In this chapter, Karen continues to be all BAMF-y as she duels Pegasus with a deck of random cards. Despite the odds, she more than holds her own. It's clear pretty early on that she even has a decent chance of winning. Also, as the duel comes to a close, she comes to a realization about herself, one which will change the course of her life from this point on, and spell trouble for any enemy who dares to challenge her going forward.
Chapter Fourteen
A Draft Deck vs. The Master of Toons?
Karen vs. Maximillion Pegasus Part Two
“I’ll get us started,” I announced, “with ‘Pot of Greed’. I draw two more cards from my deck. Not that I needed to tell you that.”
I drew again, “Next I simply set two cards, and I summon the Normal Monster ‘Humanoid Slime’ in defense mode.”
“I suspect,” Teacher said, as my monster, a vaguely humanoid creature made of liquid, appeared within the arena that separated us (DEF: 2000), “that no move you make is ever simple.”
I smiled, “Take your turn and find out.”
Teacher selected his first card, “I open up my first turn by opening a whole other world! I play the Spell card ‘Toon Kingdom’! I remove the top three cards of my deck from play, face-down, to transport this duel to the magical realm of ‘Toon World’!”
I saw his card as he flipped them over. Teacher flipped over ‘Gorgon’s Eye’, ‘Dark Rabbit’ and ‘Toon Roll-Back’ and placed them in the pocket of his jacket. An oversized green popup book appeared before Teacher and fell open to a page near the middle. A castle sprung up from the pages, and whimsical music began to play from the arena speakers, setting the mood.
“Next I equip my ‘Toon Kingdom’,” Teacher announced, “with ‘Toon Town’.”
The pages of the magical book flipped, revealing a different page with large toonified city buildings bulging from it. Sounds of the city accompanied the lyrical notes.
“While I control ‘Toon Town’,” Teacher explained, “every Toon I control gains two hundred Attack for every Toon on my side of the field.
“I summon ‘Pinch Hopper’,” Teacher continued, “and play ‘Self-Mummification’, sending it to the Graveyard and activating its effect.”
A grasshopper the size of a medium dog appeared opposite my ‘Slime’. I was taken aback. I had come into this duel sure that I knew every card in Teacher’s deck, and yet not only would I never have expected to see ‘Pinch Hopper’ in it, I had no idea what use Teacher would have for it. I watched, apprehensively, as mummy wraps crushed the insect.
“When ‘Pinch Hopper’ is destroyed,” Teacher explained, a smug, confident smirk playing across his face, “I can summon any one Insect monster from my hand. An Insect like ‘Toon Ultimate Great Moth’, a monster that can only be summoned to the field by the effect of another card!”
“What?!” I exclaimed. Pink smoke poured from the windows of the buildings poking from the book, filling the sky. When it parted, I gasped. Hovering in the air above the arena, practically scraping the high ceiling, was a caricaturized giant green moth with glimmering blue wings, a Toon of the most powerful Insect, and one of the strongest monsters in the game.
I couldn’t believe it. It was a Toon that I’d never seen before (ATK: 3500 -> 3700)!
I recovered my composure quickly, though, thinking I don’t know the abilities of this specific Toon, so I have to prepare myself.
I flipped over my face-down card, “Reveal ‘Spirit Barrier’. While I control this Trap and at least one monster, you can’t inflict battle damage to my Life Points. No Toon Style direct attacks for you.”
“That’s alright,” Teacher replied. “Like most Toons, my ‘Moth’ can’t attack during the turn that it is summoned.”
I nodded. Now I had a pretty good idea what this particular Toon could do.
“I set one card,” Teacher concluded, “and end my turn.”
I drew, “Well then, I’d better kick things up a notch before you overrun me with that thing.”
I chose a card from my hand, “I’ll take a shot in the dark and play ‘Fusion Conscription’. If, by chance, both ‘Humanoid Slime’ and its counterpart ‘Worm Drake’ are present in this draft deck of mine, I might be able to summon a powerful monster.”
