The Case of the Manila Envelope--Chapter 15
by HA
"Okay, now we're in trouble," Bo said, his eyes taking in the number of Shirley's Life Points.
With a wicked gleam in her yellow eyes, Tomie grinned as she Set a card in her Magic/Trap Zone. "With this card, I'll end my turn, Shirley, and I guarantee you that after your turn ends, this Battle will be over." She snickered as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder what your Dark Penalty will be."
"You're so sure of yourself, aren't you, Tomie?" Rika said loudly.
Tomie fixed her yellow gaze on Rika. "Why shouldn't I be? I know Shirley has no Monster strong enough to take down my Yamata no Orochi, and even if she puts something down in Defense mode, I'll destroy it and finish her off." Her focus shifted to Shirley. "Well, Shirley, draw your pathetic card."
Focusing on the task at hand, Shirley drew her card. Immediately, she played it. "I activate Divine Lightning."
Divine Lightning
Normal Magic
Destroy all opposing Monsters on the Field.
Dark clouds formed above the Field and began to crackle with electricity. Soon, a large surge became apparent, and a bolt of lightning shot out and streaked towards Tomie's Monsters.
"Not so fast!" Tomie declared. "I activate my Trap now!"
As she flipped over her Set card, an energy dome appeared over Tomie's Monsters, and the lightning bolt struck that instead. It continued to shoot out of the clouds, but it crashed in vain against the dome.
"My Magical Leeching Force prevents your Divine Lightning from destroying my Monsters," Tomie said, "unless you want to discard a Magic card to let its effect get through."
Magical Leeching Force
Counter Trap
This card can only be activated in response to a Magic card. When activated, this card destroys and negates the Magic card unless the targeted player discards a Magic card to the Graveyard.
"Shirley, just discard that Sticky Fingers card you got back from the Graveyard!" Bo yelled.
Shirley fixed her gaze on Tomie. "I'll let it go."
Now Bo really wanted to leap off the balcony. "What?" he exclaimed as the Divine Lightning fizzled out. "Shirley, if you don't discard it, you'll lose."
"Does it really matter?" Tomie said. "I doubt she has any cards that could help her right now. In fact, I think she'll never recover from the Dark Penalty I'll be inflicting on her soon."
Bo turned on Tomie. "Shut up!" he yelled. "If you do that to her, I'll...!"
"Bo, please."
Shirley's calmly worded comment got her friend's attention. "Shirley," Bo said, "she can beat you with any of her Monsters on her next turn, and if she does win..." He bowed his head. "I'll never forgive myself," he said in a low voice.
Shirley fixed her blue eyes on her best friend. "Bo, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
"No, you don't!" Tomie declared haughtily with a nasty laugh. "On my next turn, my dragon will fry the remainder of your Life Points, and you'll pay for your violations."
Ignoring her opponent's words, Shirley looked at her hand. Bo watched as she did this for a few minutes. "Shirley," he whispered.
"I'll activate Sticky Fingers," Shirley said, and she drew two new cards from her deck.
"No matter what Monster you put down, it'll be no match for my Monsters," Tomie boasted. "Victory for me is just a turn away."
"Actually," Shirley said as she faced Tomie, "I believe I've already won."
* * * * *
After enduring three photo shoots, Molly sped back to Sussex Academy on her bike. Behind her, Blake kept up as best as he could.
*I can't believe this!* she thought, her mouth forming a frown while her teeth grinded against each other as she parked her bike into the rack outside the dorm. Everything was going to be simple. Blackmail Blake with the information she stole, make Holmes suffer, and really rub it in later. That was the scheme Molly had planned out, but now she found herself furious, for not everything was going according to plan.
For starters, Blake's behavior had caught her off guard. Instead of worrying about his position, he had stayed calm and even made it fun. She had hoped to manipulate him into doing what she wanted to do, but instead she ended up following his lead. She had followed his advice on what to order, drank water with spit in it, and--oh, how humiliating--sang "I've Got You Babe" with him in front of a group of toal strangers. Even worse, she had done something with him she would never had done under normal circumstances: Open up to him.
