Disclaimer: see chapter 1
Chapter 15: Practice Duel with Dragons and Sea Monster: Yusuke vs. Ryoko
"Students, I would like to introduce Syrus Truesdale, he'll be joining us for the rest of the school year," Takanaka said, while behind Syrus, who was feeling a bit nervous and shy, "Syrus!" Takanaka called out, breaking the blunette of his thoughts, "Why don't you sit next Yusuke?"
Syrus felt a wave of relief as he walked over to his childhood friend, "Hey, it looks like Santa's little helpers is sitting with Urameshi." One male student whispered
Syrus could feel a jilt to his stomach as he could hear some of the students talking about his height and took a seat next to Yusuke and sighed. Yusuke could hear some of the comments that the students were whispering about Syrus's height and was getting real tired of it. Before he could do anything about it, he felt something grabbing his wrist to a halt. Yusuke turned to see that Keiko was the one, who grabbed his wrist, "Keiko, there making fun of Syrus and I can't……"
Keiko shook her head, "You're liable of threatening them to shut up and that would be bad for your recommendation to Duel Academy."
"Don't worry, Yusuke," Syrus said, "I'm pretty much used to it by now."
"You are?" Yusuke asked
"Okay class, settle down," came a voice that was VERY sickening to Yusuke, "Great, I'll have to deal with Iwamoto now," he muttered in an annoyed tone as he sat down and Iwamoto coming inside the class. Iwamoto eyed the class and spotted Yusuke and smirked, "Well, the rotten apple of the class has returned," he taunted, making Yusuke's frustration grow because he can't talk back anymore because that would mean no Duel Academy.
"What, no wisecracks, Urameshi," Iwamoto taunted more
"No," Yusuke said, in annoyance
"What was that Urameshi?"
Yusuke growled and that he was going to regret doing this, "No, sir!" he said which wasn't exactly the easiest thing to do for the ex-spirit detective and surprised the students that the 'Great Urameshi' would call Iwamoto 'sir'.
"That's what I thought," Iwamoto sneered, "Now, let's start our lesson shall we?"
After class and after more taunting Iwamoto, Yusuke stormed out of the class in anger leaving Keiko, Syrus and Kuwabara trying to follow him, to see if he wouldn't take his anger out of the other students.
"Hey did ya hear?" one of the students whispered, as Yusuke stalked past them, "Iwamoto was taunting Urameshi during class and Urameshi didn't try to fight back."
"Maybe Urameshi's lost it,"
Yusuke feel the urge to punch them out, but another thought came to his mind, which made him smirk, when he becomes the King of Games, the teachers and students would eat those words about him, not being able to amount to anything at all. Later it was lunchtime for most of the students and Yusuke, Syrus and Kuwabara went of the roof to have their lunch.
"So Urameshi, how are you holding up?" Kuwabara asked
"I feel a need to kick some ass, after the crap I've dealt today," Yusuke replied, eating a chip, "First Iwamoto and then Akashi and others were taunting me, and I'm guessing it has something to do with the deal that Seto Kaiba and I made."
"Hey Yusuke, I'm curious what deal did you and Kaiba make?" Syrus asked
"Well the deal was that he would give me admission to his school, if I become his apprentice for the whole summer."
"You Seto Kaiba's apprentice!" both Syrus and Kuwabara yelled in unison
"That's right," Yusuke said, "But there's a catch, I'd have to stop starting fights in school, no more skipping class and school entirely, pass every class with a C average and the damn cycle continues for the whole school year."
"No way!" Kuwabara yelled in surprise, "No way that could last."
"I've found a way to control and a motivation for all this," Yusuke said, in a matter-of-fact tone, "If I become the next King of Games, then all those guys at the school would eat those words about me never being to amount to anything."
"That's the spirit, Yusuke!" Syrus encouraged
"Thanks Sy," Yusuke said, "Yep, I have to keep the King of Games title in my family, because there is no way in hell is it going away!" he finished with determination and getting out his duel disk and strapping it to his left arm, "Okay Kuwabara, let's duel!"
"Sure!" Kuwabara replied, "Another chance to defeat you!"
