This idea was a suggestion by my French friend, CitrusUnshiu, to write a chapter about Aki's struggles in Duel Academy to fit in there once again. Credits to you, mon ami!
I'm going to add some characters from the spin-off manga and I'm sure some of you will be delighted to see them. :)
The chapter begins in Aki's point of view.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 39: Buzzing Challenge
I sat in a classroom in Duel Academy attending the biology class. I was writing down notes while listening to the teacher. At one point, I looked out the window to enjoy the view. The trees on the school grounds had slowly shifted the color of their leaves from green to orange and red due to the early October days.
It felt a bit surreal that a few months ago I was a complete different human being than I was today. I thought back at the time I used to be the Black Rose Witch, a soldier of the Arcadia Movement, who got manipulated by Sayer. At that point, I felt safe by being "controlled" and not having to think of anything or even care if I hurt people. I didn't think of the consequences back then, but I guess a tiny part of me never wanted to hurt people, especially the innocents. The case with Randsborg in the Fortune Cup was a different case; he tried bringing out the worst of me with his hurtful comments and therefore he had deserved to taste my psychic powers.
It was kinda the same with Estelle, but she was different compared to that wannabe knight. The way she tried to approach me and how she held out her hand to me frightened me at first. No one, besides Sayer, had ever done that before, not even my parents since the day I received the Mark of the Dragon that was the source of my psychic powers. Estelle accepted me from the get-go and, despite refusing to take her hand, she never gave up on me. She helped me break through the shell I was trapped in and she reunited me with my family.
She was the first one who saw me for who I was and not as my former alter ego. Even at the time when we encountered each other in the Daimon Area, the day before the Fortune Cup, she didn't seem scared when she tried to approach me.
I felt a chill run down my spine when I recalled the Shadow Duel with Misty in Satellite. If it hadn't been for Yusei, Sayer might have taken me back to the Arcadia Movement and I would have become a mindless slave and soldier as part of his army of psychic Duelists. I was relieved that my life had returned to normal and I was happy with my family and friends. They were all irreplaceable and I never wanted to lose them.
The school bell rang, meaning the class was over. I picked up my books and pencil case before leaving the classroom, heading to my locker. While I walked down the corridors, I could hear the soft mumbles of whispering around me. I sighed inwardly, knowing I still had a bad reputation in the high school part of the Duel Academy, especially since many remembered my Duels from the Fortune Cup.
Only a few people in the whole building of Duel Academy knew I had control over my psychic powers and I no longer went all chaotic during Duels. Many feared me and they hid it by gossiping and spreading bad rumors. Back when I was a teenager and was in the seventh grade, I used to ignore them, even though their words hurt a lot. Now… It didn't hurt as much as before. I could go around from one person to another and tell them the rumors were wrong, but that could trigger them to bully me even more. It wasn't worth it.
I opened my locker to put away my books and grabbed the lunch box Mom had prepared for me. It was lunch break, so students were either hurrying to the café for food or they had their own lunch boxes prepared. I shut the locker and thought I should head to the bench I found in an empty corner outside on the school grounds to eat by myself.
"Um… Aki?" a soft and timid voice spoke up behind me.
I turned around and stood face to face with Sakura, one of my classmates. She had long cherry blossom hair tied up in a ponytail with a light blue ribbon, green eyes, and pale skin. She was around my height and often had a sweet little smile. She acted a bit shy and looked aside while holding a lunch box wrapped in a dark red cloth with light pink flower petal pattern.
"You're…Tanaka Sakura, right?" I asked to be certain.
Sakura snapped her head up in shock before her lips turned into a big smile. "You remember my name!"
"Of course I do. We're classmates", I smiled softly. "Do you need something?"
"Well, uh…", Sakura hesitated at first before swallowing loudly. "Is it okay to eat lunch with you?"
That came as a surprise for me. No one had ever asked me if they wanted to eat lunch with me. It threw me off guard a bit, but I recovered fast and gave the girl a small smile.
"Yes", I nodded. "I actually know a nice spot where we can eat. Want to join me?"
"Is it really okay?" Sakura smiled brightly.
"Yeah", I smiled.
"Oh, looks like your wish came true, Sakura", a new voice spoke up.
Another girl walked over to us, but at the first glance I thought she was a young man. She was a bit taller than me and Sakura, had slight tanned skin, very short raven black hair, and hazel eyes. She had the tomboy aura around her that reminded me briefly of Estelle's aura when I met her the first time.
But I couldn't help but feel like I've seen this girl before.
"Yes, Mei!" Sakura smiled widely. "I'm so glad to get close to my idol!"
"I-Idol?" I stuttered a bit, surprised.
Mei chuckled softly and gave me a soft and warm look. "Sakura wouldn't shut up about you and the Duels at the Fortune Cup. While the Solid Visions were extremely realistic due to your powers, they never really scared us. I was never really scared of you when we were in the seventh grade together."
Some old memories were slowly coming back to me, but they were still a bit hazy due to my old self who tried to build a wall around me. "Were we…in the same class at that time?"
