The non-original characters in this fanfiction are copyrighted to Kazuki Takahashi, Studio Gallup and Toei where applicable. All other characters are considered public domain by the author and may be used freely, but he does request that you ask permission as a courtesy.
The card names used are translations of the Official Card Game (OCG) names. For the TCG names, see the "Cards used" at the end of the story. And don't forget to e-mail me your thoughts (vm_postitnotes@yahoo.com). Thank you very much for reading.
Special thanks to Nightmare Dreams for inspiring the character of Mark Walker.
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YU-GI-OH! -0
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Turn Eight: "Awaken! The Ocean Dragon Lord,, Neo-Daedalus"
Hinata Toragami stood in a duel arena facing her current opponent, a gangster who called himself Eraser who used cards that removed opponents' cards from play. They were dueling to settle an issue of ownership of a building that sat on land in which the Toragami group decided to invest.
Toragami found the idea of dueling to settle it silly, but she had reason to want to duel this person...
Eraser had 2100 lifepoints, a Macrocosmos, a set card and a D.D. Survivor out, while Toragami, despite not being able to play many basic Lightlord tactics, was nearly untouched with 3200 lifepoints and a Lightlord Warrior Garoth out.
"With my Macrocosmos out, your strategy's useless," Eraser shouted, "You people with money think you can do anything. Well, if your family stands on your honor, you'll give up your claim on our land once I win," Eraser shouted.
Toragami ignored his bluster. "My turn. Draw. I play the magic card Burial from a Different Dimension."
Eraser chuckled. "I thought you'd do that. I activate my Trap, Solemn Judgment, and halve my life points to negate your magic card." His life went down to 1050 and Toragami's card shimmered away.
But Toragami remained unmoved. "That's fine, because I have another one."
"W...what?!"
Toragami activated her second Burial from a Different Dimension card. "Yes, I had this card from the beginning, but I thought a weakling like you might be ready to jump on it. So I waited until now to play it. Do you need any more explanation?"
She then removed Lightlords Paladin Jean, Beast Wolf and Magician Leila from her side pocket and placed them in the graveyard.
"With these and Raikou in my graveyard, I will now summon Judgment Dragoon."
The fearsome feathered dragon appeared on the field, and Eraser took a step back. "I-impossible," he muttered. "I had your strategy figured out!"
Toragami closed her eyes in disgust. "Judgment Dragoon... end this pitiful farce."
In a moment, the arena was blinded by Judgment Dragoon's destruction effect, and after its attack, Eraser's life points hit 0, ending the duel.
Toragami did not wait to see if her opponent was alright. "Come," she said to her attendants. "Our business here is concluded."
But as she walked away from her win, her mind was on a memory...
--
"Allure Queen! Direct attack!"
Mark's life points dropped to 1600 from the direct attack.
"I'll set one card face down," Katsuki went on. "Turn end. You know, it would be easier to just surrender now and save face."
"Do I look lik I'm going to surrender? Let's get this show on the road," Mark said. "My turn. And during my standby phase, the effect of Treeborn Frog activates, letting me special summon it to the field in defense mode."
A bandaged white frog with a halo on its head appeared on the field, comically holding its flippers up as if to protect itself.
"Next, I'm going to activate the monster effect of the Warrior of Atlantis in my hand. By placing him into the graveyard, I can add A Legendary Ocean to my hand."
He placed the monster card into his graveyard slot, then fanned out his deck once again, quickly finding the card he needed, placing it in his hand. "And I'll play it now," he went on, opening the field spell slot and trying to place the card in.
But an electric shock prevented him from doing so.
Katsuki laughed uproariously. "You should brush up on your Japanese," she said. "Otherwise you might have been able to read my field spell's card effect."
"Excuse me?"
"When I have an Allure Queen card in play, no other field spells can be used," Katsuki said. "Nice try, loser."
Mark frowned and held his duel disk out in front of him. "Fine. I don't need the spell. I'm going to tribute Treeborn Frog... so I can summon... Mobius the Frost Monarch!"
The frog's hologram shimmered away to be replaced by the rising menace and snowstorm that accompanied the summoning of Mobius.
"Monarch?" Shougo asked Chiba.
"That's what they call Emperors in America," Chiba explained.
Aino shook her head wearily. "I guess that's his big move," she surmised. "Too bad Katsuki-chan was ready."
