The situation was as it was: Hitch had just defeated JD in a nail-biting, down-to-the-wire duel. The boy was able to clench victory from the jaws of defeat. And not only that, but he managed to give his team the lead temporarily. The boy stood on the field, breathing heavily while JD lay before him. The CHS student body gave their applause to Hitch for winning.
JD was regaining consciousness when Flurry Heart approached him. The Crystal Prep girl's eyes blazed with anger as she looked at her cousins, their meddling with their friends' decks causing her immense frustration. She growled at the sight of her family members, her mind echoing her father's warning.
A little word of advice, Flurry. Watch out for your cousins.
Why, Dad?
Because they're Isaac's kids, and if I remember anything from our Friendship Games, you'd best be prepared for them to update and improve their team's deck.
"You were right, Dad," said Flurry as her father proved correct in what was happening.
So, how do I beat them if that happens?
By any means necessary.
"I understand, Dad," said Flurry as she returned to her side with JD. The girl stood before her team as she snapped her fingers. As if on cue, Athena stepped forward, and Flurry pulled her in to whisper into her ear.
"Break him! Send a message to my cousins."
Athena looked at Hitch as she saw the boy's weakened state. He was like a wounded animal struggling to fight; she was like a lioness about to devour her prey. She smiled as she looked at her leader.
"Consider it done," said the War Goddess as she marched forward.
Hitch looked as he saw Athena approaching the field. The girl arrived at her position as she smirked at seeing the boy.
"Ms. Athena, who fancies herself the War Goddess, is next for Crystal Prep," said Luna.
"Given that it was JD's turn when the duel ended, Ms. Athena will automatically jump in and take her turn to give her a fair starting chance," said Cadance.
The Crystal Prep girl strapped on her duel disk, which projected a scarlet-colored card tray. She slotted in her deck and gave an intimidating smile.
Athena's Life Points: 8000-
Hitch's Life Points: 500-
Turn 1: Athena (Hand 5)
"You played a good game, stud. But unfortunately for you, you won't get past me," snickered Athena as she drew her card. I'll start by summoning Battlin' Boxer Headgeared(1000/1800)! When I normal summon this card, I can send a 'Battlin Boxer' from my deck to my graveyard. Next, I'm going to summon a second cruiser to my field. Go to your corner, Battlin' Boxer Sparrer(1200/1400)!"
"I don't like this," said Hitch, as he knew that Athena, having two monsters with the same Level, meant trouble.
"I overlay both of my Level 4 Battlin' Boxers! With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network!" stated Athena as her two monsters turned into orbs of light and hovered in the air. A portal opened before her as the orbs were sucked in, and a pillar of light emerged. "The fire in his soul sets his fists aflame! I Xyz Summon! Battlin' Boxer Lead Yoke(2200/2000, OLU: 2)!" A giant boxer whose hands were trapped in stockades and chains appeared as it stood behind the girl.
"This isn't good for Hitch," said Sunny, who knew firsthand how tough Athena and her Lead Yoke were.
"When Lead Yoke uses an overlay unit, you can hit it as hard as you'd like in battle, but it's impossible to destroy. And on top of that, it gains 800 attack points!" Athena told Hitch.
This monster kept clobbering Sunny, and she could barely hang on with Athena. And she was throwing the duel, no less. I hate to see what she can do when she's serious.
"I place three cards facedown and end my turn," smirked the girl as her facedowns materialized. "Your move, Hitch."
"What's she up to?" questioned the boy.
"Any ideas, guys?" asked Zipp.
"If my cousin told her anything, it's not gonna be good," stated Roll.
Turn 2: Hitch (Hand 0)
Athena's smart. The last time she dueled, she countered Sunny's every move, making her even stronger. Sunny barely managed to figure out a way around it.
"Hey! Stop stalling and make a move, stud!" shouted Athena as she could see Hitch was speaking to himself in his mind.
"Very well, then. I draw!" said Hitch as he drew and looked at his card. It wasn't anything useful, as he was left with only one choice: "I…"
"Hold on! I activate my facedown! Overlay Flash!" said Athena as one of her facedowns flipped up.
"A spell?" said Hitch, surprised that Athena was activating a card on his turn before he made a move.
"She's pulling a fast one to catch Hitch off guard!" said Mario.
"Overlay Flash uses one of my Battlin' Boxer Lead Yoke's overlay units in order to negate the special abilities of your Stardust Dragon!" said the girl as one of the orbs circling her monster shot forward at Hitch's dragon as it lost some sparkles.
"No!" said Hitch as he realized he was in an even deeper situation.
"Now your mighty Stardust Dragon is now totally vulnerable. But that's not your only problem. Since Lead Yoke lost an overlay unit, it gets 800 attack points stronger!"
"Her tactics are more aggressive than when she battled me," said Sunny.
"I guess I'll end my turn," said Hitch in a defeated tone.
Turn 3: Athena (Hand 1)
"It's my move! I draw!" stated Athena. "Lead Yoke! Strike down Stardust Dragon and end this duel!"
"I activate my facedown, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow. Now I can negate your attack!" said Hitch.
"No, you won't! I can easily counter that by using my Jolt Counter trap card!" said Athena as another of her facedowns flipped over. "This trap negates and destroys your trap. So it's bye-bye, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow! So there's nothing you can do to avoid this attack!"
"Hitch!" shouted Sunny.
The boxer reeled his fist back and thrust it out. It punched Stardust Dragon straight through the chest, and the dragon cried. Seconds later, it burst, creating a massive wind to blow over the field. Hitch was taken off his feet that he couldn't even stand his ground due to his weakened state and was flung back. The boy tumbled on the floor before stopping and lying on his side.
Hitch's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Athena
"And the winner is Ms. Athena!" said Cadance as Crystal Prep swung the momentum back to their side.
"Hitch!" shouted Sunny as she rushed onto the field to check on her best friend.
Hitch groaned as he stirred just as Sunny slid to a halt and got on her knees to cradle her friend. The boy looked as he saw his best friend holding him, with a concerned expression on her face. Hitch felt Sunny's left hand touching his bruised face as he looked away.
