Remnant: Time to Duel
Chapter 6
"That was too close." Flynt said as he and others sat at dinner, they had never been to before.
"Yeah." Arslan and Jaune agreed, only to tense up when they heard the people that were chasing them stop right outside the door. But they let out a sigh of relief when they left a second later.
"Honestly, I'm surprised we garnered that big of a crowd by simply dueling. Isn't Yu-Gi-Oh one of the biggest card games out there?" Miltia asked.
"Last time I checked, it is." Jaune answered.
"I think they were more taken aback by the holograms and our duel disks." Flynt said.
"He's right. Yu-Gi-Oh might be huge, but the Duel Disks aren't. Last I checked, there were only about two hundred in existence. And that's only because the creator couldn't find any company to mass-produce them. At least, that's what I heard from some rumors and theories." Arslan said.
"Unfortunately, they are true." Jaune said.
"Really? How do you know?" Miltia asked.
"My sister-in-law is the creator of the Duel Disks and hologram templates. And she tried many times. Even the creators of Yu-Gi-Oh pitched in to try and help her find a company to mass-produce them, but they failed." Jaune explained. "Speaking of her, we still need to send the information to her."
"Right. But after the tournament closes for the day. I don't know about you three, but my team is competing." Arslan said.
"Same for me."
"And Neon and I are fighting in the tag teams." Flynt added before turning to Miltia. "Are you competing in the tournament?"
"No. I'm not a student or huntress-in-training. And even if I were, I couldn't since the matches are over." Miltia answered, confusing the others.
"What do you mean over?" Jaune asked.
"The organizers and heads of the tournament generally close the colosseum at around seven so people can still enjoy whatever else the festival has to offer. It's currently eight-thirty."
"EIGHT-THIRTY!" The others said, shocked. They then checked the time on the scrolls and saw that it was indeed eight-thirty. But they also noticed the overwhelming amount of messages in their message boxes.
"This is not going to be fun." Jaune said. And judging by the first few texts he read, Jaune knew he was in a world of trouble when he got back to his friends.
"Yeah. Neon's not got to be happy with me since she was looking forward to this. And I promised I'd show her some places in Vale before the day's out. Not to mention, I still have to send some reports to General Ironwood." Flynt said, annoyed, as he rubbed his face.
"The same is for me. My team was supposed to go against Team Rwby. And because I wasn't there, they had to forfeit. Reese is going to be so upset with me." Arlsan groaned. "How can I be a leader if I set examples like this?"
"What about you, Jaune?" Miltia asked.
"About my team?" Jaune asked.
"Yes." Miltia answered, rolling her eyes.
"Well, my team is probably upset since they had to forfeit because I wasn't there. And my partner is probably worried since I haven't answered any of their texts. My sister team is probably also worried. I'm not looking forward to this." Jaune groaned. "I'm going to be so busy tomorrow making it up to them."
"Same." Arslan and Flynt said.
"Anyway. We might as well-" Flynt began, but the sounds of a special -news report cut him off.
'This is Akari Lotus with a special news bulletin. Today was the start of the Vytal Festival. As one might expect, the citizens of Vale were excited to see the students from academies across Remnent fight each other. However, something unexpected happened that stole the show. Four people were facing off against each other. But unlike what you might expect, they were fighting with monsters they summoned via cards and strange devices on their arms. What you are seeing next to me is some footage captured by the spectators.' The news anchor said as footage of their duel played.
"Is our duel really that big of a deal that it deserved news coverage?" Miltia asked, slightly annoyed.
'As you can see, they are using cards to summon these monsters to the field. Some appear human, while others are fiends or beasts. And the stone colosseum was also a product of a card and the strange device. Hold on. This just in, one of our reporters have discovered more information about what happened. Let's go live to Lisa Lavender.'
'Thank you, Akari. I'm here in front of one of the local game shops. Apparently, the four people in the park were playing a game called Yu-Gi-Oh. After *ahem* talking with some of the patrons inside, I discovered a few things about what happened in the park. First, the devices on their arms are called Duel Disks. They are what brought those monsters to life. However, the Duel Disks are only awarded to tournament winners since they are only three hundred currently in existence. But the Duel Disks these four were using were new versions. They could be testing out new models for whoever created them. Second, the types of monsters those four were using. They are part of the Archetypes called Gladiator Beasts, Infernoble/Noble Knights, Symphony of Djinn, and Bounzers. But those are just four of the hundreds of archetypes that currently exist. And I expect to see a sudden surge in popularity for the game. While you might not see it, there are already people-
"I think it would be best if we lay low and don't duel outside with our duel disks for a while." Flynt said as Miltia turned off the television.
"Yeah." The other agreed.
"But, since we're on the topic of dueling, do any of you use those online dueling sites? We live in different kingdoms and might not see each other in person again, but that doesn't mean we still can't duel each other from time to time." Arslan asked.
