Starting Notes:
Welcome back! Took me a while longer to edit it, but I hope you enjoy it.
#12: A Star, Burning
On the day of the matches, Masumi Kotsu arrived before the rest of LDS.
Keika looked at her, somewhat surprised. "You're early," she said. "Would you like some refreshments?"
"That would be nice." Masumi cleared her throat. "Can we talk?"
"… sure."
Kanae leaned over. "… you're not blushing," she teased quietly. "Over your little crush?"
Well, Keika still found Masumi pretty, if that was what Kanae was asking. But aesthetic appreciation was one thing—a full-on crush was another. And as it stood…
Hmm.
Keika didn't think that she would be able to connect to someone like that, not when she was still so full of worries.
So probably not. Admiration of beauty only went so far.
Keika waved her off. Kanae laughed.
"Ok, ok, miss cool girl. Go ahead."
Masumi followed Keika towards the kitchen in the school. Keika pulled out a cup, pouring some cold apple juice into it for herself. Masumi took a canned drink from the fridge as well.
"I didn't expect that we would meet again so soon," Masumi said—clearly hedging and trying to start a conversation without it being too awkward. Keika nodded after a moment.
"I didn't expect it either," Keika said, being polite. They lapsed into silence for a moment.
"I hope that you don't think that I hold anything against your school," Masumi said. That was clearly what she had wanted to say. "It's just… we were called here."
"I know. You're pawns."
Masumi froze, blinking as she turned to look at Keika.
"… sorry. Was that rude? I was on edge." Keika lifted her cup. "I hope you don't take it personally when we win though. Unlike you all—we have something important to fight for."
"Important?…"
"Independence."
Masumi glanced away. She was blushing slightly.
Silently, she hoped that she wouldn't be dueling Keika Sakaki again. It would be far too difficult to focus.
… she had too many things on her mind right now.
The rest of LDS's students poured in afterwards.
Kanae took one look at the group of people with colourful hair and swiftly retreated to the back of the seats, grabbing one of Keika's jackets and pulling it over her head. "Too many of them," she said, sounding mildly panicked. "I'll just stay behind here."
… well, wasn't that out of character… it was fine though. Keika didn't want to answer questions about why the two of them shared the same face right now.
(That boy from the carnival. He wasn't here.)
"Allow me to introduce our students." Himika Akaba raised a hand. "Hokuto Shijima, the Xyz representative."
… ah.
Yup. It was that boy with the purple hair.
(Most people might question her for it, but Keika Sakaki could certainly hold a grudge for years on end.)
"… dibs." Both Yuzu and Yuya looked back at her. "If he comes out first, I'm dueling him first."
"Huh?" Sora blinked. "What, is this guy someone important?"
The introduction had stopped because they were very audible, considering that You Show's fields echoed very much. However, Keika didn't hesitate to reply. "No. He's nothing. But he looked down on me and Yuya once."
Yuzu sighed. "Keika…"
Yuya frowned, clearly trying to remember what she was talking about. In the end though, he didn't.
On the other side, Hokuto was clearly flaming mad.
Good.
Keika had wanted him to hear. That way, if You Show chose their participant first, then she could go out and that headstrong guy would probably demand to go against her.
She would get the matchup that she wanted, no matter what.
Himika Akaba cleared her throat. "Masumi Kotsu, the Fusion representative. Yaiba Todo, the Synchro representative. Midori Kazenori, the Link representative. And Mieru Houchun, the Ritual representative." She sounded very done with everything—like she just wanted to get it over with. "Since You Show has the home advantage, you can send a duelist out first."
Keika stood up. They had decided on this beforehand, after all. Her first, Yuya second, Yuzu third. Anything afterwards wasn't concrete, but it was what they had decided upon. Yuya and Yuzu got nervous more easily than her in stressful situations, after all—while they were far better in front of crowds and entertaining others, Keika was far better in situations where they simply had to win.
So she would win, and make sure that they could feel more assured—give them a safety net to fall back on.
As she predicted, from the other side, Hokuto Shijima came down.
"I heard you say something about me," the purple-haired boy said. "What, do you hold a grudge against me? We've never even met."
"We have met," Keika replied calmly. "I'm not surprised that you don't remember it. But I'm very petty. So I'll be fulfilling my promise to you today. I'll beat you."
"Tch. You aren't even as good as me." Hokuto grinned. "I'm already on a 40 win streak without losing a single life point. You'll just be fodder for my win streak."
