Crystal - Phobos Island
October 20 Year 18 4AOS
The cab parked in front of a hundred-yard water fountain with jets shooting water more than a hundred feet high. Crystal used her phone to pay the cab driver's fare electronically and stepped out into the humidity of the day. A long burst of air blew out from her lips, and she fanned herself with her sunhat before placing it on her head. Her sunglasses shielded her eyes from the bright rays of the sun, beaming down on the world relentlessly. She looked at her phone to check the weather. It was going to be sunny today -which pleased her, for she hated thunderstorms- but the temperature was at a stifling 100 degrees. She felt beads of sweat forming on her forehead and the heat cooking her flesh. Her summer dress stuck to her skin, wrinkling it awfully from the moisture.
"Great," Crystal muttered examining herself. She looked up at the skyscraper towering over the bay.
The Montgomery Towers it was called. The second tallest building on Aquarius. There would be no business found there, unless entrepreneurs decided to use it for discussing their matters. But the towers were more for leisure than of labor. A large mall with an underwater floor made up the lower three levels of the building, while above there were lounges, restaurants, clubs, and newly installed Dueling Arenas. It was here that all the youths of the island would choose to meet during weekends or after school to relax after a long and dull day of lessons.
As Crystal walked across the lavish gardens of palm trees, flamboyant foliage, and colorful flowers with ponds full of fish, she passed youngsters taking photos of themselves to brag to their mainland friends or their followers on social media. Some chose to brave the heat, and sit underneath yellow umbrellas in the patios around the pavilion near the waters of the bay, dotted with yachts and sailboats, and the faint silhouette of freighter ships far off in the distance coming to do trade in the harbor.
Many greeted Crystal as she walked by. She said not a word but replied with a smile and gentle wave of her hand. She walked through the doors, automatically sliding open as they detected her presence. She smiled and sighed with relief when a blast of cold air greeted her. She felt the hairs on her arms straighten as comfort washed over her. Crystal opened her purse to find her handkerchief. She rubbed it against her neck, chest, and forehead, then tucked it back into her purse before she trailed into the atrium of the mall.
She could smell the enticing perfume of sweet meat, Japanese cuisine, Peruvian chicken, Greek seafood, Texas barbecue, and so much more. The smell made her mouth water and her belly start to ache, despite she had herself a bag of fries on her way to the towers. Perhaps she would help herself to a slice of pizza after her meeting, or a Mediterranean kabob. She checked her golden Rolex watch for the time.
A mischievous grin formed on her glossy lips when she saw that she was quite early for her meeting. Maybe she could sneak down and help herself to some food. She decided to sneak downstairs to the food court for a quick meal. Her white strappy high-heeled sandals clopped loudly against the marble floor. R&B music played on the intercoms on the ceilings, but the music was drowned out by the towering waterfalls that thundered into pools around the atrium.
Crystal made a long descent on the escalators to the underwater level. Cameras flashed as tourists, businessmen, and the youths of the island took pictures of the exotic marine wildlife swimming about in the aquariums that spanned the length of the entire level. Giant whale sharks were the main attraction of the aquariums, and they drew quite the crowd whenever they swam by. Crystal stopped under a glass tunnel to take out her phone and take a picture of one that was swimming above them. Children pointed and jeered with glee as the large fishes calmly and slowly swam about.
Crystal didn't dawdle for too long. She snapped one last photo of the whale sharks and proceeded to the food court to order herself a quick lunch. She only took a few bites of her meal before two men approached her. Crystal ignored them and stuffed a forkful of grilled chicken into her mouth. One of the men cleared his throat to get her attention. Crystal was annoyed at first, but now she was getting worried.
"Can I help you?" she asked, finally looking up at them.
They were dressed in black suits and ties. They looked like someone's private security guards. What they wanted with her, she did not know. But she guessed by the sternness of their voices that nothing good was going to come of her ignoring them. The first man walked behind her chair and pulled her away from the table. He swiped her fork from her hand.
Crystal rolled her eyes and raised her arms. "Can I at least finish the food?" she said impatiently, as the second man, pulled the plate away from her.
"That is not an option, young lady. Get up."
Without warning, the men pulled her out of her seat and herded her to the nearest elevator that took them to the top floors. She said nothing the whole way. Her arms were crossed over her chest, her eyes narrowed, and her cheeks blushing red in impatience. She was growing rather tired of everyone on this island treating her like their personal property. First, it was Brett, then Leon, and now...
The doors slid open to reveal the VIP lounge, reserved for only the most elite residents of the island. Crystal gasped feeling one of the men push her forward. She almost lost her footing. Crystal turned to look at him. "You cut that out!" she shouted, drawing a scene.
"Cool it, Crystal, cool it," a flamboyant young man called out to her, walking down the lounge to personally greet her. His hair was light brown, silky, and shoulder-length. He had a pointed nose, thin eyebrows, and dark green eyes. Alan Ronald Cummings IV. He donned a pinstripe suit and a black tie. Without warning, he grabbed her by the face, leaning her to the left to kiss her cheek. He then swung her head to the right to kiss the other. He let her go, turned, and walked forward, wagging a finger to command her to follow him.
A timid gasp escaped Crystal as she felt the guard shove her forward. "Go," he said.
Crystal furiously turned to look at him. Her hair swung furiously around her like a golden halo. "Touch me again and not only will I spray you with mace, but I'll make sure you never work on this island again. I MEAN IT!"