"Yeah. I play master duel and that scroll app, Duel Links." Jaune answered.
"Same." Flynt said.
"I don't use Duel Links, but I occasionally use Master Duel." Miltia added.
"Perhaps we can give each other out tags so we can duel each whenever we get a chance." Arslan said before hearing a soft growl followed by swords clashing against shields, causing her to tense for a second before relaxing.
"Uh, you okay?" Jaune asked, worried.
"Yeah. It's just something. But let me ask you this. Do you ever-"
"Yes. Jaune and I know about Duel Spirits and have seen them." Flynt interjected as Humhumming the Key Djinn appeared on his shoulder while
Infernoble Knight Emperor Charles and Noble Knight Iyvanne appeared next to Jaune. But this time, only Iyvanne's lion appeared.
"And-" Arslan said, turning to Miltia.
"Yes." Miltia answered as Phantom Bounzer appeared behind her.
"What is wrong, young maiden?" Charles asked as he petted the lion.
"Uh-" Arslan said, not expecting to be called that.
"You get used to it." Jaune quickly said.
"I doubt it. But anyway, nothing is wrong. I just wasn't expecting to hear the sounds of my Gladiator Beasts fighting again so soon. Then again, I shouldn't be surprised, considering their lore."
"What's their lore?" Miltia asked.
"The Gladiator Beasts, also known as Gladial Beast, date back to ancient times to an empire of peace where war was a thing of the past. But the aristocrats, unaware of the dangers, wanted to see spectacles of fighting and bloodshed. They built a colosseum where the Gladial Beast fought to the death for sport day in and day out. Yet that all changed when the empire fell. But the silence did not last. Cheers of spectators and horns blowing suddenly filled the colosseum despite no one there. The Gladial Beast began fighting again. And soon, they reached their apex, which broke the seal that bound them to the Colosseum. Not long after that, the colosseum regained its glory due to the brave heroics of the Gladial Beast, where they continue fighting to this day." Infernoble Knight Emperor Charles explained.
"Hearing them fight all the time must get annoying after a while." Flynt said.
"It sure does. But at least they know when to keep quiet, like when I'm in class or doing something important." Arslan said.
"At least there's that." Miltia said with Arslan shrugging.
"So, what now? Should we head back to our teams? I think the people chasing us finally gave up." Jaune asked. But as soon as he said this, they heard the same people that were chasing them again. Thankfully, they left a second later.
"Maybe we should wait a bit." Flynt answered.
"Yeah." The others agreed.
"So, how about another duel while we wait? But without the duel disks this time?" Arslan asked.
"Sure." The others agreed.
The Next Day
With Flynt
"Wow. That was a good sleep. Now, I have to start making those reports for Jaune so he can send them to his sister-in-law." Flynt said as he rubbed his eyes while letting out a yawn. However, as soon as Flynt stood up, he froze in his tracks when he heard the familiar voice of his teammate.
"Going somewhere?" Neon asked in a frighteningly calm tone.
"Oh, hey, Neon." Flynt nervously said, turning to face his partner.
"Don't hey, Neon, me, Flynt. You abandoned me right before our match began!"
"Listen, Neon. I can-"
"If you didn't want to compete, you could have just told me. You didn't have to make up some excuse."
"I know. I just-"
"If you wanted to compete with some friends, you could have told me. And if you wanted, I would have gladly come to cheer you on."
"Technically, not friends. I did not know any of them before yesterday. And honestly, right now, I think only the blonde guy I could consider a friend since we got to know each other a bit."
"Do you even know his name?" Neon asked, curious.
"Yeah. His name is Jaune."
"Don't try to change the subject. You still owe me, Flynt, for leaving high and dry yesterday."
"Fair." Flynt said. While he did have fun yesterday and is looking forward to some future duels with Jaune and possibly the others, he had to admit he basically abandoned his partner. "So what do you want me to do to make it up to you, Neon?"
"First, you're doing the reports and explaining to Winter and Ironwood why we forfeit our match."
"Fair. Not looking forward to all the paperwork, but fair."
"Second, you broke your promise of showing me around Vale after our match yesterday. So get your comfiest shoes on since you're showing me all the best places Vale has to offer."
"Alright. Anything else?" Flynt asked, mentally noting to get some ice for later as he knew his feet would be sore.
"Yeah. I want you to teach me the game you were playing."
"Excuse me. Come again?" Flynt asked, not expecting that.
"I want you to teach me the card game you and the others were playing. It looked like a lot of fun. Especially those holograms and how they fought each other."
"Alright. I can teach you." Flynt said, chuckling. "But I'm warning you, Yu-Gi-Oh is a bit complicated."
"I'd be surprised if it wasn't." Neon said as she quickly cleaned the couch of the apartment they were staying at before pulling a table in front. "Come on. Teach me how to play."
"Alright. But first, let's get you a deck. Move over." Flynt said with Neon rolling her eyes before sliding to the side.
