Yu-Gi-Oh GX: The American Duelists

Chapter 17 - Unforgivable Hannah, Part 2: Roar of Vengeance!

"Signore Marufuji! What's the meaning of this? Playing with such... Such cards! It's inexcusable, na no ne!"

"Chronos-Sensei?" Sho's caught off guard by the lanky teacher's sudden appearance. He falters for words, an explanation, or any kind of justification for what Chronos may have just seen, but in the end, all he can manage is to stammer incomprehensible utterances.

"Nonsense!" Chronos baulks. "To the headmaster's office, direttamente!" The small boy starts to shake his head, but whatever will to resist the small boy has left in him fades from his body. With a final heavy breath, he hangs his head and complies to Chronos's orders. Chronos huffs as he turns on the crowd of students circled around the boy. "And the rest of you, disperse, vamoose, shoo, shoo..." He waves his arms wildly at the crowd, successfully scattering a few timid first year students. While the rest of the student body more or less ignores him.

Ash watches the small boy trudge towards the school. Despite his part in this, Ash is completely overlooked by the teacher. And he knows, he is not the only guilty party to be ignored. Ash turns his weary gaze to Hannah, the true instigator of this whole mess. The two Americans exchange vacant glances; neither giving any hint as to what he or she is thinking. Junko and Momoe follow Ash's gaze to the bench beside them, only to be met by the piercing eyes of the doll-like American girl, Annette Black. Her cold soulless expression immediately turns their gazes back to Ash. Hannah finally breaks their stare down by giving her luxurious blonde hair a flip. Then, she silently takes her leave through the crowd with Annette and Jessica following along after her.

"Sho!"

"Marufuji-Senpai!"

From near the back of the crowd, Judai and Kenzan call out to Sho. Unfortunately, neither of their voices carry over the collective noise from the other students. "Kenzan!" Judai looks to Kenzan for assistance. The muscular Ra Yellow boy nods, and together, the two try to force their way through the crowd. One good push is all they get before being knocked back by the shifting sea of bodies. With nothing more to do here, on the main campus grounds, many students scatter and return to their business as usual across the island. For the would be rescuers, that means backtracking over them.

Rather than try and fight her way through the crowd to reach Sho, Asuka keeps her sights locked on Hannah. A light touch here, a suggestive whisper there, and the tall blonde American girl is allowed to pass through the dispersing crowd without resistance. Asuka gives chase, but unlike the foreign bombshell, a path in the crowd doesn't magically open for her. Asuka is bumped, groped, and nearly knocked over by the wall of back row students being forced back by the front row students. Despite all of this, she doesn't complain, and she fights to keep sight of the head of flowing blonde hair gliding through the distant crowd.

"Arghhh! Get out of the way!" Kenzan roars at the waves of students trying to leave the main campus grounds all at once.

"Chronos-Sensei!" Judai shouts over the crowd's collected conversations. Chronos continues to shout at the students in an attempt to disperse the massive student body. For the most part, he is totally ignored, and the students only disperse of their own accords or for lack of anything more to do here. He eventually gives up on his attempts. Turning sharply on his boot heel, the lanky man storms back towards the school. Judai's group is completely cut off from Chronos, and any hope they had of reaching him vanishes with each step the teacher takes.

"Big brother! Misawa-Kun!" Kenzan partially kneels and signals to his back. Judai and Misawa nod. Together, the two Ra Yellow boys hoist Judai over the crowd. Once more, Judai calls to Chronos; giving it everything he has.

"CHRONOS-SENSEI!!!"

"Huh?" Judai's cry finally reaches him. A quick scan over the tops of the heads reveals Judai raised over the rest of the students. "Drop out boy?"

"Chronos-Sensei! It's a mistake! Sho co..." Judai chokes as he is nearly knocked over by passing students as they bump against Kenzan. Misawa strains to steady him on Kenzan's shoulders.

"What?" Raising his hand to his ear, Chronos strains to hear Judai's arguments.

"Sho wouldn't break the rules for no reason!"

"Drop out boy... What are you droning on about, na no ne?" He breaths. "Oomph!" Chronos is also knocked aside by a student, and then another, and another. "Watch where you're going! It's rude to bump into a teacher, na no ne!" Chronos flails his arms as he shouts at anyone and everyone within arms reach.

"He's innocent!"

"Innocent?" Chronos huffs over his shoulder. "Signore Marufuji was caught red handed, na no ne!"

"But it must be a misunderstanding! Sho wouldn't break the rules on purpose!" The two shout back and forth. Judai staggers each time a student inadvertently bumps into Kensan or Misawa.

Chronos is bumped from side to side as well, until he finally gets fed up with it. "ENOUGH! YOU TWO!" He points to two first year Obelisk Blue boys. "Here! Now!" The duo approaches hesitantly.

"Chronos-Sensei?" Judai calls out as the teacher disappears beneath the heads of the students. A moment later, the already tall teacher emerges high over the crowd. "Signore Marufuji knew full well of the rules before taking part in such a tasteless display. He will be punished accordingly for his rule breaking."

"But... It's not like Sho!" Judai protests. "There must be a good reason."

"Irregardless of what you may believe, he was caught dueling with forbidden cards for Duel Academia! And nothing you say will change that." Chronos leans forward; forcing the two Obelisks to strain underfoot. "Now return to your daily activities, drop out boy. These matters are for the teaching staff to decide, na no ne. It doesn't concern you." With that, Chronos turns his nose up and tries to walk away, only to drop like a rock face first into the crowd. He is promptly trampled by a mob of students who fail to take notice of his cries and howls from underfoot. "Na, na, na, na, NA NOOOOO NEEE!"

With another hard shove, Judai plummets to the ground as well. His fall is broken by the two Ra Yellow boys, who end up at the bottom of a pile beneath him. The crowd parts and flows around the pile like a river parted by a large rock. Manjyome advances on the pile from the clear path. "This is serious. You shouldn't be fooling around at a time like this." He scolds them. The three dazed boys protest in groans, but Manjyome ignores them. Casting a stern eye to the wave of students flowing by on either side of him, Manjyome irritably states, "We have no choice but to wait out the crowd. When it clears, we'll hurry to the headmaster's office." Manjyome looks over the huge campus ground full of students all seeming to move towards him. "This could take awhile." He states over his shoulder. But there is no one there. It finally dawns on him that Asuka has vanished. "Tenjoin-Kun?"

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The group impatiently waits for the crowd to thin, but with Chronos gone, many of the students change their minds and stay in the big open area; each chatting amongst his or her own circle of friends. "Argh! This is pointless! They're not leaving!" Kenzan complains.

