Double update, where we get to see Jacob vs. Mikayla. Mikayla will be using an Atlantean deck with a few tweaks, so don't hate. R&R, PM, and Enjoy!

Chapter 7

The duelists sat at the tables, pairing up with their opponents. Jacob sat at the table Mikayla was sitting at, and said, "You're Mikayla, right?" Mikayla looked up at Jacob and nodded. Jacob sat and they shook hands. Once all the duelists had found their opponents, they all used different ways of choosing who went first. Jacob pulled a coin out of his pocket and tossed it into the air, calling heads. It landed on tails, and Mikayla scoffed.

Mikayla: 2000
Jacob: 2000

She drew her card and smirked. "I play the spell card Terraforming," she said in a soft, almost meek voice. She placed the card on a spell card zone, and said, "This allows me to add a Field Spell from my deck to my hand." She searched through her deck and pulled a card out. "I choose and activate A Legendary Ocean." She discarded her Terraforming and played the Field spell in its appropriate card zone. "While on the field, it's name is treated as Umi, and it reduces all WATER monsters in our hand and on the field down one level, and increases their ATK and DEF by 200. Now I summon Eagle Shark in attack mode (5/1000/1800-4/1200/2000). I end my turn with a face-down." She played her face-down, and Jacob drew.

Mikayla: 2000
Jacob: 2000

'Monster Reborn, Neo the Magic Swordsman, Swords of Revealing Light, Phoenix Gearfried, Vampire Genesis, and Junk Synchron, the perfect hand.' "From my hand I summon Neo the Magic Swordsman and play the Spell Card, Swords of Revealing Light. Now, since you can't attack, I'll attack your Eagle Shark".

Mikayla: 1300
Jacob: 2000

Mikayla put her monster in the discard pile, and it was now Jacob's turn to smirk. "Not bad for my first tournament," Jacob said. This made Mikayla frown, and she drew.

She smirked again, and said, "I summon Hammer Shark in attack mode (4/1700/1500-3/1900/1700). Now, by reducing it's level by one (3-2), I can Special Summon Lost Blue Breaker from my hand (3/1400/0-2/1600/200). But that's not all, by tributing Lost Blue Breaker, I can destroy your Spell card." They each discarded their cards, and Mikayla continued, "Now I activate Aqua Jet*, to give Hammer Shark a power boost (1900-2900). Now, I attack your Swordsman with Hammer Shark."

Mikayla: 1300
Jacob: 800

Jacob groaned and put Neo in the discard pile. He knew Aqua Jet's ability only lasted for her turn, so he had to come up with something fast. He drew his next card, and thought to himself, 'This won't help me now, but maybe later. So...' "I summon Junk Synchron in attack mode (3/1300/500), then I activate Monster Reborn to bring Neo back. Now I tune my two monsters to Synchro summon X-Saber Urbellum (7/2200/1300). Now I attack your Hammer Shark."

Mikayla: 1000
Jacob: 800

It was now Mikayla's turn, and she placed a card on the field. "Call of the Atlanteans. This Spell card allows me to Special Summon three level three or lower monsters from my Graveyard. Since my Graveyard is a part of the field, I can Special Summon Hammer Shark and Lost Blue Breaker in Defense mode (DEF/1700, DEF/200). Now I activate Different Dimension Deepsea Trench, to banish my Eagle Shark."

Mikayla: 1000
Jacob: 800

Jacob drew, and said, "I place one card face-down and attack your Hammer Shark with X-Saber Urbellum. I end my turn." 'I just need a few more turns,' Jacob thought to himself, 'with Call of the Haunted as my face-down, I can bring a monster back, then use them to Tribute Summon.'

Mikayla: 1000
Jacob: 800

Mikayla drew and her face hardened. "First, I activate Breaker's ability to destroy my Different Dimension Deepsea Trench." She discarded the two cards and put her Eagle Shark into play due to Deepsea Trench's effect (DEF/2000). "Now I summon Mermaid Archer (3/1200/200-2/1400/400), and because of her effect, I can equip my Eagle Shark to it, increasing her attack by 800 (1400-2200). I'll end my turn."

Mikayla: 1000
Jacob: 800

Jacob drew and it was an Equip Spell. "Alright, I activate Call of the Haunted to bring Junk Synchron back. Next I tribute my two monsters to summon Phoenix Gearfried (8/2800/2200), and I equip him with Divine Sword - Phoenix Blade (2800-3100). Now I attack your Archer!"

Mikayla: 100
Jacob: 800

"I activate Mermaid Archer's effect, saving her by discarding Eagle Shark. Now it's my turn." She drew and she gasped.

Jacob noticed, and thought to himself, 'Did she draw a bad card?' She sighed, and played the only card in her hand, Mystical Space Typhoon. "I destroy your Phoenix Blade, and switch my Archer to Defense mode." She switched her card and ended her turn.

Mikayla: 100
Jacob: 800

Jacob drew, and said, "I attack with Phoenix Gearfried, and end my turn." Mikayla looked surprised, but still discarded her monster.

