Starting Notes:
Welcome back! Sorry that it took so long. I suffer from a long-term illness, and it acted up really badly halfway through April due to my immune system being compromised by another illness, so I could barely keep up with work, let alone write anything. It's unfortunate that the first chapter back is so short, but it just happened to be that way in my outline. Updates will remain slow for now—I'm still on medication, so I don't have a lot of time in the day to write, unfortunately. We're back to the Friendship Cup. If you need a refresher on who's still in the tournament after so long, check Chapter 41's QOTC. I'm aware that taking so long may mean that you've forgotten things, after all. :)
Chapter 43: Wondrous Dragon, Colourless Melody
Three years ago:
"Hello, Yuzu." Yoko smiled gently at the pink-haired girl that was standing in the doorway. Her expression was tinged with melancholy. "I suppose that you're here to talk to Yuya?"
Yuzu nodded. She was clinging onto her bag, and once Yoko moved aside, she ran up the stairs. She stopped right outside Yuya's door.
She could hear him crying inside.
Yuzu didn't open the door, because it felt wrong to do so. Instead, she hung outside the door for a moment, before she knocked on the door.
"Hey, Yuya," she said shyly. "It's me. I know—you're going through a lot." Since Uncle Yusho let you down. "But, if you want to talk to someone, I'm here, alright?"
Yuya's crying didn't stop. Yuzu sat down outside his door, her back leaning against it.
He's lonely. He's miserable.
Oh, Yuya…
"I'm always here for you," she whispered. "So, if you want to talk, just open the door, alright? Or, even if you don't want to talk, if you just want someone to be there… it's alright, you know."
She was there for a long time, but eventually, the door opened. Yuya walked out.
Yuzu hugged him. Neither of them said anything.
But for now, it was all that she could do to soothe his pain.
(After all, they were both kids. At the time, she couldn't understand at all.)
(In the future, she would.)
In the present:
"You're up early."
Miharu glanced over. She was holding onto a cup of tea, and her laptop was on the table in front of her. She held up the kettle of water—a silent offer. Yuzu nodded, accepting it. Miharu poured the water in a cup, placing a teabag in it. She pushed it towards Yuzu gently. Yuzu took the cup, drinking from it—it was warm, as expected.
"Were you… nervous?" Yuzu asked. It didn't seem likely, and Miharu shook her head, confirming that she wasn't.
"I don't sleep much," Miharu admitted. "I like keeping myself busy… and my mind isn't quite good at allowing me to fall asleep." She lifted the teacup to her lips. Yuzu leaned over to look at her laptop screen, and Miharu tensed up for a moment. Yuzu immediately glanced away.
"Uh, is it private? Sorry—"
"No," Miharu said after a moment. "Just used to keeping my laptop away when I'm talking to people… if you want, I can keep it."
"No, it's fine." Yuzu looked back at the screen. "It's not like I understand anything here anyway. What are you doing?"
"Just making sure that I don't get rusty."
"It's cool though! And you said that you worked for your father's company back in your world, right? Despite being so young?" Yuzu leaned back. "You're so cool. Are you planning to work there when you're older too?"
Miharu shook her head for a moment, and then she shrugged. "Maybe," she said. "It's the job in which I'd be the most useful, anyway. It's where all my talents are."
Yuzu could hear something slightly different to her voice though—something reluctant. She pursed her lips for a moment—the idea of doing something simply because it would be the most useful, because it helped more other people… it was a little too responsible for someone their age, wasn't it?
"What would you want to do though, hypothetically? If you didn't have to think about anyone else?" She asked.
Miharu stopped for a moment to think. "I like making coffee," she said. "The fancy kind. I've dabbled in it a little, at the in-house cafe in SOL, when it's early in the morning and no one's around… I like the scent of coffee and tea." She shrugged. "If possible, when I grow older… I want to go somewhere far, far away from cities, where no one will ever find me unless I want them to. I want to live in one of those rural towns where they haven't really got technology worked out yet, and make coffee for people. Maybe grow some flowers and vegetables. Or sell flowers. A cafe? A flower shop? Maybe do some freelance jobs in cybersecurity? But if I never touched a laptop again, I wouldn't be unhappy either. I want to be able to stay up through the night and drink tea when I want to, and just… live as freely as I ever can."
I … what an image of the future.
"So you don't want to be a pro duelist?"
"... it'd get boring," Miharu replied. "Having to put on a show for others… it sounds exhausting."
"Hmm." Yuzu glanced at her tea. She had never considered things from that perspective—in their world, their city, everyone had wanted to be the person that everyone looked at. Yuzu herself had never decided on anything else. "So would you still want to duel then?"
"Of course." Miharu glanced at Yuzu, green eyes carrying a slight trace of confusion. "But life isn't all about dueling, you know. When I finish all of this and graduate high school, I want to garden and make coffee and watch the sunsets… and I want it to all be because I want to."
Yuzu couldn't help but beam at her. Miharu blinked.
"You're so cool, Miharu," Yuzu said warmly. "So cool!"
"… I don't know what I said to make you think that," Miharu said slowly. "But if you say so."
The door opened a moment later. Miharu glanced over. "... Yuno," she said, sounding unsurprised.
"Miharu!" Yuno smiled widely. "Sorry, Yuzu. Uh, Miharu, come outside for a moment? There's something that I forgot to give you!"
Yuzu watched the two of them head out, Miharu folding her laptop under her arm, before she sighed.
They're cute. Ugh. If Yuya could get a hint, then maybe…
Miharu glanced at Yuno, who was fiddling with something in his pocket, before he plucked out a cute butterfly hair clip, with wings like stained glass in a colourful pattern.
"Here you go!" He said cheerfully. "I got it for you back in Standard, but I was so happy to see you that I forgot to give it to you. I thought of it last night, so I'm making sure you get it now!"
Miharu held onto the hair clip. With her other hand, she touched the pink flower hair clip in her hair—it was also one that Yuno had given her.
"I have a snowglobe too, but it might break. I'm keeping it safe in my bag. Do you like the clip?"
Miharu looked at it. She had been wearing the pink flower in her hair for years at this point, but…
It did feel like it was time for a change.
… I guess that we're a little changed after all.
She swapped out the clips, and she gestured for him to lean forward. Yuno blinked, but he did. She pulled on the blue scarf that she had given him, and she gently clipped the pink hair clip to it, securing it by pushing it through a slightly lumpy set of threads on the scarf.
"You can return it to me when we get home," she said quietly.
"That's a promise then," Yuno said with a grin. "And, uh… I was hovering by the door for a bit because I didn't want to interrupt, but… I think you would make a good cafe owner. As long as you stick to baking and not cooking, yeah?"
Miharu let out a soft sound that sounded like a snort. "I think that'd work, yes. You could cook, if you wanted."
Yuno blinked. "Well, if you'd hire me!" He said after a moment, cheerful as ever. "I mean, at this point, I'm rolling in the dough. Boundless Sea could retire at any point by now to a nice place in the countryside, and no one'd ever know the difference."
