Okay, by now you've been listening to me give all these examples of conspiracy theories, and probably saying, "Oh, come on, Jemorille! I didn't come here for lectures!"
Well, maybe I do ramble too much. That was something that got on Jalal's nerves too. Very well. But before this story delves into even grimmer territory, there's one last point I'd like to touch on.
Real conspiracies do exist. The Watergate scandal, the Iran Contra Affair, and the Tuskegee Study are three well known examples. These real scandals tend to cause distrust, and create false ones. For example, the Tuskegee Study has led many minorities to not trust doctors, and may have helped spread the theory about the CIA creating the HIV as a biological weapon to kill minorities.
So how do you tell a real conspiracy from a farce? Lack of motive is a big indicator.
Seriously. With the typical conspiracy theory, whatever mastermind behind it seems to have no real motive behind it other than being an evil villain who wants to be evil.
Why do anti-Semitic groups claim the greedy Jews caused a recession? It's evil. What reason do anti-abortion advocates give for their claim that legal abortion is a plot to keep down the birth rates of minorities? Uh, it's evil. Why do fundamentalists claim Harry Potter, the Twilight books, and fantasy role playing games intentionally encourage delinquency, Satanism, and premarital sex among young people? Uh… it's… evil?
If pressed for a motive, some may say it's for money, but seriously, to pull off some of the feats that conspiracy theorists describe, you'd need to be a billionaire already, or own a fairly rich company. Doing evil things won't necessarily let them increase their profit margins.
Being a rilmani, I know more than anyone that mortals do not commit acts of evil for no reason. Poor reasons or selfish reasons perhaps, maybe even reasons that only they think are important. As I said before, Occam's razor plays a big part. Even if the "How" and "Who" of an alleged conspiracy makes sense, there must be a "Why", or it makes none.
Now… Onto more pressing business at hand…
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Chapter Twenty-Six
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Scary Monsters
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As previously said, Atlantic City was a town that had been through its ups and down. And in some cases, that was literally true. Much like other old cities, they often had to tear down old buildings to build other buildings, only to tear them down decades later to build newer ones. As society and technology moved on, some types of architecture became obsolete, and cities changed.
That's not why the Trump Taj Mahal was now being demolished, however. Once one of the biggest and fanciest (some would say gaudiest) casinos in the city, the place had been mired in scandal since before it even opened, due to Donald Trump's ugly fight with Merv Griffon over ownership of Resorts International, in which the Casino played a key role. Only months after it did open, it hosted the notorious baccarat game where the high-rolling Japanese billionaire Akio Kashiwagi lost $10 million, later claiming it was part of a deal made with the casino that they failed to honor. (Martin Scorsese's film Casino was based on the event.)
Eventually, controversies and lack of concessions from unions forced the place to file for bankruptcy. Petitions kept the place open for a while, but increasing overhead led to a decline in service, which drove customers away, and in turn, caused profits to suffer too much, until the place finally closed. Just last year, the building was scheduled to be demolished.
The place was too big to tear down in one big implosion, meaning the demolition company was using the "inside-out" method, using mini-excavators to demolish the building one floor at a time from the top down, while using the outside as a scaffolding.
As the sun started to go down, Sofia carefully stepped over the barriers roping the place off. The laborers had gone home for the day, and she figured she could handle the security guard, if there was even one here. Whether Philip was here or not, they'd likely have taken care of that.
"Hello?" she called. She looked around the gravel-filled yard in front of what was originally the hotel entrance, large cellophane blocking off what was once fancy doors.
She saw a light inside. Then she smelled something… Hamburgers?
Either I'm losing my mind or someone is in there having a barbecue in the middle of October… she thought.
Indeed, it was rather chilly for a cookout. Nonetheless, she carefully walked to the cellophane sheets and pushed them aside, looking it.
The light was coming from a Coleman's lantern set up next to what was indeed a portable barbecue grill where Dunstan was indeed grilling hamburgers – although Sofia didn't recognize him, especially seeing as he had switched from his business suit into a casual flannel shirt and jeans. A sports cooler and duffel bag were next to his stool.
"Oh, hello!" he said, looking up. "Sofia, right?"
"Uh, yeah…" she said, looking around. "Uh… You're the guy…" She put her hand to her ear with her thumb and little finger extended.
"Yep," he said, nodding. "I called you after Ferdinand called me. I guess we all have a few friends in common…"
"Uh, since when is it okay to have a picnic on city property?" she asked.
"Heh, heh…" he said with a short laugh. "You're so uptight… Just like Philip described…"
He opened the cooler. "Juice? Soda? Beer? We have time. I have enough for everyone."
Sofia was about to say something… But then she realized that maybe she was a little uptight. And more than a little hungry.
"Uh, sure…" she said. "Anything diet…"
"And how do you like yours done?" he asked. "Philip will be here soon…"
At least he'd better… he thought. Seriously, even he didn't fully know what Diogenes had planned. And if this turned out bad, he really didn't feel like going to jail…
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About three hours previous, Jabels brought two cups of coffee into a lounge where Jalal was waiting, looking at a clipboard.
"So did he say anything yet?" asked the leader of the Shadowchasers. He took one, and made small sips.
"Well, he gave us a name and a description of his benefactor at least," replied Jabels. He sat down, and started to drink from his own. "Mr. Drumer claims that information was given to him by an… individual named Diogenes."
"Diogenes…" said Jalal. He rubbed his chin. "Mmm, go on…"
"Yes, well…" said Jabels. "Apparently, Drumer has known this fellow for about a year, and was given the formula for the bloodhulks and most of the… ahem, raw supplies for them too. Diogenes said he had interest in Drumer's 'project'."
"Clearing Benedict Arnold's name, I suppose?" asked Jalal. "More than likely this guy had other motives."
"Possibly the obelisk, possibly a desire to 'test' the bloodhulks, yes," replied Jabels. "Drumer does recall reading a few of those archived Creepypasta stories… It seems more and more like poor Ms. Fion was killed because she knew too much about how this group recruits."
"This group?" asked Jalal.
He rubbed his chin again. It was hard to deny that there was a group behind it now… Still, the name behind it did worry him a little. Diogenes… Not as benign as one may think…
That was the name of a Greek philosopher recognized as the founder of cynicism, and he was either an eccentric genius or a madman, depending on whose opinion you believed. An old legend about him claimed he wandered the world with a lantern looking for an honest man, the reason being, he didn't believe such a thing existed.
