Epilogue
Lucy
The Academy bearing gross red, sickly yellow, and infected pond-water blue domes towered over the boy. He scowled and adjusted his backpack straps. As much as he wanted to spin around and walk back into the thick of New Domino, he knew his parents would murder him if he missed the entrance exams.
He settled for spitting, "Disgusting. Seto Kaiba has no eye for beauty."
"I dunno," commented the girl beside him. "The Blue-Eyes White Dragons are pretty."
"For cardboard, maybe."
She rolled her eyes and started towards the largest dome. He followed a few feet behind. Around them, girls and boys excitedly babbled and showed off red, yellow, and blue jackets. For one, they spoke far too loudly, and for two, who would be excited about becoming a Slifer red?
"Don't walk so slowly," she scolded. "You'll be late! I've already finished my exam!"
"Your result?"
That all-too familiar smug grin was plastered on her face. "I won. Naturally. They haven't issued me a jacket, but the examiner placed me in Obelisk Blue!"
"Must be easy to get into the 'elite' if even you can." She stomped and glared. Within, a pang of fear at not making it into the same house as his best friend ate away. Not as if he'd ever show it. "How many examiners?"
"This late in the day? Probably only the main two left."
"Which are?"
The stadium doors whined on rusted hinges. The rows and rows of blue arena seating were nearly empty. As she claimed, two older duelists clashed with potential students, filling two of the total four duel fields.
"The Rosenthal twins! Cool, right?" she said. He offered no noticeable response. "Leo and Luna! They were famous Signers? Team 5D's members? Saviors of the whole wide world? Nothing?"
"Nothing," he repeated. He'd heard of the sparkly forearms, but they were pretty birthmarks full stop. A holographic explosion left the old pot-bellied man reeling. His life counter hit zero. "Almost my time."
"I'd lay low. You want Luna. Leo is- well, he's-"
The middle-aged man huffed and puffed. He removed his baseball cap and used the brim to scratch beneath his short, seafoam-colored hair. "Kids get all the luck! Ugh. Yeah, yeah, congrats or whatever. By the checklist, you got Ra Yellow, kiddo."
The girl started into a cheer, noticed Leo's deathly glare, and uttered quiet gratitude. The boy scoffed at the spectacle below. "He doesn't seem to be an inspiring teacher nor does he seem fit enough to fill a physical education position."
"No? Did you read his shirt?"
He squinted. The shirt said, "ALWAYS GO THE EXTRA MILE."
"I hate him."
She giggled. "You hate everyone! Oh. He saw you!"
"Ay, kid!" Leo shouted. "Come on down if you're here for the exam!"
"Told you to hiiide," she sang.
His walk down the bleachers rattled every row. He kept a thumb underneath a backpack strap as he approached the "PE" teacher. Leo pointed him towards a sign-in table. The man's disgusting breath wafted over him as he wrote his signature beside his printed name.
"Hold on. Gotta make a call." He tapped a device in his ear, muttered something under his breath, and tapped again. "You'll have to wait a bit for your examiner. Heh, hey, what's up with the hair? Not an old man in disguise are ya?"
Leo slapped his knee and loosed a guttural laugh. One of the boy's maroon eyes twitched. His burgundy hair, pulled back in a ponytail, had streaks of gray. His parents assured him his father was the same at his age. He was not old like this washed-up failure.
"What's taking so long?"
A woman in a yellow blouse and pink pencil skirt addressed Leo. Her long hair matched his in color, and she wore a braid crown that kept any from falling in her face. It was… disturbing, seeing her petite features matching his crude ones. Even their myriad wrinkles seemed to mirror each other's. Leo said, "Eh, this is the one you-know-who wanted to test."
"Did she tell you why?"
"Nahhh. She's being silly about it. You know how she is sometimes."
Luna smiled. "Yeah. Sorry about your wait, sir! You can take a seat if you'd like. Oh, Leo, there are more! Remember: be professional!"