Miharu blinked. They would, she thought for a moment, you're not as insignificant as you think you are in the world. But she did not voice it. Instead, she slowly breathed in, and then she echoed his words. "That's a promise then."
But good times never lasted long, and the first match was about to start. They were all sent back to their rooms, and Yuzu paced for a moment, before her door opened.
"You're needed," the girl outside said. Yuzu nodded, slightly nervous—she was taking part in the first match of today? That was surprising…
Not as surprising, however, as when she got to the garage and saw who her opponent for today was.
Because after all, she had not wanted him as her opponent.
Yuya looked back at her, just as shocked.
They both stood there for a moment—uncertain?
The Security officer standing there cleared their throat. "Please get ready for your match," she repeated.
Yuzu blinked.
How could she say anything, knowing that if she won, Yuya would be sent to the Underground? How could he say anything, knowing the same?
They were just both standing there, uncertain—
What could they even do in this situation?
When the two rode out on D-Wheels, Yuno blinked, frowning for a moment. "They're making them fight?" He said incredulously. "You're kidding me…"
"How needlessly cruel," Aki commented from her room. "It's certainly Roget's style, regardless…"
"... neither of them have the mindset necessary for this duel," Nue commented. She glanced away. Despite what she now knew about the outcome, she and Yuto had at least been able to enjoy the duel during the moment itself. It was the capacity to understand the danger of the duel that they were in, but to not let that acknowledgment consume them.
Judging from Yuya and Yuzu's faces though, neither of them looked like they were able to ignore those consequences.
The announcer above declared the start of the duel, and while the two of them rode forward on their D-Wheels, it was pretty clumsy—in the end, Yuya won the first corner by no virtue of his skill at all. They were both just so distracted.
… it was kind of sad.
Below, both Yuya and Yuzu drew their starting hands.
[DUEL!]
Yuya Sakaki: 4000LP
Yuzu Hiiragi: 4000LP
[Turn 1: Yuya] [H:5]
Yuya looked at his hand. "I'll Normal Summon Performapal Trumpanda from my hand." He sounded reluctant, and a small panda in a black top hat appeared, holding onto a large golden trumpet in its hands.
[Performapal Trumpanda (3*/S3/800/800/EARTH/Beast/Pendulum/Effect)]
"I will set a card facedown and end my turn," Yuya said.
Yuzu frowned. "Yuya!" She called in protest. "You can't—"
The words died in her throat, because what was she complaining about? Him not wanting to defeat her? Him being concerned about her? That was just…
There was no easy way to say this, huh?
[Turn 2: Yuzu] [H:6]
"Draw." Yuzu looked at her hand. "Hey, Yuya, I know it sucks, but… no matter what, one of us has to win, right? So can't we just…"
She took a deep breath.
"If we both hold back, it'll just make both of us miserable," she said. "If we have to duel, I want to duel you as you are now—as the person with the strength that you earned in my absence! Not you when you're not trying, not you when you don't want to look at me!"
Above, Serena nodded sharply and approvingly.
"... well, at least one person's got their head screwed on straight," Shun said.
"So I'll show you, Yuya! The feelings in this deck of mine!" She held out a card. "Spell Card, Ostinato! Since I control no monsters, I can Fusion Summon using two monsters from my hand or deck, but the monster is destroyed during the End Phase! I'll fuse Aria the Melodious Diva and Prodigy Mozart the Melodious Maestra from my deck! Echoing melodious voice! Supreme genius! With guidance of the baton, gather your power! Fusion Summon! Now come here to the stage! Fusion Summon! Meisterin Schubert the Melodious Maestra!" The orange-haired woman that she had summoned in the duel against Masumi appeared, wearing the familiar black and red dress.
[Meisterin Schubert the Melodious Maestra (6*/2400/2000/LIGHT/Fairy/Fusion/Effect)]
"A Fusion Summon immediately," Yuya murmured. "Your deck really has become very different from what I remember…"
"I'll then Normal Summon Crystal Rose from my hand!" The crystalline red flower appeared, with a stem of bright white diamond and a long emerald leaf.
[Crystal Rose (2*/500/500/LIGHT/Rock/Effect)]
"And I'll use the effect of Crystal Rose! Once per turn, I can send a "Gem-Knight" or "Melodious" monster from my deck to the graveyard, and Crystal Rose's name becomes that monster's name until the End Phase! I'll send Solo the Melodious Songstress from my deck to the graveyard!" Crystal Rose glowed slightly. "And now, I'll activate the Spell Card, Polymerization! I will fuse Crystal Rose on the field, now treated as a "Melodious Songstress" monster, with Sonata the Melodious Diva in my hand!"
Yuya's eyes widened. "A second Fusion Summon?"
"Noble resonance! Flowing melody! By the guidance of the baton, gather your power! Fusion Summon! Now debut on stage! Sing the song of victory! Bloom Diva the Melodious Floral Saint!" The small fairy dressed in pastel colours appeared as well.
[Bloom Diva the Melodious Floral Saint (6*/1000/2000/LIGHT/Fairy/Fusion/Effect)]
"Bloom Diva will attack your Performapal Trumpanda! Vaporising Miracle!" Light shot down towards Trumpanda.
"I'll use the effect of Performapal Trumpanda!" Yuya called. "Once per turn, when a Pendulum Monster I control is targeted for an attack, I can negate the attack!" Trumpanda rolled over on its side, narrowly dodging the attack, and blowing into the trumpet, letting out a loud noise.
"But that only works once! Attack Trumpanda, Meisterin Schubert!"
The monster was destroyed, and Yuya shielded himself, the monster being obliterated by a lovely song.
Yuya: 4000 - 1600 = 2400LP
"I'll end my turn! Ostinato will destroy Meisterin Schubert and Special Summon her Fusion Materials to my field!" Schubert vanished, and Aria and Prodigy Mozart took their places on Yuzu's field.
[Aria the Melodious Diva (4*/1600/1200/LIGHT/Fairy/Effect)]
[Prodigy Mozart the Melodious Maestra (8*/2600/2000/LIGHT/Fairy/Effect)]
"Your turn, Yuya! Are you going to show me something impressive or not?"
[Turn 3: Yuya] [H:4]
"You're so demanding," Yuya muttered. "Draw." Despite Yuzu's best efforts to rouse some kind of enthusiasm from him, he clearly wasn't convinced of anything. "It would be one thing to duel you for entertainment, but for this, when we know what's going to happen to you…"
Yuzu's heart skipped a beat—he actually did care. Well, of course he would care. They were best friends—but he cared to the extent that he had that look on his face.
"But if we have to fight, I don't want you holding back," Yuzu said. "I don't care what comes after the duel." Alright, that was a lie, but she wouldn't let Yuya know that. "All I want from you right now is your best!"
"... alright," Yuya said after a moment. He slapped his own face, seeming to psych himself up. "Sorry. I'm going to do my best now!"
Yuzu nodded proudly. Yuya held out a card from his hand immediately—all traces of doubt gone from his face. Of course, Yuzu knew that he was probably still doubting himself on the inside, but someone who didn't know him as well as she did might not be able to tell.
A performer always had to put their own emotions aside, after all.
