Just a bit longer until we get to one of my favorite episodes! This episode's good, but not one of my favorites!~ You'll see!
Disclaimer: Mage of Hope doesn't own Yu-Gi-Oh series, only the OCs!
"As you all know, Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba are dueling legends in our generation," explained Banner, presenting sketched pictures of them on a visual screen on the chalkboard. "Not only are they famous, but highly skilled duelists as well."
"And totally hot, too!"
"Yeah! I'd definitely like to get my own 'Pot of Greed' from them!"
"Man, why aren't there any famous female duelists?"
"There's Mai Valentine, isn't there?"
"Oh yeah, I'd definitely like her to be my Valentine sometime!"
Mutterings ran across the entire classroom as the students engaged themselves in interest of Yugi and Kaiba, given that they were both attractive and powerful duelists. On the other hand, there were loads of sexual innuendos running about as well.
"Another nice fact to learn about is that there were other great duelists before Yugi Muto and Seto Kaiba, like around Ancient Egypt!" Banner said.
"How far ahead are we talking about?" Jaden wondered. "I mean, Duel Monsters only been around for about 10 years or so. Can't beliebe they had duels that long time ago."
Turning to Jaden, Syrus answered, "Well, I heard that in Ancient Egypt, those sort of duelists used stone tablets instead of cards because the cards weren't invented back then."
Banner nodded in acknowledgement of the information. "Yes, one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful back in Ancienrt Egypt was a young pharaoh named Abidos the Third! Abidos was said to be undefeated, as in he's never had a losing streak even during practice duels!"
That got Jaden's attention. "Whoa, undefeated?! He must have really been strong then! I'm storng too, so I can take him on!"
Chazz smirked at Jaden's supposed overconfidence. "Yeah, but I'm sure the great pharaoh would OTK anyone on his first turn! No weaklings would stand up to him! I, on the other hand, am different!"
Whirling her head to face Chazz with an identical smirk, Jaden said, "Wow, really? Well, if you're ever defeated, then no need to worry! I'd avenge you! And if I won, that means I'm stronger than you! Yay!"
Eye twitching, Chazz resisted the very urge to attempt to strangle Jaden. "Y-You idiot! I meant you! There's no way in hell you'd be able to beat that king!"
"Why not? I did beat you before in the school duel after all!~"
"Grrrr! That does it! You're dead! I'm gonna kill you before you ever face that king!" growled Chazz, his temper reaching the limits as he wrapped his arms around Jaden's neck and noogied her on the head with one fist while Jaden laughed playfully.
"Guys! We'll get in trouble! Remember, we're still in class!" hissed Syrus, yet he was unable to contain his giggling.
"Owowowowowowowow! My ears!" cried out Jaden as Chazz was tugging on them.
"That's what you get for assuming I'm weak, slacker!"
"Ahaha! Guys, we should really be quiet!"
"Yes, that's right!" said Banner cheerfully. "And you can continue talking all you want...right after school while you clean the detention rooms! Good luck!~"
Syrus' face fell. "Awww...Not me, too!"
That night...
Alexis remained standing near the lighthouse when she saw Zane walking towards her in their usual meeting spot. Now that Atticus was back, everything should be alright, but he still wasn't his usual self, worrying the two of them.
For a few moments, none of them spoke to each other, but the glances they gave to one another indicated it was alright for them to stay silent for awhile until they felt comfortable talking. That's how it's always been between the two close friends.
"...I'm sorry to trouble you like this, calling you out here in the middle of the night," apologized Alexis. "I just...needed someone to talk to."
Zane didn't seem bothered by any of this. "It's alright. I'm here to talk if you need to."
Nodding Alexis said, "Thanks. It's just...Atticus. I'm happy that he's finally back safe and sound, but he barely ever talks anymore. The best I can do is watch over him and maintain his health as best as I can. Still, I feel that isn't enough. I know that I shouldn't pressure him and that I should let him talk when he feels like it, but it still...hurts. He's an idiotic, goofy guy, but he's my idiotic, goofy brother..."
"I know how you feel," admitted Zane. "I, too, wish that he were back, but we need to give him some time and space. He's an idiot, but he's my idiot friend, too. I'm sure the thought of you being safe would make him feel more better, so let's not worry too much, okay?"
"Yeah...you're right. So, how about you and Jaden?"
