((Collab -- Rethel34 & Scarifar))
Gale sat searching through the Duel records of the various students of LDS, searching for Michelle's profile. When she finally found it, she was impressed by the record. "68 wins . . . wow. . . ." she said under her breath. A moment later, she noticed Michelle waving at her, and waved back in response.
Right on time, she thought, noticing the time her Duel Disk gave her.
"So," Michelle said, smiling confidently, "you ready to face my Fairy deck?"
"About as ready as I'm gonna be," Gale replied. "I checked your record on the school's databank. It's pretty impressive," she grinned.
"Oh, that? That's nothing. I'm sure it looks impressive, but believe me, it's not," Michelle said dismissively. "So you have some place in mind to Duel, or are we doing it right here?"
"All the good places to Duel are probably taken up by now, so here or one of the classrooms would be fine with me, unless you have a problem with that." As she spoke, Gale returned her Duel Disk from her hands to her arm, where it clasped around her forearm.
Michelle had her Duel Disk on her arm already, and she merely raised her arm and brought it in front of her, the Disk activating automatically. "Let's do this," Michelle said, her smile never wavering.
Gale raised her Disk as well, and as it activated, it also partially ejected her first five cards. "I'd like an idea of what to expect for the rest of the Duel, so if you want the first move, I'd be happy to comply," Gale said, trying to show politeness in her words.
Michelle drew her first five cards and took a look at them, then said, "Very well then, I'll start. DUEL!"
(Turn 1: 4000/4000)"First off, I activate the spell card
'Double Summon'! I can now Normal Summon twice this turn instead of once. I Set two monsters, and then play a face-down card. Turn End."
(Turn 2: 4000/4000)"My turn . . . draw!" Gale said courageously as she enjoyed doing. It took her a few moments to process a strategy, but then one seemed to tie itself together in her mind. "Alright, let's see how this works. I start off by Summoning
'Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands'! This triggers the effect of my monster, adding one
'Advanced Ritual Art' from my Deck to my hand. Now I'll follow up by activating the 'Advanced Ritual Art' that I just added to my hand.
"By selecting the
'Cú Chulainn the Awakened' in my hand," Gale continued, "and sending one
'Luster Dragon' from my Deck to the Graveyard, I can now Ritual Summon my 'Cú Chulainn the Awakened'! With this, I can activate the effect of 'Chulainn', banishing the 'Luster Dragon' used for its Ritual Summon and increasing my monster's ATK by 1900. Now I enter my Battle Phase. 'Chulainn', attack the face-down monster to our left!"
As 'Chulainn' advaced toward the set monster, the monster card flipped over, revealing a pink-ish marshmallow-like creature, who merely let it hit its body, then bounced 'Chulainn's' weapon out of her grasp and back toward Gale, damaging Gale for 1000 Life Points. "Hah, you just attacked
'Marshmallon'! When it's attacked while it's face-down, you take 1000 points of damage! Also, 'Marshmallon' can't be destroyed by battle." Michelle said, trying not to laugh too much. "Got anything else you want to try?"
Gale winced as the damage washed over her. "Ouch," she mumbled.
Only 3000 left. Gotta be more careful. "Well, I guess I'll try for another attack. 'Manju', attack her other face-down monster!"
As 'Manju' advaced toward her other face-down, the card flipped over, revealing two little creatures, one pink and one green, both of which moved to the side to avoid all ten thousand hands that reached out towards them. "And that was
'Gellenduo', which also can't be destroyed in battle," Michelle said. "I'm sure you remember these little guys, right?"
"Dang . . . " Gale said. "Well, then I Set one card and end my turn."
(Turn 3: 4000/3000)"I'll draw then," Michelle said, drawing one card. It wouldn't be of much use right now, but it may help later on. She took her other card in her hand and said, "I sacrifice 'Gellenduo' to summon
'Vanity's Ruler'!" 'Gellenduo' disappeared in a flash of light, replaced with a green-haired elf in a white cloak. Michelle then pointed at 'Chulainn' and said, "Battle Phase! 'Vanity's Ruler', attack 'Cú Chulainn the Awakened'!" Vanity's Ruler then advanced toward 'Chulainn', jumping up and bringing his fist down on 'Chulainn's' head, destroying her and dealing 100 points of damage to Gale. As 'Vanity's Ruler' returned to Michelle's field, Michelle said, "Turn End."