Judai agrees. "We can't waste anymore time! We can't let Chronos-Sensei punish Sho without knowing why he did it."

Manjyome remains vigilant. Watching the crowd with his arms folded across his chest, the black haired boy scans for an opening. While he doesn't spot one, he does find Asuka returning from the wooded fringe of the campus grounds. "Tenjoin-Kun?" His concerned voice diminishes as soon as he notices her holding her right arm, which hangs limp at her side.

"I'm fine." She declares before he, or any of them, can question her. "We have more important things to worry about." Her eyes turn to Judai. "We have to get to the headmaster's office and stop professor Chronos from making a mistake. This isn't Sho's doing." She glares to where Hannah once sat, but all that remains are groups of chatting students.

"But the evidence against Marufuji-Kun is overwhelming." Misawa exclaims. "We cant deny that he was dueling with a deck of prohibited cards. Even Marufuji-Kun must have known such cards aren't allowed in youth duels."

"Hannah Daniels convinced Sho to use that deck. No, tricked..." She breaths her last words more to herself than to the others. She shakes her head and continues. "He mustn't have known what kind of deck he'd be using until it was too late. We all saw him. He hesitated to play several times. Seeing that deck, he had to have known what it was. And we all know Sho wouldn't have used such a deck if not for a good reason."

"You think Hannah tricked Sho into dueling with a prohibited deck of cards?" Judai asks; summarizing Asuka's speculations.

"How could she have forced big brother into using a deck he knew he'd get in trouble for using?" Kenzan asks.

"I don't know." Asuka admits, but her thoughts drift to Hannah's harsh words.

"But how ironic is it that the youngest Marufuji would be shamed just like the elder brother?"

"She knew about Ryo." Asuka reminds herself, but she doesn't tell the others.

"If she did trick big brother, then she should be the one to get in trouble - not big brother!" Kenzan shouts.

Judai agrees, then looks to Asuka. "What kind of punishment will Professor Chronos give Sho?" He asks Asuka.

"Expulsion." Manjyome states bluntly.

"WHAT?!" Kenzan and Judai both voice their shock.

"That's only one possibility, Manjyome-Kun. It depends on the circumstances." Misawa contradicts. "If Marufuji-Kun was forced into that duel, then Chronos-Sensei will most likely be lenient."

Asuka agrees with Misawa, but she points out, "Without proof and a legitimate excuse for breaking the rules, expulsion is likely, especially with the headmaster away on business. Chronos-Sensei is very short when it comes to these matters."

"Then what are we standing around here talking for!" Judai shouts.

"We have to hurry and save Marufuji-Senpai!" Kenzan adds.

Asuka, Manjyome, and Misawa all nod. "Then lets get to the headmaster's office immediately." Manjyome states cooly.

"Asuka!" Everyone's attention is drawn to where Junko and Momoe push through the crowd of loiterers, with Ash following right behind them. Junko is the first to reach the group. "What happened to Marufuji-Kun?" She asks in a very urgent tone. Asuka shakes her head.

"We don't know yet. We have to get to the headmaster's and find out." Her eyes turn to Ash. "What do you know about this?"

The weary-eyed boy explains, "Hannah asked me to duel him as a favor to her. She told me she swapped his deck, but I didn't expect anything like that when I agreed. Although, looking back, I probably should have seen it coming." He shakes his head. "It's too much, even for her."

"She's gone too far this time." Asuka agrees.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think that Sho kid would get in trouble either, with how few teachers this school has for the volume of students. If I had been thinking, I would have forfeited the duel right away." Manjyome eyes Ash uncertainly, as the American boy speaks to Asuka as if they were old friends.

"No. It's alright. You didn't do anything anyone here at Duel Academia wouldn't have done. Thank you for being honest." Manjyome's eyes narrow as Asuka addresses him in an equally familiar manner. Momoe and Junko cut down Hannah for her involvement in this, but Asuka silences them. "Now's not the time for this. We have to hurry and stop Chronos-Sensei from acting rashly; at least until we can find out exactly what happened. Chronos-Sensei will not retract a punishment, even if new details come to light." The girls agree.

"You should stay here." Manjyome tells Ash. The boy in the long black trench coat keeps his arms crossed tight across his chest and his shoulder to the American boy as he addresses him.

"Yeah." Ash agrees. "I probably should. I don't know anything more about this than any of you."

"We'll stay behind too." Junko states; speaking for her and Momoe. "We really don't know what's going on either."

"We'd only get in the way." Momoe adds. Asuka acknowledges them with a nod, before setting out behind Judai and Kenzan's lead. Neither boy pussyfoots around this time, and they physically force a path through their now stationary classmates; to much the irritation of their peers. However, none of the incensed teens comments aloud. The combined presence of Asuka, Manjyome, and perhaps even Misawa, is enough to convince them to bite their tongues and turn the other cheek.

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"Oh god..." James sighs. "Fine! It's decided. Whatever gets me out of the same room as this weirdo. Hannah Daniels will duel this Asuka Tenjoin of Obelisk Blue to decide her fate." He points to Hannah. "You had best prepare."

"Thank you for this opportunity." With that, Hannah turns and leaves the headmaster's office. Sho looks between her and James.

"Well what are you waiting for? You're off the hook runt. Get outta here." Sho nods and runs out after Hannah.

He quickly catches up to the tall voluptuous blonde girl. For all she's put him through over the past week and today, and for all the emotions swirling around in the pit of his stomach, once the small Ra Yellow student catches up and is walking in stride with her, he can't manage to say anything. He knows he should yell at her for all she's done to him, and he knows he should be angry with her for giving him that embarrassing deck and nearly getting him in trouble. But for all that he knows he should feel and say, he doesn't feel angry, and he doesn't question her motives. Instead, the small boy voices his concern for her. "Aren't... you worried?"

"Of this punishment duel?" She replies casually. "Of course not. In fact, I'm quite anxious. It brings me one step closer to my ultimate goal." She suddenly stops.

"What... What's wrong?" Sho asks.

Hannah draws Sho's deck out from an inner pocket of her Ra Yellow boy's jacket, and she holds it out for the boy to see. "I suppose it's the least I can do to call off your slave service early and return this to you."

Sho accepts his deck back with both hands. He looks over it; finding each card accounted for and in the same condition as when she took it. "Your deck..."

"Don't worry about it. I figured they'd confiscate it. I can just get it back later if I want to." Sho doesn't know what more to say. He stands silently behind her.

