Disclaimer: We still don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, but you know that if we did the world would be a better place. The only things we own are our original characters and cards, unless otherwise noted.
Previously
Things keep going from bad to worse for Yugi and his friends, as the Elemental Duelists attack them while they are meeting with Kaiba! Joey is taken to the basement for a rematch with Brian, and manages to win. But rather than let Brian fall victim to his own seal, Joey saves him from it! Brian decides to join the team, but more on that later. Now we turn back the clock to see what one of the other members of Yugi's team had to deal with, in a chapter we call...
Chapter 11
Deep Trouble
Moments earlier, back in Kaiba's office, Mai gasped in horror as the water cooler shot a blast of water at her. Before she could react, she was encased in a bubble of clear liquid! Holding her breath, Mai was shocked as Mako appeared next to her inside the bubble.
"Not you again!" Mai thought.
Mako smiled as the water bubble sped out the door into the hall. It swooped down the hallway and smashed into the stairway next to the elevator. As they started down the stairs at breakneck speeds, Mai struggled to hold her breath.
"I...can't do this…much longer!" She thought.
Mai's vision began to fade, and her eyes slowly closed.
"I don't…want it…to end here…" She thought as she passed out.
-----------------------------
"Mai…Mai can you hear me?" A voice whispered.
Mai's eyes fluttered open, and she found herself staring up at Mako's face.
"You!" She shouted, scrambling to her feet and backing away.
"Don't worry." Mako said, "I won't hurt you…"
"You just tried to drown me!" Mai screamed at him.
Mako chuckled and rubbed the back of his head.
"Yeah…you see, I can breathe underwater thanks to my crystal." He explained as he gestured toward the blue gem in the silver brace around his ankle, "So I kind of forgot you wouldn't be able to."
Mai glared at him, then turned around…
And gasped as she realized that she was facing a wall made of water!
Looking around, Mai realized that she appeared to be at the bottom of a large swimming pool. There were walls on three sides of her, and a gentle slope leading upwards. Mai quickly realized that she was also seeing the walls and slope through a barrier of water, even though she was nice and dry!
"It's like being in a glass bowl underwater." She thought.
Then she heard a clatter behind her. Turning around, Mai saw her duel disk sat on the ground between her and Mako, fully loaded.
"When did…" She started to ask.
"After you passed out, I dropped you off down here, and then went back to your car and fetched these." Mako explained.
"And where is 'here?'" Mai asked.
"The bottom of the Research Facility's employee swimming pool." Mako announced, "I created a barrier so we can duel down here without interruptions."
"And why should I duel you again?" Mai queried.
"Do you really have a choice?" Mako pointed out.
Mai looked around and sighed.
"Why are you doing this?" She muttered.
"To help the world." Mako explained, "Once we've claimed your talent, we'll use it to revive our master's former body! And once he has been restored to it, this world will be brought to a time of peace and prosperity!"
"And you kidnap me to do this!" Mai shouted, "That doesn't seem very peaceful."
"I'm sorry, really I am, but I have to win." Mako said.
With that he activated his duel disk. Mai reluctantly picked up her disk, strapped it on, and activated it.
Mako LP: 8000
Mai LP: 8000
"I'll take the first move." Mako announced.
Mako he quickly drew his sixth card.
"I think I'll start with a familiar combination! Go, Elemental Seal of Water!" Mako shouted.
The dry ground beneath them was quickly marked with a familiar blue circle, while blue wavy lines appeared on Mako's body.
Mai sighed.
"This card again?" She thought. "I'll bet his next card is that Rename spell he used before!"
Mai's suspicions were confirmed when Mako slid a card into his disk and a pink goblin jumped onto the field and slapped a paper labeled "Umi" onto the center of the circle. Mako, in the meantime, was looking slightly dizzy as he placed a card in his pocket and his LP dropped by 2000
Mako LP: 6000
Mai LP: 8000
Mako straightened up.
"Now then," he started, "Thanks to my spell…"
"You got to change the name of your seal to Umi by removing a real Umi card from play and paying one-fourth of your LP." Mai interrupted, "I've seen you use that card before, I know what it does, and I don't need the lecture. Can we just move on please?"
