As if.
You draw and get one of your Dark Magician Girls, the other unfortunately having been relegated to your side deck for the moment and then inspect your hand.
.
---------->
.
You feel Ruby appear softly on your back, her smirk evident as she leans in, gently blowing into your ear in a teasing, seductive manner before fading away. Her knowing smile makes clear she's aware of what you're about to do, adding a subtle boost to your confidence.
"Hmph! For now, I'll set one monster face-down and end my turn! But I can assure you, Rebecca, this duel is almost over," you say with a confident tone, Ruby's presence is a silent reassurance. You slide Ruby onto your side of the field, trusting that, as always, she'll be the one to help turn things around when it matters most.
.
--------->
.
Rebecca's smirk widens as she draws her card, her eyes gleaming with excitement. She quickly glances at it, then bursts into laughter.
"Hahaha! Looks like even a loser can be right sometimes! Cuz this duel's over!" she declares with glee, slamming her Cannon Soldier onto the field in attack mode.
.
---------->
.
Your eyes widen in shock as you take in her monster. A burn deck?! What kind of little bitch runs burn?!
Rebecca's smug expression seems almost to read your thoughts, her confidence soaring.
"Heh, next up I'll activate my Cannon Soldier's effect! Tributing one of my monsters to deal 250 damage directly to your Life Points! To start, I'll tribute—"
Rebecca's voice rings out triumphantly as she commands her Cannon Soldier into action. "My set Witch of the Black Forest! Go, Cannon Soldier, fire!"
In a flash, a ghostly, transparent form of Witch of the Black Forest materializes, swiftly absorbed into Cannon Soldier's cannon. The cannon fires a beam of purple energy, striking you and dealing 250 damage as you instinctively raise your arms to shield yourself.
Rebecca's smirk persists as the smoke clears. "Heh, and thanks to my Witch of the Black Forest's effect, I can add one monster with 1500 or less defense from my deck to my hand! Not that I'll need it!" She searches through her deck and adds another Shadow Ghoul to her hand, a confident glint in her eyes.
.
------------>
.
So that's her strategy, stalling with a high-defense monster equipped with Ring of Magnetism while using Cannon Soldier on searchers to slowly wear down the opponents' Life Points while also refilling her "ammo" for the next turn. The Shadow Ghoul was probably a back-up plan in case the opponent somehow managed to deal with her Cannon Soldier, you couldn't imagine she had more than two copies.
A few years back Kaiba had dueled against a burn duelist during one of the previous nationals, and after having won he had publicly eviscerated the dude on live TV calling him a pathetic leech who had to rely on cheap tricks to do anything.
After that the reputation of burn cards had rapidly plummeted to the point Industrial Illusion had massively slowed the printing of any new burn cards, that along with a bit of a fad of duelists burning any they got their hands on made them surprisingly rare.
…Still, no matter your thoughts on the strategy you couldn't deny it was effective, especially right now, it was no wonder she was the American National Champ.
In any case you can't help but grit your teeth hard as you look over the board, if you did nothing here then Rebecca would just tribute the rest of her monster and wipe out the rest of your Life Points but unfortunately for you set monsters didn't have a type so you couldn't use Ruby for Magical Dimension.
Think! There had to be something you could do!
Your eyes widen as realization hits just in time—Rebecca is about to have her Cannon Soldier fire again, and you need to act fast.
"Not so fast, Rebecca!" you shout, raising your hand to stop her in her tracks.
Rebecca's face twists into a snarl. "What?! You clearly don't have anything or you'd have used it when I summoned my Cannon Soldier. If you're gonna beg me not to do it, then save your breath!" she yells.
You smirk confidently as you lower your hand. "Heh, I didn't have anything before. But now, the situation has changed," you reply, your tone firm and assured.
Rebecca's eyes narrow in suspicion. "Oh yeah?! And what's that, then? Nothing's changed since I first summoned my Cannon Soldier!" she spat, stomping her foot and slamming her duel pod.
Your smirk widens even more. "The difference is, now there's a Spellcaster in the Graveyard," you say quietly, confident in your move.
Rebecca blinks, confused. "What? That doesn't mean anything—"
"First, I activate my Monster Reborn!" you declare, summoning her Witch of the Black Forest to your side of the field. The witch kneels gracefully, arms crossed.
Rebecca's eyes narrow as she examines her monster on your field, still unsure of your plan. "...And? That doesn't change anything unless you're just trying to look clever," she taunts, but her tense expression betrays her uncertainty.
You smile inwardly—time to push your advantage.
"Now that I control a face-up Spellcaster monster, I can activate Magical Dimension!" you exclaim, throwing your arm out dramatically. Rebecca's eyes widen in surprise.
"As long as I control a Spellcaster, I can tribute one monster I control to Special Summon a Spellcaster from my hand. And when I do, I get to destroy one monster you control! Let's get this show started!"
Behind Witch of the Black Forest, an ornate golden coffin rises, opening to reveal your Morphing Jar, which floats inside gracefully.
"Now, meet my lovely assistant—Dark Magician Girl!" you announce with flair as Witch bows and gestures toward the coffin. It bursts open, and Dark Magician Girl bounces out, flashing a grin and waving cheerfully.
Hmm, you'd have to remember to swap her out with your other copy after this duel, it wouldn't do for either of the sisters to be neglected now.
"Dark Magician Girl, take care of that eyesore—Burning Climax!" you shout, as she raises her staff, forming a ball of energy before swinging it down, destroying Rebecca's Cannon Soldier in a flash. As her Life Points drop by 700.
(+1 Ego Counter)
.
----------->
.
You smirk across the field, acting as if you're still in control, despite having been on the ropes just moments ago.
"Well, Rebecca? Got anything else for me?" you challenge, crossing your arms with a confident grin.
The crowd erupts in cheers, and Rebecca's face flushes with rage. She starts stamping her feet in a tantrum, fists pounding the duel pod.
"Y-y-you! I-i ought to... ARGH!" she grunts, slamming her fist down. "Don't think you've won just yet! I'll destroy you AND that pathetic bimbo! Mark my words!"
She crosses her arms defiantly, ending her turn with a furious glare.
You chuckle softly, knowing you've turned the tide with that move
With the crowd's cheers ringing in your ears, you take a moment to savor the atmosphere, your eyes drifting to Serenity sitting in the audience. She looks almost enraptured, hanging onto every move you make, and you can't resist throwing her a confident wink.
Heh, you can't afford to look pathetic at the end of your date, that would just be sad.
Feeling the moment, you place your hand on the top of your deck, already knowing what card you're about to draw—your instincts sharp, your confidence unwavering. You draw smoothly, the card slipping into your hand as if it's been waiting for this very moment.
.
----------->
.
The idea of your deck betraying you never even crosses your mind.
.
----------->
.
You sense the final moments of the duel approaching, and the tension in the arena is palpable. With a confident smirk, you turn your focus to Rebecca, ready to capitalize on her weakened state.
"I think it's about time I began to wrap things up here, Rebecca," you say calmly, a glint of certainty in your eyes. "Let's get this started."
Without giving her a chance to protest, you flip your set card. "To start, I'll flip my set Young Petty Magician!" You declare, swiftly revealing Ruby's card. Ruby appears with a flourish, striking a pose that draws a few cheers from the crowd.
Ruby, noticing your Dark Magician Girl and Witch of the Black Forest, turns and pouts up at you stomping her foot. "'Koto! You can't just summon me when there are already two other sluts on the field! It diminishes my impact with the audience!" she whines, even as the crowd Ooohs at her appearance.
...She really was so needy.
Ignoring her protests, you keep your eyes on Rebecca. "When my Young Petty Magician is flipped face-up, I can destroy one monster you control. I think I'll target your set monster on the right," you say, pointing dramatically.
Ruby turns and builds energy in her staff, muttering, "Hmph! Next time I get a physical form, you totally owe me a massage before we fuck!" She then swings her staff, releasing a beam of energy that destroys Rebecca's Sangan, dealing 500 damage to her.