I flipped through my deck, getting my first look at it. It contained some good cards, but it didn’t seem like ‘Worm Drake’ was one of them. Then, as I came up on the last card in the stack, I smiled. I took a card from my deck and showed it to Teacher.
“Would you look at that,” I said, my deck does contain ‘Worm Drake’. That means I can play ‘Polymerization’, and thanks to this old arena, which allows Fusion Summons to be conducted without the corresponding Fusion monster, I can summon ‘Humanoid Worm Drake’.”
A large, snake like creature appeared beside my slime, and the liquid monster poured over him, becoming a version of the ‘Humanoid Slime’ with a snakey tail and a long, beak-like face (ATK: 2200).
“My monster attacks your ‘Toon Moth’,” I declared with a smirk, “and I supplement the attack with my face-down ‘Shrink’, reducing your monster’s size and strength.”
Teacher’s monster grew smaller, its Attack points falling (3700 -> 2050). My monster slunk forward, preparing to slice it in half.
Teacher smiled, “Reveal ‘De-Fusion’, splitting your monster back into its two original forms.”
My monster suddenly separated into ‘Humanoid Slime’ and ‘Worm Drake’, both in defense mode. I scowled and said, “I set another card, and I pass.”
“Then please,” Teacher said in a mock polite tone, “allow me to show you what a real turn of Duel Monsters looks like.”
He drew, “I play ‘Card of Sanctity’. We each draw until we hold six cards.”
Calmly he refilled his hand. I did the same, but not as calmly. In fact, I was beginning to sweat.
“Now,” Teacher continued, “I play ‘Graceful Charity’. I draw three more cards, and then discard two of them. And finally, I tribute both of your monsters to summon a Toon monster to your side of the field.
Again, I was completely blind-sided by Teacher’s play. Once again he’d summoned a Toon that I didn’t recognize, and, as it appeared, a bubbling pile of lava that took the form of a giant dripping humanoid which threatened to drip the deadly hot liquid onto me, I realized that it was the Toon counterpart to one of the game’s most dangerous cards.
“Introducing,” Teacher announced showily, “the ‘Toon Lava Golem’ (ATK: 3000). Each turn this monster melts just enough to drip on its controller and burn away one thousand of their Life, but that isn’t really what matters. I play ‘Owner’s Seal’, giving control of every monster on the field to its original owner!”
I watched in horror as the second huge monster slunk over to Teacher’s side, joining his ranks. Both of his monsters got even stronger (ATK: 3700 -> 3900/3000 -> 3400).
“Next,” Teacher announced, “I play ‘Monster Reborn’ to revive the ‘Toon Dark Magician Girl’ that I discarded for ‘Graceful Charity’’s effect, and I pay one thousand Life Points to attack you directly with all three of my monsters (8000 -> 7000).”
A cartoon version of my signature sorceress appeared alongside Teacher’s other monsters (ATK: 2000 -> 2600/3900 -> 4100/3400 -> 3600). The ‘Moth’ kicked up a small tornado by flapping its wings, the ‘Lava Golem’ breathed fire, and the ‘Magician Girl’ waved her wand, unleashing a spell of flashing pink light. Desperately I flipped over my last face-down card.
“I reveal ‘Elemental Absorber’,” I announced, “and I remove an Earth monster, a Dark monster, and a Fire monster in my hand from play to activate three of the devices reflective panels, deflecting your monsters’ attacks, and the attacks of all of your monsters with the same attributes for as long as this card remains in play.”
A small sphere appeared between me and Teacher. Three individual wedge-shaped barriers appeared from it, one dark purple, one brown, and one red. They drew the corresponding monsters’ attacks to them and knocked them away. I let out a sigh of relief, and then said with a forced smile, “You didn’t think that I’d let you win that easily, did you? After all, it was you who trained me.”