"You played well." Hannah compliments Sho. "Even though that deck was unfamiliar to you and embarrassed the hell out of you, you were able to get a lot out of it. For what it's worth, I'm impressed." Sho blushes. "All that's left..." She turns around to face the shorter boy. With a blank face, she bows slightly to him. "I'm sorry that I caused you so much trouble. I hope you don't take it too seriously." Sho's wide eyes say it all. He has no idea how to respond. She rises and gives the boy a small smile. "Now get out of here... Sho." With a final flip of her hair, Hannah leaves Sho. He watches her march down the hall. And even after she has turned at an intersection and is out of sight, he continues to watch.

"SHO!" The shouts from his friends draw the small boy's attention behind him. They all run towards him at top speed; lead by Judai and Kenzan, who are neck and neck down the stretch. Both boys come sliding to a halt at Sho's sides.

"Marufuji-Senpai!"

"Sho?"

"Are you okay?"

"Did you get in trouble?"

"Where's Chronos-Sensei?"

The two boys bombard the deflated boy with questions. It isn't until Asuka catches up, and catches her breath, that Sho is given a chance to respond. "I'm... I'm fine, everyone." He breaths softly.

Taking a much different approach in acquiring info from the diminutive Ra Yellow boy than her friends, Asuka stands toe to toe with the small boy, and calmly asks of him, "Tell us what happened, Sho."

He stutters a bit at first, but he ultimately admits, "I didn't get in trouble."

"What do you mean?" Judai cuts in.

"Judai. Please!" Asuka implores of him. Turning back to the small boy, Asuka encourages him to continue at his own pace.

"I was scared I'd get in trouble." He admits. "But Hannah came... She took all the blame."

"As she should have." Asuka states firmly. The mention of Hannah's name drains the calmness from her voice. "She tricked you into using that deck, didn't she?" Sho starts to deny it, but with Asuka's and everyone else's tense eyes on him, he can't. A "yes" is practically forced from him.

Kenzan trembles beside Sho. "Constantly giving Marufuji-Senpai a hard time, and then making him her personal servant, and now this; humiliating Marufuji-Senpai in front of the entire student body, and nearly getting him expelled..." everyone looks to the muscular trembling boy. He explodes. "IT'S UNFORGIVABLE!!!"

"How could she do something like this?" Judai asks. He's obviously pissed, at least as much as Asuka, but his anger doesn't come close to matching Kenzan's unbridled rage.

Misawa points out. "Sho-Kun isn't overreacting, so we shouldn't either."

Sho seizes the opening Misawa made, to repeat himself. "Everyone. I'm okay. Really... It's alright."

Once more, Misawa offers a cool head and voice of reason to the emotional group. "We shouldn't act hastily. We were worried about Chronos-Sensei doing the same thing only a moment ago. Let's give Sho a chance to explain what happened." There's some hesitation, but eventually everyone nods or agrees. Everyone that is, except Kenzan, who still trembles beside Sho.

"NEVER!" Kenzan roars. "That girl needs to learn, she can't treat people this way!" Without another comprehensible word, Kenzan storms off down the hall.

"Kenzan!" Judai shouts to the boy.

"Judai. It's no good." Misawa points out. "Once he gets like this..."

"He's out of control." Judai finishes. He immediately gives chase, and Misawa promptly follows.

Sho hangs back. Asuka watches the others chase after Kenzan. Then, she looks to Sho. With a heavy sigh, she states softly, "I'll stay with him."

"No." Manjyome exclaims. "I'll stay." He glares into Asuka's eyes. "Tenjoin-kun... No, Asuka... Go." Asuka's surprised by his response, but it's evident in his stern gaze, there is no talking him out of his decision.

"All right." Asuka agrees. And, she chases after the three boys, while Manjyome stays behind with the diminutive boy; his small face turned down, unable to watch.

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Kenzan slides through a four way intersection. His harsh reptilian eyes scan each path. They widen at the sight of Hannah sauntering down one of the halls. The arrogant girl is in no hurry to flee from her crime. She even hums to herself. "HRANAHHH!" Kenzan roars at the top of his lunges. His booming voice rattles the ceiling lights.

Hannah jumps at the abrupt shout. Tensed, the blonde bombshell squints at the distant spec in the middle of the intersection. "Who's that?" She huffs irritably. Kenzan shouts his angered complaints at her from the intersection, but, all she hears is his incomprehensible roaring. She strains to comprehend his mixture of growls, snarls, and words, but after a few seconds of it, his noises fray her last nerve. She shouts back; matching her intensity to his. "IDIOT! I CAN'T UNDERSTAND A DAMN THING YOUR SAYING!" Kenzan growls furiously then raises his intensity, which only makes his words even less understandable. The tall girl draws a deep irritated breath. "SHUTTT UUUP!" She shrieks. "IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY TO ME, THEN GET DOWN HERE AND SPEAK TO ME PROPERLY!"

Once more, Kenzan growls. Then, he charges down the hall; still snarling like a maniac the whole distance. He skids to a halt only yards from the girl, and he continues to roar utter nonsense.

"IDIOT! Stop roaring like an animal! You... Speak... Human!"

Judai and the others emerge at the intersection. "Judai!" Misawa points to Kenzan and Hannah shouting at one another.

Spotting Asuka, Hannah finally realizes the identity of the boy shouting at her. "Oh... You're one of the runt's friends?"

"Argrrrr..." Still too angry to form an intelligible sentence, Kenzan snarls at Hannah like a beast. Hannah ignores his noises, and instead, she chooses to wait for the others catch up before addressing anyone.

Judai and Misawa try to calm Kenzan, to no avail, while Asuka exhales, "You should be ashamed of yourself, for what you did to Sho!"

"And what exactly did I do to be ashamed of?"

Asuka makes no attempt to hide her disbelief over Hannah's reaction. "Sho nearly got in trouble because of you. He could have been expelled!"

"Yeah, and?"

"And?" Asuka is outraged over Hannah's laid back and remorseless attitude. "You humiliated him in front of all those people; his peers! You toyed with him like a play thing in one of your twisted games!" Her words have no visible effect on the American girl. Asuka's urgency increases, as she insists that people are not Hannah's personal toys to be used for her amusement.

Hannah dismisses all of Asuka's remarks with a wave. "Yes, yes. We've been over this already. Like I told you before, I'm not interested in your naive sentimentality." Hannah holds her hands out; gesturing as if she's innocent and undeserving of blame. "Look, I handled everything. And I accepted the consequences. This matter is settled."

"Settled?" Asuka laughs incredulously. "How is this settled?"

"THIS IS NOT SETTLED!" Kenzan roars, nearly tossing Judai and Misawa off him in his outburst.