"Temper, temper," said Alan. "Roman, wait out here, please. No, not there. There, by the elevator. You should know better than to put your hands on a lady. Especially if that lady is the Queen of Dragons."
Roman bowed and walked to the seats by the elevator. Crystal, meanwhile, flicked him off as he left them. She quickly turned and went after Alan. Two Black Hawks flew by the tower. Their engines caused the lounge to shudder and the glass to tremble dangerously.
"I can come up here myself, you know!" she said, seething with rage. "I'm not your toy!"
"Lower your voice, darling. We don't want to make a scene. Or should I call Brett to keep you in line?"
Crystal swallowed nervously. "That won't be necessary," she replied.
"Good girl," Alan said, slapping her derriere. "Come, come. I've got an office all to ourselves this way. We need to discuss my election."
"Getting nervous?" Crystal asked.
"Hardly," Alan replied with a snigger. He opened the door to the office, letting Crystal inside first. "I'm ahead in the polls, Crystal. There's nothing more you can do for me. Your pretty face by my side has practically won me the damn thing. Of course, I heard your fans in Los Angeles Rojas aren't too pleased with you siding with someone with a political view like mine, right?"
"Did you give me much of a choice?" Crystal asked, sitting at the head of the long conference table. "I know I'm putting myself at the mercy of Brett's belt for asking this, but how much did he pay you to run for mayor of this city?"
"More than you earn at your concerts," Alan said, heading straight for the bar to pour himself a glass of champagne. "But you understand why, don't you?"
"You want to get rid of the stowaways," Crystal responded through her teeth.
Alan chuckled. He held the two glass flutes in hand, giving one to Crystal, which she swiped away as quick as a thought, and drank the beverage with one gulp.
"That's one way to put it," Alan said, walking towards the window with a grand view of the central island. "This city needs cleaning up. Crime has risen because of those...parasites, tarnishing the edge of Nefeli Island."
Crystal was shocked to hear him call them that. "They're people, Alan."
"No, Crystal, they're parasites. Yes, I suppose they're on the bottom of the food chain and need help. They're starving; no human being should live like that. Make no mistake, Crystal. I do believe that all men should be treated equally. The Declaration of Independence clearly states that all men are created equal. And equal we are. But that does not mean criminals can just float here with a sappy sob story, build a shack, and declare themselves citizens. Yes, baby, we are all equal, but law is law. And I take care of law and order in Aquarius. I will not allow our citizens to be mugged and murdered by scum who do not belong here. Do you understand? Those people have to go. They don't belong here. Not only do they mar the beauty of our fair city with their shack town, but they harm our citizens. Do you know how many armed robberies there were?"
"I do but-"
"And did you hear about those two girls who were beaten and raped by members of that gang Los Locos del Mar? That took place in Harvard County in the north of Alejandra Island. That's pretty close to the center, Crystal. That worries not only me but many of the citizens living here. Despite the heavy presence of RAPTOR forces patrolling the place, the stowaways are feeling more and more emboldened to spread chaos deeper into the city. Many homeowners have stocked up on weapons and have banded together to form militias to take them down. If nothing is done, Aquarius is going to turn into a war zone. What times." He sighed. "What foul times. Who would have thought years ago that we'd be having a problem like this in our fair home?"
He tapped the window feverishly then took a sip of his champagne. "Foul times," he repeated. "All sorts of filth has sprung up. Before it was just those petty pirates attacking our trade ships. But now its gang members roaming the streets and claiming them as territory of their own. Locals creating armed fighting forces. Children being snatched from playgrounds. And diseases that shouldn't even be here. It makes my hair stand on end. What about that friend of yours? Yuri?"
Crystal grimaced. She looked down at her lap and twiddled her fingers nervously.
"Do you remember what happened to him?" Alan said coldly. "Of course you do. Jacob tells me you cried for days when he was kidnapped by stowaways and held for ransom. I read the reports when I was working for RAPTOR. The things they did to him. The things they made him do. He was just a baby boy. God almighty, Crystal, I wanted to be sick. How can you support a group of people who are capable of doing those kinds of things to your friend?"
"I think I know where you're getting at," said Crystal. "You want to use Yuri as a poster boy for your campaign."
Alan smiled. "Catch on quick, don't you? That's what I love about you, Crystal. You're not as stupid as many claim you to be."
Crystal clamped her lips shut with her teeth to keep herself from responding to that demeaning statement of his. She took a deep breath before she spoke. "Yuri. I'm afraid I don't see him as often."
Alan turned to look at her. "Cut the crap, Crystal. I want to meet him."
Crystal shook her head. "I...I...don't know if he may have the time to."
"He had enough time to go to the beach with you the other day."
"You know about that?" Crystal asked, feeling rather embarrassed.
Alan laughed. "HA! Crystal, the whole island knows about it. The press just ate up your little date. Word on the street was that you were having a bit of a romance with Brett. But Yuri? Ho, ho, ho, Crystal, you sure do know how to excite the public, don't you? Everyone has started to form teams on social media. Team Brett versus Team Yuri. Half your fans want you to go out with Brett and half of them want to see you with the Prince of Aquarius. I don't blame you if you went after Yuri, though. He's quite a catch."
"It's not like that."
"Oh, come on. We saw how you were hugging him and holding him on your date. But whom you go out with is not my concern. I may be in the lead, but I'm not taking any chances. We all thought Hilary had the lead against Trump in that election many years ago, and look how that turned out. Yuri's testimony is just what I need to bag this entire election."