Yusuke snickered, "I won't use my warrior deck, but my new dragons will finish you off!" he taunted
"Hold it!" came a familiar voice
The boys turned to see Keiko and her two friends at their right, "What's going on?" Yusuke asked
"Yusuke, you're getting a new challenger your duel today, because you know Kuwabara's deck inside and out," Keiko explained, "And you definitely can't duel me, because of the same reason."
"So what are you saying?"
"Your opponent will be me," said the girl with blonde hair in a pigtail style
"Like you and Sy, Ryoko, here, is another applicant to Duel Academy I think it would be a good practice if she got to duel the cousin of the current King of Games." Keiko explained
"You're pulling my leg here, Keiko," Yusuke said, "She's an applicant to Duel Academy."
The girl named Ryoko, had her eyebrow twitched, "That's right, and I'll let my cards do I'll the talking, Urameshi!" she declared as she activated her duel disk
Yusuke shrugs and activates his duel disk, "Duel!" (YLP: 8000/RLP: 8000)
"Boku no turn, draw!" Ryoko declared as she whipped out her card from her deck, "For my first move, I'll summon onto the field Gagagigo in attack mode!" a green skinned and muscular reptile with horns on his shoulders and back appears in fighting stance (ATK: 1850), "I'll play a facedown and end my turn!" the card materialized behind Gagagigo with him noticing
"That's one scary monster!" Syrus said
"Yeah!" Kuwabara added
"That won't scare me, Ore no turn, draw!" Yusuke whips a card from his deck, "I'll summon onto the field Masked Dragon in defense mode!" a red and silver dragon appears and closed its wings sits on its hide (DEF: 1100).
"That's strange," Keiko said
"What is it?" Syrus asked
"I never had seen that monster in Yusuke's deck before."
"Well Urameshi did say that he's using a different deck." Kuwabara said
"A different deck?" Keiko said, tilting her head
"Next, I'll activate this spell card, Dragon's Gunfire," Yusuke said, putting the card in the slot, "I can only activate this spell card as long as I have a dragon monster on the field, so I can deal 800 points of damage to your life points!"
"That won't work!" Ryoko said, "Activating trap card, Spell Shield Type-8!"
"Huh!" Yusuke said, with disbelief
"All I have to do is give up one spell card from my hand to negate the effect of your spell card!"
Yusuke grimaced, 'Damn it!' he thought, "I'll play a facedown and end my turn!"
"Boku no turn, draw!" Ryoko drew another card from her deck, "I'll summon Oxygeddon in attack mode!" a green stream of oxygen forming a pterodactyl appears (ATK: 1800), "Now Oxygeddon, slay that dragon with Vapor Stream!" Oxygeddon shrieked a vapor blast at Masked Dragon blasting it and Yusuke shielding himself, "Thanks for that, you've activated my Masked Dragon special effect, meaning I get to summon onto the field 1 dragon monster with 1500 attack or less from my deck and I'll summon another Masked Dragon!" another Masked Dragon appears on the field (DEF: 1100), "Good you'll need it!" Ryoko sneered, "Gagagigo attack Smashing Claw!" Gagagigo jumped in the air and kicked Yusuke's dragon shattering it, "That allows me to summon another dragon so rise, Armed Dragon LV3!" Yusuke declared as a small, orange dragon with grey armor appeared on his field, glowing at Ryoko (ATK: 1200)
"Level?" Kuwabara said
"Yeah and three's the lowest," said the brown haired girl, "If Urameshi play it right the dragon will be stronger!"
"Good, because bigger is definitely better!" Syrus said
"I wonder where Yusuke got that card." Keiko said to herself
Ryoko's eyes widened, 'On man, I can't believe that Urameshi has that card,' she thought, "I'll end my turn with a facedown!"
"Ore no turn, draw!" Yusuke gets out a card and snickered, "Check this out! Now it's my Standby Phase, so Armed Dragon LV3 is sent to the graveyard and Armed Dragon LV5 is summoned in its place!"
The small dragon shone for a moment, and it grew in size, changing into a much larger red and black dragon with spikes all over its body. (ATK: 2400), "Since that facedown card will probably be a nuisance to me, I'll remove it with this Stamping Destruction!" Ryoko's facedown is destroyed and Ryoko winced at this, "Since, your facedown was destroyed with Stamping Destruction; you lose 500 points from your total!"
Ryoko's duel disk electrocuted taking a scratch of her life points with it. (RLP: 8000)-(RLP: 7500).
