[IC] Yu-Gi-Oh! Spirit

[UnendingEmpire]

Circle City. The dueling hub of a city that people gather to so that they can...well, duel, obviously. What else would people ever do in the world besides play a children's card game? This story begins in Circle City's Duel Academy, where - as happens once per semester - an academy-wide Duel Monsters tournament was preparing to begin. The top three winners would receive a nice healthy chunk of extra credit, and the only fee for joining was a promise to show up. This was where legends began and where rising stars took to the sky. In Duel Academies. And as with any tournament, there were plenty of different kinds of decks being brought to the table.

That wasn't all that was being talked about in Circle City, though. Also hot in local talk were mysterious kidnappings. Or at the very least, that's what they were being called. Somebody would go missing for a few days, only to turn up dead somewhere. Cause of death always remaining unknown, it's a criminal mystery that has been taking lives and peace of mind in Circle City since not long after the Spirit World Collision started six years ago. Rumors say they're connected, but there's no evidence to support the rumor. Even Duel Spirits aren't sure what's causing it, only intensifying the mystery of the Spirit World Collision...

"Attention, students and staff," a girl's voice said over the school's intercom systems. Barring newer students, many would probably recognize it as the voice of the Student Council President, Kimberly Black. "At this time, anybody who signed up for the academy tournament is to head to Duel Arena B. Again, anyone in the tournament is to go to Duel Arena B. Thank you." In fact, the announcement had come from within Duel Arena B; this and Duel Arena A each having their own separate buildings from the main building and dorm building of the Duel Academy, all on-campus. Indeed, today was the start of it all.

[Scarifar]

Michelle was going through her deck, checking if everything was up to her expectations. She pulled out her ace monster, Splendid Venus, and sighed in happiness. Then the announcement sounded throughout the school. Immediately her head shot up and looked at a speaker, ecstatic when she heard the news. Michelle put her deck inside her Duel Disk and turned to Freya. "Come on, let's go!" Michelle said, grabbing Freya's arm and dragging her along.

"Woah, slow down, Michelle. There's no hurry," Freya said, although she was just as excited as Michelle was.

"Yeah, but we're competing in that tournament!" Michelle replied. "It's going to be awesome! There will be tons of other Duelists there, and we're going to do our best to beat them!"

"We're going to have a heck of a time," Freya commented. "We're facing those Xyz and Synchro monsters, and we don't have any ourselves."

"Synchro, schymchro, we'll show them who's boss!" Michelle replied as they headed towards Duel Arena B.

[Timeskipper]

That day, Akio Muzuki was particularly cranky. Not that he wasn't usually cranky - in fact, few people could surpass him in crankiness at Duel Academy. But that day, his level of crankiness was well above his usual average.
As for the reason of his unusually intense crankiness, the giant bags under his eyes and the half-drunk mug of coffee in his right hand spoke for themselves. He had devoted the entire night to preparing his deck for the tournament, and he still wasn't satisfied.

Still too slow, he thought. He had spent a major part of his free time trying to put together his new deck, and now that he was about to test it, he was very skeptical about his chances of success.

The sudden buzzing of the intercom forced him to silence his current concerns. The annoying voice of the Student Council President was announcing the beginning of the tournament, and instructing all participants to head to the Arena B.

Oh well... let's go. Remember your strategy, and all will go well.

So, he downed the last remaining coffee in one gulp, put down the mug and stepped into the corridor, heading for the Arena B.

And all will be well.

[RolePlayerRoxas]

"...So... how was it?" the bespectacled girl asked shyly.

The transparent, armored figure, whose massive frame seemed incomparably large compared to the teenage girl, never mind the paper he held in his hands, looked unusually bemused as he stared at its contents. An awkward silence fell between them as the spirit struggled to find the right words.
"It's... a tale," Artorigus finally replied, "I do not believe I spotted any major... mistakes in the penmanship, or the grammatical structure of your culture. Though I would not have believed that Sirs Dinadan and Drystan... er..."

A faint blush rose in the girls face as she chuckled nervously.

"...Putting that aside, I hope you've assembled your forces properly," Artorigus quickly changed the subject, trying his best to look... kingly.

"I-I did! ...Um, I think..." Akira, or as she preferred to be called, "Anna", picked up her cards and slowly thumbed through them, looking at her assortment of warriors with some doubt and anxiety, "I... I don't know if it's any good, though..."

Artorigus stood, patting her shoulder comfortingly, "have faith in your fellow knights. Doubting them will only dull their blades, and bring you defeat."

Anna simply nodded, trying to dispel her misgivings. She wanted to be an honourable knight, after all. How could she ever be one if she had no confidence in her abilities?
You can do it! You're at the academy for a reason! Anna tried to give herself a pep talk, you'll become the knightiest of duelists! Your might will bring fame! And then you can finally prove to that id- wait what's that noise?

"...WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH WE'RE GONNA BE LATE!" Anna flailed around her room in a panicked manner, trying to pack away her cards and locate her duel disk as the king watched with a sigh. It was obvious this girl had a long, long way to go before being considered a knight. Hell, he had trouble placing at the level of a squire. She may be determined, but certainly wasn't all there just yet.

