The Case of the Manila Envelope--Chapter 3
by HA
"Here," Molly said, handing over the thick envelope stuffed full of money to the person before her in the Sussex Academy parking lot.
The young man grinned as he received his reward and stuffed it into his jeans pocket. "Been a pleasure doing business with ya."
"Ahem," Molly said, clearing her throat loudly.
"What? You think I'd double-cross ya?" the young man said as he pulled out a manila envelope from the inside of his leather jacket. "Here's what you wanted. You'll find it fits what you were looking for."
Molly took the envelope, opened it carefully, and gently pulled out its contents. "Yes, this will do nicely," she said, smiling wickedly.
"Then my job is done," the young man said, opening his car door.
"Just remember the...provisos of our agreement," Molly warned.
"Gotcha," the young man said as he started his rusty, dent-ridden car. "My lips are staying zipped."
Keeping herself at a safe distance, Molly watched as the car spat out smoke from its exhaust pipe as it departed. After sliding her newly acquired item into the envelope, she held it before her eyes. During her walk to the dorms, she reviewed her plan and foresaw the outcome. *This time, Holmes, I'll be the victor.*
* * * * *
Eventually, Shirley and Blake found the hotel mentioned by the two Strangers. Once there, they recognized the white limousine. Shirley signaled Blake to hide behind the nearby wall, and the two rolled their bikes there just in time, for when Shirley peeked out, Rika and Sara were walking out of the building.
"Too bad the desk clerk wasn't specific on which area she was heading to," Sara said. "It would've saved us a drive around town."
"A sightseeing walk?" Rika said.
"You know her," Sara said.
"I do," Rika said, sounding almost bitter. "Just how many game and collectibles shops are in this city?"
"I'd estimate maybe one for every two to three blocks, and we need to keep in mind the one at the mall," Sara guessed. "Of course, considering what she likes, we can narrow that number down."
"Unfortunately, what she likes is pretty popular right now," Rika commented.
"Yeah. Ariana doesn't like it, though," Sara said. "She feels the monsters in Monster Battler aren't cute and cuddly."
"She should look at some of the Angel Subtypes," Rika said. "I'm sure she'd like to have those as pets."
"They're weak, though," Sara said. "They really need to use Equip Magic Cards in order to stand up to the big boys."
Rika sighed. "Guess we'd better start with the most prominent ones."
"Yeah. It's times like these that I wish Katrina was here," Sara said.
"Bart's a little green, so having her on his team is a good thing," Rika remarked. "First New York, then the airport...what's next?"
Shirley ducked down when she saw Rika looking her way. "What's wrong?" Sara asked.
A long pause occurred before Rika spoke again. "Nothing. Must be my imagination. Let's go."
Shirley heard the door slam and the limousine leave. Looking out again, she confirmed the car's absence, but something got her attention. Namely, her hand was touching something soft.
"Um, Shirley..." Blake said.
Shirley looked at him, and then she shifted her gaze from his face to below it. When she had hidden herself against the wall, she had pinned Blake's hand against it. Without a word, she quickly removed her hand from his. "So, what do you think?" she asked, trying her best not to blush.
"Well, all we know is that we have a lot of game shops to search, including the one at the mall," Blake said. "Of course, I wish we knew who they were searching for."
"Judging from how they acted, someone who could pose a danger," Shirley said. "A pity they didn't give us a physical description of the girl."
"Yeah," Blake said.
"And what is this 'Monster Battler' they keep talking about?" Shirley wondered.
"A TCG."
Shirley and Blake watched as Bo showed up with his bike at his side. He looked like he had pedaled against a wind machine, and his breathing was rather deep.
"Bo?" Shirley said, sounding genuinely surprised.
"How'd you know where to find us?" Blake asked.
"Been following you as best I could," Bo admitted as he wiped his brow and caught his breath.
"I thought you had work," Shirley said.
"Dad's been feeling better, and my mom can handle things now," Bo said. "Besides, you guys might need my help."
"Well, you can start by telling me what a TCG is," Shirley said.
"Trading Card Game," Blake said. "It's a card game with specialized cards you can trade with your friends or sell."
"Right," Bo said. Although Shirley was perhaps one of the smartest persons he knew, it still amazed him when some aspects of pop culture escaped her.
"So what's Monster Battler?" Shirley asked curiously.
Bo was about to explain what Monster Battler while pointing out that some of his younger cousins played it when Blake spoke. "It's a TCG where you use Monsters to fight each other. Beyond that, I don't know much about it."
Bo took his chance. "Essentially, each player has 8000 Life Points, and the goal of the game is to reduce your opponent's Life Points to zero. You can also win by decking him out..."
"Decking him out?" Shirley said.
"Making him run out of cards," Bo said quickly. "Anyway, you play Monster Cards that have an Attack rating and a Defense rating. Now, you can Summon--that is, put the Monster face up--or you can Set--that's putting it in face down horizontal position--Monsters, and..."