Rebecca, still visibly frustrated but quick to react, activates her Sangan's effect. "When my Sangan leaves the field, I can add a monster with 1500 or less attack from my deck to my hand," she explains, flipping through her deck and adding a second Millennium Shield.
You note that it would've been better if she'd picked a monster with higher attack, in case you needed to go with plan B but you're already confident your victory is sealed.
"Next, I activate my set Advanced Ritual Art! This allows me to Ritual Summon using a Normal Monster from my deck," you say, sending your Anotherverse Gluttonia from deck to Graveyard. As a familiar summoning circle appears, and the crowd roars in anticipation.
Rebecca grimaces as Hades materializes on your field, looming ominously.
"Unfortunately for you, he won't stick around long!" you declare, slamming down Polymerization, creating a fusion vortex behind Hades and Ruby. Hades willingly gets sucked into the fusion, and Ruby pauses, contemplating her options.
She smirks and says, "On one hand, I fuse with the grump. On the other, I get all the glory of winning..." She taps her chin. "...You're lucky I love you, Koto! And I'm totally getting my pussy eaten along with that massage!" Then she dives into the vortex, joining Hades in fusion.
"Now come forth! My... Lichqueen!" you declare, barely stopping yourself from using her full title. Ruby steps out of the vortex, looking regal and majestic, at least until she opened her mouth.
"Ugh, I really don't know how to feel about this form, on one hand I like the power and everything but on the other look how covered up I am! Like I only have some of my thighs and some cleavage out! Why couldn't I end up shirtless like when you and the grump fused!" Ruby whined, stomping her foot as her voice echoed across the arena with an eerily warble that seems to appear whenever she becomes Lichqueen.
…It was a good thing she didn't end up shirtless, you'd hate to have to not use this fusion just to avoid giving the audience a free show of your woman.
"Anyway," you continue loudly, "anyone who watched Duelist Kingdom knows what's next! I activate Lichqueen's effect! Destroying one monster you control! Go, Withering Vengeance!"
A necrotic gust sweeps the field, flipping up Rebecca's set Fire Princess and destroying her, dealing another 650 damage, leaving Rebecca with just 150 LP.
(+1 Ego Counter)
You finish smoothly: "I won't activate the second effect of Lichqueen this turn; instead, I set one more monster and end my turn."
Rebecca's eyes narrowed, focused totally on Ruby, completely ignoring your newly set monster.
…Good, let Ruby take all of her attention, by the time she realized it wasn't her she should be worried about, this duel would be over.
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------------->
.
Rebecca draws her card, her expression twisting into a pout as she inspects her hand, clearly disappointed. She bites her lip thoughtfully before speaking, her tone confident but tense.
"To start, I'll activate my Swords of Revealing Light!" she declares, voice steady. "For the next three turns, none of your monsters can attack me. So don't think you can beat me with any of those stupid fusions you pulled during Duelist Kingdom and their bullshit effects."
She quickly follows up, summoning Millennium Shield in Defense Mode. "And next I summon my Millenium Shield, since it has zero attack, I won't take any damage when you destroy it with that dumb bimbo's' effect." Her confidence seems to rebuild, clearly banking on stalling until she draws a crucial card—another burn card or some monster removal.
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--------->
.
"Hey! I'm not stupid!" Ruby cries out, notably not saying anything about the bimbo part.
Ignoring that for the moment Rebecca was actually in a good position here, if her deck really was full of 0 ATK monsters then she could survive longer than most under Lichqueens barrage and you had yet to see any removal from her besides Mirror Force even though she undoubtedly had more, by all accounts you should be extremely worried here, and you would be…
If there was a chance of Rebecca getting another turn that is.
You draw and get your second copy of Ray, feeling her appear on your shoulder and nuzzle up against your cheek.
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----------->
.
You wouldn't need her for what comes next but it was always best if your audience was as large as possible.
It was time to end this.
You let out a low chuckle, watching Rebecca's frustration grow at your seeming nonchalance.
"What's so funny, loser?! In case you haven't noticed, there's nothing you can do here! Go ahead and destroy my Millennium Shield—I'll let you know I already have more 0-attack monsters in my hand! The chances of you winning before I draw the out are practically zero!" Rebecca barks.
Heh, she really did remind you of yourself in a lot of ways—less talented, obviously, but still.
"It's probably best I show you, Rebecca—show you how a true champion duels," you say with a smirk as you begin.
"To start things off, I'll activate my Lichqueen's effect!" you declare as Ruby charges up the energy in her staff, even as Rebecca clicks her tongue in derision.
"Didn't you hear me?! Destroying my Millennium Shield does nothing for you!" she mockingly says, tightening her grip on her teddy.
Your smirk only widens at her words.
"Who said I was targeting your Millennium Shield?" you reply with a shrug, as Rebecca's eyes widen—obviously not understanding what you're planning.
Keeping your smirk, you point to your own set monster, Giant Germ.
"Go, my Lichqueen! Withering Vengeance!" you command as Ruby brings her staff down, pointing it directly at your own monster.
Rebecca blinks in confusion, even as the blast destroys your Germ and deals 500 damage to your Life Points, bringing you down to a pitiful 100.
"Wha—? What are you doing?! Why would you destroy your own monster?" Rebecca asks, genuine confusion in her voice, which seems to be shared by the audience.
"I will admit, Rebecca, I had no card in my deck capable of finishing you off in this board state—I'm not typically one for burn damage. If you had just walled up with monsters with 0 attack, there was genuinely nothing I could do," you say with a wider smirk. "That is, if I was stuck with just my cards."
The audience still looks confused at your words, but Rebecca's eyes light up with understanding.
"Bullshit! You already used Monster Reborn, and under the current banlist, it's limited to one copy! There's no way for you to use my Cannon Soldier!" Rebecca exclaims, now clearly frazzled as she realizes what you're doing.
You chuckle at her distress, unable to stop yourself from taking some satisfaction after the heart attack she almost gave you earlier.
"Heh, come on now, 'Becca—you're better than that! Which card here would allow me to get back my Monster Reborn?" you say gloatingly, as Rebecca's eyes quickly move to your last remaining set monster—obviously figuring it out.
"Smart girl! Unfortunately, you paid too much attention to my Lichqueen to realize what the real threat was!" you announce, even as Ruby lets out a shocked, scandalized gasp surprised at herself not being the main event.
...She'd definitely be pouting later.
But that was for future Makoto to deal with. For now, you had a duel to win!
You flip your Magician of Faith face-up, allowing you to add one spell from your Graveyard to your hand.
"And I'm sure you already know what I'm getting," you say as you reach into your grave and grab your Monster Reborn, Rebecca beginning to sweat.
"Next, I activate my Monster Reborn! Allowing me to resurrect any monster in either of our Graveyards—and I'll choose your Cannon Soldier!" you declare, adrenaline flowing as you see victory in front of you in the shape of Rebecca's monster.
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------------>
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"I think you know what happens next, 'Becca!" you roar, grinning wildly as all of your girls—and Cannon Soldier himself—are slowly absorbed into a large orb of purple energy. Their ghostly apparitions float around it, waiting for your order to fire.
.
------------>
.
Which you are more than happy to give.
"Go! Witch Barrage!" you howl as the orb blasts off, heading directly toward Rebecca, who can only watch with wide eyes as the attack impacts her, wiping out all of her remaining Life Points in one fell swoop.
(+1 Ego Counter)
.
------------>
.
Duel Won!
(300 DP from beating Rebecca)
(150 DP from "Last Stand" Achievement)
Rebeccas Traits Revealed:
Mulligan X3: Thrice you can mulligan your starting hand.
-x-X-x-
As the duel ends, you can't stop the grin that spreads across your face as the ravenous cheers of the audience fill the stadium.
Heh, Duelist Kingdom had been such a private affair that you had almost forgotten this feeling.
But soon enough, the crowd's attention seemed to drift away from acknowledging your greatness and towards deriding your opponent.
"Fuckin' yank! What'd we tell ya!"
"Yeah, how's it feel, you little bitch!"
"Maybe spend more time in school and less time pretending to be a duelist!"
