I don't own Kim Possible or any of the characters therein. I also don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any of the characters therein. This Fanfic is for entertainment purposes only. NONPROFIT YOU READ ME!
Chapter 1
She could all but hear the rapid thumps of her heart beating in her chest. This was it. The moment she had dreamed of ever since she had first felt the rush when she had played her first card.
Even now, as she stared down her opponent, she still couldn't believe she was actually here facing off against… him. The man- no… the legend himself! The one who wore the crown and bore the title, the title she had so longed to claim as her very own.
It had been a long and grueling battle, one that would certainly be recorded in the annals of Duel Monsters history. He had truly lived up to the title he held, continually flouted her attacks, countered her stratagems, and decimated her deck. But despite his masterful abilities she had not been so easily dissuaded. She too had returned every attack, counter strategy, and card he could throw at her in kind, and all with a vengeance only his greatest arch rival could… well, rival.
One by one each had fallen before her, Obelisk the Tormentor, Slifer the Sky Dragon, and most dangerous and powerful of all, The Winged Dragon of Ra.
And now they were at a standstill, each with no monsters on their side of the field, and each with only one hundred life points to spare, both hanging on by only the slimmest of threads, and both knowing that the end was soon near for one of them.
As he set two cards facedown in his spell and trap card zones and announced the conclusion of his turn, she nervously looked to the top card of her deck presently slotted in her duel disk.
She was so close, so painfully close to the victory she had always craved she could almost taste it, and the thought of coming so far only to have it all slip through her fingers…
Immediately she banished such thinking from her mind, silently berating herself for even having such doubts.
She would not lose today! She absolutely refused to lose today!
Steeling her resolve she drew her card and began her main phase, ready to claim her long awaited destiny.
With her newly drawn card in hand she studied the cards in her hand, and those on the field.
Counting the card she had just drawn she now had three cards in her hand, and with the one she already had face down on the field she now had four at her disposal.
To just anyone else, her four cards in contrast to her opponent's sole two face-down cards would likely have seemed that she had the clear advantage. However, she was not just anyone else. She knew from studying his tactics that the two face-down cards were likely big time game changers.
After a brief moment of recounting every variable she could think of, she at last settled on the best possible strategy given all the facts and resources she had at hand and sprang into action.
"Alright here I go," she announced to her opponent while placing a monster card onto her duel disk. "First I'll summon. I'm sure you remember Diana, right?"
As her monster appeared on the field in attack mode, ready and waiting to commence with battle, she couldn't help but make note of her opponent.
Despite the obvious impending threat to his life points, not to mention title, he remained impassive, stoic even… and most of all completely at ease, seemingly not the least bit nervous in light of his circumstances.
Nevertheless, in spite of this unnerving observation she continued, pressing onward to at last finish this and finally claim the title.
"Diana go!" she commanded, pointing unassailably to her opponent. "Finish off his life points. It's finally time for the king to be dethroned."
Dutifully obeying the command the feminine monster dashed towards the King of Games to fulfill her orders, but her target had other plans.
"Reveal face-down!" he quickly ordered to one of the concealed cards before him.
Her olive green eyes instinctually widened in alarm as the identity of the card, the trap card, was exposed for all to see. Magic Cylinder.
"You've fought a good duel," he congratulated with an approving chuckle as his trap card's effect kicked in. "But I'm afraid this king will continue keeping his throne today."
Now it was her turn to be stoically at ease. "So not the drama," she offhandedly replied with a winning smile. "I activate my own facedown card; Trap Stun!"
"A wise move," he noted in recurring approval. "But unfortunately it will do very little good. I'll chain and reveal my second facedown card; Call of the Haunted!"
As his second facedown trap revealed itself, all she could do was watch in helpless trepidation as the third link in the card effect chain was forged, allowing a new, undoubtedly more powerful monster, to be summoned up from the depths of his graveyard.
No sooner had the card's face been revealed then the ground before her opponent began to crack and shift, breaking way as it rose upwards from the depths below, pushed aside for the creature its movement heralded.
In a sudden exploding burst, a beam of light ripped its way from the ground shining up to the heavens with ethereal might.
All present to bear witness inhaled an awed gasp as his selected monster, bathed in the blinding radiance from within the beam, rose from its not so final resting place to ascend to the field, ready to carry on in its master's fight.
When the light at last faded to reveal the monster's identity, she – like every man, woman and child in the surrounding audience – widened her eyes in wondered awe, and in her own case, rising trepidation.
Dressed in its mystical ancient purple garments and brandishing its magical green staff, she like every other person in the stadium knew the monster well. The card, which near countless times before, had been its master's salvation, rescuing him from the grim jaws of defeat to bring him to victory, the signature card of the great King of Games.
"The Dark Magician," she breathed in reverent wonder, all but star struck by the legendary monster before.
The King of Games smirked, glad to see his opponent beheld his monster with such respect. "You may have been able to stop my Magic Cylinder with your trap, but your monster pales in comparison to the awesome power of the Dark Magician!" he stated. "You now have no choice but to yield your attack lest your monster be destroyed by my magician's might."
To this his opponent merely presented him with a wry grinned excitedly instead of the downtrodden look of defeat he had been expecting. "Sorry," she halfheartedly apologized, "but so not the drama." Quickly she then turned her attention to her monster. "We never back down from a fight. Diana, keep going! Take out his magician now!"
With a proud respectful nod as the angelic monster glanced over her shoulder, Diana obediently quickly spread her wings and continued on with her charge, shifting her target from her master's opponent to his monster.
Watching as his opponent's ethereal creature charged to his magician, he couldn't help but arch an intrigued eyebrow, wondering if the girl had something planned, or if she just planned to go down in a blaze of glory. Whatever the case he couldn't help but give a wry smirk of respect, impressed by the girl. "Very well, if you so foolishly wish this to be over and done with, then so be it!" he stated. "Dark Magician! Destroy her monster with dark magic attack!"
Watching as the two monsters rushed each other to clash brutally. "Oh, this is so over!" she laughed, quickly drawing the card from her hand. "Just not for us! I play a card from my hand, Angelic Final Blessing!"
And with that she inserted the quickplay spell card into an open card slot of her duel disk, activating its effect.
Without hesitation her duel disk automatically extended the required card from the depths of her deck, which she quickly drew and added to her hand.
Immediately her charging monster's body began to glow with a holy sacred brilliance as her wings grew in length and size, turning from pure white to the translucent clarity of the purest crystal glass, reflecting the light cascading from her body like a thousand polished mirrors.
The King of Games watched in wonder as its attack suddenly skyrocketed until it had nearly tripled from its original might.
With her newly acquired power now at her disposal, Diana continued her charge towards the Dark Magician, extending her hands forward as she flew to unleash a devastating blast of brilliant light.
The Dark Magician did all it could to stay it's ground, valiantly protecting his master from the surging light, but it was to no avail. Unable to stand against his foes attack, the Dark Magician let out a pained howl before at last his body detonated in an explosion of shattered holographic pieces.
With its initial target now destroyed the destructive blast of light surge onward striking the king of games with unyielding concussive force, sending him reeling backward.
As the light from the attack faded, the silence filling the surrounding stadium became deafening as all watched on with bated breath as the King's life points swiftly plummeted to zero.
With the duel at last concluded, the image of her triumphant monster faded from sight, her work completed, and as stunned silence continued to heavily pervade the atmosphere the victorious young duelist quickly ran to the fallen King's side, fearing he might be hurt.
"Oh my gosh! Are you alright?" she asked leaning down to help him up. "I am so so so so sorry!"
To her surprise he merely gave a chuckle as he accepted her hand and returned back to his feet. "Don't apologize," he replied. "That was quite the duel. Just promise me one day you'll give me the chance to earn back my former title."
The girl blinked, somewhat confused until after a moment her eyes widened with realization at what she had just done.
It was at this same moment in time that so too did the surrounding stadium full of people realized and snapped out of their stunned reverie.
Instantly the crowds erupted with an explosive cacophony of cheering and thunderous applause.
The young redheaded teen gazed around at the cheering crowds in wonder as the magnitude of what had just happened sank in.
"Unbelievable!" the stadium's announcer exclaimed over the cheers. "She's done it folks! She's actually done it!"
With a smile on his face the now dethroned King of Games, sensing his cue, took his opponent's hand and raised it with her high in victory. "Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, his voice carrying throughout the stadium's sound system via the tiny barely noticeable microphone clipped to his collar. "Allow me to be the first to present to you the new King – or rather should I say – Queen of Games! Kim Possible!"
As the audience once again erupted with thunderous applause and renewed vigor, Kim Possible; Pro League Duelist extraordinaire – now Queen of Games, could only stare out in wonder at the audience while a beaming grin that easily outshined Diana's last attack spread across her face.
Unable to help herself the elated teen suddenly broke out into an impulsive burst of celebratory leaps, flips, and cartwheels that would have made any gymnast green with envy.
"Impressive moves," the former king note with a chuckle when she had at last finished in her celebrations.
"Uh, thanks," Kim replied with sheepish grin as blushed in embarrassment. Thinking how silly she had just looked in front of everyone. "Junior High cheerleading captain, no big."
With an understanding nod and a smile, the former King of Games reached into the deck holster attached to his belt and with drew a pair of cards. "Here," he said, handing her the two cards. "Take these as my gift to you."
"No, I-I couldn't," she stammered as she stared at the cards in her hands. "I mean, I just kind of won your title already."
"Please," he insisted with a chuckle. "It's not often I face an opponent as challenging as yourself, win or lose. And besides, I have the strangest feeling they belong with you. So please, take them, with my gratitude and complements."
An ecstatic smile immediately spread over Kim's face. The King –er, former King of Games had just called her a challenging opponent. BEST DAY EVER! "Th-thank you," she again stammered, suppressing the urge to again break out into cartwheels.
With the duel now won and the former King's congratulations given, the newly crowned Queen of Games then looked at the cards she had been given.
'Beeeeeep!'
'Boooooom!'
Immediately Kim arched an eyebrow as she stared at their pictures in surprise. For the briefest of seconds she could have sworn the two monster cards had not only just spoken to her but had somehow just winked at her too.
Shaking her head and then wiping her eyes with her free hand she then refixed her gaze back on the two cards. Had the two cards actually just winked at her, or was it just her imagination?
"Something wrong?" asked the former king curiously, suppressing a knowing smile from crossing his face.
"Uh…" she began hesitantly, not quite sure herself of what to say. "Er- nothing! Nothing's wrong! Just taking in the moment, you know?"
As the former King of Games nodded, Kim gave a mental sigh of relief, glad that she hadn't inadvertently offended him by her staring so oddly at his gift.
Quickly deciding that the excitement of her victory had probably just been making her see things, Kim then inserted the two cards she'd been given into her deck, vowing that she would always cherish the two cards, always using them in the future duels to come.