Mei nodded, "My name is Nakamura Mei. I used to have very long hair back then, so that's probably why you might not recognize me."
I started remembering some of my old classmates when I was transferred to the Duel Academy the first time. There was one girl in my class with very long black hair. I think she used to be neutral around me; she never gossiped behind my back, but she never tried to approach me.
"I think I remember you now", I confessed. "You weren't one of the many kids who bullied me behind my back."
"That's correct", Mei nodded. "I didn't like it how everyone was talking rubbish behind you, but I didn't know how to deescalate things back then. I did try to reach you, but you had this wall around you that bounced me back. It was very hard to approach you, but now you're totally different than you used to. Your wall is gone and it's easy to approach you."
"In other words, we'd like to be your friends", Sakura smiled.
Friends… That word used to be so foreign to me, but after spending such a long time with the Signers and Estelle and so many other people who accepted me for who I was, it didn't scare me anymore. Besides, I was older and wiser now and I could tell Sakura and Mei were sincere with their words.
"I'd love to be friends with you too", I smiled.
XXXXXXXXXX
The school day was finally over. I put away the books I needed for homework in my briefcase before leaving the main building. I had homework for the physics class, but that was sadly one of my weak subjects. However, I had a nice teacher who probably could spare some time from his other work to help me study.
I looked up when I saw a familiar purple coat with white flower patterns. The figure was standing next to a black limousine with Leo and Luna. The long brown hair told me who it was and it made me happy.
"Estelle!" I shouted.
Said woman looked up from the twins and turned to me with a smile as I jogged over to them. "Hi, Aki. I had a feeling we would bump into each other."
"I didn't expect you to visit the Duel Academy", I said when I joined the group. "What are you doing here?" I noticed the brunette held a brown briefcase in her hand.
"Estelle just told us she's gonna go on Turbo Duel classes!" Leo answered excitedly. "She's gonna get a license to drive a Duel Runner and Turbo Duel legally!"
"Really? I didn't expect that", I confessed, surprised by the news.
"Well… After debating on the matter, I realized I don't always want to rely on others just to get a ride to a place and then to another", Estelle explained while she scratched the back of the head. "I don't want to cause too much trouble for them, especially Shinji."
"Who's Shinji?" I asked.
"Goodwin's limousine chauffeur", Estelle replied, throwing a thumb over her shoulder. "By the way, he said he can drive you guys home or wherever you want to."
"That's nice of him", Luna smiled softly.
Estelle nodded before she checked her smartphone. "I'm sorry, guys, but I have to go now, or else I'll be late. I'll see you later, though."
"Yeah!" the twins nodded simultaneously.
"Good luck, Estelle", I told her.
The twins and I watched the brunette jog to the main building of Duel Academy before we got into the limousine to get a ride. My thoughts traveled to Estelle and her trying to get a license to drive a Duel Runner… I have never driven a Duel Runner before, but I couldn't help but be a little curious. Perhaps I should apply for the course and get my license when I become a 12th grader. For now, I just wanted to catch up with the studying.
XXXXXXXXXX
It had been a couple of days since the brief encounter with Estelle and her applying to the Turbo Duel exam. From what I've heard, she often spent time with Yusei on the weekends to ask him about Duel Runners, so she had a basic knowledge about them
Goodwin also made a huge announcement that New Domino City was going to host the first World Racing Grand Prix next summer. With that announcement came the new rules of Speed World 2 and new Speed Spells, and that threw everything off among the Turbo Duelists. The twins, Estelle, and I got to watch Yusei, Jack, and Crow practicing with the new rules on one of the Turbo Duel courses that had been built in New Domino City recently. With those new rules and many possibilities for improvement in Turbo Dueling, more courses were getting built in New Domino City.
XXXXXXXXXX
A couple of days had passed since Sakura, Mei, and I became friends and spent a lot of time together in the Duel Academy, both in classes we had together and during lunch breaks. We often ate together outside, whenever the weather was nice and sunny, by that bench I found in front of a flower bed with all kinds of flowers. I got to learn about their Decks and what kind of Monsters they preferred to use most of the time and other friendship details. They were both nice and asked me different questions, but they never went too into details into my past, which I was thankful about. I didn't really want to rip open the old wounds.
Today was another pretty day, so we ate lunch by the flower bed again. It was quiet and peaceful until a loud laughter disrupted the silence. We looked up from our lunch boxes and were greeted by a girl who was as tall as me, but she had long and curly blonde hair, blue eyes, and pale skin.
"Izayoi Aki, the infamous Black Rose Witch", the blonde began with a vicious smile. "Sitting here and eating lunch while thinking you can live a normal life?"
She looked familiar, but I couldn't remember from where. "I'm sorry, but who are you?"
"Who am I?!" the blonde girl growled angrily. "Don't tell me you've never heard about the heir of the Kobayakawa Inc.!"
"Who is she…?" I whispered to Sakura and Mei.
"That's Kobayakawa Ran …", Mei replied. "She's the daughter and only heir of the Kobayakawa Inc.…"
"She's a very rich girl and she's in the twelfth grade…", Sakura added.