The crowd jeers, practically salivating at the chance to take Rebecca down a peg or two.
As you watch Rebecca grit her teeth, you see tears beginning to form in the corner of her eyes.
…Well, you couldn't let this stand now, could you? The crowd should be fully focused on sucking your metaphorical dick (maybe literal dick if they were a cute enough girl), not trying to bring down your opponent. Hell, it's almost insulting—they're implying it was her that wasn't good enough, rather than acknowledging that you're just that good!
You click your tongue, clapping your hands with just a bit of Shadow Magic to make sure the noise reverberated across the stadium to bring the audience's attention back to you, where it belongs be.
"You guys are talkin' awfully big for losers who've been getting their asses kicked all day! If any of you had been duelists worth your cards, I wouldn't have needed to step in in the first place! So all of you can keep your loser mouths shut while I talk to a duelist actually worth my time!"
The audience sits stunned, clearly not expecting such a harsh reprimand from their hero.
You turn to Rebecca, who is staring at you with wide, shocked eyes—having not expected you to come to her defense. You just shoot her a gentle smile.
"Heh, that was actually a good game there, 'Becca. Not the biggest fan of burn personally, but I gotta admit—especially with Duelist Kingdom rules—it's a fuckin' scary strategy to play against. It practically gave me a heart attack when you first summoned your Cannon Soldier. Though I hope you'll forgive me for taking him out for a spin," you say, transitioning into your classic cocky smirk as you step out of your duel pod and make your way over to her, Cannon Soldier in hand.
Rebecca still seems stunned as you arrive in front of her, holding out her card for her to take—which she tentatively does, obviously expecting some kind of trap or something from you.
Yeesh, this kid has trust issues.
As she grabs her Cannon Soldier, she looks away from you, a faint dusting of red on her cheeks.
"U-umm, thank you, it was a good game…" she says, unsure how to react in this situation.
You just chuckle at her cute reaction, putting a hand out and ruffling her hair.
"Ha! Come on now, there's no need to be shy or anything. You're the American National Champ! Keep your head held high at all times!" you advise her as you continue to ruffle her hair.
Rebecca pouts at you, a glare in her eyes.
"Hmph, that's easy for you to say! You're not the one who just got humiliated in front of a crowd of losers! My career is ruined!" she jeers, brushing your hand off her head.
…God, she really did remind you of yourself. Well, then, there's only one thing to say:
"Fuck 'em," you say with a casual shrug.
Rebecca just looks up at you in shock.
"Wha—" she begins, but you cut her off as you continue.
"Something you have to learn when you stand at the top: there will always be leeches who try to drag you down to suck out any bit of greatness you have for themselves. But the mark of a true champion is knowing they can't do anything to you unless you let them. What you SHOULD be focusing on here is me—fuck the crowd, fuck anyone else. Your eyes should be only on me—the man who beat you. I should be on your mind constantly. You should imagine my face when you grind me into the dirt and reclaim your pride. It should be the first thought that greets you in the morning and the last thought that leaves you at night. Until you've beaten me and thrown me down with the rest of the fodder, and can forget about me entirely as you look to the next peak I should be the only person that exists for you in this entire world." You explain, heat in your words.
…That sounded cool, didn't it? It'd be embarrassing if your first big speech came off as cringey.
Thankfully, with the way 'Becca was looking up at you—wide-eyed and mouth agape—it seemed to have hit a chord with her, at least.
Eventually, Rebecca seemed to realize how she looked, turning away from you and crossing her arms across her chest as a blush grew upon her cheeks again.
"Hmph! I guess I can take advice about how to lose from a loser like you—for now. But remember this!" she suddenly turned back around to you, pointing a finger directly at your face. "Next time we duel, I'm gonna crush you! I won't even lose a single Life Point! I'm gonna show the entire world that what happened today was nothing but a fluke—that I'm the best duelist in the whole wide world! You got that?!"
Rebecca declared to the entire stadium, who were still stunned, before turning and marching her way to the exit of the Kaiba Dome.
"Ha! I look forward to it, 'Becca! But look forward to putting you in your place again more!" you yell after her, as Rebecca just raises a hand over her shoulder and flips you the bird while stomping out.
You can't help but throw your head back and laugh at her attitude—she really was pretty damn entertaining.
…In any case, you had a demonstration to get back to. Giving Serenity a quick wink as your eyes met hers, you rove your eyes over the chastised audience.
"Now! If any of you losers wanna try and prove you're actually duelists worth a damn, then step on up! I don't have all day!"
Slowly, a member of the audience steps forward, glaring at you even as sweat runs down his face.
Heh, it's been a while since you slummed it with the fodder—let's see if any of these guys are actually worth a damn~
With that, you place your deck down and prepare to face the gauntlet.
-x-X-x-
+250 DP!
After an hour or so of reminding the fodder of their place, you step out of the Kaiba Dome with Serenity, hand in hand, as she babbles on.
"—I can't believe how big your dragon was! I thought it was about to burst through the ceiling!" she says, referring to your last duel where you had managed to summon Ascended Dragon.
"Heh, yeah. I remember the first time I summoned him in Duelist Kingdom. I was shocked by just how big the hologram was," you tell her as you wait outside for your driver to arrive.
…If you had told him to take the long way just to extend your date with Serenity a bit longer? Well, that was your little secret then.
As you wait, Serenity hums peacefully for a few moments before piping up.
"That was a really nice thing you did," she said casually, still facing forward.
You turn to her, smirk on your face. "Oh? I'm sure the dude would disagree with how loud he screamed when I had my Ascended Dragon attack his Judge Man."
Serenity giggled at that, obviously remembering the moment, before she lightly slapped your arm.
"Not that! I'm talking about what you did for the girl when everyone was insulting her. I could tell it was really upsetting her, but instead of just standing by and letting it happen, you stuck up for her. I think that was really brave…" she said wistfully as she squeezed your hand.
You just chuckled at that. "Oh, you mean Rebecca? I mean, I couldn't just let 'em insult my opponent now, could I? That'd just make my victory over her less impressive," you explain your reasoning.
Serenity turns to you and tilts her head.
"Hmmm? I don't think that was it. I think you saw that she was getting upset, so you decided to stand up for her and cheer her up because you're a good person," Serenity says with the most heart-wrenching, pure smile you think you've ever seen.
You feel uncomfortable as she looks at you, rapidly looking away as your cheeks light up. "H-heh, I'm not the worst person in the world by any stretch, but I don't know if I'd go that far…"
You feel her squeeze your hand at that, lifting up her other hand to your cheek and turning you to face her.
"I don't think that's true. I mean, look at all you've done for me! I mean, you gave up the prize money from Duelist Kingdom just to help some girl you never met." She places a finger on your lip as you go to speak up.
"And before you say you didn't need the money, you said it yourself—you didn't know you were gonna be this rich before coming back from the tournament. But you were willing to give all the prize money away anyway. Plus, you've decided to spend all day with me just because I wanted you to."
You shake your head at that and chuckle slightly.
"Heh, don't make it sound like some Herculean task. You're a beautiful and charming girl. Any guy would be lucky to go on a date with you," you say, running your thumb across the back of her hand as Serenity blushes while smiling in response.
"Still, I think you're an incredible person, and no one, not even you, could convince me otherwise," she says as if it were just a fact.
…You wonder if she would still say that if she knew you had sent a dude to a dimension of pure pain and suffering, ripped another's eye out, and were walking around with an ancient Egyptian item that contained an actual evil spirit just because you wanted its power.
But still, for now, you decide to just enjoy the pleasant feelings her words brought to you.
…You were selfish like that.
At that thought, your driver finally pulled up.
"Ah, looks like our ride's here. I better get you home before I make an eternal enemy of your mother," you say with a light chuckle, stepping forward and opening the door for Serenity to step inside.
Though before she could, both of your attention was caught by what seemed to be a Kaiba Land employee running over, in a Blue-Eyes mascot costume.
"Ah, wait! You two! Before you go, your first visit also comes with a complimentary Duel Monsters pack! On the house!" he says, handing you and Serenity what seems to be an exclusive Kaiba Land pack.