"How many decks are there?"
"Take a look for yourself." Opening his scroll, Flynt showed all the available archetypes out there.
"Ah." Neon said, scrolling through the list. "There's a lot here."
"Need some help?"
"Yes. Maybe you can pick one out for me."
"Sure. There are two decks I have in mind. The first is a Stardust Synchron deck."
"And the other?"
"The other is an F.A. deck."
"F.A.?"
"It's an acronym. F.A. stands for Formula Athlete. The whole archetype revolves around racing cars and changing their levels."
"And what does the other deck revolve around?"
"The Stardust Synchron deck revolves around a dragon that soars through the universe. The deck revolves around bringing out its boss monster and the various 'advanced' versions."
"What do you mean by advanced version?" Neon asked, confused.
"Just one way to say the upgraded version of Stardust Dragon. I say advanced version, but that's only because I don't want to confuse you just yet with the terminology."
"Oh. Thanks."
"So, which one catches your eye more?"
"The Stardust Synchron deck. But I might also get the F.A. deck down the road."
"Alright. But first, I need to teach you how to play the game." Flynt said as he took out his deck.
"Is that the same deck you used in the duel yesterday?"
"Yup."
"What deck is it?"
"It's a Symphony of Djinn deck. It's all about bringing out my... special types of monsters." Flynt said as she showed Neon his XYZ monsters.
"Aw. They look so cute." And while Neon couldn't see or hear them, Flynt chuckled when his Duel Spirits blushed or let out an embarrassed squeak.
"All right. Let's get started." Flynt said as he began teaching Neon the basics. But as he did, a random thought crossed his mind. 'I wonder if the others are teaching their friends and teammates? Or co-workers in the case of the other girl?'
Junior's club
'At least the club is closed for today. Never thought I would be grateful for that blond bimbo for destroying our club.' Militia thought as she woke up from her nap.
While the club was closed today, Militia still had some work yesterday. Thankfully, Junior was busy with patrons that he didn't see either news report of her dueling. And her fortune continued when she learned Melanie was busy running some errands for Junior, so she didn't have to deal with her.
"Well, since I have the day off, I might as well enjoy it." Getting up from her bed, Militia went over to her bathroom and started getting dressed. But as she did so, her Duel Spirits appeared in her room.
"Hmmm." Photon Strike Bounzer asked.
"No, Photon. I'm okay. I slept in because I don't have work today."
"Argh?" Phantom Bounzer asked.
"Yes, I'm not going to skip out on breakfast this time." Militia said as she exited the bathroom before heading over to her bed. "Hmm. That reminds me. Maybe I can finally get some food that's not bar food. I think I will try out that new diner that opened up across the park. I heard their food was good."
"Hmm?" Hammer Bounzer asked.
"Not sure. I think I will look around town and maybe buy something. Maybe I'll stop by the card shop to see if there are any new mats. Later I might see if the others are up for a duel on Master Duel." Once finished with her bed, Militia grabbed her deck before turning to her duel monsters. "Alright. Let's go."
"Hmmm." Her Duel Spirits said before returning to her deck.
"Okay. Let's see what this day has in store." Going over to her door, Milita opened it and was about to exit but stopped when she heard her sister's voice.
"Going somewhere?" Melanie asked.
"Out in town and possibly to eat something that wasn't cooked four days ago and been waiting on the stove for someone to order it."
"While that does sound better than anything I've had in a while and makes me tempted to join you, I would prefer if you stick around and explain to me what happened yesterday." Melanie said, moving to close the door.
"Fine." Milita huffed, knowing how stubborn her sister can be at times. Moving over to the bed, she sat down before motioning for her sister to sit in the chair across from her, which she did. "So, what would you like to know?"
"Everything, from why you made up that excuse, why you met those three people, what you were doing in the park, and how you brought out those monsters."
"Fine." Militia said, rolling her eyes. "I had that excuse ready a while ago. And it was the only way that would get Junior to let me off work early."
"So you have a list of excuses?" Melanie asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes. But I only used it once, and that was yesterday."
"Who were those others you met in the park?"
"The girl was Arslan Altan. She's from Mistral. The guy with the fedora is Flynt Coal, and he's from Atlas."
"And the blonde guy that looked like a twig?"
"Kinda harsh. But his name is Jaune Arc."
"And the reason why you met them?"
"That is a bit of an answer that coincides with how we brought out those 'monsters' that you saw."
"We got time."
"Fine. First, we met in the park to duel against each other in the card game called Yu-Gi-Oh."
"Is it popular?"
"Before the broadcast, yes."
"Continue."
"And the devices you saw are called Duel Disks. They are what brought the monsters to life and everything else you saw. But those are new models we were testing out."
"That would mean only you four had them. But it also means there are previous versions."
"Yes."
"Can anyone get them?"
"No. There is only a handful in existence because the creator could not find any company willing to mass-produce them. And those are tournament exclusives. Meaning, you have to win a tournament to get one, which is not easy in the slightest, especially today's meta."