"She's also known as the Bee Queen…", Mei explained. "You actually Dueled her once in the seventh grade and beat her hard…really hard."
"Don't you girls have better manners than this?!" Ran snarled. "Whispering in front of the one who's talking to you!"
"I'm sorry, Kobayakawa", I apologized and put aside my lunch box before I stood up from the bench. "Did you need something?"
"Oh, yes, I do need something", Ran grinned satisfyingly before pointing her finger at me. "I need my revenge after you humiliated me back when I was in the eighth grade! I challenge you to a Duel!"
I had a feeling it would go down like this. "I'm sorry, but I don't think it's possible right now. We're at school and-"
"I know the rules very well!" Ran growled. "The students aren't allowed to Duel in Duel Academy besides the Duel P.E. and other events! Therefore, we'll Duel this weekend, so we both get to prepare for it. How does that sound? Will you accept my challenge or will you run away with your tail between your legs, Witch?"
This sounded like someone who didn't see me as the new Izayoi Aki and just saw me as my old alter ego, Black Rose Witch, and she wanted to humiliate me just for mere fun.
"I accept", I nodded.
"I had a feeling you would", Ran smiled darkly. "I'll give you the details about the time and place of our Duel. Don't be late or else I'll count it as a walkover and it'll be my win." She turned around while flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Until then, Black Rose Witch."
With that said and done, she left me and my friends with a loud and spoiled princess-like laughter.
"Are you sure about this, Aki?" Sakura asked worriedly. "Ran is a very strong Duelist, especially with her insect Deck."
"I think I'll be fine", I told her before I sat down on the bench again. "Insects and plants kinda work together, so it shouldn't be any problems."
"Still, you better prepare your Deck to try resisting her Battlewasp Deck", Mei said. "They sting hard and I mean diamond-hard."
XXXXXXXXXX
Once school was over, I went straight to the garage to tell my friends about the upcoming Duel. Everyone was there, including Estelle, so I didn't have to repeat myself twice. When I told them the name of my opponent, Jack almost choked on his coffee.
"Kobayakawa Ran?! Are you kidding me?!" he exclaimed while coughing to clear his throat.
"You know her, Jack?" Crow asked.
"Of course I know her! Goodwin tried to set me up with her to improve my image as the King of Games one year after I left Satellite!" Jack revealed before slamming his cup of coffee on the desk next to him. "I hated her the moment I laid my eyes on her and rejected the 'fiancée' image immediately! She's just a spoiled brat who only thinks about herself and her blasted insects!"
"Who is this Kobayakawa Ran?" Leo asked. "The name sounds familiar, but it doesn't ring any bells."
Estelle was helping Yusei with his Duel Runner by giving him the correct tools, but she moved her attention to her smartphone. "Let me check… Okay, I got something. Kobayakawa Inc. is one of the biggest industries that specialize in saving every single species of insects on Earth. One of their major programs initiated in 2015 when reports revealed how the bees were slowly going extinct." She grew silent as she raised an eyebrow. "That's pretty accurate to the timeline in my dimension when reports said the bees were going extinct."
"Really?" Luna said.
"Yeah", Estelle nodded slowly. "What a weird coincidence…"
"My friends at school, Sakura and Mei, said Ran uses a Deck based on an archetype known as Battlewasp", I explained.
"Battlewasp? I've never heard of that archetype before", Yusei commented while wiping his oily hands with a cloth.
Estelle scrolled on her smartphone. "Battlewasp is a new archetype that was created six years ago. The Kobayakawa Inc. got the honor to test the prototype cards before releasing the real ones one year later. The Incorporation bought all rights to own the archetype and now it's in the hands of the heir, Kobayakawa Ran."
"I remember seeing those wasps in a Duel once", Jack glanced at Crow. "They're like the Blackwings you use, Crow."
"Seriously?" the Blackwing Duelist said in surprise.
"They've got similar effects that allows one to Special summon one Battlewasp after another", Jack explained. "And their other effects can cause huge damage within a short period of time. Those little wasps fit perfectly for someone like Ran!"
"What will you do, Aki?" Luna asked. "Are you really going to Duel her?"
"Well, I can't go against my words now that I've accepted the Duel", I shrugged. "Ran did say that if I don't show up by the time of the Duel, she'll count it as a walkover and the win will go straight to her."
"Does she have a vendetta against you, Aki?" Yusei wondered.
"Yes. I Dueled her back when I was in the seventh grade, before I joined the Movement, and humiliated her by defeating her", I shook my head. "She kept calling me Black Rose Witch multiple times to mock me."
"In other words, she's one of the students who sees you as your old self and wants to prove you're still the same dangerous psychic Duelist by mocking you with this Duel", Estelle concluded.
I nodded as answer before I picked up my Deck to look at it. "I've got faith in my Deck. If the Battlewasps are more or less the same as the Blackwings, then I've got the perfect partner to practice with before the Duel. But only if you got time for it, Crow."
"I'm pretty much free right now, if you want to Duel and learn more about my Blackwings", Crow grinned gently.
