Hey all! Finally, finally making an update on one of my stories! I'm so sorry it's been so long since my last update on anything; life's been getting in my way more than usual, especially my day job. I swear I haven't given up my writing!
Anyway, I can't make any promises that this mojo will be transferred to every other fanfic currently active, but I'll keep trying as long as interests are high and I'm not too mentally exhausted.
So, quick mention before we keep going, there will be a card of my own creation hiding somewhere in this chapter. Won't give too much away, but I'll give you a hint: it's name relates to the infamous phoenix ;)
Now then, onward with the story!
The World Duel Carnival Finals has finally begun, an event many souls of all backgrounds have been anticipating for days.
...However, one of our duelists, Athena Fujina, is already feeling the more abrasive push from this half of the tournament, thanks to the Triad of Terror's sudden appearance. As we'll recall, the threesome of professional duelists ambushed her as part of a plan to quickly acquire payment from their hire, trapping her on one track by surrounding her with a coaster cart and monster each.
Trrh, not even ten minutes into the finals, and I'm already getting pinned down!
...They're clearly not gonna let up, so I got no choice but to fight.
(Crash, screeeeee)
"Guh-h!"
The girl with ember red irises is shaken out of her thoughts thanks to Coyote and Jackal thrashing their carts against hers before the latter zips forward. He changes lanes so he's in front of Athena, while the shortest member of this triad rams her cart from behind. Barely stopping themselves from launching against the dashboard, Athena and Astral turn to glare at Coyote.
"Oi, jackass! These are dueling carts, not bumper cars!"
"I have a feeling these aggressive tactics will not cease. We must defeat them quickly."
"Right, and I know a good monster to start with...But first, I'm gonna take a chance to increase my arsenal."
Focusing back front again, the girl with braided black hair grabs hold of one of the cards in her hand.
"I activate the Spell, Cup of Ace!"
A golden goblet appears a couple feet in front of the quartet of duelists, at the same time a golden coin drops out of the sky to land in Athena's hand.
"Now I flip a coin, and it flips the cup. If it lands right-side up, I get to draw two more cards. But, if it lands upside-down, (glance) then Jackal gets to draw two more cards since he's in my lane...Here, goes!"
The coin is tossed, which in turn activates the flipping mechanism for the goblet, sending it flying upwards on a frontward spin...
And just as quickly as it's launched, the object comes barreling down to land mid-air, in the right-side position! Athena grins at the small victory:
"Ha! I knew it wouldn't fail!"
She draws another pair of cards from her deck, and gives them a once over as she adds them with the other five cards of her starting hand.
Hm, Master of the Flaming Dragonswords, and Sakuretsu Armor. Put them together with the rest of my hand...
I got it!
"You jerks are gonna regret messing with me!...I summon, Fencing Fire Ferret!"
Bouncing out of a glowing white space midair in a spiral of fire is a Level Four monster resembling a cream-coloured ferret, with orange-red markings around their eyes, paws and lower black representing flames. Their tail resembles a mix of blade and bone, and more fire dances around their body. Their Attack Points are a strong 1700, contrasting their weaker 600 Defense Points...
"Alright, Ferret: attack Magnet Saucer with Fencing Fury!"
Athena's monster charges forward, dodging a few defensive blasts from the UFO before front-flipping to deliver a downward slice with their tail! Jackal's monster is destroyed, and his Life Points roll down to 3700...However, rather than being upset over the loss, he's smirking.
Perfect...
The girl responsible for the attack doesn't notice at first, instead congratulating herself on her second minor win.
"Ha! How'd you like that, loser?...Next I'll place one card face-down. Your move, if you dare."
"Athena, your confidence may be premature. Look at the remaining monsters."
"Huh?"
She does as Astral advises, and widens her eyes as she watches the remaining Magnet Saucer's Attack Points climb to 1800, and Magnet Eagle Delta's to 1600!
"What?! But how-...Oh, wait, don't tell me: these monsters have a special ability, don't they?"
Wolfsbane nods with a grin,
"Clever girl. Allow me to break it down: if any of our Magnet Monsters are destroyed, each of the remaining Magnet Monsters gain 400 Attack Points. Pretty cunning, don't you think?"
"...Tch, if by cunning, you mean annoying, then sure."
A menacing snicker escapes Coyote as he switches lanes, taking Jackal's place in front of Athena so he can have a turn at attacking.
"Maybe a little demonstration will change your tone. Magnet Saucer, attack her Fencing Fire Ferret!"
The former's monster heeds the call, spinning fast with electrical currents buzzing over its body as it barrels for a collision course with the latter's creature, destroying it almost instantly as the girl's Life Points roll down to 2900...
"You wanna talk demonstrations? I'll give you one better!"
Suddenly, the pixels that were once the Level Four monster combust into mini embers...
"Since you destroyed my Ferret, their special ability activates, allowing me to target and destroy your Magnet Saucer. (Smirk) On top of that, you take 500 Points of Damage."
The little wisps of fire swarm against the target of choice, burning it until it explodes in a blaze of fire and pixels. Coyote can only flinch back from the impact as his Life Points sink to 3500.
"Gaa-hh! Why you...!...Hmph. (Sneer) Pretty clever, kid, but not clever enough. Right, boss?"
Wolfsbane grins and retorts to the young teenager in his sights,
"Rightly so, for that move will only benefit Eagle Delta in the long haul!"
In which case, due to the effect of Magnet Monsters, his own monster's attack power increases to 2000. The leader of the Triad of Terror wastes no time in shifting gears to get into proper position, before sending his monster in for a devastating blow.
"Now, Magnet Eagle Delta: attack Athena directly!"
The mechanical bird charges up a fiery blast, and lunges downward...
"Knew you were gonna do that!"
