Remnant: Time to Duel
Chap 7
"Augh, my head." Velvet said as she felt her pounding. Placing her hand on her head, she tried to open her eyes, but the light forced her to close them. "What happened?"
"I think we fell unconscious. But I'm not sure why or how." Pyrrha groaned while rubbing the sore spot on her head.
"I don't remember anything past our duel that ended in a draw. What about you?"
"Same. But I remember us talking to Jaune. But about what, I don't know. You?"
"I can't remember. Hopefully, it wasn't anything embarrassing." Velvet said. But she and Pyrrha went tense when another voice answered.
"That depends on how you look at it."
"And while you two weren't embarrassed when you said it, I'm sure once you remember, your cheeks will go redder than the Fire Kings fire attacks." Another voice added. Turning around, Pyrrha and Velvet saw Heroic Challenger - Double Lance and Artifact Aegis sitting on the opposite couch.
"Uh-" Velvet and Pyrrha said, unsure what to do or say.
"Please tell me you two aren't going to faint again." Double Lance said.
"Oh, calm down, Lance. You know it's normal for Deck Masters to faint when they see Duel Spirits for the first time. I'm pretty sure their crush fainted a few times when the Noble Knights and Infernoble Knights families appeared to him." Aegis said.
"JAUNE!" Pyrrha and Velvet shouted when they noticed their friend unconscious on the remaining couch.
"Jaune. Are you okay?" Velvet asked, checking his pulse.
"What happened to him?" Pyrrha asked, worried.
"He fainted when you both confessed your feelings to him, asked him out simultaneously, and asked him to choose on the spot." Double Lance answered, causing Pyrrha and Velvet to blush heavily.
"But we asked one of his Duel Spirits to check on him. They said he was fine and should wake up within the next half hour." Aegis said, causing Pyrrha and Velvet to sigh in relief.
"That's good." Pyrrha said as she sat on one side of Jaune.
"But what now?" Velvet asked, sitting on the other.
"Not much we can do aside from wait. But we can answer any questions that you might have." Double Lance answered.
"I think we ask some of our questions since we're still confused about some things." Pyrrha said.
"Alright. What do you want to know?" Aegis asked.
"You two are Duel Spirits, right? Is that what you two are called?" Velvet asked.
"Yes. We're Duel Spirits, and that is the correct term."
"Does every monster card have a Duel Spirit?"
"Not every monster card. But there is a Duel Spirit for each monster." Double Lance answered. "And to clarify, there are multiple copies of each card. But there is only one Duel Spirit belonging to that card."
"How about spells and traps?" Pyrrha asked.
"That one depends on the card as some are places, attacks from others, or items such as swords." Aegis answered.
"What about some of the Extra Deck monsters?" Velvet asked.
"That would again depend on the card. Some are simply two or more monsters standing together, others are monsters fused together to make a new one, and some are their own." Double Lance answered.
"Are our other Duel Spirits here or somewhere else?" Pyrrha asked.
"They are back in the decks. Think of them as a portal or gateway back to our world, specifically where we live." Aegis answered.
"We came out as we felt it was time to introduce ourselves to you, our Deck Monsters. But we became irritated when we heard you two competing again." Double Lance added.
"Sorry." Pyrrha and Velvet sheepishly said.
"It's fine. But calm down on the competition. It's starting to get out of hand." Aegis said.
"Any other questions?" Double Lance asked.
"Yes. Will the other Duel Spirits from our decks introduce themselves?" Pyrrha asked.
"And will our friend's Duel Spirits introduce themselves to them?" Velvet asked.
"They will, but in a little bit. We were just sent ahead of the others to prepare you for everything." Double Lance said.
"And your friends' Duels Spirits should appear to them..." Aegis began, but a loud roar stopped her.
"What was that?" Pyrrha asked, worried as the room shook a little.
"It seems like some Duel Spirits just introduced themselves." Double Lance answered, chuckling at the familiar roar.
A Few Minutes Ago
Cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest
"Wow. It's such a great day." Nora said, relishing the day's warm temperature.
"It is." Ren agreed, smiling as his friend bounded around with her usual limitless energy. "And I'm glad we have these days off to enjoy it."
"We can even have a picnic. We can invite Team Rwby and Team Cfvy."
"A picnic would be nice. After all, it would be a shame to let such a nice day go to waste. But we still need to wait for Jaune to return." Ren said.
"Yeah. I can't believe he ditched us right before our match."
