Chapter 8: V vs Weevil: Bug Off
As the gaming platform tallied up V and Weevil's 4000 life points, V pondered the decision of who should go first, and eventually offered it to Weevil. Weevil took it with another comment on how stupid V was because he was a "Wanna-D".
"It doesn't really matter who goes first! I am a regional champion on top of being a pure duelist! You beating me is next to impossible, V!"
"Impossible is a matter of perspective, Weevil." V said. "Make your move."
"Ok then…" Weevil said, as he drew out his Skullmark Ladybug. Let's see if he's as stupid as I think! "I play Skullmark Ladybug (500/1500), in attack mode!"
V looked at the insect. Hmmmmm, if its so weak he must have an angle…and I think I will actually fare better if I seem to fall for it.
"Ok then. I play Cyberstein! (700/500) Crush that bug." V said calmly. The Cyberstein appeared and smashed the Ladybug into bits.
"Fool! All you did was help me! When that card is sent to the graveyard, I gain 500 extra life points. You're even more pathetic then I thought! You flew like a bug into a zapper!" Weevil said, as his life points went down to 3800 and then back up 4300. "I'll add to your pain! Killer Needle (1200/1000), in attack mode! Get that Cyberstein!"
The Killer Needle did just that, dropping V's life points to 3500.
"Ok Weevil." V said as he drew. "I play two cards face down and then play Hibikime (1450/1000) in attack mode." V said.
Weevil expected V to attack, but he just stood there, looking at Weevil calmly. He must want me to attack! Or maybe he wants me to think that and not attack! Or…ARGH! Weevil thought, as he drew. He usually could think much clearer, but the incident with the fools wrecking his lovely poem was eating at him. He looked at the drawn card.. AHA! My Cocoon of Evolution! I know what I'll do! I'll attack, and if I get caught I'll pretend to retreat and lead this little Wanna-D into a hornet's nest!
"Ok V! I'll top your monster with this magic card, Armour with Laser Cannon!" Weevil said. The Killer Needle got an upgrade as its points went up to 1500/1300. "Now, destroy the Hikibime!"
"Not this time. Activate trap card, Shadow Spell." V said. The trap activated, reducing the Flying Needle's attack points by 700, down to 800. "And now I'll add my face down magic card, Rush Recklessly, which will add 700 attack points to my monster. Abet for one turn, but that's all I need." V said, as his Hibikime's points jumped to 2150. "Do what you do best."
The Hikibime did just that, smashing Weevil's weakened Flying Needle and dropping his life points to 2950. Weevil growled, somewhat annoyed but pretending to be more so.
"Don't think you've done anything special! My deck is like an anthill! For every creature you defeat, ten more will take it's place!" Weevil said. He drew another card. Yes, my Larvae Moth! But I won't play it yet, no. I'll wait a bit more. Until then…
"I play a face down card and end my turn." Weevil said.
V looked at Weevil. Hmmmm. I get the idea that this guy is playing against type. He strikes me as a sneaky person, yet he's not using an overall sneaky strategy. But why? He was mad about something…maybe he sees me as a kind of revenge? That might explain his aggression. Well then, I'll see if I can't play up to his "Wanna-D" label and do something stupid.
"I call your bluff! Hikibime, attack his life points directly!" V said.
"No bluff, fool! Activate Vortex! This little storm will snare up your monster and keep him from attacking!" Weevil said, as his card tangled up V's Hibikime.
V's look remained unchanged, and Weevil felt himself getting annoyed again. He drew a new card, hoping he could get a monster or power-up that would let him take care of V's Hibikime.
What he got was even better, and he managed to refrain from chortling. The duel was over.
"It has been fun Wanna-D, but it was even shorter then I expected! Now, I will end this! First I play this card, Great Termite Mound!" Weevil said. A gigantic slab of spongy-looking sandstone-esque material rose up from the field. "This is a permanent trap card! Any monster that attempts to attack will be swarmed by termites and devoured, causing their instant destruction! True, it can only do this for five attacks, but that's all I need! Because I will follow it up with this, the Larvae Moth! Yes, this is not all that impressive, but after I equip it with the Cocoon of Evolution, it will become the Perfect Ultimate Great Moth, and you will be torn apart as if you wandered into the great fire ant nests of…" Weevil's long-winded speech suddenly broke off into a coughing fit as he ran out of air.
"You ok?" V asked.
"Yes, but you're not! It's time, V! This is about to become as painful as the bite of the New New York Flying Broadway Cockroach!"
"Uhhhhhhh…right. Never heard of that one." V said, looking as the Cocoon appeared on the field, as the gestation began.
"You people know nothing! But know this is hopeless! Even IF you can get a monster on the field with enough power to destroy my cocoon, you have to get around the Mound first! And I doubt you can do that! It's over!" Weevil chortled.
"Right." V said, as he drew. Ah. Now I can begin.
"I play Armaill (700/1300), in attack mode." V said, putting a friend on the field for his Hibikime. Weevil expected V to make the Armail attack the Mound to try and exhaust one of the five defense moves, but V ended his turn instead.