"Now, before I'll do some more damage I'll activate another spell card!" Yusuke slips it in the spell card slot, "Level Modulation."
Ryoko raised an eyebrow, "Soooo, what's it do?" she asked
Yusuke chuckled, "Then, allow me to educate you, first you draw two cards………"
Ryoko shrugged, "Oh well, free draws……" she said drawing two cards
"Then I get to summon a monster from my graveyard that includes "LV" in its card name, so rise again Armed Dragon LV3!" Armed Dragon LV3 appears again (ATK: 1200)
"Yeah, but even if you activate Armed Dragon LV5's special ability by discarding one card from your hand you get to destroy one of Ryoko's monsters that has equal or less attack than the monster card you tossed!" the brown haired girl said, "Armed Dragon LV3 can't attack during the turn that he was summoned with Level Modulation!"
"True!" Yusuke said, "But Armed Dragon LV3 is only that opening act for Armed Dragon LV5!"
"But Yusuke, Armed Dragon LV3's effect to transform itself its level 5 form is during your Standby Phase and your Standby Phase has already been pasted," Keiko explained
"Unless as usual he'll bend the rules and summoned it anyways!" the brown haired girl said
"Not necessary, Mia," Keiko said
"No," Yusuke said, "All I need to summon Armed Dragon LV5 now is with this spell card, Level Up!"
"Oh God!" Ryoko exclaimed
"Then again I could wrong," Mia said
"What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked
"With Level Up! I can, hence its name, level up a monster with "LV" in its card name," Yusuke said, "So, I'll transform my Armed Dragon LV3 for its level 5 form!" The Armed Dragon LV3 disappears again in a swirl of light and Armed Dragon LV5 appears (ATK: 2400)
"No way!" Kuwabara exclaimed
"Now Ryoko as to deal with two powerful dragons!" Mia added
Ryoko was cringing in fear as the dragons roared with excitement.
"Oh wow a duel!"
The gang turned to see other students coming to see the duel, "Wow, we packed quite an audience!" Yusuke said
"No way, Urameshi's dueling!"
"Now then, my Armed Dragons attack with Inferno Roar and Spiked Spinner!" Yusuke commanded as Armed Dragon blasts crimson stream at Ryoko's monsters destroying them. Ryoko (RLP: 7500)-(RLP: 6350) shields herself at the blasts
"No way, Urameshi's dragons just took out those monsters that quick!" Kuwabara exclaimed
"And took out a quarter of Ryoko's life points!" Mia added
"Alright, way to go Yusuke!" Syrus cheered
"And my Armed Dragons are about to get even stronger!" Yusuke declared
"How so!" Kuwabara asked
"Easy, when my dragons destroy a monster in battle they evolve to a level 7!" Yusuke said as his dragons glowed and it grew in size yet again and more dangerous-looking than before (ATK 2800)x2
"No way," Ryoko said, in a stage of fear, "And here I thought that I'll be getting an easy match."
"Urameshi isn't supposed to be this good," Mia said, "He's playing by the rules and he's winning."
"Well he is the current King of Games' cousin after all," Kuwabara said
"The duel has started and Yusuke had summoned two monsters with 2800 attack points," Keiko added
Yusuke could sense the fear from Ryoko's eyes, "Please don't tell me that you're giving up, now!" he said, in a disappointing tone and crossing his arms, "Because it would be very disappointing if you did."
Ryoko grunts in reply, "Boku no turn, draw!" she draws a card and places it in her hand, 'I've got nothing in my hand to beat those dragons that Urameshi has but I can still be defensively.' She thought, "I'll summon Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness in defense mode and end my turn!" a sea monster with a sea weapon in its hand appears on the field (DEF: 1500)
"Ore no turn, draw!" Yusuke drew his card, "Now, Armed Dragon LV7s attack with Dragon Talon Terror and Dragon Sonic Spear!" Yusuke declared as his monsters went and punched Ryoko's sea monster and destroying and another attack, which took form of a golden orb and hits Ryoko making her fall on her backside (RLP: 6350)-(RLP: 3550), "Hey are you alright there!" Yusuke said
Ryoko slowly got on her feet, "I'd take that as a yes and I'll end my turn with a facedown!" Yusuke declared, sliding the card
"Ryoko just lost more than half her life points," Mia said
"One more direct attack and she's finished," Keiko said
"Awesome!" Kuwabara cheered, "No way that Ryoko can win this duel!"
