It was the day after his reunion with Danielle when it happened.
Danny had awoken out of bed when he noticed something amiss. His clock was stopped at 6 AM despite that he never awakened this early. It also didn't feel early. He felt like he slept for hours.
What the heck? He thought, scratching the side of his head.
It was then he noticed something around his neck, something very familiar. Reaching down, he pulled it up and realized it was a time medallion. He realizes what this must mean.
"Clockwork?" Danny asks.
"It is me…" Clockwork said, appearing before him.
"Uh… what's going on?" Danny asked.
"I've seen various futures of how your life will go from here. However, I found the most likely, where Vlad will once again steal the Infi-Map in a plan involving a space station felt… kind of boring. So… I decided to make things more interesting. I've send Vlad a little invite to a challenge I know he can't resist. You and he will have a duel, where the loser will have to spend the next 10 years turned to stone." He explained.
Danny just had a flat stare.
"Come again?"
"You heard me… you'd best get ready. You two will meet in Amity Arena in 12 hours from when I unfreeze time. Be ready then… get what you need." Clockwork said.
Danny, hearing this, steeled his expression.
If this is what he thought it was, he had to be ready for anything.
Hours Later
Having told his friends what is to happen, Danny would meet with them later.
He took what needed from home, hoping it would suffice for this.
Me and Vlad facing off in a duel. Why am I not surprised that it's come to this conclusion? He thought as he flew.
He sighed, as he arrived home as he saw his friends and sister there. Landing, he quickly went to them.
"Guys? You came?" He asks.
"Like we're gonna let Vlad do anything. We came prepared." Sam said as she held a blaster in her arm.
"Uh… Sam? It's a duel. As in… it's just me and him." Danny said.
"I don't trust Vlad." Sam stated.
"None of us do." Jazz said, holding a bazooka.
"Uh, guys? Danny said he's got this." Tucker assured them both with a smile.
"And he's got us. I'll blow a hole in him if needed." Sam said.
"Sorry… but it's just between me and the cheesehead." Danny said.
"You're serious?" Sam questioned incredulously.
"Sorry… but those are the rules." Danny said.
"He's got this. He's got his secret weapon…" Tucker said.
"Thanks, Tucker…" Danny said.
With a deep breath, Danny hovered off the ground and flew in the direction of the football stadium.
Things were tense, as both girls directed their attention to Tucker.
"So… what did he bring? The thermos? The Fenton Peeler?" Jazz asks.
Tucker raised an eyebrow.
"Why would he bring those?" He asked.
Inside
To Danny's surprise, the arena was filled with ghosts.
He saw his enemies, his ghostly friends and lots of random ghosts he had never seen before.
Some of them were cheering for him, and others, such as Skulker, Fright Knight and the rest of the enemies who hate his guts were cheering for his archenemy.
"Get him, Plasmius. Do not let him interfere with our plans for world domination any longer!" Technus shouted.
"This is gonna be fun..." Johnny 13 said, grinning as he took a handful of popcorn into his mouth, much to Kitty's disgust.
"Vanquish him, Great One. This is the battle you've prepared for!" Danny heard Frostbite cheering.
After taking a breath, Danny walked to the center of the stadium, where Vlad Plasmius stood with his arms crossed and a smug look on his face.
"Ah, Daniel. Came to see if the stone suit you're going to be wearing for a long time fits?" He asks.
"Funny, I was gonna ask you the same thing. Not gonna lie though, I am curious how I'm going to spend 10 years with a different archenemy." Danny said with a smile.
"Snark all you want, Daniel. You had a chance to be my son… but you'll make for a good addition to my garden once I've taken the world and made your mother my queen." Vlad said.
Both combatants glared at each other as Clockwork appeared.
"Now… as master of time… I shall be the judge. If I suspect any cheating… and you know that I'll know of any, the one cheating will be turned to stone instantly. So… are we ready?"
"Ready!" Both hero and villain shouted at the same time.
"Then… turn, take 100 paces and turn again. Then… we can start." Clockwork said.
''Can't believe it's come to this..."Danny thought, sending a glare to his arch foe.
Both half-ghosts obeyed the time master as both turned around and started walking.
As they began pacing, Danny's friends and sister snuck inside.
"There he is..." Tucker said, pointing up ahead.
Sam and Jazz held onto each other as they saw Danny stand before them, taking a deep breath.
"Danny?" Jazz asks.
Her brother sent her a reassuring look along with a nod as he was ready to turn around.
Sam felt herself worried sick. She feared this was the last time she'd ever see him again.
As she shut her eyes, feeling herself anxious, she didn't see what Danny pulled out from his pocket.
"Danny!" Sam went before caving in. "I L-"
"Let's duel!" Danny and Vlad shouted in unison as they placed their decks on the dashboards of machines that had windshields on the front, which appeared out of nowhere.
As the crowd cheered, Sam and Jazz's looks of fear and dread disappeared, replaced with confusion and mild annoyance.
"... what?" Sam went.
"Ah, yeah! Duel!" Tucker went.
"Wait… I thought they were gonna fight?" Jazz asks.
"And… they're playing Nerd Poker?" Sam asks.
"Nerd Poker? Nah… they're playing the real OG… Yu-Gi-Oh!" Tucker said cheerfully.
Sam and Jazz both stared incredulously.
"They're going to decide each other's fate… with a children's card game?" Jazz asks as if she was not at all certain of what she saw.
"Looks like it. Just like the anime!" Tucker went cheerfully.
Sam, having thought she was going to lose Danny forever in a serious battle, scowled.
"... this is stupid." She grumbles with as much bitterness as possible.
The Duel
"Well, Daniel. Your move, as they say in this game." Vlad said with a condescending attitude.
"You're just giving me the first turn because you know the rules now say I'm not allowed to draw on the first turn." Danny pointed out.
"Did I? I didn't know that." Vlad went, acting with faux-innocence.
"Right…" Danny sarcastically responded as he made his first move. "I summon Elemental Hero Avian in Attack Position!"
As he placed the card on the pedestal, Clockwork nodded and waved his staff.
This allowed a series of projectors to appear in the stadium, creating a holographic illusion of Danny's birdman monster to appear.
"Huh?" Sam went.
"Cool… just like the anime…" Tucker said with a grin.
"Then I'll play a facedown card and end my turn." Danny said as he put a card facedown in the spell/trap zone.
Danny has 3 cards in hand.
Soon, it was Vlad's turn.
The evil half-ghost went to his deck and drew a card.
"Excellent. Archfiend Cavalry, I choose you!" Vlad declared.
Danny rolled his eyes.