Teacher smiled, “Of course I didn’t, but I had to try.”
He selected another card from his hand, “I set a card. It’s your move my dear. Let’s see just how long your cobbled-together deck can stand up to an army of the most powerful monsters in my deck.”
He gestured to his monster, “After all, I’m sure to draw a card before long which can destroy your ‘Elemental Absorber’, and then there won’t be anything that you can do to stop them.”
I frowned and looked down at my hand. I knew he was right. I’d seen this deck now. This was one of the few cards in my deck capable of holding back Teacher’s attacks. Without it, I wouldn’t stand a chance. Not only that, but, having seen my deck, I knew that I had one combo in it that might give me a chance of winning, and that Trap was the key. I just needed Teacher to attack me one more time, and, of course, I needed to draw into the right stuff. I drew for my next turn. It wasn’t a game-winning card, but it would allow me to summon a powerful monster, the first step to retaking the field.
“I play ‘One for One’,” I began, “discarding ‘Hyozanryu’, the diamond dragon, from my hand to summon a Level One monster from my deck.”
There was a flash on my field, and a small, non-threatening puff ball appeared, “I summon ‘Kuriboh’, in defense mode (DEF: 200).
“And now,” I declared, putting on my smug face, as John would call it, once again, “I play ‘Monster Reborn’ to revive the discarded monster.”
A large white dragon, its skin encrusted with clear, jagged, sparkling jewels, appeared to face Teacher’s animated legion with a brave roar (ATK: 2100), only to be wrapped in pink smoke and pulled into a suitcase that had appeared on the arena floor before him, that had eyes and teeth.
“Reveal ‘Toon Briefcase’,” Teacher announced, “sending your monster packing back to your deck.”
He chuckled at his own joke as I returned my monster to my deck and shuffled, frowning.
“I draw,” Teacher announced, as his next turn began, “and this turn I’ll summon a monster capable of bypassing your ‘Absorber’. First, though, I take damage from ‘Lava Golem’’s effect.”
Lava from the giant monster dripped on Teacher and his Life Points fell (7000 -> 6000).
“I tribute,” Teacher continued, “‘Toon Lava Golem’ and ‘Toon Dark Magician Girl’ to summon the ‘Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon’!”
Teacher’s weaker two monsters disappeared, and were replaced by a small, superdeformed version of the game’s most recognizable monster, its huge blue eyes gleaming mischieviously (ATK: 3000 -> 3400).
“Your monster can’t attack yet,” I countered, grasping at straws, “so it’s my turn.”
I drew, and I had to fight not to show how relieved I was. Instead I looked Teacher square in the eyes and said, “I pass.”
Teacher flashed a broad smile, “In that case, let’s have some fun. I summon ‘Red Archery Girl’ and I’ll have her attack your ‘Kuriboh’.”
A mermaid lying in a clam shell appeared, took aim with her bow, and fired a projectile, piercing the small fluffy monster, killing it instantly.
“Now,” Teacher declared with pride, “I pay five hundred Life Points to attack with my ‘Toon Dragon’, Burst Stream of Destruction (6000 -> 5500)!”
The ‘Toon Dragon’ breathed a spray of pure white light across my field, right at me. This time it was my turn to beam with pride, and his turn to look surprised as a fourth and final yellow barrier sprung from my ‘Absorber’ and held the dragon’s attack back until it ended on its own.
“That attack would have hurt,” I told Teacher, “but luckily I drew the Light attribute ‘Hyozanryu’ again, and so I was able to remove him from play to activate the ‘Elemental Absorber’’s final shield, preventing all of your Light monsters from attacking me as well.”
I drew my next card, to begin my next turn, “Now, let’s end this.”
I turned over my card. Somehow I’d known what it would be. I smiled and played it, “I set one card, and activate my copy of ‘Card of Sanctity’. I draw until I have six cards in my hand again, and you do the same, but if I manage to draw the card that I’m looking to draw, it won’t matter what you have.