What you learned about him in advanced philosophy classes was less pleasant. As a cynic, Diogenes rejected society, civilization, and culture, and he taught by example, living a life of voluntary poverty. And not in the way priests do. Diogenes lived like a vagrant, rejecting hygiene and manners. He even rejected basic human decency; he was known to urinate on people who insulted him, defecate in places as posh as theaters, and masturbate in public. If anyone told him he was no better than an animal, he took it as a compliment; he considered animals to have better morals than humans.
In short, it wasn't exactly a popular boys' name.
So who are we dealing with then? thought Jalal. Anarchists? Revolutionaries?
He shuddered to think that someone with the same ideas as Bloodletter was behind this.
"Anyway," continued Jabels, "we've made a composite sketch of this fellow from his description…"
He handed the clipboard to Jalal, who looked at the sketch, one which resembled a man with a strong chin and jaw, a stern glare, short, dark hair, and a mon-brow.
"Mmm!" said Jalal.
"Yes, I wouldn't want to meet him in a dark alley," replied Jabels.
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"Innsmouth?" asked Sofia. "Whatever possessed you to go there? Didn't the signs that said 'No trespassing by order of the Federal Government' discourage you?"
"Dunno," he replied. "Some people see a 'keep out' sign, and it only makes them curious. Governments are still debating just what kind of warning to put at nuclear waste burial sites that will actually scare future generations away and not make them want to explore them.
"Me? I just figured there might be something interesting in the old place…"
"So, did you sneak in before or after the entire town was ransacked, cleared of the inhabitants, and reduced to rubble?" she asked.
Dunstan smirked a little. "I'm not that old, Ms. Witt," he said. "It was spring break during my freshman year, and just wanted to go up there, look around, maybe see if anything had been left behind…"
"Look, uhm, Dunstan…" she said, "I've heard of college students going off and doing things like free solo climbing, cave diving, and BASE jumping, claiming that they're 'danger seekers'. But I think most of those guys would consider poking around cursed ruins that a demon-worshipping cult used to hang out in a little too dangerous."
"Oh, and it's so different than what Jalal has you guys doing?" he asked.
Sofia didn't answer for a minute. "I… guess not…" she replied.
Neither of them spoke for a minute or two. Sofia silently chewed her hamburger while looking at him.
"So, you did this during spring break?" she asked.
"Uh, technically, I skipped a semester?" he answered. She didn't say anything in response, so he went on. "I spent some time at Kingsport that summer too, and…"
He stopped. She was looking at him like he was crazy.
Maybe I should have quit while I was ahead, he thought.
"You, uh, have any ketchup?" she asked.
Dunstan handed it to her with a nervous smile, then stood up.
"Excuse me a minute, I, uh… nature calls…"
She didn't seem to object, so he quickly walked to the back of the room, then ducked around the corner, out of sight, and took a deep breath.
"Damn it, Diogenes!" he whispered. "Can you tell me what to do here? She's getting suspicious!"
"Duel her," said Diogenes' voice in her mind.
"How so?" he asked. "You want me to win, stall, lose on purpose, or what?"
"Uh, the Port-o-Let is over there, fellah," said Sofia's voice behind him, so suddenly it made him jump.
"You know, if you get spooked that easily, I doubt you have the nerve to walk into what was left of Innsmouth. Now spill it, what's going on? Is Philip coming or isn't he"
"Want me to prove to you I have the nerve?" asked Dunstan.
He stepped backwards, and a Duel Disk appeared on his arm, one that made Sofia's eyes open. The weird model with the gears that Strings had used. With a series of whirs, it activated.
"You went there looking for a duel?" she asked, half laughing. She held up her left arm, activating her Disk. "If any of those cultists were still there, I kinda doubt they would accept that challenge."
"You misunderstand," replied Dunstan. "But it will become clear in a minute…"
(Sofia: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Dunstan: 8,000)
Dunstan seemed to grow far more confident as he plucked five cards off of his deck. Still, that was fine for Sofia… so did she. She was anxious to blow off some steam, because to tell the truth, she was pretty tight. She watched as Dunstan made the first draw.
"I'll start," he said, "by playing Time Fusion. I simply have to get rid of one of my cards…" He took another card from his hand, and it disappeared in a bright flash. "…and on my next turn, I'll be able to bring out one of my Fusion Monsters."
"Any Fusion Monster?" shouted Sofia. "As in…"
"I suppose I could use it to summon something like Cyber End Dragon, or Master of Oz…" he said with a devilish look. "Or… F.G.D., perhaps…"
Sofia's expression suddenly turned cold, but then he smiled.
"Calm down, it's none of those," he said, in a calmer voice. He played another card causing a set monster to appear. "My deck is much, much different…
"You can move now… Word among Shadowkind was that you had an affinity with wind that was second only to the djinn."
Sofia couldn't help but giggle a little as she drew. She had never heard anyone say that, but if someone did, being a personal friend of a real djinn, she knew it would be an exaggeration.
"I set two cards and summon Mist Valley Falcon!" she shouted. Two set cards appeared in a flash, then her winged lookalike leapt in front, holding her broadsword in both hands. (2,000 ATK)
"Now I'll send one of my set cards back to my hand so she can attack!"
One of the set cards disappeared, and Falcon lifted her weapon and flew at the set card, which turned over…
"Aw, nuts…" said Sofia, when she saw what it was. Marshmallon was on the card, smirking at her with its upside-down grin as it bounced up and down. (500 DEF) Falcon's sword struck, like it was hitting a pillow, and Sofia cried out in pain.
(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 8,000)
"Oh-kay, I think I'll set this again, and then quit while Im ahead…" she said. She took the card she had bounced back to her hand and set it again.
"First, I'll draw," said Dunstan, making a draw. "And as promised, one of my Fusion Monsters appears…"
A geyser of water blasted out of the floor, combined with a roar that sounded like a cross between that of a dragon and the whinny of horse, if such a thing were possible.
"I summon Elder God Noden!"
As the geyser receded and Sofia got a look at the monster, it seemed to be both dragon and horse, or rather, a cross between both pulling a chariot shaped like a large seashell. "Noden" seemed to refer to the rider, a giant of a man in a long robe with a sash, with a flowing beard and flashing, fiery eyes. He held a bronze trident upwards, and thunder rumbled. (2,000 DEF)
"Naturally, this monster can't attack or use its effect this turn because I used Time Fusion," continued Dunstan, "but I'm not done… First I'll use Raregold Armor, and equip it to Marshmallon…"
He used the Equip Spell, and the small cream puff turned shiny gold.