The young redhead duelist then turned her attention back to the surrounding crowds, absorbing their cheers and applause, committing every detail to memory as she just drank in the moment. At long last she had done it, she achieved her dream. She was now the undisputed Queen of Ga-
Without warning, a shrill ringing thundered throughout the stadium, overshadowing all sound with detonating force of a nuclear explosion as the world around her was violently torn asunder.
Instantly Kim's eyes reluctantly snapped open, only to immediately be slammed shut again as they were met by the much hated light of day.
As the shrill ringing continued to noisily sound the still half asleep blindly began pawing away at the nightstand beside her bed, searching for the noise's source – her cell phone – seeking to either answer it or destroy it, whichever would just make it stop.
After a brief moment of absently fumbling around for the ringing phone, she at last succeed in finding it and chose to proceed with the former of her two choices.
"Hello?" she all but incoherently mumbled as she buried her head beneath the welcoming covers of her bed, vying to stave off the wretched sunlight.
"KP WHERE ARE YOU!" frantically exclaimed the voice of her best friend Ron Stoppable.
"Pause for the cause Ron," she grumbled groggily. "I'm at home. Sleeping in bed? Where everyone else is at this ungodly hour? Any of this ringing any bells Ron?"
"KIM IT'S 10:30!" he exclaimed. "AND REGISTRATION'S ALMOST OVER!"
Instantly the redhead's olive green eyes snapped open as she bolted upright sending her bed covers flying. Her gaze instantly whipped to her alarm clock resting on her nightstand, the alarm clock presently flashing 12:00 am on its screen, its regular function disabled by some unknown force.
"No…" she whispered before unleashing a horrified scream. "No no noNONONONOOOO!"
With speed barely considered human, Kim was instantly out of bed and at her dresser, frantically disrobing and pulling clothes from the dresser's drawers in a frenzied blur of wild movement, desperately trying to get dressed.
In a matter of moments the panicked redheaded teen was at last clothed, but as she grabbed her deck of duel monster cards on her nightstand, securely placing them in the card holster on her belt, she then realized something was missing.
Frantically her olive green eyes scanned the room, desperately searching for her duel disk, presently absent from where she had left it on her nightstand.
"Come on! Come on!" she growled as she dove to the floor, searching under her bed for the missing device to no avail. "ARRRGH! WHERE IS IT?"
After a moment of frenzied searching had passed and realizing she didn't have time for this the all but hysterical red head quickly abandoned her search as she seized her phone and tore out the room and down the stairs at near mach speed.
"Ron are you still there?" she frantically exclaimed into the phone as she reached the bottom of the stairs.
"Ten four KP," came Ron's worried reply, noting the alarm in his best friends voice. "What's the sitch?"
"My alarm clock broke and my disk is AWOL Ron!" she practically shouted into the phone as she ran down the hall to the nearest exit from her house.
"A-what now?" asked Ron in confusion.
"MISSING Ron! It's MISSING! " she clarified in panic. "You or Felix will have to lend me one of yours when I get there, until then stall them if you have to!"
"Gotcha KP," her best friend replied. "Just leave it to me."
And with that Ron hung up, allowing the teenager to make a mad dash half way across town unencumbered.
Quickly Kim rounded a corner making and came to a screeching halt in front of the front door, pausing momentarily to put on her shoes.
"Hey Kim what's the rush?" asked one of her brothers from the living room.
"No time to talk tweebs," Kim quickly replied as she finished rapidly tying her laces. "I'm la-"
It was then, as she reached for the door that she froze stiff in shock her eyes locking onto the most horrifying of sights, her duel disk, scattered about the living room floor in thousands of assorted pieces amidst various tools, computers, and her two brothers, both overseeing the mess.
"MY DISK!" she screamed in mixture of pure rage and horror as she gazed upon the scene before her. "WHAT DID YOU TWEEBS DO TO MY DISK!?"
"Giving it some awesome upgrades," replied Tim excitedly as he began removing the screws from a piece that looked very important.
"Yeah," added Jim with matching enthusiasm. "When we're done with it it's going to be awesome for your registration duel tomorrow. By the way, hope we didn't wake you when we knocked out the power earlier."
"YOU TWEEBS!" she shrieked in fury. "MY REGISTRATION'S TODAY!"
Immediately the faces of both boys dramatically paled.
Kim exhaled a small roar of frustrated anger as she flung open the door, now knowing who to hold responsible for her present mess. "I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" she snarled, furiously glaring at her two – soon to be deceased – younger brothers. "I'LL KILL BOTH OF YOU WHEN I GET BACK!"
And with those final words and without wasting another second, Kim quickly made her exit, slamming the door behind her with such force that it resonated throughout the whole house.
Faces still deathly pale both boys slowly got up from the floor and proceeded over to the window, being careful not to step on any of the parts strewn about the floor.
Watching as their older – and now dangerously angered – sister bolted down the block and quickly out of sight, Jim gave a fearful gulp as he turned to his counterpart sibling. "H-hic-abic-aboo?" he stuttered, very afraid.
"Hoo-shah," Tim nervously confirmed with a nod. Without question they were now both dead men walking, and with that, both realizing their only possible option of survival, the two boys instantly hurried back to their places amidst the strewn about pieces of their sister's duel disk as they frantically returned to finishing what they had started.
What had originally been a miscalculated idea to gain their older sister's favor – and therein her room once she had left for West Duel Academy – had now evolved into a desperate race against time to make a peace offering to appease their sister's wrath once she returned.
Overlooking the stadium from their balcony view of their skybox – reserved only for those students accepted into the ranks of the Obelisk Blue dorms either by that of good grades, connections, or just plain wealth – the majority of the assembled West Academy crème de la crème conversed amongst themselves, most hashing snidely over upper crust politics, family lineage, wealth, or their own delusions of greatness over their inferiors in the stands and field below, all of them lost in their own little world of pompous self greatness.
However, the operative word in that sentence was 'most'. While the majority of the Obelisk Blues ignored the goings on in the stadium below, a select few, a small clique of five female freshmen, already dubbed by their peers as 'The Obelisk Elites' had been watching the acceptance duels below with great purpose since they had begun, and none more so than their leader Bonnie Rockwaller.
Watching the duels with intent purpose, Bonnie surveyed each and every play made by the duelists below with a cold calculating gaze.
It was then that one of them, an Asian girl with long black hair named Hope gave a loud weary yawn, supremely bored with watching the little people duels below. "Ugh, um Bonnie, just like why are we doing this again?" she asked, turning to the tan brunette. "We've already got the top marks in duel prep so why do we have to waste our time watching these duel fools? Come on, let's mingle, there's a couple of cute guys here who sooo know how to have fun."
Bonnie ignored Hope's annoying whining as she maintained her watch over the duels in progress. Unlike Hope and virtually every other person in the skybox she was not so pompous as to underestimate any of the lesser student body.
She, unlike most of the elites, understood how the world worked. It was a cold cruel place, where the moment you showed any weakness, it waited eagerly to devour you, body and soul. It was all a food chain, one where you either ate or were eaten, pure and simple. A lesson that had long been since instilled into her by the endless abuse of her older sisters since the day she had been born.
It was the reason she had decided to become a duelist to begin with, at first as a way to escape the reality of her evil sisters, overbearing overprotective mother, and all but nonexistent father. But quickly she had come to realize just how close the game resembled her life; a constant battle of wits and wills for survival.
Realizing this, she had worked that much harder honing her abilities near perfection. Burying herself under mountains of books of military history, mathematics, formulas, finance, social skills, psychological behavior etc. any and everything conceivable thing that could be applied to attaining victory in both dueling and life, although to her the two weren't really to be considering two separate things, because for her, dueling was life.
Since early childhood she had worked hard to be the best of the best, devising brilliant strategies, trading and buying better and more and more powerful cards, choosing to go to the best schools, all the while saving and investing the bulk of her allowances so that one day she could become completely self sufficient as the next King of Games.
And now at long last she was taking the first steps in fulfilling that dream. Not only had she at last been accepted into West Academy, the toughest and best of all five of the elite duel schools, she had done so by scoring in the 95th percentile on her Obelisk written exams, reportedly the highest any student had ever scored in the history of the school. Even more impressive was the fact she had already achieved a score of 98.6 percentage of victory on the worldwide Kaiba duel records, a score that had only ever been exceeded by the creator of the duel disks and the King of Games himself.
Bonnie knew she was destined to one day to rule the duels, and would do so by starting with West Academy where she would no longer be under the suffocation of her dysfunctional mother and sisters and be able to flourish, honing her magnificent skills against the best of the best.
"Hope, please shush," Tara absently chided as she studied the stats of the duelists below on her laptop, pausing to readjust her glasses while examining the data. "Were trying to see if there's any serious competition down there."
Pausing from her vigil over the masses below Bonnie then glanced at the group's reflection of in the glass window before her, smiling ever so slightly. Yes, it had been a long difficult journey from the days when she had first discovered Duel Monsters, but along the way she had had met kindred spirits who shared in her aspiration of being on top of the food chain, Tara, Hope, Jessica and Liz, her fellow Elites.
"Oh puh-leeze!" Hope exhaled with a dismissive wave off her hand as she rolled her eyes. "As if any of these wannabes could beat us. We've got the skills, the talent and most importantly, the best cards money can buy."
Bonnie scowled slightly at Hope's reflection before turning her attention back on their inferiors below. While what Hope had said was all true, the first rule of dueling was to never underestimate your opponent. Something Hope was – ironically enough – hopeless to understand. While she was a skilled duelist, Hope was shallow as a puddle and thought of the food chain as a mere popularity contest that extended no further than high school, and it was for that reason Hope was at the bottom of the Elite's food chain.
Oh yes, even they had a food chain, of course how could they not? The law of the jungle was their creed after all with the pecking order starting – of course – with Bonnie as leader, then Tara, then Jessica, then Liz and ending finally with Hope.
"Hope, just zip it," Bonnie whispered with a low growl. "If you want to be beaten by one of these losers someday then that's your problem. Just shut it so the rest of us don't get dragged down with you. Not that I'd expect someone who duels like you to understand that concept."
While Hope soured with a pouting frown, casting the brunette a cold glare which in turn was simply ignored, the remaining two members of the clique, Liz and Jessica, glanced at each other nervously, partially relieved that that hadn't been them. When dealing with Bonnie it was always best to stay on the girl's good side, having seen firsthand what she could do to someone's social life when angered.
It was then that the PA system crackled to life broadcasting a voice throughout the stadium. "Ron Stoppable to Red Field 3 for your duel examine," it announced. "That's Ron Stoppable to Red Field 3."
As the PA system then went silent, Tara immediately sprang into action, tapping away at the keys of her small notebook, calling up records and test scores to her screen. "I'm on it Bonnie."
