Disclaimer: All respective characters and settings belong to their respective franchises.
Welcome one and all to Ever After High.
Where students come to learn how to be proper fairy tale characters in order to one day carry on the legacy of those that came before them.
…
To follow in the footsteps of their parents, embracing their destinies so that they may find their happily ever after.
…
Where is she?
I'm not sure, she should be-oh, wait, she must be at the shop. At work.
And maybe hanging out with her friends, as well.
With Dexter Charming, you mean.
Yes…
You don't approve?
Well…it's not that I don't approve…
I can hear you guys.
Village of Book End - Turtle Game Shop…
Brooke sighed, sitting down behind the counter to help manage the register while Mr. Solly was preoccupied with the new shipment of board games. She was currently running through a customer's transaction. "That'll be 10 crowns."
Her customer, a girl about her age, glared at her. "Ten crowns? For a deck of playing cards?"
Brooke didn't bat an eye as she responded politely, "Yes, ma'am, ten crowns for ten decks of playing cards." A small tower of playing cards, still in their packs, stood neatly stacked next to the register, each card carefully placed on top of the other.
The girl kept staring at her for a moment longer, then, scrunching her nose, she pulled out a red and gold purse, fishing out what she owed and tossing them carelessly on the counter, causing some of the gold coins to roll over and spill off the counter. "There!"
Brooke picked up every coin and punched them into the register. "Thank you. Have a nice day." The girl's glare intensified, but it didn't faze her, as she knew the reason behind it.
"Nice day, nice day, why I never!" The girl yanked the entire tower of cards off the counter and stuffed them all at once into her purse, wheeling around and promptly storming off. Brooke finally let out a breath as she watched the girl depart, shaking her head.
Lizzie Hearts was a regular customer, and she always, always, bought suit cards. It was a wonder that she hadn't ever given the time of day to Duel Monsters, though when she first learned that such cards even existed, she snubbed her nose and deemed them an affront to her family. She even tried to destroy what cards she could get her hands on with her magic touch, but the moment she grabbed one, she immediately let go as if she had touched hot iron. From then on, she held them in disdain and did her best to ignore everything having to do with Duel Monsters, which extended to those who were playing the game at the tables.
The cards are enchanted.
To Brooke's curiosity, Wonderlandians seemed especially sensitive to the magic inherent in the cards. It was the reason why she would seldom see Maddie Hatter in the shop; from their conversations, it sounded like being near the cards felt like 'hot and cold with marmalade in the middle, and too many squares of spoiled wood shavings.' Which, in riddlish, meant her soul wanted to flee her body any time she was within spitting distance.
Lizzie Hearts and Kitty Cheshire and a few other Wonderlandians seemed to have enough grit to withstand it though, coming and going into the shop as they pleased, buying anything except Duel Monsters. Waiting for the next customer, which she knew would be a while since Mondays weren't exactly their busiest, she divided her attention between the counter and the tables, with some customers playing the physical card game, while others were on Master Duel via their Mirror Pads, dueling with randos or each other by friending.
She sighed again, propping her head on her arm. Her eyes glazed over from boredom, idly wondering how Giles was doing since the man had been awfully occupied with his research last she did a wellness check.
For work, she wore the Turtle Game Shop standard issue uniform - a simple green t-shirt with an outline of a stylized turtle shell pattern taking up most of the right side, and blue jeans. Her dark hair was tied back in a ponytail, leaving a single bang hanging loose over her left eye. Taking out her mirror phone, she glanced at the time; 11:42, which was a free period. Dexter and Hunter normally didn't go to the shop when they had classes, which meant that she was on her own or until Dexter decided to fulfill his promise of hanging out; whichever came first.
Ever After High - Courtyard
Dexter sat beneath the shade of a tree, the noonday sun combined with the strong breeze creating a relaxing juxtaposition, making his eyelids heavy. He needed a short nap to relieve some of his sleep deprivation due to excessive homework, a byproduct of Raven provoking Headmaster Grimm, increasing the severity of the curriculum just a tiny smidge to remind the students not to skimp on either their lessons or their destinies. It would be another thirty minutes before his father's Rescuing Damsels class for second years, which he could admit to anyone who asked that he was never good at when put into practice at home, with his mother and/or sister serving as the damsels, so he could afford to be tardy.
Sensing a presence approaching, he cracked open one eye and spotted a sleepwalking Briar Beauty coming near. He scooted out of the way to give her some space, feeling more than a little empathetic towards the girl's circumstances. The princess let out a yawn after slumping against the tree, instinctively relieved that she had finally found the perfect spot for a nap. The two Royals; both in identity and classification within the rising hierarchy of the school after Legacy Day, continued to rest in tranquil silence, enjoying the peace afforded to them during their free period.
Both were forced out of their reverie by a very loud noise that snapped them awake, followed by the mad cackling of a girl their age appearing out of thin air high above the tree, holding an air horn in one hand as she was deftly balancing atop a branch. "Aw, sorry about that, lovebirds!" The girl said proudly with a toothy smile, eyes flashing with an almost predatory mischief. "But seeing you two like that was just too good to pass up! Hahaha!" With that last guffaw, she once again disappeared, leaving a still drowsy, but now indignant duo.
Briar was the first to stand, dusting off her dress as the sleep over her had worn off. With a gruff huff, she was about to take her leave when Dexter said to her, "See you at class."
Briar stole a brief glance from him before departing, not saying a word in reply. Dexter watched her retreating form before dropping his head, arms hanging over his knees.
A most curious interaction.
If only a certain Kitty Cheshire hadn't spoiled it.
The trappings of youth, dear. Especially for the young Cheshire Cat to be.
Dexter, seeing no point in recovering his lost nap, headed to where his father would be holding his class, Ever After High's enchanted maze garden. When he arrived, several princes and princesses were already gathered. Some from the boys group were flirting with and charming the girls, and as expected, his brother was at the lead, causing more than a few fair maiden to faint as he continued to blind them with his dazzling looks and winning smile. Figuratively and literally. He ignored it all in favor of enjoying what was left of his peace as he sat on a stone bench, waiting for things to start when he heard his father's voice coming up from the path leading to the school courtyard, accompanied by a woman wearing a blue dress, her long, wavy red hair hanging loose underneath a conical hat that matched her garb's color, draped with fine silk.
Many of the princes and princesses perked up at their arrival, cutting quite the presence as several of the boys stood at attention, while the girls couldn't help but be taken by his father's dashing looks despite his age, or perhaps because of it. His light blonde hair was starting to gray, his mustache well trimmed as always, and was wearing for this particular occasion his favorite brown jacket over a white dress shirt, black pantaloons, and brown shoes with gold trim. Rather than his red ascot, today he was going with his maroon one, which often meant that he was in a good mood. Their father often wore certain ascot colors to express his demeanor, a habit left behind by his school years.