"I can imagine."
"Is that it?"
"As in questions, no."
"What are they then?"
"Why haven't you told me that you played this game? Why did you keep it a secret?"
"I didn't." Militia said, confusing her sister. "I told you that I played the game multiple times. You just never listened."
"Oh. Sorry." Melanie said, now remembering a few times her sister told her about the game.
"What else?"
"Is there anything similar to the Duel Disks that make the holograms?"
"Yes. They're hologram templates. They are about the size of those game mats we saw in that store we saw a while back."
"You remember those game mats we saw in that store a while back?"
"You mean the ones with those weird, white lines on them?"
"Yes."
"Oh, so they're not that big."
"Because they're meant to fit on desks/tables and let people play comfortably on the floor."
"Makes sense when you put it like that."
"Any other questions?"
"Can you teach me the game?"
"Are you sure, Melanie? The game is complicated. It has a massive barrier to entry, and you aren't the most patient one." Militia asked, remembering the times she struggled to understand some of the basic mechanics and nearly flipping the table when she moved on to the advanced rulings of Yu-Gi-Oh.
"I'm sure. Plus, we have all day since we don't have work, so it's a good way to pass the time. And it will be another way we can spend time with each other when there's nothing else to do."
"Alright. But pay attention because it will get confusing."
"Fine. Where should we start?"
"By picking a deck for you."
"What deck do you use, and how many are there?"
"I use a Bounzer deck." Miltia answered as she took out her deck and showed it to her sister. "And I get what you mean when you said decks. But it's called archetypes, and decks are what you make. There are over two hundred archetypes."
"Do you of any that might fit me?"
"There are two that come to mind, but I'm not sure if they would fit you that well."
"What are they?"
"Traptrix and Prank-kids."
"What do you think I should pick?"
"Not sure. It's up to you. But before you decide, let's go over the rules." Militia answered.
"Alright. Where should we start?"
"Let's begin with types." Militia answered as she began showing her sisters the basics of Yu-Gi-Oh.
Across Town
With Arslan
"Okay, guys. I think we can call it for today. Good work." Arslan said as she and her team finished their morning training.
"Thanks." Bolin said as he wiped the sweat off his face with a towel.
"Well, we're off now." Nadir said.
"Where are you two going?" Arslan asked, curious.
"We're heading into town. Since we don't have anything else today, we might as well enjoy our time here." Bolin answered.
"Alright. Be careful, though, and remember some of the laws here are different than in Mistral." Arslan reminded. But she was also internally thankful that Bolin and Nadir quickly forgave her for not being there for their match.
"Right. See you later." Nadir said as they left. And as they did, Arslan sighed in relief that they didn't see the news report of her duel with Jaune, Flynt, and Militia. However, that left her with the last member of her team. And Arslan was not looking forward to this. And the glare Reese was sending her way all but confirmed it.
"So." Arslan said, unsure of what to say.
"So." Reese said, glaring at her leader.
"Sorry." Arslan said. "For yesterday."
"You know you could have given us a call to give us a heads up that you weren't going to make it in time for our match."
"I know."
"And you could have called us to help you escape your fans and the news reporters."
"I know, Reese. I'm sorry. I should have kept track of the time and given you a heads-up when it was getting late."
"Either way. I'm still glad you're okay. I was worried since I had seen what crowds of people could do. And from the rumors I heard a while back, I'm relieved that Lisa decided to go somewhere else and not chase after you and the others. It would not have ended well."
"Thanks, Reese." Arslan said, smiling.
"Hey, that's what teammates are for. We have to look out for each other. And besides, you're not just my leader; you're my friend." Reese said as she pulled Arslan into a hug.
"Thanks, Reese. You're the best friend I could have asked for." Arslan said as they separated.
"But you still owe me for scaring me."
"I figured." Arslan said, smiling while rolling her eyes. "What do you want?"
"If it's alright with you, think you can teach me how to play the card game you were playing yesterday?"
"You mean Yu-Gi-Oh?"
"Yeah, that."
"Sure. But I have to warn you, it can get confusing at times and will take some practice for you to get the hang of it."
"Come on, Arslan. You know I love a challenge, regardless of what it is."
"True."
"Also, after you finish teaching me the rules, do you think we can duel each other?"
"Yes, but you would need a deck, and I don't have any others on me."
"Actually, I already have one." Reese said, pulling a deck from her hoodie's pockets and showing it to Arslan.
"How do you have a U.A. deck?"
"Ater seeing the news report, I went out to try and find you. And while I was out, I met this blue-haired guy, and after a quick conversation, he gave me this deck."
"That's it?"
"That's it."
"Did he say anything else?"
"Well, he did say to take special care of it. But he didn't say why."
