A/N: Part 2 of Kyle vs. Chubs. Enjoy... or bite your nails... one of the two...

Mira: Glad I could help a fellow duelist. Let me know if there's anything else I can do for ya!

-------

Kyle's LP – 1250

Chubs' LP – 3850

--

Kyle finally turned the card he'd drawn around in his fingers and looked at it. Okay, this is good... I can at least make a comeback with this.

He pushed the magic card into one of his open slots, then hit the activation button. "I play Raigeki!"

Chubs' jaw dropped and he glared in silent helplessness and anger as a massive lightning bolt from the sky wreathed around his Tyrant Dragon and obliterated it. Kyle couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Bringing it back will prove hard for him, too, since he can't revive it without a dragon on his field to sacrifice as an additional cost. But right now, I've got to go to the defensive; I don't have anything good to attack with. "Next, I place one magic/trap face-down and one monster face-down. That ends my turn."

"You'll pay for that cheap move," Chubs muttered, as he drew. "I place one magic/trap face-down and summon Fire Kraken (1600/1500) in attack mode!"

A creature that could only be defined as a squid wreathed in flame wavered into being on the field. It gurgled.

"Attacking with it may prove reckless, but it's what I've got to work with. Fire Kraken, attack the monster he just played!"

Kyle pressed an m/t activation button. "Activate Waboku!" A group of miniature spellcasters rallied around the holographic card and cast a shield of protection around it.

His monster was still revealed, however; the holographic card flipped up and revealed an emaciated, red-headed little girl. She wore a ragged and worn blue dress, and she was seated next to a picnic basket bearing dying flowers. An expression of eternal hopelessness and despair was etched into her little face.

"My Unhappy Maiden (0/100) is revealed. Hope you enjoyed that little exercise," Kyle said.

"Well, now I at least know what monster to attack last," Chubs muttered. "End turn."

Kyle drew and inspected his new card a moment. "I place one monster face-down and end my turn."

"Now who's on the defensive?" Chubs scoffed, drawing as he spoke. "I rather like this. I place one magic/trap face-down. Fire Kraken, attack his last monster!"

Chubs' Fire Kraken bolted toward Kyle's field and wrapped its tentacles about the last card Kyle had played. Kyle smiled grimly when that monster was revealed. "You're not the only one with a Sangan (1000/600), my friend."

"Well, get on with it, then, we haven't got all day. Neither do our hosts," Chubs scorned, eyeing the magicians warily.

Kyle searched through his deck for the monster he wanted, made his choice and added it to his hand, then quickly reshuffled his deck. "Allrighty."

"I'm finished with my turn."

Kyle drew and considered his next move. I need to get my Life Points back up, or take his down. He got me pretty badly. Maybe this'll help. "I place one magic/trap face-down, and one monster face-down. That'll end my turn."

Chubs' move was almost immediate after he drew. "Kraken, attack the last monster he played!"

His Fire Kraken raced across to Kyle's field once again and wrapped itself about the larger-than-life card, hoping to squeeze the life out of it.

But instead, Fire Kraken itself became wrapped in a long, squealing tentacle. One end of the worm-like tendril pierced Kraken's soft hide and began to feed, while the other end swung its single eye around to stare intently at its owner.

Chubs frowned. "You always did love your Kiseitai (300/800). Why, I've got no idea. It's disgusting."

"Whatever works," Kyle responded.

"Yeah, yeah. End turn."

Kyle drew. I'm not getting very good cards. I need a new hand pretty soon.

After this move, I'll need a hand, period! "I place one magic/trap face-down and one monster face-down, and end my turn."

Chubs drew, and Kyle's Life Points increased to 2050. Kyle allowed a small smile to flit across his features for an instant – maybe I can get back up to where he is. If anything, it would allow them both a little more time to stall, and give himself – and Theoris – more time to try to devise a plan to get out of this mess.

Chubs squinted irritatedly at Kyle's LP counter. "You may get a nice little rise out of my monster, but it's not going to stay that way for long. You're a good duelist, no mistake, but I'm determined to win."

He selected one card from his hand. "With that, I sacrifice Fire Kraken to play Steel Ogre Grotto #2 (1900/2200) in attack mode."

Fire Kraken – and Kiseitai – shattered, and in their place arose an iron figure with an ovular body and massive arms meant to crush any object in their path. It slammed its fists together to emphasize the point; the noise was painful.

"Steel Ogre Grotto," Chubs ordered, "attack his first face-down monster!"

The massive metal monster launched a huge fist and bore down on the monster that had now lasted the longest on Kyle's field. His Magician of Faith (300/400) cowered under the attack, and then vanished.