"Nora." Ren warned.
"What? He did!"
"Yes, in a sense, Jaune did. But he was testing out the device. And because he was invested in the duel, he probably failed to realize the time. Otherwise, he would have at least given us a notice about not being able to make it." Ren sighed. While he was slightly irked at being forced to forfeit the match due to Jaune's absence, he quickly understood why when he saw the news broadcast. Ren noticed that the Duel Disks they were using were far different than the ones they saw during Jaune and Ilia's duel. He figured they were testing a new version of the Duel Disk and would send back reports to Jaune's sister-in-law.
"I know. But he could have at least told us in advance, so we didn't worry when we didn't see him."
"I agree. Maybe we should remind him when he returns." Ren said, smirking. And from the smirk, Nora knew what he meant.
"Yeah. It will teach our fearless leader not to-" Nora began, but Ren interjected.
"Careful, Nora. You're getting close to the springs. I remember overhearing the faculty say one of them is faulty. It could be anyone one of them, and we don't have our weapons on us." Ren warned when Nora got dangerously close to one. And even though he knew Nora could take out most minor grimm without a weapon, he did not want to risk it.
"Oh, right." Nora said, moving away from them. But as she did, they heard the sounds of a bullhead landing, which meant that Jaune had returned.
"Looks like Jaune returned. Let's go ask him how it went."
"Yeah. And let's see what decks he gave our professors." Nora excitedly said. But because of her excitement, she unknowingly ran on top of one of the springboards, which just so happened to be the one malfunctioning. Before she could get off, it launched her into the sky over the Emerald Forest. "AAAAHHHH!"
"NORA!" Ren shouted, worried for his friend as she tried to right herself.
Seeing his best friend sailing through the air, Ren tried to come up with a plan to get to her as fast as possible. On the one hand, he could just go down into the forest to try and help Nora. But that ran the risk of running into some Grimm unarmed. Not to mention, while her aura would protect her, there was still the chance she would get hurt upon impact. On the other hand, he could go back and get his weapons and possibly one of the remaining faculty to help. But that might take more time than he had.
'Damn it.' Ren thought as he ran to the nearby console that controlled the springboards. But before Ren could input any command, he tensed up when he felt someone place their hand on his shoulder.
"Relax, young warrior. Your friend will be alright." A voice said. Turning around, Ren came face to face with three older males clad in traditional clothing that reminded him of some villages in Mistral.
"Uh. Who are you three?" Ren asked, desperately wishing he hadn't placed his weapons in his locker.
"We will tell you shortly. But first, let us wait until your friend is safely on the ground again." The make on the right said.
"How do you know that?"
"Look." The male on the left answered, pointing toward Nora.
Turning around, Ren saw that Nora was still flying through the air. But it seemed like gravity was already taking over as Nora started descending rapidly. Yet, not even a second later, the deck box Nora kept on her hip started to glow. And from it emerged a massive green dragon.
"WOAH!" Nora shouted as she grabbed onto the fins of the dragon for dear life. Thankfully, the dragon came to a slow stop, which allowed Nora to adjust her grip and sit on the dragon's back. But she couldn't take it easy for long as the dragon turned around and headed back for Beacon. Once they arrived, they landed near Ren and the three other males.
"NORA! Are you okay?" Ren asked as he and the others ran up to them as Nora got off the dragon.
"AGAIN!" Nora shouted, having enjoyed the ride.
"Nora. Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Renny. A little startled but fine." Nora said, shaking off the adrenaline rush. But she then noticed the three mysterious males. "Who are they?"
"I'm not sure. But they seem familiar."
"Take a moment to think about it, young warrior." The center male said.
"It will come to you." The male on the left said. Nodding, Ren took a moment to concentrate and try to remember why the new people looked familiar. And after a moment, he did.
"You're Masterful Sun Mou, Ingenious Zhuge Kong, and Virtuous Liu Xuan. You three look like the monsters on my Ancient Warrior monster cards." Ren said, pulling out his deck and showing the monsters with those names.
"That we are. It is an honor to meet you, Deck Master Lie Ren." Virtuous Liu Xuan said as he and the other two bowed.
"So that would mean this cute dragon is Thunder Dragon." Nora said as she turned to the dragon that saved her. And it would have nodded had it not enjoyed the petting and scratches Nora was giving it.
"That is correct." Ingenious Zhuge Kong said.