He stood up from the bench as the pair passed by, catching the glance the man shot him followed by a nod. He smiled and nodded back like any good son would, though it didn't reach his eyes. He yawned soon afterwards, which drew an admonishing clearing of the throat from his brother who pulled him into the crowd.
Dexter followed, largely uninterested in the lesson and just waiting for his turn to come, already intimately familiar with its intricacies.
"Good morning class," King Charming began, eyeing each and every one of his prospective students with a seasoned eye, putting the most focus on his sons. He inwardly shook his head at seeing Dexter's attention seemingly elsewhere. "Now, as you may all know, and likely are eager for, coming into your second year brings with it the opportunity to learn the key fundamentals that will serve you well in becoming fully fledged fairy tale characters, and after…Legacy Day, it cannot be overstated how crucial a time this is. One of which is, of course, rescuing damsels for you charming princes."
The boys were all standing at the ready, with some still sending flirtatious looks the girls' way, the princesses reciprocating with giggles and batting eyelashes, the exception being a lethargic Briar Beauty, barely able to keep herself on her feet. A low yawn escaped her as she rubbed at her eye, then blinked some of the sleep away, and as if realizing where she was, righted herself a little, remembering that her roommate, Ashlynn, had told her of today's class, the girl standing next to her paying close attention. She darted her eyes to their homeroom teacher, Maid Marian, who was inducting them into the lesson besides King Charming, when they glazed over again, but not from sleep, but boredom. She lifted her arms up in a stretch, then folded them over her head, feeling the pleasurable sensation of her blood rushing as she kept at it, twisting her upper body left and right in a simple warm up.
"Psst, are you ready, Briar?" Ashlynn whispered to her, worried that her roommate might not be up for the curriculum ahead.
"Hang on," Briar said, still working out the kinks in her body by adding a bit more tension to her muscles. Once she felt she was sufficiently looser, she released a breath she had been holding, letting go of all the tension in her body, finishing with a few shakes of her head, hands, and feet. "Okay, now I'm ready."
"Great!" Ashlynn exclaimed softly in relief. "Let's do our best at being damsels. Ah, I can't wait for someone like Hu--I mean, one of these dashing princes to rescue me." She trailed off with a nervous giggle that could easily be mistaken for her having jitters; this was their very first Damsel-In-Distressing class. They had heard stories from upperclassmen and from their mothers about how they would be swept off their feet, especially when the boys would go all out by riding in on a horse or wearing knightly armor, or both. It sounded like every princess' dream.
Briar said as she took out her mirror phone, listening half-heartedly. "Yeah, rescue. Cool."
Ashlynn raised her eyebrow at the girl. "Still feeling sleepy?"
Briar answered as she scrolled through her socials. "Huh? Oh no, just…checking Fablebook." Ashlynn shrugged, determining that her roommate was simply on the hunt for the next big rave. For as long as she had known her, Briar was a fan of balls and parties. Back when they would be invited to each other's castles, the girl was always front and center of these occasions, and her propensity only grew as they got older, always going and being invited to dance parties and raves. It got to a point that she had been hearing some rather unsavory gossip over her friend's…excursions at night. She was worried. Ashlynn could see the effect her friend's lifestyle had on her - bags under her eyes, inattentiveness and lack of focus, and sleepwalking to name just a few.
She called out to her friend, "Briar…" And called again when she didn't reply. "Briar!"
"Huh?" As if remembering where she was, Briar turned to the young Cinderella and asked, "What?"
"Would you please focus? You could be up next!" Ashlynn hissed at her, shielding her mouth with her right hand. Briar stared back at her for a moment before putting her phone back in her pocket.
"Yeah, sorry," Briar said blankly, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear as Ashlynn could only look on in worry.
King Charming cleared his throat, now ready to begin. "Remember, be on guard for the booby traps; non-lethal of course, and trust your instincts. Always be vigilant of your surroundings for the maze is enchanted and will try to lead you further away from your damsel. To stay on point, it is tradition for her to leave a trail of string, but even then, the winding path will try to confuse you."
Marian held out a large ball of woven string for the class to marvel at, saying, "This string is also enchanted and will weave back into a ball once you exit the maze with your damsel, but nothing else. As King Charming said, the maze will still try to confuse you, so you must be careful. Now, if all of you are ready, we will each call one from our respective classes to pair up." She turned to face her students with an eager smile and declared with a swoosh of her arm, "Now, look alive, girls, 'cuz it's damseling time!"
Everyone stared blankly at her, the boy who had laughed at Dexter earlier now cradling his head with both hands, clearly in first- and secondhand embarrassment.
King Charming glanced at the list of names on his Mirror Pad. "Charming, Auspicious."
Marian did the same. "Bo Peep, Lily."
Both Lilly and Auspicious approached the entrance of the maze, the former holding the ball of string after passing her staff to her precious sheep, who stood back to wait with the rest as she went on ahead to find the right spot to hide. There were random locations within the maze where the princesses could wait for their rescuer, each with a Mirror Pad for them to use as a signal back at the rendezvous point. As soon as they pressed the icon, that was the Prince's cue to move. Lilly passed Auspicious an end of the string, the boy grabbing it tightly and flashing her a wink, giggling before going on her way.
Ten minutes passed, before hearing the bell from King Charming's Mirror Pad. Auspicious wasted no time as he shot forward, being on the school's Bookball team as a running back. King Charming then pointed the students to where there was a large screen, each section of the maze having surveillance to monitor the goings on inside, both for safety and to measure the performance of each pair. Auspicious almost missed Bo Peep's spot by two hedges, when the young man trusted his instincts and went back, finally finding the right path and being greeted by his damsel sitting by a fountain. The two proceeded to the exit, the prince carrying his princess bridal style the whole way, which drew swoons from the other princesses. Their classmates cheered once they reappeared, with Bo Peep's sheep bleating happily at her return.
King Charming and Maid Marian clapped in approval. "Good work, both of you," the good king commended, then cleared his throat before he and his fellow teacher called out for the next pair. "Charming, Dexterous."
"Beauty, Briar."
A chorus of chuckles and whispers went around the groups of students upon hearing both names.
"Oh, great, we'll be here all day."
"He's gonna get lost, isn't he?"
"Probably gonna cry for his mommy."
Dexter ignored them as he stepped forward, giving his father a nod, which the man returned. The King smiled proudly at his son, patting him on the shoulder for good luck. Both Charming and Beauty approached the entrance, with the latter clutching the ball of string between her hands after Maid Marian passed it to her. Both avoided each other's gaze, walking in silence, even as the boy took one end of the string before the girl entered the maze. A few minutes later, once the string was no longer taut and the signal was heard, the young Charming, stuffing his hands into his pockets, strolled into the maze at a more languid pace than Auspicious.
