"Alright, I can finally play some flocking Yugioh. Maybe even bank myself some more DP up in this bitch." Joseph smiled as he successfully cursed, though... he did have to imagine a female dog; and that was not a pleasant image to have in his head.
That didn't stop him from staring at his deck with pride. He'd completed his deck. It wasn't perfect, not by a long shot, but it was a deck that used Thunder Dragons and it had the minimum card requirement. He could duel with it, he could win with it.
"I still need a duel disk though." He muttered, feeling the deck in his hand flicker out of existence as he sent it into his pocket dimension. A skill which he learned he had a bit ago, and one he'd definitely push the limits of in the future.
He'd managed to steal some cards, or more specifically use the 'Sell' feature of his system to make them flicker out of existence, and used the DP he'd gotten to buy some card packs. It was a helpful ability, especially since he just needed the faintest of touches to do the deed, so he walked into a card shop and when a random guy wasn't looking he destroyed his deck... oh boy, he did not respond well when he saw that his deck was gone. He still kept a portion of his DP, since it could be used as actual currency and not just for buying cards. By his estimate, a hundred DP was equivalent to roughly a pound. A bit like yen.
DP: 13,600
Joseph let out a sigh as he wondered how he'd get to Academia. Whilst he didn't plan on being the Professor's foot soldier, he did plan on jumping out of the Fusion Dimension. From what little he'd gathered of this city, or more accurately the people who live in it, children are heavily encouraged to sign up to Academia if they could. Oh not everyone did, considering that not everyone in this dump was a half-decent duelist, but enough did. Enough to make a small army.
As much as he hated it, Academia was the only place he knew of that held dimension travelling technology. So, if he wanted to hop dimensions, infiltrating Academia was his only real option. If he was lucky, he'd be drafted into the invasion against Xyz and could ditch Academia there.
Joseph turned a corner on the streets, and started to notice that a large amount of teenagers were making their way towards town centre. It was subtle, but the more he walked through the streets, the more it became obvious that something was going on.
So... he decided to follow them. It was a bit random, but he felt compelled to figure out where they were going and if it was important.
After a while, he arrived near the centre of town, and he immediately understood what it was. The amount of youngsters approaching one area, the fact they were all assembling into a hall of sorts, and the sight of Academia students dressed in red was all a massive pointer towards recruitment.
Stopping outside the hall, Joseph snorted when he realised how familiar it looked. The general structure of the building looked a lot like a stadium, being the right shape and all, but instead of having the size of a football stadium it was far smaller. It was still big, but not so big that it stuck out too much.
He walked in through the automatic door, and tried not to groan when he noticed how long the line was. Regardless, he still stood in line and waited for his turn.
"Name please?" The woman at the front deck asked, and he answered politely.
"It's Joseph Dawn." He answered, and she typed something up on her computer before looking back at him.
"Your duel field is number 7 and you're ten minutes late. Go to the exam hall, which is down the hall, and wait to be called down to duel." She spoke dismissively, quickly turning her attention onto the next candidate in line, and his eyes briefly widened. He only arrived in this world hours ago, so how was it that he was already signed up? Did his 'benefactor' interfere for him?
"Move along, you don't have all day." The woman broke him out of his stupor with an annoyed tone and he started to move down the halls.
Walking through the door, he was introduced to exactly what he expected. There were duels taking place and teenagers duelling adults, who seemed to be testers, and it was actually strangely normal; as normal as real life duelling could get anyway. It looked like it came out of Yugioh GX, not Arc-V where students were raised to be foot soldiers for the Professor.
The duel field were all numbered, and shaped like tennis courts in terms of shape and size, so finding his testing site was simple and he had to resist the urge to laugh out loud when he saw who his tester was.
"Boy, do you have any idea how late you are? Why, I'm tempted to fail you just for having the gall to leave me waiting like this." Doctor Crowler huffed. "I'm a busy man- hey, are you even listening?" Crowler yelled, seeing that he had the majority of his attention on the duel disk he'd found near his feet.
Dusting it off, Joseph marvelled at the device almost reverently as he slotted it onto his forearm. It wasn't too tight, nor was it loose. It was perfect.
He did hear Crolwer though, so he gave a few disinterested words. "Mhhm, I sure do Sir."
Crowler scrunched his face in distaste as he activated his duel disk. "I should hope that this isn't a regular occurrence young man, I have a low tolerance for slackers. Also, it's Doctor, not sir?"
Joseph snorted. "What the hell are you even a doctor of? Duelology? Did you get a PHd in fusion summoning? Or did you spend four years at university to learn how tribute summoning works?"
