Here is perhaps another one of my favorite chapters yet. I had a ton of fun writing the Duel in this one.
Hope you guys have just as much fun reading it!
Yugioh: The Hope of Six
Chapter 12: Kaiba Arc - Part 2
"So this is KaibaCorp. Reminds me so much of Leo Corporation back in Maiami City." Yusho said to himself as he stepped inside the huge technological conglomerate building. After stepping in, he spotted a young secretary at the reception desk and walked up to her. "Excuse me miss. My name is Yusho Sakaki and I have an appointment with Seto Kaiba. Can you please tell me where his office is?" He asked. The woman nodded.
"Yes, of course Mr. Sakaki. Mr. Kaiba is expecting you. Just step into the elevator right over there and press the button for the top floor. His office will be at the end of the hall."
"Thank you ma'am." Yusho said before he made his way to the elevator and steppe inside. As he rode up to the top floor, the entertainer pondered why he was here to begin with.
Earlier in the morning, Yusho got a phone from Kaiba himself and was told to meet with him right away on an "important business matter". When Yusho asked him what it was about, Kaiba said he would know when he arrived. So here he was, on his way to a business meeting without any hint of what was to be discussed. He figured it had to be important if Kaiba wanted to discuss it with him personally in his base of operations.
The ding signaled that Yusho had reached the desired floor and opened the doors. He proceeded down the hall until he came upon the door he was told by the secretary. It read "S. Kaiba. CEO". Despite not knowing what was going on, he was prepared to discuss whatever it was that Kaiba wanted to bring up. He then knocked on the door a few times and waited.
"Enter." As soon as a heard the word, Yusho opened the door and stepped inside. There, sitting in a desk at the other end of the office, sat Kaiba. His younger brother, Mokuba, stood beside him on his right. Kaiba seemed pleased to see the other man. "Good morning, Yusho. Thanks for stopping by." He said politely, though he still sounded intimidating.
"Good morning to you as well, Seto. You as well Mokuba." Yusho said to the younger Kaiba with a friendly smile.
"Thanks Mr. Sakaki. You too." Mokuba said in a more cheerful manner. His brother then gestured to the chair opposite him.
"Have a seat, if you don't mind. I like for us to get started." Kaiba insisted. Yusho sat down and waited to hear what the young business man had to say. He didn't have to wait long. "Now, I'm sure you're curious as to why I've called you here at such an early hour." Yusho nodded.
"I have wondered. You gave no hints on the phone." Kaiba smiled.
"I prefer to keep things close to the vest until I feel it is necessary to discuss them." He pressed some keys on the laptop in front of him and turned it so that the screen faced Yusho. "This is what I want to discuss right now." Yusho gasped in surprise as he stared at the stilled image before him. It showed Yuzu and Mai having their Duel a month ago. "Look familiar?" Kaiba asked. Yusho then looked up at him, clearly offended.
"You spied on us?" He demanded. Kaiba chuckled.
"More like looking for an opportunity… and I just found one." Yusho didn't appear amused in the slightest.
"An opportunity? What is this about?" Kaiba smirked as leaned on his elbows, his hands in front of him with the tips of his fingers touching one another.
"I'll get right to the point, Yusho. I sent an employee of mine to observe you and your family from a distance. The intent was to find something about you that could benefit my company in some way. Now, I have that something: Action Duels." Yusho was stunned even further.
"You're interested in Action Duels?" He asked. Kaiba nodded.
"Very interested. The far more advanced and realistic holograms, the ability to interact with one's Monsters in a Duel, the use of Action Cards, all of it. It is unlike anything this world has ever seen. If my company can integrate Action Duels into Duel Monsters, KaibaCorp will be unrivaled in all aspects. Aside from increased profits, the popularity of the game will skyrocket to unprecedented levels. Every single Duelist in the world will want to experience an Action Duel, and I want KaibaCorp to be the first to offer it to them." Yusho frowned.
"I see. How close are you to making that into a reality?" He asked.
"For the past month, my people have tried to recreate Action Duels based on the footage that was taken." Kaiba then frowned. "However, the task proved to be more challenging that expected. I loathe to admit it, but KaibaCorp doesn't have the resources needed to make it possible. We are just not quite advanced enough. That is where you come in." Yusho narrowed his eyes.
"What is it exactly that you want from me?" Kaiba smiled again.
"I want you to give me the software that makes Action Duels work. Help my research team be able to use it for our purposes. It would also help if you allowed them to examine a Duel Disk that utilizes that program. The more we have to work with, the better. In return, your family, along with Yuzu and her father, will be given a very generous donation from KaibaCorp."
"We are not interested in money. Shuzo and I get paid enough to support both our families." Yusho told him. Kaiba shrugged.
"I had a feeling you might say that." His face suddenly hardened. "Listen, Yusho. I got you and Shuzo your current jobs because I was doing a favor for Yugi. I went through even more trouble to get your son and his new girlfriend enrolled in a school that they are not quite old enough for. Coming up with scholarships and personal recommendations myself is not something I do on a daily basis. I expect you to repay me by agreeing to this deal. Tell me if I'm being unreasonable!" He shouted, now sounding agitated. Yusho now felt uneasy.
'He makes a valid point. I am grateful for all the help he provided to me and Shuzo. Plus, I actually do want the Duelists of this world to experience Action Duels. It would certainly brings smiles to everyone. There is still one thing though that troubles me…' He remembered what he learned from Yugi and the other protectors from their meeting before the war started. He intended to remind his business associate of it. "Seto, do you recall how Zarc became known as the "Demon Duelist"? Remember how it happened?" Kaiba nodded.
"Of course. I was there, you know." He told him, sounding somewhat calmer. Yusho then leaned forward too.
"Then you know how risky it could be. Action Duels existed before Ray created the Four Dimensions. They played a role in making Zarc into a being that tried to destroy everything. Are you not concerned a similar incident might happen here as well?" Yusho didn't want Kaiba to risk making the same mistake Leo made. Kaiba snorted as he leaned back into his chair, crossing his arms when he did.
"From what I gathered, Zarc made that choice all on his own. The technology that created Actions Duels was just how he fused with his dragons. Rest assured, I am taking precautions to insure something like that won't take place in this world." Yusho had his doubts.
"You really believe you can?" Mokuba decided to step in.
"I believe in my brother, Mr. Sakaki. If Seto thinks he can stop another Zarc from popping up here, then I think so too." Kaiba smiled from his little brother's support.
"What kinds of precautions? Will they be effective?" Yusho questioned.
"I'll be happy to explain if you agree to our deal." Kaiba told him. Yusho took a moment to think. There might be one thing that he could get from this. Would Kaiba agree to it? He hoped he would.
"Seto. What I said was true. I'm not interested in profit, and the same goes to my wife and Shuzo. However…" He paused, making sure he had Kaiba's full attention. "There is something I do want. If you give me that, then I will take the deal and fully cooperate with you." Kaiba smiled.
"Now we're getting somewhere. What are your terms?"
/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Ah! This equation problem is killing me!" Yuya complained. Yuzu sighed next to him.
"I know math isn't one of your favorite subjects, but don't let it frustrate you." Yuya gave her an annoyed look.
