1 Ashley down, 3 to go to get to Spinelli. Ashley T has fallen and now TJ must face Ashley Q on the next step of his quest to save Spinelli. But Ashley Q may have skills TJ isn't prepared for. Will he be able to overcome someone who can predict his every move?
Ashley T has been defeated. Now TJ and his friends were working their way back up to the main school building through throngs of classrooms to the teachers' lounge to find Ashley Q.
"How will we know when we've found her?" Gus asked.
"Just follow the scent of Claudio Puccini's latest designer set, Gus," Gretchen informed her military-minded friend.
"Something tells me we're close. Becky wears that exact same set..." TJ said.
"Seriously, how do you put up with her?" Vince questioned.
"Don't ask, Vince," TJ deadpanned as they made their way to the teachers' lounge, slowly opening the door. They were greeted by a feminine voice - a redhead about TJ's height was waiting for them...Ashley Quinlan.
"Detweiler and friends...I've been expecting you."
"Enough games, Quinlan! WHERE'S SPINELLI?" TJ snapped.
Ashley Q chuckled "That info...is Ashleys only."
"What have you done with Spinelli, you rich bitch?"
"For many years, the name Ashley has stood for beauty, high standards and specialness," Ashley Q started. "...and your little girlfriend with her tomboyish behavior has only made a mockery of the name Ashley. It's a mockery our leader has sought to correct by making Spinelli into one of us."
"Spinelli will NEVER be one of you!" TJ barked.
Ashley Q giggled "I'm afraid you're in no position to be making statements like that. Her transformation's already begun..."
"WHAT?!"
"That's right. And if you want to make it to Ashley A and stop it, you'll have to defeat me...and I forsaw our battle coming..."
"Prove it, you redheaded demon!"
Ashley Q took out her Duel Disk and inserted her deck, activating her Duel Disk. "This duel will end in your defeat, Detweiler! And it will give rise to the 5th Ashley!"
"Yeah right! Just try!" TJ beamed, activating his Duel Disk. "GET YOUR GAME ON!"
TJ: 8000
Ashley Q: 8000
"Fate shall lead the way, Detweiler..."
"On the contrary, I'll lead us off!" TJ called out, drawing his first card. "And I'll start with this - ELEMENTAL HERO BUBBLEMAN!"
ATK: 800
DEF: 1200
"Now Bubbleman hates being out by himself, so when he's summoned out while I have no other cards in play, I get to draw twice more!"
He did so and smiled, liking what he got.
"And one of those draws I'll play right now - BUBBLE BLASTER! This gives Bubbleman an extra 800 points! That's all for now."
Ashley Q huffed as she drew her card. "Enough child's play! I'll summon ARCANA FORCE VII - THE CHARIOT!"
ATK: 1700
DEF: 1700
A smaller version of the card started spinning above the monster.
"Its special ability depends on which direction it lands. Normally you would decide when to stop it, however destiny has already made that choice..."
It landed right side up.
"NO FAIR!"
"TJ's right, these Ashleys are playing dirty," Vince remarked.
"Now whenever Chariot destroys a monster, I get to summon it to my field. Chariot, ATTACK BUBBLEMAN!"
Chariot blasted lasers from its turrets, intending to destroy Bubbleman, but it was the blaster that took the hit instead.
"Sorry, girlie! But when Bubbleman has Bubble Blaster equipped, it's his blaster that takes the hit! So me and Bubbleman are standing strong!"
"Just as I predicted. And that just proves I'm destined to win this duel! Now I play this Spell Card - it's known as DIVINATION OF FATE! Here's how it works - since your Bubbleman survived the battle, I'm allowed to play a new monster, so long as it has 'Arcana Force' in the name. So I'll summon this...ARCANA FORCE VI - THE LOVERS!"
ATK: 1600
DEF: 1600
Just like before, a smaller version of the card started spinning. And just like before...
"Would you look at that? It's right side up! That means I can use it as 2 tributes for the summon of another Arcana Force monster! I'll end with that."
"Not good!" Vince called out.
"How's TJ supposed to beat someone who can control the future and predict his every move?" Gretchen questioned.
"Yeah, talk about taking the fun out of a duel."
"I believe Ashley Q isn't here to have fun..." Gus remarked.
"You think you're so cool, don't ya? Well, watch this!" TJ beamed, drawing his card. "I'll begin with E-EMERGENCY CALL! This lets me move an Elemental Hero from my deck to my hand! So I think I'll be moving Avian straight to the hand!"
"Is that supposed to frighten me?"
"Not yet. But it will once I play my DOUBLE FUSION Spell! Now at a cost of 500 points, I can preform 2 Fusion Summons this turn! So first, I'll fuse Avian and Burstinatrix to form ELEMENTAL HERO FLAME WINGMAN!"
