Disclaimer: I never have, do, or will own Yu-Gi-Oh!. Yu-Gi-Oh! and all rights associated with it belong to Konami and Nintendo. I think.
Mako smirked.
"So, tell me. How does it feel to be leaving the tournament after your first duel?" He drew. "My turn will be short. SUIGEN! ATTACK!" With no monsters on the field, Latulla's life points were struck by the blast.
Pain lanced through her as the attack struck. (L:3600) (M:8000)
"My turn," she said more confidently than she felt. She drew. (L:4100)
Sure would be nice to be able to summon this Egyptian God card in my hand, she thought. That would wipe the smirk off his face real quick. But I'll never be able to summon enough monsters to sacrifice for it, not in this duel. I'll just have to stick to my other trump.
"I summon one monster in defense mode. Then I place one card facedown and end my turn."
"So wise of you, to stay on the defensive side," said Mako. He drew. "But you'll have to do better than that if you want to win. Of course, you hopes of winning fled when I destroyed your precious queen."
"Are you going to go or is it my turn?" asked Latulla mildly.
"I will go." He paused to consider his hand. "My turn will again be brief. Suigen! Attack her facedown monster!" Her card flipped over and for a few seconds, all who were watching could see the hologram of a squirrel sitting on the card. Then it was destroyed.
"What was that?"
"That was Nimble Momonga. And you just activated both of its effects," she said, grinning. "First, whenever it is sent to the graveyard, I gain 1000 life points." (L:5100) "Second, when it's destroyed by a monster, I get to summon two more Nimble Momongas to replace it. I have to summon them facedown, but it doesn't matter." Mako's smirk disappeared.
"I believe it's my turn." (L:5600) "Now I sacrifice both of my monsters to summon SANGA OF THUNDER!" (L:7600) (2600/2100) Mako breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you so happy about?"
"Once again you've made a mistake for which you will pay dearly. Sanga can't destroy Suigen," he replied.
"What makes you say that?"
"Suigen has 2700 attack points thanks to my Umi magic card. Sanga only has 2600 attack points."
"Well," mused Latulla. "Maybe we should test this theory about my monster's weakness. SANGA! ATTACK SUIGEN NOW!" To the surprise of all save Latulla, Sanga destroyed Suigen. (M:7900)
"WHAT?"
"You forgot that Umi doesn't just raise the attack strength of water monsters, it also boosts thunder monsters like Sanga."
"Huh?"
"Water conducts electricity, you know. Sanga has 2800 attack points thanks to Umi." (2800/2300)
"Grrr- MY MOVE!" he screamed. "I summon Revival Jam in defense mode." (1500/500) "And it's a water monster, so it gets a boost from Umi." (1700/700) "I then place two cards facedown and end my turn." Latulla drew. (L:8100)
"Big deal. That glob is more of an eyesore than a good defense."
"Then why don't you attack it?"
"Because if I summon another monster first, I get to attack your life points with Sanga. So, I summon Rogue Doll in attack mode." (1600/1000) "Since it's neither a water monster or a thunder monster, it gets no boost from Umi, but it doesn't matter. ROGUE DOLL! ATTACK!" Revival Jam splattered. Then it reformed. "Huh?"
"Since Revival Jam is a shapeless glob of plasma, it can't be destroyed by a monster."
"Great. I'll place one card facedown and end my turn."
"I summon another Aqua Madoor in defense mode." (800/2000) "It's your turn." (L:8600)
"I may not be able to destroy your oversized glob of snot, but your Aqua Madoor is another story."
"What if Revival Jam blocks it?"
"I'd like to see it try. Sanga! Attack his Aqua Madoor!" But before the attack could strike, Revival Jam caught it and splattered. And, as before, it reformed. "That's against the rules!"
"Not any more. I activated Jam Defender, which means that Revival Jam will intercept any attack you make." He smirked. "My turn. I draw. And I sacrifice Aqua Madoor to summon Amphibious Beast." (2400/1500) "It's a water monster, so of courseā¦" (2600/1700)
"Umi boosts it," groaned Latulla.
