A little secret about this chapter. Well, two secrets, actually, two firsts. This chapter is not only the first time (chronologically within the story) that one of my characters pulls the card Waboku out of their butt to save themselves for a turn, even though they've never been seen to use that card before, it is also the first duel (again, in terms of the story) which completely got away from me when I was mapping it out. I came up with the concept and liked it so much that I refused to change it even though I just couldn't figure out how Jen would win. I actually thought about letting her lose (spoilers, she doesn't). I even had to bust out an idea that I'd had for an original card in order for her to win, something that I try not to do very often.
Chapter FifteenA Battle of Understanding!
Jen vs. Daryl
The shopkeeper flipped his coin, catching it in the air, “Jen, the block B champion, will make the first move.”
I drew, “I’m glad you made it into the tournament, Daryl, and I’m really glad that you made it so far. I hoped I’d get the chance to duel you.”
“Same here,” Daryl replied. “After you helped me, after you gave me the idea to make Normal monsters the theme of my deck, I was able to not only finish my deck, but find my confidence. I know Duel Monsters is a game, but it’s a game that you can really make into something good for yourself. I’ve always wanted to play, and thanks to you I can.”
He looked down at his deck, “I wasn’t completely honest earlier. Truth is I probably could have gotten some good Effect monsters if I’d traded my best Normal monsters, but they were my favorites. I couldn’t trade them. Now, thanks to you, I don’t have to.
“You have a gift, Jen,” he told me. “I saw the end of that last duel. You figured out what your opponent was plannin’ and you managed to overcome it.”
“I knew my opponent,” I protested.
“You dueled like an elite Duelist,” Daryl insisted, “and the point is, as good as you are, I wanna beat you, to prove myself.”
I smiled, “Then give it your best shot, but know that I’m not going to hold back.
“I summon,” I began, “my ‘Big Insect’, and I equip it with ‘Invigoration’ and ‘Insect Armor with Laser Cannon’.”
A giant ant appeared. It came under the effect of ‘Invigoration’ and grew even larger, until it was taller than me. The laser cannon appeared on its back (ATK: 1200+400+700=2300).
“I end my turn,” I declared, speaking with confidence.
“Then I draw,” Daryl declared, sounding proud and forceful, “and I play ‘Heart of the Underdog’ and ‘Non-Spellcasting Area’.”
‘Non-Spellcasting Area’? No way.
“‘Heart of the Underdog’ lets me draw an additional card each time I draw a Normal monster during the Draw Phase,” Daryl explained, “and ‘Non-Spellcasting Area’ shields all non-effect monsters from the effects of Spells. That means your ‘Big Insect’ loses its Equip Spells, and the power that they give it.”
I watched as the ‘Big Insect’ returned to normal. Now it made perfect sense, but at the time of my conversation with Daryl earlier I’d never considered ‘Non-Spellcasting Area’. I’d been taken completely by surprise.
“Next,” Daryl continued, “I set a card, and I summon ‘Koumori Dragon’ and destroy the ‘Big Insect’ with Devil Dragon Flame (ATK: 1500).”
The arrow-headed devil dragon breathed black fire over the ‘Insect’, incinerating it (4000+1200-1500=3700). I took a deep breath. I was near panic. I wasn’t even fighting the Order yet and already I was trapped in a situation that I’d never foreseen.
I drew and looked at my hand. I didn't know what to do.
“I summon ‘Pinch Hopper’ in defense mode,” I declared, “and pass.”
“Then here I come,” Daryl declared. “I draw,” he looked at his cards, “and I show you ‘One-Eyed Shield Dragon’ to draw again.”
He checked his next card, “I show you ‘Armail’ to draw again.”
He checked again, and again, “I show you ‘Warrior Dai Grepher’ to draw again, and then ‘Serpent Night Dragon’ to draw a fifth card.”
He checked his next card, and finally he didn’t show it to me, but that didn’t mean he was done drawing.
“Next I reveal ‘Common Charity’,” Daryl continued, “to draw two cards, and then remove ‘Neon Knight’ in my hand from play.”
He drew again, “I play ‘Pot of Greed’ to draw two more cards.”
He drew one final time. I was impressed. He had put together a strong deck, and I had a feeling that I knew what was coming.
“Next up,” Daryl continued, “I play ‘Polymerization’, fusing ‘Armail’ and ‘One-Eyed Shield Dragon’ into ‘Dragoness the Wicked Knight’.”
A swordsman in yellow armor with wings, carrying a curved blade, appeared at Daryl's side (ATK: 1200).
“I summon ‘Warrior Dai Grepher’,” a swordsman in leather armor appeared as well (ATK: 1700), “and I play ‘Ancient Rules’ to Special Summon ‘Serpent Night Dragon’, my favorite card.”
Darkness spread out like a dark cloud overhead, and a blue, serpentine dragon with a spear-tip-shaped head emerged from the darkness with a screeching roar (ATK: 2350).
I watched, in awe, as I was faced with a small army of monsters. Daryl didn’t give me time to react. “Attack ‘Pinch Hopper’,” he commanded, “with ‘Koumori Dragon’.”
The dragon incinerated ‘Pinch Hopper’ in a single blast. I looked at my hand, wondering if it was even worth it to use ‘Hopper’’s effect, and I was surprised to find that I still had an idea of how to win. It would take some luck, but...
“When ‘Pinch Hopper’ is sent to the Graveyard,” I explained, “I can Special Summon an Insect from my hand. I summon ‘Empress Mantis’, in attack mode.”