"Sorry," was all the teen said.
"Don't be. You did your best," said the girl, smiling at her best friend.
Sunny then got up and helped Hitch as she put his arm around her to carry him back to their side. Flurry and Athena smiled as they watched Sunny carry Hitch to their friends as they were back in firm control of this duel. The two friends made it back to the others as Sunny carefully set Hitch on the bench to take a moment to rest.
"Team CHS! Send out your next competitor!" said Luna.
The group looked to the field, seeing Athena and her Lead Yoke as they awaited their next challenge. For the group, it was down to Mario, Roll, and Sunny, as they were the sole survivors of their team. Roll kept her gaze on Athena as the girl began to walk forward as if electing herself to take on Athena. However, she was stopped by an arm in front of her, which belonged to none other than Sunny.
"I got this," said the girl.
"Sunny?" said Pipp, causing the others to all look at their captain.
"Sunny. It's alright. I got this." assured Roll.
"No… I'm going out."
"Sunny, you don't need to be the one. You're the captain of this team. You're more important. I can handle Athena." said Roll.
"You're right. I'm the captain. But as your captain, I need you to trust me on this. You and your cousin need to be the anchor for this team. Especially for your cousin." said the girl to her friend.
"Sunny…"
"Roll, you're the most trustworthy person I know. I can trust you with anything. So I need you to trust me now."
The girl looked at her friend; she could see there was no way of changing her mind.
"I trust you," responded Roll as Sunny smiled. She put her hand out and shook it with her friend.
Sunny was thankful Roll believed in her as she turned to look at Athena, who was waiting for her. The girl took a step forward and rested on the small stairs before turning to look at the two siblings.
"No matter what happens. It's all gonna come down to you two," said Sunny as Roll nodded, with Mario crossing his arms. The girl took one last breath as she climbed the stairs to get on the field and walked toward Athena.
The Crystal Prep teen saw Sunny approaching, and she smiled.
"And it'll be the captain of Team CHS. Ms. Sunny Starscout!" said Cadance, as most of the school's student body was surprised to see Sunny enter early.
Meanwhile, the entire CPA and Flurry student body smiled and licked their chops at Sunny's appearance. They knew this was a chance to embarrass and crush CHS's hopes by taking out its leader.
"Are you sure that was the right call?" Zipp asked, questioning Sunny's plan.
"She was set on her mind. No use changing it," responded Roll, as they could only sit back and watch.
Sunny got into her position, pulled out her duel disk, and strapped it on. She slotted in her deck, which projected a lavender-colored card tray. She looked at Athena, who held her smug smile.
Sunny's Life Points: 8000-
Athena's Life Points: 8000-
Turn 1: Athena (Hand 2)
"And smoothie girl decides to make her appearance. Oh, I'll take great pride in taking you down."
"I beat you once, Athena. And I can do it again."
"Last time, I let you win. This time… I'm not holding back. So I'll end my turn with a facedown. Let's see what you're made of, smoothie girl!"
Turn 2: Sunny (Hand 5)
"Here goes. I draw!" Sunny said as she drew her card. I'll start by summoning Gagaga Magician(1500/1000)! And since I have a 'Gagaga' monster out on my field, I can also summon my Gagaga Child(800/1200)!" Out came a small boy wizard who wore a robe with a hat covering his spiky hair, a white t-shirt, black shorts with a chain, and sneakers with spikes on them. "It's playtime, little guy. Next, I activate his special ability. As quickly as it can polish off an ice-pop, it's going to Level 4 like my Gagaga Magician!" Sunny's kid magician made a popsicle appear in its hand before it wolfed the thing down, leaving only the stick as on it were two stars before it doubled to show four.
"And now I'm going to overlay my two Level 4 Gagagas! With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network!" said the girl as her monsters turned into orbs of light and hovered in the air. A portal opened before the girl as the orbs were sucked in, and a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon, Exosister Kaspitell(2300/800, OLU: 2)!" A girl warrior appeared, with white hair and a matching casual skirt/dress as she wielded a spear.
"Not bad," said Zipp in a concerned tone.
"Then I activate Kaspitell's special ability. Using an overlay unit, I can add an 'Exosister' monster from my deck," said Sunny as she used her duel screen to select the card she wanted, and it slotted out for her to grab. "Just like you, I'll put three cards facedown and end my turn."
"I see you're trying to negate my counter strategy again," smirked Athena at Sunny for playing it safe.
"Maybe," responded Sunny, giving a defiant look.
"Let's hope Sunny is ready for whatever Athena has planned."
Turn 3: Athena (Hand 1)
"It's my move, I draw! Lead Yoke, strike down Exosister Kaspitell!" commanded the Crystal Prep girl as her boxer pulled back its fist and was moments away from punching Sunny's monster, who stood her ground, ready for the punch to land.
"I activate my facedown, Battle Rush!" said Sunny as one of her cards flipped up. "This trap protects my monster, so you can't destroy it in battle. But that's not all! Any damage I would have taken, you take instead!"
"Nice one!" said Zipp, applauding Sunny's expertly timed move.
"You're gonna have to do way better than that, Sunny! I can counter your move with Fancy Footwork!" said Athena as one of her remaining facedowns flipped over. "This trap destroys your trap!"
"Well, I can trump your countermove with this! I activate another trap card, Xyz Strike!" said Sunny as another one of her facedowns turned over. "When you activate a trap with two Xyz monsters battling, my Xyz Strike destroys your trap. Next, I'll draw one card from my deck, and if it happens to be a monster card, then it's bad news for you. That's because Exosister Kaspitel and Lead Yoke will switch attack points, but Lead Yoke's points will become zero until the end of the turn!"
"She actually outplayed Athena! Alright, Sunny!" smiled Hitch.
"Go, Sunny!" cheered Izzy.
"If you thought I'd fall for that, you underestimated me, big time!" Athena smiled.
"Oh, no!" said Pipp.
"I'm gonna outmaneuver your counter move by activating Counter Clash!" said the Crystal Prep girl as her last facedown flipped over.
"W-What's that?!" said Sunny.