Shirley held up her hand. "I believe you can tell us while we search."
"No problem, although the rulebook would help explain things better," Bo said, "and don't get me started on the individual card rulings by Miraino."
"Miraino?" Shirley said.
"The creators of Monster Battler," Blake said. "It's a Japanese video game company."
"They make good games," Bo added.
"Ah," Shirley said. "Now, let's begin searching game shops, shall we?"
"Why don't we try Carson's Collectables?" Bo suggested. "A lot of kids hang out there and play Monster Battler."
"Good idea," Shirley said. "Let's go."
Mounting her bike, Shirley took off, leaving the two boys to watch her. Getting on his bike, Blake opened his mouth to say something, but Bo shot him a look.
"Not one word," he said before riding off.
Blake refrained from responding and followed his friends.
* * * * *
"...and I believe that's game," the girl said.
With his hand facedown, Bruce stared at the Field. The girl's side had the dreaded Yamata no Orochi, a fierce Dragon known in Monster Battler for its high Attack Power. Bruce had no Monsters on the Field to defend his Life Points due to bad drawing, but he had Set his own Reflective Barrier of Protection just in case the demonic behemoth attacked. The problem was that it couldn't be activated thanks to the presence of the Dragon's companion, the dreaded Trap-deactivating Machine known as Nega-Psycho.
Nick let out a whistle. "Um, I think that makes it...oh...ten out of ten Battles in her favor, Bruce?"
"Ah, shaddap," Bruce grumbled as he glared at the girl, who smiled at him as she shuffled her deck.
"I did warn you," she said matter-of-factly.
"Just be thankful you didn't bet any cards, Bruce," a girl in pigtails said. "Otherwise, you'd be so screwed when the next tournament comes."
The crowd burst into laughter, much to Bruce's displeasure. "Okay, this time I'm sure I'm gonna beat ya," he told the girl as he got his deck ready.
"We shall see," the girl said as she slid her deck over to Bruce to cut.
* * * * *
As the three detectives headed towards Carson's Collectibles based on Bo's directions, Shirley listened carefully to her best friend's explanation of the Monster Battler Trading Card Game. "You're right," she said after he finished. "I do need to read the rulebook."
"You get used to it after a while," Bo said. "At least, that's what my cousins say."
"So how long until we reach Carson's?" Blake asked.
"Probably ten more minutes if we don't run into any traffic," Bo answered.
Shirley heard a horn honk behind her and looked back. "Something tells me that we're about to encounter a brief interruption in our itinerary."
The Knight Foundation limousine had appeared behind them, and its driver honked loudly again. The driver stuck his head out the side window and yelled, "Pull over now!"
The three teens pulled over their bikes toward a nearby alley, and the car parked in front of a building. "Wonder what's going on?" Bo asked.
"We're about to find out," Blake said as Rika and Sara approached them.
Rika looked at Shirley. "Should I be surprised that you're here?"
"And what about you?" Shirley asked back. "Who are you looking for?"
"That...is none of your concern," Rika said, glaring at the amateur sleuth. "This is Strangers' business, Shirley. Stay out of it."
"Who is she?" Shirley asked, meeting Rika's glare.
Rika's eyes narrowed. "Stay out of it," she warned.
"Believe us, that would be better for you in the long run," Sara added, although she sounded much nicer than her colleague.
"Hopefully, you'll come to your senses," Rika said as she reached into her blazer pocket. "Oh, one more thing," she said as she pulled something out and held it between her thumb and her pointer finger. Shirley recognized it as her listening device. "I must admit that you've got some nerve bugging us." She immediately crushed the device and dropped it to the ground. "Don't say I didn't warn you," she said as she walked back to the limousine.
Sara frowned as she saw the look of determination in Shirley's eyes. Finally, she followed Rika, and a minute later, Shirley and the others heard the limousine's engine start up and the sound of the car leaving.
"I'd probably do as they say, Shirley," Bo recommended as the three teens rolled their bikes out of the alley. "After all, they probably are better equipped to handle whoever they're after. Plus, considering what Rika can do with those fancy gloves of her, we'd better not mess with her."
Judging from the thoughtful look on Shirley's face, Bo knew his advice would be disregarded. "We'd better keep going to Carson's," she said finally, proving Bo's suspicions to be true.
Bo groaned as he mounted his bike. For a moment, he pondered actually returning to his family's fish store and risking getting grounded rather than find the unknown quarry his best friend and the Strangers were after. However, when he saw Shirley and Blake side by side, he let out a growl and forced himself to pedal after them.
* * * * *
During the time the girl Battled at Carson's Collectibles, the onlookers couldn't help but admire her. For one thing, she didn't use a calculator to keep track of her Life Points. She would occasionally say out loud her Life Point total and correctly calculated any loss or gain to them. Even when the calculation required a subtraction of something-fifty, she got it right. As for her Battling, she knew what she was doing. No matter what card she drew, she managed to use it properly.
