Nightmare Troubador
By 7th Librarian
Chapter 3: Puppies, Dragons and Tigers, Oh My!
"'Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.'"
"A quote by William Jennings Bryan, my teacher." Verthandi Von Schroeder looked away from the tablet she was working on. "Is this to be another one of your lectures on how destiny only works because we think its supposed to work and thereby create a bias towards coincidences and luck?"
"Am I getting that predictable in my old age?" The gray-haired man sighed in self-depreciation as he approached, two steaming mugs in his hands.
"You do tend to open with them when you want to have a serious discussion." Verthy informed and graciously accepted one of the mugs. "And you only bring coffee when you are wanting to make a serious conversation more casual."
"A downside to being a creature of habit, I suppose." The man replied and chuckled before sipping his coffee. He gestured up at the small, clear tube set up in front of her desk. Inside of it was what looked like a dress, clearly holographic and only mostly there. "What's this? Your latest design?"
"Yes. Thanks to the Bleeding Edge technology and Sumire - ah, Mrs. Pegasus' - great help, I'm hoping to create a sketchpad that can use this system to create a 3D image of clothing and the like in real time and allow the user to subject it to things like wind, water and so on. A way to beta-test designs. But it appears that fabric, like water, is massively difficult for a computer system to render." Verthy frowned at the floating dress. "It's supposed to be silk. It looks like crepe paper."
"Mmm, can't argue with that." The man agreed and seated himself opposite her. "How about a break, then?"
"As I do now have coffee and you cannot possibly stress me out any more than I already am, that sounds like an excellent idea." Verthy set her tablet aside and drank some of her coffee. "Would you like to tell me what you are hiding from me, Aster Phoenix?"
Aster about dropped his cup in surprise, but deftly caught and gave her an appraising look as he set it down. "Your Rune Eye showed you this conversation already?"
"No, I simply hazarded a guess. We had quite the lengthy debate on destiny during our duel yesterday and it is very unlike you to retread old ground and club me verbally with a point you have already made." Verthy explained. "And yet, you are trying to distract and take the edge off anyway."
Aster huffed. "Getting too easy to read in my old age, too."
"You are not even forty, sir. Kindly get over yourself."
"Age is more than a number, Verthy." Aster reminded, but nodded and leaned forwards on his knees, clasping his hands together. "Alright - I'll be forward about this. Dark Virtue would like to interview you."
Verthy froze, cup halfway to her lips. "Dark Virtue." Seeing him nod, she put her cup back down, lest her surprise make her drop it. "Well, that is certainly unexpected."
"It was a surprising phone call to get so early in the morning. Nothing like the cold dead tones of the grave to shake you out of your sleepiness." Aster admitted, taking a drink of coffee to apparently warm himself against the sudden chill he had.
"Did they say what they wanted? And why wouldn't they go through official channels? I'd have thought the U.N.'s paranormal security branch would understand how these things work. I am a busy woman."
"They only said they wanted to speak with you about some magical things you've been involved in recently. And according to Justice, they're doing this on the sly out of a desire to protect the Schroeder name and image and keep the potential leaks down to just the three of us."
Verthy blew out an acknowledging breath. "They have been heavy-handed as of late, haven't they? They took down the Right Start charity after finding those human-trafficking links and then there was that battle with a group of Darkborn in Madrid…" She winced in sympathy as the recollection of the devastated buildings, bodies and destruction strewn around several streets worth of territory. All caused in a fight that had lasted less than ten minutes.
It was a frightening thought, that individual humans could come to possess such devastating powers that were outside the context of anything modern. Guns had proven horribly ineffective on most Darkborn, their magical traits and abilities giving them strength beyond most people and being able to call a Darkness Game at will to ensnare an opponent at will or call forth a Duel Monster in reality meant normal methods just couldn't work. Worse still, there was no way to identify a Darkborn until they used their powers save for another Darkborn noticing them. Which meant when you heard about one in a city, every single one of the millions of lives in that city could be another one and you would never know until it was too late.
"The fear and doubt Darkborn generate just by existing is the most dangerous part. And humanity has had a very terrible track record with dealing with something unknown and different." Aster seemed to be reading her mind as he took another drink. "Dark Virtue can combat that by being so open about their activities. Superheroes have symbols for a reason."
"But they draw attention, so I can see why the need for secrecy." Verthy said slowly. "But the only thing magical I have been involved in is the Bride Tournament and that was three months ago. As far as I know, they haven't reached out to anyone involved in that. Why take so long?"
"They didn't say. The only thing I was told was they wanted to talk to you as soon as possible. Today, if you can manage it."
"Must be urgent, then." Verthy stared down at her cup speculatively, then lifted her eyes to look at her teacher. "You have had experience with the group, my teacher. What do you think I should do?"
Aster was silent for a few moments, his eyes having that faraway look to them that she had seen in him so often as of late. The look that did make him look sixty instead of forty. Under that pristine silvery suit and charmingly-styled hair, an old man tightened fingers lined with scars around his mug and his shoulders hunched with the weight of memories no man should have.
"Dark Virtue is a good group. At least the Virtues themselves; it is controlled by a bureaucracy and you know how bureaucracies can get the farther you go up the chain. Less worrying about the people and more about the costs and benefits." Aster said at last and Verthy made a noise of agreement. "And I don't think you can really avoid a meeting with them - they do have the power to go anywhere, ask any government for resources and so on. Knowing Justice, if you don't set up a meeting, she'll just park someone outside the house for as long as it takes."
"I am sensing a 'but' in there." Verthy pressed gently. His words were heavy, his expression somber and if she was honest, it pained her to see a respected Professional Duelist and a kind man looking so burdened. Life has not been kind to Aster Phoenix.
"But Dark Virtue also deals with the ugly sides of things, Verthy. Not just magical things, but human things. You read about atrocities of war in history and then look at the world, thinking we've learned so much from that terrible conflict so long ago….then Dark Virtue peels back the curtains and you see how much we've learned about improving those atrocities and how well we hide them." Aster paused again, his eyes going distant again before fixing on her. "If you get involved with them, if they tear down that curtain, it will never be hidden again."
"It is only an interview, my teacher, not a job application." Verthy reminded him. "And I am no stranger to such things. The Bride Tournament, for one. And of course, my little vision problem." She gestured to her right and the rune glimmering in the depths of her pupil.
"I know. But like I said, destiny is not chance, it is choice," he stood and squeezed her shoulder. "Just be sure that whatever choice you make, it is for you, and no one else."
TTTTTTT
"Yes...yes...perfect...that's stunning…"
Rosie had heard the words a million times in a thousand different contexts. They never made an impact. She knew better than to believe any of them. Especially when they came from a photographer or a creative director. The latter was appraising her like she was a slab of meat, and she suspected that the former and his DSLR had fused long ago into a strange camera cyborg.
Neither of them meant anything to her. Neither did their pretty words. Perfect. Stunning. Beautiful. She had heard them all throughout her life, all so empty and meaningless. Being perfect just meant that you were dead inside.
"...push out a little further...that's it...beautiful...you truly are worth every penny, Miss Bakura."
From the back corner of the room, Rosie caught an almost silent scoff brush through the room, and her smile dipped momentarily as her eyes flicked to the speaker. Her mother was bent over her cell phone, giving every indication that she was focused on her emails and arranging Rosie's schedule. But Rosie was not fooled. She was listening. She was watching her for any slip. Any hint of weakness. The woman had been a seething pool of fury when she had met her daughter at the station three hours ago. She hadn't said anything though. Amane Bakura knew how best to utilise her weapons. Perceptible but silent anger was more unnerving than screaming directly into Rosie's face.