Sure, she did mention how her parents stayed out of her life, but it started with his ridiculous request about talking about her most embarassing moment. Recalling when her parents didn't even show up for one of her performances stirred up emotions she fought on a regular basis by telling herself she was above them. However, she did wonder why her parents, the ones who were the reason she even existed, always managed to shut her out of their life. If they wanted to just work and play bridge all the time, why did they bother having her? Her parents did give her gifts now and then, but they proved to be poor substitutes for actual affection, something Molly tried to hide.
Making her way to the entrance of the dorm, Molly glanced at Blake as he propped his bike up. During their date, she learned that in a way, he was like her. He was well-off, and both his parents were always busy. Despite these similarities, he turned out to be well-adjusted, and despite his parents' work, they still loved him, and he loved them in return. Ever since he had come to Redington, Molly had noticed how normal he acted. She also noticed how cute he was, not to mention his good nature.
Feeling her face heat up, Molly turned towards the door. Desperated, she tried to shut out whatever thoughts she was having at the moment, but they broke through. She remembered the time she had spent in the darkness, the cruel voice that had tormented her repeatedly, the kind voice that reassured her, the firm hands that had supported her...
"Hey, Molly?"
After taking a deep breath and feeling confident that her face was no longer red, Molly faced Blake. "What?"
Blake reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the two photos of them at the pizza place. "Here."
Molly stared incredulously at him. "What are you doing?"
"Giving you these," Blake said, still holding out the photos.
Molly gave Blake a suspicious stare. "You're just giving me both copies?"
"Yeah," Blake said.
Molly looked at the photos being held before her. "You're just giving me those without any strings attached?"
"No strings attached," Blake said. "I'm not like you, you know."
Molly quickly snatched the photos out of his hand. She managed to see herself in them before dropping her hand at her side. She had been smiling as if she was enjoying herself, and she was as close to Blake as she possibly could be.
"Well, are we done?" Blake asked. "Will you give back what's mine?"
Molly looked past him into the night. Although the date had taken a little longer than she had planned, she knew everything was set up. At least, for the money she was paying, everything had better be set up. "Actually, there's one more thing you have to do for me before I hand over what's yours."
"Um, what would that be?" Blake asked, puzzled.
Molly grinned evilly. "Why, you have to kiss me goodnight."
END OF CHAPTER 15
by HA
"Okay, now we're in trouble," Bo said, his eyes taking in the number of Shirley's Life Points.
With a wicked gleam in her yellow eyes, Tomie grinned as she Set a card in her Magic/Trap Zone. "With this card, I'll end my turn, Shirley, and I guarantee you that after your turn ends, this Battle will be over." She snickered as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder what your Dark Penalty will be."
"You're so sure of yourself, aren't you, Tomie?" Rika said loudly.
Tomie fixed her yellow gaze on Rika. "Why shouldn't I be? I know Shirley has no Monster strong enough to take down my Yamata no Orochi, and even if she puts something down in Defense mode, I'll destroy it and finish her off." Her focus shifted to Shirley. "Well, Shirley, draw your pathetic card."
Focusing on the task at hand, Shirley drew her card. Immediately, she played it. "I activate Divine Lightning."
Divine Lightning
Normal Magic
Destroy all opposing Monsters on the Field.
Dark clouds formed above the Field and began to crackle with electricity. Soon, a large surge became apparent, and a bolt of lightning shot out and streaked towards Tomie's Monsters.
"Not so fast!" Tomie declared. "I activate my Trap now!"
As she flipped over her Set card, an energy dome appeared over Tomie's Monsters, and the lightning bolt struck that instead. It continued to shoot out of the clouds, but it crashed in vain against the dome.
"My Magical Leeching Force prevents your Divine Lightning from destroying my Monsters," Tomie said, "unless you want to discard a Magic card to let its effect get through."
Magical Leeching Force
Counter Trap
This card can only be activated in response to a Magic card. When activated, this card destroys and negates the Magic card unless the targeted player discards a Magic card to the Graveyard.
"Shirley, just discard that Sticky Fingers card you got back from the Graveyard!" Bo yelled.
Shirley fixed her gaze on Tomie. "I'll let it go."
Now Bo really wanted to leap off the balcony. "What?" he exclaimed as the Divine Lightning fizzled out. "Shirley, if you don't discard it, you'll lose."
"Does it really matter?" Tomie said. "I doubt she has any cards that could help her right now. In fact, I think she'll never recover from the Dark Penalty I'll be inflicting on her soon."
