Yu-Gi-Oh! Avatar
The Orichalcos Saga
Fanfic Chapter 206: Armor Up
Episode Basis: Mostly Deck of Armor, a little bit of Self Destruction
Previously on Yu-Gi-Oh! Yami and Joey decided to bust out the big guns in their respective duels with Weevil and Rex: namely their Legendary Dragons. Joey fused his with his Red-Eyes Black Dragon to form a sword which along with Gearfried the Swordmaster delivered the finishing blow to Rex. Yami, on the other hand, wasn't as lucky. Timaeus failed to activate, like it was punishing Yami for activating the Seal of Orichalcos. Weevil pulled a trick on Yami making the Pharaoh think he had the card needed to free Yugi and then tearing it up. Needless to say, Yami wasn't exactly pleased by that stunt. He set up a combo that continued attacking Weevil even after his life points hit 0. Fortunately Tea was able to calm him down right before their train jumped the tracks and fell, sending Yami and Tea to their doom? Perhaps.
Somewhere in the American Midwest, a loud eruption echoed through the valley as a train exploded, sending pieces falling all over the place. In a tree, two kids laid, unmoving. From the yellow jacket one of them wore emerged a white orb. It flew around the boy and girl erratic, like it was panicking. It then shot off like a rocket. It flew through the valley when it crashed into an old man.
"Well, hello there, little one," the old man greeted. "What brings you to this neck of the woods?" The white orb bobbed and weaved. The old man seemed to understand. "I see, very well then, lead me to them." The white orb took off again, this time heading back the way it came, the old man right behind it.
The Warriors of Doma were having a meeting about their current predicament. The powers of the Great Leviathan employed by Dartz have lost track of the Pharaoh. It was like it was being blocked by something unknown. But right now, that was the least of their worries. Right now, one of their members, Mai Valentine, was arguing with the others.
"I told you to let me take care of Joey Wheeler!" Mai commanded. "All of you just stay out of my way."
"I think you should hold your tongue and wait until Dartz gives you a dueling assignment," Raphael said.
"I decide who I'm going to duel for my self I'm not waiting around for a freaking homework assignment."
"How about following orders for once in your life," Jonah snapped. "In case you've forgotten, your last attempt to go rogue ended miserably."
"I would've won that duel if Evil Kinevil over there hadn't interfered." Mai pointed at Valon, his arm now fully healed. "In case you haven't figured it out by now, I'm part of no team and I don't want to be."
"You should show some respect towards Master Dartz," Raphael scolded. "After he gave you the powers to even hold a candle to Wheeler."
"What does Little Miss Loudmouth know about respect?" Alister asked kicking his feet up on the conference table.
"Good point, Alister," Jonah said. She stood up. "I think it was wrong to bring her into the fold. She's caused us more trouble than the Pharaoh and his friends." She walked around to Mai and stared the older woman down. "Right now, the only way she could be of use to us is if she was being used to bring to life the Great Leviathan." She activated her Duel Disk. "And I'm going to make sure she's nothing but a slab on the wall."
"You've been antagonizing me since the day we met," Mai said. She activated her own Duel Disk. "I think it's you who should be on that wall."
"As amusing as it would be to see two chicks duel," Alister said. "I think we have bigger fish to fry."
Dartz stood up. "Alister is right; somehow something is blocking the Pharaoh from my view." Mai and Jonah deactivated their Duel Disks. "If this is a new threat, we must deal with it before we deal with anything else."
"Maybe if the Great Leviathan had more power," Jonah began.
"The power isn't the problem, Jonah," Dartz said. "The problem is we must find this new source before it becomes a bigger nuisance. Raphael, go to the last known coordinates of the Pharaoh and investigate. If the Pharaoh is alive, I want you to either capture his soul or bring him in. Redeem yourself for your past failure."
"I won't let you down again, Master."
"Like I care what happened to the Pseudo-Yugi," Mai said. And with a toss of her hair, she walked out.
"Mai, wait," Valon called.
"Let her go, Valon," Dartz said. "In the end, she'll get what she deserves."
"Since Mai's taking a powder and the Pharaoh vanished off the face of the Earth, Master Dartz, I'd like to implement another plan to capture Kaiba. This time I'll be sure to get his soul for you."
"See that you do, Alister. There's also the matter of the prisoner." The view screen showed an image of Harold sitting in his cell. "He bears the Avatar Armlet. The Armlet could prove useful in the next phase of our plan but we must get him to remove it. That will be your assignment, Jonah."
"Yes, Master."
Valon wasn't listening to anything the others were saying. He was still thinking about Mai.
