Author's notes:
Thank you Fifilafemme! As for cookies. . .hmm. . .how about some oatmeal chocolate chip?
I do NOT own Yu-Gi-Oh!, any characters/monsters/cards from aforementioned series, my friend (he 0wnz me at this game), any of his strategies, any CDs (it belongs to him), any carpets, any hotel bills, the song "Aoi Shoudou" (which is owned by Naoki and Yuki), or anything else that isn't me.
That's enough of me. . .
---
A few well-placed glares from Raphael ensured that the pool deck was completely free of spectators. Amelda silently fumed. HE should be the one duelling, not Raphael! HE wouldn't have let the stranger go first!
The stranger immediately played Painful Choice. Amelda looked at the choices, and whistled softly. The dippy stranger had yanked five very unusual cards. Makula the Executioner's inclusion had been pretty obvious; its effect was activated by sending it to the graveyard. The Cyber Jar would wipe the field clean unless Raphael found a way to get rid of it without battling it. The choices of the X and Y parts of the XYZ cannon mystified the redhead a little. What good could they do in the graveyard? The final card, Soul Absorption, was obviously a decoy. No one in their right mind would use such a horrible card.
Raphael cocked an eyebrow and gave the stranger Makula. The stranger looked a bit downcast, but accepted the card. He then set two cards and a monster. It wasn't a very promising move.
Raphael mimicked the stranger's moves, without the Painful Choice. Both sides had a monster set and two more set cards. This was going to be very interesting.
The stranger then played Pot of Greed and Graceful Charity simultaneously. As predicted, Makula went to the graveyard as part of Graceful Charity's effect. So did the D.D. Warrior Lady. One day, Amelda would make a deck consisting of nothing but pretty women, including the D.D. Warrior Lady. It would be used to frustrate his fellow Doom Warriors.
The stranger immediately played Heavy Storm. Raphael's set cards were swept away. Raphael didn't look too upset. His set monster was probably the real threat.
The stranger then did something to his graveyard. In moments, a VERY big dragon stood in the middle of the duel. One leg stood in a swimming pool; the other flattened several beach chairs. The dragon sneezed as a palm frond tickled its nose. Its breath smelled faintly of sulfur.
The stranger then played Soul Release. Imaginary question marks floated above Amelda's head. The only cards that could be removed were in the stranger's graveyard!
(No) thanks to Makula's effect, the stranger played Return From The Different Dimension straight from his hand. His life point gauge dropped to 4000. It was a start, at least. Amelda did a double-take when he saw what was assembled on the stranger's side of the field. The D.D. Warrior Lady was waist-deep in the kiddie pool. The two pieces of the XYZ Cannon each took up a beach chair.
The stranger then dropped one more card from his hand, one that Amelda had seen and ignored. The Compulsory Evacuation Device sent the monster that was the only thing between Raphael and a Whole Pile of Damage back to its owner's hand.
To add insult to injury, the stranger removed the X and Y pieces from the game in order to summon two-thirds of the XYZ Cannon. Though it was nowhere near as strong as XYZ put together, XY was still quite formidable.
Then the stranger attacked with everything. Amelda winced as Raphael's life points dropped dangerously low.
Suddenly, the field turned a very ominous shade of red. From out of somewhere, Varon swore. The stranger had activated the Chaos Emperor Dragon's other effect.
When the smoke cleared, Amelda blinked. The pool area wasn't the least bit damaged. Raphael stared dumbly at his duel disk. Amelda stared dumbly at the stranger. That had to be one of the fastest duels he'd ever seen.
The stranger walked over to the girl, who Amelda had dropped on the deck. He had been tempted to drop her face-first in the pool, but then she wouldn't be able to replace his deck.
He talked to her for several moments. She gave him what looked like a skinny CD case. He thanked her and walked off. Raphael blinked.
"But I thought he. . ." the largest Doom Warrior started to say.
"Well, I've gotta go. See ya!" With a perky bounce, the girl turned to leave. Amelda wasn't about to be denied his deck! He quickly grabbed her arm.
"I'd like to stay and play with you, mister, but I've gotta meet my mom. Unless you want to talk to her again. . ." Amelda quickly let go. That girl's mom made Dartz seem like a gentle, caring person. She looked at him and giggled.
"Don't be such a stick in the mud. Decks are far easier to make than grades! When you get your new deck, courtesy of yourself, I'd like to duel you." She bounded off. . .
. . .straight into a folded umbrella. Varon giggled. Raphael sighed. Amelda shook his head. She didn't seem to be good for anything but a single photograph. Speaking of photographs. . .if he left now, he'd be able to get a picture of a particular sunset. The skies held lacy cirrus clouds. Perfect.
With a very uncharacteristic smile, Amelda ran to the parking lot. Maybe he'd come away with the ultimate souvenir.
---
Author's note, again:
My friend's deck was made for fun, not for advanced tournament play. Please don't mind it.
"Aoi Shoudou" literally means "Blue Impulse". It can also mean "Youthful Urges", depending on the translation. Keep thy thoughts pure, and maybe the significance of the title shall make itself known. . .
I run into stationary objects all the time. I've also got the bruises to prove it.
Unless my summary screws up again, the next chapter WILL be the last one.