The next morning the sun was up, no clouds insight. Arata was home already, cooking up some breakfast for both Enko and Masaki. "So..." Said Arata munching on a toast. "you're Enko's classmate right?"
"Yes sir." Said Masaki.
"You can call me Arata, I don't like that polite horseshit." Said Arata cracking some eggs.
"Emmm... Yes." Said Masaki startled. "`The storm last night was pretty bad and Keiko asked if I wanted to pass it here."
"Oh yeah, last night was bruuutal, it sounded like the sky was falling." Replied Arata. "I had to stay the night at a crappy motel. Anyways, you're Masaki Tatsuya, right? That is your last name."
"Yes." Said Masaki. "Why do you ask?"
"Well you might've fooled Enko but you don't fool me, you're here for the actions of Enomoto right?" Said Arata staring at Masaki.
"Indeed I am. However, I won't tell anyone, Keiko did what he did for a reason. I won't forgive him but I won't make his life worse either." While Masaki said this, Enko was just staring at the floor in shame.
"Oh... Well that went easier than expected, I was ready to beat you up." Arata's words scared both Enko and Masaki. "Ha! I'm just kidding. Enough talking and more eating!"
Enko and Arata both devoured their breakfast like animals, but Masaki was curious about Arata's black wooden box.
Whilst Enko was cleaning the dishes, Masaki grabbed the box, opening to see a deck. "So you play Yu-Gi-Oh too?" Asked Masaki to Arata.
"Yu-Gi-Oh? I played it when I was your age, not anymore. I was planning on giving them to Enomoto." Said Arata lighting up a cigarette.
"Oh! Aniki, I forgot to tell you... I already have one, hehe... But I didn't know you played it!" Said Enomoto.
"Yeah... All the kids played it in my time, I didn't know it was still that big." Said Arata looking through the cards. "Man the game has changed... Brings back so many memories..."
"Maybe you can join us next time." Said Enko.
"What!? I'm not hanging around with some kids, I have enough with you." Said Arata standing up. "Alright I'm gonna smoke, Masaki is you need anything just ask." Arata left the room, going outside. The two boys stayed in awkward silence, until Athena called Masaki, screaming about some duel he can't miss. "Keiko, come."
"What now? Aren't we supposed to not be friends?" Said Enko smugly.
"If you want to get better at Yu-Gi-Oh, seeing Athena duel will give you a pretty good idea of what do." Replied Masaki ignoring Enko's bait.
Back in the card shop, Athena was having some banter with one of the costumers, attracting the attention of people all around the plaza.
"Here we go again..." Said Oki from behind the counter. "Hey don't clog the entrance!"
"I'm telling you this was the girl that scratched my car!" Said the costumer.
"I was skating you were the one that almost runs me over!" Replied Athena even angrier.
"Okay guys don't start a fight in the store please!" Said Oki increasingly worried. "If you wanna fight it has to be a duel, store rules!"
"Duel? Fine, I'll put this brat on her place!" Said the costumer putting the VR goggles.
/Starting Duel/
The simulation transported them both to the top of a massive skyscraper at night, so massive the clouds were underneath them. The guy kept checking Athena out, which only make her more pissed off. 6 cards appeared on Athena's hand, and the duel started.
"I activate pot of greed, then set a card, your turn." Athena passed turn with a smug look on her face, but the man only wanted to "put the brat on her place." "I too activate pot of greed! Then I activate my field spell, Elborz, the sacred lands of simorgh!" A strong tornado covered the skyscraper, before violently fading and now, the building was not in a big city, but in the middle of a series of mountain ranges.
"Woooaaaah, what a view! It's gonna be so fun kicking your ass here!" Said Athena.
"I'm not finished! I summon Bladefly in ATK position!" A giant fly weilding a rusted weapon appeard from below the skyscraper. "Then I activate wing requital, paying 600 life points to draw 1 card in my turn."Ha! Bladefly, attack directly!" the monster attacked Athena with it's rusty weapon, the hologram stung a bit nothing to think more about. "Your turn!"
/Player 1 LP: 2900 of 4000/
"Tsch. Draw! Alright buddie was nice talking to you but you duel too slow for me! I activate instant fusion, paying a 1000 LP to special sumoooooon..." Said Athena as she shook up the ramen cup. "Lyrilusc-Independent Nightingale! Isn't she the cutest? Well wait, there's more for you, asshole. I SACRIFICE NIGHTINGALE TO SUMMON THE HEAD HONCHO AROUND HERE, THE TYRANT NEPTUNE!" A red smog covered Athena's side of the field, and Nightingale willingly stepped into it. Seconds passed until a deep, reptile like roar was heard, followed by an immense scythe being hurled at the ground. A four legged creature, a reptilian centaur covered in matte silver armor. His head shrouded in shadows, only letting his big yellow eyes shine through.
"0 ATK? Don't make me laugh." Said the guy laughing at Athena.
