Disclaimer: I do not own Magic: The Gathering or Yu-Gi-Oh!
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"Way to go, Yuge!" said Joey. It was shortly after the end of the duel and the duellists had been allowed a ten-minute break before the next duel. Joey was congratulating Yugi on his victory, particularly impressed by his continuous revival of his Dark Magician.
While everyone was congratulating Yugi, Mai was sitting aside, forgotten. Feeling sorry for her, Arrathir went over.
"Hey," he said "You did really good out there. Yugi was hard-pressed to keep up."
She smiled at him, "Thanks, but you know, I'm used to it."
Arrathir frowned, not understanding.
She continued, "Whenever I duel Yugi, I loose, but I also learn more about being a true duellist. One day, I will be able to defeat him."
"Aren't you upset he beat you?"
"A bit," said Mai "But I bear him no grudge. He's my friend. It wasn't always like this. There was a time where I believed the only way to be strong was to defeat everyone I duelled. I used to work as a dealer on a casino cruise ship. The people around me only cared about wealth and power, and I grew to hate myself among them. Then I met Yugi and his gang during Duellist Kingdom. Back then, I used to psyche out my opponents with a little psychic routine: I'd spray perfume on my cards and name them as I'd draw. When I lost to Joey, I felt like I was weak, but he told me to be a real champion, I had to start caring about someone other than myself. At the time, he had entered Duellist Kingdom to win money to pay for his sister's eye operation. Then later, when one of Pegasus' goons beat me, Yugi won my star chips back (A/N: During Duellist Kingdom, they used star chips instead of locator cards) and later I gave him the star chips he needed to enter the finals. I learned a lot from him. It wasn't luck or skill that brought me this far, it was because I trusted myself."
"Wow," said Arrathir "So you guys have been though a lot together. You must be fond of them."
"Yes, especially Joey," said Mai "When I first met him, he was an okay duellist with a big mouth, but since then he's become a great duellist, still with a big mouth. He's a sweet guy, non-the less
"Are you two 'dating' or anything?" asked Arrathir.
"Well, not officially," said Mai "I know he likes me, but he hasn't plucked up the courage to tell me yet."
"Attention, please," said Judge Komo "Would Joey Wheeler and Dayton Tayan please make their way to the duelling ring?"
"All right!" said Joey "Who's the sap who's gonna loose to me?"
"That would be me," said a voice.
Joey turned and saw a tall man wearing white robes. He looked stern, but from him radiated an aura of confidence.
"Yeah, well get ready for a pummelling, pal. I didn't come in third place in Battle City for nothing!"
"Let us see if your skills measure up to your ego," said Dayton.
So much for Kaiba taking all the pot shots at Joey.
"Yugi, can I talk to the pharaoh for a minute," asked Khell when the two duellists had left.
"Hai (Yes)," said Yugi and the puzzle flashed as Yami took over. "What is it?" asked the spirit.
"I am worried about Arrathir. His summoning skills are improving at an alarming rate. He told me how he summoned an incredibly powerful creature, the Havoc Demon, a feat that even some of the most powerful summoners in my world could not replicate."
"Why does this worry you?" asked Yami "Perhaps he is simply skilled."
"Arrathir's spells are cast from black mana, which has been known to have an evil influence on its users. I am afraid he is succumbing to the forces of evil. His progress is much too fast. It is the only explanation."
"Then we will have to watch him closely," said Yami.
On the duelling field, Joey and Dayton were ready to start.
"On to Round Three," said Judge Komo "Returning duellist, he came third in the previous Battle City, Joseph Wheeler! His opponent is a newcomer. He plays Magic: The Gathering, so the mixed rules will be in use, Dayton Tayan!"
"Let's duel!"
"I'll got first," said Joey "To show you how it's done. I summon Blackland Fire Dragon (1500/800) and set one card. Go."
"I summon Skyhunter Cub (1000/1000)," said Dayton. A creature that looked like a cat standing on its hind legs appeared. It wore leather armour and wielded a long scimitar.
"Aww, what's you little pussy gonna do? Scratch me?" asked Joey "And anyways, my dragon's more powerful!"
"You dare insult the race of the Leonin?" said Dayton; incredulous "You will pay for this offence. I play Leonin Scimitar, equipping it to my creature. This increases its attack and defence by 500, but my leonin has a special ability which increases its attack and defence by 500 when it is equipped. So now, it is a 2000/2000! I set one card and end my turn."