So that was what he was proud of?
Then Keika would rip that from under his feet.
"Duelists locked in battle!"
"Kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!"
"They storm through this field!"
"Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling!"
"Action—"
"—Duel!"
The field rose up around them. It was a place that resembled a rather grungy-looking street—they were surrounded by shops, grey walls that were painted over with colourful graffiti. Broken streetlights blinked one by one around them. Broken paint cans laid at their feet.
Keika thought about the conversation she'd had with the headmaster before this.
"We have the home advantage, Shuzo-san. Let's use it in every way that we can."
Thus—
Even the Action Fields were to their advantage.
"I've never seen this one," Hokuto said, glancing around. "Kind of dirty, isn't it?"
"It's what I like," Keika responded. "Completely straightforward." A street with no alleyways to duck into, just a straight path between herself and her opponent. The cards were scattered around, but only a few of them were visible. "Welcome to the Street of Vandals. I'll send you off here."
In the stands, Kanae peered over Yuya's shoulder. "So that's Keika's field of choice?... I expected more fire."
"She doesn't really have a field of choice," Yuzu replied. "Unlike Yuya and I, she doesn't spend that much time practicing in actual fields… but this one is her favourite environment to duel in."
Kanae lifted her head to look at the grey, dirty street that was lit up only by splashes of colour and paint. "… I get it," she said. "No tricks, no hidden mechanics. It's exactly what she would like."
"I've never seen her lose on Street of Vandals," Yuya agreed. "Plus, it's not a very commonly used field, since a lot of people go for more aesthetic maps. Therefore, her opponents normally don't know anything about the field before they face her. It also has a very low amount of Action Cards, and those cards are very hard to reach. Most of the time, neither she or her opponent takes any of the Action Cards."
… how pragmatic. To use the home field advantage to make sure that everyone was clear on what fields would come up, and use it to ensure that her opponent, concerned with appearances, would not know the field as well as her…
Very much like that girl.
Midori blinked. "That girl…" He seemed oddly struck by Keika's appearance.
"Don't get distracted by a pretty girl," Yaiba said, rolling his eyes.
Midori recovered a second later. "Say that to Kotsu-san," he said, and Masumi's cheeks flushed red.
"Don't be ridiculous," she muttered.
[ACTION DUEL!]
Hokuto Shijima: 4000LP
Keika Sakaki: 4000LP
"I'll start!" Hokuto declared. He glanced around for an Action Card, but they had all spawned in such inconvenient places that it was hard to get them immediately. "I will Normal Summon Sacred Gredi!" A knight in white armour appeared, blue cape flaring out behind her as stars danced around her.
[Sacred Gredi (4*/1600/1400/LIGHT/Spellcaster/Effect)]
"And when Sacred Gredi is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 4 "Sacred" monster from my hand! Come—Sacred Acubes!" A shorter, stockier figure appeared on his field as well.
[Sacred Acubes (4*/800/2000/LIGHT/Machine/Effect)]
"With the effect of Sacred Acubes, when it's Normal or Special Summoned, I can give all "Sacred" monsters I control 500 attack points!" Acubes and Gredi both glowed, but since Acubes was in Defense Position, it wouldn't matter as much.
[Sacred Acubes: 800 + 500 = 1300ATK]
[Sacred Gredi: 1600 + 500 = 2100ATK]
"I'll activate the Continuous Spell, Star Sign of the Sacred. And now, I'll overlay the Level 4 Sacred Acubes and the Level 4 Sacred Gredi! Golden cluster of unity, descend! Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Sacred Beehive!" A warrior dressed in golden armour appeared, strange protrusions in the shape of honeycomb emerging from his shoulders. White, black and red could be seen accenting its armour.
[Sacred Beehive (R4/2400/800/LIGHT/Machine/Xyz/Effect) (OU:2)]
"Once per turn, when a "Sacred" Xyz Monster is Special Summoned to my field, I can draw a card with the effect of Star Sign of the Sacred. And I'll set a card facedown!" Hokuto raised his head. "Over to you!"
"Draw." Keika glanced at her hand. "I will set the Scale 8 Raremetalphosis Bismagia and the Scale 8 Metalphosis Steeleren in the Pendulum Scales." This was nothing new to anyone that had seen her duel recently. "Metalphosis Steeleren's effect. I will destroy Raremetalphosis Bismagia and set a "Metalphosis" Spell or Trap from my deck to my field. Bismagia's effect. During the End Phase of this turn, I can add a "Metalphosis" monster to my hand."