Ignoring Kenzan, Hannah addresses Asuka's comment. "On the contrary Duel Queen. This matter is resolved. I have been given a suitable punishment for my part in this little... misunderstanding." She grins slightly. "You, Duel Queen Asuka Tenjoin, shall be my opponent in a punishment duel to determine my fate here at your illustrious island school." Hannah pauses to watch and savor Asuka's response.

"WHAT!" Judai, Asuka, and Kenzan all share in their shock. Their combined response widen's Hannah's grin.

"Oh yes. It's true. If I win, I shall be pardoned for my, heinous crimes... But if I lose... A total loss of privileges and immediate deportation from Duel Academia. It was your brother's idea." She remarks coyly. "And to be perfectly honest, I couldn't have hoped for a more fitting stage to realize my ambitions. Two birds with one stone."

Asuka's stares vacantly through the haughty tittering girl. She's completely speechless. Hannah savors her silence for a moment further before instigating. "So Duel Queen, will you accept being my executioner, or will you decline the way your little friend probably should have?"

"I will not refuse a duel challenge!" Asuka shouts back; a bit more forcefully than intended. She bites her lip to buy her silence once more. Hannah merely giggles at her moment of enthusiasm.

"That's good. Then come next weekend, you shall be shamed before the entire student body. You thought your diminutive friend was embarrassed. Just wait. You don't know the meaning of the word shame. You had best use your time wisely to prepare yourself, Duel Queen. Or perhaps you should just enjoy your title while you can. Like it or not, these are the final days of your fame and nobility." Hannah laughs a haughty chuckle in Asuka's face.

"ROOOAAARGH!!!" Kenzan roars: His loud bellowing reverberates down the long hallway; rattling doors and windows alike. "ENOUGH!" He breaks free of his friends's grips. Everyone looks to the muscular boy as he draws heavy breaths. "It's inexcusable..." He hisses. "Absolutely inexcusable... You abuse Marufuji-Senpai's kindness... his friendship... his noble spirit, and you toy with him, embarrass him in front of everyone, and then you nearly get him expelled, and you don't even feel a shred of remorse..." His breaths fall heavily over them. Asuka starts to raise her hand towards him, but she immediately drops it as he shouts once more. "AND FOR WHAT? WHAT DID YOU GAIN OUT OF IT? WHY WOULD YOU DO SUCH CRUEL THINGS TO HIM? MARUFUJI-SENPAI'S BEEN NOTHING BUT NICE-DON!"

Hannah looks queerly at the boy, as if to ask, "Why is this thing talking to me?" She finally responds as blunt as could be, "That... Is none of your business."

Once more, Kenzan completely loses control. He growls and clenches his hands until the veins in his arms bulge and pulsate at the surface of his skin. "KENZAN-KUN!" Judai shouts at the boy. "Please! Show some restraint!"

"NOOO! IT'S UNFORGIVABLE!" Kenzan's fierce reptilian eye glints as the light hits it. Then, all that remains is Hannah's reflection reflected back at her.

"You take things too seriously." Hannah quips.

"You don't take things serious enough." Asuka fires back.

For the first time, Hannah squirms. Her faded grin turns to an irritated scowl. "Look kid, no one else in this school is complaining about what I did. Everyone had a good time. If anything, I did Sho a favor by letting him duel with that deck. From now on, students are going to look at little Sho-Bozu in a new light. Boys will idolize him, respect him for his boldness, and take the shrimpy second class boy more seriously. He won't be the Osiris Red failure or runty little brother anymore. And even if the girls hate him now, once they hear that he was tricked into that duel, they'll forgive him. Some may even acknowledge his boldness and his commitment to finish what he starts, even when it is unpleasant. We don't always get what we want in life, but sometimes, we get something far more important, whether we like it or not." Hannah huffs heatedly. "And how dare you question my actions without considering my motives, as if senseless maliciousness was the only possible reason I would put the little one through so much crap!"

"BULLSHATSU! DON"T EBEN TRRRY TO SPIN THIS AROUNT-DON! There was no justification in what you did!" Kenzan snarls back.

Misawa considers Hannah's point in silence. Judai on the other hand, agrees with Kenzan without a moment's hesitation. "That's not for your to decide! You can't know what is good or bad for others. It's not right just because you think and say it is!"

Asuka joins the boys. "For all the things you say, you still don't see the principle of the thing. You can't use and abuse people, even if you think it is for their good. You can't force your beliefs on others."

Hannah scoffs at their arguments. "Gawd! What is this - Gang up on Hannah day?" She huffs irritably. "It's useless explaining things to kids like you."

Jessica emerges at the intersection behind Hannah. The brown haired girl gasps hard and casts a worried glance at the scene of the four Duel Academia students arguing with Hannah. Despite her exhaustion, she hurries to join Hannah.

At the same time, Annette's boot heels clop gently against the tiled floor behind the group of Duel Academia students. Her cold unfocused eyes pierce through the group, yet seem to lock on to all of four of them at once. Misawa eyes the girl cautiously; even facing her and backing away as she continues her advance despite his confrontational stance. Hannah scoffs a joyless laugh. "My girls have my back."

Judai turns to confront the tiny doll-like girl along with Misawa, while Asuka and Kenzan leer at Hannah. No one says anything, and instead, they let their body language do their talking for them. Judai is ready to fight, by whatever means he's forced to. Misawa, while hesitant, shows he is prepared to do the same with equal resolve. Asuka's intensity surpasses the two boys behind her, but it's obvious in her stance, she does not want to and will not fight Hannah or anyone; proof of her disdain for physical confrontation. Kenzan's aura remains as aggressive and unrestrained as ever. Like a vicious dinosaur ready to strike, he readies himself to tear through Hannah at a moment's provocation.

Hannah casts her irritated glare over the foursome. Then she unexpectedly turns her back on the group. "Forget it. I'm through trying to talk sense with such children." She casts a final glance over her shoulder. "You all have a lot of growing up to do before you can grasp how I think. For the time being, let's all agree to disagree and leave it at that, okay?"

"FORGETTABOUTIT!" Kenzan roars as he swipes the air with his outstretched and tensed fingers. "You hurt Marufuji-Senpai, and you made him a spectacle in front of the entire school! You tricked him into doing something he would NEVER do! Something you KNEW was wrong! It's WRONG, no matter what you say!"