"Hey, Charming! If you get a panic attack, remember to take loud and deep breaths!" The boy from earlier exclaimed mockingly to a growing gaggle of laughter, which earned him an admonishing look from Maid Marian. Dexter continued to ignore them, or rather, his mind was elsewhere as he remembered that he had something to talk about with Briar, which the girl seemed keen on avoiding since earlier.
Dexter meandered through the maze, being watched by his father, Maid Marian and his other classmates, the two teachers somewhat put off over how he seemed to be taking his time. The young prince's eyes were drawn to the numerous trip wires scattered throughout the hedges and pathways he came by, stepping over and ducking under each one.
He grinned. It's like a game.
He couldn't derive any lasting fun from it though, but nonetheless was set on finishing, trusting his "instincts" in place of the string, and sure enough, he finally found her in an open courtyard, sitting under a gazebo, glued to her phone once more, dry leaves and petals smattering the floor beneath her, one leg wound over the other. He approached the waiting princess, who was still ignoring him just as she had since earlier that morning, stopping by a small flight of steps. Dexter didn't say a word as he stood with his hands still in his pockets, opposite her sitting slumped against a pillar.
"Come on," Dexter finally beckoned to her. "We can't keep them waiting."
Briar narrowed her eyes, until she finally pulled away from her phone to spare him a glance and saw him smiling at her, his shoulders shrugging apologetically. He wasn't sure if it was because she realized that she couldn't ignore him forever, or after he pointed out that they couldn't keep the others waiting, but in all likelihood, the latter, as she still avoided his gaze after standing up and marching past him. His grin turned crooked, scratching the back of his head to convey embarrassment to the viewing audience over being snubbed, which many of the boys scoffed at. They soon made it out, and Dexter let go of the string for it to roll back into a ball. There weren't as many cheers as before, the most coming from Briar's circle of friends, largely on how…underwhelming the rescue went, though most of them were expecting the young Charming to take longer or have to be rescued himself.
King Charming coughed to draw everyone's attention back to him and Maid Marian. "Excellent work, Dexterous. Now then, moving on."
Dexter mingled back in with his group, some of the boys more than a tad bit surprised that he had pulled it off or completely ignoring him; when Daring pulled him to the side and patted his shoulder. "Gotta hand it to you, Dex, you did good. Not as…dashing as me and father would have done it, but still better than expected."
"Thanks, I guess," Dexter said abashedly, scratching the back of his head. "Maybe if I carried her like the last guy did, then that could have nabbed me some extra points."
"Oh, I wouldn't sell yourself short like that," Daring reassured his younger brother and fraternal twin. "A Charming is still a Charming, and you, bro, have potential. Take it from me, once you bloom into the prince that you are, everything will just fall right into place."
Dexter smiled genuinely; self-absorbed as his brother could be, he always looked out for him and their sister.
"Charming, Daring."
As soon as his name was called out, Daring smoothly straightened his letterman jacket and did a quick check of his reflection with practiced ease. The entire throng of princesses erupted, clamoring in anticipation, wondering which of them would be the lucky girl to be paired with him.
Maid Marian called out, "White, Apple."
A round of disappointed sighs ran across both groups as the girl in question traipsed forward, her ruby red lips set into a beaming smile as she approached her partner, the morning sun streaming down on her as if singling her out from the rest. Daring went down on one knee and outstretched his hand as she approached him, placing the other on his heart. The envy that was prominent amongst her fellow princesses was instantly supplanted with swooning at the perfect picture the pair painted, now sharing in the immaculate sunlight that cast them in a mesmerizing radiance.
The only ones not captivated by this spell were Briar Beauty, who wasted no time getting back to her phone, and Raven Queen, who just smiled at her roommate's moment with her prince-to-be, ignoring the less than friendly eyes that had been drawn to her since earlier.
Dexter also found himself shifting towards his phone, having received an impromptu message from Hunter - he needed to go to the shop.
To that, he gave Briar one last glance.
After class…
Dexter slung his bag over his shoulder and was about to come down when his father's voice called to him. "Dexterous."
It was the end of the school day, and the man, sitting behind his desk, beckoned the boy over. The son stared at the father in curiosity, wondering what it could be that he was being called for as he came down the flight of stairs. "Yeah, dad?" he asked after stopping in front of the desk.
King Charming clasped his hands together after laying his arms down on the table, regarding his son with a look that was reserved only for his children, a thin smile beneath his well-trimmed mustache. "You did well today."
Dexter blinked, a bit flustered by the praise, though he didn't betray anything more than a slight scratching of his cheek. "Th-thanks, dad." He paused, then added in a lower voice, "Uh, did I... do something wrong?"
His father was quick to dissuade him of the assumption with a wave of his hand. "Nothing of the sort, my boy. I merely wish to acknowledge your…effort in the way you rescued Briar Beauty. Credit where credit is due, so to speak. Not that I expected anything less."
Dexter rubbed the back of his neck, wondering to himself where this conversation might be going.
His father cleared his throat and began, "Dexter, I know that you've had a... rather hard time adjusting here when you first started, but..."
Dexter raised his hand and waved it. "That's a non-issue now, dad. I think I've... adapted pretty well, all things considered. So, what's this really about?"
His father tapped a finger on his desk, perhaps musing on how to best break whatever it was he wished to convey. "It's about your sister."
Dexter shrugged with a nod. "Yeah, Mom already called me and Daring. Why-" he stopped, his eyes widening slightly. "Oh no."
King Charming smiled ingratiatingly, "Your mother and I have been discussing it, and we feel that you are the best person to greet her at the gate when she arrives by carriage. The staff will take care of her luggage, leaving you to help her acclimate to the school."
Dexter waved both hands in front of him in refusal, responding, "No, dad! Can…can you at least have Daring do it? I've...got somewhere else to be." He visibly winced, trailing off, as he would normally not refuse his father, especially for something so markedly simple, yet, it couldn't have been more ill-timed.
King Charming took in a sharp breath, leaned back in his chair with his arms folded, and asked pointedly, "Oh, is that so? Can you tell me, then, what pray tell could be that has you so…preoccupied?"
"Uh, homework?" Dexter admitted plainly, and his father could concede to that, as his middle child had always been a studious and diligent lad, with the grades to show for it. If only he performed just as well in the physical aspects, he'd be an all-rounder. "I have to meet with some friends for a study group."