"Hmm?"
Smirking, Alexis nudged Zane by the shoulder. "Come on, I know you've been at least a bit interested in her for a while."
Glancing back at the tides rising in and out, Zane sighed. "Well, I guess you get your perceptive from your brother. I guess I have been interested in Jaden, but we obviously can't be together."
"Why? Sure, you're a little older than her, but that's not so much trouble, right?"
"It's not the age I'm worried about. It's the years. She's a first year, and I'm a third year. Eventually, I'm going to have to graduate sometime soon, and I know long distance relationships never last long. Besides, I highly doubt Jaden holds feelings for me. You already seen how...clueless she can get."
Alexis sweatdropped, laughing nervously about Jaden's childish antics. "Yeah...She didn't even know what a fiancée meant. I doubt she's been given the lecture on the birds and the bees, either."
"If that's the case, she probably deserves a better guy than me. Someone who relates to her, maybe, but is kind to her."
"Even if she doesn't accept your feelings, you should at least tell her," Alexis urged. "If you don't, you'll regret it for the rest of your life."
Now it's Zane time to smirk. "You got that from one of your romantic novels and movies, didn't you?"
"I...Well, yeah. But hey, I'm at the age where a girl can get a girlfriend!"
"Kinda ironic considering that you're not interested in having a boyfriend at the moment."
"Hey!"
Despite their friendly conversations, this one had to be interrupted the moment mummies dug out from underground and wandered slowly towards them. Gritting his teeth, Zane stepped in front of Alexis, shielding her with his body as they were wondering how mummies could appear out of nowhere?
Meanwhile, Chazz, Jaden, and Syrus exited out of the Duel Academy building, intending on heading back to their dorm to relax and rest. Who knew that the detention rooms were filthy and stinks as bad as a skunk? The trio weren't truly satisfied as they smelt like fish, so they hurried in order to get a shower and call it a day.
"I never knew we'd be in there for so long!" complained Syrus. "I'm so tired, too!"
"It's all Chazz's fault!" pouted Jaden. "He was the one who kept talking in class!"
Irritated, Chazz attempted to strangle Jaden by wrapping his arms around her neck once again. "That's it! You're dead! Dead, I tell you! Dead!"
"Gaaah! Urk! Stop! Gah! I give! I give! I GIVE!"
A scream brought an end to their childish behavior as it brought the trio's attention. Sensing that whoever screamed could be in serious danger, they looked around for any signs of anyone around until they glared downwards from their current position. Near the lighthouse were Zane and Alexis, surrounded by mummies.
"Zane! Alexis! You alright?!" hollered Syrus, hoping they might hear them.
Syrus' luck pulled through before Zane and Alexis glanced up, though they didn't look too happy. "Go! Run away from here! We'll be fine!" yelled Zane.
As if the trio were actually going to abandon both of their friends. But as they were trying to run down the cliffs to reach them, they were stopped by a blockade of mummies that popped out from the ground. Thinking they might go into a physical fight, both Syrus and Chazz drew close to Jaden, hoping to protect her with their lives.
"The...Spirit Keys...Give them here...Now!" murmured one of the mummies.
"What?! Are they with the Shadow Riders?!" wondered Chazz.
To make matters worse, the clouds above the night sky disperse from the brilliant light emitting from a golden flying ship that was almost as glorious as the sun itself. The light only grew brighter, engulfing the entire area with light.
It wasn't sure how long they've been out, but Jaden was the last to wake up. She was groggy for a few seconds before she recalled all about the mummies before she blacked out. When she sat up, she saw the others along with Banner sitting by her. From the looks of things, they seem to be on top of the flying golden ship.
"Jaden! Are you alright?" Zane asked. It appeared that the others were just as puzzled as she was.
"H-huh...? Professor Banner's here, too?" wondered Jaden, surprised to see him since he wasn't amongst the group when they were attacked by the mummies.
"It was horrible! I was in the middle of eating dinner when those mummies captured me! I suppose they must have been after my Spirit Key because they kept saying they wanted it!" complained Banner as his stomach grumbled a bit.
Zane thought to himself for a moment before speaking up, "These mummies must have some sort of ability to track down the Spirit Keys. Otherwise, they wouldn't have tried to find and capture us. They must have been after the Spirit Keys!"