Crowler bared his teeth, looking like he was about to burst a blood vessel, before visibly calming himself and activating his duel disk, which was coloured yellow. "You can talk all you want, but a child like you could never hope to beat one with my intellectual capacity."
Smirking, Joseph tapped a button on his duel disk... only for his cockiness to drop nearly instantly and be replaced by befuddlement.
When the days are cold
And the cards all fold
And the saints we see are all made of gold
"The fudge?" Joseph muttered, seemingly baffled. "This thing has a radio on it?"
"Yes it does." Crowler answered, looking smug that he didn't have a smirk on his face anymore. "It also has a wallet for DP, a phone to call acquaintances and a number of other applications which students of Academia are free to use as they please."
I wanna hide the truth-
Joseph found the right button, turning off the music as a golden sword formed on the edge of the duel disk, with that being where he placed his cards. "Alright, no more fluffing around, it's time to-"
"Duel!" He felt some confusion as Crowler and him spoke in unison, but decided to roll with it
Joseph LP: 4000
Crowler LP: 4000
He resisted the urge to let out a grin as he drew his five cards. The heart of the cards won out for him.
Picking a card from his hand, Joseph smiled as he spoke. "I activate Thunder Dragon's ability from my hand. By sending him to the graveyard, I can add two more copies of Thunder Dragon from my deck to my hand!"
He placed the card on the graveyard slot, where it slid in, and two more Thunder Dragons stuck out from his deck as he made his next move. "Now, I summon Thunder Dragon Shaman!" He yelled, placing the card down on his duel disk.
The monster he'd created for the day burst to life facing his opponent. The monster was in the shape of a human man clad in scaley armour, unlike the rest of his archetype, and he was muscle-bound with long flowing green hair and slit-emerald eyes like a reptile. He was also tall, closer to a giant than man wielding a staff with a shining emerald embedded in the end.
Thunder Dragon Shaman (Light/Warrior/Level 4/ Atk: 1500/ Def: 1000)
Crowler reacted strangely to the monster, not appearing intimidated, but rather curious as though he were a scientist and Shaman was an interesting animal he wanted to study. It was subtle, but definitely there.
"When Thunder Dragon Shaman is Normal or Special Summoned, I can banish a 'Thunder Dragon' monster from my deck to add a 'Thunder Dragon' spell or trap from my deck to my hand." He explained as he selected his only copy of Thunder Dragon Fusion before banishing Thunder Dragondark.
Joseph added the spell to his hand, then called out. "I activate Thunder Dragondark's effect. When he's banished, I can add a 'Thunder Dragon' monster from my deck to my hand. I pick Thunder Dragon Hawk." He grabbed his monster, deciding to save it's effect for next turn, and grabbed three other cards from his hand. "I set three cards facedown and end my turn."
Joseph's Hand: 3
Crowler narrowed his eyes at his field, commenting. "You know, I never did ask for your name. What was it again?" His voice sounded more curious than suspicious, almost as though he were just trying to satisfy his own curiosity.
"Joseph Dawn, why?" He asked, and Crowler put two finger up to his chin.
"Oh nothing, it's just I find your deck rather interesting is all. I have an abundance of knowledge when it comes to Duel Monsters, and yet I've never heard of Thunder Dragons having an archetype. That tells me your cards must be very rare, and likely very powerful. In that opening turn you also showed yourself to be competent, enough to pull off a decent combo." Crowler noted, showing a surprising amount of politeness and even a compliment.
Joseph let out a laugh. "You'd be right about that, and these guys aren't gonna let me down. I'm gonna crush you, then I'll to to Academia and be the best there is."
Crowler narrows his eyes as he drew a card and smirked. "We'll see about. I activate the field spell Gear Town!" He placed the card into his duel disk, causing the field to shift and be replaced by a town that seemed to be made of gears. "Now I can summon Ancient Gear monsters-"
"With one less tribute, I know what the fudging card does!" Joseph interrupted as he sprung his trap that he'd gotten from a booster pack. "I activate the trap Dust Tornado! I can destroy a spell or trap on the field, and I choose Gear Town!"
The trap revealed itself, showing a twister with feathers flowing inside it, and after a moment a tornado formed that grew out of control and destroyed Gear Town. However, Crowler was, expectedly, not too torn up about it.
Crowler smirked in victory. "If you really do know about Gear Town's effect, then you know that I can now summon an Ancient Gear monster from my deck! Like my Ancient Gear Golem!"