At this Bonnie rolled her eyes, while she could appreciate her friend's dedication, there really was no point in this particular case. "Don't bother Tara," she replied with a disinterested wave of her hand. "They said Red field, it's just another loser not good enough to make it to one of the real dorms."
But Tara was not to be deterred, having already finished hacking the West Academy mainframe and pulling all school and duel records to view. If there was anything the blonde bespectacled beauty was it was thorough. "Let's see… Ronald 'Ron' Stoppable," she began much to the chorused groan of her fellow Elites and the sigh of Bonnie. "Hmmm… only child… originally from Middleton…"
"Ugh, a middletownie," Hope cut in with a gag of revulsion. "They'll let just about any riffraff into Red."
With that Bonnie couldn't help but wholeheartedly concede, albeit in silence, especially if the Red Dorm – the absolute bottom of the Duel Academy food chain – was accepting applications for students from Middleton, the town renowned for such great achievements as their ugh… Smarty Mart… or even worse, their pickle works, GACK!
"Bonnie and Hope are right Tara. Just stick with the Yellows and Blues instead," advised fellow blonde Jennifer with a sneer, following her peers' lead. "Elites should not bother ourselves with such trivialities like the Slifer bottom feeders."
Liz, the redhead of the group, gave a superior nod. "Yeah, what do we care about some Red wannabe? Just stay focused on the bigger duels."
Merely ignoring the unanimous disapproval from the other Elites Tara continued to read on with the hacked files in silence. That is until her eyes fell on one detail and a very interesting one at that. "Whoa…" she said, eyebrows quickly arching upwards in surprise. "Now that's really interesting."
Intrigued by this statement Bonnie turned her gaze from the dueling below, glancing over her shoulder to her blonde peer. "What?"
Tara shook her head in confusion, then removed her glasses to wipe them clean on the hem of her crop top, thinking maybe a smudge may have made her see things. Once she had returned her glasses back to in place she again shook her head, barely able to believe what was displayed before her. "His written scores, well… their… abysmal," she replied, shaking his head. "According to this he barely passed the written exams by the skin of his teeth."
For the briefest of moments Tara fellow Elites looked to each other before instantly broke out into hysterics of laughter.
"O-OH MY G-GOD!" laughed Bonnie. "T-THAT I-IS JUST T-TO GOOD!" She then rose to her feet, turning to the fellow Obelisk Blue students who had all paused from their self absorbed conversations to stare at the laughing Elites. "H-HEY EVERYONE! COME CHECK OUT THIS STOPPABLE LOSER! HE'S SUCH A FREAK HE BARELY PASSED A SLIFER EXAM! IT'S GOING TO BE HILARIOUS!"
This tidbit caught everyone's and ensued a mad rush by all Obelisks to the windows, watching with grins and amused as a blonde boy wearing a sports jersey, a duel disk on his left forearm, and tan khakis walked towards Red Field 3 and the duel proctor waiting.
"Oh man, this is going to be hysterical!" one boy snickered.
"Definitely," agreed a girl. "What kind of loser barely passes a Slifer test?"
"Oh look at what he's wearing!" Hope said pointing at the blonde with a laugh. "Someone call the fashion police, please!"
As the assembled Obelisk Blue spectators continued to belittle the blonde boy heading towards his opponent, Bonnie couldn't help but grin a superior smirk as she wallowed in the fact of just how inferior that pathetic excuse for a duelist was in contrast to her own perfection. After all, in addition to her percentile on the Obelisk written exams, and of course her all but unparalleled victory percentage it was little wonder how such people were even allowed to play the game. But then she supposed that the world needed such failures so as to make someone as herself all the greater.
However as the crowd around the skybox windows continued to grow in anticipation for what was surely to be a hilarious spectacle, Bonnie's bubble was about to burst as the second highest ranked of the Elite food chain nervously came in close to whisper into the teal eyed brunette's ear. "Bonnie, there's something you need to know," Tara whispered lowly. "It's about that Stoppable guy."
"What?" Bonnie asked distantly, eagerly smiling for what was likely to be something really funny.
"You guys didn't give me a chance to finish," the blonde replied nervously, her anxious hushed whisper now even lower. "There's you really should know about that guy. His test scores were bad yeah, but his Kaiba record, well… um, not so much."
Bonnie ached an eyebrow as she momentarily turned her attention back to the bespectacled blonde Elite. "Oh, how much?" she asked not all that interest but intrigued nonetheless by how nervous Tara had become. "He's applying for the Red dorm, so it shouldn't be that great."
Tara gulped as she leaned back to Bonnie's ear, not knowing any other way to say this to the teal eyed girl. "He has a win listing of 98.8 Bonnie," she meekly whispered into her ear.
Instantly the smile on Bonnie's lips disintegrated from sigh as her eyes became wide and nearly all color instantaneously drained from her face. "W-what?" she replied in a stunned hush.
"98.8 Bonnie," Tara meekly answered once again, expecting the imminent unbridled eruption of mount St. Bonnie. "And… um, well, he only started dueling like three years ago."
Upon hearing that Bonnie's lips coiled into a vicious snarl as the color immediately returned to her face, with on furious crimson hues.
Fortunately, by some divine miracle Bonnie kept herself from unleashing the furious enraged scream caught in her throat and was able to restrain her anger and suppress her more heated impulses as she returned her attention back to the blonde boy below, glaring at him with hate filled eyes of utter – albeit masterfully suppressed rage. Only Tara knew of this atrocity, and knowing the blonde girl was smart enough to stay quiet, it was going to stay that way.
That… that… buffoon had managed to match her duel victory score?
Impossible!
Inconceivable!
Unbelievable!
How could anyone, least of all a loser Middletownie red wannabe, match her score? Even worse, in only the span of three years!
How… Was… That…! POSSIBLE!?
Oh, she silently vowed to herself, not so much as even pausing to blink during her hateful gaze on the boy. She was going to enjoy watching this Middletownie failure that had the nerve to taint her beloved Kaiba score, as he crashed and burned his test.
However as she watched him, the more sensible side of her brain quickly calmed her down somewhat. Just why was she getting all upset for? Maybe he had beaten her duel victory score, but that didn't necessarily mean anything. This Stoppable guy had probably just gotten his score by beating all the Middletownie losers, she convinced herself. Yes, that must have been it. Anyone could get a high enough score by simply being the best of the worst while she on the other hand had earned her score by being the best of the best, and of course building her deck from the best and rarest cards money could buy. He was nothing more than a simple Slifer Red wannabe loser, who had been lucky enough to have a descent score, absolutely no threat to her whatsoever. After all just what other explanation could there be? Seriously, this Ron Stoppable Middletownie actually being as good as her? As if! No way could a peasant from Middleton that good. It was just simply impossible.
However no matter how hard she tried to convince herself, a lone tine thought lingering at the back of her mind continued to badger her. A truly horrifying thought that continued to plague the teal eyed brunettes' mind; 'What if he wins?'
Vehemently she shook her head at that horrifying notion. No, that simply just couldn't happen. It was one thing to beat a bunch of the local lifetime losers, but it was a whole different ballgame against a West Academy Dueling proctor. He would duel, she would watch, he would fail, and she would enjoy the show.
At that pleasant thought, a smile returned to Bonnie's lips as her worries came at ease. Leisurely she then settled back into her comfy seat to watch the blonde upstart below fail, and even if by some miracle he didn't, in the long run it honestly didn't matter.
He was just a Middletownie, a lifetime member of the losers club at the bottom of the food chain where he belonged and she was Bonnie Rockwaller, which really just said it all, didn't it? After all, it was her destiny to rule West Academy, and no matter how many losers she had to crush to do it, nothing and nobody was going to stand in her way. She was the Elite of the Obelisk Blue Elites, the very top of the food chain, and the soon to be future Queen of Games.
Exhaling an anxious sigh while he sat in the stands, Ron Stoppable quickly pocketed his phone as returned his full attention back on the duel being played out before him watched his second best friend in the world, Felix Renton pit his deck against that of his dueling proctor opponent.
"Kim okay?" a tiny voice inquisitively squeaked from his jacket pocket, worried.
Momentarily breaking his attention from the duel, Ron shifted his gaze to the small pink head of his pet naked mole rat Rufus poking out of his pocket.
Ron nodded as he pet his friend on the head. "Yeah she's fine little buddy," the blonde replied with an assuring grin. "She's just running a little late is all. But we might have to stall the teachers till she gets here."
"Okay!" the small furless rodent declared, casting his owner a thumbs up. "Now?"
Ron smiled as shook his head and chuckled. "Nah, let's try and wait till after my entry duel before we go all classic Rufus ruckus."
"Ruckus! Ruckus!" Rufus eagerly cheered, perhaps even just a tad too eagerly.
Again Ron smiled, fondly remembering past incidents of the 'Rufus ruckus', an effective ploy that had served them well in the past, their most favorite being one incident that had resulted in the shutdown of his old school for two weeks.
Still remembering the screams of chaos as he fondly reminisced, it was then the shattering sound of a monster's destruction brought Ron's attention back on the present, or more accurately, the duel of his best, non female/naked mole rat, friend Felix.
Having been next door neighbors since early adolescence, Felix and Ron had been thick as thieves since before the days of Rufus and even Kim, who had quickly made friends with the duo on her first day of pre-K, quickly turning them into what would be referred to as the three musketeers by their parents (or stooges, depending on what manner of shenanigans the trio had gotten themselves into).
"Uh oh," squeaked Rufus as he gazed down at Felix's duel below. "Felix in trouble."
"Don't bet on it Rufus," Ron said with a grin as he watched on with interest, just knowing that there was no way that his friend was out of it yet.
At present Felix was standing across from his duel proctor, one Will Du, and staring down his opponent's powerful and newly summoned warrior monster, the infamous Gilford the Lightning, of whose special ability had just destroyed all his monsters.
For the most part, Felix had been doing fairly well for this duel. Matching his opponent's moves blow for blow, he had defiantly stood his ground against the pokerfaced duel proctor, and despite a ferocious onslaught of special summon and tribute tactics thrown at him was still all but tied their scores, his life points being at 3200 and his opponent's at 3400.
However, as the warrior monster before him brandishing a whopping 2800 had yet to attack, and of his two facedown cards in his spell and trap zone had nothing that could stop it, Felix knew that was likely to change.
Sure enough, the young duelist's suspicions were quickly confirmed.
"Gilford, attack him directly," Will Du calmly instructed his monster.
Obediently the powerful warrior between the two duelists heeded his master's orders as he let out a great battle cry and charged forwards, quickly bringing his mighty sword slashing downwards on the young duelist, knocking Felix backwards and reeling to the ground.