A gong loudly rang out, catching everyone's attention. The first to spring into action was Jaden, as she rushed around to check out what was happening, only to discover several guards along with someone royalty sitting on a throne.
The person in royalty appeared to be wearing a mask and due to his appearance, it was without a doubt that he was a prince. The prince, who was seemingly bored, noticed the small party, causing Banner to freak out and faint.
"Professor Banner!" cried out Syrus.
"Eh, leave him alone. He's freaking out over nothing," said Chazz, watching as Pharaoh was fanning his owner with his paw.
Jaden, being oblivious of the dangerous situation at hand, was brave enough to approach forward, worrying her friends. The prince saw this act of bravery as the duelist in front of him showed no signs of fear whatsoever, interesting him as he stood up from his throne.
"Hey! You! Weird guy! What's going on?!" she demanded.
Walking forward, the prince announced, "That is not how you should address a great Egyptian pharaoh such as myself. I am Abidos the Third, one of the Shadow Riders!"
"Abidos?! The same guy Banner mentioned in class today!" exclaimed Chazz. "That pharaoh who never loses!"
"That one undefeated pharaoh?" wondered Alexis.
Turning to Alexis, Abidos smoothly replied, "You would make a nice palace girl, my beautiful dove!~"
"The name's Alexis, you masked creep! What do you want anyways?"
"Why, the Spirit Keys, of course! Kindly hand them over, why don't you?"
"Figures he'd want them," muttered Zane. "And we can't even make an escape route with all these guards around."
"Yeah, and even if we did, that Abidos guy would just send the mummies after us again," reminded Chazz.
"That's right, so just leave your keys here and walk away. Trust me, you really don't want to duel me," warned Abidos.
Excited, Jaden raised her hand, waving it as she jumped up and down. "Ooh! Ooh! I do! I do! Me! Me! Pick me! I wanna duel! I WANNA DUEL!"
"Keep your voice down, commoner! I can already hear you, you know!" scolded Abidos.
"Jaden! You realize this is a Shadow Game, right?" called out Zane, reminding her of the consequences should she ever lose a Shadow Game.
Alexis nodded, clutching her arm in worry. "That's right! Your soul's on the line, and this is the undefeated pharaoh we're talking about here!"
Instead of being scared or worried like the rest of her friends, all Jaden did was grin happily. "I know!~ But if I win, I get to take the title from him! I can be the best, like no one ever was! Hehe!~ How exciting!~" Looking back at Abidos, she exclaimed, "Hey! Abi! Get your game on!"
Not fully understanding the phrase, Abidos simply replied, "My game is always on! And for the record, it's Abidos, not that silly name you gave me! Still, I do have to admit, you are pretty brave to stand up against the great Abidos, young man!"
"I'm no man! I'm Jaden Yuki! Also, I'm a girl!"
"What?! Do my eyes truly deceive me?!"
"No, no. She really is a girl," All of her friends spoke monotonously. They were pretty much used to correcting someone about Jaden's gender that it became a common thing to do so. It's clear that anyone would be mistaken by Jaden's gender, given she mostly acts like a boy at times.
Digging his hands inside Syrus' backpack, Chazz then fished out a duel disk and yelled, "Hey, Jaden! Catch!" He threw the duel disk at Jaden, who easily caught it.
Noticing the flap of his backpack open, along with his backpack being lighter, Syrus shouted, "Hey! That was my own duel disk!"
"Thanks, Chazzy! And I'll return the duel disk back to ya later, Sy!" thanked Jaden, happily equipping the duel disk to her arm. "Alright, time to throw down!"
"It's Chazz, damnit!"
The entire dueling field was devoid of any sound except for the sounds of the duel disks activating with the two duelists placing their decks in place. The entire air was filled with anxiety coming from Jaden's friends, while Jaden and Abidos both had an air of confidence around them.
'Just how are you going to beat the undefeated, Jaden?' thought Zane, examining the duel closely. 'If you can survive this, you'll become even more stronger than before, I assure you.'
"DUEL!"
- DUEL -
Abidos - 4000 LP
VS
Jaden - 4000 LP
"It is my turn! I draw!" spoke Abidos; his tone firm and full of that of someone with high experience in dueling. "From my hand, I summon Pharaonic Protector in Defense Mode!"
