(A/N: Sorry it took so long, I've been dealing with some personal issues.)
Loyalty. Frugality. Mastery of martial arts. Honor.
These are the principles of the Bushido code. The word literally translates to "the way (or morals) of the warrior", and can be seen as the Japanese version of chivalry. Bushido was the code samurai lived their life by, dating all the way back to the Edo period.
Growing up, my father's most prized possession was a suit of samurai armor, a family heirloom that was once worn by our earliest recorded ancestor. It was surprisingly in tact for something that saw who knows how many battles, ignoring the bloodstains, that is.
Samurai fascinated me as a child. So, naturally, when I was old enough to join the family business, I decided to try and adopt their way of life.
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Draw 02 - Hero of the East
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It was the middle of the day in River City. People were crowding in the streets, heading to and from their jobs and daily activities. From a bird's eye view, it looked like a giant ant farm. And that was exactly the view Kim had. She looked out the glass elevator, wondering just how long it would take to get to the 13th floor.
If you ask the average person, they'll tell you that the Carlyle Hotel, like most, didn't have a 13th floor. But if you were an Aware or a Shadowkind, when you stepped into the elevator, you'd find a button that would take you to a special floor occupied entirely by others like yourself.
Stepping out of the elevator, Kim immediately noticed a large banner with Japanese writing. "Annual tengu convention. Children always welcome." She read, confirming that she was in the right place. "They never learn." She sighed, shaking her head.
The conference hall was filled with people, and decorated for a party. There were tables covered in traditional Japanese food, banners with kanji writing, and a band playing old music. To the average eye, the party-goers looked just like normal Japanese humans, albeit in somewhat outdated clothing. But Kim could see their true nature. They were tengu, crow-like humanoids with sharp beaks and large black wings. In ancient times, they lived on top of mountains in Japan, and were known to carry off naughty children. But that practice died out centuries ago... Supposedly.
"Who's in charge here?" Kim asked the first tengu she could get a hold of, a young man in metrosexual clothes. The avian yokai squirmed and tried to fly off, but she held onto his shirt. "I really don't want to use my sword today." The Shadowchaser tapped the katana strapped to her side, which she rarely ever had to unsheathe. While all Shadowchasers were taught various methods of self-defense and swordplay, few Shadowkind challenged them to a traditional fight.
"Carlyle is backstage! He's got what you're looking for!" The tengu confessed, flapping his wings wildly. Kim let him go, keeping a hand on her sword, just in case. Yokai were particularly stubborn Shadowkind, often stuck in the old ways. That didn't help their relationship with the law, of course. The Japanese Shadowchasers often had to deal with the Four Houses of Yokai, a troublesome Shadowkind version of the yakuza.
There weren't any guards, surprisingly. Just a pair of metal doors, one marked with a star and the name "Carlyle". In ancient times, tengu would name themselves after the mountains they lived on. Kim guessed that Carlyle was the chief tengu, using that reasoning. She simply knocked on the door, and it immediately opened. "That... was surprisingly simple." She sighed, pinching the bride of her nose.
"Akane, if that's you, I told you to-" The first thing Kim saw when she stepped into the room was a middle aged tengu man sitting in a wooden chair. He was doing his own make-up, and clearly wearing too much of it. "You're not Akane..." He stared at Kim like she was a wild animal that had just wandered into his hotel. "Miss Shadowchaser, what are you doing here? There's nothing going on!"
Kim turned her head and saw an enormous square shape underneath a blanket. "That's cartoonishly suspicious." She grabbed the tarp and yanked it off, revealing the shape to be a cage full of sleeping children. "What in the nine hells?" There were a dozen children in the cage, and only a handful of them were human.
"I can explain." Carlyle said, fumbling for his cellphone behind his back. Kim drew her sword and pointed it directly at his beak. He gulped and dropped the phone, holding his hands up. "It's a naughty children contest. We hold one every year. All the tengu in town grab the most ill-behaved child they can find, and I give a prize to the one who found the worst. Then we drop them off in the park, with their memories wiped. It's harmless."
"I should just arrest you right now, but I'm going to give you ten seconds to convince me not to use this thing." The Shadowchaser poked the yokai with her blade, giving him an enraged glare. Carlyle quickly pulled open a drawer and slapped on a Duel Disk, activating it. Kim sighed and put away her katana, taking a few steps back. "The Fair Fight Clause really needs some amendments..."