"I will set the Scale 2 Performapal Drummerilla and the Scale 6 Performapal Lizardraw in the Pendulum Scales!" He declared. "With the effect of Performapal Lizardraw, since I have a "Performapal" monster in my other Pendulum Scale, I can destroy Lizardraw itself to draw a card!" The orange lizard shattered into shards of light, and Yuya swiftly drew a card.
He revealed the card immediately.
"And I'll set the Scale 8 Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn to complete the Pendulum Scale! With this Pendulum Scale, I can Pendulum Summon monsters from Level 3 to Level 7! Swing, pendulum! Cast your light across the aether! Pendulum Summon! Come, my monsters!"
The light flashed across the field.
"First, return from the Extra Deck, Performapal Lizardraw!" The orange lizard appeared, seeming relatively unruffled by its earlier destruction. "Second, also returning for another performance—Performapal Trumpanda!" The playful panda appeared next to the lizard.
[Performapal Lizardraw (3*/S6/1200/600/EARTH/Reptile/Pendulum/Effect)]
However, to Yuzu's surprise, Odd-Eyes did not show up. In fact, those were the only two monsters that Yuya Pendulum Summoned at all.
Instead, Yuya revealed a card in his hand.
"I will Normal Summon Tuning Magician!"
Tuning… Magician?
A pink-haired female magician appeared, dressed in white robes adorned with shades of pastel blue and green. She was holding onto a tuning fork with a shy smile.
[Tuning Magician (1*/0/0/DARK/Spellcaster/Tuner/Effect)]
He had a Tuner monster? (And one that was so literally named 'Tuning' as well?)
"When Tuning Magician is summoned," Yuya continued, "I take 400 damage, and you gain 400 life points!"
… huh?
Both of them were surrounded by a glow.
Yuya: 2400 - 400 = 2000LP
Yuzu: 4000 + 400 = 4400LP
"What a strange move from Yuya Sakaki!" Melissa Claire announced from above. "Why would he hurt himself to bring out such a weak monster?"
"Tuning Magician's strength lies in a different place," Yuya said determinedly. He seemed to be getting into the duel now, which was good. "I will tune the Level 1 Tuning Magician to the Level 3 Performapal Lizardraw and the Level 3 Performapal Trumpanda!" The three monsters turned into light, shooting up. "Blazing dragon that rules over the battlefield! Still flames that force an unwilling ceasefire! With the power that lies within those wondrous dichroic eyes, emerge victorious in any battle with sheer strength! Synchro Summon! Level 7! Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon!"
The blazing dragon that helped him to triumph over Kyorin appeared on his field, properly Synchro Summoned this time. Perhaps his first proper Synchro Summon that wasn't achieved through borrowed strength, but rather his own will.
[Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon (7*/2500/2000/FIRE/Dragon/Synchro/Effect)]
Yuzu was proud of him, but…
"Did you forget my Bloom Diva's power?" She said challengingly. "She won't be defeated quite so easily!"
"I remember Bloom Diva. She was your second step on the path to new strength!" Yuya raised a hand. "But I wouldn't have brought out Meteorburst Dragon for no reason, and you're the one that has forgotten, Yuzu! Ladies and gentlemen! Here, right now—I will face that invincible field of yours without flinching, Yuzu! Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon will attack your Bloom Diva the Melodious Floral Saint! Sunburst Spark Flame!"
Huh?
Why—
"During the Battle Phase, while I control Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon," Yuya said, red eyes confident and bright, "my opponent cannot activate the effects of monsters in their possession! Even if Aria protects your Special Summoned "Melodious" monsters from battle, you still take damage! And since a monster I control is battling an opponent's monster, Performapal Drummerilla's Pendulum Effect lets it give Meteorburst Dragon 600 more attack points!"
The flaming dragon roared in challenge.
[Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon: 2500 + 600 = 3100ATK]
Meteorburst Dragon's attack connected. Even though Bloom Diva wasn't destroyed, Yuzu still took a large amount of damage from the attack—knocking her life points almost to the same level as Yuya's.
Yuzu: 4400 - 2100 = 2300LP
"No tricks on my side," Yuya said. "I'll end my turn, Yuzu. Now, what move are you going to make? Will the audience get to see your comeback?"
[Turn 4: Yuzu] [H:3]
"As if I'd lose footing so easily!" Yuzu replied, drawing a card immediately. "If you're fighting now, Yuya, I'll answer your feelings!"
Alright. That dragon's attack points were effectively 3100—after all, Drummerilla's effect could also trigger on Yuzu's turn, if she remembered correctly.
In that case—
"I will use the effect of Prodigy Mozart the Melodious Maestra!" Yuzu declared. "Once per turn, I can Special Summon a LIGHT Fairy monster from my hand, but I can't activate the effect of monsters this turn, except LIGHT monsters! Come—Laureate Francois the Melodious Maestra!" The purple and green-themed composer appeared in front of her as well. One of her only high-level monsters in the Main Deck.
[Laureate Francois the Melodious Maestra (7*/2300/1700/LIGHT/Fairy/Effect)]
"And with Laureate Francois's effect, I'll add a LIGHT Fairy monster from my graveyard to my hand, but I cannot activate monster effects this turn, except—you guessed it—LIGHT monsters!"
"Wow!" Melissa Claire called from above. "Yuzu-chan has amassed a field of monsters that are just as cute as her! The question is—can she win against that one ferocious dragon that Yuya has brought out?"
"If I couldn't, would I have done all of this?" Yuzu said with a cheerful smile. "I'll Special Summon Sonata the Melodious Diva from my hand!" The green-haired woman appeared—the same monster that she had added from her graveyard to her hand with Laureate Francois's effect. At this point, all of Yuzu's Main Monster Zones were filled up.
[Sonata the Melodious Diva (3*/1200/1000/LIGHT/Fairy/Effect)]
"While I control a "Melodious" monster, Sonata can always Special Summon herself from my hand! And while I control a Special Summoned Sonata the Melodious Diva, all Fairy monsters I control gain 500 attack points and defense points!"
[Aria the Melodious Diva: 1600 + 500 = 2100ATK; 1200 + 500 = 1700DEF]
[Bloom Diva the Melodious Floral Saint: 1000 + 500 = 1500ATK; 2000 + 500 = 2500DEF]
[Laureate Francois the Melodious Maestra: 2300 + 500 = 2800ATK; 1700 + 500 = 2200DEF]
[Prodigy Mozart the Melodious Maestra: 2600 + 500 = 3100ATK; 2000 + 500 = 2500DEF]
[Sonata the Melodious Diva: 1200 + 500 = 1700ATK; 1000 + 500 = 1500DEF]
"And now, Prodigy Mozart has matched your monster's eventual attack points!" Yuzu called. "And since Sonata and Aria's effects are continuous, they will not fade away in the Battle Phase!" She gestured forward. "Prodigy Mozart attacks your Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon! And even if you boost its attack points, it's a tie. Aria will protect my monster, but yours is a goner!"
"Before you enter your Battle Phase," Yuya replied, "I'll discard Performapal Rain Goat from my hand and target Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon. This turn, it cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects!"
