Did I say that this would be the last duel in Mitsumi's perspective? Well, in terms of the official, scheduled duels, yes, but besides that? No! You'll have to see!
Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!
"I want dessert! It's not fair! That salad didn't fill me up!"
"Wow, you're starting to sound like my other friend, Sora. And besides, you ate a large salad! It even had lots of fruit in it!"
"Only because you ordered it for me!"
"It was the only order you were willing to accept."
"Gaaaah! It even had veggies in it!"
"Some fruit salads have vegetables in them. This was just one of them."
"Grrrr….! Nazuno-kun, you demon!"
"Eh, I've been called worse. Besides, why are you complaining? I'm the one paying for dinner. And this is nutritious for you."
"Mmmm...Yeah, you're right...even if I still hate veggies..."
Both Mitsumi and Clover were inside the Garden Tea restaurant, having finished their salad dinners and were now conversing with one another. Slightly annoyed, but mostly amused, Mitsumi listened to Clover complaining about wanting dessert and being forced to eat a salad. Mitsumi wasn't even fazed, as this wasn't the first time she's been in a similar topic conversation, as evident as when she sometimes cooked nutritious meals for her friends, like Yuya, Yuzu, and Gongenzaka. Sweets weren't the only thing she was good at.
After being handed the bill during their conversation, Mitsumi went to pay for it when Clover stopped her. "Wait. I have something to tell you."
"Oh? That you're going to stop whining, be a gentleman, and pay for dinner?" teased Mitsumi.
Clover grinned. "What? And bail out of a free dinner? No way!"
Mitsumi frowned, pouting. "Jerk."
"Hey, you offered in the first place! But, yeah. I will stop whining. Anyways, I wanted to give you something. It's thanks for paying for dinner and for helping me a lot right before dinner."
What Clover had been referring to was after Mitsumi's final, official duel of the day, she went back to Gear Gadget Dueling School because she had promised to be Clover's assistant in whatever he was making for a few hours. Upon returning, not only has she been a huge help in organizing things and helping him work on his new inventions, but she learned a great new deal on fixing machinery as well, and it helped that Clover was there to help explain everything.
Now, as thanks for everything today, Clover handed Mitsumi...a cute bunny rabbit badge.
"Huh? Oh...thanks?"
"That, is my latest, new invention!" declared Clover, pushing up his glasses and grinning. "The Video Cam Badge 2000!"
"Wait, what? As usual, your name titles are as ridiculous as ever," Mitsumi pointed out. "An new invention, though? What does it do?"
Clover grinned maliciously. "Oh, I have so much to tell you about my wonderful new invention..."
Later...
'If I had known that Clover's explanation of his new invention was going to be this long, I should have waited until after I got back home to call him and ask him to explain it all to me,' Mitsumi thought, letting out a yawn as she walked down the streets with the streetlights providing as her only source of light. She glanced down at her rabbit badge before putting it back inside her pocket. 'I might not have a need for it, but it might come in handy to keep for now.'
Just as she turned a corner, she heard the thud sound and went towards the source of the source to investigate, much to her curiosity. She was shocked to see a familiar cloaked figure collapsed on the ground facedown and rushed to his aid.
"Hey! Are you okay?!" Mitsumi asked, turning him around and gasping. "You-! You're-!"
Though she only saw him once before, she recognized him by his garnish attire and mask with goggles. It was the same mysterious duelist that saved both her and Yuzu that one time when they confronted Shingo and his goons. The one with the strange Phantom Knights XYZ deck. The one...who's probably and most likely the owner of The Phantom Knights of Cursed Javelin card that she had in her possession.
She leaned her head towards his chest, checking to make sure he was alive, and sure enough, his heart was still beating. Before she could do anything, a loud, grumbling sound came from the masked duelist's stomach, and an awkward tension filled the air.
'Did...did he faint out of hunger?' Mitsumi thought, sweatdropping. Deciding that she couldn't simply leave him like this, she placed him on her back and hooked her arms underneath his legs, leaning forward as to not make his form fall. Her home wasn't very far, luckily, so it wouldn't be much of a hassle to carry him all the way back home. And, because her grandmother is a kindred soul, she would understand if Mitsumi explained the need to care for the masked duelist and what he's done to earn her kindness.
When Yuto woke up, he found himself in an unfamiliar room. Scratch that, it was more like an unfamiliar bedroom. The last thing he remembered before losing consciousness was him being into a huge argument with Shun, the jerk punching him in the face before taking off, and Yuto trying to get some food because he hasn't eaten properly in the past few days.
He and Shun had an argument about their investigation and the way they were handling things. Yuto had spent days investigating LDS and trying to find out whether or not they were associated with Academia, but found no proof whatsoever. As for Shun, he was growing more and more restless and reckless with his own violent methods; dueling Fusion LDS students and then carding them once he won each duel. Yuto hated Fusion Summoning just as much as Shun, but he heavily disagreed with him carding innocent duelists, something Shun didn't agree with because he believed that all Fusion users were evil, especially those associated with Academia and LDS. As a result, their argument ended on a heavy note, as well as Shun punching him in the face.
His recent, new injury combined with lack of rest and hunger was reasonable enough to understand why and how he had collapsed in the middle of the streets. He had expected to wake up, more tired and hungry than before, which his current condition screamed that he was. However, he expected to do so still in the streets and not inside a warm, cozy bedroom.
