Vile: Hey everybody, Vile here again! *checks the last update date* Wow, 2013? It's been THAT long since the last Deckshibition chapter? Man, I've slipped.
?: Well, allow me to offer a helping hand, my creative compatriot!
Vile: Hey, Y-Tak! Nice to see you he- *brakes* Wait... Didn't we start this collab months ago?
Y-Tak: Yeah...it kind of happens when you have a job...and decide to base some of your stuff around a really cool Structure Deck...But the point is that we have an awesome duel for you guys, with a special guest character!
Itsu: Man, it's been years since I wore this outfit. It feels good to be back in the old catsuit!
Y-Tak: Popping into the Vilveverse is Itsu, from my roleplaying adventures on Yugioh Card Maker. net! (YCW page:
Vile: And as Y-Tak said, this Deckshibition features a Deck based around the new Structure Deck, Synchron Extreme, which came out today! Yay, product placement! XD
Y-Tak: *gives a thumbs-up* Buy all our playsets and toys, kids!
Vile: Let 'em read the story first, though! For all it's worth, though, this is pretty much a filler story, so don't take it too seriously. I clearly don't own Itsu (put the frying pan away, Y-Tak) or most of the unique cards here, but I do own a few. Enjoy, folk
Decks-hibition
Story 15: How Do You Pronounce It? "Ekushiizu"?
Yuma could only bring himself to run, sprinting through a darkened abyss with nothing in sight but the ethereal path he ran upon. "It's pointless to run, kid…" A familiar voice said, echoing from everywhere, yet nowhere. Out of nowhere, Yuma felt himself be backhanded in the cheek, landing on the now-crumbling pathway. Yuma reeled from the impact, looking up to see two glowing blue dots in the darkness. "It doesn't matter what you do…" A full form emerged from the veil surrounding the young man: The Number Distributor, giving a wicked grin as he finally had his prey cornered. "Your fate was sealed from the minute your quest began."
"You've been beaten by us multiple times. What makes you think we can't finish you off once and for all?" Yuma shot back, not sounding scared as he got to his feet, wiping a bit of blood from his mouth as if it was nothing.
"You might defeat me in Duels… but you have no clue of the truth." The Distributor suddenly shot forward in the blink of an eye, grabbing Yuma's throat in his hand and hoisting him up. "I've been leading you on… Making you THINK you've got the upper hand. But the position you're in now is the truth…" He clenched his hand, beginning to choke Yuma. "If I wanted to… I could end you right now…"
"Then why… haven't you…?" Yuma stammered through the intense pressure.
The Distributor gave a deep, hearty chuckle as his grin widened, showing off his pearly whites. "Because I like to see you squirm…" He alternated between squeezing and releasing, making Yuma's breath irregular. "I await the day when I see your face… full of hopelessness as you lay beaten…" His eyes glowed even brighter as the world darkened around Yuma. "Your efforts… in complete vain…" Finally, the restriction around Yuma's neck became full choking, a powerful tugging that cut off his circulation. Yuma felt himself be resigned to his fate, and started to slip away into the void…
...Only to find himself being jerked up out of his hammock, his neck feeling sore as the tugging continued, not as strong as in his dreams, but still enough to be noticeable. The morning sunlight shone through the window. "Ow…" As he regained his full composure, he realized that the source was the Emperor's Key. For some reason, the Key was floating in the air, not so gently pulling on its chain (and Yuma's neck), the gemstone pulsating an aggravated green light. Yuma was very confused. "Uh… Astral? Can you get out here, please?"
On cue, the blue spirit materialized. "What is it, Yuma?" His question was quickly forgotten when he saw the Key's strange behavior, making him raise his eyebrow. "What on Earth…?"
"That's what I was thinking! Any clue on what the heck this is, Astral?" Yuma asked, pulling the trinket off his neck. Though he was holding onto the chain, the Key still floated in midair, pointing like a compass and still pulling. Yuma thought about letting it go to see if it would start flying off towards the source, but remembered how important the Key was: Far too precious to let go even for a moment.
"I cannot recall any instance of this occurring, but I felt something...odd...last night." He seemed a bit distant when he said this. "I saw a green flash of light, somewhere off in the distance… similar to what the Key is doing now."
Yuma looked down at the Key, staring at the pulsing light. "What do you think it could be?"
"I'm not sure, but I feel there could be a connection. Perhaps something is reacting to the Key, hence its odd pursuit-like behavior."
Yuma sighed. "Great. As if we didn't have enough to deal with right now." He groaned. "So what do you think we should do? Let this thing roam Heartland like a dog on a leash?"
Astral thought about this scenario for a couple of moments. "It seems to be the only thing we can do. If our "dog" has the scent, then let it loose, but make sure it doesn't go up a tree and get stuck." He paused for a second before asking. "Did I get that analogy right?"
Yuma tried his best not to snicker and grin. Astral was completely wrong about that last part (he was thinking of a cat, not a dog), but that at least lightened his mood. "You did fine, Astral. I guess all that TV got you some slang knowledge." Astral smiled back, that Earth television while Yuma slept was actually worth something, in contrast to talk he'd heard about it being mere drivel.
*A Little Later*
Yuma, now accompanied by Kotori, Tetsuo, Takashi, Tokunosuke, and Cathy, followed (well, Yuma was halfway dragged) the Key's incessant pulling until it led them to Freepath Circle, bustling with people like normal (unlike when Yuma and Kotori met Yuya Tsukune again, when it was deserted). Astral and Mia were outside the Key, floating alongside them while staring intently at it. "Is this thing ever gonna give me a break?" Yuma groaned.
"Yuma referred to it as being like a dog? It almost seems more like a human in its persistence." Mia mused. "I mean, when Yuma dropped it that one time, it lodged itself right into a wall."
"And it refused to budge unless Yuma, Tetsuo, and Cathy pulled it out all at once." Astral said. "Whatever's calling it, it's not going to give up."
However, right as he said that, the Key actually DID stop pulling, merely hovering there. "Eh?" Yuma wondered. The Key's point began panning left and right, pulsing its green glow.
"Now what's it doing?" Tetsuo asked.
"Looks like it's acting like some sort of dowsing rod." Cathy said.
However, Kotori noticed something else out of the corner of her eye: An identical green glow. "Eh?" Squinting as she followed the glow, the others following her, her vision eventually located a similar green gem to the Key. It was attached to a gold charm that resembled a pocket watch, which appeared to be acting just as crazy as the Key was. That charm was around the neck of a 20-year-old young woman dressed in a red-and-black skintight outfit, which looked similar to those she saw on Turbo Duelists. She also wore a long white coat, albeit open, over the suit. She had fire-red hair with black highlights and also had heterochromia (left eye blue, right eye gold), and the expression on her face made it clear that she was just as confused (and a bit annoyed) as they were.
"Alright, what's the big deal, you stupid amulet?" The woman asked. "You're lucky I'm enjoying the guided tour of-" She cut herself off when she spotted the other glow. "Nani?" She followed the other glow and locked eyes with Yuma, also noticing the Key around his neck. "HEY!" She immediately began walking forward, but her charm jerked at her neck again. "Gyack!"
At the same time, the Key jerked forward, dragging Yuma forward. "H-Hey!" The two charms pulled their owners toward each other before they eventually made contact with each other, giving out a resonating "RING" sound, the green glows from the gems causing a wave of energy to wash out. "N-Nani…?"
"Well, this isn't going to end well…" The woman sighed. Then, out of nowhere, the two trinkets blew the two of them back a short distance, both of them landing on the ground.
Yuma quickly sat back up, shaking his head as his friends rushed over. "Jeez!"
"You all right, Yuma?" Tetsuo asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. It wasn't that bad."
The woman had sat up while this short conversation happened, rather stunned at what just occurred. "Did anyone get the license plate of that explosion?" She groaned rhetorically as she got to her feet and watched Yuma do the same. "Yo, kid!"
Yuma looked up. "Huh?"
"Nice charm. What's it made out of?"
He looked at the Key. "Heck if I know. It was a gift from my dad." Something went off in him, though. "Hey, wait a sec! Your charm did the same thing as mine!"
By the time he finished his sentence, though, the woman held up her own trinket, which, upon closer inspection, seemed to have glowing green designs etched into it. "Well, it appears that my friend here might have a distant relative." Yuma sweatdropped. "I should probably quit beating around the bush, though." She said with a closed-eye smile as she placed the watch-like amulet back against her bosom turning her smile (more like a smirk) to Yuma. "I'm rather familiar with that type of energy that our bobbles gave off. Normally I can get that kind of energy from Dueling, but whatever happened back there was pretty impressive." She seemed a bit too absorbed in what she was saying, as when she paid attention to Yuma again, he, as well as his friends, looked pretty confused. "You kids have no clue what I'm talking about, do you?"
"I've gone through crazy stuff in my life, but no, you lost me." Yuma replied.
The woman sighed. "Then let's skip the meta-quantum mechanical technobabble. I need someone to Duel me to try and reset my amulet. And since your little doodad's similar to my necklace, I guess that makes you my opponent, shortstack."