(CLP 8000) - (KLP 8000)
"Age before beauty, Shadowchaser." The tengu drew his opening hand, and played a single card. "I summon Superheavy Samurai Kabuto in attack mode!" The monster that appeared was, like the named implied, a robot samurai. It wore brown and rust-red armor, and carried a gigantic hammer. (1000 ATK)
"Doesn't look so super to me..." Kim had never seen this card before, but already didn't trust it. Carlyle made a gesture that indicated he ended his turn. The Shadowchaser stared at him, confused, for a minute, but drew her sixth card. "Okay..."
"I activate the Field Spell, Temple of the Six!" She played the card and their settings began to change. The dressing room faded away, replaced by the courtyard of an old fashioned Japanese palace. "Every time I summon a Six Samurai monster, it gains a Bushido Counter, and all your monsters lose 100 attack points for each one. To demonstrate, I'm summoning Legendary Six Samurai - Kageki!" Her monster simply strolled onto the field, seemingly stepping out of the palace. It was a Japanese man in bulky samurai armor, with two large mechanical arms on his back. He held a sword in each hand. (200 ATK)
A light lit up in the sky above the two duelists. Carlyle looked closely and saw that there were strings of paper lanterns stretching across the field. "When I do that, I get to call out another low level samurai from my hand. Like Mizuho!" Another samurai leaped into action. This one wore bright red armor and carried two sickle-like swords. The long, violet ponytail indicated she was female. (1600 ATK).
"You've triggered Kabuto's effect!" Carlyle said, pointing at his monster. The robotic warrior assumed a defensive stance and struck the ground with its mallet. (2500 DEF) "When you Special Summon a monster, he switches to defense mode and gains 500 defense points! Try getting past that."
"Easy. Mizuho can tribute another samurai to destroy any card on the field. So there goes your only defense." Kageki turned into a bright green orb, and flew towards Kabuto, causing it to explode. "Attack him directly!" Mizuho ran towards the tengu and slashed at him with her swords, causing him to grunt and pushing him back a few feet.
"If I take battle damage while I have only monsters in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon Superheavy Samurai Prepped Defense!" A new robot appeared on the field. It was bright green, with golden highlights, and thick legs that resembled baggy pants. (2100 DEF)
Kim studied her opponent's field closely, wishing she had taken the time to read up on all the new archetypes that had been released. "I set this card and end my turn."
(CLP 6400) - (KLP 8000)
"It's my turn!" Carlyle drew his fifth card. "I summon Superheavy Samurai Cavalry!" A robotic samurai riding a robotic horse strolled onto the field, drawing its sword. (1000 ATK). "And since I have no Spells or Traps in my Graveyard, I can change him to defense position, and Special Summon a low level Superheavy Samurai from my hand, also in defense mode!"
Cavalry sheathed its sword, gripping the reigns of its horse. (2000 DEF). Another robot appeared on the field, this one dressed like a traditional Japanese merchant. "Superheavy Samurai Merchant won't be staying for long, though, because if I tribute him, I can draw two cards!" It immediately vanished, and Carlyle picked up the top cards of his deck, and seemed to smile. It was hard to read expressions on someone with a beak.
"I activate the effect of Superheavy Samurai Soulpeacemaker!" He placed a card in his Spell zone, much to Kim's surprise. A bulky piece of body armor with two pairs of large, mechanical arms descended onto the field, attaching itself to Prepped Defense. "It can equip to another Samurai on my field, and prevents you from attacking any other monster! That ends my turn."
Kim drew a third card, and played it immediately. "I summon Shaman of the Six Samurai!" A little old lady appeared on the field, dressed in the clothes of an itako (a blind Japanese wise woman). (ATK 1000). "I'll pay 500 life points to activate her ability, reviving a level three or lower samurai from my graveyard!" Kageki returned to the field, looking angry.
"Now I'll tune them together!" Three bright rings of light surrounded the samurai and the wise woman, who turned into six glowing stars. "Silk and steel combined into one! Meet the diva of my deck, as deadly as she is beautiful! Synchro Summon!" The monster that appeared was best described as beautiful. A Japanese woman with flowing ebony hair, wearing a scarlet kimono underneath samurai armor. She carried a naginata in her hands, and a look of righteousness on her face. (2500 ATK)
"Meet my favorite monster, Lady of the Six Samurai." Kim said proudly, as several more lanterns lit up. "Now attack his Prepped Defense!" Lady lowered her spear and charged forwards, impaling the green android. It shattered into pixels, along with Soulpeacemaker. "And thanks to her effect, you still take damage!"
"I'll end my turn with that."
(CLP 6000) - (KLP 7500)
"Alright, time to get serious!" Carlyle drew and immediately played a card. "I summon Giant Rat!" The monster in question needed no description. When it appeared, however, the lanterns attached to the Temple began glowing brighter. (ATK 1400 - 900) "His attack points don't matter, because he won't be around for long!" Giant Rat attacked Mizuho, and was sliced to pieces.
