Yu-Gi-Oh! NEO
Chapter 5: Sweet Stronghold of Incredible Sweetness!
Yumi's victory left the entire room stunned. It's not that nobody thought that she wouldn't be able to win - it's that her victory is so unorthodox that many were both baffled and amazed that she was amazed to pull it off. Yet there she is, giving her entrance speech to the entire student body as the top of the coming Junior level students.
"...And that is why we must do our best to move forward!" she said. "Thank you for listening!"
The rest of the students gave her a round of applause as she returned to her seat.
"Thank you for your wonderful speech, Ms. Mayumi" said Ms. May, the one who served as her proctor during the entrance exams. She didn't really expect much when she was personally assigned to her by the Headmaster, but she was pleasantly surprised to be proven wrong. "Now, for our next speaker, please welcome the top student of the Senior grade - Yuri Mayumi."
Yuri walked confidently towards the podium, ignoring many of the comments and chatters she heard along the way.
"Good day, everyone," she said. "I am Yuri Mayumi, Yumi's older sister."
The murmurs became louder after she said that. At first, people are talking about the possibility that the two might be related, but now they know for sure that they are.
"I-" Yuri paused. Her mind went blank. Though she tried hard to ignore, it's becoming rather unbearable now. The endless chatter of the people as they stared at her - it's impossible. There's no way she could give a speech like this. She panicked. Unable to remember what it is she's prepared. But the chatter just grows louder - she needs to speak soon. "I'm happy to meet you all!" She blurted out the first polite thing to come to her mind. "Thank you for listening!" She ran out of the stage, face beet red. Though one probably wouldn't be able to tell from looking at the two, Yuri is actually a pretty shy individual compared to her sister. Especially in front of large crowds like this one.
"Ehehehe..." Ms. May chuckled inaudibly. "Thank you for your brief speech, Ms. Mayumi. With all that settled, I wish everyone the best and hope you enjoy your first day of school here at Alina Duel Academy. Dorm assignments will be distributed via your D-pads, so please keep an eye for it."
With the closing remarks finished, the students started to disperse out of the auditorium and into the school grounds.
Is this what shame feels like? Is this the end of my life? But I still have to protect Yumi! How could I possibly let it end this way? And to I even dragged her with me! These are the thoughts circulating around Yuri's head as she sulked by the hallway, just outside the auditorium.
"Hey, sis." She heard Yumi say.
"Hey."
"So… that was pretty bad, huh?" Yumi chuckled.
Yuri sulked harder "Don't look at me," she said. "I'm a disgrace. I embarrassed you in front of the whole school."
"Come on don't say that!" She jumped in and hugged her sister. "You're still my sister after all!"
"Really…?"
"Really!"
"Alright!" Yuri stood up renewed, though still feeling a little down. "Let's get going, sis! We've got an entire campus to explore!"
"Before that…" Yuri rummaged through her bag, taking a card. "Mom said I should give this to you when you became stronger."
"This is…!" A tear fell off Yumi's eye, recognizing the card. She then hugged her sister. "Thank you!"
Yuri kissed her in the forehead. "You've earned it."
A wonderful modern house. Bright lights lighting the surroundings. Trophies displayed in glass cabinet. Freshly cooked dinner in the table. The silent judgment of a distant mother apathetically watching as the scene unfolds. The scream of a child as he is beaten and berated by his father. That is the scenery most common within the Atlas household.
"But father…!" the boy said as he received another punch in the gut, tears streaming from his eyes, ending with a pained grunt.
"What did I tell you?" Another punch. "No ifs, no buts, you must be the first."
He cried out again, falling down on the floor. "I was going to be the first!"
His father picked him up by the collar of his shirt. "But you aren't. You lost to a nameless brat!"
"That's enough," the mother said causing his father to release him. "Dinner's gonna go cold." She turned to her son, piercing him with a cold glare. "I hope you're happy."
Truly the wonders of modern life.