"The name's Yuma." Her opponent protested, trying to gain a little height on the elder woman. "And if it's a Duel you want, I don't see a problem with it." Yuma said, smirking as he brought out his D-Pad.
"Yuma. Right. I'm Itsu." The woman greeted. She then looked around. "Hey, look at that! By sheer dumb luck, the blowback put us at the perfect distance for a Duel. Let's do this, then!"
Yuma threw his D-Pad into the air. "Duel Disk, set!" The screen clacked onto his wrist, unfolding the Zones. "D-Gazer, set!" Yuma then placed his D-Gazer over his eye.
"Hold it!" Itsu's sudden shout startled Yuma, making him fall over. "What the heck is that?"
"What's what?" Yuma asked as he got up.
"That thing, on your eye. You called it a 'D-Gazer'?"
"Yeah… You've never seen one before?" Yuma asked, getting a negative head shake. "Where exactly are you from? AR Duels are almost everywhere!"
"How about we go with 'I'm not from around here, and I just blew into town'." Itsu partially answered as she walked over to Yuma.
"It's not that hard to figure out. D-Pads don't have hologram projectors like other models of Duel Disk." Kotori explained, pulling out her own D-Gazer. "Instead, we use D-Gazers to see an Augmented Reality. It makes the Duels even more interactive."
Itsu had her hand on her chin as she gave the device a once-over. "Hmm… Interesting. I'm due for an upgrade anyways. Can I see your D-Gazer for a moment, please?" Kotori handed her the Gazer. "Thank you." The redhead gleefully said as the hand she was holding it in turned metallic, then flowed over the device, poking and prodding it with little tendrils before fully engulfing the device for a few seconds. The silvery goo receded, and the woman stood still for a few seconds, her expression a bit vacant. "That was easy." She finally said, snapping to her senses, as she handed a surprised Kotori her D-Gazer back.
"Uh… How the heck did you do that?" Tetsuo asked.
"Once more, to save time and a lot of explaining, mind if we call it 'magic'?" Itsu asked with an easy smile, her eyes now changed. The irises seemed to be glowing, with designs resembling circuitry rotating inside of them, like some sort of machine.
Everyone sweatdropped, including Itsu herself. "…Well, like I said, I've already been through crazier stuff in my life…" Yuma breathed.
Itsu clapped her hands. "All right then!" With that peppy line, she then gave a major backflip jump, landing back in her spot before throwing her arm to the side. All of a sudden, the same metallic sheen she just created a moment ago appeared on her arm before a tentacle spiraled out, forming into the banded shape of an angular ammonite. The construct hardened and turned red with black banding, a blue gemstone set into the center while an organic-looking blade jutted from the spiral, forming Duel Disk slots.
"This… is certainly one odd woman." Astral mused.
"I should warn you, Yuma: I've got a pretty big competitive streak." Itsu said as she took a deck of worn-out Duel Monsters cards from a deck box around her waist, and gently placed the deck into the opening of her Duel Disk.
This made Yuma smirk. "Just a streak? I've beaten people who are all about winning. Let's rock!"
"AR VISION, LINK ESTABLISHED." Yuma's Gazer and Itsu's eyes flashed, and the area around them morphed into the Augmented Reality.
"DUEL!"
Yuma LP:4000
Itsu LP:4000
"Kattobingu da, ore! Ore no turn! Draw!" Yuma drew his card. "Gogogo Golem, Shoukan!" Yuma's signature Rock-Type monster emerged from the earth, shouting its signature sound effect.
Gogogo Golem: Lv.4 EARTH Rock ATK:1800/DEF:1500
"Kaado ichi mai settei. Turn end!" Yuma's facedown emerged.
"A quaint start, but good nonetheless. Boku no turn! Draw!" Itsu drew her card. "Magic Card, Tuning, hatsudo! This card lets me add a Tuner Monster from my Deck to my hand." A card slid out from her Deck, which she grabbed: Junk Synchron. "Then, I have to send cards from my Deck to the Graveyard equal to that Tuner's Level." Three cards went to her Graveyard, including Level Eater.
"Tuner Monsters, ura…" Tokunosuke breathed.
"Clearly, her Deck utilizes Synchro Summoning." Takashi noted.
"Quickdraw Synchron no kouka hatsudo!" Itsu showed Doppelwarrior in her hand before sending it to her Graveyard. "By sending a monster from my hand to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon it from my hand!" Her monster emerged as a small blue cowboy-like machine of some sorts, a single big blue eye visible behind its scarf and hat.
Quickdraw Synchron: Lv.5 WIND Machine/Tuner ATK:700/DEF:1400
'Quickdraw Synchron…? Where have I heard of that card before?' Yuma thought.
"Junk Synchron, Shoukan!" This monster was more recognizable: An orange mechanized warrior with a white scarf, goggles, and a motor on its back.
Junk Synchron: Lv.3 DARK Warrior/Tuner ATK:1300/DEF:500
"She's got Junk Synchron, too!" Kotori said, remembering how both Spade and Yusei Fudo had it.
Itsu gave a slight chuckle. "Junk Synchron no kouka hatsudo!" Junk Synchron held out its hand to the side. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 2 or below monster from my Graveyard!" A purple portal opened up, and a figure leapt out of it. "Yomigaere, Doppelwarrior!" The figure was a man decked out all in black, wearing a helmet that obscured his eyes, wielding an SMG.
Doppelwarrior: Lv.2 DARK Warrior ATK:800/DEF:800
"Now it's show time!" Itsu chirped. "Boku wa Reberu Ni no Doppelwarrior ni Reberu San no Junk Synchron o Tyuningu (I Tune Level 2 Doppelwarrior with Level 3 Junk Synchron)!" Junk Synchron pulled on his starter cord, revving up his motor before turning into three Level Stars, which morphed into Synchro Summon Rings. "Allies gather on an endless path!" Doppelwarrior flew through the Rings, becoming an outline with two Level Stars. "Protect the weak across time and space!" The Stars lined up before a green light shone through the Rings. "Shinkuro Shoukan!" Out of the lights, a large purple mechanized warrior emerged, shoulders like airplane wings, having the goggles and scarf of its Tuner. "Ideyo… Junk Warrior!" The warrior's eyes flashed before it gave a powerful punch with its fist.
Junk Warrior: Lv.5 DARK Warrior/Synchro ATK:2300/DEF:1300
"You have that Synchro Monster, too?" Yuma asked.
"You've seen this one before?" Itsu asked right back.
Yuma held up two fingers. "Twice, in fact."
"Huh. I guess you're familiar with this." Itsu mused. "But I bet you aren't with this move! Doppelwarrior no kouka hatsudo! Since I used it for a Synchro Summon, I can Summon two Doppel Tokens!" Two afterimages of the black warrior appeared from nowhere.
Doppel Token x2: Lv.1 DARK Warrior/Token ATK:400/DEF:400
"Junk Warrior no kouka hatsudo! When it's Synchro Summoned, it gains the Attack Points of every Level 2 or below monster on my field." The two Tokens gave off a white aura, which flew into Junk Warrior's fist, coating it.
Junk Warrior ATK:3100
"Is that all? Not at all! Quickdraw Synchron no kouka hatsudo! If I use it for a Synchro Summon, I can substitute it for any Synchron Tuner Monster!" A cycle of cards began to spin in front of it. "And the lucky winner is…" Quickdrew lived up to its name, drawing a small pistol in the blink of an eye and firing a shot, blasting a card. "…Junk Synchron! So you know what that means!" Itsu thrust her arm forward. "Boku wa Reberu Ichi no Doppel Token ni tai de ni Reberu Go no Quickdraw Synchron o Tyuningu!" Quickdraw twirled and docked its pistol before leaping into the air, morphing into five Level Stars that became Synchro Summon Rings. "Allies unite on a branching path!" Both Tokens flew through the Rings, becoming outlines with 1 Star apiece. "Fly and let loose through space and time!" A green light shone through the Rings. "Shinkuro Shoukan!" A new figure leapt out from the light, clad in orange, black, and white armor, a single eye flashing on its head. "Ideyo, Junk Archer!" The warrior did a backflip before brandishing a bow, drawing an arrow, then using it to load the bow.
Junk Archer: Lv.7 EARTH Warrior/Synchro ATK:2300/DEF:2000
"Wow… That was amazing!" An onlooker said, their Duel having drawn a bit of a crowd.
"To think that so few cards were needed to make a combo like that!" Another onlooker said.
Itsu giggled. "Looks like the audience loves it! Better not disappoint them!" She snapped her fingers. "Junk Archer no kouka hatsudo!" Archer pulled back its bow, aiming square at Gogogo Golem. "Once per turn, I can banish a monster you control until the End Phase! Dimension Shoot!" The warrior fired its arrow, striking Gogogo Golem dead in the chest, causing it to vanish through a wormhole.
Kotori gasped. "Yuma! She's going for a One Turn Kill!"
"Junk Archer, direct attack!" Itsu ordered. Archer pulled another arrow from nowhere and loaded its bow, the arrow glowing red. "Scrap Arrow!" The arrow launched from the bow, screaming at Yuma.
