"Nice noon," Yuto said as he greeted Eddie as she arrived at their agreed upon meeting spot in one of the parks of Maiami. Weird greeting, must be an Xyz thing.
"Hallo!" Eddie greeted.
"So you are the one that has been talking with Yuto, the one he says can help rescue Ruri," A voice spoke from the tree that was to their left, and from the shadows stepped out not a blonde boy in a white trenchcoat as expected but a young blue-haired man in a purple trenchcoat. As in, Kaiba-purple, so he had her immediate attention.
"She is the one," Yuto said. "She can do weird stuff like Haruto could, and if she learns Xyz, our chances of rescuing her goes from 0 to like 90 percent." Yuto said.
"I'd take zero to one," Trenchy said. "Shun Kurosaki."
"Eden Hawthorne, Amateur Mystic, at your service." Eddie said with a fake curtsy. She wasn't in her Costume, that was firmly in the You Show locker room for later, she was just in a hoodie and shorts at the moment as per usual. "I was expecting The Number Hunter, is he not joining us or is he being dramatic?"
"He is being dramatic," Yuto said and then the world got… slow. As in, time-stop level slow past a few meters away from them, as the two other Xyz-natives sighed.
And she heard whistling behind her.
Eddie turned around, to see Kaito Tenjo, standing dramatically, wearing a black and purple trenchcoat (with red lining and green accents) against her expectations.
And more importantly, he was being flanked by a little robot.
Eddie couldn't help but gasp excitedly. "Orbital 7?!"
"Master Kaito, it seems my reputation precedes yours this time around," The machine spoke while Kaito just grimaced. And behind her, she could hear Yuto trying not to laugh.
"Like Yuto said, you know much more than you should," Kaito said. "How is not important, for you say that Leo Corp is our ally against Academia despite the fact that his son is the one that runs it?"
Eddie put her attention on Kaito, and only had to say one word to convey her message. "Faker."
"...My father has redeemed himself many times over," Kaito said to Eddie's surprise, but he did speak reluctantly as he continued. "But even so I need to trust in your judgment and conviction, and the only way to do that…"
"Is a children's card game." Eddie said with a smile. She had decided after the last night she would be hardlining Yusho and Yuya's philosophy about having fun, dammit.
"It's for all ages," She heard Shun comment behind her.
"Photon Change," Kaito stated and oh right he had a magical girl transformation, there was the primarily white outfit she remembered.
And ad-hoc duel disk like Yuto's, she could see where this was going. With a crescent moon, angular design that looked… higher quality, somehow? Than Yuto's.
She activated hers in kind. "I don't have a fancy transformation yet, unfortunately."
"Yeah Kaito is kinda extra like that," Yuto commented.
"Silence from the peanut gallery or I'm gonna have Orbital 7 exclude you from the Photon Zone," Kaito said.
"Won't hear a peep from me," Shun said.
"Aye-aye, Boss," Yuto said.
"You know what Kite, can I call you Kite? I've dueled Galaxy Eyes before, you're probably going to kick my ass, you go first."
That made Kaito raise an eyebrow. "I see, I thank you for the courtesy. Then let's duel."
Eddie LP: 8000/ Kaito LP: 8000
"I Normal Summon, Photon Delta Wing(1800ATK/900DEF), and when it is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon an additional Photon Delta Wing, in Defense Position." Kaito announced.
"And here's where you boost their attack and pull out Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon, right?" Eddie said. That kid had it on every single opening turn she saw in Zexal, though she never finished it so who knew.
"Close, I Overlay my two Level 4, Photon Delta Wings, to create the Overlay Network," Kaito declared as a gate of cosmic darkness opened up, a spiraling galaxy of anti-matter that connected to an entirely different realm, like a black hole in reverse. The monsters were swallowed up by the gate. "Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Starliege Lord Galaxion(2000ATK/2100DEF)!"
"And use its special effect to detach material and special summon it." Eddie said knowingly with a nod.
"...Correct, I detach two Overlay Units from Starliege Lord Galaxion, to Special Summon, Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon(3000ATK/2500DEF), come forth my servant!" Kaito shouted as he threw a crest into the sky and from it came forth a dragon of the cosmos.
"God, that looks so cool in person." Eddie couldn't help but say. There was something about the fact this duel had no real stakes that made her not put in the effort to be her Duel Persona. That, or being reminded of her bestie.
"You know it, but have never seen it in person," Kaito commented.
"I'll explain later, please continue your turn. I don't have any hand traps or anything right now."
