Aislin looked at the audience nervously. "I-I don't know if-if I can do this, Lera," she said to her Spirit Partner. "They're all looking at me." "
Relax, Aislin," Lera replied, trying to calm her down. "
If anything, they're looking at me and her Spirit Partner," pointing at Freya. She placed an arm around Aislin and continued on, "
What matters right now is not the audience, but us, the opponent, and the tournament. That's what matters right now." Aislin closed her eyes and took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly. "You're right. Thanks, Lera," Aislin said, grateful for having such a friend during such a time, and walked over to her place on the stage.
Michelle noted their behavior with each other, and looked at Freya. "Their relationship is strong, that's for sure," Michelle commented. "
Just like ours is," Freya replied, smiling.
The two Duelists activated their Duel Disks, automatically shuffling their decks. "May the best Duelist win," Michelle said to Aislin, nodding. Aislin smiled back and replied, "Same goes to you."
The Student Council President Kim then announced, "The computer has decided for Michelle to go first! Draw five cards, and DUEL!"
Turn 1: Michelle 8000 / Aislin 8000The two drew their first cards and examined them. Michelle thought for a moment, determining how to play out this hand. Then she smirked and picked out a card, announcing, "I play the Spell Card:
Photon Sanctuary!" Two blue-ish orbs appeared on Michelle's field, each of the orbs being orbited by 3 much smaller orbs. "This card lets me Special Summon two Photon Tokens onto the field, allowing me to Tribute Summon
Tethys, Goddess of Light!" One of the orbs turned white and shined brightly as it transformed into an angel with white wings and white clothing.
Michelle then picked out another card and announced, "I now play the Spell Card:
Trade-In! By discarding a Level Eight monster, like my
Archlord Kristya, I can draw two cards!" Michelle drew her two cards, then smiled. "I now activate Tethys' effect!" Michelle said. "When I draw a Fairy-type monster, I can reveal it," revealing
Zeradias, Herald of Heaven, "to draw one more card!" She drew her card and examined it. It wasn't a monster, which meant she couldn't use Tethys' effect again, but that was of little consequence.
She took the card she drew with Tethys' effect and said, "I play the Spell Card:
Double Summon! As the name implies, I can now Normal Summon twice this turn! So, I sacrifice my second Photon Token to Summon
Airknight Parshath!" The second orb transformed in a similar manner, changing into a long-haired man with blue armor decorated with gold trim and white feathers. "Now I discard my Zeradias to add to my hand the Field Spell Card,
The Sanctuary in the Sky, which I then play." The field suddenly transformed, the ground under them becoming clouds and the giant white building depicted on the card appearing behind Michelle. "I can't attack on the first turn, so I play one card face-down and end my turn here," Michelle said.
Turn 2: Michelle 8000 / Aislin 8000Aislin was shocked. Two Level Five monsters on the first turn already. She could tell that her Duel would not be an easy one. "Hmm... I draw!" Aislin said, drawing her card from her deck. A look of surprise appeared on her face as she examined what she drew. She smiled and announced, "Using the Scale 2
Foucault's Cannon and the Scale 7
Flash Knight, I set the Pendulum Scale!" She placed the two cards in their respective zones, and the word "PENDULUM" appeared on her Duel Disk. Two blue pillars appeared on either side of Aislin, and the two monsters floated upward within them, the mechanical brass-colored being and the golden warrior with shining armor. As they reached the peak of their pillars, a small shining hole appeared between them and the numbers "2" and "7" appeared underneath the two monsters, respectively.
Michelle and Freya were shocked. "Pendulum monsters?" Michelle quietly asked herself. "
It's probably just to support the Spirit Beasts. There's no way the Spirit Beasts are pendulum monsters themselves," Freya reassured Michelle.