"That's Pokemon, you geriatric excuse for a mad genius! This is Yu-Gi-Oh!" Danny shouted.
Vlad frowned as he rolled his eyes.
"Who cares?! All that matters is that I'm summoning a monster more powerful than yours..." Vlad said, summoning the monster in question.
In front of Avian is a red knight with a skull face, riding atop a horse. Danny saw this and couldn't resist mocking him further.
"I didn't know you had family visiting… Wait, never mind, he's way more likely to steal my mom than you." Danny taunted.
Vlad growled at that.
"I AM GOING TO ENJOY HAVING YOU AS MY NEW BIRD BATH FOR THE NEXT DECADE!" Vlad shouted, veins nearly popping right now before pointing at Danny's monster. "Now… debone that bird!"
Archfiend Cavalry raised his joust as his horse began running towards Avian.
"Not so fast!" Danny said as he flipped his facedown card right-side up. "I activate Hero Barrier!"
A circular barrier appeared before Avian, shielding him from damage.
"What's the meaning of this?" Vlad questioned.
"Simple… once activated, I can save a Hero monster from an attack." Danny explained.
"Ah, I see you're reliving our first encounters. You learned to shield yourself, so it only makes sense you'd do the same." Vlad went mockingly before shrugging. "I end my turn."
Vlad has 5 cards in hand.
Danny scowled at him as he drew a card. He had a confident smile on his face.
"I play the spell card, Polymerization!" Danny then placed the card in question on the spell and trap zone. "Now I can fusion summon a monster!"
"Uh… what's going on?" Jazz asks.
"Danny gets to merge a monster on the field or in his hand and summon a monster from the Extra Deck." Tucker explained.
"Extra Deck?" Sam asks.
"It's where he has up to 15 monsters that can only be summoned through specific means, like fusion." Tucker explained further.
"Now… I fuse Avian with the Burstinatrix in my hand to summon… Elemental Hero Flame Wingman!"
Another monster appeared on the field briefly. A woman with a red suit and a crown before she and Avian suddenly mixed with one another. In their place was another monster, a large green creature with one wing on his back and a dragon for a hand.
"Oh no! He's summoned a powerful monster!" Vlad went.
"Not done yet… Flame Wingman! Skydive Scorcher!" Danny ordered.
Flame Wingman took to the air before diving down at Archfiend Cavalry, body emitting flames before tackling the skeletal knight and reducing it to ash.
Vlad braced himself, feeling the heat as his life point counter appeared. It went from 8000 to 7800.
"And thanks to my monster's effect, you take damage equal to your destroyed monster's ATK." Danny said.
Flame Wingman opened his dragon mouth hand, hitting Vlad with a stream of fire that reduced his life points to 5900, angering him.
With that, Danny has 2 cards in his hand.
"Lucky shot… but luck is about to run out." Vlad said as his turn started. Drawing a card, he grinned. "I play a facedown trap." Vlad said, placing the card facedown.
Danny raised an eyebrow.
"You know you're not supposed to tell me what it is, right?" Danny pointed out.
"Not unless I had this!" Vlad then revealed the card he drew. "Emergency Provisions! I can destroy a spell or trap on my side and gain 1000 life points!" His life point counter reached 6900. "And that's not all, look what the card was that I destroyed!"
Danny looked to see what card just got sent to the Graveyard, eyes widening in horror.
"Ah crud!"
In an instant, a golden creature appeared. One that was resembling a snake with four eyes, horns and a pair of arms.
"Uh… what just happened?" Sam questioned.
"The card Vlad destroyed is called "Statue of the Wicked". When destroyed, it created a Wicked Token, sort of a replacement for a monster." Tucker explained. "That's actually a smart move, gaining life points and some defense. But I don't think it's staying for long…"
Vlad grinned as he pulled another card out.
"Now… I tribute my token… to summon…" His fiend token disappeared, and in its place was something bigger. "Archfiend Giant!"
In that instant, a much larger demon with a skull face in armor appeared before them. This monster carried a 2400 ATK power.
"Great… it's got a higher ATK power than my Wingman…" Danny muttered.
"Congratulations, Daniel… it seems you're better at math than I thought. However… I'm about to subtract your monster from the equation. Attack!" Vlad shouted.
His Archfiend Giant grabbed the Wingman by the dragon arm before slamming it into the ground, destroying it.
Due to the difference in power, Danny's life points went from 8000 to 7700.
"Aww nuts…" Danny went.
"I end my turn." Vlad said.
He had 3 cards in hand.
Danny, seeing the number of cards in Vlad's hand, couldn't help but feel something amiss.
What's the big deal? He's got three cards in his hand. He either has a useless hand… or he's got something planned. I'll be careful for now. He thought.
He then drew a card and smiled.
"Awesome. I activate "E-Emergency Call". This lets me select an Elemental Hero from my deck and add it to my hand." Danny pulled a monster out of his deck and shuffled it before resuming his turn. "Now I summon that monster, Elemental Hero Blazeman!"
He summoned said monster, a red armored hero. Vlad could only scoff.
"1200? Perhaps you're not as good at math as I just assumed you were." Vlad said.
"Joke all you want, but I activate Blazeman's effect. I can take a Polymerization from my deck and add it to my hand." Danny said as he used the effect to once again claim a card and reshuffle his deck. "Now… I fuse the Blazeman on the field with the Elemental Hero Necroshade in my hand… to summon Elemental Hero Nova Master."
Danny reveals one card on the field from his hand, a skeletal looking hero. Blazeman and Necroshade then merged to form a fire-themed samurai-like warrior. One with a 2600 ATK power.
"Another strong monster…" Vlad snarled in anger.
"And this one's ready for more. Nova Master! Take down his giant bonehead!"
Nova Master dashed at the giant, pulling its sword out, which emitted flames as it slashed the giant in half.
With that, Vlad's monster was destroyed and he dropped from 6900 to 6700.
"And that's not all… thanks to Nova Master's effect, I draw a card for every monster of yours he destroys." Danny said cheerfully as he drew a card. "Your move, V-Man."
Danny now has 2 cards in his hand.
"Indeed…" Vlad said as he drew.
As he examined the card in his hand, he smirked evilly.
Just humiliate Daniel in this game a bit longer. Worse comes to worse, I'll have my trump card.
"I play… Nightmare's Steelcage!"
Vlad placed his spell card, causing a dome shaped cage to surround him.
"That ain't good…" Tucker said in worry.
"What for? It's not like he is using it on an innocent animal. If anyone deserves to be in a cage, it's definitely Vlad." Sam said.
"Because that Spell means Danny can't attack. It stays on the field until his second turn after Vlad activates it." Tucker explained.