Felix Renton LP: 3200 - 400
Felix breathed an embarrassed sigh as he quickly rose back onto his feet. The blow hadn't actually hurt, but when the equivalent of a giant with a big honking sword was about to slice you up like a holiday ham, far be it from anyone to not stumble backwards. "You know say what you want, holograms or not, I still say you can kind of feel those big attacks. Know what I mean?"
"I've never given it much consideration," Will candidly monotoned. "I'm surprised you're taking this so lightly, considering the disadvantage you are at now, not to mention your acceptance is riding on you winning."
"Meh, s'all good," Felix shrugged, simply enjoying the game as he dusted himself off. "You win some you lose some, you know. Besides, how do you know this isn't exactly where I wanted you?"
Will arched an eyebrow. "Is it?"
"Nah," Felix chuckled with another shrug. "But I still could've, you didn't know that."
The pokerfaced proctor merely blinked, trying to understand whether or not his opponent was taking this duel seriously. By all indicators it appeared the answer was pointed at 'no'. "I'll end my turn," he finally stated with his usual bland monotone.
Smiling, Felix reached for the duel disk strapped to his left forearm, and drew a card to commence his turn as he added it to his hand. Examining the four cards now in his possession in addition to the giant warrior now on the field, and accompanied by the face-up Royal Decree card and the enigmatic facedown card in Will's spell and trap zone, Felix's brain kicked into high gear as it cycled through his options.
From what Felix had already seen, Will's deck was primarily constructed around larger warrior cards and lower level monsters that either searched out other cards in the deck, or special summoned other likewise monsters to the field. He had also noted that with the exception of a scant few counter traps and the Royal Decree card still on the field, all his non monster cards so far had been equip and quickplay spells such as Shrink.
It seemed Will's general strategy was to protect all his monsters from traps and attacks to better summon and activate their effects.
Since traps were useless thanks to the effect of Royal Decree, that meant it was highly likely the facedown card on the proctor's side of the field was likely a quickplay spell card, more than likely placed to defend Gilford The Lightning either from attack or destructive effects, meaning he would likely need a different strategy in dealing with the monster, one that didn't involve destruction. Fortunately for him, he already had one.
With a confident smile on his face, Felix made his move. "I activate my Terraforming card," he announced as he slotted said spell card into his duel disk, activating its effect. Immediately his disk protruded three cards from the confines of his deck and upon drawing one, automatically returned the remaining two back before randomly shuffling the deck. "Next up I'll be playing my new card. The field spell card Zombie World!"
Upon placing the card into it awaiting slot, their surroundings where suddenly washed away in a sudden wave of shifting holographic imagery. Suddenly gone was the stadium filled with fellow duelists and onlookers, in their place now grimly existed a horrific grotesque wasteland of a land of rancid rot decay, putrefying rivers of blood and fields of skulls strewn amidst the bases of dead trees whose leafless branches seemed to reach to murky moonlit night sky, almost as if they had been frozen in the midst of trying to escape this hellish undead nightmare pit of a world.
Even Du, a man who prided himself of not ever being faltered by much, was left only to be able instinctively grimace as he gazed around the nightmare he had suddenly been pulled into.
Felix on the other hand, looked right at home from the big smile on his face. "Seriously dude, on a scale of one to ten just how awesome is this place?" he asked inhaling the decaying air as though it were the vapors of a freshly opened bottle of fine wine. "There's just no world like Zombie World."
"Ugh, disgusting!" Will stated in great revulsion as he kicked away a skull oozing rotting brain matter from its orifices. With the offending object away from his person he then turned his attention back on his opponent with narrow eyes. "What is your strategy? To make me too ill to continue?"
Once again Felix shrugged. "Nah. But you'd be surprised how often that happens to me," he laughed. "Actually my plan is pretty much to beat you this turn."
Will merely stared back at the teen with his now restored impassive gaze. "I fail to see how tha-"
It was then that Will was cut off by a sound of a tortured groan from his Gilford The Lightning.
To Will's alarm and Felix's grinning amusement, the two duelists watched as Gilford then stumbled, struggling to stand as he swayed about and dropping his sword before finally falling to his knees, clutching his sides and moaning in the rawest of agony before the same rancid blood flowing in the nearby rivers suddenly erupted from his mouth in a ghastly mighty burst.
"W-what's happening!?" Will demanded, doing his utmost best to not vomit as well as they watched the warrior's flesh quickly rot away.
"Zombie World man," Felix explained with a laugh. "Your warrior's going native, and in the worst possible way."
"I see, so your field spell changes my monster's type from a warrior to a zombie," he deduced, his nerves steeling somewhat again.
"Wow, no getting anything past you," Felix retorted. "And just a quick FYI, the same goes for both of our graveyards."
As bolts of lightning began raining down from the dark heavens above, Will remained steadfast, unfazed by this new information. "I fail to see how changing my monster's type will be any use to you."
"Give me a sec and you'll see," Felix replied, reaching for another card in his hand. "I'm summoning this bad boy."
With that, Felix placed a monster on the field of his duel disk. Immediately the ground beneath their feet shook, churning and trembling with the vibrations of something rising to the surface, and rise something did.
The churning earth quickly gave way to the rise of a large winged lionesque monstrosity composed of grey decayed flesh and hellish blue flame billowing out from its core like a demonic furnace. "Proctor dude, say hi to Malevolent Mech - Goku En," Felix introduced as his latest monster let loose a blood thirsty roar. "Malevolent Mech - Goku En, say hi to lunch."
Will was far from impressed. "Assuming this… thing, has an effect to allow it to be normal summoned despite its high level, I fail to see how you plan to defeat me with it," he observed. "Although he's now a walking corpse my monster still has the higher attack."
"The key word in that sentence being 'your' monster," Felix replied as he took a card from his hand and placed it in his graveyard. "I'm activating the effect of a monster in my hand, Marionette Mite. See, by tossing it to the graveyard I get control of a zombie on your side of the field until the turn's over."
Will watched in horror as the walking corpse of Gilford The Lightning, his only monster, slowly turned to face him, a veracious ravenous glint now present in its dead eyes as it hungrily waited for the order to feast.
The young duel proctor had anticipated the possibility that his opponent would destroy his monster with an effect, given it was unlikely he could produce a monster with a greater attack, hence his facedown My Body as a Shield card. However, he had not foreseen a brainwash on his monster.
With victory now insight Felix gave the word. "Alright guys, chow down. You first Goku En."
Without further hesitation, the ravenous undead abomination of a monster, leapt forward with a mighty roar as it pounced at its masters enemy, sinking the rancid teeth of it decaying maw into Will's shoulder.
Will Du LP: 3400 - 1000
Will exhaled a huff of aggravation as Goku En, having concluded its attack, quickly withdrew back from the young duelist, returning back to its master, Felix.
"Alright time to put this duel to rest," Felix exclaimed as he grinned from ear to ear, thoroughly enjoying himself. "Gilford, finish him off!"
Heeding the words of his new master the zombified warrior reached for his fallen sword, and then with his favored blade once again in hand, exhaled a guttural roar as he charged at Will, viscously slashing the blade down on his former master to cleave him in half.
As the holographic blade went slicing through his torso, Will was sent reeling backwards to land square on his backside with a pained frustrated grunt.
"See what I mean?" Felix piped, smiling in victory. "Big attacks right?"
Will merely scowled as he turned his attention to the display now present on both players' duel disks.
Will Du LP: 1000 – 0
Winner: Felix Renton
No sooner had the results been displayed, then the vile image of Felix's field spell digitally eroded away from sight, replaced by the sights of the stadium and many exceptionally nauseas spectators.
"Booyah!" cheered Ron from the stands. "Way to play Felix!"
Felix smiled as he gave a quick wave to his best friend, then walked to the center of the duel ring to meet his proctor opponent and respectfully shake his hand.
In response, Will broke his usual solemn poker face as a small pleased half grin pulled at the edge of his lips. "Congratulations on your win Mr. Renton," he said as he shook Felix's hand. "And that being said, allow me to be the first to welcome you to West Academy and the ranks of the boys' Ra dorm."
"No man, thank you," Felix excitedly replied, shaking his hand with newfound vigor. "You know, for being so easy to beat."
"I think you can let go of my hand now," Will dryly added after an extended moment of prolonged handshaking.
Sheepishly Felix released the proctor's hand, bid the man a quick, "See ya dude," and quickly turned and ran towards the stands to meet up with Ron. "Yo, who da man?" he said as he reached the blonde boy.
"You da man!" Ron exclaimed, exchanged high fives. "In fact you more than da man, you da man's man!"
"Uh huh. Man!" Rufus exclaimed with a cheer from the blonde's pocket.
"Right, what he said," Ron joked, pointing his naked molerat companion.
With that the trio broke into laughter as they sat back down seat. "So just how does it feel?" Ron asked. "Being in the big leagues now with your mad duel skills?"
"Major sweetness," Felix proudly answered as he eased back into the stadium seat, taking in the sight of the numerous entrance duels playing out before the assembled spectators. "I think I made quite the impression too."
"No kidding," Ron agreed, nervously glancing around at the numerous disgusted stares from several other spectators directed Felix's way. "Felix Renton; 'the man of a zillion zombies', 'the ghoul of duel', traumatizing opponents since pre-k," Ron wisecracked as though he were a narrator for a film trailer. "Now coming to a duel school near you."
"'The ghoul of duel'?" Felix questioningly parroted with a laugh.
"Too much?"
"Actually, I kind of like that one," he replied. "You got to admit dude, it does fit."
"Uh huh uh huh, fits," Rufus concurred in full agreement.
"Yeah, between the three of us KP's probably the only one with good street cred,"
"Speaking of whom, still no Kim yet huh?" Felix noted glancing around for any sign of the redheaded girl.
"Nope," Ron said with a shrug. "But no worries, I gave Kim a call and she's already on her way, so don't sweat it bro. Just have your disk ready for her when she shows up, she couldn't find hers."
"Gotcha. Here's just hoping she gets here, time's almost up for registration," Felix replied with a gulp, nervously glancing down at his watch. "Sheesh, leave it to Kim to throw a little drama in the works, right?"
"She wouldn't be Kim if she didn't," Ron laughed.
"Mm-hmm, nope, not Kim," Rufus again concurred.
As the two boys shared a laugh, it was then that a voice was broadcasted throughout the stadium via the PA system. "Ron Stoppable to Red Field 3 for your duel examine," it announced. "That's Ron Stoppable to Red Field 3."
His name having just been called over the stadium intercom, an eager grin spread itself over Ron's face. "Speaking of which," he chuckled. "I guess it's time for the Ronman to go display his mad game."
"Good luck buddy," Felix offered, patting his friend on the shoulder, chuckling at his friend's bravado.
"Who needs luck?" Ron chuckled back. "I've already got my deck set for action. No way I can lose."
