Chapter 9 – Burning Cerulean Spirit! Fortune Through the Flames!
. Bold words: Name Introductions; Card names; Monster Stats; 'Special Attacks'; Player(s) Life Points.
. (A) / (FM): Anime / Fan-Made - Cards used in the Anime/Manga; Cards created by the author.
. Italic: Non-English words; Epilogue and Prologue.
. " " - Normal Talk
. ' ' - Thoughts; Summon Chants
Special Thanks: Zeon Paralysis Crystal (Story Proof-Read); TC For Short (Original Character Idea – Kassidy Davis)
– CONTINUATION –
Location: Duel Academy Stadium
At the main arena, most of the Obelisk Blue students of all years took their seats. Very few Slifer Reds and some of Ra Yellows got to join in, either to study and scope out the competition or try to support the female student that was about to face the favorite 2nd-year Obelisk Blue senior student.
Zane, Syrus, Jaden, Alexis, and Mindy were sitting on the row of seats behind the red-haired girl; She was glad they got a better view to see her dueling spirit, in the duel she swore to win for her best friend.
Two Obelisk Blue teenage girls walk to an empty, but close seat row of the arena. One was a tall and slender, black long-haired woman; she had purple eyes and was wearing a black tank top under her Obelisk Blue open jacket. She was a 2nd-year Elite student, Kassidy Davis.
The other girl was her younger sister, 1st year student Seisha Davis. She had light-blue eyes, her grey long-haired had a lace-headpiece with blue roses; wearing the original sleeveless uniform, she was holding onto a Pocky set, picking and eating the sweet candy as they were spectating the duel.
"Heh~… That girl Gerald is facing has potential. I can tell…", Kassidy confesses while looking to a row of seats and watching the teal-haired and brown-haired students paying close attention to the duel, close to the light-blue-haired boy. "They're here. That's great news for me!"
"But he's not here, Big Sis…", Seisha tells her gently, looking around the other rows; as she picked another Pocky. "I wanted to see him."
"Give it a time, sissy… I'm sure he'll come.", Kassidy consoles her, while the girl kept munching her biscuits. They see the teacher walking, the older sister grinning. "Ah, the duel is about to start."
Nurse Fontaine with a neutral expression on her face walked to the middle of the field where the two student duelists were, who had their duel disks on their respective arms, cleaned up and ready to go.
"Jasmine Makurada, Gerald Norman. As the referee of this duel, I'll be the one overseeing this event for any misconduct. As well the terms for the winner of this duel will be upheld. Are we clear?"
"Yes!", the two shook their heads in approval, but the younger of the two more reluctantly.
"Then, without further ado…", Fonda raised her hand and slammed it forward.
"BEGIN!"
The red LEDs from the two duelists shone, bringing the start of the match.
"DUEL!", Jasmine and Gerald shouted.
Round 1
Jasmine (J): 4000 LP
Gerald (G): 4000 LP
"The expert strikes first! My turn, Draw!", Gerald drew his 6th card. "Hehe… it's the beginning of your end, Little Knight! Because you're about to step into my territory; I activate my Field Spell, Battleguard Encampment!"
(FM) Battleguard Encampment– Field Spell
Level 5 Warrior monsters can be Normal Summoned without any Tribute. Level 7 or higher Warrior monsters can be Normal Summoned with only 1 Tribute. Once per turn, if your "Battleguard" monster destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can draw 1 card.
Placing the card on the Field Spell Zone, the field around Gerald and Jasmine looked like a Savana; Palm Trees, solid but sandy ground, animal skin working like roofs on empty tents. Behind the bushes of the Battle Ground, red glowing hungry eyes were looking at Jasmine as if she were prey.
"I already feel welcome", the girl deadpans as she looks around, wondering what she got herself into.
"Feel it! That's the way my opponents crumble to my 'Tribal Instinct' Style!", Gerald spoke with a condescending smirk aimed at her. "Due to the Battleguard Encampment effect, I get to Normal Summon this Level 5 monster without any Tribute; Show yourself, Swamp Battleguard!"
One of the monsters who was hiding behind the bushes, growls running barefoot in front of his host; A tall muscular brown wearing a purple kilt over his abdomen, holding a gigantic spiky stick and sending one last howl to start the hunt (ATK 1800 / DEF 1500)
Two face-down cards appeared in Gerald's Spell/Trap Zone…
"I'll set 2 cards and I'll end my turn!", he declared with a final imp chuckle. "Now, what are you waiting for? Come at me, if you dare…"
Jaden, Alexis, and Mindy have taken notes on Gerald's strategy so far.
"A deck that ignores the rules of sacrificing monsters. And that's because of that Field Spell…", the Slifer teen ponders with his eyes closed. "Will Jazz be okay here?"
"You've seen what Jasmine's deck can do, didn't you?", Alexis asks with a focused look at the duel. "Even though it was played in Mindy's hands, it put you in a pinch."
"That's right, that's right!", Mindy exclaims with a proud look on her face. "Even I could play her deck because Jasmine is one of my best friends. She shows me on some occasions how her deck works, and she is one of the toughest I've seen and fought.", she then gives a challenging smirk to the Slifer. "Jasmine will not make defeat easy for most!"
"R… Right!", Jaden scratches the back of his head with a nervous laugh, while Yubel silently laughs at his host's reaction.
Turn 2
J: 4000 LP
G: 4000 LP
"Barbarians or not, they're not a threat to me. It's my turn, Draw!", Jasmine drew her card. "Hmph, Your Swamp Batteguard may be a Level 5 monster; however, his Attack Points leave a lot to be desired. I summon my Valkyrian Knight!"
Making a properly blazing entrance, a female cavalier jumped to her side of the field; wearing a helmet with golden wings, red armor adorned over her body, and two hands holding a shinning sword (ATK 1900 / DEF 1200)
"1900 Attack Points.", Gerald points out, letting out a small laugh. "Heh, it's only 100 Attacks more than my Battleguard."
"Which is good enough for my Knight to strike. En Garde!", Jasmine declared. "Valkyrian Knight, attack his Swamp Battleguard! 'Spiral Blaze'!"
Her knight created a spiral of flames to envelop her silver blade, as she ran with fire in her eyes. Her sword was almost close to hitting the beast's neck.
"Didn't I tell you, kid? This is MY Battle Ground, and the start of your demise!", Gerald countered her. "I activate my Trap Card, Battleguard Howling!"
Due to his trap, Swamp Battleguard fiercely bit the Valkyrian's sword out of her grasp, and without even a sign of the ogre gagging, he spat the sword out with enough force to leave the blade deeply embedded in a tree next to the stunned and disarmed knight and her master and gave a fierce howl in her direction.
Said howl, was piercing in nature as its soundwaves passed through the knight and her master who were covering their ears in a futile attempt to block the noise out.
"Since you declared an attack on my Warrior monsters, my Trap card will make your Valkyrian Knight return to your hand!", Gerald explains.
Swamp Battleguard swung his spiky club in an upward strike motion into the front of the knight's armored abdomen, sending her high in the air savanna when she fell down and about to land on Jasmine she disbursed into pixels and said pixels shooting into the card.
"… But wait, there's more! You're also going to take damage equal to the Attack Points the monster that was dumped back to your hand.", he concludes as Jasmine screamed in surprise as the nearby tree with the flaming sword exploded sending fiery wooden tree fragments with some metal sword shard acting as makeshift to Jasmine's general vicinity.
It was said the student futilely covered her face from the thankfully virtual barrage.
(J: 4000 – 2100 LP)
"And next, I play my Quick-Play Spell, Battleguard Magic!", Gerald quickly flipped up his other face-down card.
(A) Battleguard Magic – Quick-Play Spell
When a monster is returned to the hand: Gain LP equal to half its ATK.
"With your Knight returned to your hand, I'll gain half the attack points of your monster; which makes me gain 950 Life Points!", he says smirking, as a soft green healing aura envelops him restoring his life points.
(G: 4000 – 4950 LP)
"… Didn't see this coming.", Jasmine mutters, on her knees thanks to the barrage as Gerald laughs at her circumstances. "I got very careless with the two face-downs you had set up."
Gerald kept laughing maliciously while his opponent got up from the damage taken with a frustrated look on her face.
"What's the matter, little knight? Didn't you know if people play with fire, they get burnt? Or, did you enjoy its embrace?", the 2nd-year student mocks. "I warned you that you wouldn't have it your way in my territory!"
"You think this is funny?", Jasmine asks with grit teeth and a vengeful flare dancing in her eyes. "If it's all the same to you for this new territory, then I just need to set it all ablaze. I'll set four cards face-down; my turn's over!"
All of Jasmine's friends had looks of varying surprise when they saw four set cards appear in Jasmine's Spell/Trap zone. Two of them were shockingly, Alexis and Syrus…
"Did this type of move happen before?", the Obelisk Queen asked herself. "Déjà vu here…oh I see what you're doing."