"But how are you all here?" Ren asked, having trouble believing what he was seeing.
"We are Duel Spirits. Think of us as the souls of the monsters on your cards. That is the best way to describe it. But to answer one of your questions, we are as real as you two are." Masterful Sun Mou said with the others nodding.
"Wow." Nora and Ren said, shocked.
"Are there more of you?" Nora asked, curious.
"As in from your decks, yes. They will arrive shortly, though. But as in other decks, the answer is also yes. However, whether they decide to introduce themselves always remains to be seen. Sometimes they do, like us, and other times, no." Ingenious Zhuge Kong answered.
"Do you know of anyone else that has met their Duel Spirits?" Ren asked.
"Yes. Some of your friends will soon meet their Duel Spirits. All except one, as he already has." Masterful Sun Mou answered.
"And we think you two know who we're talking about." Virtuous Liu Xuan added.
"Jaune." Ren and Nora said, earning a nod from their Duel Spirits.
"Is that how he got so good?" Nora asked.
"No. He only met the Duel Spirits of his Noble and Infernoble Knights the same year he stopped going to tournaments." Ingenious Zhuge Kong answered.
"Your friend, Jaune, earned his skills from experience and how long he has been playing. But do not fret; you will reach that skill level in time." Virtuous Liu Xuan added.
"Well. This day certainly turned interesting very fast." Ren said.
"Yeah. But in a good way." Nora agreed while hugging her Thunder Dragon. "But what now?"
"I think we should go meet up with the others." Ren answered.
"Good idea. Let's go." Nora said. Nodding, Ren and Nora headed inside while their Duel Spirits returned to their respective decks.
Meanwhile
Bullhead heading toward Beacon
"So." Yang said, unsure what to say or do.
Currently, Yang, along with Ruby and Blake, were taking a bullhead back to Beacon. Typically, Weiss would have been with them, but she was spending the day with her sister, Winter. But it was, in a sense, a sort of blessing given their current predicament. And that predicament was that they were not alone on the bullhead. And they were not talking about the pilots.
"Is something on your mind, Fire Fist - Hatchling?" Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Spirit asked.
"Uh, yes. But it relates to everything that's happening." Yang answered, still surprised that the Duel Spirit of one of her monster cards was sitting beside her. But what was more confusing was how, despite being comprised entirely of fire, she was not burning the seats. "Also, I'm not a hatchling. I'm seventeen. And I'm a huntress-in-training, meaning I'm an adult."
"Only by your world's job's technicality. Outside of that, you are still a hatchling; as such, that will be your title until you reach full maturity. Both in age and mentality."
"Fine." Yang said, annoyed, as an ager symbol appeared in her head. 'She is so lucky I don't have Ember Celica on me.'
"Even if you did, you would be unable to harm me. I am literally a spirit composed of fire. All your attacks would harmlessly pass through me."
"Oh, right." Yang said, shocked and nervous that Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Spirit knew what she thought. "How did you?"
"You think your thoughts so loud; it is hard not to hear them."
"Oh." Yang said, not sure how to respond. Luckily, she didn't need to.
"So when you guys fuse together, you create a new form with new powers and abilities?" Ruby asked, laughing in delight as she sat on Elemental Hero Avian's shoulder while he flew around the room.
"More or less. It's a lot more complicated than that." Elemental HERO Burstinatrix said with a shrug. "But that's a simplistic way of describing how we fuse to gain new powers."
"Does it apply to all Heros? Like the Masked Heros."
"No. Elemental Heros fuse together to make a new form. Masked Heroes are different. Think of it as a transformation into an alter ego when one puts on one of the masks." Elemental Hero Avian answered.
"And the Neo-Spacians?" Ruby asked, holding up the bag containing the new cards she had brought.
"Similar to us."
"Does it feel weird to fuse with someone else?"
"Only at first when we're fusing with someone we haven't fused with before. But after that, it no longer feels weird."
"What about Synchro, XYZ, and Ritual summoning?" Yang asked.
"No. Those bring out different monsters." Fire Fist - Spirit answered.
"I still can't believe there are Duel Spirits." Ruby said. "But I'm not complaining. This is great."
"It sure is." Yang agreed before turning to Blake. "Isn't it Blake?"
All they got in response was Blake and Lunalight Blue Cat looking up their books and giving them a raised eyebrow before returning to their books.
"I think she found her perfect Duel Monster partner." Fire Fist - Spirit chuckled as the bullhead landed at Beacon.