"Huh?!"
Athena's smirk grows slightly as she flips over her face-down.
"I activate the trap, Sakuretsu Armor!"
A ring of energy billows outward from behind her cart like water disturbed by a tossed stone, before a figure dressed in silvery scaled armor rises to the field. Magnet Eagle Delta releases a beam of fire, but their attack is swatted aside by the mysterious trap card warrior like a fly on a wall!
"What?! No way!"
"You just sealed your monster's fate. The second you declared an attack, my trap activated, and now I can target your Eagle for a one-way ticket to the scrap shop!"
Catching onto the indirect order, the Sakuretsu Armor warrior lunges forward, seizing the Magnet Monster before lifting them into a fireman's carry. The silver figure then launches into the air, before diving downward to slam the mechanical bird headfirst into the invisible ground! They explode into several thousand pieces which quickly fizz out in a fluster of pixels, while the warrior merely gets up and bows before fading out with the trap card they came from...
"B-Bu-No! But that's impossi-How could you-?!"
While Wolfsbane is left sputtering, the silent spectator of this three-on-one battle a few tracks above found himself silent no longer as he giggles in delight over what he sees.
"Oh my, you're truly something else, Athena! I can practically feel the determination seeping from your very pores!...But I need to see more. I wanna see everything you can do, my dear girl."
And to another extent, everything your little partner Astral can do...
Vetrix wouldn't be the only one enjoying this match, for back in the arena our grand array of duelists started from, Heartland voices his own commentary to the adoring audience.
"If you're just joining us, duel fans, you won't wanna miss another second of the action! It's Athena Fujina taking on the triple thread offensive of the Triad of Terror! Such a brave girl! Unflinching and taking on all three members without giving an inch! Will this plucky young lady's luck hold out, or will Wolfsbane and company pull the rug out from under her? There's only one way to find out: keep it right here, duel fans! Do, not, miss, this, duel!"
In the arena's sea of spectators, Athena and Astral's friends smile proudly as they watch the former easily put the breaks on the Triad's plans.
"Thadda girl, Addy!"
"You got this!"
"In the end, they have no idea who they're messing with!"
"Show 'em what for!"
Returning to the duel now, Astral takes a minute to compliment the girl of topic's latest maneuver.
"That was an impressive counter. It seems you are indeed keeping your promise to not hold back your true skills as a duelist."
"Thanks. I'm just glad that trap came to me when it did, or we might've taken some serious damage...Besides, (small frown) with everything going on, I can't afford to hold even a little of my skills back, otherwise we won't be getting far in this tourney."
"Too true, (glance) especially with rogues like these three who will not hesitate to deliver some heavy-duty damage."
Speaking of said rogues, Wolfsbane finally comes back to earth and is now balling his free fist while grinding his teeth in irritation.
"Grrrh, damn it! This girl's not screwing around."
I suppose this is what I get for assuming she'd be an easy win...
"Jackal, Coyote! Let's show this little brat what happens when she plays with the big boys!"
"You got it!"
"Right, boss!"
Jackal makes the first move, followed by the shortest member of this tricky triad.
"Do yur thing, Magnet Ape Epsilon!"
"You too, Magnet Crocodile Zeta!"
The monsters they summon are each Level Four, sporting the appearances of a bright yellow/metal grey mechanical ape and a forest green/lime green robotic crocodile. Both are close in matching eachother's strengths, but the former is shown to be stronger with 1700 Attack Points, while the former has 1600...
"And here we add another Magnet Eagle Delta to complete the trio!"
Said monster soars onto the battlefield near Wolfsbane, making Athena groan under her breath,
"Greeeat, just what I need: more literal magnets for trouble."
Astral advises,
"Remember to choose your battles wisely, Athena. If one magnet monster is destroyed, the remaining monsters will grow stronger."
"Right, right...Okay. Let's try, this!"
She grabs onto one card near the right side, and lightly slaps it onto the summoning section of her field.
"I summon Dark Blade in Attack Mode!"
Said monster pounces outward from the hex circle, landing in a crouch before straightening up with a predatory gleam in their eyes and growl. They appear to be a warrior dressed in onyx armor covered with sharp blades protruding from the shoulders, wrists and ankles, a blood red cape matching their glowing eyes, and a pair of swords with jagged blades. They're Level Four, clocking in with 1800 Attack Points...
"Next I activate the Equip Spell, Lightning Blade!"
Dark Blade's weapons fade away, and are replaced by a single sword with a dark golden hilt and a blade sparking with electricity...
"This card allows me to increase my monster of choice's Attack Points by 800, so Dark Blade's standing strong at 2600. (Light smirk) Of course, that's not the only power this equip spell has..."
Suddenly, Magnet Crocodile Zeta's battle strength decreases to 1100, much to the pinkette's dismay.
"Huh? Hey, what gives?!"
"What 'gives' is that your croc is a Water-Attribute, and due to my Lightning Blade, all Water monsters on the field lose 500 Attack Points...Dark Blade!"
The dark-clad warrior swipes the electrically-charged sword horizontally before positioning at the ready.
"Take out that walking handbag!"
They heed the call, shooting forward with near-inhuman speed to slice the mecha crocodile into bite-sized pieces, which fizzle out of view around the same time Coyote's Life Points drop to 2000. With his monster gone, the two remaining magnet monsters belonging to Jackal and Wolfsbane gain 400 Attack Points each, putting them at 1600 and 2100 respectively...
However, they and their third party member are a little too stunned to notice.
"Cuuuh...!"
"Wha...?!"
"You gotta be kidding me...!"
"...So, this is the part where, I have to ask: how'd you three get your reputation in the tourney-sphere again?"
Athena glances at each of her opponents with an almost bored expression, but with a twinkle of mirth in her eyes.