"Where...am I?" he muttered, clutching his forehead as he sat up. He appeared to be in a girl's bedroom, judging by some of the feminine parts within the bedroom, like cute stickers on the walls and some stuffed animals on the bed. He spotted his mask at the desk and got up from the bed to pick it up. He then heard some muffled voices behind the closed bedroom door and began walking towards the door. He twisted the door knob gently and carefully, as to not make any noise, before slowly opening the door and peeking his head out a little to see what was happening.
Mitsumi was gently rubbing her grandmother's back as she helped escort her down the stairs, grasping the elderly woman's hand as they slowly descended down the stairs. "There, there, Grandma...Just take it easy, alright? After we feed you some soup, you can go upstairs and get some sleep."
Mitsumi's grandmother, Aoi, smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Mitsumi-chan...I do feel a bit hungry, but my arms are a bit tired from today's work. The flower shop was quite busy today...would it be okay if you helped me?"
"Sure. I already ate dinner anyways, so I'll help spoon feed you. Would you like some tea or water?"
"Some water would be nice. Would you be a dear and put some ice in it as well?"
"Hahaha...Sure."
"Hmm? What's so funny?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just...today, I felt really hot, so I drank some ice cold wa-well, I drank two ice cold water bottles."
"Oh, it must have been extremely hot today if you had to do that."
Slightly heartwarmed upon witnessing the interaction between granddaughter and grandmother, Yuto leaned in a bit closer as he watched them head down the stairs, but in doing so, he not only opened more of the door, but also accidentally caused the door to let out a creak sound, loud enough for Mitsumi and Aoi to hear.
Turning around, the two females saw Yuto peeking out from the door, and only then did Yuto realized his mistake. Mitsumi blinked in surprise while Aoi smiled and gently removed Mitsumi's arms off her, turning around to welcome Yuto.
"Oh, you're awake! You must be the young, kind individual that helped my granddaughter a while back! Please, come join us at the dining table!"
"It's not much, but we do have soup and water. If you don't want water, I can brew you some tea," offered Mitsumi.
Seeing as there's no point in hiding himself any further, Yuto opened the door fully and stepped out from the bedroom. "I-I appreciate the sentiment, but I really must get going. Besides, I'm not hungry-"
Just then, his stomach growled loudly, prompting Yuto to blush to look away as Aoi giggled to herself.
"Yeah, you're definitely not hungry," Mitsumi said sarcastically.
"...I suppose a bowl of soup wouldn't hurt."
And so, Yuto found himself seated at the dining table, sitting next to a sweet grandmother as her own granddaughter not only gave them soup, but was now the only one not eating anything. Instead, she was doing assisting her grandmother by spoon feeding her, softly blowing off the heat before feeding her grandmother little by little. While Yuto himself was eating the delicious soup, he couldn't help but watch such a heartwarming moment, knowing that behind the actions and the emotion behind the young girl's eyes, that was true, genuine love for her family right there.
It almost made Yuto envious of the girl, who hasn't even suffered through the same experiences he had. He ceased any thoughts of envy, though, as anything bad that's happened in his life wasn't and never was her fault to begin with. Instead, while finishing his soup, he simply stayed quiet and enjoyed watching the interaction between Aoi and Mitsumi. For just a little while, instead of constantly looking behind his back and having to keep his guard up, he could relax at this heartwarming scene before him.
Once both had finished their soups, Mitsumi took the soup bowls away to put into the kitchen sink. As she was doing so, Aoi turned to Yuto and smiled. "Well, you certainly are a handsome young man! Why, if I was your age, I believe I would have fallen head over heels for you! Aha!"
Yuto scratched his cheek. "Uh...Yeah, aha...I actually have someone else I like, so no...thank you?"
"Oh, really? A shame. I would have thought that Mitsumi-chan finally brought over a boyfriend, especially after telling me why she brought you here, but to hear you say you already have a girlfriend is a shame. I would have liked Mitsumi-chan to have a nice, gentle boyfriend."
Yuto flustered. "I don't-! I...A-Anyways, that girl that left just now...that's your granddaughter, correct?"
Aoi nodded. "Yes, that's right. Oh, we both were so hungry, we didn't introduce ourselves. My apologies! My name is Aoi Nazuno, and that girl you saw before is my granddaughter, Mitsumi Nazuno."
Yuto softened his expression and shook his head. "No, there's no need to apologize, especially since you went out of your way to help a stranger like me. You can call me Yuto. Er...might I ask why you decided to help me?"
"Oh, dear, I wasn't the one who brought you back home. My dear Mitsumi-chan was the one who carried you back home," said Aoi. "After she dropped you off to her bedroom, she started preparing some food. She then explained to me that you saved her one time and that she had something to give back to you. Also, she said something about not willing to leave you unconsciousness in the middle of the street."
"I...saved her?" wondered Yuto, confused. 'Strange...I don't remember her. I think this is just my first time meeting her, though.'
Mitsumi returned, seeing her grandmother and Yuto talking to each other. "Hey, I see you're getting along with my grandmother," said Mitsumi to Yuto. "Sorry if she said some embarrassing things."
Yuto shook his head. "Oh, no. Your grandmother has been excellent company. I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Yuto."
"And I'm Mitsumi. You probably already know that because my grandma told you, right?"
"Yeah. I also wanted to talk to you about something."
Mitsumi nodded. "Yeah, I know. I have an idea what you want to talk about. But, before that, could you be willing to wait? I want to put my grandmother to sleep first. If you could wait until then, I would appreciate it."