"It's a trap card that targets a trap you activate during battle and whips it out completely!" proclaimed Athena as Sunny's card disappeared. "And as an added bonus, Counter Clash doubles the damage you take during this battle! Lead Yoke has 700 more attack points than Exosister Kaspitel, so you're taking 1400 points of damage! Lead Yoke, attack Exosister Kaspitel! Knock it out and send Sunny flying!"
The boxer thrusts its arm out as its punch landed on Sunny's monster, trying to protect itself with its weapon. The monster was tossed back with a scream and exploded. The attack transferred to the girl herself as she flung back and crashed to the floor hard.
Sunny's Life Points: 6600-
"Sunny!" shouted the others, minus Mario.
"I'll turn it over to you now!" said Athena with a smile as she set another card facedown.
Turn 4: Sunny (Hand 2)
Sunny recovered from the brutal attack despite having her fair share of battle scuffs. Despite that, the girl stood and raised her duel disk.
"It's my move! I draw!" said Sunny as she drew her card and flipped it over to see it. "Yes. I'll start my turn by activating the spell Xyz Revenge! Since your Xyz monster has an overlay unit, I can summon an Xyz monster from the graveyard. Come on back, Exosister Kaspitel!" A portal opened, and Sunny's monster emerged as she twirled her spear. "This spell also lets my monster steal an overlay unit from yours!" The orb circling Athena's monster then transferred to Sunny's monster.
"I'm glad you took that overlay unit because you just made Lead Yoke 800 points stronger!" said Athena as her monster broke the last of its holds and was now free, showing off all its muscles.
"That monster has muscles on muscles!" said Pipp.
"Why did Sunny do that?" said Zipp as she questioned Sunny's tactics.
"Now that Xyz monster is gonna be harder to beat," responded Izzy.
"Maybe or maybe not," said Roll, getting the others to look at her as if to question what she might mean.
"I now activate my Fiery Fevor trap card!" Sunny said as her last facedown flipped over. "Since your monster gains attack points, I can equip this trap onto Exosister Kaspitel. And it doubles her attack points!"
"No way… She just pulled off a perfect counter move…" said Athena in disbelief at Sunny's expertly move. "And I fell for it."
"I hate to admit it, but Sunny's got skills," said Axiom, unable to deny what a pro move Sunny made, let alone in the last few turns against Athena.
"She has potential," remarked Phin as the others hated to agree with that statement. Flurry just growled a bit after witnessing Sunny's move.
"It's now or never, Kaspitel. Give it everything you got!" Sunny ordered. Her monster spun her spear in her hand before driving it into Lead Yoke's chest, making the monster explode. The attack pushed Athena back, taking her off her feet and causing her to crash hard.
Athena's Life Points: 7200-
"Way to go, Sunny! Now finish her off!" said Izzy.
"She can't. Not on this turn anyway," said Roll, getting the attention of her friends. "Trust me, guys. It's far from over."
"So Sunny can still lose?" Pipp asked, feeling some fear in her voice after hearing Roll's statement.
"Had enough?" taunted Sunny.
"Please!" barked Athena. I hope you're ready for round two because it's going to get even more extreme!"
"Bring it on! I can take anything you throw my way!" Sunny said confidently.
"Huh, never expected Sunny to say something like that," commented Zipp at hearing Sunny speak that way.
"Yeah… it's kinda attractive, anyways…"
"Hold on… did you really just say that, Hitch?" Roll said as she cut off her friend and made everyone look at the boy after saying that Sunny, speaking all cool, was attractive.
"Damn, bro. I didn't know you were that risky," remarked Mario with a sly smile.
"W-What, no, I just…. I…" stuttered Hitch, feeling his friends were ganging him up for his comments about Sunny's attractiveness. The girls all held smug smiles at their friend as he sweated bullets. "I reserve the right to remain silent."
That was all Hitch said as he turned to sit on the bench; the girls all chuckled as they enjoyed teasing their friend.
"You walked right into that, bro," said Mario as he sat beside his friend and punched his shoulder. Hitch groaned before they all turned back to watch Sunny's duel.
Turn 5: Athena (Hand 1)
"And away we go!" said Athena as she drew her card. "For starters, I play Pot of Greed to draw two more cards. Then I summon Battlin' Boxer Switchitter(1500/1400)! And I'll immediately follow that up with the spell card, Battlin' Boxer Spirits! Now, I have to send the top card of my deck to the graveyard, but here's the fun part, Sunny. If it's a 'Battlin' Boxer,' I can summon a different one from my graveyard." Athena drew her card, looked at it, and smiled.
Great.
"Guess what, Sunny! I just drew Batttlin' Boxer Counterpunch. I'll send it straight to the graveyard so I can summon the champ himself, Battlin' Boxer Headgeared!" stated Athena as her monster rose from a portal. "Alright, Switchitter, it's time to use your special ability! It can count as two monsters when I use it to Xyz summon!"
"Something big is coming!" said Roll, as she didn't like the looks of this.
"I've been taking it far too easy on you. Not anymore, though! Especially now that I have three Battllin' Boxers to overlay. Just watch this! With these three monsters, I build the Overlay Network!" said Athena as her three monsters turned into orbs of light and hovered into the air. A portal opened before her as the orbs were sucked in, and a pillar of light emerged. "Feeling nervous yet, because you should be! I Xyz Summon Number 105: Battlin' Boxer Star Cestus(2500/1600, OLU: 2)!" Out came a blue and yellow colored warrior as it had shoulder pads on its shoulders that looked to be wings.
"How is that possible? That number is over 100! Is that monster even allowed?!" questioned Sunny as her memory from all the studying she did for Scootaloo's class and what she told her students was that the number cards only went up to 100. She never said anything about cards going over that.
"Oh, it is! And you can do nothing about it!" said Athena boastfully. "Star Cestus, take out Sunny's monster! Demolish it!"
"But my Kaspitel has more attack points than your monster!" said the girl.
"I don't really care, Sunny. Cuz I'm going for broke anyway! Star Cestus, attack with Stardust Impact!" declared Athena. Her monster powered up as several yellow orbs appeared beside it before they all shot out as energy beams toward Sunny's monster.