The frilly-necked praying mantis queen appeared at my side, rubbing her digits together eagerly (ATK: 2200).
“Then ‘Serpent Night Dragon’ destroys your new monster,” Daryl declared, “and ‘Dragoness’ and ‘Warrior Dai Grepher’ attack directly.”
‘Serpent Night Dragon’ flapped its wings, releasing a barrage of energy blades that shredded the ‘Mantis’ in seconds (3700+2200-2350=3550). The two swordsmen attacked together (3550-1200-1700=650). The impact was so severe that it almost hurt.
“I end my turn,” Daryl finished, “with ‘Two-Man Cell Battle’. While this card is in play, we can each Special Summon a Level Four Normal monster during each of our End Phases. I Special Summon ‘Blackland Fire Dragon’.”
Another monster, a green, winged dragon, appeared alongside the others (ATK: 1500).
Five monsters, I thought. He’s been in this duel for two turns, and he’s summoned five monsters.
“You have a lot of talent for this game, kid,” I told my opponent. “More than I do. I’m actually shaking.”
I showed him my shaking hand.
I drew, and I looked at my newest card, “But shaken or not, I’m not finished dueling yet. I play ‘Pot of Greed’ to draw two cards. And I follow up with ‘Graceful Charity’, drawing three cards and discarding ‘Gokibore’ and ‘Insect Queen’.”
I added my newest cards to my hand and smiled. Once again, I had a complete plan. Of course, there was still a chance that it wouldn’t work, but that didn't leave me any less excited.
“I play ‘Monster Reborn’,” I continued, “to revive ‘Big Insect’.”
The giant ant reappeared at my side, hissing.
“I play ‘Multiplication of Ants’, turning one ant into two.” As I spoke, the ant split into two smaller ones.
“I tribute both of my monsters,” I continued, “to summon ‘Metal Armored Bug’ in attack mode, and I attack ‘Dragoness the Wicked Knight’ with Metal Claw.”
My monster crushed the knight (4000+1200-2800=2400), scoring me my first hit of the duel.
Everything's falling into place. Just a little more.
“I set a card, and end my turn.”
If I’m right, he’s going to summon a monster that can beat mine, I realized, and if I’m right, it won’t make even the slightest difference.
Daryl drew his card, “This was a fun duel, but it’s over. I’m gonna summon a monster so strong that only a handful of the rarest Normal monsters are stronger. I tribute ‘Koumori Dragon’ and ‘Blackland Fire Dragon’ to summon ‘Tri-Horned Dragon’!”
Daryl’s weaker dragons disappeared with a roar, and a massive blue dragon with a crown of three horns appeared in their place with a roar of his own that boomed, shaking the store (ATK: 2850).
“My monster destroys ‘Metal Armored Bug’,” Daryl commanded, and the dragon slashed with deadly-looking claws. They were inches from my giant beetle when they bounced off of a barrier projected by three chanting priests.
“Reveal ‘Waboku’ to prevent damage to my monsters for the turn.”
Daryl didn’t look happy. He was smart enough to know that he might have used up his last chance.
“I change my other monsters to defense mode,” Daryl declared, “and pass.”
“Then here goes,” I said as I drew. “I play ‘Pot of Avarice’, shuffling the five Insects in my Graveyard into my deck to draw two cards.”
I shuffled my deck, and I drew. I almost died of relief when I saw the two cards that I’d drawn.
“I finish this,” I continued, “with ‘Heavy Storm’, destroying ‘Non-Spellcasting Area’ and allowing me to use Spells on Normal monsters again, and I play ‘Swarm from Underground’. I increase the Attack of my ‘Metal Armored Bug’ by two hundred. Then I send the top five cards from my deck to the Graveyard and increase my monster’s Attack by another six hundred for every Insect that I discard.”
I picked up five cards from my deck and fed them into my Graveyard one at a time: ‘Insect Whistle’, ‘Pinch Hopper’, ‘Insect Princess’, ‘Flying Kamikiri #1’, and ‘Great Moth’.
“That’s four monsters,” I said with a smile. “My monster’s Attack increases by a total of twenty-six hundred!”
My monster was surrounded by an aura, and its power climbed (ATK: 2800+2600=5400).
“I attack,” I commanded, “and finish this duel.”
‘Metal Armored Bug’ ran the dragon through with its claws, and Daryl’s Life Points fell to zero. Our monsters faded from the field. At first I thought Daryl was disappointed, but then he smiled, “That was the best duel ever! Did you see how good my strategy did? I think with a little more tweaking I might really be able to make somethin’ out of it.”
“Yeah,” I told him, “I think you definitely could.”
“Thanks," Daryl told me, “for everything.”
I shook Daryl’s hand, and we parted ways. He returned his borrowed Duel Disk and left, walking down the street, and I rejoined Kris and Sarah.
“Good duel,” said Sarah. “You feeling any better about the whole Egypt thing?”
I thought about it. I thought about how I’d just fought a duel that had completely surprised me, and yet I'd still been able to pull through.
“You know,” I answered, “I think I am.”
We bid the grungy little shop farewell and caught the next bus home, each of us feeling a little brighter about the future.
Card of the Day:
Tri-Horned Dragon
Played by: Daryl
For the longest time, this was the second most powerful Normal Dragon in the game after "Blue-Eyes White Dragon", so it only makes sense to include it here in honor of its only appearance in my story.
Original Cards in this Chapter:
No comments:
Post a Comment