Chapter 10: The Peak
Summary: Every mountain looks unsurmountable from the base, but with grit and determination you can reach
Among a crowd of Slifer Red students outside one of the dorms rooms, Takashi is watching a conversation between a man he learned was Chumley's dad and Professor Banner with a serious expression. He turns to look and Jaden and Syrus as they run up and peak into the rooms open door too. Jaden looks in curiously.
"Who's that old man?" Takashi looks back into the room before answering.
"Apparently that's Chumley's dad." Jaden lets out a surprised noise before Takashi continues. "He's apparently here to force Chumley to come home." Jaden expression becomes more neutral, but before he can say anything they hear Chumley's dad speak up.
"Seeing Chumley in Slifer Red was shameful enough. But then he had to go and drop out of classes and repeat a year." Takashi's hand starts clenching at his side. "By my reckoning, there isn't a more pitiful man." Takashi's hand clenches tighter as he glares at Chumley's dad. Professor Banner nervously laughs hearing this.
"Oh dear… I suppose you could say that." Mr. Huffington presses on.
"He ought to wash his hands of this duelist business and take up the family distillery, like a real man! Don't you agree, instructor?" Banner smiles but keeps a nervous tone.
"You make Satsuma shochu, right?" At that Mr. Huffington pulls out a big bottle of the aforementioned drink and slams it on the table.
"If you like, have some." Banner starts waving his hands in a panic at that.
"No, no, no! You have me at a loss." Mr. Huffington leans forward.
"Anyway, by the end of the day, I'll be taking Chumley back to the country." Syrus looks at Jaden with worry on his face.
"What do we do, bro?" Jaden looks at Syrus with a thoughtful look.
"What else? We need to find out how Chumley feels about this. Right, Takashi?" They turn to look at Takashi and see the hand that was grabbing onto the door frame is crushing it. He lets go of the splintered wood to walk silently up the stairs to the second-floor balcony. Jaden and Syrus exchange nervous glances and follow him to the room.
When they enter the room Jaden calls out to Chumley who has his back to them, hunched over on the floor messing with something. Jaden and Syrus run up with Jaden addressing the elephant in the room.
"Are you really quitting school?" Without looking at them Chumley replies.
"Of course, not." Jaden looks relieved while Syrus looks curious.
"Then what are you doing, Chumley?" As Chumley responds Jaden and Syrus look over his shoulder to see he has all his cards laid out.
"Building a deck obviously. My dad will never believe me if I just tell him I'm going to take my studies seriously. The only way I'll be able to get him to listen is to duel him!" Chumley turns around to look at his friends to reveal a determined expression much to Jaden and Syrus's awe. He looks past those two to look at Takashi who has been silently watching from the back with an unreadable expression.
"I told you Takashi, you inspired me to be better, to be the best I can be! I'm going to fight tooth and nail to stay here." His expression turns timid. "I'm not going to lie, going against my dad scares me, disappointing him even more so." His expression goes back to determined. "But I'm going to face that fear head on, as long as I have you guys supporting me, I know I can do it!" Takashi stares at Chumley for a second more with his blank expression before giving a small smile as his eyes soften back up.
"I'm with you all the way Chumley." Jaden pumps his fist in excitement.
"Alright let's show your old man that you're here to stay!" Syrus rapidly nods his head.
"He's talking with Banner right now, let's go so you can challenge him, and we can spend tonight working on your deck and some strategies!" Chumley nods and the four make their way back down to see Mr. Huffington exiting the room with Professor Banner. Mr. Huffington notices his son.
"Did you finish packing son? We set out in a few hours." Chumley hesitates for a moment with his dad right in front of him. But looking back at his friend his anxiety fades and he gives his dad a fierce look.
"I'm not going home with you dad! I'm staying here at Duel Academy!" His dad crosses his arms giving his son a challenging look.
"Oh, you are, are you?" Chumley gives a firm nod.
"I am! I made some good friends this year that inspired me to try and give dueling my all again! That's why to prove I'm serious, I challenge you to a duel!" His dad quirks an eyebrow but Chumley barrels on. "Tomorrow morning! You and me duel! If I win, I get to stay, if you win, I'll go back home with you to run the distillery without complaint!" His dad stares at him for a minute before closing his eyes with a smirk.
"I accept your challenge and the terms you've given me, son." He opens his eyes again with a challenging look. "I hope you're ready to come home, Chumley, because I don't plan to lose." Chumley stares at him with a challenging look right back.