Mako was caught off guard, but he quickly recovered by placing a card in his monster zone.
"Yes, well…I guess that move must have made quite an impression last time! Now I summon my Mermaid Knight (1700/700) in attack mode!" He declared.
A beautiful young woman, with pink hair, a shiny green fishtail in place of legs, and wearing steel armor while carrying a sword materialized in front of Mako. She was soon followed by two cards appearing behind her.
"I'm also laying these cards face down and ending my turn." Mako announced.
Mai smiled as she drew her first card.
"Okay then, I think I'll open with Harpie's Brother (1800/600) in attack mode!" Mai declared.
A flurry of feathers swirled in front of her for a minute, and as the feathers disappeared a young man was revealed. He had large, deep red wings growing out of his back, and wore a red hawk mask plus a very sharp looking set of red talons on his wrist.
"And since he's stronger than your pathetic fish-lady, I'll have him attack!" Mai declared.
Harpie's Brother jumped into the air, poised to dive down on top of Mermaid Knight, when one of Mako's cards flipped over and a blue green barrier suddenly forced him back to the ground.
"I honestly thought you would have learned after our last duel." Mako sighed, "My Gravity Bind card will keep your level four or higher monsters from attacking as long as it's face up. What made you think I wouldn't use this?"
Mai smirked.
"Oh, I don't know. Maybe the fact that even though you did use it last time you still lost!" She taunted.
Mako seemed a bit flustered by this comment.
"Why I oughtta…" He muttered.
Mai giggled a little as she place two cards into her disk. They immediately appeared behind the brother.
"I'm laying these babies face down and ending my turn." She declared
Mako was still muttering under his breath as he drew his next card.
"I summon Cure Mermaid (1700/800) in attack mode!" He said.
A young woman with blond hair, a red fish tail, and a pink top swam onto his half of the field.
"Her powers will come into affect in a minute, but until they do I'll equip my Mermaid Knight with Steel Shell!" Mako announced as he placed another card into his disk.
The red head held up her empty hand, and a gleaming metal shield shaped like a turtle's shell with spikes all over it appeared in her grasp.
"Steel Shell?" Mai asked.
Mako smiled.
"It raises the attack of one creature of water by 400 points, at the cost of 200 defense points." He explained, "And let's not forget that my seal makes all of my monsters level one, meaning they can attack even if Gravity Bind is active. Now Mermaid Knight (2100/500) attack her Harpie's Brother (1800/600) with deep sea slash!"
The armored mermaid dashed forward, swinging her blade through Mai's only monster. The bird-man groaned as he vanished in a burst of pixels.
Mako LP: 6000
Mai LP: 7700
Mai smiled.
"I'm still standing in case you didn't notice." She stated, "And, even if your other monster attacks, I'll still be ahead!"
"That's what you think!" Mako shouted, "Mermaid Knight, attack her directly!"
"What!" Mai shouted.
Mai gasped as she noticed that Mako's monster hadn't moved since striking down her monster. The warrior now raised her sword again, bringing it down toward Mai who jumped back at the last second to avoid the blade. Unfortunately, a blast of water issued from the knight's sword and slammed her to the ground.
Mako LP: 6000
Mai LP: 5600
"Ouch…How did that happen?" Mai groaned as she got back to her feet.
Mako laughed.
"Let me explain. You see, my Mermaid Knight can attack twice in one turn if Umi is on the field. And since it technically is…well you get the idea. Cure Mermaid, attack!" Mako ordered.
The blond mermaid raised her hands, and another blast of water shot forward, slamming Mai into the wall of water around the field. Mai let out a scream of pain, as striking the water was more like hitting a brick wall!
Mako LP: 6000
Mai LP: 3900
Mai struggled to her feet again, shaking her wet hair as she did.
"I believe drinking eight glasses of water a day is good for the skin, but this is a little extreme!" She said to herself.
"It's your turn Mai." Mako smirked.
Mai drew her next card and looked over her hand.
"Time to get serious." She said, "I summon Cyber Harpy Lady (1800/1300) in attack mode!"