So…
A thin blue layer covered the flaming dragon, looking like a… well, a raincoat.
"You can still attack," Yuya said. "But there will be no effect!"
"Then for the audience's sake, I will," Yuzu said swiftly. "Prodigy Mozart attacks your Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon!"
"Performapal Drummerilla's effect. I will raise Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon's attack points by 600!"
[Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon: 2500 + 600 = 3100ATK]
With the effects of Rain Goat and Aria, neither monster could be destroyed. However, the attack was a beautiful show—flames clashing against colourful music notes, a dragon clashing against a colourful fairy. As flames and music notes rained down around them, both monsters returned to their rightful sides of the field.
"I'll end my turn," Yuzu said.
Yuya nodded, drawing a card.
[Turn 5: Yuya] [H:1]
"Draw." He revealed a card in his hand. "Spell Card, Terraforming!"
"What? You have a Field Spell now?" Yuzu blinked in surprise. As far as she was aware, very few duelists in Maiami City actually used Field Spells—usually relying on the Action Fields as environments to practice in, anyway. The only exception that Yuzu could think of was Mion Myojin, and that was only because her deck would be crippled without her Field Spell anyway.
"I do," Yuya said. "With Terraforming's effect, I will add the Field Spell, Sky Iris to my hand!" He revealed the card. "I'll activate it. And with the effect of Sky Iris, once per turn, I can destroy a card I control to add an "Odd-Eyes" card from my deck to my hand!"
Wait, but if he wanted a chance to win…
Yuya nodded to Meteorburst Dragon, who dissolved into embers. Around him, a colourful aura seemed to appear, before Yuya swiped up a card from his deck.
That was surely Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon… but why would he give up his best chance at defeating Bloom Diva?
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Yuya announced, smiling brightly. "Allow me to introduce you to the factor that will change my fate right here! It's often that a duelist has to face that their efforts aren't enough. It's a bittersweet feeling, isn't it? But right here, right now, I'll reverse it!"
He flipped over his set card at that exact moment.
"Reverse card, open!" Instead of using the more conventional term of 'Set card', Yuya chose to make a pun, which—alright, was funny in its own way. "Trap Card, Smile Potion! While my opponent controls a monster with attack points higher than its original attack points, and I control no monsters, I can draw two cards!"
He swiftly drew two cards, ending up with three cards in hand.
"Now, with my current Pendulum Scale, I can Pendulum Summon monsters from Level 3 to 7!" Both Odd-Eyes Unicorn and Drummerilla stood at attention in the Pendulum Scales. "Return from the Extra Deck! Performapal Lizardraw! Performapal Trumpanda! And come from my hand! The dragon with the wondrous and dichroic eyes, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" The bright red dragon appeared alongside the two smaller animals, letting out a roar.
[Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (7*/S4/2500/2000/DARK/Dragon/Pendulum/Effect)]
"And now, Yuzu, I will face your Fusion with my own!" Yuya held out a card. "I'll Normal Summon Performapal Trump Witch!" He brought out the last card in his hand. The cheerful witch appeared in front of him with a giggle.
[Performapal Trump Witch (4*/S4/100/100/DARK/Spellcaster/Pendulum/Effect)]
"I will then use Trump Witch's effect. By tributing her, I will add Polymerization from my deck to my hand and activate it!" The witch dissolved.
"Polymerization…" Yuzu blinked. "Beast-Eyes?"
"No," Yuya said. "I will fuse Performapal Lizardraw and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" The two monsters shot up and into a vortex, and Yuzu let out a gasp of surprise. "Cold-blooded dragon slumbering beneath the aquatic waters, appear now and quash pitiful prey beneath your scaled claws! Fusion Summon! Venomous fangs frothing at the seams between the sea and the shore—Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
The new dragon that appeared was still primarily red, like the rest of Odd-Eyes's forms that Yuzu had encountered so far. Its body, at some places, was covered by darker green scales, which acted as a shadow to the redder scales. The similarities between dragons and serpents stopped there, however—instead of being quadrupedal like Odd-Eyes typically was, the dragon was far more slender and serpentine, and while it had two claws at the front, as a whole, it resembled a slender snake more than the large dragon that Odd-Eyes had been before. When it breathed out, mist could be seen floating around it. The mist did not mask its slit pupils, a red and green eye staring through white-grey mist.
[Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (8*/3000/2000/WATER/Dragon/Fusion/Effect)]
"Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon," Yuzu repeated. "You always bring out something new, Yuya…"
"... to be honest, none of this is new," Yuya admitted. "I've had this strength for a while… and I've been waiting to show it to you as well."
"... oh." They really had grown stronger when they were apart, hadn't they?
"I really, really wanted you of all people to see how strong I've become." Yuya looked at her, determined. "I kept thinking 'I have to save Yuzu'. I kept thinking 'if only Yuzu was here.' I realised that I got so used to you being there, to you always knowing what to do. I realised that ever since you held out your hand to me when we were kids, ever since I began to hide behind you because the other kids would laugh at me, ever since I decided that I didn't need to learn to stand up for myself because you and Gongenzaka would defend me…"
He took a moment, slowly breathing in.
"You were always so strong to me—Strong Yuzu—that I had no way to…" He fumbled for his words. He had never been a very eloquent person, and all of his words were clumsy, as though he was struggling to get them out in a way that made sense.
Even so, Yuzu looked at him, her eyes burning for a moment.
"I think I was only able to become strong because I stopped being able to lean on you as a crutch," Yuya confessed. "And that's not me blaming you. It's me blaming myself. I always wanted to be in a position where I didn't have to change. I didn't ever want to have to change. Even when I 'evolved', it was all rooted in the same playstyle. I never wanted to have to change and adapt. I wanted my beliefs to be enough. And it was only when I couldn't hide behind you and your fierceness anymore that I… was forced to truly change. To truly become stronger."
The start of that had been during his duels to enter the Maiami Championship. He had been forced to evolve and learn because he had to fight on his own.
And yet…
"But even though I know that I'm growing stronger without being by your side," Yuya continued, "I still want you to see me grow. And more than anything, I want to be strong enough to be the one that you can lean on!"
… you can't just say things like that out of the blue.
Yuzu hid her face, hoping that her blush wasn't obvious. The only thing that left her lips was a sputtering sound.
How am I supposed to interpret that?
"I will enter the Battle Phase," Yuya continued. "Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon attacks Bloom Diva the Melodious Floral Saint! Mistral Breath!" Pale mist and flames shot out towards Bloom Diva.
"I will use Bloom Diva's effect!"
"That won't work!" Yuya called. "Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon is unaffected by the activated effects of monsters that have less attack points than it!"
Yuzu's eyes widened.
"I'm not sorry for shutting down your effects," Yuya said. "Thermal-Eyes! Complete your attack!"
Aria was still ridiculous with her effect—
But Thermal-Eyes's attack still connected, and her life points plummeted.
Yuzu: 2300 - 1500 = 800LP
"And Trumpanda is in Defense Position," Yuya continued. "I'll end my turn."
Yuzu drew a card.
[Turn 6: Yuzu] [H:3]
"Draw," she said.