"There has to be a reason why she attacked. But what?" said Zipp, curious about Athena's reckless move.
"Now… I use an overlay unit to activate my number's effect! When Star Cestus has fewer attack points than your monster, it can't be destroyed in battle. Oh yeah, I forgot to mention. You take all the damage that should go to me!" smiled the girl.
"I-I take it!?" said Sunny in disbelief.
"Sunny better brace herself because she has a very big impact incoming!" said Roll.
"That's 2100 points!" exclaimed Sunny as she did the math.
"That's right! And there's nothing you can do to stop it!" said Athena as her monster's attack rained down on the poor girl. It bypassed her monster and went straight for her as she tried to cover up, only to be launched into the air again and crash to the ground.
Sunny's Life Points: 4500-
"With that, I put one card facedown and turn it over to you!"
"I really don't like how this is going," said Pipp.
"Athena's move caught her by surprise," remarked Hitch.
"She better turn things around quick… or else," said Roll.
"Are you having fun yet, smoothie girl? Or is my superior skill spoiling the duel for you?" mocked Athena as Sunny got to her feet.
"I'm gonna sweep this fear with you and your deck," responded Sunny defiantly.
Turn 6: Sunny (Hand 2)
"It's my turn. I draw! And I activate the spell card, Xyz Treasure. For every Xyz monster on the field, I can draw one card. Since I have Kaspitel and you have Star Cestus, I've got two cards coming my way!"
"Like it matters!" responded Athena.
"Now, I use Kaspitell's special ability. I can add an 'Exosister' monster from my deck to my hand using one overlay unit. And next, since the only monsters I control are Xyz monsters, I can special summon my Exosister Martha(1600/800)!" A silver maiden appeared as she was donned in full black leather. "Then Martha's ability allows me to summon my Exosister Elis(500/800) from my deck."
"What good will those monsters do you?" taunted Athena.
"Plenty. But before I get to them, I'll play the spell card Exosister Ritual! I can pick up two more cards from my deck by getting rid of my Xyz monster."
"Draw all the cards you want. It won't make a difference against my Star Cestus."
"Now. I overlay Exosister Martha and Elis to build the Overlay Network!" declared Sunny as her two monsters hovered into the air and became orbs of light. A portal opened as the orbs were sucked in, and a pillar of light emerged. "I Xyz Summon! Exosister Mikailis(2500/1800, OLU: 2)!" A blond warrior donned in full white appeared as she wielded her staff as it beamed with power.
"Why would Sunny do that? This monster is weaker than her previous one!" said Pipp.
"Relax. Sunny knows what she's doing," said Roll, getting the others to look at her. "Remember, Star Cestus can only use its ability when the opposing monster has more attack points. But those two monsters are now evenly matched."
"Oh, I get it!" said Izzy.
"Now I activate Mikailis' special ability. I can add one 'Exosister' spell or trap card from my deck to my hand using an overlay unit. Now… Mikailis, strike down Star Cestus with all your might!"
"Bring it on!" said Athena as she welcomed the challenge. "Star Cestus, don't hold back!"
The two monsters looked eyes as they moved forward to engage. Sunny's monster spun her staff as it twirled while Athena's monster reeled its fist back to glow. It punched out just as Sunny's monster brought its staff forward for a stab. The two attacks made contact, and both held on for a second before exploding, making both girls stand their ground with the wind blowing.
"Both of our monsters may have been destroyed, but one of them's making a comeback. I activate Xyz Stand from my hand!" said Sunny as she held it out.
"A spell?" said Athena.
"That's right. With the power of this card, I can revive my Exosister Mikailis, but its special abilities are negated. Return to the field, Exosister Mikailis!" said Sunny as a portal opened, and her monster rose from it.
"She planned to bring it back along," said Zipp with a smile.
"Although it was risky, it was her only sure way of destroying Star Cestus," commented Mario.
"I guess it's true what they… great minds think alike," smiled Athena smugly, "Cuz I did the exact same thing!"
"What!" exclaimed Roll as it showed a split screen of her, with Sunny letting out a gasp and expression of disbelief.
"You're bringing back your monster?!" responded Sunny.
"Check it out!" said Athena as her monster rose.
"How?' questioned Sunny.
"It's simple, Sunny. I activate Xyz Stand just like you did!"
"She had the same strategy as Sunny," said Hitch as he, too, was in disbelief.
"Since I used Xyz Stand to summon my monster, it's not allowed to attack," said Sunny, as she couldn't do anything else this turn. "I set two cards facedown and end my turn."
Turn 7: Athena (Hand 0)
"It's my move! I draw!" shouted Athena as she looked ready to finish off Sunny. "I activate the same spell you used before. Xyz Treasure. I can draw two cards since two Xyz monsters are on the field. With our monsters so evenly matched, these will come in handy. Now I activate the spell card, Rank-Up-Magic Barian's Force!"
"I don't like the sound of that!" said Sunny.
"What does that card do?" asked Zipp.
"It's trouble, that's what," said Roll, knowing full well what card Athena just played. "Bottom line, Athena is gonna rank up her monster."
"What?" said Izzy.
"I overlay my Rank 4 Battlin' Boxer Star Cestus!" said Athena as her monster turned into a stream of dark matter that entered a portal, causing an explosion. "It is the most frightening force of all. Ultimate Chaos! It is the uncontrollable energy that threatens to throw the whole universe into disarray! Go, Chaos Xyz Evolution! From the outer realms of the unknown… comes Chaos Number 105: Battlin' Boxer Comet Cestus(2800/2000, OLU: 1)!"
"I don't like this," whimpered Sunny at seeing Athena's new monster.
"Worried? You should be! Comet Cestus, use your special ability! Watch and weep. Using one overlay unit, Comet Cestus will destroy your Exosister Mikailis. Then deal you damage equal to its attack points!" said Athena as her monster absorbed its material and fired a stream of energy.
"I activate a trap! Overtraining! This allows my monster from being destroyed this turn!" said Sunny as her facedown flipped over.