Mai rode away on her motorcycle. "It's time to finish what we started," she said. As she turned onto the highway, she found herself in the middle of a biker gang.
"Hey babe, nice bike," one of the bikers said. "Wanna play?"
Mai just held up her Duel Disk. Harpie Lady appeared and with a swing of her whip, she sent the motorcycle gang flying. Amateurs, Mai thought. She then saw another motorcyclist heading straight towards her. So he wants to play chicken, huh? Mai accelerated and the two came closer and closer to one another until they both skidded to a halt, their front wheels only inches from touching one another. Mai took off her helmet, "I told you to stay away."
Valon lifted his goggles, "But I only came to help."
"Haven't you done enough already?"
"We need each other, and together we'll take down Wheeler and whoever else stands in our way."
"I don't need your help!"
"Don't you remember the day we first met and how I said I could get you everything you ever wanted? We're alike, you and I. We're both lonely and misunderstood."
"Mai Valentine works alone! Always has, always will."
"I'm not sure we should've left so soon."
"Time is running out, Duke! We have to catch up to the others now! They can't translate the hieroglyphs without my Grandfather's knowledge!" Duke and Rebecca were driving the Hawkins' trailer to Florida to meet up with the others. Kevin was with Professor Hawkins inside the trailer.
Duke noticed two people talking on the side of the road. "Isn't that Mai Valentine?" He asked more to himself than to Rebecca. As Valon's features came into focus, Duke made the connection. "That's one of the punks who were with Mai at Industrial Illusions! He must be one of those Warriors of Doma Joey and Tea was talking about!"
"Stop the car!" Rebecca commanded. Duke slammed on the breaks.
Inside the trailer, Kevin fell to the floor from the sudden halt. "Jeez, now what?" He wondered.
Rebecca grabbed her Duel Disk and leapt out of the car.
"Becky, wait!" Duke cried and grabbed his own Duel Disk.
"All right, you, tell me what you did with my Yugi!" Rebecca demanded of Valon.
"Never heard of the bloke," Valon said.
"Yeah, right," Rebecca said not believing it. "You're one of those Warriors of Dawn who stole Yugi's soul and I want it back!"
"We're the Warriors of Doma, not the Warriors of Dawn. So run along, you half-pint before you get into some serious trouble."
"Then I challenge you to a duel!" Rebecca said activating her Duel Disk. "If I win, you talk!"
"Rebecca, wait," Duke said. "He's too dangerous to take on alone."
"I've dueled tougher opponents than him," Rebecca bragged.
"Duke, what's going on?" Kevin asked as he came out of the trailer. "Did we get a fl…" Kevin gasped upon seeing Mai. "Mai, is that really you? What are you doing in the middle of nowhere?"
Mai regarded Kevin indifferently. "Do I know you?"
"Very funny, Mai, come on it hasn't been that long. It's me, Kevin, your cousin!"
"I don't know you, I don't know anyone named Kevin, and I have no family."
Valon chuckled. Part of the agreement between her and Dartz was that he would erase her entire past except for her hatred for Joey Wheeler from her mind. Whether this Kevin kid is really her cousin or not, she has nothing except her hatred now.
"If you want her, you're going to have to go through us," Duke told Valon.
"Oh why not, heck this might really impress Mai," Valon said activating his Duel Disk.
"Rebecca, don't let him play the Seal of Orichalcos," Duke instructed.
"Oh please, like I would use the Seal on riff-raff like you."
I guess that's good for us, Duke thought.
"Time to duel!" The three of them announced.
(D: 4000)
(R: 4000)
(V: 4000)
"Master Dartz, a moment of your time if you please."
"Of course, Child, what's on your mind?"
Jonah took a deep breath. "Well, sir, it's Valon."
"What about him?" Dartz asked, his chin resting on his hand hiding the amused smile from Jonah's glance.
"Sir, you know that I would never question anything you do. You saved my life and you saved me and my father from living life on the street and for that I will always be grateful. But sir… Valon… I'm afraid his infatuation with the Valentine woman and his senseless rivalry against Wheeler is blinding him to our cause. I'm afraid that soon he would do anything to prove himself to her, including turn on you. I don't know if it was wise to bring him on board."
Dartz smiled and patted her on the head. "Jonah, your concern is understandable but misplaced. Remember, I said that in the end Valentine will get what she rightfully deserves, the same goes for all of my Warriors including Valon and you. The Orichalcos rewards those who are faithful to it and punishes those who betray it. If Valon truly wishes to betray us, then the Orichalcos will punish him as it punishes all traitors."
"I'm sorry, Master, I just… worry for you."
"I thank you but you'll have nothing to fear. For soon, nothing will be able to stop me." Jonah nodded. "Now, about the boy with the Avatar Armlet."