"Sis!" Yumi said, excitedly tugging on her sister's sleeve. "Sis! Look! They're having a duel over there!" She looked around, finding another ongoing duel. "Over there too!" Then she found another one. "There too!" Everywhere she looked, there's a duel going on. This must be duelist heaven! She thought, falling into her back and laying into the grass.
While Yumi is so happy seeing duels and duelists as far as the eye can see, Yuri noticed a man the age of Yumi approaching them. He didn't look real friendly, if the bruises or the bandages that litters his body are anything to go by, and though his rather expensive watch would beg to differ, it could've just as easily been a trophy.
"Hey!" he said, snapping Yumi out of her daydream and causing Yuri to instinctively put herself in between them. "That girl's Yumi, isn't she?"
"So what if she is?" Yuri asked as Yumi stood up, cowering behind her. "What do you want from her?"
"Chill." He clicked a button in his watch, causing it to transform into a custom duel disk different from the standard ones Yuri and Yumi use, with a metallic black blade and a touch-screen center. "You're Yuri, right? Yumi's sister? I only want to beat her in a duel, that's all."
"A duel…?" Yumi's face lit up. "Alright!"
"Yumi, I don't think…"
"It's okay, sis! It's only a duel." She hugged her from behind. "Besides, you'll be here if he ever tries anything, right?"
Yuri sighed. "I guess if you put it that way…" She stared daggers towards the other guy. "But if you try anything!"
"I know, I know." He placed his deck in his duel disk as Yumi did the same. "It's only a duel, no strings attached. And my name is William."
"Okay William - wait, that's too long. Can I call you Willy for short?"
"You may call me Will, but not Willy."
"Okay Willy! Let's duel!"
"I said Will!"
'DUEL'
Yumi: 4000
William: 4000
"As I challenged you, you may take the first turn."
"Okay, thanks!"
Turn 1: Yumi
Yumi looked over the cards in her hand, a sweat starting to form at the top of her head. This is a pretty terrible hand… she thought. Well, no point sweating it out. She placed a card on her disk. "I set a monster and two cards face down and end my turn!"
'My turn, draw!"
Turn 2: William
That's exactly the same move she did against Ms. May…I'll have to be careful if I want to win. "Alright! From my hand I activate Madolche Petingcessoeur! If I don't have a monster in my graveyard, I can special summon her from my hand!"
A ceramic plate shaped like a puzzle piece appeared on the field. Slowly, it began to fill with some sort of pudding, which was then set ablaze. As the fires died out, the figure of a small ballerina can be seen. Then the smoke disappeared, revealing a little girl with golden hair, wearing a tutu.
Madolche Petingcessoeur [Level 4/EARTH/Fairy/1400 ATK/1400 DEF]
Yumi's eyes opened wide, sparkling brightly. "Sis look!" she said. "It's so cute!"
Yuri rolled her eyes while smiling. "Yeah, it is. But focus on your duel." She turned her focus towards Yumi's opponent. "I must say, though. THAT is unexpected."
He just shrugged before continuing with his turn. "Since Petingcessoeur is special summoned, her effect will activate and allow me to special summon a "Madolche" monster from my deck, but its level is reduced by one. Come out, Madolche Anjelly!"
The ground where the monster was summoned began to liquefy, causing a jello shaped like another puzzle piece to appear on the board, this time carrying it's passenger - a small brunette angel with tiny wings.
Madolche Anjelly [Level 4-Level 3/EARTH/Fairy/1000 ATK/1000 DEF]
Yumi looked like she's gonna die of heart attack upon seeing the new monster, falling down into the ground as her eyes turned into hearts, which should be impossible and is out of place, but it's far more impossible not to when you see these ridiculously cute creatures.
"Please don't die on me," William said. "I need you alive to beat you!"
Yumi quickly jumped back to her feet, scratching the back of her head. "Sorry, sorry…" she chuckled.
"Seriously…" He took Anjelly off his duel disk, inserting her to the graveyard slot. "I'll activate Anjelly's effect! By sending her to the graveyard, I can special summon 1 'Madolche' monster from the deck! Appear, Madolche Hootcake!"
