Yumi and Kaguya duel to finally settle their differences.
"Things would be over in a second if I went first, so you can have at least some chance," Kaguya said, seemingly attempting to psych her opponent out before the game even started.
"Okay, then. Draw!" Not wanting to let her preconceptions get the better of her, Yumi planned to take this duel seriously from the start. To that end, she wasn't going to pull any punches. "I activate my Magic Card, Unexpected Guy. This lets me summon a Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from my deck if I have no monsters."
Her choice was Hat-Trick Magician, this strategy having become a common opener for her these days. It shouldn't be a surprise what came next. "I summon Scaredy Lion. Then, I overlay my Level 4 Hat-Trick Magician to my Level 4 Scaredy Lion. Xyz Summon! Rank 4, Cairngorgon, Dark-Line Change-Warrior!"
"Xyz Summon right from the start! That's the way!" Though not his preferred method of playing, Kazuhiko always liked to see other forms of high-speed summoning. Keeping Cairngorgon out there would likely be helpful in gaining the early edge, since its effect provided it decent protection against many effects and its stats could hold up against a lot of common monsters.
"Typical plays like that won't even put a dent in my Life Points," Kaguya said defiantly, her only source of confidence being the foreknowledge that her hand currently contained the cards to overcome the monster.
"Then I'll set a card and end my turn," Yumi replied, curious to see what kind of deck she'd be using. Despite knowing each other for a few years now, they'd never actually dueled before this point. Kaguya just dismissed her as too weak and continually moved the goalposts on what kind of feats she'd need to accomplish to be on her level.
"It's my turn." The card she'd drawn was entirely useless, literally unplayable in her deck. It didn't matter, though, as most of her other cards had enough utility to make up for it. "I activate Bait Doll, which forces your Trap Card to activate and destroys it if its timing is off."
The face-down Mirror Force card was flipped up, two large nails piercing through it in an X formation before it crumbled to pieces. Though Yumi would normally be pretty upset by this, she'd kind of gotten used to having this card destroyed before she could use it. "And instead of going to the Graveyard, I put Bait Doll back in my deck after it's used."
Deck thickener or not, the promise of Bait Doll's indefinite return was somewhat annoying. Not quite as much as the next card Kaguya was about to play, but still a headache to come. "Now I can play Ancient Rule, a Magic Card that lets me summon a Level 5 or higher Normal Monster in my hand without release. I choose Cosmo Queen!"
The hologram appearing on the field was strikingly beautiful in its own right – the face of regal elegance combined with the oppressive sense of scale inherent with something so strong – but it was the card placed down that really caught Yumi's eye. "What's wrong with your card?" she asked.
"Nothing!" she shouted defensively. "All I did was change the art. It's not illegal." Holding up the card, Kaguya pointed out how she'd extended the original card's art beyond its borders in a truly impressive display of painting. "All the important information is still on it. The duel disk reads it. So just shut up about it. If it's such a big problem, just quit already."
"No, it's not a problem," Yumi said, taken aback by just how touchy she was being over a small comment. "It looks really cool. I've just never seen anything like that before, is all."
Initially a bit flustered at having her art complimented, Kaguya quickly returned to her default state. "I'm not letting you win just because you have good taste. I summon Ghost Knight – Deathcaliber Knight. Both of them attack you!"
Without Mirror Force, Cosmo Queen was free to suck Cairngorgon into a black hole without resistance, leaving Deathcaliber Knight to ride forward and slash into Yumi directly. On only the second turn, her Life Points had already fallen to 1650. She ended her turn after that, laughing maniacally for effect before quickly descending into a coughing fit that nearly threatened to make her pass out.
"Yumi, if you have a new extra special card you didn't want me to see before, you might want to use it now since you're in kind of a bad position!" Suzy did not mince words.
"Hold on," Kazuhiko said, turning towards her. "Did you start this whole thing just so Yumi would play her new card?"
"I did not," she responded, looking offended at the accusation. "I really do want to see Kaguya get beaten. I just also want to see that card, and if I can see both at the same time, that's even better." He couldn't really argue with that.