"Very perceptive. Now, my beast. ATTACK HER ROGUE DOLL!"
"Activate trap! WABOKU!"
"Wabo- what?"
"Waboku. No creature can deal damage this turn. Which just ended." She drew. (L:9100) "I sacrifice Rogue Doll to summon Marie the Fallen One in attack mode." (1700/1400)
I could attack, she thought. But then his Revival Jam would just take the blow and nothing would happen. Wait. What if I were able to get to his life points even if his Jam is in defense mode? Yes. That would work.
"I activate the magic card Farie Meteor Crush. What does it do, you ask? Well, normally your defensive monsters just absorb my attacks. But now Sanga can deal damage as if they were in attack mode."
"You mean-"
"Yes. Time to say bye-bye to some life points." Sanga raised its massive arms and sent a lightning bolt at Revival Jam. (M:7900)
"Wait. Why didn't you lose life points?"
"Because I can't lose life points when Tornado Wall is activated," replied Mako calmly. "Sorry to dash your hopes, but that's how things are." He drew. "I'll attack Marie the Fallen One with Amphibious Beast!" Marie was gone after one slash of the beast's claws. (L:8100)
"Thank you," said Latulla.
"What? You just lost 1000 life points!"
"But I'll gain them back much more quickly thanks to you. As long as Marie the Fallen One is in my graveyard, I gain 200 life points at the beginning of each turn. That plus the 500 life points I get from Solemn Wishes whenever I draw cards means I gain at least 700 life points every turn. Allow me to demonstrate." (L:8800) "Now I activate Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two cards to refresh my hand and life points." (L:9300) "It looks like a stalemate to me. You can't lose life points. I can't stop gaining life points that I can't lose as long as I have the strongest monster on the field."
"Then we'll have to end this. And it starts with a magic card," replied Mako. "Recognize it?"
"A giant turtle shell? No, can't say that I do."
"It's called Turtle Oath. By discarding Hyosube and Red Archery Girl, I can summon a ritual monster."
"Don't forget that you have to have it in your hand."
"Right here. Crab Turtle!" (2550/2500)
"How ugly," said Latulla.
"Looks aren't everything you know. And it's a water monster." (2750/2700) "Of course, right now, you don't have anything on the field except that electric monstrosity of yours. But once I draw a certain magic card from my deck, I'll have the strongest monster on the field."
"Uh oh."
"It's only a matter of time, now. Until then, I summon Penguin Knight in defense mode." (900/800)
"Let me guess. It's a water monster." (1100/1000) "My turn." (L:10000) "I activate my facedown Jar of Greed, which lets me draw a card." (L:10500) "And I think I'll activate my own magic card to end the stalemate. Chorus of Sanctuary! It's a field magic card, which means you can kiss Umi good-bye."
"And how does this end the stalemate?" asked Mako.
"Because your Tornado Wall can only stay in effect if Umi is on the field. Since it isn't, I can get to your life points. Sanga! Attack Revival Jam!" (M:6300)
"I still have lots of time to draw my card. Until then, I sacrifice Penguin Knight to summon my Deep Sea Warrior." (1600/1800) "Then I end my turn." (L:11200) She drew. And grinned.
"Guess what, Mako? Your luck just ran out. I now have all the cards I need to defeat you."
"Oh?"
"I'll start by activating Change of Heart. This lets me control one monster on your side of the field. And the monster I choose is Revival Jam."
"NO!"
"Yes. And doesn't end there. I can now sacrifice it to summon Doma the Angel of Silence." (1600/1400) "Now breath easy yet. I now activate a rare magic card known as Raigeki. It destroys all monsters on your side of the field." Mako's mouth dropped open.
"Now my monsters can attack your life points directly, which they will do now." (M:2100) "It's your turn, but there's not a lot you can do. Even your defensive monsters can't help you now."
Mako stared at his deck in dismay. Slowly he drew. Even more slowly he laid his monster facedown.
"It's your turn," he said sullenly. (L:11900)
"Thank you. Sanga, attack his facedown monster!" It was a Penguin Soldier. (750/500) (M:0)
And with that Mako shattered into trillions of tiny shards.