"You are a very peculiar duelist, then I shall equip Galaxy-Eyes with Photon Orbital increasing his attack by 500 and setting one card facedown, ending my turn," Kaito said as a more blue version of Orbital 7, attached itself to Galaxy-Eye in the form of a miniature jetpack.
"Alright," Eddie said as she cracked her neck. "Looks like I'm gonna have to go tryhard here. I'll draw, and summon Indulged Darklord! On summon, I can put one of my Darklords on your field and put another in my hand, so say hello to Indulged's bestie, Capricious Darklord."
"Darklords…" Kaito said in curiosity.
"Now, since I'm trying to go serious here… I'll give you the honor of being the first duelist worthy of me using this card." Eddie said as she played the strongest card in her deck. "Forbidden. Droplet. By discarding three cards from my hand, I'll negate the effects of the effects monsters on your side of the field, halving their attacks in the process. But wait, there's more! I'll then activate Darklord - Contact, summoning the Darklord Superbia I just discarded, who gets to bring Darklord Amdusc with him for free." Eddie said as she filled up her board- "dammit! Stupid touchscreen!" Eddie cursed as Amdusc arrived in defense position instead of attack. Well there went her whole plan.
"I feel a little insulted here," Kaito spoke.
"Are we really putting our faith in her?"
"She is the best bet we have, Shun, so please don't get mad."
"...Shit." Eddie cursed. her board was now bricked, at least for this turn, and more importantly she biffed her first Forbidden Droplet. "That's what I get for trying to be cool and dramatic… end turn…"
"I draw, I activate the effect of Photon Orbital, by sending it to the Graveyard I can add a Photon or Galaxy monster to my hand," Kaito said. "And then I use the effect of the Galaxy Soldier(2000ATK/0DEF) I just added to discard a card, special summon it and then add a Galaxy monster to my hand. And since I discarded Photon Emperor, I can Special Summon him(2800ATK/1000DEF)!"
"Well the duel is about to be over now," Eddie heard Shun comment.
"I Overlay my Level 8, Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon, and Photon Emperor to create the Overlay Network!" Kaito announced as the summoning method was repeated and Eddie could feel it was much stronger than before. "Galaxy shining in the darkness, dwell in the demonic god of revenge and become my very servant! Xyz Summon! Descend, Rank 8! Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon(3000ATK/2500DEF!)"
"And here it is," Yuto added.
"I activate the effect of Cipher Dragon, by detaching an Overlay Unit, I can target a monster you control, and take it for myself, and I choose your Darklord Amdusc!"
"Nope!" Eddie said as she hit the buttons, being very careful to make sure she hit the correct targets. "I'll be activating Amdusc's effect in response, paying 1000 LP to activate the Sanctified Darklord Trap Card from my graveyard, targeting and negating Cipher's effects for the turn, and giving me LP equal to its ATK."
Eddie LP: 10000/ Kaito LP: 8000
"Or maybe not," Shun added.
"I shall go to the Battle Phase!" Kaito declared. "I shall attack your Indulged Darklord with my Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon!"
Eddie LP: 8600/ Kaito LP: 8000
"Yeah, sure, go for the damage." Eddie said with a grin. She knew his anime-ass brain wouldn't be able to resist.
"And when I do, I can activate the Quick-Play Spell Card - Rank-Up-Magic Cipher Shock!"
Eddie clicked her tongue. "Right, forgot that card was a thing. All cards on the field are negated and you get to upgrade, right?"
"Correct," Kaito said with a bit of sass in his voice. "And then after the damage has been calculated, I can re-create the Overlay Network, and Xyz Summon! Rank 9! Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Blade Dragon(3200ATK/2800)!"
"That is new…" Shun said.
"Yeah that isn't Neo," Yuto added.
Not helping!
"I then activate Blade's effect, by detaching an Overlay Unit, I can destroy one card on your field, that being Amdusc!" Kaito announced. "Then I will end my turn."
"Draw." Eddie said, thinking on how to get around this. She just needed one good spell… "I'll start by moving Superbia into attack position, and then… move into the battle phase. I'll attack Galaxy Soldier!"
"Continuous Trap - Photon Change, activate!" Kaito said. "By releasing Soldier, I can add a Photon Card to my hand."
"I'll attack Galaxion instead, then." Eddie said, destroying the monster. "I'll then summon Darklord Ukoback, who lets me send one Darklord card from my deck to the graveyard, and end my turn."