And it was working. Rosie's stomach felt like a nest of live vipers.
"Okay, I believe we have everything," the creative director snapped his finger, and the photographer finally removed his camera from his face. "Ms Bakura, we will send these to you for approval before they go live-"
Rosie didn't listen any longer - she didn't need to hear her mother dealing with the formalities cordially and concisely. She never got to see the photographs until they went live. Even though she was a legal adult and could sign them off on her own, her mother forbade it. She had more useful things to do with her time than 'admin' as Amane called it. Instead she scooped up her bathrobe and slipped it on. The lingerie had all been tight in the way all new bras were, and she could feel the red indents in her skin begging to be relieved from the elastic prison. It didn't matter - they could easily be edited out, and her job wasn't to be comfortable.
The director enthused about going to upload the images, and both he and the photographer left the room, leaving the two women alone. Rosie sighed, and belted her robe tighter.
"...I think that went well." She was trying to sound calm, professional. Not like she was waiting for a bomb to go off. "If I'm quick changing I believe I can catch the next train-"
"There's no reason to," Amane said, dismissing the plans with a brisk swipe of her stylus and without looking up from her tablet. "Your next shoot is going to be in China, we've got a deal with the Phoenix Alliance. Their dueling style schools are looking to participate in a 'cultural exchange' with some big names and the Shen Shuan Long-style is rumoured to be looking for someone to marry in. That won't be necessary of course, but interest expressed in you could-"
"I'm sorry, what?" Rosemary frowned at her, trying to keep it there when Amane looked up from the tablet. "I just signed a major contract with I2! I'm part of the 'New Dimensions' launch campaign for all the stuff shown during the Bride Tournament! I'm the face!"
"That campaign isn't scheduled to launch for another two months, this cultural exchange is next month and that big payoff for 'helping your friend need' that you said would happen when you went to the Bride Tournament? Hasn't happened." Amane said in that same brisk tone. "You're a model, your career is too fickle and capricious for you to simply settle down and stick with one thing."
"My social media presence has been through the roof for the last few months thanks to the Bride Tournament," Rosemary always felt uncomfortable talking back to her mother, but she knew she wasn't weaponless in this fight. "And I've had invitations to participate in other tournaments-"
"You are not a professional duelist and social media changes opinions and wants at the drop of a hat and doesn't peak long. This high isn't going to last and you trying to duel professionally and getting creamed is just going to make it nosedive." Amane went back to looking at her tablet. "This social media presence is a wave to ride, nothing more."
"So what are you proposing?" Rosemary frowned. "That I drop the biggest contract of my life for a handful of small one-off pieces that go nowhere? That mean nothing?"
"This big contract isn't going to last in the way you think - didn't you tell me that Lero was dying? And that Kaiba woman has a good head for business and not for people. He was barely holding the company together, she's going to break it and tank the Pegasus family image." Amane said curtly. "In ten years, we'll be talking about how good Duel Monsters used to be."
A kind of dark, ugly looked flashed over her face for a moment. "And the less our family has to do with the game, the better. I've had enough reminders about it. I don't need you being one of them, Rosemary."
A cold hand seemed to grip Rosemary's heart, and her robe suddenly felt paper thin. "Lero isn't going to die." She wouldn't be able to bear it if he did.
"Maybe he won't stop breathing, but there are other ways to die. Mentally, like your uncle. Functionally, like the boy's father. And then media presence, clout and so on. He hasn't made a public appearance in three months and the world is starting to think that after the Bride Tournament, he's just letting Sumire do all the work. However it falls, he stops being a presence in the world and the world moves on." Amane snapped her stylus back into place pointedly, the sharp noise echoing across the empty room. "Now go get changed and come have something to eat. We need to make sure you're aware of Chinese customs and some of the language."
Rosemary didn't want to go over Chinese customs and the language. She wanted to get back on the train and head back to the Kaiba Mansion. But she never had a choice. Feeling her throat twist in misery, she headed for the door, bitterly wishing she could say something - anything - but knowing she was powerless.
It had been like this her whole life. She never had a choice. From the moment she could speak, her mother had decided where she was going, what she was doing, and who she was with. She had been in commercials since birth, moving into modelling the second she could walk. Her mother ran her schedule, home schooling her on the side, before going out after little Rosie's bed time to cultivate her next job. Play dates were uncomfortable visits to important people's homes, where she would sit quietly with the other kids, watching them play with their toys, while her mother networked with their parents in the next room. When she had turned sixteen, play dates had turned into the other kind of date, securing more work, more contacts, and just enough publicity in the tabloids and more recently, on social media, to keep her relevant. A carefully choreographed dance of making money, with her mother lining up the next three songs in the wings.
Rosemary had never thought of herself as limited in any way. She had nobody else to compare her life against. Home schooling put one at a severe disadvantage when it came to making friends, and none of her dates (play or otherwise) had ever been more than one or two meetings before Amane had successfully got what she wanted out of them, and had swiftly moved her on. The only friends that had successfully invaded her life - through accident and sheer force of will on their part - were Lero, Verthandi and Jessie, and it was through them that, over the years, she had come to realise that this was not normal. As they had all grown through their teens, she had watched them buying their own clothes, developing their own hobbies, picking their own jobs, their own companies, their own dates. Their autonomy had shocked her, driving spikes of jealousy and longing deep into her own brain.
They all have something. Verthy and Sumire have companies. Jessie's number ten in Duel Monsters. Kaede's a feared Eliminator. Jackie has her bike and the entire of America to drive through. They own their lives. I can't even get a bullet train from Tokyo to Domino without making Amane angry.
She had tried to raise it with Amane so many times, but her mother had this way of looking at her that reminded her that that was not the way the world worked. She was too stupid to run a company, or learn a valuable skill, or choose the right people to date. All she had to offer the world was her body. She had often wondered what would happen when that no longer held any value. Most likely, she would be taken to the same fertility clinic that Amane herself had used, and deliver her mother a fresh baby to be moulded into the perfect money machine that she had ceased to be.
I just want something that's mine. Is that too much to ask? Child Rosie had known better - she wasn't allowed things of her own. Luck and pushing hard against Amane's will had allowed her the luxury of a couple of friends, but it wasn't enough. She wanted more, and at the same time, felt selfish and scared for even daring to think about it.
It was with bitter, dark amusement that she mused that this must be why her and Lero's relationship was going so well - they had being completely powerless and useless in common.
She immediately regretted the thought. It was hard enough to keep their relationship a secret and she didn't need to be tainting with more misery. Yet Amane's words loomed over it with a long and deep shadow, the cold hand on her heart squeezing ruthlessly.
Her head throbbed with a building stress headache as she slammed the door behind her and she wiped them away with a forearm, uncaring about the smudged make-up. She should be happy, Lero should be happy, they should be happy together. But instead she struggled to do things for him that he could no longer do and tried so hard not to detest the fact that becoming his girlfriend had translated into becoming his nursemaid and the latter was quickly eclipsing the former.
Tears seeped through the wall of anger and frustration and Rosemary swiped them away. She couldn't let Amane see that she had been crying. She pulled on her clothes, fingers moving robotically to smooth out creases and wrinkles and do up buttons. There was time. Amane couldn't watch her all day, every day and Sumire could run interference, call Amane up to say they needed Rosemary for something or other. They'd done it before, it would happen again.