(Turn 4: 4000/2900)Gale was hesitant going into her next turn. "Draw!" she exclaimed, trying to sound confident. There was one problem with playing a Ritual Deck, as Gale usually found out the hard way: Ritual Spells and Ritual Monsters didn't always match up. This Duel, looking at her hand, the story was the same, unfortunately.
But, she wasn't completely out of options yet. "I Tribute 'Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands', and now Summon from my hand, the Level Six
'Trance the Magic Swordsman'!" As "Manju" became a sphere of light, a beacon formed around it, a portal opening underneath. Then, the sphere descended into the portal, and out rose the over-confident swordsman.
"Now, maybe we can grab an upper hand here. 'Trance' . . . Attack!" Gale commanded, the swordsman leaping into the air in response, then descending on "Vanity's Ruler". The monster's blade passed through, a glowing streak forming in the opponent's card before the latter burst in a shower of golden dust.
Gale felt a sense of relief as the Battle Phase drew to a close. "Now, before my turn ends, I activate the Spell Card:
'Heart of the Underdog'. With that, my turn's done."
(Turn 5: 3900/2900)Michelle winced when 'Vanity's Ruler' was destroyed so easily. "Hmm.... I draw!" Michelle said, drawing one card. "
You rang for a gorgeous lady like myself?" said a familiar feminine voice. Michelle looked at the card she drew:
'Freya, Spirit of Victory'. "Know what, you might actually help," Michelle muttered. "I summon 'Freya, Spirit of Victory'!" she said, and Freya jumped out of a spiral of light, landing gracefully. She then realized that she had forgotten to include a card in her deck to aid Freya. "Oh crap," Michelle muttered. "No matter, you are still protected, as long as 'Marshmallon' is still on the field. Just gotta last a couple turns, Freya." She then looked at her other card, debating whether or not to use it, then decided not to just yet. "Turn End."
(Turn 6: 3900/2900)"My move, then. Draw!" Gale smiled when she noticed the card in her hand. "Now that I drew
'Bio-Mage', the effect of 'Heart of the Underdog' activates, allowing me an extra draw. So now, let's try for a second act. Draw!" It wasn't another Normal Monster, but it was something that would be helpful later on. Just so long as she drew the right cards.
"Hm . . . " Gale wondered. "Doesn't look like I can make it through a defensive move like that. I'll have to figure something else out for now. Alright! I Summon 'Bio-Mage' in Attack Position. Then I end my turn."
(Turn 7: 3900/2900)"Draw!" Michelle said as she drew a card. The card she drew might help, but it was risky. She looked at her other card, and decided it was time to use it. "I play the field spell card
'Holy Sanctuary'!" Michelle said, the environment changing to reveal, as the name implied, a "holy sanctuary".
"Now I can summon
'Tethys, Goddess of Light' without a sacrifice!" Michelle said, the goddess emerging from a pillar of light. "Also, all non-Fairy type monsters lose 500 ATK, while 'Freya' gives my Fairies 400 ATK and DEF." Michelle pointed at 'Trance' and said, "'Tethys', destroy 'Trance, the Magic Swordsman'!" 'Tethys' swooped down on 'Trance' and sliced through him at breakneck speed, destroying him in a shower of shards and delivering 700 points of damage to Gale. "Turn End," Michelle said, feeling like she had regained control, then realized that she had forgotten to have Freya attack directly. Michelle was shame-faced, but then put up a facade of confidence, which wasn't hard.
(Turn 8: 3900/2200)Gale was momentarily stunned when another of her powerful monsters was defeated. She had to pull through this somehow. But the problem at this point was, indeed, the
how. Closing her eyes and hoping beyond all hope that her next draw would help her out. "I draw!" Gale said. She was nervous to even look at the card, but after a moment, when she at last saw the card she had drawn, was not entirely disappointed, though the card wasn't a Normal Monster as she would have liked.