'Huh. Whoever this blue-haired guy is, he knows about Duel Spirits. Either way, I should find him and thank him for giving Reese a deck that surprisingly fits her.' Arslan thought. "Well, either way. That saves us the trouble of finding a deck for you since I think the U.A. archetype fits you perfectly."
"Really? Why?"
"Well, I know you love sports, especially skating on your board. And the U.A. archetype is all about extreme sports, hence the name Ultimate Athlete."
"Neat. So, can you teach me?"
"Sure. But let's head back to our room first." Arslan answered. Nodding, both returned to their shared room.
Kame Game Shop
With Jaune
"Okay. It took a while, but I found the best deck for you, Doctor Oobleck." Jaune said.
"And what is it called, Mr. Arc?" Doctor Oobleck asked, curious.
"It's the Ancient Gear deck. It's comprised of monsters resembling armored robots of varying designs, with their bodies featuring unions of cogwheels and gears. And, as the name suggests, they are very old. However, while it is only speculation, it is theorized that the spirits of ancient warriors inhabit these machines. I figured they would be a good fit since you know how to lead and have great battle tactics but also because of your love for history."
"I see. Thank you, Mr. Arc. I will take this deck."
"Alright. 'Jade' will help you out with your purchase. And whenever you're free, I can help you with some of the rulings and mechanics of Yu-Gi-Oh."
"Very well. I will see you back at Beacon, Mr. Arc. Have a nice day." Doctor Oobleck said before turning around and heading to the counter.
'Now I just need to find a deck for Port.' Jaune thought before turning around to help his other professor. "Do any of the decks stand out to you, Ms. Goodwitch?"
"Some, like these wizards." Glynda answered, pointing to the Windwitch deck. "But for some reason, I feel like they might not be a good fit. I know that sounds ridiculous, but that's how I feel about them."
"No, that's understandable. And it makes sense since they might not fit your playstyle or who you are. But I think I know the perfect deck for you."
"What is it?"
"It's the Spellbook of Prophecy deck. It's all about spell cards called Spellbooks that support their monsters, called Prophecy monsters. And the Prophecy monsters have effects that support each other and revolve around Spellbook spell cards. Their playstyle is a little tricky since you have to keep track of a few things, but they are pretty strong and not as confusing as other decks."
"Hmm. They do seem interesting. And some of their artworks remind me of when I was training with my semblance and fighting skills."
"Really?" Jaune asked, surprised.
"Something not many know about me, and you will not tell anyone else, Mr. Arc, is that I trained using books from past huntsmen for a better part of my early years. Due to certain circumstances, I couldn't attend primary combat school. So I sought an alternative: books written by retired huntsmen. And their writings are where I gained most of my skills and learned to master my semblance. So, in a sense, this deck reminds me of myself. Plus, books do contain knowledge, and judging by the artwork, the monsters recognize that as well."
"Wow. I was not expecting that. But I will keep it a secret." Jaune said before clearing his throat. "Do you want to take that deck or keep looking?"
"I think I will take this deck."
"Alright. Do you want to see anything else, or is that it?"
"Does this store sell mats? And do they have cases to store the deck?"
"Yes, they do sell playmats and deck boxes."
"Do they have ones that have designs of my deck on them?"
"Yes. But those are custom, and the store does sell them, but they are a bit expensive. But I do know a site that also sells custom mats and deck boxes for a lower price. And they are having a sale now, so they are even cheaper."
"Can you send me the link when we return to Beacon?"
"Of course." Jaune answered. "Anything else?"
"One last thing. From the news report, I know those Duel Disks are only for tournament winners. Are there any other devices that do the same thing?"
"Yes. The hologram templates." Jaune answered, pointing to the display case.
"They seem a bit pricey. But I think I will still buy one." Glynda said after looking at the price tags. "And that will be it."
"Alright. Let me get Jade so she can get the key."
Five Minutes Later
"And here's your receipt." 'Jade' said as she handed Glynda her receipt.
"Thank you, and have a nice day." Glynda said as she grabbed the receipt before exiting the store with Jaune following. "Thanks for accompanying me, Mr. Arc."
"You're welcome, Ms. Goodwitch." Jaune said.
"If you don't mind me asking, are you in a relationship, or have you developed feelings for someone or some people yet?" Glynda asked, surprising Jaune.
"Ah, well, I'm not in a relationship yet. But... I did gain some feelings for a few people."
"Do they know, or do you know if they hold feelings for you?"
"No, they don't know. But I doubt they would have feelings for me." Jaune said, slightly upset.
"Do you know that for certain?"
"No."
"Then I suggest you talk to them. After all, there is no harm in asking; the worst they can say is no. And you might be surprised by their answers."
"You're right. When we return to Beacon, I'll ask them."
"Be sure that you do; otherwise, things might not end well." Glynda said, recalling how intensely Velvet and Pyrrha glared at each other.
Meanwhile
Beacon
Student Lounge
"Alright. You know how it goes, right?" Pyrrha asked as she activated her hologram template.