And indeed she was. "Reverse card, open!" she shouted. "'Tatami Flip'! It can activate when a monster with an effect is summoned. We all know very well what those Emperors can do - and this card will negate the summon and destroy your card. Go!"
Katsuki activated the card, which caused a straw mat to appear under Mobius. The giant armored creature fell on its back and shattered.
"Crap," Mark muttered. "I'll set one card facedown and end my turn."
"This is looking bad," Chiba said. "Katsuki-san is calling all of Walker-san's moves."
"It's not hard when you come from a place where all anyone can do is the same old tactics," Aino said.
Shougo looked down nervously.
Aino noticed this and crossed her arms. "But there's one thing I know about Katsuki-chan. She gets sloppy when she fights someone she thinks she's better than. She's not like Toragami-sama at all."
"What are you saying?" Chiba asked.
"Just watch," was Aino's reply.
"My turn, little man," Katsuki jeered, continuing to taunt her opponent. "And now, because Allure Queen Level 5 is equipped with a monster, I'll activate her effect. By sending her to the cemetery, I'll level her up. Come out, Allure Queen Level 7!"
The Allure Queen evolved once again in a glow of magic, flames now flowing from her aura. Her staff now had a diamond on it and was much more ornate. Her hair had grown long and several ribbons emerged from her back.
"Your grizzly bear, of course, will go to *my* graveyard, since the Queen's taken a liking to her pet. Now, I activate from my hand... Treasure from Heaven!"
Aino slapped her forehead. "Why, Shiho-chan?" she muttered.
Both players drew until they had six cards in their hand.
"I activate the magic card 'The Empty Tomb'," Katsuki said, holding the card out. "I select a monster in your cemetery, and you summon it to your field in whatever position you like. I believe I will choose your Ice Emperor Mobius!"
"Fine," Mark said. "I summon Mobius the Frost Monarch in attack mode." The metallic monster returned to the field.
"Now, Allure Queen, give me control of his creature!"
More magical fire came out of the Queen and surrounded Mark's monster. Like the Mother Grizzly before it, it was lulled into sleep before it shimmered away and appeared on Katsuki's field, at the beck and call of Allure Queen, whose power went up to 3400.
"Now, my monster, let's end this fight. Attack directly with Seduction No. 7!"
"I was waiting for that!" Mark said. "Reverse card open... Malevolent Catastrophe!"
"Calamity of the Wicked," Aino said, and nodded. "I knew this would happen."
"Activate only when your opponent declares an attack," Shougo said. "Destroy all Magic and Trap cards on the field? Isn't that just like Heavy Storm?"
"It's an easier card to get, though," Chiba explained. "And as a trap card, you can play it on your opponent's turn, as long as they attack."
Mark and Katsuki shielded their bodies as tornadoes and lightning appeared in the Duel Arena, destroying Katsuki's Court spell, as well as the Mobius that Allure Queen was equipped to. The hologram seemed to gasp as her aura of power faded, but her attack went on regardless.
Mark's lifepoints dropped to 100.
"So you managed to save yourself," Katsuki said, frowning deeply. "But let's see you survive my next turn. Turn end."
"Actually, I plan to," Mark said with a smile. "I was going to have to take a chance, but now thanks to you that won't be necessary."
"Eh?" Katsuki raised an eyebrow.
"First things first," Mark started. "My turn, draw!"
There was a brief pause. "Aren't you going to summon your Hades Frog?" Katsuki asked.
"As I said, that won't be necessary," he said. "I want him in the cemetery this turn. I'm going to remove him and Warrior of Atlantis from play so I can special summon this little beast... Fenrir! Come out!"
A shimmer appeared on the field, out from which came a ravenous wolf-creature with glowing red eyes and sharp claws.
"That's a cute dog," Katsuki said. "It comes up short of my Allure Queen, though. Even after you wrecked my field, she still has 1500..."
She then gasped and touched her mouth.
"You figured it out," Mark grinned. "I can play my field spell now. Let's go, Legendary Ocean!" He slapped the card into the field spell slot, and an underwater cavern with ancient buildings surrounded the two.
Fenrir gained 200 attack points, enough to edge out the Allure Queen.
Mark thrust his fist out. "Fenrir! Attack Katsuki-san's Allure Queen... Furious Howl!"
Shougo, Chiba and Aino were equally aghast at the horrible attack name.
The wolf slashed the Queen across the chest, and she screamed as she was destroyed. Katsuki lost 100 life points, the first blow she'd taken this match.