She then held out another card.
"I will set the Scale 1 Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon in my Pendulum Scale. I will then destroy her to add a "Pendulum" Pendulum Monster or a "Pendulum" Spell or Trap from my deck to my hand." She picked up a card, smiling fondly as she did so. "I will set the Scale 0 Fire Opal Head in my Pendulum Scale."
"What?" Hokuto snapped.
A large dinosaur appeared in her Pendulum Scale, flames covering its head.
"That's not a Metalphosis monster!"
"Because my deck didn't start out as a pure archetypal deck," Keika said. Many of her old monsters that she had in this deck—FIRE monsters that she had added for the sake of it—had become Pendulum Monsters too, including this one. While Keika had removed most of them because they were bricks, she had kept this one for one reason, and one reason alone.
It had a Pendulum Scale of 0.
In other words, with it, she could Pendulum Summon her Level 1 monsters as well.
"With my current Pendulum Scale, I can Pendulum Summon monsters from Level 1 to 7," Keika explained. "Swing, pendulum of lost souls. Cast your hopeful light across the aether in a streak of flame! Pendulum Summon! Come from the Extra Deck—Raremetalphosis Bismagia. Then, in a burst of beautiful flames, Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon!"
If there was one thing that most people would have noticed about Keika, it was that she preferred to only Pendulum Summon monsters from the Extra Deck. It was a matter of hand advantage—every Pendulum Monster that she had in her hand would simply join the rotation of her Pendulum Scales, destroying each other over and over to get more cards from the Extra Deck.
It wasn't any different right now.
[Raremetalphosis Bismagia (1*/S8/0/0/FIRE/Psychic/Pendulum/Effect)]
[Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon (7*/S1/2000/2500/FIRE/Dragon/Pendulum/Effect)]
Keika still had three cards left in her hand, but she didn't use any of them. "Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon attacks Sacred Beehive," she declared. "And since she's battling a Special Summoned monster, she gains 500 attack points for each Special Summoned monster on the field, excluding herself! Wrathful Solar Ignition!" As usual, Sunburst Spark was straightforward—powering itself up and breathing out flames. "Raging Sunburst!"
[Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon: 2000 + 500 x 2 = 3000ATK]
Hokuto flipped over his set card. "Beehive would be enough, but I want to see your face when I do this! Trap Card, Photonize! When you declare an attack, I can negate that attack, and a LIGHT monster I control gains attack points equal to your monster's attack points until my next End Phase!"
His next End Phase, meaning that he would get to battle with the monster that he had just boosted… Sunburst Spark was stopped by a bright white shield. At the same time, Sacred Beehive was surrounded by a bright array of stars.
[Sacred Beehive: 2400 + 3000 = 5400ATK]
"And that's it for you, isn't it? All I need to do is attack and I win! You're too impulsive—what, do you think your cards are actually strong enough to stand up to me?" Hokuto sneered. "I've beaten your entire field with a single card!"
"Main Phase 2," Keika replied calmly. Hokuto facefaulted, realising that his opponent had been looking at her own cards, and hadn't actually heard any of his monologuing. "I'll set a card facedown. Over to you." This meant that she now had two set cards, along with Bismagia in Defense Position. Sunburst Spark was guarding her field in Attack Position. She also added another card to her hand with Bismagia's effect.
Meanwhile, Hokuto just had Beehive with a ridiculous amount of attack points, and Star Sign.
"My turn! Draw!" Hokuto added a card to his hand, making for three cards in his hand. "I will Normal Summon Sacred Dabaran!" A white-armoured figure with two short curved bull horns appeared.
[Sacred Dabaran (3*/1300/800/LIGHT/Beast-Warrior/Effect)]
"With Sacred Dabaran's effect, I'll Special Summon a Level 3 "Sacred" monster from my hand! Come—Sacred Leonis!" Another warrior in white armour appeared in Defense Position, blue plumes emerging from its helmet like a lion's mane.
[Sacred Leonis (3*/1000/1800/LIGHT/Beast/Effect)]
"While I control Sacred Leonis, I can Normal Summon an additional "Sacred" monster each turn! Come—Sacred Sheratan!" A short knight with an amber-coloured cape appeared, with a helmet that had two long horns that curved around its face—like a ram's.