Her planning was so consuming that she was shutting the door behind her and striding across the set that she almost didn't notice the man standing right in the middle of it.
Small, hunched over and bookish in a sweater and cargo slacks. He was standing where Rosemary had been lying just minutes earlier, staring at the backdrop and worrying his fingers together.
Alarm bells rang in Rosemary's head. This man should not have gotten this far into the building without a security escort and any visitors had to be cleared through Amane. And he was here. Alone. In her photo set. With no one else present, like he'd been waiting for her.
Taser and pepper spray were in her purse, which was with Amane. But the door out was there, the man's back was to it. Rosemary crept over to it in the speedwalk models learned that kept noises to a minimum - your body was supposed to do the talking. If she could get out, hide or just be late for food, Amane would find her -
Her hand had curled on the door's press latch when the man spoke in a voice that was twittery and dry, like an old phonograph. "I locked the door when I came in. You can't leave."
Rosemary tried the door, but it didn't budge. She turned to face the man, scanning the room for a weapon. A light pole would do, but they were closer to him than her. "What do you want? Who are you?"
"I'm Edward Read." He turned to look at her, fingertips tapping together spiderly, his face lined and thin like a wilted piece of fruit. "And I would like some justice, revenge, catharsis. One of the three, I'm not too picky…"
"I have no idea who you are." Rosemary said sharply and felt her spirit ripple, the monster in her should uncoiling itself slowly. The man was giving off something wrong, the look in his eyes off. Like pieces were missing inside him. "Or why you'd want those things from me."
"I want them from Ryou Bakura, that nasty, twit of a cheat! It's a roleplaying game, the dice don't always matter!" Edward snapped, taking a sharp step forwards. "He stole my life because of that stupid critical!"
"My uncle is a dead man. He's been one for over ten years, so you're out of luck." Despite the situation, Rosemary felt a surge of frustration well up. Why did the universe insist on digging up her uncle's corpse and waving it in front of her again?
"I know he's dead! I can gohoo or whatever it is you call computering!" Edward growled. He glared down at his thin fingers. "But that isn't going to bring back thirty year of my life!" His eyes narrowed. "Besides, you aren't as pretty and innocent as you'd like the world to think."
Rosemary's eyes narrowed and her spirit unraveled further, hovering on the edge of material existence. "If you know that's true, what makes you think you're going to be able to do anything to me?"
She hoped he'd buy the bluff - she couldn't imagine Amane's wrath if she found out Rosemary as a magical Darkborn. If she called out her ka, then there was no way the studio was going to avoid damage.
"How do you think the rest of the world would react if they knew that the biggest celebrity on the front page of all their magazines was a magical freak who can murder anyone she wants just by thinking about it?"
"I can't do that and I don't want to." Rosemary tensed, still eying up one of the lamps as an impromptu weapon. "But I will defend myself-"
"You will, if only so I can rip back every one of my years out of your blood!" Edward held up a card and it flared with black fire. Rosemary shielded herself reflexively and when she dropped her arms, they were standing in a ring of black/blue fire. The cameras and lighting had been knocked askew to clear their playing field, but none of it burned.
The flames were not only not hot, but they seemed to be sucking the warmth right out of the air, eating up the light around them until everything was cast in a gray, washed-out pallor. Cold prickled over her skin and Rosemary swore under her breath. She'd felt this before - in a Darkness Game.
But this wasn't quite right. There was no broad, thick, looming presence of hungry shadows around them or the soul-freezing fear down her spine. Just the twisted fire and Edward at the opposite end, his presence going from weathered and aged to twisted and gnarled. An ugly secret revealed by a black light. "Now duel! Duel me! And burn in the flames!"
Rosemary was beyond questioning how her Duel Disk got onto her arm at this point or why her deck was loaded into it. It was time to fight and defend herself against her family's sordid past. Again.
When I survive this, I am going to fly back to England and have someone dig up my uncle's body just to be sure it's still there! Then I'm going to burn it and toss the ashes down the Mariana Trench! "Let's duel!" (RLP: 8000)
"As the challenger, I shall take the first turn." Edward drew, his withered fingers looking the weight of the cards might very well break them. "My first move will be this magic card - Magistone Quarry."
The card shimmered into life in front of him, it's picture showing a bespectacled man studying a vein of dark rock in a canyon wall. The silhouettes of Dark Magician and Blue-Eyes White Dragon overshadowed him, making it seem like they were about to spring from the stone. "This card allows me to discard another card and then add two 'Statue' monsters from my deck to my hand."
He slid the card into his graveyard and then pulled his deck free, fanning it out and licking his lips as he muttered to himself absently. "All these gosh darn new rules and effects….some of these monsters have enough words to be a dictionary...and why are they all called 'Spells' now?"
"I appreciate you've been out of touch for a few decades, but I am not going to sit around and wait for you to die of old age." Rosemary snapped. "You wanted this duel, so either play the game or just crawl back into the pit you came from!"
Edward's head lifted and he scowled, giving his face a sinister cast to it. "I'll thank you not to interrupt my turn - you're just like him, such an impatient player." He made his selection and shoved his deck back into its home. "I activate another magic card - Court of Justice. And then I will summon Statue Sculptor in attack position."
A new continuous spell appeared in front of him, followed by the man depicted on his Magistone Quarry card. Now he was wearing a smock and had a beret tilted stylishly on his head while a chisel and hammer rested in his hands. (1000/1000)
"Statue Sculptor searches another Statue monster from my deck." Edward was quicker on the search this time, only taking a few moments to make his selection, shuffle his deck and return it to the slot. "Now for the effect of Court of Justice. I control a level one fairy monster, so I can special summon one from my hand. Come forth, Gaia The Fierce Statue!"
A giant block of the strange black stone appeared and Statue Sculptor got to work, hammering and chiseling away at blinding speed until he had turned it into a dynamic replica of Gaia The Fierce Knight. Lances at the ready, horse rearing up, every detail so perfect it might as well have been alive. (0/0)
"Lovely, lovely, just lovely. This deck is as simple as he said it would be to use." Edward said to himself and shoved a card into his disk. "I set this card face-down, devil child and end my turn."
"Yes, well, I'm sure he was wise not to offer you anything too challenging..." Rosemary drew for her turn. So he's working for someone? Looks like Lero's comment after Sumire's duel was right on the money - it was just the first strike.
Her gaze flicked over her opponent's field, lingering on the statue. A monster with zero attack and defense that's level seven. And it looks like Gaia, but it's fairy-type? I've never heard of these cards.
She glanced at her drawn card and felt her lips lift a little at the sight of that. That said, having a boyfriend who runs the game means I have cards he's never seen before, either. "From my hand, I normal summon Vetran Trainer!"
In a flash of light, her new monster appeared. He was a youngish teen, dressed in jeans, black shirt and a jacket. A cap that was read save for the bill and front, which had a symbol on it, hid his eyes from view. (1200/1000)
"When I summon this monster, I can add a level five or higher LV monster to my hand. Then not only do I immediately get to normal summon it, it's treated as having been summoned properly!" She grabbed a card from her deck and slapped it down, Vetran Trainer vanishing in a swirl of light. "Let's go! Allure Queen LV5!"
Clad in a black dress and red bustier, the regal woman stepped out of the ether. She regarded the statue across the way, then sniffed haughty and turned her head. (1000/1000)
"She doesn't like your monster's artwork, so let's get rid of the monster himself! I activate her effect, letting her equip your Statue Sculptor! Royal Beckons!" Allure Queen raised her staff and the sculptor gasped as he glowed, transforming into an orb of light that was promptly absorbed into said staff. "And now to remove an eyesore - attack! Dark Flux!"