TJ: 7500
Elemental Hero Flame Wingman:
ATK: 2100
DEF: 1200
"Next, I'll activate THE WARRIOR RETURNING ALIVE to bring back my Avian! But he won't be out long because I'll use the 2nd Fusion given to me by Double Fusion to fuse him, Bubbleman and the Sparkman in my hand to summon...ELEMENTAL HERO TEMPEST!"
ATK: 2800
DEF: 2800
"Next, I play my CARD OF SANCTITY! This forces us to draw until we're both holding 6 cards!"
After resolving Card of Sanctity's effect, TJ decided to put the next phase of his plan into action.
"I play MONSTER REBORN! Come on back, Sparkman! But he's not gonna be out for long because I'm playing POLYMERIZATION! Flame Wingman joins with Sparkman to form...ELEMENTAL HERO SHINING FLARE WINGMAN!"
ATK: 2500
DEF: 2100
"And he's got a cool special ability! You see, he gains 300 points for each Elemental Hero in the Grave and I count 5! This gives him a grand total of 4000 Attack Points! Now go get that Chariot! SOLAR FLARE!"
Shining Flare Wingman took to the skies and blasted a beam of solar energy at The Chariot, destroying it.
Ashley Q: 5700
"And let's not forget his superpower! You now take damage equal to the destroyed monster's Attack Points!"
"WHAT?!"
Ashley Q: 4000
"Did you predict that?"
Ashley Q laughed. "As a matter of fact, I did. Don't you get it? I know every move you make...before you can make it! You'll never defeat me, Detweiler! Your fate is sealed...and so is Spinelli's!"
"We'll see about that! I'll summon NEO-SPACIAN AIR HUMMINGBIRD to the field in Defense Mode!"
ATK: 800
DEF: 600
"Now for his ability! For each card in your hand, Hummingbird gives me 500 points! And at last count, you're holding 6 cards! That means I gain 3000 Life Points!"
TJ: 10500
"I'm done for now."
Ashley Q drew her card for the turn and gave a smile. "Very well...back to me..." She looked at her card and a sinister grin overtook her face. "I activate...MY LIGHT BARRIER! The position which it lands in determines its effect. Of course, with destiny at my back, I'm sure you can guess the outcome..."
It was right side up.
"And now...let the Light Barrier envelop us!"
A golden ring of light soon overtook the teachers' lounge.
"Now the effects of all non-Arcana Force monsters are negated! That means your Flare Wingman loses its power bonus! Next, I'll sacrifice Arcana Force VI to summon ARCANA FORCE XXI - THE WORLD!"
ATK: 3100
DEF: 3100
"Due to the 2nd effect of my Light Barrier, I can choose which effect of my monsters to activate without having to rotate them. I'll choose to use the right side up effect of The World. Now during my End Phase, I can give up 2 monsters to skip your next turn!"
"WHAT?!"
"That's right, Detweiler! You were never a match for me! World, attack and destroy Shining Flare Wingman!"
The World fired a plasma blast at Shining Flare Wingman, destroying it.
TJ: 9900
"Now for the 3rd effect of my Light Barrier - whenever a monster is destroyed, the controller of the monster who destroyed the opposing monster gains Life Points equal to the destroyed monster's Attack Points! And your Wingman had 2500 of 'em..."
Ashley Q: 6500
"I'll end with a face-down. Your mind is an open book to me, Theodore Detweiler. I know exactly how this turn will end..." Ashley Q taunted.
"Newsflash, Quinlan. Not everything can be predicted...so chill out!" TJ retorted, drawing his card. "I play R-RIGHTEOUS JUSTICE! This lets me destroy a card on the field for every Hero I have in play. So that means your Light Barrier is history! And with it gone, my monsters get their powers back!"
Unfortunately, Ashley Q was ready for this.
"Or so you think. I play my Trap Card - EMPEROR'S STAFF! Now for the remainder of the turn, my cards are safe from your card effects. However, you get another card."
There went Righteous Justice...but as he drew his card, TJ knew it wasn't his only out to Light Barrier.
"I'll lay this face-down and summon NEO-SPACIAN AQUA DOLPHIN in Defense Mode!"
ATK: 600
DEF: 800
"That'll do for now."
"Will it?" Ashley Q teased, drawing her card. "My Light Barrier's effects must be reconfirmed each turn. If it stops right side up, it stays. But if it lands upside down, my Barrier's effects are negated until my next turn. But I wouldn't get my hopes up if I were you..."
It landed right side up again.
