The Rise and Fall of History II: Opposing the Present

by Medigo

The world of dueling has reached its climax. Many stories have been told through these cards, and the final story brought everyone together. People are united and yet, an unknown world suffers in their shadow. The fallen one returns in the midst of their peace, pursued and still a stranger to those around. There is not much time to save both his home and his friends.

48. Lateral Rain Never hurt Anyone

Redux 43: Lateral Rain never Hurt Anyone

Uno's LP: 6000 Veronica's LP: 8000

His memories gone, his body de-aged; all of that because of one crystal. "But how.. did the pendulum do this?" It made sense, pendulum crystals could bend time and space. So why shouldn't they control Uno's own time as well? Who knew what the limits of its powers were? "You have the answer, you just do not know where you're keeping it. It's not something I can tell you. As long as you do not learn it on your own, you stay as you are." His opponent who knew everything, hid behind her wall of lifepoints. "The same? I got a guy here who disagrees! Performapal Sleight Hand Magician destroys Aroma Garden!" Uno discarded one more card for the effect of the crystalline Magician(7/2000/1500), to finally rid the field of the healing Garden. "Shame." The field did not just get destroyed though, it burned. The grass, flowers and trees were set ablaze by Sleight Hand's magic. "But the power my monsters gained remain until my next turn." The Gardens boosts were a lingering bonus. "Yeah? I'll still attack Aromage Cananga!" Sleight Hand Magician attacked and destroyed the earth-aromage(1300/900).

Veronica's LP: 7300

Cananga's removal carried the added benefit of undoing his attackdrain effect on Uno's monsters like Sleight Hand(2500/2000). "Nothing lasts forever, Veronica." Uno placed his spell card down again and was about to end his turn, when Veronica discarded a card from her hand. "Aromaseraphy Angelica. I discard this to gain lifepoints equal to one Aromage in my graveyard." The discarded angel of Aromas targeted the slain Cananga with its 1400 attackpoints. An earthy scent traveled across the fiery field. "Yet any change you make.. can reverse." She regained her lost lifepoints and then some. And now that her lifepoints were raised, Aromage Jasmine(2/0/1300) drew one card for her. Also, the continuous trap Dried Winds would destroy one of Uno's cards. The target was Sleight Hand Magician(7/2500/2000). "Tsk, that doesn't mean I should stop trying!" Uno discarded Performapal Raingoat from his hand for the third time, and targeted the Magician. At least for this turn it would be save from destruction.

Veronica's LP: 8700

"No it doesn't. But it does mean you can not always try the same thing." She said as Performapal Teeter Totter(4/100/1200) came back to the field in defense mode, using Raingoats discard to special summon itself for the third time. "I could do a lot more, if I had my pendulum." Uno griped. This weakened deck was forcing him to repeat himself. The bad news too was that Uno could not tribute Teeter Totter during his endphase to recycle the Raingoat, it would have to avoid death a whole turn. "Is it worth it, Christopher Fortuno Nisell? Is this pain worth everything, the family; the friends, the pendulum?" Veronica drew her next card. "I know it is." Uno answered her decisively. "If so, then I move to the next level myself... As I control an Aroma monster, and my life exceeds yours, Aromaseraphy Angelica may summon herself from the cemetery." The monochromatic plant pixie(1/0/0) flew out of the burning garden, and circled Aromage Rosemary(4/1800/1300). Angelica was the tuner of the Aromage family, therefore... "Synchro summon." Rosemary the water mage tuned with the Aromaseraphy card, and she evolved into an angel too. "Aromaseraphy Rosemary, in offensive mode!"

Rosemary(5/2000/900) took to the sky, flying with her new golden pixie wings and wielding a staff covered in flowers. "Rosemary grants points to all my plants, five hundred a piece, as my life meter stands above yours." She twirled the staff around to release crystal flakes of pure light. The downpour doused the flames while strengthening the Aromages Bergamot(2900/2400) and Jasmine(500/1800). "I shall also summon Rose Paladin." A blond amazon(4/1800/200) in silver armor jumped out of the burned grass, wielding a huge spear. "And through the Humid Winds. Aromage Cananga will find me." Veronica's other continuous trap took 1000 lifepoints from her, to give her a copy of the earthen mage from her deck. "You know, you accuse me of being repetitive. But you're no slouch at it either." Uno said as his opponent activated Jasmine's effect again to extra-normal summon Aromage Cananga(3/1900/1400) in attack position. Sleight Hand(2000/1500) and Teeter Totter Hopper(0/700) powered down once again. "I am always changing, not that I have to. Cloe chases, Margot hides. I prefer to stand where I am." The fiery Aromage Bergamot prepared a fireball. "Now, let us fight."