Probably just garbage commons—that's how it usually was for these kinds of promotional packs, but you'd never turn down free cards.
Thanking the dude, you and Serenity both get into your car and begin to drive back to her house.
Turning to Serenity, you smile as you hand her your Kaiba Land pack.
"Mind opening this for me? There's a superstition that having a cute girl open the pack causes good luck." You lie again, just an excuse to compliment Serenity. But hey, it seemed to have worked with Tea, so maybe you'd get lucky.
…Heh, fat chance.
Serenity giggles at your words, blushing slightly as she opens the pack and pulls out the cards, beginning to flip through them.
Eventually, her eyes light up as she comes to a specific card.
"Oooh! Makoto, is this one any good?" she says, turning the card to you.
Probably some somewhat decent stat'd vanilla—
.
---------->
.
..... …Okay, maybe you were onto something here.
After barely stopping yourself from shoving your tongue down Serenity's throat and making your journey back to her house an impromptu make-out session, you explain to her that yes, it was an extremely strong card. Then, you watch as she opens her own pack.
She mostly gets nothing special, but you feel a pulse come from your deck for some reason, and you watch as she arrives at her final card.
"Oooh! Makoto, look! It's your card!" Serenity says, turning the card to you and showing you a copy of Young Petty Magician, who, for a split second, seemed to flash completely naked and wink at you.
.
------------->
.
…Normally, you'd be mad, but in this case, you suppose you could let it slide.
From there, you explain to her a bit more of the game, making sure she really understood the basics. You finally pull up to her house, just as the sun was beginning to dip over the horizon.
You smile at her as the car slowly pulls to a stop, and she looks reluctantly out the window.
"I've had a great time today, Serenity. Genuinely, I want you to know that," you say, reaching over and grabbing her hand, giving it a light squeeze.
Serenity seems to just stare at her house for a moment longer before squeezing your hand in turn and turning to you, an uncomfortable expression plastered across her face.
"...So did I. I think this has been the most fun I've had in a long time. I almost don't want it to end," she says, clenching her hands down on her lap.
"Heh, as nice as that'd be, unfortunately all good things have to end sooner or later. It's what makes the moment special," you explain gently, soothingly, running a thumb over the back of her hand.
Serenity takes a deep, shaky breath and begins to speak.
"...I'm scared. Of the surgery. What if it doesn't work? And causes me to go blind sooner? If I don't have it, then the doctors say it'll be years until it gets bad enough that I can't see at all. Maybe that'd be better than risking it…" she confesses, tears beginning to build up in the corners of her pretty eyes.
You reach out and take both of her hands in yours, making her face you.
"...That's certainly an option, but it's far from the best one. Want me to tell you what is, though? You going through the surgery and then being able to live a long, happy life, taking in all the wonderful sights you could ever see," you say gently, as Serenity bites her lip.
"...I know, I know that's the smart decision, but I can't help but keep thinking something will go wrong, and I'll lose whatever little time I have left to experience things like today," she says, a quiver in her voice.
…Man, you didn't know how to handle this. Normally, when a girl was crying, it was because of something you did, so you just ran.
You reach up and wipe the tears from her eyes as you begin.
"...I could sit here and tell you how unlikely that is, how you'll be fine, how it's one of the best doctors in the world. But I know, ultimately, those are just words, and at the end of the day, they won't make you feel better. So instead, I'll say this: don't think about what you could potentially lose. Instead, think of what you can gain. Think about the day you get married, being able to look at the lucky guy's nice suit and smile as he looks in awe at how gorgeous you look in your wedding dress. Think about watching your kids running around outside, playing. Hell, even the simple things—like watching new shows that come out in a decade. I think that's how people should live their lives: chasing what they can gain, not standing stuck, scared of what they could lose," you explain to her, her listening intently.
Even after you finish, she looks down at your clasped hands.
"...I'm still scared," she says quietly.
You just chuckle lightly at that.
"Heh, expected really. Unfortunately, I'm not a good enough speaker to completely wipe out those feelings. But if my words help even a little, then that's more than enough for me," you tell her with a grin.
Serenity returns your smile with a small one of her own.
"...Will you be there? When I have the operation, I mean? Joey's already promised to be there, but I think I'd feel even better if you were there too," she asks softly.
You just bring her hands up to your mouth and press a light kiss against them.
"If that'll make you feel better, I'll be there that very morning. Just promise not to kick me out if I get too overbearing," you say with a chuckle, which Serenity returns.
"...Thank you for today, Makoto. Really. It means the world to me. Can I be a little selfish and ask for one more thing?" she asks shyly, blushing and fidgeting slightly.
You raise an eyebrow, wondering what she could want.
"Whatever you need, just gotta ask."
At your words, Serenity suddenly darts forward, pressing her lips against yours in a feather-light gesture before pulling back, her face burning red.
"I-I'll see you around!" she stutters out, rapidly turning to the car door and bumbling her way out of it as she rushes to her house.
Heh, she really is too cute.
…Hmm, should you wait for her to realize all her bags from shopping were still in the car or should you go take them to her?
-x-X-x-
-x-X-x-
Mai POV
As you step out of the taxi in front of the surprisingly humble apartment complex where handsome apparently lived, you couldn't help but feel your heart beginning to race slightly.
God, what were you? Some high schooler with a crush? You were Mai Valentine—men lined up for even a second of your attention. You shouldn't be getting this worked up over some guy you knew for all of three days.
…No matter how charming, surprisingly considerate, and handsome he was.
You suddenly shake that thought out of your head. Geez, what was the point of that little vacation you took if your thoughts were still such a mess?
Taking a deep breath, you straighten out your back. You couldn't afford to show any signs of weakness here. If you really were going to bag him, then you needed to be at your absolute best—fuck his brains out with an all-day sex marathon, and once you'd tired him out, hit him with the classic "What are we?" and, if you'd done your job right, the only thing on his mind should be you and what you could do to him. He should practically be on his knees proposing to you!
Plan reaffirmed, you begin to make your way to handsome's apartment, making sure to put a little strut in your step to get into the right headspace when you arrive.
Stopping at the door that leads to handsome's apartment, you pull out a small hand mirror and give yourself one last check to make sure everything is perfect.
Hair? Check.
Make-up? Check.
Nails? Check.
Clothes? Check— a nice, expensive outfit that nevertheless didn't look like you were trying *too* hard here.
No food in your teeth.
And lastly…
You pull your bustier forward slightly and look down.
Your sexiest black lace lingerie.
Double check. Done. You decide to get this show on the road, wrapping your hand forward and knocking on his door.
…God, what if he has other girls over? Your friend? (You probably would have called her that before, but after that damn island, you're not sure whether you can really call people who'd probably ditch you for the slightest advantage friends anymore.) She had said he was last seen a few days ago at some nothing tournament, and then had promptly left with a couple of groupies following behind him once he had won.
Okay, even if there were, that's no big deal. Just act casual and ignore their existence. Make it known you're so far above them that they're not even worth your attention. That's how mom always treated the maids dad fucked—maybe try and convince him to go out for a quick coffee, maybe say you haven't had breakfast yet or something so they have to leave, and then come back and get the plan back on track by fucking his brains out—
Before you can finish that thought, the door finally opens as handsome makes his appearance, wearing just a pair of pajama pants. His eyes widen as he takes you in.
Okay, Mai, time to do what you do best. (Besides dueling, that is.)
You shoot him a flirtatious wink and smirk as you take in his stunned expression, roving your eyes over his half-dressed state.
"Oh-ho? Why so shocked to see me, handsome? If I remember correctly, didn't we have a little agreement~? Surely you didn't think I'd flake on my end of the deal now, did you?" you purr out as you bat your long, freshly done eyelashes at him.
Handsome seems to regain his composure at that, quickly falling into your normal flirty dynamic.
"Heh, I was starting to wonder whether you had gotten scared. The least you could do is send a guy a text, you know?" he chuckles as he turns, nodding his head for you to follow him inside.
As you step inside, you can't help but quickly glance around before answering.