Yuma smirked. "Trap, hatsudo! Battle Break!" His facedown flipped up, creating a barrier that stopped the arrow dead. "Since you attacked me, this card destroys the attacking monster and ends the Battle Phase!" The arrow became red energy that shot back toward its source, striking right through Archer's chest and obliterating it.
"Kuso… You're better than I thought, Yuma." Itsu chuckled, clearly happy she underestimated her foe. "Let's see you keep it up. Kaado ni mai settei! Turn end!" Two facedowns appeared on Itsu's field. "And now that my turn is over, Gogogo Golem is returned to your field." The wormhole re-opened, dropping Golem back into the current space.
"Ore no turn! Draw!" Yuma drew his card. "Gagaga Magician, Shoukan!" His signature Spellcaster emerged.
Gagaga Magician: Lv.4 DARK Spellcaster ATK:1500/DEF:1000
"Aw yeah, here we go!" Tetsuo said.
"Ore wa, Reberu Yon no Gogogo Golem to Gagaga Magician de… Obarei!" Both monsters turned fully orange (Golem) and purple (Magician) before shooting into the air in a spiral.
"Nanda?!" Itsu cried.
"Ni tai no monsuta de, Obarei Netwaaku kochiku!" A red spiral portal opened up, and both his monsters sailed inside. "Ekushiizu Shoukan!" From the portal, a humanoid monster decked out in a red, gold, and black band uniform emerged. He wore a bandmaster's hat with two horns on it, and he brandished a rapier that resembled a conductor's baton. "Arawareyo, Kōkyōmajin (Symphony Devil) – Maestroke!" The fiend gave a few graceful swipes with his rapier as if conducting an orchestra before planting it in the ground, two purple Overlay Units circling him.
Symphony Devil – Maestroke: Rank 4 DARK Fiend/Xyz ATK:1800/DEF:2300 2 Overlay Units
"TIME THE HELL OUT!"
Itsu's sudden shout startled Yuma, the woman holding up her hands with the top one horizontal and the other one vertical beneath it, in the universal sign for a time-out. "What now?"
"What the heck is that?!" Itsu cried, pointing at Maestroke. "What was that Summon you just pulled off?" She pointed to her eyes. "I can't seem to tell what I'm looking at!"
"That was an Xyz Summon!" Yuma said.
"Xyz… Summon?" She sounded it out as if she had never heard it. "Xyz? 'Xyz' isn't even a word!" Itsu said in protest.
Yuma sweatdropped once more. "Neither is 'Synchro'…"
"How did you even do that?" Itsu asked.
"Xyz Summoning's easy!" Yuma said. "All you need are 2 monsters on your field with the same Level. Then you just Overlay them to Summon an Xyz Monster with the same Rank!"
"'Rank'?" Itsu asked, bringing up a visual of the field in her D-Gazer equivalent. Sure enough, the odd black-framed card was listed as "Rank 4", not "Level 4". "Where's its Level?"
"They don't have Levels." Takashi spoke up. "Xyz Monsters can't be affected by Level-related support, and they can't be used for Synchro Summons, either. To summarize, they're in a niche all their own."
"Doesn't seem very impressive, especially since I've seen Level 6 or 7 Synchros with more Attack Points, for fewer required Levels to boot." Itsu said offhandedly.
"You won't be saying that for long, Itsu! Maestroke no kouka hatsudo!" The Fiend slashed one of his Overlay Units with his rapier.
Maestroke: 1 Overlay Unit
"Most Xyz Monsters use Overlay Units to use their effects." Yuma explained. "In Maestroke's case, by using an Overlay Unit, I can switch an Attack Mode monster you control to face-down Defense Mode!" Maestroke pointed his rapier at Junk Warrior and fired a purple laser beam from it, striking Junk Warrior and reverting him to card form.
"Hmm…" Itsu breathed, clearly studying her opponent.
"Maestroke, attack the face-down Junk Warrior!" Yuma ordered. Maestroke charged forward, Junk Warrior flipping face-up again, only for the Fiend to barrage him with rapier thrusts before giving a final finishing blow, piercing its body and obliterating him.
"Nice move, Yuma. Too bad I saw it coming." Itsu said, swiping her arm. "Trap Card, Miracle's Wake, hatsudo. This card lets me Special Summon a monster from my Graveyard that was destroyed by battle this turn. So who do you think's coming back?" A purple portal opened up with a beacon of sparkling light billowing from it. "Yomigaere, Junk Warrior!" The purple warrior returned from the portal, crossing his arms with a flash of his eyes.
Junk Warrior ATK:2300
"I should've seen THAT coming." Yuma mused. "Kaado ni mai settei. Turn end!" Two face-downs emerged on his field.
"Impressive start from Itsu." Cathy mused. "Yuma'd better be on his best game for this."
"Boku no turn! Draw!" Itsu drew her card. "Since I control a Warrior-Type monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand. Ideyo, Tune-Up Synchron!" A little mechanical chibi popped into existence, an oil and grease-stained baseball cap, too dirty to tell what kind of cap it was, on its head. It had welding goggles and overalls on, but both arms were cords ending in clamps, one black and one red, with a battery on the chibi's back.
Tune-Up Synchron: Lv.1 EARTH Warrior/Tuner ATK:100/DEF:300
"Level Eater no kouka hatsudo!" Out of nowhere, something shot right through Junk Warrior, not actually damaging it. "By reducing Junk Warrior's Level by 1, I can Special Summon Level Eater from my Graveyard!" The being was a small ladybug, a yellow star appearing on its plain red back.
Level Eater: Lv.1 DARK Insect ATK:600/DEF:0
Junk Warrior: Lv.4
"Furthermore, Tune-Up Synchron no kouka hatsudo!" The little Synchron's clamps reached over to Level Eater and hooked up to its antennae. "Once per turn, I can target 1 monster I control and give it a boost of up to 3 Levels! So thanks to it, Level Eater becomes Level 4!" The cords suddenly sent electricity into the receiving insect, caused the big star on the ladybug's back to morph into four smaller stars.
Level Eater: Lv.4
Itsu's eyes seemed to flash. "Boku wa Reberu Yon no Level Eater ni Reberu Ichi no Tune-Up Synchron o Tyuningu!" Tune-Up Synchron's battery revved into overdrive, causing it to turn into four Level Stars that became Synchro Rings. "Two branching paths run alongside each other!" Level Eater flew through the Rings, becoming an outline with four Level Stars that lined up. "Make use of what others have left behind across time and space!" A green light shone through the Rings. "Shinkuro Shoukan!" Flying out of the light was a clear cousin of Junk Warrior, clad in dented, dirtied maroon armor and possessing a stylized welding mask on a grey face with a bandanna obscuring the rest. However, instead of an oversized arm, there were two additional pairs of arms coming out of its shoulder sections, both of them rusted and mechanical, showing their hydraulics. Each one had a tool chuck that had a different tool. The mechanical arms menaced as he stood there, his true arms crossed. "Arawareyo, Gadget Warrior!"
Gadget Warrior: Lv.5 DARK Warrior/Synchro ATK:2300/DEF:1400
"Khhh… Not another one." Yuma groaned.
"Get used to 'em, kid. I use a lot of these things." Itsu said with a smile. "Gadget Warrior no kouka hatsudo!" Itsu held up Junk Synchron and Doppelwarrior. "Once per turn, by returning two Warrior-Type monsters from my Graveyard to my Deck, one card on your field is destroyed! Reuse Reduce!" Gadget Warrior's two regular arms reached out, entering a pair of purple vortexes that had appeared to either side, and withdrew part of Junk Synchron's engine block, and part of Doppelwarrior's weapon. With a flurry of motions, the mechanical arms dove into the parts, quickly crafting some sort of device that Gadget Warrior threw at Yuma, taking out his facedown in an explosion of junk as the device detonated.
'I guess it's a good thing I didn't need that one yet.' Yuma thought.
"And don't forget, Yuma: I still haven't Normal Summoned yet. Synchron Explorer, Shoukan!" This monster was a maroon robot with a rotund torso, a gaping hole in said torso with only blackness visible within.
Synchron Explorer: Lv.2 EARTH Machine ATK:0/DEF:700
"When Synchron Explorer is Normal Summoned, I can pick any Synchron monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it back to my side of the field, but with its effects negated." The hole in Explorer's torso began to glow before it changed into some sort of portal. "Come on back, Tune-Up Synchron!" The odd Tuner Monster returned to the field, but it seemed rather rusty and had been through better times.
"Another one already?!" Yuma cried.
Itsu let out a hearty laugh. "I warned you that I had a competitive streak, Yuma! There's no way I'm gonna lose! Boku wa Reberu Ni no Synchron Explorer ni Reberu Ichi no Tune-Up Synchron o Tyuningu!" Tune-Up's battery short-circuited for a moment, but it managed to get in gear, turning it into a Level Star. "The parallel paths intertwine backwards and forwards!" The Star became a Synchro Ring, and Synchron Explorer flew through the Ring, becoming an outline with two Level Stars. "Maneuver swiftly through time and space!" Explorer's Level Stars lined up, and a green light shot through the Rings. "Shinkuro Shoukan!" With a roar of engines, a slender, sleek turquoise humanoid launched out of the array, landing in front of Itsu. It resembled a street racing car with a spoiler in the back and gull-wing doors for shoulder pads, as well as a helmet with a full face visor and winglets along the sides of the helmet. But its legs were powerful-looking engines, complete with exhaust tubing along the outer sides and ending in two sets of tires for each foot. "Ideyo, Drift Warrior!"