"So, Danny can't use his samurai guy?" Jazz asks.
"He can't. But even though Nova Master can't attack, it's still a powerful monster and I doubt Vlad can summon one stronger so soon." Tucker said quickly.
Back to the duel, Vlad set a Monster in facedown Defense position.
"Your move, Daniel." Vlad said.
He has 2 cards in his hand.
Danny drew a card. Frowning at what he drew, he looked up at his opponent.
"I end my turn, nothing more I can do." Danny said.
He had 3 cards in hand.
Vlad drew again, grinning at what he had.
"I shall set another monster facedown. That will be all." Vlad said.
He held 2 cards still.
Danny narrowed his eyes.
"He's up to something… Still, I got a 2600 ATK monster, so I should be good…" Danny drew a card, seeing what he drew would probably be of use later. "Your turn."
He now held 4 cards.
With that, Vlad's cage disappeared and his Spell went to the graveyard. He drew his card.
"Ah… wonderful. Now then… I tribute one monster… to summon another, more powerful one! Summoned Skull!"
With that, the monster on his left was gone and a large devil-like skeleton monster appeared before everyone. The crowd rooting against Danny cheered.
"Ooh! Gotta love the classics!" Tucker said with a happy grin, ignoring the glaring from the other two.
"Well… I can see that thing is 100 battle points, or whatever you called them, lower than Danny's Nova Master. Even someone unfamiliar with this game can understand who the winner here is." Jazz said.
"Next I play my Double Summon Spell Card!" Vlad said, placing it on the field.
"That's not good…" Danny said in worry.
"Double Summon?" Jazz asks as she and Sam share confused looks.
"Ordinarily, a player can only Normal Summon once per turn… but that card lets Vlad do it twice." Tucker explained.
"So… Vlad found a loophole that lets him get away with something that would count as cheating? Not surprised…" Jazz said.
"Now. I rid myself of the other monster to summon… Archfiend of Gilfer!" Vlad said as another monster appeared.
A red gargoyle monster stood before Vlad's other one. This one at 2200 ATK.
"Uh… correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Danny's… stronger?" Sam asks.
"Yeah, I don't get it." Jazz said, scratching her head.
"Archfiend of Gilfer! Attack his Nova Master!" Vlad ordered.
Jazz and Sam both were startled to hear that.
"Wait… what?" Sam asks.
Archfiend Gilfer attempted to slash Nova Master, only for the samurai to retaliate and slash with the fiery sword, reducing the monster to ashes.
Vlad's life point meter went from 6700 to 6300, but his grin never left. Danny, meanwhile, sent an icy glare at his opponent.
"So… why did he do that?" Sam questioned.
"Because his Archfiend has an effect…" Tucker explained.
The Archfiend of Gilfer then appeared behind Nova Master, its features darkened grabbing onto it.
"When the Archfiend of Gilfer is destroyed, it attaches itself to one monster and makes it lose 500 ATK. Since you have one monster, Daniel, guess who I chose?" Vlad asked mockingly.
"Don't forget… Nova Master still destroyed it, so that means I get to draw a card." Danny reminds him as he did just that.
With that, his hand was 5 cards.
"Draw a thousand, it won't matter… Summoned Skull! Attack!"
Summoned Skull then raised its arms, causing a cloud to appear in the sky and strike Nova Master, destroying it and making Danny's life points drop again. From 7700 to 7400.
"Don't forget, I still have more Life Points!" Danny pointed out.
"Not for long…I end my turn." Vlad said, doing just that.
His hand was empty, but he wasn't worried.
With a glare, Danny drew again. Seeing what he had to work with, he nodded.
"I play a facedown monster. That's all." Danny said.
He held 5 cards in his hand.
Vlad drew a card.
"Summoned Skull attacks!"
Once Danny's facedown monster, Sparkman, is destroyed, it was no longer Vlad's turn.
Vlad had one card, one he didn't need at the moment.
Danny drew.
"Another facedown." Danny said as he placed a card in his Spell/Trap zone.
He still held 5 cards in hand.
Vlad drew.
"Summoned Skull attacks!" He did so.
"I activate Negate Attack!" Danny activated his trap, once again creating a barrier. "Now, your battle phase ends."
"Fine. Your turn." Vlad said.
He held 2 cards ready.
Danny drew.
"Face down monster and that's all." He said.
Danny held 5 cards.
"I draw and attack with Summoned Skull!" Vlad shouted, destroying Danny's monster, what was the Elemental Hero Bubbleman. "Next, I play a facedown card and end my turn." He said, placing something in the Spell/Trap zone.
Vlad held 2 cards.
Danny drew a card and smiled at what he has now.
"I play a facedown monster and a facedown card… That's all." Danny said, placing his monster and mystery card facedown.
Danny held 4 cards.
"Ha! That's all?" Vlad asks as he draws a card. "Not enough! For now I activate my card, Jar of Greed!" Vlad's card lifted up, revealing the image of a red jar with a face on it. "Now, I get to draw again!" Vlad did so. "First, I summon Terrorking Archfiend!"
Vlad summoned another Archfiend, one that wore a crown of some kind on its head. What mattered more to Danny is that it had 2000 ATK.
"Aw, nuts…" Danny said.
"I'm afraid there's more, Danny. For I also play the spell card, Monster Reborn!" Vlad said as he played his card. "I bring back my Archfiend of Gilfer!" Vlad's monster returned from the Graveyard.
"Wait… I think I saw an episode of this. Isn't it called Reborn the Monster?" Sam asks.
"That was a translation error." Tucker explained.
"Now… Terrorking, destroy his facedown!" Vlad ordered.
Terrorking Archfiend did as ordered, going in and attacking the monster Danny played facedown, only for the attack to do nothing as the large gray giant with a red helmet that Danny had remained in place.
"Sorry…"Danny said with a smile. "Elemental Hero Clayman has a defense of 2000! The same amount as the attack of your monster!"
Vlad scowled.
"Doesn't matter… Archfiend of Gilfer, attack!"
His red Archfiend did as ordered, destroying Clayman.
"Cool… I play my Trap! Hero Signal!" Danny said.
His trap activated and aiming for the sky is a light with the letter H in it.
"So… what's this?" Sam asks.
"It means Danny can now summon an Elemental Hero with 1500 ATK or less." Danny said.
"I summon… Wild Heart in defense!" Danny said.
Appearing before them was a half-naked man who appeared to be of Native American descent and a large sword.
"Don't forget, I still have one monster! Summoned Skull!" Vlad reminded him.
Summoned Skull once again caused lightning to strike, destroying another monster.
With that, Vlad laughed at Danny's expense.