Chubs growled, knowing what magic card Kyle was going to bring back from the graveyard before his hand even moved to that slot. He muttered, "Cheap. Not like I've got a choice, but I'll end my turn."

Kyle wasted no time with his turn. "I play Raigeki again to destroy your monster."

Two lightning bolts streamed down from the cloudless sky and struck Chubs' monster. His Steel Ogre Grotto #2 was destroyed in a shower of sparks and holographic glass.

"I end my turn there."

Chubs growled again, but drew his next card. "I place one face-down magic/trap and end my turn."

Kyle raised an eyebrow slightly. No monsters? If not, he's probably got something to his advantage back there. Not like I can attack anyway. "I also place one magic/trap face-down and end my turn."

Chubs drew. "Again, I place one magic/trap face-down and finish my turn."

Kyle's next card brought him a little more happiness. Maybe I can test what he's got on his back row. "I play Aqua Madoor (1200/2000) in attack mode."

A puddle of water appeared on the field, slowly grew and formed into a pillar-like shape, then solidified into the masked, water-manipulating sorcerer.

Kyle felt himself hesitate, even though the attack order was on the tip of his tongue. I don't want him to get hurt.

Kyle, I have already told you once that you must not concern yourself with what might happen. Your focus is on the duel. Let me worry about the rest.

The teen breathed a sigh and nodded slightly. "All right. Aqua Madoor, attack his Life Points!"

Chubs quickly brought up his duel disk and pressed a magic/trap activation button. "Ah-ah, Kyle, you know better. Activate Gravity Bind!"

Chubs' Gravity Bind trap card flipped face-up. The field was suddenly overlaid with a green grid that extended across both monster fields and across the expanse between. The grid grew over Kyle's Aqua Madoor, like a net, and held it in place.

Kyle sighed. Okay, so I can't attack with any monster above level 3. Certainly there're worse traps he could've used, because the same restriction applies to him. "Fine. That ends my turn."

Chubs drew his next card and grinned grimly before sliding it into one of his m/t slots and hitting the appropriate activation button. The card appeared on the field and flipped face-up; Kyle recognized it as one of Chubs' burn cards. "I play Ookazi to deal 800 direct damage to your Life Points."

Kyle shook his head as he activated one of his own m/t's. "I need every Life Point I can get. I activate Magic Jammer to stop Ookazi's effect." He discarded the one card still in his hand – Skull Guardian, one of the two cards he'd won from Zack.

Chubs' expression was one of annoyance as his Ookazi vanished, its effect having been rendered null. "You're stubborn. End turn."

"I have to be stubborn," Kyle said as he drew. "Lives depend on it now."

Kyle, stop that and play the game.

Yes, Master. He turned over one of the cards on his monster field. On the holographic field, the card flipped up and revealed a pot containing a grinning, demonic face with a red eye. "I flip Morphing Jar (700/600) into attack mode and activate its effect."

Chubs offered a slight shrug. "Probably best that way, anyway."

"Nice," Kyle snorted. He discarded his Time Seal trap card and drew his next five, keeping his eyes on his friend the whole time. Chubs' one remaining card had been Spring of Rebirth.

That would've worked nicely with Spirit monsters and their effect. Suddenly their weakness becomes a strength in another card. He's got to have Spirits in there... but what are they? And when will they come out, if at all? Kyle inspected his new hand. But this isn't too bad. I can take back the offensive with these. But first, I should get some more cards...

"Next, I activate Pot of Greed from the field," he announced. As the hologram appeared, he drew his next two cards...

...and one of Chubs' face-down traps flipped face-up.

"I may as well use this," Chubs said. "I can't stop you from drawing more cards, but I know that you're going to go after my Gravity Bind sooner or later. All this drawing you're doing makes it more inevitable. And, knowing your tactics, you'll be like me and try to take out all of my magic/trap cards at once, which means Heavy Storm, unless you've got a Harpie's Feather Duster. So I activate my Ultimate Offering card, and I sacrifice 500 Life Points to place one monster face-down on the field."

A burst of reddish liquid – meant to look like blood – shot out from the Ultimate Offering trap and congealed into a face-down monster card in front of it, as Chubs' LP fell to 3350.

Kyle inspected his hand and wondered if Chubs might be latently psychic, but then shrugged. We both know I've got that card. We both know I'm liable to use it, especially when he's got a back row of four m/t's. He glanced back up at Chubs as he put one of his m/t's into an open slot. "You're quite perceptive. I activate Heavy Storm to destroy all magic/trap cards on the field."