Most of the guys focused on her physical features. The newcomer was rather slender in body shape like a ballerina, and her black hair ran down her shoulders. Her brown almond-shaped eyes added to her exotic appeal, and they seemed to look inward into people's souls.
The girl had been right. No matter who challenged her, they always lost. No matter what type of deck they ran, the girl always found some way to overcome the odds. Eventually, she defeated all the Battlers in the store, much to the amazement of the owner.
"You're quite good," the owner told her after she wrapped up another win.
"Thank you," the girl said as she shuffled her deck.
"I've never seen you around here before," the owner said.
"I'm just visiting," the girl replied. She looked at her cards. "Ah, if only the Grand Kaiser Dragon was in English..."
Nick, who was sitting next to her with his gold-sleeved deck out, heard her. "The Grand Kaiser Dragon? You mean that one Secret Rare Monster with 4500 Attack and 3000 Defense? That's one of the strongest Dragon cards in the entire game, and I heard it's hard to pull. I saw a picture of it online once."
"Me too," Bruce added, still smarting a little from yet another crushing defeat at the hands of the girl. "Too bad it's not in English yet, or I'd be dealing death and destruction to everyone here."
The girl reached into her deck box. "Would you like to see a Grand Kaiser Dragon?"
Immediately, all interested Battlers raced over to the girl as she pulled out a card in a golden sleeve, a bright contrast to the black ones she and most of the kids used for their cards. Above the picture of a majestic golden winged dragon with opaque white eyes, a single silver horn, and a long main of white hair, the Japanese characters announcing the dreaded Monster's name were written in a strange mix of gold and silver. The symbol of the Light Attribute, a golden sphere, was located to the right of eight stars. Below the picture was the Monster's description and its Attack and Defense Points, which were 4500 and 3000, respectively.
"Whoa," one boy exclaimed.
"What does the description say?" another boy asked. "Is it an effect?"
"No, dummy, it's a Ritual Monster," yet another boy said. "The card's purple, not orange."
"You're correct," the girl said. "Permit me to read it to you," she offered, and she did. "'This Monster can only be Summoned by the Magic Card [Sacred Dragon's Flame] and by Sacrificing Monsters with a level total of eight.'" She pulled out a green card with a golden flame in a silver brazier surrounded by dragon statues. "This is the necessary Ritual Card, and it's much easier to pull this than the actual Monster," she added.
Bruce blinked. "You can read Japanese?"
"It would be silly of me not to be able to read the language of my homeland," the girl said.
"You're Japanese?" a girl with a ponytail asked.
"That is correct," the girl answered.
"Whoa," Nick said. "So you must know a lot about Monster Battler over there and what's coming over here."
"I do, indeed," the girl answered, putting the Grand Kaiser Dragon and its Ritual away.
"How are the tournaments over there?" Bruce asked.
"Very active," the girl answered. "We take the game very seriously."
"How many tournaments have you won?" the boy who was wrong about the card's description asked.
"I've never played," the girl answered. "I've just...observed them now and then."
"Why don't you play?" Nick asked.
"I'm too good," the girl answered quickly with a little laugh. "Gets rather boring when you keep winning."
"Your English is quite good," the owner complemented the girl.
"Why, thank you," the girl said with a nod. "I had a good teacher."
"Any chance you want to sell that GKD to me?" the owner said with a smile. "I know some people who won't wait for it to come out in English."
"No!" the girl said, holding her deck box closer to her and narrowing her eyes at the owner. "This card was a gift from my father, and I would never dream of selling it."
"Oh, I was just joking," the owner said, raising his hands. "I'm sorry if you took me seriously."
"Mike tends to do that," Nick said.
The girl calmed down. "I accept your apology."
"So, do you have a name?" Bruce asked.
"Why don't we call her 'The Girl Who Gave Bruce a Twenty Battle Losing Streak'?" Nick joked, earning him a punch on the arm from Bruce.
"My name is Yume," the girl said simply.
"So besides beating every Battler here, what brings you to Canada?" Nick asked.
"Oh, to see an old friend," Yume answered, a faint smile crossing her face.
Seconds later, the door opened, and a young man wearing a leather jacket entered the store. "Everyone, stand up and rejoice, for I have returned!" he declared.
"Oh, brother," Nick said, rolling his eyes.
"It's Billy," Bruce added.
Yume raised an eyebrow at the newcomer as he headed towards the glass counter. "Who's he?"
"Our resident wannabe," Nick answered, keeping his voice down. "He's good, but for some odd reason, he thinks he's the best."
"He never participates in Mike's tournaments, though," Bruce added. "Also, he just Battles the weaker players."
"Shopkeeper! Attend my needs!" Billy yelled.