"Come on come on come on!" Anna, having gathered all the necessary items, urged her partner on as she scarpered from her dorm room.

[UnendingEmpire]

~Aislin MacBeth~
"Then I'm supposed to use...this card," Aislin answered, holding up one of her copies of Past Image. "Right?"

"Looks like you've got this," Lera smiled. The two were a team, and part of that meant improving each other for the better. Spirit Beast Tamers knew all about teamwork and its importance, after all. "Like this, that tournament is ours!"

"It's not just about the prize," Aislin reminded her Spirit Partner, picking up her deck and making her way to Duel Arena B in the meantime. "I need the extra credit this semester." Aislin was great at making and keeping friends. If only she were so great at getting and keeping the upper hand in a duel. Her deck was solid, no questions there, but her skills were not. This tournament, one could say, was both her final shot at redemption this semester, and a way to sharpen those skills of hers. For now, it was time to get there...

---

~Xi Jones~
Spirit Partners? Xi had no time for that. What mattered was winning. And Xi had no need for some ghost of a monster card or whatever to achieve that. Grabbing her deck and Duel Disk, Xi made her way toward Duel Arena B. Winning this tournament was more a personal pride thing than any need for extra credit or settling some student grudge.

Just her putting out her best and showing that she was indeed the best.

---

~Kimberly Black~
The contestants were here. All eight of them. Not a large turnout by any means, but hey, it was something. "Greetings," Kim said into the speakers, this time attuned to only play out on the Duel Arena B intercoms. "Thank you all for arriving so promptly. Now, as always, the winner of this tournament will receive a healthy extra credit boost, so let's get right into things."

Then a blue screen appeared on the panels above the arena proper. The tournament bracket. "For the first round, Akio Muzuki-Franklin and Riley Johnson are to step up and duel it out. Standard rules apply." With that, the sound of the intercom being cut off could be heard clear as day. Kim didn't want to be the one in charge of managing this thing, but the academy headmaster had other matters to attend to, so...

[RolePlayerRoxas]

Trembling and totally not at all breathless from her mad sprinting towards the arena, Anna stood away from her fellow students and stared at the bracket on display. So she was on third... well, at least she wasn't immediately being thrust onto te battlefield. But now she had to endure an agonising wait! And her opponent... Anna snuck a glance at Xi, taking in her appearance and immediately paling even more than she already was.

No way! There's no way I can duel someone like that, right?! the wannabe-knight fretted to herself, Sh-she looks like a g-g-gang leader! Wh-wat am I supposed to do about that?!

Artorigus, typically enough, didn't seem to intimidated by any of the opposition, though he could tell at a glance that Anna's chances of beating anyone there were... less than optimal. And that was bound to cripple her already-lacking confidence. That eye-patched girl... she was the reputed troublemaker, wasn't she? It seemed quite the cruel match-up for one such as Akira.
The king sighed softly to himself, indicating that the girl should take a seat. Se would just have to prepare herself mentally before the duel started.

[Timeskipper]

So, I'm first? Good. I hate waiting. Akio stepped on his place on the arena, and watched as a short, tomboyish girl made her way to hers. He tried to recall something about this Riley Johnson. He might have taught once or twice in her class, but he wasn't sure he remembered that girl specifically.

Riley arrived on her pad, and broke out her dueling disk. The voice of the Student Council President announced: "Both duelists, get ready and on your positions! The duel is about to start!"

Akio and the girl activated their Dueling Disks, making them automatically shuffle their decks. The President spoke again: "Duelists! Get ready!", and the two assumed their battle pose. Riley said, smugly: "Scared? You should be. Raaawr!"

Akio didn't reply, he just thought: Oh, please... don't be ridiculous.
Kim's announcement interrupted their glaring contest: "The computer has decided! Riley will go first! Draw your hands and... DUEL!"

The two drew their starting five cards, and took a good look at their starting hands. Riley, for one, seemed content enough. Molten Destruction, Evoltiles Westlo and Lagosucho, and Evolsaurs Terias and Elias. "I'll get this duel started by setting one monster face-down, and activating the field spell Molten Destruction! Now all the FIRE monsters on the field gain 500 attack points, at the cost of 400 defense points! Your turn."

FIRE monsters? Damn, this means Core Blaster won't be of any help. I can still try to overpower her, though. Akio's starting hand was already nice enough: Bergzak, Urnight, Crusader, one Iron Core and Core Compression. Nice. Let's see who her face-down monster is... "First, I activate Core Compression! This means that, by discarding one monster from my hand, and revealing Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru, I can draw two cards!" Discarding Crusader from his hand, Akio drew his two cards. Koa'ki Meiru Powerhand and Iron Core Luster.

"Then, I Summon Koa'ki Meiru Urnight!" The audience was surprised. After all, few had even seen him duel, and Koa'ki Meirus weren't much known. And with good reason. "I bet you don't know what's the effect of this monster. Let me explain. Right now, I can show this Iron Core," Akio started, revealing the Iron Core in his hand, "to Special Summon another monster from my deck! And I choose Koa'ki Meiru Crusader!" The hologram of the second monster stomped loudly over the field, and bellowed to the audience. Akio just grinned and shouted: "Now, Crusader! Destroy her facedown monster!"
Riley grinned and shouted: "Not so fast! You fell right into my trap, activating my monster's flip effect! This way, Evoltile Westlo summons a dinosaur monster from my deck!"