Meaning I can only attack him, thought Sofia. Super…
"Then," said Dunstan, "I'll drop 1,000 Life Points to use Instant Fusion and summon a second Elder God."
Another Spell Card – this one far more recognizable – appeared, and so did the familiar Fusion vortex. Then a woman in a pure white toga with gold bracelets, bangles, and a necklace, and a cat's head leapt out, crouching in a fighting stance while making an angry hiss at Sofia, bearing her fangs as she did. (1,800 ATK)
Sofia was a little nervous, but she knew a few things about Instant Fusion.
"She can't attack either," she said, "and she'll only last until the end of the turn…"
"True," replied Dunstan, "but unlike Noden, I can use Bast's effect, and take a specific Spell Card from my deck and set it."
He flipped through his deck until he found what he wanted, and then carefully fit it into his Spell Zone. "I can't use it this turn, but hey, I have nowhere to go…"
I hope… he thought.
"Now, seeing as you're also right about her having to leave when I end my turn, I'll use Tribute Trade."
He flipped a Spell Card around, and the Solid Vision produced an extra-large version of it. He stopped for a minute. Sofia squinted at the card, but didn't say anything, so he went on.
"By sacrificing one monster," he said. Elder God Bast disappeared, "I can take one from my deck that's exactly one Level higher. In this case, Level 5."
He lifted his right hand, and a new card appeared between his index finger and thumb.
"But I'll save that for later…" he put it with the others. "It's your move…"
(S: 7,000) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 7,000)
Sofia made a draw, and then looked at Falcon, then at Dunstan's two monsters.
"Attack Marshmallon!" she shouted.
"Huh?" asked Dunstan.
"I know, I know," replied Sofia, as the Winged Beast lifted her weapon, "she can't hurt it, but I still have to return a card to my hand."
An airy wind started to rise around one of her set cards, and the other one lifted, activating.
"So I'm going to chain my Treasure Map to that effect," she continued, as the card blew off the field. "Once I discard one of my cards, I can draw two."
As Falcon's blade crashed into the puffball again, Sofia slipped one of her cards into her discard pile and then drew twice. Falcon flapped her wings and glided backwards, and a set card appeared behind her again.
"That's my turn for now, big guy…"
"Then prepare to witness terror the world has never seen!" exclaimed Dunstan, melodramatically.
Is this guy for real? thought Sofia. She watched him closely as he drew, more exuberantly than Seto Kaiba used to in the videos she had watched.
"First I summon my Mad Prophet!" he exclaimed.
He played the card, disgorging a wild-looking, bedraggled man with tangled, unkempt hair and a beard, his clothes torn, crouching with a feral look on his face. (1,300 ATK)
"By summoning him, because none of my monsters on the field are Light or Dark, I can summon a banished Level 3 monster that's Light or Dark."
"The one you banished to use Time Fusion," added Sofia.
"Exactly!" replied Dunstan. "My Sinister Sprocket!"
A swirling tunnel opened in mid-air, and a spool of chain with evil eyes floated out of it, the well-known Fiend Tuner Monster. (400 ATK)
Then it and Mad Prophet flew upwards towards the ceiling, Sinister Sprocket looping its chain around the Spellcaster as it did so.
"I Synchro Summon the burning chaos-fire! The ravening, roaring maw…"
(*1 + *3 = *4)
"Great Old One Chthugha!"
Heat. That's what Sofia felt as a… thing appeared behind Dunstan. It was hard to describe, but it wasn't even remotely humanoid. It was like a giant, fanged set of monstrous jaws, surrounded by serrated, horned tentacles, which in turn was surrounded by burning flames, the entire thing covered with sharp spines. There was no sign of any eyes, and whether it could even see was hard to tell. (2,200 ATK)
Okay, maybe he is for real, she thought. She shook a little, looking at the… Well, somehow, calling this a "creature" didn't sound right… She really didn't know what to define it as.
"I'm not finished," said Dunstan. "Next I'll Overlay Elder God Noden and Great Old One Chthugha…"
As the Overlay Network appeared, it was far different than the one Sofia was used to. Appearance-wise, it was the same, but… more ominous, dark, and she felt an odd, cold, clammy sensation as the two monsters were seemingly… consumed by it. Even worse, she could swear she heard an annoying whine like a… very badly off-key flute.
"I Xyz Summon Outer God Nyarla!"
The monster that appeared was a bit more solid than Chthugha was, not that it was any less nasty. Clearly, the laws that defined the shapes for living creatures weren't being enforced when this was born – if "born" even applied. It looked like a vaguely conical mass of tentacles, some with squid-like suckers on the undersides, with long, thin, gangly arms jutting out from around it. Again, there were no eyes, but it was covered with mouths, some of them twisted in very unpleasant grins. (0 ATK)
"Okay!" shouted Sofia. "This isn't funny anymore!"
"I'm afraid I've only started," said Dunstan. "You see, because I used Great Old One Chthugha for an Xyz Summon, I get to draw once."
He made a draw, looked at it briefly, and then put it aside.
"Then I'll play the Equip Spell, Re-Fusion, and pay 800 Life Points to summon Elder God Bast from my Graveyard."
He plugged the Spell into his Disk and the floor split; Bast crawled out, scowling at Sofia again. (1,800 ATK)
"Now that I control both an Elder God and an Outer God, I can use this card…" The card he had set last turn lifted up. "A dark and dreaded artifact called The Unspeakable Trapezohedron."
Wispy, green vapors appeared in front of the two monsters, and then an odd-shaped chest covered with strange runes emerged. It opened with a snap, revealing a dark gem, radiating unholy magic that was painful to look at.
"With both a Fusion and Xyz Monster on the field, I can summon one of my Synchro Monsters, like Great Old One Uvhash."
There was a slurping, oozing noise, and a new thing half-crawled-half-pushed itself into position, and then lifting itself up into what might pass for a standing position. It was a towering blood-red mass of slimy tentacles and cold, fiendish eyes. (2,100 ATK)
"I'm still not done!" he laughed, getting more excited than ever. "Chaos Xyz Evolution!"
"Oh no, this is always trouble…" groaned Sofia.