Hannah stomps the tiled floor. Visibly irritated, the tall voluptuous blonde finally crosses her arms over her chest. She grits her teeth as she turns back on the four. "Fine! Yes, alright... I'm a bad person, okay? Happy?" She mockingly apologizes deeply and cries fake tears. "I deserve to be punished in the most severe manner possible!" Hannah cracks her neck; letting her sheen blonde hair whip to one side and fall softly over her shoulder. "I spit on your petty sentimentality. Get a freakin' clue! This is life. You use and get used. Everyone goes through it, and everyone does it, whether intentionally or not. And life goes on!" She stands her ground, even as her arms begin to tremble over her chest. "Even I've been used. Boo hoo - Oh, the injustice... I'm still alive, stronger and less naive than then, and the world keeps on turning." Her eyes narrow as she peers deeper into Kenzan's narrowed slits. "Little baby Sho got a free lesson in life, and after today, he'll reap the rewards of that lesson. Pshhh..." She scoffs. "And Americans are accused of always wanting instant gratification! All you kiddies see are trivial little trifles in the grand scheme..."

"ENOUGH! YOU"RE NOT STRONGER-DON! All you are, is a bitter, cold-hearted, selfish, arrogant BRATASAURUS; a beast of a girl who's twisted and ugly, who hurts maliciously, but can't even feel for those wounds she inflicts!" Kenzan's words cut deep, and even his friends are shocked by his tirade. "Even I couldn't trust for a long time, but I never let myself become a beast; as bitter and ugly as YOU!"

Hannah's body trembles while her lips curls back to reveal her teeth grit tight. Seeing her this way, Annette's soulless gaze locks onto Kenzan, who readies his duel disk. Hannah gives Annette a gesture to hold fast. Despite her look of sheer loathing, the blonde bombshell blows off Kenzan's verbal assault.

"It doesn't matter what I say. You won't listen to reason, so we might as well get this meaningless duel underway." She slides her black duel disk onto her wrist and adjusts it at her leisure before arming it. She ridicules Kenzan between breaths. "Proof of how childish you are. As if you can resolve serious matters by playing games." She huffs. Her own words further bitter her face. "It's stupid." Hannah casts Asuka a nasty scowl through a part in her sheen blonde hair that has fallen over one of her eyes. "Get a good look Duel Queen. Because I'm not changing for him, you, or anyone! I'll beat you with these same cards during our match, regardless of the handicap." Asuka says nothing to Hannah's arrogant declaration.

Kenzan snarls, as he draws his opening hand. The duel disk orbs cycle, ultimately stopping on Kenzan. "MY TURN, DRAWR!" He roars. His narrow eyes dart across his spread hand, then zip back up to Hannah. "Ultra Raptor!" He reveals a level 5 monster card depicting a primitive bird of prey with a large feathered dinosaur behind it. "Ultra Raptor can be normal summoned without tribute by decreasing its attack and defense by 1000 points and decreasing its level by 2 stars. Ultra Raptor, self-devolution!" The feathered dinosaur shrinks down to less than half its original size, leaving the ancient bird of prey on the field. The bird screeches, as its stats appear beneath it at 1300/500. "After de-evolving, Ultra Raptor will be treated as a winged beast type monster for as long as its on the field. Turn end!"

"All that noise for that?" Hannah remarks. "Whatever. Draw." She also examines her hand before unenthusiastically making her first play. "I summon my Warrior Lady of the Wasteland in attack position and activate this spell, Summoning Reinforcements. I'll use its second effect to special summon 1 warrior type monster from my hand to bring out my Ally-Slaying Knightess." The green hatted girl's calls for help are immediately answered by a tall female warrior who leaps from Hannah's hand and lands down hard at the Wasteland Warrior Lady's side.

"Redemption series monsters?" Kenzan growls at the updated Unfriendly Amazon. His narrowed reptilian eyes regain focus, as he concentrates his thoughts on Hannah's deck and tactics. The Ally-Slaying Knightess swings her immense sword over her head once before letting it fall heavily into the ground before her. The tall woman rests against it with her fingers interlocking over the end of its handle.

"Ally-Slaying Knightess, destroy bird brain's monster." Hannah's Ally-Slaying Knightess takes the massive sword in hand once more. Then, she lunges across the field, while her immense blade trails behind her; tearing up hallway tiles beneath her. With one forceful swing, the reptilian bird is beheaded. It promptly explodes in a fireless puff of feathers. Kenzan snarls as his life points drop 700 points. "Follow up attack." Warrior Lady of the Wasteland charges forward in a series of short hops. She strikes Kenzan cleanly across his muscular chest before bounding back to her side of the field in several small back hops. Kenzan's life points fall to 2200. "Turn end."

"DRAWWWRRR!" Kenzan roars. "I summon Mega Croc in attack position!" Again, Kenzan reveals a tribute monster depicting 2 monsters. This time, it is a level 6 monster with a huge ancient crocodile behind it. "Mega Croc, self-devolution!" The huge 2600 attack 1-tribute monster de-evolves to a smaller, but still threatening looking crocodile with a still worthy 1600 attack and 800 defense. "Now, Ultimate Evolution Pill!" Kenzan reveals a spell depicting 3 dinosaurs surrounding a single two sided pill that floats between them. The feathered dinosaur, fur covered dinosaur, and scaly armored dinosaur are all caught in mid evolution or de-evolution. "By tributing 1 Beast, Winged Beast, or Reptile monster on my field, I can special summon 1 Dinosaur monster from my hand with a similar level +3." Kenzan tributes the level 4 reptile. "I'll summon Dark Tyranno!" Both he and the immense 2600 attack dinosaur roar fiercely. "Dark Tyranno, destroy Warrior Lady of the Wasteland! Dark Tyrant Attack!" Dark Tyranno obeys, rampaging forward without restraint. Hannah huffs a small grunt of displeasure as she watches the huge dinosaur crush her meek female warrior in its powerful jaws. The girl's green hat falls to the floor, and with a few violent shakes of its head, Warrior Lady of the Wasteland's sword is flung from the dinosaur's jaws on a collision course with Hannah. She guards with her duel disk, only for the holographic blade to pass right through her disk, arm, and shoulder before embedding itself in the ground behind her. She grits her teeth while her life points drop to 2500.

"Warrior Lady of the Wasteland's effect is activated. When destroyed in battle, I can special summon an Earth warrior with an attack of 1500 or less from my deck." Hannah explains while sifting through her deck. "I'll summon Huntress of the Wilderness." Her 1500 attack monster bears a resemblance to her Warrior Lady of the Wasteland, but in a dull olive green and earthen khaki colored ensemble. "When Huntress of the Wilderness is summoned, I can discard 1 card from my hand..." She does so. "To activate 1 spell card from my deck that targets or affects 1 monster on your side of the field." She reveals a quickplay spell card called Weighted Bola. Huntress of the Wilderness grabs the bola and hurls it at Dark Tyranno. Despite its primitive design, it successfully binds the massive theropod's legs; knocking the huge beast over. Dark Tyranno slams into the ground with a thunderous crash. "Your monster is grounded, indefinitely."