Veronica's LP: 7700

"I'd like to play a game first!" And Uno flipped his set spell once Bergamot tossed the fireball to attack one of Uno's Hippo tokens(0/0). "Its called Roulette Spider!" A spider leaped out of Uno's hand and crawled around Bergamot's face. "Roulette?" A roulette wheel was attached around the mage's body, the wheel was divided into six sections. "You know everything about the present, but how is your futuresight? Roulette Spider rolls a six-sided die and re-arranges the target of your attack depending on the result!" Uno tossed a die to the ground, letting it spin along with the spiders wheel. "Bergamot can either halve my lifepoints, attack me directly, attack my monsters, your monsters, your lifepoints or itself!" The arrow on the wheel passed him, her, the Performapals. "Four!" The die froze on that result, causing the wheel to stop at the Aromages. "Bergamot will attack one of your monsters now, Aromage Cananga!" Still blinded by the spider, the fire mage unwittingly blew up the unfortunate earth mage with his fireblasts. "I'm catching up, Veronica!"

Veronica's LP: 6700

"Very droll." With two of her attacks now wasted, Veronica decided to alter her plans. "Hippo tokens can only redirect attacks on the turn they are summoned. Rosemary and Rose Paladin will attack Performapal Teeter Totter Hopper." The flying ice witch hovered down to hammer the insect(100/1200) with a hail of crystals. "The Hopper will negate his destruction!" Uno shouted. Since it was special summoned, Teeter Totter could not be destroyed by the first attack. Though, thanks to Bergamots piercing gift to his fellow plant monster, Uno took a decent chunk of damage as the ice shards pierced his lifepoints. "Only once. Rose Paladin finishes it." Fortunately Rose Paladin was a warrior, and not a plant. When its lance killed the grasshopper, no damage was transferred to Uno. "When Rose Paladin destroys one monster and sends it to the graveyard, I may summon one plant from my deck by tributing the Paladin." Rose Paladin spun back towards his master, bowed and vanished into the grave. "Cananga." Of course she brought out another earth-mage(3/1900/1400) in defense position. "I set three cards in my backrow, and I terminate this turn."

Uno's LP: 4200

"How does it feel, by the way? The attack of the synchro monster I mean." The sister inquired as she passed the turn to Uno. "Huh? I.." At first Uno didn't know what she was talking about. Soon however, the effect hit him. "A little.. headache-y. Uwah, what did you.." But the pain was not coming from her, he realized. "The synchro monsters? So this is about me mastering my synchro monster!" He was right after all. "Synchro is just one of many powers that transcends time. Cloe can tell the story better, but I can at least say.. that .. the Circle is not the the first to harness the power of the mind. And synchronization can take many forms." As soon as Uno drew his card during his drawphase, the sister reactivated Humid Winds. The price of 1000 lifepoints paid towards another Aromaseraphy Angelica card, which she took from the deck. "I shall discard this, and target Aromage Rosemary, to cure lost points." The angelic pixie relit the blue candle of the watermage. Veronica absorbed the soothing aroma, adding 1800 lifepoints to her total. "Ugh." The effects of all her cards were triggered. Jasmine drew one card for her, and Dried Winds targeted and destroyed Performapal Sleight Hand Magician. "It's like this duel is still starting, isn't it?" She was nearly fully recharged, and Uno hardly controlled anything.

Veronica's LP: 7500

"Maybe. But I think we both know, your weakness is the unexpected!" Uno activated his last card. "Let's play the Illusion Balloon game! Since a Performapal was destroyed this turn, I can excavate five cards from my deck! If there is one Performapal among those five cards.." Five bubbles floated out of his deck, containing five cards each (Timebreaker Magician, Union Attack, Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer, Performapal Spike Eagle and Ultimate Offering). "Can you guess which one I choose?" He counted down with his fingers. "Bzzt! Time's up!" Uno snatched one card from the five balloons. The other cards popped and returned to his deck. "Pendulum Sorcerer!" He chose the sorcerer whose name was now a cruel reminder of what it no longer owned. The Performapal(4/1000/700) had no pendulum effect anymore. But it still could be used as a monster card. "When Pendulum Sorcerer is special summoned, he destroys two of my cards to place two Performapals from the deck in my hand!" The Sorcerer used his own pendant crystal to shatter the last two hippo tokens(1/0/0). "I take the Performapals Helprincess and Friendonkey!"