He grumbled but put on a big smile and waved anyway. They moved into new duels. The boy slouched in a front row seat. His friend joined him and asked, "Did they say you were too late? Did your name not get on the list?"
"No. They're giving me a different examiner who's not here yet."
"Weird. Leo and Luna were supposed to be the only two from the announcement they made earlier-"
The stadium's bottom entrance screeched open. A frail old woman slipped in and allowed the door to crash shut behind her. She had wrinkles on wrinkles on wrinkles. The boy spotted a criminal mark amidst them. Ha. The old hag must've regretted breaking the law seeing how that mark looked now.
She folded her hands as she shuffled into the arena, crossed the stage, and stopped before the pair. She adjusted her thick pink glasses. Smiling at the boy, she said, "You kept me waiting."
"Me? You're the one who had to take the time to hobble here when there are two perfectly capable examiners right here!"
She laughed. He noticed his friend was mortified. The old bag said, "Field Three. Your friend there can stand with you if you'd like. Support is important, I've found."
The woman shuffled away. The instant she was out of earshot, his friend had a death grip on his upper arm. In a harsh whisper, she said, "You'd better watch your mouth! You're lucky you weren't kicked out on the spot for that!"
"Why?"
"That's the headmistress!"
"The what?"
"The principal! She's the principal, so you can't just say stuff like that to her!"
He scoffed and fished his duel disk from his backpack. Clicking his deck into the slot, he said, "I was merely stating facts. Why would the principal perform an examination? Seems like a waste of time."
"I dunno. It's strange. She wasn't here the rest of the day."
He entered the rectangle opposite the old hag. She wore the sort of custom model you'd expect an ancient duelist to have acquired over the course of their long, long life. Wouldn't make her any better. His best friend stood close by but a step in front of him to assure no coaching would occur.
As if he'd need any. He called, "Well? You have the seniority, so I assume you make the choice on going first."
Her smile was somehow infuriating. "You may choose."
"First it is!" In a flourish, he drew all six cards for his hand at once. She slowly drew one to five. "I summon Ally of Justice Core Destroyer, set a face-down, and end my turn!"
The old hag adjusted her glasses to get a better look at her drawn card. "Your name?"
"What?"
"What is your name? We're dueling, and you haven't properly introduced yourself. The vindictive way about you says you may know me, but I don't know you. Your name?"
He whipped his head to the side to adjust his ponytail. "I am Lucciano."
"I see," she said. "Good luck to you, Lucy."
"Lu- no! My name is Lucciano!"
She laughed like it was all some big joke. "I'll be summoning Dodger Dragon and attacking your Core Destroyer."
"Trap activate: DNA Transplant! I declare LIGHT Attribute, and all monsters become LIGHT. Ally of Justice Core Destroyer's effect now triggers. At the start of the Damage Step, any LIGHT monster battling it is instantly destroyed! That's what you get for disrespecting my name!"
The machine on spindly, golden legs fired a beam from its scorpion-like tail. Her curling, Chinese dragon shattered into a million shards. A purple dragon formed from the remains. A misty mane surged from its head and neck. Its scales and wingjoints ended in sharp points. The new monster had 2200 attack to Core Destroyer's 1200.
"Where did that come from?"
"Because a monster of mine was destroyed by battle or card effect," she explained, "I can special summon from my hand Interplanetarypurplythorny Dragon."
"…What?"
"Ohh, I know you kids have small brains. I'll speak more slowly: Interplanetary-"
"I heard you the first time!" he snapped. It was a real card name. Good God. What was he getting himself into?
"I move to Main Phase 2, set a face-down, and pass my turn to you."
On the sidelines, his best friend was starry-eyed. Not for him, though. Typical. She murmured, "Wow. The dragons!"
Whatever that meant. "To begin, I activate the Continuous Spell Machina Armored Unit. I'll be summoning Ally of Justice Garadholg in attack position. Now for the Battle Phase! Core Destroyer targets Interplanetarywhathaveyou for attack!"