"I was just about to go do that, Master."
"Good luck."
Jonah headed for the prison stopping long enough to pick up a tray of food. Perhaps I'm overreacting, Master Dartz can handle himself, he has the Great Leviathan aiding him and as long as I'm faithful to him, it will back me up as well. She came to the prison, unlocked the door and entered.
Harold looked up to see the woman from before holding a tray of food. "Hey, I know you," he said. "You were the one who ambushed us at the gas station in the desert. Didn't you say your name was… Joanna?"
"Jonah."
"Sorry. So how's your head."
"Fine," Jonah said neutrally. She placed the food in the center of the cell.
"So what do you plan on doing with me?"
"We haven't decided yet, we still need to take care of your friends."
Harold realized that she must be talking about Yugi and the others. She seems to be the less conniving of the bunch, maybe I can use her to glean some information. "So where's Mai?"
Jonah just hmphed, "Like I care where that hen-pecked thick-headed retard is."
"Sounds like the two of you don't get along so well."
"She's a hussy, she doesn't believe in anything except getting revenge on Wheeler!" Jonah snapped. Harold was actually surprised by her outburst. And from the look on her face, so was Jonah. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be, I know Mai can be an adult dosage at times."
Jonah turned and left, "I'll be back later." And she exited the cell and re-locked the door.
Harold looked at the food.
"I'll start by summoning Psychic Armor Head (1) in attack mode." A strange futuristic helmet appeared.
"Am I imagining it?" Rebecca asked. "Or did he just summon a monster with 0 attack points?"
"Careful, Rebecca, he must be up to something, let's not attack yet. I pay 1000 life points to play the magic card Summon Dice."
(D: 3000)
(R: 4000)
(V: 4000)
Rolling a one or a two lets me summon two monster in one turn, a three or a four lets me summon monsters from my graveyard, but I'm really hoping for a five or a six which lets me summon a high-level monster without a sacrifice. The die rolled came up a six. "Yes, now I can summon a monster with no tributes and I play Orgoth the Relentless (2)!" A large armored warrior appeared.
"Now it's my turn," Rebecca said. "I summon Luster Dragon (3) in attack mode. I'll also lay this face-down."
Valon drew a card. "When my Psychic Armor Head is on the field, I can move an armor monster from my deck to my hand and I choose Double Cloth Armor (4). Next I'll sacrifice my Psychic Armor Head to summon it to the field." Even though Double Cloth Armor was a level 6 monster, it had 0 attack points. "And then I'll set a card face-down."
"What's the point?" Duke asked. "It still has 0 attack points."
"If Double Cloth Armor is attacked, the attacking monster is destroyed and half of its attack points are deducted from the owner's life points," Valon explained.
So if I attack with Orgoth the Relentless, I'll lose 1250 life points. But after that, he won't have any monsters to protect him. He drew a card. "I'll set this face-down." For my plan to work, I'm going to need Rebecca's help. The two shared a look. Rebecca nodded, showing she understood. "Orgoth the Relentless, attack Double Cloth Armor with Diamond Blade Strike!" Orgoth charged forward and stabbed the high-tech helmet. The armor exploded taking Orgoth with it.
(D: 1750)
(R: 4000)
(V: 4000)
"Now that your armor is destroyed, your life points are open! Take it away, Rebecca!"
"You got it, Duke, I'll place a card face-down and sacrifice my weaker Luster Dragon to summon the stronger Luster Dragon #2 (5)!" A much larger version of Luster Dragon appeared. "Luster Dragon, attack him directly with Emerald Flame!"
"Sorry, Sheila, but I activate my trap card Magnet Armor which allows me to summon an armor monster from my graveyard and I choose my Double Cloth Armor." The helmet reappeared just in time to get pummeled by green fire. The explosion took both monsters throwing Rebecca back.
(D: 1750)
(R: 2800)
(V: 4000)
"For Yugi's sake… I have to win," Rebecca said standing. "I activate my own trap card Rope of Life, now by discarding my entire hand, I can bring my monster back with 800 extra attack points." Luster Dragon #2 reappeared.
(LD2: 2400-3200)
"And I activate my face-down magic card," Duke said. "Diamond Blade Revival. What it does is takes a dragon-type monster that has just been revived and summons a new dragon in its place with 1000 extra attack points." Luster Dragon #2 disappeared and was replaced by a larger green dragon with crystals on its head. "Meet the Diamond Head Dragon (6)!"
(DHD: 4200)
"I'm just getting warmed up," Valon said as armor pieces appeared around him. "Time to change the rules! This will really impress Mai."