Then, she winked and added: "For those of you watching, it's like the evolution of the first living beings, from small lizards to giant dinosaurs!"
"That's... a bit too simplicistic.", Akio replied. "Ah, whatever. Because of your field spell, your monster's defense is lowered, so Crusader can destroy it! And this means that Crusader too activates its special power, which lets me recover the other Crusader I sent to the Graveyard to activate Core Compression!"

Riley grimaced and said: "Don't get ahead of yourself, 'professor'! I can still summon my monster! Go, Evolsaur Cerato!" The dinosaur stepped onto the field and roared.

A 1900 attack monster? Damn, this means that, with the field's effect... I won't be able to fight it without Core Overclock. Damnit.
"And you know the best part? Since my Evolsaur Cerato evolved from its smaller partner, it also gains 200 more attack points, giving me a big dino with 2600 attack points total!"

Oh, COME ON, thought Akio. Looks like I underestimated this one. "...I set one face-down card, and end my turn. My monsters are powerful, but they require a price to be kept on the field. So, I need to reveal a Beast-warrior monster in my hand. And luckily, I just have one: the Koa'ki Meiru Crusader I recovered earlier from my graveyard!

"Alright, my turn," Riley said, drawing her card. Evo-Force. Nice, but nothing she could use immediately if she wanted to get the most out of it. However, Riley wasn't the most patient sort. "I hope you're ready to see how fearsome dinosaurs are, because I summon Evoltile Lagosucho!" The green-and-yellow lizard emerged on the playing field, a hissing and crawling hologram. "On his own, he's not much, but like I said, these little lizards turn into vicious dinosaurs, some faster than others. I activate Evo-Force from my hand by tributing Lagosucho!" The little yellow lizard went up in flames, but before Riley could spout out more about fearsome dinos, Akio stepped in.

"No, you don't. Because I activate my trap card! Iron Core Luster negates the activation of your Evo-Force and sends it to the Graveyard!" Akio's trap card exploded, eliminating the burning lizard, leaving a little lizard-shaped pile of ashes.

"Hmph, one little ball of iron can't save you from these prehistoric predators forever! It's time to do some damage! Evolsaur Cerato, make a late-night snack out of that Koa'ki Meiru Urnight of his!" With a fearsome roar, the holographic dinosaur ran toward its prey, snapping the armor and warrior beneath it clean in half with its mighty jaws. Above it, a big -600 appeared, signifying the 600 Life Points Akio had just lost. Once the dino had returned to its appropriate side of the field with a low growl, Riley proclaimed "That's it for my turn. Go ahead."

"Ok, then... I draw." Reckoned Power? Damn you, deck... how about something useful, for a change? Akio grit his teeth and simply said: "I switch Crusader from Attack to Defense position... and end my turn. Go ahead..."

"I draw!" Evoltile Najasho. That would've been nice in Lagosucho's place just earlier. No helping it, though. All she could do was kill off that Crusader. "Cerato, this buffet isn't over yet! Chow down on that Koa'ki Meiru Crusader!" The process between the dino and Urnight from last turn was repeated, albeit with Crusader this time. "That's all I've got this turn. Go ahead."

"Ok, then... I draw". Akio drew, and looked at the card. It was Core Overclock. Bingo. Akio allowed himself a smirk. "I summon Koa'ki Meiru Crusader in Attack position!". The monster roared and stomped on the battlefield.

Riley scoffed: "Pfft, this again? My dino just thrashed his friend... is this supposed to scare it? If this is your strategy, you might as well hand the victory over to me".

Akio just smiled and said: "It's not supposed to scare your dinosaur... it's supposed to destroy it! I activate Core Overclock!". A glowing orange symbol appeared on the chestplate of Akio's monster, and the holographic tag showed that its attack had increased to 2400 points.
"Then, I send this Iron Core of Koa'ki Meiru from my hand to the graveyard, to activate the second effect of Core Overclock! This way, my Crusader's attack increases by another 1000 points until my end phase!" A holographic Iron Core appeared on the monster's chest, and started glowing and humming. The gladiator-like beast roared like an enraged gorilla, and quickly grew in size, a burning light coming out of the eyesockets and mouth of its skull-like face and of the junctures of its armor. The holographic tag now displayed the number 3400.

"Now, Crusader... dispose of that overgrown lizard. Attack!" The monster swung its sword at the roaring dinosaur, shattering its holographic image. Riley's life points dropped by 800. "Then", continued Akio, "Crusader's effect lets me recover one card from my graveyard, and I choose Urnight!" After adding the card to his hand, Akio gestured towards Riley. "And then, I pass my turn. I pay Crusader's maintenance cost by revealing the Urnight I just recovered. Come on... it's your turn.", he said, grinning.