"Wha... Why the hell did you do that?" Kim got her answer when the rodent's effect activated. The summoning portal opened, and out came the biggest robot yet. It was around nine feet tall, with a barrel shaped body, mostly black and white, but with orange highlights. Its weapon seemed to be a combination of a spear and a tuning fork. (3500 DEF)
"Because Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei only has 1000 attack points, but when he's summoned, I can immediately change his battle position." Carlyle explained, glaring at the Shadowchaser. "He has another effect as well. All Superheavy Samurai monsters can attack while in defense mode, and apply their defense points for damage!" As if to demonstrate, the massive android struck the ground with its staff, causing an earthquake that shattered Mizuho.
Kim stared in disbelief; she'd never seen an effect like this. It was like Total Defense Shogun on steroids!
"Since I can't summon any more monsters, I'll end my turn." Carlyle said, smirking... At least, it looked like he was smirking. It was hard to read facial expressions on someone who had a beak.
"I draw..." Kim drew a third card, looking over her hand. Alright, what can I use? He's got 3500 defense points... Maybe I should try to stall until I draw Shield Crush.
"I active Spellbook Inside The Pot!" The Pot of Greed appeared on the field, and three large tomes flew out of it. "This means we both draw 3 cards!" Both duelists were happy to do so. Kim looked at her new cards and concentrated. Okay, here goes... something.
"I activate The Warrior Returning Alive to get Kageki back from my Graveyard." She grabbed the card as soon as it slid out of her Duel Disk. "And now I summon him again!" The familiar robotic armored warrior returned, glaring angrily at Carlyle. "And with his effect, I can summon The Six Samurai - Zanji!" A samurai in orange, cybernetic armor leaped onto the field, swinging his spear (1800 ATK).
"I know all about his effect!" Carlyle interrupted. "Even if you do destroy my Big Benkei, you'll still lose almost 2000 life points."
"I have a better plan." Kim replied, as the swirling background of Polymerization shone behind her. "By sending Zanji, Kageki, and Lady to the graveyard, I can fusion summon Shadow Six Samurai - Rihan!" As the three samurai vanished, a brand new monster appeared in their place. This one wore similar armor to the others, but it was neon green in color. He carried a sword in one hand, while the other was equipped with three large claws. (2400 ATK)
"Sorry I didn't have a chant prepared, this is my first time summoning him." Kim turned around a card in her hand, Cunning of the Six Samurai. "But his effect is what's important. By banishing another Six Samurai card from my hand or field, like this one, I can banish any other card on the field!" Rihan lifted his claws and ran forward, slashing at Big Benkei. The machine grunted as three glowing gashes appeared in its body, before it vanished entirely.
"Now, attack his Cavalry!" Switching hands, Rihan pulled out his sword and swiped at the remaining monster, destroying it. "Next, I'll set one card. That's all for my turn." Kim said, standing confidently again.
(CLP 5300) - (KLP 5600)
"You're a feisty young thing. I like that in a girl." The tengu chuckled. Kim grimaced, the implications making her sick. "Oh, not like that!" He sighed.
Carlyle drew a card, bringing his total up to 7. "Because there are no spell or trap cards in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon the tuner monster Superheavy Samurai Trumpeter from my hand!" A tiny robot appeared before him, carrying a trumpet that was almost as big as it was. (300 ATK)
"Now for my normal summon. Meet Superheavy Samurai Scales!" This robot was dressed in green, and carried an enormous metal scale on its back. "His effect allows me to revive another Superheavy monster, as long as it's below level 5!" Scales tipped its, well, scales, and opened a portal on the floor. Kabuto rose out of it, just as stoic as before.
"But they won't be staying for long, because I'm tuning them all together!" Trumpeter transformed into a pair of glowing rings, which surrounded the other robots. "Raging deity, in unison with the roar of a thousand blades, come forth in a spiraling sandstorm!" A new mechanical warrior landed on the field, making the room shake. It was enormous, even bigger than Benkei! It looked like, well, a warlord, silver and gold, crouching and holding a large naginata. (3800 DEF)
"I Synchro Summon Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susanowo!" Kim took a step back, intimidated. "But I'm not done! Because I have no Spell or Trap cards in my Graveyard, I can activate one from yours!" Susanowo slammed his spear onto the ground, and the Pot of Greed appeared. Kim's Duel Disk lit up with a message "Draw 3".