"I don't plan on losing either!" With a nod, Chumley and his friends make their way back up to his room. Mr. Huffington watches them go with an unreadable look on his face.
/RFSXPL/
Having spent the night drinking with Professor Banner, Mr. Huffington left the room to use the restroom when he heard Jaden from a room upstairs.
"Jeez, Chumley, your deck's nothing but koalas." He looks up towards the room as Chumley replies.
"Well, it is a koala deck." Up in the room the four boys are sitting in a circle on the floor looking through Chumley's deck. Takashi chuckles.
"I think it's fun!" Jaden still looks at the cards skeptically.
"Can you beat a guy like your dad with a koala deck? You said his deck was themed around clearing the field in one move, will this be enough to stop it?" At that Syrus stands up.
"Here, I'll give you this." Syrus holds a Des Kangaroo card out to Chumley. "It came in a pack I bought the other day, but I have no use for it." Chumley looks up with a surprised face.
"You'd give this to me?" Syrus looks at Chumley with a soft grin.
"You know… If you add a kangaroo to your koalas, it becomes an Australia deck, right?" Chumley starts tearing up with a happy smile. Jaden also stands up.
"Okay! In that case, hang on a second." He starts rummaging through his cards.
/RFSXPL/
In the academies dojo the duel is about to take place. Jaden, Syrus, and Takashi are sitting off to the side, Chumley and his dad stand on opposite sides of the room, duel disks at the ready. Professor Banner is standing on the side acting as the witness for the bet the father and son made.
"Well then… As unworthy as I am, I, Lyman Banner, will serve as the witness. Mr. Huffington, if you lose this duel, you will allow Chumley to remain at this school, correct?" Mr. Huffington grunts.
"Yeah! A man doesn't go back on his word." Nodding Banner turns to Chumley.
"Chumley, if you lose this duel, you will gracefully leave school, and inherit your family's distillery?" Clenching his fist with a determined expression Chumley replies.
"Yeah, I will." Humming in approval Banner holds his hand out.
"Good. Well, fight your hearts out, so no regrets remain!"
"Duel!"
Chumley's Hand- Polymerization, Koala March, Big Koala, Interdimensional Matter Transporter, Destruction Punch
Mr. Huffington's Hand- Flipping the Table, One Bottle of Sake x2, Rush Recklessly, Monster Reborn
"My turn!" Chumley draws Des Koala. "Okay. First, I'll set one monster face down in defense mode!"
Des Koala Atk / Def: 1100 / 1800
He then sets Destruction Punch. "Most of my dad's monsters are strong enough to match Des Koala's defense points, but it's better safe than sorry." Looking at his dad intensely Chumley ends his turn. "It's your move dad!"
"Playing cautious, are we? Good." Mr. Huffington draws Drunken Tiger and smirks. Jaden and Syrus look a little worried seeing Mr. Huffington smirk while Takashi looks at him impassively.
"Here I go, Chumley. I summon Drunken Tiger!"
Drunken Tiger Atk / Def: 1800 / 600
Chumley looks on in shock. "Drunken Tiger? Dad's using his uncensored deck, he means business." Jaden and Syrus look confused.
"Huh."
"That's his single strike kill?"
"N-No don't be deceived by appearances." Jaden clenches his fist going from shocked to a determined look. "Despite how it looks, it must have a move to be feared."
"Now I'll activate Rush Recklessly to boost Drunken Tiger's attack by 700!"
Drunken Tiger Atk: 1800700=2500
"Drunken Tiger attack! Dead Drunk Punch!" Drunken Tiger stumbles forward with its paw held out attacking the facedown card that flips to reveal Des Koala who tries to block the punch but the extra boost from the spell card causes the punch to break their guard shattering them.
Des Koala Atk / Def: 1100 / 1800
Mr. Huffington looks on with a stern expression while Chumley winces and then smirks. "Des Koala might not have successfully blocked your tiger, but his effect still activates! When Des Koala is flipped, for every card in your hand he inflicts 400 points of damage to your life points! And since you have four you take 1600 points of damage!" The spirit of Des Koala rushes Mr. Huffington scratching him five times.
Mr. Huffington's LP: 8000-1600=6400
"You managed to draw first blood, son. I'm a little impressed, but a broken clock is still right twice a day. I end my turn." Chumley stands firm against his father.
