"Ahem, Chloe I'm over here." Scott cleared his throat, his daughter gulped before turning around and facing her dad, just then the TV screen above them switched to a pair of security guards.
"Hi folks, we'll be your commentators for the evening, I'm Bob." The first guard said and the duellists sweat-dropped.
"And I'm Bill." Bob's co-announcer announced. "Seems we have an intergenerational match to start things off this year Bob."
"That's right, Duel Academy's Chloe Richardson is taking on her father Scott who has come out of retirement for the tournament." Bob said with a smile. "He's a twenty year veteran who has never really hit the big time and he runs an Ancient Gear deck, what about Chloe Bob?"
"Well she's the only Osiris Red student among the Duel Academy students here today, scored an above average score on her test exam and has only been duelling for two months." Bob read out the stats and as he did a progressively bigger sweat-drop appeared on his head. "Oh dear, this is not going to be pretty."
"Oh great, as if things weren't bad enough!" Chloe thought...only to blink as the crowd started chanting her name. "Err, what the?"
"Seems the crowd likes an underdog Chloe." Scott chuckled, Chloe smiled finding new confidence in that fact and turned to face her dad. "I'm ready when you are." Scott added as both duellists drew their opening hands. "I'll let you go first." Scott announced and Chloe drew another card...only for her eyes to go as wide as dinner plates when she took one look at her hand.
"Shit, shit, shit, shit, there isn't a single monster I can summon, trap I can set or spell I can play!" Chloe thought as she started sweating bullets again, her hand consisted of her two more powerful Silent Swordsman cards, Cybernetic Magician, Magical Marionette, Chaos Command Magician and her newly drawn Gilford The Lightning. "This is bad, this is bad, this is bad."
"Err, Chloe are you going to make your move sometime today?" Scott eventually asked and Chloe looked up from her hand, she eventually sighed in resignation.
"There's nothing I can do, I have to pass." Chloe admitted causing everyone who had been cheering for her a second ago to face-fault.
"Tell me I didn't just hear those words come out of her mouth." Lance said as he facepalmed.
"You did." Theresa said with a wince. "And if her dad is as good as she told me he was than this will not be easy to watch."
"How can you say that Theresa?" Otto said as he relaxed against a wall. "You must enjoy watching Osiris Red students be put in there place."
"Otto, I'm only going to say this once." Theresa said with a scowl. "Shut...the...fuck...up!"
"How did this girl beat Damien and Robert again?" Karen thought as she watched her panic, frowning Scott drew his card.
"Very well, I start by activating the Continuous Spell Card Ancient Gear Castle!" Scott played the card and a large ancient castle appeared on the field, it was heavily fortified. "Now as long as this card remains on the field..."
"Dad, you've used this card against me enough times for me to know what it does like the back of my hand." Chloe pointed out before folding her arms. "As long as it's on the field each of your Ancient Gear Monsters will gain three hundred attack points and each time a monster is normal summoned or set it'll get a Spell Counter."
"Well remembered." Scott complemented her. "But do you remember what the Spell Counters do?" Scott asked.
"Hey this a duel, not a pop quiz!" Mike called from the sidelines.
"For her it's both." Scott thought. "Well in that case I start with the mighty Ancient Gear Knight in attack mode!" Scott played the card and a mechanical looking knight appeared on the field, it was wielding a lance and a large shield in the shape of a gear (4/1800/500) and thanks to the effect of Ancient Gear Castle it's attack rose to 2100 and the castle gained it's first counter.
"I can't watch!" Marcus exclaimed the sidelines.
"Ancient Gear Knight, attack her life-points directly!" The monster charged forward and struck Chloe in the chest with it's lance.
C: 5900
S: 8000
"Ohhhh and Chloe's taken a nasty hit in her first turn Bob!" Bill winced as Chloe got up.
"CHLOE!" Maria shouted from where the teachers where sitting. "IF YOU LOSE AT THIS STAGE I'LL GIVE YOU DETENTION FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!" Chloe winced as she got up.
"That ends my turn." Scott announced as Ancient Gear Knight returned to his side of the field, Chloe drew her card and looked at it.
"Card Destruction? I haven't used this thing in ages." Chloe thought as she looked at the rest of her hand. "On the other hand this maybe my best chance." Chloe thought before activating it. "I activate the spell card I just drew Card Destruction." Scott frowned but discarded the four cards in his hand and Chloe discarded her entire hand and drew a new one, after sending Card Destruction to the graveyard she looked at her new hand and grinned. "This is much better!" Chloe thought as she picked up a card. "I start by summoning Blade Knight in attack mode!" Chloe played the card and the knight in light blue armour appeared on the field (4/1600/1000), Scott raised an eyebrow even as his castle gained another counter.
"But that thing's weaker than Ancient Gear Knight!" Mike pointed out.
"That is unless this girl plans on using Blade Knight's effect." Kaiba thought as he watched the duel.
"Now I set four cards facedown." Chloe set the four cards which appeared behind her knight. "And activate the Quick Play Spell Card Rush Recklessly which increases Blade Knight's attack by 700!" Chloe played the card and her knight's attack increased to 2300...only to rise again to 2700.
"What just happened?" Mike blinked.
"Blade Knight gains an extra 400 attack points if it's controller has one or less cards in his or her hand, and she just emptied hers." Ray explained.
"Blade Knight, attack Ancient Gear Knight!" Chloe commanded her knight and the knight charged towards the mechanical knight and decapitated it with it's sword.
C: 5900
S: 7400
"Okay, I have to admit, that was a good move." Otto thought begrudgingly. "Even once Rush Recklessly's effect wears of Blade Knight will still have it's power boost from his effect."
"I end my turn at that dad." Chloe announced as Blade Knight's attack dropped to 2000, Scott drew his card and smiled.
