Susano-o: We almost cut this, but it allowed us to bring in Yugi and his friends, and to prove to Rose spirits are real.
Sekhmet: And to instill a fear of death into our fearless leader!
Susano-o: Yes that too. Anyway on with the show.
Duel 10: Hell is Real and We're in it
Winter break at Duel Academy was a calm time, the snow was falling softly, the grounds where quiet as the hustle and bustle of the day was missing, and finally an Obelisk Blue was running through the woods in fear as he was being pursued by a demonic entity. The blue ran as fast as he could towards the nearest bit of civilization, the red dorms, which had the most people still there after break.
"Ah this is the life," Chumley said eating his marshmallows. "Nothing to do but hang out and eat!"
"Yes, but why have we been eating only marshmallows for the past week?" Professor Banner asked as his marshmallow exploded.
"Well we already ate all the grilled cheese," Chumley responded eating the popped sweet.
"I play 'Avian' in attack mode (1000/1000)!" Rose yelled summoning her monster, ignoring the chaos behind her. "Attack Cycroid with Featherstorm Barrage!"
Cycroid exploded in a blast of feathers, coinciding with the blue student crashing through the paper door of the red dining hall.
"Guys?" Syrus asked, staring at the student who had just crashed through the door.
"Hey you're paying for that!" Rose yelled kicking the downed blue in the chest before rooting around in his pockets.
"Rose stop it! He looks like he's seen a ghost." Syrus said.
"Well he can see a ghost and pay for damages," She said pulling out his wallet and pocketing the cash. "Now wake up asshole!"
"Wait I know him," Professor Banner said from his spot around their firepit. "He's Torrey from my para-dueling class," He explained walking over to the boy and helping him up.
"I-I have." Torrey groaned. "Jinzo, the dueling card! And everything you said was right! Duel spirits being real, it was all true!"
"Calm down Torrey," Banner said helping the bespeckled boy into a nearby chair. "Now tell me everything that happened, from the very beginning."
"Yes Professor. A while back, I told some of my friends about your class, and how you said under certain conditions, Duel spirits could come to life. Well, we started trying to create those conditions, even though we knew that the Academy forbids it. We did it a couple of times, but nothing ever happened, until yesterday. Maybe it was cause we used our bedsheets as cloaks or took Dr. Crowler's bath candles, but this time something was different. We put our hands on a Ouiji Board planchette, said the chant, and it happened. The planchette spelled out 'Give me three and I'll be free.' We thought he meant cards." Torrey explained.
"Oh dear me no a powerful spirit like Jinzo would never be satisfied by mere card," Banner said sadly.
"So wait, what did the three mean, Torrey?" Syrus asked.
"It meant people." Torrey said.
"People?!" Syrus exclaimed.
"Yes, and unfortunately we had agreed, before we knew better." Torrey said.
"So your friends…?" Syrus asked.
"They're both gone. I'be looked everywhere, but it's like they've just vanished into thin air." Torrey said. "First there was one, then the other. And I just know it's gonna be me next!"
Syrus fell on his butt in shock.
"Oh please, really Jinzo, that's like the most cliche of scary cards," Rose said rolling her eyes. "And even if I believe you, and I don't, how do you know they didn't go home for winter break and leave your door smashing ass here alone?"
"I'd hoped, but I called their parents, and they didn't know where they were. I doubt they could have made it home anyway. After all, I tried to leave the island, but I couldn't. You see, once I got to the ferry, there he was, waiting for me. There's no escape!" Torrey explained, growing more fearful.
"Well I don't see a spirit," Rose said crossing her arms. "So I guess we're safe," As she said this the lights went out above them. "Oh great and now you've caused a power outage!" Rose yelled throwing her hands up in the air.
"I don't think this was Torrey's doing," Banner said nervously.
"No it was me" A voice said from the broken doorway. Turning around the four saw a man in trenchcoat and fedora holding a now unconscious Torrey under his arms. "We had a deal," The man said running away towards the woods.