She looked at her own field. If he was still locking off her effects, then she would have to attack with Prodigy Mozart. There was no way that Yuya hadn't noticed that, right?
She'd give it a quick shot. Yuya couldn't target her monsters with effects right now anyway, while Aria was still on the field.
"Prodigy Mozart attacks Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" And wasn't this oddly nostalgic? Only that it had once been Odd-Eyes and Prodigy Mozart instead. Even though, it was the same feeling as those battles from before.
"When Thermal-Eyes battles a monster with higher attack points, I can negate the attack and banish Thermal-Eyes until the End Phase! Shedskin Escapade!" A mirage of the dragon seemed to appear, as the dragon itself darted back and vanished. "Then, I can Special Summon a Pendulum Monster from face-up in my Extra Deck! So come back to my field in Attack Position—Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Odd-Eyes appeared.
Huh? He was bringing it out in Attack Position?
Right, Drummerilla's Pendulum Effect. He must have chosen not to activate it originally so that he could bring back Odd-Eyes quickly. But if he wanted to do that…
"Bloom Diva will attack Odd-Eyes! Vaporising Miracle!"
If he activated Drummerilla's effect here, he would only lose more life points. In that case—"
"Since you're attacking a Pendulum Monster, once per turn, I can use Trumpanda's effect to negate the attack!"
… right.
So he had set it up so that…
"... you were never this good at defending your monsters before," Yuzu said. "Back then…"
"Well, we don't have Action Cards now," Yuya said. "And well, Yuzu, I knew you would be careful enough to attack with Bloom Diva instead of Laureate Francois. That's just who you are."
But—
The only reason that Yuzu had attacked Odd-Eyes with Bloom Diva was because she had been confident that she knew Yuya well too.
"If I had attacked with Laureate Francois," Yuzu said, "Drummerilla still would have stopped me."
"Yes," Yuya said.
And he had known that she would see that. He had understood her to a greater extent than she had understood him, in that exact moment.
Yuzu giggled.
Yuya's eyes widened in surprise.
"The only safe attack that I have right now is to destroy Trumpanda with Aria," Yuzu said, and she proceeded to do just that. "And since Aria battled but didn't inflict damage to you, I can use her effect and inflict 800 damage to you!" The familiar music notes washed over Yuya.
Yuya: 2000 - 800 = 1200LP
"I'll then move to my second Main Phase," Yuzu continued. "Open, circuit of rising harmonies!" She was a lot more comfortable with this now. "Arrowhead confirmed! The conditions are two Fairy monsters! I'll set Sonata the Melodious Diva and Aria the Melodious Diva in the Link Markers! Beautiful genius with the perfect voice! With your hands that channel the power of music, bring every melody together in wondrous harmony! Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Link 2! Bloom Harmonist the Melodious Floral Virtuoso!"
The pink-haired woman appeared, smoothing out her green skirts with a calm smile. Around her, flower petals floated in the wind.
[Bloom Harmonist the Melodious Floral Virtuoso (L2/1000/LIGHT/Fairy/Link/Effect/↙, ↘)]
"Getting rid of Aria's protection?" Yuya murmured. "What could you be doing?"
"I won't activate Bloom Harmonist's effect." Because it would mess up what I have planned… "With Laureate Francois's effect, I will add Sonata the Melodious Diva from my graveyard to my hand," Yuzu explained. "I'll then Normal Summon Alto the Melodious Songstress!"
Another Melodious Songstress…
Alto appeared, with green and orange curls forming her long hair. She was a rather tall idol with pink skin, and as she spun around, light particles danced in the air around her. She was wearing an orange dress as well, looking rather sunny—
And in her hands was a violin, with the bow of the violin resembling a tuning fork.
[Alto the Melodious Songstress (1*/100/800/LIGHT/Fairy/Tuner/Effect)]
"That monster…"
"It's exactly what you think, Yuya," Yuzu said confidently. "Even if I don't defeat you this turn, I will make sure that you have no chance of earning a next turn for yourself! You're not the only one that gets to shut down my moves!"
Because Yuzu wanted to win. Because she wanted to show that she was still strong, that she—
That she still had the right to stand on the same stage as him.
"I will first activate the Spell Card, Mystical Space Typhoon. I will destroy your Sky Iris." The bright aura faded from the field. "Then, I will tune the Level 1 Alto the Melodious Songstress to the Level 8 Mozarta the Melodious Maestra!" The two monsters shot up. "Supreme genius! Low-rising harmony! Let the rising rhythm signal your arrival to this stage now, noble voice! Synchro Summon! Level 9! Evolution of music! Gospodin Tchaikovsky the Melodious Overture Saint!"
And in front of her, a new monster took to her stage.
Already different from the rest of her monsters, the newcomer was completely androgynous. Their body was perfectly split along the middle—the left half of their body had white skin and black hair, while the right half had pitch black skin and white hair. And of course, the other thing that was split perfectly—
Were the two wings behind the figure, made of long swan-like feathers, downy, a white wing on the right and a black wing on the left. The figure was dressed in a long blue-tinted grey dress. In their hands, they held a pair of batons that they spun around like daggers.
A true saint.
[Gospodin Tchaikovsky the Melodious Overture Saint (9*/3000/2000/LIGHT/Fairy/Synchro/Effect)]
"When Gospodin Tchaikovsky the Melodious Overture Saint is Synchro Summoned using at least two "Melodious" monsters as material," Yuzu continued, "I can target a "Melodious" monster I control and two other cards on the field." This was the reason that she couldn't keep Aria on the field—Aria stopped her from targeting her own monsters with effects as well. "I will target Bloom Harmonist the Melodious Floral Virtuoso, along with the two cards in your Pendulum Scales! Then, I destroy all three of them!"
Yuya's eyes widened.
"Seal off the future, Tchaikovsky! Betrayal Rhapsody!" The three cards all burst into white feathers under her monster's silent command.
And now, Yuya had to draw an eligible Pendulum Monster for his Pendulum Scales the next turn, or he would lose.
"And I gain 400 life points times the number of cards destroyed!"
Yuzu: 800 + 400 x 3 = 2000LP
"I'll change Laureate Francois to Defense Position." Laureate Francois, the only other monster that she controlled right now. For one very important reason.
Thermal-Eyes was returning to Yuya's side the next turn.
Therefore, if Yuzu had left any of her other monsters on the field, she might have lost if Yuya had attacked them.
This way—
This way, it was a proper showdown.
"I end my turn."
And Thermal-Eyes reappeared with a loud roar.
[Turn 7: Yuya] [H:2]
Yuya looked at the card that he drew, blinking for a moment. For a moment, Yuzu thought that she saw his eyes glow.
"... You did so well," he said quietly. He raised his head, and he smiled at her brightly. "But it's time to end this now! Spell Card, Monster Reborn!"
So he didn't draw another monster to replace his Pendulum Scales?
"Come back to my field!" He called. "Tuning Magician!"
He was calling back Tuning Magician?
The short spellcaster reappeared.
"And then, I take 400 damage, and you gain 400 life points."
Yuya: 1200 - 400 = 800LP
Yuzu: 2000 + 400 = 2400LP
"Giving me more life points?"