"Easy for you to say. You have an Ignis tutoring you." Yuya said. They both looked over at said Ignis, who stood on the right hand side of the desk.
Yuya was currently doing his homework at Yuzu's apartment, which wasn't all that different from the one Yuya and his parents stayed. It was in the late afternoon and it was sunny in the living room where they studied. Yuya was having great difficulty with high school class work, so Yuzu suggested that he did his homework at her place where Aqua could provide assistance. Yuzu had similar troubles at first, but Aqua's tutoring proved to be a big help. She had just finished her homework while Yuya still struggled with his.
This issue could have been avoided if they had gone to a middle school where their level of work was about equal to Maiami Second Middle School back home. The thing was that the two wanted to be at a school where people they knew went to, like Yugi and his friends. Hence, their transfer to Domino High School, curtesy of Seto Kaiba.
Yusho and Yoko would sometimes help Yuya with his homework, but today both his parents and Yuzu's dad happen to be out. Yoko and Shuzo left to buy some groceries while Yusho was called for some kind of business meeting with Kaiba. Yuya wondered what it could be about. He knew his dad would tell him when he came home. Until then, he was over at his girlfriend's place to get his beyond frustrating math assignment done.
"Don't give up, Yuya. You are almost done with your math homework. Just solve that last equation. Remember my advice." Aqua encouraged. Yuya huffed as he returned to his equation.
"I know how you feel. I wasn't much of a study bug myself, but I never let that stop me. You shouldn't either." Zarc said in Yuya's mind. Yuya sighed.
'Doesn't make this any easier.' He told him. Zarc chuckled.
"I know. Still, you can do it. Just listen to Yuzu and Aqua." Yuya smiled. He still found it hard to believe he was getting encouraging words from the same guy that tried to gobble up the girl he loved. Or rather, part of the same guy. Yuya had so far kept his promise not to tell anyone about Zarc's good self residing with him. Yuzu, the only other person who knew, also kept the secret.
"What are you smiling about?" Aqua asked. Yuya shook his head and returned to reality.
"Oh, uh nothing! It's nothing, Aqua! Hahaha!" He said rather embarrassingly before he refocused on his homework.
Aqua could tell Yuya wasn't being honest. Her ability to separate truth from lies proved that. 'I know he and Yuzu have been keeping a secret regarding Yuri since they arrived here in Yugi's world. Why does Yuya feel he needs to stay silent about it? And how did he convince Yuzu to not share it?' Whatever Yuya and Yuzu were keeping from everyone, she hoped it wouldn't lead into trouble.
Yuya looked down at his last equation. It was a problem that involved fractions. He thought really hard until he felt sure his head would explode. Then suddenly, the solution had hit him. He then wrote down the process and answer to his equation. "Done! Did I get it right?" Yuya asked as he handed his paper to the Water Ignis.
Aqua looked over Yuya's work for a few seconds before looking back at him… and nodded. "Yes, you did. Well done Yuya." She told him, sounding very pleased. Yuya sighed with relief.
"Yes. Finally." He said to himself, glad he was done at last.
"Good work." Zarc told him, sounding pleased. Yuzu turned to Yuya and smiled.
"See, Yuya. I knew you could do it." Yuya returned the smile and surprised her with a kiss. Yuzu blushed from this.
"Thanks." Yuya said. Yuzu smirked as she grabbed her boyfriend's face and pulled him in for another kiss. Aqua respectfully retreated inside Yuzu's Duel Disk, feeling the two deserved this after getting both their assignments done. The couple pulled each other closer as they made out. Unfortunately, it ended all too soon when they heard knocking on the front door.
"Yuya! Yuzu! I'm back!" Yuya groaned as he broke the kiss at the sound of his dad's voice.
"Couldn't we have had just another minute?" He complained. Yuzu looked just as much put off.
"I know. Parents must have a sixth sense to know when to interrupt things like this." They then marched over to the door and opened it, allowing Yusho to enter.
"Hi Dad." Yuya said.
"Welcome back." Yuzu added.
"Thanks. How's homework coming along?" Yusho asked.
"They both just finished their math assignments." Aqua said from the nearby desk. The older man nodded.
"Good. I'm pleased you two are keeping up with the high school work." Yusho then looked around. "Has your mother come back from her shopping Yuya?" Yuya shook his head.
"Not yet. I haven't heard from her since she left." His dad then turned to Yuzu.
"What about your father, Yuzu?" Yusho questioned.
"No. Not a word." The girl told him. Yuya's father sighed.
"I supposed they must be very busy with their errands." He mused.
"I guess. So how did your meeting with Kaiba go?" Yuya asked.
"Yeah. What did he want to talk about with you?" Yuzu added, just as curious. Yusho looked over at his son.
"Actually Yuya, I need you to come with me to KaibaCorp HQ as soon as possible. Now would be the best time to go." He told his son. Yuya was surprised by this, as was Yuzu.
"Go to KaibaCorp? Why?" Yuya questioned.
"You will know when we get there. You are welcome to come as well, Yuzu." Yusho said to the teenage girl.
"For what? What's going on?" She asked, not understanding anything. Yusho shook his head.
"All will be explained once we arrive. Now let's get a move on. Seto Kaiba is not exactly a patient man." Yusho turned to the other occupant in the apartment. "Will you be alright by yourself for a little while, Aqua?" To his own surprise, the Water Ignis shook her own head.
"Yusho, I believe I should go with you, Yuya, and Yuzu. I have a strong feeling my presence will be needed there." The teens immediately felt apprehensive. Aqua had not left Yuzu's apartment ever since she and her father moved in. She didn't want to risk her existence being exposed. However, for some odd reason, she wanted to come along this time.
"Aqua, are you sure?" Yuya asked her.
"Aren't you afraid you might be discovered?" Yuzu added, worry clearly shown on her and Yuya's faces.
"It will be alright, Yuzu. You can hide your Duel Disk in your backpack and I won't make a sound. Just please allow me to accompany you three." Aqua insisted. The teens turned toward each other and then at Yusho. He seemed to reluctantly agree.
"If you believe you must come with us, then I think we should take your word for it." After convincing the teens to bring Aqua along, he and the group left the apartment and headed out for KaibaCorp.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
Once they arrived, they were surprised to meet up with a friend. "Yugi? What are you doing here?" Yuya asked when he spotted him. Yugi looked over at Mokuba, who stood beside him.
"Mokuba dropped by my place earlier and said his brother invited me to witness some new development at his company. So, here I am."
"A new development?" Yuya wondered.
"Maybe it's the reason Kaiba wants us here." Yuzu assumed before asking her own question. "How's your grandpa doing?" Yugi smiled.
"He's doing fine. Thanks for asking. He is just a little agitated with the lack of games around the place." This made the couple chuckled.
"Well, we'll be sure to stop by later and play one of his favorite games with him to cheer him up." Yuya said.
"That would really improve his mood." Yugi said happily. Yuzu nodded before turning to the younger Kaiba.
"What's your brother up to Mokuba?" Mokuba put his hands behind his head and gave a big grin.
"Sorry guys. Can't tell you. You'll just have to hear it from Seto himself." Now more curious than ever, the three teens followed Yusho and Mokuba inside the building.