"Well, we're here." Blake said, annoyed, as she and Lunalight Blue Cat bookmarked their page before closing their books.
"So, what now?" Ruby asked, curious.
"We will return to your decks." Elemental Hero Burstinatrix answered.
"In the meantime, you three should meet up with your friends. They will be meeting their Duel Spirits shortly if they haven't done so already." Fire Fist - Spirit added before the three Duel Spirits returned to their respective decks.
"How awesome is this?" Ruby excitedly asked as they exited the bullhead.
"It's awesome. Who knew there were spirits of our cards?" Yang said before grumbling. "Granted, I'm not too thrilled she gave me the nickname of Hatchling."
"Now you know how I felt when you called me all those nicknames before we came to Beacon." Ruby said, happy her sister got to see how it felt.
"But you are the youngest, sis." Yang said before pulling Ruby into a headlock.
"Times like this make me glad I am somehow an only child." Blake said, watching Ruby struggle to escape Yang's grip. "But then again, it would have been nice to have someone, so it wasn't so lonely."
"But now you have us." Ruby said.
"True." Blake said, smiling. "But now I also have Duel Spirits that share the same interest as mine."
"Like reading smut." Yang smirked while releasing Ruby.
"IT'S NOT SMUT!" Blake shouted.
'IT'S ARTISTIC EROTIC FICTION!' Lunalight Blue Cat shouted from Blake's deck.
"See. She gets it."
"Whatever you say, kitty kats." Yang said, earning a snarl from Blake and her Lunalights. "Anyway, we should get going and find the others and see if they have met their Duel Spirits yet."
"I wonder if Jaune met the Duel Spirits before us." Ruby said.
"Probably. We should ask him when he gets back." Blake said.
"But don't forget. We have to guilt trip him a bit for making us worry so much." Yang reminded.
"But not too much since he did inadvertently help us move to the next round." Ruby said.
"Yeah. But he could have at least given us a heads-up, so we didn't have to worry so much." Blake said.
"Maybe he can make us those desserts again." Yang suggested.
"That'll work." Blake and Ruby said.
"Hey. There's Ren and Nora." Ruby said, pointing to the due.
"Hey, guys." Nora said as she and Ren ran toward them.
"How was your trip to Vale?" Ren asked.
"Fine. But we did make a... surprising discovery." Blake answered.
"So did we." Nora said.
"I bet ours tops yours." Yang confidently said.
"I doubt it."
"Hey. Where's Weiss? Didn't she leave with you guys?" Ren asked.
"She did. But Weiss went to spend the day with her sister." Blake answered.
"Oh, well. Hopefully, she makes a startling discovery soon." Nora said.
"I think she will. Anyway. Do you know where Cereal Girl and Team Cfvy are?" Yang asked.
"I think Velvet and Pyrrha are in the lounge. Dueling again." Ren said with a sigh.
"Figures." Team Rwby said.
"And the rest of Team Cfvy?" Ruby asked.
"And is Jaune back yet?" Blake asked.
"Team Cfvy is in their dorm, I believe. And I think Jaune is in our dorm since his bullhead arrived about ten minutes ago." Ren answered.
"Then let's go see our favorite Vomit Boy. And maybe he can answer some of our questions." Yang said.
"Like what?" Nora asked. Team Rwby looked at each other for a moment before deciding it would be better until everyone was together.
"Let's wait until we're all in the lounge. So we don't have to repeat ourselves." Blake answered.
"And we can tell you what we just saw before you arrived." Ren said. Nodding, they made their way to the lounge.
Meanwhile
Team CFVY's Dorm
"Yatsu. Have you seen my beret?" Coco asked as she looked through her closet.
"Which one?" Yatsuhashi asked as he looked through his deck.
"My new one."
"You have three new ones, Coco. You have to be more specific."
"The one that's coffee-colored."
"Then I haven't seen it."
"I know it's here somewhere. I just-" Coco began but stopped when she felt someone tap her shoulder. But she didn't stop looking through her closet. "Yes?"
"Here you go, Coco. Your beret was on top of the closet." A voice said.
"Thanks." Coco said, grabbing her beret without looking back. But as soon as she put it on and closed her closet, she realized she didn't recognize the voice. Turning around, Coco came face-to-face with a floating machine with a big red head. There was also a painting of large teeth and big eyes. "Uh, who are you?"