"Really? That would be a big help. Thank you", I smiled.
"No problems! Just grab a Duel Disk and let's Duel!"
XXXXXXXXXX
Ran gave me the details for our Duel the next day. It was going to take place on Saturday in a small stadium that belonged to the Kobayakawa Inc. I was allowed to invite my friends to watch my humiliation, as she described it.
The weekend came fast, but I was prepared with lots of practice and had modified my Deck with some cards that could hopefully restrict Ran's Battlewasps.
My friends and I went together to the small stadium next to the Kobayakawa Inc. I was amazed by the huge main building, but the stadium was even more incredible. It was like a miniature version of the Kaiba Dome minus the Duel Runner course.
To my surprise, Sakura and Mei showed up to cheer on me. When Sakura saw Jack, she turned all fangirl on him.
"Jack Atlas!" she exclaimed before she rushed to him and grabbed his hands, catching him off guard. "I had no idea Aki was friends with you! I'm a big fan of yours!"
Jack recovered fast and cleared his throat. "I'm honored to have a fan of mine even after I've lost my title."
"I don't care about that!" Sakura insisted. "I know you'll become the King of Games again!"
"Enough with the chit-chat!" Ran yelled as she approached us. "Izayoi Aki, today is the day I'll finally get my revenge after you humiliated me years ago!"
She was dressed in a light blue princess-like dress with white frills and crystal blue heels. She had a crystal white Duel Disk with dark blue jewels on her left arm.
"I won't go easy on you, Kobayakawa", I told her.
"I expected that from you", Ran laughed evilly.
She guided me to the Duel field while everyone else sat down in the stands surrounding the field. We raised our arms with the Duel Disks and activated them.
"Duel!"
Ran: 4000 LP
Aki: 4000 LP
I drew my first five cards, seeing I got Copy Plant, Synchro Back, Seed of Deception, Black Garden, and Dark Verger. It was a decent hand, but I had to improvise with this.
"The owner of the stadium goes first! I draw!" Ran drew her sixth card. "I summon Battlewasp – Sting the Poison in defense mode!"
Battlewasp – Sting the Poison, Level 2, Tuner: DEF 800
"Battlewasp – Sting's effect! If he's Normal or Special summoned, I can add one Battlewasp from my Deck to my hand! I choose Battlewasp – Pin the Bullseye and I Special summon it right away since I have another insect Monster on my field!"
Battlewasp – Pin the Bullseye, Level 1: DEF 300
"Battlewasp – Pin's second effect! During my Main Phase, I can inflict 200 points of damage for each Battlewasp – Pin the Bullseye I control! Prepare for a sting of pain, Izayoi!"
Battlewasp – Pin suddenly glared at me before firing its sting at me. I shielded myself with my Duel Disk as it hit the device, causing my Life Points to lower down a bit.
Ran: 4000 LP
Aki: 4000 LP – 3800 LP
"I now activate the Continuous Spell, Verdant Sanctuary!" Ran continued. "Whenever one of my insect Monsters are destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I can add another insect Monster from my Deck to my hand with the same Level as the one that left the field. I place one card facedown and end my turn!"
"I draw!" I called as I drew my sixth card, seeing it was Rose Tentacles. "I start my turn by playing Seed of Deception! With this Spell, I can Special summon a Level 2 or below Monster from my hand, so I summon Dark Verger in defense mode!"
Dark Verger, Level 2: DEF 1000
"I release him to Tribute summon Rose Tentacles in attack mode!"
Rose Tentacles, Level 6: ATK 2200
"Alright! Go for it, Aki!" Leo cheered from the stands.
"Rose Tentacles, destroy Battlewasp – Sting the Poison!" I shouted.
Rose Tentacles raised one of her tentacles and slammed the insect hard, crushing it into pieces. The remaining parts of Battlewasp – Sting hit Ran, but she didn't get hurt, which seemed to surprise her a bit.
"Verdant Sanctuary's effect!" the blonde recovered fast. "Since Battlewasp – Sting the Poison was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can add an insect Monster of the same Level from my Deck to my hand! I choose Man-Eater Bug!"
Uh-oh… A parasite Monster. I was not expecting that from Ran.
"I activate my Black Garden Field Spell!" I continued.
After adding the card on my Duel Disk, the familiar garden with black roses sprouted around us, covering the entire field. Even while I had my powers under control, I could still smell the scent of roses around me.
"So you decided to bring out your Black Garden?" Ran snorted. "It fits you perfectly, but that garden won't scare me."
"We'll see about that", I replied. "I place one card facedown and end my turn."
"My turn!" Ran drew a card. "I summon Battlewasp – Arbalest the Rapidfire in attack mode!"
Battlewasp – Arbalest the Rapidfire, Level 4: ATK 1800
"Black Garden's effect!" I quickly called. "Your Battlewasp's attack points are halved and I gain one Rose Token!"
Battlewasp – Arbalest the Rapidfire, Level 4: ATK 1800 – ATK 900
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800
Ran growled softly, but calmed down. "Battlewasp – Arbalest's effect! When he's Normal summoned, I can Special summon a Level 3 or lower insect Monster from my Graveyard, so I summon Battlewasp – Sting the Poison in attack mode!"