"Hey give that door breaking jackass back!" Rose yelled chasing him into the woods. "And you're paying for the busted lights you power shorting asshole!"
The group ran after Jinzo, not letting him get away with the unconscious student. "Get back here jackass!" Rose yelled as they entered a power substation deep in the woods. "Oh joy now we're gonna get shocked," Rose growled as the now revealed Jinzo set Torrey down across the station. "Listen here power shorting asshole, I don't care what stupid prank you and him have cooked up, I just want this to be over so I can go back to relaxing so what do you two want?"
"Hmm you do seem to have more vitality than this one," Jinzo said looking at Torrey. "In exchange for your soul, I will put up him and his friends."
"Yeah sure whatever," Rose said dismissively. "Lets duel," Rose growled activating her duel disk. "I can't wait to find your hologram projector and shove it up your ass."
"You will soon realize this is more than a game," Jinzo said as his cards appeared in front of him. "I play 'Malice Doll of Demise' (1600/1700) and then I activate 'Ectoplasmer' now during the end phase of our turns we must sacrifice one face up monster in exchange to inflict damage to our opponent's life points equal to half that monsters attack, so I'll give up 'Malice Doll of Demise'," He said as 'Malice's' soul left its body and attacks Rose, flying through her body causing her to scream in pain (Rose LP: 8000-7200).
"I knew dueling in a power station was a bad idea," Rose muttered drawing a card. "Fucking got shocked, ok then now I'll play 'E-Emergency Call' to add an 'Elemental Hero' from my deck to my hand, and now I play "Elemental Hero Sparkman' (1600/1400) 'Sparkman' hit him hard with static shockwave!" (Jinzo LP: 8000-6400) "I'll play one card face down and I guess I'll send 'Sparkman' to the graveyard for 'Ectoplasmer',"(Jinzo LP: 6400-5600).
"That's the spirit! I mean, that's how you beat a spirit! I mean-well you know!" Syrus said.
"My turn," Jinzo said as another card appeared. "And now 'Malice Doll of Demise's' effect activates, returning him to the field," He explained as his doll appeared on the field with a creepy laugh. "Now I summon 'Emissary of the Afterlife (1600/1600)," he said as the reaper appeared on the field, brandishing his scythe. "Now my monsters, attack directly," 'Malice' threw his axe at Rose passing through her painfully while Emissary sliced her open with his scythe (Rose LP: 7200-4000).
"Ah fuck me," Rose hissed as she tried to stand up straighter, but she couldn't feel her legs. "Wait what the hell is going on?" She asked looking down at her legs, which where now fuzzy and transparent.
"Half your life points, half your soul," Jinzo explained.
"Wait," Rose muttered looking around. "The monsters attacks are actually hurting me, that Jinzo hologram could actually pick up door breaker, and my legs," She muttered trying to touch her legs, and the paling when her hand passed through them. "Are really gone," she said nervously. "…oh shit this is real," She whispered. "…oh shit this is real!" She yelled screaming in pure terror.
"That's right," Jinzo said laughing gravely. "Now I end my turn and sacrifice 'Malice Doll of Demise' for 'Ectoplasmer'." (Rose LP: 4000-3200)
…
"When you create a barrier, it doesn't have to resemble something strong in reality. So long as you know it's strong, it'll stay that way." Yugi explained.
"Oh joy," Dreadroot growled. "A whole week of listening to this insolent brat try to teach you how to make a barrier, as if being stuck inside your pathetic head was not punishment enough."
Yuko ignored Dreadroot in favor of putting up a glass bubble. The structure grew from the edges of her Soul Room where we she pointed her hand, and it all came together at the top, hundreds of feet above them. As soon as it was in place, the sea water above filled the gap, crashing down on the barrier.
"Wait What did you do!" Dreadroot yelled pounding on the barrier. "You brat you were not supposed to actually do this!"