He watched as his father perked up at that last part. It was always good for his children to socialize, especially in Dexter's case since he was always something of an introvert, though to his knowledge, his boy already seemed to have a, albeit small, circle of contemporaries. Hunter Huntsman being just one of them. And he would see, at times, even Briar Beauty with his son whenever they had the occasional ball, giving him the impression that he was to be her prince, but alas, The Storybook of Legends itself would come to dissuade this speculation on Legacy Day, failing to yield a proper story when it was his turn to sign, which wasn't unnatural or uncommon. His boy didn't seem all too torn up about it, though. Then again, his only other son had always been more patient than his older twin.
"I see. However, Dexterous, I can assure you that this wasn't just on short notice," King Charming amended in an effort to salvage his proposal. "And besides, with how... hectic things have been, we're simply worried that Ever After High might prove to be... overwhelming for Darling."
At this, Dexter had to push down the urge to laugh; his younger sister was the kind of person who was rarely ever overwhelmed by anything.
"I can't just cancel on them," Dexter insisted convincingly. "This was just totally out of left field for me, dad."
King Charming sighed, clicking his tongue, as he considered his options. Then, he rose from his chair, announcing, "Well then, it would seem that the endeavor has fallen onto me to guide my princess through these castle halls." He then dropped the gallant facade, adding, "I suppose it's been a while since we spent any father-daughter time together."
"Great," Dexter said, relieved. "So, uh, can I-"
"Oh, don't let me keep you," King Charming said to his son, patting him on the shoulder and squeezing firmly before letting go. "But as I said, this wasn't just on short notice. It was a personal request from Darling."
Oh, fantastic.
There it was.
The guilt.
"She simply wanted to spend time with you and catch up. You…haven't been in touch with her for some time now like she has been with Daring."
Dexter's expression became withdrawn. It was true that he hadn't spoken to Darling in months, not even in writing, but he had been bogged down by things that kept eating into his time.
"This isn't me trying to avoid her," Dexter said, though it sounded more like an excuse to his own ears. "I'll talk to her once she settles in, but, just…not right now. I've just been so busy. Just…tell her I'm sorry."
King Charming said, "I'm sure she'll understand. Now, go on. Your friends might be waiting."
Dexter nodded, not saying anything more. He felt terrible for standing Darling up, but this simply couldn't wait after receiving a message from Hunter to check Fablebook.
He had finished it. The madman actually went and finished it.
He quickened his pace, now racing through the hallways, nearly colliding with some of the students. He was about to round another corner when he skidded to a sudden halt, a familiar flash of pink coming into his sights. "Cupid!"
C.A. Cupid recoiled, clutching her books closer to her chest in a defensive reflex. She brushed away her initial start, relaxing upon seeing who she had almost bumped into, and her heart couldn't help but skip another beat. "Oh, hey Dexter."
"I'm so sorry, Cupid," Dexter panted, hunched over with his hands on his knees.
Cupid waved it off. "No, it's alright. At least nobody got hurt. So, what's the rush?"
Dexter panted for another moment to catch his breath, adjusted his glasses before replying, "I gotta meet with Hunter."
"Ooh!" Cupid perked up in interest. "For what?"
"It's this podcast we're subscribed to," Dexter half-lied, his hurried tone convincing, since he and Hunter did indeed tune into a podcast hosted by the Three Little Pigs whenever they had time; Garbage Taste, and today was one of those days where they usually streamed it.
"Oh!" Cupid blinked, her eyebrows crinkling. "You actually watch that?"
Dexter blinked quizzically at the girl's reaction, cocking a brow. "Uh, yes?"
Cupid quickly put on a forced smile. "Um, me too, but o-only sometimes." She was lying, too, of course, but for the reason that that same podcast regularly dwarfed her own in views. Damn those hogs.
Dexter righted his posture. "Again, I'm really sorry."
"I said it's fine," Cupid continued to wave off. "Can I come with you?"
The young Charming stared at her. "You…want to watch Garbage Taste with us?"
"Well, I'm free, so…" Cupid shrugged, her smile turning shy.
Dexter didn't seem to notice, the young man contemplating how to not accrue a mountain of regret that would haunt him for the rest of his life. Fortunately, his ever reliable luck provided.
"Hey, Cupid!" A girl from down the hallway called to her, and the pink-haired girl blinked her eyes wide upon seeing her, smacking a hand to her forehead.
"Oh, no, the committee," Cupid said, recalling that she was to be in a meeting with the student council to help discuss how to best celebrate True Hearts Day. "Sorry, Dexter, but I-"
"No, no, no!" Dexter said curtly, waving his hands in front of him. "I understand. Maybe we can hang out some other time."
Cupid smiled weakly, waving farewell. "Uh, sure, I-I'd like that." Dexter flashed her one last thumbs-up before resuming on his way, leaving the cherub to look on longingly as his form vanished into the hallway.
Cupid heaved out a sigh as another girl crept up to her without making a sound, every delicate step she took done meticulously with a natural grace. "Was that Dexter?"
The cherub replied with a sigh, "Yes."
The student, a girl, gave Cupid a sympathetic smile. "I'm sure he'll notice eventually," she said.
"Ignoring the fact that I'm usually the one who says that to other people, the ship might as well have already sailed," Cupid said with resignation. "He's into someone else."
"You know who?"
Cupid placed a hand on her hip and replied, "Yeah, Briar."
"...Huh?"
"Hm?" Cupid blinked, finding the girl's reaction a bit odd.
The girl shook her head and asked, "Wait, Briar? Really? Are you sure?"
"Yes, he's always pining after her," Cupid lamented. "Trust me, I sometimes see them together."
"I'm sure you're just misinterpreting," the girl offered uneasily for some reason, though Cupid was too bummed out to notice. "They could just be good friends."
Cupid released another sigh, this one sadder than the last. "I tell that to people too. In my podcast. Which you should-"
"Oh, the meeting should already be starting," the girl said a little too hastily, wheeling on her heels after a quick check of her phone and gesturing for them to hurry along. "I'm hoping that we'll be able to squeeze in a dance party."
Cupid's brows flattened, now less enthused. "Sure, Justine," she replied dryly.
I watched her podcast once.
You did? As if you even need love advice, dear.
No, I tapped into it by mistake while I was watching Binging With Jack Horner.
Oh.
With no sign of Briar Beauty in sight after a ten-minute search, Dexter abandoned the school grounds and headed straight for the shop. Relief washed over him once its familiar green roof came into view, distinctly shaped like a turtle shell. He would sometimes see a few hares loitering around the place, and once had driven one off the property when he caught them vandalizing the place with colorful phrases like "hare rules, turtle drools."