[RolePlayerRoxas]

The first duel progressed, and from the stands, Anna watched silently. She wasn't too knowledgeable on either Evolsaurs or Koa'ki Meirus, and thus had no idea what to expect. Flaming dinosaurs versus... er... whatever the Meirus were, was certainly an interesting opening for this tournament.

"...So the Koa'kis need that iron core thing?" Anna muttered thoughtfully to herself, "Evolsaurs... summon stronger versions of themselves?"

It was hard to tell who would win at this stage. Riley's dinosaurs seemed to have the advantage, thanks to the field spell, but Akio seemed to be mounting a comeback, thanks to that continuous spell. Fists rested on her knees as the confidence-lacking knight wondered if she stood a chance against either of them. Well... it probably wouldn't matter anyway, it wasn't like she was going to win her first duel, anyway...

[Scarifar]

Michelle had taken a notepad out and was taking notes on the Duel. She preferred not being first when it came to the order of Duels, since that meant she could gather info on other people's Decks and strategies. Evol- monsters with their terrifying ability to swarm the field with stronger versions of themselves, and the Koa'ki Meiru's with their anti-light and anti-dark tactics, Michelle thought as she examined the Duel. The Evols would not be too much of a problem, but her main concern was the Koa'ki Meiru deck. She was running a LIGHT Fairy deck, so it would be a terrible match up for her.

"Told you we'd have a tough time," Freya commented to Michelle. Michelle glanced at Freya, who was watching the Duel with equal intensity as she was, then returned her main attention to the Duel. "It's to be expected," Michelle replied, pushing up her glasses. "We're in a tournament, after all; only the best of the best will survive here."

[Timeskipper]

"Don't look down on dinosaurs," Riley shouted, looking over her hand and the situation on the field. Now was the time to draw, of course, and what does she draw? Evo-Instant; a trap card that she had no chance of using this turn. Nothing much to do. Setting her Evoltile Najasho face-down on the field, Riley said "I set one monster face-down. I also set one card face-down in my backrow. Your move."

Akio drew his card, and said: "Well, now I activate the effect of the Iron Core in my graveyard. This way, I can recover it by discarding a monster, Powerhand in this case. A small price to pay, in order to gain back such an important asset. Then, I activate the card I just drew, which is Core Transport Unit! This way, I can discard one card to immediately add another Iron Core from my deck to my hand. And I discard the Iron Core I just recovered!"

The move got him an odd look by Riley and some of the students, but most among the audience had already figured out why he did so.
"Then", he continued, "I summon the Urnight I recovered the last turn. And I immediately use its power to Special Summon from my deck another monster. This time, I choose Koa'ki Meiru Bergzak!"

The holographic monster that materialized on the field resembled an extremely muscular, but featurless man, wielding two swords and sporting the glowing Koa'ki Meiru emblem on its empty face.

"Ok, Bergzak. Attack her face-down monster!"

"Not so fast! I activate my trap card, Evo-Instant! By tributing my face-down monster, I can summon an Evolsaur from my deck!" The face-down card vanished, and in its place, a burst of flames rose up and faded to reveal a large, black-and-green, red-winged dinosaur. After the beast let loose with a vicious roar, Riley excitedly exclaimed "My strongest monster, Evolsaur Terias! 2400 plus the 500 from my field spell lends this monstrosity of a dino a devastating 2900 attack points! Are you sure you want to attack that?"

Akio snorted: "...Ok, I pause the attack. I set one face-down card, and end my turn. To keep my monsters on the field, I reveal Crusader and another Bergzak in my hand. Go on..."

"I draw!" Riley looked at her newfound draw; Evoltile Odonto. "I normal summon Evoltile Odonto! At a total of 1000 attack points, he may not be much, but this guy lets me summon a dino from my hand! And I choose Evolsaur Elias, in defense mode!" Next to the little orange lizard, the hologram of a yellow long-necked dino appeared, crouched and in a defensive stance. "And since Elias was summoned by evolution like this, I can summon ANOTHER Evolsaur from my hand, and I choose a second Terias!" There were now two copies of Terias, and one each of Elias and Odonto.

"This is how evolution works! It's all about survival of the fittest and natural selection, and nature chose my deck! Terias duo, make short work of those Beast-Warrior Koa'ki Meirus!" The duo of black dinosaurs marched up to Akio's Urnight and Crusader, and made short work of the beasts. Over the Terias duo, a -900 and -1000 appeared. Akio's Life Points now totalled in at 5500, while Riley remained at 7200. "Come on...it's your turn," Riley smirked, clearly mimicking what her opponent had done just moments before.

Akio mentally cursed his deck. Of course. This is what happens when you try to take a tournament with an incomplete deck. Sigh... I guess that I have to rely on luck, now. Oh well... at least I have a good assessment of this deck's capabilities.

Akio drew his card. It was Core Compression, again. Maybe...? Well, he just had to see."I activate Core Compression from my hand. So, I discard Koa'ki Meiru Bergzak in order to draw two cards!"
He was quite skeptical about his possibilities: after all, there was currently only one card in his deck that could save him, and that card was... "Rooklord?".
He literally couldn't believe the gigantic stroke of luck he had: drawing Rooklord this very moment gave him the possibility to completely turn the tables. And he even drew another Core Overclock.
So, he started laughing. He did notice the weird looks people were giving him, but they were already accustomed to his quirks. And besides, almost everyone tended to chew the scenery when duelling, so no one paid that outburst too much mind.