Kenzan snarls angrily at her play. Saying nothing, he slaps 2 s/t cards into his duel disk and ends his turn.

"Geeze... You're such a bone head. Did you really think their wouldn't be repercussions for destroying a battle searcher?" Shaking her head at Kenzan's narrow-sighted play, Hannah points to her Ally-Slaying Knightess. "Normally, this is the time when my Ally-Slaying Knightess would experience bloodlust, but having destroyed your monster in one of our last turns, she is satiated for the round. And she'll be satiated once more with this." Hannah reveals her spell card, Big Bang Shot. "She'll power up, and your dinosaur will die." Ally Slaying Knightess accepts the new found power which imbues her sword with a heated pulsing aura. Her stats rise to 2400/1000 "Attack." Ally-Slaying Knightess charges the struggling fallen dinosaur, but Kenzan retaliates.

"Reverse card, OPEN! Evolution Blitz!" Dark Tyranno squeals an anguished cry as horns, feathers, armored scales, and immense fangs tear from the creature's body. It's attack and defense sky rocket to 3600/2800; more than enough to survive Ally-Slaying Knightess's strike. The fierce warrior's blade is parried by the dinosaur's flailing spike ridged tail, and she is thrust back with a whip-like crack. She skids to a stop on her side of the field with the help of her sword's blade embedded in the tiled floor. Hannah loses another 400 life points. "How obnoxious." She protests at the sight of the grotesque beast composed of evolutionary dead ends. Hannah sets a third monster face-down before turning her Huntress to defense position. "Turn end."

"DRAW! STANDBY!" The bound dinosaur protests over its new found features. "A Dinosaur type monster affected by Evolutionary Blitz is normally destroyed at its next standby phase, but if it is summoned by an Evolution Pill, it is not destroyed." Dark Tyranno breaks free of its madness and comes to grips with its new found powers. The massive malformed dinosaur casts its harsh reptilian gaze over Hannah's monsters. "Now, I'll activate Gaia Crusher! By selecting 1 tribute monster, 1 spell or trap card on the field will be destroyed!" Dark Tyranno slams its heavily armored tail against the tiled ground, causing the upturned earth to rise and fall around it. Weighted Bola is severed by the jagged rocks, allowing the evolved Dark Tyranno to stand once more. Upon climbing from the jagged crater it created, Dark Tyranno roars at Hannah's female warriors. "Super Evolved Dark Tyranno, Rampaging Tyrant Attack!"

Hannah flips her set monster over, to reveal another female warrior in earthen colored garb. "When my opponent summons or attacks with a monster, I can flip my set Trapper of the Wilderness face-up." Sifting through her deck for a card, Hannah explains, "When Trapper of the Wilderness is flipped face-up, I can discard a card to activate 1 trap card from my deck that targets or affects 1 of your monsters." After shuffling her deck and discarding another card, Hannah slides her new card into her duel disk. "I'll respond to your attack with this, Invisible Wire." Dozens of razor sharp wires shoot across the field between her and the charging Dinosaur.

Kenzan protests, "Only monsters with 1000 attack or less are destroyed by Invisible Wire!"

"But monsters with an attack greater than 1000 have their attacks cut by 1000 points." Kenzan watches his evolved dinosaur power through the nearly invisible wires; snapping them one after another. Just as he stated, the dinosaur isn't stopped by the razor wires, but just as Hannah stated, its progress is hindered by the razor wires; cutting the massive dinosaur's attack back down to 2600 before it is finally able to deliver its killing strike against Hannah's Ally-Slaying Knightess. Another of Hannah's female warriors is crushed in the now fanged jaws of Dark Tyranno. And with a vicious head shake, her huge sword is hurled at Hannah; grazing her and delivering another 200 points of damage. Her life points stand at 1900 against Kenzan's 2200.

"Turn end." Kenzan growls.

As she draws, Hannah coldly declares. "Your freakish abomination dies now." She activates a continuous spell depicting armored soldiers pulling Des Volstgalph to the ground with ropes and anchoring them with stakes. "Fall of Goliath. While you control a higher level monster than me, I can activate this card, and its stats will be decreased by the combined levels of my face-up monsters times 200." The two female warriors catch hold of the ropes that appear over Dark Tyranno, and together, the female trapper and huntress pull the Dinosaur to the ground. Kenzan sneers at the scene, while Dark Tyranno bellows through its partially bound mouth; it's stats falling from 2600/2800 to 1000/1200. Each rope is magically anchored into the ground by a stake, freeing the women to attack. "Huntress of the Wilderness, destroy Dark Tyranno."

"Trap card, OPEN! Evolution Sickness!" The bound Tyranno instantly rots to a pile of steaming sludge. Hannah casts a queer glance over the grotesque pile. Her expression becomes increasingly attentive as both of her girls fall to their knees coughing. "Evolution Sickness is activated by tributing 1 monster summoned by an Evolution Pill. All monsters on the field are destroyed, and for 3 of your turns, all monsters in our hands with the same types as those monsters are destroyed." Both girls melt to nothing. Hannah irritably reveals, then gives up, the rest of her hand. She's left with no defenses and no choice but to end her turn.

Kenzan draws. "It's over." He breaths harshly while revealing Destroyersaurus from his hand. "Destroyersaurus, Axehead Charge!" Hannah stands firm against the dinosaur's strike. After being rammed by the theropod, it swiftly jerks its head up; slashing Hannah with its axe-like head crest. Her life points plummet to 100. "Turn end." Kenzan breaths.

Hannah draws. Her eyes narrow at the sight of the card. With a huff, she reveals her Divine Sword, Phoenix Blade to Kenzan. "Turn end." She states expectantly. Kenzan draws, then sends Destroyersaurus on a final attack. Hannah raises her arms in defense. Again, it rams Hannah with its axe head crest, then slashes her with a jerk of its neck. Its attack knocks her life points down to 0 and draws a pained expression from the tall voluptuous blonde girl, but she doesn't cry or utter a single groan or complaint.

Kenzan's dinosaur and the field vanish, reverting the hall to its original state. At first, the blonde girl says nothing. Instead, she glares over her still raised arms to where Kenzan still glares furiously at her. "Good show, dino-boy." She finally remarks with a distant tone. "Feel better now? Feel proud? Is your smug sense of self satisfaction worth my wasted time?" Hannah shouts loudly, "Do you feel like you've vindicated your friend's spirit, huh?"

His eyes still narrowed like reptilian slits, Kenzan replies, "You still don't see the error of your ways?"