"Triad of Terror, huh? Tch, more like 'Triad of Tedious'."
Sighing, she turns to face in front of herself again as Coyote switches to the right lane, allowing Jackal to take his place in front of her while Wolfsbane remains behind the girl's cart. She then adds in a half-disappointed matter,
"Seriously, I have friends who put up a more interesting challenge than you guys, and most of 'em aren't even tourney-ranked, at least not yet. What's your excuse?"
Panning briefly to the audience, said group of people that Athena holds dear to her heart are both touched by the subtle compliment, and very amused by her banter.
"He-ha, zing!"
"Oh Addy...!"
"She's got a point, though."
"Even my Flip-Effect Monsters wouldn't have a hard time!"
"Guess these jerks have gotten rusty since that tourney you were in, huh, Calli?"
"Hee-yeah, no kidding!"
In contrast, the leader of the trio under verbal fire is feeling anything but amused, growling as his rage climbs to a higher branch.
"Grrh! You dare mock us?!...Jackal! I'm giving you a power boost! Don't let me down!"
"You got it, boss!"
They simultaneously slow down and speed up their coasters respectively so there's barely a couple feet between them and Athena's cart, before Wolfsbane puts the plan into action.
"Magnet Eagle Delta, engage Dark Blade!"
Said monster swoops downward in a dive towards the opposing figure, but would easily be cut right down the middle upon impact thanks to the latter's superior reaction time. The former explodes into a cluster of pixels, and Wolfsbane's Life Points drop to 3000...
"My bird's kamikaze move won't be in vain, of course!"
He finishes while shifting into the left lane,
"For now Ape Epsilon's power increases to 2500!"
Though the increase of power is a little worrisome, it doesn't stop the girl from pointing out,
"My warrior's still stronger!"
"Not for long they ain't!"
Jackal plucks one card from his hand with a grin:
"I activate Machine Conversion Factory from my hand!"
The Spell materializes onto the field for a brief time, showcasing a backdrop of a few power hooks hanging from a ceiling comprised of dozens of pipes in a dark room...
"I can equip this to any of my Machine-types, and that monster's Attack and Defense increases by 300, so now Ape Epsilon's even stronger!"
To be precise, the mechanical ape now has 2800 Attack Points, 200 more compared to Dark Blade...
"Hoh crap...!"
"Heh, this might not add up to much as far as Life Points go, but without Dark Blade, you'll be toast in no time flat. Go, Magnet Ape Epsilon!"
Said Machine-type charges forward much like a true alpha gorilla might against a weaker challenger.
"Send that knight packing!"
Astral's POV
This is not good...!
(...Woo-wooooooooooo)
"Huh?"
"What the-?"
Just when it looks like Athena and I were about to lose our strong warrior type, a familiar locomotive with the power of a rocket engine suddenly barrels down to cut off Magnet Ape Epsilon's path!
"Uh-h!"
"Is that, Rocket Arrow...?!"
"...IIIIncomiiing!"
Athena barely pulls the brake in time to slow us down, narrowly avoiding crashing into a new duel coaster that speeds in front of us through a connecting lane! They are now in front of us and behind Jackal...
Who in the world would be so reckless as to-?!
I get my answer as soon as they turn around and pull down the hood of the cloak they were wearing.
"Gh! Anna!?"
"Heya, Addy~! Been a while, hasn't it?"
I stop myself from letting out an exasperated sigh, but do allow a small frown to form thanks to a sliver of jealousy left over from the last encounter we had with this girl. I know logically, there is no reason for me to feel this way, especially since Athena does not interact with Anna nearly as much as she does her main group of friends...But even so, there is something about the latter's boisterous personality that continues to, 'rub me the wrong way' as it were.
Of course it had to be Anna...
"Uhm, not that I don't appreciate the sudden help, but I thought you weren't in this tourney. What gives?"
"I'll explain after we win this duel, 'kay, hun?...Alright! Go, Rocket Arrow! Ram down Ape Epsilon!"
Due to the large difference of power, Anna's monster easily triumphs over Jackal's, destroying them and decreasing his Life Points until they stop at 1500...Of course, due to the costly conditions of Rocket Arrow, they self-destruct almost instantly, much to Athena's dismay.
"Gah! But how'd-...Oh, wait. (Annoyed glare) Somebody forgot about her monster's baggage, didn't they?"
Anna had the decency to look embarrassed, but retorts all the same,
"Oi, cut me some slack! It was spur of the moment to keep your tush in the Carnival!"
"Nevermind my tush, toots; focus some strategy into your plays!"
"I am, smarty!"
Had this been a much less dangerous situation, I would be a little amused by the back and forth between the two girls...However...
"Heh, if you girls are done gabbin', let's get back to the fight!"
Drawing a new card, Coyote then shifts lanes so he's in front of Anna, before choosing one from his far right to activate.
"I activate the Spell, Magnet Reborn!...By paying 500 Life Points, I can summon Crocodile Zeta back to the field from my Graveyard."
So as soon as his Life Points drop to 1500, his monster would rise from the entrance of the Duel Monster Graveyard to grace the world with their presence once again...
"Put the bite on 'em, Crocodile Zeta!"
Athena calls Anna's name in warning, and she in turn barely switches lanes in time to avoid the attack. This move would put her vulnerable to Wolfsbane, who wastes no time in threatening her being.
"We'll put you through the ringer if that's what you want, girl!"
"Gyh...!"
"Stay focused, Anna."
She turns to meet eyes with Athena, who adds,
"If you look, you'll see you made the right call ducking for the next lane over. You're passing into a Draw Zone."
"Oh! (Nods) I'm on it!"
Anna quickly gains a card for her hand, and wastes no time in activating it.