Aoi pouted. "What? I want to hear this, too!"
"Grandma, you have to leave for work tomorrow, and you need a lot of rest in your body. I'll tell you everything tomorrow, alright?"
"Alright..." Aoi sighed, knowing that her granddaughter brought up good points and that she was feeling rather tired. "I apologize, but I am rather tired. Goodnight, Yuto."
Yuto nodded in understanding. "Goodnight, Nazuno-san. You deserve some rest."
Yuto sat in waiting at the dining table as Mitsumi escorted Aoi back upstairs towards her room. He tapped his fingers against the table, pondering on what his next move should be. Because he got into a heated argument with Shun, he figured he should avoid Shun for now to allow the both of them to cool off. He knew he had to get more information on both Academia and LDS, but he didn't know what the next step should be. Should he continue with his own methods? Because there was no way he was carding innocents the same way Shun was.
He was so lost in thought, he didn't notice Mitsumi trying to call out to him until he felt something on his shoulder. He glanced up and saw Mitsumi shaking him by the shoulder with a concerned look. "Hey, are you okay? I've been calling out to you."
"I...I'm sorry, I just have a lot in mind," assured Yuto, gently pushing her hand off. "Would it be okay if we talked outside and not here? I'm afraid the volume of our conversation might wake up your grandmother."
That, and because if Yuto saw Mitsumi as some sort of danger, which is probably unlikely, then it would be easier escaping than being confined inside.
Mitsumi nodded. "Sure, I don't mind."
Once they head outside, Yuto waited until Mitsumi closed the door and then faced her. "So, why did you save me? Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that you did, but you didn't have to, so why?"
"I couldn't leave a helpless person out in the streets like that," said Mitsumi. "To be honest, I was heading back home, but then I heard a thud sound, so when I investigated, I saw you. So, I took you back home."
"There's more to it than just that, right?" questioned Yuto, crossing his arms. "Your grandmother told me that you had two more reasons that you had for saving me. One, because I saved you, and two, because you had something to give back to me. But, I don't recall saving you. In fact, I believe this is our first meeting."
Mitsumi nodded. "Well, we did meet before, but we didn't really talk. Do you remember dueling some prick-I mean, student inside a warehouse? Me and my friend, Yuzu, were there, and you decided to come to the rescue and duel that guy inside the warehouse."
Yuto's eyes narrowed when he caught the slight sharp tone in her voice. Just now, the student she described might have been someone she heavily disliked, but tried to cover up by faking a gentler tone. Such attention to detail did not escape his eyes or ears.
"...You're going to have to elaborate."
"Well...he had an ice deck when he dueled you, and from what I can tell, you were showing him the LDS badge and asking him whether or not he knew about Academia."
Yuto suddenly realized what she was referring to. Yes, he did attack that duelist she was describing a while back, but he paid no more heed to that duelist once he got the information he gotten. Come to think of it, he did intervene because that girl back then resembled Ruri, and he did encounter the same girl today, telling her that Fusion wasn't suited for her. Additionally, now that he thought more about that incident, he did recall another girl standing near Yuzu and assumed that that very same girl was Mitsumi. That would make saving him a lot more sense.
"I see, so you saving me was because you wanted to repay back for saving both you and your friend," murmured Yuto.
Mitsumi nodded. "That's only part of it. The second reason was because, I wanted to give this card back to you."
To his shock, she took out The Phantom Knights of Cursed Javelin, one of his XYZ Monsters. He had been missing this for a while and thought he misplaced it in his clothes or pockets or something, but to think she had it all along-!
He snatched the Monster card away from her hands and tucked it back safely in his Extra Deck. "Where did you find that?!"
"After you left the warehouse, I noticed the card on the ground and picked it up. I did try finding you in order to return to you, but I kinda had no leads, so I was going around in random areas," explained Mitsumi.
"...Did you use it?"
"Yes, I did."
Yuto blinked in surprise. "Oh...I kinda expected you to lie."
"No, not in this case. Honestly, if I didn't find you, and too much time had passed, I had thought of keeping the card for myself. I'm sorry for thinking like that, though."
Yuto shook his head. "No, the fact that you chose to try and find and return the card it back to me means a lot. Thank you. Although..."
"Although, what?"
"I...felt something about it. Like, it's been handled roughly, yet gently at the same time. It wasn't misused for malicious deeds, but it was still handled roughly...That's the first time I've felt something like that, even if I accidentally lost it to a temporary owner."
"...Are you okay?" Mitsumi asked.
"...What can I call you?" Yuto asked.
"What?"
"What can I refer to you as? Mitsumi? Nazuno-san? Nazuno-kun? Mitsumi-kun?"
Mitsumi shrugged. "You can call me whatever you want, but...if it's alright, can you not call me Mitsumi-chan or something like that?"
Yuto nodded. "Of course. Nazuno-kun, would...would you be willing to duel with me?"
"No."
Yuto was immediately taken aback by her quick response. "T-That was quick."
Mitsumi blinked. "Ah...I'm sorry. If I was rude, then I apologize."
She said that so sincerely, anyone would believe her, but looking at her eyes, Yuto didn't see any kind of sincerity. Well, there was a bit, but it was mostly annoyance he saw behind those eyes.
"May I ask why you won't duel with me?" asked Yuto, eyes narrowing in suspicion.
