Chapter 3
The Battle Begins
(A/N: Sorry I couldn't update sooner, but I had to go to Cape Cod in Massachusetts to visit some relatives. So here is the next chapter. Dueling begins here, but don't worry, Altoshipping will pick up in the next chapters.)
Disclaimer: I pretty much all of the deck that Ash's opponent uses, except for the minor ones mentioned in the story's first disclaimer, and the following two cards I forgot to mention.
Raregold Armor
Metalsilver Armor
Besides that, I own nothing
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
"Let's review, shall we?" The cloaked being said, drawing his first card. "If you win, you go free, but if you lose, I decide your fate. But we'll worry about your punishment later. For my first move," he said. "I set a monster in defense mode. That will end the duel's opening move."
Ash's current Lifepoints: 8000 's current Lifepoints: 8000
A hologram of a face-down horizontal card shimmered into view at the being's feet. Ash raised an eyebrow. "What the..?"
"Oh, I'm sorry." The being said. "Did I forget to mention that the Duel-Disks have built in hologram projectors? Adds a bit of life to the game, wouldn't you say? Heh heh heh..."
Ash drew his card. "If you're trying to spook me, it's a losing cause. I set a card in defense as well."
Ash placed his card face down and horizontal; The Trial of Nightmare, a demonic-looking sword with 1300 attack and 900 defense points, seemed like an ideal attacker, but, since Ash didn't know what his opponent had set in defense mode, and if it had more attack points, Ash would take damage.
"My, my. Things are going to get real dull real quickly if we play defensive all day. So I think I'll switch my monster into attack mode. Go, Maha Vailo!"
The being swapped his monster, a witch with a big headpiece and wearing numerous rings and bangles, from face-down horizontal to face-up vertical. The hologram of the defense mode monster also transformed into a 3-D replica of the witch.
Maha Vailo Attk-1550 Def-1400
Ash took a step back. "A spellcaster!"
"That's right." The being said. "Now, destroy his face-down monster, Maha Vailo! Cleaver Jinx!"
1550 Attk vs. 900 Def: Attacker wins
The witch clapped her hands in front of her, sending a blade of energy speeding at Ash's face down Trial of Nightmare, making the face-down card flip face-up and transform into the hologram of the sword. The Cleaver Jinx sliced through the sword like a hot knife through butter, causing it to shatter into pixels.
"Now, I think I will activate a spell card, Scapegoat! It summons four Sheep tokens to my side of the field in defense mode to defend my lifepoints, and I'll end my turn." The being said, placing a card depicting four multicolored smiling sheep.
Ash drew his card. He grinned as he saw the card he picked. "I will activate a Spell Card! Premature Burial!"
Premature Burial: Equip Spell Card
Pay 800 life points to activate this card. Select one monster in your Graveyard (Discard Pile) and Special Summon it in face up attack mode on your side of the field. When this card is removed from the field, destroy the equipped monster. When the monster is destroyed, destroy this card.
"I choose to resurrect my Trial of Nightmare from the grave!"
Ash: 7200 : 8000
Trial of Nightmare Attk-1300 Def-900
"Next I will Tribute my Trial of Nightmare to summon a new, stronger beast! And its name is Majestic Mech-Goryu!"
The Trial of Nightmare glowed and vanished, and was replaced by a huge golden dragon.
Majestic Mech-Goryu Attk-2900 Def-1800
The being laughed. "Don't make me laugh. I know all about Majestic Mech-Goryu, including the fact that it just so happens to require two tributes to summon, not just one. So unless you can pony up another monster on your field besides that Trial of Nightmare, which you can't, summoning that Mech is gonna have to wait."
"I'm afraid you're mistaken." Ash said, grinning. "If you know all about Majestic Mech-Goryu, did you know that it can be summoned with only one sacrifice, as long as I send it to the Graveyard at the end of the turn? Or did you skip that chapter?"
The being gasped. "Oh, no!"
Ash gestured dramatically with his arm. "Now, Majestic Mech, destroy his Maha Vailo with Sacred Scorch Attack!"
2900 Attk vs. 1550 Attk: Attacker Wins
The giant dragon glowed and spewed out the biggest burst of flame Ash had seen in his life. The fire rushed at the witch and blew it away. The cloaked being screamed as though he was the one being blasted.
: 8000-1350 6650
Ash gave a thumbs-up to the being. "How do you like me now?" The being was too busy screaming to answer. "Hey, dude, you OK?"
The being gave a final, shrill scream, and then began to glow with red particles of light. His form shifted and changed. When the light faded, the cloaked being was gone. In his place was a blue and white dragon, with blood-red eyes. Latias clapped her hands to her mouth, and Ash's jaw dropped. "Wha...wha...wha..?"
"That is...correct, Kechum." Latios said. "I am...Latios...the guardian of...Altomare. Or I was...until those...stupid thieves ransacked the city a week ago, trapping me within the jewel."
Ash shook his head. "No, no, It can't be! You are supposed to be in the Soul Dew. How did you escape?"
Latios chuckled evilly. "Don't yell at me for getting out of that prison. You can thank my sister for that." He turned to Latias, who looked as if World War III was occurring in her head. "Amazing things, Pok'emon tears. They are bursting with life energy. And I would say that the tears of a Latias are the most potent of all, mostly because of the fact that it's so hard to get them. When Latias' tear fell into my fountain, the life energy it provided, along with the energies brought forth from her emotions; sadness and pain; was enough for me to escape from the prison of crystal I was trapped within."
Ash shook his head. "Wait, but if you are the one who wants to stop me from going out with Latias, that opens up the biggest question of all; why?"
Latios shook his head. "Don't you foresee the consequences of this relationship, Ash. For centuries, humans have gone with humans, and Pok'emon had gone with Pok'emon. That is the way it is meant to be. But you and Latias, together? Unthinkable! Imagine the results of it! It would upset the very balance of the planet, throwing it into disarray!"
Ash snarled. "Talk straight, Latios. What do you want?"
"Want?" Latios repeated. "I want to make sure you and Latias are never together. And that is why I chose your punishment for losing to me as being sealed within the Soul Dew for all of eternity!"
"What!" Ash said. "You want to seal me in the Soul Dew?"
"Yup. I know from experience how horrible it is. Its stuffy, cramped, boring, the perfect punishment."
Ash grinned. "Well so far, I am far from experiencing it."
"You had one lucky attack, that's all. And now your Mech goes to the grave at the end of the turn. So maybe it wasn't so lucky after all."
"Maybe, maybe not." Ash said, setting his Call of the Haunted Trap Card face down on the field. "But we'll find out after I end my turn with a face down card." The hologram of the face-down appeared as the Majestic Mech-Goryu vanished.
Latios drew his card. His eyes widened. "I play a spell card! Behold, and beware the incredible forces of the ancient power, SOUL DEW!" He slammed a card into the magic/trap card slot and his disc crackled with power as a huge fountain rose up behind him, and out of the fountain rose a crystal orb. "I tried to warn you, Ash. I tried to warn you, but you didn't listen. No one ever listens to a dead Eon Pok'emon. But now you shall pay the price for you incompetence, because by playing the Soul Dew, I've taken this duel to the next level!"