"He seems...happy," Yume commented as the owner made his way to the counter.
Billy slapped his hand on the glass top much to the annoyance of the owner. "Mike, go get me that Omni Angel!"
"Finally have enough money to pay for it?" the owner asked.
"Oh yeah," Billy answered, pulling out some bills.
"It's a shame I don't have it," the owner said.
"What?" Billy clenched his teeth. "That card had a big price on it! No one here could afford it!" he yelled, motioning toward the other Battlers.
"I could," Nick admitted, raising his hand. "I've been doing odd jobs around the neighborhood and saving my money. I needed Omni to complete my Light deck," he said, patting his deck
"Unlike some people we know," Bruce said. "Maybe you should give up Monster Battler and focus on fixing your car, Billy."
Billy snarled and walked up to Nick. "You knew I needed that card, Nick." He thrust out he money he had shown to the owner. "I'll give you this much for it!"
Nick firmly shook his head. "No way. You probably got that money from stealing something for somebody."
"You calling me dishonest?" Billy said, getting into Nick's face. "Why you little..."
Billy swung his hand at Nick's deck and knocked it over. The poor boy could only try to catch his falling cards, but most of them ended up on the floor below.
"You jerk!" Nick yelled as he dove for the floor, ready to recover his cards. Yume and Bruce ducked down to help him, and the owner left the counter.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Billy said mockingly. "Here, let me help..."
With all four picking up cards, Nick's deck was reassembled on the table. "There, no harm done," Billy said, brushing off his hands.
"Get out of here, Billy, or I'll ban you for good," the owner warned.
Billy raised his hands. "Fine, I'm gone." He walked towards the door. "Catch ya later, losers," he said as he left.
Yume frowned at the door as Nick looked through his deck. "Is he always so pleasant?" she asked dryly.
"Well, once he dented a table with his fist after losing to some kid," Nick recalled.
"I see," Yume said.
Nick gasped. "My Omni Angel! It's gone!"
Quickly, the entire Battler population gathered around Nick. "Are you sure?" someone asked.
"Yeah," Nick answered frantically as he searched his deck. "That jerk Billy must've swiped it while we were picking up my cards."
"Maybe you just forgot it at home?" a boy asked.
"No way," Nick answered. "I had it in my deck. Yume knows. She Battled me. Right, Yume?"
Yume had vanished.
* * * * *
Billy chuckled to himself as he looked at the card in his hand. "Can't believe it was so easy," he said, grinning at the armored angel in his hand. "Now I'll show 'em who's the best Battler."
"Not if you give back that card you stole," someone said.
Billy stopped in his tracks and looked around. "Who said that?" he demanded.
"Come down to the alley behind you and see," the voice said.
For a moment, Billy wanted to just keep on walking to his car, which he parked in a nearby lot. However, he recalled how a simple arrest could cost him greatly. No longer a juvenile in the eyes of the law, he knew he'd get a stricter sentence for stealing than when he was younger. Besides, he had his fists to back him up.
Walking into the alley, Billy noticed the large amount of litter on the ground. A nearby dumpster was almost full of garbage bags. Flies hovered around and occasionally landed to taste anything edible to them among the putrid mess.
"I'm over here."
Billy looked ahead and saw someone standing at the dark end of the alley. Pocketing the Omni Angel card, he stepped forward, ready to let his fists do the talking. "Okay, wise guy, what's the big...?"
"You stole that card," the other said.
"What card?" Billy said innocently.
"The card you're hiding in your pocket. It doesn't belong to you."
Billy looked closely and concluded that the other was definitely a girl, and from what he could tell, a girl who was trying to copy Sailor Moon's hairstyle. Wanting to get a closer look, he found himself unable to advance any further. He tried to move back, but he couldn't move his feet at all. "Hey, what's the big deal?" he yelled.
The girl smiled. "Why, we're going to play a game."
"A game?" Billy exclaimed.
"Yes, and we'll be playing for that card you stole," the girl explained. "If I win, I get the card, and if you lose..."
"I don't keep it, right?" Billy said.
"Correct, but you'll also have to pay a Dark Penalty," the girl finished, and Billy didn't like the wicked grin that crossed her face. "You see, I like games, and I don't like people who break the rules."
Billy gulped. "What game are we playing?"
"Why, it's something you like," the girl said. "Monster Battler."
"Monster Battler?" Feeling relieved, Billy laughed as he pulled out his deck. "I'm a great Battler! You won't stand a chance against me."
"Oh really?"
Billy noticed that it was becoming darker in the alley. "H-h-hey!" he exclaimed shakily. "What's going on?"
"We need some privacy for our little Battle," the girl said, "and believe me, this Battle will be like nothing you've ever played before."
Soon, nothing but darkness surrounded the two Battlers. Billy found himself gripping his deck tightly, and the girl finally stepped out so he could see her.
"Now, let's play," she said, grinning.