"My Barrier landed right side up, so it's staying put this turn. Now I'll be summoning this...ARCANA FORCE IV - THE EMPEROR!"
ATK: 1400
DEF: 1400
"Now thanks to my Barrier, I'll use its right side up effect to give my Arcana Force monsters 500 more points! Emperor, destroy his Air Hummingbird!"
On call, Emperor grabbed Air Hummingbird and crushed it, destroying it.
"And due to the last effect of my Light Barrier, I gain Life Points equal to your Hummingbird's Attack Points. I count 800, what about you?"
Ashley Q: 7300
"Don't think I've left Free Willy out of this! World, DESTROY THAT DOLPHIN!"
Aqua Dolphin was destroyed in nothing flat by plasma blasts from Arcana Force XXI.
"Of course, thanks to my Light Barrier, those 600 points go to me."
Ashley Q: 7900
"My turn's done."
"Good, then it's back to me! DRAW!"
TJ drew his card and looked at his hand. Not much, but he's done more with less.
"I'll lay this face-down then activate H-HEATED HEART! This gives Tempest 500 points for the turn! Now to use those points to take down your Emperor! GLIDER STRIKE!"
Tempest shot plasma blasts at the Emperor, causing it to explode.
Ashley Q: 6500
"And don't forget - Light Barrier works for me as well!"
TJ: 11300
"I'll throw down another face-down, then summon ELEMENTAL HERO WOODSMAN in Defense Mode!"
ATK: 1000
DEF: 2000
"That's all for me."
"Then it's my turn!" Ashley Q said as she drew. Once again, Light Barrier landed right side up. "I'll play this - CUP OF ACE!"
It landed right side up as well.
"Since it landed right side up, I get to draw twice. And I think I'll play one of those draws now - ARCANATIC DOOMSCYTHE! To activate it, I'll sent Arcana Force VIII - The Strength to the Grave. Now for the rest of this turn, if I destroy one of your creatures in battle, its Attack Points will come out of your Life Points. Next, I'll activate DOUBLE ATTACK! So by tossing out a card, The World can attack twice! TAKE OUT HIS WOODSMAN!"
Plasma blasts were fired at Woodsman, destroying it.
"And thanks to my Doomscythe, Woodsman's Attack Points come out of your Life Points!"
TJ: 10300
"And due to my Light Barrier, those points will go right to me..."
Ashley Q: 7500
"And you've triggered my HERO SIGNAL! Since a hero got taken out, I can call on another one! Like CLAYMAN!"
ATK: 800
DEF: 2000
"World, ATTACK CLAYMAN! And with Clayman gone, Doomscythe activates!"
TJ: 9500
Ashley Q: 8300
"That's all for now."
"When you end your turn, I'll go and play a Trap! It's called HERO COUNTERATTACK! Since a Hero was destroyed in battle this turn, you have to pick a card in my hand and if it's an Elemental Hero, I get to summon it! And as a bonus, one monster you have out is automatically destroyed! And newsflash, Quinlan...I only have 1 card in my hand, so you have to pick it!"
"But that means..."
"That's right! The card I'm holding...IS ELEMENTAL HERO NEOS! And that means Arcana Force XXI is destroyed!"
Elemental Hero Neos:
ATK: 2500
DEF: 2000
"NO WAY! One of my most powerful cards...GONE!"
TJ smiled as his friends cheered.
"That's showin' 'em, TJ!" Gus cheered.
"Way to play, TJ!" Vince chimed in.
"I'm just getting warmed up!" TJ beamed, drawing his card. "I think I'll take 5 more cards, courtesy of my CARD OF DEMISE! Downside is I have to toss my hand in 5 turns, assuming this duel lasts that long. Next, I'll be playing this - FUSION RECOVERY! So I'll take Polymerization and Woodsman from my Grave back to my hand! But they won't be there long because I'm fusing Woodsman and Ocean in my hand in order to summon...ELEMENTAL HERO TERRA FIRMA!"
ATK: 2500
DEF: 2000
"Next, I'll summon NEO-SPACIAN GLOW MOSS!"
ATK: 300
DEF: 900
"Now I'll combine Neos and Glow Moss with Contact Fusion in order to create...ELEMENTAL HERO GLOW NEOS!"
ATK: 2500
DEF: 2000
"Now I'll play MYSTICAL SPACE TYPHOON! So it's lights out for your Light Barrier!"
"OH NO!"
The Field slot on Ashley Q's Duel Disk slid open and her Light Barrier card glowed as it was transported to the Graveyard. 'This is not good!' Ashley Q thought.
"Heros, ATTACK ASHLEY Q DIRECTLY!"