Of course, the annoying dinosaur fanatic had to interrupt his cinematic moment: "What, did you realize you're utterly screwed and just lost your nutter?"

Akio grinned a 24-carat grin and just replied: "I activate another Core Overclock, then... I tribute my Bergzak to bring out the heavy artillery. Say hello to Koa'ki Meiru Rooklord!"

Bergzak was substituted by a gigantic monster, tall enough to reach halfway to the arena ceiling, looking like a typical humanoid mecha with armored shoulder pads, sporting the Koa'ki Meiru symbol, and two cylindrical arms, both of which also had the emblem impressed upon their ending. The ATK tag showed the number 3800.

Of course, Riley just had to comment that too: "Not bad, "prof". But you can't hope to win against all my monsters. And I have just enough time to draw something that'll let me beat your ugly monster black and blue!"

"You know, you should really keep your mouth shut when you don't know what you're talking about. Let me show you why. I activate Rooklord's effect! I banish one Bergzak from my graveyard, so Rooklord can destroy two of your cards! And I choose your field spell and one of your Terias!" The endings of Rooklord's arms opened, revealing that they were actually cannons. The giant shot, disintegrating one of the two dinosaurs and the field spell. "Then, I attack your Odonto! Go, Rooklord! Turn that prehistoric reject into mincemeat!"

As ordered, Rooklord disintegrated Odonto, inflicting 2800 damage to Riley in the process.
"There, I hope you're satisfied. I send the Iron Core in my hand to the graveyard to keep Rooklord on the field. Your turn... if you're still interested in the duel, I mean."

Riley looked puzzled. Hell, a close look and one could almost see gears turning in her head, trying to put together a way to topple this big blue brain-bashing battler. "2400...plus sixteen, but that'd take too long. Nothing in the hand, either." Firmly setting both of her hands down, Riley said "I can't defeat that monster! There's no way! I am forced to forfeit this duel to you! But I'll get you back for this sometime, don't you forget it!"

Akio was surprised by how quickly his opponent had forfeited the duel. Well, that means less time lost. What a child, though. Whatever. I got the test I wanted. This deck works, even if it needs a LOT of adjusting. He stepped out of the arena without making a sound, and quietly sat down on the sideline chairs reserved for the participants.

As Riley followed suit, the voice of Student Council President Kim Black rang out over the intercom system. "And the winner is Akio Muzuki-Franklin! For our next duel, can we please have Michelle Kine and Aislin MacBeth arrive on the stage?"

[Scarifar]

Michelle took especially careful note of "Rooklord" and "Core Overclock", seeing their devastating effects. There were definitely ways to combat the Koa'ki Meiru's, but only with the right combos. Right now was not the time for worrying about them, though. It was time for her to Duel. "Well, Freya, looks like we're next," Michelle said to her Spirit Partner, putting away her notepad and pen.

Freya nodded as they got off their seat, then they walked over to her spot on the stage, their eyes on their opponent. Michelle noted the Spirit Partner following her opponent, Spirit Beast Tamer Lera. Michelle couldn't remember off the top of her head how the Spirit Beasts worked, but she was certain she could figure it out. The audience, though, had their attention on Freya and Lera, noting that they were Duel Spirits.

[RolePlayerRoxas]

That duel had gone back and forth for quite a while there, Anna assessed. The Evolsaurs seemed to have gained some advantage, but... it looked like Akio had drawn his ace card. It certainly had to be, going by the sheer power it demonstrated! The impressive display left Anna feeling inadequate, as always. The usual doubts plagued her mind as the second round was about to get underway. And after this duel, her quick and assured loss would be next...
Sneaking a glance at her opponent once more, Anna wondered if there was a slim chance in hell that she could last beyond her turn and not make a mockery of herself. Ideally, she'd win this thing and prove that her methods were way better than his, but...

[Scarifar]

Duel between Michelle Kine and Aislin MacBeth (First 4 turns only)

Enjoy

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 8000
The 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 8000
Aislin 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 6400
Aislin 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.

[Timeskipper]

Akio was watching the duel with concealed interest. So, apparently the worst threat to him were the Spirit Beast Tamers. Both decks had a strategy revolving around quickly summoning powerful monsters. Luckily for him, neither deck seemed to have effects that destroyed monsters, as that would make it pretty difficult for him to keep up his field presence. Still, that didn't solve the issue of beating powerful monsters. He'd likely have to rely on trap cards and his Core Overclock, which was risky. He couldn't always count on drawing the right card at the right moment, and he knew that much.

Michelle's Fairy deck, though, while powerful, was less of a threat thanks to his core blaster and Powerhand's effect. He still was at a disadvantage, thanks to the unreliability of his deck, but at least he had last-resort options. Now, if only...