"Whoever wins this duel gets to ask Jaune out. And we can each use only two banned cards." Velvet answered as she shuffled her deck.
"And the other can't interrupt or sabotage in any way when the winner asks out Jaune."
"And if he doesn't realize we're asking him out on a date?"
"Then the loser gets their turn."
"Fair. Anyway, high roll?"
"Sure." Pyrrha answered as Velvet pressed the button that rolled a hologram die.
"Eight."
"Nine." Pyrrha said as she and Velvet drew their cards. "I'll let you go first."
"Alright. First, I'll activate Pot of Duality." Velvet said as she drew three cards and showed them to Pyrrha.
However, Pyrrha smirked while Velvet groaned when they saw that two of the three cards were Pot of Duality cards while the last one was Heavy Storm Duster. Sighing, Velvet returned the two Pot cards and shuffled her deck before adding the trap card to her hand.
"Okay. I set five and end my turn."
"My turn. I draw." Pyrrha said as she drew a card. "Hmm. I'll activate my field spell: Sogen."
"On activation, I activate my trap card: Heavy Storm Duster. Response?"
"No. Go ahead."
"I'll destroy two cards. And because they were Artifact monsters, I can special summon Artifact Caduceus and Artifact Achilleshield back to the field from the graveyard." Placing the cards on her side of the field, the template generated a hologram of a caduceus and a shield. And a second later, an orange and purple figure appeared beside their respective weapons. "Since I special summoned during your turn, their effects activate. "You cannot target Artifact monsters for attacks, and each time I special summon an Artifact monster, I get to draw a card.
Grabbing his shield, Achilleshield slammed it into the 'floor,' causing a symbol of his shield to appear on himself and Caduceus. Caduceus closed his eyes before placing it on the ground and flipping a switch, causing the centerpiece to glow.
"Anything else?" Pyrrha asked.
"No. Continue."
"Okay. I will summon Heroic Challenger - Double Lance. And his effect lets me special summon one Heroic monster from my hand or graveyard to the field. I'll summon Heroic Challenger - Thousand Blades."
Placing the card on the template, the hologram of Double Lance appeared in the center column with two lances showing up in front of him. He grabbed one while twirling and slamming the other into the spot next to him. A second later, Thousand Blades appeared and grabbed the spear.
"Now I will activate Thousand Blades's effect. By discarding Heroic Challenger - Ambush, I can special summon Heroic Challenger - Assault Halberd from my deck. And because I have more than two warrior-type monsters on my side of the field, I can special summon Heroic Challenger - Morning Star from my hand."
Grabbing one of the blades off his back, Thousand Blades raised it to the sky before throwing it at the spot next to him as Assault Halberd appeared. Then each of the Heroic Challenger monsters looked toward the last remaining free spot, waiting for their last comrade to arrive. But unlike how they appeared, Morning Star fell from the sky.
"And on summon, I activate Artifact Sanctum, which lets me special summon one Artifact monster from my deck. I'll summon Artifact Scythe, and because I special summoned an Artifact during your turn, Caduceus's effect lets me draw one card." Velvet said as she drew a card while Scythe appeared on the field. But it then quickly flew to Pyrrha's extra deck and attacked it twice, with chains appearing to wrap around it a second later.
"Heroic Challenger - Morning Star's effect still activates, letting me add one Heroic spell/trap card from my deck to my hand. I'll add Heroic Advance." Pyrrha said, adding the card to her hand.
"Oh, I'm not done. I'll activate my spell card: Artifacts Unleashed. This card lets me to XYZ summon on your turn using two Artifact monsters I control. I XYZ summon Artifact Durendal." Grabbing Achilleshield and Scythe, Velvet placed them on each other before placing Durendal on top. The template then created a hologram of a blue and red figure holding a massive sword. "And because I special summoned another Artifact monster during your turn, I can draw another card."
"Since I can't do anything else, I set two cards and end my turn." Pyrrha said as she set two cards.
"My turn. I draw. Alright, not the best hand but here goes. I set one card, and because I don't trust your set cards, I activate Mystical Space Typhoon to get rid of the one behind Morning Star." From the card, a typhoon emerged and struck Pyrrha's face-down card.
"I'll chain it by activating it. It's Impenetrable Attack. And I choose to use the effect that lets me not take any battle damage this turn." Pyrrha said, activating her card.
"We can't have that. I activate my Artifact Durendal's effect. Now it becomes: destroy one of my spell and trap cards." Velvet said, removing an overlay unit from her XYZ monster.
"Great. So I chose the only one you have."
"And it's Artifact Aegis. And because of her, my monsters can't be destroyed by card effects, and you can't target them with card effects either." Velvet said as a shield appeared with Aegis next to it. "And Caduceus lets me draw a card."
"Damn it." Pyrrha muttered. But internally, she was happy as Velvet took the bait.