Battlewasp – Sting the Poison, Level 2, Tuner: ATK 800
"Black Garden's effect!"
Battlewasp – Sting the Poison, Level 2, Tuner: ATK 800 – ATK 400
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800
"Whatever, since two of my Battlewasps won't stay here for long as I'll tune my Level 2 Battlewasp – Sting the Poison with Level 4 Battlewasp – Arbalest the Rapidfire!" Ran called. "With those wings, whip up a blast. With that stinger, cut open the path to truth! Synchro summon! Come, Battlewasp – Halberd the Charge!"
Battlewasp – Halberd the Charge, Level 6: ATK 2500
"Black Garden's effect!"
Battlewasp – Halberd the Charge, Level 6: ATK 2500 – ATK 1250
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800
"I'm far from done", Ran smirked. "I equip the Insect Armor with Laser Cannon to Battlewasp – Halberd, giving him a boost-up with 700 attack points!"
A weird armor appeared on the field before it got attached on Battlewasp – Halberd. It gained a cannon on its back while its entire body glowed in a light green aura.
Battlewasp – Halberd the Charge, Level 6: ATK 1250 – ATK 1950
"That's still not enough to destroy Rose Tentacles", I pointed out.
"Wait and see, Izayoi", Ran laughed. "But before that, Battlewasp – Pin's effect! You take an additional 200 points of damage!"
Battlewasp – Pin fired a new sting at me, causing my Life Points to drop.
Ran: 4000 LP
Aki: 3800 LP – 3600 LP
"Now it's time to battle! Battlewasp – Halberd, attack Rose Tentacles!" Ran commanded.
Battlewasp – Halberd flew towards Rose Tentacles before throwing its halberd at her. The halberd hit her straight in the face before my Monster was enveloped in a green aura.
"What's going on?" I asked.
"Battlewasp – Halberd's effect is what's going on!" Ran laughed. "During damage calculation, if he attacks a Monster with equal or higher attack points, he can half that Monster's attack points, so your Rose Tentacles is no longer mighty!"
Rose Tentacles, Level 6: ATK 2200 – ATK 1100
Battlewasp – Halberd grabbed its halberd and retrieved it from Rose Tentacles before it used its weapon to slash my Monster into pieces, causing my Life Points to drop rapidly.
Ran: 4000 LP
Aki: 3600 LP – 2750 LP
"Battlewasp – Halberd's second effect! When he inflicts battle damage to my opponent, he can inflict 200 points of damage for each Battlewasp I control! I've got two, so that means an additional 400 points of damage to you, Izayoi!"
Battlewasp – Halberd flew over to me and slashed me with its weapon. I grunted a bit by the Solid Vision effect while my Life Points took another hit.
Ran: 4000 LP
Aki: 2750 LP – 2350 LP
"And now, before I end my turn, I activate my Trap; Corrosive Scales!" Ran called. "I equip this to my Battlewasp – Halberd!" A purple aura enveloped the Synchro Monster in few seconds. "Now, while he's equipped to this Trap, you can only choose him to attack with your Monsters. Also, every time you summon a Monster or activate a card effect, every Monster you control gains one Scale Counter and they'll lose 100 attack and defense points for each Counter! I end my turn!"
"My turn!" I drew Dimension Reversion. "I summon Copy Plant in defense mode!"
Copy Plant, Level 1, Tuner: DEF 0
"Black Garden's effect. You gain a Rose Token this time."
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800
"And Corrosive Scales activates!" Ran called. "Your Monster, including the Tokens, gets one Scale Token each!"
Copy Plant and my Tokens received a purple Scale Counter on their bodies that looked like the membrane of an insect's wing. The Scale Counter glowed purple for a second before my Rose Tokens lost some of their bright color, slowly withering.
Copy Plant, Level 1, Tuner: DEF 0 = 1 SC
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800 – ATK 700 = 1 SC
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800 – ATK 700 = 1 SC
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800 – ATK 700 = 1 SC
"It won't matter because I now tune Level 1 Copy Plant with my three Level 2 Rose Tokens to Synchro summon my loyal servant!" I called. "Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom! Synchro summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!"
Black Rose Dragon, Level 7: ATK 2400
"Black Rose Dragon's effect! Every single card is destroyed after she's summoned, so your Battlewasps are gone, Kobayakawa!"
One by one, Ran's cards were destroyed as she shielded her face from the wind with her right arm. "But your cards are destroyed too, including that beast, Izayoi!" she yelled.
"Not if I save her with my Trap; Synchro Back!" I quickly activated my facedown. "Black Rose Dragon is returned to my Extra Deck instead of going to the Graveyard and she'll be summoned back to the field during my next Standby Phase!"
Black Rose Dragon transformed into a magenta light that shot itself back to the Extra Deck holder of my Duel Disk while my other cards were destroyed, leaving the field bare.
"Nice save", Ran scowled. "But that doesn't mean the Duel is over!"