"If giving your opponent life points made a card a bad card, then Yuno's dragon would be deemed useless," Yuya pointed out. "This card… someone gave it to me because they wanted me to use it against the King of this city. Because they wanted to rage at the unfair hand that they were dealt, but they were unable to do so because they were not powerful enough. But that has nothing to do with you and me!"
He took a deep breath, gathered up his spirit and shouted.
"This duel belongs to you and me! No one else is a part of it but us! And so, I will take the malicious meaning that someone else has thrust upon me—"
Up above, the boy who had given Yuya the card was watching with a wide-eyed look. Meanwhile, Jack Atlas's lips slowly curved into an approving smirk.
"And turn it into my own!" Yuya pressed a hand to his chest. "I will find my own meaning in my own strength, even if right now, I don't know how to become as strong as the people around me, who I admire. Because I don't want to hurt you. I never want to hurt you—and that's what that represents. Even as I defeat you, it's not out of hatred."
"... it's not out of hatred if I win against you either," she said. "I'd never hate you, Yuya."
"... that's good to know," Yuya said. He took a moment, steeling himself. "I'll tune the Level 1 Tuning Magician to the Level 7 Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
The two monsters shot up again.
"Hero's blade that sets forth unyielding light! Here and now, along with a flash, awaken! Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 8! Magical Swordsman of Awakening! Enlightenment Paladin!"
What?
Enlightenment Paladin appeared. A warrior dressed in white and gold armour appeared, with golden scale-like structures all over his body. He held up a sword and a spear, staring forward, looking very solemn.
[Enlightenment Paladin (8*/2500/2000/DARK/Spellcaster/Synchro/Effect)]
"Since Enlightenment Paladin was Synchro Summoned using a "Magician" monster as material, I can add a Spell Card from my graveyard to my hand," Yuya continued. "I will add Monster Reborn back to my hand!"
… oh.
Yuya revealed Monster Reborn, and Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon reappeared in front of him.
Yuzu stared at him.
I destroyed your Pendulum, but you still made your way back to me…
"And then, my last move." Yuya revealed another Spell Card. So he'd never have been able to Pendulum Summon even if he had drawn a Pendulum Monster. "Gap Power. Enlightenment Paladin gains attack points equal to the difference in our life points, divided in half!" Enlightenment Paladin glowed—and the power that Tuning Magician had granted to Yuya became apparent.
[Enlightenment Paladin: 2500 + 1600 / 2 = 3300ATK]
With Meteorburst Dragon on the field, Tchaikovsky's other effect could not be activated. Nor could Yuzu use the effect of Score, who was still in her hand.
And she was going to lose.
She was going to lose to Yuya, and she felt…
"Yuzu," Yuya called. "Is this alright?"
He sounded… somewhat fragile.
… you've grown stronger, Yuya.
And I don't want to get in the way of your triumph.
If I've fallen behind, even now…
I just need to get stronger.
"I won't hold you back," Yuzu said. "You win."
The attack hit.
Yuzu: 2400 - 300 = 2100LP
"When Enlightenment Paladin destroys a monster by battle, I can inflict damage to you equal to that monster's original attack points!"
… yeah, that sounded about right.
Yuzu: 2100 - 3000 = 0LP
Winner: Yuya Sakaki!
When they came to a stop, Yuya rushed over to her immediately. "Yuzu, I—"
At the same time, Yuzu spoke up. "Did I—"
They both cut themselves off. Yuzu, being more assertive, spoke up again first. "Was I holding you back?" She asked. "This entire time… was it only because I wasn't around that you managed to grow stronger than me?"
"No," Yuya said. "It's because… don't make me say this, Yuzu. It's because of you that I became so strong."
"… but I don't want to just be the side character in your story," Yuzu said stiffly. I won't be sacrificed for the growth of someone else.
Yuya reeled back. "Yuzu—"
"I'm not mad," Yuzu promised. "I'll be back, Yuya, and I'll be safe. But I'll never just be someone for you to protect again."
"... then I know you'll manage that," Yuya said.
Yuzu finally nodded.
She was unsatisfied with who she currently was…
Even after learning Synchro and Link Summoning, she was still not using either to its max potential.
So perhaps it was less that the strength to move forward was something that she had to look for. Perhaps it was that she had no clue how to use her new strength.
"Good. Yuzu Hiiragi lost." Roget tilted his head. "And in the Underground, the Hunt has begun. As long as I inform them to keep her alive and bring her in, I've secured at least one of them." He glanced back outside. "... now, for the other two."
Duel 1 Summary: Yuya Sakaki vs Yuzu Hiiragi
Duel Format: Normal Duel
Turn 1: Yuya Sakaki
Yuya Normal Summons Performapal Trumpanda. (3*/S3/800/800) He sets 1 card and ends his turn.
Turn 2: Yuzu Hiiragi
Yuzu draws. She activates the Spell Card, Ostinato, fusing Aria the Melodious Diva and Prodigy Mozart the Melodious Maestra from her Deck to Fusion Summon Meisterin Schubert the Melodious Maestra. (6*/2400/2000) She Normal Summons Crystal Rose. (2*/500/500) With the effect of Crystal Rose, she sends Solo the Melodious Songstress from the Deck to the GY, and Crystal Rose copies that monster's name. She activates the Spell Card, Polymerization, fusing Crystal Rose and Sonata the Melodious Diva in her hand to Fusion Summon Bloom Diva the Melodious Floral Saint. (6*/1000/2000) Bloom Diva attacks Trumpanda. Yuya uses Trumpanda's effect to negate the attack. Meisterin Schubert attacks Trumpanda. [YS: 4000 - 1600 = 2400LP] Yuzu ends her turn. Ostinato destroys Meisterin Schubert and Special Summons Aria the Melodious Diva (4*/1600/1200) and Prodigy Mozart the Melodious Maestra (8*/2600/2000) from her GY.
Turn 3: Yuya Sakaki
Yuya draws. He sets the Scale 2 Performapal Drummerilla and the Scale 6 Performapal Lizardraw in the Pendulum Scales. He destroys Lizardraw with its own effect to draw a card. He sets the Scale 8 Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn in the other Pendulum Scale. He Pendulum Summons Performapal Lizardraw (3*/S6/1200/600) and Performapal Trumpanda from the Extra Deck. He Normal Summons Tuning Magician. (1*/0/0) With Tuning Magician's effect, he increases Yuzu's LP by 400 and takes 400 damage. [YH: 4000 + 400 = 4400LP] [YS: 2400 - 400 = 2000LP] He tunes the Level 1 Tuning Magician to the Level 3 Performapal Lizardraw and the Level 3 Performapal Trumpanda, Synchro Summoning Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon. (7*/2500/2000) Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon attacks Bloom Diva. During the Battle Phase, Meteorburst Dragon prevents Yuzu's monsters from activating their effects during the Battle Phase. Drummerilla's Pendulum Effect gives Meteorburst Dragon 600 ATK until the end of the Battle Phase. (OEMD: 2500 + 600 = 3100ATK) [YH: 4400 - 2100 = 2300LP] Yuya ends his turn.
