Yu-Gi-Oh! NEO
Chapter 6: The Warmth of a Mother's Embrace
The smell of antiseptic filled the brightly lit snow white halls. People walked in and out various rooms, filling the hallway. Some are crying, some are laughing, some are calm, some are panicking, and some are trying to look brave.
"William…" a woman said, caressing the cheek of a young boy, who's currently sleeping soundly. "I love you…" She kissed the boy's forehead, tears falling out of her eyes. "I'm sorry…"
A man entered the room, grabbing the woman's shoulder. "It's time," he said.
Two other men entered the room, flanking her.
"No need," she said, standing up. "I'll leave on my own." Walking past the people who filled the room, she went out and disappeared into the hall.
The central man gestured to the other two to follow her, who complied.
Yumi: 4000
William: 4000
Turn 3: Yumi
Yumi's field is empty save for a single back row. On William's side is a single monster - Madolche Teacher Glassouffle - and a field spell - Madolche Chateau.
"I hope you're ready for my counterattack, cause it's my turn!" She slammed the card she just drew into the table. "I activate Charge of the Light Brigade! By sending 3 cards from my deck to the graveyard, I can add 1 'Lightsworn' monster from my deck to my hand! Come, Lumina!"
A glowing card flew out of her deck into her hand, which she placed immediately on the table, causing the dark-skinned blonde to appear.
Lumina, Lightsworn Summoner [Level 3/LIGHT/Spellcaster/1000 ATK/1000 DEF]
"Now, I use Lumina's effect to special summon Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn from the graveyard in exchange of 1 card from my hand!"
As she finished speaking, the little Lumina standing above her card at the table turned around and started chanting, causing a card from Yumi's hand to be enveloped in glowing light as it slowly floated into the table, where the light dissipated and revealed itself to be Raiden.
Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn [Level 4/LIGHT/Warrior/Tuner/1700 ATK/1000 DEF]
"Now, I activate Raiden's effect! Once per turn, I can send the top two cards of my deck to the graveyard and, for every "Lightsworn" monster sent this way, Raiden gains 200 ATK!"
Two cards from the top of Yumi's deck glowed and flew towards Raiden, being absorbed by his knife as his attack raised.
Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn [1700 ATK - 2100 ATK]
"2100 ATK…? That's nothing against Glassouffle!"
"Well, I'm not using Raiden to attack! Thanks to Raiden's effect, Wulf was sent to the graveyard from the deck, which allows me to special summon it to my side of the field!"
Wulf, Lightsworn Beast [Level 4/LIGHT/Beast-Warrior/2100 ATK/300 DEF]
"That's still not enough!"
"Then how about this!?" Yumi placed the last card from her hand to the field. "I activate Lightsworn Saber and equip it to Wulf! This gives him 700 more ATK!"
Wulf, Lightsworn Beast [2100 ATK - 2800 ATK]
"Now attack! Lightsworn Frenzy!"
Wulf jumped up, sabre in hand, wildly slashing and slicing and stabbing and biting and scratching at his prey, the poor Madolche, who spent every final waking hour of her brief life writhing in agony before finally succumbing to death.
"Glassouffle…"
"Yes!"
William: 3500
"Now, Lumina and Raiden, direct attack! Twin Lightsworn Magic Slash!"
"Ahhh!"
William: 400
"Grr…!"
"With that, I end my turn! Sadly, I first have to send 5 cards from my deck to the graveyard thanks to Lumina and Raiden."
Turn 4: William
"Glassouffle…" William seems rather pained as he drew his next card. Although Yumi has no way of knowing what he's thinking about, she can feel the rage and anger seething through his very being. "HOW DARE YOU!?"
"Wha-?"
He stood up from the table he was just sitting in, then flipped it completely. Luckily, the game is not ruined as the cards simply floated in the air. "HOW DARE YOU, HOW DARE YOU! PICK UP YOUR DUEL DISK! AND START TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY!"
"Chill, William. It's just a game!" Yuri is starting to get worried about her sister and the situation as a whole.
"JUST A GAME? I'LL SHOW YOU WHAT A GAME REALLY IS, THEN! MY TURN! I NORMAL SUMMON MADOLCHE MEWFEUILLE!"
He angrily slammed the card into his duel disk, summoning a puddle of milk into the field. Moments later, another puzzle piece rose from the milk, containing an adorable pink kitten, greatly contrasting with William's current state.
