Chapter 42: Duel Pirate Captain Solo

Out at sea, the quartet of Serena, Rin, Lulu, and Barrett were making their escape from Duel Academy. Lulu looked solemnly back towards the island, thinking about their lost comrade.

"Poor Dennis."

Rin nodded, sympathetically.

"Did you know him?"

"He was a fellow student of my duel school. We got along well, but I lost track of him when the invasion began. I thought he'd been carded, but I found out he'd been forced into manual labor. It made things a little bit more bearable, knowing somebody from home was here. Now…"

Rin gave her a light hug.

"I'm sorry. I can't imagine what you've been through, but it'll get better."

"Thank you."

Serena looked down remorsefully. She knew full well the true story about Dennis, but didn't dare speak because she didn't want to upset the girl even more.

"How much further, Barrett?"

"We're halfway to the mainland. At this rate, we'll reach port in half an hour."

"Wow, I can't believe how easy this was."

Rin would soon eat her words, a huge cannonball landed just in front of their boat, creating a big wave that nearly capsized them. Serena glared at Rin.

"You just had to say it, didn't you?"

"Um…whoops?"

A few more cannonballs landed around them, nearly throwing the occupants from their boat.

""Who's shooting at us?"

Lulu's question was answered by the appearance of…

"Wait a minute, is that a pirate ship?"

Serena groaned.

"Oh god, not him."

To her dismay, the ugliest pirate any of them had ever seen stood at the helm of the ship, duel disk raised and ready.

"Avast, ye landlubbers! You've traveled into the seas of Captain Solo, and you'll soon wish you had never picked up a duel disk!"

Instead of fear, Rin and Lulu were just baffled by his strange appearance.

"Is this guy real?"

"Yes and no. Lulu, Rin, meet Captain Cutter Solo, "Privateer". In reality, he's just some loser who goes around pretending to be a pirate that The Professor keeps around to protect Duel Academy from invasion by sea."

"Hey, I'm not a loser!"

"Uh, boss? Your accent."
"Oh, right, thanks. Arrgh, so you thought you could escape that easily, did ye? Well, think again! If ye want to pass, you'll have to beat me in a duel!"

Serena just sighed, and took out her duel disk.

"If it'll get you to shut up, then fine! It's not like I haven't kicked your ass five ways from Sunday already."

"Them's fighting words, girly! Ye best watch out, or you'll be in Davy Jones's locker!"

"Whatever."

DUEL!

Solo: 4000

Serena: 4000

"I'll be going first, ye swine! And I'll begin with the spell card Polymerization! Now my Skull Mariner and SKull Knight 2 shall combine to create the most fearsome pirate to ever sail the seven seas! Though he fell in battle, his lust for blood led him to sail the earth as an omen of doom! I fusion summon! Rise forth, Captain Lock (0/0)!"

A skeletal pirate emerged, a wicked laugh echoing from his decayed mouth. But his grotesque appearance wasn't as interesting to Lulu and Rin as were his attack points, or rather lack thereof.

"No attack points? For all that buildup, his monster's rather lackluster."

"Yeah, I'm not impressed."

Serena, however, remained vigilant.

"Don't let its looks deceive you. Its true power lies in his abilities."

"So the lass does remember! Indeed, as long as Captain Lock is on the field, no one is allowed to summon or set monsters from the hand! However, should there exist on the field a monster with 1000 attack points or more, my Captain will be sleeping with the fishes! I'll set two cards face down and end my turn."

Serena scoffed as she drew her card.

"Seems like you still forgot about your monster's one weakness, Solo. Your monster would be good against an Xyz or Synchro user, but Fusion monsters don't need their materials to be on the field! I activate Polymerization!"

But the Pirate Captain laughed.

"Oh, I learned, which is why I set this! Narakumi Waterfall!"

A tremendous torrent of water fell from the sky, turning the sea rough and making it harder to control the boat.

"As long as I have this trap card in play, neither of us can send cards from our hand to the graveyard! So your Fusion summon is sealed!"

Serena growled, but there was nothing she could do.

"I set two cards face down and end my turn."

"Time for payback! First, I'll equip Captain Lock with Dark Energy! This spell gives him 300 attack and defense points (0-300/0-300)! Next, I'll activate the spell card Umiiruka!"

Giant waves began battering the speedboat they were in, everyone but Serena grabbing desperately to their seats.

"This spell gives all water monsters 500 attack points, in exchange for 400 defense points (300-800/300-0). Next, I'll activate the spell card, Battle at Sea! When a Water monster attacks, all battle damage is doubled! Take this, ye traitorous swine!"

"Serena!"

But Serena just laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"Did you really think I would leave myself open without any defense? Go, Fusion Birth!"

"What? I've never heard of any such card!"

"Well, you won't forget it! First, I send the top five cards of my deck to the graveyard. Then, if any of those monsters can be used for a Fusion Summon, I can bring out an appropriate Fusion monster! And look at that, my Lunalight Blue Cat and Lunalight Purple Butterfly fit the bill perfectly! So come on out, Lunalight Cat Dancer!"

The minute Serena's ace monster hit the field, Solo's monster exploded, but the pirate captain was not deterred.

"I activate my trap card, Perished Pirate! This brings back my Captain Lock, but his effects are negated. Next, I'll use my trap's second effect to take the Blue Cat in your graveyard and equip it to him, giving him her attack power (0-1600)! I end my turn."

"Once a loser, always a loser! I summon Lunalight Crimson Fox (1800/600) in attack mode! Next, I activate Cat Dancer's special ability. By tributing Crimson Fox, she can attack all of your monsters twice. And when Crimson Fox is sent to the graveyard by a card effect, one of your monsters loses all of its attack points!"

"Oh no!"

"Oh yes (1600-0)! Cat Dancer, trample that old bag of bones!"

With lightning quick reflexes, the dancer leapt up to the ship and swiped her opposing monster with one of her claws, sending him right back into Captain Solo

Solo: 1600

"Get off me, you scurvy dog!"

"Don't forget, when she declares an attack you lose 100 life points!"

Solo: 1500

"Now Cat Dancer, finish this duel!"

Before Solo could throw his monster off of him, Cat Dancer kicked it with enough force to destroy it and send him flying across the deck and over the railing on the other side.

Solo: 0000

After a moment he surfaced, splashing around in a futile attempt to stay afloat.

"Help! I can't swim!"

"Hang on boss, we've got you!"

While the pirate crew were distracted, their targets continued their escape.

"So if he can't swim, why was he pretending to be a pirate?"

"Like I said, he's a loser."

The Professor tapped his fingers on his throne, glaring down the pathetic pirates standing before him, their leader soaking wet.

"So, let me get this straight. You had the escapees in your grasp, three of them the key parts of our cause, and you let them escape?"

"Well, sir, you see…"

The Professor, too tired to deal with their begging, raised his duel disk, much to their horror.

"No sir, please don't!"

Their pleas fell on deaf ears, and with the single push of a button the five were sealed away in cards. The deed done, The Professor slumped down into his chair, clutching his head as he struggled to deal with the headache. The voice in his head was loud and clear with its message.

"I grow tired of your lack of progress, Akaba."

"It's just a minor setback. We'll soon have them back under our control."

"You had better."

With that, his headache subsided, allowing him to collapse into his throne exhausted. After he had collected his bearings, The Professor tapped the communications button on his throne.

"Send in the Tyler Sisters. I have a mission for them."