Sekhmet: I like bending the rules in circumstances of very little consequence.
Susano-o: Does anyone even remember Titan? And be honest.
Sekhmet: I don't, and I wrote for him. That's the problem with one off villains.
Susano-o: Anyway on with the show.
Duel 5: Lost in the Shadows
"When she woke up there was the doll, just sitting there at the foot of her bed, and when she reached over to turn on the light, it vanished, and the last thing she hear was the clicking sound of the doll's mouth, and the woosh of a swinging axe," Rose finished with an evil cackling laugh. "So how was it?"
"Eh, kinda cliche." Yuko said.
"Well I got fucking 'Malice Doll of Demise'!" Rose yelled holding up the card she drew. "What else could I gonna tell but a haunted doll story?" She yelled turning to Syrus. "You thought it was scary right Syrus...Syrus?" She asked looking around for her missing friend.
"He's on the ceiling," Chumley said pointing at one of the low hanging beams.
"Syrus get down from there," Midori said hands on her hips.
"No!" Syrus whined not revealing himself.
"Fine," Midori said with a shrug. "Don't blame me when the creature in the rafters gets you," She said cryptically.
"AHHH!" Syrus yelled falling down from the rafters back into his seat.
"Ok he's back," Rose said turning back to Yuko. "Ok so as I was saying, what other story could I tell?"
"I dunno. It's appropriate for a four star monster." Yuko said. She pulled a card. 'Alien Mars', level 3.
"Alright, I guess I can crank out a level 3 story. Once upon a time, there was a woman and her husband. The woman was beautiful and kind, but the husband was cruel and jealous, paranoid too. One day, the husband and wife were out to market, and a male coworker of the wife had a simple work conversation with her. When the couple got home, the husband flew into a rage, accusing her of cheating on him. She denied this, but he didn't believe her. As punishment, he split her mouth open with a knife and then killed her, asking her who would think she was beautiful anymore. To this day, she can be seen wandering the streets of cities at night, wearing a surgical mask. She will approach people walking alone and ask them a simple question: "Am I pretty?" If you answer no, she'll kill you with a pair of giant scissors. If you answer yes, she'll take off her mask, revealing her horrible, still bleeding Glasgow smile. If you answer no, she'll kill you with her scissors. If you answer yes, she'll cut your face so that you have her grin." Yuko told her story with an ever growing grin, which ended up resembling the woman from her story. She threw in a creepy chuckle on the last word of her story.
"That's just an urban legend!" Rose yelled getting on her chair and dramatically pointing at Yuko. "You copied it!"
"It's an urban legend, everyone who's ever told it copied it. That's why it's a three star story." Yuko said.
"You failed the point of the game!" Rose yelled. "You need to make your own story!"
"We never established that the story needed to be an original work. The two rules were 'draw a card and tell an appropriately scary story.'" Yuko rebutted.
"Oh my Ra I can't even with you!" Rose yelled grabbing her head. "Syrus you agree with me right?" She asked.
"Can we just have our hot chocolate now?" Syrus whined from under the table. "I don't want to do this anymore."
"Sure." Yuko said, getting up and grabbing some instant cocoa packets from the tray. She carried them and the cups of water over to the table and distributed them, along with spoons.
"Well guess this game is over," Rose muttered grabbing her mug.
"Oh that's a shame," A voice called out from the darkness.
"Who's there?" Yuko said, holding her spoon as menacingly as one could hold a spoon.
Syrus's response was less tempered as he screamed loudly and threw himself into Midori's arms. "Protect me!"
"Not Licious!" Chumley yelled falling backwards out of his seat.
Rose held out a random chair in front of her as a weapon. "Identify yourself!"
The dining room door slid back and Professor Banner followed by Pharoah. "Hello students," He said smiling. "I hope I didn't scare you."
"Good evening, sir." Yuko said, returning the spoon to her cup. "I think the only one you didn't scare was Rose, unfortunately."
"Oh well," Banner said sitting down with a smile. "Ah I want to join in on the fright feast," he said chuckling. "May I have a turn?"
"Not again..." Syrus whined, bracing himself for another scary story.
"Sure Professor," Rose said with a smile. "Hopefully it'll wash the taste of that awful last story out of our minds," She said throwing a glance at Yuko, who just smirked. She knew she was right, she didn't have to argue. "Just draw a card, the higher the level the scarier it has to be."