"So much for that defense…" Danny muttered.
"Go ahead, Daniel…" Vlad said.
He held 2 cards ready.
All the while, the audience themselves watched in awe.
"Who knew a children's card game could be this entertaining?" Ember questioned.
"So… why a children's card game?" Walker asks.
"This match cannot be decided with proper battle, only through a sort of non-combative activity… last time it was a pop quiz." The Fright Knight explained.
Danny drew a card, nodding at it with a smile.
"This should help… and I got enough to make it work." Danny then played the card he drew. "I play Pot of Avarice!"
He plays his card, a spell with the image of a strange face that had a tongue sticking out.
"Uhh… eww!" Jazz went, cringing at the face.
"Now… I get to pick 5 monsters in my graveyard! I pick… Avian, Burstinatrix, Clayman, Blazeman and Wild Heart!" Danny took the monsters out of his graveyard and placed them in his deck. "Now I reshuffle and draw two cards!"
With the two cards he drew, he now had a total of 5 cards in his hand. Seeing one he just drew, he smiled.
"He looks like he drew what he needed." Jazz said.
"I summoned Elemental Hero Neos!"
Danny played the monster on the field. He summoned a silvery being with blue and red markings, a face of only eyes, a pointed head and clear upper body strength.
"Wait a minute! That's a level 7 monster! You can't summon that without 2 tributes!" Vlad called out.
"Just like how you found a loophole, so did I! Cheesehead! See, you may have noticed I didn't send Necroshade back into my deck. That's because if it's in my graveyard, then I can just once summon a higher level Elemental Hero without a tribute!" Danny explained before pointing at Archfiend of Gilfer. "Neos! Cosmic Crush!"
Neos leapt into the air before descending down, swinging his arm to chop Gilfer and destroy it. This reduced Vlad's life points to 6000. However, his foe was unfazed.
"You forget my Gilfer's effect! Now your hero gets an Equip he never asked for!"
Archfied of Gilfer once again appeared behind Danny's monster, this time Neos. Now it wrapped its arms around it. However, Danny wasn't fazed either.
"That's why I play a facedown and end my turn!" Danny said.
He held 4 cards.
Vlad made a face.
"Oh, let me guess… that's a card that'll save your space friend if I do anything to him?" Vlad questioned before drawing, grinning at what he drew. "Due to Terrorking's effect, I must lose 800 Life Points."
Vlad's score then dropped to 5200.
"Uh oh… someone's not doing so hot, is he?" Danny asks with a smile.
"Laugh it up Danny… I suspect you want me to attack your monster… but I won't just yet. I play a card named after a certain chess move that I am quite familiar with playing… Checkmate!"
Vlad then played his Spell Card, much to Danny's displeasure.
"Uh oh…" Danny went, his smile gone.
"Indeed… I simply pick another Archfiend on the field, doing so means it goes to my graveyard but my Terrorking can attack you directly!" Vlad said with a grin.
"Wait… he doesn't have another Archfiend." Sam pointed out.
"Actually, he does." Tucker said. "See? Summoned Skull is an Archfiend, but when he came stateside, they had no way of knowing he'd be part of a set. So, in the text, he's given a little rule that says treated as an Archfiend."
"Seriously? They should've just renamed him…" Sam said as she rolled her eyes.
"So…I big Summoned Skull farewell… and land a blow to you directly with my Terrorking!" Vlad said.
Terrorking went past Neos and struck Danny directly, causing his biggest loss of Life Points. He dropped from 7400 to 5400.
"Not good…" Danny muttered.
"Eat that, wimp! Next, I shall place two cards face down and end my turn." Vlad said as he did so.
Vlad held 2 cards in hand.
Danny glared at him before drawing. However, he smiled.
"You're actually right, V-Man. I did want you to attack, because I activate my facedown card! Mask Change!"
Danny's facedown spell revealed itself.
"And what will this do?" Vlad asks.
"Simple, I get to replace my Elemental Hero on the field with a Masked Hero from my Extra Deck of the same attribute." Danny explained. "So… thanks Neos, take a rest." Neos was then sent to the graveyard, taking Gilfer with it. "Now, meet Masked Hero Koga!"
Appearing in place of the Elemental Hero was a Masked Hero. A golden warrior with blades sticking out.
"Nice… another monster with a high ATK." Tucker went.
"Okay… I get Vlad using skull faced demons, but why are you using a deck of superheroes? Isn't that… kind of on the nose?" Sam asks.
"What did you expect? We both used ghosts? That'd be even more on the nose. Besides, Neos is a superhero spaceman! Why wouldn't I use a deck with him in it?" Danny asks with a smile before looking back at Vlad. "And, he gains 500 for every monster you have!" Danny said with a smile as Koga's power rose.
"Well… too bad he won't keep it. For I activate Mystic Wok!" Vlad activated a facedown, a quick play spell with the image of a wok as it is cooking food. "Now, I can choose my monster's ATK or DEF and in turn gain Life Points equal to that amount as I tribute it. And since it has a higher ATK, guess which one I choose?"
Terrorking is then sent to the grave as the wok appears, producing a smell that Vlad enjoys, sending his Life Point counter up to 7200.
"He's wide open!" Sam commented.
"Now I play the trap card, Call of the Haunted!" Vlad said, gesturing for his trap that had the image of a grave on it to lift.
"There's your ghost related card." Jazz pointed out.
"Now, I revive one monster in my graveyard. Since your golden boy gets stronger with whatever I have, I pick Summoned Skull, making it only a 500 difference." Vlad said. His monster returned. "Now… go ahead and make your move." He said confidently.
"Sure thing, Cheesehead. But Koga has another effect." Danny said.
"What?!" Vlad went.
"See? I can remove a Hero monster from play in my graveyard. Banishing it means a monster loses ATK equal to the same monster." Danny explained. "I pick Necroshade! And guess who gets a decrease?"
As Danny put Necroshade in his pocket, Koga aimed at Summoned Skull, reducing it from 2500 to 700.
"Dang…" Johnny 13 said as he shoveled more popcorn into his mouth and chewed without closing.
"That monster isn't the only thing getting a decrease in something…" Kitty said, scowling at Johnny's poor manners.
Koga then rushed towards Summoned Skull, cutting in half with its blades. Not only sending the monster and the trap that summoned it to the graveyard, but decreasing Vlad's lifepoint score to 4900.
Danny smiled mockingly.
"What's wrong? Thought you had me?" He asked.
"Just you wait, Phantom!" Vlad snarled.
"Well, I'll end my turn." Danny said.
He held 5 cards in his hand.