But Mai was having her own problems: with Kevin. "Mai, why don't you remember me? We've known each other forever."
"Scram, you little rodent, I don't deal with trash like you."
The Mai I know would never say anything like that. Kevin activated his Duel Disk. "If you don't remember my face, maybe you'll remember my cards!" He drew a card. "I summon Harpie's Brother (7) in attack mode!" A bronze-skinned bird man appeared.
Mai gasped, "A Harpie card?" She activated her own Duel Disk. "Okay, now it's personal."
(K: 4000)
(M: 4000)
"I equip Harpie's Brother with Axe of Despair." An axe appeared in Harpie Brother's hand.
(HB: 1800-2800)
"I summon Harpie Lady in attack mode and play the magic card Harpie's Call."
"I don't remember Mai having that card."
"Harpie's Call lets me take control of one of your monsters as long as there's a Harpie Lady on my side of the field." Harpie Lady let out a screech. Harpie's Brother held his head in pain. Finally his eyes glazed over and he floated over to Mai's side of the field.
"I play Armor Gravitation fusing my armor pieces with myself!"
"You can't fuse yourself with a monster card!" Rebecca protested. But that's just what happened as the various armor pieces attached themselves to Valon's body.
"And thanks to my special ability, I can destroy every monster on the field and then that monster's attack points get deducted right out of the owner's life points. All my armor pieces have 0 attack points!" He launched himself towards the Diamond Head Dragon.
"Activate trap card: Mirror Force," Rebecca commanded. But to her shock, Valon broke through the Mirror Force and smashed the dragon. The resulting shockwave threw Rebecca and Duke to the ground.
(D: 0)
(R: 0)
(V: 4000)
"Rebecca, Duke," Kevin called.
"You should pay more attention to yourself," Mai said. "Harpies, attack!" The two Harpies flew at Kevin and each struck him. With a loud scream, Kevin flew back.
(K: 0)
(M: 4000)
The Harpie's Brother card flew off the Duel Disk and landed in front of Mai. Mai picked it up and ripped it into pieces.
Kevin stared wide-eyed at the pieces of the card. "NO!" Tears streamed from his face. "How could you… you gave me that card."
Mai gasped as she heard the distant remnants of a conversation.
"A Harpie's Brother card! Thank you, Big Sister."
"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm your cousin not your sister?"
"Do you think it will make me as good a Duelist as you?"
"I doubt it but it'll definitely put you in the right direction."
Unknown to anyone, a faint Egyptian-looking eye symbol appeared on Mai's forehead. "Wh… what is this?"
Valon picked up Rebecca by the collar of her shirt. "I have a message for your friend Wheeler, tell him that I'm coming for him next. And Mai will truly see what a worthless dog he is!" Behind him, he heard the sound of a motorcycle engine start up. He turned in time to see Mai ride off. "Mai, wait!" He called. He dropped Rebecca and ran for his own motorcycle.
"Is everything all right?" Professor Hawkins asked coming out of the trailer. "I heard an explosion and… good heavens, what happened?"
Kevin and Rebecca were both too broken up to say but Duke was able to reply, "Mai… and those Doma creeps."
"I see," Hawkins said neutrally. "Are you able to drive, Duke?"
Duke pulled himself up. "Yeah, I think so."
"Good, because this just makes it all the more important that we get to Florida and meet up with the others."
"Right," Duke said and picked up Rebecca. "Kevin, come on, it's time to go."
"Yeah, sure," Kevin agreed quietly. He picked up the pieces of his card and followed Duke inside the trailer.
The End
Duel Monster Database
(1)
Name: Psychic Armor Head
Level: 4
Type: Machine/Effect
Attribute: Dark
ATK: 0
DEF: 500
(2)
Name: Orgoth the Relentless
Level: 7
Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Dark
ATK: 2500
DEF: 2450
(3)
Name: Luster Dragon
Level: 4
Type: Dragon
Attribute: Wind
ATK: 1900
DEF: 1600
(4)
Name: Double Cloth Armor
Level: 6
Type: Machine/Effect
Attribute: Dark
ATK: 0
DEF: 500
(5)
Name: Luster Dragon #2
Level: 6
Type: Dragon
Attribute; Wind
ATK; 2400
DEF: 1400
(6)
Name: Diamond Head Dragon
Level: 9
Type: Dragon/Effect
Attribute: Wind
ATK?
DEF?
(7)
Name: Harpie's Brother
Level: 4
Type: Winged-Beast
Attribute: Wind
ATK: 1800
DEF: 600
A/N: I know, I know, in the canon show this doesn't occur until later. Sorry, but there's a specific reason why I moved it up here.