"Don't you recognize me, Deck Master? I'm Springans Rockey." The machine answered.
"You do seem familiar, and the name does ring a bell. But I can't place my finger on it."
"Come on, boss. You can do it."
"Wait. You're a monster from my deck." Coco said, grabbing her deck and pulling out the Springans Rockey card.
"That's right, boss."
"What are you doing out of the card? How are you out of the card? What's going on?" Coco asked, confused and shocked.
"Simple. I'm a Duel Spirit, and it was about time I and the others introduced ourselves to you, our Deck Master."
"What?" Coco asked, now even more confused.
"Coco. Is something... What is that?" Yatsuhashi asked, confused at what he was seeing.
"Apparently, this is a Duel Spirit." Coco answered, still in shock.
"Like a ghost?"
"To a certain extent." Another voice answered. Turning around, Yatsuhashi and Coco saw another machine. But this time, it strangely resembled a samurai and wielded a strange weapon.
"What do you mean? And who are you?" Yatsuashi asked, getting into a fighting stance.
"Relax, Deck Master. I am Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei. I am the Duel Spirit of one of your monsters." The Duel Spirit explained. "Think of us as the spirits of your monsters. That's the simplest way of putting it."
"Alright. That makes sense, sort of. But why are you here?" Coco asked.
"I told you already, boss. It was about time we introduced ourselves to you." Springans Rockey answered.
"The Springan is right. It was time to introduce ourselves to you, our Deck Master." Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei added.
"Ourselves? You mean the rest of our decks will come out soon?" Yatsuashi asked.
"That is correct."
"Wow."
"This is something I was not expecting." Coco said.
"Don't worry, boss. No deck master does." Springans Rockey said.
"Wait. Are there other Deck Masters?" Yatsuashi asked.
"Yes. And your friends are or have met them already." Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei answered.
"Should we go meet up with the others, Coco?"
"I think so. But let's wait until Fox returns." Coco answered. But as soon as she said this, the door opened to reveal Fox and another person, whom they could only assume was another Duel Spirit.
"Hey, Coco. Yatsuashi." Fox said.
"Hey, Fox. Who's your friend here?" Yatsuashi asked.
"From what she says, she is SPYRAL Master Plan." Fox answered.
"And before you ask, yes. I am a Duel Spirit. And my family is the Spyrals." The lady said while scrolling through her tab.
"I'm going to need some extra strong coffee once this is all over." Coco said, rubbing her temples.
"Well. Now that Fox is here let's head to the others and see if they have met their Duel Spirits." Yatsuashi said, earning a nod from Coco and Fox.
"But do you know where they are?" Fox asked.
"The last of your teammate and her rival is in the student lounge. And the rest of your friends are heading there now." SPYRAL Master Plan answered.
"How do you know that?" Coco asked.
"I hacked into the school's security system and found them after going through a few monitors." She explained. "Your school really needs better security and firewalls."
"Let's just go before Glynda finds out, pops a vein, and gives us detention for life." Coco said as she exited the dorm, followed by Fox and Yatsuashi.
"I doubt she will, considering the Aromage Family is nearby." Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei said.
"Remind me one of you to ask the Aromages for a supply of candles. The others need it to unwind after long missions." Spyral Agent said.
"Alright."
"Only if you get your Spyral Quick Fix to help us out with our power supply." Springans Rockey said.
"Alright. I'll send him a message." Spyral Master Plan said, typing it into her pad.
Meanwhile
Lounge
"Ow. My head. Man. Did Saph throw a party again?" Jaune asked, holding his head as it throbbed. However, he tensed up when he felt something wet touch his head. Opening his eyes, he saw Isolde holding a damp rag on his forehead.
"Are you okay, Sir Jonathan?" Isolde asked.
"Yes. I'm alright, Isolde. But what happened?" Jaune asked, sitting upright. However, he froze when he saw all his friends nearby. But that's not what caused him to freeze. It was the fact that there were other Duel Spirits in the room as well. "Uh, what's going on?"
"We met our Duel Spirits." Nora said, atop her Thunder Dragon that somehow fit in the room.
"I... can see that." Jaune said, surprised but also glad. However, he still had a question on his mind. "Why does my head hurt? And what happened?"
"Your two friends here will answer after this meeting is over." Elemental Hero Burstinatrix answered while pointing toward Pyrrha and Velvet, who were blushing.
"Alright. But what's this meeting about anyway?"