…It really was quite the humble little place—nothing like you'd have expected with someone as cocky as Makoto tends to be. Not cheap, obviously, but still small. Some may have called it cozy, but personally, you'd say underwhelming. People like you and Makoto shouldn't have to settle for things like this. You should be living the high life, surrounded by luxury.
Hmm, you suppose you could have him move into your place depending on how today goes—sugar mommy him a bit. That did sound quite appealing~
On another note, thankfully, you couldn't detect any signs of another woman being around. The place seemed fairly empty besides the very conspicuous empty cardboard boxes dotted around, so you didn't need to worry about anyone getting in the way of your little scheme.
In any case, you better respond to him before he feels like he's being ignored.
"Ha! A girl like me, scared? Clearly, you need a bit more experience with women, handsome~," you purr as you walk past him, running your hand along his cheek as you do, arriving at a kitchen counter and swiftly planting your firm ass down on it.
"As for not texting? Unfortunately, I decided to take a little impromptu vacation after the entire fiasco on the island—take some time for myself to process everything, you know? So I'll admit some fault for not saying anything before I left," you explain as you idly kick your legs out while handsome walks around you to make himself some breakfast.
"Ha, not a bad idea. I'll admit I became a bit of a shut-in for a little while while I processed everything as well, but doing it on some nice, sunny beach somewhere does sound like it would have been a good time," he says with a chuckle, reaching out to one of his cupboards and taking out two glasses before pulling out some orange juice from the fridge and pouring both of you a glass.
You grab a glass with a quick nod of thanks and take a sip, then shrug your shoulders.
"Eh, it was nice enough, I suppose. But I'll admit I wouldn't have minded some good company~," you coo out, extending your leg and running it up and down handsome's side as he smirks at you.
"Heh, I'm sure you wouldn't have. But enough about that for now. I assume you're here about our little deal~?" he says huskily, standing in front of where you were sitting on the counter and placing his hands on either side of you as he leans in, trapping you where you are.
You narrow your eyes at his actions as you run your tongue along your ruby lips. "Hmm~ yep! Now, what were the terms again?" You tap your chin and look up, as if trying to seriously remember, then brighten as if you had suddenly remembered. "Ah~ that's right. If you managed to beat that nasty Kaiba, then little ol' me would have to do whatever you say." You lean in, making sure to place your mouth directly against his ear as you breathily whisper the next part. "So? What'll it be, handsome? I'm yours to do whatever~ your heart desires with for the whole day."
You see handsome's eyes light up with lust at that as he moves one of his hands up to your thigh, beginning to rub it up and down slowly.
"Hmm~ god, you have no idea how much I'd love to get started right here and now, but there is something I need to do today," he growls into your ear, squeezing your thigh roughly in his grasp.
You raise an eyebrow at that, wondering what he could possibly want more than to spend the entire day fucking your brains out.
"Oh? And what's that, handsome? Maybe I can help you out some~," you say as you lean back.
Handsome's eyes seem to light up at that, as if you had just given him an idea. "Ya know, that's not a bad idea. Ya see, I've recently upgraded my deck majorly, so I need to go test it out. The plan was just to try and find some decent tournament to take part in, but now that you're here, I have an even better idea. You still got contacts in the Underground scene, right? Don't suppose you have any info on any tournaments going down or the like, do you?" he asks casually, still groping your thigh.
…Well, this isn't quite how you expected this day to go, but you can work with it. Hell, this might even work out better.
"Well, there is ONE thing I've heard about. I got invited to an Underground Tag Tournament, but I turned 'em down since I don't normally do Tag Duels. But if you're interested, then that could be fun," you perk up as you remember another little detail. "Ooh, and also, apparently, the organizers have somehow gotten their hands on some of those Duel Disk things you and Kaiba used when you dueled. That sound good enough to you?" you ask with a perched eyebrow.
At your words, a practically predatory grin crosses his face as he leans in, placing his forehead against yours. "Gorgeous, I've never heard a more perfect idea in my life," he practically moans out.
…And if your breath just happened to hitch slightly at the sound, well, that'd be your little secret.
-x-X-x-
After finishing your breakfast and having to use 100% of your willpower to deny yourself some shower fun with Mai, you eventually get dressed and call up your driver to come fetch the two of you.
As your driver pulls up, you can't help but grin, noticing Mai's eyebrows shoot all the way up as she takes in your car.
You step forward and open the door for her, a shit-eating grin still stretching across your face.
Mai just stares at you for a few seconds longer, obviously processing this.
"...And when did this happen? I feel like you having a personal driver with a luxury car would have come up if you had it while we were on the island," she says, trying to remain casual and unaffected even as she gets in and rubs her hands along the leather seats.
You get in behind her and throw an arm over her shoulders, cuddling up to her.
"Ah, remember my super heroic sacrifice of allowing Kaiba to get his grimy little mits on my cards? Well, in recognition of my great sacrifice, Kaiba decided to pay some reparations to me. I believe the mathematical amount would be somewhere between a fuck-ton and uber-rich, give or take a bit," you say with a cocky grin stretching your face, as Mai can't help but look at you in disbelief.
"...So you're telling me I leave you alone for two weeks, and in that time you somehow become rich?" she asks, not quite believing it.
"Yep~," you reply, making sure to pop the P as you do.
Mai just digests that for a few seconds before nodding her head as if deciding something.
"...Let's hurry up and win this tournament. Once we're done, I'm going to fuck you into a coma," she suddenly says matter-of-factly, as if it was already decided.
…Goddamn, you had good taste in women. Maybe you should buy a quick pack on the way back and have Mai open it? Some more data for your little science experiment would always be nice. You were still sorting through all of Kels, Yuki's, and Himiko's pulls anyway.
After that, you and Mai casually chat as you make your way to the tournament. She's shocked that, besides the car and the personal driver, you hadn't really spent much of your newfound wealth. She asks if you seriously don't plan on getting a bigger place.
…It's not like the thought hadn't crossed your mind or anything, but every time you considered it, your mind always went back to your uncle's old house. It was a nice place, but it had just seemed so big and empty to you as a kid, with your uncle always out on business or whatever. You'd be lucky if you saw him for an hour a week. So, when you had decided to ask him if you could move out, you chose something practical and small.
Still, you quickly banish those thoughts from your mind as your driver pulls up in front of what seems to be some kind of bar.
You look over at Mai with a raised eyebrow, as if to question if this is REALLY the place.
She just shrugs her shoulders at your look. "It's the Underground scene, handsome. Can't really plaster lights and signs all over the place now, can you?" she explains as she steps out of the car with you following behind her.
As your driver drives off, you and Mai quickly step into the bar, with her immediately making her way to the bartender. "Yo, Gel. I've changed my mind about not participating in the tournament, so go get Tray so we can figure this out as quickly as possible," she says, taking a seat and gesturing for you to sit beside her. The so-called Gel, with his ridiculously slicked-back hair, quickly runs into the back to presumably get the man in question.
You look over at Mai with a raised eyebrow. "Regular around here?" you ask.
She just shrugs. "Eh, once or twice. But this scene in particular can be pretty raunchy, so not that often. But Tray himself has a finger in pretty much every pie of the Underground scene, so we've met at a few other tournaments," she explains as an incredibly as the most stereotypical sketchy dude you had ever met walked in from the back.
Mai, ya bitch, I thought you didn't want anything to do with this?! What's with the change of tune—" he suddenly stops, eyebrows shooting up as he looks at you.
He stares for a few seconds longer before turning his gaze back to Mai.
"...I hope you're not expecting a finder's fee or some shit, doll. I already got ten thousand in the prize pot not even mentionin' the cost of the Duel Disks. I can't afford a dime more," he says seriously.
Mai just rolls her eyes. "No, nothing like that. I just changed my mind and thought this could be fun. So kick out two of the nobodies you no doubt have in this thing, and slot us in. We both know the crowd will absolutely eat up the King of Games himself participating not even mentioning me," she explains simply.
The dude bites his lip for a few seconds, obviously not wanting to fold too easily but also agreeing with every point she made.