Drawing a card, Yumi realized she was in a somewhat precarious situation. It didn't so much seem she'd misjudged Kaguya's skill so much as she'd just gotten very lucky with her opening hand. Either way, with the way things were right now, she was in a pretty poor position. All she could really do was mitigate the damage and stall.
"I summon Rusty Swordsman, then equip it with the Equip Magic, Broken Wand. With this, Rusty Swordsman gains 500 ATK." Moving to the Battle Phase, Yumi's monster barely managed to overcome Deathcaliber Knight, hitting for a minuscule 100 damage. More importantly, it got rid of the knight's effect, which would be troublesome should she need a monster's effect in the near future. "Turn end," she declared to a chorus of celebratory air horns played on Hideo's phone.
"Draw!" Kaguya declared, not even trying to hide her disappointment at grabbing yet another card she couldn't use. This one was at least playable, though. Even so, she'd rather flip the board than wait for that time to come. "I activate Hand Obliteration, making us both discard our hands and draw the same number of cards."
Yumi dropped her Crane Crane, getting to draw Flame Viper for her trouble. That was beside the point, though, as the sheer absurdity of Kaguya's cards quickly usurped any potential strategizing she could do at the moment.
The first card was Water Dragon, which simply could not be summoned in this deck. What's more, the art had also been altered on this card, changing the monster into half western-style dragon covered in azure scales, half water with incredibly detailed wave patterns straight out of a Hokusai carving.
The next was Greed Quasar. By all accounts a better card that could actually be played, though it didn't seem to stick to any sort of theme or strategy. This one also had custom art, taking the form of...a hot anime girl. The only resemblance to the base monster was the girl's sharp teeth, as well as the bulky metal bikini(?) she wore resembling two of the body segments from the alien creature.
Whatever Kaguya managed to draw, it didn't seem to change her mood. In similarly baffling turn of events, she played her next card. "I activate The Inexperienced Spy, which lets me see a card in your hand."
"Flame Viper," Yumi said, her confusion evident in her voice. "What kind of deck are you using?" she asked with utter sincerity. This collection of cards lacked any kind of cohesion or strategy beyond summoning something and attacking. Even at its most disorganized, Yumi's deck still made more sense.
"The deck that's going to beat you," she said defiantly. Setting a card, she attacked again. Unfortunately, it didn't connect. "How?" she demanded, seemingly with genuine fury over this minor inconvenience.
"It's Broken Wand's effect," Yumi explained. "When it's equipped, Rusty Swordsman gains the effect to return to my hand and end the Battle Phase."
"Cheap garbage," she cursed under her breath. "Turn end," she declared.
Though this would normally be the time for caution, Yumi had seen enough to conclude that set card was most likely nothing to worry about. She was right, of course, as it was nothing more than a Gryphon Wing, the only notable featuring being its incredibly detailed alternate art and wind gust effects escaping the border of the picture. To Kaguya's credit, it was at least playable, as some people did occasionally use the card it was meant to specifically counter.
"What the hell is she doing?" Kazuhiko asked Hideo off to the side, just as confused as Yumi about what her opponent was intending with these cards. Though typically the expert when it came to analyzing cards and predicting strategies, Hideo was as lost as the rest when it came to Kaguya's deck.
"It's like she chose all her cards...at random," Suzy said.
"Or because she wanted to paint over them," he added. In truth, this was precisely it. Though not exactly a novice, Kaguya cared little for the actual game of Duel Monsters, preferring to use her deck as a venue to show off her art. To that end, she'd picked cards she was inspired to create with and slapped them all together, adding in a few hastily chosen support cards to help give the appearance of a coherent strategy.
And, despite this obvious handicap, she was still entirely convinced she could defeat Yumi. "I activate the Magic Card, Instant Fusion," Yumi declared, a large cup of instant ramen appearing on the field. "For just 1000 Life Points, I get to summon a Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck, but it can't attack and will be destroyed at my End Phase."
"That's just pathetic," Kaguya chided. "There's no point to doing that. Just quit if you're not playing seriously." She was one to talk, all four thought unison.
With only 650 Life left, she made her choice. "I summon Fungal Growth," Yumi said, the demonic, purple mushrooms sprouting from the rim of the cup itself. "Next, I play my Flame Viper in Attack Mode."