"Nothing too important, Sir Arc." Infernoble Knight Captain Roland answered.
"The meeting is only to answer some of the questions our Deck Masters and others have." Springans Rockey added.
"And I bet they have a lot." Lunalight Blue Cat said. But as she said this, she never lifted her head from her book. And next to her was Blake, entirely focused on her book.
"I can imagine." Jaune said.
"How many questions did blondie have when you guys introduced yourselves to him?" Coco asked, pointing to Jaune.
"A lot. But we can not blame Sir Arc. It is only natural for a Deck Master to have questions." Infernoble Knight Captain Roland answered.
"Why do you call us your Deck Masters?" Ruby asked.
"Because that's what you are. You are the masters/leaders of our deck." Elemental Hero Avian answered.
"Oh. That makes sense."
"Wait. Why did you call Jaune, Sir Arc, and Sir Jonathan?" Pyrrha asked.
"That's just a title they gave me. Most families give one to their deck master." Jaune answered, with Roland and Isolde nodding.
"A title. Kind of like how Fire Fist - Spirit gave me?" Yang asked, curious.
"More or less. Different families do different things."
"What name did she give you?" Yatsuhashi asked.
"I gave her the title of Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Hatchling." Fire Fist - Spirit answered, earning a hearty chuckle from everyone else and a growl from Yang.
"But that is a good title." Heroic Champion Double Lance said.
"One that she will eventually grow out of." Masterful Sun Mou added.
"Hopefully soon." Yang muttered.
"Wait. You said family." Velvet said, turning to Jaune. "Does that mean they are all related?"
"In some cases." Jaune answered.
"It is a term we use since we are close like a family and live together. However, the term you all use is Archetype." Spyral Super Agent added.
"Oh. Now I get it." Velvet said.
"Wait. I just thought of something." Blake said, putting her book down.
"What is it?" Lunalight Blue Cat asked.
"Aren't you all worried that someone other than us might see you?"
"Now, that is an excellent question." Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei said.
"And the answer is simple. You don't see us." Springans Rockey began before turning invisible and reappearing a second later. "But now you do. But only if we want you to."
"We could easily go around the school without anyone noticing us." Ingenious Zhuge Kong added.
"But we generally only allow our Deck Masters and other Deck Masters to see us." Isolde said.
"That's a relief." Blake said.
"Wait. You said you generally only allow other Deck Masters to see you." Yang said.
"That is correct, Hatchling." Fire Fist - Spirit said, earning a growl from Yang and a snicker from the others.
"But you can reveal yourselves to other none Deck Masters if you feel like it, right?"
"That is correct. But we don't do it often." Elemental Hero Burstinatrix answered.
"Where are you going with this, Yang?" Ruby asked.
"Does that mean the cute skeleton we saw during Neo's and Neptune's duel was a Duel Spirit?"
"Yes. It was. Neo's the Deck Master of Toons and Ghsotricks." Jaune answered.
"That must be a great headache she has." Virtuous Liu Xuan said, with the others agreeing.
"Why's that?" Coco asked.
"Ghostricks are known for their love of pulling pranks and scaring others. Toons are known for their mischievous antics. As you can imagine, it must be a headache watching over them." Isolde explained.
"What about Ilia?" Nora asked.
"She's the Deck Master of her Crystal Beasts." Jaune answered.
"And the others you met during that duel in the park?" Ren asked.
"They are Deck Masters as well."
"Are there any... families that are not friendly?" Velvet asked.
"A few. But it is for different reasons."
"Like?" Yatsuhashi asked.
"The Evilswarms, Steelswarms, and Shaddolls. But that's because some are like parasites, and others are corrupted versions of themselves." Heroic Champion Double Lance answered.
"Others are very protective of their homes like the Fire Kings, just like fighting like the Lavals, or want to conquer other lands like the Atlanteans." Artifact Aegis added.
"Any other questions?" Fire Fist - Spirit asked.
"Yes. Tons." Coco answered.
"What are they?" Infernoble Knight Captain Roland asked.
"Well. For starters." Coco said, getting comfy on the couch.
Meanwhile
Kame Game Shop
"So this is the place, Weiss?" Winter asked as she and Weiss entered the store.
"This is the place." Weiss answered, smiling. While she hadn't told anyone else, this store had become somewhat of a safe place for her when she needed to unwind. "Granted, I didn't get my deck from here."
"Where did you get your deck from, then? The one who introduced you to the game?"