"Setting four cards, no monsters on the field.", the blue-haired Slifer mutters as he looks over the field carefully. "It cannot be a coincidence… but did she take a class with sensei when I wasn't around?"
A sudden but thoughtful hum made Syrus turn his head to see Dee sitting on the bench behind him.
"What makes you think that it's not a coincidence? Is it wrong that she set 4 cards with her starting hand?"
"Maybe… or maybe I'm just imagining things.", the boy returned watching the duel.
"You okay there, Syrus?", Zane asked, surprising his younger brother as the older tried to break the ice between them through one of Atticus' bad jokes. "Got a new imaginary friend I wager?"
"Y- You're wrong, I was just talking to myself! Can't I murmur words out aloud?", he answers with an embarrassed look; while receiving another laugh from Dee and a flat but nostalgic stare from Yubel from the back.
Turn 3
J: 2100 LP
G: 4950 LP
"Heh… the savanna is looking scary without your monsters around for you, my victory awaits! It's my turn; Draw!"; Drawing his next card, Gerald was ready to make his next move.
"With my Battleguard Encampment Field's effect, I Summon my Mountain Battleguard!", close to his monster, appeared another tall muscular minotaur holding a large club with icicle-like spikes; this one had pallid skin and wearing a dark-blue kilt (ATK 1500 / DEF 2000)
(FM) Mountain Battleguard – Effect Monster/EARTH/Warrior/Lv 5/ATK 1500/DEF 2000
Once per turn, you can send 1 "Battleguard" monster from your Deck to the GY, then immediately after this effect resolves, you can Normal Summon 1 "Battleguard" monster.
"I'll activate Mountain Battleguard's effect! By sending a 'Battleguard' card from my Deck to the Graveyard, I'm allowed to an additional Normal Summon of a 'Battleguard' monster this turn.", Gerald explained, as he sent a card to his graveyard.
"With Mountain Battleguard effect, I Summon my Lava Battleguard!"
A giant jagged block of ice with a monster inside appeared next to Mountain Battleguard, who growled and used his icicle club to smash the cube into pieces; freeing the red-skinned ogre from his imprisonment, and to celebrate this freedom they gave out a bloodthirsty howl. Hungry for a messy brawl. (ATK 1550 / DEF 1800)
"There it is! The Battleguard Duo!"
"Incredible, I haven't seen them in a duel in ages!"
"Not to mention the Mountain Battleguard being the newbie of the bunch."
These were some of the comments the 1st year blue students spoke aloud, giving their best support to Gerald, who crossed his arms in pride for the favorable advantage.
It was three monsters against Jasmine's field empty of monsters to defend. Yet, she shows no spark of fear or nervousness at her predicament. Gerald tried to stoke the fire for a psychological advantage.
"Swamp and Lava Battleguard are brothers infamous for hunting in dangerous frontiers, thanks to those trials and tribulations. They share quite a powerful bromance, to the point it's almost magic.", he says as if in slight admiration for the friendship. "While I control these two brothers, they gain 500 Attack Points for each monster with a different name on my field."
Swamp Battleguard (ATK 1800 – 2300 / DEF 1500)
Lava Battleguard (ATK 1550 – 2050 / DEF 1800)
"I was hoping for a real battle between us, two Warrior-type users.", Gerald crosses his arms with a pitiful grin. "But I guess a groupie like you is better off being spare eye candy for the big fish. As far as I can tell, Ms. Alexis must be disappointed in you."
"Don't you dare bring up Alexis' name in this duel!", Jasmine counters with a glare. "She has nothing to worry about the way you'll be humiliated in this duel because she trusts in me to handle you!"
"Her taste in partners leaves much to be desired! For the hunt is on now!", Gerald retorts extending his finger. "Time to Brawl!"
'Right on time…', Jasmine thought, quickly activating one of her set cards. "Before you declare an attack, I'll activate my Trap Card; Reinforce Truth! It allows me to Special Summon a Level 2 Warrior from my Deck; Lend me your aid, Gemini Soldier!"
From her trap activation, a pallid soldier shattered it in pieces, as if it was glass; it was a tiny boy in green armor adorned in a green-white cloak and orange wings attached to his feet, his hands forming a shield after being summoned (ATK 500 / DEF 300).
"A Gemini Monster? Like a Monster Subtype?", Syrus asked.
"A Gemini Monster stands in the middle of a Normal Monster and an Effect Monster.", Zane instructed. "Because all Gemini Monsters are treated as Normal Monsters while are face-up on the field or in the Graveyard."
"Eh…~ Isn't this the 1st time seeing one of a kind getting played in the Academy?"
"Not really…", Alexis says, giving a small smile before she points out. "Remember the duel Jaden had against Chazz? Chthonian Emperor Dragon is also a Gemini Monster; Chazz just never got to reveal that information."
"… Is that so.", the boy responds but then gets curious for a minute about a certain Princeton. "Speaking of which, where is he?"
Location: Obelisk Blue Dorm
"A- ACHOOO!", the mentioned pallid spiky black-haired student's sneeze awoke him from his pleasant and nostalgic dream, still in his sleepwear. His tired eyes looked back to his clock showing '01:15 pm'.
"It's the weekend, I don't have class today. I'll get up whenever I feel like it!", Chazz groans as he twists and turns back to his bed trying to find some comfort, then quietly snoring on his luxurious bed before long.
Location: Duel Academy Stadium
Gerald saw how Jasmine had summoned her Low-Level monster while looking at his three High-Level monsters.
"C'mon, little knight. You must be playing with me, for you to summon your Level 2 monster standing next to my Battleguards.", he then let out a vindictive chuckle. "No matter, your Gemini Soldier will be history. Mountain Battleguard, 'Frost Bit Blitz'!"
His minotaur growled furiously, running straight to the defensive little boy.
'He took the bait.', Jasmine thought, flipping another set card. "I'm activating my Quick-Play Spell, Super Double Summon! This card allows my Gemini Soldier to become an Effect Monster and gain its effects!"
Thanks to her Spell, the little boy was now smirking holding two flying darts in his hands; As the baton was about to smash his face in, he easily sidestepped the blow and threw a dart on the other side of Jasmine's field.
"W… What just happened?", Gerald asked confused.
"That's my Gemini Soldier's Effect!", Jasmine explained. "When he's treated as an Effect Monster, once per turn, he's not destroyed by battle. Also, after a battle against another monster, I'm allowed to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Gemini monster from my Deck! Come forth, Evocator Chevalier (Knight)!"
The flying dart emits a smoke cloud on Jasmine's field, the smoke setting alight in a fiery cloud that gave entry to a knight with a red helmet and armor over his body, holding a long sharp blade pointing to his opponents (ATK 1900 / DEF 900).
Gerald grunted in annoyance knowing that his monster's attack only gave one extra monster entry to Jasmine's field.
"Your Gemini Solder might look weak, but his effect is a pain in the ass. However, summoning your Evocator Chevalier has a lower attack than my Battleguards; you missed on the calculus between my monsters and yours."
"Heh; Did I or did I not, Mr. Lover Boy?", Jasmine snarks with a cheeky smile on her face. "Catch me, if you can? You might get lucky this time?"
"You're starting to piss me off with that bratty attitude. Lava Battleguard, attack Evocator Chevalier; 'Hellish Thrash'!"
The red-skinned minotaur ran towards the stoic-faced Warrior, who readied his sword for combat…
Before the small green kid pushed him out of the way and took his attack in an instant; grunting in agony, for his duty wasn't finished yet, he threw another flying dart on the ground before getting destroyed.
"What? I swore my attack was directed to your Evocator Chevalier, wasn't it?", Gerald says impatiently.
"It was…", Jasmine told him, but picked another set card from her disk. "But I was the one choosing whose monster you would attack; thanks to my Trap Card, Staunch Defender! This trap made your monster switch the target to my Gemini Soldier!"
"So that means, I triggered his effect again, didn't I?"
"You learn quick.", the girl smirks, picking a Monster Card from her Deck. "Before my Gemini Soldier gets destroyed, I'm allowed to Special Summon my Evocator Eveque (Bishop)!"
The last flying dart emitted another smoke cloud in Jasmine's field, which became a fiery cloud that gave entry to a flaming guard with a red helmet and cape covering his back billowing with the fiery wind while holding a chain mace covered in flames (ATK 1500 / DEF 1000).
"Grr… again with your cheap tricks.", Gerald grunted out in annoyance looking increasingly angry, even scowling at Jasmine with a mischievous smirk on her face. "I can't be patient around people like you, who just like to stand in my way!"
"My, My. Am I ruining the fun now, but I like being a naughty little child? Or am I the one running away from the duel this time?", the girl mocks, her impatience known to the audience, her sharpened eyes showing flashes of anger in her glare.
"You were the one who started all this, might as well see you squirm as you beg to never see us again. Your presence disgusts me as an Elite 1st year Obelisk Blue student!"