Pharaonic Protector - (EARTH/Zombie) - LV2 - (900/0)
"Wait, he summoned a Monster with 0 defense?!" exclaimed Syrus, surprised. He sorta expected that a great pharaoh such as Abidos would play a Monster with high Attack Points or high Defense Points.
"Then, I set a card and end my turn."
"Fine, my turn! Draw!" said Jaden.
"I activate my Trap, The First Sarcophagus!" Abidos said. "At the End Phase of each of your turns, I must place a card from my hand or deck in this order; The Second Sacrophagus and The Third Sarcophagus! And trust me, if all three are in place, you'll experience despair and darkness like none other than before!"
Just the threat of his words were enough to worry the others. If what Abidos spoke of was true, then Jaden would be deep in it now should all three cards be assembled. This meant that Jaden had to finish this duel in a hurry or else something terrible would happen.
But, knowing Jaden, she would be curious as to what effects all three Sacrophagus cards had, as evidence from her happy expression. "Really?! That's so cool! So, can I continue my turn now?"
"...Fine."
"Yay! Alright, first off, I'm summoning Elemental Hero Avian in Attack Mode!"
Elemental Hero Avian - (WIND/Warrior) - LV3 - (1000/1000)
"Next up, a new Hero Spell card you guys haven't seen before! H- Heated Heart! One Monster on my side of the field gains 500 extra Attack Points! An additional effect is that the Monster affected by H-Heated Heart can obtain piercing damage! Attack Avian, with Quill Cascade!"
Elemental Hero Avian - (WIND/Warrior) - LV3 - (1500/1000)
Extending his arm forward, Avian flapped his wings rapidly, causing the feathers on his wings to aim directly at Pharaonic Protector like arrows. The arrows were so overwhelming, they managed to pierce at Abidos as well.
Abidos - 2500 LP
Jaden - 4000 LP
"Yay! Jaden managed to get a critical hit!" cheered Syrus.
Stunned, Chazz spoke, "She managed to draw the first blood, first?"
"Oh, yeah! I'm loving this! I end my turn!" declared Jaden.
Shaking his head, Abidos soon snapped out of it as he regained himself and focused on the duel before him. "Due to the effect of The First Sarcophagus, I activate The Second Sarcophagus! Be weary, because once the final sarcophagus is in play, your soul is mine and your fate will be sealed!"
The reminder of the mysterious effects of the three sarcophagus cards frightened the students, including Banner, who had recently woken up. Even Jaden was sweating a little from the pressure, as she was in a conflict herself. One part of her was urging her to hurry and win the duel, and the other part wished for her to see what the third effect was.
"My turn!" said Abidos. "I play Pot of Greed, letting me draw two more cards from my deck! I play the Spell, Tribute to the Doomed! All I have to do is discard a card from my hand, and your Avian is destroyed!"
Mummy hands emerged from a twisted quicksand that formulated underneath Avian's feet, pulling him in before Avian could even attempt to resist.
"And next, I'll summon Pharaoh's Servant in Attack Mode!"
Pharaoh's Servant - (DARK/Zombie) - LV2 - (900/0)
"Attack her directly, Pharaoh's Servant!"
Obedient to his pharaoh, Pharaoh's Servant slashed with his weapon before jumping back for distance. Jaden grimanced in pain due to the effects of the Shadow Games as her friends gasped, now witnessing some of Abidos' true skills at hand.
"I end my turn!"
"My move then!" said Jaden. "Now, I activate E - Emergency Call! I can add an Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand! I add Sparkman to my hand and summon him in Attack Mode!
Elemental Hero Sparkman - (LIGHT/Warrior) - LV4 - (1600/1400)
"Next up, I'm activating another Spell known as R - Righteous Justice! For every Elemental Hero on my field, it can destroy up to that many Spells or Traps on the field! And I definitely know what to choose! You said you have to get all three of those weird card thingies to seal my fate, right? Then, it's pretty obvious I'm gonna destroy The First Sarcophagus!"
"Not so fast! I discard a card to activate the Trap, Magic Jammer! Now your Spell's effect is negated and destroyed!" shouted Abidos.
A purple, hazy fog sprung out and shot towards R - Righteous Justice, poisoning it before it was destroyed, thus rendering Jaden's Spell useless.
