Hey everyone. Hope you've been having a great summer, what with all the turmoil and stress everyone has been experiencing.
I finally, FINALLY finished closing the deal on the old apartment, meaning that the worst nightmare I could imagine (having to live with my parents until they realtor cuts through the red tape) has been avoided. Also managed to put up the screen windows, get all the electricity fixed, and manage all the change of address stuff, so now I can get my mail, though unfortunately, I'm still getting stuff intended for the previous owner. I heard from someone that the "previous owner" was the son of the woman who actually lived here, and she passed away. Whatever the case, I hope I don't have to move again in the near future.
As you can see, I'm writing again, and I do hope anyone with subscription alerts gets this one, Fanfic has been having those problems again.
Also, for those who have been reading Shadowchasers, watch for the special Shackled City Synopsis, also coming soon.
For now, enjoy.
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Chapter Thirteen
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He Went on to Other Things
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It's like a certain famous duelist once said, in this game, one draw can change everything. Take the duel I was in at the moment.
I currently had King Dragun (2,400 ATK) and Kachi-Kochi Dragon (2,200 ATK) in play, plus one set card. I had managed to start off very strong, bringing out them and Tyrant Dragon in one turn. By the end of that turn, however, Cindy had made a comeback worthy of the King of Games, having tricked me into a carefully prepared counterstrategy that had destroyed Tyrant Dragon and put me at a disadvantage.
It was her turn now, and she already had Princess Cologne in play (2,200 DEF), a living doll who reminded me of the one on The Twilight Zone (what was her name again?) She also had Soul Tiger (2,100 DEF) and Jerry Beans Man (0 DEF) in Defense Mode. Also, the toy box that Cologne had popped out of when she was Xyz Summoned was now next to her; I had assumed this was just part of the Solid Vision's flavor animation, but it seemed the very act of summoning Cologne had brought one of the two Boxes of Friends from Cindy's Graveyard, and that was trouble. (0 ATK)
Of course, this duel was being broadcast on social media. With Brett and Yolanda's grating commentary, and my opponent dressed like Shirley Temple, this would be beyond humiliating if it wasn't Cindy.
(Terone: 7,300) - - - - - - - - - - (Cindy: 6,900)
"Isn't this fun?" she giggled, still in-character as her childish ingénue stage alter ego. "Don't serve the Chex mix yet, I still have another guest coming. Spell Card activate, Iron Call!"
Oh brother, I thought. This was a card I really didn't like, and that was an opinion widely shared by duelists, even those who used it. Not because of the effect, but because of the blaring horn that sounded when it was used, like an air raid siren. Cologne didn't like it either, cringing and covering her ears, something I couldn't do because I was holding my cards. The card's effect let Cindy summon a Machine Type monster from her Graveyard, and of course, the only Machine there was the other Box of Friends. (0 ATK)
"Next, I'm going to make a second Xyz Summon! I'll Overlay both my Boxes of Friends to summon another friend. Here she comes…"
The Overlay Network opened again, and the two Boxes were drawn through the portal. I really had no idea just what sort of Rank 1 Xyz she might be using.
And then, the Network opened to reveal… a couch. Really. Of course, there was someone on the couch, a bored, tired looking young woman. She had long, blue hair, a red halter top, purple cutoff jeans, no shoes, and a pair of goggles on her forehead with a white feather in it. She looked at me for a second or two, then yawned, and turned back to the magazine she was reading. (2,100 DEF)
"Don't be quick to rush Slacker Magician," giggled Cindy, "she can be real fun at slumber parties."
"Eh, not sure I get the point here, Yolanda," said Brett, "that 2,100 Defense Points may be useful in a pillow fight or a game of Truth or Dare, but it won't cut it here."
"Actually, Brett, Cindy may have put up a very solid defense. See, Princess Cologne cannot be attacked at all when she has another monster. Slacker Magician, on the other hand, cannot be destroyed by battle once per turn, and can use an Overlay Unit to protect herself from any targeting effect. She may not be very good on offense, but she has a solid defense for both her and Cologne."
"True, but that leaves her without much offense at all."
"Not a problem!" laughed Cindy. She used a card, causing a new Continuous Spell to spring into being. "Precious Cards from Beyond. As long as this is in play, I get two free draws whenever I Tribute summon a monster with two sacrifices."
"How many of those can she have?" asked Brett.
"You'd be surprised! I can use it now and put away Jerry Beans man and Soul Tiger -" The two monsters turned into brown globes that dissolved into mist. "- to bring out another golden oldie, the Garnecia Elefantis!"