The appearance of two Level 2 monsters could only mean one thing. "Xyz Summon!" she announced, the monsters being pulled into the spinning galaxy. "Rank 2, Enchanter Ballantine!" From out of the portal appeared a white-clad magician, waving its hands around joyously as it made its debut. "That's the card, Suzy," she said, registering her squeal of delight before continuing with her turn.
"Enchanter Ballantine's effect lets me detach Overlay Units and target a monster you control. For each one, your monster loses 500 ATK and mine gains the same amount." With both units gliding into the monster's bow tie, Cosmo Queen let out a quiet sigh as it lost its strength. By contrast, Ballantine only grew stronger, with their resulting ATK placed at 1900 and 2500, respectively.
"Battle! Enchanter Ballantine, Vaudeville Clash!" The monster drew a pair of daggers from its sleeve, walking forward menacingly to attack, only to trip and send them flying into the opponent entirely by accident. The result was the same regardless, dropping Kaguya's Life Points to 3300.
Instead of standing up once more, Ballantine continued to look confused on the floor. "When my monster attacks, it switches to Defense Mode at the end of the Damage Step. And since I gained ATK this turn, I lose that same amount of DEF." As such, her monster now had a grand total of 0 DEF to protect her.
Despite being in the superior position, Kaguya was nothing but angry at this development. Drawing her card, she summoned Space Sunfish. Though the hologram didn't change, the card itself took a much more literal take on its name, appearing as a star floating through space in the shape of the sunfish, a wild collection of reds, yellows, oranges, and whites all swirling together over top the original art.
The monster was successful in destroying Ballantine, blasting it with a beam of blue light until it disintegrated. A rather abrupt end to its time on the field. After that, though, there was nothing more she could do. "Turn end."
"Yumi! Hurry up already! We got stuff to do!" Kazuhiko spoke for all of them in his growing boredom with the duel. Outside of a string of absurdly bad draws, there was no real way for Yumi to lose even with her remaining Life Points.
"Shut up!" Kaguya shouted, nearly ready to thoughtlessly invite all of them to join in the duel to keep them from being impatient, quickly burying that thought after realizing just how bad that idea was.
With a sigh, Yumi began her turn. "I summon Rusty Swordsman and equip it with Power of Unity." Once more she overpowered Kaguya's monster, lowering her Life Points to 2700.
Drawing, Kaguya's furious expression changed to one of delight. "I activate Pot of Greed!" she announced. "Do you even know what this card does?" she asked mockingly.
"Does it let you draw two cards?" Yumi answered, thinking back to the hundreds of times she'd used it in the past.
After a short moment of silence, Kaguya begrudgingly muttered, "Lucky guess," before fulfilling the effect. She was similarly happy with the results here, quickly playing one of them to the field. "When you have a monster and I don't, I can Special Summon Vice Dragon from my hand by halving its ATK and DEF." The dragon descended to the field with a roar, seemingly lacking much enthusiasm given its card wasn't in any way changed like the rest.
"Now I release Vice Dragon to set a monster." Though not exactly an impressive move on its own, seeing an Advance Set in person was quite rare. "I end my turn, so come on. Attack me. See what happens."
"I don't think I'll do that," Yumi said, seeing the obvious trap for what it was. She set the Majesty Sanction she'd drawn for the turn and ended without doing anything else.
"You're such a coward!" she yelled. "How do you expect this duel to continue if you won't even attack me?"
She blinked, unsure as to whether Kaguya was simply trying to goad her into a bad move or if she actually believed the things she was saying. "I could just wait until my field is more secure to move. It doesn't look like you're planning to do much."
"But that's not fair!" Her anger only grew more intense as she saw the card she'd drawn, Wicked Acolyte Chilam Sabak, was predictably unusable for the moment like most of the cards in her deck. With no other choice, she ended her turn.
This proved to be the last move she'd make in this duel. With Yumi's next card, the game was decided. "I guess it's time to end this," she said, somewhat disappointed in how things had turned out. "I activate Resurrection of the Dead, letting me revive Cosmo Queen to my side of the field."