END OF CHAPTER 3
by HA
"Here," Molly said, handing over the thick envelope stuffed full of money to the person before her in the Sussex Academy parking lot.
The young man grinned as he received his reward and stuffed it into his jeans pocket. "Been a pleasure doing business with ya."
"Ahem," Molly said, clearing her throat loudly.
"What? You think I'd double-cross ya?" the young man said as he pulled out a manila envelope from the inside of his leather jacket. "Here's what you wanted. You'll find it fits what you were looking for."
Molly took the envelope, opened it carefully, and gently pulled out its contents. "Yes, this will do nicely," she said, smiling wickedly.
"Then my job is done," the young man said, opening his car door.
"Just remember the...provisos of our agreement," Molly warned.
"Gotcha," the young man said as he started his rusty, dent-ridden car. "My lips are staying zipped."
Keeping herself at a safe distance, Molly watched as the car spat out smoke from its exhaust pipe as it departed. After sliding her newly acquired item into the envelope, she held it before her eyes. During her walk to the dorms, she reviewed her plan and foresaw the outcome. *This time, Holmes, I'll be the victor.*
* * * * *
Eventually, Shirley and Blake found the hotel mentioned by the two Strangers. Once there, they recognized the white limousine. Shirley signaled Blake to hide behind the nearby wall, and the two rolled their bikes there just in time, for when Shirley peeked out, Rika and Sara were walking out of the building.
"Too bad the desk clerk wasn't specific on which area she was heading to," Sara said. "It would've saved us a drive around town."
"A sightseeing walk?" Rika said.
"You know her," Sara said.
"I do," Rika said, sounding almost bitter. "Just how many game and collectibles shops are in this city?"
"I'd estimate maybe one for every two to three blocks, and we need to keep in mind the one at the mall," Sara guessed. "Of course, considering what she likes, we can narrow that number down."
"Unfortunately, what she likes is pretty popular right now," Rika commented.
"Yeah. Ariana doesn't like it, though," Sara said. "She feels the monsters in Monster Battler aren't cute and cuddly."
"She should look at some of the Angel Subtypes," Rika said. "I'm sure she'd like to have those as pets."
"They're weak, though," Sara said. "They really need to use Equip Magic Cards in order to stand up to the big boys."
Rika sighed. "Guess we'd better start with the most prominent ones."
"Yeah. It's times like these that I wish Katrina was here," Sara said.
"Bart's a little green, so having her on his team is a good thing," Rika remarked. "First New York, then the airport...what's next?"
Shirley ducked down when she saw Rika looking her way. "What's wrong?" Sara asked.
A long pause occurred before Rika spoke again. "Nothing. Must be my imagination. Let's go."
Shirley heard the door slam and the limousine leave. Looking out again, she confirmed the car's absence, but something got her attention. Namely, her hand was touching something soft.
"Um, Shirley..." Blake said.
Shirley looked at him, and then she shifted her gaze from his face to below it. When she had hidden herself against the wall, she had pinned Blake's hand against it. Without a word, she quickly removed her hand from his. "So, what do you think?" she asked, trying her best not to blush.
"Well, all we know is that we have a lot of game shops to search, including the one at the mall," Blake said. "Of course, I wish we knew who they were searching for."
"Judging from how they acted, someone who could pose a danger," Shirley said. "A pity they didn't give us a physical description of the girl."
"Yeah," Blake said.
"And what is this 'Monster Battler' they keep talking about?" Shirley wondered.
"A TCG."
Shirley and Blake watched as Bo showed up with his bike at his side. He looked like he had pedaled against a wind machine, and his breathing was rather deep.
"Bo?" Shirley said, sounding genuinely surprised.
"How'd you know where to find us?" Blake asked.
"Been following you as best I could," Bo admitted as he wiped his brow and caught his breath.
"I thought you had work," Shirley said.
"Dad's been feeling better, and my mom can handle things now," Bo said. "Besides, you guys might need my help."
"Well, you can start by telling me what a TCG is," Shirley said.
"Trading Card Game," Blake said. "It's a card game with specialized cards you can trade with your friends or sell."
"Right," Bo said. Although Shirley was perhaps one of the smartest persons he knew, it still amazed him when some aspects of pop culture escaped her.
"So what's Monster Battler?" Shirley asked curiously.
Bo was about to explain what Monster Battler while pointing out that some of his younger cousins played it when Blake spoke. "It's a TCG where you use Monsters to fight each other. Beyond that, I don't know much about it."
Bo took his chance. "Essentially, each player has 8000 Life Points, and the goal of the game is to reduce your opponent's Life Points to zero. You can also win by decking him out..."
"Decking him out?" Shirley said.
"Making him run out of cards," Bo said quickly. "Anyway, you play Monster Cards that have an Attack rating and a Defense rating. Now, you can Summon--that is, put the Monster face up--or you can Set--that's putting it in face down horizontal position--Monsters, and..."
