Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Altered Destinies ❯ Chapter 17: ( Chapter 17 )

This is my first attempt at a Yu-Gi-Oh fanfiction so please be kind in your reviews, if you review. I might not have many of the characters in character. On another note I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and never will. I don't know whom it is that owns Yu-Gi-Oh and besides giving these unknown parties credit for making such a kickass manga/anime, I don’t really care. Also, I don't have any money right now so, no one can benefit at all when it comes to suing me.

I came up with this idea when I read a couple of stories that I have read on fanfiction.net. One was recently taken off for some reason but it had been a good story. The other focused on the series if Yugi had been born a girl. I decided to take my shot at this kind of story but using Seto Kaiba. I will only mention this once so pay attention:

/Backslash/ - a conversation between a person and their spirit or telepathically. i.e.: Yugi to Yami and vice versa.

//Double Backslash// - the person is thinking.

-Altered Destinies, Chapter 17-

"Now my two beasts," a tan man with a mostly-bald head and strange tattoo marking on his face said to two snake-like monsters. "Attack this fool directly and finish this duel."

"AHHHHH," a young guy said as two snake-like monsters charged him in an alleyway with their swords drawn. In a matter of seconds, their swords slashed right through the guy bringing him down to 0 life points. "I lost."

"That's right," the victor said. "Now hand over your puzzle cards and your entire deck."

"WHAT," the guy said. "But the rules state only one puzzle card and rare card unless an alternate deal was agreed by both parties. We never talked terms before so you only get one of each."

"Wrong," three other voices said in the alley as three guys walked out of the shadows of the alley. Each of these newcomers were wearing the same robes as the winning duelist. "When you challenge any of the ghouls you lose everything that we decide. Your puzzle cards, whatever rare cards we don't have already, and anything else we feel like taking." The three proceeded to tackle the loser down into the ground and beat him until he couldn't respond and took his deck and three clear plastic cards with a computer chip inside. After looking through the deck, one spoke, throwing the cards to the ground. "This guy's deck is pathetic Rishid-sama. How they ever let him into this tournament is a pathetic joke."

Rishid, who just took the three puzzle cards, replied, "Oh well. We just move on to other targets until we have enough to reach the finals for both Malik-sama and I."

"That won't be necessary," a ghoul with grayish-blue hair said. "Malik-sama is using Pantomime to battle Yugi as we speak. The holder of the Saint Dragon of Osiris won't lose to him."

/Rishid./ A cold voice spoke out the tall man with some urgency.

/Malik-sama./ Rishid called out mentally. /Is something the matter? How is your duel with Yugi going?/

/I just lost./ Rishid's eyes widened at the news. The other three ghouls looked at him in confusion. /I don't get how he could turn the ultimate weapon against me in the manner that he did. Exodia couldn't stop him even though it stopped Kaiba. Even a duplicating Yugi’s deck but with added firepower couldn’t get it done. Even God has failed me in awarding me with my rightful prize of the sennin puzzle./

/Not yet./ Rishid said trying to calm his master down. /We only used one God, and a lesser one at that. Kaiba's and Yugi's Gods combined cannot stand up to Ra./

/Ra is stronger than any one of the two Gods, but both combined is a different story. I am now searching for Yugi's friends and I just made a temporary alliance with another duelist stronger than any of my other Ghouls. What's even better is that he hides amongst Yugi and his friends. After he gets me the God cards, I'll get rid of him./

/Alright Malik-sama./ Rishid said. /I'm halfway done with collecting the puzzle cards, so I better get going./ The telepathic link disconnected. "So much for Osiris." The others stumbled backwards in surprise. "We better get going. He has started the next phase and it will come down to making it to the finals since Kaiba is the other target."

Meanwhile, a tall brunette with blue eyes, wearing a one-piece grey and black dress with a white sleeveless trenchcoat and black tights (Think of Star Ocean 3's Maria Traydor.) Just finished a team dual with her teammate being a short boy with spiky hair, a black shirt and leather pants. Many straps and other objects, but most notable of them all was a strange golden upside-down pyramid hanging from his neck. "There goes two more pieces of trash," the brown-haired girl said searching the coat pockets of her victims of a really short duel. Finding what she was looking for, she pulled out two puzzle cards and tossed one to her partner. "Here you go Yugi. Your prize for being on the winning side of this duel."

"I could care less about this tournament right now Kaiba," the now identified Yugi replied in slight anger. "My friends are being chased by a madman and all you care about is some tournament."

"Why should I have to look after some no-talent loser that wasn't invited to this tournament in the first place," Kaiba said. "He may have surprised me by beating Roba and Haga in this tournament, but that doesn't mean anything. Why don't you stop worrying about others and start worrying about your current predicament?"

"We made a promise to go through this tournament together and I won't let Malik get to him when it's me he wants," Yugi replied. "We been through much already together and he isn't a no-talent like you say he is."

"Oh spare me the friendship speech," Kaiba said. "If that were the case, why isn't he here now with you like the inu he is. You don't have a clue where he is and I have my people searching for a few party crashers and your holding one of the most powerful monsters in the game which will soon be added to my deck when all is said and done."