"Well then," Banner said grabbing his card. "Let us take a look," Flipping the card over revealed the level 12 'Five-Headed Dragon."
"Oh this is gonna be good," Rose said smirking.
"Umm I think I'm gonna go to bed," Syrus said trying to get out of Midori's lap, only to face plant into Yuko's.
"Yeah I gotta get up early for breakfast," Chumley said nervously.
"Well then," Banner said smiling. "I guess you don't want to hear about the abandoned dorms," He said eerily.
"Oh please Professor," Midori said crossing her arms. "Everyone knows that's just a rumor."
"Ah yes," He said adjusting his glasses to blind out his eyes. "But all rumors have to start from somewhere."
"What's the story?" Yuko asked.
"Well people say there's an abandoned dorm on the edge of the island, originally it was a dorm for special students, but a tragic accident caused several students to disappear under mysterious circumstances," Banner explained with an eerie smile.
"How did they disappear?" Rose asked leaning in to listen closely.
"Nobody knows, that's why it's a mystery," Banner said cryptically. "But the rumor was, they were experimenting with shadow games."
"Shadow Games?" Yuko asked. She had heard about those through her brother. From what he told her, they were unorthodox games that wagered your very soul.
"Yes, shadow games," Banner repeated. "They're games played with strange rules and very real consequences, the most famous were the ones that were created by the mystical Millenium Items."
"What are those?" Rose asked getting closer to her dorm head while simultaneously casting a large smirk at Yuko. Yuko looked at her with a worried look.
"The Millenium Items are a set of seven items used by the ancient Egyptians to protect Egypt," Banner explained. "-But they could also be used for evil, including bringing people into Shadow Games."
"Oh interesting," Rose said smiling broadly. "What did they look like?"
"Well most of the illustrations are lost," Banner said sadly. "-But we do know they all had the symbol of an eye of them."
"So these kids went missing in the dorm? How come there's been no investigation?" Yuko asked.
"Oh there was," Banner said. "But nothing was found, it was like they had vanished into thin air without a trace," He said before standing up and walking to the door. "Well I have papers to grade," He said with a smile as he left. "Enjoy the rest of your night students!"
"Good night sir." Yuko said, and yawned. "It's about time I get going too."
"Yeah me too," Rose said standing up. "I have some research to do!" She said setting her chin on Yuko's shoulder. "You know, about the Millenium Items," She smirked.
"Sure." Yuko said. Honestly she was a bit too tired to care.
….
"Second renaissance…" Yuko thought, trying to write notes and listen to Professor Banner at the same time.
"Bubbleman attack Kenshio with Bubble Blast!" Rose muttered snuggling deeper into her arm pillow. Yuko ignored her to keep writing notes. "Omae wa mou shindeiru," Rose whispered as the bell rang waking her up. "Nani!" She yelled looking around in a still half asleep daze.
"Class is over." Yuko said. She went to grab her bag, but in a clumsy move, she knocked her water bottle onto her notes. "Oh no!" She yelled, frantically picking the book up to avoid getting it further soaked.
"Oh damn," Rose said with a hiss as she looked at her friends bag. "Your notes are trashed."
"Well at least it wasn't my unconscious mind this time." She said, haphazardly throwing the book to the side and booking it to the bathroom to grab some paper towels.
"I'll get Syrus's notes," Rose said walking over to the boy. "Hey Syrus old buddy," She said sweetly. Syrus was immediately scared. "Ummm h-hey Rose!" He stuttered.
"So Yuko needs your notes," Rose said with a smile. "Think we can borrow them?"
"S-Sure of course!" Syrus said practically throwing the notebook in Rose's hands. "I'll come get it later tonight!" He yelled running out of the room. Rose was confused by this reaction.
Yuko came back with a large ball of paper towels. "What's with Syrus? Did he spill water on his notes too?" She asked, looking over to where he usually sat. After seeing that she was wrong, she started mopping up the water.
"No he ran off for some reason," Rose said scratching her head in confusion. "All I did was ask for his notes?"
"Weird. There's a photocopier in the library right?" Yuko asked as she finished mopping up the water.
"Yeah," Rose said walking towards the building. "So Yuko old buddy old pal old friend," Rose said with a smile. Yuko raised an eyebrow at the new monikers. "Can you help me with a project later on tonight?" She asked giving Yuko massive puppy-dog eyes that went unseen under her sunglasses.
"What kind of project?" Yuko asked warily.