In fact, as the Overlay Network opened again, it was even worse. Along with the feeling of dread and clammy feeling, that flute was much louder, becoming monotonous and painfully shrill…
"I summon the Blind Idiot Piper," chanted Dunstan, as Outer God Nyarla dissolved, "the Nuclear Daemon Sultan… Outer God Azathoth!"
Then there was a drip. A drip from the ceiling. Sofia felt it. She wiped her forehead…
Slime… It wasn't water, it was slime… She slowly looked up…
An enormous mass of puss and ochre was on the ceiling, like a huge, cancerous tumor, and it was growing, slowly twisting and oozing into a shape that might be considered something with a head and two arms. Eventually, it seemed to think that was enough, and the "head" formed two lifeless eyes, while the arms formed crude hands. Still, that didn't change the fact that it looked like, as Sofia would describe days later, "a giant mass of snot". (2,400 ATK)
Ironically, though, it wasn't quite as bad as the others…
"Don't let its good looks fool you," said Dunstan. "By using an Overlay Unit, this abomination can destroy every one of your cards."
"Wait…" said Sofia. "What do you…"
Before she could finish, Dunstan discarded Noden's card, and the noise of the horrid flute was maddening now, with the beating of what sounded like tribal drums added, making it even worse. Mist Valley Falcon screamed…
In retrospect, Sofia should have looked away. Falcon didn't shatter the way she usually did when subject to an effect that destroyed a monster – the effect literally reduced her flesh to ash, causing her skeleton to remain a few seconds before it was blasted to dust to, along with her set Urgent Tuning.
"N… not bad for a… Blind Idiot…" she gasped.
"Azathoth rules Chaos," replied Dunstan. "Chaos is… Well, it's Chaos. Even trying to figure it out means you've failed before you've begun."
Sofia looked at the three entities, wondering what ever possessed her to come here in the first place. Or even get out of bed this morning.
Sadly, it was far too late to pounced at her first, raking her across the chest with both claws. Before Sofia could even scream, a spray of blood-like liquid spewed from Uvhash, dousing her; she felt a burning sensation on her skin…
"Attack directly with Primal Chaos Surge!"
Again, it was hard for Sofia to accurate describe later what came next. The projectile that Azathoth launched at her was composed of solid, liquid, and gaseous materials, and a couple of other kinds too, of every color of the spectrum, plus some she had never seen. And it hurt. It was hard to tell whether the substance that spread over her was boiling hot or freezing cold, but all she felt was agonizing, terrible pain…
(S: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 6,200)
She collapsed on her side…
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"Uh, Mr. Cattivo?"
Fanciullo woke up as he heard Nitro's voice. His head had been on his desk, and it was still dark in his office.
How did I fall asleep? he thought. What time is it?
He saw a vodka bottle on the desk next to a glass and his martini shaker. How much of this stuff have I had?
"Uh, come in, Nitro…" he groaned. "And turn the light on…"
I'm gonna be feeling this in the morning… he thought, as the door opened.
Nitro turned the light on, but didn't come in right away. Drago, Tormento, and Picchiare, along with a few other members of his gang, were lurking behind him.
"Oh, come in!" he exclaimed, now wide awake. "I don't bite, y'know."
"Ah, heh…" said Nitro. "We got that info from Ricci… Ahem..."
He turned on his iPad and started to read it. Fanciullo held his head and leaned back in his chair.
"The police aren't exactly sure how, but Vince's D-Wheel was clearly sabotaged, and in a rather clever way. It was perfectly safe so long as it kept to normal speeds…"
"Define 'normal speeds'," interrupted Fanciullo.
"Well, the speed most land vehicles available to the public are capable of going," explained Nitro. "D-Wheels tend be a lot faster, much like race cars.
"But anyway, he was safe until his odometer reached about 225 KPM…"
"Wait, isn't that…" said Tormento, butting in.
"Uh-huh," said Nitro. "The speed you reach when your Speed Counters hit ten. Once he got there…"
"Kaboom," sighed Draco.
"You aren't helping," said Picchiare, sternly.
"But it does seem accurate…" added Fanciullo, who had started to lean on his hand while listening.
Nitro nodded. "A trigger went off, causing the engine to overheat, causing the fuel tank to ignite and well, kaboom. Now, this wasn't in the report, but I think the sabotage was done by magic…"
"Keep going…" said Fanciullo.
"Well, Vince wasn't in that bar for longer than fifteen minutes," explained Nitro, "and take it from someone who knows, you need more time than that to tamper with an engine."
"So, uh, this dame is a sorceress?" asked Drago. He scratched his head with a nervous twitch. He really didn't like to mess with wizards.
"Unlikely…" said Fanciullo. They all watched as he stood up.
"I can't think of any reason why any wizard other than a battle mage would be that well-armed, and she doesn't fit the profile. She likely had an accomplice.
"But we're dealing with someone clever enough to do the research… She knew Vince would try to bring his Counters up to maximum…"
He closed his eyes and thought for a minute.
"Put the word out!" he shouted. "I'll give a hundred grand to anyone who brings info on where this bitch is, and three million to anyone who brings me her, dead or alive!"
He shoved his way past everyone as Nitro started to write that down, but then he stopped.
"On second thought…" he said. "Six million alive, two million for her corpse…"
He looked at them all, and they didn't respond. They all knew what it meant when he offered more money for someone alive – it meant it was very personal.
So personal, that he wanted to finish the job himself.
"Well?" he said. "You clowns are eligible, you know!"
"Right away sir!" said Nitro.
Fanciullo yawned as the hallway cleared. Time to call it a night… he thought.
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"Still there?" asked Dunstan, now in his normal voice.
Sofia made a gurgling noise, then lifted her head up, pushing her hair aside.
"Just making sure…" he continued. "It's still my turn, and I suppose I should mention now, when I summoned Uvhash the way I did, Bast's Level increased to 6. So I can Overlay both Uvhash and Bast…"
Sofia just barely managed to cover her ears before the demonic flute started playing again and the polluted Overlay Network absorbed the two monsters.
"I call upon the Mother of a Thousand Young," chanted Dunstan, "the Black Goat of the Woods… Outer God Shub-Niggurath!"
Sofia lifted her head and saw the monster slowly rise from the floor. It was even worse than all the others, looking like a mass of thick tentacles twisted into a shape vaguely resembling the trunk of a tree. In fact, it could well have been a tree, seeing as it was composed of a substance with a texture and color that made it look like an odd cross between flesh and wood. It was covered with inhuman eyes and mouths, the mouths far more bestial and inhuman than the ones on Nyarla. (2,700 DEF)
"Because I summoned this one using Uvhash, it gains 1,000 Attack and Defense Points. I doubt you'll be able to get past it."