[Sacred Sheratan (3*/700/1900/LIGHT/Beast/Effect)]
"And when Sacred Sheratan is Normal Summoned, I can add a "Sacred" monster from my deck to my hand!" Hokuto smirked. "I'll overlay the Level 3 Sacred Sheratan and the Level 3 Sacred Dabaran! Stars dancing next to the bull in the sky. Descend now! Xyz Summon! Rank 3! Sacred Hyades!" A tall figure in white and gold armour appeared, holding onto two long and sharp white daggers. Each of the daggers had a hilt that was made of a red ring of light.
[Sacred Hyades (R3/1900/1100/LIGHT/Beast-Warrior/Xyz/Effect) (OU:2)]
"Since I Xyz Summoned, Star Sign of the Sacred lets me draw another card!"
"He has two Xyz Monsters on the field…" Ayu said, sounding rather intimidated. "Will Big Sis Keika really be okay?"
"Sacred Beehive will attack Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon!"
Keika raised a hand. Her set card flipped over. "Trap Card, Fire Spirit Art - "Crimson". By tributing a FIRE monster, I can inflict damage to you equal to its attack points. I will tribute Sunburst Spark."
Golden flames rained down around Hokuto, who let out an indignant yelp.
Hokuto: 4000 - 2000 = 2000LP
"Huh?" In the stands, Yaiba frowned, before turning to Masumi. "It's a flashy move, but she's still giving him a replay. Other than avoiding damage, it's the same result, right? He just has to use Beehive's effect and he inflicts more damage to her than she dealt to him." After all, Keika now only had Bismagia as a shield.
"… her goal wasn't to stop the attack," Masumi responded. "Remember—Hokuto boasted about his damageless win streak at the start of the duel."
Yaiba's eyes widened. "You mean—"
"It's a psychological attack. She's eradicating his damageless streak to upset him and make him think less logically." Masumi leaned back with a sigh. "… she really is petty. To go for his pride immediately… and at the same time, Yaiba, did you at least check the data we were given?"
"Huh? No. Why would I bother with it?"
From behind them, Midori chuckled. They both turned to look at the older boy.
"Data's important," Midori chided. "If you had seen it, you'd know exactly what her plan was here—and you wouldn't fall for it as embarrassingly as Shijima."
"Plan…" Yaiba sounded confused. Masumi, however, understood exactly what Midori was talking about.
Her set card is that Trap. And with it, she will make sure that her life points are untouched.
"You!" In the field, Hokuto stamped his foot. "Do you know how long I worked to get that damageless win streak? Do you know how much I had to duel?" He pointed forward. "Beehive attacks Bismagia!"
The enormous attack landed—but Keika took no damage at all, since Bismagia was in Defense Position.
"During the End Phase, I will be able to add another "Metalphosis" monster from my deck to my hand with Bismagia's effect," Keika explained. Her set card—the card that really, Hokuto should have known was there—flipped up. "Trap Card, Metalphosis Counter. When a card I control is destroyed, I can Special Summon a "Metalphosis" monster from my deck. I will Special Summon Metalphosis Goldriver in Defense Position."
Goldriver appeared, guarding her with its very low defense points.
[Metalphosis Goldriver (4*/S1/1900/500/FIRE/Psychic/Pendulum)]
"Hyades destroys Goldriver!"
Keika didn't take any damage from that battle either.
"I'll end my turn."
"Beehive's attack points go back to normal," Keika said. She added a card from her deck to her hand with Bismagia's effect. Her field was now completely empty except for her Pendulum Scales.
And that was fine.
[Sacred Beehive: 5400 - 3000 = 2400ATK]
"Draw." She now had five cards in her hand. "Metalphosis Steeleren's Pendulum Effect. By destroying Fire Opal Head, I will set a "Metalphosis" Spell or Trap from my deck!" A single set card appeared on her field again. "With the effect of Metalphosis Counter, I will banish it from the graveyard and add a face-up "Metalphosis" Pendulum Monster from my Extra Deck to my hand."
She obviously added Bismagia back to her hand, since by destroying Fire Opal Head, her only Scale 0 Pendulum Monster, she could no longer Pendulum Summon the Level 1 Bismagia back from the Extra Deck.