"Just some independent research for Banner's class," Rose explained with another begging face. "I just need more people to cover more ground."
Yuko didn't get it, but then she thought about the night before. "This doesn't have anything to do with the abandoned dorms does it?"
Rose sputtered. "What!" She said in an overly dramatic tone. "Of course not!" She said waving her hand dismissively. "Whatever would give you that idea?"
"You seemed very intrigued by what Professor Banner said last night about them." Yuko said, her eyes narrowing.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Rose said crossing her arms. "It has nothing to do with the fact I was right and Yugi and everyone else with those strange items seem to have magical powers and now it's confirmed," She said smirking.
Not again with sticking her nose where it didn't belong. "Professor Banner said it himself, besides the eye, all illustrations of the items were lost. They exist only as a concept now." Yuko said, walking to the nearest trash can and throwing the shrunken lump of paper towels away.
"And like he said, all rumors start from somewhere," She said back. "So I'm gonna find the source, maybe I can get even get one myself," She said thoughtfully.
"Yeah if you wanna get burnt alive." Yuko thought. "If there's any residual magic left there or something, you're gonna get yourself maimed or killed." Yuko said, in a reluctant agreement to go with her.
"Oh so you do believe in them," Rose said smirking. "After all, why would you make a comment like that if you think it's all fake?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"It's more like I'm scared to NOT believe in them." Yuko said. "I live my life by Occam's Razor, but there are some things it just doesn't cover."
"Well it doesn't matter!" Rose yelled excitedly. "I'm gonna solve the mystery one way or another!"
"And I'm being dragged into it too." Yuko muttered. "Let me photocopy Syrus' notes and return his book, THEN you can drag me into your craziness."
"What are you talking about?" Rose said smirking. "Syrus, Chumley, and Midori are coming with us!"
"Because of course." Yuko said.
Little did they know that lurking in the shadows Dr. Crowler was waiting and smirking evilly.
"My last two plans may have failed, he thought. "But this one will work perfectly! Either they'll be so scared they leave this school forever, or I can expel them for trespassing! He laughed.
…
Deep in the bowels of Paradise City, an imposing figure had just finished a duel and was now looming over his defeated opponent. "Ok ok you win!" his defeated opponent pleaded. "Take anything just leave me alone!"
"What I want," The man said holding in a familiar looking pendant. "Is your soul!" He boomed as the pendant's eye glowed.
"No no have mercy!" His opponent pleaded even harder.
"Mercy?" The man asked. "What's that," He asked over his opponents screams of pain. "Rest in peace in the shadow realm," He laughed as his cell phone went off. "Speak...Duel Academy...tomorrow night...I'll be there," He said walking away into the night.
...
"I need you to frighted these two so much, the will leave this academy for good!"
"I'll do more than that, I'll banish them to the shadow realm."
"Well all right if you insist."
…
"Well you be a pessimist could say we're lost," Rose said waving her flashlight around. "Or you could be an optimist and say we found a couple places where it's not," She said smiling.
"We've been 'finding places' for over an hour, Rose." Yuko stated.
"Yeah guys I'm hungry," Chumley said from the back. "Can we stop for a snack break?"
"No," Rose said turning around with a dark smile. "Remember the last time we stopped? Syrus tried to run back to the dorms," She said gazing at the smaller boy she had tied to her waist. "And we can't have that now can we."
"Was tying my wrist together really necessary!" Syrus asked showing his roped together wrists. "I just wanted my notes back!"
"And you will get them back," Rose said crossing her arms. "After you help!"
"What was this 'project' at the dorms for anyway? Or was that just a cover so you could explore a derelict building with possible residual magic?" Yuko asked, already kind of knowing the answer.
"Rose do you really believe that rumor," Midori asked crossing her arms. "I told you all those missing students are on an international trip."
"A good cover up," Rose said walking backwards. "But clearly not true, and we're gonna prove it!"
Yuko sighed. "I could be studying right now…"
"Come on guys let's sing to keep our spirits up! Biru no tanima no kurayami ni (Spiderman)! Kiraritoi hikaru ikari no me (Spiderman)!" Rose sang loudly as they continued their trek through the woods. Yuko opted to sing 'Renai Circulation' in her head instead.
"Rose look ahead," Midori said pointing up the hill. "We found it."
Looking up everyone saw a derelict building hidden among the tree cover, the faded blue roof left no question about what it was.