(3,700 DEF)
Doubt I even want to get near it, thought Sofia.
"I end my turn…" said Dunstan.
"Finally…" groaned Sofia. She stood up, held her side for a minute, then looked at the two giant abominations.
Pull yourself together, Sofia! she thought to herself. You can do this! Let's see…
He's got two powerful Xyz monsters, one of which can destroy all my cards, the other… Uhm… Not sure yet what it can do…
I can't attack them due to Marshmallon… And… And I only have 700 Life Points left… Aw, who am I kidding, I'm screwed…
Okay, okay, calm down… She looked at Outer God Azathoth again. Sure, they're ugly, they're disgusting, and they smell like a condemned slaughterhouse being burned down, but they're still Duel Monsters, so I just have to figure this out.
Let's see, since that one is a Chaos Xyz and he summoned it using Nyarla, it means that Azathoth has three Overlay Units, Nyarla and the monsters he used to summon Nyarla. Or rather, it did, until he used one last turn. So it can use that effect two more times…
She drew a card and then looked at the monsters again. Aha! It's a beginning!
One, two, three, four. She set four cards, and three vertical cards appeared in front of her, followed by a horizontal one in front of those.
"Your move…" she said, sullenly.
"Hmm…" he said. He lifted his hand to draw.
"Hold it…" said Sofia.
"What? Huh?" he said. "A Trap?"
Indeed it was. One of her set cards lifted, a Trap called Commander of Swords.
"Keep going," she said, but I get to see what you draw this turn, and if it's a Spell or Trap, then… Well, I'll tell you if it is."
Dunstan frowned, and drew. Then he turned the card forward. It was the Spell Card, Battle Fusion.
"Bingo!" shouted Sofia, feeling a sudden rush of confidence come back. "That means I can either destroy that card, or one of your Spell or Trap Cards on the field. I choose… Raregold Armor!"
She pointed to Marshmallon, and the Equip Spell, along with its gilded tint, shattered.
"I don't see how much good that will do you," said Dunstan. "After all, it's my turn, and Outer God Azathoth is about to finish you off, once it deals with the rest of your cards…"
He quickly threw Elder God Bast's card into the Disk's discard pile, and Azathoth started to pulsate with raw chaos again…
"Not this time!" replied Sofia. One of her three set cards lifted up, and her monster vanished. Electricity coursed from the card, and Azathoth made a low, guttural groan.
"What?" said Dunstan.
"Skill Shock," replied Sofia, with a smirk. "By sacrificing my monster, gruesome up there can't use its effect or attack this turn."
"Clever…" said Dunstan.
"I can be even cleverer," replied Sofia. "That monster I sacrificed was a Dandylion."
Two Fluff Tokens popped out of the ground. (0 DEF x2)
Dunstan frowned. He took the card he had drawn and another one, and set both. "Done," he said.
All right… thought Sofia. One of those two cards is Battle Fusion, which fortunately, he can't use without a Fusion Monster, which he doesn't have…
She drew a card. Got it!
"I activate the Trap Card, Powerful Rebirth," she said, as another of her cards lifted up. "I can use this card to Special Summon Blizzard Falcon from the Graveyard with 100 more Attack Points and one Level higher. Which just happens to be the card I discarded when I used Treasure Map."
The cold rush of a nor'easter blew across the room, and a falcon that seemed to be made entirely of sheets of ice and snow crystals appeared, hovering while flapping its wings. (1,500 ATK) –) (1,600 ATK)
"And because Blizzard Falcon has a higher Attack Score than normal, I can use it effect to dish out 1,500 points of damage."
"What do you…" he started. He was cut off as a howl and a gust of freezing cold air blew from the Winged Beast's beak, crashing into him. "ARGH!"
(S: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 4,700)
"Now this next monster may have a funny name," continued Sofia, "but trust me, he's not playing games. I sacrifice a Fluff Token to summon Cockadoodledoo!"
The Token disappeared, and with a loud "Buck-caw!" a plump, stout rooster hopped beside Blizzard Falcon. (1,600 ATK)
"Now I'll build the Overlay Network myself…" she said, as the far more familiar and far friendlier vortex formed, and the two Winged Beasts were drawn into the spiral. Then the wind grew even colder, and snow started to fall in a driving rush.
"I Xyz Summon Ice Princess Zereort!"
From out of the storm, a peculiar Winged Beast, one that was humanoid and vaguely feminine, made of solid ice with sharp edges and large wings, flew down before Sofia. Its wings were tipped with golden spires, and its face was expressionless and, well, cold. (2,500 ATK)
"Now I can use one of her Overlay Units," she continued, "and reduce the Attack Score of one of your monsters to zero. How do you like that?"
Outer God Azathoth started to ice over with frost as the slime and mucous covering it literally froze solid. (0 ATK) Dunstan said nothing…
"Quiet all of a sudden huh?" she asked. Ice Princess Zereort aimed its spires at the abomination. "Too bad, because my monster is rainin' pain!"
A storm of icicles darted at the beast, stabbing into it and skewering through its vile flesh. There was a loud, ghastly drone… Then Dunstan struggled to keep standing as the thing burst.
"Ugh…" he grumbled.
(S: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 2,200)
"Congratulations," he said, "you vanquished Azathoth…"
One of his set cards lifted up.
"…too bad that means I can finish you off now…"
"A Trap Card?" gasped Sofia.
"Quickplay Spell, actually," answered Dunstan, "and it's called Mad from the Revelation. Because Ice Princess Zereort is a monster that came from your Extra Deck, destroying mine lets me activate this Spell, and deal damage equal to half of my monster's Attack Score.
"And because Azathoth and Zereort are both the same type of Extra Deck monster, you also take damage equal to half of your monster's Attack Score. Not that it's necessary, because even 1,200 is more than you have."
A dark shadow rose from the Spell Card… And a hideous, shrieking face appeared on it. It flew towards Sofia…
"I have a Quickplay too!" she cried. "From my hand… Cry of the Eagles!"
She threw the card into her Disk, and the evil shadow dissipated. She breathed a sigh of relief, and went on.
"I could use that because the damage I would have taken was more than I had. Not only do I take no damage, but I get to summon a Winged Beast from my deck with less Attack Points than the damage it would have caused.