Jaden flinched and winched from the destruction of her Spell card before grinning at Abidos. "Wow, wicked counter! Nice move, Abidos! Looks like it's not gonna be easy destroying that sarcophagus of yours!"
"Aww! And she was so close too!" complained Syrus, finding it a bit unfair.
"Still, at least Jaden got rid of one facedown Abidos had planned," said Alexis.
"Well, even if you got rid of R - Righteous Justice, I still got Sparkman!" Jaden said, grinning. "Sparkman, zap him directly! Pow! Pow! Pow!"
Gliding up in the air, once he got into position, Sparkman widened his palm and shot out lightning from above, zapping Pharaoh's Servant. The electrical currents from the blast affected Abidos as well as he screamed in pain before collapsing.
Abidos - 1800 LP
Jaden - 3100 LP
"How...dare you...? How dare you attack me? You aren't supposed to do that!" accused Abidos. "That means you're scheming something!"
"Dude, I'm allowed to attack you, remember? It's my Battle Phase? Battle?" said Jaden. "And besides, if I lower your Life Points to 0, I won't have to worry about those weird sacro-somethings!"
"My three sacrophagus?"
"Yeah! That! It's only natural for someone to get rid of a threat before it actually does something!"
"I...I suppose so," Abidos said, having to agree on that statement. "But I'm Abidos! The greatest pharaoh duelist ever!"
Jaden didn't seem quite convinced of that anymore. Before, she was trembling with excitement over dueling with a pharaoh with a great reputation, but now, she was a bit plain bored. "Uh...Hate to break it to ya, but you don't really seem that great. I kinda half expected some...rare cards or really wicked Monsters, but nothing came up. You're...actually really weak, aren't you? It's okay! I won't laugh!"
"Huh, so Abidos' deck is kinda like a starter deck!" stated Syrus. "Well, at least Jaden won't have any trouble beating this guy now."
Chazz scoffed, crossing his arms. "Great, and I was ready to go next in line in case Jaden lost. Guess she doesn't need to worry about this guy."
Thanks to Jaden not holding anything back on Abidos, Abidos started to think he was beginning to feel weak, but then he thought back on memories of his previous duels with the other guards and soldiers back in his previous life as pharaoh. At first, it was truly exciting and proudful for him to be winning his duels, but the more he won, the more he felt..unsatisfied. He thought that he had grown too strong but he knew the truth now.
"Wait...could it be that my men...weren't even dueling me seriously? That they were holding back?" gasped Abidos.
"Wow, what a ripoff!" complained Chazz, annoyed. Now that it was confirmed that Abidos only won due to him being the pharaoh, he held no more desire of facing Abidos.
"I feel bad for him," admitted Alexis, pitying Abidos. "I mean, he spent his entire life believing he was the greatest when he really wasn't. Poor guy."
Even Jaden felt sorry for Abidos, but decided to cheer him up. "Come on! Turn that frown upside down! Uh...Well, I can't really see your face with the mask on, but you know what I'm saying! Dueling's fun when you really go all out, right? Then, get your game on! Again!"
Finding wisdom and courage in Jaden's words, Abidos couldn't help but admire Jaden as he stood back up on his feet. "You...You really mean it? You'll duel me seriously?"
"Obviously! I've been doing that from the start! No way was I going to hold back against an almighty pharaoh!"
Abidos shook his head. "No, I do not deserve that title. Not until I have proven myself! For real, this time!" With that declaration said and done, he took off his mask, revealing the handsome face of a prince.
Jaden grinned. "Hey, you're not so bad-looking yourself!"
"Oh? Really? Well, I am refined as one of the most handsome men back in the lands."
"Awesome! Now, I'll just throw down a facedown and end my turn! Show me what you've got, Abidos!"
"Very well!" shouted Abidos. "From my deck, I activate The Third Sarcophagus!"
"Oh, no! He's got all three Sarcophagus cards out!" cried out Alexis.
"Nice plan, Jaden. Telling your enemy to win!" said Chazz sarcastically. "Just what the hell's gonna happen now?"
With a confident smile, Abidos proclaimed, "Now that the preparations are complete, I can finally sacrifice all three Sarcophagus cards to Special Summon Spirit of the Pharaoh in Attack Mode!"