"Clever move. But even though you stopped my Chaos Number's special ability, I am not backing down! Comet Cestus, attack! Go Celestial Burst!" commanded Athena as her monster advanced forward and was shown bringing its right arm back as its fist glowed. It then thrusts out as an energy beam comes from the punch and makes contact with Sunny's monster. The girl was taken off her feet and to the floor again.
"Sunny!" shouted her friends.
Sunny's Life Points: 4200-
"I set one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 8: Sunny (Hand 2)
"It's my move! And it's time for me to win!" said Sunny as she drew her card. "I activate the spell card, Exosister Exorcist! By equipping it onto my Mikailis, I can create a copy of it on my field. So with that… I now can overlay both of my Rank 4 monsters… to build… the Overlay Network!"
"What's she planning?" said Axiom as they watched Sunny.
The girl's monsters turned into orbs of light and hovered in the air. A portal opened, and the orbs were sucked in as a pillar of light emerged.
"I Xyz Summon! Rank 8, Exosisters Magnifica(2800/2800, OLU: 2)!" shouted Sunny as she slammed her card onto her card tray. Out came a pair of sisters, both wearing similar outfits and armor, but one had a staff with lightly blond hair, and the other had a sword with yellow hair.
"That won't be enough to defeat me!" said Athena, clearly not impressed by Sunny's advanced move.
"Yes, it will, because Exosister Exorcist has another effect. When it's used to Xyz summon, it doubles the monster's attack points," said Sunny as her twin monster powered up. "Do it, girls! Strike Comet Cestus!"
"I don't think so! I'm canceling that attack by activating Counterpunch's special ability from the graveyard!" responded Athena. "When I banish Counterpunch, I can activate a trap card from your graveyard!"
"From my graveyard!?" said Sunny in a shocked tone.
"And guess which of your traps I'm going to choose!"
Sunny thought for a moment before she gasped.
"That's right. It's Battle Rush!" said Athena as a portal opened to show Sunny's card off. "Thanks to your card, your attack can't destroy Comet Cestus and you take all the damage I would have taken!"
Athena's and Sunny's monsters were just moments away from connecting as the Crystal Prep girl had the advantage and looked to halt Sunny's comeback.
"Not if I activate Exosister Exorcist's second ability. By banishing it from my graveyard, it stops your trap, so I can still destroy your Comet Cestus!" said the CHS teen as her monsters ducked to avoid the warrior's punch before jumping into the air, hovering above him and looking ready to continue with Sunny's initial attack.
"I expected that move and can counter it all too easily with my trap, Corkscrew Counter!" said Athena. "Not only does it negate your Exosister Exorcist's ability, but it also inflicts you with 500 points of damage!
"What is going on!?" said Zipp. There was so much happening that her adrenaline shot through her body.
"I still have a chance! I activate my facedown, Last Chance!" shouted Sunny. "Since you activated a trap from my graveyard before, I'm going to return the favor!"
"You're activating a card from my graveyard?!" said Athena as she didn't expect this.
"That's right. I choose Counter Clash! It negates and destroys a trap activated during battle—destroying your Corkscrew Counter!" said Sunny as Athena's card vaporized. "And… it also doubles the damage from this battle! Not to mention, my monster can attack twice this turn. So it's game over for you!"
"No!" said Athena as she realized what this meant.
Sunny's monster split apart as the sister wielding the staff pointed and fired it at their target, destroying Comet Cestus. Her twin sibling zigzagged and headed toward Athena, bringing her sword down on the Crystal Prep girl. It sent her flying as she uttered a defeated cry and crashed to the floor.
Athena's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Sunny
"And the winner is Ms. Starscout!"
Luna's announcement was met immediately with cheers from her school as they roared for Sunny's big-time win.
"Yeah, way to go, Sunny!" shouted Hitch.
"Alright!" exclaimed Izzy as they cheered their friend's intense duel.
"Thanks, guys," said Sunny softly. She snuck a quick peek at her team and saw they were supporting her. It filled the girls' hearts with warmth to see them standing by her and demonstrating that they were indeed a team.
However, the girl's celebration was cut short. While Athena was starting to sit up, Axiom got on the field with a determined look. He looked at his comrade as she just kept to herself and returned to their bench, allowing her friend to deal with Sunny. Flurry had her arms crossed as Athena approached them. Safe to say the Crystal Prep girl was not happy, but right now, she had bigger fish to fry. And that included Axiom and him doing his part of the plan.
Axiom… soften up Ms. Smoothie girl for me. Because I want to break her myself when it's time.
"Consider it done, Flurs," smiled the boy as he slotted in his deck as his duel dusk came online and projected a purple card tray.
Axiom's Life Points: 8000-
Sunny's Life Points: 4200-
Turn 1: Sunny (Hand 2)
"Axiom will step up to the plate for Crystal Prep, and Sunny's battle phase automatically ends. However, she still has her Main Phase 2 before she passes it over to her opponent," said Luna.
The CHS girl looked at her hands before glancing at Axiom as she knew what he could do. The duel with Hitch and in Wargames told that he was considered one of the strongest duelists on his team, perhaps even up there with Flurry herself. That meant she had to be careful because she was already down to more than half of her Life Points, and one wrong move could spell the end.
"I just set a card facedown and end my turn," said Sunny.
"Let's hope Sunny can hang on," said Zipp.
"The good news is that her monster has 5600 attack points. So she's got a strong monster that Axiom has to get past," commented Roll.
"Yeah, but you know how he is. Attack points might not matter," said Hitch, as he knew from experience that Axiom was unorthodox when playing Duel Monsters.
Turn 2: Axiom (Hand 5)
"It's my move, and I draw. Now then…" The boy methodically scanned over his cards as he tried to decide which one to use against the CHS girl. He almost took great pride in his torture of her by deciding how to come at her.
"I think I'll begin with this, Destiny Draw! Now, I get to draw two cards by discarding one 'Destiny HERO' monster from my hand. I think I'll ditch my Destiny HERO - Disk Commander," said Axiom as he sent his card away and picked up two. "And looky here, I just drew Pot of Greed. So I think I'll activate it and draw two more cards."