"I draw," Kaito said. "I Normal Summon, Galaxy Wizard(0ATK/1800DEF), I will use its effect to modulate its level to 8, so that I can activate the Spell Card - Galaxy Expedition, if I control a Level 5 or Higher, Galaxy or Photon Monster, I can Special Summon one in that same level range in Defense Position. Now come forth the afterimage of my Servant that exists beyond the speed of light, I Special Summon, Level 8! Galaxy-Eyes Afterglow Dragon(3000ATK/2500DEF)!"
"Oh yeah now she is definitely dead," Yuto stated.
Not! Helping!
"Once again I shall Xyz Summon! Rank 8! Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon!" Kaito said. "Who shall not stay here for long, I activate Rank-Up-Magic Cipher Ascension!"
"And here comes Neo…" Eddie sighed.
"I re-create the Overlay Network! Galaxy shining in the darkness. Release the forever unchanging light and become the beacon that illuminates the future! Rank-Up Xyz Change! Descend, Rank 9! Neo Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon(4500ATK/3000DEF)!" Kaito declared.
"And this is the part where you steal my monsters, right?" Eddie sighed. No shot this worked. No shot.
"If you so desire," Kaito said, and Eddie felt her jaw drop a little. "I detach two Overlay Units, to take control of your two monsters!"
"Oh dang, thanks for the homie drop! I didn't know the ancient and honorable art was a thing in your dimension." Eddie said even as her stolen monster's attack points increased alongside Cipher's. "Since, you know. Only the real Neo can attack me now."
"Wow Kaito actually got baited," Yuto said, sounding impressed, while the so-baited boy's face froze up as he realized his mistake.
"You and your damn mind games," Kaito growled.
"Guilty as charged~!" Eddie sang happily, bracing for impact.
"Neo Galaxy-Eyes Cipher Dragon attack!" Kaito declared.
Eddie was summarily put through the spin cycle along with a load of rocks.
Eddie LP: 3100/ Kaito LP: 8000
When the world finally stopped spinning, it was her turn to draw.
She sat up and assessed the board.
Kaito had used her Superbia to summon Cipher X and… Ukoback was gone? Wait, no, it was a Galaxy monster when he stole it, he probably used Photon Change. "Damn." Eddie said, impressed.
"You got a bunch of new monsters Kaito," Shun stated.
"In the fight against Academia, you must improve," He responded. "So Eden Hawthorne, what shall you do now?"
Eddie drew her last card. And it…!
"I…" Eddie said as she stood up. "Will." She straightened up, looking defiantly at Kaito, who actually stepped back at the force. "Surrender." She said as she hit the button for the first time, and the duel immediately ended.
And all three Xyz boys fell over in perfect comedic synchronicity.
"What?" Kaito asked as he got back up, slight outrage on his face as time resumed and his clothes returned to normal.
"You had me dead to rights after my clear misplay early on, I only had Sanctuary in the Sky and a monster I couldn't use, and you had a full board of top-tier boss monsters." Eddie said. "Plus, you had already won on your last turn, you just gave me a homie drop. So, I surrendered."
"You would do so as well to Academia?" He asked.
"Fuck no." Eddie said with force, causing Kaito to recoil. "This was a duel for fun, dude. There were no stakes, no one's lives were on the line, no one was going to get carded or sent to the shadow realm or dropped in a pit of boiling acid or some stupid crap like that. Like, I get you're on the warpath, justifiably so, but you and I both went in expecting this outcome. Right?"
"Yes… but then why didn't you…"
"No. Stakes." Eddie repeated. "I wasn't even in character. This duel is going to have as much an effect on me as any other practice duel. It's just a duel. Between two people. Not enemies on a battlefield, just… potential friends."
"When…" She heard Shun begin. "Was the last time we actually did that?"
The silence among the three was deafening.
"Okay, that cinches it." Eddie said with a clap, breaking said silence like thunder. "We're having a round robin, everyone's dueling everyone at least once, just for fun. Person with the most wins gets bragging rights. How about that?"
"I shall abstain," Orbital 7 said.
"Heh," Shun said. "I shall go next then."
"Sick, first or second?" Eddie asked, since they had mostly done away with the big dramatics so she figured she'd ask like a normal person.
"I shall go second," Shun said.
"Bokay." Eddie said with a grin. "Are we doing that time stop thingy again or is that just for Kaito?"
"I need to recharge, Ma'am," Orbital 7 replied.
"By the way, sentient robot! Not a thing where I'm from. I would really like a conversation with you after this." Eddie said.
"That is the genius of Doctor Faker," He replied.