"Wow… Plasmius almost had a comeback, but then Phantom took it away…" Pandora commented.
"That's the great one… he tends to outsmart his opponents…" Frostbite commented.
Vlad drew his card. Once he saw it, his mouth cracked a smile.
Danny rose an eyebrow.
"I do not like that…" He said under his breath.
"Let's shed some light, Little Badger." Vlad said before presenting the card he drew. "Swords of Revealing Light!"
"Uh oh…" Danny groaned.
"Uh, what?" Jazz asks.
"It's like the steel cage card he played earlier. Vlad made sure Danny's monsters can't attack for three of his turns." Tucker said.
"So, Danny's monsters can't end this?" Sam asks.
"No. Normally, Vlad's monsters would be free to handle this… but he has no monsters to use here." Vlad said.
Vlad played the Spell card, creating a series of giant swords made of light.
"Now… I play a facedown monster and end it." Vlad said.
He had only one card in hand.
Gritting his teeth, Danny drew a card.
"I got nothing… you're up."
Danny held 6 cards.
Vlad drew a card. There was a notable grin on his face.
"I summon by tributing Desrook Archfiend on my field…" Vlad's monster is revealed before disappearing in a flash of light. "Mist Archfiend!"
A new monster appeared, another skeletal monster that had mist coming out of its body.
"Don't forget, I still have the stronger monster." Danny reminded him.
"I know… so I shall end it for now." Vlad said.
He held one card.
"Okay then…" Danny drew his card and nodded.
This'll help for later… He thought.
"I play a facedown in the bottom zone and end my turn. Don't forget, I just have one more turn and I'm free to attack." Danny said.
Danny held 6 cards.
Vlad grinned as he drew a card.
"Well… this should kick things up a notch. First, I play a facedown… and summon Dark Resonator!"
Vlad had summoned a monster that looked like a dark, creepy, ghost-like creature with red eyes and a helmet, who was also holding some kind of tuning fork in its hands.
Danny's eyes widened.
"Oh no… that's a Tuner monster." Danny said.
"A what?" Jazz asks.
"Don't look at me… I barely watched the first anime and it turns out those weren't real rules." Sam said.
"It's a different type of monster, one that kind of needs another monster with the right number of stars to summon a Synchro Monster from the Extra Deck." Tucker said, hiding behind them as if for cover.
"Now… I tune Dark Resonator with my Mist Archfiend… to summon… Red Dragon Archfiend!" Vlad shouted.
Dark Resonator turned into three green rings that surround Mist Archfiend. In a flash, a new monster appeared.
A huge black dragon with red markings and three devil-like horns. It roared viciously as many in the audience applauded its appearance.
Danny took a step back, blinking at the creature.
"Well, I always did think this monster looked cool…" Danny muttered.
"Glad to see you're impressed. Now I play a facedown and end my turn." Vlad said, playing said card face down.
He had no cards in his hand, but he wasn't afraid.
Danny's eyes narrowed.
"Well… my Koga has the same ATK amount and its effect means I'm still good to go." Danny drew a card. "Now-"
"And with your draw, I play my trap!" Vlad declared. "I activate… Compulsory Evacuation Device!"
Danny's eyes widened in horror.
"Wait… what?" Sam asks.
"It's a trap that returns one monster on the field to the owner's hand." Tucker explained.
"But, Danny's gold guy was summoned from the Extra Deck." Jazz pointed out.
"Exactly… so guess where he's going?" Tucker went.
Koga was then blasted off the stage, causing him to return to Danny's Extra Deck.
"Great…" Danny bemoaned.
With one of his best monsters gone, Danny was reduced to using what's in his hand. He set a monster face down and gestured for Vlad to go.
Danny held 6 in hand.
"Ah… here we are!" Vlad said, drawing a card. "Archfiend Soldier!"
A new monster appeared, a caped demon with a horned helmet.
"Oh great… 1900 ATK." Danny said.
"Yes… but for now… Red Dragon Archfiend! Absolute Powerforce!"
Vlad's dragon reached out, slamming down on Danny's monster. What Vlad destroyed was a metal dog creature
"You just took out my Wroughtweiler! Now I can take an Elemental Hero and one Polymerization in my graveyard and add them!" Danny said, taking his Sparkman and Polymerization out of his graveyard and into his hand.
Danny held 8.
"No matter! Archfiend Soldier attacks!"
Vlad's other monster does as ordered and attacks Danny directly with its claws.
Danny takes the hit and his counter drops to 3500.
"Oh no…"
"Beat that, wimp!" Vlad said viciously.
Vlad held no more cards.
Not done yet, Danny drew a card. He nodded.
"I first use Monster Reincarnation to swap the Elemental Hero Shadow Mist in my hand with the Bubbleman in my graveyard. I play a monster facedown and set a card a facedown in my Spell/Trap zone. I'm good for now." Danny said.
He now held 6 cards again.
"Good for now, he says…" Vlad said in sarcasm before drawing his card. "Soldier attacks!" Vlad's weaker monster destroys what is revealed to be Sparkman. "Now, I attack you directly!"
Red Dragon Archfiend comes in with its claws as Danny cracked a smile.
"I play… Hero Spirit!" Danny activates his Trap card. "Now, battle damage from one monster is dropped to 0 this turn! And guess who that monster is!"
Red Dragon Archfiend's attack does nothing, letting Danny survive.
"Hmph… not like you'll last any longer." Vlad said before shrugging. "Make your move…"
He held one card, but he wasn't worried.
Danny drew a card and smiled.
"I activate Reinforcements of the Army, to bring my Elemental Hero Burstinatrix from my deck to my hand. I play E-Emergency Call. Now I pick another Hero from my deck… and I chose… Clayman! Next, I fuse him with the Bubbleman in my hand! I summon… Elemental Hero Mudballman!"
A giant of mud with a blue helmet appeared on the field in defense, with a DEF of 3000.
"Awesome… that looks like it'll keep him safe for now." Tucker said with a grin.
"I play a facedown." Danny said.
He held three in his hand, but he wasn't bothered.
Vlad rolled his eyes as it was his turn. With a draw, he grinned.
"I play the Shallow Grave!" Vlad said, playing his spell card that made Danny frown. "Now, we take 1 monster in our graves and summon them in facedown defense!" Vlad said.
"Fine. I pick Neos." Danny said, setting it facedown.
"I shall use my Mist Archfiend, not that it matters which I chose. You have my dragon to thank for what's about to happen…" Vlad said.
"Uh, what's he mean?" Sam asks.
"Red Dragon Archfiend's effect means that if it destroys a monster of Danny's, then all of Danny's defending monsters go." Tucker explained.