"OH SO THE BLUE KID'S GET A NEW DORM BUT THE SLIFER'S DON'T!" Rose yelled throwing her arms into the air. "I am so fucking taking those Dorms the minute I beat Chazz!" She yelled. "Those stupid, arrogant, selfish….!"
"Ok we're here, didn't you have an investigation to do?" Yuko said, trying to get her attention.
"With a bucket of fish heads!" Rose yelled stomping forward towards the dorms, dragging Syrus along with her. "If I ever see Kaiba I'm going to shove his blue eyes cards right up his ass!"
Midori leaned in close to Yuko. "Does she do this often?" Midori asked. "I heard she had a temper, but this seems a bit much."
"Only when you pick the scabs." Yuko said. Even she was weirded out by her own choice of metaphor.
"Umm what scabs?" Chumley asked, this being his first exposure as well to Rose's infamous temper.
"She doesn't like the rich and arrogant. I don't know the whole story, but I assume she had some bad experiences with the group." Yuko said.
"Oh," Midori said turning to watch Rose who had stopped in front of the dorms but seemed to still be ranting to a panting Syrus. "Interesting."
"Yeah. I'm not the the grudge holding type so I don't really understand, but it's not my business anyway." Yuko said.
"Obelisk's are pretty arrogant," Chumley defended.
"I enjoy her passion," Dreadroot rumbled in agreement.
"That's one way of putting it." Yuko thought.
The three finally caught up to their friend, who had finally stopped ranting and was not inspecting the front gate of the dorms. "Keep out," Rose muttered reading the sign that was chained across the gate. "Must be some ancient forgotten language."
"That's English." Yuko deadpanned.
"Nope clearly indecipherable," Rose said crossing her arms. "Ah well it's probably nothing," She said continuing to look around till her flashlight beam hit a single red rose sitting beside the gate. "Huh that doesn't belong here," she mused reaching down to pick it up.
"Well it's been moved here, so it must belong." Yuko said. There was a snap of a twig nearby.
"Who's there!" Syrus yelled aiming his flashlight at the noise. "I have a belt and I'm not afraid to hang myself!"
His flashlight revealed Alexis, glaring at the group.
"Oh, hi Alexis." Yuko said. "What are you doing here?"
"I was just about to ask you the same thing." She said with an edge in her voice.
"Rose wanted to see the abandoned dorms," Midori said nodding her head towards the now stunned Rose who was still halfway towards picking up the rose.
"Well that's not very smart. Don't you know that kids have a way of disappearing around here?" Alexis warned.
"Umm," Rose muttered clearly still unable to process being around Alexis. "No?" She asked questioningly.
"Believe me, I know. Why else would they make this place completely forbidden? If they catch you here, they expel you." Alexis warned. "And leave that rose there."
"Ok!" Rose yelped jumping backwards and falling on her butt. "So what are you doing here?" Rose asked trying to maintain what was left of her dignity as she stood up.
"I have my reasons, that's why!" Alexis barked, suddenly hostile.
"Ok ok!" Rose said with a placating gesture. "We'll leave you alone then."
Alexis sighed. "Look, it's just that… one of the kids that disappeared here was my brother."
"Oh," Rose said softly. "I'm sorry," she said not knowing what else to say.
"It's fine, you didn't know." Alexis said, and walked off.
"Well," Chumley said after a few minutes. "That was awkward."
"Aside from that, now we know the magic is real." Yuko said, trying to steer the conversation anywhere but its current point.
"Oh right," Rose said remembering why they were here. "Lets go Mystery Inc.!"
"Can you untie me?" Syrus asked giving his best begging face.
"Are you gonna run away?" Rose asked with a creepy smile.
"Umm," Syrurs muttered looking anywhere but at Rose. "No."
"Fine," She said untying the poor boy. "But I'd stick close, wouldn't want ManBearPig to get you!" Rose sing-songed as she jumped the fence.
"Is that what the American Bigfoot is?" Yuko asked, legging it over the fence after Rose.
"No he's a ferocious beast that's half man, half bear, half pig," Rose explained.
"That's not possible," Midori said as she and Chumley stepped over the fence as well.
"Sounds like a Hibagon." Yuko noted.
"Come on guys!" Rose said angrily. "I'm super cereal!"
"You mean serious?" Yuko offered.
"I wonder what it tastes like?" Chumley pondered making everyone look at him warily. "Well not the man part! The BearPig part!" He defended.
"Wait up!" Syrus yelled scrambling over the fence. "I don't want to be eaten by ManBearPig!"