"Be careful what you're about to say. I still have my Swamp Battleguard to attack one of your monsters!"
"Do you?! And who are you planning to attack?", Jasmine asked, playfully looking around; her Warrior monsters deadpanned as if they weren't there in the first place. Which also left Swamp Battleguard confused at what was happening…
"I'm not understanding any of this… AM I MISSING SOMETHING!?", Gerald shouts annoyed at his monster's confusion.
"Gerald Norman. Did the intense duel make you forget a small detail?", Nurse Fontaine, as a referee of the duel, asked with narrowed eyes. "You're lucky Dr. Crowler is probably sleeping in 'cause he would demote you on the spot for not paying more attention to the duel..."
"HAH? And why would you say that?"
"Staunch Defender's effect! The Trap lists that you MUST attack the targeted monster for attacks during this Battle Phase. Gemini Soldier that you destroyed with your Lava Battleguard is the ONLY target for attacks this turn, and since it's no longer in play…"
"… Then I can't attack?", Gerald concludes, the basic sentence made a single bead of sweat slide down from his forehead as nervousness crept in. "This was all a setup to make me waste my Battle Phase, and make you summon reinforcements."
"Took you long enough to figure out this combo I've set up, didn't you?", Jasmine responds with a sly smirk. "Too late for you to take those mistakes back, it's almost time for you to pay the piper!"
"Don't you think you have the advantage just yet? I'll activate the Battleguard Encampment Field Spell effect; Since my Battleguard destroyed your monster by battle, I'm allowed to draw a card.", Gerald drew his card. One set card was placed on his Spell/Trap Zone.
"I place 1 card face-down and end my turn!"
"During your End Phase, I'll play my last face-down card.", Jasmine picked her only set card from her disk. "I activate my Trap Card, Gemini Conjuring!"
(FM) Gemini Conjuring – Normal Trap
This card can only be activated when you control a Gemini Monster. Gain 1000 LP and add 1 Equip Spell from your Deck to your hand. Then, if all monster(s) you control are FIRE Warrior Monster(s), your opponent takes 500 damage for each monster.
"This Trap makes me gain 1000 Life Points, and lets me add an Equip Spell Card from my deck to my hand.", Jasmine explained, while adding a card to her hand, her Life Points getting charged.
(J: 2100 – 3100 LP)
"But the good times don't end here. Since I control two FIRE Warrior monsters, you're about to take 1000 points of damage as well!", her two soldiers crossed their swords and mace together like magic wands, giving each other a look of mutual respect; With a quick burst of Fire Magic and Willpower, they created a heat wave that barrels through Gerald's field, while he angrily gasped from taking damage from it.
(G: 4950 – 3950 LP)
"Damn it! Curse you-you piece of scum!", Gerald snarled, his temper bursting after the turn of events.
"Finally revealing your true colors, if only you did it sooner…", Jasmine crossed her arms proudly her head held high in smug pride. "I did warn you, didn't I? If this all was the same territory for you, then I just need to set it ablaze to make it my stomping grounds instead!"
The students who were first afraid that Jasmine had no chance, were now applauding for her resolve. Even her friends in the back were amazed at how she was performing against her opponent.
Meanwhile, Syrus and Zane were looking at the duel with a more analytical lens of sorts.
"Could you tell me what was her plan from the beginning?"
"Yes, Big Brother.", Syrus chirps with an affirming nod. "Although Jasmine used her four set cards in only one turn, it was all she needed to protect herself during the Battle Phase; I think she planned to make use of Gemini Soldier's effect to summon two monsters for her next turn."
"Is that all?", Zane asked curiously. "Don't you think it oddly enough how she got it all prepared during the Battle Phase?"
"Given by the deck she's facing against… Battleguards. 'Battle', 'Guard'? Wait, do you mean…"
Zane nodded, silently grinning.
"Do you realize now why he can't beat me in his duels? His strategy is quite obvious for your way of thinking. Do you think he's just playing aggressively, however, he's able to set cards during the end of his turn?"
"Right. Battleguards don't just involve Monster Cards. It's the Traps too; they're Battle Traps!", Syrus realized, getting up from his seat and calling for his new ally. "Jasmine!"
"Oh my?", the girl duelist looked up from the spot where Syrus was. "What is it, fella?"
Before the Slifer boy could be embarrassed about being called that, he shook those thoughts away.
"Beware of his reverse card. If it's not a bluff, it can be something related to the Battleguard Howling Trap he activated last turn. Play around it, as if you were the one who had that set card on your field, got it?"
Syrus then sat back in his seat; everyone near him startled him with their stares. He couldn't help, but feel his face getting redder from how embarrassed he was at the moment.
"Hmm, she seems to pay special attention to you, doesn't she~?", Dee's sweet voice echoed into his ear, as he felt chills over his body; her hands were also hugging tightly all over like a teddy bear so he couldn't escape. "Someone's getting a little too attached to you, doncha think the same, sweetie?"
"Ah-Ahahah… Maybe's just my imagination. Maybe I just heard it wrong…"
'There we go again, you're talking to your imaginary friend again, Syrus…', Zane sighs knowingly, having an inkling at what's happening to his younger brother.
Jasmine's mind pondered over Syrus' words a bit, staring at Gerald's set card with no small amount of trepidation.
"Hmm, as if that reversed card was mine, he said…", she mutters to herself and then remembers the duel she watched before, realizes something...critical "I see! He's getting desperate, he would pull the pin on that trigger."
"What are you talking about? Are you going a little insane under pressure maybe?"
"Insane? Nope, not at all! I'm just finally realizing how I can play around with your 'Survival Instinct' Duel Style."
Turn 4
J: 3100 LP
G: 3950 LP
Jasmine looked at her deck, her fingers ready for the move that she would do next…
"Let's do this then. It's my turn; Draw!", she drew her card, grinning. "Great card to draw. But first of all, I'll Summon back my Valkyrian Knight!", placing the card on her disk, the woman knight appeared close to the other Evocators (ATK 1900 / DEF 1200)
"And next up, I play this Spell Card, Gemini Draw!"
(FM) Gemini Draw
Draw cards equal to the number of FIRE Warrior and/or Gemini Monsters you control.
"Since I control 3 FIRE Warrior monsters, I'm allowed to draw 3 cards from my Deck.", Jasmine explained, picking the top cards from her deck. "This card isn't Polymerization, but it's a Fusion Spell. I Fuse my Evocator Chevalier and Eveque on the field with my Spell Card, Fusion Substitute!"
The two Knights of Fire swung their weapons at each other and, with a loud sound of clashing magical metal, they formed a makeshift holy cross with the blade and mace; Glowing to signify their fusion, the two knights then being consumed by a large pillar of raging mystic violet flames, and with it came a roar that sounded like the amalgamation of multiple beasts' howls could be heard from the arena's newest challenger.
"''Beast Born of Amalgamation; Draconic Soul, Emerge from Unknown Frontiers! May fragments of those long-lost guide us to Victory.' Fusion Summon! Roar and Soar with Pride, Superalloy Beast Raptinus!"
The light fades away, showing a giant serpentine chimera akin to a dragon with multiple pieces of skin patched together yet sewn tightly; giant wings on its back, crawling with a white draconic appendage and an arm of an Ogre it possesses to walk, while blue sparks danced all over the body (ATK 2200 / DEF 2200)
"Frankenstein's dragon here looks very classy, but I'll admit the patchwork is terrible.", Gerald comments, looking disgusted just by looking at it.
"You shouldn't judge a book by its cover.", Jasmine told him. "While my dragon is face-up on the field, it makes all Gemini Monsters I control become Effect Monsters, and they gain their effects."
"Is that so… Too bad I don't see any monster of that Subtype on your field."
"Not now, yes. But since I have exactly 3 Normal Monsters in my Graveyard, it gives me the best setup for my next trick.", she picked her monster cards in the Graveyard. "I'll banish my Evocator Chevalier and Eveque from my Graveyard; to send out the Reaper of the Demon Realm!"
Jasmine raised the card in the air; the Fiery Souls of the two Knight Spirits getting absorbed into her card before she placed it on her disk.
"I Special Summon my Knight of the Red Lotus!"; She placed the card on her disk; suddenly a flaming portal rose from her field, and jumping from there was a tall muscular red-haired masked man, wearing black armor over his body and holding a giant sharp machete with his left hand (ATK: 2100 / DEF 1800)
"Great, a Dragon, and now a Knight!", Gerald snarks trying to hide his nervousness, but then smirks. "Got any other fairy tales?"
"I'm glad you asked because I was about to activate my Red Lotus' effect. Once per turn, I can Special Summon a Normal Monster from my Graveyard!"
"So that means that he's coming back…", Gerald guessed, while Jasmine picked the mentioned card.