A familiar screech sounded as a bird woman in a purple body suit and carrying an electric whip jumped onto the field, swinging her weapon with gusto.
"Then I'll lay this card face down and end my turn." Mai declared as a new card faded into view behind the harpy.
Mako smiled as he drew.
"You realize that you basically handed me victory right?" He shouted.
Before he could continue however, one of Mai's facedown cards lifted and a blast of wind shot his Gravity Bind off the field!
"What!" Mako yelled
Mai smirked a little.
"What's wrong? You've never heard of Dust Tornado?" She mused as she place a card into her disk, "It was the card I just set, and now I'll set this new card thanks to its second effect."
A new card appeared in place of the one that had lifted.
Mako looked a touch worried, but shook it off.
"That won't matter in a minute! First off, the effect of my Cure Mermaid activates since it's my standby phase. She automatically gives me an extra 800 LP!" Mako called out.
The blond held up her hand again, this time causing a light rain to fall over Mako. He smiled as his life point counter ticked up.
Mako LP: 6800
Mai LP: 3900
"Now Mermaid Knight, attack her Cyber Harpy!" Mako ordered.
The fish lady dashed forward once more, when two of Mai's cards turned over!
"Guess again chum-for-brains! I activate two cards, and the first one is A Hero Emerges!" Mai announced.
"I remember that!" Mako said, "But it won't help you because I'm sure I won't pick a…mon…"
The ocean duelist trailed off as he saw Mai had only one card in her hand.
"Umm…Right then! I guess I choose your one remaining card." He said.
"Good choice." Mai said placing the card on her disk.
A new harpy appeared, this one covered in a purple body suit with green wings and pink hair.
"You just let me summon my Harpy Lady 1 (1600/1400). Her powers raise the attack of all creatures of wind by 300!" Mai explained.
A gust of wind blew across the field, lifting Cyber Harpy (2100/1300) a little higher off the ground.
"So what!" Mako shouted, "She still can't beat my Mermaid…NO WAY!"
Mako was cut off once more as Cyber Harpy swung her whip, and his Mermaid Knight was smashed to pieces. Mako gulped and looked at Mai's other card, which was now face up. This one showed the image of a young woman praying while a wall of water rose up behind her.
"I guess that means you're familiar with my Aqua Chorus trap, which gives all monsters that share a name an extra 500 attack and defense, as long as they're on the field together!" Mai laughed.
Cyber Harpy (2600/1800) and Harpy Lady 1 (2100/1900) both let out a screech, harmonizing perfectly with the melody issuing from Mai's trap.
Mako LP: 6300
Mai LP: 3900
Mako blinked in astonishment.
"I know what your trap does Mai, but your monsters don't have the same name!" He yelled.
"Yes they do." Mai explained, "Both Cyber Harpy and Harpy Lady 1 can be treated as though they were named Harpy Lady, which means my Aqua Chorus can affect them!"
Mako looked over the remaining cards in his hand.
"I'll move Cure Mermaid to defense mode, and lay another card face down." He grumbled, "That's all."
The mermaid crouched down, folding her tail in front of herself, and a new card flashed into existence behind her.
Mai reached for her deck, but as she picked up her next card a burst of energy lit up at her fingertips causing her to drop it with a yelp of pain! Mai sucked on her finger for a second, her eyes widening as she saw the Harpy's Pet Dragon she was about to draw slide itself into her graveyard.
"Hey, what gives!" She shouted.
Mako chuckled a little as he pointed to his latest trap, which was now face up.
"My trap card, Drop Off, forces you to discard the card you just drew, so it looks like it won't be helping you any!" Mako explained.
"Keep laughing fish man, I gonna take you out!" Mai growled, "Now Harpy Lady 1, attack his Cure Mermaid!"
The green winged harpy swooped forward, slashing the blonde monster with her foot talons. The mermaid screamed and shattered into fragments!
"Cyber Harpy, it's your turn! Attack his LP directly!" Mai ordered.
Cyber Harpy screeched with glee as she jumped forward, cracking her whip at Mako, who quickly raised a shield of water to keep the attack from actually hitting him.