Anjelly flew up in the sky, stretching her hand out to her podium, causing it to glow. As the glowing stopped, her puzzle piece changed from jello to a slice of chocolate cake. Anjelly chuckled, did a spin, and then disappeared without a trace. From where she stands appeared an owl in a suit, giving out a hoot before settling down.
Madolche Hootcake [Level 3/EARTH/Beast/1500 ATK/1100 DEF]
Yumi's face turned beet red, her heart pounding so loud it can be heard from a mile away. Must… resist…Can't die…of cuteness…!
"Uh… Ms. Mayumi?"
Yumi looked like she's suffering through the final stages of a terminal disease that could take her life at any given moment. "…Please…continue…" she spoke through grunts.
"Uh, sure…" Anjelly's card popped out of the graveyard. "By banishing a monster from my graveyard, I can… Are you okay?"
Yumi is currently rolling on the ground, her face starting to turn purple. "…Yes…"
"Um… I can postpone our duel if you want…?"
"...No…Continue."
Yuri finally interjected into their exchange, picking up Yumi and giving her a light tap at the cheek, which was surprisingly enough to knock her out of her trance. "I told you to focus on the duel, didn't I?"
Yumi looked down in shame, caressing the cheek that was 'slapped'. "I'm sorry," she said, tears forming in her eyes.
"Don't apologize to me. You're troubling your opponent more."
Yumi nodded and Yuri let her go. Within a moment, Yumi is on her knees, keeping her head down. "I'm sorry, Willy!"
William shrugged. "I told you it's Will. And we should just continue with the duel."
"Yes, sir!"
"Okay, as I was saying, by banishing one monster from the graveyard, Hootcake can special summon another 'Madolche' monster from my deck, like Madolche Messengelato."
Hootcake flew up, summoning a stream of chocolate that drizzled down like a rain, quickly flooding the area. From the chocolaty puddle rose another puzzle piece, this one a waffle carrying a mailbox. Soon after, a male doll came strolling along, reading a piece of paper.
Madolche Messengelato [Level 4/EARTH/Warrior/1600 ATK/1000 DEF]
"Still cute…"
"Messengelato's effect activates! When he is special summoned while I control a Beast-type monster, I can add 1 'Madolche' Spell/Trap from my deck to my hand. I choose Madolche Chateau, which I immediately activate!"
After he played the card, the very world surrounding them began to change. Walls made out of biscuits formed around them, the floor turned into bread, and Yumi and Yuri found themselves sitting in a chair made out of chocolate, in front of a table made out of chocolate, across William who's also sitting in chocolate. The cards are laid out in a table, resembling a game prior to duel disks, though the monsters still appeared, albeit more tabletop friendly in size.
"Worry not - this should not dirty your clothes," he said. "But the tea they serve here is delicious, if a bit imaginary."
As if on cue, two people, a male and a female, entered the room they're in. The male set three teacups on the table, in front of each of them, then filled it with tea. The female placed three plates of cake for each of them.
"Please enjoy," the two servants said, disappearing into the door.
Both Yumi and Yuri are left wide-eyed at the development, while William just sipped his tea. "What are you two waiting for? Take a bite already and we'll continue with the duel."
"Is this… real?" Yumi said out loud, picking up the teacup from her table and drinking from it. "It is!"
Yuri followed her sister's example, taking a bite out of her cake. "But how is this possible…?" she asked, taking another bite.
"My Father is involved in the development of the new NEO duel disks, which can make solid holograms with tangible physical attributes, like smell and taste, though they disappear after turning it off. It also lets us play in a table like this, virtually simulating the cards and the deck, so you can take off your duel disk. It's not yet available to the public, but Father gave me a prototype to use." He then noticed that his explanations are probably for nothing, seeing as how the sisters where too busy delighting themselves with the sweets. "Um…"
"Don't worry, we-" Yuri stopped mid-sentence, reassessing what she is about to say. "I heard you."
"Ms. Mayumi…?" William said.
Yuri picked up her sister, who's still busy eating a big chunk of the floor, then sat her back on her chair. "Sorry about our attitude. Both earlier and in this instant!"