A celestial sculpture appeared above the monster. Core Destroyer butted heads with the dragon, and its pricks left dents in Core Destroyer. His monster lost the battle. His life points dropped to 3000. He yelled, "Excuse me? Why didn't it work?"
"My Continuous Trap, Dimension Guardian, equips to Interplanetarypurplythorny Dragon and prevents destruction by battle or card effects. Since the effect didn't destroy, the attack went through, and 2200 defeats 1200," she explained.
He hated that her trap worked and he hated more that she insisted on saying the dragon's disastrous name at every opportunity. "Since my Machine-type was destroyed, I use Machina Armored Unit's effect. I can special summon a different DARK Machine with less attack. I'm bringing out Ally of Justice Cycle Reader in defense position. Before I end my turn, I set a face-down."
"Ally of Justice," the old hag said. "What do these cards mean to you?"
His parents were upstanding officers for Sector Security, which he hoped to follow. Issuing justice and being its ally were vital to society. Apparently, this downtrodden academy was the first step in the journey. He would never allow his opponent such internal information, however, so he said: "There is no meaning."
That enraging smile appeared once more. "Lying is unbecoming of you. Every one of my cards holds the highest importance – though I admit some outweigh others. I'll show you one I have a well of love for. First, I use Trade-In to discard a level 8 monster and draw two. I'll next summon Decoy Dragon and activate Destrudo the Lost Dragon's Frission from my hand. At the cost of half my life points, Destrudo is special summoned."
High-pitched ringing indicated the drop of her LP from 4000 to 2000. "I target a monster of mine, and his level decreases by that monster's. Destrudo is now level 5 like Interplanetarypurplythorny Dragon, and Destrudo is a tuner."
She just had to say the name again. Lucciano's eye twitched. "Half your life points for a simple tuner. I thought you were meant to be experienced!"
How in the nine circles of hell did her smile never go away? She said, "The requirements of two equal-leveled monsters, a tuner and non-tuner level 5 or higher, are met. Pillars of sacred flame consume my two dragons. From my Extra Deck, I special summon Ultimaya Tzolkin!"
Shimmering curtains like the night sky separated to introduce a blazing dragon with supernova eyes. The heat radiating from the monster made it almost seem real. His friend whispered, "No way. Nowaynoway! There's only, like, one of those cards in existence! It really is her!"
"Do I look like I care? I refuse to be intimidated by an old hag."
She rolled her eyes. Again. "At least think the card is awesome! Industrial Illusions created Ultimaya Tzolkin as a memorial to the Crimson Dragon himself. He existed in the same world as us once upon a time. Can you believe it? A god working together with people like us?"
"A god?" Lucciano snorted. "It's cardboard."
"You suck the fun out of everything," she muttered. "I think it'd be amazing – to be a Signer, to be chosen by a god!"
"It means they were lucky like lottery winners who squander their winnings and are killed by jealous family members, which, statistically speaking, is more likely. The more admirable are those who make a name and fortune for themselves without some god telling them they can."
"Okay, edgelord," she murmured.
The old hag across the way said, "I place a face-down in my backline. This triggers Ultimaya Tzolkin's effect. I may special summon any level 7 or 8 Dragon-type Synchro from my Extra Deck. I choose Black Brutdrago."
A dark, bulky dragon with armored gauntlets and greaves crashed beneath the heavenly flare of Ultimaya Tzolkin. Its 3000 attack made his machines look puny. She said, "Black Brutdrago battles Ally of Justice Garadholg! Summoner's Hellblaze!"
Molten rock dripped from the monster's cauldron-like armor. Flaming sludge exploded from its body and landed on Garadholg. Its ability boosted its attack to 1800 since it battled a LIGHT monster, lessening the blow. Lucciano's LP fell to 1800.
"Machina Armored Unit procs, special summoning Ally of Justice Unknown Crusher from my deck!"
A mechanized mammoth charged beside his Cycle Reader. The old hag beamed like a fool. "Turn end."