Allure Queen arced her staff through the air, unleashing a wave of white-flecked black energy that hurtled right for the statue. Edward pressed a button his disk and his set card flipped up. "I think not - you've fallen right into my trap card! Statue Display Gallery!"
His Gaia statue suddenly had a spotlight trained on it and to Rosemary's amazement, the statue began to creak and grind as bits of it began to tremble. Then with a battle cry, Gaia somehow hacked the oncoming attack apart with his lances and drove one straight into Allure Queen's chest. "This continuous trap can negate the effects of any Statue that I control! Meaning Gaia gains his full amount of attack points!" (0/0 - 2300/1700)
Rosemary braced herself as the backlash washed over her, Allure Queen growling in frustration as an orb of light flew from her staff and shattered. "Allure Queen can send the equipped monster to the graveyard to prevent her destruction!" (RLP: 8000 - 6700)
She grabbed a card from her hand. "I set this card! End of turn!"
"I draw." Edward glanced at the card and then flipped it around. "By revealing this Statue Dark Magician I just drew, I can special summon Angel 01 to my field in defense position."
Tiny was the best way to describe his new monster, an esoteric featureless statue with no hard angels and only feathered wings to give any indication it lived up to its name. (200/300)
"And as I now have another level one fairy monster on my field, I can use Court of Justice to summon Statue Dark Magician from my hand. And Statue Display Gallery to negate its effects." Another one of the black stone blocks appeared and then cracked apart to reveal Yugi Mouto's famous monster already in the midst of casting a spell. The spotlight shone on it and with a little creaking and grinding, the statue was animated and gathered some real-looking magical energy in his stone staff. "And now Statue Dark Magician will attack Allure Queen!" (0/0 - 2500/2100)
"Reverse card open! Mage's Fortress!" Rosemary pointed and her set card lifted, Statue Dark Magician suddenly lowering his staff and dissipating the magic harmlessly. "As long as I control a Spellcaster monster you cannot declare an attack!"
Edward made an appreciative noise. "So you have the same natural talent at gaming as he did. Good. Then perhaps I will be getting some proper satisfaction from you after all, devil child. I set one card face-down and end my turn."
There was no need to dignify his words with a response, so Rosemary just drew for her turn. "Pot of Greed! I draw twice!"
The laughing green jar appeared in front of and then shattered, letting her pick up two more cards from her deck. And once again, her lips lifted slightly. Lero, you are a king with what you gave me for winning my duel in the Bride Tournament! "As I have an Allure Queen monster in play, I can summon this monster to your side of the field! Royal Pet - Sir Barkington!"
The monster lived up to his name in so many ways. He was a Scottish Terrier, dressed in a little doggy-style knight's outfit that was complete with a tiny lance strapped across his back. He glanced around, caught sight of the monsters he was sharing the field with and then sniffed just Allure Queen had before dropping to his rump and lifting his nose. (1500/1500)
"What a yappy, flea-bitten mongrel." Edward huffed down at the dog. "I never liked dogs. Complete rubbish."
"Don't worry, Sir Barkington, you won't be there for long. Allure Queen's effect equips Sir Barkington!" Rosemary smirked as Allure Queen whistled and gestured to herself. Sir Barkington jumped up and trotted over to her, leaping up and hanging off her shoulder with an appropriately fierce scowl. "And when he's equipped to an Allure Queen, she gains his attack points!" (1000-2500)
The British woman grabbed another card from her hand. "And I'll boost her even further with Mage Power! Now for every spell and trap I have, she gains five hundred attack and I have a total of three! Allure Queen, wipe out that Dark Magician! Dark Flux!" Allure Queen twisted her staff, mimicking the magician's movements from the last turn and laughed cruelly as she fired her spell. It pierced through Statue Dark Magician and left a gaping hole. (2500-4000)
Edward staggered backward as his monster exploded, nearly stumbling back into the flames before he could right himself. "I activate my trap card - Prayers to the Mighty! I sacrifice a monster in play and then add any monster of level seven or higher to my hand!" Angel 01 vanished and he caught the card his deck spat out.
"That ends my turn." Rosemary watched him draw. "Did that monster you searched for answer your prayers?"
"There is nothing of the sort to answer any kind of prayers or curses, devil child. If that sort of thing existed, no one like your uncle would ever be allowed to exist and I wouldn't have spent most of my life trapped inside a figurine for a terrible RPG." Edward harrumphed coldly, the flaring flames around them giving his face that sinister cast again. "Let me show you that kind of anguish, the kind born from pure helplessness. I activate Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying your Mage's Fortress!"
Rosemary bit her lip as a howling wind shattered her trap card. "When you destroy it, I can draw one card." She did so, but looked like she'd much rather have her trap card and Allure Queen's power fell. (4000 - 3500)
"I discard a Statue monster to summon Statue Sculptor to my hand." Edward shoved the card into his graveyard and in a flash of light, his sculptor was back. "Of course, when he is summoned, I get to search again."
He grabbed the card he wanted and then tossed it down. "Court of Justice allows me to summon Statue Dark Magician Girl in attack mode and Statue Display Gallery will negate her effects." The black rock barely had time to materialize before Sculptor was working on and carving out a Dark Magician Girl riding her staff like a broom.
"That pose for her is purely fanservice." Rosemary said with a huff of her own as the statue began to creak and twitch. With a spectacular twirl and bow, the monster sprang to life. And then pouted when Allure Queen just sneered and laughed mockingly behind a gloved hand. (0/0 -2000/1700)
"Perhaps then this will be more to your discerning tastes, you devil. I sacrifice Gaia The Statue Knight for Great Maju Garzett!" Edward pointed and the Gaia Statue suddenly melted into a puddle of molten stone that hissed and sizzled like acid. Then a clawed hand erupted from the puddle, hauling out a eight-foot tall demon covered in bone, chitin and tufts of sodden, greasy hair everywhere. "This demon monster gains twice the attack of the monster I sacrificed to summon it." (0/0 - 4600)
"Forty-six hundred!" Rosemary's eyes widened as Garzett lumbered forwards, horrendous retching noises making that lanky body jerk and twitch.
"Sludge Regurgitation!" Edward smiled in satisfaction as his monster belched out a wave of acid at Allure Queen. Sir Barkington leapt off her shoulder, absorbing the blunt of the blast and thankfully shattered before he could be shown melting. "And now that your Queen has lost most of her power, it is time for her to be dethroned! Statue Dark Magician Girl! Dark Burning!" (3500-1500) (RLP: 5700-5600)
The Queen screamed as the statue magician caught her square in the face with magic blast that threw her back past Rosemary and dusted her. Rosemary herself was left reeling from the backlash, meaning she didn't see Sculptor hurling his chisel at her and it bounced off her forehead. (RLP: 5600-5100-4100)
"This is turning out rather enjoyable. Seeing you struggle, seeing you fail - I'm beginning to see why Ryou became such a killer game master." Edward's smile was a mockery of the real deal, dark and loathing. "I end my turn."
"Draw!" Rosemary snapped up the card. "I summon Rookie Trainer in defense mode and then set one card face-down! End turn!" Her new monster resembled Vetran Trainer, but looked younger and less confident as he tugged his hat down to shield all of his face and not just eyes. (600/1200)
"You can feel it now, can you? The rising sense of dread that you tell yourself is just tension, that if you ignore and just keep fighting, keep playing, you'll manage to win. The spirit of any gamer - but in this game, there is no hope for you! Only my revenge!" Edward drew sharply and slid the card into his disk. "I activate Wicked Canticle!"