'He's really eager to duel me, huh?' thought Mitsumi. "Well, I'm not really that strong of a duelist, and even if I do win duels, it's mostly because of luck! Even though I've been improving, I still have a lot to learn! Besides, you beat Sawatari-san! You know, the guy you dueled back in the warehouse? I only beat him one time, but that was a long time ago, but he always beats me in a duel! If I can't beat him, then I clearly can't beat you! You're too powerful for me!"
'...She's trying to put herself down a lot and trying to compliment me at the same time, why? Does she really not want to duel me?' thought Yuto. '...She's not a bad person, I can tell that much, but I do sense a fierce fighting spirit within her lying dormant. Who knows, even her dueling may be even sharper than that guy I dueled in the warehouse.'
"We won't know until we try," Yuto said. "Just give it a chance."
Mitsumi stepped back, looking away. "I-I really shouldn't! It's getting late, you know. I have things to do tomorrow, so I have to get up early. Why not duel me again some other time?" 'What the hell is wrong with this guy? Why's he so insistent on dueling me?'
Yuto shook his head. "Unfortunately, I have business of my own, so I'll be busy. I don't mean to pressure you or anything, but I really do want to put your skills to the test."
'Yeah, I'm not falling for his peer pressure tactic. I'll just politely refuse him over and over until he leaves,' Mitsumi thought. "I'm really sorry, but I honestly have no desire to duel you."
"Like I said, please give it a chance. I simply want to test your skills."
Try as she might, nothing Mitsumi could do could make Yuto cease his constant requesting to duel her. Hell, even Shingo's continuous flirting and requests for dates and/or kisses was slightly more tolerable than this! ...Scratch that, Mitsumi would prefer this situation over that. This situation reminded Mitsumi of one of the video game RPGs she used to play with Yuya, where no matter how many times she chose the "No" option, the game wouldn't proceed until she chose "Yes" which would begin the next cutscene. All she knew was that Yuto wouldn't leave until she dueled him, so it was either stand all night arguing and getting as little sleep as ever, or grant his request, and then hurry back up and drop dead sleeping in her bed until the next morning. She really was too tired from today's events to put up with anymore idiocy.
"You know what? FINE! I'll duel with you!" Mitsumi snapped, rubbing her forehead. "...I'm sorry, I didn't meant to snap at you. It's just...been a really, REALLY long day."
Yuto nodded, feeling sorry for constantly asking her over and over. Normally, he wouldn't do this sort of thing. If someone refused his request for a duel, he would respect their decision and leave them alone. However, he did sense some sort of potential within Mitsumi. He knew that she wasn't an enemy and just a normal person living their ordinary life with her grandmother. As short as it was, he truly did enjoy spending time with Mitsumi and her grandmother, loving the way they interacted, as it was both kind and heartwarming and reminded him of home.
However, the cruel reality brought him back up to shape. Academia, his worst enemy, will not hesitate to card a grandmother and her granddaughter. Hell, he's even seen Academia soldiers card children and babies! He doesn't want anything bad to happen to innocent people, so, in a way, he'll be teaching her how to be relentless and merciless during their duel together. He'll have to go all-out to make her feel the pressure and for her to improve, in case she ever encounters any sort of danger like Academia.
He wasn't lying when he said he wanted to test her skills, but teaching her a way to protect herself also wasn't the only reason. In fact, in a strange way, he could sense that she is relentless and merciless, but it's hidden dormant within her. She's also hiding her true self inside, and he sensed through their conversation that whatever lied within wasn't necessarily a bad thing, but...something dangerous. A dangerous potential to hurt, while also holding a desire to protect. Yuto knew he and Shun and the rest of the Resistance were like that, so why was Mitsumi like that, too?
"Ah, but if we're going to duel, can we not do it here or in the streets? In fact, can we go somewhere close by, but more spacious?" Mitsumi requested.
"I don't mind, but may I ask why?"
"Well, I remember that you caused quite a lot of damage in your duel with Sawatari-san. Like, somehow, your attacks seem a lot real. I don't want to damage the house or cause any ruckus within the neighborhood."
Yuto nodded, understanding what he meant. "I understand. Where do you suggest we go?"
"How about the park? I mean, it's a little far, but it's a lot spacious, and because there's only benches and swing sets there, not a lot of children go there. It's no Central Park, but...well, it's not really a popular park, but it still has lots of space."
"That's fine with me."
At the park...
'She...she's definitely annoyed at me,' Yuto thought, sweatdropping when he saw the "polite smile" on her face as well as her waving at him. 'I honestly can't blame her for that, but this is for her own good!'
'I wonder, should I purposely lose, or should I actually go all-out?' wondered Mitsumi to herself. 'Maybe I should go all-out after all, but then lose, After all, his dueling is abnormal and capable of dealing actual damage for some reason. I have to defend myself, after all. Well, I guess one good thing about this duel is that it's an Action Duel, and there's no need to do that stupid Action Duel incantation. I wonder why everyone does it, anyways?'
"Are you ready, Nazuno-kun?"
"Of course, Yuto-san!"
"DUEL!"
- DUEL -
Yuto - 4000 LP
VS
Mitsumi - 4000 LP
"I'll begin!" declared Yuto. "I set two cards facedown and end my turn!"
'Last time, I noticed that he had set all five of his cards facedown, but now, he's thrown down only two. Shingo had the right idea to destroy them because at the time, it was obvious that they were Traps, but that backfired on him anyways,' Mitsumi thought, drawing her card. 'Right now, I don't have anything that can destroy his facedown cards, but at the same time, I don't want to trigger anything. Instead, I should just focus on defense!'