White light began to glitter Crowler's side of the duel court, and after a moment the hulking frame of Ancient Gear Golem emerged. It was massive, overshadowing everything below it, with a single red eye gleaming through it's old timey helmet, and armour that looked dusty and rusted away. It still ran alright, though it's movements were robotic.
Ancient Gear Golem (Earth/Machine/Level 8/ Atk: 3000/ Def: 3000)
Joseph couldn't say he had no reaction to the monster, but he wasn't worried. He had a plan.
Crowler seemed to be enjoying himself, smirking in victory as he picked another card from his hand. "Next, I summon my Ancient Gear Soldier!" He threw the card down, with a tall blue-eyed robot with a gun for an arm appearing on his field.
Ancient Gear Soldier (Earth/Machine/Level 4/ Atk: 1300/ Def: 1300)
"Now, we'll move on to the battle phase." Crowler began pointing at Shaman. "Ancient Gear Golem, attack Thunder Dragon Shaman with Mechanical Melee!"
Ancient Gear Golem responded, raising it's fist upwards as gears shifted and it's fist came crashing down on Shaman. He raised his staff to defend himself, but it was futile and he was destroyed; taking a good chunk of Joseph's lifepoints with him.
Joseph LP: 4000 - 1500 = 2500
Joseph however, wasn't worried. "I activate a trap, Thunder Dragons' Hundred Thunders!" He clicked a button, revealing the trap in his backrow after the damage step was over, when Ancient Gear Golems' effect wouldn't stop him.
"With this trap, I can revive a Thunder monster from my graveyard and any other monsters with the same name. I only have one, but that's plenty. Welcome back, Thunder Dragon Shaman!" Joseph explained, a portal of sparks opening up as his monster returned to the field.
Thunder Dragon Shaman (Light/Warrior/Level 4/ Atk: 1500/ Def: 1000)
Joseph picked a card from his deck and clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Unfortunately, I can't search a spell since Thunder Dragon Fusion was my only 'Thunder Dragon' spell, but I'll still banish Thunder Dragonroar." He placed the card in his graveyard, only to grab another from his deck. "Now, thanks to Roar's ability, when he'd banished I can summon another 'Thunder Dragon' monster from my deck, but it gets sent back to my hand at the end of the turn. I pick Thunder Dragonduo."
When he placed the card down, an absolutely massive purple dragon with two wings, two head, and two sets of arms and legs appeared on the field. It even gave a badass roar upon entrance, as though it were trying to claim it's dominance over the field.
Thunder Dragonduo (Light/Dragon/Level 8/ Atk: 2800/ Def: 0)
Crowler looked annoyed but made no comments. "I set one card facedown and end my turn."
Crowler's Hand: 3
Thunder Dragonduo burst into particles, returning to his hand due to Roar's effect, but he gave it no mind. "It's my turn then."
He drew his card, increasing his hand to four as he spoke dramatically to Crowler. "You're a pretty decent duelist teach, but it's time for me to end this. I activate the spell card Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your facedown!"
Crowler covered his face as the facedown revealed itself to be Ancient Gear Reborn, which he scowled at whilst Joseph smirked. "Now I activate the Spell card Thunder Dragon Fusion!" He slapped the card into his spell and trap card zone, making Crowler flinch at the implications.
He continued, spark beginning to litter the air as he held up two green dragon cards. "I fuse together two Thunder Dragons to fusion summon!"
The two dragons appeared overhead, entering a crackling vortex of electricity that swirled together like mixing fluids, and Joseph felt like being a drama queen as he began to chant. "Oh dragon who command thunder, merge together with your brethren and give birth to new power! Fusion Summon! Level 7! Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon!"
When the act was completed, a red dragon with wide wings and two massive mouths descended with a flap of it's wings and let out a roar.
Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon (Light/Dragon/Level 7/ Atk: 2800/ Def: 2100)
Around him students began to gather, but Joseph didn't take any notice as he consumed himself with the duel and activated the last card in his hand. "I activate Thunder Dragon Hawks' ability! By discarding this card I can revive one of my 'Thunder Dragon' monsters from banished! I revive Thunder Dragondark!"
Another dragon appeared on his field next to Shaman, this one was shaped like a long serpent with dark red scales and black thorns littered over it's body. It glared at it's opponents with surprising viciousness.