Rosemary felt a stab of fear in her heart as she watched the pedestal rise and the book flip itself to an open page. Sumire only had her duel just a few hours ago and now this? The presence of the Canticle made her wonder - and worry - if anyone else she knew had come under this same assault.
But that was going to have to remain unanswered as her duel was right in front of her and Statue Dark Magician was already winding up her staff. Edward sneered. "Dark Burning!"
The blast blew apart Rookie Trainer before he even had time to scream, but Rosemary was better on the ball. "When you destroy Rookie Trainer, I can summon a level four or lower LV monster from the deck! Allure Queen LV3!" The smoke cleared to reveal the youngest version of her key monster, kneeling in defense mode and looking defiant even in the face of her demise. (500/500)
"Statue Sculptor attacks!" Edward watched his monster hurl his chisel again, only for it to banish in thin air and reappear flying in the opposite direction to clonk its owner on the head. "Excuse you?"
"I activate my trap card - Negate Attack." Rosemary pointed at the now face-up card. "Your battle phase is over."
"And your suffering is only began, I promise, devil child." Edward scoffed at the looks both Rosemary and Allure Queen gave him. "That bravado fools no one, you are cornered and you know it. And I'm going to snap that tenuous thread of hope you keep clinging to!"
"Are you going to snap it with scissors? Because your wit certainly isn't sharp enough." Rosemary drew and Rookie Trainer slid out of her graveyard. "During my Standby Phase after Rookie Trainer is destroyed, if I control the monster summoned by that effect, I can add one card that refers to that monster from my deck to my hand!" She caught the card her deck slid free. "Continuous spell card, Allure Dance!"
The card appeared and Allure Queen relaxed a bit as a quiet waltz melody filled the background. "And then I'll equip my Queen with a new symbol of her authority! Allure Queen's Jeweled Blade!" Allure Queen watched her staff glow, transforming into ornate-designed rapier whose hilt was made out of gold decked in gemstones of all kinds.
"That did nothing to her attack points." Edward noted. "And I know that my monsters are too powerful for her effect to work on them."
"Which is why I have this - Royal Pet - Meowser! And just like Sir Barkington, she's summoned to your field!" Rosemary managed a smile as Edward jumped in response to her monster's appearance. Meowser was a full-size Bengal tiger, though his fur was blue with purple stripes and a classy ribbon was tied in a big, adorable bow on his neck. (1500/1000)
"Battle! Allure Queen attacks Meowser! And when she does, Meowser's own effect makes his attack points zero for that battle!" Allure Queen didn't bother attacking, just crooking her fingers at the tiger. He growled and jumped back to Rosemary's field, allowing Allure Queen to straddle him. The tiger let out an intimidating roar as it reared up, claws flashing and Allure Queen's rapier hissing through the air.
"As I am about to take damage, Wicked Canticle allows me to send Sinister Doctrine - Anguish to the graveyard to negate that damage." Edward slid the card into his graveyard, his face looking a bit strained as he saw what was going on over on Rosemary's field. "Why are your monster's attack points rising like that?" (500-2500)
"Allure Dance allows my Queens to gain the attack of their equipped monsters. And being equipped with Meowser means she can attack once more each monster she has equipped. " Rosemary gestured to Allure Queen, who aimed her rapier at Statue Sculptor. "Off with his head!"
Meowser leapt forwards between Garzett and Statue Magician Girl, Allure Queen chuckling as her rapier skewered Sculptor's throat. He glowed with light and was sucked into the blade, one of the gemstones on the hilt now lighting up. "And any monster she kills with that rapier becomes equipped to her!" (2000-300)
Edward's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed in anger. "You stroppy little bint! I send another Sinister Doctrine to the graveyard to negate the damage!"
"Allure Queen attacks Statue Dark Magician Girl!" Meowswer and Allure Queen rounded on the iconic monster, the tiger's mouth snapping the magician girl's staff in half when she tried to charge up a spell. Then Allure Queen rammed her rapier through her and gave off that cold chuckle as she was absorbed into light and pulled into the rapier. (3000-5000)
"I send another Sinister Doctrine to the graveyard to negate the damage!" Edward shoved the card into his graveyard.
"But you're all out of them now and you're about to be all out of monsters! Allure Queen attacks Great Maju Garzett!" This time, Meowser pounced on the towering demon and pinned him down so Allure Queen could skewer the demon's face with her rapier repeatedly until his gurling wasn't anything but the sound of it choking on its own blood.
Edward staggered again as he was bombarded by the exploding pixels of his monster, clutching at his chest with both hands. "Curse you!" (ELP: 6100)
"You're the one starting Shadow Games for revenge - a simple curse should be no problem for you," Rosemary retorted flatly and then pointed to her field. "I activate the effect of Jeweled Sword - Ican send a monster equipped to Allure Queen to draw one card for each!" The sword glowed, the form of Statue Sculptor briefly visible before fading away as Rosemary drew . "I set one card face-down and end my turn."
"I...I draw…!" Edward drew with unsteady fingers, his breathing hasher than it had been a moment ago.
Looks like his health and his age are catching up to him. Rosemary felt a brief moment of pity for him and the suffering he'd endured at Spirit of the Millenium Ring's hands, with her uncle as the unwitting proxy.
Then the flickering black and purple flames surrounding them danced in the corner of her eye and she felt that pity evaporate in the same moment. He's trying to kill me for something I had no involvement with! Just to satisfy his grudge!
In her soul, Diabound Allure stirred and hissed in approval, as if it was tasting the fury and frustrations simmering in Rosemary's being.
"I summon Tellus, the Little Angel!" Short and squat, the little monster was adorable for the sheer fact it was designed to be; an ovid sphere with cartoon limbs, a painted on expression and wings. (500/500)
"Then - then I will use the effect of Wicked Canticle and tribute Tellus to summon a monster who uses Isfet as material from my Fusion deck!" Edward managed to grin even as he held his chest, his papery-skin giving him a skull-like appearance as his angel melted away.
Out of the remains rose something so wholly monstrous Rosemary couldn't tell if she should fear it or pity it. It was a demonic figure, arms bound to their chest like a straight-jacket with bloodied bandages. There was no lower torso and the head was only revealed by a toothed-shell ridden with spikes on the inside opening like some kind of mutant Venus Flytrap. The monster's mouth was seald with metal bars, more bandages failing to cover the bleeding holes in its head and covering everything but a single, baleful eye. "A-Algean Avatar is s-summoned!" (0/0)
As if in mockery of what had just happened, three faint lights opened above to let three cartoonish angel wings drift down gracefully to join the abomination. "And when Tellus is sent to the graveyard, I banish it and my Magistone Quarry card to summon three Tellus Wing Tokens to my field…" (0/0x3)
Edward began to cough, digging out a handkerchief and wiping at his mouth as his shoulders heaved. But he managed to point at Rosemary with a bony finger. "Tellus Wing Token...attacks Allure Queen…"
"It is your funeral, then. Allure Queen, counterattack! Dark Flux!" Rosemary watched as her Queen's magic blast perforated the oncoming angel wing and reduced it to a crips. Then her eyes widened as Algean Avatar began to growl and writhe, rearing its head back so that it's single eye shone with something dark and twisted. "What is your monster -"
Algean Avatar answered for her. The hit slammed into her like someone had hit her with a sledgehammer, throwing her off her feet. The strike alone would have been enough to rattle her and leave her breathless, but she only belatedly realized she'd been knocked into the flames.