Once all three Sarcophagus cards vanished, a golden tomb took place and unsealed itself until the entire golden cover was unraveled. A big hand clasped one of the sides of the opened tomb until a mummy-like pharaoh emerged and stood up from his slumber.
Spirit of the Pharaoh - (LIGHT/Zombie) - LV6 - (2500/2000)
"Whoa! He looks pretty cool!" gasped Jaden. "But...even though he looks cool, I expected more than just 2500 Attack Points."
"Fear not, dear! I'm not done yet!" replied Abidos. "When Spirit of the Pharaoh is Special Summoned successfully, I can Special Summon up to 4 Level 2 or lower Zombie-Type Normal Monsters from my Graveyard!"
Pharaonic Protector - (EARTH/Zombie) - LV2 - (900/0) X2
Pharaoh's Servant - (DARK/Zombie) - LV2 - (900/0) X2
"Now, it's my draw!" shouted Abidos, drawing his card.
"I activate the Trap card, Invincible Hero!" countered Jaden. "With this card, you can't destroyed Sparkman this turn, so I'm safe!"
Abidos smirked. "Oh, really? Don't count yourself out just yet. I activate the Spell, Thousand Energy! Now, all Level 2 Monsters gain 1000 Attack Points this turn!"
Pharaonic Protector - (EARTH/Zombie) - LV2 - (1900/0) X2
Pharaoh's Servant - (DARK/Zombie) - LV2 - (1900/0) X2
The first two combatants to try their luck against Sparkman were the two Pharaoh's Servants, who stabbed Sparkman in various places, causing Jaden to feel the pain straight through Sparkman. Then, the two Pharaonic Protectors lashed out as well, making Jaden experience more pain.
"While Sparkman is safe this turn, Jaden will still receive an extra 300 Points of Damage for each Level 2 Monster," commented Alexis.
Abidos - 1800 LP
Jaden - 1900 LP
"Not yet! I still have Spirit of the Pharaoh's attack!" reminded Abidos. "Attack! Don't hold back!"
Spirit of the Pharaoh rushed over and slammed his fist downwards on Sparkman's head, which Jaden felt the impact of, causing her to cry out more in pain. She glared up, not willing to submit to Abidos' newfound power.
Abidos - 1800 LP
Jaden - 1000 LP
"I sacrifice one of my Pharaonic Protectors to activate a Spell known as Soul Guide," continued Abidos. "It lets me restore Life Points equal to the amount of Attack Points my sacrificed Monster had.
Abidos - 3700 LP
Jaden - 1000 LP
"Next, it lets me add a card to my hand; the same one I used as a sacrifice! Now, at my End Phase, due to the effect of Thousand Energy, those affected by it are now destroyed!"
One by one, Abidos' Monsters exploded into nothing until there was only one left; one that wasn't affected by Thousand Energy. Spirit of the Pharaoh; Abidos' trump card.
"Jaden!" cried out Syrus. How did such an advantageous situation turn the tides against Jaden and grant Abidos more favor on his side so quickly?!
"Calm down, Syrus," ordered Zane, still not giving up on Jaden. "Look at Jaden. See how composed she is? And that happy look on her face is obvious that she's still in this."
"Why are you so happy? You're about to lose the duel!" said Abidos.
Shaking her head, Jaden simply grinned. "Simple! I'm not really worried! Because I know I'm gonna win this! My turn! I summon Elemental Hero Clayman in Attack Mode!"
Elemental Hero Clayman - (EARTH/Warrior) - LV4 - (800/2000)
"Next up, I'm activating a sweet Spell card known as O - Oversoul! This card lets me Special Summon a Normal Monster with Elemental Hero in its name from the Graveyard! And I'm Special Summoning Avian back to the field!"
Elemental Hero Avian - (WIND/Warrior) - LV3 - (1000/1000)
"Hmph! You may overwhelm me with numbers, but when it comes to Attack Points, my Spirit of the Pharaoh supremes over all! You can't beat him!" reminded Abidos.
"I know that! I'm not that dumb!" said Jaden. "Your three card combo was pretty sweet, but I've got a four card combo! The H in H - Heated Heart, E in E- Emergency Call, R in R - Righteous Justice, and O in O - Oversoul! I remove all of them from my Graveyard in order to activate Hero Flash!"
"And what, pray tell, does this card do?"