Crystal scratched her head. "You want to use Yuri's horrifying experience as a political tool? Never! I won't allow it!"
"That's not up to you to decide," said Alan. He sat down on the chair next to Crystal. "Your only purpose in this campaign is to sing songs and look pretty. You fail to do that, and we'll have to...play some games with you again." He slid his hand up and down her leg, pushing the hem of her dress up to expose her calf. "You want to play again, Crystal?"
Crystal shivered. "No," she responded in a timid whisper. She scooted away from him. "But why don't you go ask him yourself?" she asked, tugging her dress back down.
"Because Yuri is a difficult guy to come across, so I heard. He doesn't like to see the light of day. Anyways, I expect him at the party on Friday. I need not only his testimony to gain the people's favor, but also his Black Tyranno."
"Whatever for?" Crystal asked. "You think a Duel Monster card will draw in votes?"
Alan laughed. "How stupid do you think I am, Crystal? Of course, the card isn't going to bring votes." He rubbed his chin. "Actually, he will, from a certain point of view. The folks of this island are in love with that beast. They want to see it. I want Yuri to play it to draw them in with a Duel that will be aired for all on the island to see. When they see that monster, the votes will come in."
"How?" Crystal asked.
"We're all Duel Monsters lovers on this island, Crystal. That Black Tyranno is going to bring in views. When the people tune in to watch the match, those views will turn into votes. After the match, I want Yuri to stand there on the podium -with me, of course- and tell the people of his experience that night. No doubt Yuri's story is going to pull on people's heartstrings and make them see the truth about those stowaways. This Duel is just what I need to seal the deal on my victory. And I have just the right opponent for him."
Yuri - Paradiso Prima
Ren held the door open as Yuri walked out of Daniel's Drug Store with armfuls of brown burlap bags full of food. It was a bit of a struggle, but he could manage. Or...so he thought. It wasn't long before Yuri started to complain that his arms were hurting. Ren inhaled deeply and took a bag from Yuri.
"Come on, birthday boy," Ren called. "Let me get that for you. Wow, eighteen years old. My how fast they grow. I can't believe it's already here. Feels...almost unreal."
"Well, what can I say? You're almost never around. Crystal has a far busier life than you and I see her more often. Just what in the world do you do that makes you disappear every now and then. Slowly but surely, Nick has become more a best friend than you."
"That's not my fault," Ren answered, feeling hurt when he realized there was truth in what Yuri was saying. "I told you not to get involved with Brett that night. But you just had to act all macho and try to take him on. Had it not been for your actions, we would have gone to the same school together."
"School? You think different schools have anything to do with how often you're absent from our lives? Crystal has concerts, shoots commercials, poses for magazines, and is a champion Duelist. She does far more than you and I see her every now and then. But you? It's like you only care to show up when you remember."
Ren sighed. "Yeah, I guess I have been a little up and about for some time. Sorry about that, buddy. It's just that...I've failed a few of my classes in my first semester of school. My old man isn't too happy with me, you know. I can't take full control of the family business unless I pass school with flying colors. I've had to study for my exams last summer. I really need to pass."
"I understand, Ren, but does studying for exams mean you have to drop off the face of the earth? To just disappear and cut off all contact with us for so long? My SAT's were no easy thing to study for, but I still made time to hang out with my friends and score pretty high at the same time. I spent almost four long years without my best friend. If you ask me, I think you're making excuses not to be around us. Something else is going on that you don't want me to know about, isn't there?"
Ren shook his head. "No, it's not that. Truthfully, I've made some new friends in college and started hanging out with them a little more than I did you and Crystal. I hate to admit it, but it has interfered with my relationship with you two. I guess I have been a little self-centered. I'm sorry. Let's forget about all that. It's your birthday."
Yuri had a feeling that 'new friends' were not the real reason why Ren was never around. But he did not want to argue and just took his word for it.
"No harm done," he said. He didn't want to fight either. He wanted to celebrate his birthday in peace. "Just don't you forget who your real friends are, Ren. Making new friends is nice and all, but it's no excuse to commit the sin of forgetting your old ones. Especially when you mean a lot to them. Otherwise, you're no true friend. Hell, you're no friend at all. Just a liar with no heart who's all talk. A locust moving from one person to the other for the sake of looking cool on social media."
"Ouch! Rub salt in the old ego why don't ya?" Ren chuckled.
"You know what they say, man. Truth hurts. Forgetting us for the sake of 'new friends' makes you an asshole. Sorry if I'm being strict."
Ren laughed. "Naw, man. I deserve it. You know, I heard you and your pals had some trouble with Patty online."
Yuri scoffed. "We still are but I don't want to talk about it. To be frank, I'm done trying to figure her out, Ren. I'm done trying to connect with her. I'm done trying to protect her. If she wants to become some social media harlot behind our backs, what the hell do I care? Let her drink, let her snort, let her fool around for all I know; I'm done."
"Yuri, I'm very disappointed in you," Ren said, his face creasing into a scowl. "That girl is one of your best friends. I know Patty did wrong in shutting you guys out the way she did but..."
"A stab in the back is what it was!" Yuri shouted.
"Shh! Geez, will you calm down, Yuri? I didn't think you felt so strongly about this. Have you given any thought to why she did this? You guys mean a lot to her. She loves you. I'm sure she did what she did to keep your friendship intact. You guys mean so much to her that she doesn't want to see you do the things she does."