"Now let's see… I think Aurora Wing should do…"
Again, there was a freezing gale, and a graceful looking Winged Beast that looked like sheets of cloth folded into the shape of a bird alighted in front of her, folding its wings. (1,600 DEF)
"…and I'll end my turn…"
"Very well…" said Dunstan. He made a draw.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Diogenes sat in a dark place, cavernous and dark, but not quiet. Around him were the incessant sounds of machinery; gears and cogs, ranging in size from a few feet to nearly a hundred feet in diameter all turning in a pattern that only a few could fathom. Pistons and pulleys moved chains while motors moved odd conveyor belts, and blinking lights flashed on ominous control panels. Smells reminiscent of axel grease and motor oil filled the place.
Oddly enough, no workers or even industrial robots seemed to be working in this strange, dark factory. The gods only knew what it built or produced. Diogenes seemed to be alone for now. He was speaking to someone though, who wasn't physically present.
"Whenever you are ready," he said into a device. He stopped to listen. "Yes, it had better.
"It's very important that this go smoothly, and just to inform you, if it does not, I'm holding you personally responsible.
"I'll call again an hour."
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
"I use Pot of Dichotomy," declared Dunstan.
"You realize you can't attack this turn if you do that, right?" asked Sofia.
Dunstan took Elder God Noden, Great Old One Chthugha, and Outer God Nyarla, and placed them in the chamber in his Disk that held his Extra Deck. Then he shuffled.
"True, but no matter," he said. He drew twice. "Hmm… I move Outer God Shub-Niggurath to Attack Mode."
As he turned the card on his Disk, the giant tree-thing's tentacles lashed menacingly, and disgusting saliva dripped from its dozen mouths. (1,000 ATK)
"Eww…" said Sofia.
"Shub-Niggurath normally has zero Attack Points," began Dunstan, "but thanks to Uvhash, it gains a thousand. And while that may not seem like an awful lot, it cannot be destroyed by battle while in Attack Mode and has Overlay Units.
"Plus, its effects are rather potent…"
"Effects?" said Sofia.
"That's right, effects, plural," replied Dunstan. He took Bast's card from under Shub-Niggurath's and discarded it. "I'll use one of them now…"
Then there was a terrible droning sound, followed by a scream from Ice Princess Zereort. Before Sofia could even turn to look, her Xyz monster shattered.
"What happened?" she demanded.
"What does it look like?" he said. "My monster's effect blew yours to pieces. Well, there's more to that… Now it's using your monster as a new Overlay Unit.
"Of course, I have to skip my Battle Phase if I use that effect, but then, I had to anyway.
"Moving on… You remember that monster I got with Tribute Trade, right?"
Ho-boy, I forgot all about that… thought Sofia.
"I sacrifice Marshmallon to summon Crazed Noble!" shouted Dunstan.
The little Fairy disappeared, and a far-more sinister monster took its place. But at least this was clearly human, a man in fine nobleman's robes with a jewel-encrusted belt, crown, and scepter… And a crazed expression on his face, complete with a maddening grin. (1,400 ATK)
"First of all," said Dunstan, "because the only other monster I have is an Outer God, Crazed Noble is considered a Fusion Monster from this point on, for all intents and purposes. In addition, so long as he's here, you can't attack my Outer God."
Interesting… thought Sofia.
"But just in case," said Dunstan, "I'll use the Equip Spell Mage Power, and use it on my Outer God." He slipped the card in his Disk, and a surge of silver magic surrounded the abomination. "Two cards in my Spell Zone mean 1,000 more points."
(2,000 ATK)
"It's your move…"
Sofia made a draw, then slowly looked at Crazed Noble. His grin turned into a frown suddenly, but her expression brightened up.
"Nice try, buddy," she said, "but playing that Equip Spell reminded me of something… The other card in your Spell Zone in Battle Fusion."
"Eh… So?" said Dunstan, nervously.
"If Crazed Noble is considered a Fusion Monster," replied Sofia, "then when I attack him, him being the only available target right now, you'd be able to activate it and double his Score.
"Not a bad plan… Fortunately, I have something else in mind. I summon Mist Valley Baby Roc."
The small Tuner Winged Beast wearing a skull over its face appeared, flapping its wings and hovering in mid-air. (400 ATK)
"And I'll Tune him and my other Fluff Token…"
The Synchro rings appeared as the Baby Roc flew towards the ceiling, the small floret following.
(*1 + *2 = *3)
"A Level 3 Synchro?" gasped Dunstan. "How in the…"
"I've seen a couple Level 2 Synchros from time to time," replied Sofia. "But anyway… I summon Mist Bird Clausolas!"
A powerful-looking and beautiful-looking raptor with an emerald-green plume, large, vibrant wings, a sharp beak, and sharper talons alighted on the floor, let out a loud squawk, and then covered itself with the wings. (2,300 DEF)
"Defending with it?" asked Dunstan.
"Like your monster, its Attack Score is nonexistent," replied Sofia. "But its effect more than makes up for it. Once per turn, I can reduce the Attack Score of another monster to zero."
Mist Bird Clausolas looked at the unholy beast, and its tentacles quivered as its mouths started to murmur and whine, and then fall silent. (0 ATK)
"You used it on Shub-Niggurath?" asked Dunstan. "Why? If you had any smarts you'd have used that effect on Crazed Noble. Two times zero is still zero."
"True, but that wouldn't have gotten rid of Shub-Niggurath," said Sofia. "I've got other plans for both of them. I banish Mist Valley Baby Roc from my Graveyard to summon Garuda the Wind Spirit."
There was a strange gust, and Sofia pocketed a card as a Winged Beast with the head and wings of a hawk, the torso of a human with dusky skin, and orange trousers tied in place with a sash appeared with the others. (1,600 ATK)
"Now I'll build the Overlay Network one more time…"
The galaxy vortex opened again, and Aurora Wing and Garuda flew into it. There was a loud rush of air… Like a wind tunnel, and a far more imposing Winged Beast flew out, a large man-shaped one dressed in a fancy French Renaissance-era military uniform, with the head and wings of a rooster with sapphire-blue feathers. He held a flintlock musket that reflected the same time period. (2,000 ATK)
"Not exactly a weapon I'd expect a large bird to use," said Dunstan with a slight chuckle. "Oh please, don't tell me he's actually going to use that thing!"