Madolche Mewfeuille [Level 3/EARTH/Beast/500 ATK - 1000 ATK/300 DEF]
"It's still cute…"
"SHUT UP! MEWFEUILLE'S EFFECT ACTIVATES! WHEN IT IS NORMAL SUMMONED, I CAN SPECIAL SUMMON ANOTHER 'MADOLCHE' MONSTER FROM MY HAND! RETURN, MADOLCHE PETINGCESSOEUR!"
The little princess from earlier returned to the field.
Madolche Petingcessoeur [Level 4/EARTH/Fairy/1400 ATK - 1900 ATK/1400 DEF]
"Umm… you're scaring me…"
"YOU BETTER! I ACTIVATE PETINGCESSOEUR'S EFFECT TO SPECIAL SUMMON MADOLCHE PUDDINGCESS FROM THE DECK WITH IT'S LEVEL REDUCED BY 1!"
Upon placing his next card unto the disk, another puddle formed on the field, this time made out of pudding. From it rose a puzzle piece made of chocolate pudding, bearing a royal princess that looks similar to Petingcessoeur, only noticeably older and more regal in attire.
Madolche Puddingcess [Level 5 - Level 4/EARTH/Fairy/1000 ATK - 1500 ATK/1000 DEF]
"FINALLY, I ACTIVATE GIANT TRUNADE FROM MY HAND, RETURNING ALL SPELL AND TRAP CARDS IN THE FIELD TO THE HAND! SAY GOODBYE TO YOUR SABER FOR NOW!"
A storm brewed over the board, sending all spells and traps to the hand, including Madolche Chateau.
Madolche Mewfeuille [1000 ATK - 500 ATK]
Madolche Petingcessoeur [1900 ATK - 1400 ATK]
Madolche Puddingcess [1500 ATK - 1000 ATK]
Wulf, Lightsworn Beast [2800 ATK - 2100 ATK]
"THEN I REACTIVATE THE FIELD SPELL, MADOLCHE CHATEAU!"
The castle of cakes and sweets returned to the field, bringing back the earlier scenery.
"THANKS TO THE CHATEAU, I CAN SHUFFLE BACK ALL MONSTERS IN THE GRAVEYARD TO THE DECK!"
The cards, Madolche Messengelato and Madolche Teacher Glassouffle, both flew out of the graveyard and returned to the main and extra decks respectively.
Madolche Mewfeuille [500 ATK - 1000 ATK]
Madolche Petingcessoeur [1400 ATK - 1900 ATK]
Madolche Puddingcess [1000 ATK - 1500 ATK]
"NOW, SINCE I HAVE NO MONSTERS IN THE GRAVEYARD, MADOLCHE PUDDINGCESS GAINS 800 MORE ATK!"
Madolche Puddingcess [1500 ATK - 2300 ATK]
"NOW, I OVERLAY THE LEVEL 4 MADOLCHE PUDDINGCESS AND LEVEL 4 MADOLCHE PETINGCCESSOEUR TO PERFORM AN XYZ SUMMON! VENGEFUL MOTHER, ARISE AND SHOW YOURSELF TO THESE IREDEEMABLE VILLAIN! XYZ SUMMON! APPEAR, MADOLCHE TEACHER GLASSOUFFLE!"
The green-clad teacher once again appeared in the field, which greatly calmed William.
Madolche Teacher Glassouffle [Rank 4/EARTH/Fairy/1800 ATK - 2300 ATK/2500 DEF]
"Now, I will show you what you truly deserve! Madolche Teacher Glassouffle, attack Wulf, Lightsworn Beast!"
The green-clad teacher picked up a book, and hurled it towards the beast, which also hit Yumi by extension.
Yumi: 3800
"Now, Madolche Mewfeuille, attack Lumina!"
Upon command, the ridiculously cute cat jumped off its puzzle piece towards the blonde summoner, clawing on her as the girl tried to get her off, ending the little tussle with both fighters out of commission.
A singular face-down appeared on the field. "I end my turn with a face down!"
Turn 5: Yumi
"You know… you're kinda scary…"
"I SAID SHUT UP! NOW PROCEED WITH YOUR TURN SO I CAN FINALLY BEAT YOU!"
"Beat off, William!" Yuri said. "I don't know what's your story, but you can't talk to my sister like that! And all over a card game? What are you, a kid?"