"Good move Chloe but I have one better." Scott said playing the card he had drawn. "I activate Card of Sanctity to refresh our hands and rob Blade Knight of it's power boost." Chloe frowned but reluctantly drew 6 cards reducing Blade Knight's attack back to 1600.
"No sign of Silent Magician, good I can use my trap card in case dad destroys Blade Knight." Chloe thought, as her dad already had six cards in his hand he didn't draw any additional cards.
"Now I'll remove the two spell counters on Ancient Gear Castle, by doing so I am allowed to summon a high powered Ancient Gear monster whilst using those Spell Counters as tributes, I think you and I both know what I'm about to summon." Scott said picking up a card, Chloe blinked...before realization hit her like a ton of bricks.
"Oh crap, not that monster!" Chloe exclaimed.
"Yes, that monster." Scott played the card and a dark, humongous figure emerged from the castle. "Come forth Ancient Gear Golem!" Scott announced and the figure became more clear, it was a giant robot that was silver in colour and had huge arms (8/3000/3000) and it's attack rose to 3300 almost immediately.
"Holy shit." Ray said as his jaw dropped. "He got that thing on the field during his second turn!"
"I was afraid of this." Lance said folding his arms. "Chloe's never been able to beat her dad because of this monster!"
"Yeah, she told me the same thing." Theresa nodded. "Though she didn't mention that monster specifically."
"Now this will be fun to watch." Otto said with a big, shit eating grin ignoring the glares from the other Duel Academy Students.
"Ancient Gear Golem, attack Blade Knight with Ancient Gear Fist!" The golem reared back it's fist before slamming it into Blade Knight, Chloe shielded herself from the blast as her life-points took a hit.
C: 4300
S: 7200
"I activate my trap card Numinous Healer and chain it with Emergency Provisions!" Chloe activated the two cards and they flipped up. "Since I just took damage Numinous Healer will restore a thousand of my life-points but by sending it to my graveyard with Emergency Provisions I can restore another thousand of my life-points." Chloe explained as her life-points jumped to 6300. "I won't be beaten that easily dad."
"Duel Academy's taught her well, I may have to bring out the big guns." Scott thought before folding his arms. "Your move Chloe." Chloe nodded and drew her card.
"Dad, I'm about to take down that Golem." Chloe said confidently as she looked at her hand. "First I activate Call of the Haunted to bring back one of the monsters I discarded with Card Destruction's effect, Magical Marionette!" Chloe played the card and the red robed puppet master appeared on the field (5/2000/1000),
"How will that help you?" Scott asked raising an eyebrow.
"Just watch!" Chloe said picking up another card. "I activate the Spell Card Mystical Space Typhoon and I use it to destroy Ancient Gear Castle!" Chloe played the card and a tornado ripped through the castle destroying it, at the same time however Magical Marionette's attack increased to 2200. "Each time either of us activates a Spell Card Marionette gains a Spell Counter and for each one he gains 200 attack points."
"Somehow I doubt that she has enough Spell Cards in her hand to match that Golem's attack." Eddie thought folding his arms. "Unless she plans on using the other effect." Eddie thought.
"Now I equip Marionette with Wonder Wand increasing his attack by 500!" The Marionette grabbed a small wand increasing it's attack to 2700 and rose again to 2900...only to drop down to 2500 as Marionette's puppet strings leaped forward and started strangling the Ancient Gear Golem, it was brought down to it's knees before it's hologram shattered.
"What the..." Alex muttered under his breath
"That was Marionette's second effect, by removing two Spell Counters from him I can destroy one card on the field." Chloe said triumphantly before pointing at Marionette. "Magical Marionette attack his life-points directly!" The puppet master lashed out with it's strings lashing at Scott.
C: 6500
S: 3700
"That ends my turn." Chloe said and Scott drew his card.
"I start by summoning another Ancient Gear Knight." Scott announced as another copy of the Mechanical Knight appeared on the field. "And now that I have an Ancient Gear monster on my side of the field I can special summon this monster from my hand, Ancient Gear!" Scott played the card and a small robot literally made of gears appeared on the field (2/100/800). "And finally I Special Summon another Ancient Gear using the same effect!" Scott played the card and another Ancient Gear appeared on the field. "Now I activate this Spell Card, Spell Gear!" Scott played the card and the three Ancient Gear monsters disappeared. "Now by sending the three Ancient Gear monsters on my side of the field I can revive Ancient Gear Golem!"
"Crap." Chloe gulped as the three Ancient Gear monsters disappeared and the Golem returned to the field. Magical Marionette's attack rose to 2700 but Chloe knew that it wouldn't be nearly enough.
"Ancient Gear Golem, attack Magical Marionette with Ancient Gear Fist!" The massive machine reared it's fist back before slamming it into the puppet master crushing him.
C: 6000
S: 3700
"Things aren't looking good for Chloe." Marcus observed and the others nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, she may have the lead but her dad has so many ways off getting that Golem on the field it's insane." Brandon added with a frown. "Here's hoping for her sake that she can find a way to take it out of the game for good."
Whilst that was going on Chloe had just sent Magical Marionette, Call of the Haunted and Wonder Wand to the graveyard and was trying her best to ignore them and drew her card, she looked at it before looking up at Ancient Gear Golem.
"This might be my only chance." Chloe thought. "I activate my own Card of Sanctity." Chloe announced and both duellists drew until they had six cards, Scott rose an eyebrow when he saw three of the cards.
"Well, well, now I'll really get to test my daughter's skills." Scott thought with a chuckle.
"I set a card facedown and a card in defence mode, your move!" Chloe set the two cards and Scott drew his,
"Okay Chloe, now the kid gloves are off." Scott said and every other duellist face-faulted.
"THAT was you holding back?" Lance yelled out once he got up off the ground.
