"Aaaaand we finish it off by doing a link summon, chaining a graveyard effect, discarding this one to activate it's effect and disrupt our opponents handtraps aaand attacking for game, got it?" Said Oki.
"Eeeeeeem... sure. What was a synchro summon again?" Replied Enko with a dumb look on his eyes. They have been explaining the rules to him for over an hour now, with little to no progress made. Eventually Masaki got fed up and challenged Enko to a duel.
"Don't you think it's a bit early?" Said Athena. "This guy doesn't even know where to put the damn cards on the board."
"I'm not asking him to win, but maybe feeling the game he will get a better grasp on it." Said Masaki. "Just log-on on this and put the goggles on, I'll turn off the AI so I can play against you."
"Goggles?" The machine Enko was playing in was quite interesting; an interface on each side with a black field between them, like a two-way arcade. Just as Masaki said, there were some VR goggles underneath the field display. Enko stood watching as Masaki put the goggles on. Once he had them, touching the field display caused some holograms to appear in his fingertips, turning on the display and creating holographic cards in his hand, 5 to be exact. Enko clumsily put on his goggles, introduced his name and the deck Oki provided to him and touched the screen like Masaki did. Suddenly, the VR simulation started. The space around him expanded to a barron wasteland, black clouds covering the sun and a strong wind swipping everything; although nothing was real, it felt like it.
"Welcome to my piece of mind." Said Masaki, standing on the other side of the now enormous field. His hair tips now glowing a neon blue. "Since it's your first time on this I'll let you go first."
"Okay... Draw." 6 cards appeared on Enko's left hand, meanwhile Arata only had 5. "Emmm... I use pot of greed to draw two cards... then... I summon hunter dragon in ATK position... emm... your turn?" Enko was as confused as ever, but before he could wrap his head around it, a green smiling pot appeared on the field, spitting a card on Enko's hand and summoning Hunter Dragon from his head before shattering. The monster ascended to the skies before landing on the field again. Even though they were VR they looked so real, it was amazing.
"You reek like a novice." Said Masaki with his typical stare. "Draw! Heh... I activate summoner's art, bringing a powerful normal monster to my hand!" A hooded wizard appeared on the field, performing the ritual that made descend the card from the cloudy sky. "I was gonna go easy on you, but honestly I can't stand that dumb look on your face... I activate Ancient Rules, summoning the normal monster without sacrifices needed!"
The thunder rumbled as the card glowed and shattered, and after not even a second of calm, the ground opened a bright yellow pit, letting out a gigantic demon, made of bare bones and flesh, crackling with the power of lightning. "BEHOLD MY SUMMONED SKULL."
"What the fu..." Said Enko with his jaw on the floor.
"SUMMONED SKULL, CRUSH THAT PUNY WORM." Said Masaki rolling the R as hard as he could. "BATTLE PHASE!" Lightning started forming on the demon's claws, and even with the swift movements of Hunter Dragon, Summoned Skull won the fight easily; although more than a fight that was an execution.
/Player 2 remaining Life Points: 3200/ Said the voice of the Machine.
"Ugh... This isn't over yet!(I can let that snotty rich kid win me!)" Said Enko grinding his teeth. "Draw! Hmmm... I summon Al-Lumi'raj on attack positon! hehe~" The little blue translucid animal hopped from behind Enko's back. When it's feet touched the field, a blue wave was created, weakening all monsters on the field.
/Al-Lumi'raj ATK lowered to: 700; Summoned Skull ATK lowered to: 700/
"That's right baby! Don't understimate the little one, finish him!" Al-Lumi'raj shoot a tiny laser from his horn, shattering the overly weakened Summoned Skull, not before the demon landed a lightning on the little guy as well.
"Don't get too cocky." Said Masaki. "It's my turn now, Draw! Haha... I summon D/D Evil in ATK position!" The card shattered on Masaki's slim fingers, making a dark nebulous portal appeared infront of him, from which a bizarre, almost indescribable demon emerged.
"2-2000 ATK POINTS? JUST LIKE THAT?" Exclaimed Enko.
"HIT HIM WHERE IT HURTS! D/D PLASMA BALL!" The demon conjured a dark orb on it's hands, launching it at Enko, exploding on impact. The attack did not hurt, but the shockwave felt very much real, putting Enko on one knee.
/Player 2 remaining Life Points: 1200/
"Damn it..." Said Enko trying to recover. Masaki set a card infront of him, hovering, and ended his turn.
"Draw!(Huh? This one's got a weird symbol on it...)I set a card like you did and I summon Mist Valley Soldier!" A hazy tornado appeared on the field, which disappeared and revealed the winged warrior. "Your turn."
"(He seems to be getting it now...)Draw! I summon D/D Orthros in DEF position! NOW, D/D EVIL, D/D PLASMA B-"
suddenly, the simulation was cut, returning them back to the backroom of the shop, apparently someone had unplugged the machine.
"Oki! What the hell is going on?" A tall buffed woman was holding the cable in her hands, scolding Oki. "You're supposed to be attending the shop, as you said you could do." Said the woman smugly.
"Sorry mom... Some new friends came and-"
"New friends?" Oki's mom expression changed instantly. "Hiiiiii! I'm Mitsune Wolfein, Oki's mom! Who are you two?" Mitsune looked at Tsutsumi, like she knew him. "Oh. My. God. Little Tsutsumi!?" Sais Mitsune grabbing Tsutsu by the cheeks. "I haven't seen you since you were a little baaaby!"