Once they reached Kaiba's office, they saw not one but two men inside. One of course was Kaiba, but the second was someone new to Yuya, Yuzu, and Yusho. He was tall and young, dressed in a red business suit, and had long silver hair that covered his left eye. Yugi and Mokuba, however, knew full well who the other man was. "Pegasus?!" Yugi exclaimed. Kaiba and the man named Pegasus turned to them, the latter smiled big time and laughed joyfully.
"Yugi-boy! It has been far too long! How's my favorite Duel Monsters champion?" Yugi smiled back.
"I'm doing great, thanks."
'Yugi knows this guy?' Yuya wondered. Mokuba then walked over to his brother, letting the others get acquainted. Pegasus then turned and held out a hand to Yusho.
"Yusho Sakaki, I presume?" Pegasus asked. Yusho nodded as he shook the other man's hand.
"I am. You must be the businessman Seto mentioned before." Pegasus glanced over at Kaiba, who gave him a very disdainful look, before looking back at Yusho.
"That would be me. Maximillion Pegasus, President of Industrial Illusions, at your service." He then turned to the two other teens. "And who might these youngsters be?"
"This is my son Yuya, and the young lady here is Yuzu Hiragi." Pegasus gave them a very dramatic bow.
"A pleasure to make both your acquaintances."
"It's nice to meet you too, sir." Yuya said politely.
"Me too, Mr. Pegasus." Yuzu added. Pegasus gave a friendly chuckle.
"Oh, just call me Pegasus. No need to be so formal… well, around me at least. And I must say, you two look like an adorable couple." The teens blushed and looked away.
"Is it… that obvious?" Yuzu asked softly. Pegasus gasped more loudly than necessary and slightly covered his mouth.
"Oh my. You two really are together? Please forgive me for embarrassing you! It was certainly not my intention to do so!" Pegasus begged in an exaggerated fashion. The couple shook their heads.
"No no, it's okay. We were just surprised, that's all." Yuya assured. Kaiba then cleared his throat.
"If you don't mind Pegasus, can you cut the theatrics now? I want to get to the real reason for everyone being here." He said with more than a little impatience in his voice. Pegasus sighed in resignation.
"Always the party pooper, aren't you Kaiba-boy? Very well." He then turned to Yugi and the others. "My younger business associate has asked me to come and help him test out a new type of Dueling system his company has been working on. I was more than happy to oblige, being a Duelist myself and all. What did you call it? Action Duels?" He asked Kaiba, who nodded. The teens were surprised.
"Action Duels?!" Yuya and Yuzu shouted.
"You've been working on Action Duels Kaiba? How do you even know about them?" Yugi asked.
"Ask Yusho." Kaiba replied. The teens then turned to Yusho, who looked over at Yuzu.
"Apparently, Seto had someone overseeing us while you and Mai had your Duel that day." He could tell the kids didn't like the idea of being spied on anymore than he did. Yusho went on. "He has had his company try to recreate them since then, but they've had no success. That's when he asked me to come here to discuss the matter."
"That's why you met with him earlier? To help him get Action Duels to work?" Yuzu asked. Yusho nodded.
"We had to work out some details, but eventually we came to an agreement. My Duel Disk has the Action Duel program Yuya gave you, so I allowed Seto's research team to study the Disk and upload the program into their computer systems. It took several hours. Right before I came back to get you two, we had gotten word that the program was ready for testing. As Pegasus just mentioned, he was called to be one of the Duelists to test out KaibaCorp's first Action Duel."
"Who is the other?" Yuya asked. Yusho then smiled at his son.
"You are, Yuya. I told Seto I would help him with Action Duels if he allowed you to be the other Duelist to test it. That's why I brought you here, and I brought Yuzu so she could watch along with the rest of us."
"And why Seto asked me to bring Yugi here." Mokuba mentioned. Yuya then turned to Pegasus, stunned.
"I'm dueling you?" Pegasus nodded.
"Oh yes, Yuya-boy. I look forward to seeing what kind of a Duelist you are." He said eagerly.
"Believe me Pegasus, my son is quite unique." Yusho spoke with pride. Yuya beamed up him.
"Do we have an agreement, then?" Kaiba asked. Yuya then turned to Yuzu and Yugi.
"You guys think I should do this?" He asked.
"It's up to you, Yuya." Yugi said. "Personally, I don't see why you shouldn't." Yuzu nodded.
"Same here. I mean, I'm not happy about Kaiba spying on us, but I do like the idea of Duelists here getting to have Action Duels." Yuzu told him. "I think you should go for it."
"That makes three of us." Zarc said to Yuya.
'Really Zarc?' Yuya questioned.
"Sure! Duelists like you make Action Duels fun, plus I had a blast myself. You know, before…" He stopped, knowing what he did. He then shook his head. "Anyway, you really got nothing to worry about. So go and help make others smile by helping give them Action Duels!"
Yuya was actually itching to have an Action Duel, or any kind of holographic Duel for that matter. Even though his two weeks of grounding had long since passed, he still had to be discreet. He actually had to have normal Duels in this world that didn't involve Duel Disks to avoid unwanted attention. They were still fun, but not as much as the Duels he was used too. With that in mind, Yuya finally made up his mind and nodded.
"Okay. I'll do it." Everyone smiled.
"Splendid! Let's get this show on the road!" Pegasus exclaimed. Kaiba nodded.
"For once I agree. Follow me everyone." He then led the group out of his office and down the hall.
"Where are we going?" Yuzu asked.
"KaibaCorp has an area down below where we test our hologram tech. That's where Yuya and Pegasus will have their Duel." Mokuba told her. They then stepped inside the elevator and began to descend to the lower levels of the building. On the way, Yuya brought up a question that had been on his mind since this whole thing started.
"Pegasus. How exactly do you know Yugi?" He asked. Pegasus looked over at Yugi and smiled.
"Oh, Yugi-boy and I go way back. I invited him to compete in a Duel Monsters tournament I put together. It feels like a lifetime ago. He dueled through the rest of the competition until he had reached all the way to yours truly." He sighed dramatically. "What a match that was. I'll never forget it. You had put me to shame, haven't you Yugi-boy?" Yugi nodded.
"Yeah, but it was definitely one of my toughest Duels." He said. Pegasus nodded back.
"And it was from your victory over me that you became world champion."
"A title that will be mine again someday." Kaiba muttered firmly. Pegasus chuckled.
"Still sore over that, Kaiba-boy?" Kaiba didn't answer.
"Sore over what?" Yuya questioned. Yugi decided to answer that.
"I defeated Kaiba in a Duel before I fought against Pegasus. It was for a… very personal reason." He said, remembering why exactly he dueled against Kaiba that day.
'So that's why Kaiba is so obsessed with defeating Yugi.' Yuya thought, remembering how he acted when he first met him and why he dueled against Ryo Marufuji in the first place. Kaiba snorted.
"I can see a guy like him holding a grudge." Zarc said, with Yuya in full agreement.
A moment later, the elevator dinged and the doors opened. They now stepped into a large high tech room. There was a team of researchers working at the far end of the room. "This is where Yuya and Pegasus will test our new system. Everyone else will be with me in the control room up there." Kaiba explained as he pointed to an elevated room just above. He then turned back to them. "Before we get started, I have something for each of you." Kaiba motioned for one of the researchers to meet with them.
