Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction / Hamtaro Fan Fiction ❯ Duel Hams: Duelists of the Clubhouse ❯ the whole damaging truth ( Chapter 54 )

After the short walk, Hamtaro and crew made their way inside of the Fun Park and off everyone went to duel. Howdy went along the trail, then ran into the bushes to a discreet area. Now, today is where I make my presence heard. he thought as he removed his deck. Time for some just desserts to be applied and justice to be harshly dealt. Meanwhile, Bijou went about her way enjoying things. "I like ze acorn pizza here. Maybe I should make eet for myself someday." she said.
"The only thing you can make is with the duel you owe me." Bijou looked up and saw Kirika in her face, but she appeared different.
"Sporting a new look, are you?" Bijou asked.
"I had my hair done." Kirika answered. "But that's not the point. I'm tired of you running away from my challenge, Bijou. You will face me, and you will face me now!"
"Are you done having your tantrum?"
"Tantrum?!" Kirika was even more agitated. "This is what I mean, Pegasus sponsered your dorm and you won't even take on your challengers? It's no wonder he puts his interest in Necrophade Black. Forbidden Brown is a disgrace!"

This outburst by Kirika turned many heads in her general direction. "You're ruining my pizza." Bijou said calmly.
"You call yourself the Duel Angel? What a waste!" Kirika yelled. "You're just scared to face me because you know that I will wipe..you..out!"
"Such a scene..." Bijou stood up to face Kirika. "Listen carefully to me, you poor thing..."
"Listen to what, your constant ignoring me? Why? If you won't defend your title, then relinquish it. Some champion you used to be... now you're just scared to duel anyone except for rookies. I guess beginning duelists are the ones you can beat now that you've fallen off in the dueling world..."
"You have a lot to learn about patience..." and Bijou walked away from Kirika.
Bitch, I've been patient long enough... Kirika thought. And since you won't willingly duel, then you'll duel by force.
It was at this point when Kirika created a bright barrier, knocking Bijou on her face and the barrier sealed the two of them inside. The crowd was soon shocked at what they were witnessing. "What did you..." Bijou wondered as she rose to her feet.
Kirika gave an evil laugh. "Now you have no choice in facing me." she said. "Within my Duel Dimension, escape is granted only to the victor."
Great, more variants of Shadow Duels. Bijou thought to herself.
"With your fate sealed, let us begin." Kirika said and activates her duel disk.
"I will not be forced into duels, not even in a dimension." Bijou said with her eyes closed.
"You have no choice, for escape can only be won."
"Wrong!"

Bijou slammed her paw into the barrier of Kirika's Duel Dimension, but it seemed like nothing happened. Kirika laughed at this display. "How futile, you didn't think that was going to aid you, right?" she questioned Bijou.
"Actually, it was meant to break your force." Bijou answered.
"When are you going to learn that-"
Before Kirika could finish speaking, cracking sounds could be heard. in seconds, cracks began to form all around the borders. Heke? This isn't possible... Kirika thought.
Two seconds later, the Duel Dimension shattered, knocking everyone except for Bijou off of their feet. As she sat on the ground, Kirika looked in awe at Bijou. "You have a lot to learn, dear girl." Bijou told Kirika. "Enjoy the pizza, it's on me." then she walked away.
Nazaruda noticed this event as he watched from a distance. I am not pleased with what I have just seen. he thought. For someone who appears to be so fraile, her spiritual energy is quite powerful. Not powerful to shatter my Duel Dimension, let alone crack it, but her energy is quite powerful.

*

Stan was busy looking at cards from the vendors and even bought a few packs. Look at all of these cards that have come out. he thought. It’s nice to know that the game has changed in so many ways for duelists everywhere. Now that these synchro monsters are around, in addition to a 26th type of monster, things are only going to get a lot more interesting. It’s amazing what can happen when you take a break from dueling… Stan continued along as he went from vendor to vendor and after a while, sat on a bench to rest his feet. “Duel Monsters continues to get better and better,” Stan said to himself, “and when things are back to normal for me, the action will get a whole lot cooler.”
“What a foolish notion.” Stan heard someone say.

Stan turned to see Hiei standing there. “Okay, I’ll bite. What notion is so foolish?” he asked.
“Things getting back to normal for you.” Hiei answered. “With everything going on in your dorm, you’ve decided to simply stop dueling. It’s a shame in a way, but in another way, it’s best you just quit altogether.”
“It’s called taking a break from dueling, Hiei. You may like to duel constantly for kicks and conquests, but I am not like you.”
“Too true, your dueling skills are far too pathetic to even attempt to match mine.”

Stan rose to his feet. “What is your problem?” he questioned Hiei.
“My problem is your pitiful excuse for a dorm.” Hiei answered.
“Forbidden Brown isn’t pitiful, but at least we aren’t a pity dorm like you guys at Necrophade Black are.”
“You deluded fool. I might as well tell you the truth behind the black dorm…”
“Entertain me, I’m bored.”
Hiei shrugged. Bored he is, but mad he will be. he thought to himself, then addressed Stan. “When Pegasus came to me about the new dorm, it wasn’t out of pity, dear pup.”
“Pup?” Stan took offense to this.
“That’s right, ‘Pup’. Necrophade Black was a second chance for me and my fellow dueling members.”

It was during this moment where Stan started to stretch his limbs. “A second chance, you say?” he questions again. “All of us in the dorm watched the press conference about you being Pegasus’ dorm, so spare the ‘I already know about you’ crap and get to the point.”
Hiei smirked, “I see.” he told Stan. “But you don’t see, so allow me to open your eyes farther than they already are. Pegasus wanted my second chance to go to you and Forbidden Brown, but as of recent events, you and your dorm have been ‘slipping’ so to speak.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning that Pegasus has come to the point that relying on your dorm is an apparent waste of time. And before you take to defense, allow me to pulls some track record on you; when my dorm and I, before we became Necrophade Black stormed your pathetic-at-the-time clubhouse, you were easy pickings. And in the process of getting your place to play back, you had to grab your Dragonlord to help you.