"Well let's see if this is as funny to you, TYRANT NEPTUNE CAN COPY THE EFFECTS OF THE MONSTERS USED TO BRING HIM UP, AND NIGHTINGALE HAS SOME INTERESTING STUFF... First of all, Tyrant Neptune now gains ATK equal to it's level x500..."
/Tyrant Neptune current ATK: 6000/Tyrant level: 10/
"Aaaaalso, he is now unaffected by other card's effects... But the most funny part is, are you ready? ONCE PER TURN, I can inflict damage to YOU equal to Tyrant's level x500! TYRANT, CRUSHING GRAVITY!" Neptune's scythe started being covered in the red mist from which he came, making it bigger, sharper, deathlier. With a loud scream of war, Neptune hurled the scythe at the guy, again holograms don't hurt, but the burning sensation of such a strong power was very much real, even if it was the human mind playing tricks on us.
/Player 1 wins/
"Wooooah! She won without even battling!" Said Enko impressed.
"So predictable... All of her duels boil down to that." Said Masaki disappointed.
"Whatever, this game is rigged anyways... If I had a good hand you'd be the loser!" Said the guy, storming out of the store.
"I heard ya! Does "Bianco" want some of Neptune?" Said Athena being super sassy.
"Bianco?" Asked Enko.
"A nickname I was given, don't think to much about it. And no, I won't waste my time on you today Athena." Masaki took some card packs off the shelves and bought them.
"I will, hehe~" Said Kazuki. "We haven't duel in so long."
"Feeling brave are we? Good." Said Athena with a smile on her face.
/Starting Duel/
Back again in the skyscraper, Athena and Kazui were prepared.
"Draw! I summon you, Time Thief Regulator!" a mechanical, almost wind-up animal appeared on the field. "Since I control no other monsters, I can activate it's effect, tributing itself to summon 2 other Time Thiefs from my deck in DEF position. Come out, Time Thief Winder, Time Thief Bezel ship!" Regulator turned into a neon blue gear, summoning the two new monsters to the field. "If Winder is special summoned, I can add 1 Time Thief card to my hand! Isn't he neat~?" a card appeared on Kazuki's hand, which she inmediately set. "Well Athena is a really serious rival, so how about you come out already! XyZ summon, Time Thief Redoer!" Both winder and Bezel ship shattered, turning into one big neon blue gear, absorbing what seemed like stardust. From that portal appeared a white haired young boy in an extravagant Attire, with a weird glove on his hand. "I set another card then end my turn~."
"Redoer this early? That's gonna be a problem... Draw!"
"Athena-chan, Time Thief Redoer always steals the top card of your deck after you draw." Said Kazuki interrupting Athena's turn. As she said, another orb came from Athena's deck, orbitating Redoer.
"Whatever, like I needed that." Said Athena. "WAIT, MY INSTANT FUSION!"
"Yeeeeey! Now let's see how you function without that." Said Kazuki.
"I special summon Photon Thrasher, then I normal summon Road Raven Renegade! XyZ summon, King Of The Feral Imps in DEF position! I end my turn..." Said Athena pissed off.
"Ooooh straight to the point I see. Draw! Redoer, steal her top card again! Now, I activate Chaos space!" A blue and white portal appeared above Kazuki, humming with force. "I send The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots to the graveyard to add to my hand White Dragon Wyverbuster!" The portal closed, returning the skyscraper to the silence of the night, but not for long. "Wyverbuster effect, activate! By banishing a dark monster from my GY, I can special summon Wyverbuster to my field! That's not all, I activate Quick Launch, chaining it with my trap card The Phantom Kinighs of Shade Brigandine!"
"Oh here we go, typical Kazuki's eternal duel." Said Athena half joking.
"Shade Brigandine summons itself as a level 4 monster in DEF position, and quick launch lets me summon a Rokket monster directly from the deck! Rokket Tracer!" The red robot dragon appeared from the sky at top high speed, landing on the field with force. "Rokket Trace effect activates, destroying a card I control to special summon a Rokket monster from my deck; I destroy Wyverbuster and summon Magnarokket Dragon! Wyverbuster effect activates as it leaves the field, adding Black Dragon Collapserpent to my hand, and by banishing Wyverbuster I can special summon it!"
Another blue and white portal appeared, swallowing Wyverbuster and letting out Collapserpent in DEF position. "It's not over yet! i use Shade Brigandine and Collapserpent to XyZ Raidraptor-Force Strix! Force Strix adds to my hand 1 level 4 dark monster by detaching 1 material! Raidraptor-Singing Lanius!" One of Force Strix orbs shattered, turning into Singing Lanius in Kazuki's hand. "Since I have an XyZ monster I can special summon Sining Lanius to my field! Then, I use Force Strix and Singing Lanius to Link summon Raidraptor-Wise Strix!" Both raidraptors starting glowing red, eventually becoming nothing more than red beams that combined into Wise Strix, leaving his link arrows marked on the ground below him. "Wise Strix specials summons a Raidraptor monster from my deck, negating its effects, Strangle Lanius!" Wise Strix bottom left arrow started glowing, calling Strangle Lanius to action. "Link scaling! Wise Strix, Magnarokket Dragon, summon The Phantom Knights Of Rusty Bardiche!"