"You can't do that!" Kaguya complained, enraged to see her monster having switched loyalties. "That's cheap! Stop it! Play for real!"
"Rusty Swordsman, attack." She figured 3100 would be enough to make it over just about anything she could have set, being proven right at the image of Millennium Shield breaking in two with a slice from the monster's sword. "Cosmo Queen, direct attack."
"Damn it!" she wailed, falling to her knees as her Life Points ticked down to zero. "How did I lose?"
"Your deck's super unbalanced?" Kazuhiko said, Hideo nodding in agreement.
"You're overconfident?" Suzy added.
"Shut up!" she said again.
"It's like that's all she knows how to say," Suzy sighed, shaking her head. "Let's get out of here." They turned to leave, feeling awkward enough after this whole encounter, only to grind to a halt as Kaguya's sniffling became audible. "Are you seriously crying right now? After all the abuse you just hurled at us?"
"Shut up!" she repeated, tears flowing freely without even an attempt at composing herself.
Reaching out towards her, Yumi had her hand slapped away, accidentally causing half of Kaguya's deck to spill out onto the ground. As she hurriedly tried to collect them, even more of her art ended up on display. A Montage Dragon whose body was divided up into three different colored sections, all having unique styles to match their heads. A Ryu Okami that genuinely looked like it was painted by one of the traditional masters straight from the Edo period. Even a Gremlin that was truly terrifying with rotted skin, yellowed teeth, and missing patches of fur.
"You're actually really good at this, you know." Kaguya didn't reply, continuing to gather her cards. "I don't know why you're so concerned about being better than everyone else."
"Because I suck," she admitted through her tears.
"I mean..." It was kind of difficult to form a rebuttal to such an honest statement. "You're at least good at one thing. Doesn't that make you happy?"
"No," she said. "It's never good enough. I just try and try and try to get better but...but it's not good enough."
Yumi had no idea how to handle this kind of situation. Though she tried to look to her friends for support, their confused and uncomfortable pantomiming told her they weren't any better off here. "I guess..." She chose her next words as carefully as possible. "Maybe you need more practice?"
"What's the point?" she said dejectedly. "I always used to tell myself, 'At least I'm still better than Yumi,' but look at this. I'm a failure. I always will be."
"Then maybe you just need to accept it?" She paused again. "Because not everything is going to go the way you want it to, and beating yourself up over it or being mean to other people won't change that. Whether you see it or not, you're really good at art like this, and that has nothing to do with you being better than anyone else."
She'd stopped crying, silently listening to what Yumi had to say. She wasn't entirely sure why, though. "Maybe it's time you stopped focusing on what you or other people are bad at and start to appreciate what you can do more."
Scratching the bad of her head, Yumi didn't know where to go from here. She felt bad simply leaving things off like that, but at the end of the day she had no idea what the right or wrong move was going to be here. "Hey, I'm going to go now. I think you should, too. Let's just forget today happened. Here." As Kaguya stood up, Yumi collected the bags she'd dropped before their duel and handed them back to her. "Try not to be so hard on yourself, okay?"
Without another word, they parted ways, Yumi leaving with her friends to try and resume the day after the fiasco that was that duel. It worked after a while, eventually getting back on track to talking about what sort of costumes they'd want to make to join with Ami's supposed group or club. Soon enough, though, they also split up to go home, Kazuhiko making a point to show Suzy to the nursing home he volunteered at to continue her service.
The following day began like any other. Yumi sat at her desk waiting for Ami to arrive, kicking her legs back and forth under it. She stopped herself once Kaguya arrived, though, holding still and watching her walk to her seat in silence.
After a few tense seconds, she turned around, holding out a card to Yumi. Refusing to look towards her face, she mumbled a few words to herself before saying, "I practiced on this last night, but I'll never use it. It's garbage. You like garbage cards, though, so take it. I don't need it."
It was an Undead Warrior card, an old Level 3 Fusion Monster that no one used. In that way, it really was kind of perfect for her. Instead of the simplistic skeleton from the normal card, a highly detailed lich creature took its place, outfitted in black armor and purple robes and wielding a rusted, gnarly axe.