Bo turned on Tomie. "Shut up!" he yelled. "If you do that to her, I'll...!"
"Bo, please."
Shirley's calmly worded comment got her friend's attention. "Shirley," Bo said, "she can beat you with any of her Monsters on her next turn, and if she does win..." He bowed his head. "I'll never forgive myself," he said in a low voice.
Shirley fixed her blue eyes on her best friend. "Bo, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
"No, you don't!" Tomie declared haughtily with a nasty laugh. "On my next turn, my dragon will fry the remainder of your Life Points, and you'll pay for your violations."
Ignoring her opponent's words, Shirley looked at her hand. Bo watched as she did this for a few minutes. "Shirley," he whispered.
"I'll activate Sticky Fingers," Shirley said, and she drew two new cards from her deck.
"No matter what Monster you put down, it'll be no match for my Monsters," Tomie boasted. "Victory for me is just a turn away."
"Actually," Shirley said as she faced Tomie, "I believe I've already won."
* * * * *
After enduring three photo shoots, Molly sped back to Sussex Academy on her bike. Behind her, Blake kept up as best as he could.
*I can't believe this!* she thought, her mouth forming a frown while her teeth grinded against each other as she parked her bike into the rack outside the dorm. Everything was going to be simple. Blackmail Blake with the information she stole, make Holmes suffer, and really rub it in later. That was the scheme Molly had planned out, but now she found herself furious, for not everything was going according to plan.
For starters, Blake's behavior had caught her off guard. Instead of worrying about his position, he had stayed calm and even made it fun. She had hoped to manipulate him into doing what she wanted to do, but instead she ended up following his lead. She had followed his advice on what to order, drank water with spit in it, and--oh, how humiliating--sang "I've Got You Babe" with him in front of a group of toal strangers. Even worse, she had done something with him she would never had done under normal circumstances: Open up to him.
Sure, she did mention how her parents stayed out of her life, but it started with his ridiculous request about talking about her most embarassing moment. Recalling when her parents didn't even show up for one of her performances stirred up emotions she fought on a regular basis by telling herself she was above them. However, she did wonder why her parents, the ones who were the reason she even existed, always managed to shut her out of their life. If they wanted to just work and play bridge all the time, why did they bother having her? Her parents did give her gifts now and then, but they proved to be poor substitutes for actual affection, something Molly tried to hide.
Making her way to the entrance of the dorm, Molly glanced at Blake as he propped his bike up. During their date, she learned that in a way, he was like her. He was well-off, and both his parents were always busy. Despite these similarities, he turned out to be well-adjusted, and despite his parents' work, they still loved him, and he loved them in return. Ever since he had come to Redington, Molly had noticed how normal he acted. She also noticed how cute he was, not to mention his good nature.
Feeling her face heat up, Molly turned towards the door. Desperated, she tried to shut out whatever thoughts she was having at the moment, but they broke through. She remembered the time she had spent in the darkness, the cruel voice that had tormented her repeatedly, the kind voice that reassured her, the firm hands that had supported her...
"Hey, Molly?"
After taking a deep breath and feeling confident that her face was no longer red, Molly faced Blake. "What?"
Blake reached into his breast pocket and pulled out the two photos of them at the pizza place. "Here."
Molly stared incredulously at him. "What are you doing?"
"Giving you these," Blake said, still holding out the photos.
Molly gave Blake a suspicious stare. "You're just giving me both copies?"
"Yeah," Blake said.
Molly looked at the photos being held before her. "You're just giving me those without any strings attached?"
"No strings attached," Blake said. "I'm not like you, you know."
Molly quickly snatched the photos out of his hand. She managed to see herself in them before dropping her hand at her side. She had been smiling as if she was enjoying herself, and she was as close to Blake as she possibly could be.
"Well, are we done?" Blake asked. "Will you give back what's mine?"
Molly looked past him into the night. Although the date had taken a little longer than she had planned, she knew everything was set up. At least, for the money she was paying, everything had better be set up. "Actually, there's one more thing you have to do for me before I hand over what's yours."
"Um, what would that be?" Blake asked, puzzled.
Molly grinned evilly. "Why, you have to kiss me goodnight."
END OF CHAPTER 15