Mako LP: 3600
Mai LP: 3900
"Your move." Mai announced
Mako drew his next card, and smiled as he looked over his hand.
"I think I'll start by summoning Star Boy (1250/500) in attack mode!" He stated.
A large red star with a mouth full of sharp teeth and one eye appeared in front of Mako. A blue aura began to glow around the monster, who cackled with glee as the blue tattoo appeared on it.
"Just so you know, this monster increases the attack of all water monsters by 500. And now I'll continue by removing one water monster from my graveyard to special summon Aqua Spirit (2300/1200)!" Mako smiled.
He slid Mermaid Knight out of his graveyard, and a young girl with blue hair and a blue dress slowly faded into view in front of him. The girl smiled as the blue aura and tattoos covered her body.
Mai frowned.
"I don't think I like where this is going." She thought
"Aqua Spirit, destroy her Harpy Lady 1 with tidal surge!" Mako shouted.
The girl giggled a little and pointed at the bird woman, and a blast of water immediately slammed Mai's harpy into the ground! Cyber Harpy (1800/1300) looked slightly worried by the loss of her partner.
"End turn." Mako announced.
Mako LP: 3600
Mai LP: 3700
"Don't worry, we'll get him." Mai said to her monster as she drew her new card.
"I don't think you will Mai!" Mako said, "Aqua Spirit, do your thing!"
The watery maiden held up one hand, and a strange mist settled over Cyber Harpy!
"What are you doing this time!" Mai asked.
"I'm using the power of my Aqua Spirit." Mako explained, "It changes the battle position of one of your monsters during your standby phase, and you can't change it for a full turn!"
The crystal in Mako's anklet was shimmering with blue light, and a look that seemed to be a mixture of relief and malice glowed in his eyes.
Mai let out a sigh of frustration and tapped a button on her disk.
"You're going to need a different plan buddy. I activate Divine Wrath, discarding the only card in my hand to negate the activation of your monster's effect and send it to the graveyard!" Mai shouted.
Her card flipped over, and a blast of lightning shot down form the sky! Aqua Spirit let out a scream as she vanished in a puff of smoke.
Mako seemed fairly worried now, but he tapped a button on his own disk. His facedown card quickly turned over.
"D-d-don't think I'm out of th-th-this yet Mai!" He stammered, "I'm p-p-playing my face down card, Rescue Line!"
A strong rope shot out of Mako's face up card, which had the image of a Warrior Dai Grepher being pulled away from a pit of spikes by a Shadow Tamer.
"This c-c-c-card can only be used j-j-just after I lose a m-m-m-monster due to one of your traps or spells, and it allows me to br-br-bring that monster back to my h-h-hand!" Mako stammered, the light of his crystal obscuring Mai's view of his foot.
The card slid out of Mako's grave, and he quickly picked it up.
"Fine," Mai said, "But that won't protect you. Cyber Harpy, destroy his Star Boy!" Mai yelled.
The bird lady cracked her whip out once more, this time slamming it into the star-shaped monster, which let out one last scream before bursting into fragments.
Mako LP: 3050
Mai LP: 3700
Mako was shaking so badly as he drew, that he was barely able to hold his cards!
"I'll r-r-remove Star Boy from p-play to bring back Aqua Spirit (1800/1300)!" He announced.
Once more, the watery maiden stood across the field from Mai, this time looking extremely worried.
Mako slid another two cards into his disk.
"Now I'll s-s-set these c-c-cards and I'm done!" He exclaimed.
Two cards appeared behind the girl, who looked at them with a little bit of worry.
Mai smiled as she drew a new card.
"Well, looks I've taken the lead, and I think I'll keep it!" She said as she held up her card before putting it in her disk, "I play Card of Sanctity!"
The water around them turned golden colored for a few seconds as both duelists replenished their hands and Mai smiled.
"You're toast now. I activate Premature Burial to bring back my Harpy's Pet Dragon (2300/1000)!" She declared.