The five made their way inside looking over anything that caught their eye until they reached what they determined to be either the main dining hall or a ballroom near the center of the dorms.
"Holy shit even their older dorms where better than ours," Rose growled looking around the room. "I may bust out the carpenters tools and fix this place up."
"Are you kidding?" Syrus asked looking around. "This place is literally falling to pieces around us, at least our dorms are stable," he said swinging his flashlight around. "And what's with the stuff on the walls?"
"Do you think it has something to do with the shadow games?" Chumley asked nervously.
"Depends on whether or not the theme was intended." Yuko said. Her flashlight shone upon the murals depicting the Millennium Items. She lingered on the one depicting the Puzzle, and thought of her brother. Her brother and his spirit…
Yugi has told her about Yami, Atem as he had called the spirit in their final days together. He was a kind and gentle soul, but not unable to assert himself.
She had only met the spirit twice. The first time was in primary school. Much like her brother, she had been bullied in school. She didn't remember why, but children were cruel. They stole her school supplies and pushed her around. It was when she made the mistake of bringing her then favorite card, Gigantic Cephalotus, to school that she first met him.
Her bullies stole the card at their first opportunity and hid it in a place that only they could reach. Yuko has been in tears when she got home. Yugi had offered, Well more insisted that they go get the card back. Yuko didn't want to go at first, because the bullies were most likely still there, but Yugi had said that it would be easy.
As Yuko and her brother walked down the street to her school, Yuko became increasingly aware that Yugi wasn't acting like himself. He was quiet and had a look on his face that made her uneasy, but not frightened. She just knew that something was wrong with her brother.
The two retrieved the card from a high up cubby with little effort. However, Yugi asked her to stay in the classroom while he took care of something. She didn't know any better at the time, so she took the opportunity to play with the toys that she was never allowed to.
Eventually, she wondered where her brother had gone to, and wandered out of the classroom in search of him. She found him on the playground, her bullies running away in fear of her brother. She walked up to Yugi, and he turned to look at her.
For the first time in her life, Yuko was scared of her brother. He had an intensely scary face on, devoid of mercy. Once he saw it was his sister, however, the look softened considerably. He took her home after that, and it was never spoken of again. No one bullied her after that night.
The second time she met him, it was a few days before he left her brother's life. They met, and had a table duel. The spirit won, of course. Despite not knowing him very long, Yuko was sad to watch him go.
If she died here and now, maybe she would meet him again.
"Woah," Rose said shaking Yuko's shoulder. "You ok there? You've been staring off into space for like two minutes."
"Hmm? Oh, yeah." Yuko said, coming out of her trance. She took a single picture of the puzzle carving.
"You want that pendant?" Rose asked seeing where the light had been pointed towards this that whole time. "You can have it, I want that cool eyepatch over there," She said pointing towards the painting of the Millenium Eye.
"Eyepatch..?" She muttered, a bit confused.
"Yeah," Rose said raising an eyebrow. "What else could it be?"
"It's on a 2D plane, could be something behind it." Yuko said.
"What like an eye?" Rose asked with a chuckle. "That makes no sense, why would it be the one item that isn't just a thing you put on?" She pondered. "It would be the only permanent item."
"I dunno. There are exceptions for everything, right?" Yuko pretended to wonder.
"Well either way I'll take it," Rose said shrugging. "Or maybe that cool necklace over there," She said nodding towards the Millennium Ring.
"That's got spikes on it though. It's too clunky. What about that one?" Yuko asked, pointing to the Millennium Necklace.
"Does it look like I wear jewelry?" Rose asked raising an eyebrow. "Oh look a photo," She said pointing her flashlight towards a photo of a man in an Obelisk Blue jacket. "Wonder who that is."
Suddenly a scream was heard from deeper in the dorms.
"That sounded like Alexis," Midori said worriedly.
"Oh no!," Syrus yelled hiding under a nearby table. "ManBearPig got her!"
"I don't think ManBearPig is a thing. Which way did it come from?" Yuko asked.
"Down there," Midori said pointing to a set of stairs leading to a dark basement. Rose wasted no time and quickly took off in a dead sprint down the stairs. "ManBearPig you'd better fucking start running!" She yelled angrily.
"It's not a thing!" Yuko huffed after her.
"Wait for me!" Midori yelled running after them. Chumley and Syrus looked at each other for a few seconds before realizing that it was probably safer with them than going back alone. "Wait up!" They yelled running down the stairs.