"I normal summon Friendonkey! He can special summon one level 4 or lower Performapal from my graveyard!" The first donkey(3/1100/100) appeared in all of his grinning glory. "Come out, Swordfish!" Friendonkey's effect special summoned the sunshade-bladefish(3/100/100) in attack position. "Remember him?" The summon also activated the effect of Swordfish who made it rain swords on the Aromages, reducing their attack and defensepoints by 600. (Bergamot: 2300/1800, Rosemary: 1900/400, Cananga: 1300/800, Jasmine: 0/1200) "And since I summoned a Performapal, Helprincess can bring herself in!" Uno special summoned the impish princess in purple(4/700/700) from his hand. "Every time a monster is special summoned to my field, Swordfish reactivates his effect. So.." Swordfish created another deluge of blades to decrease the attackpoints of all monsters on the opponents field. (Bergamot: 1700/1200, Rosemary: 1300/0, Cananga: 700/200, Jasmine: 0/600) "And now.. a trick I couldn't do the last time." Uno placed Helprincess on top of Pendulum Sorcerer. "I'll XYZ-summon Dark Rebellion XYZ-Dragon!" His two Performapals were perfect XYZ-materials for the dragon of darkness, it(4/2000/1500) arrived through clouds of black and red lightning. "And.. you know the drill." Another special summon meant another round of Swordfish swords for the Aromages. (Bergamot: 1100/600, Rosemary: 700/0, Cananga: 100/0, Jasmine: 0/600)

"Cloe is probably happy to see you use that XYZ-monster so well. Okay, now I want to play my game." Veronica interjected, with one of her traps. "This is Side Effects. You have a choice now, draw one, two or three cards. For each draw, this trap gives me 2000 lifepoints." She placed her hands on her waist and waited. "One to three? There's gotta be a catch. But.. in your case, three is the magic number. Ergo.." Uno took three cards from his deck. "I will go all in!" Side Effects noted it and rewarded Veronica with 6000 lifepoints. "And for my next trick!" Uno chained to her lifepoint gain with one of the cards he drew. "I will need Performapal Life Swordsman!" He special summoned a swordsman(1/0/0) in green coat, who wore a red feather crown. "Ooh. That one.. is new." Veronica made a surprised noise. "Yup! You're not my only teachers anymore. Thanks to my sister, I can create new cards from time to time! And this one will do well against you, since Life Swordsman summons himself when my opponent gains life. And his attackpoints will be the same as the increase in lifepoints!" Though the swordsman was very tiny, his(5500/0) sword grew to immense proportions.

Veronica's LP: 13500

Naturally with the special summon of another monster, Performapal Swordfish could do its thing again to weaken the Aromages. (Bergamot: 1500/600, Rosemary: 100/0, Cananga: 0/0, Jasmine: 0/0). Though when Veronica used Side Effects, Bergamot regained 1000 attackpoints with its own effect. By now Veronica's field looked more like a garden of swords than plants. "Yes, you know now how to create. But do you also know how you are doing it, Uno? That performapal is more than a card, it is an extension of your soul. And your soul is special indeed." Veronica placed her hand on the back of the Dried Winds card. "But what can be created can also be destroyed. I activate Dried Winds final effect. I reduce my lifepoints until they match yours, then I destroy monsters whose combined attackpoints are less than the amount of lifepoints I gave up." To match Uno's total of 4200, she had to forfeit 9300 lifepoints. "I destroy the Life Swordsman and the XYZ Dragon." The two targets possessed 8500 attackpoints together, thus their lives were at stake once the winds ignited into flames. "That's a little too hot, Veronica! Time to cool it down, with the winds from space!" Uno paid 1000 of his lifepoints to activate the quickplay spell Galaxy Cyclone. "My spell banishes Dried Winds!"

Uno's LP: 3200 Veronica's LP: 4200

Continuous traps could not resolve their effects, if they were destroyed during their activation. So even though Veronica surrendered a hefty sum of life, the Dry winds fizzled out when the galactic storm blew over them. "Space is rather hot too." The girl pointed out. "Details." Uno shrugged. He activated Dark Rebellion XYZ-Dragons effect; half of Bergamot(750/600)'s attackpoints were stolen by the black dragon(2750/100). "Well, you saw through one plan. How about another game?" Veronica flipped her second set card. "Again?" It was a trap called Graceful Tear. "Have this." She walked over to his side. "If I use Graceful Tear, I must give you one of my cards. However, I gain 2000 lifepoints." She gave Uno a Monster Reborn spell. "Additionally, I can now use the second effect of Aromaseraphy Rosemary." She had not used that effect back when she activated Angelica's healing effect or Side Effects. "Hey?!" Life Swordsman was hit by a spell from the synchro seraphim, and he(0/0) lost all the attackpoints stored in his sword. "Rosemary negates one monsters effect when I gain life."