"Figures." Chubs scoffed over the din of the lightning bolts reaching out to blast their m/t's. He hit an activation button. "Before you destroy everything, I'll chain another use of Ultimate Offering to your Heavy Storm's activation and sacrifice 500 Life Points and my face-down Lady Assailant of Flames (1500/1000) to play Judge Man (2200/1500) in attack mode."

Another stream of holographic blood shot out of the Ultimate Offering card an instant before it was obliterated by Heavy Storm. The blood oozed over the card that had been created just a moment before, and then congealed into a massive warrior bearing a mace. Chubs' Life Points again took a dive, this time to 2850.

Chubs discarded Ultimate Offering along with his remaining m/t's: Gravity Bind, A Feint Plan, and Enchanted Javelin.

Hmm. Kyle discarded his face-down Waboku, but he didn't feel overly threatened by Chubs' Judge Man. Still, it's best if I make it look like I am. Then he'll attack. "I place one magic/trap face-down and switch my Aqua Madoor to defense mode. That'll end my turn."

Chubs narrowed his eyes at Kyle after drawing. "You've left yourself open, Kyle. Your Morphing Jar is still in attack mode."

"I've got enough Life Points that it won't be a matter of life and death if you attack it."

"2050. You're almost at half strength."

"And the total attack damage would only be 1500," Kyle pointed out.

"Almost 75 percent of your Life Points. Something tells me you wouldn't risk losing that much. Not just so you could get a new hand of cards."

"Then attack and find out," Kyle challenged.

"In due time." Chubs carefully made his selection. "I play the magic card Tremendous Fire."

A pillar of fire stretched down from the sky and blasted Kyle's side of the field. Kyle was wreathed in flame for several moments, and it took all of his courage not to flinch – too much – at the burning column.

Several embers landed on Chubs' side of the field. He simply stared resolutely through the flames and at his opponent. After a few more seconds, the flames died and the pillar receded into the sky. Kyle muttered a curse as he spied their respective LP counters: he had lost 1000 from his original 2050, while Chubs had lost 500... and Chubs' loss was from 2850. I really hope he's only got one of those. I don't need this!

"Now Judge Man's attack would wipe out the rest of your Life Points," Chubs stated flatly. "And as soon as that happens, I can get off this platform and go back to living my life without these bastards. I dunno what you did to piss them off so royally, but whatever it was, it's going to be resolved here and now. Judge Man, attack his Morphing Jar!"

Kyle pressed a magic/trap activation button. "Sorry, but this duel's got to keep going. Activate Mirror Force!"

Chubs' eyes widened as Kyle's Mirror Force card flipped face-up and fired streamers of energy at the charging Judge Man. The warrior roared for a moment as he was struck by the energy, then shattered.

Chubs glowered as he discarded Judge Man. "You'll get yours, Kyle, I swear you will." Angrily, he pushed two more magic/traps into his duel disk. "I place one magic/trap face-down and activate Dark Hole!"

A black vortex with a white core swirled between the two fields. Kyle's Aqua Madoor, Unhappy Maiden, and Morphing Jar were all sucked into the vortex, with no hope for escape, and vanished.

Kyle discarded the three monsters and kept his thoughts to himself about the spiteful move. He understood it, though he didn't like it. On the other hand, he wasn't sure if he wanted to keep attacking Chubs anyway.

Attacking is the only way you shall win. You have no Life Point burning cards, as he does, and his deck has always had more cards than yours; thus, he cannot lose by default. You must take the offensive.

I know.

"That ends my turn," Chubs said, almost as an afterthought.

Kyle pursed his lips and drew his next card. His move was a quick one. "I play Gemini Elf (1900/900) in attack mode."

Twin elves appeared on the field, arms crossed, standing almost back-to-back. They stared at Chubs as if regarding an insect.

A small part of Kyle felt pained at how easily the attack order came to him, but he knew he really didn't have any choice. "Gemini Elf, attack his Life Points!"

Chubs activated the one card still on his field. "Activate Enchanted Javelin!"

The trap card flipped face-up, and a great, intricately carved, winged javelin appeared in front of it. It didn't stop the Gemini Elf attack – the twins' strike almost caused Chubs to stagger back – but instead shot toward its master and seemed to impale him an instant before the attack hit.

His Life Points escalated to 4250 when the javelin struck, but when the Gemini Elf attack hit, his LP descended back down to its original 2350. Despite having been hit, he grinned grimly at Kyle. "As good as a Kuriboh or a Waboku."

"If you say so," said Kyle. "I end my turn there." Eventually, he's going to run out of cards to block significant damage to his Life Points. What's he going to do then?