"I guess I'll have to keep showing you how much better I have gotten! Now it's my turn!" Jaden cheers from the side.
"Just keep staying calm, Chumley." Syrus nods.
"Yeah, your dad might not be as great as we thought!" Mr. Huffington gives Syrus a curious side eye, raising an eyebrow.
"Hmm." Syrus panics at that, hiding behind Jaden, while Takashi stares him down before looking at Chumley with a supportive smile.
"You're doing great Chumley! Keep showing what you can do!" Chumley grunts.
"Right! Draw!" Chumley draws his second Des Koala. "Okay, I'll go with this! I activate my spell card Koala March! I Special Summon a monster with "koala" in the name, under level four, from my graveyard!" Chumley brings back his destroyed Des Koala.
Des Koala Atk / Def: 1100 / 1800
Syrus looks worried. "Chumley summoned Des Koala in attack position! It's not strong enough to beat Drunken Tiger!" Jaden looks at Syrus reassuringly.
"No. That's ok. Koala March has one other effect." Takashi nods.
"After summoning a monster from the graveyard, you can Special Summon a monster from your hand of the same type." Chumley summons his second Des Koala from his hand.
"I Special Summon Des Koala!"
Des Koala Atk / Def: 1100 / 1800
"Now I tribute my two Des Koalas, to summon Big Koala!" Both Des Koalas turn into a large cloud of pink smoke that a giant blue koala emerges from.
Big Koala Atk / Def: 2700 / 2000
Mr. Huffington sweats a little seeing the strong monster being played by his son. "What?" Chumley clenches his fist in front of himself.
"Let's go, dad. I attack Drunken Tiger with Big Koala! Eucalyptus Bomber!" Big Koala grabs Drunken Tiger and spikes them into the ground.
Mr. Huffington's LP: 6400-900=5500
Chumley sets Interdimensional Matter Transporter. "I'll set one card facedown and end my turn." Chumley's friends cheer for him on the side while his dad just grunts.
"It isn't over yet!" Mr. Huffington draws Drunken Angel and plays it. "I summon Drunken Angel!"
Drunken Angel Atk / Def: 1800 / 600
Chumley sighs as the suited angel stumbles drunkenly on the field. "Geez another drunk."
"Whazzat? I ain't all that drunk, buddy." Chumley's eyes widen as the angel replies to him.
"It happened again. I heard the spirit voice again." While Chumley is lost in thought Takashi pinches the bridge of his nose to stave off a headache.
"So, his dad has a spirit too. Even summoned by hologram I can't understand what it's saying. But its emotions are as erratic as the way it walks."
"Now I activate my Continuous Spell, One Bottle of Sake!" A sake bottle appears on the field much to the angel's joy. "And my Continuous Spell, Flipping the Table!" A large table appears underneath both sides of the field, that Mr. Huffington proceeds to flip, sending the angel, the sake bottle, and the koala into the air.
"Not so fast dad! I know all about this card; by destroying all the cards but Flipping the Table on your side of the field you can destroy an equal number of my cards. But you're not going to destroy Big Koala! I activate my trap card, Interdimensional Matter Transporter!" The transporter appears on the field and zaps Big Koala who disappears from the air. "With it I'll banish my Big Koala until the end of this turn!" Takashi smiles while Jaden and Syrus cheer.
/RFSXPL/
Last night after Syrus had given Des Kangaroo to Chumley, Jaden had gotten up. "Here, you can have this." Jaden holds out the fusion monster Master of Oz. "It's got 4200 attack points. Play this right and you're sure to win." Chumley looks shocked.
"You'd give me a card that cool?" Jaden just smiles.
"I want you to win. After all, we've gone through a lot to become friends. I'd miss you if you went back to the country." Chumley smiles as Takashi steps forward.
"I've been looking into your dad's deck since you challenged him this morning." Takashi hands Chumley International Matter Transporter. "I know it doesn't go with your Australia theme, but I figured you wouldn't mind surprising your dad when his one-shot kill fails to kill your monster." Takashi gives a small smile with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
/RFSXPL/
Chumley wipes the tears that were forming in his eyes. "Thank you, guys." Chumley gives his dad a challenging stare. "How do you like that, dad? I stopped your kill move in its tracks!" Mr. Huffington closes his eyes.