Before she could say a thing, Kaguya turned back around. "Don't thank me, it's still garbage." Yumi smiled, knowing that their relationship would probably never really evolve far enough to call themselves friends, but this was certainly better than it had been before.
Cards Used in Order of Appearance
Unexpected Guy (Unexpected Dai)
Normal Spell Card
If you control no monsters: Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from the Deck.
Hat-Trick Magician
DARK
Level 4
Spellcaster
1200 ATK/1500 DEF
Scaredy Lion
EARTH
Level 4
Beast
1300 ATK/ 1000 DEF
Cairngorgon, Dark-Line Change-Warrior (Cairngorgon, Antiluminescent Knight)
DARK
Rank 4
Rock/Xyz/Effect
2450 ATK/1950 DEF
2 Level 4 monsters
During either player's turn, when another card or effect is activated that targets exactly 1 card on the field (and no other cards): You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card, then target another card on the field that would be an appropriate target for that card/effect; that card/effect now targets the new target.
Bait Doll
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 Set card in the Spell & Trap Card Zone; reveal that target, force its activation if it is a Trap Card, then negate its effect if the activation timing is incorrect, and if you do, destroy it. (If it is not a Trap Card, return it face-down.) When this card resolves, shuffle it into the Deck instead of sending it to the Graveyard.
Holy Barrier – Mirror Force (Mirror Force)
Normal Trap Card
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Destroy all your opponent's Attack Position monsters.
Ancient Rule (Ancient Rules)
Normal Spell Card
Special Summon 1 Level 5 or higher Normal Monster from your hand.
Cosmo Queen
DARK
Level 8
Spellcaster
2900 ATK/2450 DEF
Ghost Knight – Deathcaliber Knight (Doomcaliber Knight)
DARK
Level 4
Fiend/Effect
1900 ATK/1800 DEF
Cannot be Special Summoned. During either player's turn, if a monster effect is activated: Tribute this face-up card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that monster.
Rusty Swordsman
EARTH
Level 4
Warrior
1500 ATK/1000 DEF
Broken Wand
Equip Spell Card
You can only equip this card to a Level 4 or lower Normal Monster with 1500 or less ATK and DEF. The equipped monster gains these effects: This card's original ATK increases by 500. When this card attacks or is attacked by a monster with higher ATK: You can return this card to your hand and end the Battle Phase.
Hand Obliteration (Card Destruction)
Normal Spell Card
Each player discards their entire hand, then draws the same number of cards they discarded.
Crane Crane
EARTH
Level 3
Winged Beast/Effect
300 ATK/900 DEF
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 Level 3 monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target, but its effects are negated. You can only use this effect of "Crane Crane" once per turn.
Flame Viper
EARTH
Level 2
Pyro
400 ATK/450 DEF
Water Dragon
WATER
Level 8
Sea Serpent/Effect
2800 ATK/2600 DEF
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned with "Bonding - H2O". The ATK of FIRE monsters and Pyro monsters on the field becomes 0. When this card is destroyed and sent to the GY: You can target 2 "Hydrogeddon" and 1 "Oxygeddon" in your GY; Special Summon them.
Greed Quasar
DARK
Level 7
Fiend/Effect
? ATK/? DEF
This card's original ATK and DEF are each equal to its Level x 300. This monster's Level is increased by the Level of monsters it destroys by battle.
The Inexperienced Spy
Normal Spell Card
Select and see 1 card in your opponent's hand.
Gryphon Wing
Normal Trap Card
When your opponent activates "Harpie's Feather Duster": Negate its effect, and if you do, destroy all Spell and Trap Cards your opponent controls.
Instant Fusion
Normal Spell Card
Pay 1000 LP; Special Summon 1 Level 5 or lower Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, but it cannot attack, also it is destroyed during the End Phase. (This is treated as a Fusion Summon.) You can only activate 1 "Instant Fusion" per turn.
Fungal Growth
EARTH
Level 2
Plant/Fusion
650 ATK/400 DEF
"Change Slime" + "Fungi of the Musk"
Enchanter Ballantine
LIGHT
Rank 2
Spellcaster/Xyz/Effect
1500 ATK/1000 DEF
2 Level 2 monsters
(Quick Effect) Detach 1 Xyz Material from this card and target 1 monster your opponent controls; this card gains 500 ATK, also your opponent's monster loses 500 ATK. These changes last until the End Phase. If this effect is activated, this card loses DEF equal to the ATK it gained this turn. If this card attacks, it is changed to Defense Position at the end of the Damage Step.