"It's not a surprise for you anymore, I see. Your mistress requires you, Gemini Soldier!", her Knight of Red Lotus stabbed his machete into the Battleground's Hunting Grounds, creating another portal of fire on the floor; from there, flew out the small pallid boy with the flying darts in his hand (ATK 500 / DEF 300).
Gerald could tell. From the Two monsters that Jasmine had before on his turn, it was now Four monsters occupying her Monster Card Zone. He could feel the disadvantage already if it wasn't for a basic detail.
"Heh! A Valkyrian, a Knight, a Soldier, and that ugly dragon. I would congratulate you if only your monsters were stronger than mine. However, my Swamp Battleguard is the strongest one on my field."
"Do you think so?", Jasmine asked with a catty grin. "Your Swamp Battleguard will be the weakest monster on the field. Especially when I'll equip him with this Equip Spell, Pestilence!"
Due to her Spell Card being equipped to Gerald's monster, the minotaur suddenly started growling raggedly as if desperate for breath; feeling a spirit of disease forcefully possess and then infect his body entirely, the Warrior dropped his club and was kneeling in agony, even coughing out spittle and blood on the desert floor. (ATK 2300 – 0)
"My Battleguard… Damn it, what did you do to him?", Gerald grits out in panic and rage.
"That's my Equip Spell effect; Pestilence makes the equipped Warrior's Attack become 0. It's the best strategy I can think of, to make sure any of my monsters can attack it without getting any drawback."
Gerald grumbled to himself until he thought the only way, he could trip her up was by misjudging and mocking her way of dueling.
"Must've been nice for you to draw that exact Equip Spell to counter me, just because I'm playing Warrior-type monsters, you'd wager?"
However, Jasmine wasn't falling for that trick.
"For your information, I didn't draw this card by Gemini Draw's effect; I added it to my hand, back when I activated Gemini Conjuring.", she explained. "I'm not as dumb as you like to think, good fortune only lasts for so long. I need to put my all into dueling, so that I can defeat duelists like you, to help my best friends."
"You are a pain. May fortune favor the bold, bring it on..."
"Just give me your worst then, Scar-Face Stalker!", Jasmine retorts. "En Garde! Knight of Red Lotus, attack his Swamp Battleguard; 'Crimson Blade Hurricane'!"
The tall warrior drew and tightly his machete with two strong arms, quickly dashing to the infected Battleguard; he jumped high, and let gravity take him as he performed a series of vertical spins with his blade as if it was a rapid-fire 'chainsaw' to the point of the blade glowing crimson with friction and magic.
"Not so fast! I play my Counter Trap, Warcry for a King!"; Gerald quickly spoke as he revealed his set card, which let out a mystic tribal chant, the language of the song indescribable to most of the audience of the arena.
(FM) Warcry for a King – Counter Trap
(This card is always treated as a "Battleguard" card)
When your opponent declares an attack, while you control a "Battleguard" monster: Neglect the attack and shuffle the attacking monster back to the Deck. During your Main Phase, except the turn this card was sent to the GY: You can banish this card and 1 "Battleguard" Spell/Trap from your GY; add "Battleguard King" from your Deck to your hand.
The mystic melody manifests an ethereal construct of one of the Battleguard's Leaders standing protectively over their subject, taking the repetitive blows of the spinning blade. As the attack came to a close, Jasmine saw in shock how her Monster Card had suddenly returned to her deck.
"That was unfortunate. This Counter Trap made it so your Knight of Red Lotus will be shuffled back into your deck!", the 2nd-year cleaned some drop of sweat from his forehead. "How's that for a comeback?"
Jasmine chuckled.
"I'm surprised, I must admit. Surprised to know it was a Battle Trap used against my monster. And I still have my 3 monsters to attack yours, which are unprotected. It's your turn, Gemini Soldier! Destroy his 'Swamp Battleguard'; 'Double Dart Cyclone'!"
The small pallid boy started spinning while holding the darts in his hands until he found the best pace to throw the darts at high speed toward the kneeling Battleguard. One of the darts hit his chest, while the other one hit his skull; making the minotaur fall on his back and Gerald suffer some damage from its fall.
(G: 3950 – 3450 LP)
"And if you haven't forgotten, my Gemini Soldier is being treated as an Effect Monster. With his effect in play, I'll Special Summon from my Deck in Defense Mode, Evocator Tour (Rook)!"
Gemini Soldier sent a dart to the ground; the cloud of smoke became another fiery cloud that gave entry to a muscular guard with a red helmet, a red cape on his back, a steel armor covering his body while holding a giant shield covered in flames. (ATK 1000 / DEF 2000)
(FM) Evocator Tour (Rook) – Gemini Monster/FIRE/Warrior/Lv 4/ATK 1000/DEF 2000
This card is treated as a Normal Monster while face-up on the field or in the GY. While this card is a Normal Monster on the field, you can Normal Summon it to have it become an Effect Monster with this effect.
- You can send 1 face-up FIRE Warrior or Gemini monster you control to the Graveyard, except Evocator Tour; Send 1 Gemini Monster from your Deck to the GY, and if you do, draw 1 card.
Due to the Swamp Battleguard's destruction, Lava Battleguard felt weaker; as if tearing up from his younger brother's fall, standing on his knees. (ATK 2050 – 1550 / DEF 1800)
"Next up, Valkyrian Knight! Attack Lava Battleguard, 'Spiral Blaze'!"; Not missing like the last time, the fiercely cavalier enveloped her silver blade with a spiral of flames; In a blink of an eye, she successfully slashed through the falling red-skinned minotaur, while Gerald shielded himself again from getting his Life Points reduced.
(G: 3450 – 3100 LP)
"And finally, Superalloy Beast Raptinus! Pulverize his Mountain Battleguard! 'Lightning Breath!'"; the electricity that sparked and crackled throughout the patchwork of the body of the multiple-piece draconic chimera started collecting into the dragon's jaw, with a boom the dragon let out a great burst of energy towards the yeti minotaur, who couldn't even let out a warrior's scream as he was instantly vaporized and the feedback nearly causing Gerald to fall on his backside as he was buffeted.
(G: 3100 – 2400 LP)
His monsters were all destroyed in the Battle Phase. Many of the Slifer Reds, while most getting a very bad impression from a lot of the more snobbish blue students, surprisingly started celebrating for one of the blues who stood up for one of their push the arrogant blue back; Some of the Ra Yellows also joined in the cheers, while many of them studied the duel carefully.
The Obelisk Blues were mixed as a good portion of the younger crowd booed at her; while a bit of the older crowd, who had to deal with Gerald's grandstanding and antics for years, cheered in Jasmine's favor for knocking him down a few pegs. Her friends and allies in the back of the seatings were either proud or impressed by her play.
"Not bad, not bad at all…", Kassidy laughed to herself. "No wonder she's an Elite student, she must've learned to play this carefully with Zane's teaching."
"Mmhmm…", Seisha nodded silently, while eating her Pocky.
"A lot of sweet moves and powerful plays.", Jaden whistles. "Hehe, it all starting to make sense now. Jasmine IS very strong! Think she'll be in the mood for a match after this?"
"Easy there, my Prince.", Yubel comments with a soft voice. "Don't let your thirst for battle drive your companions away".
Jaden could only just laugh to himself after the demoness' comment, while Alexis was looking at him with a playful look.
"Does everything you think about revolves around dueling anyone? Schoolwork is also important for your grades, you know…"
"Hmph, I'm pretty sure that with a brain like his, homework can and will be excused until the last minute with extreme prejudice.", Mindy deadpans, the blue taking a quick jab at the jolly red. "Call it firsthand experience"
As the duel continued, Gerald was getting up from the end of the Battle Phase, while Jasmine stood there impatient…
"My turn's not over yet. During my Main Phase 2, I'm activating my Evocator Tour's effect. By sending my Gemini Soldier to the Graveyard, I can send another Gemini monster from my Deck to the Graveyard."; she did so, sending a card to her Graveyard.
"And after that, I get to draw a card."; Two set cards were placed on her Spell/Trap Zone. "I set 2 cards face-down, before ending my turn!"
"You're… going to pay.", Gerald spits out under his breath, his eyes narrowing from anger as his vision slowly grows evermore red focusing in on Jasmine as roars out. "You will pay for humiliating me like this!"
"Wow, you're even acting like a Saturday Morning Cartoon villain and a few duelists from Middle School.", the girl scoffed with a deadpan glance. "Have some self-respect. You're no different from them, acting all tough and threatening; but on the inside, you just can't measure up."
"Is that so? Then you'll see… why I earned the moniker, Berserker!"
Gerald sucked in some air and loudly spit in his hands and rubbed them together, then placed them in his hair and dragged it until it reached his back wiping away the hair gel. His hair as a result had taken a wilder and even puffier and curlier appearance akin to rumored sightings of the Draw Beast.