"Truth is, I never got to use the full strength of my deck against my daughter, a strength Jeff knows all too well." Scott replied and Jeff's eyes widened.
"Oh boy, I know what he's up too." Jeff said with a nod. "Let's just say that Golem is far from his strongest monster."
"Allow me to show you, first I activate not one but two copies of Ancient Gear Workshop, with these I can add two Ancient Gear monsters from my graveyard to my hand and I'm choosing the Ancient Gears I sent to the graveyard last turn!" Scott retrieved the two monsters and added them to his hand. "They won't be in my hand for long, I activate Polmerization to fuse them with Ancient Gear Golem to form my strongest monster." The three monsters fused together and Scott grinned. "Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem, come forth!" Out of the vortex came a robot so big that it's head nearly touched the ceiling, this version was closer to a centaur than the other version and was quite terrifying to look at(10/4400/3400).
"4...44...00...attack points." Chloe gulped at the site of the monster, on the sidelines Felix let out an impressed whistle.
"Wouldn't mind putting Venonningagga against that thing." Felix said as he looked up at the monster.
"Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem attack her defence monster now!" The massive machine reared it's fist back and slammed it into the monster, revealled to be Familiar Knight (3/1200/1400), which was crushed, however the fist continued and slammed into Chloe as well.
C: 3000
S: 3700
"That thing inflicts piercing damage?" Lance said as his jaw dropped. "That does it, if I come up against that thing later on in the tournament I'm surrendering on the spot."
"Your assuming Chloe will lose." Brandon pointed out.
"Probably because she will." Otto said with a massive shit eating grin on his face. "She barely beat Ancient Gear Golem at it's weakest form but now? If she wins then I'll eat a duel monsters card."
"You do know that we'll hold you to that, right?" Lance pointed out and Otto scoffed.
"That's why I said it." Otto scoffed.
"You may of destroyed Familiar Knight...and my life-points...but in doing so you've triggered Familiar Knight's effect." Chloe said as she got up, once she was on her feet she picked up a card. "With it we're allowed to special summon one monster from our hands as long as we have one and that the monster is Level 4 or lower."
"Fortunately for you the Ancient Gears I used to help form my Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem where the only monsters in my hand." Scott admitted before folding his arms. "So what monster are you going to send against my Golem?"
"That's an easy choice to make." Chloe said playing the card. "Silent Magician Level 4 in attack mode." Once she plaid the card one of her signature monsters appeared on the field undaunted by the massive machine's presence (4/1000/1000).
"Chloe, you do realize even if you get her strong enough to level her up to her Level 8 form it still won't be enough to beat my Golem right?" Scott pointed out ignoring the laughter coming from Otto.
"I know, that's why I'm going to rely on this trap card to beat your monster, GO FAIRY BOX!" Chloe announced and the card flipped up, almost immediately Silent Magician was surrounded by a whack a mole box and was hopping in and out of the various holes.
"Chloe, your kidding right?" Lance asked with his eyes as wide as dinner plates.
"I'm not." Chloe said simply and everyone else in the building face-faulted, even the announcers. "In order for me to use it's effect my dad has to attack my monster first."
"And since I have no monsters with which to do so I'll end my turn." Scott said once he got up, Chloe drew her card and to everyone's surprise her life-points dropped to 2500.
"I have to pay 500 life-points during my standby phases in order to keep Fairy Box in play." Chloe explained and Scott frowned.
"Is that trap card really worth the risk?" Scott thought as he glanced at the trap's hologram. "It wasn't in her deck before she went to Duel Academy, I should know I helped her construct the first version of her deck, so who knows what it'll do." Scott thought.
"I'll pass for now." Chloe declared and Scott drew his card giving Silent Magician her first spell counter and her first five hundred attack points raising her attack to 1500.
"Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem, end this duel by attacking Silent Magician!" The Golem drew back it's fist and hesitated due to the box, Chloe dug into her jacket pocket and produced a coin.
"Now you've triggered the effect of Fairy Box." Chloe said showing both sides of the coin to confirm that it wasn't double headed. "I toss a coin and call it, if I call it wrong the attack goes through, if I call it right the attack goes through..." Chloe grinned as she got ready to say the next part. "But Ultimate Gear Golem will lose all it's attack points."
"She does realize that she's pretty much putting the whole duel on the line by doing this right?" Theresa said as a massive sweat-drop appeared on her forehead.
"This will be fun to watch." Otto chuckled.
"I call heads!" Chloe called out as she flipped the coin, all eyes in the stadium followed the coin as it flipped through the air and landed on Chloe's palm, when she saw the result her hair overshadowed her eyes.
"Well?" Scott asked anxiously, Chloe looked up with a big grin on her face and showed that the result was indeed heads. "Oh no." Scott managed to blurt out as Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem's attack plummeted to zero.
"Silent Magician, COUNTER ATTACK!" Chloe commanded and the magician popped out of the box long enough to fire a beam at Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem causing it to slowly lose body parts.
C: 2500
S: 2200
"I don't believe it, the little tyke's gamble paid off!" Alex said as he watched the machine fall apart, however to everyone's surprise once the machine fell apart completely Ancient Gear Golem stood in it's place.
"When Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem is destroyed in battle I can Special Summon one Ancient Gear Golem from my graveyard." Scott explained before folding his arms. "And before you ask, no I won't run the risk of losing to Ancient Gear Golems in a row so instead I end my turn." Chloe nodded and drew her card.
"I don't need Fairy Box any more so I won't pay to keep it on the field." Chloe explained as the box disappeared from the field.
"But that was her only defence!" Mike pointed out. "Why would she get rid of it?"
"If she's drawn what I think she's drawn then we'll know for sure." Theresa thought as she watched the duel.