Mako LP: 3050
Mai LP: 2900
A roar echoed across the field as Mai's red-and-black dragon blasted out of the floor, lowering its head so that the Cyber Harpy could pet it.
"Now I'll also summon one monster in face down defense mode and attack with my dragon!" Mai shouted.
A brown card appeared next to the dragon, which was taking aim at Mako's spirit. But before it could fire, a shimmering grid forced it and Cyber Harpy to the floor!
"Foolish move Valentine!" Mako laughed, "Did you honestly think that there was only one Gravity Bind in my deck? Your monsters are trapped again!"
Mai smiled.
"I noticed you aren't stammering any more." She observed.
"Of course not!" Mako yelled, "I am a courageous warrior of the ocean!"
"I guess it's easy to be 'courageous' against an opponent that you think can't fight back." Mai taunted.
Mako seemed positively livid.
Mai smirked.
"Oh, by the way, you forgot to use your spirit's effect, so Cyber Harpy is still in attack mode!" She said
Mako winced as he realized Mai was right.
Mai waved her hand to end her turn.
Mako drew and looked over his cards.
"Well now, this is a pleasant surprise! I activate Raising of the Water Master!" He shouted.
A column of water blasted up in front of him, and Mako placed two cards (Amphibious Burgoth MK III and GagaGigo) into it. Immediately, a huge merman burst out of the column, sitting on a huge mother-of-pearl throne!
"I'm sure you remember Water Master-Hydros (2700/2000)!" Mako smiled. "Now my mighty ocean lord, destroy her dragon with waltz of waves!"
Hydros pointed at the dragon, and the water around the field shot toward it. The monster let out a final defiant roar as it was washed off the field by the torrent!
Mako LP: 3050
Mai LP: 2500
Mako pointed at Mai's facedown monster.
"No need for me to suicide my own monster! Aqua Spirit, attack the facedown card!" He ordered.
Aqua Spirit shot a blast of water, causing the facedown card to turn over revealing a strange looking egg which exploded into a mass of feathers!
"Nice move, loser!" Mai shouted, "That monster is known as Harpy's Egg (0/0) and when it's destroyed, I get to special summon a Harpy Lady back from my graveyard!"
A screech sounded, as Harpy Lady 1 (2100/1800) jumped out of the feathers! Cyber Harpy (2600/1800) let out a joyous shriek at being reunited with her friend.
Mako silently cursed, as he looked over his cards.
"I'll end my turn here, but in your standby phase I'll use Aqua Spirit's effect to switch Cyber Harpy to defense mode!" He announced.
Mai drew and watched as a mist settled over her Cyber Harpy, forcing her to her knees.
"You aren't going to get off easy you realize." She said, "I activate Elegant Egotist to special summon the Harpy Lady Sisters (2250/2100)!"
The Cyber Harpy began to glow, and three figures split off, forming into a trio of harpies (one with red hair, one with orange, and one with blue)! The three bird ladies let out a triumphant song as they hovered over the ground.
"And now," Mai continued as she plugged in one more card, "I play Mystical Space Typhoon, and wipe out your Gravity Bind!"
A blast of wind shot forward, annihilating the glowing grid around Mai's monsters. All the birds now stood up, and Mako turned a pale shade of green.
"Now for one last trick!" Mai smiled, "I equip the sisters with Malevolent Nuzzler, giving them an extra 700 attack points!"
The sisters (2950/2100) let out one final song as they glowed with a strange, dark energy!
"Time I ended this!" Mai shouted, "Sisters, destroy his Hydros now!"
As the trio of Harpies bore down on the giant merman however, Mako jammed his entire hand into the graveyard!
"I choose now to activate the power of Hydros!" He declared, "Discarding my entire hand to force you to skip your battle phase!"
Hydros waved his arm, and a wall of water shot up around the harpies, forcing them all back to Mai's half of the field!
Mako chuckled a bit.
"Oh, and I should mention that you have to skip one battle phase for every card I discard, and I just dropped three!" He laughed.
Mai stared at him.
"Hey wait, you didn't mention that last time! I didn't know Hydros could do that!" She yelled.
"That's because I never used his affect last time!" Mako shouted, "Now it's my turn!"