'She's bidding her time. I can see it in her expression, unlike that other guy who was too cocky, overconfident, and was quick to play his cards,' Yuto thought. 'Good, you can't rush. You have to think things carefully, otherwise, your rash actions will leave you with terrible consequences.'
"I set a card facedown and a Monster facedown and end my turn!" decided Mitsumi. 'The best thing about this duel is that I know about his deck, but he doesn't know mine! This gives me an advantage!'
'Hmm...she's playing me. She knows that she knows my deck, but I don't know hers, and she's still keeping it anonymous while still putting up a good defense. Not bad,' thought Yuto, impressed as he drew his card. "My turn! I activate the Trap card, The Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine! I Special Summon this card as a Monster in Defense Mode!"
The Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (0/300)
A shocked expression formed itself on Mitsumi's face. 'One of them was a Pseudo-Trap Monster the entire time?! Shit! That means he can now Normal Summon another Level 4 Monster, and then XYZ Summon that Dragon from last time!'
'Judging from her expression, I think she'll think that I'm going to XYZ Summon Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon. Like I'm that foolish enough to send out my ace Monster so early,' Yuto thought. "I Normal Summon The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm from my hand!"
The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (1500/500)
'Here it comes! His XYZ Monster!' thought Mitsumi, readying herself.
'...I know I said that I couldn't hold back against her, but right now, I think I'll attack. I need to know more about her deck in case she does have something up against Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon. I don't normally recklessly attack, but just this once!' Yuto thought. "I attack with Cloven Helm!"
"Huh?"
Cloven Helm charged forth and headbutted into Mitsumi's Set Monster, only to bounce back to Yuto's field as his headbutt attack didn't work. Mitsumi's Set Monster revealed herself to be Gishki Ariel, who proved to have the higher defense, thus the reason for Cloven Helm's failed attempt at destroying her.
Gishki Ariel - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1000/1800)
Yuto - 3700 LP
Mitsumi - 4000 LP
'W-What?! Why would he suddenly attack instead of XYZ Summoning?! It was his big chance!' Mitsumi thought before shaking her head. 'No, stay focus, Mitsumi! This is a big opportunity for you! I dunno why he didn't suddenly XYZ Summon, but now you can destroy his XYZ Material Monsters before he has the chance!'
"I activate the effect of Ariel's Flip effect!" Mitsumi announced. "I now add 1 Gishki Monster from my deck to my hand!"
"...I end my turn," decided Yuto.
"I draw!" Mitsumi said. "I activate Gishki Shadow's effect from my hand! I discard him to add a Gishki Ritual Spell from my deck to my hand! I now activate the Ritual Spell, Forbidden Arts of the Gishki! I must Tribute face-up Monsters anywhere on the field whose total Levels equal the Level of the Ritual Monster I Ritual Summon! And when I mean anywhere on the field, that includes your Monsters, too!"
"What?!" exclaimed Yuto, shocked.
Mitsumi nodded. "I sacrifice your two Level 4 Monsters in order to Ritual Summon the Level 8 Ritual Monster, Evigishki Soul Ogre in Defense Mode!"
Evigishki Soul Ogre - (WATER/Aqua/Ritual) - LV8 - (2800/2800)
"However, the Monster Ritual Summoned by my previous Ritual Spell card has to have its Attack Points cut in half, and I cannot conduct my Battle Phase the turn I activate that Ritual Spell!"
Evigishki Soul Ogre - (WATER/Aqua/Ritual) - LV8 - (1400/2800)
'Incredible! She turned the tides so quickly!' Yuto thought. 'I never even heard of Ritual Summoning, but like all of the other new Summoning methods I've learned ever since I entered the Standard Dimension, Ritual Summoning is just as dangerous! She has a powerful Monster now in terms of Defense! Actually, two Monsters in defense. Looks like she's being extra cautious of me, and for good reason.'
'Ariel won't be enough to defend against his more stronger Monsters, which is why I settled for one of my stronger Monsters,' Mitsumi thought. 'Forbidden Arts of the Gishki does have quite the limits, but the only benefit from it is that I can sacrifice Monsters on my opponent's field.'
"I end my turn!"
"My move!" Yuto said, drawing his card. "I Normal Summon The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak to the field!"
The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (800/1000)
"If I control a Phantom Knights Monster, I can Special Summon The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots from my hand!"
The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots - (DARK/Warrior) - LV3 - (200/1200)
"I Overlay my two Level 3 Monsters in order to build the Overlay Network! Soul of the Knights who fall on the battlefield! Now revive! Become the light that rend the darkness! XYZ Summon! Come forth! Rank 3! The Phantom Knights of Break Sword!"
The Phantom Knights of Break Sword - (DARK/Warrior/XYZ) - Rank 3 - (2000/1000)
'Makes sense that he would have more than just 1 XYZ Monster in his Extra Deck. After all, I'm in the same state he is,' Mitsumi thought.
"I activate Break Sword's effect!" shouted Yuto. "Once per turn, I detach an Overlay Unit and target 1 card you control and 1 card I control! They're both destroyed! I destroy my other Set card and destroy your Ritual Monster!"