"...Sheesh, sugar, way to bust a guy's balls here. I'm only doin' this 'cause I like ya, I'll have you know! Now, come on—if we're doin' this, we need to hurry this thing up. Only got about half an hour till the tourney starts!" he says, waving his hands for both of you to follow behind him.
He swiftly leads you to what seems like a simple basement door, but it is quickly revealed to be a whole underground stadium in the middle of a dining room, with figures in fancy dresses and suits wearing masquerade masks eating, obviously waiting for the tournament to start.
He quickly directs your attention to a side door, which seems to lead to some kind of backstage prep room, before turning his attention to you.
"Alright, kid. Mai already knows the whole shtick, but you probably don't, so I'll lay out some rules. First off, what happens in Fight Club stays in Fight Club—type shit. If the cops come knockin' around here, that'd be a major pain in my ass. Second, you'll be duelin' with these bad boys!" he says, digging into a nearby drawer and pulling out some kind of collar and bracelets.
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------------>
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"They'll be tied to the new Duel Disks we got our hands on. They're designed to give you a little shock every time you lose Life Points. Nothin' major at least at the lower end, but if you somehow manage to lose 4000 Life Points at once, it'll be like gettin' hit by a taser—just a little excitement for the audience. I'm sure ya understand. Oh! On that matter, we'll be using the expert rules. I know Duelist Kingdom format is all the rage right now, but with no AI bullshit, it's just prone to stall fests, which are fuckin' boring," he explains, stopping outside a door.
…Oh, fuck, this was going to be incredible.
Suddenly, Tray knocks his hand against the door behind him. "And last but not least, a little special option for ya. You see, our audience likes the duelists to be memorable, ya know? So, as such a considerate organizer I offer all my duelists here the opportunity to get into some more 'appealing' apparel if ya catch my drift. Of course, you as the King, are already plenty memorable on your own, but I'd be remiss if I didn't offer."
Hmm, now there was an idea. The question was whether it sounded like something you'd actually want to do.
-x-X-x-
"Yo, you good to change outfits? I'm all for it if you are," you say to her, looking over your shoulder.
Mai tilts her head for a moment, obviously considering it. "Hmm, normally I don't bother, especially with some of the fetish wear back there, but we do have a deal. So, if you want me to, I can get behind it," she says as you both make your way into the costume room.
…Damn, you can see what she means by fetish wear. You're pretty sure it'd be less scandalous to be butt-ass naked than wear some of these outfits.
Though after a while of wandering for something that called to you, you stop as a certain outfit catches your eye.
…What was it that Tray said? As King, you were already memorable? While that may be true, it didn't mean you couldn't dress the part~
Mai can't help but roll her eyes as she steps up behind you and notices what you're looking at.
"Heh, I suppose it is appropriate. If you're going with that, I may as well dress to match, then, shouldn't I~?" Mai purrs out, stepping forward and grabbing a similar costume beside yours before heading to one of the changing rooms, a sway in her hips.
…Oh, this was gonna be a good day. You can already tell~
-x-X-x-
As you and Mai step out of the costume room, you can't help the giddy grin that spreads across your face as you feel the surprisingly high-quality outfit against your skin.
You feel a familiar presence appear on your back—something you've long since gotten used to.
"Hrghnn~ You look GOOD, 'Koto! You need to learn to manifest me again ASAP so you can fuck me in that outfit~," Ruby purrs, running her hands up and down your body as if she couldn't get enough.
"Though Mai is also looking pretty delicious~ Even if some of those other outfits would have looked absolutely sinful on her~," Ruby adds, looking back at Mai as you do the same.
…She definitely wasn't lying. Mai looked just about good enough to eat.
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------------->
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Hmm, as much as you wanted to push her up against the nearby wall and have some fun, you should probably hurry up. You'd already spent about ten minutes in there and were cutting it close, even before that.
You shoot Mai a wink and turn back, making your way over to Tray, who seemed to be on the phone with somebody.
"-Look, I don't care what those two chucklefucks are sayin'. They're out. Have some of our guys throw 'em in the back alley or somethin'. Jesus, do I gotta micro-manage everything here?" he says, putting down the phone and turning to the two of you. His eyes widen as he does, then a grin crosses his face.
"And there's my two stars! Mai, I always told ya one day I'd convince ya to use the costume room! And our King here looks like he could sell for a million bucks! Love the Golden Necklace, by the way! Most people it'd look gaudy, but you make it work!" He says, obviously trying to butter you up and brown-nose a little.
…Not that you're complaining.
He suddenly claps his hands and looks around. "Alrighty then, here's how this is gonna work: we're gonna get you two collared up and give you your Duel Disks. Your first up, while a couple of our audience saw you and are whispering, want to try and capitalize on your surprise factor. So, we'll have a couple of my guys set you up, and you can strategize or whatever you need to do. Just be prepared for your names to be called!" He said before scampering off as two assistants walk up, opening briefcases to reveal the Duel Disks and collars.
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Damn, these really were some prototype prototypes, weren't they? Even the frisbee looked more complete, though these probably would eventually become the superior product with time.
As the assistants help fit the collars and Duel Disks onto you, you turn to Mai.
"So, since we're tag-teaming, it'd probably be best if we looked over each other's decks, right? I've had a big upgrade recently, so I made a lot of changes," you say, watching as the cute female assistant straps the collar around Mai.
…You should have asked if you could put it on her.
Mai just shrugs in response. "Probably a good idea. My deck's gone through quite a few changes too. Industrial Illusions sent me some new Harpie support they've yet to release, probably as free advertising. I've decided to supplement what I have with some other monsters until I get more though," she explains, reaching into her deck box attached to her thigh, taking out her cards, and handing them over to you.
Fuck, what the hell is this blatant favoritism? Your new cards better have just gotten lost in the mail. Otherwise, you're tempted to go tear out Pegasus's other eye.
As the assistants finish up, they give both of you a swift bow and step away.
"Man, I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't expecting this much. I'd almost feel embarrassed if not for this," you say, reaching for your own deck box and pulling out your new decks, passing them to Mai.
"Decided to make a second deck. There's some overlap, but I made sure the cards I'd need to swap are at the top for easy access," you explain, watching as Mai flips through your decks, eyes widening.
"...Handsome, if you weren't really rich, I'd be seriously considering trying to get you to sell these and then retire a VERY wealthy man," she says, exasperation in her tone, very carefully handing your decks back.
"Heh, I'd have refused, but I appreciate the sentiment," you reply with a chuckle, leaning back against the wall as you both wait for your names.
And soon enough, it happens. An assistant approaches, telling you to get ready, holding the handle to the door leading to the main room.
"-And now! To welcome our surprise contestants: your very own King of Games, Makoto Yuzuki! And the lovely and ferocious Mai Valentine!" the announcer roars out as you hear some members of the audience gasp. You and Mai stride out to the steel cage, which already houses two duelists.
…Hmm, should you be offended at being treated like the challenger, or be content since they obviously want to save your reveal for last?
Well, in any case, you're not planning to do anything but crush the fodder across from you.
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------------>
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Though, with the way the big dude was panting like he'd run a marathon and the way the cute punk girl was staring at Mai with eyes so wide it looked like they were about to fall out of her head, part of you worries they might pass out before the duel even starts.
In any case, you've got an appearance to maintain, so you just look at the two of them like they're dirt on your shoe.
"...Really? The two of you are who they brought out? Some roid junkie and little Miss Daddy Issues? You really had no one more worth my time?" you say, raising an eyebrow at the announcer.
That seems to catch their attention, focus immediately shifting to you as the guy in the bear mask snarls so hard you can hear it.
"The fuck you sayin', you pansy-ass bitch?! Big Dawg's gonna rip your goddamn throat out with his bear teeth—and then fuck that bitch of yours BLOODY!" he roars at you with such vitriol that even his partner looks vaguely disturbed.
You just look at him with a flat expression. "...Well, I suppose I can waste some of my time to put a wretch like you in the ground." Turning your attention to the punk girl, you raise an eyebrow in condescension.
