The following takes place during Stalked by the Rare Hunters and Yugi vs. The Rare Hunter.
They are looking at us with malice: three purple cloaked figures blocking our path.
"It's been a long time, Richard Tsunami" the central one says.
"Rare Hunters..." I simply reply.
"Huh? Rare Hunters?" Rebecca asks.
"They are very known in the Underground Dueling World: they're a group of people that duel using fake cards and take the opponent's rarest card in case of victory. They once asked me to join them... but of course I refused"
"That's why we're here" the Rare Hunter says "To make you reconsider the proposal"
I smirk. "What if I refuse... again?"
He smirks as well. "Then I challenge you to a duel!"
He then removes his cloak from the front of his torso, revealing that his left arm has a Duel Disk already activated. "We'll use Battle City rules, but instead of betting our rarest card, we'll bet your Dueling life: you lose, you're ours!"
I close my eyes and smile a little. "That's fine by me"
"Richard!" Rebecca cries.
"Don't worry, I'll kick his butt in 3, 2, 1, don't worry..."
Then I take the Duel Disk from the box (it's a lot more light than it seems actually) and I activate it while placing my new Deck inside.
"LET'S DUEL!"
LP Richard 4000
LP Rare Hunter 4000
"I'll go first!" the Rare Hunter says drawing his card "First up I Summon Marauding Captain!"
A blond man dressed in an armor and carrying two swords appears on the field (ATK: 1200). All of a sudden, from behind him, a purple and red vortex appears, before it forms a scary looking clown (ATK: 500).
"Another monster appeared!" Rebecca states.
The Rare Hunter chuckles. "When Marauding Captain is Summoned, it allows me to Summon Masked Clown to the field"
"I thought you would have Summoned more powerful monsters than those two" I comment while drawing my card "It's my turn now! I Summon Unshaven Angler!"
A blue angler with a very long beard appears on the field (ATK: 1500).
"Darkness Lure!"
As my command is told, my monster goes towards Marauding Captain and eats it.
LP Richard 4000
LP Rare Hunter 3700
"I thought that a Rare Hunter was better than that..." Rebecca comments a little bit worried.
"Just as I thought, you've improved a lost since last time we met" the Rare Hunter says drawing his card "I Summon Marauding Captain!"
The same monster from before appears (ATK: 1200). This time, from behind him, a soldier armed with all sorts of weapons appears (ATK: 750): it's Cyber Commander.
"Again with this? What are you trying to do?" I ask.
"Don't rush. Everything will be clear for you later" the Rare Hunter answers "It's your turn"
"You don't need to tell me" I say while drawing my card "Unshaven Angler, attack Marauding Captain with Darkness Lure!"
The same scene from before happens.
LP Richard 4000
LP Rare Hunter 3400
The Rare Hunter chuckles again. "I was waiting for this moment!"
"What?!"
He doesn't answer, but he draws a card. "I Tribute Masked Clown to Summon Sphere of Chaos!"
A black sphere with a blinding light appears on the field (ATK: 1600).
"Allow me to explain its effect" the Rare Hunter says "When Sphere of Chaos is Summoned, it allows me to add one Level 3 monster from my Deck to my hand. I choose my Marauding Captain, of course. Then I activate Double Summon, in order to Summon my Marauding Captain, followed by Dharma Cannon!"
Marauding Captain appears for a third time (ATK: 1200). Then, from behind him, a red apparatus with a cannon appears (ATK: 900).
"Oh no, Richard!" Rebecca cries.
"Now, Sphere of Chaos, attack Unshaven Angler! Roll Out Attack!"
The sphere starts rolling until it collides with Unsheven Angler, causing its destruction.
LP Richard 3900
LP Rare Hunter 3400
"And now that you don't have any monsters on the field, I attack you directly with my three monsters!"
Dharma Cannon, Marauding Captain and Cyber Commander rush towards me and hit me all at once.
LP Richard 1050
LP Rare Hunter 3400
"Tsk! I need to concentrate!" I think as I get up.
"I place one card face-down and end my turn. What's wrong? I thought you were better than this!" my opponent says laughing maniacally.
I smirk. "Do you want me to get serious?"
This question leaves the Rare Hunter a little bit worried, so I continue with a glare. "Then I will! For my turn I Summon Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness!"
A blue armored warrior from the sea holding a lance appears on the field (ATK: 1800).
"Attack Marauding Captain with Depths' Lance!"
My monster throws its weapon in direction of Marauding Captain but... "Activate Trap Card! Negate Attack!"
The Rare Hunter's Trap stops my attack and I grunt. "I place one card face-down and end my turn!"
He draws silently and looks at the card. "Looks like this will be the end" he says placing it on the Duel Disk "I activate Reflect Energy! It allows me to sacrifice my Cyber Commander, so that my Sphere of Chaos can attack you directly!"
Sphere of Chaos starts spinning but I stop it dead on its tracks. "Activate Trap Card! Negate Attack!"
I smirk as I see my opponent grunting as I activated the same card he did.
The Rare Hunter then ends his turn, so I draw my card and I activate it instantly. "I activate the Magic Card Double Attack! By discarding the Level 7 Levia-Dragon – Daedalus from my hand to the Graveyard, my monster can perform two attacks this turn!"
