Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.
Tournament of Tears
Chapter 2: Surprising skill
Ryu Zaytel calmly stretched out his shoulder, relaxing and letting his body adjust to the weight of his cell phone/duel disk. ("I hate losing my soul. Every time I get back I always have cramps for a little while.")
Alahandra just fumbled with her disk, trying to figure out how to attach it to her arm.
Ryu sweat-dropped, as did all of the older duelists in the stands. "I have to duel her? Can't we just say that if she can't even get the thing on her arm that it's a disqualification?"
The Mediator brushed out his hair with a huge green plastic comb, and then flicked the novelty item at the dragon demon. "No." It bounced off of Ryu's forehead.
Ryu glared for a few moments, and then activated the disk. "She's not going to last one turn."
Alahandra had yet to say anything, though she finally had the disk on her arm and was grinning like an idiot. "I did it!" She turned to look up at the stands and at an evil-looking dark-haired version of Ichigo. "I did it Halo!"
Halo sighed and shook his head. "You are a stupid girl."
Ryu- 4000
Alahandra- 4000
Ryu drew. "I activate the magic card Polymerization! Crystallis and Grand Emperor Dragon fuse from my hand to become Grand Freeze Dragon!" (1200/1000) A strange dinosaur-like dragon appeared on the field and roared loudly. "End turn."
Alahandra drew. "Okay…I…" Ice formed across her field. "Huh?"
Ryu shrugged casually. "Grand Freeze Dragon, while in play, prevents you from playing cards from your hand."
Alahandra just stood there silently, blinking at the ice-covered field.
Up in the stands, everyone just sighed at that. Apparently Ryu didn't intend to let her even try.
Halo rolled his eyes. "Alahandra."
The female version of Ichigo snapped her fingers and giggled. "It's okay, I have this card…the deck field magic card Lovely Dream Battle!" All around them the air started to glow a strange pink color.
Ryu grew silent as his Grand Freeze Dragon disappeared. "Where did my monster go?"
"Back to your fusion deck. While this card is active in my deck, all monsters destroyed are sent back to the deck. Also, now I can summon a monster." Taking a card from her hand, Alahandra placed it onto the disk. "I summon Peaceful Advocate (0/0) in attack mode." An old man in priestly robes appeared on the field. "This monster cannot attack and its original attack is factored into all damage calculation effects involving it, but for every monster you have in play it gains 1000 attack points."
("What kind of deck is this? I don't see any kind of purpose at all…") Ryu drew. "I summon Gaius the Earth Dragon (500/2200) in attack mode." A huge boulder shaped like a dragon appeared on the field and roared. "Your monster's attack points are considered zero for battle purposes, so now I'll crush it! Go Gaius!" The boulder dragon charged and slammed into the old man, blowing it apart.
Ryu- 4000
Alahandra- 3500
Alahandra pouted and shuffled the monster back into her deck. "You're so mean…"
Ryu slid two cards into his disk. "I set two cards face-down and end my turn."
Alahandra drew. "Okay, I'll play the magic card Peaceful Negotiations. By sending cards from my hand into my deck, I can force you to send the same number of cards I shuffled into my deck into your deck, but the cards you give up come from the field." Taking three cards, she shuffled them in and all of Ryu's cards disappeared, leaving him with only the one card in his hand. "End turn."
Drawing, the dragon demon didn't seem particularly pleased with this. ("Is she just trying to make me angry?") "I activate Pot of Greed." Drawing two cards, he snapped a new one up. "Fusion Return brings back Grand Emperor Dragon and Polymerization! Then I play Polymerization to fuse Dragon Demon Lord and Grand Emperor Dragon together!" A powerful-looking knight in dragon armor appeared on the field. "Palidus (3000/2800) is special summoned. Attack her directly!" It charged across the field towards her, but right before it reached her it disappeared. "What's this?"
Alahandra held up a card from her hand. "The trap card Times of Peace can only activate from my hand. I send one attacking monster back to its owner's deck if I have no cards in play."
Ryu's right eye started to twitch rapidly. ("I'm going to beat her senseless if this doesn't stop.") "End turn."
Drawing, Alahandra grinned widely and jumped up and down repeatedly. "I got it! I got it! I got it! I got it!" She held the card up to the stands. "See Halo, I drew it! Aren't you proud?"
Halo sighed. "Play the card, twit."
"Oh right…" She placed it onto her disk. "I summon Monster Charmer (200/100) in attack mode." A little girl wearing a white dress appeared on the field. "Once per turn, this monster can take control of an opponent's monster by switching itself into defense mode." The little girl dropped to one knee and Gaius floated over to her field. "Attack his life points directly." Curling into a round form, the rock dragon rolled across the field and tackled its former master. "End turn."