"Wh-what?" Said Tsutsumi trying to speak. "You know me?"
"Well I know your mother, we used to talk a lot back in the day." Said Mitsune. "Nishida Tachimukai right? How's she going?"
"She's doing fine, thanks." Tsutsumi was a bit confused, but he still tried to be polite.
"Well I can't say I know you." Said Mitsune pointing at Enko.
"He is Enomoto Keiko, one of my highschool new friends." Said Masaki. The way he talked in real life and the way he talked dueling were completely differing, which threw Enko a bit off.
"Keiko!?" Said Mitsune surprised. "Huh. Well nice to meet you Enomoto-kun."
"Nice to meet you too... I-I gotta go home now." Enko ran to the orphanage, thinking she knew he was the perpetrator. As he run through the streets, a loud siren startled him, making Enko fall face first in the ground. His heart felt like it was about to burst through his chest, his knees were weak, he couldn't stand up. The siren eventually faded, leaving only the thuds of his heartbeat. He eventually stood up, seeing Masaki standing infront of him.
"Are you okay, Keiko?" Said Masaki lending him a hand. "You've been acting very strange this whole day."
"Yes... I'm okay." Said Enko, struggling a bit. "I'm just, you know, nervous of school, haha."
"Hmmm... Did you heard the siren? A storm is approaching. I'ts been raining quite a lot so it shouldn't be that surprising, don't you think?"
"I mean, it wasn't that surprising." Replied Enko.
"Then why did you fall like that?" Asked Masaki, throwing his usual cold stare at him.
Enko swallowed what little saliva was still in his dry mouth, almost choking. "I-I slipped, yeah. I'm not used to the rain you know?"
"Do you want me to help you back home? It's getting late, your parents must be worried." Said Masaki. Enko could see the orphanage down the street, he couldn't let Masaki know he lived there.
"No no, it's okay, they're used to me being outside a lot, haha." Enko did some finger gunning at Masaki, but he grabbed Enko's hand suddenly. The strong grip and the cold stare sent Enko into a panic state again. "Hey man! What the hell are you doing? W-w-wanna catch these haaands?"
"Did you really think I wouldn't notice?" Said Masaki. "You didn't even tried to hide your last name and you thought I wouldn't notice?"
"What's so special about my last name?" Said Enko confused.
"Why don't you answer me that, Keiko?" Masaki took an envelope from his shirt's pocket, containing some fingerprints samples. "Next time make sure to check for cameras, asshole." Said Masaki as he landed a punch on Enko's face. "THAT WAS MY MOTHER'S LEGACY!" Enko tried to stand up, but Masaki sent him back to the ground with a kick. "AND YOU TOOK IT FROM ME! WHY?"
"Fuck fuck fuck." Muttered Enko as he started running, followed closely by Masaki. He almost got caught until the loudest thunder rumbled the sky and the ground, leaving the whole city shaking. Rain starting to pour, flooding the streets in an instant. Enko look one last time at Masaki before heading straight into the orphanage, but Masaki just stood there, staring at him, gripping the envelope he was carrying.
"ARATA! ARATA!" Screamed Enko into the echoing hallways. After reaching Arata's room, he found a fat stack of money and a note.
"Enomoto, I went to sell that stupid thing you brought, here's the money. I have some business to attend so I wont be home tonight, you have food downstairs, take care."
"Oh no... Oh no... That's it... I'm done for..." Enko collapsed in the ground, hugging his knees. The same emotions he felt in his rush of adrenaline yesterday were know making him feel sick. All of his dreams of scaping his current situation, of helping Arata as well, were now gone, erased by the feeling of emptiness in his stomach, by a tight knot forming on his throat. Arata always warned him about getting into trouble but he couldn't help it, he didn't had anything. What seemed like hours passed, and the storm only got worse and worse. He eventually went downstairs, alarmed by the sound of the big front door opening. Was it Arata?
Enko rushed downstairs, only to meet Masaki again, this time wearing a trenchcoat and some gloves. This time he didn't ran, he stood, watching, staring at Masaki. "Listen, I-"
"I don't need your words, Keiko." Said Masaki. "My father is already working on tracking down the necklace."
"Is the police outside?" Asked Enko scared.
"No. Nobody knows it was you except me, for the moment." Replied Masaki. "You live here?"
"Yes..." Enko was scared beyond repair still, but he tried to appear cool headed. "I-I don't have parents..."
"Sympathy won't get you anywhere Keiko." Said Masaki with a tone sharp enough to cut through steel. "But you can keep whatever money you made, I won't tell anyone that you were the robber."
"Wait a minute." Said Enko snapping back to his normal self. "Last time we saw eachother you looked like you want me dead."
Masaki looked away from Enko for a second. "Don't make me change my opinion." Masaki was about to leave when Enko stopped him. "What do you want now."
"It's pouring outside you're gonna die or something if you leave." Said Enko.
"It doesn't look like this rotten building is a lot better." Replied Masaki, clearly pissed off. "And also, don't you think just because I spared you we are friends." Masaki left the orphanage, leaving Enko relieved. He was about to go to the kitchen, but a loud thunder like the one before caused him to run away upstairs in fear, not before hearing a knocking on the door. "Okay maybe I will stay." Heard Enko coming from outside. "But don't think I have forsaken you!"