Akio's assessment was interrupted when his phone started ringing. Testily, he pulled it out of his pocket to answer, but, when he noticed the number, he got up from his seat and sneaked out of the building, ignoring the annoyed looks he was getting. If it was him, it had to be important news.

[Scarifar]

Turning point of the duel

Turn 5: Michelle 8000 / Aislin 6400
Michelle was currently in trouble. With only Freya on the field, she would be vulnerable to attack. Michelle looked at her deck, then announced, "Draw!" as she drew her card. As she looked at her card, she started laughing, not believing what she was seeing. Her deck had responded to her in her time of need, and granted her the card she needed.

Aislin was both confused and worried. If Michelle was laughing, that could only mean that something bad was approaching. "W-what's so funny?" Aislin asked.

Michelle let the last bit of laughter die out, then responded, "You're about to face something that will bring your downfall." Michelle then announced, "Using the effect of Court of Justice, I Summon my ace monster: Splendid Venus!" The golden ring then shined brilliantly as a four-winged golden goddess descended from it.

Aislin countered, "I activate my Trap Card: Bottomless Trap Hole! When you Summon a monster with 1500 or more ATK, it is destroyed and banished! So say goodbye to your 'ace monster'!" A pit opened underneath Venus, attempting to suck the golden goddess into it.

Michelle smiled evilly when Bottomless Trap Hole was activated. "I knew you'd try a Trap Card, which is why I have one of my own," Michelle said, gesturing to her face-down card. "I activate my face-down card: Royal Decree! This negates all other Trap Cards on the field, so Bottomless Trap Hole is powerless!" The pit immediately closed itself, and Venus remained on the field.

Aislin became frustrated when Bottomless Trap Hole had no effect. All she could do now was wait for the Battle Phase.

Michelle smirked and explained, "When Splendid Venus is on the field, all non-Fairies lose 500 ATK and DEF! Oh, and don't forget, Freya gives all my Fairies 400 more ATK and DEF!" After the stat changes were applied to each monster, Michelle commanded, "Battle Phase! Venus, destroy Kannahawk the Tamed Sacred Spirit Beast!" Venus then rose into the air and shot feathers from all four of her wings, all aimed directly at Kannahawk.

"I activate Kannahawk's effect!" Aislin countered. "During either player's turn, I can return Kannahawk to my Extra Deck to summon one banished 'Noble Spirit Beast' and one banished 'Spirit Beast Tamer' in Defense Position!" Kannahawk avoided the feather projectiles by shining brightly and splitting into two orbs of light, the feathers shooting past both of them, and the orbs transformed into Kannahawk the Noble Spirit Beast and Elder of the Spirit Beast Tamers.

Michelle smirked, her main goal of removing the annoying Fusion Weapon accomplished, and continued on, "Alright then, Venus, destroy Kannahawk the Noble Spirit Beast!" Venus fired more feathers from her wings, this time landing a direct hit and turning Kannahawk into a shower of shards. "I place one card face-down and end my turn," Michelle said.

Turn 6: Michelle 8000 / Aislin 6400
Aislin announced, "Draw!" as she drew her card, then said, "During my Standby Phase, the monster I banished using Kannahawk's effect is added to my hand," adding Petolphin the Noble Spirit Beast to her hand.

"Now I Pendulum Summon Petolphin the Noble Spirit Beast in Defense Position!" Aislin announced, the Pendulum Summoning hole widening to allow one projectile to be shot through, the projectile transforming into a pink dolphin. "Now I activate Petolphin's effect! By banishing a 'Spirit Beast' card from my hand," Aislin said, getting rid of Wen the Spirit Beast Tamer. "I can return one card you control to your hand, and I choose your Splendid Venus!"

Before Petolphin could use its effect, though, the clouds underneath it turned red, and a large pillar of red lightning shot upward, leaving no trace of Petolphin when it dissipated. "I activated my Trap Card: Divine Punishment. This card can negate a Spell, Trap, or Monster effect while Sanctuary in the Sky is on the field," Michelle explained as she gestured to her now face-up card.

"Wait a minute," Aislin interjected. "your Royal Decree should have negated your own Trap Cards as well as mine."

"Normally, it would," Michelle concurred. "but thanks to the second effect of Splendid Venus, my Spell and Trap cards can't be negated."

Aislin was now out of options. None of her monsters were strong enough to defeat Venus, she had no Spell Cards to take out Venus, and any Trap Cards she could use were blocked off by Royal Decree.

*Summary: Aislin maintained her defense for as long as she could, but was ultimately unable to withstand the constant barrage of attacks from Michelle's Fairies. The final blow was struck by Freya, bringing Aislin's Life Points down to zero.

The victory sound played as Michelle's picture was displayed on various screens around the area. Aislin dropped to her knees and cried, unable to stop herself. "I-I needed the e-extra c-credit from this t-tournament," Aislin said between sobs. "N-n-now I can't..." Lera was now helping her up, saying, "Come on Aislin, it's not the end of the world. There's always next time." She turned to Michelle and Freya and said, "Please excuse us. Aislin needs a little time to herself."

Michelle was understanding, and nodded, "Of course, take your time."