When he drew, he realized the arena was silent. Leo and Luna Rosenthal had stopped in the middle of their duels to watch Ultimaya Tzolkin. The pot-bellied PE teacher had the gall to remove his hat and hold it against his chest like the dolt was at a funeral. Oddly enough, the monsters the pair had on the field – Ancient Pixie Dragon and Life Stream Dragon – seemed to also watch Tzolkin.
Lucciano harrumphed. The thing was a hologram representing a trading card – one with zero attack and defense no less. "I'll show you a real Synchro! I summon Ally of Justice Quarantine! Level 3 tuner Cycle Reader aligns with Unknown Crusher and Quarantine for a level 10 Synchro Summon! Crush your opposition, Ally of Justice Decisive Armor!"
A massive tank with three cannons hovered onto the field. A multitude of searchlights embedded in the armor dashed along the ceiling and floor. The flashy gold captured all the crimson from Ultimaya Tzolkin's glow. With 3300 attack, nothing on her field stood a chance.
"Unlike your 'god,' my righteousness isn't some fairytale! Decisive Armor's effect activates since you control a LIGHT monster! I choose to destroy your Set card! Reign of Justice!"
"Which I will now activate," she said. "Dust Tornado destroys DNA Transplant. You no longer receive benefits from me controlling LIGHT monsters."
"Then I chain Psychic Shockwave since you activated a trap! I can discard a spell or trap to special summon a level 6 DARK Machine-type monster from my deck, like Ally of Justice Clausolas!"
A mechanical vulture with wickedly sharp talons soared through the tornado tearing apart his DNA Transplant. Lucciano said, "Using that card was as good as folding. Now, I'll be able to decimate your Synchro and eliminate your unprotected 'god!'"
The smile. He hated her. So much. "Not exactly. Dust Tornado has a second effect. If I have a spell or trap in my hand, I can set it once your monster is destroyed. Remember what happens when I set a card? Ultimaya Tzolkin now calls upon Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"
A dragon with packed ice for scales click-clacked beneath Ultimaya Tzolkin's flight. This one had 2500 attack. So much for the plan of showing their 'god' what for. He said, "Doesn't matter – I still win this turn. Hard to believe the supposed principal made a simple mistake. You're just a blind old bat! Ally of Justice Decisive Armor attacks Decoy Dragon! The Searing Truth!"
All searchlights landed on the teensy, pale blue dragon. The thing had the nerve to blush from the attention as Decisive Armor's cannons loaded up their blinding light lasers. Their blast was so large, Lucciano could no longer see Decoy Dragon.
The lasers diverted from their intended target. A trio of black tornados whipped up, and a dragon with torn wings flew among them. Decisive Armor's blast ripped apart the new monster rather than Decoy Dragon, and the old hag's life points only dropped to 1400.
To his awestruck expression, the old bat said, "As the name might suggest, Decoy Dragon is just that – a decoy. When targeted for attack, I can special summon a level 7 or higher Dragon-type from the grave and change the target to it. Trade-In put Darkstorm Dragon there."
His eye twitched. At 2300, his other monster couldn't beat the attack of any others except Decoy. That would result in Darkstorm being summoned again, and its attack was 2700. His teeth grit. The old woman was laughing at him. "Oh, Lucy, you almost had me!"
"Shut up," he hissed. "This isn't over! And my name is Lucciano! I set a card and end my turn!"
"My draw," she stated. "I set this to trigger Ultimaya Tzolkin, and this turn, I choose Void Ogre Dragon."
A blood-red dragon studded with rubies joined her other 3 Synchros, and her board of monsters was filled. Black miasma drifted up from the dragon's dark aura. Void Ogre sported 3000 attack and defense.
Lucciano sniffed. "Nothing to touch Decisive Armor!"
He was starting to think that smile was permanent. She was lunatic, perhaps. "I use the trap set last turn – Synchro Big Tornado. I target a Synchro of mine and monster of yours. Your monster loses attack equal to my Synchro's defense. Void Ogre Dragon and Ally of Justice Decisive Armor are my targets."