"I hate how he's taunting Sunny," said Hitch, as he didn't like Axiom toying with his best friend.
"Settle down, Hitch. Sunny's not some helpless princess who needs saving. She can take on Axiom." said Mario, trying to get his friend not to let his emotions get the best of him regarding the girl.
"And now I normal summon D Cubed(0/0)," A robotic dog appeared as it had the D-symbol on its face. "When I normal summon this monster, it becomes a 'Destiny HERO' monster for as long as it's on the field. Next, I activate D Cubed's special ability. By discarding two cards from my hand, I get to special summon two more copies of my D Cubed from my deck. So I'll do just that; oh, and by the way, one of the cards I'm getting rid of is my Destiny HERO - Malicious," responded Axiom with a smug and cocky tone.
"Why tell me?" asked Sunny.
"Oh, no reason," the Crystal Prep boy smirked as he glanced over and locked eyes with Mario.
Axiom, soften up Sunny for me. And when we win, I'll get you the duel you want. I'll get you the duel… with my primo.
Axiom discarded his cards as two more copies of his current monster appeared.
"So, how do you like my triple threat?"
"3 monsters with zero attack and defense points? What's he up to?" mumbled Sunny to herself.
"Now that all three are gathered, I can tribute them for something greater."
"I'm not liking the sound of that," said Sunny.
"I tribute all three copies of D Cubed to special summon… Destiny HERO - Dogma(3400/2400)!" Out came a winged fiend warrior; its wings spread massively, and blades came from its wrists as it descended.
"What is that thing?" said Pipp.
"Trouble," growled Mario as he seemed to be ticked off by Axiom's monster.
"I set two cards facedown. Your move, smoothie girl."
Turn 3: Sunny (Hand 1)
Strange, why didn't he try to attack? I mean, I know my monster has 5600 attack points, but I would think he would have done something to catch me off guard. Well, if he's not gonna attack, I better seize this opportunity.
"Alright. I dra…"
"Oh, not so fast, smoothie girl. That's all it takes to activate my Destiny HERO - Dogma's special ability!"
"What ability?" said Sunny before she received a jolt of electricity as she screamed loudly.
"Sunny!" shouted Hitch at seeing the girl wraith in pain. He bawled his fists as he gritted his teeth while looking at Axiom for the pain he caused her to suffer.
Sunny fell to her hands and knees as she panted heavily. Her body shook after its sudden jolt as she looked forward at Axiom, who smiled smugly.
"You see, during your Standby Phase, Destiny HERO—Dogma cuts your Life Points in half!" the Crystal Prep teen explained.
Sunny's Life Points: 2100-
"That's unfair!" said Zipp.
"As much as I would with you, Zipp. It's not," said Roll. "Destiny HERO - Dogma is not only a rare card, but a powerful one because of its special ability."
"How is any of this fair? They have cards that we don't even have access to. And they expect us to go against them!" stated the heiress.
"Crystal Prep has more money than CHS. They can afford to purchase rarer and more powerful cards than Celestia and Luna can buy."
"It's still unfair."
The group turned their attention back to Sunny as she rose up and looked to continue her move.
"It's my move. I draw. Exosisters Magnifica attack his Destiny HERO - Dogma!" Sunny commanded as her monsters made a duo attack. One sister charged her staff and powered up her twin's blade. Once it glowed, she rushed toward Axiom's monster and sliced it down the middle, exploding upon impact.
Axiom's Life Points: 5800-
"Nice, she did it! She got rid of Dogma and can go straight for his Life Points now!" said Zipp as Sunny's monster could attack twice.
"It's a trap," spoke Mario softly.
"Thanks to my monster's ability, it can attack twice. So go for it!" shouted the girl as her monster pushed off and headed straight for the boy.
Axiom had his eyes closed when Sunny called her first attack. He stood there and faced the wind when his monster was destroyed. He then shot them open as he thrust his hand out.
"I activate my trap card, D - Fortune! When you declare a direct attack, this card lets me banish one 'Destiny HERO' monster from my graveyard to end your battle phase immediately. I'll banish Destiny HERO - Doom Lord to protect my Life Points!" Axiom's monster appeared as he put his clawed hand out, stopped Sunny's monster in her tracks, and pushed back the attack.
"I'll just end my turn," said Sunny.
Turn 4: Axiom (Hand 1)
"It's my turn. I draw. I'll start this turn off by activating my facedown, Limit Reverse. This card lets me special summon a monster with 1000 or fewer attack points from my graveyard in attack mode. And I choose Destiny HERO - Disk Commander(300/300)!" A monster appeared on the field with disk plates in its hands. "Now my Disk Commander's effect activates. I get to draw two cards when it's special summoned from the graveyard. Next, I activate Graceful Charity. Now, I draw three cards from my deck and discard two."
"He's doing a lot of drawing and searching," said Sunny.
"Now I activate the effect of my Destiny HERO - Malicious. Remember how I told you I sent it to my graveyard earlier? By banishing the one in there, I get to summon another copy from my deck. Arise, my second Malicious(800/800) in defense mode. Now… I summon Destiny HERO - Diamond Dude(1400/1600) and activate his effect. I excavate the top card of my deck; if it's a spell card, I send it to the graveyard."
Axiom picked up the card and smiled before revealing it to Sunny.
"Would you look at that? Monster Reincarnation should be fine in my graveyard," said the boy as she sent his desired card away. "Now that I have three monsters on the field, I tribute them all for a monster that can only be summoned by sacrificing them all! I offer up Destiny HERO - Disk Commander, Destiny HERO - Malicious, and Destiny HERO - Diamond Dude!"
"Oh, no!" said Mario as he knew what monster Axiom was bringing out.
"Appear… Destiny HERO - Plasma(1900/600)!"
Out came a black monster with a purple underside as it seemed to harden the part plasma it was made. Its right hand was a set of jaws, while its left was a claw with tattered and shredded wings.
"You're finished, Sunny. Destiny HERO - Plasma! Activate your special ability!" commanded Axiom.