Turn 4: Yuzu Hiiragi
Yuzu draws. She uses Prodigy Mozart's effect to Special Summon Laureate Francois the Melodious Maestra (7*/2300/1700) from her hand. She uses Laureate Francois's effect to add Sonata the Melodious Diva (3*/1200/1000) from her GY to her hand. With Sonata's effect, she Special Summons her. Sonata grants 500 ATK and DEF to each of Yuzu's Fairy monsters. I am not writing that out. Yuya discards Performapal Rain Goat to stop Meteorburst Dragon from being destroyed this turn. Prodigy Mozart attacks Meteorburst Dragon. Drummerilla grants Meteorburst Dragon 600 ATK. Due to Aria's effect, Prodigy Mozart is not destroyed. Yuzu ends her turn.
Turn 5: Yuya Sakaki
Yuya draws. He activates the Spell Card, Terraforming. He adds the Field Spell, Sky Iris, from his Deck to his hand and activates it. He uses its effect, destroying Meteorburst Dragon to add Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon from his Deck to his hand. He activates the Trap Card, Smile Potion, drawing two cards. He Pendulum Summons Lizardraw and Trumpanda from his Extra Deck in Defense Position, along with Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (7*/S4/2500/2000) from his hand in Attack Position. He Normal Summons Performapal Trump Witch (4*/S4/100/100) and tributes her to add Polymerization from his Deck to his hand. He activates the Spell Card, Polymerization, fusing Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Performapal Lizardraw to Fusion Summon Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. (8*/3000/2000) Thermal-Eyes is unaffected by the activated effects of monsters with lower ATK than it. Thermal-Eyes attacks Bloom Diva. [YH: 2300 - 1500 = 800LP] Yuya ends his turn.
Turn 6: Yuzu Hiiragi
Yuzu draws. Prodigy Mozart attacks Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. Yuya uses Thermal-Eyes's effect to banish it from the field, negate the attack, and Special Summon Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon from the Extra Deck in Attack Position. Bloom Diva attacks Odd-Eyes. Yuya uses Trumpanda's effect to negate the attack. Aria attacks Trumpanda. Since she battled but she dealt no battle damage, she can inflict 800 damage to Yuya. [YS: 2000 - 800 = 1200LP] Yuzu uses Aria and Sonata to Link Summon Bloom Harmonist the Melodious Composer. (L2/1000/↙, ↘) She uses Laureate Francois's effect to add Sonata the Melodious Diva from her GY to her hand. She Normal Summons Alto the Melodious Songstress. (1*/100/800) She activates the Spell Card, Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Sky Iris. She tunes the Level 1 Alto the Melodious Songstress to the Level 8 Mozarta the Melodious Maestra to Synchro Summon Gospodin Tchaikovsky the Melodious Overture Saint. (9*/3000/2000) in Attack Position. She uses Tchaikovsky's effect to destroy Bloom Harmonist on her field, along with both of Yuya's Pendulum Scales. Yuzu gains 400 LP x the number of destroyed cards. [YH: 800 + 400 x 3 = 2000LP] She changes Laureate Francois to Defense Position. She ends her turn. Thermal-Eyes returns to Yuya's field.
Turn 7: Yuya Sakaki
Yuya draws. He activates Monster Reborn, reviving Tuning Magician. Tuning Magician's effect activates. [YS: 1200 - 400 = 800LP] [YH: 2000 + 400 = 2400LP] He tunes the Level 1 Tuning Magician to the Level 7 Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, Synchro Summoning Enlightenment Paladin. (8*/2500/2000) He uses Enlightenment Paladin's effect to add Monster Reborn back to his hand, and he activates it, reviving Odd-Eyes Meteorburst Dragon. Yuya activates the Spell Card, Gap Power, granting Enlightenment Paladin ATK equal to half the difference between his LP and Yuzu's LP. (EP: 2500 + 800 = 3300ATK) Enlightenment Paladin attacks Tchaikovsky. [YH: 2400 - 300 = 2100LP] Enlightenment Paladin inflicts damage to her equal to Tchaikovsky's ATK. [YH: 2100 - 3000 = 0LP] Yuya wins!
Different Card Effects from TCG:
Performapal Drummerilla - Anime effect.
Tuning Magician - Anime effect. I have no reason to change the effect from the anime, since it would defeat the anime's own message.
Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn - Anime effect.
Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon - Anime effect.
Bloom Diva the Melodious Floral Saint - Anime effect. There's an issue where Bloom Diva is treated as inflicting effect damage at some times, and battle damage at some times with its effect. This fic treats it as effect damage, since the TCG version inflicts effect damage.
Aria the Melodious Diva - Has both her TCG and anime effect.
Enlightenment Paladin - TCG effect minus the requirement for the "Magician" monster to be a Pendulum Monster.
OC Cards:
Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon
(8*/3000/2000/WATER/Dragon/Fusion/Effect)
1 DARK Dragon monster + 1 Reptile monster
This card is unaffected by the activated effects of monsters your opponent controls with less ATK than this card. Once per turn, if this card destroys a monster by battle: You can gain LP equal to the destroyed monster's original ATK. Once per turn, if this card battles a monster with higher ATK: You can negate that attack and banish this card until the End Phase, and if you do, you can Special Summon 1 Pendulum Monster from face-up in your Extra Deck.
Trivia: A reptile version of Rune-Eyes, Beast-Eyes, Brave-Eyes, etc. 'Thermal' refers to ecto-therm, or 'coldbloodedness' in reptiles. Its effect is intentionally tailored to make it 'slippery' and hard to get rid of.
Alto the Melodious Songstress
(1*/100/800/LIGHT/Fairy/Tuner/Effect)
If this card is Special Summoned: You can target 1 "Melodious" monster on the field; increase or decrease its Level by 1. If a "Melodious" monster you control battles an opponent's monster while this card is in the GY: You can banish this card from the GY; decrease the opposing monster's ATK by 500. You can only activate each effect of "Alto the Melodious Songstress" once per turn.
Trivia: Literally named after the alto. Not sure what else I could put here, haha. With Soprano being a card, it only felt right that this should be an alternative "Melodious Songstress". Her design is intentionally consisting of the complementary colours of Soprano, since altos and sopranos complement each other. And of course, the tuning fork resembles Tuning Magician.
Gospodin Tchaikovsky the Melodious Overture Saint
(9*/3000/2000/LIGHT/Fairy/Synchro/Effect)
1 LIGHT Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If this card is Synchro Summoned using at least 2 "Melodious" monsters as Synchro Material: You can target 1 "Melodious" monster you control and 2 cards on the field; destroy the targeted cards, and if you do, gain LP equal to the number of destroyed cards x 400. If this card battles a Special Summoned monster: You can target 1 "Melodious" monster you control other than this card; Tribute it, and if you do, negate the effects of that Special Summoned monster until the end of the Battle Phase. Your opponent cannot activate the effects of that monster they control in response to this effect. You can only activate each effect of "Gospodin Tchaikovsky the Melodious Overture Saint" once per turn.