Ryu- 3500
Alahandra- 3500
Ryu's hand rubbed a bit of dirt off of his chin and then he drew. "It makes me wonder exactly what you have been hiding." Glancing at the drawn card, he placed it face-down onto his disk. "One monster in defense mode. End turn."
Alahandra drew and started to dance up and down. "Hey Halo…"
"Don't brag because you drew something…" The dark version of Ichigo looked away from the duel, no longer interested in it. ("Both of them are below my skill.")
Alahandra slid a card into her disk. "I activate the magic card Charmer's Flute." A little green flute appeared in the hands of the girl. She started to play a soft sweet melody. "I can now special summon one monster from either graveyard. So I'll revive that big shiny dragon of yours." A roar that sounded like crystals touching each other shook the air and the Grand Emperor Dragon formed in play. (2000/2500) "Now then, attack Gaius-san!"
"Gaius-san?" Ryu was so stupefied that he didn't even notice as his own rock dragon rolled right through his Smoke. (0/0)
"And now direct attack from the big shiny dragon!" The Grand Emperor snarled down at Ryu and unleashed a rumbling blast of solar energy that nearly melted the ground around his feet.
Ryu- 1500
Alahandra- 3500
Up in the stands, Adriel's eyes were both twitching wildly and it took both Kenshin and Griff just to stop him from charging down there and killing Alahandra.
Ryu emerged from the burning solar energy and brushed himself off. "Nice." Drawing, he slid the card into his disk. "I end my turn." As the card appeared in front of him, it flipped up. "During your standby phase I activate Threatening Roar. During this turn you cannot attack."
Alahandra pouted. "You're no fun." She drew and when she looked at the drawn card a big smile appeared on her face. "Yay! I play Pot of Greed." Drawing two cards, she held one up and its face started to glow as it activated. "The magic card Bomb Soul lets me sacrifice all monsters I have in play to deal you damage equal to the attack of those monsters cut in half." The three monsters exploded with the force of nuke, shaking the stadium.
Ryu- 150
Alahandra- 3500
Alahandra danced around happily, before striking a victory pose. "I set one card face-down and end my turn!" She waved cutely up to Halo, but he still was too bored to even look at the duel.
Ryu stood up slowly, smoke and dust covering his body. "I…think I like you." He smiled slightly and drew. "You're stronger than you look. So, was he the one who trained you?"
"Yeah!" Alahandra nodded and pointed up at Halo. "Halo taught me how to duel while we had some time on our hands. Ichigo showed me that you need those kinds of skills if you want to get anywhere in this world."
Ryu drew. "Indeed…" He flipped the card over. "I activate Tear of Bahamut. One dragon type monster from my graveyard will now be added to my hand." He withdrew a card from the slot and placed it onto the disk. "I summon Gaius in defense mode." The rock dragon appeared on the field again. "End turn."
Alahandra drew. A strangely serious expression crossed her face. "Now then…" Her eyes flashed red and everyone in the room felt a sudden surge of energy that was startling strong. "Field magic card, Arena of Rage!" All around the two duelists a giant stone arena formed. "Now both of us special summon one monster from our deck."
Ryu grimaced and a light flashed from the stack. "I summon Infernus in defense mode." A giant ball of fire appeared on the field. (2200/2000)
Alahandra snapped her fingers, her eyes turning hellish red. "Emerge…" A petite woman in red armor holding a sword and shield appeared on the field. "Urd the Rage." (1800/0)
Ryu frowned. "Why summon something that weak? Don't you have anything stronger?"
"Of course…" She pointed at Ryu. "However, when all monsters on your field are in defense mode, this monster can attack you directly!" Rage lifted her sword and aimed it at Ryu's head. "Die!"
Ryu growled as the female warrior charged. "Don't count me dead yet! Necro Dragon (0/0) activates its ability from my deck. By sacrificing all cards in hand and field, I can protect myself from one game loss." A skeletal dragon appeared in front of him and was slashed apart by the warrior. Infernus and Gaius both shattered.
Alahandra stood tall now, a dark smile on her face. "It's your turn…"
("I know…") Ryu looked down at his deck. ("Everything is set…water, fire, earth, light, dark…") He needed only one more card. "It's my turn…"
"Go for it dad! Don't lose to that little wimp!" Adriel screamed at the top of his lungs.
Ryu smiled and drew. "You heard the boy…losing isn't an option. I activate the magic card Hidden Treasure of the Mightiest Dragon. The strongest monster in my deck is now sent to the graveyard, and then I draw one card." He removed a card from his deck. "Typherious is graveyard bound…" He drew. "And your number is up."
"Hmmm?" Alahandra raised an eyebrow.