As Lera led Aislin away from the stage, the Student Council President's voice rang out over the intercom. "And so, the winner is Michelle Kine. Next up will be Akira Yamaguchi and Xihucoatl Jones. Please come up to the stage to begin the 3rd round."

[Timeskipper]

EDIT: Internet's acting crazy.

[Timeskipper]

"No, I told you, it's... oh, come on, you know I need better cards than these. I lucked out, thankfully you already recovered the Rooklord, but... no, no, it's not nearly enough."

When the duel had finished, Akio was still outside on the phone. The cheers from the duel and the president's announcements were actually loud enough for him to hear, though he wasn't paying enough attention to understand them.

"Ok", he sighed, "I know you need more time to see what you can recover, and what is permanently lost, but I'd really need some new cards for now. I can't always rely on the Urnight and the Crusader". His tone was quickly growing irritated. That day had started badly, and he really didn't want it to get worse, not that the universe seemed to care as he already missed half of the duel against his future opponent, and now he was being told that he would possibly have to wait for his new cards.

Wanting to avoid missing another duel, he decided to cut his interlocutor short: "Ok, ok. Just... let me know if you find something. At least, try to replicate the Drago if you can... I need that one quite urgently". Then, he hung up and headed back inside.

[RolePlayerRoxas]

THE NOBLEST OF DUELS[/hider

The battle betweeen the fairies and the spirit beasts had, of course, been a skillful and wonderful match to witness, although by the end, it was clear that Michelle had an overwhelming advantage. Anna kept er gaze to the floor, not quite wanting to watch someone cry. Especially when she had a sneaking suspicion that was going to happen to herself in about two minutes.

Jumping at the sound of her name, Anna was immediately on her feet, shaking nervously. She had her deck, her disk... well, she was all set, but...

I'm not gonna win, am I? Anna fretted as she glanced in Xi's direction, There's no way I can. I can't play the deck properly, right? I've got no-
A reassuring hand gripped her shoulder, the familiar voice of her king speaking, "there's nothing to fear, my loyal knight. Regardless of the outcome, you are stilla noble warrior."

Anna stopped shaking, though she still harbored doubts. Even though Artorigus gave this kind of motivation all the time, she still lacked a 100% win rate. Well... at least she could walk to the stage without breaking down now.

I'm a knight, I'm a knight, I'm a knight... she told herself, taking position. After a few moments of internal chanting and slow breathing, she stared at her opponent, seemingly lacking the dread that once gripped her, and instead gave a resolute stare from behind her glasses.

By contrast, Xi seemed plenty confident already. Even if she didn't, very much unlike Anna, there was no spirit partner on Xi's side to reassure her. Her, and only her. She wouldn't have it any other way. Setting her deck in her duel disk, Xi looked across the dueling field at her opponent. "You know, you could always just surrender now. Save us both the trouble."

"...A true knight would never surrender without just cause," Anna replied, activating her disk.

"Well well, looks like somebody's got guts. Guess I'll have to do this after all," Xi retorted, activating her own disk, awaiting the signal to go from the one and only Student Council Prez. Did she really care who went first? No. To her, what counted was whose turn the duel ended on.

"The computer has decided," Kim's voice rang out. "Anna will go first! DUEL!"

Anna: 8000
Xi: 8000

"Very well," Anna drew her first five cards, "may the best duelist win."

Anna's hand looked... less than optimal, honestly. Only one monster to summon... well, at least he was powerful.

"I shall summon my first ally!" Anna declared, "Come forth, Noble Knight Peredur!"
As the card was placed on the disk, a knight with long, blonde hair, shining as brightly as his armour, emerged, riding atop an armored horse. His stats of 1900/300 were displayed as Anna placed a card face-down in her S/T zone.

There's not much point in using these yet, is there? she wondered, looking at her remaining cards. Powering him up was pointless at this stage, and the last card couldn't be used now that she had summoned the knight. Oh well. "I pass my turn to you!"

Anna: 8000
Xi: 8000

"I draw," Xi declared, drawing her starting five cards plus her sixth. This hand...words didn't even begin to describe it. Anything would have been better. The monsters in her hand weren't bad, but without any way to bring them out...not so useful anymore. "I activate the spell card Foolish Burial! This card allows me to ditch one monster from my deck, and send it to the graveyard. And I choose Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders! And with that, my turn is over!" Where's the fusion spells when you actually need them?

Anna: 8000
Xi: 8000

Surprised at her opponent's lack of defense, Anna drew her next card. Excellent, a monster. But with no opponent for even Peredur to battle...
Most likely to the surprise of everyone present who weren't familiar with her dueling mannerisms, Anna simply declared, "My turn is over."

Anna: 8000
Xi: 8000

She's not attacking...what's that girl up to? Drawing her next card, Xi grinned. "You'll regret not dealing some damage while you had the chance, because I summon Delta Flyer!" The hologram of the small legless dragon emerged, complete with the display of 1500/900. "He's not much on his own, but with a partner he's fearsome. So now I'll activate the spell card Instant Fusion! Sure, it may cost me 1000 Life Points, but now I can summon a low-level fusion monster right from my Extra Deck. And I choose the level 5 Alligator's Sword Dragon!" The hologram of cup of instant ramen appeared and burst open, revealing the figure of a lizard knight riding a dragon.