"Four turns until your doom!" Weevil said, as he drew and ended his turn.
"Ryu-Kishin(1000/500), in attack mode." V said, putting a third monster on his side. Once again, he didn't attack. Weevil began to get annoyed.
"Must be planning something…fusion maybe…?" Weevil said as he drew. "Three turns until the end!"
"Queen's Double (350/300), attack mode." V said. Once again, he did not attack.
Weevil's brow arched. If he was going for a Tribute summon he would have done it already! He must be trying a fusion of some kind, or maybe a ritual…Weevil thought as he drew. Aha! This would put a crimp on his plans!
"I see you seem to be mounting a panicked defense of some kind, hoping to turn the tide! But not after I play this card: Restrict Mantis!" Weevil said. A praying mantis monster appeared. "This permanent magic card makes it impossible for you to fuse monsters! So if that was your plan, it's finished! I have fried it like an ant under a magnifying glass!"
"Weevil, may I ask a question?"
"If it's for mercy, no!"
"No. I just wondered, are you going to make a threat that's, you know, actually threatening?" V asked.
"SHUT UP! It's all over in…!"
"Two turns, yes I know, I can count." V said. He drew. "A face down magic card, and I end my turn."
"And so it ends! Prepare to perish on my next turn, V!" Weevil said, as he drew a card and ended his turn.
V drew.
"Ah, finally! I play Dust Tornado! This destroys one magic or trap card on the field, and I'm getting rid of that little nest of yours!" V said, as his magic card vaporized the termite mound.
"You stupid little Wanna-D! You think this means anything? You're TOO late! None of your monsters can stop my Moth, even now in the moments before its birth! And those moments are over! Hatch, my Great Moth, and bring destruction in your wake!" Weevil crowed. The cocoon cracked open and the Perfect Ultimate Great Moth (3500/3000) emerged, the giant hologram towering over V.
"Oh, how nice of you to leave me so many targets! But I know just what monster I am going to destroy! Moth, squash that Queen's Double!"
The PUGM did so, smashing the far weaker monster and sending V's life points plummeting down to 350.
"Take your final turn V so this can end!" Weevil said.
"Indeed."
"Excuse me?"
"This is my final turn, because this is ending. But not the way you think." V said. "I will start by activating the magic card I laid down on the field, Mourn of the Fallen!"
"Mourn of the Fallen? What does that do?" Weevil said in the always needed "please ask what it does so I can explain" bit needed every time a new card was introduced.
"Mourn of the Fallen activates when a monster is sent to the Graveyard. It lets me draw four new cards from my deck, if you destroy the monster the card is laid next to. And I knew you would go for the weak Queen's Double, so I laid it next to her." V said, as he drew the cards. "And that brings me to the next, and final move for both of us. Nice trick with the Mantis, but I'm not going for a fusion." V said as he drew a card out of his hand and held it up.
"Then what are you going for?" Weevil asked.
"A tribute. With this." V said, and turned the card around to Weevil could see it. His eyes, perhaps even more so then the expression usually means, almost bugged out of his head.
"NO! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!"
"Impossible is a matter of perspective, Weevil."
The next forty seconds were among the worst of Weevil's life.
Rex was finishing up his magazine when the door to the private area opened and Weevil stumbled out. Rex's brows arched when he saw Weevil's state: disheveled and almost…sooty.
Then he realized why Weevil looked like that, and he began to howl.
"YOU LOST! TO A WANNA-D! THE GREAT WEEVIL UNDERWOOD, LOSING TO SOME PUNK WITH A FAKE DECK! OH GOD, AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHA!" Rex laughed. Steam seemed to be on the verge of shooting from Weevil's ears…and then, a wicked grin split his face.
"Well Rex, if you think it's so funny, why don't you go challenge him yourself!"
"…..Ha! You know what, I will! I'll show you how to handle a Wanna-D, Weevil! Unlike you, I can walk the walk!" Rex said, and strutted past Weevil into the private arena.
Weevil sat down, brushed himself off, and waited.
Roughly ten minutes later (about half the time Weevil had dueled V), the door opened again and Rex stumbled back out. If Weevil had been sooty, Rex was practically wearing blackface. He looked at Weevil in stunned horror and disbelief.
"He's got a…!"
"I know." Weevil growled.
"How did he…!?!?"
"I don't know! Forget it! Let's get out of here before someone sees us! Next time, it will be different!" Weevil said, grabbing the still stunned Rex and heading for the nearest exit, just wanted to go home, go to bed, and forget this day had ever happened.
A few seconds after the two had left, V emerged at the door, calmly shuffling his deck. He picked a certain card and held it up.
"Vicious, aren't you? Even as a hologram, you blackened them a bit. I can almost admire that…in a way. Well my ally, this is just the beginning. I'd say it's time to get serious." V said.
The card didn't reply, but for a brief moment, its eyes seemed to glow.
It was well pleased.
To Be Continued. Next Up: Suffer the Little Children!