"Exactly! I don't think like you, and I won't just because you can summon big stupid animals! If you really thought you'd change my mind like that, it proves what a child you are. My emotions and values are thicker than blood. You'd have to bleed me dry to sever me from my rationales. I'm not some wishy washy child with a fragile emo heart!" Her voice rises. "Your over-reacting won't alter my scope of existence! Not now, and not ever!"

Silence grips the groups. Once Hannah determines that Kenzan won't reply, she states, "I apologized once to him, if I hurt him, but I am under no obligation to apologize to any one of you for my actions that I know in my heart are right." With that said, the blonde girl turns her back on the group, and she marches off down the long hallway. Annette holds her gaze over Kenzan as she marches directly through the center of Kenzan's group. Misawa and Judai remain guarded but step aside to let her pass. Asuka also falls back, but Kenzan doesn't budge. He and the tiny girl stare each other down as she grazes his arm in passing. Jessica looks nervously between the group and her departing roommates. However, once Annette passes her, she quickly gives chase and doesn't looks back.

"Why is it so hard to be expected to treat people better?" Kenzan breaths irritably. His hands continue to shake at his sides, yet his face is firm.

Judai and the others try to calm him. "It's okay. You proved your point." Judai insists while patting Kenzan on the shoulder.

Asuka agrees meekly. "It can't be helped. She refuses to change. There's nothing we can do."

Again, Kenzan growls. "We're stupid? No way-Don! She's the stupid one! She's the one who doesn't understand anything." The group comforts Kenzan, calming him before Misawa suggests they get back to Sho.

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Manjyome leans against the wall with his arms folded across his chest. He keeps his gaze off Sho as he addresses him. "So why did you do it?"

Sho hesitates, but he eventually utters, "I don't..."

Manjyome interrupts. Keeping his voice distant, he seems to ask the empty hall rather than Sho. "Why did you go through with that duel after you saw those cards? You knew you didn't have to."

Sho thinks over several excuses, but he doesn't want to admit that she took his deck, and all the other excuses sound very feeble as he thinks about them. He opens his mouth to answer, but the words don't come.

Again, Manjyome speaks without directly addressing Sho. "No threats, nothing she could have said, nothing she could have taken, not the consequences, nothing could have forced you to act except for your own desire to do so." His eyes finally drift across the small boy, who shrinks back under Manjyome's much more mature gaze. "What did you hope to gain by doing it?"

Hesitantly, Sho admits, "I, I don't know."

Manjyome closes his eyes and shakes his head. "We both know you do."

Sho sighs heavily. "Yeah... I do."

Still shaking his head, Manjyome exclaims, "Girls make guys do stupid things, even when they barely realize we exist." He stares up at the ceiling and looks to a distant place beyond his sights.

Sho nods meekly, but his eyes suddenly pop wide open. "Uh, wait. Manjyome-Kun. You said we?"

"Huh?" The boy dressed entirely in black temporarily loses his composure. He flushes as he tries to come up with an excuse of his own, but seeing the small Ra Yellow boy's lively face return, he sighs and accepts that he's been found out. "Yeah..." He exclaims. "We." Again, his gaze falls on the hallway walls, but this time for his own comfort, rather than his small friend's. "A man's pride and true emotions are important." For a brief moment, he sees the Ojama trio smiling and laughing before him. Then, they are gone. "We have to do stupid things we know we shouldn't and endure pain no matter how futile our struggles to show the strength of our desire and resolve; our pride as men." Glancing back at Sho, he exclaims, "I think you did it because you wanted to prove to her that you could and would."

"Yeah..." Sho nods. "For all she put me through, I still wanted her to accept me. I didn't want her to treat me like a child anymore." Again, the small boy exhales a deep sigh. Manjyome nods his head vigorously. "You know Manjyome-Kun, for all she does, I can't hate her."

Manjyome agrees. "I think you finally get it. And now, you need to explain it to your friends, so they can get it. Otherwise, how will they understand?"

Dread fills his youthful face, but he agrees. "Right."

The group emerges from the intersection. Despite Kenzan's victory, none of the 4 looks satisfied with the result. Sho looks to Manjyome with a pleading face, but Manjyome shakes his head. "You have to finish it. Even if you don't like it." Again, Sho hangs his head and sighs that he understands.

"Sho-Kun?"

"Marufuji-Senpai?"

They each approach Sho cautiously. He takes one last look to Manjyome, who keeps his eyes closed and off the small boy. Then, he finally faces them. "Thank you, everyone, for standing up for me. You're all good friends."

"Marufuji-Senpai?" Kenzan addresses him cautiously. "We couldn't get her to change her attitude. She doesn't understand..."

Sho forces a smile. "It's okay. I really am fine, either way. I came to a realization. No..." He contradicts himself. His smile brightens some. "I already knew it; why I put up with her and why I dueled with that deck." He meets his friends face to face. "I had good and bad times with her. And for all she put me through, I know how she really is. She's a decent person. I didn't put up with her bullying and teasing and cruel pranks because I'm a push over. I accepted it, because I understand." His smile widens even further. "That's part of who she is."

"Sho-Kun?" Asuka's voice falls softly on the small boy, as do the gazes of the others. Kenzan looks ashamed of what he did. As Sho tries to pat him on the arm, he bursts into tears and hugs the little boy.

"I'm sorry-Don! I over reacted like a boneheadasuarus!" Kenzan cries while choking the life out of the tiny boy. Once more, the others struggle to suppress Kenzan's intense emotions.

At the back of the group, Manjyome's serious grimace transforms into a smile. "Good work, Sho-Kun. You're a stronger man now." His gaze is drawn to Asuka who laughs awkwardly at the two boys trying to pry the near lifeless Sho from the howling boy's tight grip. Manjyome's own smile weakens. "You're a stronger man... Than me."

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Hannah storms across the campus. Her irritation over the encounter is plastered across her face and chiseled into her body language. "I can't believe I had to listen to the fool blather on and on!" She curses under her breath. "And he beat me... Even if it wasn't important... How dare he! The nerve!"

Jessica cautiously tries to comfort her by stating, "You didn't give it your all... I mean, you weren't yourself while dueling... You weren't into it..." She shuts up the instant Annette casts her a look to be silent.

She expects Hannah to misunderstand and blow up on her, but the pale skinned girl doesn't. Rather, Hannah agrees with her statements. She repeats Jessica's words sumarized to herself. "I didn't take it seriously. I wasn't thinking. I faltered to act. I didn't aim to win..." Her expression sours with each statement until her fierce eyes water. "He shook my resolve... That idiot child... Dammit!" She squeezes the tears from her eyes and curses him. "Damn you! Bastard! How dare a child second guess me! And how dare I let him sway me, even for a second!"