"It shows she has a complete lack of trust in us, Ren!" said Yuri, growing red in the face. "Simply put, if there is no trust, we have NO friendship!"
Ren shook his head. "See? See? That's why she doesn't want you to see what she's doing on My Life, Yuri. You once said you didn't care what she does in her private time. But I guarantee if you saw half the things she does, you'd pull the cord on this beautiful friendship you two have. Patty told me you two have known each other since kindergarten. Is that true?"
"So what if it is?"
"Friendships like that are rare, man. Patty cares about you guys so much that she'd hide all the bad things so as not to disappoint you."
"If she 'cares' about us that way, then why does she do half the crap she does in the first place?"
Ren shrugged. "Some girls can't help it, dude. And, come on, let's face it. Patty's beautiful. Who am I kidding? She's hot. A girl like her; when she has looks like that, she'll flaunt it to get the attention. Believe me. I know. I know girls a lot better than you do, Yuri. And you gotta think, man. Despite all the shit she does at night, Patty is still your friend. She still wants to be your friend."
"It doesn't make me feel any better, Ren."
"You're too sensitive, man. Crystal's done a lot to garner some rowdy attention, but you don't seem to care, do you?"
"Crystal doesn't hide things from me, Ren. Crystal and I have trust. And like I told you, if we have no trust, we have no friendship."
Ren sighed. He gave up. "I'm sorry you feel that way, Yuri. Deal with Patty how you see fit, but if you end your friendship just because Patty has a provocative life outside your own, then you're an idiot. Or...you have feelings for her."
Yuri clicked his tongue. "Now That's the last thing on my mind, Ren!"
"Look at you getting all defensive," Ren chuckled. "I see you. I see you. You like her, don't you?"
"Shut up, Ren."
"You don't like that thought of all those boys getting on your crush, right?"
"I said shut the..."
"Change! Spare change!" An old man said, shoving a plastic coffee cup full of pennies and dimes. "Spare change. Spare change. Spare a coin for an old war veteran."
"Who are you?" Yuri cried out foolishly.
The man was dirty from head to toe. His jeans were ripped and stained with all manner of filth. His shoes were torn and worn. His big toe poking out of the front of the right one. He wore a tattered leather jacket with a hood and a black beanie over his head. He wore torn gloves made of ripped cloth.
"Spare change," the man croaked.
Ren grabbed Yuri by the shoulder and pulled him away from the man. "Don't worry, Yuri. His name is Norman Delgado. He's one of the squatters who live under the bridge."
"Spare change," Norman grumbled, shaking his cup. The coins inside jingled as they flipped around.
"We don't want any trouble, Norman. Leave us alone."
"Yuri..." Norman groaned. "Yuri...spare change?"
"Forget about him," Ren said, pulling Yuri away. "Get a job, you bum. It's not that hard!"
"Spare change, almighty Terratar!" Norman called out as the boys walked.
Yuri was struck with a brief paralysis upon hearing that name. Was he insane? Did that man just say one of the words that were sung in that song of power that haunted him every night in his dreams? He yanked himself free of Ren's grip.
"Yuri! No!" Ren cried.
"What did you say?" Yuri gasped, stopping in front of the man, still waving his cup and down for some change.
"Yuri, forget it!" Ren shouted. "He's stoned out of his mind, look at him!"
Norman looked around as though he were in a trance. Behind him three women were huddled around a fire burning in a barrel, trying to keep warm from the cold oceanic evening air. He looked at Yuri and slowly smiled.
"That eye," he said, looking at Yuri's green glowing eye. "That eye. Hail Yuri! The almighty Terratar. Hail Yuri, the savior! Hail Yuri, the King of Kings!"
"Hail," said one of the women, softly.
"Hail," said the second.
"Hail," said the third.
"What are you talking about?" Yuri asked. "What is it about my eye that you know? What do you know about that word? Terratar? What does it mean?"
"Hail Yuri," Norman continued to chant. "The Savior of our people. Hail Yuri, the Caller of the Gods."
"Hail."
"Hail."
"Hail."
"Yuri, get away from him!" shouted Ren.
"What are you trying to tell me?" Yuri asked. "King of Kings? Caller of the Gods? Savior? I'm no savior, sir. What do you think I am? Do you know something about my dreams?"
The second woman by the fire answered. "More than you know, Yuri, O' King of Kings,"
Norman bared a yellow grin. "The time is nigh, Prince of the Fallen House," he said. "The hour of your return is upon us. In time, you will learn all. You will learn that you mean a great deal to an army of millions who have you in their hearts."
"That's enough!" shouted Ren. "Say another word, and I will call the police! Come on, Yuri! This man is insane! Just yesterday I saw him mumbling to an old man that he was Cthulhu come back to us. He's a fortune teller. A looney! Don't listen to him!"
Yuri knew that time was wasting, but something in his heart told him that this beggar was no mere beggar. Perhaps he would visit him another time. Why else would he know of the name Terratar, the name from his dreams? The name that those powerful voices kept shouting into his brain every night. Yuri reached into his pocket and tossed a few crumpled bills and some quarters into Norman's cup.
"Hail Yuri," Norman said one last time.
Yuri tipped his cap at the man, then followed Ren back to his estate.
"Hey, Patty, pass the marshmallows, baby!" Sam said with a mouthful of goo from the toasted one he just ate. His lips were crusted in white, and his shirt was stained with chocolate that dripped from the s'more he ate before. His fingers were sticky and dirty as well, and he had the audacity to ask: "And can I see those new cards in your deck? I heard your Diabolos is lit!"