"Noted, alright, sorry for the distraction Shun." Eddie said, focusing on her opponent. "Time to Duel?"
"Time to duel."
Eddie LP: 8000/Shun LP: 8000
"Excellent, I'll start by playing The Sanctuary in the Sky! Let's see how this interacts!" Eddie said as she played the card expectantly.
Unlike in an Action Duel, they ended up inside the Sanctuary, like in any other normal duel.
She tested the solidity of a nearby pillar, her hand passing right through it. "Huh, guess their stupid weaponized version is all about offense, no defense."
"All about the monsters," Shun replied. "What else do you need."
"Ech, sorry." Eddie said, getting her head back in the game. "I'll then summon Indulged Darklord, giving you a Capricious Darklord and adding Darkord Ixchel to my hand this time, who I'll then be activating! By discarding herself and one other Darklord from my hand, I can draw two cards." She assessed the cards in question. "I'll set two cards face down and end my turn. Let's see what you got."
"Thank you for the Level 4, I Normal Summon, Raidraptor - Vanishing Lanius(1300ATK/1600DEF)"
Eddie distinctly did not vocalize her realization that this meant Yuto likely played pure or nearly pure Phantom Knights and that Raider's Knight wasn't a bridge but a friendship card that linked two different characters' decks.
"And, I can use his effect to Special Summon another Raidraptor from my hand. And it is another Vanishing Lanius, who will use his effect to do so again." Shun said. "To Special Summon, Raidraptor - Tribute Lanius, his effect, allows me to send a Raidraptor card from my deck to the grave." He sent Fuzzy Lanius, whose effect allowed him to add another Fuzzy to his hand. "I Overlay your Level 4, Darklord and my Vanishing Lanius, to build the Overlay Network. Avian hunter of the afterlife, uncover the truth with your dark insight, and snatch glory with your sharp talons! Xyz Summon! Take flight! Rank 4! Raid Raptors - Force Strix!(100ATK/2000DEF-1100ATK/3000DEF)"
"Hehe, okay." Eddie giggled with a grin. "Who you addin' with him?"
"So you know what it does?" Shun asked as he used the effect detaching her Capricious.
"I know more about this game than you could possibly imagine." Eddie said cryptically, before cracking a smile. "Plus, I had a friend back home who ran this deck. I know how it works, more or less. Like, I can never remember the name of your on-archetype rank-ups or tell them apart, but I know how it works as a whole. Same with Galaxy-Eyes."
"WHAT?" Kaito shouted. "Who has my cards?"
"Don't interrupt the duel, clearly wherever she comes from our cards aren't unique or very rare," Yuto said.
"Bingo~! Now I believe I can still… okay, good, didn't miss the timing thanks to that, I'll activate Capricious's effect. When sent to the graveyard, she debuffs all your monsters by 500 ATK/DEF for every fairy on the field."
"...Well she messed up harder than I thought..."
"I special summon, Raidraptor - Bloom Vulture and Mimicry Lanius via Bloom Vultures effect, and Mimicry shall make all the ones on the field Level 5. Two Level Fives, to build the Overlay Network. Brave bird of prey, seize power with your splendid wings and soar to even greater heights! Appear! Rank 5! Raidraptor - Brave Strix(2000ATK/2500DEF)!"
"Aaaand now you're gonna rank-up and style on me, arentcha?" Eddie said, knowing fully well what came next.
"Soon enough but first, I shall Overlay my other two monsters- The unseen bold falcon. Now reveal the hidden power of your indomitable wings! Xyz Summon! Appear now! Rank 5! Raidraptor - Stranger Falcon(2000ATK/2000DEF)!" And then another monster was summoned. "Now I shall use Brave Strix's effect, by detaching an Overlay Unit, I can add a Rank-Up-Magic to my hand. I shall use Rank-Up-Magic Skip Force to rebuild the Overlay Network, using my Rank 5 monster, Rank-Up Xyz Summon, The mighty arsenal of the birds of rebellion unleash your might, Rank 7! Raidraptor - Arsenal Falcon(2500/2000)!"
"Even when dueling for fun, Shun doesn't hold back."
"I think because it is for fun, he isn't holding back… he is trying to have fun."
"Battle Phase!" Shun declared. "Arsenal Falcon, fire!"
"In the interest of not letting you hit me directly twice, I'll activate my Sanctified Darklord by sending a Darklord from my hand to the graveyard, negating Arsenal Falcon's effect and giving me life points equal to its attack. And since Sanctuary is on the field, I don't take any battle damage." Eddie said as she activated her trap.