Drift Warrior: Lv.3 WIND Warrior/Synchro ATK:1800/DEF:1700
"Whoa… a Level 3 Synchro Monster?" An onlooker was amazed. "I didn't think they existed!"
"I've only seen one of those before. They're rare, but they can be deadly." Another onlooker said.
"Yeah, like Rank 1 Xyz Monsters." A third piped up. "I almost got stomped flat by one before."
"Her Deck possesses a great amount of speed… but purely for Synchro Summoning, it seems." Astral mused.
"What are you thinking, Astral?" Mia asked.
"I am not sure… but I feel that there is a weakness somewhere that Yuma can exploit. One of us, myself or Yuma, just needs to find it."
"Here I come, Yuma! Because of Drift Warrior's effect, it can attack you directly!" Itsu declared. The speedster of a warrior spun out as it quickly catapulted…off to the side? It was only then did the "drift" part of the monster come into play, doing a perfect maneuver to try and sideswipe Yuma while avoiding his monsters altogether. Itsu saw Yuma going for his facedown. "Don't even try it, Yuma! Drift Warrior no kouka hatsudo! Since I Synchro Summoned it with a Synchron Tuner Monster, you can't activate any cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step!" All of a sudden, Drift Warrior seemed to gain a boost of speed, blue flames exiting from his exhaust, sending him flying along the arc of the drift at ludicrous speeds and nailing Yuma from behind before he could even hit the activation button, knocking him to the ground.
Yuma LP:2200
"Let's kick it up a notch! Gadget Warrior, attack Maestroke! Gizmo Onslaught!" The stoic cyborg unleashed a lightning-fast set of thrusts with his mechanical arms, his regular arms still crossed against his chest.
Yuma, however, got to his Disk this time. "Trap, hatsudo! Half Unbreak!" Bubbles billowed out of the card, one of them encasing Maestroke and making the flurry bounce harmlessly off of the sphere.
"What now?" Itsu groaned.
"Half Unbreak prevents Maestroke from being destroyed by battle this turn." Yuma explained as he got back onto his feet. "And on top of that, any battle damage from battles with him is cut in half." The bubble wavered, but did not falter as Gadget Warrior backed off.
Yuma LP:1950
Itsu scrunched her face a bit. "Hmm. Well, damage is damage. Junk Warrior, attack Maestroke! Scrap Fist!" Junk Warrior rocketed forward, spiraling in the air before sticking out its fist, slamming it right against the bubble protecting Maestroke, only to get blown back harmlessly just like its comrade's attack.
Yuma LP:1700
"That's all I've got for now. Turn end." Itsu said. "Let's see what you can do, Yuma."
'Hopefully I can do SOMETHING.' Yuma thought. "Ore no turn! Draw!" He drew his card. "Okay, good one. Magic Card, Seven Store, hatsudo! By releasing an Xyz Monster I control, I can draw 1 card for it and 1 card for each of its Overlay Units." Maestroke turned glowing gold before becoming two orbs of gold energy, coating the top two cards of his Deck before he drew them. When he saw one of them, his eyes widened. 'I forgot I even had this card!' He smirked. "Magic Card, Onomatopaira, hatsudo!"
"Whoa, how long's it been since Yuma played that card?" Tetsuo wondered.
"By sending 1 card from my hand to the Graveyard, I can add up to 2 Zubaba, Gogogo, Gagaga, or Dododo monsters from my Deck to my hand, but none of them can have the same name." Yuma sent Tasuke Knight to his Graveyard, then picked his new monsters: Gagaga Mancer and Gogogo Giant. "Now I'm all set."
'Yuma.' Astral telepathically said to him.
'What's up, Astral?'
'Maybe you shouldn't use the Numbers against her. If she's already unfamiliar with Xyz Monsters as a whole, their power might be a bit overwhelming even in spite of her impressive Synchro Summoning. Not to mention Gadget Warrior's effect.'
Yuma smirked. 'I get Gadget Warrior, but are you sure you just don't want me to walk all over her because she's new to this?'
Astral raised an eyebrow. 'Oh, come on, Astral. I've seen you want Yuma to finish opponents quickly. He's rubbing off on you more than you thought, and you don't want to admit it.' Mia teased, making him blush.
'I have no clue what you mean…' He tried to deny.
"Helloooooo? Yuma?" Itsu piped up, getting their attention. "I get it. The scenery around here is really pretty. I myself kinda like the pastels and the funky shapes. But I'm pretty sure you've gotten used to it, right, kiddo?"
'I guess she can't see us.' Mia thought.
'Well, I'll humor you here, Astral.' Yuma told him. 'Let's see how she handles this comeback.' "Gogogo Giant, Shoukan!" One of the monsters he added, a thin brown-and-blue golem, emerged.
Gogogo Giant: Lv.4 EARTH Rock ATK:2000/DEF:0
"Gogogo Giant no kouka hatsudo! When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summmon Gogogo Golem from my Graveyard in Defense Mode!" A purple portal opened up, and Golem emerged, albeit with its colors changed and its arms crossed in front of it. "Then, Gogogo Giant is switched to Defense Mode, too." The thinner Rock-Type knelt down and crossed its arms.
"So… What good does that do?" Itsu asked, only to immediately regret her word choice. "Oh, don't tell me…"
"You're getting it now." Yuma said with a smirk. "Ore wa Reberu Yon no Gogogo Golem to Gogogo Giant de Obarei!" Both his monsters turned fully orange before spiraling into the air. "Ni tai no monsuta de, Obarei Netwaaku kochiku!" A red spiral portal opened up, and both his monsters sailed inside. "Ekushiizu Shoukan!" A low whirring was heard as a large monster rose from the portal. Part of it looked like Gogogo Golem, but this was only the torso, and it had an opening with two small guns, like a castle tower, but they also imitated eyes. Parts of blue armor were attached to this torso, connecting it to two huge arms and legs made of dull reddish metal, the limbs having more parts of blue armor. Two massive cylinders were attached to its back. "Arawareyo… Gogogo Goliath!" On top of it was a blue metal frame with three more guns and a red light on top. Steam came out of the parts of its body while two orange Overlay Units orbited it.
Gogogo Goliath: Rank 4 EARTH Rock/Xyz ATK:2400/DEF:1200 2 Overlay Units
Itsu whistled. "OK. Color me impressed."
"Gogogo Goliath no kouka hatsudo!" One of the Overlay Units was absorbed into the light on top, which shined. "By using an Overlay Unit, I can add a Gogogo monster from my Graveyard to my hand." He picked the just-detached Gogogo Golem, placing it in his hand. "But now, Magic Card, Giant Hunter, hatsudo!" A massive silhouette loomed over Goliath. "With this card, you can't activate any Magic or Trap Cards until the end of the Battle Phase if Gogogo Goliath attacks!" Yuma pointed forward. "Gogogo Goliath, attack Drift Warrior!" The monster slowly pointed a huge fist at the warrior, then in the blink of an eye, it was suddenly fired from its socket like a missile. The missile slammed into Drift Warrior, who tried to hold it off, but electricity began to crackle from its body.
Drift Warrior ATK:900
"Hey, what the?" Itsu cried. The rocket punch finally overwhelmed Drift Warrior, knocking it clean into the air and sending it flying, the warrior exploding when it impacted the ground. "How did you do that?"
Itsu LP:2500
"It's part of Giant Hunter's effect." Yuma told her. "Since you have more Life Points than me, your monster's Attack Points were cut in half during the Battle Phase."
'Huh. He's using my own shtick against me.' Itsu thought to herself. 'I had Defense Draw ready to go for anything bad, but then he comes out with not only a Trap blocker, but a Trap blocker that lets him damage me even more! This is actually getting challenging.'
"Kaado ichi mai settei. Turn end!" Yuma's facedown emerged.
"Boku no… turn!" Itsu drew her card. She then checked her computer again. 'Kuso… Still not enough energy!' She sighed. 'Looks like I have to wheel out the big guns.' Putting the computer away, Itsu's face became stern.
"Eh?" Yuma wondered.
"What's wrong, Itsu?" Kotori asked.
"Yuma… You're facing my true power now." Itsu told him, her cheerfulness mostly gone now. "Magic Card, Reinforcement of the Army, hatsudo. This card lets me add a Level 4 or below Warrior-Type monster from my Deck to my hand." A card slid out from her Deck, which she grabbed and immediately played. "Graceful Warrior, Shoukan." A beautiful feminine angel of a warrior descended from on high, clad in gold and bronze armor resembling both her fellow Synchro Warriors and those of Roman or Greek soldiers, but also draped in white robes, like a toga. These robes also formed her pure white wings behind her.