"I will set the Scale 1 Metalphosis Silverd in the Pendulum Scales. I will then use Silverd's effect." Steeleren exploded as well, and Keika set another card to her field. "I will set the Scale 8 Raremetalphosis Bismagia in the Pendulum Scales. With this Pendulum Scale, I can Pendulum Summon monsters from Level 2 to 7. Swing, pendulum of lost souls. Cast your hopeful light across the aether in a streak of flame! Pendulum Summon! Come from the Extra Deck—Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon!" Her ace appeared with a loud roar. "Metalphosis Steeleren. And Fire Opal Head."
The three monsters appeared on the field. The fiery dinosaur was surprisingly large, stamping a foot on the ground.
[Metalphosis Steeleren (2*/S8/0/2100/FIRE/Psychic/Pendulum)]
[Fire Opal Head (6*/S0/2500/1000/FIRE/Dinosaur/Pendulum)]
"Set card, activate. Metalphosis Fusion." Keika gestured forward. "I will fuse Fire Opal Head and Metalphosis Steeleren. Unconquerable, untamable shining metal forged in the fierce flames. Crash down and break down those that would suppress us! Fusion Summon! The blazing machine single-mindedly focused on combat! Metalphosis Adamante!" The man with two blazing swords appeared, his grey and red metal suit standing out next to his blue-grey hair.
[Metalphosis Adamante (5*/2500/2500/FIRE/Psychic/Fusion)]
"Your own Fusion Monster… how'd you even get that?"
"I have no need to answer to you," Keika replied brusquely. "I will shuffle Metalphosis Fusion from the graveyard into the deck to draw a card." She pointed forward. "Sunburst Spark attacks Sacred Beehive. You know the drill. Wrathful Solar Ignition! Raging Sunburst!"
[Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon: 2000 + 500 x 3 = 3500ATK]
Hokuto scowled. "Bringing monsters back so easily… Pendulum Summon truly is a cheat. Sacred Beehive's effect! Since a "Sacred" monster is battling, I can detach an Overlay Unit from it to increase that monster's attack points by 1000 until the End Phase!"
[Sacred Beehive: OU:2 - 1 = OU:1; 2400 + 1000 = 3400ATK]
That decreased the amount of damage that he took, but it didn't save his monster.
Hokuto: 2000 - 100 = 1900LP
"A cheat?" Keika replied. "Most people outside LDS consider every other summoning method a cheat as well."
"But Pendulum is a method that can only be used by the two of you!" Hokuto shouted back. "How is that not a cheat?"
"And Fusion, Xyz, Synchro, Ritual, Link." Keika raised a finger for each, until she was holding out a flat palm. "Those are methods that LDS locks to itself. Your treasure that none of us normal people are allowed to touch. To you, is it only a cheat if it doesn't benefit you?"
Hokuto's mouth opened and closed like a fish.
"Metalphosis Adamante attacks Sacred Hyades! Blazing Rebellion!"
Somewhat desperate, Hokuto glanced around. He spotted an Action Card on a rooftop and moved towards Hyades, presumably to have his monster lift him up.
Keika picked up a paint can on the ground—one that had been generated as trash on the street of graffiti. She shook it, feeling its weight, before she tossed it upwards, hitting the rooftop that Hokuto was now reaching for. The half-used paint can exploded, and paint shot everywhere. Hokuto was blasted in the face by the paint—it wouldn't actually hurt him, since it was just Solid Vision and it would dissipate before it hit him. However, as he yelped and leaned away from it, he lost his balance, falling off his monster onto the ground.
The attack hit, destroying Hyades a second later.
Hokuto: 1900 - 600 = 1300LP
"That's playing dirty!"
"Is it?" Keika replied calmly. "Isn't that just how this field is built?" She gestured around them. "No space. A straightforward confrontation. It's almost impossible to get Action Cards, because there's so few. Or are you admitting that you can't defeat me without relying on Action Cards?"
Hokuto sputtered again. "That's not—I—"
"Damn, she's verbally massacring that guy out there," Kanae said. "I almost feel bad for him."
Yuya looked over. "Almost?" He asked.
"Yeah. Sadly for him, he's Keika's opponent, and because he is, I'm obligated to dislike him. Best friend privileges."
Yuya turned back to the match. Kanae, however, looked at him for a moment.
… he really has no clue, huh? Keika remembers this guy's mockery so well that she still resents him to this day, and yet her brother has no clue at all that she's mad for both of them.