Patty looked at the boy in disgust. The orange glow of the fire seemed to accent the rage blushing on her face. She reached for a bag next to her camping stool and tossed it at the boy.
"First off, don't call me 'baby'. Secondly, you're not touching my cards with those hands."
A loud clap of a wave smashing against the beach of Yuri's estate was the final exclamation point to her order. She petted Max a little more feverishly as he lay sleeping on her lap. The hearts on her gold and silver bracelet jingled.
Carter gave a heavy sigh while he was talking to someone on the phone. "Okay. Sorry, you feel that way." He hung up. "Sorry, guys, but it looks like Nick is a no-show tonight."
"Figures," Yuri said drearily. He tossed a few more sticks into the fire. A flurry of embers flew over the flames and into the night. "He hasn't been the same since our Duel at school. "
"Not even with me here?" Crystal asked, wrapping a white wool blanket over her shoulders to shield her from the chilly ocean breeze. Ren was asleep on a hammock behind her, snoring loudly. "He must be really upset about that loss to Brett. I sure hope things get better before Yuri's birthday party this weekend."
"He'll get over it," Patty replied, impaling a marshmallow onto a stick. She held it over the fire. She heard Sam chuckle from his seat. Patty looked up to see what he was laughing about. Much to her chagrin, he was swooning over her again.
"The flames of the fire are hot, but Patty is no doubt hotter!" He touched his hip. "Sssss!" he hissed as though touching a hot surface.
"Nice try, bud," Patty said, letting the flames engulf the marshmallow. She blew on it and ate it without a thought.
She didn't even wince at how hot it was, which seemed to scare Yuri and the others awfully. Tyson scooted his chair away from her while Yuri stared as though he had just seen a ghost. That marshmallow was hot enough to cause some bad burns, but Patty ate it as though it was cool to the touch. Even little Sam was at a loss for words.
He looked away from her and stared out into the ocean to look at the orange moon hovering over the water turning a shade of bluish-red in the setting sun, whose waning light turned the sky a beautiful shade of red and the clouds pink like large tufts of cotton candy. The beauty if the world around him calmed him down from the spectacle Patty made. Tyson shook his head and searched for another R&B track to play on his phone.
"Ahem," he said, pretending to clear his throat. "So, who here has gotten invites to the fancy pants tournament next summer?"
"The only one I know who got their invitation was Yuri," said Tyson. "A big golden envelope and everything. Maybe that's why Nick decided not to come."
"Everything I'm doing seems to piss him off," Yuri grumbled. "I'm glad he decided to take the game a little more seriously in getting himself a new deck, but challenging Brett Martinetti to a Duel wasn't my fault."
"Nobody is saying that it was, Yuri," Patty said, searching for another marshmallow. "It's just that he's been put in last for all his life. The fact you're getting all his attention is not helping. To say nothing of the fact that word has gotten around about you and me going to the dance tomorrow."
"What?" Sam cried out. "Who said you could take my girl out, Yuri?"
Yuri ignored him. "People know about that?" he asked.
"The whole city knows about it," said Patty.
"Really?" Yuri groaned, slamming his head on the back of his chair. "Word sure does spread fast around here, doesn't it."
Crystal laughed, slapping Yuri's knee playfully. "Well, well, Patty. I've got to tip my hat off to you. It's not every day someone can get Yuri out of the house to a school event like the homecoming dance. You are the luckiest girl on the island right now. The Heir of the Montgomery Estate as your date? Even I'm a little jealous. Do you have any idea how many girls wish they were you right now?"
"You don't need to remind me," Patty replied, impaling another marshmallow. "Seven girls ran up to me with ransoms from rare cards, money, even their hot boyfriends in exchange for having Yuri as a date for the homecoming dance. Some have even tried to Duel me for him."
"Why?" Yuri cried out into the night. "I'm not some prize to be won!"
Carter, applying blush to his face, let out a hearty laugh at Yuri's reaction to all this. He reached into a bucket of fried chicken to pull out a leg to eat. He bit savagely into it. "Yuri, Yuri, Yuri, my little baby. You have a status that most guys could only dream of having. You've been blessed to be born into the house of a multi-trillionaire and have all the girls on the island swoon over you as though you were Prince Charming himself. Yet you treat it like a curse."
"He's hopeless," Ren said from the hammock. "I've done everything I could to make him enjoy the nightlife every weekend. But, no, he just wants to sit in his room and shuffle his deck all day. And write his dreams down in that little diary of his."
"What?" Yuri shouted, almost jumping out of his seat. He turned to look at Ren. "You went through my stuff?"
"Terratar! Terratar!" said Ren. "Yuri, you're horribly stressed. That's why you keep having those funky nightmares. You're eighteen years old now. You need to go out more, man. You need to head to the clubs. Grab a drink. Meet a girl; dance with her; take her home. You're missing out on all the fun. You're rich. You're a rising star in the world of Duel Monsters. Chicks want you - no - NEED you. Like Carter said, this is the life very few can ever hope to have, and you aren't enjoying it."
"I AM enjoying it!" Yuri protested. "I don't have to get drunk or screw girls to enjoy the fruits of life."
"But getting drunk and screwing girls are the fruits of life, Yuri," Ren chuckled.