"As you said, you know nothing about my story! SO SHUT UP AND PLAY!"
"You know, you were really nice earlier. I actually kinda liked you. But if you're like this, then maybe I should personally hand you a beating or two!"
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
"Yeah, sis. I actually agree with him in this one."
Yumi's words took Yuri by surprise a little bit. "Yumi…"
"I think I understand his story. So please, let me reach out to him." Yumi's voice, pose, and eyes are all filled with determination, burning through Yuri's own mind.
"I understand."
"Thank you." Yumi drew her card. "It's my turn, then! Draw!"
"During your Standby Phase, I activate my trap! Madolche Lesson!"
William's face down card flipped itself up, revealing a card with the image of Puddingcess sitting on a table and having to learn table manners.
"By shuffling a Madolche card from my graveyard to my deck, all Madolche monsters I control gain 800 ATK! I shuffle Madolche Meowfeuille to my deck!"
Madolche Teacher Glassouffle [2300 ATK - 3100 ATK]
"Now just try to beat me!"
"That card is really important to you, isn't it?"
"Wha-?"
"I mean… I know I'd get kinda upset if my favorite card is destroyed… But you don't have to take it that far."
"What are you saying!? Just play the game! Or are you chickening out already!?"
"Okay, then! But first, I want you to promise me one thing! If I win this duel, you'll be my friend, okay?"
"Whatever! You will lose anyways, so just play the game!"
"Alright! I tribute Raiden, Hand of the Lightsworn in my field!"
Raiden disappeared as Yumi placed her card on her duel disk. As he ascended into the sky, a divine light shined upon the ground he stood upon earlier. Moments later, an angel began it's descent into the Earth they stood upon.
"Holy angel of the Realm of Light, descend unto this Earth and grace us with your presence! TRIBUTE SUMMON! Appear, Celestia, Lightsworn Angel!"
Celestia, Lightsworn Angel [Level 5/LIGHT/Fairy/2300 ATK/200 DEF]
"That's all you got!? That doesn't even come close to Glassouffle!"
"Just wait, then! I activate Celestia's effect! By sending the top four cards of my deck to the graveyard, I can destroy up to two cards on the field! I choose to destroy Madolche Teacher Glassouffle! DIVINE AFTERGLOW!"
"Oh hell no! I activate Madolche Teacher Glassouffle's effect! By detaching an overlay unit from her, I can target a Madolche monster to make it unaffected by other cards besides itself!"
"Just as I wanted!"
"What!?"
"Thanks to Glassouffle's effect, it is no longer affected by card effects besides its own! Including Madolche Chateau and Madolche Lesson!"
"WHAT!?"
Madolche Teacher Glassouffle [3100 ATK - 1800 ATK]
"Now, Celestia! Attack Madolche Teacher Glassouffle and end this duel! CELESTIAL IMPACT!"
"GLASSOUFFLE!"
William: 0
Winner: Yumi
The proud William flew back as his sweet castle disappeared, tears streaming down his face as his beloved Teacher vanished into thin air.
"NOOO!" was all he could say.
After the dusts of the battle settled, Yumi and Yuri found William on the ground, crying his eyeballs off.
"It's over." Yuri said.
Yumi, on the other hand, walked towards William, extending her hand towards him.
"It was your mother's card, right?"
"What do you know!?"
"Well… I think I know how you feel…" Yumi stopped for a bit, carefully choosing what she will say next. "I mean… I lost my mom too…"
William stopped for a moment, before looking up to Yumi's extended hand.
"My mom died when I was little, so I think I get what you feel…" She clutched her deck towards her chest. "My mom used to use this deck, so I feel kinda attached to them… So while I can't really say I know what you feel, I do think I can understand how you feel."
"You're a weird kid… you know that?" William said, wiping his tears and taking Yumi's hand.
It's really unclear, as his face is still rather difficult to read, but Yumi can see a faint smile in his lips.
"You said if I lose I have to be your friend, right? That's fine with me, I think…"
Yuri, on the sidelines, look rather proud of her sister. She stared at her, at them, and shed a tear herself. 'She's growing,' she thought.
Once again, thank you for reading! And sorry for the long break! At the middle of a duel, no less! But I do hope I'll get into a more consistent upload schedule after this, though. Again, thank you for reading and see you on the next chapter!