Mikayla: 100
Jacob: 800

She drew with her eyes closed, probably afraid of what it would be. She sighed and placed a monster in defense. "I end my turn."

Mikayla: 100
Jacob: 800

Jacob drew, and noticed Mikayla's expression. "Hey, is something wrong?" he asked. Mikayla seemed surprised, as if no one had ever asked her that question in her life.

"It's just," she replied, "I've always been expected to do my best in everything I do, including Duel Monsters. I want to win the prize money so I can get into a good college, I don't care about the game." Jacob now felt bad for her, but he was determined to win this tournament as well. An idea occurred to him, and he began his turn.

"I place a monster in defense-mode, and attack with Phoenix Gearfried." He destroyed her face-down, Atlantean Dragoons, and ended his turn as well.

Mikayla: 100
Jacob: 800

Mikayla drew and placed another monster face-down, ending her turn.

Mikayla: 100
Jacob: 800

Jacob drew, and looked around. Already, more than half of the duels were already over. "Mikayla, I'm afraid this is where it ends. I summon Luster Dragon in attack mode (4/1900/1600). I attack with Luster Dragon, then with Phoenix Gearfried."

Mikayla: 0
Jacob: 800
Win: Jacob

The official raised his left hand, signaling Jacob had won. Mikayla lowered her head, and said, "Well, so much for my dream." Now Jacob felt bad, he had to say something.

"Hey, uh, listen," he said nervously. Mikayla looked up at him, unsure of what he was about to say. Jacob's words stuck in his mouth, and he turned to the official. "Hey, if I were to win the tournament and win the cash prize, can I do anything I want with it after receiving it?"

The official hesitated, and said, "Uh, yes, I believe you can. Why do you ask?" Jacob smiled, and turned to Mikayla. "How much would your college fund be?" Mikayla was shocked, unsure if what he was saying was what she was thinking.

"A little over $200,000 for a full tuition, but-"

"Then you'll have to stay until the end of the tournament. Because when I win, I'm going to give you half of the prize money." Both Mikayla and the official gasped in surprise.

"N-No, I wouldn't want you to-"

"If I don't do this, I'll feel like a jerk afterwards and feel guilty." Mikayla was speechless, and smiled at him. Jacob held his hand out, and she shook it. A horn sounded, signaling the end of the first round. Everyone activated their Duel Gazers and looked up at the screen. Half of the photos disappeared in a flurry of golden light, and cheers from the audience filled the stadium.

"Congratulations to all our duelists who made it to the next round," the voice of Kaiba over the intercom announced. "Duelists who did not advance are welcome to stay and view the remainder of the tournament. For now, duelists may prepare themselves and get something to eat and drink in the food courts." The other duelists got up, so Jacob and Mikayla also did so and walked to where the other duelists were.

They talked for a while, before Luke came up to Jacob, "Hey, we advanced to the next round! How awesome is that?" Jacob smiled and Luke noticed Mikayla. "Oh, hey I didn't see you there. The name's Luke Bell." He held his hand out for her to shake, which she reluctantly took.

"Mikayla Stacy." Luke had a look of realization, and asked, "Hey you guys dueled each other, right?" Jacob nodded, and Mikayla said goodbye to both of them. Jacob and Luke walked and talked for a while before Luke, too, said goodbye. Jacob looked around and spotted his dad walking towards him. He rushed over to him, noticing his mom and sisters behind him. "Good job, Jacob," his father said. "You made it past the first round." Jacob smiled and his father placed a hand on his shoulder. "Just know, this means you will be facing more powerful opponents in the remaining rounds. So do your best, and never give up." Jacob nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

Anna came up to Jacob and held out a card, "Here, take this." Jacob took the card and looked at it.

"Gusto Egul?"

"And this," Jillian said.

Jacob took the other card, "Winda, Priestess of Gusto?"

The two sisters nodded, and Jillian said, "You still have Windaar, Sage of Gusto in your deck, right?" Jacob took out his cards and shifted through until he found it. He pulled it out and looked at all three cards together. "Yeah, I remember these cards. We found all three in a single booster pack, but fought over who kept them. We fought over them so much, that if it wasn't for Dad stepping in, we would have tore them up." The cards they got were chosen by their father; Anna got Gusto Egul because they were both cute looking, Jillian got Winda because she supported her siblings the most, and Jacob got Windaar because his father said he would grow up to be strong, just like Windaar.

"We'll be supporting you from here on out," Jillian said.

"Yeah," Anna added, "you might be a big nerd sometimes, but you're still our big brother." Jacob smiled and added the three cards to his deck, taking out two cards from his deck. He noticed one of the cards had two bend marks on the card, the same one the psychic duelist used for his "future" card. He turned the card over, and saw it was a trap card.

"Cemetery Bomb," Jacob said to himself. 'I'm not psychic, as far as I know, but if this means what I think it means, I'm in big trouble.' A sudden shout alerted everyone in the room before Jacob could finish his thought.

*- I was a bit confused with the card effect, as it didn't specify if Aqua Jet's effect remained or wore off, because it doesn't exactly say when.

*Evil laughter* What diabolical twist has happened now? R&R, PM, and *more evil laughter*