"Then that means…" Jazz said.
"Red Dragon Archfiend destroys your spaceman!" Vlad said, destroying Danny's monster. "And with that…" Danny's Mudballman disappears into the graveyard. "My soldier attacks again!"
Danny's counter goes from 3500 to 1600.
"Don't forget, your Mist Archfiend goes bye-bye thanks to your dragon's effect destroying monsters that didn't attack this turn." Danny recalls.
"Fine with me." Vlad said as his Mist Archfiend returned to the graveyard.
He held one card in his hand, confident he'll win.
Upon drawing a card, Danny looked at his hand.
I got what I need and my facedown helped me big time… He thought.
"First… I play my facedown. Jar of Greed!" Danny played his trap, bringing his hand to 5. "I summon Burstinatrix." He plays his monster. "Next, I play Mask Change II." He plays his Spell. "Now… I discard a card…" He discards a monster, reducing his hand to 3. "Now… I turn Burstinatrix into a Masked Hero of a higher level but same Attribute. I summon… Masked Hero Goka!"
Appearing in Bursintrix's place was a new Masked Hero. This one resembled a blue-eyed insect of some kind as a biker with red armor.
"2200 ATK? Really?" Vlad scoffed.
"See, he gets 100 for each HERO in my graveyard." Danny explains. "Count it: FlameWingman, Nova Master, Sparkman, Clayman, Shadow Mist, Bubbleman and Mudballman! And I just discarded Avian"
"That's 800. Even if you destroy my Soldier, my dragon still gets to play." Vlad reminds him.
"Not if I played this! H-Heated Heart! Now my monster gets 500 ATK!" Danny said, playing his Spell to increase his Masked Hero to 3500. "Now… to destroy that dragon!"
Goka attacks and destroys the dragon, reducing Vlad's Life Points to 4400.
He held one card in his hand, but he wasn't worried.
Vlad grunted angrily as his turn began. Drawing, he found what he had wasn't of use at the moment.
"I switch my soldier to Defense and place a facedown monster. Go." Vlad said, ending his turn.
He held one in hand, but that was it.
Danny drew a card and smiled.
"I summon Elemental Hero Neos Alius!" Danny summoned his monster, a younger looking Neos. "Now… both monsters attack!" Danny said as his monsters destroyed Vlad's monsters. "I play a facedown. End."
He only had one card in hand.
Vlad snarled in frustration. He then drew a card and, upon seeing it, he laughed evilly.
"This card is going to help me in ways you can never imagine. I play Different Dimension Capsule! Now I remove a card from play from my deck and it comes to my hand in my 2nd turn after activating it!" Vlad said, playing his Spell. "Next, I play a facedown trap."
Vlad's hand was empty.
Danny drew a card.
"I summon Elemental Woodsman!" Danny said, summoning his monster. "Now-
"I play my trap! Threatening Roar!" Vlad activated his facedown. "You can't call a battle phase this turn!"
"Fine… that's it." Danny said.
Danny held one card.
Vlad drew and smiled.
"This is all I need to survive. I play this face down." Vlad said.
His hand was empty.
"Right… that's all you need." Danny said as he drew a card. "Thanks to Woodsman, I take a Polymerization in my graveyard and add it to my hand." He said as he took one. "Next, I use that same spell to fuse Woodsman with the Elemental Hero Ocean in my hand… Elemental Hero Terra Firma!" Danny said, summoning that Monster from his Extra Deck. "Now… attack!"
Danny's Neo Alius ran towards the target, swinging its fist. To his horror, the target was still there.
"Is that… the Grim Reaper?" Sam asks.
"No, that's Spirit Reaper! It can't be destroyed in battle!" Tucker said.
"Guess he did have some ghost monsters." Jazz pondered.
Spirit Reaper remained as it was as Vlad laughed mockingly.
"Such a shame, Daniel…" Vlad said.
Before Danny could end his turn, he recalled something.
Next turn is when Vlad's mystery card arrives… but I don't know if it's a good idea not to be prepared. So, I haven't done a Normal Summon yet, so I got one idea I have to be prepared…
"I use Main Phase 2 to use the effect of Neos Alius! Now, he basically gets Normal Summoned a second time to treat his name as Elemental Hero Neos. Now I play the card, Neos Fusion!" Danny plays the card in question. "Now I can take Neos and a fusion compatible monster to Fusion summon. And they don't have to be on the field. So, I send the Neos Alius turned Neos on the field and the other Elemental Hero Woodsman in my deck… to summon… Elemental Hero Brave Neos!"
A new monster appears, a variation of Neos with more blue features.
"Ah, another monster?" Vlad questioned.
"One that gets 100 ATK for every hero in my graveyard. That's all…" Danny said.
His hand was empty.
Vlad Drew a card before pondering.
My card finally gets added to my deck. Still… Daniel must be preparing for something. Perhaps it's best I don't summon my monster yet… the card I drew should suffice.
As the card from his Capsule was added to his hand, Vlad smirked.
"I summon another Desrook Archfiend and play a facedown." Vlad said with a grin.
"That's it?" Danny asks.
"Not exactly…" Vlad said with a grin. "Now… I remove the Desrook Archfiend in my graveyard and the Summoned Skull with it…"
Danny's eyes widened.
"Oh no…" Danny said.
Tucker, meanwhile, pushed Sam and Jazz out of the way to get closer to the arena.
"Wait… is he gonna do what I think he's gonna do?" Tucker asks.
"What? What's he doing?" Sam asks, not understanding what is happening.
"Now… I summon… Black Luster Soldier - Envoy of the Beginning!" Vlad shouted.
In a flash, a monster appeared next to Spirit Reaper. A monster that wore blue and gold armor, alongside a large sword in its hand.
"What?! You actually have one?!" Danny asks.
"I do… and I use one of his abilities! Now, I can remove one of your monsters from play, and I chose your space friend." Vlad said, pointing at Brave Neos. "I banish Brave Neos!"
In a flash, Danny's strongest monster disappears.
"Oh no…" Danny muttered.
"Due to his effect, my soldier cannot attack. Your move, Daniel." Vlad said.
His hand was empty, but his field had what he needed.
Danny drew his card and recognized it. It's a card belonging to the deck he based his on.
It's this one… might be useful depending on how this goes…
"Looks like I got one choice now. I'll use Masked Hero Goka to attack your Soldier. Go!"
Goka was about to attack the Soldier, only for Vlad to interrupt.
"About that… I play my trap card! Two-Pronged attack!" Vlad said with a grin. "Now, I destroy two monsters to get rid of one of your own. I send my Spirit Reaper and Desrook Archfiend to the graveyard to destroy your fiery friend."