Indeed, the odd Xyz was aiming the weapon at Crazed Noble.
"Yeah, I know, Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer does look a little silly," said Sofia, "but like your Xyz, he has two potent effects, and to use one of them, I have to detach both its Overlay Units."
As she discarded the two cards, two small orbs flew into the breach of Castel's gun as he aimed carefully at Crazed Noble.
"See, he's not going to attack your noble… His effect can send the guy back to your deck!"
"Wait…" said Dunstan.
There was a loud noise as the gun went off, and Crazed Noble shouted, spinning away backwards and vanishing into a gaping hole behind Dunstan.
Castel turned his gun, pointing to Shub-Niggurath now…
"Now that your Noble is out of the way," said Sofia, "he can use his actual attack. Castel… Let that thing have it!"
This time the noise and flash was much louder as Castel fired, bracing itself from the recoil, and as it hit the huge thing, it seemed to do far more damage than any 17th Century firearm had a right to do, blowing a gaping hole in the abomination. Its many mouths let out a gurgling, retching moan… Then it toppled over and burst into shards and gobbets.
(S: 700) - - - - - - - - - - (D: 200)
"Okay…" said Dunstan. "Just a…Minor inconvenience…"
"I'm afraid we have other plans."
The voice came from nowhere. Dunstan recognized it right away and Sofia found it familiar…
Where have I heard that voice before? she thought.
In the next minute she was grabbed.
Two arms – metal arms – grabbed her from behind. She tried to scream, but one covered her mouth.
Of course, as surprised as she was, that was nothing compared to how shocked Dunstan was. The arms had seemingly reached out of a shadow behind her.
"What the devil is going on here, Diogenes?" he shouted.
The Solid Vision holograms disappeared as he ran towards Sofia and tried to reach for her as the metal arms started to pull her through. "Give me your hand!" he shouted. "Here!"
She tried, but then a wave of force pushed him away, causing him to land on his side.
"Don't concern yourself, Dunstan," said Diogenes' voice, as the arms and Sofia fully vanished into the shadow. "I'll take it from here…"
Dunstan didn't get up. He looked at the spot she had vanished into a long time.
"I'm going to Hell for this, aren't I?" he finally muttered.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
TIME FUSION (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: An analog clock, bent and warped like one in Salvador Dali's The Persistence of Memory.
Effect: Banish 1 other card in your hand and select 1 Fusion Monster in your Extra Deck. During your next Standby Phase, Special Summon the selected monster, disregarding its summoning conditions. (This is considered a Fusion Summon.) The selected monster cannot attack or use its effect the turn it is summoned in this manner.
Note: "Time Fusion" first appeared in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "The Graduation Match (Part 2)".
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
SKILL SHOCK (Trap Card)
Counter Trap
Image: Sasuke Samurai surrounded by lightning bolts,
Effect: Activate when your opponent activates the effect of an Effect Monster. Tribute 1 monster you control. Negate the activation of that effect; that monster cannot attack or be Tributed this turn.
Note: "Skill Shock" first appeared in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode #162.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
TRIBUTE TRADE (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: Two cards – Cyber Dragon and Cyber Dragon Drei – flying out of a deck as a hand reaches for it.
Effect: Tribute 1 monster you control; add from your deck to your hand 1 monster that is 1 Level higher than the Tributed monster.
Note: "Tribute Trade" first appeared in the "Yu-Gi-Oh Arc V" episode #003.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
ELDER GOD – BAST (Monster Card)
Beast-Warrior/Earth/Fusion/Effect/Lvl4/2,000/2,000
1 Synchro or Xyz Monster + 1 Synchro or Xyz Monster
Effect: When this card is Fusion Summoned, select 1 "The Unspeakable Trapezohedron" and set it in your Spell/Trap Zone; you may not activate it the same turn.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
OUTER GOD – SHUB-NIGGURATH (Monster Card)
Fiend/Wind/Xyz/Effect/Rank6/0/2,400
2 Level 6 Monsters
Effect: This card cannot be destroyed by battle if it is in Attack Position and has Xyz Materials. Once per turn, you may detach one of this cards Xyz Materials to activate 1 of the following effects:
Destroy 1 face-up opposing monster. That monster is attached to this card as an Xyz Material. Skip your Battle Phase on the turn you use this effect.
If the detached Xyz Material was a Monster Card, the ATK of this card becomes equal to the base ATK of the detached Xyz Material until the End Phase of the turn.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
GREAT OLD ONE – UVHASH (Monster Card)
Aqua/Dark/Synchro/Effect/Lvl6/2,200/2,000
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Effect: When this card is Special Summoned via the effect of "The Unspeakable Trapezohedron", all "Elder God" and "Great Old One" monsters you control become Level 6. If this card is used for Fusion Material for a Fusion Summon or Xyz Material for an Xyz Summon, the summoned Fusion Monster or Xyz Monster gains 1,000 ATK and DEF.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
MAD PROPHET (Monster Card)
Spellcaster/Dark/Effect/Lvl3/1,300/200
Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned and you control no LIGHT nor DARK monsters except this one, you may Special Summon 1 of your Banished Level 3 or less LIGHT or DARK monsters.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
CRAZED NOBLE (Monster Card)
Spellcaster/Dark/Effect/Lvl5/1,400/1,800
Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned, apply the following effect depending on the situation:
If the only face-up monsters you control are this card and "Elder God" monsters: This card is treated as a Synchro Monster; "Elder God" monsters you control cannot be targeted for an attack.
If the only face-up monsters you control are this card and "Great Old One" monsters: This card is treated as a Xyz Monster; "Great Old One" monsters you control cannot be targeted for an attack.
If the only face-up monsters you control are this card and "Outer God" monsters: This card is treated as a Fusion Monster; "Outer God" monsters you control cannot be targeted for an attack.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
MAD FROM THE REVELATION (Spell Card)
Quickplay Spell
Image: The woman on the "Grave Lure" card on her knees and trembling in a dark place, with sinister, inhuman eyes watching her from the darkness.
Card Description: Activate when an "Elder God", "Outer God", or "Great Old One" monster you control is destroyed in battle by your opponent's Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz monster. Your opponent takes damage equal to half the base ATK of the monster that destroyed yours. If both the monsters that battled are the same type of monster (in regards to Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz) increase this damage by an amount equal to half the base ATK of your destroyed monster.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
CRY OF THE EAGLES (Spell Card)
Quickplay Spell
Image: Sage of Stillness on a mountaintop with clouds below, watching as three giant eagles fly towards him.