She tried to hide her smile, though. 'It's fine,' she thought to herself. 'I have in my hand Magical Stone Excavation. I can get back my Court of the Allure Queen, then use my Premature Burial to bring back Allure Queen Level 5. He won't be able to survive no matter what he calls out now!'
"My turn isn't over yet," Mark said. "I haven't normal summoned this turn, and if you'll permit me, I will do so now. Fenrir! I sacrifice you to summon from my hand - Levia-Dragon - Daedalus!"
The wolf faded away, and in its place, a large blue and purple sea serpent appeared on the field, coiling around one of the Atlantis towers. The crowd gasped, impressed.
"How did he do that?" Shougo asked. "Isn't Levia-Dragon a level 7 monster? That means it needs two sacrifices."
"The field spell - Legendary City Atlantis," Chiba explained. "It lowers the levels of all monsters in the hand by one."
"I don't know why everyone is so fascinated," Aino said. "This is common strategy in America, just like the Emperors."
"It's a good move, though, because Walker-san can clear the field if he needs to," Chiba said.
Aino clicked her tongue. "That might not be enough. Levia-Dragon won't be able to attack this turn, and if Katsuki-chan is planning what I think she is, then that dragon will be fair game next turn."
Katsuki stared up at the water beast, her eyes wide. Then she regained control of herself. "Hmph. So what are you going to do? Waste your field spell to destroy my empty field? With all the cards I have in my hand, you might as w..."
Mark shook his finger. "You shouldn't interrupt a player. It's rude. One might question your upbringing."
Katsuki was infuriated.
"I am going to destroy the field," Mark went on. "But not with Levia-Dragon. I'm sacrificing him for his ultimate form."
The Levia-Dragon began to howl as the purple parts of his skin widened, the scales became more prominent, and it started to grow red wings. Another head sprouted from its neck, and it let out a massive scream as its evolution completed.
Mark raised his hand into the air, losing himself in the moment. "Behold... the ultimate sea serpent. The Ocean Dragon Lord... Neo-Daedalus!"
The crowd was even more amazed, and this time even Aino was seen to let out a gasp.
"Impressed now?" Chiba asked.
"That's not a card that is commonly seen," Aino said, observing the creature. "It has 2900 attack points and a more powerful ability, but its summoning conditions are just too severe. It's seen as a somewhat useless card."
"Well, it seems like Walker-san found a way to use it," Chiba said. Shougo nodded quietly, eyes on the duel arena.
"Ocean Dragon Lord's effect now activates," Mark said, opening his field spell slot on his duel disk. "By sending a card called 'Umi' to the cemetery, all cards on the field are sent there as well. Fortunately... 'A Legendary Ocean' counts as 'Umi'. Ocean Dragon Lord! Neo Levia Destruction, if you please."
The field hologram melted away into water droplets which entered the sea serpent's mouth. It then blasted the entire duel arena.
Mark bore a serious expression as the effect faded.
"So what?" Katsuki said. "You wasted your field spell to destroy an empty field! And you look like an idiot in front of the entire school."
"You should brush up on your English," Mark replied. "Otherwise, you might have been able to read my monster card's effect."
"W-what?"
"Ocean Dragon Lord's effect also forces us to send both our hands to the cemetery," Mark explained, placing the cards in his hand into the graveyard slot.
"No," Katsuki shouted. "No!" She closed her eyes and grit her teeth, but to no avail. She had to place her hand in the cemetery, as well.
"My turn's done," Mark said.
"Fine. My turn. D..."
"Uh-uh-uh." Mark clicked his tongue and shook his finger again. "I wasn't talking about Ocean Dragon Lord's effect earlier. I was talking about Fenrir's."
Now Katsuki was in full-on panic mode.
"Of course," Chiba observed. "When Fenrir destroys a monster, the opponent has to skip their next draw phase. It looks like Walker-san was planning this whole thing."
"If he was planning to make everyone hate him, he's doing a good job," Aino said, noting the crowd was becoming more than a bit bored of Mark's cheekiness.
"Since there's nothing you can do, I'll just move right along with my turn," Mark said, pulling his card from his deck. "I play the spell card Monster Reborn, and revive your Allure Queen Level 7."
"You can't!" Katsuki shouted as the card's energy shot out from her duel disk. "You CAN'T!"
As the queen materialized next to the Ocean Dragon Lord, Mark shook his head. "I don't know what you've heard about Americans," he said. "But I'll tell you one thing. We don't care for people who look down on us. And in the end, we will come through."