The monster that appeared was a huge, heavy-set Beast-Warrior, slightly hunched over. Its head looked mostly like that of an elephant, but with a smaller trunk and larger tusks. It wore a loincloth and collar with gold embroidery, the style suggesting India. (2,400 ATK) The Precious Cards from Beyond shimmered with golden motes, the motes floating to Cindy's hand and turning into two cards.
"Now that's an antique," I said.
"True, it is an old card, and not a very good one, but you know what they say -" Garnecia Elefantis took one step forward in a fighting stance, causing the ground to tremble. "- one duelist's trash card is another's treasure!"
Then, the pachyderm changed recklessly, causing the ground to tremble even louder, right towards King Dragun. He pointed with his wand and cast his dark incantation at the incoming Beast-Warrior, Cindy and I braced ourselves… There was an explosion, annihilating both monsters.
"That's trouble…"
"Especially since now, Cologne can use her effect." A larger version of Box of Friends shaped more like a chest appeared next to Cologne, and she quickly bent over to open it. "Whenever one of her toys gets junked, she can grab another from her toy box."
What Cologne did next was the sort of thing you could usually only see in a cartoon. The "toy" she pulled from the box was well over ten times the size she was, a huge koala with blue fur, obviously. She stumbled and staggered with it for a few seconds, but then set it down next to her, then hugged it lovingly. (2,000 DEF)
"And… It's your move."
Big Koala wasn't all that tough (at least she had to summon it in Defense Mode) but as Yolanda had said, my options weren't too good right now. I had only two cards in my hand, Tri-Horned Dragon and Lateral Demotion. So, I drew… Aha! Now it was looking better.
I used the card, Trade-In, and discarded Tri-Horned Dragon. I made two draws… and blushed a little when I saw one of them. But there'd be time for that later.
"First, I'm using the Spell Card, Lateral Demotion. First, I have to sacrifice one of my monsters." When the Equip Spell appeared, Kachi Kochi Dragon dissolved into colored mist and was drawn into the Spell Card. "Then, I get to Special Summon a Normal Monster of the same type from my Graveyard, so long as I boost it with this Spell Card."
Tri-Horned Dragon appeared in the Xyz's place but seemed a little… less ferocious than he usually was. He sniffed the air curiously. (2,850 ATK)
Then, oddly, I smelled something too… Chicken?
Then, I noticed it. Cologne was sitting on Slacker Magician's couch, and it seemed one of them had managed to make a quick run to Pandora's Box when I wasn't looking, as they were snacking on chicken nuggets and French fries.
"How do you get roped into this stuff anyway?" asked Slacker.
"Eh, it gets me out of the house," replied the Princess. She looked into one of the bags. "Dammit, they never give you enough ketchup."
This was bizarre. The bag she was looking into even had the chain's logo on it. Why would KaibaCorp program that into the system? Did they own Pandora's Box now?
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"Who put that in there?" shouted Trask.
"Uhm…" said one of the technicians. "Is it a problem?"
"Of course it's a problem, the last thing we need is a copyright infringement lawsuit to deal with! Sheman!"
"Right, sir, I'm on it," said another technician. "Do you want us to cut the broadcast?"
"NO! Not just yet anyway."
This was an upsetting - but not entirely unexpected - development.
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"Hello everyone! Yolanda here, and if you're just joinin' us, I hope you can download it later, 'cause this is one seriously badass duel! So far, it's been one mega-powerful monster after another, and neither of our combatants have even brought the big guns out yet!"
"Attack Big Koala!" I ordered, "Jagged Slash!"
Tri-Horned Dragon made a rush at the defending Beast, making two savage swipes with its talons on Big Koala, and it shattered.
Slacker Magician gave Cologne a playful shove and said, "I think that's your cue." Cologne nodded, and the toy box appeared again. This time, the monster was a huge, robotic bug with green and red armor, six thick, powerful legs, and two rocket launchers on its back. (2,500 DEF)
"As you can see, with Launcher Spider now summoned, this duel has become like a 'best of season one' marathon due to Cindy's near limitless box of toys!"
Cindy blushed a little; of course, I was pretty sure "limitless" was an exaggeration, especially since that was Cologne's last Overlay Unit. I set my remaining two cards and said, "...it's your move."
"Then I'll draw, and… Use… Silent Doom!" She fit the card into her Disk, and Doll Monster Bear-Bear appeared again. (0 DEF) "Then I can sacrifice him and Launcher Spider -" Again, the two monsters turned into orbs of energy, dissolved away, and a huge monster, bigger than any of my Dragons other than Horntail, loomed over the field behind Cindy. It was some sort of aquatic dinosaur, with fins instead of limbs, a very long neck, and a large, ugly head with beady eyes and a maw of sharp teeth. (2,900 ATK) This was Spiral Serpent - I had been considering it myself when I made this deck, but seeing as it was a Sea Serpent with no synergy to any of my other cards, I took a pass.