“So you did that, he coaxed you to enter the tournament, which you did, but your Dragonlord won it for you. So after that, time passes and you’re kicked out again, this time by the Rexchus. And once again, just like before, you turn to your Dragonlord to help you. I bet in all of your endeavors where you got into trouble, the Dragonlord has always been there to bail you out.”
Stan was quiet for five seconds. Afterwards he responded, “I like how you kept out the part where we mudholed your Shadow Clan dueling members on the way to the finals. I mean, the only members of your crew that actually made in were…” he paused for a moment. “That’s right, not too many members got into the finals on your side of things.” he continued. “I mean there were you of course, Tyrone, Aqua and Petal. And with the exception of Seamore and that asshole Duelist Ham, everyone else was Forbidden Brown. I mean, there were, Cappy, which was really a shock, Bijou, Pashmina, our Deckbreaker who had the last spot, Boss, Deras, Howdy, Jam, and of course, myself.”
“And let us forget that you got your ass wiped by Pashmina.” Hiei noted.
“It is better to lose to our own, than by opposing forces. I mean, you have heard of the term ‘friendly fire’ haven’t you Soldier Boy?”
“Even though friendly, your loss was a disgrace.” Hiei answered. “But it still brings me to my point. Your dorm is pathetic! Every time you run into trouble when it comes to dueling, all of you go crying back to the Dragonlord to solve your problems. All of your problems have been resolved that way I bet.”

Stan wanted to comment on that, but didn’t. Not because he didn’t have anything to say, but because he knew that Hiei was right. In all of their problems involving the game, Jam has always been there to finish what they couldn’t finish without him. Hiei smirked again and continued. “Pegasus knows this, you pup. Hell, he told me that personally after that press conference introducing our dorm. And look at you, we have decent Necrophade attire, but your attire was cheaply made and cheaply worn away. Such a shame, actually… But don’t take my word for it, listen to this tape. I was recorded by Pegasus himself in a private meeting the two of us had after that same conference.”

Hiei played the tape for Stan. And in the ten minutes of tape that was recorded, Stan heard Pegasus and Hiei discuss the truth about Forbidden Brown. Stan wasn’t pleased at how Pegasus mentioned that his efforts last tournament was described as “without a failsafe” and “poorly made”. But the part where Pegasus mentioned that when his power was “wiped away” that he had nothing left, truly stung him inside. Once the tape clicked over, Stan had his paws balled up. “The truth really does hurt, especially when you have a pitiful dorm as yours is.” Hiei continued to heckle Stan. “Pegasus said it himself and you heard it with your own ears, Forbidden Brown is pitiful. With the exception of five duelists, your dorm is weak! But to make matters worse, Deras was neutralized by one monster, Bijou and your Deckbreaker were neutralized at the same time in a tag duel, that only leaves Pashmina and Penelope as the remaining two strongest links in your dorm.

“As good as Penelope and Pashmina are, they cannot take down the Rexchus on their own. And Pegasus’ choice words on you were music to my ears, in an insulting addition to being true. None of you may want to admit it in Forbidden Brown, but you duelists have no backbone at all.”
The ironic thing about Stan’s lecture with Hiei was that everything, including the tape being played was heard all around the Fun Park. Everyone laughed at Forbidden Brown and all of the duelists who heard it had their ears drooped except for Jam, Penelope, Cappy and Bijou. Hiei continued. “So tell me, how long do you have to keep running back to your leader? Even in my absence, Necrophade Black has proven to hold its own against all comers. You might as well let the Dragonlord hold your hand every time you duel. The Dragonlord should draw your cards, make your moves and fight all of your battles for you! Face it, pup, Forbidden Brown is dead!”

Stan soon heard something that he thought he would never have imagined that he would hear… the entire Fun Park was laughing at his dorm. In this moment, he knew that this talk was a complete setup. You heartless ingrate… Stan trailed off in his mind.
“No one takes you seriously anymore!” Hiei yelled at Stan. “I don’t take you seriously, Rexchus don’t take you seriously, and Pegasus doesn’t take you seriously anymore. Do you honestly think that anyone will duel you and your dead dorm anymore since no one takes you seriously? I doubt it, pup. So, let me ask, ‘What can Brown do for you?’ It can do nothing, because Brown can’t even do for itself… for you are worthless!”
That last line was the straw that broke the camel’s back. “You have taken face from me for the last time.” Stan said. “But you should be lucky that I’m without my deck at the moment, otherwise I would be dealing with you right here and now.”
Hiei smirked. “Such pointless valor…” he said to himself. “Fine, I accept your challenge.” he told Stan. “Run home and get your deck, pup. You will find me by the fountain at the main gate, we will do battle there when you return… if you retun that is.”
“Fine, but you had better be ready when I get back.” and off Stan ran.
Your pointless sense of justice for your dorm will be your undoing. Hiei thought as he saw Stan running away. It matters not what cards you use, or what dragons you come to battle with. I will still destroy you just like I did the first time. And every time after that in future attempts at your futile sense of justice.

With the exception of Cappy, all of Forbidden Brown’s members, even Jam, left the Fun Park. Of these members, Stan and Bijou went home while the others went to the park where Boss and crew were meeting. The pride of Forbidden Brown seemed to have been fatally stung by Truth’s Hornet, but one thing lies certain… Hamtaro and company were not about to let this go unanswered.