Shirley held up her hand. "I believe you can tell us while we search."
"No problem, although the rulebook would help explain things better," Bo said, "and don't get me started on the individual card rulings by Miraino."
"Miraino?" Shirley said.
"The creators of Monster Battler," Blake said. "It's a Japanese video game company."
"They make good games," Bo added.
"Ah," Shirley said. "Now, let's begin searching game shops, shall we?"
"Why don't we try Carson's Collectables?" Bo suggested. "A lot of kids hang out there and play Monster Battler."
"Good idea," Shirley said. "Let's go."
Mounting her bike, Shirley took off, leaving the two boys to watch her. Getting on his bike, Blake opened his mouth to say something, but Bo shot him a look.
"Not one word," he said before riding off.
Blake refrained from responding and followed his friends.
* * * * *
"...and I believe that's game," the girl said.
With his hand facedown, Bruce stared at the Field. The girl's side had the dreaded Yamata no Orochi, a fierce Dragon known in Monster Battler for its high Attack Power. Bruce had no Monsters on the Field to defend his Life Points due to bad drawing, but he had Set his own Reflective Barrier of Protection just in case the demonic behemoth attacked. The problem was that it couldn't be activated thanks to the presence of the Dragon's companion, the dreaded Trap-deactivating Machine known as Nega-Psycho.
Nick let out a whistle. "Um, I think that makes it...oh...ten out of ten Battles in her favor, Bruce?"
"Ah, shaddap," Bruce grumbled as he glared at the girl, who smiled at him as she shuffled her deck.
"I did warn you," she said matter-of-factly.
"Just be thankful you didn't bet any cards, Bruce," a girl in pigtails said. "Otherwise, you'd be so screwed when the next tournament comes."
The crowd burst into laughter, much to Bruce's displeasure. "Okay, this time I'm sure I'm gonna beat ya," he told the girl as he got his deck ready.
"We shall see," the girl said as she slid her deck over to Bruce to cut.
* * * * *
As the three detectives headed towards Carson's Collectibles based on Bo's directions, Shirley listened carefully to her best friend's explanation of the Monster Battler Trading Card Game. "You're right," she said after he finished. "I do need to read the rulebook."
"You get used to it after a while," Bo said. "At least, that's what my cousins say."
"So how long until we reach Carson's?" Blake asked.
"Probably ten more minutes if we don't run into any traffic," Bo answered.
Shirley heard a horn honk behind her and looked back. "Something tells me that we're about to encounter a brief interruption in our itinerary."
The Knight Foundation limousine had appeared behind them, and its driver honked loudly again. The driver stuck his head out the side window and yelled, "Pull over now!"
The three teens pulled over their bikes toward a nearby alley, and the car parked in front of a building. "Wonder what's going on?" Bo asked.
"We're about to find out," Blake said as Rika and Sara approached them.
Rika looked at Shirley. "Should I be surprised that you're here?"
"And what about you?" Shirley asked back. "Who are you looking for?"
"That...is none of your concern," Rika said, glaring at the amateur sleuth. "This is Strangers' business, Shirley. Stay out of it."
"Who is she?" Shirley asked, meeting Rika's glare.
Rika's eyes narrowed. "Stay out of it," she warned.
"Believe us, that would be better for you in the long run," Sara added, although she sounded much nicer than her colleague.
"Hopefully, you'll come to your senses," Rika said as she reached into her blazer pocket. "Oh, one more thing," she said as she pulled something out and held it between her thumb and her pointer finger. Shirley recognized it as her listening device. "I must admit that you've got some nerve bugging us." She immediately crushed the device and dropped it to the ground. "Don't say I didn't warn you," she said as she walked back to the limousine.
Sara frowned as she saw the look of determination in Shirley's eyes. Finally, she followed Rika, and a minute later, Shirley and the others heard the limousine's engine start up and the sound of the car leaving.
"I'd probably do as they say, Shirley," Bo recommended as the three teens rolled their bikes out of the alley. "After all, they probably are better equipped to handle whoever they're after. Plus, considering what Rika can do with those fancy gloves of her, we'd better not mess with her."
Judging from the thoughtful look on Shirley's face, Bo knew his advice would be disregarded. "We'd better keep going to Carson's," she said finally, proving Bo's suspicions to be true.
Bo groaned as he mounted his bike. For a moment, he pondered actually returning to his family's fish store and risking getting grounded rather than find the unknown quarry his best friend and the Strangers were after. However, when he saw Shirley and Blake side by side, he let out a growl and forced himself to pedal after them.
* * * * *
During the time the girl Battled at Carson's Collectibles, the onlookers couldn't help but admire her. For one thing, she didn't use a calculator to keep track of her Life Points. She would occasionally say out loud her Life Point total and correctly calculated any loss or gain to them. Even when the calculation required a subtraction of something-fifty, she got it right. As for her Battling, she knew what she was doing. No matter what card she drew, she managed to use it properly.