Rather than burn or cook her, they were cold. So cold it seared through her skin like icy knives, her organs burning with thousand, tiny ice needles pressing down at once and her soul writhed in agony as the cold soaked into her so thoroughly she swore she felt parts of her freeze and snap off -
Something powerful looped around her waist and yanked her upright, out of the flames. The world returned in a rush of sound and color and warmth. There was no pain, no injuries, no cold at all. Rosemary struggled to control her own breathing.
"There it is..the demon inside of you...just like Ryou!" Edward rasped in anger, jabbing a finger at the hazy snake tail of Diabound Allure unwinding itself from her and vanishing back into nothingness. "They all said I was crazy - that monsters weren't real. But I knew it! I was right all along! It was real! I can see it right now!"
"I think everyone would appreciate it if you saw it with your eyes, not your mouth!" Rosemary retorted and glanced down at her life point counter. "No…" (RLP: 100)
"This is the power of Algean Avatar - you take any battle damage I would. This is the meaning of anguish, to have your fate completely in the hands of another and despair at your own powerlessness." Edward said with grim satisfaction. "Now sample it fully, devil girl. Tellus Wing Token attacks!"
"Reverse card open - Emergency Provisions! I sent Meowser, Statue Dark Magician Girl and Jeweled Blade to the graveyard to gain one thousand life points for each!" Rosemary breathed a sigh of relief as the cards melted into sparkles that flowed into her and her life points began to roll upwards. (RLP: 100 - 3100)
Allure Queen still blasted the Tellus Wing Token apart and Algean Avatar roared in response. Rosemary threw up her arms as the fusion monster's eye flashed again, the impact rattling her guard and sending her skidding backwards. Only Diabound Allure's hand kept her from crashing back into the flames. The damage is so little, but the hit is so much worse! (RLP: 2600)
"Tellus Wing Token attacks." Edward watched as his last token disintegrated, his features falling into a dark scowl as the blast from Algean Avatar was blocked this time by Diabound Allure's massive clawed hand shielding Rosemary. "You can't stop revenge. Even with your demon! I end my turn." (RLP: 2100)
"You haven't even told me why you want revenge on my uncle, just that you do." Rosemary said and snapped up her card. "Go! Heavy Storm! All spell and trap cards are destroyed!"
Statue Display Gallery and Edward's set card shattered and then Rosemary pointed at Allure Queen. "Make his Algean Avatar aware of its place in the world! Royal Beckons!"
A glow surrounded Algean Avatar, then fizzled apart and leaving Allure Queen looking stunned while Rosemary just thinned her lips. "Very well, if I cannot absorb it, I will destroy it. Dark Flux!"
The energy crashed into Algean Avatar, but didn't destroy it. Edward was still caught in the backlash, groaning softly in pain as he slumped over. "Clever...clever...just like him...you actually read my monster's ability instead of just assuming...I used to admire his thoroughness…" (ELP: 5600)
He straightened in spurts, the act seeming to take a lot more out of him than it should. "That's why we got along so well, you know...two British lads, holed up and reading their books, playing their role-playing games. I was the creative thinker and he was the one who filled in the gaps, wove my threads of fantasy into a tapestry…"
"I do not care at all." Rosemary didn't bat an eye as the older man jerked in surprise, his expression looking like she'd slapped him. "I understand you were once friends with my uncle and that you were one of the evil spirit's victims, sealed into a figurine. That fate is wholly cruel and you are right to be angry over it and the years of your life it took away."
Her expression hardened, black seeping over her eyes, oil leaking into crystal clear water and the flames from the encircling ring behind her began to flicker and twist. They spiraled off and heaped themselves up in mounds, trying to part themselves.
They were trying to get away from her.
"That said, I have spent the last ten years with people trying to hurt me, blaming me for my uncle's actions. They all talk like you, Edward Read, act like you. Angry revenge seekers who think that the world owes them my suffering, misery and pain." The back had nearly swallowed up all of her eyes, morphing her hard expression into something almost monstrous as her voice sharpened with a quiet fury. "And I tell every one of you the same - I am done paying for other people's cruelties!"
"I...ah…" Edward's face had gotten pale, sweat beading on his brow. Then his bony fingers clenched into a fist. "I do not care, I will have my revenge. I have to - it is all I have - I - I can't let you take that away from me, too-!"
He drew, fingers slipping on the card but he managed to pull it up and his eyes lit up. "This card is Spellbook Inside the Pot, so now we can both draw three cards!" He drew his in rapid succession. "I activate a magic card, Centerpiece Statue! This lets me summon a Statue monster from my hand!"
A pedestal rose up next to his avatar, a black stone block on it. The block cracked and crumbled away to reveal a perfect replica of Seto Kaiba's most famous monster. "I summon Blue-Eyes Statue Dragon!" (0/0)
"I draw." Rosemary added the card to her hand and grit her teeth. Edward had been right, she had read the effect of Algean Avatar. Not only was it nearly impossible to destroy and made her take battle damage from fights, three more things were also in play.
She couldn't play any monsters in defense position.
She had to attack with all her monsters.
And as long as he had at least one another monster in play, he could redirect attacks on Algean Avatar to those targets.
Truly a monster designed to create anguish; the only actions one can take simply make the situation worse for them.. And yet, Rosemary didn't feel anything like that. No despair or fear. Just a hard acceptance of the situation. This is nothing compared to what I have endured already! He started this, but I am going to end it!
"I activate Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and discarding two." Rosemary slid her choices into her graveyard. There is a way around this situation - I just have to dig through my deck to find it. "Allure Queen, attack Blue-Eyes Statue Dragon! Dark Flux!"
The Queen looked annoyed at the order, obviously knowing the result, but lashed out with her magic anyway. It crashed into the Blue-Eyes Statue Dragon, but didn't so much as chip it. Edward pointed at his Centerpiece Statue card. "As long as my monster is equipped with this card, you cannot destroy it in battle! And now Algean Avatar -"
The fusion was already charging up, the light flashing from its eye. And again, Diabound Alllure's body manifested just long enough to absorb the force. Edward made a strained noise from deep in his rattly body. "You - curse you -"
Rosemary just stared back at him from within her monster's loving coils, her eyes cold with the oil-spill darkness in them. (RLP: 2600)
"Devil child - monster - I will, I have to -" Edward drew for his turn, his expression strained with frustration and denial. "My revenge…"
He glanced at the drawn card and a hopeful smile tugged at his lips. "Yes, I remember this magic card and I have…" Furtive eyes darted over his hand and then his posture grew more confident. "I activate Statue Forgery. I pick one Statue I have that has zero attack and then summon all copies of it from my deck. But these copies cannot inflict damage and return to my hand at the end of my turn."
Rosemary watched as two hunks of stone rose up and then shattered apart to reveal two more Blue-Eyes Statue Dragons flanking the one he already had. Why summon them? Even if they all attack mode, Allure Queen only has five hundred attack points - wait, three Blue-Eyes!