"Yeah, no way!" Rufus quietly cheered from his owner's pocket.
"Yeah you're right, what was I thinking?" Felix laughed. "Still, good luck, and I'll be sure to keep an eye out for Kim for when she gets here."
"Right," Ron nodded, flashing his friend a quick thumbs up as he then leisurely began his way towards the stadium floor from the stands, hoping to stall for as much time as he could. Fortunately, as luck would have it, his had been the last name to be called for testing, save of course for the last chance recalls for those who had failed to show on time, which at present was just one person, his best friend Kim.
As he entered the duel field for his entrance duel he nervously glanced around him, noting the assembled eyes watching from the stands. "Didn't think there'd be so many eyes scoping out the Ron-man," he anxiously chuckled with an even more anxious gulp.
From his pocket poked out the head of his small pet naked mole rat, who quickly scurried up his blonde owner to his shoulder. "No worries," he squeaked as he patted the boy's shoulder supportively. "You great!"
"Thanks buddy," replied the blonde duelist, exhaling some of his nervousness. "Always nice to have some extra support."
Flashing his owner two thumbs up, the pink skinned rodent then quickly scampered back into the boy's jacket pocket to get a front row seat for the duel, eager to see some dueling action and if need be, help out a little.
Standing across from Ron and his partially concealed pet was a large burly man dressed in black military looking trench coat trimmed with red and equipped with large mechanical parts over the right shoulder and chest area which ran down the right sleeve to then connect into a bulky mechanical shackle of a gauntlet covering the man's entire forearm.
The man was in fact Steve Barkin, former army drill sergeant, and decorated veteran of numerous military actions. Now however, Mr. Barkin had moved on to more personally rewarding career avenues, being a teacher in the hopes of shaping young minds with the same discipline that made him the man he was today. And while at first his hardnosed disciplinary tactics and military training had made it difficult at first fitting into the civilian sector, the West Duel Academy Chancellor – a former veteran herself – had recognized his credentials to be well suited for dueling instruction.
Since then, he had worked his way up through the ranks from a mere substitute teacher to become a fully accredited teacher to several classes his military qualifications were well suited to, the substitute Vice Chancellor of West Academy, and the Headmaster of both Red Dorms.
And it was for that very last reason he was here on Red Field 3. While most of the teachers preferred to simply watch the duel exams he preferred to sub for the duel proctors and get his hands dirty, particularly with applicants who showed potential. Like for instance, Ronald Stoppable, the blonde boy standing across from him right now.
While Barkin had to admit, the boy's test scores were poor at best, the boy's service record from the WKDR data base was more than a match for any of the Obelisk Blue students, which if accurate, showed that the boy had great potential. The kind of grunt his barracks could sorely use.
Ron was unable but stare at the equipment his opponent wore in awed wonder, the proctor's duel gear arguably the most cool thing he had ever seen. "Whoa dude! What up with the mad heavy duty hardware?" the blonde boy couldn't help but ask the man. "Cause if that's the kind of disks we get, then I am SO glad I signed up!"
"Customized dueling and heavy artillery duel coat," he frankly replied in stern commanding voice, which combined with the man's crew cut and attire caused Ron to instinctively wince to attention nervously. "I take it you're Ron Stoppable then?"
"Sir yes sir!" Ron couldn't help but instinctively respond, again snapping to attention.
"You are making fun of me Stoppable?" the man growled almost menacingly.
Ron blinked, then gave a sheepish grin and chuckle. "Uh… sir no sir?"
The older duelist lowly snarled an incented growl at the blonde duelist's response as he scowled at Ron with narrow eyes, causing the young duelist to wither under his gaze. Just what West Academy needed, another smart-mouth. Fortunately, he knew how to handle those.
Ignoring his annoyance towards the boy, the dueling proctor then dropped his scowl to its usual stern poker face. "I'm Mr. Barkin, and as you can guess I'll be your opponent during your test duel for entrance into the Slifer Red Dorm," he informed. "You ready for duty soldier?"
"Oh, yeah!" Ron exclaimed flashing a cocky grin. "Cause you know there just ain't no shame in the Ron-man's game!"
Barkin couldn't help but break his usual poker-face with a semi-amused smirk at the boy's reply. "Well you talk a big game Stoppable, now let's see if can play one!"
"Let's duel!" both players exclaimed in unison as they activated the duel equipment.
As Ron's disk quickly snapped into place in front of his forearm, readily waiting to be used, Ron watched in sudden alarm as his opponent reached into the confines of the left side of his coat and pulled out a very large heavy duty artillery machine gun, the kind that made really big holes in the things it was aimed at.
"Whoa!" Ron exclaimed in panic as he fearfully took a few steps backward, more than prepared to flee from panic. "Time out Mr. B, I'm here to duel new school not old school!"
Peeking out from his owner's pocket Rufus gave a concurring 'YIPE!' as he immediately dove into the deepest corner of the pocket for cover.
Barkin arched a confused and increasingly aggravated eyebrow. "What are you on about Stoppable?" he demanded as he then turned his attention to his drawn weapon as just then it suddenly sprang to life, instantly transforming itself as began mechanically merging with the gauntlet over his arm forearm to create a very large holographic card-zone interface, resembling that of an enormous mechanical blade.
His color quickly returning to his face, Ron couldn't help but gaze upon the man's heavy duty gauntlet of a duel disk in absolute awe. "Dude! Any chance you could hook a player up with one of those bad boys!" he exclaimed, gazing starry eyed at the duel gear. "I mean seriously that has got to be the most badical D-Disk ever!"
"If you want a disk like this Stoppable then I suggest you sign up for the advanced custom duel mechanics class, that is if you're good enough to get in first," retorted the proctor as he did the same. "And judging from your test scores, let's just hope your dueling is better than your grammar. It's Mr. Barkin! Not 'Mr. B'. This isn't some hippie-dippie feel good love fest, you're in the combat zone now soldier, so you had best get serious and show some respect for your superior officers. Got it?"
"No worries there Mr. B," Ron shrugged having only half paid attention to the man's reply. "There ain't no disin' going on here. I'm feeling nothing but the mad respect right now, note the 'serious face', cause the Ron-man came here to be schooled."
High overhead the spectators in the Obelisk Blue sky box snickered, and none more so than the Elites.
"Did he seriously just say that?" Hope laughed.
"What a freak!" Liz agreed whole heartedly.
"Well what do you expect from someone who dresses like that?" Jennifer agreed with a sneer.
"A total loser," Bonnie concluded with an agreeing nod, smiling wickedly as she watched the pathetic upstart, having convinced herself he had only matched her duel score by simply being the best of the worst.
Unlike her fellow blues, Tara remained silent as she watched the blonde boy, studying him curiously. While his test scores were subpar even for the Red dorms', it was clear from his win score that he had some skill. And besides, although she wouldn't tell her friends he was kind of cute.
Upon hearing the numerous chuckles from the spectators, Ron's cheeks reddened slightly as he realized how what he had just said had sounded out loud.
Having already remotely synched up, the two duel devices then automatically initiated the random selection of the player to go first, a process in which the device would select one random card from each player's deck and then compare the first letter from each cards' name and then compare the two alphabetically. The player with the letter alphabetically predeceasing the other was the player who would go first.
"Mr. Barkin: C. Ron Stoppable: R," announced both duel devices in unison. "Players' preset Life Points: 4000."
Ron Stoppable: 4000 LP
Steve Barkin: 4000LP
"Looks like I go first," Barkin informed as he drew five cards.
"Booyeah!" Ron exclaimed psyched as he did the same, already pumped up to see the kind of awesome game the duel proctor would bring.
Drawing his first card Barkin studied his hand carefully then turned his scrutinizing gaze on his young blonde opponent, studying his facial features for reaction as Ron looked down at his own hand, examining the five cards. Barkin's eyes narrowed wearily as he noted the slight smile pulling at the boy's lips, indicating he had a fairly decent hand. Fortunately for him, he just happened to have a card in his hand for that, and quickly went to work formulating a counter strategy with what he had at hand. "Alright Stoppable, if you want to be 'schooled', then consider class officially in session. And we'll start with a lesson in the fundamentals. Fundamental number one; always try to keep your opponent off balance. Which I'll demonstrate by placing a monster face-down on the field along with two more face-down cards," he stated as he planted his monster card in face-down defense mode then accordingly slid two cards into the spell and trap slots of his disk, immediately allowing their holographic representations to appear on the field, their faces hovering over the ground, hidden from all watching eyes. He then planted yet another card in a third spell/trap slot, this time however face-up. "Next up I'll play the spell card, Card Destruction. Which as you probably know, forces us to each toss our cache to the graveyard and reload with some new ammo. Two for me, and five for you."
"Aw MAN!" Ron groaned as he begrudging complied, reluctantly placing his cards into his disk's graveyard slot then drew an equal number of cards along with his opponent. "I had the most awesome hand too!"
Pressing a button on his duel disk Barkin quickly examined inventory of the boy's graveyard holographically displayed by said device. Mirror Force, Heavy Storm, Smashing Ground, Lightning Vortex, and finally, Morphing Jar.
At this Barkin was genuinely surprised. It seemed that despite the boy's excitable happy-go-lucky attitude, his deck was seemingly packing some heavy duty artillery. Of course on the other hand, his blonde opponent might have just drawn a good hand and the rest of his deck might be junk. Either way, he'd find out soon enough. "Alright Stoppable, next up I'm activating one of the cards I just put face-down, bringing in a little backup," he informed, activating the face-down card, causing the hologram before him to rise up and reveal the card's face. "I play The Shallow Grave. Now we both take a monster in our graveyards and summon them to the field in face-down defense mode."
"Alright! Way to play Mr. B!" Ron practically cheered, eagerly placing his Morphing Jar face-down on the field, excited that he now had access to its effect. Little did he realize though, his duel proctor opponent had summoned it for that very reason, as he would soon be in need of reloading his own hand.
"Barkin!" the substitute proctor irritably corrected with a snap as he too placed a monster from his graveyard face-down on his side of the field. He then slid his hand's remaining cards into spell/trap slots, creating two more holograms on the field. "And since I can't make an attack I'll finish up my turn by lining up another face-down card and playing Burden Of The Mighty, it's your move now Stoppable."
"Alright!" the blonde boy exclaimed quickly drawing a fresh card from his deck. "Now it's the Ron-man's time to shine!"
"Yeah!" Rufus cheered, momentarily springing up from the blonde boy's pocket unable to hold his excitement.
"Rufus!" Ron exclaimed in hushed alarm, as his little buddy had just blown his cover.
Instantly remembering he was trying to stay inconspicuous the small hairless rodent sheepishly receded deeper into his pocket. "Oopsy," he apologized. "Busted?"