Mako drew his next card and smiled as his facedown card turned over and he drew a second one.
"Oh yeah, my facedown card was a Jar of Greed, letting me draw one extra card when I activate it. Now then, I think it's time to get rid of some pesky birds! Hydros, destroy her Cyber Harpy now!" Mako ordered.
Hydros prepared to launch another attack, when suddenly a huge ghost jumped out of Mai's graveyard! Hydros gasped in fright and pulled back.
"What was that!" Mako shouted, turning just as pale as Hydros had.
"That was a spell called Rescuer from the Grave, I put it there when I activated Divine Wrath." Mai explained as she pulled six cards out of her graveyard, "I just remove it and five other cards in my graveyard from play to force you to skip your battle phase. And I chose to remove Mystical Space Typhoon, Dust Tornado, Harpie's Brother, A Hero Emerges, and Divine Wrath."
Mai slid the cards into the waistband of her skirt, while Mako sighed and waved to end his turn.
As Mai drew though, Aqua Spirit's mist settled over her sisters, forcing them to their knees.
"I can still win this Mako." Mai stated as she slid three cards into her disk, "I'll lay two cards face down, and activate Fissure to destroy your weakest monster!"
Two cards appeared in front of Mai, and a large crack suddenly opened in the ground, swallowing up the Aqua Spirit, who let out one last scream as she fell to her death!
"That's it for my turn." Mai sighed.
Mako glared at Mai as he drew another card.
"Why don't you just give up Mai? You can't win!" Mako shouted.
"I can and I will!" Mai retorted.
Mako looked a little nervous, but then he sneered as he pointed up.
"Look Mai, I don't want to lose my dueling talent any more than you do." He explained, "After all, I'll still need to find my father after this is all over. That's something Needlez can't help me with. It's either you or me down here, and I've already made my choice."
Mai looked up to where Mako was pointing, and noticed a blue tarp over the pool.
"You see Mai, the pool was closed after my comrades and I arrived." Mako explained, "And there's no way for you to get past that tarp. If I win though, I could easily get us both out. If I should lose however, I might be so upset that I…forget to take you out with me."
"You said you didn't want to hurt me!" Mai shouted.
"That was then, this is now! Are you going to throw in the towel or what!" Mako yelled back
Mai stared at Mako, thinking about what he said.
"He would actually try to kill me? These are some pretty high stakes!" She thought.
She continued to look at her opponent, and as she did an image passed before her eyes.
One of a familiar blond-haired boy, staring down her Harpy Lady Sisters at Duelist Kingdom, and not even flinching as he continued to play. He kept trying to match her best monsters. A smile crept across Mai's features, as she remembered her first loss to Joey Wheeler.
"He just never quit. That's the sort of thing I can respect." She thought, "But why am I thinking of him now?"
Mai looked at Mako's twitching hands and shifting eyes.
"He's a coward!" She realized, "There is no way I would just roll over to someone like that! Not if I want to get out of here, and see…"
The thought trailed off.
"I know why I decided to come back." She realized, "I wanted…to see them all… see my friends…see Joey again! No way will I let them down!"
Mai shot a look of rage at Mako, who cringed under her glare.
"YOU SERIOUSLY THINK I WOULD ADMIT DEFEAT TO A COWARD LIKE YOU!" She screamed at him, "IF YOU WANT TO WIN, YOU'LL HAVE TO DO IT THE OLD FASHIONED WAY! I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD EVEN DARE TO MAKE A THREAT LIKE THAT AND STILL CALL YOURSELF A DEULIST!"
Mako stumbled backward, and fell onto his behind. Mai stopped for a minute, panting to catch her breath.
Mako got to his feet, and pointed at Mai's half of the field.
"Hydros, destroy her Harpy Lady Sisters!" He commanded.
Hydros quickly gathered up a blast of sea water, and blasted the trio off the field!
"Your turn Mai." Mako said.
Mai took a deep breath as she drew her next card.
"What happened to you Mako? From what I heard, you prided yourself on never backing down or resorting to cowardly tactics!" Mai asked
Mako seemed shocked, but shook his head.