The older man walked over and brought with him two small white square shaped Duel Disks. "Perfect timing, Mr. Kaiba. Our prototype "Action Disks" are ready for field testing." He said proudly.
"Good. Give them to those two." Kaiba instructed, referring to Yuya and Pegasus. The man did so.
"New Duel Disks?" Yuya asked as he examined the prototype.
"These Action Disks will be the first of their kind, if and when the test proves successful." Said the older man.
"Are the specified safeguards in place?" Kaiba asked the researcher, who nodded.
"Of course, sir. Per your request, a brainwave scanner has been installed in the Disks to monitor a Duelist's brain activities. This way, we will know the person's emotional state throughout the Duel. In the event a Duelist shows any kind of hostility and attempts to abuse the system, the Disk will automatically shut down. No one will be harmed." Kaiba seemed pleased.
"Well done." He then turned to the group again. "Follow me to the control room. I'm very eager to see this play out." The group nodded before turning to the pair about to do the testing
"Good luck." Yusho said.
"Hope those Disks work for ya." Mokuba added.
"Have fun." Yuzu said.
"Yeah, but be on your guard Yuya. Pegasus is very unpredictable." Yugi warned. Yuya nodded.
"Thanks everyone. I definitely plan to enjoy this."
"As will I." Pegasus said. With that, Kaiba and the others stepped into the elevator again and headed up. A minute later, Yuya and Pegasus could see everyone in the control room.
"Begin whenever you are ready." Mokuba instructed. Yuya and Pegasus nodded. Everything was set. Now they just needed to get started. The two Duelists faced each other.
"So Yuya-boy, ready to face the creator of Duel Monsters himself?" Yuya's mouth fell open.
"What?! You created Duel Monsters?!" Pegasus gave a light laugh.
"But of course! Industrial Illusions is the company that makes the Duel Monsters card game, and I'm responsible for every card that gets printed! So you see, I'm not just a run of the mill Duelist, and the Deck I made for myself will prove just how much I enjoy playing the game! So back to my previous question. Are you ready?" Yuya nodded. He was especially was looking forward to seeing Pegasus react to a type of card he was pretty sure his company never made.
"Absolutely!" With that, both of them strapped on and activated their Action Disks (which created a white holographic surface to play cards on). Right after that, a new computer voice was heard.
"Field Magic: Crossover K Activated." In that instant, blue holographic platforms appeared throughout the room.
"DUEL!"
(Yuya: 4000) (Pegasus: 4000)
"Wait, something's wrong. The Action Cards didn't appear like they're supposed to." Yuzu noticed. She was right. The golden lights that represented Action Cards did not erupt and scatter like before.
"Yeah, I saw that too. Could there still be a glitch in the program?" Yugi asked.
"There is no glitch." Kaiba confirmed. He didn't appear concerned about this.
"Trust us, guys. Nothing's wrong." Mokuba said. This clearly confused Yugi and Yuzu.
"Then what happened to the Action Cards?" Yuzu inquired further.
"You will see." Yusho said, confirming he knew about the anomaly as well. Even though Yugi and Yuzu had no idea what was going on, they decided to watch the Duel to learn the answer.
Down below, Yuya also noticed the lack of Action Cards. "What's up? Why didn't the Action Cards appear?" He looked around but saw no sign of the holographic cards. Pegasus couldn't help grin.
"Trust me Yuya-boy, it's all part of the surprise."
"Surprise?" Yuya asked. Pegasus waved a finger at him.
"Sorry, no spoilers. Why don't we just duel for now, shall we? As this game's creator, I shall go first. My turn! Draw!" 'This ought to get the ball rolling.' He thought to himself. "First, I play a Continuous Magic card called Toon Kingdom! By playing this, it's name becomes "Toon World" and I have to banish the top five cards from my Deck!" A giant book opened behind Pegasus to reveal a pop-up castle with two torches on either side.
"What does that do?" Yuya asked.
"You will see soon enough. Next I Summon Toon-Gemini Elf!" (EARTH; Level 4; ATK: 1900; DEF: 900) Before Pegasus stood two cartoon like female elves that leapt out of the pages of Toon Kingdom. One was blonde, the other has orange red hair. "Then I Set two cards facedown and end my turn. You're up, Yuya-boy."
"Time for our own surprise." Zarc said with a smile. Yuya agreed. He was going to enjoy this.
"I've got a real treat for you, Pegasus! It'll leave your jaw dropped!"
"Then please show me." Pegasus said, eager to see Yuya in action.
"With pleasure! My turn! Draw!" Yuya smiled with what he had in mind. "With the Scale 5 Entermate Cheermole and the Scale 8 Entermate Odd-Eyes Unicorn, I Set the Pendulum Scale! I can now Summon Monsters that are Levels 6 and 7!" A mole dressed in a cheerleader uniform and holding pom poms appeared in one column of light, while the opposite held a light green unicorn with one green eye and one red eye.
"Pendulum What?" A startled Pegasus said. The Kaiba brothers also had no idea what Yuya was doing. Yugi, Yuzu, and Yusho however, most certainly did know.
"Swing, pendulum of souls! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum Summon! Appear now! The fun loving ruler, Entermate King Bear!" (EARTH; Level 6; ATK: 2200; DEF: 1000) In front of Yuya was a big light brown humanoid bear with dark purple stars on it's huge arms and on one of it's cheeks. It also wore a king's robe around the neck and a crown on top of it's head.
"Pendulum Summon?!" Mokuba exclaimed.
"What kind of Summoning is that?!" Kaiba added, just as surprised as his brother. Yusho chuckled, making the brothers turn to him.
"You missed it when Yuya dueled against Leo, Seto. Pendulum Summoning is a unique form of Special Summon that Yuya himself created."
"Yuya's got his own Summoning method? He can Summon high level Monsters without Sacrificing?" Mokuba said in amazement.
"There's more to it than that." Yuzu said. She and Yusho explained how Pendulum Summoning worked. After hearing everything, the Kaiba brothers were definitely impressed.
"Is Yuya the only one that can use these Pendulum cards?" Mokuba asked.
"Actually, Reiji and Sawatari are also able to Pendulum Summon. Reiji must've had those cards made after learning about Yuya's." Yugi said.
'No doubt Pegasus must be in just as much shock as me and Mokuba. I wonder if those Pendulum Monsters can do anything else…' Kaiba wondered. They all returned to their attention to the Duel below, eager to see more.
Back in the Duel, Pegasus stood dumbstruck. "Yuya-boy… what did you just do?" Pegasus asked. Yuya smiled, pleased by his reaction.
"It's called a Pendulum Summon! It involves using a new type of Monster called Pendulum Monsters! By Setting one Pendulum Monster on each side of my Field, or a Pendulum Zone, I can create a Pendulum Scale, allowing me to Special Summon Monsters from my hand once per turn depending on the Scale itself. The Scale numbers of the Pendulum Monsters are shown in the red and blue diamonds. The Monster Levels have to be inside the established Scale if you want it to work. Say if one side of your Scale had a 1 and the other a 9, you can Pendulum Summon Monsters with Levels 2 through 8 because they are within that Scale. Right now I can Pendulum Summon Level 6 and 7 Monsters because my Pendulum Scale is 5 and 8." The Duel Monsters creator was in total awe.