James watches the three girls pass across the distant lawn. "From hell's heart I stab at thee; for hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee." He recires.

"I guess things get serious now?" Lilica asks from beside him. Her usually cheerful voice is dead of all optimism and cheer.

James looks oddly at the diminutive girl. "It was always serious. But from here on out, the strong willed break down. And the bigger they are... You know?" James and Lilica both focus their attention on Hannah. "I'm certain he'd agree with me: When the great fall, worlds fall into chaos and ruin. I have a feeling that the force of her demise will set off a chain reaction that will rip Duel Academia from its foundations." Looking to the tiny Japanese-American girl, James encourages her to rest up while she can. "I'll prepare for damage control. This is going to get messy, and when the bodies start piling up, I'll need to ensure that no one tries to put a stop to what I put so much time and effort into starting in the first place."

"I hates this." The short girl breaths.

"You knew it would turn out like this eventually. So don't complain."

"I did..." She eventually admits. Still watching Hannah and the two girls trailing her, she reiterates. "But I still hate this."

Chapter End

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Chapter 17 - Author Cards

Ultra Raptor
Wind, Dinosaur, LV 5, 2300/1500

Effect: You can Normal Summon this card without Tribute. If this card is Normal Summoned with this effect, decrease this card's original ATK and DEF by 1000 points. Also, lower this card's level by 2 stars, and treat this card as a Winged Beast-Type monster for as long as it remains face-up on the field.

(Art: A near modern prehistoric bird of prey, with a massive feathered raptor ancestor standing behind it.)

Mega Croc
Water, Dinosaur, LV 6, 2600/1800
Effect: You can Normal Summon this card without Tribute. If this card is Normal Summoned with this effect, decrease this card's original ATK and DEF by 1000 points. Also, lower this card's level by 2 stars, and treat this card as a Reptile-Type monster for as long as it remains face-up on the field.

(Art: A near modern prehistoric crocodile, with a massive crocodile ancestor standing behind it.)

Ultimate Evolution Pill

Spell

Effect: Tribute 1 Beast, Winged Beast, or Reptile-Type monster on your side of the field. Special Summon 1 Dinosaur-Type monster from your hand with a level equal to or less than the Tributed monster's level +3. Or, Tribute 1 Dinosaur-Type monster on your side of the field. Special Summon 1 Beast, Winged Beast, or Reptile-Type monster from your hand with a level equal to or less than the Tributed monster's level -3.

(Art: A double sided pill with a red and a blue side hovers between 3 transforming Dinosaur-like animals: 1 feathered with a beak, 1 covered with fur, and 1 covered in scaly armor.)

Evolution Sickness
Trap
Effect: Tribute 1 monster on your side of the field that was Special Summoned by the effect of an "Evolution Pill" card to activate. Destroy all monsters on the field, and until the end of your opponent's third turn, destroy all monsters in either player's hand with the same Type as a monster destroyed by this effect.

(Art: A really bizarre looking dinosaur suffering from a bad disease. One of those lesser known dinosaurs that had an excessive amount of evolutionary parts: I.E. too many horns, spines, plated armor, etc.)

Evolution Blitz
Quickplay Spell
Effect: Select 1 Dinosaur-Type monster on the field. Increase the ATK and DEF of the selected monster by 1000 points. The selected Dinosaur-Type monster is destroyed at its next Standby Phase. If the selected monster was Special Summoned by the effect of an "Evolution Pill" card, the selected monster is not destroyed by this card's effect.

(Art: A super evolved dinosaur with fur, feathers, horns, spikes, and armor. Something of a Chimera of evolutionary dead-ends.)

Gaia Crusher

Spell

Effect: Activate only while you control a face-up level 5 or higher monster. Destroy 1 Spell or Trap Card on the field.

Summoning Reinforcements

Spell

Effect: Activate only while you control a Warrior-Type monster, excluding a "Hero" monster. Select and activate 1 of the following effects:

Select 1 Warrior-Type monster from your Deck, excluding a "Hero" monster, and add it to your hand. Shuffle your Deck afterwards.

Special Summon 1 Warrior-Type monster from your hand, excluding a "Hero" monster.

(Art: Command Knight takes cover with her back against a piece of ruined stone building. She calls for her troops to advance.)

(Note: "There are no heros in war. All the heros I know are either dead or in prison. One or the other." - Konami's own, Solid Snake.)

The Ally-Slaying Knightess

Earth, Warrior, LV 4, 2000/1000

Effect: During your Standby Phase, if this card did not destroy an opponent's monster as a result of battle during your or your opponent's last turn, destroy 1 monster on your side of the field (other than this card). If you do not, you take 1000 points of damage.

(Art: Redemption Series The Unfriendly Amazon)

Huntress of the Wilderness

Earth, Warrior, LV 4, 1500/1100

Effect: When this card is successfully Summoned or attacks, discard 1 card from your hand to activate 1 Spell Card from your Deck with an effect that targets or affects only 1 monster on your opponent's side of the field. The timing of that card must be correct, and the effect of that card cannot destroy a monster.

Trapper of the Wilderness

Earth, Warrior, LV 4, 1100/1500

Effect: If your opponent successfully Summons or declares an attack with a monster while this card is face-down on your side of the field, you can flip this card face-up in any position. When this face-down card is flipped face-up, discard 1 card from your hand to activate 1 Trap Card from your Deck with an effect that targets or affects only 1 monster on your opponent's side of the field. The timing of that card must be correct, and the effect of that card cannot destroy a monster.

Invisible Wire

Trap

Effect: Decrease the ATK of an attacking monster by 1000 points. If its ATK decreases to 0 by this effect, it is destroyed.

Weighted Bola

Quickplay Spell

Effect: Select 1 face-up monster you control to activate. After activation, this card is treated as an Equip Spell Card on 1 face-up monster on the field. The equipped monster changes to defense position and must remain in defense position.

Fall of Goliath

Continuous Spell

Effect: Select 1 face-up monster on your opponent's side of the field with a level at least 2 stars higher than any face-up monster on your side of the field. Change the monster to any position and decrease the selected monster's ATK and DEF by the sum of levels of your face-up monsters x200 points. If the selected monster in defense position is attacked with an ATK higher than its DEF, inflict the difference as Battle Damage. If you control a face-up monster with a level equal to or higher than the selected monster, this card is destroyed. If the selected monster leaves the field, this card is destroyed.

(Art: Several of peasants and soldiers pin Des Volstgalph to the ground with ropes staked to the the ground. It tries to breath flames but its head and jaws are pinned to the ground as well.)