Card Description: Activate when a card controlled by your opponent would inflict damage that equals more than your current total. Reduce the damage you would take to zero; then, select 1 Level 4 or lower Winged Beast from your deck with an ATK lower than the amount of damage you would have taken, and Special Summon it in face-up Defense Position.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Jemorille: Whether Dunstan was right or not was between him and whatever higher powers he revered, but indeed, he seemed to be in the dark about this part of the plan. In fact, ten minutes later he would be more concerned with being arrested as an accessory to kidnapping. If anything, he had no idea how this had anything to do with Philip.
But then, he didn't know much about Diogenes' relationship with Philip's group; or even much about Diogenes, period. All he knew was, the guy made his skin crawl. There was something… unnatural about him.
As Jalal and Jabels searched through files and mug shots for someone who matched the composite sketch they had – which for some strange reason, looked nothing like the Diogenes that Dunstan was familiar with – and members of the underworld throughout Europe started to read the bounty that Fanciullo had placed, and the Spire only knows was happening to Sofia, another investigation was about to start.
It seemed Douglas was indeed available. He had no idea just why anyone in Roswell would ask for him by name, however.
"Hit the Road, Jack" is next.
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Shadowchaser Files, Personalities:
Medea, Thief-Queen
A great mystery among those who study the biology, culture, and history of dragons is, just why do they horde treasure? Is it an addiction? A racial obsession? Nature's way of keeping the local economy stable? Certainly, a dragon collects more gold, gems, and jewelry than any one being could ever need to support itself financially, and guards it all like a miser, only spending what it must. It keeps well informed about the current market value of precious metals and gemstones among humans, seeking to amass the most valuable horde it can, but rarely ever truly benefitting from its mountain of coins.
And it gets very strange when you consider Tiamat, a goddess of dragonkind. A true goddess could likely bestow the ability to spin straw into gold, and yet, her personal horde is one of the greatest in the multiverse. Bribing her is one of the easiest ways to get safe passage from the First Circle of Hell to the Second, and she'll kill anyone who even looks at her treasures.
One can debate the why all he wants. As for the how, that's where Medea comes in. A servant as different from Calla as night is to day, Medea isn't a warrior – she's a treasure hunter and thief, one who steals at the whims of a goddess with insatiable greed.
Little about Medea's past is known, but many think she is the Medea, as in the daughter of the king of Aeëtes who fell in love with Jason, the heroic leader of the Argonauts. Exactly how she ended up working for Tiamat is unknown, but then, it seems no two works of classical mythology agree on her ultimate fate.
If it is indeed the same Medea, she hasn't lost her touch. Her encounters with Shadowchasers – and there have been a few – can attest that her skill in sorcery is the equal of most Incantifers, and she has been seen casting evocations as powerful as Chain Lightning and Prismatic Spray. One source claims she once took a page from her aunt Circe's playbook, and turned two thugs who tried to assault her into pigs.
Of course, raining death on a foe with lightning bolts isn't her style. Medea is always dressed like she's going to a fancy party in some expensive dress that's always the latest in fashion, her waist-length blonde hair always sporting a new style, with a sole that's either mink or some other expensive fur, and diamond jewelry in her necklace, earrings, and on every finger. (Someone once joked that she likely has them all wired to a burglar alarm. A warning to pickpockets: she does, of the magical variety, and it does more than make noise.)
More often than not, she is going to some fancy party, held in the same building as a museum, penthouse apartment, government building, or other place that has the object she wants. It rarely even takes long enough for anyone to notice. For example, when she stole the Star of Zaire (a large sapphire worked by a Swiss master of gemcutting) in such a manner, she excused herself to use the washroom, opened the door that accessed the museum level using a previously obtained and memorized code, and then, made it through the museum quickly while sticking to the security system's blind spots, made it to the display case, and using the special tools kept in the Bag of Holding disguised as her purse, removed the gem, replaced it with a fake one, deposited it in the purse, and made it back to the party. It took less than ten minutes, and the theft wasn't even discovered until morning.
That isn't her only MO. Again giving credence to the theory that she's the same Medea as mentioned in myth, she's not above trying to seduce wealthy men who are bachelors, or even unfaithful husbands (maybe especially them) to get at their things. Such men often wake up tied to their bed and gagged, Medea having robbed them blind, and half the time, a sarcastic love letter from her taped to the bed frame. (The other half of the time she stays around until he wakes up to thank him personally, giving him a sweet kiss before she makes her escape.)
Medea's one saving grace is, she never kills someone to rob him. Too easy and she prefers to be remembered by her victim. (After all, she can always give Calla a call is she wants someone dead.) Yes, she's an egotist and a narcissist, something she'll readily admit. Of course, this has brought her into conflict with several law enforcement agencies, including the Shadowchasers, but as far as is known, she's never been caught. And so long as she keeps her boss happy with successful heists, catching her will prove hard.
Story Ideas: Much like Catwoman, Carmen Sandiego, and Arsène Lupin III (three characters she loves to read about) Medea is never interested in plain old money. Anything she steals has to be beautiful, awe-inspiring, or both. Seeing as most of her plunder is delivered directly to Tiamat, she isn't worried about taking most things that are considered too "hot" to fence, but she is wise enough to avoid stealing something that would cause an international incident. (Like say, the British Crown Jewels.) At least not yet.
A story involving her could involve anything where some valuable item is the focus, often of the MacGuffin type; maybe a film noir style fic like The Maltese Falcon, or a plot involving some centuries-old conspiracy like Dan Brown's novels. (Take your pick.) Alternatively, she can do what Lara Croft does and go raid the recently uncovered ruins for some cursed artifact. Of course, the biggest reason Medea hasn't been caught, despite thousands offered as a reward by the FBI, Interpol, and the Shadowchasers, is that she's almost always prepared.
Deck Suggestions: Anyone who challenges Medea to a duel should be warned of three things: One, she always plays for very high stakes. Two, go back on the deal, and she has Calla and many powerful half-dragon and dragon-spawn loyal to Tiamat on her speed-dial. Three, she's been able to obtain cards that most duelists have never even heard of, and often goes for the unexpected. (Just because she works for Tiamat, don't expect Dragons.)
Right now, she seems drawn to the new Stellarknights, and will probably stick with them for the time being. Rumors say she may be interested in a new target around Seoul where she might want to put these cards to good use…