"Why? Because this duel's over!" Chloe said as she sent Fairy Box to the graveyard. "I activate the Spell Card I just drew, it's called Level Up!" Scott's eyes widened when he heard the name of the spell card.
"I see, your bringing out your strongest monster." Scott said with a nod of acknowledgement, Chloe searched through her deck before finding the monster she needed and swapped out Silent Magician for it, as she did this Silent Magician Level 4 started glowing and growing until it had reached it's final form (8/3500/1000).
"Your still relying on that tired old hag? Please!" Otto scoffed earning himself a death glare from both Chloe and Silent Magician.
"Otto, if it weren't for the fact that your in the next match I would've asked Lance to knock you out for that remark." Chloe said simply before turning her attention back to her dad.
"Don't tempt me Chloe." Lance said cracking his knuckles.
"Silent Magician Level 8, attack Ancient Gear Golem now!" The magician pointed her staff at the golem and fired a beam at it destroying the monster and reducing Scott's life-points to 1700.
"Nice try Chloe but I'm still in the game." Scott said confidently but Chloe shook her head.
"Sorry dad but when I said this duel's over I meant it." Chloe said flipping up her long forgotten about trap card. "I activate Enlightenment, this trap can only be activated if a Spellcaster type monster destroys a monster in battle, and that monster attacks again immediately." Scott said nothing as the Magician started charging up her staff again.
"Congratulations Chloe, you've won." Scott admitted with a small smile. "Just as I hoped you would."
"Wait, what?" Chloe blurted out as the beam of light struck Scott in the chest.
C: 2200
S: 0000
"What an upset!" Bill yelled over the cheering crowd. "Despite a massive difference in life-points and experience Chloe has won the match!"
"Hmm, I might have to be cautious of that trap of her's should I face her in the next round." Otto thought...only for a copy of Fireyarou (4/1300/1000) to be shoved in his face by Lance.
"You said you'd eat a Duel Monster's card if she beat her dad Otto." Lance said with a massive grin, Otto said nothing and stormed off. "Hey, what happened to the deal?"
"Let him go Lance, he's just a sore loser." Theresa said shaking her head before turning her attention to the duel ring. "Unlike Chloe's step-father." She added when she saw Chloe shaking her dad's hand out of sportsmanship, both duellists had deactivated their duel disks and returned their cards to their decks at that point.
"There will be a twenty minute recess before the next match." Kaiba announced over the PA system, most of the duellists stayed except for Scott who headed into the corridor, Chloe hopped off the duel field and, whilst ignoring the praise from the other duellists for the most part, followed her dad until she saw him in front of a vending machine.
"You wanted me to win?" Chloe asked folding her arms, Scott looked up and smiled.
"I had a feeling you'd ask about that." Scott said honestly before putting a quarter in the machine. "Can I get you anything?"
"That machine have soda in it?" Chloe asked, Scott nodded and got two soda cans from it tossing one to his daughter who caught it with her duel disk arm. "Thanks." Chloe said before leaning against the wall to give the drink enough time to settle from being thrown.
"Truth is Chloe, I didn't come out of retirement for the chance to win the tournament, though that would've been a nice bonus, I joined to see how far you had come as a duellist and see if I had anything left to teach you." Scott said opening his can.
"Okay, I think I get it now." Chloe said with a nod. "If I had beaten you, which I did, then you'd have nothing left to teach me, but what would've happened if I had lost?" Chloe asked before opening her can.
"I had a chat with the teachers before I headed back to my room, they knew of my plan and supported it as, regardless of the outcome, it would ultimately help you with your skills as a duellist." Scott explained before taking a sip. "If you had lost then the teachers would arrange for you to have more classes at the academy to improve your skill."
"Either way you'd be helping her." The two of them looked up and saw Theresa there. "Sorry, I was wondering where Chloe had disappeared too."
"Wouldn't you be wondering why your opponent wanted you to beat him?" Chloe asked.
"Good point." Theresa admitted before walking up to the vending machine and getting a quarter out. "I noticed you where quite panicky when the duel began Chloe."
"Yeah, that was stage fright." Chloe admitted rubbing the back of her head nervously, "If I hadn't been duelling first then maybe it wouldn't of been so bad...though the fact that the crowd started cheering for me still confuses me."
"It's like your dad said." Theresa said making her choice and getting a soda can out of the machine once it dropped. "The crowd loves an underdog and you where the clear underdog."
"Yeah, true." Chloe shrugged as she opened the can and took a sip. "So, Andreas and Otto are up next."
"Yeah, personally I want Andreas to win." Theresa said with a frown. "Anything to put Otto in his place."
"If not him then I'd like to be the one to defeat him." Chloe said honestly as she looked down at her deck. "I'm pretty sure he noticed during the duel that my deck's a lot different from the one I used during our duel on the boat."
"Well for one thing you didn't use any warriors during that duel." Theresa pointed out.
"Attention duellists, the second match of the semi-finals between Otto and Andreas Freshier is about to begin." Chloe and Theresa shared a look after they heard the voice and walked back towards the duel field.
"You coming dad?" Chloe called out to him and he shook his head.
"I'll be joining your mother in the audience, don't worry we have front row seats with the others." Scott said before walking off.
"Others?" Theresa echoed the confusion clear on her face.
"Maybe he meant the teachers?" Chloe asked before realization hit her. "No that makes just as little sense since it raises the question of why didn't he just say teachers."
"That's true." Theresa admitted before the two girls made their way back to the duel arena with a their cans in hand, Chloe went to take a sip but spat it out when Alex patted her on the back.
"Nice job out there kid." Alex said with a grin before handing her a handkerchief, she took it and used it to wipe her mouth.
"Thanks." Chloe said with a smile before she and Theresa made their way closer to the duel field, it was then that she noticed the twins where already on the duel field though Otto was without his duel disk. "Where's Otto's duel disk?"