In a flash, both of Vlad's weaker monsters were sent to the graveyard, as did Danny's Goka.
"Then I switch Terra Firma to defense, set a facedown card and set a facedown monster to end my turn." Danny said.
His hand was now empty.
"That's all then…" Vlad said as he drew another card, one that made him grin. "It seems as though the game is over… Now… I remove my Spirit Reaper and other Desrook Archfiend from play!"
Hearing that made both Danny and Tucker become more alert.
"Wait… again?!" Tucker asks.
"Does he have another Soldier?" Jazz asks.
"No, he can't. Rules say he can only use one in his deck." Tucker stated.
"Let me guess, Chaos Sorcerer, right?" Danny asks.
"Think again, Phantom! I've been saving the worst for last!" Vlad declared as he summoned his monster.
Before everyone was the creature he had in mind. Soon, what looked to be a large dragon appeared with metallic armor and an almost skeletal-like appearance.
Danny had to rub his eyes just to make sure he wasn't seeing things.
"Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End?! Hey! I thought they banned this monster?!" Danny shouted.
"Only for official games, Little Badger, this isn't an officially sanctioned match." Vlad said with a smirk.
"This game decides the future of two people's lives, how does that not qualify as official?" Jazz asked.
"You try getting Konami's approval. It took multiple timeline alterations for a new Silent Hill…" Clockwork muttered.
"Now, I would use my dragon's effect… but alas… you don't have enough cards for it." Vlad said.
"What's that mean?" Jazz asks.
"Chaos Emperor Dragon was banned due to its effect. By paying 1000, Vlad would send all cards on the field and both their hands, giving Danny 300 damage for each card." Tucker explained.
"So… with those two, and Danny having two cards, that's 1200. Danny's at 1600." Sam pointed out.
"Right… but with an ATK like that, it doesn't matter if Vlad uses his dragon's power…" Tucker said.
"Now… I attack your remaining hero with my Black Luster Soldier!" Vlad shouted.
Black Luster Soldier destroys Terra Firma.
"At least Danny's got one monster left." Jazz said.
"Not for long…" Tucker said with a terrified look on his face.
"Since I destroyed your monster, Black Luster Soldier can attack again!" Vlad said.
Black Luster Soldier then charge and attacked, slashing the card Danny had face down. However, to Danny's relief, that's what he hoped would happen.
Appearing briefly was a small little creature, resembling a hairball with wings. Once it left, Danny sighed in relief.
"You just destroyed Winged Kuriboh. On the turn it's destroyed, I take no battle damage." Danny said in relief.
Vlad, realizing this, groaned angrily.
"If I had used my Soldier's other effect, then-"
"You'd have won the duel, yup." Danny said with a smile.
"Don't think that furball with wings has saved you, Daniel. Next turn, I'll use that effect without issue." Vlad said in annoyance.
"You're just jealous that Winged Kuriboh is cuter than your fat cat, and more marketable too." Danny said.
"Leave Maddie out of this!" Vlad exclaimed.
"He named his cat after my mom…" Jazz commented in a deadpanned tone.
"Dude's got issues, big ones." Tucker said before lifting his PDA and holding it lovingly. "Isn't that right, Cindy~?"
"He's not the only one with issues, at least his cat's alive." Sam muttered as she watched Tucker cuddle the small device.
Danny took a breath, staring down at the armored warrior and vicious dragon, with his opponent grinning with anticipation.
"What do I do now? I don't have any cards that could destroy both of them. I can take out one at best… but the other would stick around. And even if I draw a card that summons a strong enough monster, either it gets removed next turn or Vlad's dragon does the deed…" Danny said under his breath.
"Tick tock, Daniel. Tick tock." Vlad said while wagging his finger.
"You can do it, Danny! We know that you can! You always pull through!" Sam went.
Danny turned back, looking unsure.
"You don't understand! These are two of the most powerful monsters in the game! One of these things caused a banlist!" Danny said.
"Seriously? You're concerned over something on a banlist?" Sam questioned before shaking her head. "It doesn't matter, you've been through way too much to have it all end here! I know that you can do it!"
"She's right, Great One. Defeat that wretched Plasmius, as you always do. You can change fate!" Frostbite shouted.
"I changed my mind! Defeat him! I cannot collect your head if it's a statue!" Skulker shouted.
"What a real mood lifter…" Danny grumbled as he looked down at his deck.
He started at his remaining cards and felt more nervous than ever before. But he also knew that he can't keep stalling.
He had to make a move now.
Okay… now or never…
He reached the top of his deck before choosing to glare at his opponent.
"Let's end this!" Danny said as he drew, seeing just what he needed. "Ha! Check this out! It's Miracle Fusion!"
"Miracle Fusion?" Vlad questioned.
"This lets me remove Elemental Heroes in my graveyard by banishing them. So… I removed the Flame Wingman with Neos to summon… Elemental Hero Shining Neos Wingman!" Danny declared.
Appearing before them was Danny's final monster.
It resembled Neos wearing some kind of angelic armor, holding a sword. It essentially looked like Neos as a knight.
"Cool… I knew getting that online for the $100 worth of stuff for free shipping was a good idea…" Tucker said.
"Wait, what?" Jazz asks, turning her head and raising an eyebrow. "Where did he get the $100? And what else did he buy with it?"
"Uh, don't worry about it." Tucker said without trying to lose his cool.
"And guess what?! Neos Wingman has a few effects! First off, he gets 300 ATK for every monster in my Graveyard!" He said, his monster going from 3100 to a number clearly higher than Vlad's current life point amount.
"Even so… destroy one, the other will get rid of it!" Vlad said.
"I did say he had a few effects! One of them is the same as Flame Wingman's! Meaning you take damage equal to the destroyed monster's amount!" Danny said.
Vlad gasped in shock.
"Oh no…"
"Now, I attack your dragon!"
Neos Wingman's wings extended as it took to the skies. Holding its swords out, and just like in the stories of myths and fairy tales, the heroic looking knight had slayed the dragon in a very dramatic fashion as it flew down and cut in a vertical manner, leaving it as a threat no more.
"NOOO!" Vlad shouted as his monster was destroyed and he was hit by a gold flame from the blade Neos held.
This reduced his life point score to 0.
With that, Vlad fell to his knees, holding himself up with his hands.
"HA! The position people make when they lose a children's card game!" Tucker went with a grin as he pointed at Vlad.
The audience then cheered for Danny.
Danny looked around and smiled, seeing even his foes congratulating him for his victory.
Taking a deep breath, Danny put his cards away and hovered up, waving to everyone.