"Tsch." Shun said as no damage was dealt, but rather life was increased. "I will end my turn."
Eddie LP: 10500/Shun LP: 8000
"I draw." Eddie said, grinning at the sight. "Now, let me ask you something. Do they teach you kids about the classics where you're from? Cause this? This is as classic as it gets." Eddie said as she slapped the card onto her disk.
"You don't see that card around anymore," Shun said.
"And here I thought your Harpie's Feather Duster was ancient Kaito," Yuto said.
"Monster Reborn! With it, I'll summon Darklord Superbia from the graveyard in Attack Position, bringing Ixchel with for the ride!" Eddie said gleefully. "But wait, there's more! By paying 1000 life points, I can use Ixchel's effect to activate Sanctified from my graveyard, targeting your Arsenal Falcon once more and giving me more life points in the process! Though it's then shuffled back into my deck."
Eddie LP: 12000/Shun LP: 8000
"Now, my battle phase! Superbia, attack and destroy Arsenal Falcon! First blood!"
Eddie LP: 12000/Shun LP: 7600
"And upon destruction his effect activates, allowing me to summon a Raidraptor Xyz from the Extra Deck, Raidraptor - Satellite Cannon Falcon(3000ATK/2000DEF)."
"Dangit, I can never tell if the negate'll stick." Eddie said with a snap. "Alright, Ixchel, your turn! Attack Brave Strix!"
"...Why?"
"1. Bait. 2. I don't take damage so it's just fun." Eddie said with a grin.
"You are a crazy girl," Shun said.
"I would like to remind you we are currently playing a game." Eddie said. "I end my turn."
"I will detach an Overlay Unit from all my Xyz Monsters, to activate their effects."
"Ixchel no!" Eddie gasped dramatically as her girl was reduced to 0 attack points. The Darklord was also playing it up, funnily enough, 'fainting' dramatically. Superbia moved its body in a slight circle, clearly its equivalent to rolling its eyes.
"Rank-Up-Magic Raid Force, to Rank-Up Force Strix, into Raidraptor - Blaze Falcon(1000/2000), and by detaching an Overlay Unit, I can destroy all Special Summon Monster you control dealing 500 points of damage for each."
"Oh. Oh that's not good." Eddie said as her monsters broke apart into pixels. "Hey quick question, are you also using RSV or…?"
"Yes." Shun said.
"Dang I'm just gonna lay down so this don't send me flying, hit me with it. I don't have a response." Eddie said, putting word to action. She did not feel like getting launched to Timbuktu today, thank you very much.
"I am gonna beat the feeling of Xyz into you, going by Yuto's words," Shun said. And then proceeded to do more.
"Yo wait hold up." Eddie said from the ground, hovering a finger over her duel disk as Shun halved his own life points to summon two more Xyz monsters, Revolution Falcon(2000/3000) and Blade Burner Falcon(1000/1000), which gave him more than enough for lethal.
"My birds attack! Blade Burner first! Napalm Charge!"
"Then I activate my facedown Magic Cylinder, reflecting it back for game." Eddie said immediately, the cylinder sucking up the barrage with a thunk!
"Wha?"
Thonk!
And Shun got hit by his own Napalm Bomb.
Eddie LP: 11000/Shun LP: 0
"Hahahaha!" Yuto laughed. "Talk about over extending."
"You should have removed the Trap Card." Kaito said.
"You okay?" Eddie asked as she walked over to the downed boy. Anything with 'napalm' in the name couldn't have felt good.
"My pride…" Shun just muttered. "Going by what Yuto explained yesterday, and why I said yes to this was I thought this would help you learn Xyz Summon."
"I think I got that energy down after that insane amount of spam there, bud, so I think it worked." Eddie said as she offered him a hand. "It's like a weird aftertaste of something you didn't eat mixed with pop rocks but in your soul, right?"
"It feels more like filling your mouth with soda and then mentos," Yuto said which was followed by each of the teens giving their own description of Xyz Energy that were all completely different but had the same 'explosive' quality.
"Alright, I'm feeling good to go, me vs Yuto now or are we gonna start doing tandem duels now?" Eddie asked, not having taken a single hit.
"Why not continue the streak of you and then each other," Yuto said.
Eddie shrugged. "Sure, why not. Just be aware- I've never dueled anyone who ran Phantom Knights."
"Oh so I have the edge this time unlike you guys," Yuto said.
"Because I ran Phantom Knights." Eddie said with a vicious grin. "Break Sword was the first time I really got Xyz, and it just stuck."