"Yes. My teammates and some of our friends were having a small party to celebrate getting through a week of tests. My partner, Ruby, went to get some games and accidentally brought back the case that contained the Yu-Gi-Oh cards that belonged to Jaune Arc. And after a bit of explaining, Jaune introduced me to the game and gave me my Ice Barrier deck."
"Interesting." Winter said, mentally noting down the name so she could find him and thank Jaune later. "Is the game enjoyable?"
"Very, especially when your dueling with friends."
"Then perhaps it would be worth it to learn how to play the game."
"I can teach you if you want."
"I would appreciate that, sister." Winter said with a soft smile.
"Do you want to start now or later?"
"Well, I did clear out my schedule. So now will be fine."
"Okay." Weiss said, happy that she could spend time with her sister.
"What should we start with first?"
"I think we should start with picking out a deck for you. And we can go from there."
"Are there any decks that you think fit an aspect of mine?"
"I'm not too familiar with every deck like Jaune is. But one deck I recall seeing recently that might fit you is an archetype called Rikka."
"Very well. I trust you, Weiss."
"Now we just need to find it. Or ask if the shop has it."
"What are you ladies looking for?" A voice asked. Turning around, they saw Sugoroku Mutou's assistant walking up to them. But while Winter thought it was an ordinary faunus, Weiss knew it was Neo in disguise.
"Yes. I'm showing my sister the game and teaching her how to play it. Right now, we're looking for the Rikka deck." Weiss answered.
"Do you have it in stock?" Winter asked.
"Yes. It is in the back. Follow me." 'Neo' answered.
"Alright. We'll be back in a few moments, Weiss." Winter said as she followed Neo into the backrooms.
Nodding, Weiss turned around and headed to the adjacent room that had more decks. But instead of browsing or looking at the booster packs, her gaze immediately found and settled on the Nekroz deck. Sighing, Weiss walked over to the shelf, picked it up, and examined the Nekroz of Trishula card in front.
'Should I?'
Taking out her Ice Barrier deck, Weiss felt a well of emotions stir within her. While she thoroughly enjoyed playing with her Ice Barrier deck, she knew it struggled against anything slightly stronger and could easily be shut down. And she knew firsthand last weekend during the tournament. The first round was a good match, and she barely won. But Weiss practically couldn't do anything during the second round as her opponent prevented her from doing anything. And while the cards Jaune gave her did help, they weren't enough.
"But what about my Ice Barriers."
After the tournament and how badly she lost, Weiss contemplated switching decks. She then remembered about the Nekroz deck Jaune told her when he introduced her to the game. Initially, Weiss was ecstatic and almost impatient in getting to the shop to get the new deck. But as the hours passed, she began wondering about her Ice Barrier deck and what she should do with it.
"I could return it to Jaune. I know he takes good care of his decks. But... I don't want to abandon them. And I don't want to just place them in my desk where I might forget about them. What am I going to do?" Sighing, Weiss desperately wanted someone or something to give her some advice. But she nearly froze when a mysterious voice spoke up.
'Go with both. Forces together are always stronger.'
"Who said that?" Weiss asked, turning around. But she became confused when she didn't see anyone. However, she did feel something in her hand that held the Nekrox deck. Lifting it, Weiss felt something was off about it. For some reason, it felt different but in a good way.
"Everything alright, miss?" Sugoroku Mutou asked, walking up to her.
"Yes. I was just thinking about something."
"I see you have the Nekroz deck. Are you thinking of purchasing it?"
"Yes."
"And what about your Ice Barrier deck? If you want, you can trade it in for a discount toward your purchase."
"Actually." Weiss said. "I'll keep it."
"Alright. Come with me, and I'll ring you up." Nodding, Weiss followed Sugoroku toward the desk, where she saw Winter waiting for her.
"Did you find something, Wiess?" Winter asked.
"Yes. A new deck to try in combination with my Ice Barriers."
"Perhaps after you teach me the rules and mechanics of the game, we can face off against each other."
"That would be nice."
"Alright. That will be sixty lien in total." Sugoroku said.
"Here you go." Winter said.
"And here's your stuff. Have a nice day." Sugoroku said before heading to the back.
"Shall we begin our lessons here, Weiss?" Winter asked.
"How about we go to the park instead? It's a great day outside, and I have some game mats we can use to prevent our cards from getting damaged."