William turned red, putting his hands up as if he's about to say stop. "It's okay, it's okay! If… um… May we continue the duel…?"
Yuri slapped her sister in the back, causing her to finally snap back into reality. "Of course!" she said on instinct. "Sorry…"
"Anyways… Madolche Chateau's effect raises the ATK of all Madolche monster on the field."
Madolche Petingcessoeur [1400 ATK - 1900 ATK]
Madolche Hootcake [1500 ATK - 2000 ATK]
Madolche Messengelato [1600 ATK - 2100 ATK]
"Uh oh…" Yumi checked her face down monster, which she forgot due to all the cuteness. Alright, he can't beat it!
"Before I end my main phase, I'll overlay my Level 4 Messengelato with my Level 4 Petingcessoeur."
Crap, Yumi thought. This is bad...
"Mother, please give me strength. Please give me the knowledge to win this duel! XYZ SUMMON!"
After the brief explosion on the tabletop, a new monster appeared on the field. It was on yet another puzzle piece, but the amount of books and other stuff that litters it makes it virtually impossible to recognize what it's made with. However, what's clear is the elderly green-haired lady in a green gown and green glasses carrying a pretzel stick.
"Lend me your wisdom, mother. Appear, Madolche Teacher Glassouffle!"
Madolche Teacher Glassouffle [Rank 4/EARTH/Fairy/1800 ATK/2500 DEF/XYZ]
"Then, thanks to Chateau, her ATK increases by 500!"
Madolche Teacher Glassouffle [1800 ATK - 2300 ATK]
This is bad… Luckily I still have my Trap card!
"Battle! Glassouffle, attack her face down monster!"
The teacher stood up from her seat, throwing her pretzel as if it was a spear, piercing and destroying the face down Minerva.
"Alright, I'll activate my face down, Swords of Blinding Light! When an opponent's monster destroys a Lightsworn monster I control, I can, by sending 5 cards from my deck to the graveyard, destroy all attack position monster they control!"
"I activate Glassouffle's effect! By detaching 1 XYZ material, 1 Madolche monster I control cannot be affected by card effects until the end phase! I choose to protect Glassouffle!"
A two bright swords appeared from the card, each aimed at one monster William controls. Both of these swords were quickly flung, hitting their marks. Hootcake shrieked before disappearing. Glassouffle, however, simply phased through the sword.
"Birdie no!" Yumi said, her heart filled with regret. "What have I done…?"
Yuri sighed, growing more tired of her sister's antics. "Yumi, stop that. Please."
"Okay sis!" Yumi said, turning her frown upside down.
William, as usual, is flabbergasted about his opponent's behavior, still feeling disbelief that the Student Representative of their year will be this happy-go-lucky girl. Not that he questions her ability - he knows how good she can be - he just can't wrap his mind around it.
"Anyways," he said, grabbing Hootcake and Petingcessoeur from his graveyard, shuffling Hootcake into the deck and adding the other to the hand. "Since Hootcake was destroyed, I can shuffle him back to the deck. And since a Madolche monster was sent to my graveyard, Glassouffle can shuffle 1 Madolche monster from my graveyard to my deck, like Petingcessoeur. However, once per turn, when I am to shuffle a Madolche monster from my graveyard to my deck, Madolche Chateau allows me to add it to my hand instead. I use this effect on Petingcessoeur, returning her to my hand. I set one card and end my turn!"
"Alright, my turn!" Yumi said enthusiastically, 'drawing' a card from her 'duel disk'. "Huh?" She slapped herself in the forehead. "Oh right!" She placed her hand on the stack of cards on the table. "For real this time! Draw!"
To be continued…
And here it is! The start of the first proper arc of the series which I shall dub the First Arc! A rather creative name if I do say so myself! Kidding, of course. Anyways, this is the first chapter of the First Semester arc, so I hope you like it. I know it's a weird place to place a cliffhanger in, but I do hope that you enjoyed the chapter (and it's getting kinda long). Again, thanks for reading and see you next time!
[Disclaimer: Yuri Mayumi doesn't have anything to do with Yuri the Crazy. The name similarity is purely coincidental]