"Isn't he just adorable? C'mere, big guy!" The giant serpent actually cooed and lowered its head, letting Cindy pet it. "You're a good boy, aren't you? Yes you are!"
"Cindy…"
"Oh right, right, heh, I'll draw twice due to Precious Cards from Beyond, and then… Attack Tri-Horned Dragon with Raging Tsunami Surge!"
Thunder flashed, the huge sea-beast howled, and it breathed a gout of frigid sea water. I could feel the chill as it hit Tri-Horned and blew him away.
"See, Terone, there's always a bigger fish!"
"Oh, I agree. I activate the second effect of Lateral Demotion! By banishing it and Tri-Horned Dragon and paying 1,000 Life Points, I can summon another Normal monster of the same Type, but one Level higher. Rabidragon, appear!"
The previous times I had used this monster, a hybrid of dragon and rabbit whose very existence seemed contradictory to nature, I was put off by how bizarre it was. (2,950 ATK) Cindy, however, seemed utterly delighted to see it, clapping her hands and leaping with joy. "Bunny!" she cheered.
Rabidragon looked at me with a confused sounding, "Urf?"
"Oh, don't you start," I said. Then I cleared my throat again, and my Trap Card lifted up. "Talisman of Reversal! With no cards in my hand, my Life Point score lower than yours, and less monsters on the field than you have, I get to draw until I have five."
Cindy beamed. She seemed almost happier than I was about this card. Although Brett seemed to have some doubts.
"That seems pretty powerful, are you sure it's…"
"No, no," said Cindy, "it's okay, no need to check the List. It's your move, Terone."
Brett's concern was valid, I myself had questioned the legality of the card when I first got it, and many of my opponents had asked for a ruling check when I had. Cindy had, well, I'll tell you later.
I made a draw, and since I had used that Trap Card on my last turn, I couldn't Summon this turn, but I could still set a monster. I did so, and then…
"Attack! Gaea's Vengeful Fury!"
The stream of burning flames homed in on Spiral Serpent, causing the huge sea monster to burst in a cloud of hot steam. "Turn end," I said. Hopefully, if all went well, I could bring out one of my big guns the next turn.
(T: 6,250) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 6,850)
Cindy was surprisingly quiet now. She drew a card, then turned to the couch where Slacker and Cologne were watching. Cologne gave her a nod, and she nodded back.
"One, two…" she said, placing two set cards in her Spell Zone. She then added a set Monster, "...three!" She smiled again and said, "Your move."
It's showtime, I thought. I drew - it was Horntail, but I didn't need him right now.
"Trident Warrior!" I exclaimed. Playing the card caused a muscular, rugged barbarian Warrior to appear in a beam of divine light. He wore a green breastplate, gauntlets, helmet, and oversized epaulets, a kilt, sandals, and cape, plus a neatly trimmed beard. True to his title, he carried a trident, a spear with three barbed points, crackling with lightning as he lifted it. (1,800 ATK)
"Normal Summoning him lets me summon a second monster, which of course, has to be Level 3." Trident Warrior lifted the weapon as his eyes glowed, and thunder rumbled, a cloud covering the sun and mist starting to rise. "Move like thunder, strike like lightning… Mataza the Zapper!"
Thunder struck and a dark, mysterious ronin with a grim expression silently emerged from the mist, drawing a deadly katana from a sheath. (1,300 ATK)
"Next, I'll flip-summon my Magical Undertaker."
Turning the set card face-up caused a little fellow to leap out of it. He wore a formal (but old-fashioned) violet-colored business suit, a wide-brimmed hat, spectacles, and a mask over the lower part of his face. He carried a briefcase. (400 ATK)
"L-O-V-E the outfit," said Cindy.
Magical Undertaker rolled his eyes, and then opened the briefcase. "I hate the living," he muttered.
"Via his flip effect," I continued, "I can take a Level 4 Spellcaster from my Graveyard and then Special Summon it."
Magical Undertaker pulled from the briefcase a card - one about as large as he was, certainly larger than the briefcase - and turned it forward, showing it to be King of D's card. He set it upright and there was a surge of divine power, the card turning into King of D. (1,200 ATK)
"...and then I use… Resonance Device. Because both King of D and Magical Undertaker are both Dark-Attribute Spellcasters, I can change the Level of one of them to that of the other. Meaning Magical Undertaker's Level becomes 4.