I can't imagine caring for someone so much but them being so blind to the kind of person I am. Unlike her, I'm lucky, I guess… most people didn't actually look at me, but at least my brother knew exactly what kind of person I was. But…
Has anyone seen the real Keika Sakaki before me?
"I'll end my turn by setting another card," Keika continued.
"Draw!" Hokuto glanced at his hand. He still had Leonis on his field. "I will Normal Summon Sacred Hawwa!" A short golden warrior with a curved golden staff in its hands appeared.
[Sacred Hawwa (2*/900/100/LIGHT/Spellcaster/Effect)]
"Then, by releasing Hawwa, I will Special Summon a "Sacred" monster from my hand or graveyard in Defense Position! Return from the graveyard! Sacred Gredi!" The Level 4 Sacred monster reappeared. "And I'll Normal Summon another "Sacred" monster with Leonis's effect. I'll Normal Summon Sacred Kaust!" An archer in slightly tinted white-gold armour appeared.
[Sacred Kaust (4*/1800/700/LIGHT/Beast-Warrior/Effect)]
"Kaust's effect! Twice per turn, I can target a "Sacred" monster and either raise or lower its Level by 1! I will target Kaust and Gredi and increase their Levels by 1! Bolstering Bow Blast!" Kaust fired two arrows in the air, and both it and Gredi glowed golden.
[Sacred Kaust: 4* + 1* = 5*]
[Sacred Gredi: 4* + 1* = 5*]
"And I'll overlay the Level 5 Sacred Kaust and Sacred Gredi! Light of the stars, descend and shake this very earth! Xyz Summon! Rank 5! Sacred Pleiades!" A knight in golden armour appeared. Its silver helmet covered its face. Behind it, there was a cloak that seemed to carry the essence of the night sky in it, gold trimming forming its edges.
[Sacred Pleiades (R5/2500/1500/LIGHT/Warrior/Xyz/Effect) (OU:2)]
"Since I Xyz Summoned a "Sacred" Xyz Monster, I'll draw a card," Hokuto continued. "And I'll use Pleiades's effect! I'll detach an Overlay Unit to return a card you control to the hand. I will return your Metalphosis Adamante to the Extra Deck!" Pleiades raised a hand, and with a beam of light, Keika's monster vanished from the field. "And now, I can use any "Sacred" Xyz Monster I control as material to Xyz Summon this card!"
He raised another card from his Extra Deck. Pleiades dissolved into light. Keika raised an eyebrow.
"Rain down your dazzling light! Xyz Summon! Appear! Rank 6! Sacred Ptolemys Messier 7!" A large dragon-like monster appeared, its white scales dazzling and bright. Its wings took on the colour of the night sky.
[Sacred Ptolemys Messier 7 (R6/2700/2000/LIGHT/Machine/Xyz/Effect) (OU:2)]
"An Xyz Summon using an Xyz Monster as material?" Tatsuya gasped in the stands. "Is that even possible?"
"Sacred Ptolemys Messier 7 attacks Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon!"
Keika flipped over one of her two set cards, still just as calm as ever. "Trap Card, Attack Invulnerability! It has two effects. I will choose the effect that makes me immune to damage this turn." Thus, her monster was destroyed, but her life points remained untouched.
Yuya frowned. "… was there a need for that? It was just 700 damage, right?"
Kanae tilted her head curiously, before she chuckled, understanding immediately.
"I'll end my turn," Hokuto continued.
No backrow. It seems that my suspicions were correct. He's quite reliant on Action Cards—on putting on a show.
Keika drew a card. "I will Normal Summon Metalphosis Silverd," she said. The pink-haired woman appeared on her field.
[Metalphosis Silverd (3*/S1/1700/100/FIRE/Psychic/Pendulum)]
"Not Pendulum Summoning it along with the rest?" Hokuto challenged.
"… I am going to prove with my dueling that LDS is not superior to me," Keika replied. "You can't look down on me." She snapped her fingers. "Open, the circuit of the relentless flames!"
"Circuit—" Hokuto's eyes widened. "No way!"
Above Keika, the hologram was projected—a large, blazing square, eight Link Markers forming the border.
"Arrowhead confirmed," Keika continued. "The conditions are two Pendulum Monsters!"
"No way!" Himika Akaba smacked the arm of the chair that she was sitting on. "This girl… having a Link Monster built around Pendulum Monsters? Our LDS can't even make Pendulum Monsters yet! Who made it for her?" She was seething.