"Say what?!" the Rare Hunter exclaims as Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness first destroys Marauding Captain, then Dharma Cannon.
LP Richard 1050
LP Rare Hunter 1900
"I place one card face-down and end my turn!"
"Then it's my turn!"
As he draws his card I see him smirk. "I activate Pot of Greed, in order to draw two cards"
As he looks as his new cards he says: "Yes! First I Summon Lucky Trinket!"
A weird looking seven-legged monster appears (ATK: 600).
"Then I activate another Reflect Energy! By Tributing my Trinket I can attack you directly with Sphere of Chaos!"
I chuckle at the statement. "I activate my face-down card! Spell Shield Type-8!"
"What?!"
Once again, the question has no answer as my Magic Card's effect destroys Reflect Energy.
"Now you cannot attack me directly" I say smirking "It's my turn"
As I draw the card I place it in the Duel Disk. "I'm winning the Duel right now! I activate Water of Life! This card brings back my Daedalus!"
My ace monster appears on the field (ATK: 2600). Then I order to my Warrior of Darkness to destroy Sphere of Chaos and it does so.
LP Richard 1050
LP Rare Hunter 1700
"Now you have no monsters on the field" I state "Daedalus, attack directly with Water Blast Attack"
My monster's attack hits the Rare Hunter, sending him backwards.
LP Richard 1050
LP Rare Hunter 0
"No!" he screams.
"You lost the duel! Now go away before I get really angry!" I warn them with a glare.
The Rare Hunter gets up and declares: "It's not over yet, Tsunami! Master Marik will find you!"
He then flees along with his two partners.
"Master Marik..." I mutter.
Before I say something else, I feel Rebecca's face burying in my chest. "I was so afraid!" she cries.
I blush a little, but I decide to caress her hair in order to comfort her. "It's all right, don't worry: they're gone now" I say with a soft tone "Come on, I'll take you home"
She stops crying and we go towards her hotel.
"Finally!" I say as I get up "The tournament will start soon!"
"Master Richard" Jennifer calls entering in my room "Breakfast is ready"
"Thank you! I need to be charged if I want to do well in this tournament!"
"Best of luck then. I will cheer for you!"
"Thank you, Jennifer"
She then goes out and I start dressing up.
While I head towards the main square I see fireworks in the sky: wow, they prepared even this?!
I reach the central point of the square and get greeted by a familiar voice. "Richard!"
"Rebecca!"
Indeed, it is her, along with Yugi and Mai.
"What are you doing here?"
She blushes a little. "Well, I uhm... uhm..."
"Let's say she wanted to stay a little bit with you while you advance in the tournament" Mai answers for her.
"MAI!" both me and Rebecca yell.
Both Yugi and Mai laugh at our embarassment.
"Anyway, where's Joey?" I ask after the laughing stops.
"He should be here by now" Yugi answers.
"So he is participating!" Mai exclaims in excitement "So he's also one of the chosen Duelists!"
"Hey, long time no see!"
The voice we hear are from Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood, that approach us with anger.
"Listen, you're gonna pay for what you did to us at Duelist Kingdom!" Rex exclaims.
"If you think it will be as easy as before, you're sorely mistaken!" Weevil adds "My Insect Deck powered up since our last encounter!"
"I'd figured you guppies would have been out causin' trouble again!"
Oh look, it's my brother...
"Hi, Mako..." I simply say without caring.
"Tsk... At least you're polite..." he says.
"Are you starting something?"
"What if I am?"
"Then I will take you down from the tournament right here, right now!"
As I say so, I activate my Duel Disk.
"Hold on!" Mai steps in "You each have a starting point, so if you meet, you'll duel, but you can't right now!"
"You're right..." I mutter cursing while deactivating the Duel Disk. Man, I really wanted to kick his butt!
After a few minutes, me and Rebecca reach my starting point, just in time to hear Seto's announcement. "Fellow Duelists, welcome to Battle City! I will now explain the contest's rules: those who came here were chosen by KaibaCorp as Level 5 or higher Duelists. The Duel Disk in your arm are proof of that. The stage of this tournament is the entire town of Domino City: if two Duelist come face to face, they may fight! Each Duelist will use a 40 cards Deck. The loser must surrender a rare card of the winner's choice! In this Battle City as you win your Deck will get stronger! Only eight contestants will make it to the finals!"
Wow, only eight?!
"As for the location of the finals, it is hidden somewhere in the city, and because I want to participate fairly to this contest with everyone, even I don't know where the finals will be held. Before we start, take a look at this plate"
I take out the glass plate that was in the Duel Disk and look at it.
"This plate is a Locator Card! When all Locator Cards from the participating Duelists are gathered, a map of Domino City is revealed. These cards have a special prismatic coating: if you stack six of them, a light will shine on a certain spot on the plate. That spot is the location of the finals! And there's one more rule: the winner of each Duel will get the opponent's Locator Card! Those who collect six Locator Cards, can reach the unknown location of the finals! Now Battle City may begin! Scatter across the city and locate your enemies!"
I look at Rebecca and then at my Deck. "Now... it begins!"
Aaaaaand it ends... the chapter, I mean. Don't worry, I'll post the next one soon enough, since I already scripted all the Duels Richard will have during Battle City. Until then, hasta la vista!