"That's for insulting my brother so much." Yuko replied. Maybe it was just her imagination, but the room seemed to brighten a bit. The grass floor seemed to get greener, the flowers on two of the three Sakura trees seemed to get a little pinker. The third stayed in its sapling form, however.
"Thanks, aniki. I would have told you about him earlier, but I didn't have a lot of time." Yuko said.
"It's alright, Imoto. From what you've told me, you've had an interesting year so far." He said as the two exited her Soul Room.
"Ey, you guys done over there? I was starting ta think you two fell asleep!" Joey said.
"Well at least they can sit still for longer than a minute," Duke said from the nearby table where him and Tristin where engaged in a furious game of Dungeon Dice Monsters, Sexy Back was thumping on the stereo and Mai and Téa were wrapping gifts while Bakura was making hot chocolate in a crock pot.
"Well if you don't want the demons to get out…" Yuko said with fake menace and a toothy grin.
"And here I thought we were done with demons once we got rid of Bakura's other half," Tristin commented as he played his next piece.
"Apparently not. He claims to be a god that aniki faced in the past." Yuko explained.
"Oh dear," Bakura said softly. "My other half did mention once other civilizations have other god cards before."
"Well Dartz did summon that giant monster," Mai said crossing her arms and looking away, Joey put his hand on her shoulder and gave her a smile that she returned shakily.
"No these gods were even more powerful than the Leviathan," Bakura said nervously.
"Really? And Yuko has one in her soul?" Teà asked.
"Is that safe?" Tristin asked. "I mean we all saw what having other spirits did to Marik and Bakura, maybe we should get rid of it."
"Well, other than when we first met and whenever I summon his card, he's been very inert. He doesn't like me, sure, but he hasn't been malicious per say." Yuko said.
"Yeah come on man," Joey said grabbing Tristin in a headlock. "Dis ain't like with them Koiba Corp. goons, this one can't steal our little sister's body."
"I'm just saying!" Tristin said trying to break out of Joey's headlock. "And let me go!" He yelled throwing Joey across the room and tackling him.
"Guys come on, not in the house!" Yugi said, trying to calm the two down.
"Joey if you don't calm down," Mai said sweetly. "You'll be sleeping on the couch," She threatened with a deadpan glare.
"Nyeh!" Joey yelled getting off Tristin and clambering back onto the couch. "Sorry dear."
As everyone laughed at Joey's predicament a knock was heard at the door.
"Oh, I wonder who that is." Yugi said, and got up to answer the door. On the other side of the door we're Kaiba and Mokuba, the former of which was wearing a red and white coat instead of his usual attire.
"Ah, it's good to see you two!" Yugi said, inviting them in.
"Hey Yugi! It's great to see everybody!" Mokuba said, waving a hand at everyone.
"Hello dweebs," Kaiba muttered hoisting a bag of presents over his shoulder. "Ho ho ho," He deadpanned.
"Great to see you two!" Yuko said, and stifled a bit of laughter at Kaiba's uncharacteristically festive getup.
"Hey Koiba nice suit!" Joey laughed before Mai smacked his head. "Eh I mean, Merry Christmas!"
Kaiba smirked at the two's interaction. "We're only here to drop off your gifts, then we've got to go."
"Yeah me and big brother are delivering presents to the orphanages!" Mokuba said happily.
"How nice." Yuko stated. Suddenly, a twinge of a weird feeling coursed through her. She felt a shiver, and visibly cringed.
"Imoto, what's wrong?" Yugi asked.
"I felt like something was wrong, like my friends were in danger." Yuko said. After a moment, she returned to her cheery mood. "Nah it's probably nothing!"
...