"Looks like my turn's going to be passive. I switch 'Bio-Mage' to Defense Position and end my turn," she said, her voice almost betraying her nervousness.
(Turn 9: 3900/2200)Michelle could barely contain her excitement when she yelled out, "Draw!" drawing one card in the process. She looked at the card she drew, then smiled and said, "I activate 'Tethys'' effect. When I draw a Fairy-type monster," revealing
'Splendid Venus', "I can reveal it to you to draw one more card. Michelle drew another card and looked at it. Not a fairy, but it would do for now.
"I'll move on to my Battle Phase," Michelle said, pointing at 'Bio-Mage'. "'Tethys', attack 'Bio-Mage'!" 'Tethys' destroyed 'Bio-Mage' in the same fashion she destroyed 'Trance', but this time dealing no damage. "Now, 'Freya', attack Gale directly!" Freya smiled back at Michelle, then jumped up into the air, performed a double-flip, and swung a kick downward at Gale, dealing 500 points of damage. "Turn End," Michelle said as Freya returned to her side of the field.
(Turn 10: 3900/1700)Gale just needed one more piece to the puzzle that had formed in her hand. With a shaky hand, she grabbed the top card of her Deck. "Draw," she declared. Looking at it, she was relieved. A Normal Monster. "Thanks to the effect of 'Heart of the Underdog', I can reveal the
'Key Mace' I just drew, and draw again," she said revealing the card. "C'mon . . . Draw! Oh, yeah! Another Normal Monster,
'Jack's Knight'!" It was all down to what she drew next. "Time for one more draw . . . Let's go!" she said, drawing her last card. "Bingo."
Gale could hardly contain her excitement. "I activate the Ritual Spell Card,
'Synthesis Spell' from my hand. This allows me to send the 'Jack's Knight' and 'Key Mace that I just drew from my hand to the Graveyard as Tributes for the Ritual Summon of the Level Six . . .
'Lycanthrope'!" As the werewolf burst forth onto Gale's field, the face-down card next to Gale flipped upward, revealing itself as
"Ritual Buster".
"By activating the Trap, 'Ritual Buster' when a Ritual Summon is performed, I can prevent your Spell and Trap Cards from taking effect for the rest of the turn!"
"I activate my face-down card:
'Royal Decree'!" Michelle said. "This negates all other Trap cards on the field, including your 'Ritual Buster'!" With that, 'Ritual Buster' merely faded away.
Even with the negation of her card, Gale was still not worried. With a smile, she revealed one last card in her hand. "I can now equip 'Lycanthrope' with
'Ritual Weapon', since 'Lycanthrope' is within its Level requirement. This boosts my monster by 1500 points, making it 3400 ATK." When the crossbow-esque arm cannon latched on to 'Lycanthrope', the intimidating werewolf let out a vicious howl that signified its readiness to devour its prey.
"I won't delay this any longer. Battle Phase! 'Lycanthrope', attack 'Tethys'!" 'Lycanthrope' leapt into the air, and Gale felt an excitement like none she had ever felt before. If this went through, like Gale expected, between the 600 Battle Damage and the 800 Effect Damage due to 'Trance', 'Jack's Knight', 'Bio-Mage', and 'Key Mace' all being in Gale's Graveyard, Michelle would be reduced to 2500 Life Points.
Michelle could only watch as 'Tethys' was destroyed by 'Lycanthrope', reducing her Life Points to 2500. She raised her arms as if to defend herself, while 'Tethys' exploded in a shower of shards. "Crap," Michelle muttered.
Gale breathed a heavy sigh of relief. She had succeeded in defeating one of the biggest threats thus far, but Michelle had Summoned stronger monsters during her Duel with Saze. "I activate one last card,
'Ritual Cage', which protects 'Lycanthrope' from destruction by monster effects, and saves me from any Battle Damage involving it, and end my turn."
