Wolf: What I meant was that there are only so many strategies that are practical and that appear in a duelist magazine. People can think up all sorts, it's just the ones in the mags, as you well know, aren't all that helpful at times.
Skraku: Well, hold on to your hat, both where the tattoos are concerned and where dueling is concerned. You'll be seeing more of both, methinks.
-------
Kyle's next opponent was another adult, a woman this time, looking to be of about 25 years of age, by the name of Jessica. She smiled politely at him, though he could see in her eyes a look of curiosity likely because of my appearance, he thought, suddenly putting his mind to the clothes he'd chosen to wear to the occasion. Black everything, as usual, and a black leather coat to guard against the post-winter breezes.
Zack wasn't kidding when he said I probably wouldn't get to see him play, he thought. They move through these things as rapidly as possible, don't they?
He looked around for any sign of Zack or Chubs, but as far as he could tell, the two were still seated at duelist tables. He sighed. Hope they're doing well. Now I'm dueling adults, and I've got just about every right to be nervous at this point. I should take Zack's advice and keep a healthy dose of humility at hand.
"Why don't you go first?" his opponent asked, as she shuffled her deck.
"Fine by me," he shrugged, and he drew his first six cards. He considered his available maneuvers. "I place two magic/trap cards face-down, and one monster face-down. Your turn."
"Hmm. Interesting opening move," she commented, as she drew her first card. "I play Black Dragon Jungle King (2100/1800) in attack mode and attack your face-down monster."
Kyle tried to keep his eyes from narrowing as he sent his Oppressed People (400/2000) to the graveyard. Already she's got me at a disadvantage. But it's just as well I played it face-down now I know what risks she'll take.
"My turn's finished," she said.
"Good." He drew. "I place another monster face-down, and end my turn there."
"So zealously protective of your Life Points," she admonished. "If you want to win, you really should go on the attack. Otherwise you'll end up getting washed up. I play Servant of Catabolism (700/400) in attack mode. Its special effect allows it to attack your Life Points directly even while you have monsters on the field."
"So it does," he noted, spying the monster's effect. "Going to put it to use this turn?"
"I think I will, at that."
"Too bad, because I activate the trap card Negate Attack, which stops you from attacking me at all this turn."
She nodded. "I'm aware of its effect, thank you. My turn's finished, in that case."
He drew his next card and considered it a moment. Hmm. There are a couple things I could do with this. Best be cautious with it, though.
"I play Millennium Golem (2000/2200) in attack mode," he announced, "and have it attack your Servant."
"Destroyed," she responded. She sent the Servant to the graveyard and readjusted her Life Points appropriately. "Down to 700. But there's still much I can do with that."
"There always is. My turn's finished."
She drew her next card. "I equip Black Dragon Jungle King with the magic card Dragon's Treasure, to increase its attack and defense power by 300 points apiece. And then I'll have it attack your Golem."
"Activate trap card, Reinforcements," Kyle countered. "Increasing Golem's attack power to 2500 for this turn a hundred more than your monster."
"Impressive," she congratulated, decreasing her Life Points to 600. "But I have yet to place a monster, and so I will do so face-down. That ends my turn."
"Fine." Kyle drew his next card. Golem's doing pretty well for me, but I need a good lineup, just in case she tries to pull a fast one on me... "I place one monster face-down, and have Golem attack your face-down monster."
"My face-down Hane-Hane (450/500) is destroyed," she announced, "and its effect allows me to send one monster card back to its owner's hand... so I think I'll send your Golem away."
Kyle scoffed, but nevertheless gathered his Golem back into his hand. "Fine by me."
"Glad to hear it," she said.
Kyle rolled his eyes. "My turn's done."
"Also good to hear." She drew swiftly and her move was just as swift. "I place one magic/trap card face-down and one monster face-down, as well. My turn ends there."
"Goody." Kyle drew. "I re-play Millennium Golem in attack mode, and play the magic card Raigeki to destroy your face-down monster."
"Not so fast." Jessica flipped over the lone m/t card on her rear field. "Activate trap card Magic Drain."
Kyle narrowed his eyes. I remember that card, from watching Monica duel. It makes me discard another magic card from my hand if I want Raigeki to work. "I don't have any other magic cards in my hand."
"Then I guess your Raigeki won't work," she said cheerfully. "Too bad for you."
"Oh, really? You've only got one monster face-down on your field, and it won't be there too long after I'm done with it. Golem attacks your face-down."
"You were right, it won't be around for long," she said, as she flipped the monster over. "On the other hand, my Penguin Soldier (750/500) has an effect double the potency of Hane-Hane's. So by way of Soldier's effect, I'm sending your Golem and your face-down monster back to your hand. And that leaves your field with one monster, I do believe."
Kyle grunted as he gathered his monster cards into his hand once more. "It does... for a moment. But I've still got my plays. I place one magic/trap face-down and end my turn."