"Yeah, her life points went down more than half and Yusuke's life points haven't scratched a bit!" Syrus added
"What?"
"Urameshi's life points haven't dropped yet!"
The students were whispering in disbelief, "That can't be possible,"
"Urameshi is supposed to be one of the worst duelists around."
"He must have been cheating!"
"Those guys are really starting to bug me!" Syrus said
"Yeah no kidding!" Kuwabara said
"Boku no turn, draw!" Ryoko drew another card
"Activating trap, Ceasefire!" Yusuke declared as his facedown trap opened up, "Now, your life points will take a hit for every effect monster out by 500 points and since there are two of them you take a hit of 1000 points of damage!"
Ryoko's duel disk was electrocuting her and she winced as her life points drop (RLP: 3550)-(RLP: 2550).
"See what I told ya!" Kuwabara cheered, "No way Urameshi is going to lose!"
Ryoko was panting, "Okay Urameshi, I've taken your hits long enough and now its time to take control of this duel!"
"Well, you better make a move quick!" Yusuke said, "Because you've lost almost 3/4s of your life points, you better make this one count!"
"Oh don't worry, I will with this, now I'll activate this field spell card, Umi!" Ryoko slapped the card into her field card slot of her duel disk and the area was covered in water
"Gee I thought we were dueling not swimming," Yusuke joked, "What's the deal?"
"Since, you've educated me with your Level Modulation, allow me to give you the same treatment, Umi is a field spell that increases the attack and defense points of every fish, sea serpent, thunder and aqua-type monsters by 200 points! Now, I'll summon onto the field Space Mambo in attack mode!" a big flat fish with lights around its body appears on the field (ATK: 1700), "And thanks to Umi, my fish gains 200 points!" (ATK: 1700/DEF: 1000)-(ATK: 1900/DEF: 1200)
"But that monster is weaker than my Armed Dragons!" Yusuke said
"I know," Ryoko said with a smirk, "That's why I'm getting help, I'll activate Snatch Steal to take away one of your Armed Dragons!" One of Yusuke's Armed Dragons' eyes glowed green and flew over to Ryoko's side of the field and by Space Mambo
"Hey my Armed Dragon!" Yusuke exclaims, in outrage
"Now Armed Dragon LV7 attack Armed Dragon LV7 with Dragon Talon Terror!" The Armed Dragons collided with one another and were destroyed.
"Oh man, Yusuke's wide open for a direct attack!" Syrus exclaimed
"Now Space Mambo, attack Urameshi directly with Water Ram!" Space Mambo charged towards Yusuke and hits the ex-spirit detective down to the ground (YLP: 8000)-(YLP: 6100), "That would end my turn!"
Yusuke got on his feet, "Ore no turn, draw!" he drew his card, "I'll activate Swords of Revealing Light!" Just then a shower of green light beamed swords came and surrounded Ryoko and her monster, "This card stops you from attacking me for three turns and that would end my turn!"
"He's not going to summon a monster now," Kuwabara said
"Boku no turn, draw!" Ryoko drew her card, "Since I can't attack, I'll end my turn!"
"Ore no turn, draw!" Yusuke drew his card, 'Damn it, no monster,' "I'll play a facedown and that ends my turn!"
"Boku no turn, draw!" Ryoko draws her card, "I'll summon Hydrogeddon in attack mode!" she declared as a triceratops-like monster, formed from thick hydrogen gasses appeared. (ATK: 1600), "That ends my turn!"
Yusuke grimaced, 'One more turn and those monsters are ready to attack me,' he thought, "Ore no turn, draw!" he draws a card and smirked at the sight of it, "I'll activate the spell card, Premature Burial! Now at the cost of 800 of my life points (YLP: 6100)-(YLP: 5300) I get to summon 1 monster in my graveyard to attack mode, so rise Armed Dragon LV5!" Just then Armed Dragon LV5 appears ready for battle once again (ATK: 2400)
Ryoko grunts in frustration, "Him again!" she complains
"That's right," Yusuke said, "And there's no escaping him, now Armed Dragon attack Space Mambo with Infernal Assault!" Armed Dragon flew to Space Mambo and punches the fish, destroys it (RLP: 2550)-(RLP: 2050), "As you know, Armed Dragon's power activates and he evolves to his level 7 form" Armed Dragon transforms once again, (ATK: 2800)
"Alright!" Syrus cheered
"The Armed Dragon is back!" Kuwabara cheered
"Boku no turn, draw," Ryoko draws a card, "Okay, I'll activate the spell card, Creature Swap, your Armed Dragon for my Hydrogeddon!" the monster switch places on the field
Yusuke grimaced, "My monster!"