"It's just the beginning", I agreed. "I place one card facedown and end my turn."
"I draw!" Ran called. "I set one Monster facedown and end my turn."
"My turn!" I called as I drew Witch of the Black Rose. "And during my Standby Phase, Black Rose Dragon returns to the field!"
Black Rose Dragon, Level 7: ATK 2400
Now I had to stop and think for a moment. Ran's facedown Monster was surely Man-Eater Bug, so no matter what kind of Monster I used to attack it, it was going to destroy one of them, and obviously Ran was after my Black Rose Dragon. However, now with Witch of the Black Rose in my hand, I could use a combo.
"Black Rose Dragon, destroy the facedown Monster!" I shouted.
Black Rose Dragon roared before aiming one of her vines at the facedown card. She whipped the card and flipped up to reveal Man-Eater Bug.
"Man-Eater Bug's effect!" Ran called. "When it's flipped up, it destroys a Monster my opponent controls, so say good-bye to Black Rose Dragon!"
Man-Eater Bug opened its mouth and bit Black Rose Dragon's vine. She cried out in pain as yellow drool from the insect Monster's mouth crawled up her body before they were destroyed together.
"Don't worry, Aki!" Estelle called from the stands. "You can still win this!"
"Right", I nodded. "Main Phase 2! I summon Witch of the Black Rose in attack mode!"
Witch of the Black Rose, Level 4, Tuner: ATK 1700
"Witch of the Black Rose's effect! When she's Normal summoned, I can draw a card. If that card is not a Monster card, my Tuner Monster is destroyed."
I took a deep breath and drew the next card, seeing it was Watapon and showed it to Ran. "The card is Watapon and its effect activates! If this card is added from my Deck to my hand by a card effect, I can Special summon it! So join us, Watapon!"
Watapon, Level 1: ATK 200
"And now I tune Level 4 Witch of the Black Rose with my Level 1 Watapon to Synchro summon a new Monster that represents my new self as the Pure Rose Maiden! In the middle of the Black Garden sleeps a magic flower. Open your petals and dance in the moonlight! Synchro summon! Come, Garden Rose Maiden!"
Garden Rose Maiden, Level 5: DEF 2400
"Garden Rose Maiden's effect! When she's summoned, I can add one Black Garden from the Graveyard to my hand, and I activate the Field Spell!"
As soon as my Duel Disk spat out said card from the Graveyard, I placed it in the Field Zone. The Black Garden sprouted again around us and it even made a flowerbed for Garden Rose Maiden to sit on. The black roses on the flowerbed slowly changed into colorful roses due to the Synchro Monster's presence.
"I end my turn", I nodded.
"I draw!" Ran called. "I play Revival Swarm to Special summon Battlewasp – Halberd the Charge from the Graveyard in attack mode!"
Battlewasp – Halberd the Charge, Level 6: ATK 2500
"Black Garden's effect!" I shouted. "Your Battlewasp's attack points are halved and I gain one Rose Token!"
Battlewasp – Halberd the Charge, Level 6: ATK 2500 – ATK 1250
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800
"Next, I summon my second Battlewasp – Arbalest the Rapidfire in defense mode!"
Battlewasp – Arbalest the Rapidfire, Level 4: DEF 800
"Black Garden's effect! I gain one Rose Token!"
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800
"Battlewasp – Arbalest's effect! I Special summon Battlewasp – Sting the Poison from my Graveyard in defense mode!"
Battlewasp – Sting the Poison, Level 2, Tuner: DEF 800
"Black Garden's effect! I gain an additional Rose Token!"
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800
"You shouldn't have accepted my challenge, Izayoi Aki!" Ran taunted. "Because here comes your doom! I tune Level 2 Battlewasp – Sting the Poison with Level 6 Battlewasp – Halberd the Charge and Level 4 Battlewasp – Arbalest the Rapidfire!"
"She's gonna Synchro summon a Level 12 Monster?!" Crow cried in disbelief from the stands.
"With the rallied strength of our bonds, pierce through the great evil wall of the arrogant! Synchro summon! Bow your heads for Battlewasp – Ballista the Armageddon!"
Battlewasp – Ballista the Armageddon, Level 12: ATK 3000
"Black Garden's effect!" I shouted.
Battlewasp – Ballista the Armageddon, Level 12: ATK 3000 – ATK 1500
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800
"Battlewasp – Ballista's effect! I remove all insect Monsters from the Graveyard and all your Monsters on the field will lose 500 attack and defense points for each card I remove!"
"What?!" I exclaimed in shock.
"I've got seven insect Monsters, so your Monsters lose all of their attack and defense points!" Ran laughed.
The transparent figures of the Battlewasps and Man-Eater Bug in Ran's Graveyard appeared on the field before they transformed into energy. Battlewasp – Ballista absorbed the energy with the sting-like cannons on its back and fired a laser beam on each of my Rose Tokens and Garden Rose Maiden, lowering their attack and defense points to zero.