Trivia: Named after Tchaikovsky, naturally. Gospodin is the formal and respectful way of saying 'mister' in Russian. Overture refers to the 'genre' or 'type' of some of the music he composed—it's hard for me to explain? But yes. An overture has several meanings. The first is an 'instrumental introduction'. Fittingly, the high impact effect triggers upon entry of the monster. An overture is typically 'fast-slow-fast' in terms of music. Thus, the effect is intended to mirror that—fast, on the entry-destruction, slow, when it activates its effect and forces the opponent not to respond, and fast, when the battle resumes. To any actual music students, I apologise if I interpreted it wrongly, but this was probably the best I could do. And yes, this card is most certainly busted. However, its main downside is that it can't be used alongside Aria, who is the best card that Melodious has. The fact that it is never allowed to use its second effect is a reference to the fact that Yuzu does not win here—her performance is cut short, so to speak.
End Notes:
The chapter name is most certainly a reference to Chapter 35's name.
Miharu and Yuzu's conversation earned some of the funniest comments from my friends that I've ever seen. Here are the highlights.
"Miharu just wants to live out her Stardew Valley dreams." - Mist
"Miharu wants the coffee shop AU so bad, but she's stuck in the card game war. Also, 'life isn't all about dueling'? You're writing a card game fic!" - Elise
Yeah, some quick notes about the duel. I'm pretty sure that no one expected Yuya vs Yuzu to be the first match in the round—but it was actually pretty important that Yuzu went down to the Underground early in the round. Yuya vs Yuzu was always going to happen here—both of them are the best opponent for the other one to grow. Also, having the two of them go to an equal win-loss record against each other (since Yuya lost to her in Episode 1) and having them see each other's new strength is also important for their future development. There is some angst, but they get over it and fight each other properly.
Before anyone flames me for sending Yuzu to the Underground, uh, it's actually pretty important for her to be there for plot reasons. I think you can tell from the last part of the chapter that the Underground characters are also going to get to do some stuff during this arc too. I considered a few options here, but I judged that giving Yuzu a chance to independently fight instead of being stuck in the Friendship Cup was far better. So yeah. That's it. And my other argument is 'better this than Sergey'.
I will point out that the duel is mostly from Yuzu's perspective on purpose. I feel like the really obvious and generic way to do this duel would have been to write from Yuya's perspective, show his internal conflict, blah blah blah, and have him overcome Yuzu, with Yuzu congratulating him on winning with a smile. But that would be absolutely awful for Yuzu's character, who already feels like she's not strong enough. So instead, this duel is not framed to show off Yuya's new strength, but rather, to show off Yuzu's dissatisfaction with where she is and the idea that she is just someone to be protected. It becomes a duel that feeds Yuzu's motivation rather than sacrificing her for Yuya's development.
I guess I can also touch on Yuya slightly here. Yuya pulls off the Tuning Magician-Gap Power combo here, but it has a very different meaning here compared to canon. The Synchro Dimension's conflict is still something very foreign to Yuya at this point. He has no reason to use Tuning Magician to try and advocate for the Commons at this stage because realistically, he knows nothing about them. Instead, it's a symbol of how he refuses to get washed up in the hatred of the City, and that he is still willing to heal his opponents. (Metaphorically and literally.)
Anyway, you might be sensing a trend, but yeah, I don't like having the characters win just because they use new summoning methods. Yuzu might know Synchro and Link Summoning now, but it doesn't mean that she's good at using her cards. They're options, but it doesn't mean that she's going to be able to use them well.
Going off-topic, holy shit there is so much new support in the new pack! And I've been sick, but waiting to talk about it! Firstly, the Illusionist Type had me losing my mind. Chimera is so beast for no reason at all? Pseudo-Kaiju Thestalos with Caius's effect as well? Link 4 free search infinite steal Altergeist? (I'm not excited for Sleipnir. Begone, Runicks, begone, demons.) Am I losing my mind over cute dog candle? Yes! Big wind doggo? Even more yes! Cute Link ladder-boosting fish? Duelist Nexus is just so weird but in a good way.
Review responses!
To LHOCIN, yeah, Miharu is most definitely a workaholic, lmao. I'd like to think that Den City and the Link Dimension in general are the perfect example of a modern world with social media, technological advancement and bad work-life balance.
To Sesshomaru, I have no present plans to have the Numbers show up with their anime significance. (Aka no, there are no Barians/Astral beings, etc.) The Xyz Dimension's plot is already rich enough with the invasion and the complications of everything, and I really want to explore that instead of going in a different direction. They may show up as just cards for the relevant characters, but nothing more than that.
To the Guest asking about the Barian emperors, that's answered above, I think. The characters themselves may or may not show up, but if they show up, they will not be Barians. It just doesn't make sense in Arc V's world.
To Unlucky-Fausto, I remember seeing Volcanic support and being just as surprised as everyone else, haha. Thanks, I do love writing chill chapters myself. My main worry with them is always that people will think that nothing is happening though, which is why I always try to balance them out with some plot. I am actually looking forward to writing Johan again, in the distant future.
To naminexriku2468, not going to spoil anything, but you might be a bit off in your analysis of what's going on. Regardless, thank you for your review. :)
To Maggie Chicken, I don't have any strong opinions on the series. All of them carry their own disappointments and strengths to me. I flipflop a lot on my opinions, but my favourite is probably Arc-V as of now, since it's obviously the one that I carry the most interest in. However, I'm also aware that the 'Arc-V' I like is, in a way, the idealised version of it—only the parts that I like. If looking at everything in terms of just canon and not filling in the missed potential for the series, the 'best' one is probably 5Ds.
To phantomdragons, thanks for the well wishes. I'm feeling slightly better now, but since it's a chronic thing, it'll probably continue to act up for a while. 'Kaname is dysfunctional as all hell'—this made me laugh. Funnily enough, Mist, who has just as much of a shipper brain, said a similar thing to me when she read that scene. I definitely do intend to let Miyu do something in the Link Arc. Thanks for the sweet compliment!
To kikuruhime, haha, that might be the case. This chapter's actually short though. Glad you like Mion.
To cardfan135, I do plan to make it after a certain point in the fic. It'll likely only be on AO3 though, since it's against ffnet's Terms of Service. I'll mention it here when I do post it there though—I haven't exactly been able to keep up with my schedule. Thank you for the wellwishes.
To T.V. 2000, it's definitely hard to write characters! I do sympathise a lot with that. What I can say is that if you do want to try to write a story, the best way to make a character that feels genuine and human is simply to give them a motivation of their own. Something that they want so much that they will do anything for it. A lot of OCs that I've seen on the website lack 'heart' because the writer chooses to create them by starting with personality traits, and stops there, assuming that's all that's needed to make a compelling character. For example, Fifth Factor's Yukio has a very clear personality—you know exactly why he does what he does. That makes his actions feel more intelligent and deep. Either way, the only way to improve your writing of stories is to start and keep on going.
To Zarbapha, I appreciate your reviews. I fixed both mistakes already. For Magnetic Current's effect, the reason why I screwed that up was because originally, the dragon only granted half ATK as LP, but I changed it after I finished writing the duel, without remembering to check the duel itself.
That should be it. Thank you very much for sticking with me.