She drew her next card. "I play Pot of Greed." She gathered two more cards to her hand and reassessed her options for a moment, then announced, "I play Mystical Space Typhoon on your face-down magic/trap."
He sighed slightly. "Barrel Behind The Door is destroyed."
She smirked. "Nice try. Next, I play the magic card Tribute to the Doomed – according to which, I discard one card from my hand in order to destroy a monster on the field. In this case, your face-down."
Kyle again emitted a sigh as he sent his Muka Muka (600/300) to the grave. She likewise sent her Tribute to the Doomed to her graveyard, and a Trap Hole card to accommodate Tribute's cost.
"And now I play Judge Man (2200/1500) in attack mode. With your field wide open for attack, it appears as though I've won this game. Judge Man attacks your Life Points."
And Kyle could find no way to disagree with her. He bowed his head and nodded dismally. Damn. And here I was, hoping to go all the way.
"Good game," she said. Her tone was sincere. "You might still be a beginner, but you're coming along nicely. You should be proud of yourself. Look how far you've gotten already."
"I might feel better about it if I could keep going in this tournament," he answered.
"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll do well, given more time."
"Thanks." Kyle gathered his cards together and stood up, then made his way to the front window display and stood there, searching for Zack and Chubs.
Chubs, it seemed, was still dueling. Kyle felt an urge to go over to his stout friend's table and see how he was doing.
Zack, on the other hand, was nowhere to be found. Kyle couldn't spot him at any of the duelist tables, nor could he find him anywhere else in the store. The girl that had approached Zack at the start of the tournament had likewise gone unseen. Kyle wondered if they'd already both lost their places in the tourney and had gone home. He wouldn't have put it past the girl – she'd seemed quite terse – but he'd have thought Zack might have stuck around to see him and/or Chubs continue their duels.
After a few minutes of fruitless searching, Kyle finally shrugged and sauntered to Chubs' side, eager to watch his friend make a name for himself in this tournament.
--
Two Weeks Later
--
Twice, Kyle had tried to make it through the second tier tournament. Twice, he'd failed. He'd modified and re-modified his deck, and had challenged Chubs to a duel whenever the two of them could possibly spare time for such an activity. Chubs had tirelessly agreed to every single duel, and at Kyle's insistence, had broken out the deck he used for tournaments.
He couldn't get Zack to agree to duel with him, and he wasn't surprised by this – Zack had told him he wasn't usually one to duel. But what did surprise him was that whenever that particular tournament was mentioned, Zack would immediately try to find something else to talk about. There were times he even developed the slitest twitch in his left eye.
As if somehow, talking about that day unnerved him.
Kyle had no idea what would shake the normally unflappable young man. He'd taken all sorts of verbal abuse from Monica with little difficulty, so Kyle culdn't imagine the same had happened that day.
Zack had refused to go to the last tournament that had taken place, and he seemed rather determined not to show up at the upcoming one, as well. Chubs figured it to be Zack's usual indifferent nature causing him to say no, but Kyle wondered if there wasn't something more to it, somehow.
He wasn't alone in this kind of wondering. The voice in his head was becoming more insistent every day, it seemed. It still spoke in fragments, never stringing together more than two words, but the intensity of the words was what both intrigued and frustrated Kyle. He'd spent a considerable amount of time silently arguing with the voice, and every time he argued, the voice would become more aggravating... and aggravated, as well. As if it was frustrated by its own apparent inability to communicate more clearly with the person whose mind it was invading.
The Friday afternoon before the tournament found Kyle sprawled out on his bed, trying to concentrate on a science fiction book while arguing with the voice at the same time.
Go away.
...Shadow... game... Shadow game... danger... great danger...
I said go away! I don't want to hear about your blasted shadow games! If you only told me what kind of danger you're talking about, I probably wouldn't be so nervous, but nooo... you have to be all cryptic. Don't talk to me until you can speak in proper sentences, you hear me?
...danger...! ...magician... danger... millennium... game... danger!
Go away, damn you.
"You skipped your counseling session."
Kyle looked up from the book. His eyes landed on his father.
As usual, the man was wearing a suit and a look of consternation. "That's the third in a row. What was it this time? Off playing that silly card game? I suppose I'll just have to take you there myself."
"I don't need counseling anymore," Kyle said shortly. He didn't feel like getting into a fight with his father, but he was already irritated with the voice and it wasn't helping to improve his mood that he was being accused of yet another thing. He turned back to his book.
"Don't ignore me!" his father spat. He stomped forward, grabbed the book out of Kyle's hands, and threw it to the floor. "It's about time you started following directions around here! I'm sick of this!"
And suddenly, all the rage that had welled up inside the boy – now a young man – was set loose.
"That makes two of us!" Kyle yelled back. He rose to his feet. "I'm sick of all this! I'm sick of you! Trying to force me down a path I don't want to walk... what the hell's wrong with you?!"