"And you, girl? Do you have any words to say to your King before walking to the guillotine?" you ask, your voice icy, ignoring the animals as he rages from being ignored.
The girl gulps, obviously nervous, her eyes flicking over to Mai, who is looking on, unbothered.
"...Not to you, but I do have something to say to Mai Valentine. I'm gonna beat you here and now and become the best Harpie duelist in the entire world! Or else my name's not Vendetta!" she declares, puffing up her chest in bravado. Mai, however, just looks unimpressed.
"...Oh, sweetie, it looks like Mommy's gonna need to teach you a few lessons about the REAL world. Don't worry, though—I'll be as gentle as I can," she says, but her eyes quickly shift to you. "...I'm not sure I can say the same about Makoto here, though." Vendetta swallows as she beholds Mai's sadistic smile, eyes darting to you.
"Would you look at that, folks? I think we'd better hurry up and start the duel before fists start flying! So, without further ado, it's time to DUEL!" the announcer declares as your Duel Disk springs to life.
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You smirk and immediately draw before anyone else can react.
"As the King, it's only fair I get to go first, isn't it~?" you purr, even as the dead man spits obscenities your way. You ignore him for now as you inspect your hand.
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"To start us off, I think it's only fair you pay some tribute to the king! So I'll activate my Pillager! Targeting the roid monkey!" you declare, slotting your card into the Duel Disk.
…This piece of shit better not damage your cards, or else this entire place is coming down.
The animal spits some more curses your way before reluctantly turning his hand toward you and Mai to inspect.
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-------------->
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Heh, a classic beatdown strategy? Fitting enough, you suppose. And you can see where the inspiration for the bear head came from.
Still, though—what to take?
There was only ever one real answer here.
"Ha! I think I'll take that Polymerization of yours, wretch!" you declare, as Big Dawg snarls and instead of walking over, throws the card your way like a ninja star.
Luckily for him, you quickly bring your hand up and catch the card between your fingers as the crowd oohs at the display.
…Heh, you knew practicing that would pay off eventually.
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"I think for now I'll keep things simple! A classic T-set and ending my turn," you say dramatically, setting your Giant Germ and Solemn face-down.
Heh, if things go well, you're set up to do something incredible next turn~
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Little Miss Daddy Issues was up next, fumbling slightly with her Duel Disk as she drew for her turn. Clearly unused to having an audience, and the new equipment didn't help matters in the slightest.
She inspects her hand for a few moments, considering her play before finally taking a card and slapping it down on her Duel Disk.
"T-to start, I Normal Summon my Birdface!" she declares, as a giant, vaguely humanoid bird materializes on her side of the field.
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. ..... Not the most creative name by Industrial Illusions, but it did help you remember its effect from your research into Harpie support. If destroyed by battle, it allows Vendetta to add a Harpie Lady to her hand.
You could use Solemn Judgment to leave her with an empty board and prevent its effect, but was it really worth it?
Hmm, maybe if this were a standard duel, with both of you at 4000 Life Points and your turn coming up next, it'd be worth it considering your board and what you have in hand. But in the Tag Duel format, it simply wasn't, especially when your turn wasn't close.
Not letting any of your pondering show on your face, you watch as Vendetta continues her turn.
"Next up, I'll enter my Battle Phase! Go, Birdface! Attack his set monster!" she commands, her hand thrown forward with enthusiasm.
Good for her! A shame about what's about to happen, though.
As her Birdface dives toward your set monster, talons extended, it lands on top of it and squeezes—revealing your Giant Germ underneath. Vendetta's eyes widen.
"Ha! Looks like someone watched Duelist Kingdom! But for anyone in our lovely audience who missed it, this is my Giant Germ! When destroyed by battle, not only does it inflict 500 points of damage, but I can also Special Summon two more copies from my deck!" you roar out as your Germ explodes, releasing an acidic red mist that rapidly spreads over Big Dawg and Vendetta, dealing 500 damage.
"Oh-ho! And the first damage of the duel has been dealt! You know what that means, folks!" the announcer states as suddenly both Vendetta and Big Dawg's collars light up, causing Vendetta to flinch while Big Dawg roars and flexes.
"That's right, people! The return of the fan-favorite shock collars! Whenever a duelist takes damage, the collar activates, electrocuting them equal to the damage taken. So, in this case, it was just a tiny wave, but we'll have to see what's in store!" the announcer explains as the crowd cheers and you summon your other two Germs to the field.
Man, this was hardcore—but you couldn't say you hated it. You wonder if they'd be open to selling you some.
Your thought is interrupted as Vendetta, having recovered from the minor shock, continues.
"I-I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn! Don't count me out of this yet!" she yells with determination.
Aww, what a sweetie. You almost feel bad about what's about to happen.
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Mai begins her turn with a sly smirk as she glances at her draw.
"Hmm, I suppose I'd better get started on that lesson I promised you, sweetie. To start off, I'll activate my Harpie's Feather Duster!" Mai proclaims, as her Spell Card appears on the field.
Vendetta's eyes widen in alarm as she quickly slams her hand down on a button at the back of her Duel Disk.
"I-I activate my Phoenix Wing Wind Blast! By discarding one card from my hand, I can target one card on the field and place it on top of your deck!" she says nervously, panic evident in her voice. A gust of golden wind rushes from her trap, blowing towards your set Solemn Judgment, which is then swept away and placed on top of Mai's deck.
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Mai chuckles softly as her Feather Duster resolves, destroying Vendetta's other set.
"Oh, very good, sweetie! Unfortunately, that's not quite enough, though. You're a thousand years too early to even think you can step up to the plate with me, and it's about time I showed you that!" Mai says with a sadistic gleam in her eyes, as she prepares to make her move properly.
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"This is how a true Harpie duelist should do things, sweetie!" Mai announced confidently. "I Normal Summon my Cyber Harpie Lady in attack mode!" Her newly retrained Harpie Lady materialized on her side of the field, now already equipped with its iconic Cyber Shield.
"Next, I activate the effect of my new and improved Harpie's Pet Dragon! If I control a Level 6 or lower WIND monster, I can Special Summon it directly to my field in defense mode!" Mai declared. Her Pet Dragon appeared on the field, directly behind her Harpie Lady, who reached up and stroked its chin, while it almost seemed to pur in contentment.
You felt a familiar weight settle on your back as you caught Ruby pouting from your peripheral vision.
"...Why did those whores get a retrain before I did?! They should make a version of me with 3000 defense points, and whenever I'm flipped, I destroy all cards on the field and deal a trillion damage!" Ruby whined, kicking her feet in frustration.
As Ruby's bratty tirade continues, you swear Mai's Harpie turns toward her, shooting a teasing wink before sticking her tongue out and turning her attention back to the field.
…Welp, that was something to unpack later.
"Next, I enter my Battle Phase! Harpie Lady, attack that pathetic Birdface! Rip him to shreds!" Mai commands, throwing her hand forward, her breasts jiggling from the movement—an effect that some in the audience clearly appreciated, judging by the murmurs.
…Did she not have a bra under that thing? Probably best not to dwell on it. You didn't want to deal with a boner during the duel.
As Mai's Harpie Lady slashes through Vendetta's Birdface, she and Big Dawg shiver for a moment before Vendetta speaks up.
"My Birdface's effect activates! When he's destroyed by battle, I can add a Harpie Lady from my deck to my hand!" she says, searching through her deck and adding a card.
Mai smirks at her move. "Cute, but not quite enough. Normally, I don't bother with these kinds of monsters, but hey—when in Rome." She raises a finger to Vendetta. "Go, my Giant Germs! Attack them directly!"
Both your Germs release a familiar red mist that quickly engulfs the duo, dealing 2000 points of damage.
Suddenly, both Big Dawg and Vendetta's collars light up. Vendetta quickly drops to her knees, clutching her collar with the most adorable scrunched-up face as electricity courses through her. Big Dawg somehow remains standing, arms spread wide, screaming as the shock hits him.
"ARGHHHHHH! FUUUUUCK! YOU think this pussy-shit is enough to take Big Dawg down?! Never! NEVER!" he screams, the electricity slowly subsiding.
