Okay, this chapter exists literally as filler, and to explain how the kids' decks get a buff, but for some reason I remember this one so much more clearly than some of the other stuff that I've written. When I think of this book, it's usually the first chapter I think of. The chapter makes no sense, and I know this, so why did writing it leave such as impact on me?
There is obviously a duel in this chapter, but there will be no Card of the Day or Original Cards in This Chapter. I want to reserve those things for duels which in some way impact the story or the development of the characters. This one didn't do that.
Chapter Twenty
A Night in Egypt
Odion helped my team and I find an inn where we could stay the night. He said that he would meet us outside the inn the next morning to begin our journey. We rented two rooms at the inn, one for the boys and one for the girls. Once we were settled in, we tried to sleep. When I couldn’t, I woke Tucker with one of my more brilliant ideas.
“You want to do what?!”
“I want to go card hunting! It’s only 12:30, and we still have a ton of the cash Pegasus gave us. Let’s go card hunting!”
“And what makes you think we’ll find any cards here?” Tucker asked, annoyed.
“Because I said so. And because Pegasus said the game originated here.”
Tucker thought for a second, looked at me and said, “Fine, but we better not get mugged and beaten or I’ll mug and beat you.”
Fifteen minutes later, Tucker and I were walking the streets near the inn, searching for a place that sold cards. We decided that, since each of the four of us used very different decks, Tucker and I would keep the cards that we could use, and then we would give the rest to the girls.
It wasn’t long before we came across a store where a group of Duelists were gathered around a large wooden platform. Two duelists stood on the platform opposite each other. One of them, a dark skinned boy, was being hammered by a larger boy with light skin wearing an American Flag shirt and tattered blue jeans. As the dark-skinned boy lost the last of his Life Points, a short heavy man standing behind the boy stepped forward and said, “And another victory for the heavy hitting wonder from America, Robert, on tour here for one night only! Step up now. For a small fee you can challenge Robert, and if you can defeat Robert, you win the grand prize of one hundred fifty packs of cards!”
“Told you we’d find cards,” I said.
“And you know what,” said Tucker, “it looks like we won’t need that cash after all, ’cause I’m gonna win that prize.” He reached into my bag, where we had the cash, pulled some out, and cried, “Hey, you, I’m Pyro Tucker, and I challenge you!”
“You can’t beat me,” said Robert as Tucker stepped up to face him, their Duel Disks blinking to life (LP: 4000). “Nobody can.”
“Whatever," Tucker replied, "just go.”
“Fine!” Robert cried. “I summon the ‘Battle Footballer’, attack mode!” A mechanical football player appeared (ATK: 1000). “And place one card face-down.”
“Uh, you know,” Tucker said, “that you're supposed to play monsters like that one in Defense mode. But whatever. I’ll place two cards face-down, and summon ‘Flame Ruler’ (ATK: 1500). Attack, with Fireball Toss!”
‘Flame Ruler’ threw a fireball at the ‘Footballer’, but Robert was more prepared than Tucker had realized.
“Reveal ‘Defensive Lineup’,” Robert declared, “changing ‘Footballer’ to defense mode.” The monster crouched down (DEF: 2100), deflecting the fireball back at Tucker, dealing him damage (LP: 4000+1500-2100=3400).
“Now,” said Robert, “I pay twelve hundred Life Points (LP: 4000-1200=2800) to equip my ‘Footballer’ with ‘Run a Play’, a card that increases the Attack of the ‘Footballer’ by an amount equal to his Defense during my Battle Phase, gives him piercing, and allows him to attack while in Defense mode! I attack your monster (ATK: 1000+2100=3100).” ‘Footballer’ threw a football at ‘Flame Ruler’, which exploded upon impact, destroying him (3400+1500-3100=1900).
Robert laughed, “I end my turn.”
“Not before I activate this,” Tucker announced. “Reveal ‘Des Counterblow’, destroying any monster that dealt me damage.” A burst of flame incinerated the ‘Footballer’, something that Robert obviously never thought would happen, judging by the ridiculous, stunned look on his face.
“Now,” Tucker said, “I remove ‘Flame Ruler’ from play to summon ‘Inferno’,” the living flame appeared, “and sacrifice him for ‘Mr. Volcano’,” the flame flared up and then disappeared, revealing Tucker’s favorite monster (ATK: 2100).
“Reveal ‘Salamandra’, empowering my monster with a dragon flame.” A dragon shaped stream of fire poured into ‘Mr. Volcano’, and his power rose (2100+700=2800).
“Mr. Volcano’,” Tucker commanded, “direct attack, Streaming Flame.” Tucker’s monster snapped his fingers, and frames engulfed Robert (LP: 2800-2800=0). “Looks like that prize is mine.”
“It would seem so,” the stout man replied, “but wouldn’t you like to give Robert here a chance to win back his honor?”
“No. I just want my cards.”
The man scowled. “Well then,” he said, “congratulations.”
The man handed Tucker a box, and before we knew it we were on our way back to the inn. We passed by an alley a few minutes later, and we were surprised when the stout man and the much larger Robert emerged from within it.
“We’re going to need those cards back,” the stout man said. “You see, they’re our money maker. This scheme we’ve got going, traveling from one city to the next and beatin’ wannabes, is gonna make us rich, but you will have to give us our cards back first.”
Tucker and I looked at each other and them back at the man, and I said, “Uh, no.”
“What did I say about getting mugged?” Tucker asked me.
“We still have our stuff,” I said, “so we technically haven’t been mugged yet.”
“True.”
“Robert,” the man said, “go get our stuff.”
“With pleasure,” Robert said, his hands balled into fists. He ran at Tucker, who sighed. Robert punched, and Tucker ducked, coming up and slamming Robert in the jaw with his elbow. Robert fell over, moaning in pain. Tucker and I went to stand over him. “Dude,” I said, “I think you broke his jaw.”
“Eh, he’ll live.”
We made our way back to the inn and opened our packs of cards. Our decks got some major boosts, which I was sure we were going to need. I wasn’t sure if we were a match for the Order now, but I was sure that we were as ready as we were going to get, and that made me feel better. I even managed to get a few hours of sleep.
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