"I haven't changed Mai, I just discovered a new way to play!" He retorted.
"No you haven't!" Mai shouted, "You've been corrupted by the powers of this seal and that crystal of yours. I've been through the same thing Mako, you don't have to go through what I did."
"Just take your turn!" Mako yelled.
Mai fell silent.
"Fine then, if that's the way you want it." Mai sighed, "But you'll lose on my next turn."
"And why is that?" Mako asked.
"Because next turn, my monsters will be free to attack again!" Mai explained, "So make your last move."
Mako drew and looked over his four-card hand.
"Levia Dragon, Spell Shield, Umi, and Megamorph?" He thought, "These can't help me now!"
Mako shook his head again.
"I won't fall for your bluff Mai!" He shouted, "There's no way you can win this duel! Hydros, destroy Harpy Lady 1!"
As the water blast launched toward Mai's monster however, it stopped and was tossed aside by a barrier of swirling energy.
"Thank you Negate Attack." Mai thought as she looked at the card she had just flipped.
Mako looked worried and tapped the end turn button on his disk.
"Time to end this." Mai said, "I activate Call of the Haunted to bring back Harpy's Pet Dragon (2900/1000)!"
A roar sounded as the dragon formed from a strange purple mist. The harpies on the field smiled and stroked the beast as it spread its wings.
Mako shuddered, when suddenly a bouncy voice whispered in his ear.
"Maybe you should have destroyed the Harpy Lady 1 first." It said.
Mako looked around and saw a sphere of wind floating next to his head.
"Zeffie! How long have you been here!" He thought.
"Since the start of the duel. Timmy went to fight Moky, leaving Zeffie all alone, so Zeffie went looking for other friends, heard your duel start, and decided to listen in! It's been great fun." The girl explained.
"I really don't have time for this…" Mako sighed
"Why, 'cause your gonna lose?" Zeffie asked.
"I AM NOT GOING TO LOSE!" Mako yelled.
"Then why did you threaten Ms. Valentine?" Zeffie continued, "Don't people usually do that if their about to lose?"
"I did it as a…You know what? It's really none of your business!" Mako thought angrily, "Why don't you bug one of the others a little!"
"OK! Zeffie will find the others and give them a play-by-play, word-for-word account of what happened!" Zeffie agreed.
Mako paled slightly.
"Zeffie…" He began
"Hey!" Mai shouted, causing Mako to lose his mental connection, "Can we get back to me finishing you off? I'm putting Cyber Harpy back into attack mode"
The bird woman stood up, stretching her wings in the breeze provided by Harpy Lady 1.
"Drat, I was so afraid of her strong monster, I never thought about why it was a real threat in the first place! She must have left it in defense mode to bait me into destroying it while it was vulnerable instead of her other harpy!" Mako thought, hoping Zeffie wasn't listening any more.
"Now my dragon, destroy Hydros with firestorm tornado!" Mai ordered.
"Not so fast Mai!" Mako shouted as he slammed his four cards into the graveyard, "Did you forget about Hydros's effect?"
Hydros lifted his arm, forming another water barrier, when a blast of wind and feathers tore it down!
"No I didn't." Mai assured her foe, as she pointed to her now face up card, "That's why I had Harpy Feather Storm face down on the field! It negates the activation of one effect as long as I skip my battle phase! Your turn now."
Mako turned completely white now as his crystal's light increased in intensity. He drew his card and glared at the Megamorph he now held.
"Bad draw?" Mai asked. "You gonna forfeit again?"
"N-n-never!" Mako shouted, "I l-l-lay this c-c-card facedown and end my t-t-t-turn! But b-b-beat me and you know what h-h-h-happens!"
"Then at least I go down knowing I kicked your butt." Mai said. "By the way, you forgot to move Hydros to defense mode, and you could have kept that other card in your hand to use its special ability."
Mako gasped in horror as he realized Mai was right.
"Too late now." Mai smirked, "Dragon, destroy Hydros!"
Harpy's Pet Dragon let loose a blast of flame. Hydros moaned as the fire washed over him, and he was reduced to a pile of ash.