"PHANTOM! PHANTOM! PHANTOM!" They all cheered.
The hologram projectors and tables disappeared as Danny landed on the field.
"Face it, Vlad. You lost..." Danny said.
To his surprise, his arch-enemy didn't look worried or even angry. In fact, he was smirking.
"Daniel, haven't you learned by now? In chess, one must always be three moves ahead of their opponent..." Vlad said.
"What are you talking about?..."Danny asked.
"As fun as it would be defeating you… you weren't my only opponent! I had a bigger prize in mind!" Vlad said.
"This whole thing was a set up?!" Danny shouted.
"Of course, did you really think that I'd actually wager my freedom over a silly, juvenile game of cards to be rid of you? Would I be so petty, foolish and arrogant to actually do that?" Vlad scoffed.
"Yes, you would." Literally everyone in the stadium said.
Vlad scowled at everyone before continuing.
"I only did this to lure out the ultimate pawn to add to my own personal arsenal..." Vlad said, as he turned to Clockwork.
"You did all of this to get to Clockwork?" Danny asked, realizing what he was really aiming at.
"Of course...I have spent decades trying to find the master of all time in order to take his power for myself...and now I have that shot!" Vlad said.
"Do you know?" Clockwork asks with a smirk.
"Vultures! FIRE!" Vlad ordered.
To his surprise, nothing happened.
Clockwork remained where he was, still smiling as he crossed his arms.
Vlad's grin dropped as nothing happened.
Seconds passed as Clockwork gave the fascinated smirk with an eyebrow raised.
Vlad gave an awkward cough to clear his throat.
"I said fire!" He shouted.
Still, nothing happened.
"So… are they shooting air?" Danny asks.
Vlad turned around and, to his dismay, he didn't see his minions anywhere.
"Where the blazes are they?" Vlad asks out loud.
"I do believe that they are in the audience right now, watching the whole game the entire time..." Clockwork said in a smug way.
Vlad turned and saw that his minions were indeed there. They were seated in the front row, eating loads of popcorn, soda, pretzels and a whole assortment of junk food.
"WHAT ARE YOU IDIOTS DOING THERE?! YOU THREE ARE SUPPOSED TO BE READYING THE MACHINE TO DRAIN CLOCKWORK'S POWER!" He shouted.
"Oh right...a few hours ago, we were given the best seats in the house...which also provides free food and sodas, along with those tasty little candies I like..." The lead vulture said, stuffing his mouth.
"You idiots left your posts and ruined my plan for free food?!" Vlad shouted in outrage.
"You forget, we're vultures! Plus, you didn't give us that lunch you promised us earlier today. We got hungry and this was kind of a better option..." The sun glasses wearing vulture explained like it was obvious.
"Who gave you those seats anyway?" Vlad shouted, wondering who ruined his perfect plan.
"Haven't you already figured it out yet, Plasmius? Master of time, after all..." Clockwork said, looking smug.
"YOU?! How?!" Vlad shouted in shock.
"I knew about your little plan years before you ever thought it up, you fool. Don't you get it, by now? I am the time master, that doesn't just mean manipulating time. I can see the past, present and future from all angles and different- oh, why am I even bothering explaining to you? You still haven't figured out yet that you never had a chance with Danny's mother, even after 20 years. You'd never understand it." Clockwork said dismissively.
Vlad gritted his teeth.
"You will pay for that! You can't outsmart me!" Vlad shouted.
"It doesn't matter how many moves you try and think ahead of your opponent Vlad...when your opponent can predict any move you will ever make. Now, I think it's time for you to spend the next 10 years thinking about it..."Clockwork said, his staff glowing.
Vlad had just realized what was about to happen.
"Oh, BUTTER BISCUITS!" Vlad cursed.
"Hey Vlad, got a riddle for you!" Danny said with a smirk as the defeated Fruitloop glared at him. "Why did the loser hold both hands out like this?"
Danny lifted both his hands in front of him.
"Like this?" Vlad said, copying Danny.
Suddenly, in a flash of light, Vlad turned into stone, a surprise scream frozen in his face.
"It's so he can give the winner a double high-five!" Danny said as he double high-fived the stone Vlad. "Have fun being a pigeon toilet!"
"Yeah! That was awesome!" Tucker exclaimed.
"You won!" Sam cheered.
"That was surprisingly dark, but you still won!" Jazz commented, deciding to ignore Vlad's predicament, since he did deserve it.
10 minutes later
With everything all done, Danny walked alongside his friends and sister to her car.
"So… Vlad's gone for 10 years?" Sam asks.
"Looks like it." Danny said.
"I'm sure people are going to question where the mayor went… but I don't think we'll have too much trouble with him out of the way." Jazz commented.
"Yeah… who knew your future and his would be decided by a children's card game?" Tucker asks.
"Good thing you didn't decide to solve the situation with something like a long distance race." Sam joked.
"Funny…" Danny said sarcastically.
"So… with Vlad gone… what do we do now?" Tucker asks.
"What do you mean?" Danny asks.
"I mean, your archenemy is gone for a decade. What are you gonna do with most of your problems gone?" Tucker asks.
"Well, I doubt the ghosts will stop causing trouble." Danny pointed out.
"So… what do we do when they're not causing trouble?" Sam asks.
Danny stopped, pondering to himself.
They are right, with Vlad gone, that means I won't have to deal with a huge headache for at least a decade. Which means I'll have plenty of free time now that I no longer have to worry about him. He thought.
"So… you guys wanna play some Yu-Gi-Oh?" He asks.
"Yes!" Tucker went excitedly.
"No." Sam and Jazz said in unison with a flat tone.
In the morning
At the town square, a very bizarre looking new statue was set in place.
Many people looked at it and gave it strange looks.
"Mommy, what the heck is that thing supposed to be?" A little boy asked as he pointed at the statue.
"No clue, but it's hideous. It looks like someone tried to make a vampire statue and couldn't get it right..." His mother criticized it as they walked away.
Unknown to them, the "statue" was really Vlad Plasmius, having been turned to stone.
He couldn't talk, move or do anything, but he was still aware of his surroundings. He was also angry on the inside.
This isn't over, Daniel. When I am freed, I will go after you again, along with that accursed time master and make you both pay for doing this to me! He thought in fury.
Unfortunately for him, several pigeons landed on him. The one one his head went into a certain position and the new statue knew what was about to happen.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Vlad internally screamed to the heavens.
All this because he lost a children's card game.
I thank TheWhiteTitan and Flower princess11 for this... weird little idea I had.
Also, in case anyone didn't know... yes, I played Yu-Gi-Oh. And yes, I named myself after Elemental Hero Neos.