"Unbelievable! Where did you get cards like those? I know my company never made them." Yuya's grin broadened.
"I made them myself!" Pegasus' eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets.
"You created those Pendulum cards?!" He nearly shouted from astonishment. He found it incredible that this young boy made cards that no one else in the world possessed, not even himself. Yuya nodded.
"It's kinda hard to explain, but yeah I did! Here Pegasus, let me show you something else about Pendulum Monsters that's awesome! When Pendulum Monsters are in the Pendulum Zones, they are treated as Magic cards with a different set of Effects! For instance, the Pendulum Effect of my Cheermole increases the Attack Points of every Pendulum Monster I control by 400! King Bear is a Pendulum Monster, so it gets even stronger!" Yuya revealed as his Monster's power grew.
(Entermate King Bear's ATK: 2200 + 400 = 2600)
"Oh man, I thought that bear was tough before." Mokuba commented.
"Now from my hand, I Normal Summon Entermate Odd-Eyes Minotaur!" (DARK; Level 4; ATK: 1200; DEF: 1600) Next to King Bear was a muscular dark red minotaur with one purple eye and one gold eye, blue patches of hair, two big black horns, and was holding an axe. "He also has his own Effect which will help my other Monster!" Pegasus sighed.
"I would love to see that, but as your opponent I'm afraid I cannot allow you to get the upper hand. I activate my Trap, Toon Briefcase! When I control "Toon World" and my opponent Normal Summons a Monster, that Monster returns to their Deck! Since Toon Kingdom is being treated as "Toon World", I can send your minotaur back from whence it came!"
"What?!" Yuya watched as a cartoonish red briefcase with eyes and sharp teeth appeared and "ate" Odd-Eyes Minotaur. It gave off a loud belch before vanishing.
"That didn't look pleasant." Yugi said.
"Imagine how that minotaur must've felt." Atem said, feeling sorry for the poor beast and Yuya.
"I still have my other Monster, which is more than strong enough already! Battle! Entermate King Bear, attack Toon-Gemini Elf! Royal Claw!" The big bear jumped up high and prepared to swipe it's enemy with it's sharp looking claws. "King Bear can't be destroyed by the Effects of Magic and Traps while it is in face-up Attack Mode! Also, during my Battle Phase, it gains 100 Attack Points for each "Entermate" card I control! That includes itself, Cheermole, and Odd-Eyes Unicorn, so my Monster gets 300 more Attack Points during this time!"
(Entermate King Bear's ATK: 2600 + 300 = 2900)
The cartoon elf pair looked very frightened as they hugged each other and sweated heavily. Pegasus, however, looked as cool as a cucumber.
"Fear not my comical maidens, for I activate the Effect of Toon Kingdom! When a "Toon" Monster I control is about to be destroyed by battle, I can prevent it's destruction by banishing the top card from my Deck!" Just as King Bear's strike was about to connect, the cartoon elves locked each other's hands and stretched toward opposite ends, thereby avoiding the attack.
"You managed to protect your Monster, but not your Life Points!" Yuya said as his opponent took the damage.
(2900 - 1900 = 1000)
(Pegasus: 4000 - 1000 = 3000)
At that time, a gold light from one of the above platforms caught the attention of both the Duelists and everyone in the control room. "What's that?" Yuzu asked. The light dimmed to reveal itself, something that Yuya and the others recognized. Kaiba smiled, along with Mokuba.
"An Action Card!" Yuya shouted, relieved that one finally appeared. He wondered why only one revealed itself and why now, but he would ponder on that later. "King Bear, toss me up!" He instructed as the Monster scooped him up and threw him straight at the desired platform. He was flying through the air, hand outstretched to get the card. He never got it. Just seconds before he could reach it, a pair of stretchy arms snatched the card away. "Hey!"
Upon landing on the platform, Yuya looked to see the blonde Toon-Gemini Elf retracting her arms and gave her master the card. Pegasus had a gleeful expression as he examined his prize. "So this is an Action Card, eh? This will come in handy." He said to himself before turning to Yuya. "Sorry Yuya-boy, but the early bird always catches the worm!" He gloated while waving the card. Yuya grunted as he made his way back down.
"He almost had it!" Yugi said.
"So close!" Yuzu fumed, frustrated her boyfriend couldn't get it first. She then turned back to Kaiba. "What's going on here Kaiba?! Why did only one Action Card show up now instead of the start of the Duel?! Why haven't others appeared?!" Kaiba smirked and chuckled.
"Like I said, there is no glitch in the system. So far it's all working perfectly." Yuzu and Yugi looked baffled. Down below, Yuya thought the same as he faced his opponent again.
"What's the deal, Pegasus?! In all the Action Duels I've seen and been in, dozens of Action Cards always scattered everywhere when one starts! Not only did that not happen this time, but only one appeared and much later in the Duel! Why is this happening?!" He demanded. Pegasus remained calm as he explained.
"It was all Kaiba-boy's idea. The only thing I've done is agreed to play along." Yuya then looked up at the control room and locked eyes with Kaiba.
"What did you do Kaiba?!" Kaiba decided to finally reveal his little secret to those who were unaware. He turned on a speaker so that Yuya and Pegasus could hear him.
"What I've done is cut down the use of a gimmick." He replied.
"A gimmick?!" Yuya and Yuzu said, offended by the term the older man used. Kaiba went on.
"When I watched the Action Duel between Yuzu and Mai, I saw how much of a distraction Action Cards could be if they were everywhere at once and could be grabbed at anytime by anyone. This would make the participating Duelists rely less on their own cards and more on the convenience of Action Cards, even if said Duelists could each only hold one at a time. Therefore, I've decided that in order to make the game more fair and competitive, KaibaCorp's Action Duels would only allow one Action Card to appear at a random time during the match. Once a Duelist claims and uses their Action Card, the next one will pop up sometime later, and the process would continue until the Duel ends. You don't like it, tough luck. This is my call and no one else's. Deal with it and move on."
"Only one… at a time?" Yuya could hardly believe that his favorite type of Duel had been treated like this. It took out a lot of the fun and enjoyment that came from Action Duels. He then remembered his father had helped Kaiba set all this up. "Dad, you allowed this?!"
"Did you?!" Yuzu turned to Yusho in an accusing tone. Yusho frowned as he explained himself to her.
"I wasn't happy about it Yuzu, but he made a good argument. I owed Seto for the jobs he got me and your father, so I agreed to help him create his own version of Action Duels to make us even." He then spoke to his son. "Yuya, I know how you must be feeling, but listen. Even though this isn't the Action Duel you're used too, don't let it discourage you from bringing smiles to others. It is not the Action Duels themselves that are important; it's the people who play them that truly matter."
"I agree with your father, Yuya." Yugi chimed in. "Don't get frustrated because the game isn't going the way you want it too. What you should really focus on is making the most of the game you're playing and finding joy in it. My grandpa taught me that."