Mako LP: 2850
Mai LP: 2500
"And now, my harpies will finish you off!" Mai shouted.
Mako let out one final scream as the bird women dove forward, striking away the last of his strength.
Mako LP: 0
Mai LP: 2500
Mako moaned as he fell to his knees. The blue seal on the floor quickly closed in around him, and Hydros burst out of the water around him! The merman held one hand over Mako's body, and he screamed as a blue light floated from his body and into the crystal around his ankle.
Mai looked away as Mako screamed, her eyes closed.
"I'm sorry Mako." She whispered.
"So am I!" Mako's voice shouted.
Mai gasped as she looked over to Mako, who was holding up one hand. The light emanating from his anklet was almost blinding, coloring his skin with a tinge of blue.
"I w-w-warned you, I r-r-r-really did." Mako stammered, "I m-m-made a promise I'd f-find my d-d-dad m-myself. I c-c-can feel that I'll only b-b-be able to do that as long as I'm a strong duelist and now you've r-ruined everything!"
The water dome began to shrink as Mako turned into liquid and vanished into the pool. Mai closed her eyes again. Suddenly, a huge splash sounded above Mai's head!
Looking up, she saw a huge red tail tear through the tarp! A pulse of energy flew from it, and Mai gasped as she was forced to the ground, while the water from the pool immediately evaporated except for a man shaped blob that had been near the surface.
The blob changed into Mako, and he screamed as he was sent flying backwards into the pool wall! He landed at the top of the slope which led from the deep end to the shallow, and Mai quickly ran up to him.
Placing to fingers to his neck, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"He still has a pulse, and he's breathing fine." She thought, "Don't envy the headache he'll have when he gets up though."
Looking at the tail, Mai stared at it.
"I recognize that tail." She realized, "It belongs to Slifer the Sky Dragon! Guess someone up their likes me."
She gasped in horror though as yellow stars began to appear on the tail!
"But I don't think they like Yugi very much! I better get up there!" She thought.
As she pulled herself out of the pool, she didn't notice Mako dissolve into a puddle of water and disappear…
-------------------------------------------
In the meantime, Brian and Joey were running up the stair. They both stopped as a nearby window suddenly shattered, spraying the area in front of them with broken glass!
"What's happening?" Brian shouted.
Looking out the remains of the window, Joey grinned as he saw a red tail just outside it.
"Looks to me like Yugi summoned one of his Egyptian God Monsters." Joey smiled as he turned toward Brian, "He must have added them last night, after Celeste came after him at school."
"Umm…Joey, I don't think Yugi summoned that." Brian mumbled.
Joey turned around and gasped in horror as he saw the yellow stars appear.
--------------------------------------
Zeffie was staring up at the roof of the research facility, and smiled as she saw a huge, red monster bust out of the clouds. It was quickly covered in yellow stars, and Zeffie jumped into the air and began to fly toward the roof.
"Now this looks like fun!" Zeffie cheered as she soared upward.
Now you know that this can't be good. If you want to know what's happening and what's going to happen, you'd better read our next chapter
Supernova
See ya then (hopefully)
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Original Cards
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Rescue Line
Trap
Image of a Warrior Dai Grepher being pulled away from a spike pit by a Shadow Tamer.
You can only activate this card when one of your monsters is sent from the field to the graveyard by the effects of one of your opponent's cards. Return the monster to your hand.
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Harpy Egg
Monster/Effect
1 star
0 attack
0 defense
Wind
Winged Beast
When this card is destroyed in battle, select one monster named 'Harpy Lady' in your graveyard and special summon it to the field in face up attack mode.
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Harpy Feather Storm
Trap
Negate the activation of one monster effect. You must skip your battle phase this turn
This card was first used by Mai in the anime episode "My Funny Valentine (part 2). All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
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Rescuer from the Grave
Spell
You may only use this card if your opponent declares an attack. Remove this card and five other cards in your graveyard from play. Negate your opponent's attack and end their battle phase.
This card was first used by Raphael in the anime episode "Fate of the Pharaoh (part 1)." All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.