"Same," Yuto replied. "They just spoke to me."
Eddie paused. "Did they literally speak to you? Cuz that is a thing and they didn't do that for me."
"Metaphorically, I looked around for decks Dark Rebellion worked with and they were the ones that just… fit." Yuto said.
"Fair. Also would like to inform you that it is a for real, 100% guaranteed, actual factual Duel Spirit in that card of yours, it is extremely territorial." Eddie warned. "If anyone tried to take it from you there is a very real chance of it doing something… nasty."
"I believe it," Shun said.
"You probably don't remember it, Yuto," Kaito began looking a little haunted. "But during the Number Hunt, E'rah tried to give you some, and well I saw what it did to them."
"Oh…" Yuto said.
"Aaaaaaaannyway, get your game face on." Eddie said. "It's time to duel! For fun!"
"Yeah, and bragging rights." Yuto replied.
"And bragging rights!" Eddie agreed. "You decide who goes first, following the pattern."
"I will go first." Yuto replied.
Eddie LP: 8000/ Yuto LP: 8000
"Hnn," Yuto made a face as he drew his cards, the same face that Yuya made when he drew junk.
"Ha! My anti-one-up aura activated!" Eddie jeered. "Good luck destiny drawing around me kid, for some reason it just doesn't work."
"More like bad luck in general," Yuto said. "I set three card's face down and set one monster in defense position." Ending his turn.
"My turn to play some solitaire! I'll start by activating Banishment of the Darklords to add one Darklord to my hand. I'll then do the play I've done on my opening turn in every duel today. the ladies just can't get enough of me today, say hello once more to Indulged and Capricious!"
"Yeah, unlike me," Yuto complained. "This was probably my worst opening hand in my life."
"And I'm gonna make it worse! I'll discard Ixchel and a friend to draw two!" She looked at the cards. "Ooh, spicy, but that's for later. For now? I'll set two cards and move into the battle phase! Whatcha got facedown?" Ragged Gloves(1000ATK/500DEF) apparently. "Oh, no backrow usage? Not gonna hit me with a Fog Blade or something?"
Yuto's face really said everything.
"In that case, I'll end my turn and give you the chance to draw something."
"Before you do, I will activate my Mystical Space Typhoon in End Phase."
"Oh no my Darklord trap whatever will I do with it in the graveyard." Eddie said flatly as her turn ended.
"I draw, I will banish Ragged Gloves, to send The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots to the Graveyard to add a Phantom Knights trap to my hand." Yuto said. "I will then set a card, and immediately activate it since I don't have a Trap Card in my Graveyard."
"And now you have to consider- go for your ace and know for a fact using its ability will debuff you at some point? Or wait for something better?" Eddie taunted goodnaturedly.
"I will Overlay my two Level 4, Dark monsters to build the Overlay Network, Now, awaken! The monster in which two souls dwell! Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Raider's Knight(2000ATK/0DEF)!"
"Oh you actually have that card?" Eddie asked in surprise, looking over to Shun. "Do you also have a copy?"
"We both got a Playset each, it was made after we won a Tag Tournament," Shun answered.
"Oh that's really cool! Like, not good for me right now, but really cool!" Eddie said, genuinely delighted at the idea of such a thing. "Your friendship's been immortalized! That's awesome!"
"Hehehe, thanks," Yuto said as he rubbed his neck. "Now I will activate my Continuous Trap Card - Raider's Unbreakable Mind."
"You've triggered my trap card! Sanctified Darklord, the second copy!" Eddie said excitedly. "Discard, negate, life point gaaaain~."
"Dammit," Yuto muttered. "I will set a card, and go into Battle Phase, Raider's Knight attack, Raider's Lance!"
Eddie LP: 9600/ Yuto LP: 8000
"I end my turn."
"I draw… let's see, what's the best order of operations here…" Eddie said as she looked over her cards. "I'll start by bringing us back up to that Sanctuary in the Sky. I'll then activate Banishment of the Darklords to add Darklord Contact to my hand, which I'll activate to summon my girl Ixchel! And then my girl Ixchel's gonna use the same to summon my boy Nergal!"
"No she won't, I activate my Trap Card - Phantom Knights' Fog Blade, and you know what it does."
"You bet I do, which is why I did that before my normal summon." Eddie said. "Said hello to Indulged 2, exact same sequence, exact same monsters, just the second copy of each." Indulged and Capricious came back to the field, and another Ixchel to her hand. "I'll then use Ixchel to throw my third Sanctified to draw two. I'll set one of those cards face down and move into the battle phase."
