A matter of life and minds
Clad in his illusionary body, Alan faced Professor Frank. The man looked like a vicar in dark blue and orange and had a gentle face, but the king knew by experience that a smile could hide many things. The two stepped on the field as the MC spoke.
"Ladies and gentlemen, for our next match, our two duelists will be the frail yet incredibly powerful Luna, and Professor Frank, an expert psychologist and duelist."
People cheered in the stadium. Alan carried himself with confidence. Unlike Luna, he had been in similar situations before. Frank politely bowed to him.
"Hello, dear Luna. I am sure this duel will be very enlightening… for the both of us."
Alan answered the gesture.
"Pleased to meet you, Sir. Are you ready?"
"I am."
The two faced each other.
"Let's duel!"
Professor Frank (Psychoanalysis Disruption): 4000 Life Points – Luna Mackenzie (Spirit Defense): 4000 Life Points
(Play In Labors and Dangers, from Bayonetta)
"My turn!" Alan decided.
He checked his hand. Kuribon, Double Summon, Ancient Forest, Spirit of the Breeze, Pixie Ring and his draw had been Oberon's Prank. The man's eyes widened.
'Playing a deck that punishes attacking, huh? I can see several nasty combos coming right away, starting with this one. Poor guy. I had forgotten what nifty little pranksters children could be…'
He barely managed to hide his glee and took a card.
"I start by playing the Spell: Double Summon to call two monsters at the same time. Kuribon, Spirit of the Breeze, come in attack position!"
The female Kuriboh and the yellow spirit appeared.
"Then, I play the Field Spell: Ancient Forest."
The ground changed into a thick forest. The light within shone eerily, befitting a magical place.
"Finally, I set two cards face-down and end my turn."
His hand was empty, but it was worth it. If Frank dared make a move, he would be in for an epic backfire. The professor nodded.
"My turn. And I will summon Symmetry Rorschach."
What appeared looked like the ghost of a butterfly, with purple swirls making the body. Alan frowned.
'Psychologist, alright. I had that test before.'
The man smiled.
"Are you familiar with the Rorschach test? Look at this monster and tell me what you see. It will be quite revealing about your personality."
Alan shrugged.
"It's a purple butterfly. Why? It looks a bit creepy…"
Frank looked at the girl. Her answer hadn't been that of a young child insecure about her powers. Bothersome. Well…
"You find it creepy. Would you be afraid? Afraid of the power lying dormant in you?" The man chuckled. "Symmetry, attack her Spirit of the Breeze! You are right to be afraid of your powers. So young… and yet so strong!"
His little speech was cut short when Alan's first face-down revealed itself. Pixie Ring. The king grinned.
"Gotcha! If I control two monsters in Attack Position, Pixie Ring prevents you from targeting the one with the lowest ATK. Namely: Spirit of the Breeze."
"Fine. Say goodbye to your Kuribon, young girl."
Alan shook his head
"I activate Kuribon's effect. When this monster is selected as an attack target, during damage calculation, I can negate the Battle Damage and return it to my hand. But you gain Life Points equal to the attacking monster's ATK."
Frank raised a brow as his Life Points took a boost and Kuribon returned in Alan's hand.
Frank: 4000 – 5200…
The girl grinned.
"Trap activate: Oberon's Prank! When an effect that increases Life Points is activated, I negate it and the both of us receive damage equal to the amount of Life Points we would have gained!"
The healing light was replaced a burst of bright light that scorched both duelists.
Frank: 4000 – 2800
Luna: 4000 – 2800
The loss didn't bother the king too much. There was a reason he had Spirit of the Breeze In Attack Position. Well, time for his second move.
"Ancient Forest's effect activates. When a monster attacks, it is destroyed at the end of the Battle Phase!"
Frank cringed as Symmetry Rorschach was destroyed by the light of the forest. He took a card.
"I set one card face-down and end my turn."
Alan nodded.
"My turn, then. Draw!" His find was Dreamsprite. A nice find. "Since it is my Standby Phase and Spirit of the Breeze is in Attack Position on my side of the field, my Life Points increase by 1000."
The spirit shone softly as Alan's life points increased, restoring the damage caused by Oberon's Prank.
Luna: 2800 – 3800
The girl crossed her arms.
"Next, I summon Dreamsprite in Attack Position and end my turn. After you, Sir."
The blue sprite appeared beside Spirit of the Breeze. Frank nodded.
"My turn. Draw!"
His lips curved in a smirk.
"For our next test, I am going to summon this monster. Come, Hypnocorn."