Thunder Dragondark (Dark/Dragon/Level 5/ Atk: 1600/ Def: 1500)
Crowler looked slightly nervous, but pointed out with a smirk. "So what? Maybe you can destroy my Soldier, but Ancient Gear Golem is still more powerful than any of your monsters. Next turn I'll-"
"Sorry, but there won't be a next turn." Joseph began, feeling a surge flare in his chest. "I activate my facedown, Gold Sarcophagus! By banishing a card face up, I can add it to my hand in two turns. The thing is, the monster I banished is a second copy of Thunder Dragondark!"
He didn't explain what it did, instead choosing to add his second copy of Roar from his deck to his hand and he smirked as he did, knowing he'd won. "By banishing a 'Thunder' fusion monster on my field, along with a Thunder monster from my hand, I can summon a special monster from my Extra Deck!"
Crowler's eyes widened with shock and fear as he made his move, but Joseph didn't falter. "I banish Thunder Dragonroar, and Twin Headed Thunder Dragon to summon Thunder Dragon Titan!"
Thunder clouds built up above, despite the fact they were inside, and the fusion monster he already had out vanished as it was struck by thunder and was replaced by an utterly massive three headed green dragon, one that overshadowed even Ancient Gear Golem, that let out a guttural roar as it made it's presence known to everyone in the building as it descended like a green King Ghidorah.
Thunder Dragon Titan (Light/Dragon/Level 10/ Atk: 3200/ Def: 3200)
Crowler squeaked out. "3200 attack points!"
Joseph was grinning widely, unable to stop his blood from pumping as he yelled out. "You already know what Thunder Dragonroar does. Since he was banished I can summon a 'Thunder Dragon' from my deck! I pick my other copy of Thunder Dragonduo!"
For the second time int his duel, his purple dragon made itself known as it roared right besides the other members of his small army.
Thunder Dragonduo (Light/Dragon/Level 8/ Atk: 2800/ Def: 0)
"Now, we'll enter the battle phase! Sick em', Thunder Dragon Titan! Attack Ancent Gear Golem with... Plasma Ray!" He fumbled slightly, but came up with a solid enough name.
His boss monster roared in agreement, opening it's three mouths as electricity gathered around them, which it let loose in a united beam of condensed energy that shredded right through Ancient Gear Golem's mid-section, making the robot fall apart and shatter into nothingness!
"Ancient Gear Golem!" Crowler called out, holding his arm up to protect himself as the surprisingly real attack picked up dust as his lifepoints took a small hit.
Crowler LP: 4000 - 200 = 3800
Joseph didn't relent, commanding his next monster. "Thunder Dragondark, attack Ancient Gear Soldier!"
The dragon huffed, as though it didn't like being ordered around, but obeyed regardless as it lunged forward and bit into the enemy and making them shatter into pixels, eating away at Crowler's lifepoints even more.
Crowler LP: 3800 - 200 = 3600
Joseph pointed forward. "I'm not done yet! Shaman, attack him directly!"
The loyal warrior nodded firmly, holding up his staff as he lunged forward and struck at Crowler, who defended himself with his duel disk and lost nearly half his remaining lifepoints as he nearly lost his balance.
Crowler LP: 3600 - 1500 = 2100
Joseph grinned as he gave his final order. "Thunder Dragonduo, finish him off!"
The duo both huffed out, opening their maws in unison as sparks gathered within and they leaned their head back. Then, after a brief pause, they opened their mouth and let out two beams of lightning that brightened up the whole area and blew Crowler away, depleting the last of his lifepoints.
Crowler LP: 2100 - 2800 = 0
Winner: Joseph
Joseph felt a rush of ecstasy upon defeating Crowler, feeling his heartbeat start to slow down only after the holograms began to fade. He felt amazing, it was as though he were actually battling with real life monsters and not just playing a card game! No wonder everyone was obsessed with this game in his new universe, especially when it gave you such a rush!
"Congratulations, Mr Dawn." Crowler uttered out, getting up from the ground as he dusted himself off, looking surprised by the conclusion of their duel. "You showed great promise in this duel, and I hope to see you at Academia this year. Just please, try and be on time for class."
Joseph gave a nod of acknowledgement, turning around to leave the building, only to come face to face with a massive crowd of students, a few of which he recognised as canon characters, and they all looked at him with shocked eyes and open mouths.
"What?" He asked questioningly, to which they only backed away and avoided answering him.
He had a feeling that staying out of the limelight wasn't an option anymore.
I felt like writing something about Yugioh, so don't take the duels too seriously. For example, Thunder Dragonroar can only summon monsters in defense mode, but I decided that it can summon them wherever. A few cards will have minor changes, and if you have a problem with that whatever. If the anime could do it so can I.