Garden Rose Maiden, Level 5: DEF 2400 – DEF 0
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800 – ATK 0
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800 – ATK 0
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800 – ATK 0
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800 – ATK 0
"Battlewasp – Ballista, destroy Garden Rose Maiden!" Ran yelled. "And for your information, when Ballista attacks a defense position Monster, she can inflict piercing damage to you!"
Battlewasp – Ballista fired several energy stings at my newest Synchro Monster and shattered her into pieces. I grunted as I shielded my face against the wind effect of the Solid Vision.
Ran: 4000 LP
Aki: 2350 LP – 850 LP
Ran's laugh echoed in the stadium. "How did that feel, Izayoi Aki? Next turn will be your last turn, so prepare for some sweet defeat. I end my turn."
"You can do it, Aki!" Luna called from the stands.
"I'm not going to give up that easily", I told Ran as I drew Gigaplant from my Deck as I began my turn. "Before anything else, I activate my Trap, Dimension Reversion! This Trap card sends all your removed cards back to the Graveyard!"
"What?! No!" Ran cried in disbelief. "You can't do that!"
"I can and I will", I said.
It was a good thing I did some research about the Battlewasp Monsters. Battlewasp – Ballista had an effect that if she got destroyed by battle, she could then Special summon three Battlewasp Monsters that were removed from play.
The transparent images of the removed insects appeared on the field before they transformed into energy and flew into Ran's Duel Disk and to the Graveyard.
"Now, I release one of my Rose Tokens to Tribute summon Gigaplant in attack mode!"
Gigaplant, Level 6, Gemini: ATK 2400
"Black Garden's effect! Gigaplant's attack points are halved and you gain a Rose Token!"
Gigaplant, Level 6, Gemini: ATK 2400 – ATK 1200
Rose Token, Level 2: ATK 800
"Did the last attack make you lose common sense?" Ran asked while laughing. "Your man-eater plant is not strong enough to get rid of Ballista!"
"That may be so, but I'm going with a different strategy", I replied calmly. "I destroy my Black Garden and every plant-type Monster on the field!"
The Black Garden began withering as soon as I said that. My and Ran's Rose Tokens withered along with the garden as Gigaplant lowered his head as his body grew black.
"What kind of sorcery is this?!" Ran growled.
"By destroying Black Garden and every plant-type Monster, I can Special summon one Monster from my Graveyard whose ATK is equal to or less than the total ATK of those monsters", I explained. "Since only Gigaplant and your Rose Token had any attack points left, I can't summon a powerful Monster, so I Special summon Garden Rose Maiden!"
Garden Rose Maiden, Level 5: ATK 1600
"Alright!" Leo cheered. "Knock that bee queen down to the ground!"
"I don't think so!" Ran growled. "By removing Revival Swarm from my Graveyard, I can target Battlewasp – Ballista and protect her from being destroyed by battle and card effects until the end of the next turn!"
"But I can still inflict damage to you!" I said. "Garden Rose Maiden, attack Battlewasp – Ballista! Go, Petal Dance!"
Garden Rose Maiden began dancing around as rose petals flew around her. She stopped in her tracks and pointed at Battlewasp – Ballista, sending the petals as a tornado at the insect Monster. Battlewasp – Ballista buzzed as she got slashed by the attack, but she remained on the field.
Ran: 4000 LP – 3900 LP
Aki: 850 LP
"I end my turn", I nodded.
"So you were able to finally land a hit on me", Ran snorted as she drew a card. "I summon Battlewasp – Pin the Bullseye in defense mode!"
Battlewasp – Pin the Bullseye, Level 1: DEF 300
"Battlewasp – Pin's effect! In case you don't remember, he inflicts 200 points of damage for each Battlewasp – Pin I have on the field. Lucky for you, I only have one."
Battlewasp – Pin fired its sting and hit me on my shoulder. I still flinched back, even though it didn't hurt.
Ran: 3900 LP
Aki: 850 LP – 650 LP
"I place one card facedown and end my turn."
"I draw!" I called as I drew Fragrance Storm. "I play Fragrance Storm! I destroy Garden Rose Maiden to draw one card from my Deck. If it's a plant-type Monster, I reveal it to you and then draw an additional card."
Garden Rose Maiden shattered into pieces before I drew the top card of my Deck, seeing I got Lonefire Blossom. "It's Lonefire Blossom, a plant-type Monster, so I get to draw another card."
Ran picked a tissue from a pocket of her dress and tugged on it with her teeth in frustration as I drew Nature's Reflection.
"I activate Garden Rose Maiden's effect in my Graveyard!" I announced.
"What?! She's got another effect?!" Ran gasped in disbelief.
"I banish her from the Graveyard to Special summon Black Rose Dragon from the Graveyard!" I explained.
Black Rose Dragon, Level 7: ATK 2400
"Your mighty beast is back, but it doesn't scare me!" Ran growled.
"You should be, especially now that Revival Swarm's effect is no longer protecting your Battlewasp", I replied. "Black Rose Dragon, destroy Battlewasp – Ballista with Black Rose Flare!"
Black Rose Dragon fired her signature attack towards the red Battlewasp, but I noticed how Ran's mouth twitched into a grin.