This guy was definitely on something—either that, or just outright insane. Either way, it wouldn't save him.
As Vendetta slowly gets back to her feet, Mai smirks across at her.
"Hmm? Was that too rough for you, baby? Aww, mommy's sorry. Maybe if you get on your hands and knees and surrender, I'll come kiss the little booboos better." Mai taunts with a lick of her lips, while Vendetta pouts, clearly annoyed at being mocked.
"No? What a shame. You've got such pretty skin—I'm sure it would taste divine~," Mai purrs, her teasing making Vendetta's face turn bright red.
Goddamn, Mai was going all out. Was this how she usually dueled in the Underground? If so, maybe you needed to make this a recurring thing if it brought out this side of her.
"In any case, I'll set one card face-down and end my turn here," Mai states simply, placing a card in front of her.
You suddenly realize you're not quite sure how to tell what your partners' cards are.
Your gaze is drawn to your Duel Disk, where instead of your Life Points, it now reads "Mirror Wall" across the display.
Welp, that answers that.
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"You little cunts better get ready for a world of pain! Cause nothin' stops Big Dawg when he gets started!" Big Dawg roars out as he tears the top card from his deck.
From what you saw he didn't have anything too insane in his hand, so unless that was a god draw you weren't worried about "the world of pain" he promised.
"I'm starting by activating my Heavy Storm! Wipin' out whatever little pathetic coward shit you thought would stop me!" He howls out that is then quickly overtaken by the sound of the massive twister that encompasses the field, wiping out Mai's Mirror Wall in the process.
"Ha! Like I said, weak shit!" Big Dawg barks out before pulling a card from his hand. "Now I Normal Summon my Giant Orc in attack mode!" He declares as a monster that was almost as ugly as him appeared on his side of the field.
Welp, it was time to see just how nasty these collars were first hand.
"Go on Orc! Wipe out one of their pathetic Germs!" He cries out punching towards one of your Germ as his orc rushes forward, club raised high.
As the club smashes your Germ and you and Mai take 1200 damage you tense up, preparing for the shock that then suddenly comes, causing you to lock up but using every ounce of willpower you have to make sure you keep a blank expression
Soon enough the electricity stops and you unclench.
…That wasn't that bad actually, admittedly quite a low amount of damage but you could 100% handle shocks like that.
Looking over to Mai you see she looks completely fine, if you didn't know any better you wouldn't have even guessed she HAD been shocked, though you suppose it makes sense that this wasn't her first rodeo with these things.
Turning your focus back to the duel you get the distinct impression Big Dawg is unhappy with your lack of reactions.
"Tsk! Whatever, you'll see soon enough the type of pain train Big Dawg operates, because of Orcs effect whenever he attacks he's changed to defense mode afterwards, I then set one card face-down and end my turn." He grunts out.
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You begin your turn, drawing and getting Mirror Force.
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Heh, not that you needed it, this duel was over~
A deep, rumbling satisfaction runs through you as you lock eyes with the dead man and Vendetta.
"Heh, I've changed my mind. This duel WAS worth my time—if only for the pleasure of what I'm about to do~," you croon, a wicked grin curling on your lips. Vendetta looks at you nervously, while Big Dawg leans forward, growling fiercely.
"Big fuckin' talk! But how 'bout you stop yappin' and start doin' somethin', cunt!" he roars, pounding his chest like an angry gorilla.
You just smirk at his bravado. "Anything for one of my adoring subjects, I suppose~," you reply smoothly as you begin your combo, ignoring Big Dawg's undoubtedly insightful rebuttal.
"To begin, I'll activate my Advanced Ritual Art! Allowing me to Ritual Summon by sending normal monsters from my deck to my Graveyard!" you declare, sending your trusty Tri-Horn to the Graveyard.
"Now, come forth, my master of death—Hades! Lord of the Underworld!" At your command, Hades materializes from his summoning circle, taking his place on your side of the field, eyes glowing with dark power.
"Next, I activate Hades' effect! By paying 500 Life Points, I can Special Summon one DARK monster from my Graveyard!" The shock from the collar only fuels your excitement as Tri-Horn rises from beyond the grave at Hades' command.
Vendetta flinches at the sight of your monster, visibly unnerved—while even Big Dawg seems momentarily unsettled, knowing they've lost the duel.
Ooh, they have no idea what's coming.
"Now, I think I'll put your tithe to good use, dog," you say with a sly smile. "I activate Polymerization! Fusing my Tri-Horn Dragon and the last remaining Giant Germ together to summon my Blight-Horn Dragon!"
You shout with glee as your Giant Germ seems to almost infect your Tri-Horn, flesh falling from his bones to form the grotesque new beast, granting seemingly only a minor attack boost.
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The audience looks confused, wondering why you'd invest so many resources into a monster for a seemingly weak attack boost when you already had the game.
They'll learn soon enough~
"Now! Let's end this duel!" you decree with a manic grin. "Go, Hades—Underworld Judgment!" A wave of darkness erupts from Hades, crashing directly into Big Dawg's orc and obliterating it in a single strike.
"Now, go on, Blight-Horn! Put 'em to death—Miasma Decay!" you shout, your voice wild with excitement. Your Blight-Horn opens his grotesque jaw wide, and a crimson mist spews forth, hurtling toward your opponents as they brace for impact.
"Ha! It'll take more than spirit to endure this!" You roar. "I activate my Blight-Horn's effect—Terminal Lucidity! At the cost of him destroying himself during the End Phase, I can double my Blight-Horn's attack! Now, go, Blight-Horn!"
Your dragon's form seems to swell with power, blood rushing through his veins as his blue scales darken into a deep crimson. The mist doubles in size and darkens, almost black now, swirling into a vortex of shadow.
Your opponents' eyes widen in horror as they realize what's about to happen. Your dragon's attack doubles to a colossal 6100—an almost unimaginable power.
Before they can react, the mist engulfs them as their Life Points rapidly drop to 0 and as the holograms fade away they reveal the collars on Big Dawg and Vendetta activating simultaneously—delivering a shockwave of damage equal to 6100 they had taken from your Blight-Horn. The two of them drop and begin to writhe on the ground, wracked with pain, as the crowd erupts in cheers.
A manic grin spreads across your face as you watch them slump, some assistants rushing out to carry both your foes backstage—surprisingly still conscious, though clearly defeated.
Suddenly, someone materializes on your back. Expecting to see Ruby as usual, you turn—and instead, your eyes meet the half-lidded gaze of Samara.
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-------------->
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"Hmmm~ how delicious~ I must admit, I didn't expect to find such refined taste still lingering in this world," she purrs, her voice smooth and seductive. "I'd prefer a bit more of a bloody spectacle, but this is quite the pleasant surprise, my wielder. I'm glad to see you enjoying yourself so thoroughly~." She says as she disappears back into the depths of your soul.
As you and Mai make your way out of the cage and toward the backstage, a part of you is startled by how right she was. The rush of dueling with real stakes—pain, consequences, the thrill of dominance—had ignited something inside you like never before. Seeing your foes squirm in pain had given you a rush unlike anything else.
Its not like you hadn't been sadistic in past duels, but that had always been more taunting and insults, and when it wasn't it was a Shadow Game.
A flicker of worry nags at you—should you be concerned about how dark your thoughts had gotten? But as you glance over at Mai, unbothered and calm, you realize it doesn't matter. The thrill is too intoxicating.
With a cocky smirk, you stride toward her, ready to bask in the aftermath of your victory, knowing deep down that this dark, savage side of you isn't going anywhere.
At that thought you feel a build up of power suddenly appear in your hand, something that had taken all your concentration to manifest previously now materializing at the barest thought.
Heh, this really was going to be a good day~
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Duel Won!
(300 DP from beating Vendetta and Big Dawg!)
Big Dawg & Vendettas Traits Revealed:
BEAR HUG!!!: Start the duel with Fluffal Bear and either a copy of Final Attack Orders or Skill Drain in your hand.
Harpie Fangirl: Start with 1 "Harpie" card in your starting hand.
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Layla's 3 cards:
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