The boy's monster shot out some plasma from its body and clung onto Sunny's twin monster. The girls tried to fight back and escape the grip, but it was useless as Plasma began to reel both in. They did everything they could to put the brakes on, but Axiom's monster reeled both as they were absorbed into his wings and tried to call out for Sunny to help them before being consumed.
"What did you do to my monster?!" shouted the girl.
"They're now a part of Plasma!" smiled Axiom as Sunny's monsters appeared in Plasma's wings, letting out haunting moans.
"Okay, that's creepy," said Pipp. Although she was a fan of scary things, this was too disturbing and haunting for her taste.
"My Destiny HERO - Plasma's ability allows him to assimilate your monster into him. Now, not only does Plasma gain your monster's abilities, but half of its original attack points are added to his!"
After hearing that, Sunny gasped and saw Plasma's strength rise to 3300.
"Since you only have 2100 Life Points left, it looks like you were destined to lose. Destiny HERO - Plasmas attack Sunny directly and end this duel!" shouted Axiom.
"I activate my facedown, Nutrient Z! Thanks to trap, when I'm about to take 2000 or more points of damage, I gain 4000 Life Points!" said Sunny as a sparkle shower appeared above her.
Sunny's Life Points: 6100-
"Like it matters!" smirked Axiom as his monster thrusted its claw out and smacked Sunny to the floor as she felt the attack.
Sunny's Life Points: 2800-
"You may have lucked out, Sunny. But you have only so few Life Points left. I'll just throw one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 5: Sunny (Hand 2)
"How can Sunny deal with that monster?" wondered Izzy.
"If she's lucky," said Mario.
"It's my move. I draw," said the girl, struggling to move her arm after the fierce attack she took. "I play Pot of Greed to draw two more cards. Next, I play the spell card Magistus Gathering. I can bring out two 'Magistus' monsters from my deck if I negate their special abilities. So I bring out Crowley, the Magistus of Grimoires, and Zoroa, the Magistus of Flame."
"What good will those monsters do Sunny if their special abilities are negated?" asked Pipp.
"Plenty," said Roll.
"Now… I tune my Zoroa with my Crowley!" shouted Sunny as her monster turned into four giant green rings that circled her other monster with a yellow light surging through. "I Synchro Summon… Zoroa, the Magistus Conflagrant Calamity(2900/2500)!"
"Impressive, but… it still is weaker than my Plasma."
"Then let me introduce you to my Zoroa's special ability. When it's synchro summoned, I can equip a 'Magistus' monster from my Extra Deck onto it. And I choose my Xyz monster, Rilliona, the Wondrous Magistus Witch Wardrobe. And by doing that, Rilliona's effect activates. When she's equipped to a monster, I can negate an effect monster you control until the end of the turn. So I choose your Destiny HERO - Plasma!" said Sunny as she pointed at Axiom's monster, which glowed and lost its special powers.
"By Sunny doing that, not only does she negate Plasma's ability. But it no longer gains a boost from assimilating her previous monster, meaning it drops back to 1900," said Mario.
"I knew she had something!" said Hitch as he cheered his best friend on.
"Now, Zoroa, attack Plasma!" commanded Sunny. The fire sorcerer had his hands ignite before he cast them out and shot out two streams of fire that burned up Axiom's monster.
Axiom's Life Points: 4800-
"I now set one card facedown and end my turn."
Turn 6: Axiom (Hand 1)
"All according to plan," said Axiom as he was doing his part for Flurry so that things were ready when she came out. He then picked up his card and smiled when he saw it.
"I summon Vision HERO Vyon(1000/1200)."
"A Vision HERO?" said Mario as he had to do a double take after hearing Axiom say that.
"I activate Vyon's special effect; if it's summoned, I get to choose one 'HERO' monster from my deck and send it to my graveyard. I think I'll pick Destiny HERO - Decider," said the Crystal Prep boy as his duel disk ejected his card for him to grab and send away. "Next, I'll banish my second Destiny HERO - Malicious from my graveyard to summon a third one from my deck."
"I don't like the looks of this, guys!" said Zipp.
"Now that my hand is empty, I can activate the effect of my Destiny HERO - Celestial from my graveyard. By banishing it alongside another Destiny HERO, I get to draw two cards. I'll banish Destiny HERO - Celestial and Destiny HERO - Captain Tenacious to draw two cards!" stated Axiom as he picked up the top cards of his deck and smiled upon looking at them. "Next, I'll activate the second effect of my Vision HERO Vyon. Once per turn, I can banish a 'HERO' monster from my graveyard to add Polymerization from my deck to my hand. So I'll get rid of my Diamond Dude."
"Polymerization? That must mean…" said Pipp as she had a feeling of what Axiom was setting up for.
"Now, I activate this spell card. Premature Burial. By paying 800 Life Points, I get to return one of my monsters to the field. So I choose my Destiny HERO - Disk Commander, which triggers his effect and allows me to draw two cards." said Axiom as his monster rose. "And let's not forget what fate has in store from the last turn. Now I use the effect of the Monster Reincarnation in my graveyard to add Destiny HERO - Plasma to my hand."
"Not that monster again! Sunny barely took it out last time!" said Hitch as Sunny's dreaded expression said it all.
"It's time for Plasma to return to the field. I tribute Destiny HERO - Malicious, Disk Commander, and Vision HERO Vyon!" said Axiom as all three vanished before the reappearance of his powerful monster. "Since you're already familiar with Plasma's abilities, there's no need for me to explain them again. Destiny HERO - Plasma, activate your effect and absorb Sunny's monster."
"Not so fast!" said the CHS girl. "This time, I'm prepared. I activate my trap card, Fiendish Chain! This card negates your monster's effect and paralyzes your monster."
"Nice one, Sunny!" cheered Hitch at her for thinking one step ahead.
"Ha, ha. You took the bait!" smiled Axiom.
"Bait?" said Sunny in a confused tone.