Kanae tilted her head, smirking. Keika never fails to impress, huh?
"I will set Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon and Metalphosis Silverd in the Link Markers!" The two monsters shot up, turning two of the Link Markers a darker shade of red.
Keika took a deep breath.
It's a foolish thought. You are your own person with your own goals, after all.
But even so…
I can't help but hope that your eyes are on me right now, as I use the card that you gave me.
A card that is so perfect for my deck that it'll make everyone here incredulous.
"Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Link 2! Gold and silver comes together to form the purest glare! Heavymetalphosis Electrum!"
A pink-haired woman appeared, wearing a mix of sleek silver armour and large, protruding golden cannons that glowed with flames. Long wings made of metal extended behind her.
Solemnly, the monster landed in her Extra Monster Zone.
[Heavymetalphosis Electrum (L2/1800/FIRE/Psychic/Link/Effect/↙, ↘)]
The girl who was behind Cloud Piercer's avatar was, in fact, watching the duel from nearby. She had been watching very intently the entire time.
… well, it'd have been funny if you messed up. But if you messed up, they'd have laughed at you.
And they're not worthy of laughing at you.
Come on. I even made that monster a support monster so that it would never intrude on your field. You are still the star of your own field.
Someone like you wouldn't lose to someone so weak.
Only I'm worthy of defeating you!
"Since Heavymetalphosis Electrum was Link Summoned, I can add a Pendulum Monster from my deck to my Extra Deck face-up." Keika revealed the card, and Hokuto gaped in shock. "Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon." She placed the card in her Extra Deck.
"You gave her Odd-Eyes?" Yuzu said in surprise, turning to Yuya, who was smiling.
"Yeah," Yuya said. "… Odd-Eyes and Sunburst Spark. They're the embodiment of our bonds. No matter how many times they're destroyed, they'll always come back. I wanted her to have another monster with high attack points that she could count on… I didn't expect her to actually use it though…"
"Swing, pendulum of lost souls. Cast your hopeful light across the aether in a streak of flame! Pendulum Summon! Come from the Extra Deck—Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Metalphosis Steeleren! Metalphosis Silverd!" The four monsters appeared on the field again—Yuya's Odd-Eyes roared.
[Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (7*/S4/2500/2000/DARK/Dragon/Pendulum/Effect)]
The two dragons turned to each other, roaring cheerfully. It was quite cute—they seemed very happy to see each other.
"Battle Phase," Keika continued. "Beat down his monster, Sunburst Spark, and finish him off! Wrathful Solar Ignition! Raging Ignition!"
And with those bright flames, Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon gathered strength from every monster on the field. Electrum, Steeleren and Silverd first, then Hokuto's monster and Leonis—
Then, Odd-Eyes.
The two dragons raised a claw to meet the other's.
(For a moment, Keika felt an ache in her heart that she did not recognise. Someone longing and longing for someone they could not reach.)
(It was gone in an instant.)
[Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon: 2000 + 500 x 6 = 4500ATK]
The attack hit, and Hokuto's life points fell.
Hokuto: 1300 - 2300 = 0LP
Winner: Keika Sakaki!
"In conclusion," Keika said, the holograms fading from around her, "your achievement meant nothing." The dirty street vanished seconds later.
There had been no need to bring out Odd-Eyes in the slightest. There had been no need…
But she had wanted it. The part of her that seethed with rage couldn't quite let go of it all.
In the stands, Yuya finally understood. His eyes widened.
Yuzu understood too. The two of them looked at each other for a moment—not voicing it so that Sora, Gongenzaka and the kids wouldn't catch on to what Keika had just implied.
The reason why Keika had played Attack Invulnerability earlier for no reason…
It was for this.
Keika's life points remained at 4000—untouched.
Her opponent had started the match boasting about going through forty duels without ever taking a point of damage. Keika's response had been to inflict half his life points as effect damage for her first real move, and to make sure that no matter what, her life points never fell.
Her opponent's claim to fame was being good at Xyz Summoning. Keika had used three summoning methods to systematically remove all of his Xyz Monsters—all of them had been rendered useless before her, despite how proud the boy had been of them.
It wasn't just a victory. It was a psychological strike at her opponent's pride and achievements—grinding them down to dust.
"That's cruel," Yuzu murmured to him. "You might want to talk to her about that later—even if he was rude once when you were kids… it's still very disrespectful to her opponent."