Yuzu struggled internally. She still didn't like the idea of Action Duels being handled like this. It was then she got a text from the cell phone her dad bought her. To her surprise, it was from Aqua. She gave a quick glance at her backpack, where the Ignis hid, before opening up the message. Apparently she heard everything that was going on. What Aqua told her was: "Yugi and Yusho are right. What is important is how people play the games they are given. Please don't think otherwise, or you won't find happiness in playing those games with others, Yuzu."
Yuzu smiled from text. 'She really is like the sister I never had.' The girl spoke to her boyfriend next. "Yuya, it's okay. Just duel like you always have, whether it's an Action Duel we know or a different version. Just have fun, like I said earlier."
Yuya thought about it for a moment, and he realized they were all right. People mattered much more than the games they played. "That sounds like some pretty good advice Yuya. I'd take it if I were you." Zarc's good self told him. He smiled at him.
'You know what… I think I will.' He then turned back to Pegasus. "Sorry about the outburst. I'm ready to get back in the action!" He declared. Pegasus seemed pleased, as was everyone else.
"I'm very glad to hear that, my boy. I believe it is still your turn." He reminded him.
"It is. With the Battle Phase now over, King Bear's Attack Power goes back down." His Monster's power then returned to 2600. "I Set one card facedown and end my turn."
"Splendid. My turn! Draw! I activate the Action Card I obtained, Energy Biscuits, to increase my Life Points by 500!"
(Pegasus: 3000 + 500 = 3500)
'This means the next Action Card will appear soon. I just have to be ready to get it before Pegasus.' Yuya thought determinedly.
"Next I play my own Magic card, Toon Draw! For each "Toon" Monster I banished, I am allowed to draw one card from my Deck! With Toon-Mermaid, Toon Alligator, and Toon-Cannon Soldier among them, I get to draw three more cards!" With more cards in his hand, Pegasus was set for his next move. "Time for some action of my own. Battle! Toon-Gemini Elf… attack Yuya-boy directly!" This shocked all the newcomers.
"A Direct Attack?!" Yusho shouted in disbelief.
"He can't do that!" Yuzu said.
"How?! I have a Monster on my Field! Your Monster can't touch my Life Points while King Bear is in play!" Yuya pointed out.
"Not when it comes to Toons. You see, if I control "Toon World" and "Toon" Monsters when my opponent doesn't have any "Toons" himself, my "Toons" can attack my opponent directly!" Yuya and Yuzu gasped as Pegasus' Monster ran and jumped over King Bear to land a blow on Yuya himself.
"I'm still not allowing it! Trap card open, Entermate Call! When my opponent's monster makes a direct attack, I can negate the attack! Then, I add two "Entermate" Monsters from my Deck to my hand whose combined Defense Points are equal to the Attack Points of the monster whose attack was negated!" Pegasus grinned.
"Good move Yuya-boy, but not good enough! I activate my Counter Trap, Toon Terror! When my opponent activates a Magic, Trap, or Monster Effect while I control "Toon World" and a "Toon" Monster, I can negate the activation and destroy that card! So sorry, but none of your circus friends won't be answering your call today!" He taunted as Toon-Gemini Elf doubled kicked Yuya in the chest, knocking him down.
(Yuya: 4000 - 1900 = 2100)
"Yuya!" Yuzu yelled. Yuya slowly got back on his feet.
'Those Toon Monsters are nothing to laugh at. They can hit me even when I have Monsters in play. Plus, Pegasus can protect them with his Toon Kingdom. Yugi was right about him being unpredictable.' He thought.
"My Monster isn't quite finished with you just yet. Since Toon-Gemini Elf has inflicted battle damage to your Life Points, her Monster Effect forces you to discard a random card from your hand. However, because you only have one card left, the choice has been made for you!" Yuya grunted as he sent the last card he held to the Graveyard.
"Yuya's in trouble down there. He's got no more cards in his hand and the ones he has on the Field can't protect him from those Toons." Mokuba noted.
"I have a feeling it's only going to get even worse for him." Kaiba said, knowing what Pegasus was capable of.
"For my next move, I activate Cost Down! By discarding a card, I can lower the Levels of all Monsters in my hand by 2 until the End Phase! With that done, I can bring out a more powerful Toon to the playing field! I Sacrifice Toon-Gemini Elf to Advance Summon Toon Dark Magician!" (DARK; Level 7; ATK: 2500; DEF: 2100) The elf pair waved goodbye with goofy smiles and blew kisses before they vanished. In their place, popping out from Toon Kingdom came a small, blue skinned cartoon lookalike of Yugi's Ace Monster.
"What the?! Pegasus made a Toon version of Dark Magician?!" Yugi said, definitely surprised.
"Looks like it." Yuzu said. Yuya was just as stunned.
"Toon Dark Magician?!" He exclaimed. Pegasus took joy from his reaction.
"Why yes! Yugi-boy's favorite Monster, remade from my wild imagination! Doesn't he look adorable or what?" He said adoringly, making the new Monster smile and swell with pride as it held it's scepter.
Kaiba couldn't help but chuckle. "Tell me Yugi. Does it sting you to see your precious Magician in such a pathetic manner?" Surprisingly, Yugi shook his head.
"No, not really. It doesn't bother me."
Yuzu didn't think so either. "I actually think it's really cute." Pegasus moved on.
"Thanks to Cost Down, he became a Level 5 Monster while in my hand, so I only needed one Sacrifice to bring him out. Next, by discarding a "Toon" card from my hand, I can activate one of Toon Dark Magician's Effects once per turn. I discard "Toon Bookmark" to Special Summon a "Toon" Monster from my Deck, ignoring it's Summoning conditions!" Toon Dark Magician then held the scepter up high as it gave off a bright glow.
"What could he be Summoning now?" Yuya asked himself.
"If you think my Magician was my strongest Monster, you're about to be proven wrong, Yuya-boy! For I have a Toon that is both ferocious and just such a joy to watch!" Pegasus then glanced up at Kaiba. "It also happens to be a Monster that Kaiba-boy knows quite well."
Kaiba stiffened and widened his eyes from those words. 'No. He wouldn't dare! Not within my company!' He thought angrily. Pegasus seemed to take great pleasure from what he was about to do next.
"Feast your eyes on the mighty yet funny… Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon!" (LIGHT; Level 8; ATK: 3000; DEF: 2500) Flying out of Toon Kingdom came a short big eyed cartoon version of Kaiba's Ace. It landed next to Toon Dark Magician and grinned maniacally.
"He has a Toon version of Kaiba's Monster too?" Yuya said in surprise.
Yuzu actually giggled at the sight of it. "Oh, that one is cute too. I can't tell which one I like more."
"Uh… Yuzu. I don't think you should talk about it like that." Mokuba said in a warning tone.
"Why not Mokuba?" She asked. He motioned her to look at his brother, who looked like he was about to explode. He also gave her a death glare, frightening her.
"Don't ever call that disgrace of a Monster "cute" around me. Ever. Do I make myself clear Yuzu?" Kaiba's warning was evident that he would not tolerate such things. Yuzu nodded vigorously and sweated a lot.