"I'm summoning Lionhearted Locomotive in Attack Mode!"
The monster in question is a Level Four with 2400 Attack Points, with an appearance akin to a more normal locomotive vehicle. Some duelists would be intimidated by such strength, but this unfortunately does not include the Triad of Terror's Wolfsbane and Jackal.
"Your choo-choo train doesn't scare me, especially since I'm activating Magnet Reverse from my hand!"
"And so am I, which means we can each special-summon one Machine or Rock-type monster that's been banished or sent to our Graveyards!"
In which case, both Magnet Ape Epsilon and Magnet Eagle Delta would rise back into play...
"But they won't be here for long. Next, I activate the spell, Magnet Fusion!"
A vortex of wind swirls onto the battlefield, causing Athena and I to flinch behind the glass visor again while we watch the three magnet monsters disappear.
Oh no...!
"I tribute Magnet Eagle Delta, Ape Epsilon, and Crocodile Zeta, to summon Electromagnetic Magnedragon!"
This Level Eight monster is certainly a strong one, with 3500 Attack Points waiting to be used to decimate their opponents. The overall basic structure shares a few similarities with Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon, but with features that somewhat remind me of Number 34: Terror-Byte.
Quite an, odd manifestation, but powerful nonetheless...
"We better go give Anna some backup."
Athena prepares to turn at the next available track connection...but our cart is blocked when Jackal comes speeding in front of us through another connection!
"Gh! You!"
"Be'chya missed me, eh, kid?"
"Hardly! Get outta my way, loser!"
"No chance! I got some payback comin' at ya a mile wide!...But first things first..."
He grabs a card from the far left:
"I need to sweeten my hand...I activate the spell, Pot of Greed!"
(...BAWOOOO-GA)
"Huh?!"
But the second Jackal calls out the name of the spell, something strange occurs: a loud horn sounds from his cart, and a big red X with the word 'Disqualified' overtop materializes in front of him.
What in the world...?
"D-Disqualified?! Bu' why-"
(P-chyooooooooo)
"Dyaaaaaaah!"
Jackal is quickly ejected from his cart, flying high into the air before the parachute function on his seat opens, leaving him to lament over his apparent blunder while his cart is redirected off the field...
"Gh! Jackal!"
"But how?! Why was he-?!"
The remaining members of this bothersome trio are cut off when Athena begins laughing, and quite loudly too.
"Cheyahahahaha, aw man! Talk about blunder of the century! I can't believe he actually tried to use that card!"
Anna found this unexpected scenario rather comical as well.
"Hehahaha, I know, right? You'd have to be a Grade-A dummy to even think about attempting a cheat like that!"
A cheat? Are they saying that the Pot of Greed is not a permitted card?
"What're you two brats taking about?"
Athena smoothly answers Wolfsbane's testily-toned question.
"I'm surprised you don't know considering you and your boys are tourney-active. The Pot of Greed is forbidden from official tournament play."
"Since when?!"
"Uuh, since forever ago? (Cheeky smile) Sounds like you need to do some homework on how the Ban List works, buddy."
"Dy-tch, shut up!"
My dueling partner merely chuckles under her breath at the humiliated anger in his response.
Meanwhile, I feel my curiousity spark over this so-called list, and decide to ask about it telepathically.
Do you mean to say that there is a list of Duel Monster cards that are not allowed to be used in tournaments?
Oh-hoh yeah, and since the Golden Age, it's been under countless revisions to the point of routine...You see, as the game continues to evolve, certain cards will eventually get called into question with regards to fairness in official tournament play. Most of them are monsters with crazy-high power and abilities that decimate every deck imaginable, like the infamous Exodia the Forbidden One...Or you have the kind of cards that open the doors to disproportionate advantages.
I think I understand. So Pot of Greed would be under the latter category since it allows a player to acquire more cards.
That's correct. Heh, though personally, I think that card in particular's become forbidden to save new amateurs from stupidity.
What do you mean?
Well think about it: if somebody were to load their deck with a bunch of copies of Pot of Greed, that might be good for the draw, but it doesn't leave alot of room for building a strong deck. That's why most experts stress 'balance is key'.
I see.
Heck, under the right circumstances, I'll bet some of the Numbers could get put on the Ban List. Obviously, that's not gonna happen now, but you see what I mean, right?
Hm, yes, I believe so. Number Seven with their infallible luck would certainly qualify...
Our conversation is cut off by the sound of someone striking their fist against a hard surface, and we turn to watch Wolfsbane further curse over the mistake his teammate made.
"Goddammit! Stupid tournament technicalities...No matter. Coyote and I are more than a match for you two. Coyote!"
"Right!...I summon, Magnet Jammer!"
Level Four with 1200 Attack Points, this monster has the appearance of a mechanical four-legged arachnid with a large electro-charged dome protruding from its thorax...
"I've been waiting for this! Magnedragon, attack Lionhearted Locomotive! Magne-Inferno!"
The dragon unleashes a beam of electrical energy, blasting a hole straight through the locomotive monster...
"When Magnedragon destroys a monster, you take damage equal to the destroyed monster's Attack Points!"
Anna lets out a cry as the impact of the electric stream barrels against her cart, her Life Points dropping to a low 600. As much as the girl still somewhat annoys me compared to other humans I have met or seen, it does make me feel bad that she took such a hard hit just to protect my partner. Speaking of Athena, she hisses a curse and prepares to redirect her cart once again.
"Dammit, you guys are really pissing me off! This ends now!"
Knowing that we are too far in to attempt a retreat, I decide to help her focus on an opponent we can better engage.
"I strongly recommend taking down Coyote first. Currently, we do not have the right field to fight Wolfsbane."
"Mh, right...Hey, Coyote!"
She steers us into his lane and calls him to a challenge.