Graceful Warrior: Lv.4 LIGHT Warrior ATK:1800/DEF:100
"Graceful Warrior no kouka hatsudo! Valkyrie's Mercy!" The angel reached out, and Tune-Up Synchron's ghost, card and all floated from Itsu's Graveyard and back into her hand."When Normal or Special Summoned, I can add a Level 4 or below Warrior-Type monster from my Graveyard to my hand. And since I control a Warrior-Type monster, Tune-Up Synchron, Tokushu Shoukan." Her odd Tuner returned to the field, beside the heavenly warrior.
Tune-Up Synchron: Lv.1 EARTH Warrior/Tuner ATK:100/DEF:300
"Tune-Up Synchron no kouka hatsudo. Junk Warrior's Level is increased by 1." Once more, the snake-like cables stretched across the field to clamp onto Junk Warrior's booster pack, then zapped him comically, making the thrusters flare.
Junk Warrior: Lv.5
"Boku wa, Reberu Yon no Graceful Warrior ni Reberu Ichi no Tune-Up Synchron o Tyuningu!" Tune-Up Synchron revved up its battery before becoming a Level Star, but this time, the star transformed into a golden Synchro Ring. "The paths lead to nowhere, so find a point where they come close!" Graceful Warrior entered the ring, becoming an outline with four Level Stars, but rather than line up, the stars turned golden as well. "Bring us to a new type of speed through time and space!" The array of ring and stars glowed brightly before exploding outwards. "Shinkuro Shoukan!" From the light, a new monster leapt up into the air, its red-and-white vehicle-like body gleaming from the light, visible wheels on its body revving with an engine. "Arawareyo… Synchro Tuner Monster!" The monster turned around, its blue eyes flashing. "Accel Synchron!" Accel Synchron backflipped in the air before striking a pose.
Accel Synchron: Lv.5 DARK Machine/Synchro/Tuner ATK:500/DEF:2100
"B-Bakana!" Yuma cried.
"Synchro Tuner Monster…?!" Kotori breathed, dumbfounded.
Astral was as shocked as they were. "Astral… What is that?" Mia asked, a little nervous.
"I have only seen this once before…" Astral breathed. "During our battle against Zaman… We witnessed the Synchro Summon of a Synchro Tuner Monster… by Yusei Fudo, a Dueling legend. I thought it was a power that was unique to him…"
"Apparently not!" Yuma chimed in.
"Gadget Warrior no kouka hatsudo." Itsu held up Graceful Warrior and Tune-Up Synchron. "By returning these two monsters from my Graveyard to my Deck, your facedown is destroyed." Gadget Warrior reached into the reformed portals again, and pulled out Tune-Up Synchron's battery and cords, as well as some of Graceful Warrior's metal armor. It quickly made a makeshift electrical bola, and flung the improvised weapon at Maestroke, wrapping him up before electrocuting him into destruction. "The effects of your Xyz Monsters are powerful, but they are limited due to their Xyz Materials." Itsu explained, giving an observation. "So long as long as I have Warriors to recycle, I can use Gadget Warrior's effect as many times as I want."
"Trap Card, Xyz Reborn, hatsudo!" Yuma flipped his facedown in response. "This card Special Summons an Xyz Monster from my Graveyard, then attaches itself to it as an Overlay Unit!" A purple portal opened up. "Yomigaere, Maestroke!" The Symphony Devil emerged from the portal, then the Trap morphed into a purple Overlay Unit and orbited it.
Maestroke: 1 Overlay Unit (Defense Mode)
"You might be right, but Synchro Monsters are flashy and require a lot of skill to use, and they can be pretty cheap." Yuma countered. "Xyz Monsters are more general purpose, and can fit into a variety of Decks. My Deck isn't specialized at all, but yours is specifically designed to churn out Synchros, and yet I'm still putting up a good fight."
"It's what I'm hoping for." Itsu said. "Your Xyz Summons have been generating energy throughout the Duel, which is what I need."
"What for?" Yuma asked. "I get that there are some things that would take too long for us to understand, but I think we should at least get some answers."
Itsu sighed. "I guess it's time I showed you." She thrust her arm upwards. "Boku wa Reberu Go no Junk Warrior ni Reberu Go no Accel Synchron o… Shinkuro Tyuningu (Synchro Tuning)!" Accel Synchron revved up its engine before morphing into five Level Stars, which became Synchro Summon Rings. "Release all of your might to forge a new path between the old paths!" However, when they lined up, a wave of green light washed over everywhere, tinting the area. "Bring about a legacy of clustering wishes across all of time and space!" Junk Warrior flew through the Rings, becoming an outline with five Level Stars that lined up, then a green light shone through the Rings. "Akuseru Shinkuro Shoukan (Accel Synchro Summon)!" Glittering stars shone through a brightened area, then a metallic white wing with glowing blue areas spread outward, followed by a white, light blue, and gold metal arm appearing. The arm was attached to a large metal warrior not unlike the rest of Itsu's Deck, but something was more notable: The white coloration, the blue spheres on its chest, the wings, and the horned shape of the helmet where indicative of a very famous and familiar dragon. "Arawareyo… Stardust Warrior!" The monster curled up before straightening its body with a loud yell, sending out small stars everywhere.
Stardust Warrior: Lv.10 WIND Warrior/Synchro ATK:3000/DEF:2500
Everyone around was completely stunned at what happened, staring in awe of this grand warrior. "Whoa…" "It's beautiful…" "That power…" Some of the bystanders were saying.
"Accel Synchro Summon…" Astral breathed. "She truly does have the same power as Yusei Fudo."
"Not only that, that monster even LOOKS like Stardust Dragon!" Yuma said. "Look at the color, the head, the wings!"
"How on Earth did she get such a card, Ura?" Tokunosuke wondered.
"Tokunosuke's right, Itsu. You said you'd show us why you're acting like this now." Yuma said. "But now it's time to start talking."
"…Fine." Itsu said after sighing, facing Yuma. "To start things off, this monster's resemblance to Stardust Dragon is no coincidence. My true name… is Itsu Fudo. I am the daughter of Yusei and Akiza Fudo."
"EHHHH?!" Everyone cried.
"Okay, hold it right there!" Cathy said with her hands up. "There is no way you can be Yusei and Akiza Fudo's daughter. I saw the news article. Their first and so far only child is a boy, and he turned four a month ago."
"Oh yeah, I saw that one, too." Takashi said.
"I'm from a different universe from this one." Itsu explained. She then grasped her amulet. "My amulet allows me to travel to different universes… but I had to pay a terrible price to get it." She looked down, not wanting to face her opponent. "I'm still paying it to this day."
Yuma gulped. "And I thought my life was rough as it is."
"You don't have a clue what I've seen. I've gone through a lot to be able to keep a smile on my face." Itsu told him, looking up at him. Her eyes, previously full of youthful energy, now showed their years. "I'm not the 'You know nothing' kind of person, though. You look like you've gone through hell yourself."
"Believe me, for me, the stuff I've been through is horrible." Yuma said. "But I know that it's probably nothing like what you've gone through if you've gone through multiple universes."
"So how do you stay positive, Yuma?"
"I just remember that everything I go through is something to make me stronger. Kattobingu: The will to overcome any challenge." Yuma gripped the Key. "As long as I never give up, I can't lose."
Itsu stared at him for a moment, then nodded. "Solid words. But let's see if you can beat me. The reason I Dueled you is because my amulet needs Duel Energy to be recharged. You've been generating a lot so far, but to get the amount I need, I had to get serious, so…" She took a breath, closed her eyes, exhaled, and gave him a newly confident look, her eyes back to being full of spirit. "Here I come, Yuma! Stardust Warrior, attack Maestroke!" Stardust Warrior converted its left arm into a cannon and pointed it at Yuma, charging energy from wisps of light that came from thin air. "Clustered…Wishes… CANNON!" With a flash of energy, a massive beam of sparkling energy burst from the cannon, barreling toward Maestroke.
"Maestroke no kouka hatsudo!" Yuma cried. Maestroke struck his Overlay Unit with his rapier, coating it with a purple glow, before he then stuck it right in the path of the incoming attack, causing it to be deflected in all directions in a spectacular fashion. "By using an Overlay Unit, Maestroke can keep himself from being destroyed!"
Maestroke: 0 Overlay Units
"Good to know you're still fighting hard, Yuma." Itsu said, allowing herself a small smile, back to her previous self. "If you're not giving your all now, I suggest you start. Turn end!"
Yuma glanced at Astral, who nodded. "You want my all, Itsu? You got it."
"That sounded so wrong for this scenario." Mia commented, making Yuma sweatdrop.
"Ore no turn! Draw!" Yuma drew his card. "Gagaga Mancer, Shoukan!" Out of a flurry of blue petals, a silver-haired, dark-clad woman emerged, her eyes covered by both her hair and some sort of metal instrument, carrying a purple sword whose hilt was an ankh with the Gagaga symbol within.
Gagaga Mancer: Lv.4 DARK Spellcaster ATK:100/DEF:100
"Gagaga Mancer no kouka hatsudo!" Mancer held her sword hilt upward, causing the ankh to shine. "Once per turn, I can Special Summon a Gagaga monster from my Graveyard! Arawareyo, Gagaga Magician!" A purple portal opened up, and Gagaga Magician rose from it.