As the four Hero cards that were previously used flew up in the field for all to see, Jaden explained, "Well first, I get to Special Summon Elemental Hero Burstinatrix in Attack Mode from my deck!"
Elemental Hero Burstinatrix - (FIRE/Warrior) - LV3 - (1200/1000)
Jaden grinned and stuck her tongue out at Abidos, winking at him. "How's that, huh? My sweet four card combo! Of course, it's not fully complete yet, but it will soon! You gotta admit, it's pretty cool!"
"Oh hush! Even if you gathered four Monsters, they're still weaker than my Monster!" cried out Abidos.
"And that's why I'm telling you, a winner isn't determined until the end of a duel! That's why you're an idiot, idiot!"
"What?! You insolent runt! How dare you call me an idiot?!"
"Even if you're a king or whatever, an idiot is still an idiot!~"
"Idiot! If you're calling me an idiot, then you're an idiot for calling me an idiot, idiot!"
"No, you're the idiot because you're the one admitting you're an idiot by calling me an idiot, idiot!"
As the two duelists bickered, the audience sweatdropped. It was like the two focused less on the duel and more on their arguing. Honestly, it was like the two were acting like kids. For the adults and more matured teenagers, it was almost embarrassing.
"Alright, then I'll finish this off with Hero Flash! final effect! All of my Elemental Heroes get to attack you directly! And that's game!"
All four of her Elemental Heroes formed into four differently colored streams of light that bypassed Spirit of the Pharaoh and attacked Abidos head on, causing Abidos to collapse to his knees as his Life Points went down to 0.
Abidos - 0 LP
Jaden - 1000 LP
"In the end, they put up a good fight, both of them," admitted Alexis, amused.
"Hmph! Big deal! Her Hero Flash! is too much like Ojama Delta Hurricane!" scoffed Chazz.
"Still, that's Jaden's style, so it might suit her. I wonder how Abidos is holding up?" wondered Syrus.
Thinking the great pharaoh might be hurt, Jaden rushed to his side. "Hey, you alright?"
Looking up at the female duelist, Abidos nodded; a bright new light shining in his eyes. "Yes, I am more than alright. I realize now that I must continue to prosper and grow stronger." Standing up, Abidos walked over and bent one knee in front of her, clasping her hand into his. "Jaden, I may go back to the heavens soon, but I wished to ask this when I have grown more of a man, but I cannot hold it anymore. Jaden, will you come back to the heavens with me as my wife?"
"EEHHHH?!" Everyone screamed, shocked and astonished by Abidos' proposal. A romantic proposal was bad enough, but joining in the heavens as well?! That meant Jaden had to die as well!
"Yes, won't you come with me to the heavens? If you become my bride, you could be showered with riches and fame and glory, as well as basking in my love! During the duel, I realize just how beautiful you are of a woman, both inside and out! Never before have I ever encountered such a strong and beautiful and kind girl such as yourself! It would make me envious to think any man would want you! So, will you marry me in the heavens?"
"No, no, no! Don't do it! Jadddeeennn!" cried out Syrus.
"Yeah, you can't do that!" agreed Chazz. "I won't allow it! You're my rival, damnit! You can't go when I haven't even beat you!"
"...Jaden, you can't go. I still need to speak to you," spoke Zane calmly.
Alexis could immediantly tell that deep inside, all three loved, or at least had a crush on Jaden and weren't willing to release her towards some handsome pharaoh that they just met. It was without a doubt that each of the three could take on Abidos and win, especially since they've seen his tricks.
"Um..." Jaden could feel her face heating up from the proposal, as she's never been proposed before. Clasping her hand on her hot cheek, Jaden smiled, then shook her head. "Sorry, Abidos. I...I'm kinda not interested in marriage. Maybe, in the afterlife, we can duel as much as you want, okay?"
"The afterlife?" Abidos smiled, though he was a bit sadden. "I understand. Yes, it is immature of me to propose to you when you haven't fully experienced all of life's pleasures. I'm sure one day, a man will take you; a man much more better than me. But I will be looking forward to dueling you in the afterlife. But before that.." He pressed his lips against Jaden's soft palm. "A gift from me to you."
"Gaaaaaahhh! I'm gonna kill him!" yelled Syrus and Chazz, enraged before they were being held back by Zane and Alexis.