Nonchalantly Ron glanced around at the surrounding spectators, and upon noting the lack of the usual confusion, and – for some – revulsion displayed when people saw Rufus, gave a sigh of relief. "Don't think so," he whispered. "Just try and be more careful. Okay little buddy?"
Rufus nodded, while most wouldn't have really cared that the young blonde teenager carried a naked molerat in his pocket. The duo tried to keep it on the down low anyway, partly because for some reason most usually screamed in terror when the saw Rufus, usually leading to general stomping or things being thrown at the little guy, but mostly because more often than not Ron's success in dueling came from a little prompting from Rufus. Not that Ron couldn't duel mind you, he was pretty good, it was just that he dueled best with his buddy. Hence the general secrecy.
"Stoppable!" Barkin snapped, refocusing the young teen's attention back on their duel. "You mind speeding this up? I'd like to beat you this century."
His attention fully returned to his opponent, Ron cast the proctor a confident grin. "No way you're beating me today Mr. B," exclaimed Ron as he looked over the six cards in his hand. He then grinned as the vague semblance of a plan quickly formed. He then inserted four cards into his disk's spell/trap zone slots. "First up I'm throwing down four face-downs. Then I'm flipping my monster face-up. Come on up and show us your stuff Morphing Jar!"
As commanded the face-down Morphing Jar did its controller's bidding, revealing its sinister form of a shadowy wickedly grinning one eyed entity lying in wait within the confines of an ancient earth ware clay jar.
Giggling maliciously, the smiling one eyed entity then partially emerged from its small dwelling, fluidly stretching out as it then spewed two sickly dark murky energy balls at the two players from its mouth, striking their duel disks and causing the vile monster's ability to take effect.
As the creature then receded back to the confines of its jar, the duel proctor veteran rolled his eyes as both players abided by the effect and discarded their hands – or in his case lack thereof – for five new cards from their decks, wonder just why the programmers behind the holographic soft ware felt the need for such dramatic over the top spectacle.
He then shook his head before returning his attention to his restored hand, guessing part of the reason duel monster's had become such a popular sport was in fact the for that very same reason.
Meanwhile Ron, now sporting a brand new hand consisting solely of varying types of monster cards, prepared to make his next move. "Alright, time to show you how I play the game," he said, as he activated one of his face-down cards he had just set. "I play the spell card Reasoning!"
As the face-down card on the field revealed its identity, Barkin couldn't help but arch an intrigued eyebrow, already knowing its effect.
"Here's how it works," Ron continued. "You call a monster level, and I pull cards from the top of my deck till I get a monster that can be normal summoned. If that monster has the same level as what you called then I chuck it to the grave with the rest of the cards I drew. If not, I special summon it! How sweet is that? So what's going to be Mr. B?"
A low murmur of interest spread throughout those amongst the spectators watching the duel, wondering just why someone would play such risky card. Exactly what was it the young duelist was planning?
Ignoring the murmurs from the stands, the dueling proctor cast his opponent a cold scowl, incensed by the boy's lack of respect for his name. "Level four."
And so Ron carried on with the spell's effect, drawing card after card until at last on his fourth draw he pulled a summonable card. "Sorry Mr. B, but it's a level two," he said with an eager grin placed his Reasoning card and the three drawn cards in the graveyard, more than ready to play his newly draw monster and make some noise. "I special summon Gemini Soldier!"
Instantly a beam of light erupted on the field as a monster emerged from the nothingness as it came into being.
As the light faded, the monster – clad in semi armored vestments of green, black, white and gold – stood at the ready before Ron, his emerald green eyes unyieldingly stared down at Barkin. His stance easily described as stern and heroic. His features a mystery, as they remained concealed from sight behind the long white scarf draping over his shoulders like a cape while masking the lower half of his face.
Gemini Soldier: ATK 500/DEF 300 – ATK 300
A stunned silence immediately fell over the stadium as all watching suddenly took interest in their duel, and then, what had been murmurs of interest became ridiculing bouts snickering, chuckling and out and out bales of laughter.
Unfortunately no matter how poetic one can wax, it seemed that no matter how heroic the traits were of Gemini Soldier, they would forever be negated by his nonthreatening stature of three feet in height.
However, as it would soon be revealed, this was not the reason for audience's laughter rather it was more directly what Gemini Soldier was.
Holding her sides as she burst with laughter Bonnie couldn't help but point at the monster in utter laughable disbelief. "A-a g-g-gemini m-monster!?" she howled, laughing in mockery along with most of the audience. "Th-that loser i-is a-actually u-using a-a g-g-gemi-!"
And that was as far as she could go before bursting into full blown hysterics.
Most of the students in the Obelisk skybox laughed in full snide agreement with the brunette, the very idea someone being stupid enough to use a Gemini card was just simply to hilarious.
"I don't get it," said Jessica cluelessly. "What so funny?"
"He's using a gemini monster, duh," Liz retorted with a roll of her eyes.
"What's a Gemini monster?" Jessica asked, still clueless.
"Gemini monsters are a subtype that all share a very unique special effect," Tara absently answered over her shoulder as she continued working on her laptop. "The effect basically states that while on the field and in the graveyard their treated as normal monsters. However each Gemini monster also has a secondary effect, one which can only be activated when it has been 're-summoned' to the field while still on the field."
"Which basically means they take two whole turns just to activate their second effects," Bonnie continued as she wiped the tears from hers eyes, having finally laughed herself out. "That's why no one with half a brain cell in their heads ever uses Gemini cards. They take too long to work. Basically they're just weak normal monsters that the other guy can just mop the field with."
"Oh, okay I totally get it now," Jessica said, looking down at the blonde boy below. "What a dork."
As Jessica joined in the laughter swelling throughout the skybox, Tara merely shook her head and rolled her eyes as she instead focused more on her research, wondering just why her best friend felt the need to mingle with such ignorant snobs.
All monsters were useful in some way, shape, or form, and anyone who was simply too stupid to be aware of that obviously had no business playing the game. She knew that, and judging from the studious analytical stare Bonnie was casting on this Ron Stoppable as she watched him duel, Bonnie knew it too.
Tara couldn't help but smile ever so slightly as she continued to work away at researching the rest of the student body. While Bonnie managed to fool her so called 'peers' with her ignorant façade, deep down she knew that the haughty brunette girl never underestimated anybody, especially anybody who matched her win percentage score.
Curious, Tara delved deeper into the available duel files on Ronald D. Stoppable, wondering just what they had to say. Clearly there was more to him than met the eye.
Studying the diminutive monster his opponent had just summoned to the field, Steve Barkin couldn't help but arch an eyebrow. "So you're using a Gemini monster, huh Stoppable?" he commented, slightly intrigued. "That's an odd choice."
"Oh I just don't have a Gemini monster Mr. B," Ron replied boastfully. "Just about every monster I got has it going on with the mad Gemini skills."
"So you're operating with Gemini monsters for your main forces, eh?" noted Barkin, now intrigued. "Interesting tactics."
"I know, right?" Ron enthusiastically nodded. "See, everyone's always putting the Gemini's down, but each one's got totally badical potential, which is why a play 'em, 'cause their just like the Ronman!"
"I didn't ask for your life story Stoppable," deadpanned Barkin. "Now you going to keep talking or are you going to start dueling?"
"Wow, totally harshin' on my mellow Mr. B," retorted the blonde. "But if you want to duel then you got it!" He then pressed on of the spell/trap activation buttons on his disk, activating one of the three remaining facedown cards. "I activate one of my facedown cards; the spell Hidden Armory!"
As the spell card activated, and its hologram on the field revealed itself, its effect quickly activated, prompting Ron to explain to his opponent. "Here's how it works. First I toss the card on top of my deck to the graveyard," he informed as he pulled the aforementioned card from his deck then inserted it into his disk's graveyard slot. "Then as a tradeoff I get an equip spell card from my deck to my hand." He then grinned as he quickly drew the equip card and then placed it into a free slot in his duel disk. "And I'm playing it right now, by attaching it to Gemini Soldier."
Again Barkin arched an intrigued eyebrow as the small soldier began to glow with a burning aura of red light, almost as though it had suddenly been set aflame. However the dueling proctor also quickly took note there had been no change in Gemini Soldier's attack or defense, beyond what his face up Burden Of The Mighty card had already deducted anyway. "So just what is this card supposed to do Stoppable?" he asked. "Because so far I'm underwhelmed."
"It's called Supervise Mr. B, and it has a totally badical effect," Ron laughed. "It gives Gemini monsters their effects."
A surprised murmur of confusion quickly swept throughout the stadium as onlookers who had thought the Gemini playing duelist to be nothing but a joke, were suddenly taking him a little more seriously, all wondering just what Gemini Soldier's effect was and just wondering what Ron was planning.
Ron was quick to provide an answer. "Gemini Soldier, attack the facedown monster on the right!" he commanded.
Without a moment's hesitation, the small warrior heeded his master's order and immediately charged towards the concealed monster, readying the dagger sized dart in his hand to hurl at his concealed foe. And while the valiant attack very much would have slain the facedown monster, unbeknownst to Ron or Gemini Soldier, Steve Barkin had other plans.
Acting quickly the veteran duel proctor activated his facedown card. "Not so fast Stoppable, I activate my trap; Final Attack Orders!" he exclaimed as the trap card hologram rose to reveal itself and activate its effect, namely switching all face-up monsters to attack mode. "Fundamental number two; know your enemy!"
At first Ron didn't understand what the dueling proctor meant, but as his Gemini Soldier attacked its target, it quickly became all too clear.
As Barkin's facedown monster was engaged, it was flipped up and instantly switched to attack mode thanks to the effect of the Barkin's trap, revealing its identity to the stadium; Chainsaw Insect.
With its chainsaw-esque mandibles wailing murderously to life, the enormous hulking insect opened its massive lethal jaws and savagely seized its hapless prey to tear it asunder as Ron life points instantly plummeted.
Ron Stoppable LP: 4000 - 1900
As the giant bug's mandibles shrieked viciously, their saw teeth ripping into their victim, many looked away, unable to stomach the sight of the small soldier's grisly fate.
However, much to everyone's surprise, Gemini Soldier was far from finished yet. As the bug's saw blades continued relentlessly continued tearing away at him, to the great shock of all who watched, the diminutive soldier was staving off the vicious onslaught as he held back the insect's deadly mandibles with his bare hands.
Pushing back his attacker, the small warrior then quickly leaped backward, springing free from his enemy as he retreated to safety with nary so much as even a scratch left on him.
"Booyah!" Ron crowed as he drew another card from his deck, courtesy of Chainsaw Insect's effect. "Guess you'll have to try harder Mr. B, because takes more than a giant bug take Gemini Soldier out of the game! By the way, thanks for the extra card."