"I activate the magic card Polymerization! I fuse all three of my Blue-Eyes Statue Dragons together!" Edward's expression was sinister again in the ring of imprisoning fire as his statues faded away, only for an even larger, monolithic statue to erupt out of the ground behind. It filled up the studio space, the flare of its wings knocking over lighting equipment and the heads scraping at the ceiling. "Blue-Eyes Ultimate Statue Dragon!" (0/0)
He held up the final card in his hand, the field slot on his Duel Disk opening so he could shove it inside. "And now I have the field magic card - Statue Zone. All Statue monsters have their effects negated!" The statue behind him began to grind as wings flexed, claws curled and with a triple-throated roar, it sprang to full life. "Attack Allure Queen - cast the devil back into the flames!" (4500/3800)
Blue-Eyes Ultimate Statue Dragon fired, one head after the other adding a stream of energy that became a torrent. It washed over Allure Queen and Rosemary completely, hiding them from view and briefly outshining the bleak light emitted by the flames caging them. Edward's strained expression and his years fell away as relief bubbled out of him first in chuckles, then laughter. "I...I...I d-did it…"
His smile didn't even fade as the energy from the attack cleared, Diabound Allure fading back from non-existence and leaving Rosemary unharmed. "It doesn't even matter that you had that monster, devil child, because I defeated you and -"
Rosemary interrupted him by raising her Duel Disk to show off the life point readout. (RLP: 2600)
"That's not - how - just how?" Edward demanded in disbelieving tones, taking a step back as if the extra distance would give him enough of a view to figure it all out. "That attack should have taken out all of your life points!"
"You forgot something important, Edward. Anguish is a double-edged sword and pain only begets more pain." Rosemary lifted a delicate finger to point at Algean Avatar. "Your monster prevents me from taking any other damage except the kind it inflicts. Now your fusion's attack points don't matter."
She swept out her hand to indicate her bare field. "And further, as long I don't summon a monster, Algean Avatar - you - cannot hurt me. Not unless you can get rid of the Avatar. And given how it seems to be a unique, magical card, I doubt that you can."
"N-no - no no no no no no no no no no!" Edward clutched at his head, suddenly looking more like a man in his eighties than a man in his forties, ever fear and defeat and nightmare he had carved another wrinkle or line on that pained expression. "This can't - why is this happening?! I was free! I wasn't a doll anymore! I was going to get my revenge! This isn't - this isn't -!"
Rosemary just watched as he let out a pain-filled, anger-driven scream of frustration. Then her Duel Disk beeped to indicate her turn and she drew.
"I activate Magicalized Fusion, banishing Allure Queen LV3 on my field and Allure Queen LV5 in my graveyard to fusion summon Allure Empres." In a flash of light, the ultimate royal form of her queen appeared. Elegantly dressed, dark-gloved and dangerous. (1000/2500)
"With her summon, I can add an 'Allure' card from my deck to my hand." Rosemary caught the card her deck spat out and held it up. "And it is Allure Garden - I summon one Royal Pet monster whose level is equal to or less than my Queen's to your field. Royal Pet - Spectrier!"
Spectrier was an imposing sight. She was a massive snow-white unicorn, with a jagged angular horn and a mane that had sparks of electricity arcing through it on occasion. More intimidating where the two large dragon-like wings that she unfurled as she reared up, her hooves sending out a cascade of sparks when they struck the floor. (1500/1500)
"Then Allure Queen's effect equips Spectrier to her." As with Meowser before, Spectrier cantered over and allowed Allure Empress to mount her. (1000-2500)
She held up another spell card. "Then I play Allure Perfume! I equip one monster on the field to my Queen! Blue-Eyes Ultimate Statue Dragon is mine!" The statue fusion glowed, growling in defiance that got it nowhere as it became a sphere of light that entered into Empress' staff. (2500- 7000)
"R-reverse card open!" Edward fumbled for his disk, barely managing to hit the button. "Call of the Haunted! I revive Angel 01!" In a flash of light, the funny-looking angel reappeared. "Now if you attack me, you'll only kill yourself!"
"I would...if it weren't for the effect of Spectrier." Rosemary said, gesturing to the unicorn who gallped and took off to carry Allure Empress above the playing field. "Any Queen that is riding him can attack directly. Dark Flux!"
Edward's eyes went wide as the attack came down, crashing down onto his chest. He didn't even scream or make a noise, just staggered and stared down at the wisps of trailing energy coming from the hit like he'd never seen them before. Then his hands rose to his chest and with a broken, sad noise, he sank to his knees and began to cry. (ELP: 5600-0)
Rosemary watched the flames caging them flickered and vanished in the space of a few heartbeats, leaving her alone with the defeated man. Pity welled up inside her. He had clearly suffered at the ends of the Spirit of the Millenium Ring and had his life stolen from him. Such a thing would drive anyone to an extreme.
But the pity quickly evaporated. After all, that extreme had been trying to kill her for nothing more than being related to Ryou.
"E-edward? Edward Read?"
Rosemary felt her heart stop and she whirled at the sound of Amane's voice. The older woman was standing in the doorway, tablet looking like it was about to slip away from suddenly loose fingers. It was honestly the first time Rosemary could recall ever seeing her manager be so surprised.
Edward looked up from his tears, shock splashing itself across his own face. "A-amane?"
The silence and tension hung in the air, thickening to the point Rosemary was beginning to think no one knew what to do before it popped like a soap bubble. Amane grabbed her arm, phone already in her hand. "Hello? Security? There's an intruder in Studio C. No, my daughter and I are not hurt, but I want him removed from the premises and handed over to the authorities in the next ten minutes!"
"Amane, no! Wait! This has to end! Don't you see? This has to stop!" he made a half stumble towards her, but his shaking legs wouldn't support him.
"Rosemary come here!" For once in her life, Rosie was happy to obey her mother's sharp command, and she moved to the door, putting as much distance as she could between her and her attacker. "We're leaving."
The door slammed shut and then Amane jammed the key into the lock, twisting it. Then she grabbed a bench nearby and one-handed it in front of the doors, even as they heard Edward banging on the other side. Grabbing Rosemary's arm again, she began to pull her daughter down the hall. "I don't know how he found us or how he's alive and I don't want to hear it. I've had enough of these magical shenanigans in my life to know the best thing to do with them is to get as far away as possible."
"Amane, what are you saying? Let go -we have to tell Security and the police what happened!" Rosemary insisted, yanking her arm free. Careful not to raise her voice - volume just set Amane on the warpath.
"And tell Lero Pegasus, too? I'm sure whatever he did or wanted from you was related to Duel Monsters. Most of the nonsense tied my dear brother usually is." Amane retorted. "No, we are leaving Japan and going to China on the next flight I can find."
Rosemary stared at her mother, the sudden spurt of fear at this proclamation draining her strength far more thoroughly than the duel she'd just had did. "What? You can't be serious - you said the cultural exchange started next month. I haven't even had a chance to look over costumes or language and you just want to go to China?"
"You won't need to practice as much since you'll be having a guide. The Shen family is more aware of you than I thought, they reached out to me a bit ago. Their representative is very eager to meet you." Amane continued briskly.
"People need to know -"
"It's nothing a phone call or e-mail won't solve." Amane said, glancing at her finally from the corner of her eye. "Are you hurt?"
"No. The duel was...he wanted to get revenge on Uncle Ryou…I handled it." Rosemary knew that was the right response. Any other response would cause trouble
"Good. The representative is waiting in one of the other rooms. I'll inform Security about what happened." Amane pulled a slender plastic case out of her purse and passed it to her, pushing her gently into the woman's bathroom. "Go and touch up your make-up and pull yourself together. I know this craziness with your uncle's past is taxing, so it'll only be five, ten minutes with the representative. Then you can have the rest of the day off while we get ready to go."
Rosemary took the case and nodded before stepping into the bathroom. The moment the door shut behind her, she slammed a fist into the sink. The throbbing pain in her hand it caused gave her something to focus on.