"I know," Yuya said. "… she and I get along well in every way but dueling." He smiled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "We can never agree on anything about dueling. But… her opponent's not smiling now."
Indeed. Hokuto Shijima looked humiliated as he left the field. Keika had already left before him, and she was walking back towards them.
Yuya glanced at his hands.
To be honest, he was conflicted. After all, the reason that Keika had become like this was because of how much he had run away as a kid. He had gone from arguing to running away—and then, to letting people make fun of him. And the entire time, Keika had been trying to protect him, getting angrier and angrier in a way that she hadn't been when they were kids.
Maybe it was because he was too weak when he was younger, so she had no choice but to protect him.
So she had no choice but to become like this.
If he told her not to do this, to work to make people smile like he was… wouldn't that be disrespecting her choices too? Wouldn't that be spitting on how much she had protected him over the last three years of their lives?
"Yuya."
Yuya glanced up. Keika was looking at him. She smiled slightly—that slight tenderness that she never showed anyone except him.
In her hand were two cards.
"Go get them," Keika said. "I know you can do it."
And there was nothing but conviction in her voice. She was so sure that he was going to win.
No matter how much Yuya looked down on himself, no matter how much he accepted the insults that others threw at him, no matter how much he wallowed in his own frustration… Keika had never, ever seen him as weak.
With that in mind, how could he look down on himself in front of a sister who was so amazing, but saw him as more amazing?
Yuya took the two cards, making his decision. He smiled back at her.
Watch, Keika.
I'm going to defeat my opponent. No matter how strong they are…
I'm going to show you that I can duel and win with these two cards in a different way from you…
… that it's possible to win while still leaving a smile on your opponent's face.
OC Cards:
Sunburst Spark Pendulum Dragon
(7*/S1/2000/2500/FIRE/Dragon/Pendulum/Effect)
Pendulum Effect: You can destroy this card: Add 1 "Pendulum" Pendulum Monster or 1 "Pendulum" Spell/Trap from your Deck to your hand, but you cannot activate cards with that name this turn.
If this card attacks a Special Summoned monster: It gains 500 ATK for each Special Summoned monster on the field, except itself, until the End Phase.
End Notes:
(Me realising that I prewrote 3/5 of the LDS duels and some of the later duels: Yeah, the inconsistency in game terms is going on for a while. To make it easier, we're just going to use TCG terms and OCG names, so I don't have to check through like 7 duels.)
Tbh, a large part of Hokuto being Keika's opponent here is that he's the only character there who's annoying enough to deserve being stomped down by her.
I would like to swiftly remind everyone once again that Keika is written to be a very unreliable narrator. Her views on her own actions are not necessarily how other people view her actions. Here, I really wanted to show that character flaw of hers and how it manifests—I used the word petty here, but the answer is probably disproportionate retribution. And for all that she gets angry easily, she's also very calculative. You can see that both in how she takes down Sawatari and how she takes down Hokuto here—it's purposeful and it's psychological. She attacks the flaws of her opponents that she finds without any hesitation. Not so much against Masumi, because Masumi doesn't anger her in any way. But yeah, Keika is… not very nice. Her only counterpart that is less nice than her is Cloud Piercer.
Next chapter, Yuya duels! His opponent is probably pretty obvious. I want to make it clear that Yuya's not going to be sidelined in this story at all. Well, he's not going to be the main character, but he is a main character, if that makes sense. I had to quickly establish a lot of stuff about Keika and the worldbuilding first, but we're about to start giving character focus to just about most of the Standard cast starting from now.
(I forgot to put the review responses the first time. It's been a long week.)
Review responses!
To AccurateGap1, Kirari does seem... very hyper, huh? :) You'll see more from her in the future! And yup, Yuya is definitely more mature in this story than canon. He's sort of skipped to Xyz Arc Yuya at this point, just because he's far more healthy about his thought process and angst than he is in canon, just from knowing that there are several people who will unconditionally defend him.
To the Guest who is currently guessing the Attributes of the dragons... I obviously can't say anything without spoilers, but Attributes, at the very least, should become clear by the end of the Standard Arc.
As a reminder, I don't respond to reviews if the only response that I can give is a spoiler! That includes reviews that are just questions, or reviews that seem to be trying to write a story of their own. Especially if the review doesn't actually talk about anything already in the story :)