"Your monster's lookin' like an easy target, so how 'bout you join Jackal in the parachute club? Dark Blade, attack Magnet Jammer!"
Our warrior charges forward to cut the opposition down...
"Heh, sorry, but that move's gonna cost ya! I activate Magnet Jammer's ability!"
As soon as Dark Blade's sword is inches away from cutting through Magnet Jammer, they suddenly freeze midair, and both monsters become engulfed in a bright light!
What?!
"Whenever Jammer's dukin' it out with another monster, I can use this ability to send both monsters back to our hands without taking any damage."
So sadly, Dark Blade is no longer on our portion of the field, and neither is the Eqiup Spell Lightning Blade...
"Tch, so instead of taking me on, you're choosing to stall?"
"Heh, whether I stall or use myself as a shield, it doesn' matter."
"...Whaddo you mean?"
"The Triad of Terror's a team, get it? So even if Jackal and I are knocked out, as long as the boss still has Life Points, we're solid."
That sounds quite similar to the teamwork dynamic of Scorch and Chills...
"And crushing you means a big pay day for all of us!"
"What?!"
I am just as confused as my partner is:
"A pay day? What could they mean, Athena?"
We get our answer from Wolfsbane:
"We don't care about the World Duel Carnival, my dear. Think of us as duel bounty hunters: we take punks like you on for cash."
So then, this duel is nothing more than a source of financial gain?
"...You gotta be kidding me..."
I sense Athena's mood drop dangerously low, and she slaps her right palm against her face with a breathy sigh.
"I, am actually torn."
"Huh?"
"I really can't decide who's more pathetic right now: you magnet-happy cheap-asses targeting young duelists just for a quick buck, or the puppet master who hired you to attack me, instead of coming out to face me like a man."
Oh my...
"What, is this world coming to?"
She lifts her hand off to reveal a deeply annoyed scowl.
"Seriously, where is the intelligence within these prolonging schemes?! You either try and take me down yourself, or leave me alone! It's that simple! And don't hire hit-men, especially if they happen to be a trio of tough-guy wannabes who are about as scary as a whirligig in an updraft!"
I make a note to myself to ask what a 'whir-li-gig' is later, but based on her tone, it does not sound very threatening. Wolfsbane and Coyote certainly took some offense to her characterization:
"W-Why you...!"
"How dare you!"
Athena then flops backwards into her seat with another sigh, prompting me to ask her,
"Is that the end of your rant?"
"Hauh, yeah, at least for now...but you can't tell me that you're not getting annoyed by these dumb obstacles."
"...I am certainly not disagreeing with your assessment."
And I may have an idea or two regarding the true identity of this trio's puppet master...
Getting back to the current battle, Anna makes her next move and acquires a card from a Draw Zone.
"I draw!...I play Express Train Trolley Olley in Defense Mode."
Compared to her previous monsters, this coal-based locomotive appears to be rather subdued in terms of power, having only 1000 Defense Points...
"Ha! Get real! That thing can't defend against my Magnedragon!"
Coyote adds after his leader,
"Not to mention that you're currently outgunned, Athena! It's only gonna take one blast, a lane change and another blast, and you two are toast!"
"Says you, goggles! This duel's not over 'til I say it is!"
"...You tell 'im, Athena!"
"Huh?"
We're then greeted by yet another unexpected ally, only this person is in-fact participating in this tournament.
"Nistro?!"
"Hope ya don't mind, but I'm cutting in. Heroic Challenger Spartan, attack this clown directly!"
His Spartan-themed monster heeds his command, swinging their javelin spear downward to seemingly pierce Coyote's cart, causing an AR-rendered explosion to blast against the rider. He lets out a cry as his Life Points dwindle to 400...
"I can keep this small fry busy while you take out that faker Wolfsbane!"
"Nistro...Heh, you got it!"
Athena takes the opportunity to switch lanes, so now we are in the same one as Wolfsbane and Anna...
You can do it, Athena. Show them your strength.
I will. Thanks.
"I summon, Master of the Flaming Dragonswords from my hand in Attack Mode!"
Our Level Four monster with 1800 Attack Points manifests without delay...
"I then place a card face-down. You're up, Wolf-man."
"Ha! If you wish to meet your maker that quickly, so be it! Magnedragon, take that so-called master out! Magne-Inferno!"
His dragon unleashes their devastating attack once more...but luckily, Athena is ready for it.
"I activate my trap, (fwip) Fairy Box!"
The said box manifests in the middle of the field, blocking Magnedragon's attack, much to their wielder's surprise.
"What?! Another trap?!"
"That's right, one that you triggered as soon as you declared an attack...Now just like with Cup of Ace, I gotta flip a coin, and if my call is correct, your monster's Attack power becomes zero until the end of the battle."
"Why you dirty-!"
Athena catches the coin that materializes mid-air, before tossing it upwards, triggering the creatures within the top of the box to bounce up and down in anticipation...
"Heads!"
(Clink, fw-fw-fw-fw-fw...clk)
The coin lands flat after a few spins, showcasing the heads figure face-up!
She did it!
"Oooo, looks like your Magnedragon's about to lose some serious battery power~!"
The creatures of the Fairy box fly outward like specters from the grave, before swirling around Magnedragon to siphon their energy, causing the beam of electricity to slowly weaken...
"Nooooo!"
"And it's too late to call off the battle...Alright, Dragonswords, finish this off with Lizard Flame Strike!"
Our monster makes a powerful leap forward, and uses one sword to cut a path through Magnedragon's weakening beam, before using the other sword to swiftly decapitate the opposition with one swipe.
(SHING)
Magnedragon dissolves into a large cluster of pixels as Wolfsbane's Life Points drop to 2200.
"Aa-aaagh!"