"Many say that my entire deck revolves around fusion…" The dragon demon held up the drawn card, and wisps of energy flowed along its edges. "I'm here to disprove that." Golden light flowed through him into the card. "Awaken, King of Nexus; Draconic Lord Garumio!" (3000/3000) A giant meteor dropped down through the air and crashed into the ground. "When I have an earth, water, wind, fire, light, and dark dragon type monster in my graveyard this creature can be normal summoned without sacrifice." The comet lifted into the air and sprouted wings. Its body unfolded to reveal a prismatic shell that shimmered in the light of the arena. "Nexus Burst Stream!" Opening its jaws, the creature sprayed Urd with energy and blew it apart. "End turn."
Ryu- 150
Alahandra- 2300
Alahandra grimaced, and looked up at the stands. Her eyes widened. Halo had his eyes on the arena now. ("I can't lose…") "Draw!" She glanced at the drawn card and then at Ryu. "You are powerful…very clever. However…" She held the card up into the air, and pinkish-red energy flowed into it. "I won't let Halo down. I promised him that I would make it…I did! So now…" A battle cry shook the field. "I summon Gilford the Dragon Slayer!" (1600/600) A burly warrior wearing a suit of dragon armor and holding a sword over one shoulder appeared on the field. "When this monster attacks a dragon type half of that dragon's attack power is added to its total!" (3100/600) "Dragon's Death!" The warrior slashed the blade through the air, and then sheathed it. Howling, Garumio exploded into dust.
Ryu- 50
Alahandra- 2300
Ryu looked down at his deck and smiled widely. "Good…good…"
Alahandra blinked at him. "Huh?"
The dragon demon drew. "You just ended yourself. I always have one answer lying in wait for whoever uses anti-dragon cards against me." He flipped the drawn card. "Treasure of Slashing Life forces me to draw five cards." Sliding five cards off of his deck, Ryu didn't even bother to fan them out. Taking the closest card to him, he slid it into his disk. "Dragon's Cry lets me special summon one dragon from my graveyard to the field in defense mode. Return, Typherious!" The giant tornado dragon appeared on the field and howled into the sky. "Then I sacrifice it to summon Magnum Buster Dragon!" (1500/1000) A mechanical dragon with a gun barrel for a nose appeared in play. "This is the key card to defeat you. For anyone who plays warriors, this monster is death incarnate."
"Big words…" Alahandra felt a drop of sweat slide down her cheek.
"I know you wanted to play against Halo…but welcome to dueling." Ryu snapped up two cards, one of which faded away. "I set one card face-down and sacrifice it to Emergency Provisions!"
Ryu- 1050
Alahandra- 2300
"Last card…" Ryu slid the card into his disk. "Magnum Shockwave." The Magnum Crasher Dragon opened its jaws and energy began to arc along its teeth. "This card can only activate when a monster with Magnum in its name is in play. The attack of all monsters in play is cut in half." (750/1000) (800/600) "It costs 1000 life points for Magnum Crasher Dragon to attack. And I just happen to have enough."
Ryu- 50
Alahandra- 2300
Alahandra shivered. ("What's he smiling about…his monster is still weaker.")
"Special ability of Magnum Crasher Dragon…when this monster battles against a warrior type monster it gains 1500 attack points." (2250/1000) "Also, when it battles against a warrior that has an effect which involves dragons, the enemy monster loses 1500 attack points." (0/600) "And finally…" He smiled. "If the opponent has over two warriors in the graveyard…Magnum Crasher Dragon's attack power increases by 1800!" (4050/1000) "Magnum Destruction!" The dragon launched forward and pierced Gilford's chest plate. "The effect of warrior monsters in play is negated as well, so your Gilford cannot gain attack points." Both monsters faded away.
Ryu- 50
Alahandra- 0
Alahandra dropped to her knees and started to cry. "I'm sorry…Halo…"
Ryu swallowed his pity and turned to walk away, only to be surprised when Halo walked right past him. ("What?")
The dark version of Ichigo stepped right in front of Alahandra and offered her a hand. "Stand up, stupid. Did you really think you could defeat a demon general so soon. It'll take at least another week of training to match them." He ignored Ryu's face-fall.
Alahandra hopped to her feet and latched onto Halo's neck. "Thank you Halo-chan!" Up in the stands, Midnight snickered quietly at that name. Halo pointed up in the stands and an explosion rang out across the cavernous room.
Midnight glanced at the huge subway-tunnel sized hole next to him. Then he looked down at Halo.
"Strike One." The dark being walked back towards the stands with Alahandra in tow.
The Mediator looked at the huge hole in his stands and sighed. "Oh man, my dog is going to kill me when he finds out that happened." Before anyone could ask what in the hell he was talking about, he whistled. "Round three…"
Everyone in the stands felt their hearts stop at once.
"Krieger Reinhardt vs. Esmin Reiner!"
Krieger turned pale white. While Esmin just brushed some of his long white hair back and leapt down to the field.
To be continued…