"As a result, I can build the Overlay Network…"
I was nervous about this at first. I had summoned Link before, but now it was in front of a live audience. Still, when the familiar theme music started and my three monsters turned into 8-bit pixelated versions of themselves, the rest all came easy.
Link, Guardian of Hyrule appeared, triumphantly holding aloft his mighty sword. (2,300 ATK)
Everyone around us started cheering, and Yolanda seemed perkier than ever. "To those just tuning in, you picked the right time, as with the first Blockbuster of the duel showing up, the opening act is over, and the main event is on!"
"And he's dreamy!" exclaimed Cindy.
Link covered his eyes with his free hand and shook his head - it seemed he had dealt with that sort of thing before. I, on the other hand, quickly moved to use his effect. I didn't care how lifelike this system made the card monsters, I was not about to be jealous here!
"By using an Overlay Unit, I can take an Equip Spell from my deck and give it to Link."
"Any bets on what this will be, Yolanda? My guess is Big Bang Shot."
"I'm with Fusion Sword Murasame Blade myself."
However, it was neither. As I used the card, Link's sword vanished, and he used both hands to catch a larger, more decorative, far more dangerous-looking weapon. (4,300 ATK)
"Ooh, Terone is not messing around, he's pulled out the dreaded Double-Edged Sword! As you can see, this potent Equip Spell improves his monster's Attack Score by a whopping two grand but has the side effect of dealing as much damage to Terone as it does to Cindy, clearly a useful - if chancy - weapon. Still, I don't know how he's going to get past that barrier Cindy had put up."
"That's why I brought out Mataza here, right?" Mataza didn't talk but turned to me and nodded. "Slacker Magician may be able to block one attack, but he can attack twice. And I have a second Equip here just for that, United We Stand!" I played the card, and Mataza leveled his weapon while looking at Slacker. "It boosts his Attack Score by 800 points for each monster I have!" (3,700 ATK)
"HEY, come back here!" Cologne's angry shout was directed at Slacker Magician, who had decided to dive over the couch. Damn… she cursed, and dove for cover herself, as Mataza, true to his name, dashed forward in a blur, bringing his sword down on the couch causing it to shatter. As Brett had remarked, Slacker survived, but was now cowering on the ground. Mataza spun his weapon, then aimed the point downward.
"Anyone here watching with small children might want to cover their eyes," added the commentator, "this is gonna be brutal."
I could only assume that, seeing as even I had to look away before he struck. But only briefly.
"Rabidragon, the set Monster!"
The giant bunny breathed its fiery scourge, the monster on the card - Magician of Faith - briefly appearing before she was toasted. Naturally, I was a little concerned by this, and Cindy was quick to use the Flip Monster's effect, grabbing a Spell Card from her discard slot. I made a quick note in my head as to what Spell Cards she had used, and guessed it was probably Iron Call. I didn't consider that a problem at the moment, the important part was… Cologne was wide-open.
"Where do you think you're going? Link, take her down!"
Link swung the Double-Edged Sword; Princess Cologne shrieked and tried to shield herself, but in the next second, she was vanquished.
Cindy, however, was still very happy, playfully clapping. Not that it was much of a surprise by now. "Done with your turn?" she cooed.
I nodded in the affirmative, and then she used her Trap Card. "I activate Xyz Reborn!" An odd crest-shaped variant of the common Monster Reborn Ankh appeared, then turned into an orb of light that burst and revealed Cologne, alive and without a scratch. (500 ATK)
"Not only does it bring Cologne back, but the Trap itself becomes an Overlay Unit."
To be sure, I was a little confused here. She could have used that to bring Slacker Magician back and used her effect to protect Cologne.
"I draw…" she said, "and then, it's time to bring out my big surprise! The monster I'm summoning now is a Rank 4 Xyz that I would normally need three Overlays for, but…" Princess Cologne dissolved into particles. "...if I already have a Fairy-Type Rank 4, she can be the entire Overlay!"
The scenery covering the field became awash with a backdrop I could describe with one word: Pink. Maybe with some purple and blue, along with bubbles, stars, moons, and streamers, all with pop music, a campy and trite intro that seemed… fitting, given who the new monster was.
She seemed human enough, but far more colorful and sparkly than even most idol singers, at least the few I had seen. Waist-length blonde hair, blue-eyed, buxom, her tight pants, halter top, and pumps all pink.
"Come along with me! Now I'm holo-3D!
"Duel Monster Barbie!
"For everyone to see!"
"Wait, hold on -" I started.
But then, Barbie disappeared, and reappeared behind me, giving me a hug! She continued her song talking into my ear.
"It's hard to believe what you see with your eyes!
"I'm solid as you are, what a surprise!"