Gagaga Magician: Lv.4 DARK Spellcaster ATK:1500/DEF:1000
"Ore wa, Reberu Yon no Gagaga Magician to Gagaga Mancer de Obarei!" Both of Yuma's monsters turned fully purple before shooting into the air. "Ni tai no monsuta de, Obarei Netwaaku kochiku!" Another red spiral portal opened up, and both his monsters sailed inside. "Ekushiizu Shoukan!" His monster emerged as a blue-haired humanoid dressed in cowboy gear, complete with hat. A cape flowed behind him, and he wore the Gagaga symbol around his neck. "Arawareyo, Gagaga Gunman!" He pulled out two pistols and twirled them before pointing them forward, two orange Overlay Units circling him.
Gagaga Gunman: Rank 4 EARTH Warrior/Xyz ATK:1500/DEF:2400 2 Overlay Units
"Stardust Warrior no kouka hatsudo!" Itsu cut in.
"Nani?"
Warrior's wings began to shine. "You remember Dad's monster right? How he could stop the destruction of cards by releasing it? Well, don't think that my Stardust Warrior's resemblance is just aesthetics! During either player's turn, if you would Special Summon a monster, I can release Stardust Warrior to negate that Summon and destroy that monster! Stardust Shift!" Stardust Warrior shot into the air, pulling a loop-de-loop while morphing into a dragon of energy, shooting toward Gunman and slamming into him, causing them both to explode with scattering stars.
"Oh, man… Now she can counter whatever Yuma throws at her!" Tetsuo groaned.
Yuma, however, was smirking. "Only once a turn, though."
"Huh?" Itsu asked.
"Magic Card, Monster Reborn, hatsudo!" A purple portal opened up, familiar blue rose petals coming from them. "Yomigaere, Gagaga Mancer!" The dark-clad swordsman returned, a blue rose in her mouth. "Gagaga Mancer no kouka hatsudo! Yomigaere, Gagaga Magician!" Mancer created another purple portal, which Magician emerged from. "Ore wa Reberu Yon no Gagaga Magician to Gagaga Mancer de Obarei!" In what some might call déjà vu, the two monsters turned fully purple before spiraling into the air. This time, a galaxy portal opened up, and both his monsters sailed inside. "Ni tai no monsuta de, Obarei Netwaaku kochiku! Ekushiizu Shoukan!" A burst of light occurred. "Arawareyo, Nanbaazu Sanjuukyuu! Kibou Ou Hope!"
The number "39" formed and flashed in red, and Hope's sealed form arose from a dark cloud. The gold and silver wings folded out and extended while the main body formed. Hope brandished his sword before docking it, and let out a cry of "HOPE!", its yellow Overlay Units circling it.
Number 39: Aspiring Emperor Hope: Rank 4 LIGHT Warrior/Xyz ATK:2500/DEF:2000 2 Overlay Units
"You sneaky little bastard!" Itsu said, her smile wide and her voice chipper again. "It takes cunning for a combo like that! I'll give you props for pulling a fast one on me!"
"I used to be a dim bulb, but going through life requires learning stuff." Yuma replied. "I switch Maestroke to Attack Mode!" The Fiend got to his feet, swiping his rapier. "Time to take the lead! Gogogo Goliath, attack Gadget Warrior!" Gogogo Goliath launched its fist at Gadget Warrior, slamming into it. Because of Giant Hunter, Gadget Warrior was sapped of half its Attack Points before it was obliterated.
Itsu LP:1250
'Kuso! Not even Defense Draw can get me out of this!' Itsu thought.
"Time for the finish! Kibou Ou Hope, attack Itsu directly! Hope Sword Slash!" Hope drew his swords and charged forward.
'I guess I'll have to risk it!' "Trap, hatsudo! Defense Draw!" Itsu's top card glowed, and she drew it, creating a shield that stopped Hope's attack cold. "This card reduces the Battle Damage to 0… and lets me draw 1 card." She looked at her card and smiled. "I knew I could count on you."
"I don't like the sound of that, Yuma. It could be a trap." Mia said.
"Maybe… but it's a risk I'm willing to take!" Yuma said. "Maestroke, direct attack!" Maestroke shot forward, rapier at the ready.
"Swift Scarecrow no kouka hatsudo!" Itsu discarded the card she just drew, causing a mechanized scarecrow holding two sticks to rocket onto the field. "Because you attacked me directly, I can discard this card to negate your attack!" Scarecrow moved right into Maestroke's path, getting itself impaled by his rapier and obliterated. Itsu let out a breath. "Wow… That save was pure luck right there."
"I know that feel, Itsu." Yuma said. "Turn end!"
Itsu shook off her tension. "Since Stardust Warrior was released by its own effect, it returns to my field during the End Phase." Numerous stars gathered together, recreating Stardust Warrior's form. "Boku no turn! Draw!" She then drew her card and pulled out her computer. "That was a nice comeback, Yuma. I was right to Duel you. The energy readings are astounding!" She put away her computer. "Let's keep it flowing! Magic Card, Angel Baton, hatsudo! I can draw 2 cards and discard 1." Itsu drew her cards, then discarded Lonestar Warrior. "Magnetic Warrior, Shoukan!" A mechanical gunmetal-grey humanoid with a flat-topped helmet and a bulky, boxy frame appeared, an array of metal coils where its arms would be.
Magnetic Warrior: Lv.4 EARTH Warrior ATK:1500/DEF:1300
"Magnetic Warrior no kouka hatsudo!" The coils powered on with an audible hum, the air around them distorting. "Since I Normal Summoned it, I can Special Summon a Level 2 or lower Warrior or Machine-Type monster from my Deck." A card slid out from her Deck, which she grabbed. "Jet Synchron, Tokushu Shoukan!" All of a sudden, from behind a building, an object flew through the air, being pulled into one of Magnetic Warrior's coils. The object in question was a small white-and-blue jet turbine with a red-eyed head, small arms and legs, and the rest of the turbine giving off flames in the back. Magnetic Warrior promptly deactivated its magnetic coils to let the living engine settle down.
Jet Synchron: Lv.1 FIRE Machine/Tuner ATK:500/DEF:0
"Boku wa Reberu Yon no Magnetic Warrior ni Reberu Ichi no Jet Synchron o Tyuningu!" Jet Synchron revved up its turbine to full speed before morphing into a Level Star, which became a Synchro Summon Ring. "Travel down the path you forged!" Magnetic Warrior flew through the Ring, its Level Stars lining up. "Break the barriers across time and space!" A green light then shone through. "Shinkuro Shoukan! Ideyo, Jet Warrior!" …No monster came. The confused group looked around, trying to find out where it was, but saw nothing, even though they slowly began to hear the whine of a jet engine come in. Then…
BOOM!
A sonic boom (thankfully not loud enough to damage anyone's ears) blasted through the air, shattering the glass on all the AR buildings and blowing everyone's hair around. "WHOA!" Yuma cried. "Where the hell did that… come… from…?" His voice slowed down as he slowly began to realize that his field was one monster short. "Hope?" He looked around, but couldn't find his Number. "Hope!"
"Check your Extra Deck, Yuma." Itsu told him. Still confused, Yuma did what she said and realized that somehow, Hope was back in his Extra Deck.
"How the hell…?" Yuma wondered.
Itsu giggled as wind blowed around her, the jet engine being heard again. "It's Jet Warrior's effect. When it's Synchro Summoned, one card on your field is returned to your hand or Extra Deck." The source of the engine, and the missing monster, finally made itself known: A tall black, white, and gold warrior, having jet wings for shoulders that had mini-turbines, a main jet engine on its back, its eyes being yellow.
Jet Warrior: Lv.5 FIRE Warrior/Synchro ATK:2100/DEF:1200
Yuma's eyes were still wide from the sonic boom, his heart racing from the shock. "I'll… give you some time to calm down, but I've still got a turn to go through. Jet Synchron no kouka hatsudo! Since I used it for a Synchro Summon, I can add a Junk monster from my Deck to my hand." She took the card that slid out from her Deck. "Junk Station no kouka hatsudo. By discarding it from my hand, I can add a Synchron Tuner Monster from my Deck to my hand." Tech Synchron was added as a shooting star flew across the sky above them, shedding smaller glittering fragments. "Jet Synchron no kouka hatsudo! By discarding the card I just got, I can Special Summon it from my Graveyard!" Tech Synchron went to the Graveyard, and Jet Synchron emerged from a purple portal. "Lonestar Warrior no kouka hatsudo! With Jet Synchron on my field, I can Special Summon it from my Graveyard!" Appearing from the Graveyard was a clear cousin of Quickdraw Synchron, a small mechanical figure with a giant ten-gallon cowboy hat, comically-sized spurred boots, and a blue body made up of a 5-light traffic light used at more complex intersections, skinny gloved arms twitching towards cute little revolvers while the lights remained red. But, while Lonestar Warrior has a single eye poking out from under its huge hat, the rest of its head was hidden by an enormous brown moustache.