"That ends my turn!" Ryoko said, "And your swords are no longer in effect!"
"How can Yusuke win this match if this girl keeps taking away his monster from him!" Syrus complained
"And that's not all, Sy," Kuwabara said, "Now that Urameshi's swords are gone, Urameshi's sitting duck!"
"Ore no turn, draw!" Yusuke said, drawing his cards, "I'll activate Pot of Greed!" a huge green jar with an ugly face appears on the field, "Now to work its charm by drawing two cards from my deck!" Yusuke draws two cards, "Now, I'll play two facedowns and switch Hydrogeddon to defense mode and end my turn!"
Ryoko grunts, 'If I don't take Urameshi out, then I'll be humiliated in front of the whole school,' she thought, "Boku no turn, draw!" Ryoko draws a card, "Now, Armed Dragon LV7 attack Hydrogeddon with Dragon Talon Terror!" Armed Dragon throws its claws at Hydrogeddon.
"Gee how convenient, Ryoko," Yusuke said, "For you to attack, when I have FOUR facedown cards, Go Curse of Anubis!" One of Yusuke's facedown cards opened up, "Now, your monster is switched to defense mode and its defense points are at zero for the rest of the turn!" (DEF: 1000)-(DEF: 0)
Ryoko grimaced, 'How did Urameshi get this good?' she thought
"Wow, Urameshi and that girl are still at it" one of the students said
"Not only that Urameshi is playing like an average duelist, maybe he might win after all!"
"Ore no turn, draw!" Yusuke draws his card, "Well Ryoko, you almost had me there, a few times but it's time to end this duel!"
"How so?" Ryoko asked
"Then, allow me to educate you once more! Now I'll activate Graceful Charity, now I can draw three cards," Yusuke drew three cards, "As long as I discard two from my hand and activate my facedown card Call of the Haunted!" Yusuke's facedown trap opened up, "Now I can summon any monster from my graveyard and I choose my Dark Magician!" in a swirl of purple light a purple robed magician appears on the field (ATK: 2500)
"The Dark Magician!"
"No way!"
"Isn't that Yugi Muto's favorite card?"
"How did Urameshi get that card?"
"The Dark Magician," Mia said, "Did Yugi give Urameshi that card?"
"Actually Yusuke had a copy of the Dark Magician," Keiko corrected, "And Ryoko is going to act completely hopeless right about now."
"How so?" Kuwabara asked
"The Dark Magician!" Ryoko exclaimed, with heart shapes replacing her eyes, "He's even handsome in person."
"See what I mean," Keiko said
Yusuke was freaked out at this, "Oh man, you have a card crush!"
"Gees get a life why don't ya!" Syrus complained, "It's only a card!"
Keiko snorted, "You're the one to talk, Syrus." She said, with her arms crossed
"What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked
"When Yusuke, Sy, and I were growing up, he used to claim that he was going steady with the Dark Magician Girl."
Kuwabara went laughing, "You have a card crush!" he said, pointing at Syrus
Yusuke apparently heard Kuwabara laughing about Syrus's crush on a card, "I wouldn't be laughing if I were you, Kuwabara! You have a card crush on Harpie Lady!" he sneered
Kuwabara's laughing ceased and glared at Yusuke, "Shut up, Urameshi!"
Yusuke snickered, "Now, back to the duel," he said, with a now serious, "I'll activate the facedown spell card, Monster Reborn to revive forth my Buster Blader!" a warrior clad in purple armor and wielding a sword almost as big as him appeared to the right of Dark Magician (ATK: 2600)
"What another one of Yugi's monsters!" Kuwabara said
Keiko's eyes widened, "Could that facedown card that Yusuke has be Polymerization?"