"Alright. Let's..." Winter said but stopped when she heard her scroll play a familiar ringtone. Sighing, she took it out and saw that Ironwood was contacting her. "Excuse me, Weiss. I need to take this."
"It's okay, Winter. We still have time."
"Thank you." Winter said as she cleared her throat while exiting the store. "Specialist Schnee here."
"Hey, Ice Princess." Neo said, getting Weiss's attention.
"Please don't call me that. I already have 'suitors' my father has lined up for me calling me that wretched nickname." Weiss said, turning to Neo. "Do you need something?"
"Yeah. Someone ordered a deck online and said she knew you. She also said to give it to you so you can deliver it to her."
"Really?" Weiss asked, surprised. "Do you know the name of the person that made this claim?"
"Her name is Penny Polendina. She said you're a trusted friend."
"Oh, Penny. Yes, I know her." Weiss said, surprised. While she hadn't interacted with Penny that much, she could still consider her a friend. "What deck did she purchase?"
"The Sky Striker Deck. She also purchased some game rulebooks, mats, and sleeves."
"Alright. I'll give it to her."
"Oh, and give this to your blonde friend. The one that showed you this place." Neo said, handing her a slip of paper.
"Uh. Alright." Weiss said, taking the paper. But before she could ask her question, she and Neo tensed up when they heard a crash nearby. Strangely, it didn't come from the backrooms. "What was that?"
"I'm torn between saying children and demons." Neo sighed as she got up. "Sorry. But I got to handle this. And get a bottle of aspirin in the process."
"That was weird." Weiss said, watching Neo leave.
"Is everything okay, Weiss?" Winter asked, entering the store.
"Yes. Everything is fine."
"What's with the extra bag?"
"Penny ordered a deck from here and asked me to pick it up and give it to her when we return."
"Oh, that's nice. Anyway. Ready to go?"
"Yes." Weiss answered as they exited the store and headed to the park.
Meanwhile
Across Town
"I activate Trickstar Bella Madonna's effect. I have eight Trickstar monsters with different names in my graveyard, so that's 1600 points of damage. Now I will complete the circuit. I'll Link Summon Trickstar Foxglove Witch and activate her effect, dealing 1400 points of damage." Vella cheered as her monsters started to sing, dealing the last amount of damage and reducing their life points to zero. But as soon as the numbers changed to zero, Vella's smile disappeared and was replaced by a depressed look. "That's game. I win."
"You only won because Lycan decided only to stop your chains when it benefitted him the most." Ragora said as she collected her cards.
"Stop complaining, Ragora. This is supposed to be us having fun." Simin Megistus said as he returned to the table with the mail.
"Anything interesting?" Lycan asked.
"Of course, he would ask that." Ragora commented, earning a kick to the knee from Vella.
"No. Not really, aside from some of the standard things like bills." Simin answered as he looked through the mail. But he stopped on the last one as the symbol on it caught his attention. "What's this?"
"Another bill?" Vella asked.
"No. Something better." Simin said, standing up.
"What is it?" Agora asked, impatient, thinking it was something that would only benefit Simin.
"An invitation to a Yu-Gi-Oh tournament." Hearing this, the others perked up as they were not expecting that.
"An invitation to a tournament?" Lycan asked, surprised.
"Like a local tournament?" Vella asked.
"No." Simin answered
"Regionals?" Ragora asked.
"No."
"Then what kind is it?" Vella asked.
"Remember Seto Kaiba from the first Yu-Gi-Oh series, specifically the second season?" Simin asked, causing his teammates' eyes to widen in shock.
"You don't mean." Ragora asked.
"The creators of Yu-Gi-Oh are hosting a Battle City Tournament, and we are invited."
"REALLY?" Lycan asked, excited.
"Yeah. Each of us is invited."
"When is the tournament? And where is it?" Vella asked.
"Next month. But it doesn't say the location as they are still sorting out the paperwork."
"Then we better start practicing." Ragora said.
"We should also get out our Duel Disks." Vella said. Nodding, the others raced to get their Duel Disks and begin practicing.
Notes:
Just in case I caused some confusion from this chapter, The Duel Spirits are just companions to their Deck Masters and won't change the story in any major way.
Also, for the Tournament, should there be tag duels like how Kaiba and Yugi faced off against the rare hunters, minus the Shadow Realm trap floor. And should the finalist face off against a challenger of sorts with a very powerful deck?
Sorry for the no duels in this chapter; this was more to set the stages for the following chapters.