Rose barely heard her friends calling after her as she ran deeper and deeper into the depths of the building eventually running down what looked like a mineshaft build underneath the building that went on for what felt like miles till it opened up into a large cavern covered in strange symbols.
"Alexis!" She yelled enraged at seeing her friend seemingly passed out inside a coffin.
"She can't hear you," A voice laughed from out of nowhere. "She's far away, locked in the shadow realm."
Yuko panted hard as she arrived in the room. "What's this mineshaft doing here? Who's that guy?" She said pointing at the man who emerged from the fog.
"A dead motherfucker!" Rose yelled charging at the man, who seemed to teleport away from Rose's punch much to everyone's shock. "Stand still fuck face!" Rose yelled trying to hit the man who just avoided them all without losing his amused smirk. "I will stomp your ass so hard you'll have to grin to shit!" She yelled throwing another kick that he pushed away, causing her to lose her balance and topple over.
"As amusing as your attempts are," he said smirking. "You'll never defeat me and my millenium item," He said holding up the millenium puzzle. "And if you ever want to leave here with your mind intact, you'll have to beat me in a shadow game."
Yuko clenched her hands in anger. How dare this...creature take the Puzzle for himself. Actually, HOW did he do it? To do that, he'd have to go all the way to that tomb the Ceremonial Duel took place in, dig up the pieces and put it back together. She supposed that he COULD do all that but…
"I'll fucking duel you! Shadow game or not!" Rose yelled grabbing her duel disk. "Then you can spend eternity with my foot up your ass!"
"Rose! Hold on!" Yuko said, walking towards her friend.
"Why?" She yelled back. "This walking Hot Topic store kidnapped Alexis!" She ranted. "Why shouldn't I duel him?"
"Because you're trying to pick a fight with things you couldn't BEGIN to comprehend." Yuko said. "The Shadow Games put souls at risk, and if anyone's gonna do that, it'll be me."
"I don't care!" Rose yelled. "One, even if he could do a shadow game I'm not scared of some costumed freak!" She yelled holding up one finger. "Two, if anyone here's risking their damn life it's gonna be me!" She held up another finger. "And three he hurt Alexis, so he's gonna pay!"
Yuko was fuming. Something clicked inside her, and a terror aura kicked up. "I don't give a shit what you think. If you love Alexis so much, go watch over her while I Duel this heathen."
Rose took a step back in shock, but she growled and nodded. "Fine," She snarled looking over at the man. "But I still want a piece of him after you're done."
"You can tear him apart all you want after I'm done with him." Yuko said, and dug her duel disk out of her pack.
Rose hissed in satisfaction as she went over and pulled Alexis out of her coffin, the man tried to stop her but a blast of Yuko's terror aura stopped him cold. "Well," Rose muttered carrying Alexis over to the rest of her friends. "This is an awkward first date," She mused standing next to Midori.
"Well I guess you'll be my opponent then little girl," the man said with a smirk.
"Yes, now what is the name of the man who desecrated the ancient tomb?"
"You many call me Titan," The man said holding up his arm and activating his duel disk. "As for desecrating a tomb, the only tomb I know of will be the ones you will be in once I win and send your souls to the shadow realm."
Yuko engages her duel disk. "Not if I can help it."
"But you can't," Titan said smirking. "Now let the shadow games begin!"
"Duel!" (LP: 8000)
"I draw!" Yuko growled. "I set two cards facedown and a monster. I end my turn."
"Prepare you fool to enter into the shadows. I summon 'Infernalqueen Archfiend' in Attack mode!" Titan declared.
A robed skeletal demon appeared on the field. (900/1500)
"An Archfiend monster? Is he running some sort of weird burn deck?" Yuko thought.
"As long as this card is on the field, during each Standby phase, I can increase one 'Archfiend' monster's Attack by 1000 until the End Phase!" He elaborated. 'Infernalqueen Archfiend' glowed with a purple light as it's Attack points rose. (900-1900/1500) "Go, my queen! Attack her facedown monster!"
'Infernalqueen Archfiend' fired a blast of fire from her palm. On the underside of the card was Marshmallon, looking goofy as ever (300/500).
"Marshmallon's ability activates! After Damage Calculation, if this monster was attacked and was face down at the start of the Damage Step, you take 1000 damage." Yuko said. Marshmallon bore its teeth and bit into Titan's shoulder before scurrying back to Yuko's field. (Titan's LP: 8000-7000)
"Well this duels gonna be a long one," Chumley said nervously.