"Well, you're not the only one with cats," said Joey "I summon Panther Warrior (2000/1600)," a sleek black panther in armour appeared on the field "And I equip him with Sword of the Dragon's Soul, increasing his attack by 700!" A sword appeared in the paws of the panther "Now, Panther Warrior, attack!" The panther leapt forwards, but the Skyhunter Cub jumped in front of its master. The two felines had a ferocious catfight (no pun intended) in the course of which they slew each other. As Joey's panther died, it managed to claw at Dayton, taking away 700 lifepoints.
JOEY: 10, 000
DAYTON: 9300
"You may have gotten an early lead but that won't help you," said Dayton "I summon Ferropede (500/500)," a creature that looked like a very large centipede appeared on the field.
"That's how you're gonna beat me?" laughed Joey.
"Wait until you hear its special ability," said Dayton "It's unblockable. Next, I'll equip it with Sword of Light and Shadow, giving it +1000+1000 and whenever it deals damage, I gain 1500 lifepoints and may return a creature from my graveyard to my hand. Ferropede, direct attack!" The creature scuttled over to Joey's side of the field, slipping under his dragon, and climbed up Joey's leg, biting him. Joey went ballistic, trying to whack the bug away, but the creature slipped away and returned to its master. "And I choose to return Skyhunter Cub from my graveyard to my hand. End turn."
JOEY: 8500
DAYTON: 10, 800
"I'll get you for that," said Joey "Change of Heart on your creature!" A half-angel, half-demon beast appeared from the card and flew over to the Ferropede. The creature scuttled over to Joey's side of the field. "Now, both of you attack his lifepoints directly!"
The Blackland Fire Dragon spewed a column of fire at Dayton, while the Ferropede slashed away at his lifepoints.
JOEY: 10, 000
DAYTON: 7800
"I return Panther Warrior to my hand and in my second main phase," said Joey "I'll sacrifice both my monsters to summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon (2800/2400)! Then I set one card. End turn."
"I summon Skyhunter Cub, equipping it with Leonin Scimitar, Vulshock Morning Star, and Sword of Light and Shadow, making it a (4000/4000). I attack with Skyhunter Cub!"
"Activate quick-play magic card," said Joey "Scapegoat!" Four little goats appeared in front of Joey "I take no damage when these creatures are destroyed, but they cannot be used as tribute. I block your attack with one of them."
The leonin sliced through the goat, leaving Joey's lifepoints untouched.
"I summon Masaki, the Legendary Swordsman (1100/1100)," said Joey "Now, Masaki, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, direct attack on his lifepoints!"
JOEY: 10, 000
DAYTON: 3900
"You are skilled, I congratulate you," said Dayton "But now it ends. I summon the Leonin kha, Raksha Golden Cub (1500/2000)," a proud-looking male lion dressed in battle armour appeared on the field "And I equip him with Leonin Bola. When Raksha is equipped, cats I control get +2+2 and doublestrike, meaning they deal first strike damage and then regular damage. Raksha is now a 2500/3000 and my Skyhunter Cub is a (5000/5000)! Raksha, Skyhunter Cub, attack!"
"Well," said Joey "I block you cub's two attacks with two of my goat tokens and I block one of Raksha's attacks with my last token, and I take the rest."
JOEY: 7500
DAYTON: 3900
"Now you're wide open for my attack," said Joey.
"No," said Dayton "Raksha does not tap to attack, so I still have some defence."
"So you think," said Joey "But now I summon Flame Manipulator (900/1000) and use Polymerization to fuse the two monsters into Flame Swordsman (1800/1600)!" A tall man wearing red armour appeared on the field. "Flame Swordsman, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, attack!"
"Fool," said Dayton "None of your monsters are strong enough to take down Raksha! I block your Red-Eyes Black Dragon with Raksha!"
"Activate trap card," said Joey "Skull Die!" A little demon carrying a six-sided red die appeared on the field. He cackled wildly and threw the die. "Whatever number the die lands on, that is by how much, multiplied by 100, all your monsters' attack and defence decrease!"
The die wobbled wildly about before stopping on a four.
"All right!" said Joey "All your monsters loose 400 attack and defence!"
"Except I tap Raksha, unequipping Leonin Bolas to tap your Red-Eyes Black Dragon."
"Now I activate my second trap card," said Joey "Angel's Die!" A small winged creature appeared, holding a greed six-sided die. It threw the die and disappeared.
"This is almost the opposite of Skull Die," said Joey "Only this time, the number rolled determines by how much my monsters' attack and defence increases."
The die stopped on a four.
"Take 2200 points of damage!" said Joey.