"Now I will link summon using Artifact Caduceus and Artifact Aegis to summon Artifact Dagda. But to use its effect, I need another effect to go off. So I'll activate Forbidden Chalice on my Durendal. It does negate its effect, but I already used it." Once Velvet activated the card, a chalice appeared in Dagda's figure's hand, with it drinking from it a second later. "Now Dagda lets me set one Artifact monster from my deck to my field. I'll choose Artifact Mjollnir. I set one card and enter the battle phase. My Dagda will attack your Thousand Blades."
"Did you really forget about my other trap card, Velvet? I activate Heroic Advance." Pyrrha said, activating her trap card.
"Damn it. How could I have forgotten about that card." Velvet growled. "So what are you targeting?"
"I'll target my Heroic Challenger - Assault Halberd. And now, because of Sogen, it has 4000 attack points. So you take 1,200 points of damage."
"Not too bad. And I keep my monster." Velvet said as she changed her life points to 6,800.
"And because Halberd dealt damage, I can add one Heroic card from my deck to hand. I'll take Heroic Challenger - Extra Sword."
"Okay. Your Thousand Blades is at 1500 attack, and so is my Artifact Dagda. So I'll end my turn."
"My turn. I draw. I will now XYZ summon using Assault Halberd and Heroic Challenger - Double Lance to bring out Heroic Champion - Claivesolish. And then, I will use Heroic Challenger - Morning Star and Heroic Challenger - Thousand Blades to summon Heroic Champion - Excalibur." Nodding toward each other, the Heroic monsters grabbed their weapons and clashed them against each other before merging into the XYZ monsters.
"Oh. This won't be good." Velvet said.
"Now I will summon Heroic Challenger - Night Watchman and move to the battle phase. My Heroic Champion Claivesolish will attack your Artifact Durendal for 300 points of damage." Taking his sword out of the ground, Claivesolish lunged and swiped at Artifact Durendal, destroying it.
"He's gone." Velvet muttered.
"Excalibur will attack your Artifact Dagda for 700 points of damage."
"That's me at 5800."
"And Night Watchman will attack for 1400."
"4000. My turn?"
"Yes. I end my turn."
"I draw. Damn it. I set one card and end my turn." Velvet said, setting one card.
"My turn. I draw. First, I'll summon Heroic Challenger - Knuckle Sword. Since I don't trust your back row, I won't activate Excalibur's effect. So I'll move to the battle phase. Excalibur will attack directly for 2200 points of damage." Pyrrha said, with Excalibur attacking directly.
"At 1800 now."
"Soon to be zero. Night Watchmen will attack for 1400 points of damage."
"400."
"Hmm. You haven't activated anything yet. Better safe than sorry; I'll attack with Knuckle Sword next."
"I activate Double Cyclone, destroying your field spell card and one of my spell/trap cards."
"Not like it will make a difference. What's your set card anyway?" Pyrrha asked.
"It's Artifact Mjollnir, and he shares the universal Artifact effect of returning to the field. But his unique effect lets me special summon one Artifact from my graveyard to my field. I'll summon Artifact Aegis." Velvet said as her monsters returned to the field. But had they been paying attention, Pyrrha and Velvet would have noticed that their monsters seemed exasperated for some reason.
"Since new monsters are on the field, I will have to redeclare my attack target. I'll attack your Artifact Mjollnir with my Heroic Champion Claivesolish."
"I'll activate my trap card: Last Turn." Velvet hastily said.
"LAST TURN!?" Pyrrha asked, shocked.
"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me." Velvet declared. "Now, choose your monster from my deck. I choose my Artifact Aegis."
"I'll choose my Heroic Challenger - War Hammer. And since Last Turn forces me to attack, I'll have my War Hammer attack your Aegis." Lifting her hammer, Heroic Challenger - War Hammer lunged at Artifact Aegis. But Aegis stood firm and withstood the attack. However, because of this, the end result of the duel was a draw.
"Great. It's a tie." Velvet and Pyrrha said as they shut off their templates.
"So, what now?" Velvet asked.
"We said whoever wins gets to ask out Jaune first, with the loser going after. But our duel ended in a tie." Pyrrha answered with a sigh. "Maybe we can find another way to settle this until Jaune gets back."
"Where is he?" Velvet asked, curious.
"He went into town with Oobleck and Goodwitch to pick out decks for them."
"I'm still surprised they want to learn Yu-Gi-Oh."
"Yeah. I was surprised too."
"What time do you think Jaune will get back?"
"Not sure. But I think he will arrive..." Pyrrha began but stopped herself when they heard the door open, with Jaune stepping into the room a moment later. "Right now."
"Hey, guys. What's going on?" Jaune asked, unaware of the glare Pyrrha and Velvet sent each other. But when he didn't get a response, he slowly grew uneasy."Pyrrha? Velvet? Everything alright?"
"Well. Whoever won got the first chance, and the loser went after. But it ended in a tie." Velvet said.
"So we both do it at the same time." Pyrrha continued.