"Although my Destiny HERO - Plasma is powerful… I'm about to use it to summon an even stronger monster. I activate Polymerization! So, I combine my Plasma with my Destiny HERO - Decider in my hand!" Both monsters appeared above the boy as they were sucked into a swirling vortex as orange and purple lights emitted. "The hero consuming the adversaries of faith and the hero dashing toward the inevitable destiny now become one and reign in a pitch-black future. I Fusion Summon! Destiny HERO - Dystopia(2800/2400)!"
"That monster is trouble," said Hitch.
"Your future is looking bleak, Sunny. I activate the first of my Destiny HERO - Dystopia's special abilities. When I fusion summon it, I get to inflict direct damage to your Life Points equal to the attack points of one of its fusion materials. Since my Dasher has 2100 attack points, you're gonna lose 2100 Life Points!" stated Axiom as a beam of energy shot toward the girl as she fell to a knee and clutched her stomach.
Sunny's Life Points: 700-
"Next, I activate my trap card. D - Chain. This card increases Dystopia's attack points by 500. By doing that, I get to activate his other effect. Since Dystopia's attack points changed, I can destroy any card on the field. Destiny HERO - Dystopia, get rid of Sunny's monster!" Axiom's monster held its hand out as the small suction on its palm began to suck everything in as Sunny's monster vanished into it.
"Now Sunny has nothing to protect herself!" said Zipp as their friend was defenseless.
"Say goodbye, smoothie girl. Dystopia, wipe out the rest of Sunny's Life Points!" commanded Axiom.
Dystopia leaped into the air, reeling its fist and looking to finish the girl off. Sunny just stared as she saw the attack coming at her. Then, she snapped back to her senses and touched her duel screen.
"I activate my facedown! Divinity Rising!" Sunny said as her facedown flipped up. "With the power of this card, by discarding two cards from my hand, not only do I block your attack, but I can return it to you. And it doubles the damage I would have taken!"
"Yes! She did it!" screamed Izzy.
"She actually did it," said Hitch, shocked to see that as he smiled.
The attack changed direction as it was coming straight for Axiom. The Crystal Prep boy saw the attack coming as he looked at one of the cards he held.
This card would help. Destiny HERO - Dynatag. He can intercept Sunny's attack and prevent all damage. Then we both take 1000 points of damage. And since she only has 700 Life Points left, she'd be knocked out… but… I have a part to play. Flurry has a plan, and I've executed my part to perfection. I don't like to lose… but… for the greater good… sometimes you have to take one for the team. Good luck, Flurry. Me and the others got you this far. Now… it's up to you.
The attack made contact with Axiom, and the boy was flung to the ground when his monster disappeared. Sunny fell to her knees and hands as she looked on. Her duel disk and Axiom's both registered the result of her card.
Axiom's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Sunny
"And Ms. Starscout pulls out another win!" said Luna.
"I… did it. I did it!" shouted Sunny as a small smile formed. "Guys! Look! I did it! I got another one!"
The CHS girl turned around on all fours to look at her team. At that moment, Axiom, who lay on the floor, opened his eyes and smiled evilly. Flurry slowly and quietly snuck onto the field while Sunny was distracted as if on cue. The Crystal Prep girl twisted her neck as it snapped as she was shown putting her duel disk on. Sunny was still unaware that Flurry was stalking her, but the others noticed and began to call her.
"Sunny! Turn around!" shouted Roll.
"Huh?"
Flurry slotted her deck in as it came online and projected a light magentaish-gray card tray.
Flurry's Life Points: 8000-
Sunny's Life Points: 700-
Turn 1: Flurry (Hand 5)
The girl drew her opening hand and looked through them before smiling. She was shown reaching for a card as Sunny still looked at her friends who shouted at her.
"Sunny! Behind you!" shouted Hitch to his best friend.
The girl remained a bit confused until she heard the sound of something being summoned, followed by a mighty roar. The CHS teen felt cold air wash over her as bits of her hair rose up in fear. She gulped as she began to turn around slowly; her eyes met a dragon. A white beast glared at the girl, looking to devour her as its next meal.
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Obliterate her! White Lightning!" yelled Flurry as she thrust her arm out.
Without hesitation, the dragon roared and opened its mouth. It fired a stream of pure, white-hot lightning that made contact with Sunny. The girl could do nothing as she took the hit dead on as it knocked her and made Sunny tumble almost to the edge of the field where her friends were just inches away. She let out a defeated cry upon being blasted before lying on her side, not moving.
Sunny's Life Points: 0-
Winner: Flurry
"You ain't finishing no story, Sunny!" yelled Flurry as her attack died.
Sunny's portrait was greyed out on the screen as it spoke volumes.
"Ladies and gentlemen… the captain of CHS… has been eliminated!" Luna said over the mic, and even she was speechless.
Nearly every one of the CHS student body gasped. They couldn't believe what they saw, and neither could the rest. Hitch and Izzy rushed to Sunny's aid to check on her as Pipp and Zipp were in disbelief. The heiress had her hands on her head as she glanced over at Flurry.
The Crystal Prep girl smiled as did her team. Even Sombra, watching in the spectator booth, grinned the biggest after seeing his prized student take out Celestia's so-called captain. Celestia had her hand over her mouth as she hid her gasp.
"Sunny… no…"
Down on the field, Hitch and Izzy put Sunny's arms over their shoulders as they helped her off the field to sit on the bench. Mario and Roll looked at their friend before turning to their cousin. Flurry saw them, and the girl raised her right arm to point to the sky. The girl's teammates and student body made the same gesture as if on cue. A united front and an intimidating vision were presented to the seven teens as they all put their ones to the sky to send a clear message to their rivals.
"Guys… what do we do now?" asked Zipp as they lost their leader.
Roll and Mario could only look on as Luna's words echoed in their minds.
The captain of CHS… has been eliminated. Eliminated. Eliminated. Eliminated…
To be continued…
Author's Notes: Things have gotten even more amped up. Surprising, Sunny was the next for her team as just like Hitch, she managed to score two wins for her team. However, in a unexpected outcome, Flurry has made sure she won't be advancing. Now without their leader, what will CHS do? Flurry who has been waiting and planning in the wings is now here and the only ones standing in her way of winning is her two cousins. The bloodline civil war is about to start.