"I'm doing what's best for my son and my family!" the man roared.
"Your concerns for your son are secondary to those of your family! You want me to become a doctor so that when you get old and feeble, I'll have the money to take care of you!" Kyle sneered. "Tell me this, 'Dad', where did your financial security go? You've got money, you don't need me to make any more for your benefit. What makes you think, even for a moment, that I ever wanted to be a doctor?"
"It has nothing to do with what you want, Kyle! Your desires are silly and childish! You sit all by yourself everywhere you go, you have no friends, you play stupid games from dawn to dusk, and you've no future! Be realistic for once in your life, and admit it! This is the best route for you to take!"
You bastard, I'll kill you!
...no... no...
...no... I won't... I need to handle this calmly... just calm down and talk...
Kyle took a deep breath and crossed his arms. "Maybe it is, if I want a lot of money. Maybe it is."
"Then why do you still resist, if you're willing to concede that point?"
"Because money isn't my concern. It never has been. Your way for me isn't my way for me. And eventually, I'm going to get out of here and live my life my way. There's nothing you can do to stop that."
"Your way will lead to self-ruin!"
"You don't know that. And we'll never find out if you don't let me live."
"I've fed you and clothed you... you have a roof over your head because of me! You live because I gave you life! Don't you think that deserves something in return?"
"Yeah, you've fed me and clothed me. Yeah, there's a roof over my head. And if you and Mom had never met, I wouldn't be here. But have you ever given me what I really needed?"
The anger fled from Kyle's voice. His tone became empty, hollow... perhaps even pleading.
Kyle looked into his father's eyes, his need laid bare.
"Do you love me?"
His father glowered. "What kind of question–"
"DO YOU LOVE ME?!"
The scream was wrenched from the depths of Kyle's soul... it was the one question that had plagued him for years, even if he didn't know it.
And for the first time in his life, Kyle watched as his father was struck speechless.
Seconds ticked by. The only noise that could be heard was that of the grandfather clock out in the hall, ticking away, oblivious to its owners.
"Have you ever loved me?" Kyle whispered.
And for the second time in his life, Kyle heard nothing but silence from the man who was his father.
He felt a prick behind his eyes, a prick he'd not felt since he was a child... an outcast little wimp, begging for mercy at the hands of sniggering bullies twice his size.
His breath shuddered. A lump filled his throat. He tried to speak, but his voice cracked. He let out a whisper.
"Get out..."
His father stepped forward, reached out with one hand... hoping beyond hope that he could still make his child see reason. "Kyle-"
"GET OUT!" Kyle screamed, and he barreled forward and shoved his father back through the doorway.
The man stumbled backward and struck the opposite wall, surprised more than hurt. He knocked loose a picture of their family; it slid down the wall, to the floor, and the protective glass pane across the front cracked.
By the time he recovered, the echo of the door slamming shut had already faded.
--
Chubs heard the phone ringing, but didn't make much of it. Probably a business call. Been getting lots of those lately. Maybe Mom managed to sell a house recently? That might put her in a good mood.
He seemed to be making progress on his video game. If there's one thing about StarCraft, it's that it's addicting. He was in the middle of executing an incredibly complex strategy when his mother walked into his room.
"Cody, the phone's for you."
"Oh, what?" Chubs groaned. "Now? I'm pulling the greatest strategy of all time!"
"It's Kyle. He says it's 'kinda important'." She handed him an active cordless phone.
"It better be." Chubs took the phone into the crook of his neck as he continued playing. "Now, what's so important that you needed to interrupt my gaming? I'm not up for a duel right now, if that's-"
"I need to get out of here."
Chubs blinked. He recognized the tone in Kyle's voice. He sat upright and hit the Escape button on his keyboard to pause his game. "What's wrong?"
"I can't exactly arrange for an apartment overnight. You got a room available?"
"One sec." Chubs leaned back in his seat and turned to the door. "Hey, Mom, something came up with Kyle. He needs a room for a couple days; can he stick around here?"
"Long as he stays out of my hair and pays for his own food," she responded teasingly.
"This is serious, Mom."
"Don't worry, Cody, if he needs a place to stay, he's welcome here."
Chubs put the phone back to his ear. "You've got a room."
"Thanks. I'll need you to help me with a few things, too."
"Whatever you need," Chubs assured.
"I appreciate it. I'll be over in a while."
"What's going on? What happened?"
For several moments, the sound of silence reigned over the line, and Chubs began to think Kyle had hung up. But a response came.
"I can't talk about it now... I just need out. I'll be there in a while."
Click.
-------
And thus, the curtain falls on the McCraine residence. Opinions? Comments? Reviews? Dare I hope? Just click that little "Go" button in the lower left corner and leave me a few words... I'd be forever grateful! Up next, Kyle tries to figure out his future as he takes control of his own life.