Mitsumi grimaced as she witnessed the destruction of her strongest defensive Monster and Yuto's Set card. On one hand, one of her Monsters were destroyed, whereas she still had one Monster on her side in Defense Mode. On the other hand, Yuto's mysterious Set card was also destroyed, though she isn't sure if that's a good thing or not.
"Break Sword, destroy her Monster!"
Break Sword galloped forward and slashed at Ariel, destroying her and the last of Mitsumi's defenses.
"I end my turn!"
"My turn!" Mitsumi said, drawing her card. "I Normal Summon Gishki Beast to the field!"
Gishki Beast - (WATER/Beast) - LV4 - (1500/1300)
"When he's Normal Summoned, I can target 1 Level 4 or lower Gishki Monster from my Graveyard and Special Summon that Monster in face-up Defense Mode! I Special Summon Gishki Ariel!"
Gishki Ariel - (WATER/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1000/1800)
"I Overlay my two Level 4 Monsters in order to build the Overlay Network! XYZ Summon! Come forth, Rank 4! Evigishki Merrowgeist!"
Evigishki Merrowgeist - (WATER/Aqua/XYZ) - Rank 4 - (2100/1600)
"So, it seems you, too, can XYZ Summon," said Yuto. "You're doing a far better job than that other duelist did."
"Sawatari-san? Oh, you don't have to lie to make me feel better, Yuto-san! I've still got a long ways to go!" assured Mitsumi, smiling.
'Again with that fake smile...But, I don't sense a hint of malice nor annoyance this time,' thought Yuto. 'She does seem genuinely happy, so she's probably just trying to keep up that nice façade...Just why, though?'
"I attack with Merrowgeist!"
Merrowgeist locked weapons with Break Sword before ultimately ending up as the victor, slashing him in the back and defeating him triumphantly.
Yuto - 3600 LP
Mitsumi - 4000 LP
"I activate Merrowgeist's effect!" declared Mitsumi. "After damage calculation, if Merrowgeist destroys your Monster in battle, I can detach an Overlay Unit from her, and then shuffle the destroyed Monster into the deck instead of sending it to the Graveyard!"
'Tch! That's pretty bad!' Yuto thought, sending Break Sword to his Extra Deck since he is an XYZ Monster. 'The Set card that was targeted and destroyed by Break Sword's effect was Phantom Knights' Sword, and I had been planning on banishing it to Special Summon back Break Sword, but if he's in the Extra Deck, I can't use it! That's a pretty good move, but I've got another trick up my sleeve!'
"If Break Sword is destroyed, his special ability activates!" Yuto said. "I can target 2 Phantom Knights Monsters with the same Level in my Graveyard, and then Special Summon them and increase their Levels by 1! Ancient Cloak and Silent Boots returns to my field!"
The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/1000)
The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots - (DARK/Warrior) - LV4 - (200/1200)
'It's coming! That XYZ Monster is definitely coming! I need to prepare myself!' thought Mitsumi. "I set two cards facedown and end my turn!"
"My turn!" Yuto said, drawing his card. "I Overlay my two Level 4 Monsters in order to build the Overlay Network! From the pitch-black darkness, rise up against this foolish oppression! Fang of Rebellion! Descend now! XYZ Summon! Come forth! Rank 4! Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon!"
Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon - (DARK/Dragon/XYZ) - Rank 4 - (2500/2000)
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Twin Twisters! By discarding a card, I get to destroy up to two cards on the field! I destroy your two facedown cards, Nazuno-kun!"
Mitsumi mentally gritted her teeth as her two set cards, Aquamirror Illusion, and Mirror Force, were both destroyed, thus being unable to provide anymore support for her Monster.
"Battle!" declared Yuto. "Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon, destroy her Monster!"
The XYZ Dragon released a roar before emitting electricity coursing throughout his body, crashing into Merrowgeist soon after and electrifying her with all of the electricity he stored up.
Yuto - 3600 LP
Mitsumi - 3600 LP
"I set 2 cards and end my turn!"
Mitsumi drew her card, then felt tiredness nearly overwhelming her, making her stumble a bit before she caught herself on time by gripping onto a nearby bench. 'I must be really, really tired...Then again, all those duels earlier today must have been taking their toll on me...'
Yuto wore a concerned look on his face for a brief moment before shaking his head, returning to his stern expression. He knew that Mitsumi must be tired, but even so, he couldn't afford to show any sort of mercy now. Besides, she's been doing good so far.
"I...I activate my Trap," started Mitsumi. "Aquamirror Meditation...I reveal 1 Ritual Spell card from my hand to target 2 Gishki Monsters in my Graveyard and return them to my hand-"
"I activate the effect of Phantom Death Spear in my Graveyard!" said Yuto."During either of our turns, when you activate a Trap card, I banish Phantom Death Spear, negate the activation, and if I do, destroy your Trap, and inflict 100 Points of Damage to you!"
Mitsumi was nearly knocked into unconsciousness when she got hit by the effect of Phantom Death Spear after it pierced through her Aquamirror Meditation Trap card and to her. Yet, she proved herself stubborn and strong by standing back up, slightly awaken from Yuto's recent move.
Yuto - 3600 LP
Mitsumi - 3500 LP
"I...I Special Summon Swap Frog from my hand by first discarding 1 other WATER Monster from my hand," said Mitsumi, clutching her forehead.
Swap Frog - (WATER/Aqua) - LV2 - (1000/500)
"When he's summoned, I can send 1 Level 2 or lower Aqua-Type Monster from my deck or face-up from my field to the Graveyard...I send Gishki Abyss to the Graveyard. Now, I...I summon Gishki Vanity to the field..."