The 1st year Obelisk students who were supporting him, some were understandably weirded out by this, while others were interested in what this meant for the flow of the duel going forward but most watched in disgusted awe as his hairstyle changed drastically; as if Gerald had changed into a savage beast akin to his Battleguards. And with a slow breath and closed eyes, he purrs out malevolently...
"Not many get to face this side of me; feel lucky, for only Kassidy Davis and Zane Truesdale manage to consistently coax this part out of me. I hope you enjoy your warm-up, Jasmine Makurada!"
Then his almost tranquil face twists in rage as he gives an animalistic snarl to the inwardly unnerved Jasmine thanks to him for the first time using her first name.
"Cause the True Hunt begins now!"
Turn 5
J: 3100 LP
G: 2400 LP
"MY TURN!", Gerald shouted, while drawing his next card. "Knight of Alexis, did you think my Battleguards are so easily destroyed with your little tricks? However, Instinct never fades."
"… Bring it on. I told you already, I'm not scared of you and even less of your deck of beat-sticks.", Jasmine remarks, but could feel something big was about to happen soon.
"Chitter, chirp, and shake like you're a gazelle about to be torn to shreds by a group of lions. I activate my Spell Card, Feast of the Wild LV 5! It allows me to Special Summon Swamp and Lava Battleguard from my Graveyard, with their effects negated."
His Spell Card emits a yellow gas that envelops the field and holds a sweet detectable scent to draw out the new monsters, and rustling bushes jump out the two minotaur ogre monsters.
For a few moments they looked for easy prey to feast on and laid their eyes on the Knight, the Shield Soldier, and the Chimeric Dragon and licking their lips in ravenous hunger... (1800 / 1500); (1550 / 1800)
"I'll then fuse them, with my Spell Card, Barbarian Fusion!"
(FM) Barbarian Fusion – Normal Spell
Fusion Summon 1 "Battleguard" Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters from your hand or field as Fusion Material. If the Fusion Materials are in your GY (only), you can banish them as material instead.
With his Spell in effect, one of the biggest and widest tents of the encampment to the audience's surprise spouted forth a giant beast's hand that tightly grabbed and squeezed the life out of the two minotaur's before pulling the two monsters into the tent. A series of loud ferocious but pain-filled screams rung throughout the arena; Making a good many of the audience cover their ears but entranced by the spectacle.
"'Tribesmen from Murky Depths and Scorched Earth! Your fellow kinsmen give their thanks for your blood and bone. May it awaken the Greatest of Predators'! Fusion Summon! Bathe in their Bloodlust; Nibal, Battleguard Giant!"
With surprising care, a humongous bestial chief emerged from the tent, and a good amount of the audience left in awe of a gigantic muscular red-skinned minotaur with green tribal tattoos and war paint all over his body. His horns pierced through the lion skull crown he wore with pride, draped in a tiger skin over his shoulders akin to a cape and a battle kilt; The warrior let out a huge growl while grabbing a humongous club riddled with metal spikes capable of destroying mostly anything in their path. (ATK 2750 / DEF 2050).
(FM) Nibal, Battleguard Giant – Fusion Monster/EARTH/Warrior/Lv 7/ATK 2750/DEF 2050
"Swamp Battleguard" + "Lava Battleguard"
Must be Fusion Summoned, and cannot be Summoned in other ways. During your Main Phase, if you control no other monsters: You can make all monsters your opponent controls lose 500 ATK for each "Battleguard" monster in your GY. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, it inflicts double-piercing damage.
The audience was littered with Gerald's groupies supporting their ringleader for bringing such a powerful Ace monster for his comeback.
The student in question crossed his arms with an impassive face of stone-cold yet blinding rage, the trembling of his shoulder betraying how much his desire to lash out like an animal was prominent. Making Jasmine want to step back in fear of her safety…
"What's...with this p-pressure?", she mutters while looking at Gerald's face getting goosebumps when looking into his eyes which are as sharp as a shark smelling blood in the water.
"Alexis isn't here to save you.", Gerald spoke angrily with a calm expression on his face. "It was a mistake to take heed of your friend's advice, that you didn't notice my Fusion Monster was the key to my victory."
"I'm… not scared. I can still fight!"
"Your fear is palpable, Knight of Alexis. I activate Nibal, Battleguard Giant's effect! If he's the only monster on my side of the field, I can make all your monsters lose 500 Attack for each Battleguard sleeping in my Graveyard!", Gerald explained, as four pairs of red-eyes surrounded Jasmine's field. "Be consumed by the hunt; As 4 Battleguard monsters slumber in the Grave will reduce all your monster's Attack Points by 2000; 'Wicked Ambush'!"
With a snap, the Giant Battleguard gave the order, and a small force of the Giant Battleguard's kinsmen let loose a barrage of arrows to the Knight, Chimera, and the defensive monster, in a few seconds, they looked like pincushions. The three monsters coughing and groaning in pain.
Valkyrian Knight (ATK 1900 – 0 / DEF 1200)
Superalloy Beast Raptinus (ATK 2200 – 200 / DEF 2200)
Evocator Tour (ATK 1000 – 0 / DEF 2000)
Jasmine watched nervous fear as her monsters cried out in pain due to the arrows being tipped in an unknown poison.
"Damn it! It's fighting Alexis' Cyber Blader all over again…"
"Still thinking you can change the outcome of this duel, scared kitty?", Gerald asked, picking a card from his Graveyard. "What if your Spirit can get even more broken? I activate my Bog Battleguard effect! If this card is in my Graveyard, except the turn it was sent there, I can Special Summon it!"
Next to his Fusion Monster, appeared another tall muscular yellow-skinned minotaur wearing a brown kilt; unlike his partners, he was covered in a gust of smoke, while he was holding his spiky club (ATK 1650 / DEF 1300)
(FM) Bog Battleguard – Effect Monster/EARTH/Warrior/Lv 5/ATK 1650/DEF 1300
During your Main Phase, except the turn this card was sent to the GY: You can Special Summon this card from your GY, but banish it when it leaves the field.
"If you're wondering, I sent this monster to the Graveyard last turn when I activated my Mountain Battleguard's effect!", Gerald explained, while picking another card from his Graveyard. "What else is in my arsenal your thinking?! I activate my Warcry for a King's other effect! By banishing this card, together with Battleguard Magic, I can add a card from my deck to my hand!"
Jasmine could feel herself take another step back, as she saw him adding the mentioned card to his hand. Her dueling spirit gripped in tension and anticipation...
"W… What card did you add?"
"Why, are you THAT afraid of it? You were talking like a hotshot earlier. It's only right for you to face the strongest monster of my deck!", Gerald proclaims as he raises the card so everyone can see it. "Battleguard Encampment's effect allows me to Summon a Level 7 or higher Warrior monster by the cost of 1 Tribute!"
Everyone saw how the yellow-skinned Battleguard was consumed but ethereal incense-tinted smoke to bring forth a new giant to the field.
"Emerge from your blissful slumber; Hear your subject's howls, crushing those who defy Nature's Laws… Oh, King of savages, Ruler of the wild! Heed my Call, Battleguard King!"
An ancient drumbeat from the tribe rang through the arena to summon their king. The savanna ground started shaking, tree leaves falling, the sound coming from the giant footsteps of a Red Skinned Minotaur clad in Gladiator Garb, his helmet showing his strong horns, as he was holding a long sledgehammer with his right arm (ATK 3000 / DEF 1100)
(A) Battleguard King – Effect Monster/EARTH/Warrior/Lv 8/ATK 3000/DEF 1100
If this card is Tribute Summoned by Tributing a "Battleguard" monster: You can activate this effect; this card can make a second attack on a monster during each Battle Phase.
Two giants on Gerald's field were now staring at the three weaklings on Jasmine's field. This is what would determine the outcome of the duel for both of them.
"The tribe will feast in victory! My King and my Giant will hunt YOUR monsters to the last man, Mindy will be next and Alexis will have to accept me!"
"… As I told you once, and I'll tell you again."; Jasmine retorted with a glare. "Forget it! You have a snowflake's chance of standing with a phoenix if you think Alexis will even give you the time of day."
"Keep talking, it makes it easier to find your weak spot.", the Scar Face duelist says after a manic yet bitter laugh. "Enough talk, Time for Battle, Battleguard King! Destroy Valkyrian Knight; 'Bloody Punishment!"
Driven by anger, the giant gladiator tensed up to follow the duelist's commands, the King started swinging his sledgehammer while charging straight to the fallen knight covered in arrows and blood.
"I won't be defeated that easily. I activate my Trap Card, Half Counter! It makes my Valkyrian Knight gain half of Battleguard King's Attack during this battle.", Jasmine activated her set card, which restored a bit of strength to her monster to strike back defensively with her injured and shaking hands (ATK 0 – 1500 / DEF 1200)
However, at the moment the clash between the two warriors had occurred; the Knight saw her sword get shattered into bits from the struggle, and in an instant brutally smashed into a large tree and fell to the ground slumping over unconscious by another hit from the hammer. The resulting force had the tree falling on top of her resulting in her destruction. With the tree's blowback a grimacing Jasmine shielding himself from the impact and the big shot to her Life Points.