A raging windstorm pelted and marred his gorgeous cannon, dropping its power all the way to 300. His jaw slacked. She said, "Battle Phase. Void Ogre Dragon attacks Decisive Armor with Infernity Chaos Burst!"
A beam the bleak maroon of bloody murder galloped towards his weakened Ally. He smirked and threw out his hand. "So you thought! I use the Storming Mirror Force trap! All attack position monsters in your possession are returned to the hand, meaning your army of Synchros all return to your Extra Deck!"
"Hmm," she hummed.
"That's all you have to say?"
"No."
She snapped her fingers. Void Ogre Dragon blinked behind Decisive Armor and smashed Storming Mirror Force. The dragon spun around and slashed apart the opposing Synchro. Lucciano's LP dropped to zero, and the deadpan chirp echoed throughout the stadium.
"So long as I have an empty hand, Void Ogre can negate a spell or trap of yours once a turn."
She held up her hands. The gnarly fingers reminded him of knotty tree branches. He blinked. Blinked again. "That's- you- I lost?"
Her laughter was whooping. Slow movements returned her cards to the deck and deactivated her fancy duel disk. She said, "You've got to be the worst duelist I've ever seen!"
"What?" He ground his teeth before roaring, "You yourself admitted I nearly defeated you! That's it. I'll make you regret this!"
"Maybe don't threaten the principal," his friend commented.
"You think it matters? I lost! That means I don't get in!"
"Obelisk Blue," the old hag said.
"Excuse me?" Lucciano asked.
"You aren't deaf," she said. "Feel free to drop by whenever you want, Lucy. Don't be a stranger!"
"It's Lucciano," he said automatically, but it lacked the vitriol. His mind raced with the five "W" questions on repeat. Her comment about being the worst duelist rung through his head. He chased after the shuffling old bat. "Hey! What sort of academic insults their students?"
"If one were to ask, I might argue that individual students are inspired by individual methods."
He refused to admit that, yes, he was driven more than ever to defeat the old hag and prove her wrong. A giggle beside him said his best friend knew the truth. She better not say it, though. The old woman said, "You must be Eurea."
The girl bowed. "Y-yes. It's an honor to meet you! And to have seen Ultimaya Tzolkin in action no less!"
Her awe irked him. She was just some old bag. Lucciano crossed his arms and asked, "Your name?"
"Hmm? Oh. He doesn't even know!" She feigned an aching heart. "The name is Rain Kessler."
He shook his index finger at her. "This isn't over, Kessler!"
"Naturally," was all she said.
His eye twitched. It made her laugh.
Old hag. No matter how long it took, he would prove her wrong.
./THE END OF ALL THINGS\.
A/N: Maybe you recognize Lucy, maybe not... Either way, let's say a friendship from Clear Skies is finally reunited :D
Some odd three years ago I started working on this series again. What got me to thinking back on it was the Twitch Yu-Gi-Oh! marathon. Boy oh boy was Acid Rain bad from the draft I'd written when I was 15 and I have to thank my friend Luis for helping me realize that :D Tons of elbow grease got all this to where it is today. I kinda flung myself into working on this story ever since my dad's cancer diagnosis, which he survived, yay, but it's been a bunch of struggles since then on top of 2020 being what it is. I at least have a lot more confidence since getting through Clear Skies for sure and I know I owe a lot to the friends I've made here, like Narrator, Nish, Lilah, Rose/Leah, Eth, Kara, AkiM(I SWEAR U HAVE A DIFF NAME ON EVERY THANK U MESSAGE LOL), JohnJoeStar, Wyv, and Tide!
My number one thanks goes to my loyal beta and partner and soon2b husband RepentMF; I love you
IT'S FINALLY OVER! I DID IT! I'm not sure if I'll post anything else here! If I do, it'll be small and rare. I'm more working on original novels now c: If you ever see Sherlotta A. published be sure to hit me up!
This is Time Thief/Anx/Sherlotta, saying good-by! (✿◠‿◠)