Athena wastes no time in adding insult to injury, jeering,
"I'll bet you're swiftly regretting this hit job right about now, eh, wolf-man?"
"Damn you...!"
Wolfsbane then switches lanes to attempt a rather cowardly retreat...
"Huh? Hey, come back here!"
We hurry to pursue him with Anna, with Nistro and Coyote following close behind...
"I dunno about you, Coyote, but this girl's really beginning to piss me off. Whaddo you say we finish her once and for all?"
"Roger!"
They each grab a card from their hands to summon at the same time.
"I summon Magnet Chameleon!"
Much like the other monsters I have seen from the Triad of Terror's decks, they are mechanical creatures with the appearance of colourful lizards, both Level Two and with only 700 Attack Points.
They must have a special ability to make up for their lack of physical strength...
My hunch is proven correct by noneother than Wolfsbane as he maneuvers himself behind our cart.
"Funny thing about having two Magnet Chameleons: they negate your monster's special ability."
"...Aaand how exactly is that gonna help you against me?"
"Hm?"
Athena shrugs,
"Pardon me for airing out my arrogance, but unless you've got a power booster waiting in your hand, your monster's not gonna do jack against mine."
Hm, once again, Athena makes a good point. Master of the Flaming Dragonswords is much stronger, and does not need their ability right now to keep it that way.
...It would seem that the Triad of Terror's own ego is outweighing their thought process in terms of proper strategy.
"Besides, you seem to forget that I'm currently not fighting alone. (Smirk) I pass the baton to you, Nistro."
Our ally nods with a grin and swipes up a new card come his pass over a Draw Zone.
"I draw! I summon Heroic Challenger - Extra Sword!"
The Level Four Monster in question is - much like the other monsters in Nistro's deck - a knight with a lean build and a sword for each hand, with a modest strength of 1000 Attack and Defense Points. Under different circumstances, this would not acquit to much, but here, his monster is more than a match for Magnet Chameleon.
Still, Coyote will remain in the tournament by a thread of 100 Life Points...
"Next I activate the Equip Spell, Assault Armor!"
Suddenly, Nistro's monster is wrapped in a translucent glow, and gains a boost of 300 Attack Points.
"This card can only be equipped to a warrior-type and if it's the only monster I currently control. It gains 300 Attack Points, and if I send this card to the Graveyard, Extra Sword can attack twice in a row this turn. Either way, your goose is cooked, chump!"
His monster wastes no time in taking out Coyote's Magnet Chameleon, and with the latter gone, so too is the second member of the Triad of Terror. His yell rings through the air as he's unceremoniously ejected from his dueling coaster.
Now only Wolfsbane remains in our way...
"Coyote!...This is bad...!"
"And it's only gonna get worse!"
Catching up to our opponent, Athena then sends our monster to destroy his.
"Dragonswords, attack Magnet Chameleon!"
(SWIPE-SWIPE)
Two sword swings is all it takes to eliminate the other threat, and send Wolfsbane's Attack Points rolling downward to 1100.
"Agh! Dammit...This isn't over yet!"
He then swipes out a card to use in an attempt to rebuild his defenses.
"I activate the spell, Return of the Dragon Lords!"
The portal to the Graveyard opens, and Magnedragon begins rising up back onto the field!
"I can use this card to special-summon one Level Seven or Eight Dragon monster from my Graveyard. Also, if Magnedragon's targeted for destruction by battle or a card effect, I can banish my spell from the Graveyard instead."
Hm, not a bad counter, I will give him that...
He turns around to send us - or rather, Athena - a smug expression, thinking that he once again has the upper hand.
"Ha! Haha! What will you do now, brat? There's no way you can possibly summon a monster stronger than my Magnedragon! Hehaha, you're finished."
I look around at the current field...and realize how greatly mistaken our opponent is.
"Ah! Athena, I believe our allies may have given us a way to end this duel for good."
"Hm? How so?"
"Your Dragonswords, Anna's Trolley, and Nistro's Extra Swords, are all Level Four. When there are three Level Four Monsters on the Field, you can Xyz-Summon."
"...Right! I can Xyz-Summon that monster! Good call...I Overlay my Dragonswords, Anna's Trolley Olly, and Nistro's Extra Swords!"
Said three monsters transform into bursts of light and stream into the opening portal...
"With these three monsters, I build the Overlay Network, and Xyz-Summon, One-Eyed Skill Gainer!"
And coming out to replace them is the Rank Four monster chosen for the climax of this duel, their 2500 Attack Points being only the start of their power, not that Wolfsbane knew...yet.
"2500 Attack Points? Heh, with my Magnedragon's 3500, whatever will I do?"
Nistro and Anna each retort with confidence,
"You'll freak out, because since Athena used Extra Swords to Xyz-Summon, One-Eyed Skill Gainer gains 1000 Attack Points!"
"And my Trolley Olley's special ability adds an extra 800!"
So with that, the Xyz Warrior now has 4300 Attack Points, a fact that our baffled opponent also mutters out more to himself.
"I don't believe it; 4300 Attack Points...!"
I then remind my partner of our Xyz monster's own special ability.
"Athena, now is the time."
"Right. Let's end this...I activate Skill Gainer's Special Ability! By using one Overlay Unit, my monster can copy your monster's abilities!"
"It can what?!"
A red beam of light shoots outward from Skill Gainer's sword, enveloping Magnedragon before breaking into tiny particles for the former to siphon as they take a copied version of the latter's power...
"Now if I recall correctly, your monster's ability allows you to deal damage equal to the Attack Points of a monster they destroy. And now that my Skill Gainer's got the power, (...smirk) heh, there's no other way to say it, pal: you're screwed."
Unless, he uses his spell card as a scapegoat...Hm?