(J: 3100 – 1600)
"Don't forget my Battleguard Encampment's effect!", Gerald tells mockly, smugly drawing a card from his deck; as a battle-hungry grin appeared on his lips. "Oi, oi, now… Don't give up yet; Is this duel becoming too much for you?!"
"Not out of the game just yet! My Valkyrian Knight's defeat won't go in vain; I'll activate her Graveyard's effect!", Jasmine quickly explains, Adding two cards to her hand. "By removing her and Gemini Soldier from my Graveyard, she lets me Special Summon a Level 5 or higher Warrior monster from my Graveyard!"
"As far as I remember, you didn't have any High-Level Warriors in your Graveyard. You're just bluffing at this point…"
"Then let me jog your memory!", she says with a revitalized smirk on her face. "During my last turn, I activated my Evocator Tour's effect, when I sent Gemini Soldier to the Graveyard!"
"You don't mean it…"
"That's right! Aware that you would destroy my Valkyrian Knight by battle, I was prepping my Ace Monster's debut during your Battle Phase!", Jasmine excitedly states, as she reveals her High-Level monster and slides it on her disk.
"Reforged in Sacred Phoenix Flame! Herald of Life, Turn our darkest hour into our brightest triumph! Set your soul ablaze forevermore; Knight of Rebirth, Phoenix Gearfried!"
A white-hot phoenix construct gave entry to a statuesque knight draped in a white cloak; wielding a giant sword and shield on each arm, the construct of the raging Phoenix one loud screech, before shrinking away to protectively envelop Gearfried. (ATK 2800 / DEF 2200)
The students and the Nurse overseeing the duel could feel the intense heat that emitting from the knight. Jasmine herself felt she had finally found the rhythm of the duel. But Gerald wasn't a 2nd year Obelisk Blue for no reason...
"Impressive fireworks for a fiery chicken knight. Just don't make me laugh next time…", Gerald says while giving his mocking applause for the Phoenix Knight's grand entrance. "I have plans for today and I still intend to win this duel. Especially when my Battleguard King activates its effect! Since he was Tribute Summoned using a Battleguard monster, my King's able to attack a monster again. Destroy Superalloy Beast Raptinus!"
His Savage King growled for not getting the hunt over yet, getting ready to unleash another strike at the draconic chimera with his hammer…
"If that's the case, then I flip over my last set card. I activate my Trap Card, Martyr Flag!"
(A) Martyr Flag – Normal Trap
During your opponent's Battle Phase: Tribute 1 monster or send 1 monster from your hand to the GY; double the ATK of all Warrior-Type monsters you control until the End Phase.
"By tributing my Superalloy Beast Raptinus, this Trap will double the Attack of all my Warrior monsters until the end of the turn."; Jasmine explained, seeing her dragon quickly vanishing before the Battleguard King could smash it to the ground with his hammer; Suddenly, the berserker saw Phoenix Gearfried standing close to him giving him a phoenix worthy stink eye, his sharp azure aura making the king step away.
After all, Gearfried was enhanced by the Trap's beneficial effects (ATK 2800 – 5600 / DEF 2200)
"Tch… clever little squire.", Gerald snarled out, seeing his attack miss his intended target.
"What will you do now?", Jasmine asked. "It's true that I stopped you from attacking my Dragon, to increase my Phoenix Gearfried Attack. Do you plan to keep attacking him, or have you decided to run away?"
"I have a much smarter idea; Your last flickering trap left someone wide open", Gerald retorts to her with an angry stare. "I'll have Nibal, Battleguard Giant take advantage of your incoming scorched earth policy. Go, 'Metal Stampede'; tear apart her Evocator Tour "; by the duelist order, the humongous chief started running straight to the defensive warrior, his humongous club's spikes suddenly starting to glisten and sharpen drastically.
"Wh… What's happening?"
"Nibal, Battleguard Giant's special effect activates! When he attacks a Defense Position monster, it inflicts double-piercing damage! With your Evocator Tour's 2000 Defense Points, to my monster's 2750 Attack Points; You'll suffer 1500 damage!"
As the Giant's attack smashed into the muscular warrior's flame shield, as much strength as Tour tried to muster up to fend the bloodthirsty king off and push him away; the sharp spikes on the club completely broke through the shield, and the metal spikes of the club smashing into his arm impaling and breaking it and it going into in his abdomen smashing him away straight through another tree before dissolving into pixels. Jasmine squeaked in shock and jumped back in fear as the top half of the bisected tree landed pretty close to her general vicinity and her Life Points dropped heavily. Jasmine knocked flat on her ass with a stunned look on her face.
(J: 1600 – 100 LP)
"JASMINE!", Mindy screamed for her friend. Her other friends and allies silently watched in tense anticipation of what would happen next.
"Oh no…", Alexis mutters covering her lips with her hand, getting panicked from watching a struggling Jasmine getting up for another rough round with Gerald.
"I… I can still… fight.", the red-haired girl forces out, her throat feeling uncooperative due to how uncertain the duel will pan out.
"Are you so sure!?", Gerald harshly questions her restore with an angry stare. "As I could tell, battling with shields and swords isn't your specialty, if you're murmuring there on the ground. Leave the swordsmanship for the real men, fighting the real battles."
"Never… I can't… And I won't.", the girl breathes out. "Not after all that I've learned and this far in the deep end, not on your life!"
Gerald laughs despite himself with a palm pressing his head. "You were better as half-time entertainment because you're flopping more than a cheerleader."; he remarks, while the students that were supporting him also started laughing as well.
The group behind Jasmine could tell. Doing her best to ignore the commentary and wanted to get up for another turn. Mindy and Zane could see her perseverance clearly with each grunt spent getting up… Mindy with bared teeth was about to get up and barge into the duel seeing one of her best friends suffer this stadium-wide jeering session for doing something that felt so right, but getting humiliated doing so.
"Don't, Mindy.", Zane asked her calmly, but showing a tense look.
"But I can't… I can't stand watching her get tortured like this. It's too painful for me as her best friend."
"This is not the reason why me and Alexis trained you both; to see you shouting at Jasmine out of your patience. If she loses this duel, she'll learn from her mistakes and will try better the next time."
"Then… it's all up to me to stand in her way, on the next duel I'll have against Gerald, isn't it?", Mindy asked him one last time; seeing him nodding, she looked back at her best friend with an angry stare engaged at Gerald. "Good, because it'll be MY chance to hunt him down! I'll make sure he'll rethink his entire Dueling Career from the beginning of his first drawn card to when I'm done with him."
As for Jaden, Alexis, and Syrus. Their solution was much less savage sounding and of more… a mystical variety.
"Yubel! You're up.", the brown-haired boy says, the demoness using her wings to jump gracefully near Jasmine.
"Icy! Assist my knight.", the blondie kindly requests, the Ice Queen emerges from behind her wielding her icicle staff, and quickly disappears with a flurry of snowflakes manifest near Jasmine.
"Dee! Lend her your aid.", the blue-haired boy pleads to the annoyed magical sorceress. The annoyed practitioner of Dark Arts summoned her wand and flew to get closer to Jasmine.
When Yubel and Ice Queen tried to get in contact with Jasmine, they instead touched each other by their surprise; causing a sudden magic spark in between their hands and the magical feedback knocked them away from their intended target.
"Dee was right all along… You're Alexis' spirit, aren't you?", Yubel spoke calmly with her arms crossed
"Another Spirit… And who's Dee?", Icy asked, but then looked at Dark Magician Girl's spirit getting inches closer to Jasmine. "Who are you? And what are your intentions?"
"Relax. We're back up, and we intend to soothe Jasmine's faltering spirit.", Yubel explained as she pointed a finger in the direction where Ice Queen could see Syrus with a pleading look towards Dee whose open-palmed hand was placed on Jasmine's back.
(In Jasmine's mindscape)
She was sitting in a black void alone filled with the water that was the tears she shed, feeling herself sinking into a watery mire of self-loathing for the incoming defeat.
"I can't do this. Were all my efforts for nothing.", the girl in question gurgles in the darkness, her head tilted down as the air bubbles blow forming into self-deprecating sentences. "He's too strong for me, and I let Alexis down. I'm sorry for being so weak…"
"You're NOT weak!"; those words made Jasmine look up, to see a silhouette of Syrus walking on the water to pull her out of the water. "Your duel isn't done yet!"
"But how can I overcome this?", she sadly and raggedly asked as she was pulled out of the water; she planted her wet despondent face on his chest. "I'm going to fail as Alexis' knight? My Life Points are at a tiny 100, while Gerald has 2400 Life Points and two strong monsters."