She let go and vanished again, moving back to her spot in front of Cindy, and now even had her own Duel Disk, which was again, pink!
"Here for the action, Cindy I'll be your guide,
"Lead us to victory… Side by side!
She lifted her arms and fell on one knee with a flourish as stage pyrotechnics shot upwards on both sides.
"Duel Monster Stylin' Barbie!
"Amazing through and through!" (1,800 ATK)
I would have called her a prima donna with little sense of personal space, but this was pretty amazing. While Barbie was clearly trying to be the center of attention, her outfit and dance routine not exactly done with dignity, she didn't seem trashy or lewd, exuding a feeling of wholesome innocence - possibly naivete. I could see why she was such a match for someone like Cindy, though as bubbly, perky and exuberant as this odd version of Barbie was, it seemed… forced. Like she was trying too hard.
"Barbie, quite the iconic choice!" The voice was again from the third member of Yolanda and Brett's reporting team, the unseen - to me at least - Walt G. Hydes.
Yolanda, of course, was beside herself. "When I said this duel was shaping up to be a blast from the past, I didn't know how much of a blast! So, Walt, you have the 411 on this gal for us?"
"Well, normally, I'd say this is a woman who needs no introduction, but since I work for a paycheck, I'm doing it anyway.
"Some consider her to be the original teeny-bopper icon and a role model to pre-teen girls for decades. Others consider her to be a symbol of unfettered crony capitalism and an antiquated stereotype. But while Barbie can't exactly claim to be as tough as Wonder Woman or Supergirl, she certainly is certainly in the same class as them in experience and longevity.
"Created by the incomparable Ruth Holder and named after her daughter, the first Barbie hit the shelves in 1959, selling 300,000 dolls in the first year alone and since then has had over 400 variants, with 26 ethnicities and 300 different careers! Astronaut Barbie was in fact released a full 18 years before Sally Ride became the first actual woman to hold that job, and she has run for United States President six times! Not to mention numerous accessories and a supporting cast.
"Most prominently being her boyfriend Ken, of course. The perfect couple."
"True that, Brett, if you disregard the little detail that he was modeled after Ruth's son, and in my opinion… you probably should.
"But toys aren't Barbie's only gig. She has also appeared in comic books, cartoons, movies, and… Come to think of it, I can't think of any genre she hasn't appeared in by now. Like her or hate her, this is one franchise that, much like her figure, refuses to quit."
"So, Hank, what's your opinion on her chances against the Hero of the Wild?"
"Well, going to be honest, Yolanda, normally I'd say not a chance in hell. But given what we've seen of Cindy's toy box so far, you never know. I should add that of those 300 careers I mentioned, Barbie has been a policewoman, several sorts of athletes, a pirate, a vampire, and even Medusa."
"Medusa? Seriously?"
"That's right Brett, and just an aside, if anyone listening actually has that or any other limited-edition Barbie, hang on to it, it's probably worth a fortune."
"So then," added Yolanda, "the champion of Hyrule versus the original Grimm girl! It's time to settle this, ONCE AND FOR ALL!"
"That's my cue!" said Cindy. "Y'all might note that Barbie here has a rather low Attack Score, but she can make up for it with her killer effect! If I get rid of an Overlay Unit, I can take a Normal Monster from myGraveyard and then equip it to Barbie here -" She took a card, Big Koala, and then placed it in her Spell Zone. "- and then, Barbie gains that monster's Attack Points! Plus, she also gains that monster's Type and Attribute while keeping her own."
I expected Barbie to undergo a change in appearance here, which she did, but fortunately she didn't become Beast-like. Rather, her hair turned chestnut-brown, while her clothes changed to cutoff jean shorts, a front-tie crop top, cowboy hat and boots. (4,500 ATK)
This sudden shift in Attack Points not only shocked me and everyone watching, it spooked Rabidragon, causing it to yelp, then turn to run. But it didn't get far. The cowgirl Barbie produced a lariat, then hurled it, snagging the huge Dragon around the upper torso.
"Whoa, that pretty pink princess is a powerhouse!"
Brett wasn't kidding, because with a swift yank, Barbie pulled Rabidragon onto its back, and then, to my disbelieving eyes, started to hogtie it!
Once she had done so, waved to the crowd while standing atop the bound Dragon's stomach, smiling broadly. Finally, she stamped her boot down and Rabidragon shattered.
"This is bad…" I muttered.
Much like she did the previous turn, Cindy set two more cards in her Spell Zone, giving her three, and set another monster. "Go ahead, Terone."
"Okay, Cindy, if you want to play rough here…"
"Oh, I most certainly do!"