Dexter had half a mind to tell those miscreants that tortoises were largely land dwellers as opposed to their more water inclined cousins, but he could push that aside for some other time as he entered through the door, Mr. Solly being the first living thing to enter his perception within the dim and bare shop, having closed early. Brooke was there as well, emerging from behind a shelf to welcome him with a hug, which he returned, the girl inwardly rebuffing her parents' coy remarks.
Hunter stepped forward next, followed by a blonde boy about their age that was dressed in a blue jacket over a light yellow v-neck shirt marked with various patterns of clocks and playing card suits, his light brown pants feeding into knee-high boots.
"Alistair!" Dexter exclaimed the name with pleasant surprise after exchanging a low five with Hunter, extending his arms with a flourish for a handshake. "You made it. When did you get here?"
The boy known as Alistair answered after reciprocating, the young Charming patting him on the back in a one-armed hug. "Two days ago. Me and Bunny hitched a portal out of Wonderland when the Agency came back for more evacuees."
"That's great!" Hunter remarked. "Who else came with you?"
Alistair's smile fell a little, and he shook his head. "Not many," he said. "My mom decided to stay behind to hold the fort, but she's doing okay."
Dexter and Hunter nodded. The young Charming did a cursory scan of the shop's interior and saw another one sitting on a chair around the corner, Briar Beauty, still drawn to her phone.
Dexter opened his mouth to say something, but then hesitated, a part of him regretting that she had come. A knowing glance and a thumbs-up from Mr. Solly told him that he was the one who convinced her, to which he gave a grateful nod. "Hey, Briar…" he began, facing the girl.
Briar didn't respond, seemingly ignoring them for her phone. It wasn't until Brooke spoke up and said, "She fell asleep waiting."
"Oh!" Dexter blinked, and watched as the young narrator marched over to the girl and nudged her on the shoulder, causing the princess to stir.
"Mh…ngh-krr-huh?!" Turning her head left to right, Briar stumbled out of the chair and almost dropped her phone. This drew a chuckle from Hunter, causing her to snap her head towards him in annoyance while she was picking it and herself up. Her eyes then fell on Dexter, and beheld him fully once she straightened, directly meeting his gaze for the actual first time. She let out a sigh and said, "Don't get the wrong idea here. It's only because Mr. Solly asked me nicely."
Dexter shrugged and replied, "No complaints from me. All that matters is that we're all here." He looked to Briar and Alistair. "Did any of you catch the news?"
Hunter and Alistair raised their phones. "Yep. Hard not to. It's been blowing up all over the tournament channels and FairyTube," the young Huntsman replied.
Alistair deduced, "It's a signal. It's meant for those who survived Duelist Kingdom, and that includes us."
"Especially us," Hunter pointed out, "but mostly Dexter."
Dexter looked down at his phone, accessing the Seacrest Industries website and seeing news about the release of their latest tech.
Briar sighed and said, "Is Seth still holding a grudge?"
"You know how he is," Dexter said. "He hasn't shown up to any competitions for a while now. There were rumors that he quit, but it looks like this is what kept him. It's called the 'Duel Disk'."
On the screen of his phone was an image that he enlarged to better view its specs. The device was pure white in color; among other custom colors, with a circular chassis that was outfitted with an empty slot which could be presumed where the deck went. "They even phased out the old Duel Arenas. This is the new standard according to a deal that was made between his company and Black Crown Incorporated."
"Where are we supposed to play the cards?" Hunter asked, also examining the new device.
A chuckle from Mr. Solly arrested their attention. "You don't actually need physical cards."
The teens blinked. "What do you mean?" Briar asked.
Instead of answering, Solly, who had been standing near the door after having fully closed it, walked past them, retreated behind the counter, and into a storage room. He reappeared shortly carrying four parcels no bigger than shoe boxes, and Hunter almost presumed they were from his regular visits to Ashlynn's shop.
The older gentleman placed the boxes on the counter and started passing them out to each teen. "Doesn't Brooke get one?" Alistair questioned.
Solly shrugged. "Only four have your names on them."
What? Our Brooke didn't get one?
There could be a good reason for that, dear. Brooke isn't always out of the Mirror Network.
But still. Whoever this Seth is, I might just have words with him.
Turning towards their daughter, they expected her to be dejected, if not slighted. Instead, to their surprise, she was grinning, a gleam in her eyes that told them she was more amused than anything.
"Seth sent these? When?" Dexter asked, removing the card that was taped on his box after taking it, and flapping it open. Only one word that was anything but his name was written on it.
Asshole
A pleasant sigh escaped through his nostrils. Good 'ol Seth.
"They were delivered personally by a representative of Seacrest Industries," Solly explained, the fingers of his right hand idly tapping the counter. "He was adamant that you were to only receive them once news of it broke, along with…well…"
"There's a countdown," Alistair said, tapping a link that led him to a page with only a timer.
743:45:09
"In about a month. Must be something big," Hunter said, following the link.
Alistair nuzzled his chin with a finger. "Another tournament?"
Briar scoffed. "Of course he'd want that."
They each took a seat at the tables to open their boxes, only to be expectedly met with a bundle of bubble wrap. Extracting the item, it was surprisingly light, and no bigger than a Mirror Book, with a paper booklet at the bottom that could only be the instruction manual. Turning it over, Dexter carefully peeled off the bubble wrap, exposing it into the open air and seeing for himself what his old friend had brought into this world. It was ergonomic in shape, mostly white with light blue trim lining the edges and a gem just above where he could presume was the slot for the deck.
Alistair still hadn't opened his, leafing through the manual first and catching a rather interesting detail. "It says here that there isn't really a need to use physical cards," he said. "The Solid Vision technology can materialize them. We can then sync up our phones and an app will be installed that'll identify our digital ID and neural signature, which will then link up to a cloud network. This is optional since you can still use your actual cards."
"Isn't that dangerous?" Hunter asked. "Couldn't it get hacked? Not to mention a major privacy breach."
"Knowing Seth, the system is locked tighter than a safe," Dexter said, running the numbers through his head.
Alistair added, "It also says here that the disk, when fully synced to us, will react to our thoughts. Besides everything else being automated, we'll be able to freely decide when a card can activate or not."
Hunter snorted. "Well, now, ain't that just convenient?"
Dexter skimmed through his manual after placing his disk down. "Looks like Seth has improved the Solid Vision too. They're no longer just holograms. This Duel Disk combines both complex technology and taps into the natural enchantments of the cards to bring them into existence."
Briar was skimming through her own manual before tossing it down. "He's insane," she said.
Dexter grinned. "Maybe so, but…so are we. In a way."
The others looked to Dexter. "This tournament will no doubt bring about all kinds of trouble. The kind of trouble we haven't seen since the Duelist Kingdom."
He didn't miss Briar's hand twitch.