But much to our surprise, Wolfsbane does not even stay for the battle, instead choosing to flee down the first lane that disconnects from ours!
Athena's POV
Huh?!
Just when it looks like we'd be saying sayōnara to the Triad of Terror, Wolfsbane pulls the chicken card and turns down a lane that takes him away from our carts!
...Seriously? Seriously?!
I snap out of my minor spat of outrage to the jeering of Anna and Nistro.
"That's right, run away, you chicken!"
"Ha! He took off! We won't be seeing anymore of that creep."
Seeing their smiles took some of the anger out of my system, allowing enough room to look at this in my own amusement. Shaking my head with a sigh, I relax back in my seat while musing,
"So the big bad leader's just a big coward. Tch, should've seen that coming...Oh well, whatever."
"You still seem a little disappointed by the outcome."
I turn to Astral and reply through our mental link,
Well yeah, I mean, all things considered, through every duel, I've never backed down any more than my opponents did. It's just a first to have someone actually flee without so much as a 'I surrender'. A first that feels...well, like you said, disappointing.
I think I understand. You are used to dueling right to the end, so to have the battle cut abruptly is almost, insulting your pride as a duelist.
Yeah...Yeah, that sounds right! My dueling pride's been offended. How dare he!
My mock glare causes a faint chuckle to bubble out of Astral's throat, making me snicker a bit...I then snap back to reality when I remember something.
"Oh, right, before I forget...Yo, Anna!"
She turns to meet my eyes from the track right of me.
"Yeah?"
"You said you'd tell me how you got here once the duel's done, right? Well, duel's over, toots. Start talkin'."
"Ah-heh, oh...right...Well, y'see..."
It didn't take too long for her to spout every detail, and by the end, I was ready to slam my head against the visor of my cart.
Oh, good, god...
Nistro is understandably flabbergasted:
"So if I got this right, you're not even in the World Duel Carnival, Anna?!"
"No~t exactly..."
Meanwhile, I slap my free hand against my face and groan,
"I cannot believe you hijacked a contestant's cart! Are you insane? You could've gotten into some serious trouble, Anna, and that's coming from me!"
Honestly, as if Flip's antics weren't bad enough...
"Yeah well, so what?! (...Blush) I guess I...I just, wanted to see you again."
Seeing her bashful expression only makes me sigh in exasperation.
Good lord, she's on the verge of becoming my new stalker, I just know it...
"Dh! Uh-oh, heads up! He's back, you guys!"
Looking straight ahead at Nistro's call, I spot Magnedragon and Wolfsbane, except they were barreling down my track in the wrong direction!
What the hell?!
"You didn't think I'd take off without finishing the job, did you?! I activate the spell, Direct Magnet from my hand! By paying half my Life Points and cutting Magnedragon's in half, it can now attack you directly!"
Ah shit!
I hurry to grab the brake and try to slow my cart down, despite knowing that it won't soften the blow I was about to take...
"Haaaah!"
But, someone else would when she jumps out of her cart to land on the front of mine!
"Anna!"
"I summon, Construction Train Signal Red! Now Magnedragon's forced to attack my monster instead of my main girl Addy."
No...!
One clash was all it took, and my friend is knocked off my cart by the impact, her Life Points gone!
"Aaaa-aaaaaah!"
"Annaaaa!"
"...Comin' through!"
Suddenly, two twin blurs come zooming through the air past these coaster lanes on a straight course for Anna, catching her with a safety net hooked between what appears to be hoverbikes before she could hit the first raised roadway!
Wait, hoverbikes?...Ah!
"Mater! Ozzy! Is that you?!"
The pair - who are actually a part of a quadruplet of brothers with matching Mop-Top coffee brown hair, limestone beige skin and grey-blue eyes - smile and wave at me as they gently set Anna on her own hovercraft when it automatically comes floating up.
"Heya, Addy! Long time, no speak!"
"But let's catch up after you finish off Mister Crazy over there, 'kay?"
"Ah! Right, hang on!"
I turn back to the battle as Wolfsbane continues his charge.
"If my monster's attack isn't enough to finish you, then I'll just ram you off the tracks myself!"
"I'd like to see you try! Skill Gainer, finish that damn lizard off!"
My monster charges forward, and takes out Magnedragon with several sweeping strikes of their katana, which means Wolfsbane has no more Life Points to brag about.
Hauh, finally...Gyh!
Still, there was the matter of our carts that were about to play demolition bumper cars! Once again, I pull the brake as hard as I can, and I feel Astral grip my wrists as he attempts to help me.
Come on, come on, don't crash...!
"Alley-oop!"
That's when the other two brothers of the quadruplet - Paulie and Maverick - come swooping in on their respected hoverboards, and each plaster something onto the side of Wolfsbane's cart.
(...POP-POP)
Those somethings expel a bunch of large helium balloons, which then hoist the coaster cart into the air just seconds before it can hit mine!
Whoa. That was too close...
"W-What the-hey!"
And in the spirit of good humor, Paulie and Maverick are joined by their other two brothers to banter over Wolfsbane's defeat.
"(All four) Top Floor!"
"Spells,"
"Traps,"
"Outdoor Flaps,"
"Monsters,"
"Coasters,"
"Big-time losers~,"
"(All four) Watch your step."
I laugh at their antics - reminding me of a scene from an old cartoon I can't for the life of me out a name to at present - while Wolfsbane is ejected from the fly-away cart, leaving him to parachute to...well, who cares? He's gone now and out of our hair; that's all that matters...
"Well that was rather convenient. Am I correct to assume these four individuals are a part of the Supernova Network?"
I turn to give Astral a nod just as Anna comes over to join the fray.
"Hey! Thanks for the help, uhm...I'm sorry, who are you guys?"