I drew, and I couldn’t help but smile. There, its foil leaf text gleaming in the low light of Teacher’s duel room, was just the card I needed, the only card in this mish-mashed deck that could win this duel for me in one turn and prevent Teacher from making any kind of lethal comeback.
“I reveal,” I said, “the Spell card ‘Final Destiny’, discarding five of the six cards in my hand to destroy every single card on the field.”
In an instant the number of cards in my hand plummeted to one, but it was worth it. There was an explosion so bright that I had to look away, and when I could look again, the field was as empty as when the duel had begun.
I placed my last card on the board, “This field won’t be so empty for long. I pay two thousand Life Points to activate ‘Dimension Fusion’. I open a rift between dimensions, allowing every monster removed from play to return, except for any of your monsters, since monsters removed from play face-down are unaffected.”
The air rippled, and four forms shimmered into existence before me, facing my foe. One was a huge man made of charred logs, the second was a muscular man in armor, carrying more swords than I could count, the third was the diamond dragon, and the fourth was my signature sorceress in her original form.
“Behold, Teacher,” I announced, “‘Charcoal Inpachi’ (ATK: 100), ‘Sword Hunter’ (ATK: 2450), ‘Hyozanryu’ (ATK: 2100), and the ‘Dark Magician Girl’ (ATK: 2000).
Teacher didn’t even look surprised. In fact, he looked as if he’d expected this, as if he’d come into this duel knowing that, despite his efforts, I was going to win. It wouldn’t have surprised me if that turned out to be the case. This was Teacher, after all. I felt any resentment that I might have had for Teacher melt away when I saw in his eyes just how proud of me he really was. I didn’t care what he’d done in the past. I trusted that he was a different man now, I forgave him, and I felt that I could give him another chance.
After all, he was family.
“I attack,” I commanded, “with ‘Sword Hunter’, ‘Hyozanryu’, and ‘Inpachi’.”
‘Sword Hunter’ ran at Teacher and slashed with multiple swords one after another, tossing each one away in turn and drawing another, ‘Hyozanryu’ breathed a twinkling stream of white light that poured over Teacher, stripping a huge chunk of his Life away, and ‘Charcoal Inpachi’ swung its huge fist, barely winging Teacher before it stumbled back (5500 -> 850).
“I finish it,” I commanded, “with my ‘Dark Magician Girl’, Dark Burning!”
My monster fired a spell from her wand. It rolled over Teacher, stripping the rest of his Life away, and my monsters faded from the field as the duel came to an end.
Teacher clapped, beaming with pride, “Congratulations, Karen. I never stood a chance. As a Duelist and as a designer you have surpassed me in nearly every way. Please, take any cards you wish.”
I stepped down from the arena and turned toward Teacher’s card vault. Over the course of the duel, I’d been able to show real strength, toward a person who I had strong feelings against, and I’d remained in control. I hadn’t slipped back into the person that I’d been during the time I’d been under Yami’s control as I’d always feared I would.
I hadn’t hurt anyone. I’d been myself the entire time. I’d been myself, and I’d been strong. For the first time in years, I was confident in my own skills, and in my strength as a Duelist. I didn’t have to keep separating myself from part of who I was. For the first time in a long time, I was confident in my future.
Card(s) of the Day:
Toon Ultimate Great Moth and Toon Lava Golem
Played by: Maximillion Pegasus
I made these cards a while ago, intending for Karen to use them, but then I decided to take her unwillingness to duel further than I had originally planned. Now I've decided to give her an entire new deck, one that these cards wouldn't really fit into. So I had Pegasus use them instead. I think they ended up suiting him better anyway.
Note that the anime version of "Elemental Absorber" almost made it here, but only because I really wanted an excuse to say that I really prefer the anime version of "Elemental Absorber".
Original Cards in This Chapter:
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