"I'm impressed son. Since I can't destroy your monster, I'll just destroy your other facedown." Destruction Punch takes the place of Big Koala and is destroyed along with One Bottle of Sake. But Drunken Angels lands drunkenly back on the table giving a little drunk dance.
"With you apparently studying my cards, you probably already figured it out, but just in case. Drunken Angel isn't destroyed by Flipping the Table! In addition, by destroying One Bottle of Sake and sending it to the graveyard, its effect activates. You take 500 points of damage!" Chumley is hit with a pink mist of booze.
Chumley's LP: 8000-500=7500
"Now prepare yourself, Chumley. Drunken Angel attacks you directly. Bottle Cannon!" Drunken Angel aims his bottle at Chumley like a cannon and blasts him with a wave booze scented air.
Chumley's LP: 7500-1800=5700
Chumley pants. "I'm still in this!"
"That didn't go as well as expected." Thinking for a minute, Mr. Huffington ends his turn. The transporter releases Big Koala back to the field and fades away.
Big Koala Atk / Def: 2700 / 2000
"My turn. Draw!" Chumley draws Pot of Greed. "I'll activate Pot of Greed to draw two cards." Chumley draws Des Kangaroo and Wild Nature's Release. "I don't want to leave the school and with this, I won't." "I activate my spell, Polymerization! I fuse Big Koala with Des Kangaroo from my hand and summon Master of Oz!" Big Koala and Des Kangaroo merge and form Master of Oz.
Master of Oz Atk / Def: 4200 / 3700
Mr. Huffington looks impressed, becoming even more so with what his son does next. "Now I activate my spell card, Wild Nature's Release! For this turn, my Master of Oz gains attack points equal to his defense points!"
Master of Oz Atk: 42003700=7900
"I told you dad; I'm going to win and stay here with my friends at school! I attack Drunken Angel with Master of Oz! Outback Attack!" Reaching his boxing gloved fist back, Master of Oz lets loose a mighty punch that blows Drunken Angel away, before being destroyed.
Mr. Huffington's LP: 5500-6100=0
Winner- Chumley Huffington
As the remaining holograms fade away Chumley stands in shock, not really believing what just happened, when Jaden, Syrus, and Takashi all run over to congratulate him.
"Way to show him who's boss Chumley!"
"Way to go Chumley, you get to stay now!"
"I knew you could do it Chumley."
Chumley is accepting the congratulations with a blush when he turns to look at his dad who is giving him an unreadable expression. Adrenaline fading Chumley gulps nervously as his dad starts walking towards him.
Reaching his son, Mr. Huffington puts both hands on his son's shoulders with a proud grin. "Well, a man honors his word, son. You can stay at school." His grin gets wider. "But honestly with that performance, even if you lost, I would have told you to stay." Chumley looks at his dad in awe as Jaden and Syrus grin.
"I really impressed you?" Mr. Huffington laughs.
"You really did son! You have found your passion for the game, and it shows." He looks past Chumley to his friends. "You made some good friends this year, Chumley; friends that were able to light the spark in you again!" His grin takes a mischievous edge as he looks at Takashi directly. "Though one of them doesn't seem to like me very much."
The other three boys look back at Takashi who turns away with an embarrassed blush realizing he was caught glaring. The three boys look concerned as Chumley speaks up. "Takashi?" Takashi scratches his cheek grumbling.
"I just don't like how he talked about you before." Chumley looks touched, while Jaden and Syrus give him a look of understanding. Mr. Huffington on the other hand just laughs loudly.
"You're not the first person to think I'm too blunt and abrasive, and you won't be the last!" He walks over and pats Takashi's shoulder. "I'm just glad that Chumley has friends willing to be mad on his behalf." Mr. Huffington walks out of the dojo raising his hand in goodbye. "Keep on improving son, I look forward to seeing what you can do in the future."
/RFSXPL/
Later that night while the boys are celebrating Chumley getting to stay, Dr. Crowler is in his office going through student files on his computer. "If I want to have any hope of putting that Slifer slacker Jaden in his place, I need to find a new star pupil. After Chazz proved to be a disappointment, I might need to look outside of my dorm." Crowler stops on Bastion Misawa's file and smirks. "Oh yes, he will do nicely."
So Chumley takes the win here, a fun little ripple effect of Takashi divulging his backstory. Also thank you Pot of Greed for making having to rewrite canon duels to fit the 8000 life points, and the actual card effects of the game.