Boy, did I walk into that one. Not wanting to finish the taunt, I set one of my cards. "I'm setting this card facedown, and then activating this one." My already set Spell Card, Ego Boost, lifted, and Link's muscles bulged as his own strength increased. (5,300 ATK)
"Sorry, Barbie, you're going back to your box. Link, attack!"
"Uh-uh-uh!" said Cindy. "I activate, Intrigue Shield!" As Link closed in on Barbie, Cindy's Trap activated, and Link's sword slammed into an invisible shield.
"So long as I keep Barbie in Attack Mode, this Continuous Trap blocks one attack upon her per turn."
(T: 6,250) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 6,850)
I noticed she didn't take any damage from the attack either, though at least that meant I didn't take any either. I looked around - the crowd around us had gotten larger and rowdier in the last few rounds of the duel, and for some reason, for the first time in years I was getting nervous. I looked at her set monster for a few seconds…
Then, my concentration was broken. I heard a low gurgling sound, and Barbie looked down at her stomach. She looked pouty and upset.
"Oh, snap," said Cindy, "it seems Slacker and Cologne didn't leave anything for her!"
Going to regret this, I thought. "Mataza…"
He nodded, and then dashed at the card. As was often the case with flip Effect Monsters, the monster appeared right before he struck. It was a goblin… a female goblin… Dressed like a… delivery girl?
"Don't fret, Barbie," laughed Cindy, "I called for takeout!"
Didn't have time to question this, but the strange goblin was dressed in a fast-food service outfit. She tossed Barbie a sack - yet another Pandora's Box order - and gave a thumbs up right before Mataza's weapon hit her. For her part, Barbie beamed; she grabbed a sandwich from the bag and started to heartily consume it.
"Well," said Brett, "Barbie could stand to eat something."
"Goblin Delivery gives my Xyz Monster a boost by its Flip Effect, acting as an additional Overlay Unit."
Yep, I regretted it. I set another monster, increasing Mataza's Attack Score to 3,700 again, and then nodded to Cindy.
She took her turn, making a draw. Her cheery expression stopped for a moment, and she looked rather… pale, and stiff, but this passed after a moment, and she continued, taking Big Koala's card from her Disk.
"Since it's my Standby Phase now, I have to take the monster equipped on Barbie and put it at the bottom of my deck." Barbie pouted a little again, her Attack Score falling back to 1,800 as her cowgirl outfit was replaced by her pink dress ensemble again, though I felt she was quickly going to use it again, and I was right. She took another of the Overlay Units and then placed Launcher Spider's card into her Spell Zone.
After seeing how Big Koala had changed Barbie's clothing, I had been wondered how the Solid Vision would interpret Barbie's effect with various Monster Types, and while I'm sure many web viewers might have loved to see her turn into some clone of 2B or Seven of Nine, the way it happened seemed practical. Barbie got a change of wardrobe, but more informal this time, with a tube top, sweatpants, and sneakers, plus, a work belt. Her hair was now tied in a ponytail and covered by a bandana. (4,000 ATK)
"And she is going to fix you up good! But first, decision time, Terone!"
She used a Spell Card I had never heard of before. "Rivalry?"
"Here's the deal." Cindy had decided to drop the act for now and was talking in her regular voice. "I get to name a Type and Attribute, and if you have one in your deck, you can summon it - and then then, I get to Special Summon one too, so long as it's a Normal Monster of the same Level. Then my Life Points go up by an amount equal to the Attack Score of the monster I summon. Of course, if I don't have one that's the right Level, I take damage equal to the Score of the monster you summon."
"Now you're talking. Pick your poison."
"I choose… Dark Spellcaster."
That wasn't what I expected. Something was fishy here, and I didn't think it was the restaurant's fried clam combo platter.
Still, taking my deck and looking over the remaining cards, it seemed that with King of D and Magical Undertaker both in my Graveyard, I had four options: Lady of D, Cosmo Queen, Chaos Witch, and… Dark Magician Girl.
Cindy had a hand of three cards right now, so I guessed she was expecting something specific. Cosmo Queen was tempting, but Cindy seemed to have at least a few Level 8 monsters here, and if she did have another ready to go, I wouldn't want to deal with it. Chaos Witch and Lady of D would be problems too, seeing as Level 4s were rather common.
"Come on, Terone! Let's see her!" shouted one of the spectators
"Bring her out!" yelled another.
I moved to Dark Magician Girl's card. Seems your fame precedes you, huh? I thought. Oh well, always give the public what they want.
I placed the card sideways on my Disk, and a magic pentagram appeared in front of me. Dark Magician Girl rose out with a graceful spin, waving to the onlookers even amid whistles and catcalls before kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,700 DEF)
"Okay, your turn."