"Yeah," Syrus agreed. "-But if Yuko keeps stalling he'll burn himself out using those Archfiend cards!"
"That won't happen," Midori said plainly. "He'll get their field spell long before then, Yuko's gotta be careful, one wrong move and his Archfiend's effects will tear through her defenses like tissue paper."
"I draw." Yuko said. This 'Nimble Momonga' would be a good setup. But she had to make sure she had the final piece first, and this spell card would do the trick.
"I set a monster, and activate the spell 'Gold Sarcophagus'!"
A small golden box with a Wadjet Eye appeared on "the field. "With this card, I banish one select card from my Deck face up. Then, on my second Standby phase after activating it, it gets added to my hand." Yuko took a card from her deck and put it inside the box, and let it vanish into thin air. "I play one card facedown and end my turn."
"I draw." Titan said, before hissing in pain as his Archfiend's effect activated (Titan LP: 7000-6500) but he then looked at his card and laughed. "I activate the field spell 'Pandemonium'!"
A golden light emitted from his duel disk as he inserted the field spell into its slot. Everyone shielded their eyes, and when the light faded, they found themselves in a vaguely threatening hellscape.
"Boo!" Rose yelled giving Titan a thumbs down. "This is boring looking! 4/10 do better!"
"Rose I know you're angry," Midori said annoyed. "But I would take this a bit seriously, he's definitely got some weird powers so stop pissing him off."
"This card doesn't just change the scenery, it changes the rules."
"No it doesn't!" Rose yelled and Midori smacked her for it.
"Now I don't have to pay any life points for my Archfiends, and if they're ever destroyed outside of a battle, I get to put another 'Archfiend' monster from my Deck to my hand that is a lower level than the destroyed card." Titan explained. "I know what you're thinking; you're little friend's fates are all but sealed. Well you're right."
A loud rumble came from behind the group, and their only exit closed behind a door with a demonic face on it.
"Ok I can get us out!" Rose yelled. "All I need is a roll of toilet paper and a stick of dynamite!"
"Rose please stop," Syrus whined nervously. "We're really in bad place right now."
"Syrus relax," Rose said smirking darkly. "He'll let us go once I'm through shoving his duel disk up his ass."
"That won't be happening." Titan laugher darkly, and took out what Yuko recognized as her brother's prized trinket. "Not after I intensify this Shadow Game!"
A bright light shone from the Puzzle, nearly blinding those who saw it.
"With the power of my Millennium Pendant, your fates are all but sealed!" Titan said.
Yuko held her arm out to shield her eyes. "Maybe this was real… After all, what other hunk of gold in a pyramid shape can emit a light like that?"
"You really are as stupid as you look," Dreadroot growled from inside her mind.
"What?" Yuko thought.
"Oh come on," Dreadroot growled. "Look through your memories, that is not the same weapon that childish brat used."
"Weapon? I thought that the Millennium Puzzle just housed my brother's friend's soul." Yuko thought.
"Weapon, container of a brat's soul, it is all a matter of perspective," Dreadroot responded.
"But what you're saying is that's NOT the Millennium Puzzle?" Yuko said, trying to phrase it politely.
"No you intolerable waste of space!" Dreadroot yelled activating his aura making Yuko shake for a second. "That two bit carny could not control the power of one of those accused Millenium Items if one was shoved down his throat!"
Despite the insults, Yuko felt more confident. "Thanks for the tough love." She said.
"I simply did not want my card stuck down here for the next century like the last time," He responded. "Do not think I will not take over when you inevitably summon me again."
"Well, it IS my only strategy." Yuko admitted.
"I know," Dreadroot laughed. "I am in your head."
"Right." Yuko thought and put herself back into the duel.
"Quit your bullshit!" Yuko barked. "We all know you're lying to get a rise out of us."
"I'm not lying at all." Titan said and smirked. "This Millennium Pendant gives me the power to pull you deep into the shadows, which will devour you soon enough."
"Really? Then if you possess the power you claim to have, you should know full well that there IS no Millennium Pendant!" Yuko claimed.
"Shock, horror," Rose deadpanned smirking at Midori who just glared back. "No one saw that one coming."
"What you claim to wield against us is called the Millennium Puzzle. And now that I've caught you in a lie, what's to say you're not just some out of work carny?" Yuko said, pointing a finger at him in a very "Ace Attorney" style.