Lonestar Warrior: Lv.1 LIGHT Warrior ATK:500/DEF:500
"Furthermore, once per turn, I can have Lonestar Warrior become any Level from 1 to 5!" The single eye of the cowboy locked at Yuma, then narrowed, ready for his owner's command. "I choose… Level 5! Draw!" With very little warning, the robotic cowboy had his pistols and fired off a quintet of shots from each of the revolvers, the lights on its chest blinking alive in turn until all five were green.
Lonestar Warrior: Lv.5
"Level Eater no kouka hatsudo! I reduce Jet Warrior's Level by 1 to Special Summon it from my Graveyard!" The ladybug from before shot through Jet Warrior, coming out with a yellow star on its back.
Level Eater: Lv.1 DARK Insect ATK:600/DEF:0
"Boku wa Reberu Go no Lonestar Warrior to Reberu Ichi no Level Eater ni Reberu Ichi no Jet Synchron o Tyuningu!" Jet Warrior revved up its engine again before morphing into a Level Star that became a Synchro Summon Ring. "Scour the wastes for those lost in time and space! Bring them back so they may fight once more towards victory!" The two other monsters flew through the Rings, their six Level Stars lining up before a green light shone through the Rings. "Shinkuro Shoukan!" Out of the array came a bulky-looking humanoid colored in flaking military olive drab paint combined with the orangish-brown of rust spots on his dented armor. While mechanical-looking like the rest of the Warriors, the major augmentation seemed to be his right arm, which was slender and yellow, with trussing like a crane's arm and even sporting a metal hook on the end, which was affixed by cables to a spool behind the right shoulder. His left hand held up a partially-rusted, dented shield big enough to cover most of his form. "Arawareyo, Tow Warrior!"
Tow Warrior: Lv.7 DARK Warrior/Synchro ATK:2200/DEF:2800
"Tow Warrior no kouka hatsudo!" The right arm creaked as the hook started to slowly extend into the ground, which rippled around it. "By banishing a Synchron Tuner Monster from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Warrior Synchro Monster from my Graveyard! Yomigaere, Junk Warrior!" The winching stopped when Tow Warrior caught something, and used his more muscular left arm to hold his right arm straight as he started hauling something out of the ground, revealing it to be Junk Warrior, who reactivated, unhooked himself, and floated over to take an empty spot on Itsu's field.
Junk Warrior: Lv.5 DARK Warrior/Synchro ATK:2300/DEF:1300
"Four Synchro Monsters at the same time…" Kotori breathed.
"Unbelievable…" Mia said.
Itsu giggled, then let out a hearty laugh. "Wow! I've never been pushed to this limit before! I gotta say, Yuma, you're one of the better opponents I've had!" Yuma rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "But sadly, good things must come to an end. Junk Warrior, attack Maestroke!" Junk Warrior readied his fist before rocketing into the air. "Quick-Play Magic, Scrap Fist, hatsudo!" Junk Warrior's fist became golden as he loop-de-looped and charged toward Maestroke. "With this card, not only can you not activate any cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step, but the battle damage from this battle is doubled!" With a final push, Junk Warrior slammed his empowered fist into Maestroke's stomach, knocking the wind clean out of him before obliterating him.
"Whaaaaaa!" Yuma cried as he was thrown back from the attack, landing on the ground.
Yuma LP:700
"Ooh… You all right, Yuma?" Itsu called.
"I've been through worse!" Yuma called back.
"Good, because my turn's not done!" Itsu declared. "Stardust Warrior, attack Gogogo Goliath!" Stardust Warrior activated its cannon and pointed it at Goliath, charging energy. "Clustered Wishes Cannon!" Another blast of sparkling energy fired from the cannon.
Yuma, however, leapt back to his feet. "Tasuke Knight no kouka hatsudo!" From a purple portal, a bulky red, black, and gold warrior with a sword docked on his back leapt onto the field. "Since I have no cards in my hand, I can Special Summon Tasuke Knight from my Graveyard and end the Battle Phase!" Tasuke Knight then leapt right in front of Gogogo Goliath and pushed its open hands forward, the hands enlarging to a size that allowed them to completely block the attack, the energy stream dissipating after struggling against the hands for a bit, the hands returning to normal size afterwards.
Tasuke Knight: Lv.4 LIGHT Warrior ATK:1700/DEF:100
"You really are stubborn, aren't you, Yuma?" Itsu asked. "I like that in an opponent. But you're facing a heck of a fighting force, so you'd better hope you get something good! Turn end!"
"Taskue Tagger no kouka hatsudo!" Yuma suddenly cried. "Since I have no cards in my hand during the End Phase, I can Special Summon it from my Deck!" From above, a small humanoid monster clad in blue-and-gold armor, resembling some type of monkey, backflipped numerous times before landing next to Tasuke Knight. It held its hand toward its comrade, who met it in a high-five.
Tasuke Tagger: Lv.4 EARTH Warrior ATK:1100/DEF:1000
'He's already set up for Hope again!' Itsu realized.
"Ore no turn! Draw!" Yuma drew his card. "Ore wa Reberu Yon no Tasuke Knight to Tasuke Tagger de Obarei!" His two monsters turned fully yellow and orange before spiraling into the air. "Ni tai no monsuta de, Obarei Netwaaku kochiku!" A galaxy portal opened up, and both his monsters sailed inside. "Ekushiizu Shoukan!" A burst of light erupted from the portal.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Itsu cried. "Stardust Warrior no kouka hatsudo! I release it to negate the Special Summon of Number 39: Kibou Ou Hope!" Stardust Warrior loop-de-looped while morphing into a dragon of energy, then it shot toward the forming monster.
However, Yuma grinned. "Arawareyo, Nanbaazu Juusan! Suki Joou Love!"
"NANI?!"
Out of the portal, Hope's lover and partner emerged, twirling her staff. "Not today, sweetheart." She said before charging right toward Stardust Warrior, taking the hit like a badass yet being obliterated.
"Sucker right in the trap, ura!" Tokunosuke chirped.
"Awesome, Yuma!" Cathy cheered.
Itsu was dumbfounded. "So, when I first saw that 39 card, I assumed by 'Number' that they were pretty rare, but now you show me that you have more than one of those things?!"
"More than one? I have dozens!" Yuma told her, making her jaw drop. "And they're all different Ranks and Materials, too, but I only need one to win! Magic Card, Gagagarevenge, hatsudo!" A strange coffin marked with the Gagaga symbol emerged from the ground. "This card lets me Special Summon Gagaga Magician from my Graveyard!" The coffin emerged to reveal Gagaga Magician, who leapt onto the field.
Gagaga Magician: Lv.4 DARK Spellcaster ATK:1500/DEF:1000
"Gogogo Golem, Shoukan!" His signature Rock-Type monster returned to the field.
Gogogo Golem: Lv.4 EARTH Rock ATK:1800/DEF:1500
The Emperor's Key flashed, and Yuma and Astral gave each other a nod. "Ore wa Reberu Yon no Gagaga Magician to Gogogo Golem de Obarei!" His two monsters turned fully purple and orange before spiraling into the air. "Ni tai no monsuta de, Obarei Netwaaku kochiku!" Another galaxy portal opened, and both monsters sailed inside. "Ekushiizu Shoukan!" A burst of light erupted from the portal. "Arawareyo, Nanbaazu Sanjuukyuu: Kibou Ou Hope!" With a flash of his red "39", Hope reformed from his sealed form before giving off a cry of "HOPE!"
Number 39: Aspiring Emperor Hope: Rank 4 LIGHT Warrior/Xyz ATK:2500/DEF:2000 2 Overlay Units
"Ugh…I really shouldn't have jumped the gun!" Itsu said.
"And to think, I still have one more trick up my sleeve." Yuma said, confusing her. "The minute you intercepted the wrong Xyz Summon, I had you beat, Itsu!"
"You what?!"
"Hope, time to evolve!" Yuma and Astral said together. Hope retracted into his sealed form before being absorbed into another galaxy portal. "Chaos Xyz Change! Arawareyo, Kaosu Nanbazu Sanjuukyuu (Chaos Number 39)! Kibou Ou Hope Ray!"
The number "39" formed and flashed in red, but suddenly became murky-textured. The black-and-gold sealed form arose in the darkness, then began changing its form. Its wings unfolded as the black-armored warrior took a stance, a single yellow Overlay Unit circling it.
Chaos Number 39: Aspiring Emperor Hope Ray: Rank 4 LIGHT Warrior/Xyz ATK:2500/DEF:2000 3 Overlay Units
Itsu backstepped. "Ch-Chaos… X-X-Xyz Ch-Change…?" She stammered in a quiet voice, clearly shaken, yet still transfixed by what was happening in front of her.
"Just like Synchro Monsters, Xyz Monsters can evolve." Yuma told her. "Synchro Monsters have Accel Synchro… and Xyz Monsters have Xyz Change!" He pointed at Hope Ray. "Now you'll see it in action! Hope Ray no kouka hatsudo!" Hope Ray drew his large sword and absorbed all three Overlay Units. "By using an Overlay Unit, he gains 500 Attack Points for each one until the turn's end, and one monster you control loses 1000 Attack Points for each one, too! Overlay Charge!" Hope Ray's black armor turned white from the surge of power, while Junk Warrior groaned in pain.