"Now I can summon any monsters between Levels 3 and 6!" Aislin yelled. "Pendulum Summon! Come forth, my monsters!" The shining hole expanded, and 2 projectiles emerged from it, each one transforming into a monster in defense position when it hit the field. "Level Four,
Kannahawk the Noble Spirit Beast! Level Four,
Apelion the Noble Spirit Beast!" Aislin yelled as they appeared on the field. "I also Normal Summon
Elder of the Spirit Beast Tamers in Attack Position!" An old man with long white hair carrying a staff and a book appeared on her field.
Michelle looked at each monster that Aislin summoned this turn. It was impressive to be able to summon so many monsters in one turn, but all these monsters had low stats. Right now, though, she figured she should keep watching and wait to see what happens next.
Aislin look at each of her monsters, then said, "I activate Kannahawk's effect! I can remove from play one 'Spirit Beast' card in my deck and add it to my hand during the 2nd Standy Phase after the activation of the effect!" removing
Petolphin the Noble Spirit Beast from play. "Now for some Contact Fusion!" Aislin said. "I banish Kannahawk and Elder to summon
Kannahawk the Tamed Sacred Spirit Beast in Attack Position!" Aislin announced as both Kannahawk and Elder flew upward into the air and merged together, and they now appeared so that the Elder was riding and commanding Kannahawk.
Michelle and Freya watched with great intensity as the Contact Fusion took place. "Contact Fusion.... so
that's what the Spirit Beasts are all about," Michelle muttered.
"I activate Kannahawk's effect! By sending two on my banished 'Spirit Beast' monsters to the graveyard, I can add one 'Spirit Beast' monster to my hand!" Aislin said, sending her banished Kannahawk and Elder to the grave, then adding
Spirit Beast Tamer Lera to her hand. "Now I equip Kannahawk with the Spell Card:
Fusion Weapon!" Aislin announced, the Elder's right hand and staff transforming into a red claw-like appendage. "This gives my Kannahawk 1500 more ATK and DEF points!" Kannahawk's ATK then rose up to 2900. Aislin smiled, then said, "I also activate the effect of Apelion! I can banish one 'Spirit Beast' card from my graveyard, then my 'Spirit Beast' monsters gain 500 more ATK and DEF for this turn!" After Kannahawk's ATK rose up to 3400, Aislin commanded, "Battle Phase! Kannahawk, destroy Airknight Parshath!" The Elder on the Kannahawk pointed its claw at Airknight Parshath, then the Kannahawk swooped down and struck Airknight Parshath, making it cry in pain as it exploded in a shower of shards.
However, Michelle's Life Points remained at 8000. Michelle smiled and pushed up her glasses, then explained, "Thanks to my Field Spell, I don't take any Battle Damage from battles involving my Fairy-type monsters. Looks like your Apelion power-up was for naught."
Aislin grimaced, then said, "I end my turn, then." Lera then bent over to Aislin and whispered, "I was going to tell you sooner, but you forgot to use the Pendulum Effect of Foucault's Cannon." Aislin's look of shock appeared on her face, and she immediately checked to see what Foucault Cannon's effect was, which was to destroy 1 face-up Spell or Trap Card on the field during the End Phase. "Oops," Aislin muttered.
Turn 3: Michelle 8000 / Aislin 8000"Good thing she forgot to use Foucault's Cannon's Pendulum Effect," Michelle muttered to Freya. "
Works in our favor," Freya agreed. Michelle then placed two fingers on the top card of her deck, then announced, "Draw!" drawing a card. Michelle looked at it, then smiled. "I activate the effect of Tethys once more! By revealing my drawn Fairy-type monster," Michelle explained, revealing
Nova Summoner. "I can draw one more card!" Michelle put Nova Summoner into the rest of her hand, then drew her next card. Upon looking at it, Michelle couldn't help but keep on smiling as she explained, "Using the effect of Tethys again, I now reveal my next drawn card," revealing
Freya, Spirit of Victory to draw yet another card!" Drawing her next card, she was somewhat disappointed that it wasn't a Fairy, but it turned out to be much better.