"V-Very clear!" She told him. Yugi and Yusho were wise enough to not comment on anything about it either. 'Why the heck is he so angry? Does he not like how his dragon became a cartoon?' Yuzu asked herself in her mind. Kaiba then turned to the man that pissed him off big time.
'Damn you to Hell Pegasus! You couldn't resist showing that thing off with me watching, could you?!' Pegasus knew Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon would seriously get on Kaiba's nerves. He just had to pull on that thread, didn't he? Kaiba activated the speaker again to speak to only Yuya this time. "Listen to me very carefully Yuya! Destroy that abomination by any means necessary! I don't care how you do it! Just wipe it off the Field! Do that, and I will personally add an Action Card of your own design into the system!"
Yuya, along with everyone else, was stunned by Kaiba's sudden proposition. 'He'll let me create my own Action Card for his version of Action Duels? I guess Kaiba hates that Toon Blue-Eyes a lot.' Judging by the way Kaiba spoke, the smart thing to do would be to agree to his terms. And that's what Yuya did. "Uh, okay." Pegasus gave a hearty laugh.
"My, my! Kaiba-boy really must be in a bad mood if he made such an offer! Anyways, I think I've done all I can for now, so I'll end my turn."
"Why didn't you Summon and attack with those Monsters before your Battle Phase?" Yuya asked.
"As much as I would like them to, "Toon" Monsters cannot attack on the turn they are Summoned. Bringing them out before then would've been pointless." Both his Toons gave comically depressed expressions, showing they that wished they could have attacked. "Now then, let us see how you will deal with this." Pegasus challenged.
Yuya took a deep breath, knowing he would only have one card to make a difference. But sometimes, it took only one card to turn the tide. Maybe this would be one of this times. "Here goes! My turn! Draw!" Yuya was elated with what he drew. "With the Set Pendulum Scale, I Pendulum Summon once more! Appear now! Wondrous and beautiful dichromatic eyes! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" (DARK; Level 7; ATK: 2500; DEF: 2000) Yuya's Ace appeared at last.
"He Summoned his dragon!" Yuzu said excitedly. Yugi and Yusho both smiled.
'Now things should turn to his favor.' The latter thought to himself.
"I take it that is your favorite Monster?" Pegasus asked. Yuya nodded.
"It sure is! By the way, I hope you haven't forgotten about Cheermole's Effect! Being a Pendulum Monster, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon also gains more Attack Points!" His dragon roared as it gained Cheermole's power up.
(Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's ATK: 2500 + 400 = 2900)
"Odd-Eyes just got even stronger." Mokuba said. His brother grunted.
"Not strong enough." Kaiba muttered, seeing that Odd-Eyes still couldn't surpass that eyesore of a dragon.
"Nice one, but my Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon still has the upper hand." Pegasus said as Blue-Eyes Toon puffed out it's chest and grinned with pride. Yuya smiled.
"Not for much longer." He told him, making Pegasus curious. Just then, the next Action Card had revealed itself on the Field. This time it was on a platform much closer to Yuya. 'The next Action Card! I have to get it before Pegasus does!' "Let's go Odd-Eyes!" Yuya then leapt onto his dragon and then have it run toward the platform holding the Action Card. He swore he would not let Pegasus beat him this time.
"Will he reach it in time?" Yugi asked. Yuzu hoped so.
"Come on Yuya." She said softly.
As he neared the platform, Yuya saw Pegasus' dragon making a bee line for it. "No you don't! Stop him Odd-Eyes!" At once, Odd-Eyes jumped high toward and lashed it's tail at Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon, swatting it away. This allowed Yuya to jump off his dragon, landed on the platform, and claimed the Action Card. "Yes!"
"He got it!" Yuzu cheered. At the same time, when it hit the ground, Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon bounced back up and turned red with anger at being hit like that. Steam then spouted from both sides of it's head and snout while jumping up and down, holding up it's fists like it wanted to fight. Pegasus pouted from the whole thing.
"Well, that wasn't very nice." He muttered. Yuya smiled sheepishly as he made his way back down.
"Sorry, but I couldn't lose another Action Card to you." He then pointed to the opposing Monsters. "Pegasus, I may not be able to destroy your "Toon" Monsters in battle, but that won't matter! I'll show you why! Battle! Entermate King Bear, attack Toon Dark Magician!" Yuya's first Monster made another huge leap, placing it right above it's target. "King Bear's Effect activates again, making it stronger during my Battle Phase!" Yuya reminded his opponent as King Bear's Attack Points rose to 2900 once more.
Toon Dark Magician paled and stood petrified with fear as the giant bear was coming down toward it. "I also activate Toon Kingdom's Effect again, banishing the top card of my Deck to save my beloved Toon!" Pegasus declared. A second later, Toon Dark Magician was flattened like a pancake by King Bear's massive paw. As it backed away, the cartoon like Monster popped back up with dizzying swirls for eyes, along with small stars and chirping birds circling it's head.
(2900 - 2500 = 400)
(Pegasus: 3500 - 400 = 3100)
"Now for our dragons to duke it out! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon! Spiral Strike Burst!" As Odd-Eyes prepared to launch it's attack, Pegasus seemed perplexed.
'Yuya-boy is attacking my Monster when his own is weaker?' His own dragon also looked confused, a question mark appearing on top of it's head. Yuya grinned.
"Remember my Odd-Eyes Unicorn? Well it's own Pendulum Effect now activates! Once per turn, when a "Odd-Eyes" Monster I control attacks, I can have that Monster gain the Attack Points of a face-up Attack Mode "Entermate" Monster I control until the end of the Battle Phase! Thanks to King Bear, my dragon is now more than a match for yours!"
"What?!" Pegasus shouted. At the revelation, Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon freaked out big time as it screamed, eyes bugging out, and began biting it's nails in sheer terror.
(Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's ATK: 2900 + 2900 = 5800)
"There's more! When Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon battles a Level 5 or higher Monster, the battle damage is doubled! Even if you can save your Monster, the same can't be said for your Life Points! It's over now! Reaction Force!" Blue-Eyes Toon bit it's nails more rapidly as the reddened energy blast fired from Odd-Eyes' mouth closed in on it.
"Yuya has him now!" Mokuba said gleefully. Kaiba stayed silent, though he gave a small smile.
"Oh no! This is terrible! It's all over for me!" Pegasus despaired… or so it seemed. At the very last second, his expression completely changed. He now had a wide smile. "Just joking! When a "Toon" Monster is being attacked, I can banish Toon Halt from my Graveyard to end the Battle Phase!"
"You what?!" Yuya yelled in disbelief. Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon stopped the nail biting and reached behind it's back to pull out a big red "STOP" sign with flashing red lights. The Toon Dragon regained it's maniac toothy grin as it planted the sign in front of itself, stopping the attack from reaching it. After that, the Toon laughed at Yuya before it blew a loud raspberry.
"Dammit." Kaiba cursed under his breath. Yuya groaned.
"Pegasus sure loves to mess with people, doesn't he?" Zarc stated, starting to feel annoyed by the man's childish antics.
'I'll say. Still, it's not over.' Yuya told him. "I really thought I had you there, but it looks like the fun isn't over after all! Guess I have to try a bit harder next time! With the Battle Phase over, both my Monsters' Attack Points go back down and then I end my turn!" He said, ending his turn while his bear and dragon's power returned to 2600 and 2900 respectively.