"And we'll let Jaune decide." They simultaneously said before getting up and moving to Jaune, who became unnerved with each step.
"What will Jaune decide?" Jaune asked, swallowing a lump in his throat.
"Jaune. Honestly. Tell us what you think about us." Pyrrha said.
"Yes, Jaune. Tell us what you think about us." Velvet said.
"Um. Well. You two are both beautiful and gorgeous. Not to mention you're both badass and skilled huntress-in-training that can take out nearly anyone in this school. Not only that, you two are great teammates and even better friends. I'm glad to have and know the both of you." Jaune answered, causing both Pyrrha and Velvet to blush. "Why do you ask?"
"Before we answer that, we need to ask, do you have a girlfriend, Jaune?" Pyrrha asked.
"Uh, no."
"So, your single?" Velvet asked.
"Yes. I'm single. Why?"
"Well. You see, Jaune. Velvet and I have been competing for a while, but it always ended in a draw. So we want you to settle this." Pyrrha answered.
"Settle what?"
"Well, Jaune. I'll put it bluntly since you've been oblivious to all the other hints we've dropped. We are in love with you. And we want you to decide. Will you go out with me on a date?" Velvet asked.
"Or will you take me out on a date?" Pyrrha asked.
"Uh. Ah. Um." Jaune stuttered.
"So, Jaune. What will it be?" Pyrrha and Velvet asked, moving closer to him, where he could now smell their perfume. But he didn't. Right now, his mind was in overdrive as this situation was something he had never thought would happen. Much less with the two girls he had feelings for. So, naturally, Jaune did the one thing one might expect from being in a situation like this.
He fainted.
"JAUNE!" Pyrrha and Velvet shouted, worried when Jaune fell to the floor on his back.
"Is he okay?" Velvet asked as Pyrrha checked his pulse.
"He's fine. Just unconscious." Pyrrha answered with a sigh.
"What now?"
"There's not much we can do. Let's just get Jaune to the couch."
"Alright."
"Get the legs. I'll grab his arms."
"Why do I get the legs?"
"Because only I'm qualified to do it."
"Yeah, right. Just because you are his team partner doesn't mean you know everything about him."
"You're just jealous that-" Pyrrha began, ready to stand her ground but stopped when they heard two unfamiliar voices.
"Will you two please stop arguing!? It's getting annoying." The voices said. Turning to where they came from, Pyrrha and Velvet became surprised when they saw two strange figures. One was a tall figure clad in white armor and was holding two spears. The other was a yellow lady wielding a giant shield.
"Uh, who are you two?" Velvet asked, worried.
"And how did you get in here without anyone knowing?" Pyrrha asked as she and Velvet moved to stand in front of Jaunee.
"Don't you recognize us?" The one holding the shield asked with a chuckle.
"Both of you seem familiar, but I can't quite make out why or where we saw you before." Velvet answered.
"Yeah. Where have we seen you... wait. You look like my Heroic Challenger - Double Lance." Pyrrha said, surprised.
"And you look like my Artifact Aegis." Velvet said, wondering if she had taken something that was messing with her mind.
"That's correct. We're your monsters." Double Lance said with Aegis nodding. "We're Duel Spirits."
"How's that possible?" Pyrrha asked.
"And how do we know you're not just some people wearing costumes?" Velvet asked. Instead of answering, Aegis and Double Lance nodded before the other monsters from their respective decks appeared in the room.
"Now, do you believe us?" Aegis asked, chuckling at her deck master's expression.
"Or do you require more proof?" Double Lance asked. But he groaned when Pyrrha and Velvet both fainted. "I should have seen that coming."
"Honestly, it was obvious. Either way, we should put them on the couch and wait for them to wake up." Aegis said before perking up when they heard a soft growl.
"It seems like the other families are getting ready to introduce themselves to their deck masters." Double Lance said.
"This is going to be fun."
"You say fun; I say chaotic. Come on, help me out. Let's get our deck masters comfy on the couch and prepare to explain everything."
"Alright." Aegis said, placing her shield on the side of the couch before moving to help Double Lance.
Notes:
IrishKatana: I think Tenyi might fit a pre-fall of Beacon Yang because Tenyi are martial artists, the dragons are Eastern styled, and the big boss is a big yellow dragon/ a big berserker dragon, which fits Yang. Swordsoul and a Swordsoul/Tenyi hybrid deck; I'm not too sure.
IrishKatana & masters123lfm: I honestly did not know about Team SLVR until I saw your reviews. And aren't they a fan-made team and not an official one? But if you two want, I can add them. But the only deck I think that might fit them is a Sun and Moon deck that has Sun Dragon Inti and Moon Dragon Quilla, but that's a stretch. If you can think of a deck that might fit them, I'll use it. And yes, I can have them duel against Team Rwby. But how should it go? 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, or 4v4?
The next chapter will have the Duel Spirits finally reveal themselves.