monster mash.
To the master bedroom where the vampires feast,
The ghouls all came from their humble abodes,
To get a jolt from my electrodes.
They did the Monster Mash.
The Monster Mash!
It was a Graveyard smash.
They did the Mash!
It caught on in a flash.
They did the Mash!
They did the Monster Mash.
The party had just begun;
The guests included the Wolf Man,
Dracula, and his son.
Igor on chains, backed by his baying hounds,
The coffin-bangers were about to arrive,
With their vocal group, "The Crypt-Kicker Five".
They played the Monster Mash.
The Monster Mash!
It was a Graveyard smash.
They played the Mash!
It caught on in a flash.
They played the Mash!
They played the Monster Mash.
Seems he was troubled by just one thing;
He opened the lid, and shook his fist;
And said, "Whatever happened to my Transylvania twist?"
It's now the Monster Mash.
The Monster Mash!
And it's a Graveyard smash.
It's now the Mash!
It's caught on in a flash.
It's now the Mash!
It's now the Monster Mash.
The zombies were having fun;
The party had just begun;
The guests included the Wolf Man,
Dracula, and his son.
Now everything's cool, Drac's a part of the band, Then you can Mash!
And my Monster Mash is the hit of the land,
For you, the living, this Mash was meant too,
When you get to my door, tell them Boris sent you.
Then you can Monster Mash.
The Monster Mash!
And do my Graveyard smash.
Then you can Mash!
You'll catch on in a flash.
Then you can Mash!
Then you can Monster Mash.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
An hour later, another duel was in progress, Silver had challenged Karen…
And right now, he was getting royally trounced.
He had Dimensional Fissure active and D. D. Survivor on the field, but Karen had Doriado in Defense Mode, Equipped with Heart of Clear Water.
"I summon Element Dragon!" she shouted.
Element Dragon appeared on the field.
"Not only does Doriado's Fire nature make him stronger than Survivor, but her Wind nature lets him attack twice!
"Attack D.D. Survivor! Blazing breeze!"
The Dragon shot a cloud of flame that burned up D.D. Survivor.
"Now, attack directly!"
Silver winced as the strong direct attack plowed into him.
"Oh yeah?" he said. "Well, since my Dimensional Fissure just removed D.D. Survivor from play, he comes right back as you end your turn…"
A portal opened, and Survivor came out.
"My move…" he said, drawing.
"I summon D.D. Assailant in Defense Mode."
Assailant appeared, crouching in Defense.
Dark Magician Girl and Sersei were watching the duel very closely, while Jason, Trisha, and Russell were watching Dark Magician Girl.
"You sure it's her?" asked Trisha.
"A 'dark lady' with blonde hair?" asked Jason. "How close can you get?"
"I flip Aussa the Earth Charmer into Attack Mode!" shouted Karen, as Aussa appeared on the field. "Now I can brainwash D.D. Assailant!"
Aussa cast her spell, and D.D. Assailant was drawn over to Karen's side.
"Now, Element Dragon, attack twice!"
Element Dragon wiped out D.D. Survivor, and then attacked directly.
"D.D. Assailant, you attack too!"
Assailant slashed at Silver with her cleaver, reducing his Life Points to zero.
Russell wasn't paying attention. He walked up to Dark Magician Girl.
"Hey," he said. "I have a little gift for you…"
"Oh?" she asked.
He handed her a Duel Monsters card.
It was the Getsu Fuhma he had used against the Puppeteer.
She looked at it. For the first time all night, she looked serious.
"Well…" she muttered. "Let's have a talk, you, me and your two friends. Let's all go outside…"
They walked out, into the night air.
She sat down on one of the many benches around a monument, and sighed.
"You figured out that I was the second messenger," she said. "I want to thank you for such a fun duel…"
"Don't mention it…" answered Jason. "I'm still sore…"
"Anyway," continued the Dark Magician Girl, "I can't lead you to the Dark Messiah, but I know who can…"
"Just give us a name," said Trisha.
"Patience," said Dark Magician Girl. "Listen… Outside of Rye is the Briarwood Reservation Casino. Now, it's different than most Native American-owned casinos… Sure, you can play slots, blackjack, roulette, craps, and all the average stuff…
"However, they have a special attraction. You'll notice that many of the dealers and cocktail waitresses have Disks. These employees will duel the guests if you desire and you wager against their odds. Each duelist has odds assigned to him or her, based on how good he or she is.
"Go there… Ask for their best duelist. You can wager as much money as you want…
"But wager one other thing as well… Your darkest secret against your opponent's. If you win, your opponent will be forced to tell you."
She paused.
"I'm afraid that's all I can help you with," she said. "Now go back, enjoy the rest of the night, and who knows?
"Maybe I'll meet you again next year… And maybe we can duel again…
"Thanks for the card."
She got up and slowly walked away…
She vanished into the darkness.
A Witty Phantom, Marauding Captain, and Magician of Faith looked at each other…
"So, a casino," muttered Jason. "Hopefully, this will be the last leg…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"Please, boss?" asked Cleo.
"No…" growled Fortunado.
"Please, boss?" she repeated.
"If I said no the first time," he answered, "do you really think I'll say yes the second time?"
"No…" she said. "But you might say yes the forty-third time. Please, boss?"
"Argh…" he said. "All right! But don't say I didn't warn you…"
He went to a painting on the wall, and moved it aside, revealing a safe.
He turned the dial back and forth and opened it.
Inside the safe were two objects: a single Duel Monsters card in a plastic case, and a leather gauntlet with the Eye of Wdjat on the palm.
"Cleo, listen closely," he said, taking them out. "Jaden Yuki's heirs would not sell these even when I offered astronomical amounts. They feared that they'd be used for evil. I had to hire a group of… eh, thugs to steal them. All but one of them was caught, and most of the things they stole were reclaimed. However, the one who escaped managed to keep these.
"So do NOT lose them! I mean that."
He handed them to her.
"Oh, I won't…" said Cleo. "Jason will expect the Orichalcos next time…"
She fit the glove on her hand.
"…but he'll get a big surprise instead…"
Sunday, October 25th, 2106, 12:02 AM
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MAGICIANS UNITE (Spell Card)
Card Specs
Type: Spell
Attribute: -
Level: -
ATK: -
DEF: -
Image: Silhouettes of two cloaked mages in front of a stained glass window.
Card Description: You can activate this card when you have two or more SPELLCASTER-Type Monsters on your side of the field. The ATK of one SPELLCASTER-Type Monster on your side of the field becomes 3,000 for the remainder of the round. No SPELLCASTER-Type Monsters except the one you use this effect on can attack during the round you use this card.
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MAGIC FORMULA (Spell Card)
Card Specs
Type: Spell/Equip
Attribute: -
Level: -
ATK: -
DEF: -
Image: A spellbook glowing with energy.
Card Description: This card can only be Equipped to "Dark Magician" or "Dark Magician Girl". Increase the ATK of the Equipped Monster by 700. When this card is sent from the field to your Graveyard, gain 1,000 Life Points.
Note: "Magicians Unite" and "Magic Formula" are Japanese cards that have not yet been released in the United States. "Magicians Unite" was used by Pharaoh Atem in the anime episode "The Final Duel (Part 4)".
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Coming up next:
Russell gets caught in a duel where the toss of a coin or the roll of a die can change the outcome dramatically. Will he roll snake eyes or double boxcars?
It's a chapter called "Gamble", naturally, coming soon.