Most of the guys focused on her physical features. The newcomer was rather slender in body shape like a ballerina, and her black hair ran down her shoulders. Her brown almond-shaped eyes added to her exotic appeal, and they seemed to look inward into people's souls.
The girl had been right. No matter who challenged her, they always lost. No matter what type of deck they ran, the girl always found some way to overcome the odds. Eventually, she defeated all the Battlers in the store, much to the amazement of the owner.
"You're quite good," the owner told her after she wrapped up another win.
"Thank you," the girl said as she shuffled her deck.
"I've never seen you around here before," the owner said.
"I'm just visiting," the girl replied. She looked at her cards. "Ah, if only the Grand Kaiser Dragon was in English..."
Nick, who was sitting next to her with his gold-sleeved deck out, heard her. "The Grand Kaiser Dragon? You mean that one Secret Rare Monster with 4500 Attack and 3000 Defense? That's one of the strongest Dragon cards in the entire game, and I heard it's hard to pull. I saw a picture of it online once."
"Me too," Bruce added, still smarting a little from yet another crushing defeat at the hands of the girl. "Too bad it's not in English yet, or I'd be dealing death and destruction to everyone here."
The girl reached into her deck box. "Would you like to see a Grand Kaiser Dragon?"
Immediately, all interested Battlers raced over to the girl as she pulled out a card in a golden sleeve, a bright contrast to the black ones she and most of the kids used for their cards. Above the picture of a majestic golden winged dragon with opaque white eyes, a single silver horn, and a long main of white hair, the Japanese characters announcing the dreaded Monster's name were written in a strange mix of gold and silver. The symbol of the Light Attribute, a golden sphere, was located to the right of eight stars. Below the picture was the Monster's description and its Attack and Defense Points, which were 4500 and 3000, respectively.
"Whoa," one boy exclaimed.
"What does the description say?" another boy asked. "Is it an effect?"
"No, dummy, it's a Ritual Monster," yet another boy said. "The card's purple, not orange."
"You're correct," the girl said. "Permit me to read it to you," she offered, and she did. "'This Monster can only be Summoned by the Magic Card [Sacred Dragon's Flame] and by Sacrificing Monsters with a level total of eight.'" She pulled out a green card with a golden flame in a silver brazier surrounded by dragon statues. "This is the necessary Ritual Card, and it's much easier to pull this than the actual Monster," she added.
Bruce blinked. "You can read Japanese?"
"It would be silly of me not to be able to read the language of my homeland," the girl said.
"You're Japanese?" a girl with a ponytail asked.
"That is correct," the girl answered.
"Whoa," Nick said. "So you must know a lot about Monster Battler over there and what's coming over here."
"I do, indeed," the girl answered, putting the Grand Kaiser Dragon and its Ritual away.
"How are the tournaments over there?" Bruce asked.
"Very active," the girl answered. "We take the game very seriously."
"How many tournaments have you won?" the boy who was wrong about the card's description asked.
"I've never played," the girl answered. "I've just...observed them now and then."
"Why don't you play?" Nick asked.
"I'm too good," the girl answered quickly with a little laugh. "Gets rather boring when you keep winning."
"Your English is quite good," the owner complemented the girl.
"Why, thank you," the girl said with a nod. "I had a good teacher."
"Any chance you want to sell that GKD to me?" the owner said with a smile. "I know some people who won't wait for it to come out in English."
"No!" the girl said, holding her deck box closer to her and narrowing her eyes at the owner. "This card was a gift from my father, and I would never dream of selling it."
"Oh, I was just joking," the owner said, raising his hands. "I'm sorry if you took me seriously."
"Mike tends to do that," Nick said.
The girl calmed down. "I accept your apology."
"So, do you have a name?" Bruce asked.
"Why don't we call her 'The Girl Who Gave Bruce a Twenty Battle Losing Streak'?" Nick joked, earning him a punch on the arm from Bruce.
"My name is Yume," the girl said simply.
"So besides beating every Battler here, what brings you to Canada?" Nick asked.
"Oh, to see an old friend," Yume answered, a faint smile crossing her face.
Seconds later, the door opened, and a young man wearing a leather jacket entered the store. "Everyone, stand up and rejoice, for I have returned!" he declared.
"Oh, brother," Nick said, rolling his eyes.
"It's Billy," Bruce added.
Yume raised an eyebrow at the newcomer as he headed towards the glass counter. "Who's he?"
"Our resident wannabe," Nick answered, keeping his voice down. "He's good, but for some odd reason, he thinks he's the best."
"He never participates in Mike's tournaments, though," Bruce added. "Also, he just Battles the weaker players."
"Shopkeeper! Attend my needs!" Billy yelled.
"He seems...happy," Yume commented as the owner made his way to the counter.