"Oh shit, shit, shit!" Rose yelled grabbing her head. "How the fuck are duel spirits real?" She asked. "Fucking hell this is so stupid!" She ranted shakily grabbing her next card. A soft cooing sound filled her ears and slowed her racing heartbeat allowing her to think clearly again, looking down she saw she had drawn her 'Winged Kuriboh'. "Oh hey buddy," she said as the puffball appeared in front of her. "Oh wait you're a duel spirit too!" She asked happily as the winged puffball rubbed up against her. "Well that explains a lot" She smiled as her monster flew around her head and settled on her shoulder. "Well then let's do this I set a monster and end my turn and since I don't have a face-up monster Ectoplasmer doesn't activate."
"That's all you've got, I think you've still lost your nerve," Jinzo said chuckling as he drew his next card. "First my ''Malice Doll of Demise' returns to the field, and now I sacrifice my 'Emissary of the Afterlife to summon 'Jizno'," He laughed as the electricity in the station went wild, momentary blinding everyone before Jinzo's spirit disappeared and he reappeared on the field in a physical form (2400/1500).
"Wait you can't summon yourself!" Rose yelled.
"I just did," Jinzo laughed. "Now neither of us can activate trap cards, and all face up trap cards are destroyed," He said firing a laser beam from his eyes that scanned over Rose's facedown card. "Hmm not a trap, but also not helpful when I destroy your monster, go 'Malice Doll of Demise'."
"Oh no you don't," Rose countered as 'Winged Kuriboh' (300/200) flipped up. "Because I play 'Transcendent Wings' She yelled activating her face down. "I send two cards to the grave and I can evolve my 'Winged Kuriboh' to 'Winged Kuriboh LV10' (300/200)!" She yelled as her Kuriboh's was enveloped in a white light, that then transformed into a giant pair of wings that spread out into her newly evolved monster. "Now I can tribute him to not only destroy all attack position monsters on your side of the field, but also inflict damage to your life points equal to the combined original attack of those monster!" She smirked as Winged Kuriboh started glowing. "Go Blinding Judgement Release!"
'Winged Kuriboh LV10' suddenly exploded in a bright white light, destroying both 'Jinzo' and 'Malice Doll of Demise' (Jinzo LP: 5600-1600).
"No!" Jinzo yelled angrily as he became a spirit again. "I refuse to become a ghost again!" He yelled as the power station went wild again blinding everyone again. "There we go," Jinzo's voice called out as Torrey's body started rising up like a puppet on strings, his eyes glowing red.
"Oh joy now he's possessed door breaker," Rose growled. "Well fuck you asshole because it's my turn and I play 'Elemental Hero Stratos' (1800/300) Attack directly and end this fucking nightmare!" (Jinzo LP: 1600-0).
The attack send a massive explosion of energy out from Jinzo's body, blinding everyone and knocking them out cold.
….
"Oww," Rose groaned rolling over onto her stomach. "That hurt," She hissed standing up.
"You ok?" Syrus asked.
"No I'm not," Rose growled grabbing her stomach. "Where is everyone?" She asked looking around. Syrus, Chumley and Professor Banner we're grouped behind Rose, while three Obelisk Blue students were grouped together on the other side of the substation.
"Oh great," Rose said walking over and looking through the blue student's pockets. "More money to pay for repairs!"
"Not again." Syrus sighed.
"Hey do you really think the administration will actually repair our broken dorm?" Rose asked raising an eyebrow.
"I would like to think so. It's part of their building, after all." Syrus said.
"Syrus your dome still doesn't have heat and it's been a month," Rose deadpanned as she pocketed the cash.
"Well when you put it in perspective…" Syrus said, defeated.
"Exactly," Rose said hauling Torrey over her shoulder. "Come on everyone grab the rest of them chop chop!" She orders walking back to the dorms.
"Hey, wait up!" Syrus said, grabbing the smaller of the other two and trying to lift him over his shoulder.
"Yeah I don't want to miss breakfast!" Chumley said grabbing the last one as Banner went to assist the smaller Syrus.
The group walked away into the sunrise, ignorant of the electricity sparking behind them, and the disturbing disembodied laughter behind them.