"I'm not out of work. I could get my job at the fair back any time I want." Titan defended.
"Well you won't be getting your field spell back. I activate 'Mystical Space Typhoon' to destroy it!" Yuko said, and played the card. A vicious typhoon kicked up and destroyed the field, leaving the room in its original state.
"Well that was boring," Rose said setting Alexis down and cracking her knuckles. "Come on everyone first I'm gonna beat this guy's ass, then we're going home."
"This Duel isn't over yet." Yuko said.
"Oh come on!" Rose whined as she dropped to the ground again. "Just wanna beat someone's ass in," She grumbled crossing her arms.
"You're not getting the chance," Titan said dropping a smokeball to conceal his escape. "This contract isn't worth it anymore," He said walking away to towards the hidden exit to the outside, when suddenly the runes carved into the walls of the cavern started glowing with an unnatural ethereally green light. "What?" Titan asked looking around. "What did you brats do?"
"Oh come on!" Rose yelled rolling her eyes. "Give it a rest with the cheap special effects!"
"I'm not doing this you little shit!" Titan yelled back as the shadows cast by the light seemed to start moving in closer to him and Yuko.
"Weird." Yuko noted, having nothing else to say.
The shadows then condensed around the two of them into a black sphere of chaotic energy. "Boo!" Rose yelled giving a thumbs down. "Stop it with the special effects!"
"Rose I dont think this is part of the show," Syrus said from his hiding spot behind Chumley.
"Yeah I think this is serious," Chumley agreed.
"Oh my Ra fine I'll go get her," Rose muttered walking into the sphere. When suddenly 'Winged Kuriboh' appeared beside her. "Ok that's a cool illusion," She said petting the little puffball as it let out a soft coo and nuzzled into her hand. "Oh so realistic," She said walking forward.
Yuko felt a squeeze on her innards. It wasn't the same as Dreadroot's aura, this was more all encompassing.
"What is this place? Where am I?" Titan asked.
"Don't act like you don't know." Yuko said. "You're the one with all the special effects here."
"I can't do something like this!" Titan said, legitimate fear in his voice. Little gray blobs rained down from the ceiling of the bubble, gaining vague monster like features. They swarmed Titan like bees attacking an invading wasp.
"Help, they're attacking!" Titan yelled as the blobs started swarming onto him.
"Hey Yuko!" Rose yelled as she appeared beside her friend. "Come on let's get out of this stupid illusion," She said crossing her arms as Winged Kuriboh floated around her keeping the little blobs at bay.
"Yeah hold on a sec." Yuko said walking over to the writhing Titan. Carefully picking around the blobs, she ripped the fake Puzzle out of his hand. "Won't be needing this anymore."
"Nope, now give me a minute," Rose said walking over to Titan and allowing Winged Kuriboh to clear them off his body.
"Oh," Titan said rubbing his face. "Oh Thank you! You saved me!" He said in happiness before Rose's foot connected with his shins...repeatedly.
"That's for stealing Alexis!" She yelled before walking back to Yuko. "Now we can go," She said smiling as the blobs surrounded Titan again.
"Yeah ok." Yuko said, and the two exited a small rift in the sphere.
….
After making sure Alexis was safe they handed her the photo they found and she confirmed was her brother. This make Rose nearly pass out from blood rush when Alexis gave her and Yuko a hug for saving her, the two groups made their way back to their respective dorm rooms.
"So!" Rose said with a giant smirk. "What was that about Millenium Items not being real or having magical powers!" She asked laughing.
"You've made your point. Stand back a bit." Yuko said. She whipped it around and smashed it on a rock poking out of the road. "Personal matter taken care of."
"What was so personal about it," Rose asked scratching her head. "I mean it's not like you know Yugi do you?"
"No, I don't. But my brother got wrapped up in Shadow Games. I'm not getting involved in that too." Yuko explained. Technically she wasn't lying about that, she just didn't mention who her brother was.
"Oh please that wasn't a shadow game," Rose said dismissively.
Yuko gave her a look that screamed 'This bitch is dumb.'
"It was all smoke and mirrors," Rose shrugging.
"I dunno. I was in there and it felt like my organs were in a very slow hydraulic press." Yuko said.
"Told you, just hypnosis," Rose said turning around. "It was all in your head."
"Well there won't be any convincing you, will there?" Yuko said.
"Not until I get a real magic item in my hands," She said smirking.