Upon seeing Gemini soldier's miraculous survival, the duel's growing audience began buzzing with excitement, floored that such a small monster had been able to survive such a brutal attack.
Steve Barkin was also impressed. "Not bad Stoppable, not bad at all," he complimented. "Gemini Soldier's effect I'm guessing?"
"You guess right Mr. B," replied Ron with a laugh. "See, once per turn, if Gemini Soldier would go bye-bye he gets to stay for another round. Of course that's nothing compared to his other effect!"
Barkin's eyes narrowed warily. "What's his oth-"
Before the former soldier could even finish, he was suddenly interrupted as a raging geyser of flame suddenly erupted from out of nowhere on Ron's side of the field, quickly giving way to a tall knight, wielding a large razor sharp scimitar and clad in crimson red Arabianesque armor as wickedly searing flames smoldered wildly from his hands.
"After battle damage, he can summon a level four or lower Gemini monster from my deck," Ron supplied. "Mr. B, say hi to Evocator Chevalier!"
Evocator Chevalier: ATK 1900/DEF 900
"Dare I even ask what he does?" asked the proctor warily, not sure he liked where this was headed.
"Nothing, yet," Ron answered with a chuckle as he moved his turn along from the to his second main phase. "For that I've got to equip him with another Supervise from my hand."
Barkin watched curiously as Ron quickly took the aforementioned spell card and slotted it into his duel disk, quickly causing the crimson knight to glow with the same burning aura as Gemini Soldier.
Ron couldn't help but grin as he continued. "Next up I'm playing one of my two facedowns; Future Fusion! Here's how it goes; it sends two fusion material cards from my deck to the graveyard then let's me get a fusion monster in two turns. Sweet huh?" he chuckled as he drew the two cards from his deck and slotted them in the graveyard. "Now for the real action. I activate Evocator Chevalier's special effect. By tossing one equip card from my side of the field, he gets to destroy a card on yours. So say bye-bye Mr. B, because he's going for your facedown monster!"
No sooner had Ron withdrew and discarded the Supervise card attached to Gemini Soldier to the graveyard, than Evocator Chevalier sprang into action.
Rearing back its flaming left hand as it suddenly began smoldering with the raging intensity of a roaring inferno, the crimson armored knight quickly thrust out its arm, unleashing a sudden blazing eruption of searing intense flames at his facedown target, causing it to detonate in fiery immense explosion.
Scowling, Barkin sighed as he withdrew his monster from his disk and placed the card in the graveyard slot, his plan to decimate the boy's forces the next turn having apparently gone up in flames.
However Ron was far from finished this turn, as it was then that something else happened. Suddenly another geyser of flame suddenly erupted into being on Ron's side of the field, heralding in the arrival of yet another monster. Unlike before however, the flames cleared not to reveal another Evocator Chevalier, but a warrior of far larger stature, clad in armored vestments of white, gold and red as he tightly clutched his enormous broadsword in his right and his giant shield in his left.
"Stoppable what-!"
"Mr. B," Ron interrupted with a big grin. "Say hello to the main man of my deck; Phoenix Gearfried!"
Phoenix Gearfried: ATK 2800/DEF 2200 – ATK 2000
"Whoa, hold up Stoppable, you can't just summon monsters all willie nillie," barked the proctor irritably. "They're called rules for a reason."
"Actually I can Mr. B," Ron replied. "You see when Supervise goes bye-bye, I get a normal monster from the graveyard."
"When did-!?" Bakin began, before stopping short in sudden realization. When hadn't this new monster been sent to the graveyard? Throughout most of his turn Stoppable had been sending cards to the graveyard left, right and center.
"Looks like you got it Mr. B," Ron congratulated. "I sent him to the graveyard with future fusion. Smart thinking, right?"
Barkin's eyes narrowed as he remained silent, suppressing the urge to smile. In this one turn, not only had Stoppable managed to reload a full hand, but he'd also managed to quickly add some reinforcements to his field to fortify his offenses and defenses. Needless to say he was slightly impressed.
"Well I can tell you're too stunned by my badical self to speak," Ron chuckled with a grin as he took a card from his hand and placed in the slot. "So I'm just going to play my spell card One Day Of Peace, so we both get a new card. How cool is that?"
Both players drawing yet another card from their respective decks, Barkin was now a little more than slightly impressed. Either this new recruit was the luckiest player he'd ever seen, or he was one amazing duelist. Whatever the case, the headmaster of the red dorms inwardly hoped the boy won. As stated his dorms desperately needed new recruits.
"And finally," Ron continued. "I'll place one card facedown and end it. It's all you now Mr. B."
Nodding, Barkin drew another card and added it to his hand. He then quickly frowned when he saw what fate had given him; the perfect hand. "Well you put up a decent fight Stoppable, but I'm afraid decent doesn't cut it in this man's army," he said, placing a spell card into his duel disk. "I play Monster Reborn. And I'll use it to bring back my Goblin Attack Force."
Right on cue a shaft of holy light rose up from the ground, and with it appeared a small platoon of Goblin soldier's, ready for battle.
"Sweet!" exclaimed Ron excitedly. "Bring it Mr. B!"
Smirking at his opponent's enthusiasm as he then discard his used spell card and inserted another, Barkin couldn't help but admire the boy's upbeat attitude, even when faced with certain defeat. "You want it brought Stoppable!? Then consider it brought!" he barked as a giant video game controller suddenly appeared on the field. "I play Enemy Controller! And I activate its second effect; by tributing one of my monsters, namely my Chainsaw Insect, I get to take one of yours, namely Evocator Chevalier! Fundamental number three Stoppable; Take every advantage you can when you can!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth, than Chainsaw Insect vanished from the field and the enormous device before them lashed out its cable and plunged it into the flame wielding crimson knight's chest as it quickly pulled it to Barkin's side of the field.
"Next up I'll sacrifice my monster and yours to summon a new one. Stoppable say hello to Emes The Infinity!" he exclaimed as he removed his remaining monster from his field as Ron reluctantly removed Evocator Chevalier from his, placing it and its equip card in the graveyard.
Barkin's field then lit up as a robotic giant of a monster appeared before the former soldier, towering mightily over Ron's Phoenix Gearfried like an elephant over an ant.
Emes The Infinity: ATK 2500/DEF 2000
However, Barkin's monster was not the only one to be summoned to the field, for no sooner had Ron's Supervise card hit the graveyard then its effect immediately went into play.
From out of nowhere, a giant pitch black hurricane of a twister suddenly came into being on Ron's field, rising up while it's mighty winds wailed like the shrieks of a thousand banshees as a dark malevolent form of a demonic dragon rose up from the very eye of the storm, exhaling a deafening roar while mightily spreading its dark wings as the winds continued to whip and bluster wildly.
"And you can say hello to my Darkstorm Dragon!" Ron countered with a laugh.
Darkstorm Dragon: ATK 2700/DEF 2500 – ATK 1900
The duel proctor suppressed a smile. Yet again Stoppable had managed to summon yet another heavy duty recruit, and while reinforcements had not been unexpected, given he had wisely disposed of the biggest threat to his forces and the attached Supervise card, he had expected Stoppable to bring back Evocator Chevalier, having so foolishly forgotten the other cards that had been sent to Stoppable's graveyard.
However, despite the fact his opponent's Phoenix Gearfried and Darkstorm Dragon may have been packing heavier fire power in terms of their as yet unknown effects, Barkin wasn't worried. At the moment both monsters had no effects, and in another moment effects wouldn't be an issue, given that Stoppable only had 1900 life points left.
"Emes, attack his Morphing Jar and end this," he ordered.
Obediently Emes The Infinity raised its massive mighty sword and brought it slashing down on Ron's Morphing Jar, destroying it.
Barkin was about to give his 'sorry kid, better luck next year' speeches, but his voice instantly hitched in his throat when he saw the big smile on the boy's face.
Emes The Infinity: ATK 2500 - ATK 3200
Quickly seeing his monster gaining seven hundred attack points from its effect, Barking then quickly looked to his duel disk to find to his shock, Stoppable's life points remained unchanged.
As waves of confusion were murmured from the many spectators watching, the ex-military duel proctor could only stare at his opponent in utter bewilderment. "How-?" he began, unable to say much else.
"One Day Of Peace," Ron answered with a shrug. "It lets us each draw a card, and it also keeps neither player from taking damage until the end of my opponent's next turn, which would be this one. Can you say BOOYAH!"
Pandemonium seemed to explode from the stands, as a mixture of cheers and boos erupted from the watching spectators.
The ruckus however was immediately silenced by a cold threatening glare from the former soldier. He then turned his attention back to his hand and weighed what tactical options he had. His monster's attack strength had been boosted by five hundred, his Burden Of The Mighty card continued to weaken his opponent's monsters, and Final Attack Orders would ensure that Stoppable could not go on the defensive. As for his hand, there was really only one option available.
Drawing a single card from his hand he inserted it into his duel disk, hoping it would be able to keep him safe until his next turn. "I'll place one card facedown and end my turn, your move."
Grinning from ear to ear, Ron quickly drew a card and added it to his hand. "You got it Mr. B," said Ron excitedly, all but tasting victory as he inserted a card into his duel disk. "I play Hidden Armory! And you know what that means."
"Gee let me guess," retorted Barkin dryly, rolling his eyes.
"Aw come on and guess Mr. B," Ron humorously pleaded as he removed the required card, adding one to his graveyard and one to his hand. "Please? I'll bet you'll never get it."
"Supervise?" the proctor hazarded, rubbing his temples wearily.
Ron stared at him blankly. "Oh you're good."
"Stoppable…!"
"Just goofing on ya Mr. B," laughed the blonde. "Anyway, yeah, I play Supervise and equip it to Darkstorm Dragon. And then next I'll play Darkstorm's effect; destroy every spell and trap card on the field!"
Barkin's eyes widened in alarm, instantly realizing his defenses were about to be eliminated as his Mirror Force card had now been rendered useless.
But as Darkstorm Dragon's dark winds began to swell outwards to destroy all the spell and trap cards in their path, Ron was about to show he was far from done. "Next up I'll chain my two facedowns to Darkstorm's effect. I activate my Enemy Controller and then Spiritual Fire Art – Kurenai!"
As the black winds from the dark dragon raged, a ring of fiery runes formed around Phoenix Gearfried, quickly converting him into a being of pure living fire.
The living flames then shot forwards, hurling itself towards Barkin, where they quickly impacted in a massive blazing explosion, razing everything in their path with their searing fury.
Fortunately for Barkin the flames were merely holograms, and as such had no effect on him. Unfortunately the flames did have an effect on the man's life points. That effect being to inflict damage equal to the tribute monster's attack, Phoenix Gearfried's attack, all twenty eight hundred points of it.