"In the end, it all boils down to us taking his bait," Dexter continued as he stood from his chair. "Which we won't." He picked up his disk and stared at it. "At least, not until the right moment."
"Why can't he just move on?"
All eyes turned to Briar now. "We went through hell," she said. "Don't tell me that wasn't enough for him…"
Dexter's expression softened. "You know how Seth is…"
"..."
"Well…I'm sure he just wants to have some fun with us again."
Briar cocked her brow at him. "Don't you mean, with you?"
Dexter smiled. "All we really can do is keep abreast of things to come." His gaze shifted downward. "That goes for all of you too."
Everyone remained silent in the shop as they watched Dexter place his disk above his left arm, following the instructions in the manual. The sound of the cuff clicking in place securely soon followed. They all promptly followed suit, each one swinging theirs lightly to test the weight and doing final checks before taking out their decks. Each one then inserted their deck into the slot, watching as a thin light scanned through every card smoothly. Next, they each picked up their phones and synced them to the device. Immediately, the screens on each phone lit up, followed by the appearance of a loading bar that filled quickly, only to be replaced by the silhouette of a seahorse.
Congratulations, duelist! You are now the proud owner of Seacrest Industries' latest Duel Disk. We here at our illustrious company appreciate, and look forward to more of your continued patronage. Thank you.
"After that, I expect this thing to spit out a receipt," Hunter said jokingly.
The others started doing the same, all except Briar. "I didn't bring my deck," she said.
Dexter and the others looked at her. "That's fine," he said, sighing, regret seeping into his tone. "Actually, it's more than fine. None of us are forcing you into this, Briar. You can just walk out the door, and we won't stop you. This morning, when I wanted to talk to you, I was actually hoping that you didn't have to be here for this. We can handle things on our own. Brooke's here, and so is Mr. Solly."
Briar became still in her seat. "I…kept having nightmares…of what happened…all those years ago."
Dexter opened his mouth to say something, but decided to allow Briar her voice. "After that, for a while, I…got scared…of sleeping." She felt warm arms coil around her, and she raised her head to see Brooke pulling her in for a gentle embrace. "It…isn't as bad anymore, but…I…"
Brooke disengaged to pull up a chair, sitting down so that she was eye level with the Sleeping Beauty. She gently clasped both her hands in hers, drawing them close. "Like Dexter said, you don't have to do this."
Tears were starting to well in the princesses eyes, running her makeup, her breath coming out choppily. "All those…" She swallowed the building mucus in her mouth, sniffling. "All those people…those other kids…they didn't-"
The other boys hung their heads. Duelist Kingdom had been supposed to be an ordinary tournament that the five of them had snuck into without their families knowing, expecting fun and glory in the first ever Duel Monsters tournament. Mr. Solly had warned them to be careful, knowing the true nature of it but chose not to disclose it to them as part of a test, but by then, it no longer mattered. They only managed to survive through sheer, unprecedented luck, and Seth being there as an unexpected sixth member of their party. They barely escaped with their lives, the experiences forever changing them.
"We stopped the ritual from being completed, but only delayed it at best," Alistair said. "It was at the same time that the Evil Queen began her assault on Wonderland. She was collaborating with them, serving as a distraction. But, she was using them just as they were her, and wasn't going to stop with just one realm. But, thanks to a joint effort by the other kingdoms, she was arrested and imprisoned."
Hunter huffed, arms folded over his chest. "By then, nobody could be bothered with anything else other than the fallout, making for good cover."
Dexter closed his eyes. "Which meant we could keep it a secret."
Briar curled into Brooke's embrace once more, letting her tears fall from the years that she had been pushing back the trauma. As she continued to sob, Solly's phone rang, cutting into the mood. He picked it up and apologized that he hadn't set it to silent. "Yes?" Cupping his mouth with his other hand, listening to whoever it was on the other line. "I see. Are you sure? Alright."
"Mr. Solly?" Alistair spoke as Solly got off his call.
Solly didn't answer immediately, nuzzling the underside of his chin with a finger. He faced the teens and told them in a grave tone. "They're on the move. Legacy Day was their rallying call. They'll be converging here."
"The Old Ones," Dexter said gravely.
Old ones?
Who could they be?
Solly closed his eyes, giving a single nod.
A rush of panic overtook Briar, burying herself deeper into Brooke's embrace. "No…no! No! It's going to happen again!"
"You don't have to do anything, Briar," Dexter reassured her, exchanging fierce nods with Hunter and Alistair. "Well, guys?"
Hunter shrugged, placing his deck into the slot of his disk and causing the outer shell to unravel and expand into six sections, which could be presumed where to place the physical cards. "You're kidding, right? You need a hero? I'm your guy."
Alistair rubbed the back of his head, chuckling. "And I just want to get Wonderland back to the way it was. What about you, Dex?"
A thin smile drew itself across the young Charming's features before replying with, "I'm not even really sure. I guess…I'm just gonna have to go along for the ride until I find out for myself."
The two boys smiled back. "Alright," Dexter willed his duel disk to unravel, spreading out into six panels. Alistair's did the same. "Looks like we're gonna need to practice."
"It has to be somewhere private," Alistair proposed.
"Erm, about that," Solly interjected. "There is actually a clause attached to the disks once they fall into your possession. All duels must be conducted in a public setting for a given period of a week. If not, Seacrest Industries can legally hold you all liable for misappropriation of assets, which will come at a heavy fine."
"Say what?!" Hunter exclaimed in shock.
Dexter chuckled, "Nothing like some free advertising."
Hunter scoffed, "By strong-arming us into being his beta testers? We don't even work for the guy."
"Actually, you will all be handsomely compensated," Solly revealed, taking them further by surprise. "Seacrest Industries is set on becoming your sponsor. A representative will come at a later date along with your contracts."
"Oh come on!" Hunter carped, throwing his hands up, with the disk being surprisingly lighter than he initially expected, though that could simply be due to his already well trained physique rendering the weight meaningless. "Seth's never gonna let us live this down."
Dexter mused on it. "Now, wait a minute. This could work."
Alistair cocked a brow, "In what way? We can't just drop something like this on the public all at once. Besides, if the Solid Vision really is more sophisticated than how it was for the arenas, we could be looking at some collateral damage."
"The public is gonna come into this eventually," Dexter pointed out. "Might as well have them digest it in a manner that won't cause too much of an uproar."
"By dueling in the middle of the street?" Hunter deadpanned curtly.
"More or less," Dexter replied, causing Hunter to run a hand over his hair.
Alistair looked up in thought. "How about the town square?"
"It's spacious, but not enough," Dexter replied. "The park might do it."
"Sounds good," Alistair shrugged.
"The park, huh," Hunter said with a sigh. "Draw in a crowd, put on a show, then hope we can still show our faces."