"There's more where that came from, Ryoko! Now to activate my last and final facedown Polymerization to emerge my Dark Magician with my Buster Blader to summon forth……wait for it…." The card flipped up and revealed a dark vortex that swallowed up Dark Magician and Buster Blader. Lightning flashed from the vortex, causing the audience to ooh, 'no way', and aah. Finally, coming out of the swirling black winds stepped a warrior sorcerer clothed in gold-rimmed black armor and wielding a staff capped by a jagged blade (ATK: 2900), "My Dark Paladin!"
"Oh wow, Dark Paladin!" Kuwabara exclaimed with happiness, "It's even cooler-looking in up close!"
"There's more to than just appearance for example my Dark Paladin gains 500 attack points for every dragons on the field and in our graveyards, so my magician is a force to be reckoned with!"
"No way!" Ryoko exclaimed
Paladin raised his staff into the air. More streams of energy arose from Yusuke's Duel Disk and the Armed Dragon LV 7 on Ryoko's side of the field and flow through the blade (ATK: 2900)-(ATK: 6400). The crowd gasped with amazement, and against her will, Ryoko's jaw dropped, "No, no, it can't be!" Ryoko said, in disbelief
"6400 attack points!" Mia exclaimed, "Urameshi's actually is going to win!"
"It's real been fun, but it's time to end this duel!" Yusuke declared, "Now I'll switch Hydrogeddon to attack mode and attack Armed Dragon LV7 with Hydro Gust!" Hydrogeddon blasts a stream of hydrogen at Armed Dragon destroying it, with Ryoko shielding herself from the impact, "Now Dark Paladin, end this duel, pal! Dragon Slaying Blast!"
Paladin leaped into the air and spun his staff wildly as he charged towards the pig-tailed schoolgirl and shot an energy arc at Ryoko and exploding on impact. The students gasped as Ryoko was screaming as her life points hit zero. (RLP: 2050)-(RLP: 0000)
"Alright, Yusuke won!" Syrus cheered
"Way to go, Urameshi!" Kuwabara added
Keiko and Mia's jaws dropped, "Did……. you just see what I think I just saw?" Mia asked
"Yeah, but I………don't believe it," Keiko added, 'Yusuke actually won a duel with someone other than Kuwabara.' She thought with disbelief
Ryoko fell on her knees in dismay, 'How…how could I lose to Urameshi?' she thought, with her bangs covering her eyes, 'How could I lose to Yusuke Urameshi, the worst duelist around?'
The students were whispering to each other about the duel until one student clapped his hands and finally everyone slowly followed.
"Huh?" Ryoko looked around her schoolmates, "Awesome duel!"
Ryoko looked up to see Yusuke above her, holding out his hand, "Good duel!" he said, with a gleefully expression, "You actually had me a few times, I mean it." Ryoko raised an eyebrow at this, smiled and took his hand and was brought to her feet.
"You obviously did well, too," Ryoko said, "Besides, you didn't use any of those Armed Dragons' other special effects by discarding monster cards to destroy my monsters with equal or less attack points than the monster you tossed."
"I didn't have any monster cards in my hand at those times."
"Besides, where did you get those Armed Dragons?"
"My grandfather owns a game shop in Domino and that's where I've gotten those cards and some tips on dueling from him and Yugi."
Just then the bell that signaled lunch was over occurred, "It looks like class is about to start," Yusuke said, with annoyance, "Unfortunately……"
"Well look at it, this way, you'll only have two months till this school will be a nothing but a memory to you."
"I wish it would hurried up a bit."
Yusuke's Card Used
Armed Dragon LV3 (M), Armed Dragon LV5 (M), Armed Dragon LV7 (M), Buster Blader (M), Call of the Haunted (T), Ceasefire (T), Curse of Anubis (T), Dark Magician (M), Dark Paladin (FM), Dragon's Gunfire (S), Graceful Charity (S), Level Modulation (S), Level Up! (S), Masked Dragon (M), Monster Reborn (S), Pot of Greed (S), Premature Burial (S), Stamping Destruction (S), Swords of Revealing Light (S)
Ryoko's Card Used
Creature Swap (S), Gagagigo (M), Hydrogeddon (M), Oxygeddon (M), Sea Serpent Warrior of Darkness (M), Snatch Spell (S), Space Mambo (M), Spell Shield Type-8 (T), Umi (S)