"OMG!" Crystal shouted in acronyms. "You're a pig! Don't listen to him, Yuri. Live your life the way you want to. And what's all this Terratar business?"
"Ask Yuri," Ren replied with a yawn. "Apparently it's a song he hears in his dreams."
"Oh, not this dream stuff again," whined Sam. "Let's do something fun."
"We're teenagers," said Patty, blowing the flames off the roasted marshmallow. "Talking about our problems is fun. Go ahead, Yuri. What is this song you keep dreaming about?"
"You wouldn't understand," Yuri answered, kicking a stick into the fire pit. "Not to mention the whole thing is rather spooky."
"Spooky?" said Crystal. "Come on, Yuri. We're around the campfire. This is the perfect time to tell ghost stories." She wriggled her fingers. "Ooooo," she howled like a ghoul.
"How about a Duel instead?" Sam requested, shivering in his chair.
"I think that's a great idea," Carter said, jumping out of the stool. "Yuri, you and me! What do you say? Or are you scared I'll beat you like I did last time?"
Crystal and Patty howled. Crystal gave a loud clap and said: "Oh, Yuri! It. Is. On!"
"All right, all right," Yuri said, standing up. "If you insist. I'll be right back."
Yuri walked back into the mansion. He returned shortly later with two brand new Duel Disks in hand. His friends got out of their chairs and cheered, raising their arms in the air when they saw them. Tyson barked like a big dog as he paraded back and forth in front of the fire. Ren, opened one eye to see what the commotion was about. He felt content when he saw the Duel Disks in Yuri's arms, and quickly got off the hammock to inspect them.
They were chromed and lit up with blue neon giving them a futuristic look as though they were something from a science-fiction movie. He gave on to Carter and then put his on.
"Where did you get these, Yuri?" Crystal asked, examining Yuri's machine. "These look really cool. Their design far and away exceeds the one I have."
"Well, they're not mine, really," Yuri replied. "They're supposed to be put on display at the Phobos Corp Tower and then will be sent as gifts to the Prince of Saudi Arabia. Since it's my birthday, Dad says we can use them so long as we're careful. But just so you know, Carter, I had a different deck when we last played. You only beat me because I didn't have the cards I have now."
"Yeah, well, I, too, have made a few additions to my deck, baby. I really took advantage of the new Invasion of Chaos pack that came out. I'm going to beat you again, Yuri." He ran for his tent to excavate his deck, then ran down to the surf, taking off his shoes and socks so he could stand in the water. "You're not going to get an easy win over me, Yuri. I assure you. Your Black Tyranno is tough, but let's see if he can stand up to my sea monsters."
LP 2000
"I'll go first," said Yuri. "Draw! I Special Summon, Gilasaurus! And next, I summon Uraby in attack mode! I lay one card face-down. I end my turn."
"My turn. I draw! I activate Moray of Greed. I shuffle two WATER monsters to my deck and draw three cards. Then Graceful Charity. I draw three cards and discard two."
"Snoresville!" Sam shouted from his chair while helping himself to a bag of chips to snack on while he watched the Duel.
"Ignore him," said Patty. "Go ahead, Carter. Continue on with your turn."
"Oh, right," Carter said. "Uh, let's see. What new cards will Graceful Charity grant me?" He drew. "Nice. I play Salvage, which lets me add two WATER monsters from my Graveyard to my hand. Now, the real fun begins. I summon Jellyfish in attack mode!" (ATK/1200 DEF/1500)
Carter slapped the card onto the Duel Disk. Behind him, underneath the waves, an eerie, green light shined brightly. And then the stillness of the night was pierced by an eerie battle cry that sounded like a whale giving out a high-pitched call.
Crystal was so spooked by the sound that she ran back up the beach towards the hammock where Ren rested. She jumped. Ren held out his hands in protest, but it was too late. She fell on top of him. The hammock could not support the extra weight. It snapped, and they both fell on the sand with a thud. Yuri and the others laughed at the comedic scene. Tyson let out high-pitched shrieks as he fell to the ground laughing at the sight of Crystal's legs up in the air and Ren's moving up and down as he was tangled by the hammock. Sam ran towards them and jumped on top of Crystal.
"I'll save you, Ren!" he cried, and then he started tickling Crystal.
Poor Crystal howled with uncontrollable laughter. "Stop!" she cried. "Stop! Then Ren joined in and made it worse by joining in on tickling her. "Oh, stop! Oh, stop!" She pleaded. "Stop! Stop! I'm gonna pee!"
"Got ya!" Sam said, slapping her on the butt over and over again.
Though Yuri could still hear the haunting cry of the Jellyfish, there was no doubt in his mind that Sam was not coming in Ren's defense. He saw his little hands go to places where they shouldn't go. Luckily, Patty arrived in the nick of time and pulled him away. The Jellyfish's cries got louder and a little more irate, as though it was shouting: Hey! I've been summoned over here!
"I don't like the sound of that," Ren said, helping Crystal up. He patted sand off her dress before cleaning his own clothes.
"Me neither," Crystal agreed. "That's so spooky."
"That's just a taste of things to come," Carter said coldly. "I activate Monster Reborn to bring back one of the monsters in my Graveyard. The all-powerful, Spike Seadra!" (ATK/1600 DEF/1300)
Far off into the water, something pierced the surface. A row of black spikes protruding from a dark blue surface skimmed over the waves and stopped next to the light where the Jellyfish swam. The creature reared its body over the waves, letting out a high-pitched cry. Its burning red eyes glared down at Yuri. Carter turned to look at the monster he summoned. He jumped up and down with joy at the sight of the sea beast that came from the dark depths of the sea at his command.