And, moreover, what am I going to do then?

Chubs drew his next hard, heedless of Kyle's thoughts. "Your elves don't scare me, Kyle, because I've got something even stronger. I remove my second Robotic Knight from the graveyard and the game in order to Special Summon Spirit of Flames (1700/1000) in attack mode!"

Kyle's eyes narrowed. Another one. This is just what I need. And thanks to its special effect, it'll be strong enough in his Battle Phase to take out Gemini Elf.

Evidently this point was not lost on Chubs. "Now I move into my Battle Phase, and my monster becomes 300 attack points stronger. Spirit of Flames, attack Gemini Elf!"

Chubs' Spirit of Flames wasted no time with its attack; it growled, then raised its open palms toward the twin elves, and emitted two great bursts of searing lava from its hands. The lava streams struck the elves, who cried out an instant before shattering. Their outcry echoed in the open air as Kyle's Life Points fell to 950.

"Your turn," Chubs said.

Kyle drew and hoped that he'd get something good. When he saw the card, he frowned instead. It's a good card, but I really don't want to resort to using it if I don't have to. Still, at this point... He chose both the card he'd drawn and another one from his hand and placed them on the field. "I place one magic/trap face-down and one monster face-down, and end my turn."

Chubs drew. "I play my third Robotic Knight (1600/1800) in attack mode."

His Robotic Knight flashed onto the field in all of its intricate brilliance and brandished a thin, razor-sharp sword.

"Spirit of Flames, attack his face-down monster!"

The magma creature blasted a stream of devastating fire at Kyle's monster card... but instead of being split in half, the monster was revealed. It was a large insect, covered in a brown exoskeleton, hunched on all fours and chittering hungrily.

"Man-Eater Bug (450/600) is revealed," Kyle said. "And before it goes down, it's going to take your Robotic Knight with it!"

Man-Eater Bug jumped across the expanse and latched onto Chubs' Robotic Knight. Before the metal monster could react, the insect self-destructed, and the explosion carried over. Robotic Knight was blown apart. That'll stop him from attacking my Life Points and force him to end his Battle Phase.

Chubs narrowed his eyes at Kyle in irritation. "Once again, your stubborn nature is the only thing saving your Life Points. End turn."

"Not just my stubborn nature. Anyone can be stubborn," Kyle noted, drawing. "I just happen to have good cards, too. Like this one. I play Vorse Raider (1900/1200) in attack mode!"

A bestial creature bearing a massive, vicious axe wavered into being on Kyle's field.

"It's a good thing for me your Spirit's effect only applies during your Battle Phase," Kyle said. "Right now, it's just a juicy target. Vorse Raider, attack Spirit of Flames!"

Kyle's Vorse Raider roared, charged forward, and made a brutal swipe with its axe. Spirit of Flames was split in two and it vanished into thin air, causing Chubs' Life Points to scroll down to 2150.

"That ends my turn," Kyle said, ignoring Chubs' glare. He doesn't have any normal level 4 monsters with this kind of attack power. Only monsters with conditions to their power, like Spirit of Flames. And he hasn't been doing a great job with defending, either. For the moment, it's just a matter of time.

Chubs drew his next card, then quickly slid it into a magic/trap slot. "I activate Graceful Charity. Maybe some good'll come of it."

Nope, no good. Not for me.

The lassoed duelist drew his next three cards. "I discard Darkfire Soldier #2 (1700/1100) and Flame Cerebrus (2100/1800)." The two announced monsters flashed on the field momentarily before vanishing.

Kyle blinked. Two fairly decent monsters. What was the third card?

"Then I activate Monster Reborn," Chubs announced. His Monster Reborn hologram flipped up and hovered there while he went through his graveyard to pick out the monster he wanted to revive. He made his decision and placed it on his field. "The monster I'm bringing back is Judge Man (2200/1500) in attack mode."

Chubs' Judge Man growled as soon as he reappeared on the field, looking ready for another round of fierce fighting.

"Judge Man, attack Vorse Raider!"

Judge Man brought his mace crashing down on Vorse Raider, which roared upon being struck. Raider shattered, leaving Kyle's monster field wide open, as well as his Life Points – now at 650.

"End turn," Chubs said. His voice regained a portion of its confident clip.

Kyle drew, his own confidence beginning to wane. I don't have any level 4 or lower monsters that can defend against that, and sooner or later, my luck's going to run out. I need something to stall with.

As soon as he saw the card he drew, he breathed a slight sigh of relief. Well, this'll certainly do. "I activate Swords of Revealing Light."