Hope Ray ATK:4000 0 Overlay Units
Junk Warrior ATK:0
"What power…" Itsu breathed, utterly in awe.
"Kibou Ou Hope Ray! Attack Junk Warrior!" Hope Ray drew his smaller blades. "Hope Sword… CHAOS SLASH!" Hope Ray dashed forward and did a double slash, slicingJunk Warrior's wings clean off its body before then cleaving it directly in half with one slash of his large sword, obliterating it in a powerful explosion.
Itsu shielded herself from the force of the blast. "Crud…!" Her feet suddenly morphed into large metal blocks, anchoring her to the spot so the force didn't fling her back.
Yuma LP:700
Itsu LP:0 – LOSER
Yuma's face appeared with the word "WIN" as the buzzer blared, then the Augmented Reality began to vanish. Itsu's anchors retracted into her body as Yuma walked over to her, holding out a hand. "Awesome Duel, Itsu!"
Itsu saw his hand and shook it with a grin. "You bet it was! That Summon, uh… Xyz, was it, was so cool!" She chirped, before placing a finger to her amulet, which was now glowing with a faint green glow. "The energy from that last Summon was completely off the charts! In fact, I think it's time for me to show you all what this baby does!"
She gripped it, and closed her eyes to focus, causing the golden rings against the pendant to start to spin rapidly, sometimes changing directions. As this happened, the energy captured in the amulet started to release itself in the form of green sparks and lightning bolts that arced around the woman, one getting a bit close to Tetsuo's feet to cause him to recoil. But the building energy started to make space warp around Itsu, shimmering and rippling as if she was in the middle of intense heat.
"This is my curse, Yuma." Itsu explains, a bit of remorse in her voice. "I can visit anywhere in the multiverse through this amulet, but I am never allowed to choose my destination. Furthermore, the amount of energy released would kill a normal person, warping their body as they crossed the gulf between realities. My…improvements…let me endure such power and survive the trip to wherever I end up. I have seen worlds where Duel Monsters has doomed the world, and where it has saved it. I have seen this game played in space, in the sky, in massive battle royales. And I have even been to universes, far out in the infinite possibilities, where Duel Monsters doesn't even exist, or is simply a card game with a fictional TV show." She opens her eyes and smiles as she begins to be engulfed by the green light. "Yuma, I do hope we meet again someday." She replies with some enthusiasm. "Because I want to learn about these Xyz Monsters some more, and I am itching for a rematch!"
"You can bet on it, Itsu!" Yuma replied, shouting a bit at the fading woman, vibrations being felt and a faint thrumming growing louder and louder as the amulet prepared to catapult its wearer across time and space. "I'll try to be here if you return!"
She gave a salute with her free hand, and a flash of green light filled the group's field of vision, and when they could finally see again after the flare of the emerald sun had died, she was gone, with nothing left in her place to even indicate that she was there…
In the space between spaces, within a small pocket of reality that protected its occupant from the worst the void could offer, an emerald light died down, and Itsu floated weightlessly, watching the blurring of galaxies, galactic clusters, and other stellar events as she rushed along at mind-boggling speeds. 'Xyz Monsters…' She mused to herself, a slight smirk on her face. 'Monsters that utilize built-in resources, and are made from matching Levels to create Ranks. What will infinite possibility think of next? Monsters that can double as Spell Cards?' She shook her head slightly, accessing her internal systems to discover the cache of data she accumulated from that world. She half-heartedly sifted through the information picked up from her DAEMON programs, until she found something intriguing: the universe she just left had produced a German remake of House of Cards, with Christoph Waltz as the lead. THIS was going interesting to watch as she cued it up for an in-flight binge marathon.
She could wait to assimilate the data on Yuma's universe. It was a pretty big list of deviations. And it wasn't like she was going anywhere…in a manner of speaking.
She had time. It was her curse, and her blessing.
She would always have plenty of time.
Author-Made Cards
Tune-Up Synchron (Y-Tak)
Level 1 EARTH Warrior/Tuner
ATK:100/DEF:300
If you control a face-up Warrior-Type monster, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand). Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up monster you control; increase that target's Level by up to 3. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can add 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior-Type monster from your Deck to your hand.
Graceful Warrior (Y-Tak)
Level 4 LIGHT Warrior
ATK:1800/DEF:100
When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can target 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior-Type monster in your Graveyard; add that target to your hand. This effect of "Graceful Warrior" can only be activated once per turn. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior-Type monster from your hand.
Magnetic Warrior (Y-Tak)
Level 4 EARTH Warrior
ATK:1500/DEF:1300
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower Warrior or Machine-Type monster from your Deck.
Junk Station (Y-Tak)
Level 7 EARTH Machine
ATK:0/DEF:0
During your Main Phase: You can discard this card from your hand; Add 1 "Synchron" Tuner Monster from your Deck to your hand. This monster's Level counts as 2 while in the Graveyard.
Tech Synchron (Y-Tak)
Level 1 LIGHT Machine/Tuner
ATK:300/DEF:100
During either player's turn (except during the Damage Step): You can send this card from your hand to the Graveyard to target 1 Synchro Monster in your Graveyard that lists a "Synchron" monster as a Tuner; Special Summon that target. This effect of "Tech Synchron" can only be activated once per turn. During either player's turn (except during the Damage Step): You can banish this card from your Graveyard to target 1 face-up Synchro Monster you control that lists a "Synchron" monster as a Tuner; that target is unaffected by your opponent's card effects that designate a target.
Lonestar Warrior (Y-Tak)
Level 1 LIGHT Warrior
ATK:500/DEF:500
If you control a face-up "Synchron" Tuner monster while this card is in your Graveyard: You can Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. This effect of "Lonestar Warrior" can only be activated once per turn. Once per turn, during your Main Phase: You can declare a Level from 1 to 5; this card becomes that Level until the End Phase.
Tasuke Tagger
Level 4 EARTH Warrior
ATK:1100/DEF:1000
During the End Phase, if you have no cards in your hand: You can Special Summon this card from your Deck.
Gadget Warrior (Y-Tak)
Level 5 DARK Warrior/Synchro
ATK:2300/DEF:1400
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn: You can shuffle 2 Warrior-Type monsters from your Graveyard into your Main Deck to target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy the target. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: Add 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior-Type monster from your Deck to your hand
Drift Warrior (Y-Tak)
Level 3 WIND Warrior/Synchro
ATK:1800/DEF:1700
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
This monster can attack your opponent directly, but if it does, any Battle Damage this card inflicts to your opponent's LP becomes the original ATK of this card. If this monster was Synchro Summoned using a "Synchron" Tuner monster, it gains the following effect:
● If this card attacks your opponent directly, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step.
Tow Warrior (Y-Tak)
Level 7 DARK Warrior/Synchro
ATK:2200/DEF:2800
1 "Synchron" Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can target 1 "Synchron" Tuner monster and 1 "Warrior" Synchro Monster in your Graveyard; banish the first target, then Special Summon the second target, but its effects are negated, also banish it when it leaves the field. When this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: You can target 1 Level 2 or lower monster in your Graveyard; add it to your hand. You can only use 1 "Tow Warrior" effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Number 13: Devoted Empress Love (TCG: Number 13: Paradise)
Rank 4 LIGHT Spellcaster/Xyz
ATK:2400/DEF:1600
2 Level 4 monsters
If a "Number 39: Aspiring Emperor Hope" on the field would activate an effect by detaching an Xyz Material(s), you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card instead of 1 of those Xyz Materials. You can target 1 "Number 39: Aspiring Emperor Hope" you control with no Xyz Material; equip this monster you control to that target. (Xyz Materials attached to this card are also attached to the equipped monster as Xyz Materials.) The equipped monster's effects are negated, it cannot be destroyed by battle, also its control cannot switch.
Y-Tak: Good thing, unlike your fanfics, roleplaying's a bit more flexible in terms of continuity. Isn't that right, Itsu?
Itsu: *laughs* Christoph Waltz just shoved someone into the path of an oncoming train! Classic House of Cards!
Y-Tak: ...Anyways... We really tried to make sure we showed off as much of both characters' decks as we could. I always try, in my Yu-Gi-Oh! stuff, to use cards that already exist, and the only card made for this was a Synchro I had wanted to make for a while: Tow Warrior.
Vile: Yet you still used more fanon cards than I did. Then again, I suppose that's what happens when someone *points to myself* doesn't think too much about the metagame.
Y-Tak: Anyways, even though things got seriously botched on my end, I do hope we'll have another collaboration. Maybe on an original project...maybe on something else...
Vile: It's all about the right opportunity, Y-Tak. I can't say for certain if it'll hit, but you'll know when it does. ;) But for now, it's time to sign out. If you guys liked this story, leave a review for me! I've been working on something else in the meantime, so hopefully this'll keep you all calm until then! Ja ne for now! *warps out*
Y-Tak:...Vile...Hello...Anyone...?
Vile: *reaches through a dimension portal* Come on, slowpoke. *pulls Y-Tak through the portal*
Computer Voice: Vile, logging out.