"I now summon Freya, Spirit of Victory!" Michelle announced, and Freya disappeared from her side, only to reappear on the field, jumping out of the ground and landing gracefully, her right hand outstretched in a "V". "I also activate the Spell Card:
Court of Justice!" Michelle said as a giant golden metal ring appeared above the field, shining brightly. "When I have a Level One Fairy-type monster on the field, I can Special Summon one Fairy-type monster from my hand, and I choose my Nova Summoner!" The ring then shined even more brightly as an orange wreath wrapped in a blue ribbon slowly descended from the light, its small wings flapping gently.
Michelle then explained, "Thanks to Freya, all my Fairy-type monsters gain 400 more ATK and DEF." She then commanded, "Battle Phase! Nova Summoner, attack Kannahawk!" As the wreath charged forward, the audience suddenly erupted in chatter, some understanding Michelle's tactic while others were confused as to why such a weak monster would attack a much more powerful one.
Aislin was one of those confused people. "Your Nova Summoner only has 1800 ATK Points. Why attack Kannahawk with 2900?" she asked. Lera then gasped, as she realized why. "
It's because Nova Summoner can Summon a LIGHT Fairy-type monster when it's destroyed by battle, and if Sanctuary in the Sky is on the field, she can Summon her Airknight Parshath again."
Michelle pushed up her glasses slightly, then said, "Bravo, Lera. You're exactly right," as the Nova Summoner was destroyed, only to be replaced by the knight in blue armor. "I still take no Battle Damage from Nova Summoner's attack, and Airknight Parshath's ATK is increased to 2300." Michelle then pointed at Apelion and commanded, "Airknight Parshath, destroy Apelion!" Airknight Parshath leaped into the sky and swung his weapon downward to destroy the red beast.
"I activate Apelion's effect, which allows me to banish a 'Spirit Beast' card from my Graveyard and gives all my Spirit Beasts 500 more ATK and DEF!" Aislin countered, banishing Kannahawk and having Apelion's DEF rise up to 700 before Airknight Parshath destroyed it.
Michelle then said, "When Airknight Parshath attacks a monster in Defense Position, it can deal piercing battle damage!" as Aislin's Life Points dropped by 1600. "Plus, when it deals damage to my opponent, I can draw one card!" Michelle drew her card, and was disappointed that it wasn't a Fairy, but she could definitely work with it. "I end my turn," Michelle said.
Turn 4: Michelle 8000 / Aislin 6400Aislin drew her card, then said, "I Summon Spirit Beast Tamer Lera in Attack Position!" Lara disappeared from Aislin's side and reappeared on the field, her staff clenched in her hands as if ready to do battle with it. "When Lera is Normal Summoned onto the field, I can Special Summon a 'Spirit Beast' monster from my Graveyard, so let's welcome back Apelion the Noble Spirit Beast!" Apelion reappeared onto the field, roaring as it did. "Now for my second Contact Fusion!" Aislin announced. "I banish Lera and Apelion in order to Summon my ace monster:
Apelion the Tamed Sacred Spirit Beast!" Lera and Apelion floated upward and fused together, now appearing so that Lera was riding Apelion.
"Battle Phase! Kannahawk, destroy Freya!" Aislin commanded, but her Duel Disk made a buzzing noise and the word "ERROR" appeared on it. Michelle then explained, "Sorry, but as long as I have Fairies on the field other than Freya, you can't select her as an attack target!" "Ok then, Kannahawk, attack Tethys!" Aislin commanded, and Kannahawk soared into the sky, then swooped down and struck Tethys like it did to Airknight Parshath, causing Tethys to explode in a shower of shards. "Apelion, destroy Airknight Parshath!" Aislin commanded, and Apelion roared as it charged at Airknight Parshath. The blue knight charged at the mount, clashing against it, but failing to succeed and therefore perish. "Now I play one card face-down and end my turn," Aislin said.