"Do you like seeing your girl make out with other cards?" Yuto teased.
"Who said I'm attacking your card?" Eddie asked as Indulged and Capricious met in the middle.
"And I am gonna make this comedic. As I activate The Phantom Knights of Lost Vambrace, making Indulged lose 600ATK points," Yuto announced.
"I'll still do it, you can't stop friendship and/or love I haven't asked yet." Eddie said as she attacked her own monster to no effect, the two giving mocking grins to Yuto.
"...Oh right Sanctuary."
"Bet your Break Sword, Sanctuary." Eddie said. "I end my turn. Your move."
"I will activate the Continuous Spell - Phantom Knights' Spear," Yuto said.
"And I'll activate my facedown Rebellion in response, sacrificing Ixchel to destroy Raider's Knight before Spear can activate, and oh look! Capricious number 1 goes to the graveyard, which'll lower your attack and defense, not that it'll do much, because…" Eddie said, knowing what was coming next.
"Because a 'The Phantom Knights' Monster was destroyed, I can Special The Phantom Knights of Fragile Armor in my hand, and banish Fog Blade to get Raider's Knight back on the field," Yuto responded.
"And looks like Capricious still affects it." Eddie said as Yuto's monsters all lost 1000 ATK/DEF. "That's chain for ya."
"Won't stick with the new ones, I once again Xyz Summon, Raider's Knight, and I will use its effect to Rank it up, for I shall show you my Rebellion against Leo Akaba, Rank-Up Xyz Summon, dragon of rebellion assume a form that fight against the corrupted utopia, Rank 5! Arc Rebellion Xyz Dragon(3000ATK/2500DEF)!" Yuto announced, and Eddie could feel it as a more mechanized Xyz Dragon or rather a Raidraptor-ified version entered the field. "And since I Xyz Summoned using a Dark Xyz monster, I now break your Sanctuary!"
"Ah, crud." Eddie said, sloooowly inching away from her monster to avoid the oncoming backlash.
"I detach an overlay unit, and now Arc Rebellion Xyz Dragon will gain, attack equal to the original attack of all monsters currently on the field excluding itself."
(3000ATK7200ATK)
"Now Battle Phase, Arc Rebellion Xyz Dragon, attack with Arc Lightning Disobey!" Lightning surged around the dragon's body as its fangs grew to the size of glaives as it struck Indulged Darklord, the thunderous boom almost knocking Eddie over. "Sadly since I used that effect, I can't attack with any other monster, so I end my turn."
"Well, down to destiny. Let's see what we get. Draw." Eddie said, waiting a moment before looking at her card. "...You know, some people would be happy drawing their boss monster, but he really doesn't help me here."
"Yeah unless they can summon themselves easily," Yuto said. "Like Xyz Monsters, they are the best Extra Deck summoning method."
"You would say that, wouldn't you Xyz-boy." Eddie said. "Anyway, my goose is cooked, and I don't like the way Rebellion's looking at me, so that's my loss." Eddie said as she surrendered.
She swore the dragon gave a disappointed huff as she did.
"Well this was actually pretty fun," Yuto said with a smile on his face as some tension and stress definitely seemed to have left him by how he was holding himself.
"Listen, if you thought that was fun, you guys should try Action Duels, it's what Real Solid Vision was made for, you can literally run around Field Spells and use the terrain to your advantage, it's great." Eddie said, shilling as always for her favorite pastime. "Oh, and there's actually safeties on the cards too, very little real injuries happen without outside interference or a calamitous accident."
"Maybe after the war," Kaito said. "Action Duel, the style of dueling that Sensei pioneered here in Standard."
"Oh you actually know Yusho?" Eddie asked.
"He was a teacher at Clover," Kaito said. "The school I went to."
"Neat! Yuto mentioned he was a teacher but I wasn't sure if you guys actually met him." Eddie said. "Yuya, the local Yuto, is his son. You might have already known that? Not sure."
"I see," Kaito said.
"Anyway, Shun v Yuto first?" Eddie asked.
"The winners first," Yuto said. "Then the losers."
"Hey." Shun objected, but he was ignored.
"And then Yuto versus Shun." Eddie said with a grin.
"As if," Kaito said.
And he was right.
As Kaito demonstrated how Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon was an Anti-Xyz monster.
And more horrifyingly, she learned that this Kaito had more than one copy.
End result?
Kaito was the only one with more than one win.
"This… was more relaxing than I expected," Kaito said as he sat in the grass underneath the shade of the nearby tree.