A Blue flame erupted in the field, calling upon a haunted armor with a tattered cape, weilding a ferocious axe. "Rusty Bardiche sends a Phantom Knight from my dek to the GY to set a Phantom Knights trap directly from my deck, now... Battle Phase!"
"Finally some action, I was starting to fall asleep!" Said Athena screaming.
"Rusty Bardiche. Hellfire Swing!" Kazuki's link monster cleaved in half King Of the Feral Imp, leaving redoer and opening for a direct attack. "REDOER, GEAR CONTROL!" The blue gear on Redoer's glove starting glowing, shooting a blue beam to Athena.
"UGH! Damnit!" Said Athena.
/Player 1 LP: 1600/
Rokket Tracer was destroyed due to Quick Launch's effect, and as always, after drawing, Redoer took a card of Athena's deck. "Don't think it's over! I set two cards then activate card of demise!" A guillotine appeared, holding unto Athena's hand in it's contraption. "I draw until I have 5 cards in my hand, and during my 5th standby phase, i have to sed my deck to the GY."
"That's the Athena I was waiting for." Said Kazuki happily.
"Now, I activate my two set spells, card of Variation, drawing another 2 cards for each! JA! I activate my third card of variaton, and then my trusty pot of greed! JAJA, VICTORY IS MINE! I pay 1000 Life Points to activate ins-"
"Time Thief Retrograde." The card Kazuki set at the beginning of the duel started glowing, revealiing a counter trap. "If I control a Time Thief XyZ monster, I can negate the activation of a Spell or trap, and the attach it to said monster."
/Player 1 LP: 600/
"FUCK! No matter, I can still win!" Athena's heart was pumping full of adrenaline, this was her type of duel. "Since you control more monsters than I do I can special summon Heroic Challenger-Assault Halberd!" From behind Athena a fierce warrior appeared, jumping to the field. "Then, I summon Code Radiator in ATK position, and since I've normal summoned a level 4 monster, I can special summon Kagetokage from my hand!" A small shadow lizzard emerged from the ground, below Radiator. "Link summon, Transcode Talker! And since Radiator was used as a link material, I can make two of your monsters ATK drop to 0, and negate it's effects!"
"TIme Thief redoer effect, activate! I detach two cards from him to banish him until the end phase and draw 1 card!"
"Doesn't matter now! Code Exporter, Micro Coder, Code Generator..." Athena's cards started glowing in her hand. "Combine with Transcode Talker! Plan B: Accesscode Talker!" A Transcode started glowing, changing it's form like it was being reprogrammed, into a gold and white robot, holding a gigantic golden lance. "Accesscode Talker adds the ATK of the link monster used to bring him to itself!"
/Accesscode Talker ATK: 5300/
"NOW, ACCESSCODE TALKER, DOMINATING MATRIX!" Accesscode lance's purple details started glowing, as well as all the purple orbs across its body, and with a powerful force he thrust its spear right into the weakened Rusty Bardiche, ending the duel.
/Player 1 Wins/
"Noooo waaaaaaay." Said Kazuki sobbing. "I almost had you..."
"Kazuki-chan you're as intense as ever to duel with!" Said Athena still on that adrenaline rush.
"Hmmm.(Kazuki's ace card was strong enough to win that, such a waste.)Yes, Wakui has improved a lot over the years." Said Masaki.
"Kyaaaaa~, Masaki's compliments are the best thing eveeeeer!" Said Kazuki hugging him, Masaki on the other hand seemed rather annoyed.
"Hey stop screaming and come look at this!" Said Oki turning on the TV.
/To all duelists, after a long time of preparation, I can inform you that the Silver City Government will be hosting the first official Yu-Gi-Oh tournament! And I'm pleasured to say that some of the best duelists from all the world will be attending to conmemorate this magnificent event! I am Gardius, CEO of Industrial Illusions, and thanks to the hard work of everyone on the company, we are eager to announce that the price for the winner will be a fully custom card for their personal collection, and a quite generous cash prize... SO COME ON EVERYONE, JOIN US!/
"Gardius..." Said Masaki. "He visits my father a lot, but I did not think he was linked to Yu-Gi-Oh..."
"Oh man I gotta tell Tsutsumi about this!" Said Enko.
"Pffff, don't make me laugh, you've only dueled once and you plan on joining?" Said Oki laughing at him.
"Hey quit it! I wasn't planning on joining but I will just to shut your mouth!" Replied Enko.
"Oh yeah! Well let's see if you last more than one turn against me, you dumbass!" Said Oki even more angry than Enko. Both continued to fight, but Masaki noticed the Kazuki was quieter than usual, almost worried...