Again, Cindy switched to her childish, girly voice. "Frostosaurus!" she exclaimed.
Again, it seems, I was the sucker. As she used the card, a cold, chilling wind blew over the field and the ground split. A huge Dinosaur covered with ice, snow and frost crawled out of the freezing fissure and let out a hoarse cry. (2,600 ATK)
"Next, I'll use the Spell Card, Ancient Rules, so I can summon a high Level Normal Monster right to the field. Here comes Wingweaver!"
This might have been worth it. Wingweaver was a monster I had always wanted to see in Solid Vision form, seeing as nobody used the old card anymore; there were much better high-Level monsters for duelists who used Fairies, which was kind of a shame. She was certainly beautiful, tall, stern, and imposing, with a long robe made of golden material, tied with a sash, bare feet with anklets, waist-length violet hair, and six feathered wings. (2,750 ATK)
(T: 6,250) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 9,450)
Then, one of her Trap Cards opened. Birthright, I thought, why did I just know she had that one?
The card, of course, let her special Summon another Normal Monster, this time from her Graveyard, and I also figured out fast just who it was. Magical Sheep Girl Meeeg-Chan appeared again, this time in Attack Mode, and smugly looked at me and Link. (2,500 ATK)
"Now, let's see here… hmm…" Cindy looked at Link, then at the set monster… Then at Dark Magician Girl. "There! Wingweaver, attack Dark Magician Girl! Divine Rain!"
The angel spread her wings, flying upwards, and then hovered, fixing her eyes on the set monster.
I went for the two set cards I had placed; I had intended to use those for a combo, and now was as good a time as any to use them. I hit the activation button, and Link shifted his footing into a defensive stance.
"Staunch Defender!" I shouted. "This draws all your attacks this turn to Link!"
Wingweaver stopped, turned her head towards Link, and then turned, to focus on him. She made a forward thrust with her wings, sending a volley of razor-sharp feathers the size of javelins towards him. But true to what Harrington had said, Link was prepared, swinging his sword and striking with his Death Volley and propelling them back towards Wingweaver. They pierced her torso, her eyes and teeth indicated shock from the unexpected backlash, and she shattered.
"Don't forget, Staunch Defender forces all of them to attack."
"Hee-hee, be careful what you wish for Terone!" Cindy threw a Quickplay Spell into her Disk. "I activate Limiter Removal!"
I was wrong - the card she had gotten with Magician of Faith's effect was not Iron Call. But that barely mattered now, as Barbie flexed her muscles as white-hot fire. (8,000 ATK) She grinned wickedly at Link, then produced a monkey wrench, holding it with both hands and giving it a warm-up swing before making a rush for Link.
"Cindy is going for the coup de grace!" shouted Brett. "We could be looking at a huge upset!"
Link knelt and held his sword to parry the blow, and as Barbie stuck, the Double-Edged Sword was smashed to bits, the shards of metal stabbing into me, and also into Cindy…
(T: 3.050) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 4,200)
I felt like I had been kicked in the stomach by someone wearing work boots, and given Cindy's expression, she was feeling the same. Link didn't look very happy either - but he was still standing, and was covered by a thin, misty aura. (2,300 ATK)
"That card…"
Fortunately, I had managed to activate my other Trap Card. "Yeah, that was a close one, Cindy, but Link isn't going to go down that easy, Cindy. In fact, due to my Invincible Hero card, he ain't going down this turn at all."
Cindy looked befuddled and confused, looking at Link and then at me, but then she chuckled softly. "You're amazing, Terone! "
Of course, as amazing as that was, Link no longer had the Double-Edged Sword, seeing as I had taken more than 2,000 points of damage from that attack. Fortunately, the effect of Invincible Hero held even as Meeeg-Chan Link delivered a kick to his stomach and Frostosaurus doused him with chilling, icy breath.
(T: 2,750) - - - - - - - - - - (C: 4,200)
Meeeg-Chan and Barbie hi-fived each other, then both high-fived Cindy. Finally, she took a Continuous Spell and used it.
"Finally, I'm using Block Dugout. This card prevents your monsters from attacking so long as the combined Levels of my team is higher than yours."
I did a quick count – her side added up to 13, mine to only 9. This was going to be tricky.
"Heh… I'll end my turn now, normally that would mean Limiter Removal would destroy Barbie, but she has one more effect – if she would be destroyed via the effect of a Spell Card, I can get rid of the monster she is equipped with and she survives." (1,800 ATK)
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"Agnes, take a memo," said Trask, "we need to suggest errata for that card."
"Yes sir," said another technician.