A blue ram appeared on the field. The professor looked at the young girl.
"People use hypnotism to put themselves in a state of trance. It allows them to bring back memories from the very depths of their consciousness and relive some of them. Luna, when you were three, you lost yourself in the Spirit World. This wonderful card will bring us back there… by first destroying your Ancient Forest. When Hypnocorn is Normal Summoned and I control no monster while my opponent does, I can target one Set Spell or Trap and destroy it. Go, Hypnocorn!"
Alan's eyes widened as he realized what the man was doing.
'He is playing mind games with me! When she was a child, Luna went to the Spirit World and he wants her to return there. But I am not Luna.' The king shivered as Ancient Forest disappeared. 'My mind holds something much darker than the memories of a child. They hold the memories of a war. A war that happened thousands of years ago, yet I am able to remember as if it belonged to my previous life. It is extremely rare, and only Signers can access the memories of their past selves consciously, yet I remember that particular life. And now, that moron is trying to bring it back. I have to end it, and fast.'
Frank then looked at Dreamsprite.
"Next, since I cannot target your Spirit of the Breeze, I will have my Hypnocorn attack your Dreamsprite instead."
"Unless Dreamsprite's effect redirected the attack to another monster, then calculated the damage." Alan retorted. "Except Spirit of the Breeze is protected by Pixie Ring, which means you can't attack it either."
Frank almost swore. The girl had set an excellent defense. He was forced to relent.
"Alright, you win this round. I set two cards face-down and end my turn. After you, young miss."
Luna watched the fight intensely. Alan's tactics were clever and she could learn a few things from them, but his sudden nervousness hadn't escaped her. Something was going on.
Alan took a card.
"My turn! And I play the Spell I drew: Pot of Greed. It allows me to draw two cards."
His finds were Photon Lead and Sunny Pixie. His smile widened. He had just what he needed to end the fight swiftly.
"First, Spirit of the Breeze's effect activates. Then, I summon Kuribon from my hand."
Luna: 3800 – 4800
Kuribon appeared beside Dreamsprite and the wind spirit. Alan wasn't done.
"Next, I play the Quick Play Spell: Photon Lead. It allows me to summon a Level 4 or lower LIGHT monster from my hand. Come, Sunny Pixie!"
Luna's eyes widened. Before the tournament began, Ylia had given her a Synchro monster to compensate for Ancient Fairy Dragon. It looked like a dragon but was actually a Fairy. It was meant to provide her with a Synchro Summoned heavy hitter until her Signer Dragon was returned. Alan grinned.
"I will now tune my Level 3 Spirit of the Breeze with my Level 2 Dreamsprite and my Level 1 Kuribon and Sunny Pixie." The girl closed her eyes. "Old sacred beast, keeper of the light, arise from your slumber and descend to help those in need! Synchro Summon: Ancient Sacred Wyvern!"
The white dragon appeared in a burst of light. It looked like a Chinese dragon with a long golden mane and exotic patterns on its back. Frank shuddered. Of all the things, he hadn't expected a Synchro Summon, much less of such a powerful creature. But he wasn't defenseless.
"Trap activate: Light to the Depths! When my opponent summons a LIGHT monster, my opponent sends the top five cards of his Deck to his Graveyard, then draws a card and reveals it. If this card or a card of the same name isn't played at the end of the turn, you receive 2000 damage!"
Alan cringed and did as ordered, then drew a card. His eyes widened when he saw the black sun shining above a city. End of Times. The card was playable… and, in fact, would fit his plan perfectly, but he needed to be at 100 Life Points to activate it. It was doable, but the king would have to play hard to do so. He revealed the Trap, then put it in his hand. Fortunately, End of Times was very rare. Few people knew what it did.
"You're not playing our card? Alright. Receive 2000 damage now!"
The light blinded Alan as his Life Points decreased.
Luna: 4800 – 2800
The king grinned.
"But when Sunny Pixie is used as material for the summoning of a LIGHT Synchro Monster, I gain 1000 Life Points. Resourceful, much?"
Luna: 2800 - 3800
Frank had to give it to her, the girl was tough.
"And Ancient Sacred Wyvern's effect allows it to gain or lose ATK equal to the difference between my and my opponent's Life Points. I Have 3800 Life Points. You have a thousand less. Ancient Sacred Wyvern's ATK thus increases by 1000."
Ancient Sacred Wyvern: ATK 2100 – 3100
The king grinned.
"Now, Sacred Wyvern, attack his Hypnocorn!"