"At last, time for some pay back. My turn! Draw!" He smiled. "I discard the Toon Harpy Lady I just drew so I can activate Toon Dark Magician's other Effect!" Toon Dark Magician at first seemed to have trouble getting the scepter to work again; it look very frustrated that it wouldn't respond. The Toon bashed the thing on the ground a few times before it finally lit up, making it cheer in victory. "This time I can add a "Toon" Magic or Trap card from my Deck to my hand! My pick is a Quick-Play Magic card called Toon Down!" His smiled widened. "You squashed one of my lovable Toons and scared the other nearly half to death with your attacks. I'm not about to let that go unpunished. Battle! I pay 500 Life Points to have Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon attack! And since you still have no "Toons" of your own, I'll have it attack you directly! White Lightning!"
(Pegasus: 3100 - 500 = 2600)
Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon fired a blast virtually identical to it's non-Toon counterpart. "One hit from that, and Yuya's a goner!" Mokuba said in worry.
"Yuya..." Yusho said quietly. The blast bypassed both Odd-Eyes and King Bear, heading straight for their master. This time, it was Yuya's turn to smile.
"You stopped my attack, and now I'll stop yours! Action Magic, Illusion Dance! All Monsters on the Field in Attack Mode are switched to Defense Mode, but switch back at the end of the turn!" The attack dissipated as soon as the Monsters are were forced into Defense Mode. Pegasus seemed amused, but both Toons did not appear happy. Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon threw a major temper tantrum, bashing the floor with it's fists continuously and cried pitifully because it couldn't defeat Yuya, while Toon Dark Magician merely gave the boy a dirty look.
"Nicely done, Yuya-boy. You are quite a tenacious, yet very entertaining Duelist." Yuya smiled from his opponent's praise.
"Thanks Pegasus. You're a great Duelist yourself." The Duel Monsters creator beamed from his words.
"I'm flattered. Now let's move on. I play Card of Sanctity, allowing both of us to draw from our Decks until we each hold six cards in our hands!" They drew until their hands were full. "Then I play a Magic card, Green Medicine, to give myself 800 Life Points!"
(Pegasus: 2600 + 800 = 3400)
"He needs to pay Life Points in order to attack with his "Toon" Monsters. It's a smart move to have cards like that." Yusho noted. Yugi and Yuzu nodded.
"After that, I Set two cards facedown and end my turn. With my turn over, the Effect of Illusion Dance wears off." Pegasus declared as all the Monsters on the Field were switched back into Attack Mode.
"Yuya had managed to got out of that one okay, but he is still vulnerable to a direct attack by Pegasus' Toons." Atem said.
'He'll find a way. I can feel it.' Yugi told the Pharaoh.
Kaiba grew impatient. 'You better obliterate that dragon and finish off it's demented master on your next turn, Yuya.' Luckily for him, Yuya planned to do just that.
'Okay, I really need to end this here and now or Kaiba will be in a fouler mood than he already is.' He thought as he prepared for his next, and hopefully, winning move. "My turn! DRAW!" Yuya gasped at the card he got. 'I haven't played this in a while, and I sure could use it's help now. But I want to try something else first…' "I play Magical Thunder! By discarding a Magic card from my hand, I can target and destroy one card on the Field! I discard Match Pump to destroy your Toon Kingdom!" A lightning bolt shot out from above and was aiming at Pegasus' Magic card.
"If Yuya destroys that, all the Toons on the Field will be destroyed along with it!" Yugi said excitedly.
"That will leave Pegasus open to direct attacks!" Yuzu added. Pegasus wouldn't have it, though.
"You think I didn't anticipate this at some point? If "Toon World" would be destroyed by a card effect, I can banish Toon Bookmark from my Graveyard to keep it in play! Toon Kingdom is named "Toon World", so it is going nowhere!" A worm like bookmark appeared and took the lightning strike meant for Toon Kingdom. Yuya didn't appear discouraged.
"I thought I'd try anyway. I still have another plan in mind, and I know it will work." Yuya then played his drawn card. "It's time I got rid of one of those Toons! I have a really strong Monster in my hand, and all I need to Summon it is a Level 5 or higher Monster! I Sacrifice my Level 6 Entermate King Bear to Advance Summon Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon!" (DARK; Level 8; ATK: 3000; DEF: 2500) A stronger, non-Pendulum version of Odd-Eyes took the place of Yuya's big bear.
"How's that going to help him? It is just as strong as Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon, and it isn't a Pendulum Monster so it won't get stronger from those Monsters in the Pendulum Zones." Mokuba said.
"I think I know." Yuzu said, smiling warmly now. 'That's the Monster Yuya told me about. The one he used to get the upper hand against Yuri... when he realized he loved me.' It helped Yuya before, and it would help him again.
"At this time, Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon's Effect activates! When it is Advanced Summoned, I can destroy one opposing Monster on the Field and inflict damage to you equal to that Monster's original Attack Points! I'll destroy your Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon!"
"What?! No!" Pegasus yelled in dismay. His Toons weren't protected from being destroyed by card effects. Immediately, Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon began to rapidly inflate itself like a balloon. Before long it looked too round to move any of it's limbs. With a final pitiful scream, the cartoon dragon gave a very loud "POP" as it exploded, resulting in heavy damage to it's controller.
(Pegasus: 3400 - 3000 = 400)
Kaiba couldn't help but laugh at this. "Now that was funny! Good riddance to that nuisance!" Pegasus, however, didn't think it was funny at all.
"My Toon Dragon! Blown to bits! Oh the tragedy! The horror!" He may have been over-exaggerating, but Yuya could tell Pegasus really hated to lose one of his adorable Monsters.
"I'm sorry for upsetting you, but I'm still not done! This should finish it though! Battle! Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon, attack Toon Dark Magician! Red Spiral Attack!" Yuya's second Monster launched a beam similar to his Pendulum Monster, only a brighter red.
"With only 400 Life Points left, Pegasus won't survive this attack whether he protects his remaining Monster or not." Yusho said. They all watched as Toon Dark Magician held on to the scepter, scared of being destroyed too. Pegasus wasn't going to lose another Toon.
"I will not allow it! I activate the card I gained from Toon Dark Magician's Effect, Toon Down! Once per turn, I can reduce the Level of a Level 7 or higher "Toon" Monster I control to 4 until the End Phase!" A confused Yuya watched as Toon Dark Magician's Level went down.
"Why would he do that?" He asked himself, knowing it would do nothing to stop the attack. The next card Pegasus played explained that.
"Now I activate my final Trap, Toon Defense! When an opponent's Monster attacks a face-up Level 4 or lower "Toon" Monster I control, I can make the attack a direct attack instead!" This move shocked everyone.
"Pegasus is taking the hit instead of his Monster?!" Yuzu said in great surprise.
"No way!" An amazed Yuya saw his Monster's blast being redirected at his opponent, which spared the life of his remaining Toon. Pegasus himself just stood there and smiled as he took the attack head on and accepted his defeat, knowing he accomplished his real goal: Protecting his beloved creation.
(Pegasus: 0)
To be continued.