"So?", Syrus cheerfully questions, patting her head to dry it off of water and trying to bring up her spirits. "You have your Ace Monster supporting you, don't you? As well as the friends you've made, who want the best for you. Because we know you're better than him!"
"… My friends?", Jasmine asked, trying to see what he was getting at in this void. Then she saw the monsters she had played during her duel approaching her and Syrus: Valkyrian Knight, Superalloy Beast Raptinus, Knight of Red Lotus, and lastly, Phoenix Gearfried.
"What the...?", Jasmine asked in shock, seeing the respective monsters in a flash of pink light transform into her friends and allies – Mindy, Zane, Jaden, and Alexis.
"We've been through a lot and we're gonna go through a lot later on, but in times where luck runs thin, we gotta make our luck!", Mindy told her with a fierce but caring stare as she continued. "One Gamble may've failed, but you haven't yet. You still got a shot!"
"Just keep calm, and trust yourself and your deck.", it was Zane's turn to talk. "Prove that whatever Gerald told you was all wrong, understood?"
"Defeat is never the end, Jazzy.", Jaden says with an unnervingly serious grin on his face, his eyes glowing golden. "But you DO want to wipe the smirk out that jerk's face, doncha? Just one last push, you can do this!"
"Because you're my Knight, and more importantly, you're my friend!", Alexis exclaims giving her a cheerful smile. "Keep burning bright, like you always do. Get up, and show everyone that you're no prop."
"Everyone… and you, Syrus.", Jasmine looked back at the small boy. "Why are you helping me?"
Syrus gave her an honest smile; while three fierce Evocators Chevalier, Eveque, and Tour passed through him, his body suddenly transforming into a familiar Monster Card, Gemini Soldier.
"I think you didn't know this, but I was nervous before I joined Duel Academy. Back when I was tested in the Domino City stadium, I could feel my anxiety spike up each time I saw others dueling at their best at the beginning of their Duelist Path. Jaden, a person I know is a great friend and I trust him, as much as Mindy and Alexis trust you", he then extended his hand to her.
"This duel is not lost yet because we have faith in you. I've once bet my pride on Jaden's name, and now, I place my pride on yours. We wanna go beyond with you, Jasmine."
Feeling much warmer, much drier, much freer of the watery self-loathing weighing her down her face still stricken in tears, but this time smiling proudly, Jasmine held her Monster Spirit's hand and started walking forward. Back to the path that would guide them to victory.
(Back to the Duel Stadium)
"Syrus… No, Everyone. Thank you, for your faith you put in me.", Jasmine mutters smiling. She gets up with ease, even feeling weightless as she does while wiping away her tears.
"Look at the chivalry of this one. Let's put it to bed, shall we?", Gerald mocks. There was laughter from some of the spectators but it was completely overpowered by the greater number of students who were now cheering for Jasmine. "Wait...what!?"
"This will decide everything; I ante my knightly pride, my duelist soul… and my honor to this next turn! Gerald Norman. This duel ends here!", Jasmine declared angrily, seeing her Phoenix Gearfried extending his sword at Gerald's field.
"Heh… Let me see you try it!"; he told her with a spiteful look, a set card appearing on his Spell/Trap Zone. "I set a card face-down and I end my turn!"
Turn 6
J: 100 LP
G: 2400 LP
"IT'S MY TURN!", Jasmine shouted, while drawing one of her cards; An Equip Spell.
'But there's still more…', she thought while picking two cards. "I'll banish my Spell, Fusion Substitute from my Graveyard to activate its effect. By returning my Superalloy Beast Raptinus to my Extra Deck, I'll draw a card from my Deck."
She drew her card as if flames followed it; revealing it, to be a Spell Card.
"There it is. The missing key that I needed for my victory!", she said with a smirk. Gerald was feeling sick from seeing Jasmine smiling the way she was doing.
"Any trick you're trying to pull won't do a damn thing this turn. Even if you try to destroy my Nibal, I still have the King here to carry me to victory."
"Then it's a good thing, that I have this Equip card that fits him perfectly. I'll equip Battleguard King with Big Bang Shot!"
A red draconic aura suddenly envelops the gigantic monster, confused as to why would his foe give him this sudden fierce power-up (ATK 3000 – 3400 / DEF 1100).
"What did you do to my Battleguard King?"
"Nothing really.", Jasmine answers calmly. "Big Bang Shot simply has the Equipped Monster get its Attack Points raised by 400, and when they attack a monster in Defense Position it inflicts piercing damage."
"You little brat, don't play with me. You talk like you had a plan for it."
"Oh, right. I did… Because now I play my Spell Card, Release Restraint Wave!"; her Spell Card released a huge shockwave straight to Battleguard Giant, who was equipped with her Big Bang Shot. "This Spell will destroy my Equip Spell and all face-down Spell/Trap cards my opponent controls."
"Grr… Not my Battleguard Rage!", Gerald snarls in panic, seeing his Trap Card getting destroyed. Not only that, but he saw his Equipped Monster suddenly faint and fall to the ground, the entire king's body set alight with draconic fire, fully consumed by the Red Dragon's flames. "WHAT?! What happened to Battleguard King?"
"Ah, I almost forgot~.", Jasmine told him playfully, but sadistically. "When Big Bang Shot leaves the field, the equipped monster gets removed from play as a drawback."
"You… You had this all planned for this turn, didn't you?"
"Not everything, but the victory's in my sight! I'll now Normal Summon my monster!", Jasmine declared, picking up her Ace Monster and placing it back to her disk to signal a fiery entry. "Gemini Summon! May your flames never fade, forevermore, Phoenix Geafried!"
Due to Jasmine's move, the tall cloaked knight saw the white-hot phoenix screeching again while he held his sharp sword high; the Phoenix fell on top of him, giving Promotion as an Effect Monster (ATK 2800 / DEF 2200).
"Gemini Summon? That's probably the worst kind of Summon I've ever heard…", Gemini told her. "So, what if you made your monster an Effect Monster? Does he have anything special about it?"
"Nothing; In particular, being honest here. Except that Phoenix Gearfried is now treated as a Normal Summon monster. Which is why I'll equip him with my Equip Spell, Mortchlag!"
Author's Note: Mortchlag is a German term for swordsmanship training, a half-sword technique of holding the sword inverted, both hands holding the blade.
As the Equip Spell mentioned, her Knight threw the sword into the air; now holding on the sharp-less side of the blade, while pointing the holder to the Battleguard Giant, as if he was also holding a hammer.
"An Equip Spell that doesn't give an Attack or Defense strength? Is this a battle between two sledgehammers?", Gerald asked, with a final mocking laugh. "You've finally lost your mind! You may as well surrender."
"EN GARDE!", Jasmine shouted without caring what Gerald told her. "Time to end this, Phoenix Gearfried! Attack Nibal, Battleguard Giant, and end this duel! 'White Hot Helldive'!"
As the stage was set for the two monsters to attack, Gearfried dashed at fast speed; leaving the shocked Nibal to raise his sledgehammer in a defensive stance and swing it straight onto Gearfried's head. However, the knight of sacred flames blocked it with the sword holder, deflecting Nibal's hammer to the ground far away enough for the giant unable to get it back, and straight up smashing Nibal's skull with the same holder.
"WHAT?! What did you do to my Fusion Monster?", Gerald asked in a state of shock.
"Mortchlag effect activates. Since my Normal Summoned monster is battling your Special Summoned monster, your Nibal will lose Attack and Defense equal to my Gearfried's original Attack."
"NO WAY!", Gerald shouted, seeing his unconscious Fusion Monster fall to the ground; Gearfried continuously stomped the holder on his skull, while the monster lost his will to Attack or Defend (ATK 2750 – 0 / DEF 2050 – 0)
"Game Over, Gerald!", the girl declared through the raging sacred flames; the Gearfried held the sword normally and suddenly slash Gerald's panicked sight, making him fall on his butt on the ground, no longer having any Life Points to stay in the game.
(G: 2400 – 0 LP)
Duel's Result: Victory
The Victor: Jasmine Makurada
"She… SHE DID IT!", Mindy shouted from her seat happily, while receiving a hug from Alexis. The two girls left their spot to celebrate her friend's victory as well as the public that were supporting her all the time.
"What a sweet duel, one that I'm mostly proud of!", Jaden clutched his fist tight from excitement; he saw Yubel walking close to him, smiling at her. 'All thanks to your help, best pal.'
The demoness shook her head.
"It wasn't me who helped Jasmine, my Prince. It was all Dee and Syrus' help.", Yubel revealed while the two smiled at the youngster Slifer Red, who was clapping happily.
"You saw it, didn't you, Big Brother? Jasmine is so amazing, isn't she?"
"Yes, I saw it all, even you getting a girlfriend.", Zane says flatly. "Heh… It seems my younger brother started to expand his skillset to the dating scene."