The dragon soared and breathed a heavy burst of light toward the blue sheep. Frank raised his hand.
"Continuous Spell activated: Wave of Ill Intent! Each time a monster I control is destroyed, my opponent loses 300 Life Points!"
The two lost Life Points at the same time.
Luna: 3800 – 3500
Frank: 2800 – 1500
Ancient Sacred Wyvern: ATK 3100 – 4100
Alan nodded.
"Turn end."
Frank breathed, then drew a card.
"My turn! I first summon Fear from the Dark in Attack Position, but it won't stay long because I tribute it to summon Ido, the Supreme Magical Force!"
A shadowy monster appeared, only to be replaced by a giant dragon-like tiger of blue and gold energy.
"Next, I use the Spell Negative Energy Generator, which triples the ATK of a DARK monster I control. Ido, grow stronger!"
The monster's ATK surged from 2200 to 6600. It was enough to beat Ancient Sacred Wyvern, but Alan needed his Life Points to go down. He would survive the attack. It was reaching exactly 100 Life Points which was tricky. The tiger lunged at the dragon and tore it apart.
Luna: 3500 – 1000
"Turn end."
The king nodded and drew a card.
"My turn! I play the Spell Dian Keto, Cure Master, which grants me 1000 Life Points. And I am going to need them because, thanks to Sacred Wyvern's effect, I can pay 1000 Life Points to bring it back. Ancient Sacred Wyvern, return!"
The white dragon emerged once more. However, its attack decreased abruptly.
Ancient Sacred Wyvern: ATK 2100 – 1600
"Turn end."
Frank nodded.
"My turn! Ido, destroy this dragon once and for all!"
The tiger obeyed. Once more, Ancient Sacred Wyvern disappeared.
Luna: 1000 – 500
"Turn end, little miss."
Alan looked at his deck.
'Please…' He thought. 'Help me pull this out. I need it.'
His answer was the card Pot of Dichotomy. A smile crept on his face. This would do.
"First, I play the Spell: Pot of Dichotomy. I target three monsters of different types in my Graveyard and shuffle them back into my Deck, then draw two cards. I cannot conduct my Battle Phase, but I didn't plan to anyway."
Sunlight Unicorn had been a victim of Frank's Light to the Depths. Along with Dreamsprite and Sunny Pixie, it was returned to the deck. Alan drew two cards next. His finds were Swords of Revealing Light and Fairy Archer. The king nodded.
"I play the Spell: Swords of Revealing Light. Now, your monsters cannot attack for your next three turns."
Three swords of light appeared in front of Ido. Frank almost crossed his arms. The child was a bothersome one, first resisting his attempts at opening her mind, then holding her own so well against his attacks.
"Turn end!"
The professor drew a card.
"My turn! Because of Ido's effect, I cannot summon monsters as long as it is on the field, so I will keep my card and end my turn."
Fortunately, Ido was powerful. One of the swords faded and Alan drew a card.
"My turn!" His eyes lit up. "And I play the Spell: Cards from the Sky. By discarding Fairy Archer in my hand, I can draw two cards. However, I cannot Special Summon or conduct my Battle Phase."
His find was Red Medicine and Sunlight Unicorn. The king nodded.
"Next, I summon Sunlight Unicorn and use the Spell: Red Medicine, increasing my Life Points by 500."
Luna: 500 - 1000
There, he was at a thousand Life Points. Now, all he had to do was destroy three of Frank's monsters and he could activate End of Times. About time…
"I set one card face-down and end my turn."
"And I start mine."
The man's find was Dark Eyes Illusionist. He kept it.
"Turn end."
The second sword faded. Alan grinned.
"My turn starts…" His draw was Horn of the Unicorn. "And I equip Sunlight Unicorn with Horn of the Unicorn, increasing her ATK and DEF by 700."
A crystalline horn appeared on he white and blue unicorn, raising her ATK to 2500.
"I'll start by attacking Ido, the Supreme Magical Force."
If Frank couldn't attack, Alan could. He went for it. Sunlight Unicorn's horn tore the blue energy tiger.
Frank: 1500 – 1300
"But you still take damage from Wave of Ill Intent." Frank retorted.
'That's exactly what I'm counting on.' The king thought.
Luna: 1000 – 700
"Turn end." The girl grinned.
"And my turn starts. I use the Spell: Double Summon to summon Archfiend Mirror and Dark Eyes Illusionist."
A little green lizard holding a mirror appeared alongside a strange-looking magician.