"It won't be that bad," Dexter shrugged. "At least I hope not. Best case scenario, we make the news. Worst case scenario, we make the news. Either way, we're fucked."
What even is all this for?
We thought this was just about a card game, but what's really the underlying plot in all of this?
Brooke stood up from her seat. "Well, this is me. I gotta go." She comforted Briar one last time, vigorously rubbing her on the back. "My parents are gonna need a bridge."
"See you, Brooke," Hunter remarked in farewell. She waved back as she walked and disappeared into a mirror, back with her parents.
I'm home!
Well, we hope you've had a good day at work, dear.
Brooke plopped back on the sofa in their living room. As good as a dead fish.
Hm, well, it looks like we're going to be in for another duel.
Yep…
What about Briar Beauty? Is she not participating?
…Briar…stopped playing after…
After this Duelist Kingdom your friends keep mentioning. It's not one we've heard of before.
It's not an actual kingdom, though it was held in a castle. It was the first ever tournament for Duel Monsters, held by the original creator of the card game, Maximilian J. Crawford around the same time period as the Evil Queen's campaign. Crawford was the original president of Black Crown Incorporated, formerly known as Industrial Illusions, or I2.
Wait, I think I've heard of that company.
You did? Brooke blinked in surprise, as did her mother.
Yes. As I recall, Industrial Illusions was in the business of manufacturing gaming implements like playing cards, dice, chips, you name it. Last I heard, they rebranded.
That must have been about the time Crawford inherited the company from his father, and afterwards, created Duel Monsters, expanding into further avenues of gaming.
Created Duel Monsters?
Crawford was an accomplished artist. He was the one who personally designed the first cards by painting them on canvas, all by hand.
Well, he sounds like quite the renaissance man.
Wait…'was'?
Oh, um, yeah…Crawford is dead.
…What?
Dead? How?
Brooke sighed. I'll explain it to you some other time, 'cuz it heavily involved what went down at Duelist Kingdom.
Don't tell us you were part of this…Duelist Kingdom. The time doesn't-
Again, you both were so invested in narrating at the time, I just walked out of the Mirror Network like nobody's business. Then the Evil Queen started her reign of terror, and then you were really busy.
But…that lasted well over a week.
Yeah, which was just right around the time that me, Dexter and the others were in Duelist Kingdom.
A tournament during such a tumultuous time? Preposterous.
We thought that, too. But it only really started a little before all of that, and by then, we were trapped.
Trapped?! Both her parents echoed in shock.
Yeah, you would not believe the hex we went through, but-
WHY IN THE WORLD DID YOU NOT TELL US?! Her father boomed.
…Would it have made a difference? This response took her parents aback. Everything was so fucked, and by then it didn't matter. Once it was all over, we were just happy that we got out.
Who are they, then? The ones responsible?
Brooke averted her gaze, placing a hand to her mouth, conflicted.
…The Old Ones.
Old Ones? Is this that ancient evil you were referring to?
No, they're just foot soldiers. As for who they are, you'll find out soon enough. To tell you outright would be spoilers. Narrator's 101.
You could at least give us a hint.
Oh, I'm sure you'll see some pretty familiar faces.
Familiar…
Now, without any further ado, off to the due-and they're already at the park.
As the narrators had been talking, the group made their way to the location of their duel, having taken off their disks and carrying them. Much to their surprise, Briar had voted to come along.
"You sure you want to watch, Briar?" Dexter asked the girl. "You could have just gone back to the dorm."
Briar scoffed. "Would it matter? I'll be dragged into shit either way."
Dexter conceded to that. "So, which of us is it gonna be?"
"Hm?" Hunter sounded, hands in his pockets and his disk nestled between one arm. "Rock, paper, scissors?"
"Sounds good," Dexter agreed.
"Nah, I don't feel like it today," Alistair said. "I'll watch with Briar."
Hunter grinned, nudging Dexter on the arm. "Guess it's just gonna be you and me, man."
Dexter snorted. "So, what deck did you bring?"
"My old HERO deck," Hunter replied. "You?"
"My first deck," Dexter answered. "This is still just a test duel, after all."
Hunter nodded, when he paused in his tracks. "Wait…don't tell me you-"
A grin from the bespectacled boy served as adequate confirmation.
"Hoho, man! This duel is gonna be off the page!"
Briar lolled her head back. "Don't tell me…"
Dexter knew that it was going to cause a litany of headaches going ahead. The park at that hour was fairly crowded by men and women, both old and young, some of whom they recognized were their fellow students. They could see Sparrow Hood with the rest of his Merry Men, playing their guitars out in the open with a wide berth around them, everyone put off by their off-tune music.
Alistair and the others cringed as they passed by, being bombarded by the noise from the amplifiers. Wonderland music could be deemed odd and maybe a little crazy to those not of its borders, but at least he could actually relax to it, this being his first exposure to the young Hood's own brand after the latter confidently bragged of being a stellar musician back at their dorm. He turned his head away, not willing to be recognized, with the only advantage being how distracted his roommate was.
Once they were at the very center of the park, a wave of hesitation washed over the group, more so for Dexter, who had been feeling dead inside ever since the clause was disclosed. 'Dad is going to kill me, if Darling doesn't get to first.' The only thing that would complete his suffering was if Seth was watching them from the comfort of his high rise office.
He probably was.
"Well," Dexter began as he put on his disk, then held out his arm as he mentally willed it to activate, the outer shell coming apart and fanning out into panels. "Let's get this over with before any of us changes our minds."
"How do we decide?" Hunter asked, his disk coming to life as well. "Coin toss?"
Alistair raised his hand, volunteering. "I'll do it." He took out a coin from his pocket and tossed it, catching it between the back of his hand and palm.
"Heads," Hunter called, followed by Dexter calling tails.
Alistair lifted his palm. "Heads."
Hunter nodded. "Dexter can go first."
Wait, why did young Huntsman give the first turn to young Charming?
Yes, I imagine that winning the coin toss naturally allows him to go first.
That's not how it works in Duel Monsters. The one who wins whatever method is used to decide gets to choose whether to go first or not.
What reason could there be for it to be that way?
Impartiality, originally. Nowadays, it's what can give an advantage or not, because the one who goes first can't enter the Battle Phase yet, but the one who goes second can.
That doesn't seem fair.
Well, the first player naturally has to brace themselves for whatever comes their way by setting up a defensive board, but that isn't always the case. It's more on the individual's playstyle than anything.
With the order of turns determined, the two boys marched in the opposite direction of each other until they were a good ten meters apart.
Dexter took a deep breath, not really knowing what to expect other than this would be the first time since Duelist Kingdom that they would play with solid vision, memories of the old Duel Arenas resurfacing.