"Why wouldn't it be? You played a game you love with people you cared about." Eddie said. "Also you're running an astonishingly anti-xyz deck."
"Of course, I was the Number Hunter," He replied. "So how do you know what my deck does?"
"Like I said, I have a friend back home who likes to run the deck." Eddie said. "Same friend who runs the Raidraptors, actually."
"How?"
"So, back home? We have a fully digital version of Duel Monsters that lets you use any cards regardless of rarity or whatever, online even, in exchange for being about as animated as if you were playing on a table." Eddie explained. "You can even do custom rules like messing with starting life points or using old school rules, that kind of thing, it's really fun."
"A Duel Monster simulator game? The only kind that exists back in Heartland is some that just use card lore and have nothing in common with the actual game."
"Oh, you guys have Duel Terminal?" Eddie asked in surprise.
"I don't know that name, but they went out of fashion quickly and now the only thing outside is fighting arcades using cards." Kaito said. "Yuma took me and Haruto to one last year." Aaand then his reminiscent expression turned to rage.
Eddie slowly and very visibly (to him) put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "We'll get him back. All of them."
"We will…" Kaito said, with wrath in his voice. "They better come back."
"They were carded specifically, right?" Eddie asked, making sure she wasn't leading him on.
"Yes."
"I don't personally know how to, but I know it is possible to reverse that. We'll get them back." Eddie said. "I promise I'll do everything in my power to get them and everyone else back."
"Working on it ourselves," Kaito said. "Have plenty of Obelisk to work with."
"Yoyoyo, hold on, hold on." Eddie said. "This is where we pool our resources, combine what we have, and not take out our very justifiable anger on other victims. Obelisks are all brainwashed kids your guyses age, or younger, right?"
"About," Kaito answered. "And some older."
"Okay. I'm going to ask you something potentially absurd." Eddie prefaced. "Please give me the soul cards. Or at least some of them."
"I don't have any on me," Kaito answered. "But I think Shun has one."
Eddie looked to Shun expectantly, who did look a little ashamed. He took a hand into his jacket and held out a card that contained the image of a man that had fear in his eyes. But most importantly was the LDS logo on his outfit.
"...Dude."
"He used Fusion."
"Oh god this is the head of the Fusion Course that went missing!" Eddie realized as she took the card. "Dangit, I shoulda guessed…" As she looked at the frozen, static image of a card. Colored like a normal monster, a lot like the OG Yugioh instances of it happening. "Okay… the only way I know to reverse this is magical and needs the person originally responsible, so how did you do this?"
"I copied the program from one of the Academia Duel Disks Yuto unlocked." Shun answered.
"And it probably wasn't a Shadow Game and I'd rather not risk one… we don't have any Millenium Items, powerful shadow focuses, Signers, or an Astral… yeah, the only way I can think of to safely reverse this, and thus figure out how to save your friends, is give me that program or otherwise deliver to LDS. Which despite its name," She emphasized yet again. "Is the biggest anti-Leo Akaba organization in this world."
"They really our allies?" Shun asked.
"Yes." Eddie said. "At the very least, Reiji is our ally. And he's in charge of LDS, which he's been preparing to defend the world from Academia for the last three years. And if that's not enough…" Eddie took out her deck from her duel disk, where it had been sitting still.
And held it out to them.
"I believe in his conviction enough to do something like this."
"...You are crazy," Kaito said as he got up.
"And?"
"A duelist is their deck," Yuto said as he and Shun also stood up.
"Yes."
"We will go and meet with him tomorrow," Shun said.
"You have that showcase against LDS right?" Yuto asked. "Don't wanna mess with that."
"Oh good that worked? Okay." Eddie said, quickly and greedily stuffing her deck back in her disk and then got to her feet. "And yes, yes I do. Hopefully I've got out all my losses for the day with that… but either way, it was both fun and informative. You guys are pretty cool."
"Will talk to you later," Kaito said as Orbital turned into a jetpack and he flew away.
"Rich boy." Shun just said.
"Okay so that's not normal?"
"No, that is just Kaito-things," Yuto said.
"I'd like to point out that that was the opposite of stealthy by the way, it does not surprise me in hindsight that Yoko found out about you guys like, right away."
"Heh?"
"Yuya's mom. She thought you were him or his secret brother etcetera." Eddie said drolly. "You guys kinda suck at laying low."
The two teens just looked down in shame.
Xxx
Soul Subtitle: Rapidfire Roulette! Xyz to the Max!