"You can tell them apart?" Alex asked as he walked up too them before shaking his head. "Apparently something went wrong with it during his last pre semi-final duel but he managed to fix it last night, sounds fishy if you ask me."
"I don't know, Otto's very talented at technology." Theresa said folding her arms. "He built Brandon's desktop PC back at Duel Academy for one thing."
"I'll take your word for it." Alex shrugged.
"Give me a moment to retrieve my duel disk." Otto said removing his duffel bag and getting his duel disk out with his back turned to the other duel disk.
"Whilst he's doing that what do we know of the Freshier twins Bill?" Bob asked as the security guards reappeared on the screen.
"Well they're German, one's in Obelisk Blue whilst the other is in Ra Yellow and one uses a Machine deck whilst the other uses a Nature deck, other than that I can't tell them apart." Bob said with a shrug, Otto retrieved her duel disk and put it on before turning around...and the other duellist's eyes widened when they saw the Orichalcos Duel Disk.
"Theresa, please tell me that I'm the only one seeing him with an Orichalcos Duel Disk?" Chloe asked with a gulp.
"I wish I could." Theresa said before her eyes narrowed. "Where did you get that Otto?" Theresa called out to him.
"Oh, this?" Otto asked motioning to his duel disk. "A friend of a friend." Otto shrugged.
"Don't lie to us." Andreas said as his eyes narrowed. "Every time we duelled someone who used that duel disk someone has ended up in hospital."
"Oh yes, I almost forgot about that." Otto said before glancing over at Chloe. "In fact didn't the little Osiris Red bitch who could put her own father in the hospital because he didn't hug her enough as a kid?" Otto said bluntly causing a collective gasp from the audience
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY!" Marcus snapped as he tried to bum-rush the stage only to be quickly restrained by Ray and Eddie.
"Hey Otto, I thought we agreed never to speak of that again." Felix said angrily and Otto chuckled.
"You agreed, I kept my fingers crossed behind my back." Otto shrugged his shoulders.
"Err, we would like to apologize to anyone offended by Otto's...incredibly bad choice of words regarding the winner of the last match." Bob said feeling extremely uncomfortable.
"What? I'm just telling the truth." Otto chuckled evilly and Andreas growled.
"Otto, if you know the truth than you know that that's only half of the story." Andreas said as his eyes narrowed. "Chloe might have been beaten as a kid..."
"ANDREAS!" Theresa shouted from the sidelines.
"Well it's this or the audience goes home thinking that she put her loving father in the hospital." Andreas pointed out, Theresa sighed in resignation and motioned for him to continue. "Chloe might have been beaten as a kid but that was by her biological dad and not the one she faced in the last match."
"Ruin my fun why don't you." Otto rolled his eyes and Chloe gritted her teeth.
"Okay that's enough." Kaiba said storming out of his office and glaring at Otto. "Otto, another word of this and you'll be disqualified from the tournament for unprofessional conduct."
"Oh, did I hit a nerve Kaiba?" Otto smirked.
"Don't push your luck." Kaiba said plainly before walking off, an awkward silence fell across the room only to be subsequently broken by the sounds of Chloe crying and running off backstage.
"Chloe, wait!" Theresa called after her but knew it was no use, she glared at Otto before running after her, Theresa glanced around the rooms before picking up the sounds of Chloe sobbing nearby and saw her sitting on the floor. "Damn it Otto." Theresa thought angrily before approaching her. "Hey Chloe, you okay?"
"No, I'm not." Chloe said sadly as she looked up at the older student. "Those things he said...how did he even know all that to begin with? He wasn't present at that duel."
"Maybe Robert's associates told him." Theresa shrugged before searching her pockets for a handkerchief for Chloe to wipe her eyes with but couldn't find one. "Damn I should have come prepared for this."
"Looking for something?" The two teens looked up and saw Miranda handing a handkerchief to Chloe, she took it and started wiping her eyes. "So you don't know that punk knew those things huh?" Miranda asked and Chloe shook her head.
"No, there's no reason for him to know anyway, we don't exactly get along." Chloe said picking herself up off the floor.
"He doesn't get along with any of us period." Theresa added folding her arms. "He's an arrogant prick who's only in Obelisk Blue because his parents paid his way in."
"Yeah, I got that vibe from your friend's reaction to him." Miranda said with a nod. "So...was what he said about your dad..."
"It was true, well partially." Chloe said knowing where this was going. "The man I faced in the last match is my step-dad, he and his wife adopted me, my real dad...he did this to me." Chloe said removing the arm with the scar on it from her jacket sleeve and showed the scar to Miranda who's eyes widened when she saw it, Chloe returned her arm to her sleeve.
"You REALLY don't want to know how she got it." Theresa said sitting down on a nearby bench. "It was partially the reason why none of us got any sleep the night after our last pre semi-final duel." Theresa added and Miranda nodded in understanding.
"Hey, the match is about to start." The three women looked up and saw Marcus waving them over, Chloe however shook her head.
"I'd rather keep my distance from Otto." Chloe said plainly, Theresa frowned and folded her arms.
"But you'll miss the match." Theresa pointed out before Miranda thought of something.
"Not quite." Miranda said motioning for the two girls to follow her, they did and she lead them to a small room with a TV in it that was showing the duel arena and a comfy looking couch in the middle of the room. "This room was meant for VIP guests of Kaiba but given the circumstances I'm sure he won't mind."
"Thanks." Chloe said before plopping down on the couch. "You two sticking around?"
"Nah, I'll watch the duel up close." Miranda said before walking off, Theresa however sat next to the younger duellist.
"Someone has to keep you company." Theresa shrugged and Chloe grinned.
"Yeah, thanks." Chloe said before turning to the TV.