"Oh, Lord Almighty!" cried Crystal. "That's a little too real for me. Phobos Corp really stepped it up with their holographic technology."
"No kidding," Patty agreed, bracing Max tightly in her arms. "Look at that thing! It's so real. It's...it's alive almost." The poor puppy whimpered in fright at the sight of the giant monster, hissing and snarling in the waves. Patty patted Max on the head and kissed him. "It's okay, baby. Don't be scared." She put the puppy in her sweater and zipped it all the way up, sealing him inside so he couldn't see the Spiked Seadra anymore. She sniffed the air. Her face crinkled in disgust, picking up the scent of fish laying out in the hot sun on a pier. "Oh, God! What is that smell?"
Ren laughed. "Would you believe the Duel Disk is so advanced that it can also produce the monster's odor?"
"Da-yum!" Tyson said, fanning the air in front of his nose. "Come on, man, that reeks!"
"Is that really necessary?" Patty asked. "Seems a little too excessive, don't you think?"
Carter took one last look at his Spiked Seadra and looked at Yuri. "Now, Yuri. I think I'll attack your Gilasaurus with my Jellyfish!"
Yuri raised an eyebrow. "Why? Gilasaurus is still stronger than your Jellyfish. You can't defeat him."
"I can add, Yuri," said Carter. "I know your monster is stronger than my Jellyfish. I wouldn't attack it if we were playing on a regular field. But this isn't a regular field now, is it?" He stretched out his arms dramatically.
"Okay," said Crystal. "Your monsters are in the water. Big deal. It's not like they're going to get a bonus from that. There is no rule."
"There is now," said Carter, tapping his forehead. "There's a new tournament going to be held here in November, and it's going to implement some new rules to make the game a little more interesting. And I'm going to take advantage of one of those rules. The Field Power Bonus. This new rule gives monsters a thirty percent increase in their power if the terrain they stand on is favorable."
"I get it!" Patty said with a gasp. "Since Carter's monsters are sea monsters, they get the Field Power Bonus. Now his Jellyfish is way stronger than Yuri's Gilasaurus."
Jellyfish (ATK 1560)
Spiked Seadra (ATK 2080)
"Well played, Carter," Ren complimented. "Just where did you learn these new rules?"
"I know someone who works as an intern for Phobos Corp. I promise the Field Power Bonus is the only new rule he taught me."
"Ooo," Patty hooted. "That special someone wouldn't by any chance be Brandon, would it?"
"Uh..." Carter said, going red.
Yuri rolled his eyes. "Only the best for his 'Little Boy'," he said. "Why doesn't it surprise me that the Field Power Bonus would be the one rule you were quick to adapt to, Carter?"
"I can see why he would," Sam said, punching his hand. "That Field Power Bonus can be deadly if someone knows how to use it. And it looks like Carter has used them well, cuz none of Yuri's dumb dinosaurs stand a chance against those powerful sea monsters. Aw man, I can't wait to use it myself for that big tournament he was talking about."
"ATTACK!" Carter commanded his Spiked Seadra.
At once, his monster started charging his spikes. They sparked with powerful bolts of electricity and glowed bright blue. Spiked Seadra's eyes rolled to the back of its head as it released a stream of lightning that flew up to the sky, then slithered towards Yuri's Uraby. The blast felt so real, so violent, that Yuri felt the need to knock himself back to avoid it. The numbers on the Life Point meter descended from 2000 to 1420.
"Now, Jellyfish will attack your Gilasaurus!" Carter yelled, continuing with his Battle Phase. The Jellyfish rose out of the water. It, too, summoned volts of electricity from the tips of each of its tentacles. Jellyfish zapped Yuri's Gilasaurus. Yuri's Life Points plummeted to 1160. "You're going to have to play smarter than that, Yuri. Even with your new cards, you still can't even last my first turn without suffering heavy damage to your Life Points. The game changes all the time, and every good Duelist knows you must prepare for any situation."
Sam laughed in his chair, his mouth full of marshmallows. "Hate to break it to ya, Yuri. But Carter's got a point. Even with your Black Tyranno card, you won't be top dog for long. New cards are starting to come with the new packs that make your Black Tyranno not look so tough anymore."
"Go, Yuri!" Crystal cheered. "You've beaten tougher opponents than this."
"Come on, Yuri!" Patty cried, joining in on the cheer. "I don't want to go to the homecoming dance with a loser."
Yuri turned to look at her. "Yeah, that helps." He waved when he spotted Natalya coming down the dunes to join them. "Hey!" he shouted cheerfully. "Where have you been?"
"Sorry," Natalya said, slipping off her backpack. She ran to join them by the water to watch the Duel. "Father made me stay a little longer and I had to shower and get my stuff. Oh, wow! What do we have here? Crystal Anderson? THE Crystal Anderson. I'm a big fan!"
"Nice to meet you," Crystal said, shaking her hand. "Yuri's told me all about you. Glad I can finally get to see you. Going Ivy League, huh? I wish I could. But, as you know, I've got both a music and Duel Monsters career to manage."
"Not to mention a bad romance," said Natalya. "I heard about what Mr. Martinetti did at the Dueling Grounds. I'm so sorry."