"M- ME? Li- Liking Jasmine?", Syrus asked with a flushed face. "N… No way, don't be silly, Zane. There's no way we would match."
"I would have to agree with your older brother, sweetie~.", Syrus saw Dee floating closer to him. "I could tell that deep inside; you had a special place in your heart for Jasmine."
'No, no, no! Fat chance… even if I did, I'm sure she wouldn't like me back.', Syrus shook his head nervously.
"Then what about you go there to congratulate her?"
Syrus and Jaden looked at each other, nodding; the three boys walked down the stairs to celebrate with the victor.
Location: Duel Stadium Hall
In the darkest place of the hall, loud stomps could be heard where a ferocious Gerald was cursing himself.
"DAMMIT! DAMN IT ALL!", he screams out feeling humiliated, while banging at the wall with his clenched fist. "I had this duel dead to rights! I nearly had Alexis' love in my grasp! WHY!?"
Suddenly, a sharp card quickly hit inches close to the wall he was hitting, even embedding itself into the wall a good bit.
"Thunder Dragon.", he growls, to then twitch his tongue. "It just had to be you, Kassidy."
The black long-haired 2nd-year Elite Obelisk Blue Girl in question smirked, after throwing her card near him.
"How unfortunate for you, Gerald. It looks like your Survival Instinct Deck couldn't quite overwhelm a Blazing Soul Deck from a Duel Academy rookie. It almost makes me chuckle…"
"Grr… what do you want, Sugar Princess?"
"Since you stormed out of the arena immediately after Jasmine handed a well-deserved loss to you, you didn't hear the penalty for losing put by the Nurse along with your and Alexis' conditions.", Kassidy says with a playful, but sadistic tone of voice that resembles poisoned honey.
"… And it was?"
As if waiting for Gerald's question, she gingerly put on her glasses and pulled out a folded scroll that appeared to be a list of sorts…
"Where to begin? Oh, right here! 80 hours of Community Service through clean-up duty, through assistant janitor duty after detention… and there it is. Two months' worth of detention.", she then repositioned her glasses to deliberately look more snooty than usual to needle at Gerald some more.
"You were considered for Expulsion for even peeping into the girl's hot spring, a big no-no here, considering we're on a small island in the Pacific Ocean. If you'd won this duel… it would've been just in-school suspension."
"… You're kidding!"
"Do you think this Sugar Princess is kidding?", Kassidy questioned in a tone too sweet, her violet eyes suddenly showing a hint of rage. "Well Mr. Serial Harasser, it's called mercy. Since you lost, you are taking the more difficult road. Detention starts after tomorrow's class. Enjoy the rest of the days here!"
"Grrr… Khhhh… ARRRRRRRGGGGG!", Gerald screams in rage like a Berserker, hits a wall in rage cracks it runs out of the halls and outside the stadium.
The Thunder Dragon's card falls to the ground, where Kassidy picks it up and walks away from more trouble.
"Thankfully he didn't hit the card, but yikes; people these days.", she then allows a small smile, at the sight of her younger sister finished eating her candy. "Did you have any luck finding him, Seisha?"
The girl in question sadly shook her head, feeling Kassidy's warm hand caressing her head.
"We'll find him whenever he's available, okay? Let's go celebrate this girl's victory in the meantime."
"… Yes, Big Sis."
(With Jaden and Syrus)
Seeing the Azure Trio hugging each other, Jaden was the first of the boy's group to congratulate Jasmine.
"Sweet duel you had there, Jazzy; that's if you don't mind me calling you that, for shorter.", he then showed sparks in his eyes. "Your Warriors are amazing. It makes me want to have a duel with you. Can we, can we?"
Ignoring Jaden's request, the girl then saw Zane approaching her. "Good job out there, Jasmine. You've been improving these last years, as far as I've been watching you."
Jasmine couldn't help, but blushing proudly for her senior's praise.
"Thank you, Zane. It's thanks to you teaching me this way of dueling during middle school, that made me want to duel by Alexis' side. But I know I still have room for more improvement, I can grow even stronger."
Last, but not least, it was Syrus' time to talk with her.
"I… uhm, I mean… I'm happy for you, Jasmine. You did very well in this duel, and I'm glad you won with such hard-boiled passion of yours.", he told her with a cheerful grin, while the red-haired girl started approaching him. "Uhm… Did I say something I shouldn't? Sorry, I just wanted to say that, you and your Warrior Monsters were… so cool, and…"
"Syrus Truesdale."
"… Yes?", the boy asked, to then suddenly feel her arms hugging his face, so that his face could be planted into her cleavage. He flailed in surprise and as a result the two students suddenly fell to the ground with Jasmine cuddling Syrus like a teddy bear.
"THANK YOU!", she exclaims in honest joy. "I'm glad that you supported me, my Prince~!"
Their friends had their eyes wide open. Not only he was Alexis's worthy trustful ally, but it was now Jasmine calling him her Prince.
"A shocking development.", Alexis admits.
"Jasmine on Cloud 9? Thought I'd be doing that again…", Mindy stated.
"Hmm… Tall red girl meets Tiny blue boy.", Jaden ponders placing his finger over his chin. "Ehehe… Doesn't look too bad to me."
"Either yesterday I didn't sleep too much, or I'm just hallucinating…", Zane scratched his eyes for an instant. "Seriously… what in Tormentor's name did I miss?"
"Oh, you have no idea…", Alexis told him. "Would you like to hear the short of it, or the long version from beginning to end?"
Zane shows a small coy grin. "I have the popcorn ready, so impress me."
From afar, the pouting Dee kept looking at how Jasmine was pushing her 'assets' onto the petrified apprentice.
"How come my sweet pumpkin becomes like this in front of cute girls in a single day? Am I not good enough for him?", she asked her best friend, who just sighed and hugged her so that she could have her face planted on her cleavage. "… This doesn't help, Yubie."
"Then please behave, Dee. Let the Maiden out of Distress have her sweet time with Syrus, you'll have enough time for him tonight, okay?"
After some mental struggle in Dee's mind, the magical girl gave up with a defeated sigh.
"… Fine.", she admits, while hugging the jolly demoness. Meanwhile… Syrus.
'EHHHHH? WHAT THE HECK DID I DO NOW?!', the Slifer Red boy asked to himself in denial. 'I'm going to suffocate here.'
His eyes got up, watching the way she was looking at him with her passionate daring eyes…
'Oh no…'
- End of the Chapter –
Location: Slifer Red Dorm; Time: 11 am (2 hours ago)
After Syrus wakes up from the Magical Girl's cutesy introduction, the two Slifer students are gathered on the ground, talking with Yubel and Dee about fair rules about the 'Neuro Link' benefits to the newcome Apprentice.
"So, Syrus. First and foremost, just like I told you before in your dream – You've obtained a new power, one that you cannot take back unless you have a reason to. Make sure to use it properly and responsibly.", Yubel started.
"And what is this kind of power we're talking about?", he asked.
"Let's see. There are a lot of tricks that you can do with it; together with Dee, who's your chosen Spirit… and your new Teacher for it."
Dee nodded, looking at Syrus. "My power comes from the AdvancedDark Arts, one that Master Ebon, or The Dark Magician as everyone calls him, promoted me from disciple to a Mentor of sorts. I can make you fly whenever you wish to, work with magic, the whole nine yards, if you get what I mean…"
"Not only that but thanks to this 'Neuro Link', Your body is more durable against most physical and supernatural damage that you might receive.", Jaden adds. "Trust me, you wouldn't believe it, if I told you that Yubel and Dee made me sky-dive into a thicket, it didn't hurt much. That happened the day we had the Entry Exam so that I wouldn't be late for registration…"
"Right…", Syrus gave a stunned but yet deadpan look at Jaden. "Hmm… so you can create 'portals' with this power alone, or need to be combined?"
"Nice question.", Yubel pointed out. "These portals you're mentioning are prior advantages for duelists that in the Human World, will take a LOT of the Duel Energy you have in your body."
"Duel Energy? What's that…? Is that related to the Duel Point currency that we have on this Island?"
"No, that's different.", Dee corrected before elaborating. "Duel Energy is not indicated by the way you Duel against your opponents. It is more focused on the way and how far your heart, mind, and soul are willing to push themselves, making it easier to create a space for strong relationships with close friends you can count on. Think of this Duel Energy as the bond you have with your bonded Spirit."
"Oh, really…", Syrus asked, the word 'bond' giving him goosebumps and his face becoming redder. "I… I guess I'll keep working more on it; dueling and learning more from School will help me give you aid when you guys need me in the future, right?"
Yubel and Dee looked at each other, seeing just how shy and skittish of a kid Syrus was. The boy in question instantly receives a big hug from Dee who looks to be unwilling to share, while Jaden gets up and takes another picture of the group…
"'Dear Dad. Meet my Big Sis' new friend, my new pal and roommate, Syrus Truesdale.' And send…", Jaden smiles while pocketing his phone.