"Sir?" said Sherman, "I have someone from I2 on, he says -"
"Tell him never to mind," said Trask. He looked at the screen showing a shot of Dark Magician Girl's face. He could swear she was turning towards him with a sly smirk that nobody else could see.
Not There, huh? He turned to leave, adding, "When Hephzibah checks in, tell her to come to my office ASAP, until then, I'll be there."
"Don't you want to see who wins?"
"Have them mail it to me!"
He stormed out of the room, slamming the door on the way out.
"He's in one of those moods…" said Sherman with a shrug.
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I'd like to get something off my chest if I may - this was not an easy part to write.
As I've said before, I love Cindy, but she is a very difficult character to portray. Her gimmick, if you'll pardon the expression as a pro duelist is that she is an ingenuine, an adult who purposely dresses like a child in order to project and illusion of youth and innocence, while still being able to fight. Thus, I couldn't make her look like a tough tomboy, while at the same time I had to keep her in character without making it sound too absurd.
I didn't want to use Barbie at first, as I felt that was too obvious a choice for someone like Cindy. I had initially wanted to use buzz lightyear, but he just didn't seem to fit. I went over some other well known "girly" toys like Strawberry Shortcake and Rainbow Brite, but in going over them I found them one-dimensional characters who seem to be girly just for the sake of being girly (it was the '80s after all); and not with much variation. Then I realized the variation was key, and that Barbie's effect could be incorporated into a duel rather easily.
So, here it is. Next chapter, the duel between Tyrone and Cindy will conclude, and more of the story unfolds, as it takes something of a darker turn.
And least I forget, the fan made cards.
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Lateral Demotion (Equip Spell)
Image: Alligator's Sword, crouching in a fighting stance in front of Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast, who transparent and fading, in the process of being Tributed.
Effect: Tribute 1 Extra Deck monster you control to activate this card. Select a Normal Monster from your GY of the same Type as the Tributed Monster and Special Summon it, equipping it with this card. If this card leaves the field while Equipped to a monster, banish the Equipped monster. If the Equipped monster is destroyed by battle, you may spend 1,000 LP to banish that monster and this card from your GY; f you do, you may select a Normal Monster of the same Type as and 1 level higher than the destroyed monster; Special Summon it.
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Talisman of Reversal (Normal Trap Card)
Image: Warrior Lady of the Wasteland with her back to the viewer, Gren Maju Da Eiza advancing on her in the background with the Different Dimension as a backdrop. Her hand is slowly moving to the Jeweled Sword, which is strapped to her back.
Effect: Activate only when your LP are lower than your opponent, you control less monsters than they do, and have less cards in your hand. Draw until your hand consists of five cards. You cannot Summon monsters and cannot activate or set any Spells or Traps until your next End Phase.
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Duel Monster Stylin' Barbie (Xyz Effect Monster)
Fairy/Light/Rank4/1,800ATK/2,000DEF
3 Lvl 4 Normal Monsters
Effect: You can also Xyz Summon this card using a Rank 4 Fairy-Type Xyz monster (Xyz Materials attached to that monster also become Xyz Materials on this card.) Once per turn, you may select a Normal Monster from your GY; then, detach 1 Xyz Material from this card and equip the selected monster to this card as an Equip Spell; only 1 monster can be equipped to a "Duel Monster Stylin' Barbie" at a time, and during your Standby Phase, send any monster equipped to the card to the bottom of your deck. If a monster is equipped to this card, this card's Attribute and Type is also considered to be that of the equipped monster and it gains Attack Points equal to that of the ATK or DEF of Equipped monster (choose 1). During your Standby Phase, if this card would be destroyed by the effect of a Spell Card, you may instead destroy a monster equipped with this card.
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Goblin Delivery (Effect Monster Card)
Fiend/Earth/Lvl2/500ATK/800DEF
Effect: FLIP: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the GY after being flipped up, select 1 Xyz Monster and attach this card to it as Xyz Material.
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Rivalry (Quickplay Spell Card)
Image: Alchemist Magician and Downerd Magician standing back-to-back and readying their magic as Goblin Attack Force starts to surround them.
Effect: Declare 1 Type and Attribute; if your opponent has a monster in his hand or deck that matches the declared Type and Attribute, they can Special Summon it. If they do, you may then Special Summon a Normal Monster of equal Level of that monster from your deck. If you do, gain Life Points equal to the ATK of the monster you summon with this effect. If you cannot, you take damage equal to the ATK of the monster your opponent summoned via this effect. Only 1 "Rivalry" can be activated in one turn, and you cannot Special Summon from the Extra Deck for the remainder of the turn. You may only activate 1 "Rivalry" per turn.