They were just death traps.
Seeing it for the first time had been mystifying. Cards brought to life as intangible holograms in the same vein as magical light shows.
It was only when they were close to losing a duel that…
Dexter opened his eyes, facing Hunter. He was ready. "Testing, testing. Can you hear me, Hunter?"
"Loud and clear, man," Hunter responded, flashing him a thumbs-up, the disks granting them audial clarity despite the distance.
"Duel!"
DC: 8000 HH: 8000
As soon as that word flew from their mouths, light emanated from the disks, washing over them and pooling out across the grass beneath their feet, expanding rapidly. Digital panels and screens started to appear all around them, with two next to the duelists' heads showing their life points, as well as another that showed one another their faces up close. Just a few of the people nearby were caught off guard, and even Sparrow and his mates stopped playing once the wave of light rushed past them.
"W…What the hex…?" Sparrow sputtered, lowering his guitar.
Jonah, the tallest of their band, did a scan to pinpoint where the light could have come from, when a sight a few yards away from the fountain caught his eye. "Hey, Sparrow."
Their leader turned to him, then followed the direction where Jonah was pointing. "Charming? Huntsman?" His sharp eyes found Briar and Alistair to be there as well, wondering to himself what it was they were doing, as well as the strange devices on their arms.
Dexter and Hunter watched in both surprise and amazement as the built-in dealer shuffled their decks with a mechanical smoothness, and drew their hand once it was done. "Looks like Seth really has thought of everything," Hunter remarked.
"Yeah," Dexter concurred, reeling as he did a scan of his hand. "Alright, uh, first…I set a monster face down, in defense mode." He placed the monster on the centermost panel face down horizontally. The card materialized in front of him familiarly in a crackle of energy, much larger than its actual size as it hovered, lying suspended over the ground. "I end my turn."
That's it?
Just watch.
A confident smile stretched across Hunter's lips. "Draw." Drawing his card, the young man looked at his hand. "To start my turn, I'm going for a classic. I summon Elemental HERO Sparkman in attack position."
As soon as he placed the card on the center panel, it clung securely, and before him, the card came forth in a flash of crackling pixels, along with a figure that leaped out of it in an electrically charged flip before landing on the ground in a perfect three-point landing. It was a man wearing a blue bodysuit emblazoned with lightning patterns. He was clad in shining golden armor that was decorated with yellow-orange gemstones, with paneled wings spread out from his back, and on his head was a helmet that obscured his face, two sharp antennae jutting out from behind. He slowly stood up, raising his head to stare up at the sky at first, then swiveled left and right, as if taking stock of his surroundings. He then looked down at his hands, seemingly staring at them in interest.
The narrators caught this rather…curious over such behavior.
"Sparkman, you good?" Hunter asked the seemingly bewildered figure. The one known as Sparkman turned around to face the boy. "How does it feel?"
Sparkman didn't immediately reply, staring at Hunter with an almost eerie silence, before he placed a hand on his hip and flashed the young man a thumbs-up. The young Huntsman pumped the hand holding his cards up in jubilation. "Oh yeah! We're in business! Don't hold back, Sparkman. Let's make this a duel to remember."
Sparkman nodded before training his attention back to Dexter, taking a combat stance in preparation.
Is…is this Sparkman…
Alive? Brooke said with a wide smile. Yep! You haven't seen anything yet.
Sparrow blinked in puzzlement, as did the Merry Men that were with him. A few more people were pulled towards the disturbance, a certain number of them confused and more than a little shocked once they gained a better look at what was happening. Tucker, the other of Sparrow's bandmates, perked up, gaping in equal parts astonishment and recognition, causing him to limply drop his guitar. "Those are…those are…"
Hearing this, Sparrow turned to his friend. "Tuck, you know what the hex's going on?"
Tucker didn't seem to perceive him, his mouth hanging agape, trying to form the words in response, but all that came out was a stupefied, "Real…monsters…"
"Real…monsters?" Sparrow repeated in confusion.
The son of Friar Tuck quickly recovered his senses with a shake of his, but instead of answering his friend and leader, ran towards the duel in a rush of excitement. Sparrow and Jonah, caught off guard by this, ran after him, the former calling out, "Tuck! Hey, Tuck!"
And it would seem he wasn't the only one, as there were others of their age, some much younger apart from the adults coming near, lighting up at what they were seeing.
"No way!"
"A-Are those-?!"
"Holy-!"
Hunter picked another card from his hand and slid it into a bottom slot where he had placed Sparkman. "I activate the Spell Card, H - Heated Heart!"
The spell flashed to life behind Sparkman, the portrait of which was a blue capital 'H' that was bedecked in flames. "Heated Heart is a spell that allows me to target one monster on my field and increase their attack by 500 points until the end phase. Not only that, that monster can apply piercing damage, which means even with yours in defense position, you still get battle damage."
As Hunter went about explaining, a gout of flame sprung forth from the enlarged card and collided with Sparkman, who; rather than writhe or panic as he was being bathed in fire, released an empowered roar, the effect strengthening him. A red, hexagonal screen appeared next to the monster, showing 1600 ATK, before the numbers shifted and rose to an odd 2100. With a grin, Hunter declared, "Now, I enter my Battle Phase. Sparkman, attack his face down monster!"
With that, Sparkman obeyed and leapt into the air, the leftover flames still roiling off of him swiftly replaced by the snapping crackling of electricity emanating throughout his frame, which he congregated into a single point as he linked both hands together and drew them inward. Thrusting his arms forward, he launched the now focused ball of energy straight at his target, hitting it dead on. Electricity surged throughout the card, before a tiny, blob-like creature emerged out of the back, its slimy, translucent body hot pink in color. Round eyes popped wide open in anguish, the creature letting out a garbled death rattle before the electricity melted it into a goopy slop that dribbled over the edges of the card, causing the still meager audience to recoil and cry out in disgust.
Not long after, the card along with the creature flickered out of existence, not leaving so much as a trickle of its melted corpse.
Dexter cringed as he felt a mild stinging shoot through him, the life point counter hovering next to him shifting.
DC: 7100 HH: 8000
Piercing damage?
Normally, you don't get any damage if your monster was attacked while it's in defense position. However, there exists effects called 'piercing' which render this moot, making it so that you still get damage as if you had battled with your monster in attack position.
Dexter felt the card loosen as soon as the tips of his fingers grazed it, allowing him to peel it off the panel and insert into a slot in the main body of the disk that was adjacent to his deck, serving as the Graveyard.
They ignored the growing crowd, or were too invested in their duel. Alistair and Briar stood in place to the side, not bothering to blend in as a few of the onlookers crept close.
Author's Notes: Still working on Part 2, which will be soon.