Gishki Vanity - (WATER/Aqua) - LV2 - (1000/800)
"I Overlay my two Level 2 Monsters and-You know, what? You know the rest, I XYZ Summon Cat Shark in Defense Mode!"
Cat Shark - (WATER/Beast/XYZ) - Rank 2 - (500/500)
"And when Cat Shark has an XYZ Material that's originally WATER Attribute, he can't be destroyed in battle...hah...I set a card and equip Mage Power to Cat Shark...for each Spell/Trap card on my field, his Attack and Defense Points increase by 500 each...and I end my turn..."
Cat Shark - (WATER/Beast/XYZ) - Rank 2 - (1000/1000)
'...I know she's tired, but at this rate, should she fight Academia at this rate, she'll lose for certain. The least I can do is end this duel quickly,' Yuto thought, drawing his card. "I activate my two facedown cards, Phantom Knights Lost Vambrace! I target 1 Monster you control, and it loses 600 Attack Points! Then, I get to Special Summon them in Attack Mode!"
Phantom Knights Lost Vambrace - (DARK/Warrior) - LV2 - (600/0) X2
Cat Shark - (WATER/Beast/XYZ) - Rank 2 - (0/500)
"I Overlay my two Level 2 Lost Vambraces to build the Overlay Network! Carry on the ten thousand warriors! Cursed spear buried in the darkness! Descend now! XYZ Summon! Appear! Rank 2! Phantom Knights Cursed Javelin!"
The Phantom Knights of Cursed Javelin - (DARK/Warrior/XYZ) - Rank 2 - (1600/0)
Even in her tired state, Mitsumi glanced up and rubbed her eyes, recognizing the card she borrowed. "Oh...the card I took..."
Yuto nodded. "Now, I'll use it against you! But first, I activate the Spell, Block Defense! Your Cat Shark is forced into Attack Mode! And now I activate Cursed Javelin's effect! Once per turn, by detaching an Overlay Unit, I get to not only turn your Monster's Attack Points into 0, but more importantly, his effects are negated I will finish this! Dark Rebellion! Destroy Cat Shark!"
The shriveled and weakened Cat Shark didn't stand a chance against Yuto's ace Monster as he not only took damage, but was instantly destroyed with his non-destructive effect negated because of Cursed Javelin.
Yuto - 3600 LP
Mitsumi - 1000 LP
"Cursed Javelin! Attack her directly! End this duel!"
'Ah...even though I kinda borrowed that Monster, I still didn't really earn the right to use it. I guess, in a sense, this is poetic justice...?' Mitsumi thought as she was pierced with Cursed Javelin's attack, destroying the last of her Life Points.
Yuto - 3600 LP
Mitsumi - 0 LP
Winner: Yuto
Mitsumi crashed to the ground on her back. Other than the pain on her back after crashing, she only suffered minor injuries from the duel, only thanks to Yuto withholding a lot of his power during the duel, but showing no mercy in unleashing his offensive tactics towards her. The last thing she saw before blacking out was the sight of some boots running towards her.
Mitsumi groaned and hissed in pain as she started regaining consciousness. She found herself staring upwards; the first sight being Yuto's concerned look as her head was lying on his lap in the middle of the park where they dueled.
"Yuto…? Did...Did I fall asleep or something?"
Yuto nodded. "In a sense, yes. Don't worry, you were out for only a few minutes, but I suspect that you must still be sleepy, right?"
Mitsumi sat up and nodded her head, rubbing at her eyes to stay awake. "Yes...but I think I can stay awake long enough to get back home."
"I'm sorry for the trouble I caused, but I'd like to escort you back home, just in case you don't collapse in the middle of the streets."
"Like you did?"
Yuto chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose so." He got on one knee and offered his hand to her like a gentleman. "Here, take my hand."
"..." Mitsumi took his hand, allowing Yuto to stand up and take Mitsumi with her. As they started heading out, Mitsumi blurted out, "I have a boyfriend."
"What?" Yuto turned to her, not expecting those words to come out of her mouth.
"That's the main reason why you dueled me, right? You wanted to test your superior strength over me, and once you beat me, you would declare your undying love to me and promise to protect me from any danger. Is that about it?"
Yuto's eyes widened and he shook his head. "N-No! Where did you get THAT idea?! Besides, I already like someone else!"
Mitsumi blinked and turned her head away. "Oh...Uh...never mind."
"Why would you think of a random reason like that?"
Mitsumi sighed. "You have no idea how frequent that happens to me..."
"...I see you don't want to talk about it."
"I really don't."
"...Well, I dueled you," said Yuto.
Mitsumi nodded. "Yes, you did. Thank you for the duel. It taught me a lot and what I need to improve."
'You don't need to thank me. I know you didn't really want the duel and that you're really mad at me right now for wasting your time," said Yuto. "I'm sorry, but I...I just had to gauge your strength. The strength you have...it's better than that duelist I dueled back in the warehouse, but you'd lose against them."
"Them?" Mitsumi asked, confused.
"Ah...Just some...champion-like duelists that I have...a feud with. Nothing that concerns you. But, Nazuno-kun, I know that during the duel...you were holding back. I mean, you were holding back A LOT. You weren't using your full strength, were you? At most, half your strength."