Steve Barkin LP: 4000 - 1200
As the fires of the blonde opponent's trap quickly receded to the scattering of a few lingering embers, Barkin narrowed his steely eyed gaze past the opposing monsters to his young opponent, extremely impressed by the boy.
Yes, impressed. While there was no doubt that Stoppable was clearly a non-conformist punk slacker, and a cocky one at that, it was clear the boy was a strategic thinker, one that preferred thinking outside the box, and most importantly one who excelled at turning a disadvantage into an advantage.
And as for said boy, well the young blonde was now grinning from ear to ear as he continued in his move. "Next up my Enemy Controller kicks into gear," he laughed. "Which means I can activate its second effect and swipe your monster after I tribute one of mine. And since I'm still using my Darkstorm that means it's time for Gemini Soldier to step up." He then cast a smile to the petite warrior, bidding it a courteous adieu. "Thanks for the major assists and taking one for the team GS."
It was strange, but as it was removed from the field, for a brief fleeting second Barkin could have almost sworn that he saw Gemini Soldier glance over its shoulder and return Ron's farewell with a brief nod while it disintegrated with a flash of light into non existence.
Bewildered by the bizarre sight, the former soldier quickly blinked then shook his head, he was probably just seeing things. There was no way holograms could do that, right?
Attributing the odd sight to his own imagination, Barkin quickly turned his attention back to the duel as his blonde opponent's spell card concluded with its effect.
With no way to stop it, the former soldier could only watch begrudgingly while just as his own spell card had, the cord from Ron Enemy Controller lashed out and pierced into Emes' chest, which in turn was quickly followed by the sight of his favorite monster's eyes flashing from their usual luminous red to a submissive green as it then mechanical behemoth swiftly moved from his side of the field to join the enemy ranks.
As the mighty monster turned to face him, it was then that the chain at last reached its conclusion and the dark howling windstorm around Darkstorm Dragon erupted from the malevolent beast, swelling across the entire field and destroying every spell and trap card on it. Or more to the point, the only spell or traps card on it; his Final Attack Orders, Burden of the Mighty, and most importantly his Mirror Force.
While his elder opponent watched helplessly as the hologram of the facedown card exploded from the field, Ron couldn't help but grin even wider than before. It was all but official now, the duel was his. "Sweet moves right Mr. B?" he laughed as he continued. "Oh and before I forget, since Darkstorm's Supervise got sent to the graveyard by his effect that means I get my Phoenix Gearfried back too. How seriously cool is that, right!?"
Right on cue, the smoldering large ivory and crimson armored warrior seemed to erupt from the ground, bursting out onto the field in a sudden geyser of flame as he was summoned back from the graveyard to carry on in the fight ready to put on swift end to the battle.
Growing weary with impatience, Barkin exhaled a heavy sigh. "Can we just get on with it Stoppable?" he snapped. "As 'fun' as this is I've still have other students to grade. So would kindly STOP SHOWING OFF AND GET IT OVER WITH ALREADY!"
"Yeesh, someone hasn't had their afternoon nap in like, well I'm thinking forever," the blonde quipped. "Oh well, still gonna win! Phoenix Gearfried, fire it up and burn him down!"
Burning with fiery aura ignited around him and his blade, hulking armored knight quickly heeded the young duelist's command and charged at the other duelist, violently swinging his flaming sword at him to swiftly carve the hapless older duelist in half, at last ending the duel.
Steve Barkin LP: 1200 – 0
Winner: Ron Stoppable.
"Oh, yeah!" Ron confidently laughed as Barkin's life points hit zero. "The Ronman came to play today!"
As the holograms shut down and the monsters faded from sight, Steve Barkin had the odd urge to give a proud smile as he watched the newest addition of the red dorm break out into a victory dance while he stowed his cards back into his deck, happy to finally have a recruit with a little spirit in his ranks. However he quickly stifled the impulse, instead opting for the professional impassive demeanor of the proctor he was for the day. "Congratulations Stoppable," he said as he walked over to the young man and welcomingly extended his hand. "Looks like you're the latest recruit to the Slifer Reds."
"Thanks Mr. B," ron replied as he accepted the gesture and shook the Vice Chancellor's hand. "I'll try not to be too much trouble."
It was then that Barkin's hand coiled Ron's into a death lock, eliciting a pained yelp from the boy as he then glared icily down at him. "See that you do. And just remember Stoppable, I've got my eye on you."
As his words ilicited a fearful gulp from the young duelist, he released his vice grip on Ron's hand and turned to carrying on in his duties, inwardly smiling in amusement. While his dorms needed spirited grunts like Stoppable, spirit was only good while it was kept in line, and far be it for him not to do that with a little fear and intimidation.
Bonnie, as well as just about every member of the Obelisk blue students in the skybox stared agape in sheer disbelief at the scene that had come to a conclusion.
"H-he won!" Liz exclaimed in shock.
"Unbelievable," breathed Jessica, shaking her head in disbelief. "Just how could a loser like that win!?"
Bonnie for her part remained silent as she maintained her gaze on the blonde victor below, her eyes narrowing with a despising glare. It wasn't bad enough that he had beaten her duel score but the freak had actually managed to get in, and with Gemini monsters no less. Now she would actually have to share a school with the likes of that bottom of the food chain Slifer Red loser.
"He must have cheated," Hope conclusively decided, seeing no other acceptable possibilities.
As Liz and Jessica chimed in with their agreements with Hope, Tara for her part merely exhaled a sigh as she reviewed the data of duel she'd recorded on her laptop. "He didn't cheat," she said absently as she typed away on the keyboard.
Hope gave an indignant snort. "Well of course he cheated," she exclaimed. "How else could a total fool like that get in? Tell her Bonnie!"
"Shut it Hope!" snapped Bonnie with a glare at the girl before she then turned to her blonde friend, recognizing the look now on her face all too well. It was one she only ever wore when something noteworthy had caught her attention. "Tara?"
"He didn't cheat," she repeated as she continued typing away on the laptop. "He won fair and square. More importantly he not only won with Gemini monsters, he did it without normal summoning once."
As her statement sunk in the rest of the Elites stared down at the celebrating blonde in shock, save that is for Bonnie, who was looking down at him with a begrudging disgust.
"Moreover," Tara continued, pausing to adjust her glasses. "He did it by beating Steve Barkin."
"So what," replied Hope snidely. "The loser beat a loser Red proctor. Just about any idiot can beat one of their test decks."
"Hope don't you ever shut your mouth and use the rest of your head?" Bonnie snapped, tired of Hope's seemingly endless stupidity. "Barkin's a total duelist psycho. He'd never hold back with a test deck."
"Correct," agreed Tara. "While normally Red proctor deck's are easy to beat. I can confirm that Mr. Barkin was using his own deck, which according to my data is comparable to a Pro League Duelist."
While Jennifer and Liz's eyes went wide, all the color drained from Hope's face. "M-maybe he just got l-lucky," she suggested.
"Maybe. Or maybe that means he just might be that good," Bonnie summarized as she glared ruefully down at the blonde buffoon whose very existence was quickly becoming an affront to everything she stood for. As much as she hated to admit it, there was no denying what she had just seen with her iwn two eyes. "Which also means we have competition."
"So what do w-we d-do," gulped Hope.
At this Bonnie merely grinned wickedly, numerous devious plans and schemes already forming in her mind. "What the Elite's do best. We win."
Smiling from ear to ear, Ron might as well have been walking on cloud nine as he walked off the duel field and back up into the stands. He had actually done it, he had passed his test duel -no, not passed, he had aced it and gotten in!
The grin he wore on his face seemed to beam even brighter as he caught sight of Felix and threw him a wave. "Yo Felix my man, check it out," he greeted exuberantly. "You are now looking at one hundred percent official Slifer Red awesomeness!"
"YAY!" cheered Rufus as he sprang from Ron's pocket to do a victory dance on his shoulder.
The two boys quickly exchanged high fives. "Nice work, Ronman," Felix laughed. "The dynamic duo's officially in the school of duel."
"I know, right?" Ron couldn't help but laugh, scarcely able to believe it himself. "And did you totally see Mr. B's face when I jacked that uber mech of his?"
Rufus nodded fervently. "Yeah!"
"Total ownage," his best friend agreed. "I'm kind of surprised you didn't KO him with that thing."
Ron shook his head as they returned sat back down. "Nah that'd be just a cheap shot, especially since I already had my own guys going for me. I mean who'd pull a low blow like that?"
"Meh, I would," Felix shrugged with a grin. "Of course I like taking cheap shots when I can get them."
"Is that like part of the whole zombie theme?" Ron wondered.
Again Felix shrugged. "Maybe. It's kind of hard not playing zombies without getting a little down and dirty."
Ron nodded, conceding his friend's point. "Totally."
"Mm-hmm mm-hmm," Rufus agreed with a concurring nod.
It was then that Ron suddenly realized their little gang was still absent a certain redhead. "Dude is Kim still not here yet?" he asked, growing anxious.
Just as he frequently had throughout Ron's duel, Felix again shifted his gaze towards the main entrance to the stadium, once again only to find no sign of Kim Possible. "Afraid so," he sighed worriedly.
"Uh oh," squeaked Rufus.
Hastily checking his watch and seeing that time for registration was almost up, Ron quickly joined his friend in his stare at the door, silently cursing himself for his stupidity. He had been supposed to drag his duel out as long as possible to stall for time, but instead he had gotten caught up in the moment and had won, which earned him another silent self cursing, this time for his awesome mad duel skills.
But whatever the case, what was done was done. All he could do now was wait and hope that Kim would make it in time. After all, West Academy would really suck if his best friend, the future Queen of Games, wasn't there too.
Author's notes.
Okay before you people start with the reviews, yes I am aware I put this as a Yugioh crossover and not a GX crossover, which for the record it isn't. The reason it's a 'Yugioh' crossover is because the story is set in the Yugioh world (and also because the original Yugioh show is the most popular of all the other shows on fanfiction so I figured I'd draw more readers).
Also to be clear, West Academy is the American branch of duel academy.
For those of you wonder about Kim's cards in the beginning of the chapter, don't bother looking them up. Her deck is of my own creation.
Lastly, for any of you who are game purists, and are about to get on my case with the present ban list and the forbidden cards played in this chapter, just don't. Because the list is always changing I'll be basing cards played in the chapters on the Traditional list, not the advanced one.
Sorry if I came off a little grouchy just now, but I'm trying to avoid as many bad reviews as possible.
Anyway one last thing, because this has been something that I've been writing on the back burner for some time, I may or may not be continuing with it depending on how many reviews it gets. If it gets enough then I'll continue. If not then I'll discontinue it. So to summerize FOR LOVE OF ALL THAT'S GOOD AND PLENTY IF YOU LIKE IT REVIEW IT PEOPLE!
Hope that motivates some of you.
Codecrash out.
Love, peace and chicken grease.