Space Sunfish (Space Mambo)
WATER
Level 4
Fish
1700 ATK/1000 DEF
Power of Unity (United We Stand)
Equip Spell Card
The equipped monster gains 800 ATK and DEF for each face-up monster you control.
Pot of Greed
Normal Spell Card
Draw 2 cards.
Vice Dragon
DARK
Level 5
Dragon/Effect
2000 ATK/2400 DEF
If your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand), but its original ATK and DEF become halved.
Majesty Sanction
Normal Trap Card
Discard 1 card; monsters you control cannot be destroyed by a Spell/Trap effect (once each) until the End Phase. During either player's turn, except the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard: You can banish this card from your Graveyard and target 1 monster you control; once this turn, if it would be destroyed by an opponent's Spell/Trap effect, it is not destroyed.
Wicked Acolyte Chilam Sabak
DARK
Level 8
Reptile/Effect
2500 ATK/0 DEF
If you have 5 or more cards in your hand, you can Normal Summon this card without Tributing. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the GY: You can Special Summon this card in Defense Position, and if you do, it is treated as a Tuner. You can only use this effect of "Wicked Acolyte Chilam Sabak" once per turn.
Resurrection of the Dead (Monster Reborn)
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 monster in either player's Graveyard; Special Summon it.
Millennium Shield
EARTH
Level 5
Warrior
0 ATK/3000 DEF
Montage Dragon
EARTH
Level 8
Dragon/Effect
? ATK/0 DEF
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by sending 3 other monsters from your hand to the Graveyard, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card's ATK becomes the combined original Levels of the sent monsters x 300.
Ryu Okami
LIGHT
Level 8
Wyrm/Effect
2900 ATK/1200 DEF
If your opponent Special Summons a monster(s): Your opponent sends 1 card from their Extra Deck to the Graveyard.
Gremlin (Feral Imp)
DARK
Level 4
Fiend
1300 ATK/1400 DEF
Undead Warrior (Zombie Warrior)
DARK
Level 3
Zombie/Fusion
1200 ATK/900 DEF
"Skull Servant" + "Battle Warrior"
Since I missed last month, I figured I'll get us back on track by posting two this time. Don't get used to it since it's only because I'm two chapters ahead right now.
I kind of like this chapter because of how it's establishing that Yumi's learning now beyond just refining the fundamentals and how to make plays, but really establishing what her deck's main plays would even be. That's what I've hopefully been demonstrating ever since the beginning of "season 2" with how she's shifting her focus from just winging it and using good cards that support her to actually building a strategy to get her cards out.
At least one of you needs to admit you thought Fungal Growth was a real card at first. I had to come up with a Level 2 Fusion since the only one that currently exists is made by Hermos and I did my best to emulate the terrible Generation 1 non-effect Fusion feel. Also like the two monsters that are its materials, so I got to give them a little shout out.
I've always really liked OriCa even though I've never bought any. Even so, I doubt anyone is going to have sympathy for Kaguya specifically painting over all her rare cards instead of repurposing commons. At least she's honest.
Even though she's clearly got a lot of problems herself, I don't think Kaguya is ever really going to be a good person. Maybe a less bad person as she matures, but most of her problems are of her own making and she has to be dragged kicking and screaming to introspect and improve even the small amount we see here. She really is Waluigi.
I was kind of worried about this duel since there were points where I thought I'd made Kaguya's deck too bad to be believable. But, as we saw, she does have some strategy in place even if a lot of her cards are just for show. That being said, with Feather Duster being a real play in this gamestate, Gryphon Wing has an actual (limited) purpose. I'm also an unapologetic proponent on the merits of Bait Doll as good anti-backrow tech and I won't hear anything about it, especially now that so many good cards are forcing us to send stuff to the bottom of the deck.
That's all for now. Next week is another returning character. Thanks for reading. Always remember to save as .png initially.