Both players drew, Kim practically holding her breath, hoping for something good. "Now I can outfit my demigod with a new weapon! Like Superheavy Samurai Soulhorns!" Susanowo's armor changed to bright white, with an enormous pair of horns growing out of its shoulders. "Like Peacemaker before it, Horns grants my monster a new effect. In this case, it gets to attack twice! Go, Swinging Sword Slash!"
The robotic warrior sliced through Rihan with its massive spear, making him explode into pixels. Kim grunted as her life points fell, the force of the impact pushing her back a few feet. "Now attack directly!"
"I activate Reanimation Wave! This cuts the damage from your attack in half, and lets me revive a Synchro Monster from my graveyard, as long as its not the same level as yours!" A shield of energy surrounded the Shadowchaser, protecting her from the second blast. "So I'm bringing back Lady of the Six Samurai!" The female warrior stepped onto the field once again, looking furious.
"I end my turn." Carlyle said, with a huff.
(CLP 5300) - (KLP 2300)
"My turn! Draw!" Kim drew another card, not even bothering to look at it. She had exactly what she needed. "I summon Kagemusha of the Six Samurai!" A new warrior wearing green clothes and plain armor stepped out of the temple, standing next to the Shadowchaser. (800 ATK)
"And now I can Special Summon the Grandmaster!" A tall, muscular old man with long, silver hair, dressed in sleek black armor strolled onto the field, a wise, almost grandfatherly expression on his face. (2100 ATK)
"But I'm not nearly done! Because I have three Six Samurai on the field, I can activate the card you let me draw last turn, Six Strike - Triple Impact!" The three monsters placed their weapons together and raised them, causing a flash of green light to wash over the field. Susanowo burst into pixels, along with its armor. "This spell lets me destroy all face-up monsters you control!"
Carlyle lost his balance and fell from the shock, missing his chair and landing on the floor. "I tune Kagemusha with Lady to Synchro Summon my Colossal Fighter!" The two eastern warriors vanished, replaced by one with a much more western feel. (2800 ATK)
"And he gains 100 ATK for each Warrior in either graveyard. So that's just enough to finish this duel!" Kim said, as Fighter's score rose to 3400. Grandmaster and Fighter charged forward, landing simultaneous punches on the tengu's face, making him glad it was only phantom pain.
"You're under arrest, you old creep." Kim walked over to Carlyle as the duel holograms faded, pulling a small blue crystal out of her skirt pocket. "I doubt you'll be hosting anymore parties after your friends out there learn what happened to you." He simply groaned as he vanished.
"Well, fixing this is going to be a handful..." The Shadowchaser looked at the still sleeping children, taking out her phone to see if her teammates could lend a hand.
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Anime/Manga Cards-
Spellbook Inside The Pot: *three books flying out of the Pot of Greed*
Card Type- Spell
Spell/Trap Type- Normal
Text- Both players draw 3 cards.
First Appearance: GX manga, chapter 33
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Original Cards-
Lady of the Six Samurai: *elegant warrior woman wearing samurai armor over a kimono and wielding a naginata*
Card Type- Synchro Monster
Monster Type- Warrior
Attribute- EARTH
Level- 6
ATK/DEF- 2500/2000
Text- 1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Warrior-Type monsters. This card inflicts piercing damage. While you control 2 or more face-up "Six Samurai" monsters with different names, negate the effects of any monster this card destroys in battle.
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Shaman of the Six Samurai: *old woman in traditional Japanese shaman robes*
Card Type- Tuner Monster
Monster Type- Spellcaster
Level- 3
Attribute- LIGHT
ATK/DEF- 1000/1500
Text- Cannot be used for a Synchro Summon, except for the Synchro Summon of a Warrior-Type Synchro Monster. Once per turn, you can pay 500 Life Points to Special Summon 1 Level 3 or lower "Six Samurai" or "Shien" monster from your Graveyard face-up.
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Superheavy Samurai Merchant: *robotic warrior dressed like a traditional japanese merchant*
Card Type- Effect Monster
Monster Type- Machine
Attribute- EARTH
Level- 2
ATK/DEF- 500/1500
Text- If you have no Spell or Trap Cards in your Graveyard when this card is Special Summoned, you can Tribute this card, then draw 2 cards.
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Superheavy Samurai Cavalry: *robotic samurai riding on a mechanical horse*
Card Type- Effect Monster
Monster Type- Machine
Attribute- EARTH
Level- 4
ATK/DEF- 1000/2000
Text- When this card is Normal Summoned, if you have no Spell or Trap Cards in your Graveyard, you can switch this card to face-up Defense Position, then Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Superheavy Samurai" monster from your hand in face-up Defense Position.
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Kim: Where are you guys?!
?: I'm doing the best I can!
Join us next time, in Double Snare!