This was so wrong. This was so unfair, so cruel. She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror, the mussed-up bangs, the ruined make-up. And the oily-blackness teasing at the edges of her eyes. In her soul, Diabound Allure stirred and hissed in joint anger with her.
I should call Lero. I should call him…
She mechanically combed her fingers through her hair, knowing that she would rather face a hundred Edward Reads' than disobey Amane.
TTTTTT
A/N: Did I say I'd post every two weeks? Yeah, totally meaning to do that. Anyway, this duel went through a lot of drafts. Edward's deck kept changing, so did Rosie's. Admittedly, the Statue archetype was something I only hit upon when I needed something simple and it kind of functions like a archetype-focused Skill Drain-style deck. I hope I get to use it again someday.
Next Chapter: We take a trip to the wild side and a darker turn to the past as Sumire's Uncle Marik takes an old minion with a grudge! Let's Take A Ride On The Wild Side!
Created Cards:
ROSEMARY:
Vetran Trainer
LIGHT
4 stars
Warrior/Effect
1200/1400
Effect: When this card is Summoned, you can add one level 5 or 6 'LV' monster from your Deck or Graveyard to your Hand; then you can Tribute Summon that monster by tributing this card. The monster summoned by this effect is treated as being summoned by the correct conditions. You can only use this card's effects once per turn.
Rookie Trainer
LIGHT
3 stars
Warrior/Effect
900/800
Effect: When this card is destroyed as a result of an opponent's card, you can Special Summon one level 4 or lower 'LV' monster from your Deck. During your Standby Phase, if this card is in your graveyard and you control a 'LV' monster, you banish this card and target one 'LV' monster you control, add one card that refers to that monster in its text from your Deck to your Hand. OR add one 'Level Up!' from your Deck to your Hand. You can only use each effect of 'Rookie Trainer' once per turn.
Royal Pet - Sir Barkington
LIGHT
3 stars
Spellcaster/Effect
1500/1500
Effect: (This card is always treated as an 'Allure Queen' card.)If you Summon an 'Allure Queen, you can Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. (If it was there) or Hand (if it was not.) to your opponent's side of the field. This card under your opponent's control cannot be used a Synchro or Xyz Material and cannot be tributed. As long as this monster is face-up, you cannot attack 'Allure Queen' monsters. If this card is equipped to an 'Allure Queen' monster, increase the equipped monster's ATK and DEF by this card's ATK and DEf. You can only use each effect of 'Royal Pet - Sir Barkington' once per turn. An 'Allure Queen' monster equipped with a 'Royal Pet' has the effect of 'Only one card can be equipped due to this effect' negated.
Royal Pet - Meowser
LIGHT
5 stars
Spellcaster/Effect
1500/1500
Effect: (This card is always treated as an 'Allure Queen' card.) If you control an 'Allure Queen' monster, you can Special Summon this card to your opponent's side of the field in Attack Position. This card battles an 'Allure Queen' monster, it's ATK becomes 0. If this card is equipped to an 'Allure Queen' monster, the equipped monster's maximum number of attacks is equal to the number of monsters equipped to it by its own effect. An 'Allure Queen' monster equipped with a 'Royal Pet' has the effect of 'Only one card can be equipped due to this effect' negated.
Royal Pet - Spectrier
LIGHT
7 stars
Spellcaster/Effect
1500/1500
Effect: (This is always treated as an 'Allure Queen' card) If you control an 'Allure Queen' monster, you can Special Summon this card to your opponent's side of the field in Attack Position. If this card is equipped to an 'Allure Queen' monster, the equipped monster can attack directly. If the equipped monster inflicts battle damage, you can target one card on the field, banish it. An 'Allure Queen' monster equipped with a 'Royal Pet' has the effect of 'Only one card can be equipped due to this effect' negated.
Jeweled Royal Sword
Equip Spell Card
Effect: Equip only to an 'Allure Queen' monster. Equip any monsters destroyed as a result of battle with the equipped monster to the equipped monster instead of sending it to the graveyard. Once per turn you can send one monster equipped to an 'Allure Queen' monster to the graveyard, draw one card.
Allure Garden
Normal Spell card
Effect: If you control an 'Allure Queen' monster, Special Summon one 'Royal Pet' monster from your deck to your opponent's side of the field whose level is equal to or less than the 'Allure Queen' monster you control. Once per turn, you can banish this card from your graveyard, equip one 'Royal Pet' monster from your Hand or Graveyard to an 'Allure Queen' monster you control.
Image: The various levels of Allure Queen playing with their corresponding pets; LV3 is playing tug-of-war with Sir Barkington, LV5 is dangling a red string in front of an attentive Meowser and LV7 is grooming Spectrier.
Allure Perfume
Normal Spell Card
Effect: You can select one monster on your opponent's field, then equip that target to your Allure Queen monster, as if it were equipped by that monster's effect. OR target monster equipped to an 'Allure Queen monster, Special Summon it to you side of the field, ignoring its Summoning Conditions. If you special summon an 'Allure Queen' monster by effect of an 'Allure Queen' monster written in its text, you can add this card from your graveyard to your hand. You can only activate each effect of 'Allure Perfume' once per turn.
Image: Allure Queen LV5, looking bored, surrounded by wafts of perfume, watching as all three variants of Legendary Fisherman get in each other's faces, each with a large fish dangling off a hook.
EDWARD:
Statue Sculptor
EARTH
1 star
Fairy/Effect
1000/1000
Effect: When this card is Summoned, you can add one 'Statue' card from your Deck or Graveyard to your Hand. Once per turn, you can Special Summon one 'Statue' monster from your Hand; negate its effects.
Magistone Quarry
Spell card
Effect: You can discard one card, add two 'Statue' monsters from your Deck or Graveyard to your Hand. If a face-up 'Statue' monster you control would be destroyed, you can banish this card from your graveyard instead. You can only use each effect of 'Magistone Quarry' once per turn.
Image: Statue Sculptor inspecting some large black stone in a mine, the phantasmal images of Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Dark Magician battling in the shadow from his torchlight.
Statue Display Gallery
Continuous Trap Card
Effect: Once per turn, you can target one 'Statue' monster you control - negate its effects. If you control no monsters, you can add one 'Magistone Quarry' from your Deck or Graveyard. You can only use each effect of 'Statue Display Gallery' once per turn.
Image: Statue Dark Magician set in alcove with a red rope around it and a crowd of tourist monsters taking photos. The crowd includes Sangan, King of Skull Servants in tropical shirt, some members of Goblin Attack Force and Gagaga Magician Girl while Gagagaga Magician folds his arms and rolls his eyes.
Statue Forgery
Normal Spell Card
Effect: Target one 'Statue' monster that has 0ATK/0DEF, Special Summon as many monsters with the same name as the targeted monster from your Hand, Deck or Graveyard. The monsters summoned by this effect cannot attack directly and are returned to your Hand during the End Phase.
Image: Statue Sculptor throwing a fit as he examines a Statue Toon Dark Magician Girl with 'Made in Toon Kingdom!' stamped in Day-Glo letters on the side while the origins Statue Dark Magician Girl sits alongside it in comparison.
Centerpiece Statue
Equip Spell Card
Effect: Special Summon one 'Statue' monster from your Hand or Graveyard and equip it with this card. The equipped monster cannot be destroyed as a result of battle. If this card is destroyed, destroy the equipped monster.
Image: Blue-Eyes Statue Dragon on a high plinth, bathed in spotlights with the other Statue monsters arrayed in shadows around it.