Patty gave a loud 'humph' and stuck her nose in the air. "Mister is too sophisticated for a scum bag like him. Just call the loser by his name. We all do. Anyways, let's not hold this Duel up any longer. Come on, Yuri. It's your turn."
"Oh, I forgot! I draw! Nothing. I activate Pot of Greed and draw two cards." Yuri frowned when he saw what he got. He had nothing that could match the strength of Carter's Spiked Seadra, but he could defend himself for a little longer until he drew the big monsters. "I set Anthrosaurus in defense mode and set this card face-down. That's it."
"You bet that's it!" sneered Carter. Yuri's innards felt like they got twisted in a knot. If there was one thing he hated about Carter, it was his obnoxious attitude when he was winning.
"Just go!" Yuri said, accidentally letting his frustration out.
"I draw! I activate Polymerization, fusing together Mystic Lamp and Hyosube together to create the all-powerful Roaring Ocean Snake!"
Yuri could not see the monster, just the green fins of its back as it slithered through the surface of the water behind Spiked Seadra. Still, he knew the creature stood strong with an ATK of 2100. With the Field Power Bonus, it meant that the Roaring Ocean Snake was now at 2730, more than enough power to stand a chance against his Black Tyranno.
Carter proceeded to conduct the Normal Summon if his turn. He summoned what was once considered the most feared monster of all the Sea Serpents. The King of the Ocean, the monster was dubbed. Kairyu-Shin. Yuri had seen the monster be used in tournaments recently. He saw the monster's fins slither across the waves, followed by a sky-blue hump. With an ATK of 1800, Kairyu-Shin was no doubt a formidable monster. Yuri gritted his teeth, again remembering that damn Field Power Bonus. Now that meant Kairyu-Shin was standing close to the top of the charts with a whopping 2340 attack points.
Yuri heard Sam laughing behind him. "Oh yeah!" he shouted. "Yuri sure has got this, doesn't he, girls? Look at all those sea monsters Carter has called out. One of them is twice as strong as Yuri's Black Tyranno. Let's face it, Patty. You are going to the dance with a loser. I can take his place if you want."
Patty paid no heed to him. "Come on, Yuri! You can beat him!"
Suddenly, Kairyu-Shin, Spiked Seadra, and Roaring Ocean Snake rose out of the waves. They growled; they roared; they hissed. Roaring Ocean Snake released steam from its nostrils. Their ATK Point displays projected beside them.
2080
2730
2340
Patty gulped when she saw them standing together. The horrid howl of Jellyfish piercing through the calm and beautiful waves made their appearance even more intimidating. "I think," she said. Her reaction caused Sam to fall out of his chair and roll in the sand laughing.
"I'm impressed, Carter," said Natalya. "For a guy who just started playing, you've sure built yourself a nice deck."
"Why, thank you, Natalya," Carter said, adjusting his glasses. "Now, who will have the honor of taking out Yuri's next monster? Of course! Why not the King of the Ocean himself? Kairyu-Shin, attack his Anthrosaurus."
Kairyu-Shin roared in response. He summoned a massive tidal wave that struck Anthrosaurus and washed it away. Carter then activated a Spell Card called The Inexperienced Spy, which allowed him to see a card in Yuri's hand. He chose one, and Yuri revealed it to be his Earthquake spell.
"Figures," Carter said with a devious chuckle "You always rely on your Earthquake to help Black Tyranno gain you a quick victory. "But he won't be doing any such thing once I activate this card. Sea Lord's Amulet. This Spell Card prevents all WATER monsters from being destroyed or affected by your card effects. Summon Black Tyranno if you want, Yuri but I'll wipe you out before you even get the chance."
Unfortunately for Carter, he boasted way too soon, for Yuri did summon his Black Tyranno. Yuri then equipped Black Tyranno with a new card. Axe of Despair, which raised Black Tyranno's attack by 1000.
The fiendish-looking axe fell down from the sky and landed on Black Tyranno's back. He roared when it felt the fell power of the axe surge through his body. His eyes were glowing bright red. He shooked his head violently and attacked Jellyfish by stomping on it, dealing 2040 damage to him and ending the game with just one powerful attack. Carter's serpents vanished. Black Tyranno roared into the twilight sky and vanished.
"Raarrrr!" Sam mocked him, sticking up his little arms.
Crystal jumped out of her seat and clapped. "That's my Yuri! Always finds a way to change the tide. Uh...no offense Carter."
Carter laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "Well, serves me right for counting my chickens so quickly. Good game, Yuri."
"Don't worry about it, Carter," Yuri said, happily. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm feeling quite hungry right now. Tyson, are you going to cook up those burgers we bought, or what?"
Wasting no time, Tyson ran for the grill to start cooking. As Yuri walked back to their stool, he took off his Duel Disk and gave it to Ren, who wanted a turn against Carter. He felt a soft hand place itself on his shoulder. He looked to see who it was. Crystal was beaming at him.
"That was amazing," she said. "A little overkill, but still cool nonetheless. I see you're opening more packs and making use of that Gold Series box I gave you."
"I appreciate that," said Yuri. "Say, you wouldn't by any chance given me some money did you?"
Crystal shook her head. "Why?" she asked.
"Oh," Yuri replied. "It's...well...Nah. It's nothing. Come on. Let's cook some of those burgers before Ren and Carter have their Duel."
Crystal's smile grew even wider. "Best idea I heard all night. Happy birthday big guy. I love you."
She wrapped her arm around his neck and pulled him close so she could plant a big kiss on his cheek.