"Great, Captain America," Katsuki scoffed. "So you like to humiliate people. What else is new?"
"You don't get it. What goes around, comes around. And it's coming around for you. Ocean Dragon Lord! Attack her directly... Destruction Burst!"
Another roll of the eyes from Chiba, Shougo and Aino.
A blast of water struck Katsuki full in the chest, knocking her on her backside. Her lifepoints dropped to 1000.
"Now, Allure Queen, finish her off!" Mark ordered.
Her fiery aura surrounded Katsuki as she struggled to her feet, finishing off the rest of her life points.
The crowd was now raging in a cacophany of cheers and catcalls; the cheers mostly coming from Osiris and Ra, with the boos coming from the Obelisk section.
Aino got up from her chair. "Shiho, you idiot," she said to herself.
"Thanks for sitting with us, Aino-san," Shougo said without looking her in the eye.
Aino smiled faintly. "Not all Obelisks are like Katsuki-chan and Toragami-sama. I know she was hard on you last time. I guess you could say I was checking up on you."
Shougo gasped and looked at Aino in the eye, who quickly looked away. "I have to check on my friend now," she said. "See you."
--
"Chancellor Kiyotaki's decision was to let you on as a member of the Ra Yellow dorm."
Mark frowned. "Ra? Come on. I'm good enough for Obelisk easily!"
"If it were up to me, you wouldn't be here at all," Tenjouin said. "You're a good duelist, but you have no respect for your opponents."
"In my country, we have something called the Golden Rule," Mark shouted. "That girl Katsuki was talking down to me ever since she first saw me. And I happen to not care a great deal when people insult me so, why not just do it right back?"
"That's not the rule here, Mr. Walker," Tenjouin replied. "We are to treat our opponents with respect regardless of how they treat us. People of privilege have a hard time learning that, but believe me, they do learn. Ms. Katsuki is just a second year. As a third year student of your school you *should* know better."
"I can't believe I'm hearing this!" Mark shouted. "Being friendly with your opponent is one thing, but I refuse to simply sit back and take all the insults your Obelisks hand out to us Americans! I'm here to represent my country and defeat Ms. Toragami."
"So you can get the respect you deserve, hm?" Tenjouin said with her arms crossed.
"Exactly!"
"I've seen that attitude from many duelists. It only leads to self-destruction. Mr. Walker, I acknowledge you have talent. That's why I'm not putting you in Osiris. But you have to learn some humility."
Mark grumbled. "And having Obelisks try to push me around is part of that?"
Tenjouin ignored him and started to walk past him. "I know your goal is to have a duel with Hinata Toragami. You're not ready yet. She would crush you."
"Well, there's only one way to see about that, isn't there?" Walker called after her.
"You're a Duel Academia student now, Mark Walker. You should be mindful of your teachers."
She left without another word.
Almost as if on cue, Shougo and Chiba ran in. "So, what did they say?" Chiba asked hurriedly.
"I'm going to be in Ra Yellow, dudes," he replied.
"And what about the duel with Toragami-san?" Shougo asked.
"'Denied'," Mark said gruffly. "Apparently Tenjouin-sensei thinks I need to learn humility." He shrugged. "Whatever."
"But it's good that you'll be in the school now, right?" Shougo went on.
"Sure is. I can show these guys that Americans aren't all arrogant idiots. And who knows? I might learn something, too."
Shougo and Chiba glanced at each other and sighed. "Haven't learned anything yet, though, have you?" Chiba muttered.
"Gomen?" Mark asked, apparently not understanding.
"Betsuni," Chiba responded. "Nothing important."
"Anyway, I guess I'll see you guys in class. Wish me luck!"
As Mark ran off, Chiba and Shougo glanced at each other again.
"Things are certainly going to be more interesting around here," Chiba said with a grimace.
"I suppose," Shougo replied with an uncomfortable smile.
--
TODAY'S FEATURED CARD: The Effect Monster Card, "Ocean Dragon Lord - Neo-Daedalus"
This card can only be summoned by sacrificing a "Levia-Dragon - Daedalus" on your field. If you have "Umi" as your field spell card, you can sacrifice it and send all cards on the field and in both player's hands to the cemetery.