"I really have no idea what you're talking about," assured Mitsumi, smiling. 'What does he know? Okay, I wasn't concentrated a lot because of how tired I was, but there was a number of moves I could have played as well, but I really wanted the duel to end. What is he, some sort of dueling observer?'
Yuto glared at her. "Don't play coy. I've been good at reading people if I observe them carefully, and right now, I can tell that that smile is nothing more than fake."
"What? No, I wouldn't dare fake a smile towards anyone!" lied Mitsumi. 'Okay, this guy is really annoying and kinda scaring me a bit!'
Yuto continued. "I can tell that your moves during our duel were careful and thought-out, until near the end of our duel. You made several mistakes that led to me gaining several advantages and ultimately winning our duel. Your strength...it's nearly sharpened like a bullet, it's nearly there, but you're holding back your power, for what? If you want to improve as a duelist, you have to put your whole heart in."
"I...I get what you're trying to say, but I have been trying my best. Tonight just wasn't my night because I was so tired!"
"And Academia won't hesitate to card you or your loved ones if you keep up that ignorant attitude!" snapped Yuto.
"...What?" Mitsumi asked, confused. "Card? Academia? What are you talking about?"
"...Nothing. But, I do have to wonder."
"Wonder about what?"
"Wonder how you manage to trick your friends and family with your fake kindness."
'...What?' was the only word in Mitsumi's thoughts as she grew silent as they walked side-by-side down the streets.
Yuto didn't want to do this, but he knew it had to be said, because he thought that by revealing the harsh truth from what he observed, it would help her. "Your fake smile, your fake words, I wonder how many times you had to utter them to your loved ones? How you could sleep good at night, knowing you had to trick them with this façade of yours? Earlier, I was treated to a sweet scene of you taking care of your grandmother, but I have to wonder, if your love for her was also fake-"
Suddenly, Yuto felt a sudden rush of murderous intent before the front of his collar was yanked right in front of him, forcing him to lock eyes with a pair of angry, glaring eyes belonging to Mitsumi as she bore a snarling expression. The moment Yuto had uttered those words, Mitsumi's tranquil and sweet, clueless expression reverted to that of a beast. An irritated, pissed-off beast with a demonic aura that was aimed straight for Yuto and nearly had him regret his words the moment they left his words. While Yuto was aware of the anger behind those eyes, he also noticed something much more bigger than anger.
Exhaustion and fear.
Yuto didn't know where the fear emotion came from, but he had a good sense that she was so...so tired. But, it wasn't the sort of physical tired she was experiencing as she was still slightly sleepy, but more of a mental exhaustion, like she's sick and tired and hiding some big, deep secret within herself. Whatever it was, it had been weighing down on Mitsumi far longer than when Yuto was still dealing with Academia.
Finally, Mitsumi released Yuto and quickly reverted back to her kind expression, having spotted her home nearby. "Oh, I'm sorry for handling you roughly! Looks like my home's nearby! Thank you for escorting me home, Yuto-san!"
As Mitsumi hurried to leave, Yuto stopped her by calling out, "Wait! Nazuno-san...a storm may be coming to this city. I hope it doesn't come to that, but...if that's the case, then be prepared to be strong."
"I have no idea what you're talking about, but of course! I always do my best everyday!" assured Mitsumi, smiling at him.
'Again with that fake smile...Where did the pain behind that smile come from?' thought Yuto. "...For all it's worth, thank you for taking care of me for a while and I'm sorry that I upset you earlier."
"It's nothing, Yuto-san. Are you sure you can get back home safely by yourself?"
"Yes. Just take care of yourself and your grandmother, alright?"
"Alright, goodnight, Yuto-san!"
After watching Yuto leave, Mitsumi entered inside her house and slid down the door behind her, seething in anger. 'How...dare...that...pompous...ass?!' thought Mitsumi, resisting the urge to growl in fear of waking up her grandmother. 'Who does he think he is, judging me like that?! And, telling me that my love for Grandma is FAKE?! Ugh! I wanted to rip his mouth out! Well, it's not like I'm gonna see him again, but...damnit...I'm too tired for this...'
She headed upstairs and went to her room, preparing to get a good night's rest. Deep down, though, she knew that most of the things Yuto said was right, and it was scary how observant and accurate his words were. She was so, very tired of having to put up the façade that is the gentle and shy Mitsumi Nazuno that her friends-well, most of her friends knew her as, but she knew deep down it was the only way to stay friends with her current friends. If they knew the true her, things would end up badly, and she feared being all alone because of her friends finding out her true personality and abandoning her for it.
Even if it hurts, and even if it's overwhelmingly exhausting each day, she knew she had to keep up that façade. Her friends were all kind and good individuals, so it wouldn't be fair to them if they had some coldhearted, selfish, and unbearable girl as their friend. And, she feared that if they knew she used to be a Junior Pro Duelist, then they might use her. She's already seen too many times what happens when someone's being used until they're discarded away like an object. It happened to frequently upon witnessing overs in Pro Duelist leagues and tournaments she's been forced to attend when she was a kid.
'It's alright,' she thought, curled up in her bed as she tried to get some sleep. 'I just have to attend this tournament until I lose, and that'll be the end of that. Whew, I hope tomorrow will be a bit better than today.'
Hey, guys! So, I did try to think up of reasons for Yuto to duel her, and this was the best I could do. Sorry if he's a bit OOC, I did try my best with him! I imagine that as a gentleman, he might be kind to the elderly, though. Anyways, read and review!