The Swords card appeared on Kyle's field and fired a dozen glowing projectiles at Chubs' field. Several surrounded his Judge Man, effectively restraining the monster.

"Getting desperate, Kyle?"

"Just need a little time to reorganize," Kyle replied nonchalantly. "Next, I play one monster face-down and end my turn."

Chubs drew his next card. "Your Swords of Revealing Light may stop me from attacking, but they can't save you from my burn cards."

Kyle glanced at his LP counter. He felt himself paling. Please, not Ookazi or Tremendous Fire. Anything but one of those two!

"I play Hinotama, to deal another 500 points of damage directly to your Life Points!"

A blazing fireball screamed down from the sky and struck Kyle in the chest. He grunted at the hit; the holographic fire didn't burn him, but it wasn't harmless. It hit him just as a direct attack would – the sophisticated force fields around the image made the hit quite real.

Chubs nodded in satisfaction. "I suggest you make the most of your next turns. I'll end mine here."

Kyle took a deep, calming breath, and drew his next card. His eyes avoided his LP counter this time – he didn't much feel like seeing the new low it had sunk to, even though he knew what the number was. This is closer than my last duel, and it's starting to rival the one with Peter. I'd love to have a Labyrinth Brother right about now.

The card he drew didn't exactly make him feel better. You served me well in the last duel, but right now you'd be a liability. Still, if it comes to last resort... I may need you. To the field you go. "I place one monster face-down."

Kyle glanced at his holographic field. I've only got one face-down trap, and it's getting to the point where it'll do the most good and the least damage, comparatively speaking. But I can't use it if he attacks. I need something else for that. And if he finds a way to wipe out my Swords before I'm ready... well...

He made his choice. "I flip Mask of Darkness (900/400) to attack mode and activate its effect to return one of my used trap cards to my hand."

Kyle's Mask of Darkness was little more than a scarred, yellow, face-shaped plate with only a pair of small eyeholes. A pair of straps dangled from its sides. Neither player entertained the illusion that the monster itself was even remotely a threat to Chubs' Judge Man or his Life Points. Its true potential lay in its effect.

Kyle didn't inform his opponent what his choice was. He wasn't required to. Chubs could activate a request from his duel disk at any time to see Kyle's graveyard displayed on the field, and if his memory served him correctly, he'd be able to tell for himself what card Kyle had chosen.

"And now," Kyle announced, "I place one magic/trap face-down on the field. That ends my turn."

Chubs drew his next card and stared at the Swords of Revealing Light that still pervaded his monster field. "Since your Swords don't require me to play monsters face-up after their activation, I place one monster face-down on the field and switch my Judge Man to defense mode. That ends my turn."

Kyle blinked, but it was Theoris who voiced his opinion first. Why did he shift his Judge Man to defense mode? Contending with an attack power of 2200 would prove much more difficult for you than a defense power of 1500, especially considering the monsters you both have been using.

I know. Maybe he's looking at my field and seeing tribute fodder. But first, I need a monster to tribute for. Kyle blinked again. Maybe he thinks I've got Sanga or Suijin in my hand. He knows even better than I do that the best defense is a good offense. He can't attack, and he's got no magic/trap cards to stop me from pulling out a goody. Would that I even had a Labyrinth Brother in hand! Maybe I'll get lucky this turn.

Kyle drew his next card...

...and very nearly gaped at it.

Do not be so surprised, Kyle. You put it in your deck. It is only natural that it would appear at some point.

But still! I hadn't thought I'd draw it, much less need to play it!

I am aware of that. However, you have drawn it, and to win this duel, you will need to play it.

"What're you gawking at, Kyle? Don't know your own cards anymore?" Chubs scorned.

Kyle glanced up. "I know them. What's more, you know this one by heart. But it's probably not a card you'd expect."

"Oh, really?" Chubs raised an eyebrow. "I know it by heart, yet I wouldn't expect it. What the hell's that supposed to mean?"

"I guess you're going to find out," Kyle answered. "Because you're going to meet it in a moment."

"I can't wait," Chubs scoffed. "And that's a fact. Get on with it!"

Kyle took another deep breath. "All right." He picked up his Mask of Darkness and his face-down monster card. "I sacrifice Mask of Darkness and my face-down Morphing Jar #2 (800/700)..."

Kyle's monsters vanished from the field, rippling out of existence, as if mere mirages.

He placed the high-level monster on his field, and the hologram was conjured directly in front of him.

A massive creature. A creature that gleamed in the sunlight. A creature that Chubs – and the magicians – stared in awe at.

A creature that belonged to someone else.

"...to play Blue-Eyes White Dragon (3000/2500) in attack mode."