Abidos landed his flying golden ship on the ground, safely transporting Jaden and her friends down on land before flying off. The others spoke their goodbyes to one another before the flying golden ship vanished into the light back to the ancient heavens.
As they were heading back to their dorms, the group broke into a conversation to pass the time. "Abidos wasn't that bad of a guy! Look what he gave me as his second gift!~" Jaden giggled, twirling the Shadow Charm in her fingers.
"Why do you get to collect all the Shadow Charms?" questioned Chazz, still irritated that someone proposed to Jaden and managed to make her blush. That was supposed to be his job!
"Because I'm awesome!~"
"That's not a direct answer!"
"Hey, maybe since I beat the legend, I can beat you anytime, Chazzy!~"
"No way! That was a foul play! He was practically a beginner! And stop calling me Chazzy!"
"Whatever, Chazzy!~"
"Gaaaaaahhh!"
Hidden in the shadows of the forest, Banner watched Jaden and her friends as they had successfully protected their Spirit Keys from yet another Shadow Rider. "Get stronger, all of you...Because with the more duels, the more life lessons you'll face, and eventually, your duels will lead you to the greatest challenge of your lives..."
Skit: Wrong Correction
"Jaden!" demanded Chazz, stomping up to Jaden.
"Yeah?"
"I have...a warning to tell you! If you ever meet a guy for the first time and he proposes to you, kick him between the legs! I don't care if it's a teacher or your Dad or whatever! Just kick him there and run away!"
Jaden was confused for a moment before grinning. "Okay! You know, nowadays, you're acting more nice to me, Chazz! I think I have an idea why!"
"I-I have no idea what you're talking about!" denied Chazz, glaring away from her. 'Wait, could she have figured it out? That...my feelings...could she...?'
"You're a tsunami!"
"What the heck that's supposed to mean?! I'm not some raging tidal wave!"
"Oh! I got that wrong then. Laters!"
Watching Jaden leave, Chazz grew puzzled by her word phrasing. "Tsunami...Tsunami...why would she call me th-HEY! I AM NOT A TSUNDERE!"
"Oh! So that's what it was! Thanks, Chazzy! You're a tsundere!"
"Stop calling me that! Get back here!"
Skit: Stronger
Syrus decided that since the Shadow Riders were strong, he must also become stronger to protect Jaden and the rest of his friends. After all, he wouldn't want anything bad happening to any of them. With that set in mind, he decided to invest himself into a physical training program.
Having properly prepared his training grounds inside his dorm room, he laid down on his back and grasped the handles of a pole before attempting to lift it up with all his might.
Thoughts of his desire to help Jaden after all she's gone filled him with vigor and determination. The weight of the weight he was trying to lift up was too much for his muscles, yet he struggled to continue lifting it even if his muscles were frail. No matter what, he wouldn't give up, since Jaden never once gave up on a duel or her friends either! So, naturally he should do the same!
"Jaden, are those two stuffed animals tapped to the ends of that pole Syrus is trying to lift?" questioned Chumley, having witnessed Syrus' special training.
Jaden nodded. "Yup! He said it was important, so I gave him two of my favorite stuffed animals!"
"But those are like, the biggest stuffed animals you have. In fact, how did you manage to put all many stuffed animals in your bed?"
"Girl secret!"
Chumely shrugged and turned back to Syrus. Poor Syrus...if this is all he could amount to, then he'll have a hard time with the real deal weights. Well, at the very least, he was always trying his best.
Skit: False Alarm
"How dare that pharaoh propose and touch our cute Jaden?!' questioned Flame Wingman.
Burstinatrix sighed; having to listen to another one of Flame Wingman's rants about his sweet Jaden. "I don't get what the deal is anymore. The pharaoh is already in the afterlife. He can't affect Jaden if he's dead."
"Yes, but think about what he might do if it's her turn to die!"
"All he wants is a duel from her. Besides, he's already acknowledged that he's not the type of man for her."
"That's even worse! Now Jaden might actually try and find a man suited for her! First, it'll be marriage, and then babies! The babies I don't mind, but the marriage is a no go!"
"Flame Wingman, you're being overdramatic again."
"Even so, I will never hand Jaden over! Besides, that 'day' is coming up, and that may be our only chance of checking up on Jaden and even delivering righteous justice to those who have hurt her!"
"Oh boy, this will be good."
Whew! Read and review!~