(Turn 11: 2500/1700)Michelle was stunned. Now she couldn't use 'Tethys'' effect anymore. All she could do was hope that the next card she drew was the one. Taking a deep breath, Michelle looked at her deck, placed 2 fingers on her top card, and drew a card. "Draw!!!" Michelle yelled, looking at it a second later. She sighed. It was a card that would work, at least. "I activate the spell card:
'Court of Justice'!" The metallic circle appeared, shining a bright light on the field. "Now that this is here, I can Special Summon 'Splendid Venus' from my hand!" The light shined brighter, and 'Splendid Venus' descended from the light, landing gently.
Michelle smiled and said, "'Venus' decreases all non-Fairy type monsters' ATK and DEF by 500, and let's not forget 'Freya's' effect to increase all my Fairy-type monsters' ATK and DEF by 400, as well as my field spell card, 'Holy Sanctuary'. This makes 'Venus'' ATK at 3200, and your 'Lycanthrope' at 2900." Michelle pointed at 'Lycanthrope' with a lot more energy than the previous times. "'Splendid Venus', attack 'Lycanthrope'!" Michelle said, and Venus obliged, condensing light into her hands, then firing it as a beam of light, engulfing the ugly werewolf in light and destroying it. It did no damage, thanks to 'Ritual Cage', but that was of little consequence. "Now, 'Freya', attack Gale directly!" Freya performed the same attack as last time, dealing 500 points of damage to Gale. "I place one card face-down and end my turn," Michelle said.
(Turn 12: 2500/1200)Gale was stunned. She didn't have much left to do with what she had. "My turn . . . I draw!" she proclaimed, drawing the card. Though it again was not a Normal Monster, it was indeed a card she had been in need of. Of course, it wouldn't save her indefinitely. "I once again activate a Ritual Spell Card from my hand:
'Ritual of Grace'. With this, I can Tribute the
'Ruin, Queen of Oblivion' from my hand and Ritual Summon Level Seven . . .
'Divine Grace - Northwemko'!"
The female spellcaster descended in a bright beacon of divine light. Unfortunately, she was quickly smote by a similar divine light from the powers of "Holy Sanctuary" and "Splendid Venus", which reduced her ATK to only 1700. "Now her effect activates, allowing me to target the 'Heart of the Underdog' card on my field, so that as long as that card remains on the field, 'Divine Grace' cannot be destroyed by card effects. That's all I've got for now. I end my turn."
(Turn 13: 2500/1200)Michelle drew one card, this time not bothering to say "Draw". "Well," Michelle said, "it looks like we are reaching the end of our Duel. I switch 'Marshmallon' to Attack Position, then I'll have 'Splendid Venus' destroy your 'Divine Grace'!" Venus fired a beam of light, destroying 'Divine Grace', but doing no damage. "Now, 'Marshmallon' and 'Freya', attack Gale directly!" Michelle commanded, and 'Marshmallon' lunged at Gale with shark-like teeth, dealing 700 points of damage, followed by 'Freya', who performed a triple-flip this time and dealed 500 points of damage, reducing Gale's Life Points to exactly zero. "And that concludes our Duel!" Michelle said, jumping for joy while 'Holy Sanctuary' and Michelle's monsters faded away.
Gale wasn't completely surprised she lost. After all, she and Michelle weren't completely on the same par as one another, but she had enjoyed herself. That was what had mattered. Both Duelists had given about everything they could, at least so it seemed, so Gale, despite the loss, was able to finish with a smile. "That was a great Duel, Michelle. Thanks, so much," she said when Michelle's monsters had disappeared.
"Not a problem," Michelle said. "We should do this again some time." She walked over to Gale, smiling, and extended her arm to her for a handshake. "And when we do, may the best Duelist win."
"May the best Duelist win," Gale repeated in confirmation as she accepted the handshake. "So you weren't flirting with my brother earlier were you?"
Michelle blushed, surprised at the sudden question. "W-what no. W-why on earth would you think that?" Michelle asked. Freya's response was to burst out in laughter, though only Michelle could hear it, which made it seem worse to her.
"Oh, good," Gale said. "'Cause he's totally not worth it."