"But they won't stay for long since I release them to Advance Summon Despair from the Dark! Do you fear the dark, little miss? Because you soon will! Damn brat…"
The two monsters disappeared to reveal a dark and red ominous shadow. Alan gritted his teeth. The monster was stronger than Sunlight Unicorn. Fortunately, one sword was still remaining. It would be gone by the man's next turn, though.
"Turn end. Just wait, young miss. I will bring out your greatest fear next turn…"
Alan growled and drew a card. His eyes lit up.
"Afraid not. It's my turn and I use the Equip Spell: Elf's Light, which increases the ATK of a LIGHT monster by 400 and decreases its DEF by 200."
Sunlight Unicorn's ATK was now 2900. It was a hundred points higher than Despair from the Dark, and the monster was still stuck.
"Attack!" Alan ordered. "Unicorn Spear!"
Sunlight Unicorn rushed at the shadow and tore it apart with its horn. Frank was speechless. Ido and Despair had been his strongest monsters! He had not been prepared to that kind of play from a frail, timid little girl and was now out of option.
Frank: 1300 – 1200
"You still take damage from my Wave of Ill Intent. I am starting to believe you're suicidal, little miss. Your next move better be the last, or your Life Points will finally run out."
Indeed, the Spell reduced Alan's Life Points down 300.
Luna: 700 – 400
"Turn end."
Frank nodded and drew a card.
"My turn. I summon a new Archfiend Mirror in Defense Position and end my turn."
Stall. Stall and hope Wave of Ill Intent would finish the girl. The elder man was in a corner and had little hopes to get out. Alan looked at his face-down card. A Defense Position monster? Perfect.
"My turn. And I attack your Archfiend Mirror with my Sunlight Unicorn."
Sunlight Unicorn attacked. Wave of Ill Intent retaliated, lowering the king's Life Points once more.
Luna: 400 - 100
Frank breathed. He was almost saved. Then Alan spoke.
"Now, since my Life Points have reached 100, it is time to trigger my face-down card: End of Times"
Frank's eyes widened. It was the card revealed by Light to the Depths! Alan's smile became feral.
"End of Times can only be activated when I have 100 Life Points or less. It destroys every card on the field and inflicts damage to both players equal to the combined levels of the monsters they control, multiplied by 500. Finally, we both lose!"
'Well…' The professor thought. 'Here goes my day.'
A no-victor card, designed to cause the end of both sides should one find himself on the edge of defeat. Going down for going down, this card took the other along. Alan smiled as the dark sun appeared and unleashed a burst of fire over the battlefield, and his and Frank's Life Points hit zero.
No winner.
(End music)
Alan passed by the professor, who looked at him dumbfounded. Turning slightly to him, he whispered.
"You who study the mind, you should know by now that some of them hold secrets better left uncovered. A child's mind isn't always sunshines and rainbows and, should you dig too deep, you may find memories you'll wish you had never seen." The king looked at the man. "A mind can be terrible to read. Be happy you failed to read mine."
On this, he left, leaving a befuddled professor mulling over the young girl's words.
I really, really, really, REALLY HATE when I'm forced to work with an incomplete deck. Luna and Frank have both very small decks so I was forced to work around the issue. It wasn't pleasant at all. And next chapter is the Turbo Duel I was planning to have after this duel, only to decide eight pages were long enough. It won't be a pleasure cruise. At all. But it has to be done... *sigh* Especially since it's with Yusei.
That apart, yes, I AM BACK! Finally gotten bored of making Worm fics and barely being able to please the writers. Besides, given Worm is pretty much Games of Thrones with superpowers, I consider it a "masochist read". Understand: read only if you like the main characters suffering and/or going through hell. I like superpowers, but stories that dark aren't really my thing, hence why I'm back to the solid values that are Pokémon and YuGiOh. For those who follow Pokémon, I just need a tiny fight to write and next chapter is good. Two days at worst, promise. ;-)
Now, for the reviews...
- MidnightFenrir: there won't be a true love triangle. Ylia will slowly fade in the romantic background, but will stay to support the team like Alan and Yanagi.
- Siggimondo: hello again! Alan is a king. He may be a goofball at times, but he is still responsible enough to handle a kingdom. Aileron roll? Maybe. I my knowledge in that field is a bit limited. Checkov's Gun? Only time will tell. Burn Heal... Nice pun. Well, Akiza isn't the sanest person at the moment and they do share a connection. And, being both outcasts, they have something to relate to. And sorry, but next chapter is the card game on motorcycles. I pray I'll have the skills to do it right...
See you soon!