They waste no time with introductions:
"No worries, mate. I'm Mater."
"And I'm Ozzy!"
"I'm Paulie,"
"And I'm Maverick."
"(All four) Together we are, (pose) the Ginyu Force!...Just kidding; we're the Higman Brothers."
I shake my head with another chuckle and chime,
"You guys are as crazy as ever. Awesome, but crazy."
They just grin at me around the time Nistro catches up with me on another track.
"Friends of yours?"
"Mm, more like friends through friends, but yeah...So what brings you lot out here?"
Maverick - I can tell it's him because he always wears a brick red bandana on his wrist - answers,
"Well originally, we were just scopin' the tracks for more of a certain somebody's dirty meteorites, if ya know what I'm sayin'..."
Paulie - the brother with the dark blue bandana - adds,
"But we noticed some of the downed duelists were flying too close to traffic, so we decided to stick around and make sure everyone's landing in safe spots."
I smile knowingly at them and drawl,
"Playing the heroes, huh? Typical...Wait, does that mean you guys have an idea where Public Asshole Number One is?"
Ozzy and Mater - they being the brothers with a lemon yellow and lime green bandana respectively - each reply,
"No, and that's the weird bit: we and a couple others from 'Nova have been sweepin' the track clean of his minions, but we can't find him anywhere."
"It's like he pulled a Houdini the second he entered the tunnel section! Uh, spoiler alert, by the way."
He disappeared?...That's not good...
"We're guessing that he's using some kind-of cloaking device or hack to camouflage his cart. Weber's already trying to counter-hack, but he's having trouble."
My smile at this point is gone, and all I can do is sigh while hissing an F-Bomb under my breath. Yeah, I know I've been cursing up a storm out loud on Live TV already, but even I can avoid some of the more offensive slurs...
"Sorry if that's not what you wanna hear."
"No, it's, fine. (Half-smile) Honestly, I'd rather hear about the possible danger than run in blind...so thanks. Seriously."
Maverick nods with an appreciative smile,
"Hey, no worries; whatever we can do to keep a friend floating. Speaking of, (looks at Anna) whaddo you say to flying with us back to our temp base for a bit? Y'know, get you looked over, make sure you're A-Okay?"
I playfully add when I see Anna's hesitant expression,
"I'd take their offer. They're more stubborn than a LitterBot during a trash sweep."
All four of them give me mock offended expressions, and the train-obsessed girl giggles behind her hand before nodding,
"Alright, what the heck...And Addy? You better win this whole tourney if you don't wanna see me angry."
"Heh, I've already seen you at your worst, toots. Can't say it was very attractive."
"H-Hey!"
Another good laugh comes out of me, and one of the Higmans - Paulie this time - comes closer to Anna to act in her defense.
"Aw don't be mean~, Athena. I'm sure Anna's plenty cute when her emotions flare up."
Such a comment causes her to blush around the time his brothers 'ooooo' playfully, and I just shake my head with a sigh.
Good grief, he's definitely the flirt out of all four of 'em...
"Alright, enough chit-chat. Let's get going and find out our next objective."
"Roger!"
"See ya 'round, Addy!"
"Good luck, and keep your eyes sharp!"
With that, the quadruplets and Anna fly off to wherever the Supernovas are camping out at for now until the Carnival is done...
"Well I'll give you this, kid: you certainly got some friends in high places."
I turn to Nistro as he then asks,
"But what's this about meteorites and assholes? Somethin' I should know?"
"Well, seeing as you're acting more the ally than foe this round, I may as well warn you too...There's a duelist in this tourney that plays by his own rule book, and he's gunnin' out for me."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah, and he won't hesitate in mowing down others in his way. He goes by Trilos."
"Trilos?...I remember that name. You asked Dextra and I about him before."
"Good t' know you remember...Anyway, if you run into him, it might be in your best interest to avoid clashing decks if you can help it. He's more violent than he looks."
Nistro just scoffs,
"Psh, like I'm gonna let some freaky reputation scare me away...But I can see you're being serious, so, I'll keep your words in mind."
"That's all I ask...See you in the tunnels."
I increase the speed of my duel coaster, and once we're over the next hill, I spot the entrance to the underground section, which by the way, looks like the head of a dragon.
"...Whoa. That's, a little disconcerting..."
"Indeed. It is almost as if we are heading into the belly of the beast."
"...Did you just try to crack a joke?"
"Not intentionally."
I stifle another laugh, which prompts a surprised revelation in me.
Wow...I'm laughing alot today, and with true feeling...Something I haven't done in a long while...
"Athena?"
I turn to my partner and say to him,
"Astral...let's you and me take it to the top."
"Mm, (nod) yes."
Facing the front again, I notice another Draw Zone coming up on the map, so I move the cart that way.
"But before we join the rest of the fray, I'm gonna see if I can take care of some maintenance...I Draw!"
Peering down at the new card, I smirk when I see what I was hoping for.
"Perfect...I activate the Spell, Cleansing Flames of the Firebird!"
My spell briefly appears in front of us, showcasing a figure standing in the middle of a shower of inflamed feathers, the colour of the flames being a mix of white and red-orange...
"A wise move. Now we can restore our Life Points to where they were before our duel with the Triad of Terror."
"That's the plan...Of course, this'll come at a slight cost, for now I gotta shuffle every card in my hand, Graveyard and field back into my deck..."
Said cards go flying out of those respected areas (at least by AR standards), and my deck automatically starts shuffling. Astral reminds me,
"At least you will be able to draw a new set of five starting cards."
I grab them as I nod,
"True...Now I can face the next round with confidence. Let's go!"
With that, we head straight into the mouth of the tunnels where all the remaining duelists wait...
Alright. One fight down, and many more to go! Let's make this a tourney to remember!