"And we're just getting warmed up. By combining the three stars of Delta Flyer with the five on Alligator's Sword Dragon, I can Synchro Summon a Level 8 synchro monster! Feast your eyes on this hunk of metal, because I summon Scrap Dragon!" The holograms of Delta Flyer and Alligator's Sword Dragon vanished, and were replaced by that of a large dragon built from scrap metal. With a mechanized roar, the display of 2800/2000 appeared over the dragon's head. "Now then, time to turn that knight's armor into scrap metal! Scrap Dragon, you know what to do!"

Anna gritted her teeth as the synchro monster emerged, realising she was going to take quite a hit. Peredur himself brandished his sword valiantly, despite the impossibility of him withstanding the attack. When he was struck, he dissolved into pixels as Anna lost 900 Life Points.

"With that, I end my turn," Xi said.

Anna: 7100
Xi: 7000

"I draw!" Anna glanced at her new card, and smiled slightly. Tis card would definitely come in useful.
"It may be mechanical, but a dragon is still a dragon," Anna stated, placing her next monster onto the field, "and if there's one thing us knights are skilled at, it's slaying dsragons! Come to my aide, Noble Knight Gawayn!"

Before the summoner rose a man with bright, blonde hair, shorter than Peredur's. A small ponytail rested upon his golden armour, his stats of 1900/500 flashing above him as he stared down the dragon before him.

And next, I'll equip him with the Noble Arms - Gallatin!" Anna declared, activating the equip spell. Gawayn's silver-bladed sword flashed brilliantly as the monster eld it aloft, seemingly absorbing light from the sun itself as his ATK was boosted to 2900.

"This is the power of one of King Artorigus' mightiest knights!" Anna boasted with a smile, "and, as I said, slaying a dragon is not a problem! Battle Phase!"
Gawayn charged forward, sword raised high as he leaped towards Scrap Dragon. With a yell laden with sheer manliness, he sliced downward, cleaving the scrap monstrosity in two as he descended, flourishing his blade and leaping away once the monster had been thoroughly beaten.

"And with that, my turn is over." Anna stated.

Anna: 7100
Xi: 6900

Her big scary dragon was gone. That was a problem; now she was facing off with a high-power monster she couldn't handle. Her only option was to just put up a wall. Or hope for the best out of this draw...which she didn't get. A fusion spell would have been a godsend right now.

"I activate the effect of Redox in my graveyard! By banishing the Delta Flyer and Alligator's Sword Dragon in my graveyard, I summon Redox in face-up defense mode!" The hologram of the massive rock dragon emerged from the "ground", displaying a 1600/3000 over the dragon's head. "That's all I've got this turn. Go ahead."

Anna: 7100
Xi: 6900

Another dragon, huh? All right, then. "Draw!"

Well, she'd drawn a useful spell card... albeit very useless in this situation. "During my Standby Phase, Gallatin's effect will lower my monster's attack power by 200!" Anna declared, the sword dimming ever so slightly as the knight's ATK fell to 2700. Well, even with that decrease in power, Anna could overpower that dragon's defenses... but it just didn't feel right to do so. After all, the armaments she had in reserve were not blades for Gawayn to wield, right?

Well, since she wasn't going to do much else... "I activate Hidden Armory! At the cost of my normal summon, I can add an equip spell to my hand!" Anna activated the spell card, and retrieved the Noble Arms of Destiny from her deck, promptly shuffling it, "and with that, my turn ends!"

[Scarifar]

Michelle wasn't paying too much attention to the Duel, instead making some modifications to her deck. "What do you think, Freya? Would it be safe to add him?" Michelle asked while holding a card up for Freya to see.

"You know I'm not a big fan of him," Freya replied. "I get nervous when I see him. Still, if we're going up against the Koa'ki Meiru's..."

"Exactly. As much as I hate to think about how we use him, we might need his ability," Michelle said.

"Of course, you also know the risk of using him. He could easily turn on us instead," Freya pointed out.

"I know, but we might have to take that risk," Michelle said. "I'll do it, and add the necessary cards needed to use his powers to our advantage."

"I hope you know what you're doing," Freya said, worried as she watched the current Duel.

[Timeskipper]

Akio re-entered the stadium building, pacing nervously towards his seat. Apparently, the duel had just started.
Slumping in his seat, Akio considered the situation: Akira had a deck that relied on LIGHT and DARK monsters and equip spell cards, while Xi... Apparently, her deck was dragon-based, and used synchro monsters, but he didn't know much else.

Jones would probably prove an annoyance, as, unlike with her oppnent, he had no idea what was her strategy or what her deck was capable of. He did know some of the other students' decks because he was present at their exams, but with her, it wasn't the case. He could only hope that Akira would win, but... honestly, her chances were definitely not stellar.
Be as it may, even if he had to face Xi, he would at least be able to measure the Koa'ki Series's potential against a less hortodox deck.

During his musings, though, he failed to notice that his future opponent was confabulating with her spirit partner...