*meanwhile at the duel arena*
Andreas and Otto had just finished shuffling their decks for what seemed like ages, mostly because Andreas spent most of his time glaring at Otto.
"All right Otto." Andreas said with a sneer as the brothers activated their duel disks and drew their opening hands. "Who's going first?"
"I've always believed that the superior duellist should go first, so I will." Otto said as he drew his card, when he saw the card that he had drawn he grinned maniacally. "Don't fret dear brother, I'll put you out of your misery soon enough, I ACTIVATE THE SEAL OF THE ORICHALCOS!"
"WHAT?" Lance and Brandon yelled out simultaneously but ended up shielding themselves as the seal encased the two duellists, when they looked up Otto had the seal's symbol on his forehead.
"Oh how have I waited for this moment...to eliminate my pathetic weakling of a brother." Otto said with a smirk as he picked up a card. "I start by setting a monster in defence mode and end my turn." The facedown monster appeared on the field and Andreas drew his card.
"Playing defensively on his first turn? That was never Otto's style before." Andreas thought before looking at his newly drawn card. "I summon Enraged Battle Ox in attack mode!" Andreas played the card and the snarling Minotaur appeared on the field (4/1700/1000). "Enraged Battle Ox attack his defence monster, AXE SLAM ATTACK!" The Minotaur charged towards the facedown monster, revealed to be Cyber Commander (2/750/700) who was quickly decapitated.
"You may of destroyed Cyber Commander but my life-points remain safe!" Otto pointed out and Andreas just grinned.
"You'd better take another look at your life-point counter deer brother." Andreas said in a mocking tone. "Enraged Battle Ox's effect lets any beasts, winged beasts and beast warriors, such as himself, inflict piercing damage." Otto blinked before looking at his life-point counter.
O: 7000
A: 8000
"Yeah that's the way Andreas!" Marcus shouted from the sidelines, Brandon however frowned.
"Some thing's wrong." Brandon said folding his arms. "Otto may be an arrogant prick but he's an excellent duellist, it's not like him to make armature moves like that."
"You think he's toying with Andreas?" Marcus asked and Brandon shrugged as Enraged Battle Ox returned to Andreas's side of the field.
"Much as I hate to admit it, Brandon has a point." Andreas thought as he picked up two cards. "I set two cards facedown and end my turn."
"Very well." Otto said before drawing his card. "I summon Cyber Dragon in attack mode!" Otto played the card and a large metallic snake like dragon appeared on the field (5/2100/1600) and it's attack rose to 2600 thanks to the seal.
"Hey, that's a Level 5 monster!" Ray pointed out from the sidelines. "It needs a sacrifice before it can be summoned."
"Don't be so hasty, I was about to explain my dragon's effect." Otto said with a scoff. "Whilst it is true that Cyber Dragon is a Level 5 monster it's ability allows me to special summon it to the field if my opponent controls a monster and I don't." Otto explained before picking up another card. "And to further boost my army I summon Biofalcon in attack mode!" Otto played the card and a mechanical falcon with a propeller on it's back appeared on the field (4/1700/1200) and it's attack rose to 2200 thanks to the seal. "Biofalcon attack Enraged Battle Ox now!" The falcon took flight before divebombing at Enraged Battle Ox ripping the monster in half with it's wings and reducing Andreas's life-points to 7500. "Cyber Dragon, attack his life-points directly!" The dragon charged up it's attack.
"I don't think so, I activate Battle Instinct!" The trap card flipped up and Andreas grinned. "I'm sure you remember what this does from our past matches."
"Yes, I do." Otto said with a nod. "It lets you special summon a Level 4 or lower beast monster from your hand if you are about to be attacked directly and you lack the means to defend yourself."
"Right you are, and my choice is Sunlight Unicorn!" Andreas played the card and a white unicorn with a mane and a tail made of flames appeared on the field, it's hoofs where also surrounded by blue flame (4/1800/1000).
"That's supposed to impress me? Cyber Dragon, your new target is Sunlight Unicorn!" The dragon changed it's target to Andreas's new monster.
"I'd think twice about that if I where you dear brother, I activate Horn of the Phantom Beast!" Andreas flipped up the trap and the unicorn blew into the strange horn. "Do you remember this card's effect or do I have to remind you?"
"No, you don't." Otto said rolling his eyes. "Horn of the Phantom Beast is treated as an equip card that can only be equipped to Beasts and Beast Warriors, the equipped monster gains 800 attack points and each time the equipped monster destroys one of mine you get to draw an extra card." Otto said folding his arms. "Cyber Dragon, call off your attack!" Otto commanded and the mechanical dragon did so.
"Why didn't he use that on Battle Ox?" Sophie asked confused.
"Because Battle Ox would've been destroyed by Cyber Dragon even with the power boost." Ray pointed out. "Though that does beg the question of why he didn't use Battle Instinct's effect to summon something stronger than that Unicorn."
"There's also the fact that Otto is far to familiar with his brother's strategies, as solid as they are." Axel chimed in. "If Andreas wants to beat him he'll need something new."
"I set two cards facedown end my turn." Otto announced and Andreas drew his card.
"I activate Sunlight Unicorn's effect!" Andreas announced as the Unicorn's horn started glowing. "I can only activate it once per turn during my main phase but with it I can reveal the top card in my deck, if it's an Equip Spell Card it goes to my hand but if it isn't it goes to the bottom of my deck." Andreas picked up the card, looked at it and grinned before showing it to Otto.
"Beast Fangs." Otto said with a frown as Andreas added the Spell to his hand. "I assume that you intend to equip it to your Unicorn."
"How did you guess? I equip Sunlight Unicorn with Beast Fangs which increases it's attack to 2900." Andreas announced as Sunlight Unicorn bore it's fangs increasing it's attack to 2900. "Sunlight Unicorn attack Biofalcon now!" The unicorn charged towards Biofalcon...