Veronica's LP: 6200

"Monster Reborn? Why would you give me this card?" He could definitely take her defenses down with this, except she still possessed one unused face-down card. "Unless it's a trap?" Uno put the card aside. "Sorry, Veronica. I am going to win on my own terms." He focused on the last of his Side Effect draws. "I made myself another new monster, more of an promotion than a new castmember. I can summon him, just by sending Odd-Eyes Dragon from my deck to the graveyard, and tributing one light-type monster!" Life Swordsman was a light-elemental, it was the sacrifice along with the regular Odd-Eyes Dragon buried in Uno's deck. "I special summon Odd-Eyes Saber Dragon!" Odd-Eyes gained a new form, not from the extra deck but from the main deck. The red dragon(7/2300/1500) covered itself in silver armor, and sharp blades formed its wings, while spikes pierced the sides of its body. "Sorry, Veronica. This act must be getting tired, but when it works.. it works!" Performapal Swordfish used the 600-point drain for one final time (Bergamot: 900/0, Rosemary: 0/0, Cananga: 0/0, Jasmine: 0/0). "Odd-Eyes Saber Dragon attacks Aromage Cananga!" The Saber Dragon fired away with holy flames, burning the chemist Aromage to cinders.

Veronica's LP: 3900

Cananga was going to stay in the ground this time. His weakening aroma left the field and Uno's monsters shot back up to their full attackpoints. "When Odd-Eyes Saber Dragon destroys a monster, one other monster on the field can be destroyed! I destroy Aromage Jasmine!" Odd-Eyes raised its tail and slammed it down like a sword to destroy the jasmine mage. She screamed as she died. "Cards are more than cards, so I am saying sorry to yours too, Veronica. But.." The Performapals Swordfish(600/600) and Friendonkey(1600/600) attacked and destroyed the fire and light mages: Bergamot and Rosemary. ".. right now I have to think about the people who are still alive!" Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon(3250/2000) would make the last strike, against Veronica herself. "Direct attack!" Dark Rebellion took off and barreled down towards the second sister. "I believe I have proven that I can fight, without my pendulum!" Sparks flew everywhere upon impact. The duel was over.

Veronica's LP: 0

"Yes. A good performance for the still living." Veronica clapped her hands, dismissing all spirits and cards from the garden path. "Why not take a look now, Uno?" She said as she pointed a finger at his hand. "Huh? Oh!" The blue color of magic flowed over half of his cards again, they were turning back into pendulum monsters. His head did not feel so light anymore either. "But I still.." He touched his throat, there was no pendulum hanging around it. "Your resistance to desynchronization is growing, but you still do not physically have the pendulum." Veronica turned around and opened the door to her little cottage. "Wait? Where are we going now?" He followed, cautiously. "Your mind is much clearer now, there is room for more answers. You might even find them yourself." She led him inside the house. Uno was not all that surprised to find out that the inside was the same library he had seen three times before. "Did you have fun?" And lying on a desk in front of him was the sister of the past, Cloe. "And did you think of good questions this time?" She stared at him with those fiery eyes of hers. "...I did."

"I want the names of those who know what happened to Dom and me. And I want to know.. where I came from. I am beginning to see the reason why Millennium was made. And if I am right, then it was not Tempus who started it."

...

"Calm yourself, Cassius. A process like this takes time. This will be over within the hour." Vesper and Cassius held up at the top of the mountain, inside Vespers chamber at the end of the elevator shaft. "How can I be calm when we lost so many?" The duelist was pacing back and forth between the circular room. "We can restore them, we can change everything. We will be the only power of the world, at the end of this." Vesper sat in her chair, now hooked up to a dozen machines. In her control was Uno's pendulum crystal, embedded into a slot on her throne. "Things will never be the same after this, Emily will.. Alice will.." Cassius' thoughts were troubled, the telepathic woman could definitely tell. "The only one who can escape my power is Alice Brandt. You managed to reconcile the emotions of your other mind before, when you defeated Emily. She should pose no threat to us." It was unlikely that she would even get here, as the only entrance was sealed off. "But I cant, I keep hearing myself! It's like I'm falling apart."

Their little conference was cut short. "What on.." The entrance to the room was blown wide open. "Alice?" There were shapes coming through the smoke, monsters. "Impossible." Holograms could not cause this much damage, even if one were to use a hardlight dueldisk like Adamants. This was not a virtual construct. "You're not her.." It was a real spirit, a dark 'cosmic' spaceship. "You're.. Uno's sister." And Lady Anastasia was its master. "Circle." Her calm expression belied her true feelings. Her words were filled with hate. "You wont come any closer!" To defend his lady, Cassius activated his dueldisk. "Aaron!" But Alice was here too, she ran out of the smoke with her dueldisk already activated. "Alice.." He hesitated briefly. Her appearance was expected. "Why!? Why is Anastasia also unaffected, Vesper?" The Nisell girl's appearance was not. "There is only one explanation." Vesper rasped. "The same. Winnifred Anastasia Nisell is not from this timeline either."

(To be Continued in Redux 043: After One's Own Heart)

New Cards used by Fortuno Nisell
Performapal Life Swordsman
Odd-Eyes Saber Dragon

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Roulette Spider

New Cards used by Veronica
Aromaseraphy Angelica
Rose Paladin

Aromaseraphy Rosemary

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Side Effects?
Graceful Tear