"I activate Negate Attack!" she called as she flipped up said Trap card. "Your dragon's attack is negated and the Battle Phase is over!"
The Black Rose Flare attack grew weaker by the Trap card's effect before the black and purple petals were completely gone. I bit my lower lip in frustration that I couldn't attack Ran this time.
"I place one card facedown and end my turn", I called.
"I draw", Ran called. "Battlewasp – Pin's effect once again!"
Battlewasp – Pin fired a sting again that hit me on my abdomen. I grunted by the slight impact as my Life Points dropped.
Ran: 3900 LP
Aki: 650 LP – 450 LP
"Don't give up, Aki!" Yusei called.
"Everything will soon be over, but your dragon is too strong for Battlewasp – Ballista", Ran growled. "I place one card facedown and end my turn."
"I draw", I called as I drew Eradicating Aerosol. "I play Eradicating Aerosol!"
"NOOO!" Ran shrieked. "That card is going to destroy my Battlewasps!"
A large green spray can floated out from my Spell card and sprayed a white cloud upon Battlewasp – Ballista and Battlewasp – Pin. The two insects buzzed in pain before they shattered into pieces, leaving Ran's field empty, except for her facedown card.
"I summon Lonefire Blossom in attack mode!" I continued.
Lonefire Blossom, Level 3: ATK 500
"Why summon such a weak weed?" Ran scowled.
"Because I'll use its effect!" I replied. "I Tribute Lonefire Blossom to Special summon one plant-type Monster from my Deck! I Special summon Tytannial, Princess of Camellias!"
Tytannial, Princess of Camellias, Level 8: ATK 2800
"2800 attack points?!" Ran shrieked in fear.
"It's over now, Kobayakawa!" I called. "Tytannial, attack directly!"
Tytannial, Princess of Camellias raised her arms as a giant rose grew above her. The large rose opened its petals and fired a rose-colored beam at Ran.
"Not so fast!" Ran yelled. "I activate my Trap; Magic Cylinder! Tytannial's attack is negated and reflected back to you and you take the damage instead! I told you I was going to win! I'm getting my revenge! Feel the humiliation I had to deal with after you beat me, Izayoi Aki!"
Her Trap card flipped up as two cylinders appeared on the field. Tytannial's attack flew into one of the cylinders and came out from the other cylinder that was aimed at me.
"I activate my Trap; Nature's Reflection!" I called. "During this turn, any effect activated by my opponent that would inflict damage becomes an effect that inflicts damage to their Life Points!"
An energy wall appeared in front of me just before the attack could hit me. The wall reflected back the attack to Ran who shrieked as the attack hit her.
Ran: 3900 LP – 1100 LP
Aki: 450 LP
"Black Rose Dragon, end the Duel once and for all!" I yelled determinedly. "Black Rose Flare!"
Black Rose Dragon fired her signature attack and hit Ran with it. My opponent's scream echoed around me as the air got a bit rough by my dragon's attack.
Ran: 1100 LP – 0 LP
Aki: 450 LP
The Duel was over. I didn't realize I had been holding my breath, so I took a deep breath as the adrenaline in my body calmed down. My two Monsters vanished as I looked at the other side of the field. Ran was down on her knees, staring at the ground in a daze.
I ran over to her to see if she was okay. I was worried if I had accidently allowed my psychic powers to run wild for a moment.
"Kobayakawa!" I called worriedly as I ran to her. "Are you okay?"
I gently placed a hand on her trembling shoulder as she mumbled to herself. "How could I lose…? How could my Battlewasps lose to a cursed garden…?"
I exhaled a soft sigh through my nose before smiling softly. "Kobayakawa… You were so into defeating me that you never noticed the new me. I've become a new Izayoi Aki, the Pure Rose Maiden, thanks to the people who reached their hands out to me…and I'm glad you reached out to me too."
"What…?" Ran mumbled softly before she slowly looked up.
I smiled to her and held out my hand to her. "It's been a while I enjoyed such an intense Duel. I hope we can Duel again in the future, Bee Queen."
Ran blinked her eyes to get rid of the haze before she stared at my hand. She closed her eyes for a moment before a smirk appeared on her lips. She opened her eyes and grabbed my hand before we straightened up.
"You may have won this time, Pure Rose Maiden, but enjoy the victory while you can", Ran grinned. "One day, I'll beat your rose garden."
"I look forward to that day, Kobayakawa", I giggled softly as we shook hands.
"Ran. You can call me Ran, my eternal rival."
I couldn't help but giggle softly in joy. This was the first time I ever had a rival like this. "And you can call me Aki, Ran. Let us both become great Duelists."
XXXXXXXXXX
As you probably have figured it out by now, Sakura, Mei, and Kobayakawa Ran are based on the spin-off manga side characters. Ran was the only one among the trio that had a full name, so I used Google to find some surnames for Sakura and Mei's last names. And with the description of their appearance, I tried to come up with something since there aren't any official notes about their hair and eye colors.
I've uploaded Kobayakawa Ran's Deck on my DeviantArt account if you want to use it as inspiration for a similar Deck.