JOEY: 7500
DAYTON: 1700
"Looks like this one's in the bag," said Joey "I set one card and end my turn. Are you sure you don't wanna forfeit?"
"Time for me to gain back some lifepoints," said Dayton "I play Pulse of the Fields. This card allows me to gain 200 lifepoints and if my opponent has more lifepoints than me, it returns to my hand."
A golden light started throbbing around Dayton as his lifepoints shot up.
JOEY: 7500
DAYTON: 3700
"And now I'll activate it again," said Dayton, gaining more lifepoints.
JOEY: 7500
DAYTON: 5700
"I could gain 2000 more, but then the cards would be in my graveyard and what would be the use of that? Instead, I'll activate Recuperate, gaining 3000 lifepoints."
JOEY: 7500
DAYTON: 8700
"Next I summon Razor Golem (1500/2000), and seeing as you're tapped out, I'll attack full out! That's 8000 points of damage coming your way!"
"Ha, I activate my trap card, Mirror Force! All your attacking monsters are destroyed!"
A blinding light shone from Joey's side of the field. The attacking leonin shielded the eyes and stopped their attack. The light was so bright they fell to the ground and disappeared.
"Humph, I set one card and end my turn."
"I summon Gearfried, the Iron Knight (1800/1600)," A tall knight dressed in black armour appeared on the field "I set one card, and now, Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Flame Swordsman, Gearfried, direct attack!"
"I activate Healing Salve, preventing 1500 damage," said Dayton as his lifepoints dropped.
JOEY: 7500
DAYTON: 3800
"Pitiful," said Dayton "I activate Pulse of the Fields, gaining 2000 lifepoints."
"No you don't!" said Joey "I activate my trap card, Magic Jammer! By discarding a card from my hand, I negate and destroy your magic card!"
"Fine, I summon Leonin Den Guard (500/1500), and equip Sword of Light and Shadow, Leonin Scimitar, and Leonin Bolas to it, making it a (2000/3000)! As well, he doesn't tap to attack. Attack his lifepoints directly!"
JOEY: 5500
DAYTON: 5300
"I return Raksha to my hand, end turn."
"I summon Time Wizard (500/400)," said Joey. A creature looking like a mix between an alarm clock and a wizard appeared on the field. "Next, I activate his special ability: Once per turn, on my turn, I may flip a coin and call heads or tails. If I guess right, al your monsters are destroyed! I call heads!" A giant coin appeared and tumbled through the air before stopping on…tails. Joey's monsters exploded, taking a large chunk out of his lifepoints.
JOEY: 2050 (A/N: Time Wizard's effect is if you loose the flip, your monsters are destroyed and you loose half the total of their attack points)
DAYTON: 5300
"On no!" said Joey "Em, I play Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and discarding two," he looked at the cards he'd drawn "A good draw. I play Pot of Greed, drawing two cards. Next, I play Monster Reborn, bringing my Red-Eyes Black Dragon to life! I set one monster and end my turn."
"Ha, you will fall soon!" said Dayton "I summon Raksha (1500/2000), then I'll tap Leonin Den Guard, unequipping Leonin Bolas to tap your Red-Eyes Black Dragon. I equip Leonin Bolas to Raksha, making him a (2500/3000). Now, Raksha, attack him!"
"I block with my facedown card," said Joey. The card flipped over, revealing a man mounted on a horse (Mystic Horsemen (1300/1550)).
JOEY: 1100
DAYTON: 5300
"It's over," said Joey "You had me on the ropes there, but I play Raigeki!" A lightning bolt came down from the sky and incinerated Dayton's leonin.
"Even if you attack me full out, you won't put much of a dent in my lifepoints," said Dayton.
"That's true," said Joey "Except I play this card, Quiz!" Suddenly, Joey was standing in the middle of a game show floor with a pulpit in front of him. An host in a pinstriped suit appeared and cheesy game show-style music started playing.
"I name the type (monster, trap, magic) of the top card of my deck," said Joey "If I guess right, I switch lifepoints with my opponent. I guess magic!"
"Is that your final answer," said the host, in a Regis Philbin-like voice. Joey nodded and slowly revealed his top card…Heavy Storm! Joey's lifepoints shot up wile Dayton's dropped.
JOEY: 5300
DAYTON: 1100
"Red-Eyes Black Dragon, attack!"
The dragon gathered up an enormous fireball and shot it at Dayton, wiping out his lifepoints.
JOEY: 5300
DAYTON: 0
"The winner of the third round, Joey Wheeler!" said Judge Komo.
To be continued…
Author's note: Yes, White Dwarf, that was your equipment deck being used.