"I activate my trap card Interdimensional Matter Transporter, this lets me remove one monster from play until the end of the turn that it's activated and I chose Biofalcon!" The falcon vanished and the unicorn hesitated.
"Fine, I target Cyber Dragon instead!" Andreas announced and the Unicorn turned it's attention to the mechanical dragon before charging at it.
"Your not the only one with Traps that double as Equip Cards, activate Rare Metalmorph!" The card flipped up and too Andreas's surprise Cyber Dragon's attack rose to 3100. "This a version of Metalmorph that can only be used on Machine type monsters and with it I can increase the attack of one Machine type monster by 500." Otto explained as the dragon breathed a laser at Sunlight Unicorn destroying it.
O: 7000
A: 7300
"That was a clever move on Otto's part." Axel admitted. "Using his first trap to protect his weaker monster whilst powering up his stronger monster.
"Yeah, it's easy to see why he's in Obelisk Blue." Ray agreed and Brandon scoffed.
"Don't act to impressed, the only reason he's an Obelisk Blue student in the first place is because his parents have connections." Brandon said rolling his eyes.
"So why isn't Andreas is Obelisk Blue as well?" Axel asked.
"It's a long story." Lance said shaking his head. "According to Andreas it's because his parents always favoured Otto more but that's the only side of the story we've heard."
"You may have destroyed my unicorn but don't forget that I can still summon a monster this turn." Andreas said as he sent Sunlight Unicorn, Beast Fangs and Horn of the Phantom Beast to the graveyard. "So a set a monster in defence mode and a card facedown, that ends my turn." Andreas set the two cards and and Otto drew another.
"Good, I have the spell card I need, all I need to do is draw two more Cyber Dragons and Andreas will be out of my misery." Otto thought before adding the spell card to his hand. "Biofalcon attack his defence!" The falcon took flight before divebombing at the monster...
"Nice try but I activate Raigeki Break!" Andreas flipped up the card and discarded a card from his hand, without warning lightning struck Biofalcon destroying it. "Think of it like a trap version of the Lightning Vortex spell card only it destroys one monster." Otto scowled before sending Biofalcon to the graveyard.
"Fine then, Cyber Dragon finish what Biofalcon started!" The dragon breathed a laser at the facedown card disintegrating it. "Well that was easy..." Otto started only to grunt in pain.
O: 5800
A: 7300
"Sorry Otto but the monster you destroyed was Des Koala." Andreas said holding up the monster (3/1100/1800). "He has a pretty nasty flip effect, you see when he's flipped the opponent loses 400 life-points for each card in his/her hand, I count three so you lose 1200 life-points."
"I'll give you credit for being as annoyingly persistent as ever!" Otto said spitting to the side. "I end my turn." Otto announced and Andreas drew his card. "Draw whatever pathetic cards are in your deck, none of them can match the power I control!"
"I activate Card of Sanctity, this allows us to refresh our hands." Andreas announced and the brothers drew until they had 6 cards in their hands, Otto did a double take when he saw two of the cards he had drawn before grinning. "I set a monster in defence mode and end my turn." Andreas set the monster and Otto drew his card. "Soon as he attacks Man Eater Bug (2/450/600) with Cyber Dragon or some other monster I'll use it's effect to take Cyber Dragon with it." Andreas thought as he watched Otto make his move.
"My apologies deer brother but this match is over." Otto said picking up the spell card that he had drawn the previous turn. "I activate Power Bond, this spell card allows me to fuse together the Cyber Dragon on the field with the two Cyber Dragons in my hand to form my ultimate beast, CYBER END DRAGON!" The three dragons fused together and out of the vortex came a massive three headed mechanical dragon which roared menacingly at Andreas (10/4000/2800) and it's attack went up to 4500 thanks to the seal.
"Holy shit!" Lance gulped when he saw the monster. "Since when did Otto have that kind of power in his deck?"
"It's about to get a lot worse." Alex said with a frown, Lance blinked...only for his jaw to hit the floor when Cyber End Dragon's attack sky-rocketed to 8500.
"What you are witnessing is the effect of Power Bond." Otto said with a chuckle. "Any fusion monster that is summoned via it's effect has it's original attack power added to that monster's attack points."
"Nice try Otto but encase you haven't noticed I have a monster in defence mode." Andreas pointed out and Otto chuckled.
"That is true but it'll be all for nothing, because like Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem Cyber End Dragon inflicts piercing damage." Andreas's eyes widened when he heard that and Otto chuckled evilly. "Let me guess, the monster you set was a weakling...how fitting because in that case it's just like you and that Osiris Red Bitch!" Otto said before pointing to Cyber End Dragon. "Cyber End Dragon, attack his defence monster now!" The three dragon heads breathed fire at the monster and Andreas shielded himself from the explosion only to be sent flying back.
O: 5800
A: 0000
"Oh no...oh god no..." Theresa trailed off when she realized what had just happened, Chloe's eyes had gone as wide as dinner plates knowing what was about to happen, back at the arena Otto had approached Andreas as the holograms disappeared.
"Well, well, well deer brother, it seems that I have far outclassed you yet again!" Otto chuckled ignoring the glare he was getting from Andreas. "Don't worry, I'll look after that little friend of yours, you know the one you where talking too at the restaurant?"
"You stay away from her!" Andreas spat as he tried to get to his feet, Otto scowled and punched him in the face sending him down to the ground and sending his glasses flying.
"You stay on the ground where you belong!" Otto scowled before walking off.
"I may of failed today but one of us WILL bring you down Otto!" Andreas shouted at Otto even as the seal closed in around him. "Mark my words." Otto stopped in his tracks and glanced over his shoulder.