"ACTIVATE TRAP! DRAINING SHIELD! This will cancel your Tempest's attack and give me Life Points equal to his Attack Points!"
Ashley Q: 11100
"But you're still taking a direct hit from Glow Neos and Terra Firma!"
Ashley Q: 6100
"I'll end my turn and with it, Glow Neos returns to the Fusion Deck."
"ENOUGH OF YOUR CHILDISH GAMES, DETWEILER! I'll summon ARCANA FORCE I - THE MAGICIAN!"
ATK: 1100
DEF: 1100
"And my prediction is it'll land right side up!"
Sure enough, she was right.
"You see? I'm in control and you...you're just a puppet! Spinelli belongs to us and I'll prove it with this - a second CUP OF ACE!"
Sure enough, it landed right side up.
"Now I draw twice more and since a Spell Card was played, Magician's Attack Points are doubled this turn. Next up, I play my RAIGEKI Spell! So all your monsters are now destroyed! Now Magician, DIRECT ATTACK!"
TJ: 7300
"Care to submit?"
"FAT CHANCE!"
"You're about as dimwitted as you look, Detweiler. That should make transforming Spinelli even easier! I'll end with 2 face-downs."
"DREAM ON, QUINLAN! I'll activate my O-OVERSOUL! This lets me bring back a Hero in the Grave, so come on back FLARE WINGMAN! Next up, I play the Spell Card HERO FLASH! So I toss out Heated Heart, Emergency Call, Righteous Justice and Oversoul and summon from my deck ELEMENTAL HERO NEOS!"
Ashley Q just laughed sinisterly. "Due to Magician's effect, whenever a Spell is played, its Attack Points are doubled! So you'll barely make a dent!"
"I'm not going for your monster with Neos. Due to Hero Flash, all Elemental Hero Normal Monsters I have out can strike you directly!"
"WHAT?!"
"Neos, get that rich bitch mean girl directly! WRATH OF NEOS!"
Ashley Q: 3600
"Don't forget, I still have Flare Wingman out! And he gets 300 points for every Hero in the Grave! And I count 10, that means Flare Wingman's points shoot up to 5500!"
"AWESOME!" Vince cheered. "That means if this attack connects, Ashley Q is done for!"
"Due to Wingman's superpower, she'll take damage equal to Magician's original Attack Points! And when you add that to the 3300 damage she'll take from the attack, that's..." Gretchen started.
"...more than enough to wipe her out!" Gus finished.
"Flare Wingman, strike down her Magician and bring us one step closer to Spinelli! SOLAR FLARE!"
Unfortunately, Ashley Q was ready for it.
"You think it'll be that easy to defeat me? From my hand, I play the Spell Card SPELL OF PAIN! Now any battle damage that would've been dealt to me this turn is instead inflicted to you! That means all 4400 points of damage I would've taken, you take instead!"
TJ: 2900
"Spinelli's fate has been written! And it's becoming the Ashley she was always meant to be! I activate MAGICIAN'S SCALES! Magician, BEGONE! Now I get to add a Spell to my hand! And I know just the one I want...my SKY LORD!"
'This is not good...' TJ thought.
"I play my hidden cards - MATERIAL LORD and SPIRITUAL LORD! Now that they're active, I can activate the Spell Card SKY LORD! Now I sacrifice these 3 pillars of light to call forth ARCANA FORCE EXTRA - THE LIGHT RULER!"
ATK: 4000
DEF: 4000
"That's a whole lot of monster..." Mikey gulped.
"I call right side up..."
She was right again.
"Light Ruler, attack Neos!"
Ashley Q's Light Ruler spawned dragon heads, blasting white lasers at Neos, destroying it and knocking TJ to the ground.
TJ: 1400
TJ was quick to get up. "That...was your last turn, Quinlan. I'm ending this duel now! Since you just send another Hero to the Grave, Flare Wingman gets another 300 point power-up, making its strength 5800! And you better believe I'll put them all to use! Flare Wingman, TAKE OUT HER LIGHT RULER!"
Ashley Q: 1800
"And don't forget his superpower! When Flare Wingman destroys a monster..."
"...the monster's Attack Points come out of my Life Points! AAAH! OH NO!" Ashley Q screamed in defeat as Flare Wingman came up in front of her, blasting her with a solar ray and knocking her flat on the ground.
Ashley Q: 0
TJ: WIN!
"That's game, Quinlan. Now where's Spinelli?"
Ashley Q just giggled evily. "I'm afraid Spinelli's under wraps. If you want her back, head to the top of the schoolhouse...Ashley B is expecting your arrival."
2 down, 2 to go. Ashley B is up next, but what horrors will await TJ within Ashley B's deck? We'll find out next time!