Billy slapped his hand on the glass top much to the annoyance of the owner. "Mike, go get me that Omni Angel!"
"Finally have enough money to pay for it?" the owner asked.
"Oh yeah," Billy answered, pulling out some bills.
"It's a shame I don't have it," the owner said.
"What?" Billy clenched his teeth. "That card had a big price on it! No one here could afford it!" he yelled, motioning toward the other Battlers.
"I could," Nick admitted, raising his hand. "I've been doing odd jobs around the neighborhood and saving my money. I needed Omni to complete my Light deck," he said, patting his deck
"Unlike some people we know," Bruce said. "Maybe you should give up Monster Battler and focus on fixing your car, Billy."
Billy snarled and walked up to Nick. "You knew I needed that card, Nick." He thrust out he money he had shown to the owner. "I'll give you this much for it!"
Nick firmly shook his head. "No way. You probably got that money from stealing something for somebody."
"You calling me dishonest?" Billy said, getting into Nick's face. "Why you little..."
Billy swung his hand at Nick's deck and knocked it over. The poor boy could only try to catch his falling cards, but most of them ended up on the floor below.
"You jerk!" Nick yelled as he dove for the floor, ready to recover his cards. Yume and Bruce ducked down to help him, and the owner left the counter.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," Billy said mockingly. "Here, let me help..."
With all four picking up cards, Nick's deck was reassembled on the table. "There, no harm done," Billy said, brushing off his hands.
"Get out of here, Billy, or I'll ban you for good," the owner warned.
Billy raised his hands. "Fine, I'm gone." He walked towards the door. "Catch ya later, losers," he said as he left.
Yume frowned at the door as Nick looked through his deck. "Is he always so pleasant?" she asked dryly.
"Well, once he dented a table with his fist after losing to some kid," Nick recalled.
"I see," Yume said.
Nick gasped. "My Omni Angel! It's gone!"
Quickly, the entire Battler population gathered around Nick. "Are you sure?" someone asked.
"Yeah," Nick answered frantically as he searched his deck. "That jerk Billy must've swiped it while we were picking up my cards."
"Maybe you just forgot it at home?" a boy asked.
"No way," Nick answered. "I had it in my deck. Yume knows. She Battled me. Right, Yume?"
Yume had vanished.
* * * * *
Billy chuckled to himself as he looked at the card in his hand. "Can't believe it was so easy," he said, grinning at the armored angel in his hand. "Now I'll show 'em who's the best Battler."
"Not if you give back that card you stole," someone said.
Billy stopped in his tracks and looked around. "Who said that?" he demanded.
"Come down to the alley behind you and see," the voice said.
For a moment, Billy wanted to just keep on walking to his car, which he parked in a nearby lot. However, he recalled how a simple arrest could cost him greatly. No longer a juvenile in the eyes of the law, he knew he'd get a stricter sentence for stealing than when he was younger. Besides, he had his fists to back him up.
Walking into the alley, Billy noticed the large amount of litter on the ground. A nearby dumpster was almost full of garbage bags. Flies hovered around and occasionally landed to taste anything edible to them among the putrid mess.
"I'm over here."
Billy looked ahead and saw someone standing at the dark end of the alley. Pocketing the Omni Angel card, he stepped forward, ready to let his fists do the talking. "Okay, wise guy, what's the big...?"
"You stole that card," the other said.
"What card?" Billy said innocently.
"The card you're hiding in your pocket. It doesn't belong to you."
Billy looked closely and concluded that the other was definitely a girl, and from what he could tell, a girl who was trying to copy Sailor Moon's hairstyle. Wanting to get a closer look, he found himself unable to advance any further. He tried to move back, but he couldn't move his feet at all. "Hey, what's the big deal?" he yelled.
The girl smiled. "Why, we're going to play a game."
"A game?" Billy exclaimed.
"Yes, and we'll be playing for that card you stole," the girl explained. "If I win, I get the card, and if you lose..."
"I don't keep it, right?" Billy said.
"Correct, but you'll also have to pay a Dark Penalty," the girl finished, and Billy didn't like the wicked grin that crossed her face. "You see, I like games, and I don't like people who break the rules."
Billy gulped. "What game are we playing?"
"Why, it's something you like," the girl said. "Monster Battler."
"Monster Battler?" Feeling relieved, Billy laughed as he pulled out his deck. "I'm a great Battler! You won't stand a chance against me."
"Oh really?"
Billy noticed that it was becoming darker in the alley. "H-h-hey!" he exclaimed shakily. "What's going on?"
"We need some privacy for our little Battle," the girl said, "and believe me, this Battle will be like nothing you've ever played before."
Soon, nothing but darkness surrounded the two Battlers. Billy found himself gripping his deck tightly, and the girl finally stepped out so he could see her.
"Now, let's play," she said, grinning.
END OF CHAPTER 3