"Fare well, deer brother!" Otto spat, the next thing the arena heard was Andreas's blood curdling scream as the seal consumed his soul.
"ANDREAS NO!" Marcus shouted but it was too late, unlike the ending to the last match there was no cheering only a deathly silence.
"Someone get a medic now!" Kaiba ordered his subordinates who quickly ran off to carry out his orders, he turned to a telephone and dialled the number for security. "This is Kaiba, don't let the remaining Freshier sibling out of your site, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes sir." The guard on the other end answered before hanging up back on the floor Otto had finally gotten off the duel arena ignoring the site of Nicola running past him.
"Hey ass-hole." Otto looked up only to be met with a punch to the face from Ray. "That was for what you said about Chloe." Ray said cracking his knuckles. "And this next one is for Andreas!" Ray went to punch him again but Otto ducked under the punch and kneed the larger man in the gut knocking the wind out of him.
"I'd advise against trying anything like that again." Otto said reaching into his pocket and producing Andreas's soul card. "Or I will destroy this and Andreas's soul."
"You wouldn't dare!" Ray snapped at him.
"Do you really want to test that theory." Otto chuckled as he wiped some blood from his mouth, a result of the first punch, Ray growled but Zach put a hand on his shoulder.
"Forget it, he's not worth it." Zach said plainly glaring at Otto, he returned the card to his pocket and walked off.
"What should we do Brandon?" Lance asked as the paramedics carried Andreas's comatose body away.
"I don't know for certain." Brandon sighed before shaking his head. "Otto has always been a prick but I never thought he'd go this far." Brandon added before he spotted the teachers approaching them. "You guys have any ideas?"
"A few." Hamden nodded before glancing around. "But we won't discuss them here, there's eight more matches to go today so I suggest we discuss it at the hotel, as for what happens to Otto if he's stopped, expulsion seems likely."
"Personally I'd suspend him just for what he said about Chloe." Jeff said plainly before shaking his head. "I know it'll be hard but try to focus on your matches for now."
"That's the understatement of the century." Lance pointed out. "By the way has anyone seen Chloe or Theresa since Chloe ran off?"
"Chloe chose to stay backstage and after what Otto said I don't blame her." Marcus told him. "I'm guessing Theresa thought that she would need seem company."
"There will be a twenty minute recess before the next match." Kaiba announced over the PA but most of the duellists chose to stay behind, that is for Lance.
"Where you going?" Marcus asked and Lance glanced over his shoulder.
"I'm going to check up on Chloe." Lance said before heading backstage, he saw Chloe grabbing something to drink from the vending machine and approached her. "Hey." Lance said making Chloe jump.
"Oh Lance." Chloe said once she caught her breath. "You scared me."
"Sorry about that." Lance said leaning against the wall. "I just wanted to check up on you after Otto's...choice words." Lance said and Chloe sighed.
"I'm fine, having Theresa to keep me company helped a lot with that." Chloe said before frowning. "Only now we have bigger problems."
"Yeah, Andreas's soul was captured and Otto's an Orichalcos duellist." Lance said before sighing. "Ever since I saw Karen and Felix hanging around I knew someone's soul was going to be taken but I didn't think it was going to be one of the other students."
"None of us did Lance." Lance looked up and saw Theresa approaching them. "How are you taking what happened Lance?"
"Pissed off mostly." Lance said running a hand through his hair. "No prizes for guessing who I'm pissed off at."
"Yeah, doesn't exactly take a rocket scientist." Theresa nodded in agreement before realizing something. "Crap, if you think we're taking it badly how must Nicola be feeling?"
"That girl Andreas met during the tournament?" Lance asked and Theresa nodded. "She seemed pretty shook up from what I could see, it took her dad comforting her to get her away from Andreas long enough so that they could get him to the hospital."
"I'm not surprised, before she duelled you he was the only duellist to give her anything resembling a decent challenge." Chloe remembered. "Anyway Lance what do you think Mike's chances against Axel are?"
"About as high as your biological dad winning Father of the Year." Lance said with a frown. "Mike's good but Axel's in another league."
"You just had to use him as an example, didn't you?" Chloe asked annoyed and Lance sweat-dropped. "Besides can't you be a bit more supportive of him? He is your brother."
"Hard to be supportive when he's going up against those odds." Lance shrugged. "Speaking of that match will you two be present for it or will you be spending your time backstage again?"
"That's up to Chloe really." Theresa shrugged her shoulders in response and Lance turned to his friend.
"I'll be present for the next match, but if Otto's there I'll be keeping my distance." Chloe decided and her friends nodded in understanding.
"I'll be keeping my distance as well, so I don't get tempted to punch that arrogant prick in the face." Lance said bluntly. "If only we can get Andreas's soul card away from him."
"Knowing him he wouldn't be stupid enough to leave it laying around." Theresa frowned as she folded her arms. "The only way to get Andreas's soul card from Otto may be to beat him in a duel."
"And at the moment the only other person who's through to Round 2 is Chloe." Lance said before turning to her. "Your going to be okay if he uses the Seal against you?"
"Lance, it'll hardly be my first Orichalcos match." Chloe pointed out. "Besides I held my own against him on the boat."
"Attention duellists, the third match of the evening between Mike Alvers and Axel Loather will begin in five minutes." A voice over the PA system rang out and the three teens turned to each-other.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go." Lance said leading the two women back to the duel arena, Mike and Axel where busy shuffling their decks by the time they approached the duel arena.
"Heh, I'm not scared of your Gladiator Beasts Axel!" Mike said confidently as they finished shuffling their decks and drew their opening hands. "In fact I'll take great pleasure in breaking your undefeated streak."
"If I had a quarter for each time someone said that to me I'd be rich." Axel chuckled before frowning. "You may be Lance's younger sibling Michael but that doesn't mean I intend to go easy on you."