NEXT CHAPTER: "The Friend Shouldering the Darkness! Chiba's Ante Duel"
==
SUPPLEMENTAL SECTION
--
CARDS USED BY MARK WALKER:
* HADES FROG (Treeborn Frog)
Effect Monster (L1 Water Aqua, 100/100)
If this card is in your cemetery during your Standby Phase and your Magic/Trap Card Zone is clear, you may Special Summon it. This effect is negated if you control a "Hades Frog".
* WARRIOR OF ATLANTIS
Effect Monster (L4 Water Aqua, 1900/1200)
You can discard this card to the cemetery to add 1 "Legendary City Atlantis" from your Deck to your hand.
* LEGENDARY CITY ATLANTIS (A Legendary Ocean)
Field Magic
This card's name is treated as "Umi". Downgrade all Water-attribute monsters in both player's hands and on the field by 1 Level. Increase the ATK and DEF of all Water-attribute Monsters by 200 points.
* ICE EMPEROR MOBIUS (Mobius the Frost Monarch)
Effect Monster (L6 Water Aqua, 2400/1000)
When this card is Tribute Summoned, you can destroy up to 2 Magic or Trap cards on the field.
* CALAMITY OF THE WICKED (Malevolent Catastrophe)
Normal Trap
Activate only when your opponent declares an attack. Destroy all Magic and Trap cards on the field.
* FENRIR
Effect Monster (L4 Water Beast, 1400/1200)
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing 2 Water-attribute Monsters in your cemetery from play. When this card destroys an opponent's monster, your opponent must skip their next Draw Phase.
* LEVIA-DRAGON - DAEDALUS
Effect Monster (L7 Water Sea Serpent, 2600/1500)
You may send "Umi" on your side of the field to the cemetery to destroy all cards on the field except this card.
* OCEAN DRAGON LORD - NEO-DAEDALUS
Effect Monster (L8 Water Sea Serpent, 2900/1600)
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by sacrificing 1 "Levia-Dragon - Daedalus" on your side of the field. You may send "Umi" on your side of the field to the cemetery to send all cards in both players' hands and on the field to the cemetery except this card.
* RAISE DEAD (Monster Reborn)
Normal Magic
Select 1 monster from either player's cemetery and Special Summon it to your side of the field.
--
CARDS USED BY SHIHO KATSUKI:
* COURT OF THE ALLURE QUEEN
Field Magic
Monster Cards equipped to "Allure Queen" cards are considered owned by the "Allure Queen"'s owner for the remainder of the Duel. When you control a face-up "Allure Queen", you gain the following effects:
* You may remove from play an "Allure Queen" Monster you control to activate its effect to Special Summon a card written on its text.
* "Allure Queen" Monsters gain ATK equal to the original ATK of any Monster Card equipped to it.
* No other Field Magic cards may be activated.
* ALLURE QUEEN LV5
Effect Monster (L5 Dark Spellcaster, 1000/1000)
Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Allure Queen LV3", you may select 1 Level 5 or lower monster on your opponent's side of the field and equip it to this card. (Only 1 card at a time may be equipped usin this effect.) If this card would be destroyed by battle, destroy the equipped monster instead. During your Standby Phase, if this card is equipped by its effect, send it to the cemetery to Special Summon 1 "Allure Queen LV7" from your hand or Deck.
* TATAMI FLIP (Pulling the Rug)
Counter Trap
Negate the activation and effect of an Effect Monster whose effect activated when a monster was Normal Summoned (even itself), and destroy that Effect Monster.
* ALLURE QUEEN LV7
Effect Monster (L7 Dark Spellcaster, 1500/1500)
Once per turn, during your Main Phase, if this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Allure Queen LV5", you may select 1 monster on your opponent's side of the field and equip it to this card. (Only 1 card at a time may be equipped usin this effect.) If this card would be destroyed by battle, destroy the equipped monster instead.
* TREASURE FROM HEAVEN (Card of Sanctity)
Normal Magic
Both players draw cards until they have 6 cards in their hand.
* THE EMPTY TOMB
Normal Magic
Select 1 Monster in your opponent's cemetery and Special Summon it to their side of the field. (Your opponent selects the Battle Position.)
* MAGICAL STONE EXCAVATION
Normal Magic
Discard 2 cards from your hand. Select 1 Magic card in your cemetery and place it in your hand.
* PREMATURE BURIAL
Equip Magic
Pay 800 Life Points. Select 1 Monster in your cemetery, Special Summon it in Attack position, and equip it with this card. When this card is destroyed, destroy the equipped Monster.