"Nee-sama," a child-like voice. "Our sensors picked up Katsuya's duel disk signal heading towards the aquarium where there is another top duelist named Ryouji."

/The sea duelist./ Kaiba thought. /Sounds like the Jounouchi won't make the finals./ "Your friend has been spot heading towards the aquarium. Let's go and you owe me big for this." Yugi nodded and the two left unaware of a couple people were following them in the shadows.

Also in another part of town a blonde female with purple eyes wearing a white bustier with a purple bolero jacket and miniskirt is cruising around Domino, well the parts that aren't overly crowded with duels, in her blue sports car. "Five cards down, and one more to go before the finals." Memories of her duels at Duelist Kingdom still fresh in her mind. "This time it will be different and I will also show Kaiba who is the best female duelist."

-Flashback-

Jounouchi's Red Eyes Black Dragon was engulfed in a bright light just before it was destroyed. The explosion sent the blonde duelist flying back.

-End Flashback-

//She believes in overwhelming her opponents and bringing them down hard. She, along with Yugi, is an attack-type duelist. Being defensive won't get any with those two, but being on the offensive won't due either because they have powerful attackers with good defenses just in case. The proof came in my loss to Yugi. I have to combo my cards, while increasing my arsenal of monsters, and my new and improved deck will do just that. I now need to find one more sucker to beat and I'm in the finals.//

Meanwhile near the Domino City pier two bald Chinese guys were looking for two duelists to face of in a duel. One guy wore an orange Chinese shirt with black pants while the other wore a green shirt of the same style and black pants. Both have a tattoo on their foreheads with the Chinese characters of 'Mei' and 'Kyuu'. "No duelists want to challenge us Kyuu." The orange shirt guy said. "If we don't find anyone real soon, then our chances of revenge for our defeat by Yugi and Jounouchi."

"I know that brother," the green-clad man said. "But no one is willing to take us on in a team battle situation. If it comes down to it, we might have to face each other as a last ditch effort. There are only a few hours left, so at least one of us should go. We each have three, but lets save that option for the final hour."

"I have a better idea," a deep voice caught the attention of the two brothers. Rishid walks out of a shaded spot. "I have six cards myself, but my boss, who is scouting out the duelists who have made the finals so far and has asked me to collect six cards for him. I'll wager my six puzzle cards for your six puzzle cards in a one," points to himself before pointing to the two, "against two duel."

This caught the two brothers off guard. Someone actually insisting that he or she challenge both simultaneously was unheard of, but then, they insist on a team duel. Mei decided to speak first. "One vs. two. Are you nuts? Against us, you would be creamed."

Kyuu finished for his brother, "That's right, you be battle with a team. If your boss is so good as a duelist you claim him to be, get him out here to team up with you."

"That won't be necessary," Rishid said. "I can handle you both by myself. I can guarantee you that you have never seen a deck like mine. Besides, I thought you both were both looking for a way to the finals and that there is little time left and here is an easy chance."

"Fine," Kyuu said. "We'll accept the challenge and make you eat those words." All three duelists got their duel disks ready and drew five cards (R: 4000 M: 4000 K: 4000.) Mei spoke up, "We'll let you go first since you are challenging us by yourself."

"Fine," Rishid drew his card. //These two like a tag team strategy with individual decks of their own and fuse monsters from one deck with the other to create monsters that both can control. Their best monster is the Gate Guardian, but he require three seven star monsters to be on the field at the same time. A nearly impossible feat in today's game environment so I'll have the time to prepare.// "I play the permanent magic card, Pharaoh's Shrine." A large pyramid-shaped object appears from the ground behind the Egyptian. "This allows me to set two trap cards per turn and activate them the turn that I set them. So now I set two cards face and activate the one know as First Coffin as I end my turn. This allows me to activate Second Coffin or Third Coffin straight from my deck during each end phase so I'll activate Second Coffin now."

//What is he thinking not summoning a monster on his first turn?// Mei thought confusedly as he drew a card. "I'll set one card face down and then I summon Breaker The Magical Warrior in attack mode." A monster similar to Pandora's Black Magician, but with a sword and armor, appeared on the field. (4/1600(1900)/1400)

//I see. He plans on using Breaker's ability to destroy one magic or trap card on the fields.// Rishid thought. //He is probably more concerned with the shrine than anything else because it allows for instant trap activation and setting two traps instead of one. That won't work.//

"Now I give up 300 of Breaker's attack points to destroy the shrine that is behind you," Breaker's sword glowed with energy as the magical warrior took a swing and unleashed an energy wave towards the Pharaoh’s shrine. "Now you can only set one trap per turn, nor can you activate them right away. Plus, you won't be able to summon Selket."

"Guess again as I activate Judgement of Anubis," Rishid said as he activated his face down card. The two brothers gasped as a large formless jackal's head appeared above the temple. "I see you recognize one of the oldest, rarest and most powerful trap cards in the game. I am going to destroy your monster and take away half of his attack points from your life points." The form above the play field fired a blast of dark energy at Mei's monster.

"Activating reverse card Mystical Seal of the Netherworld God," Mei opened his trap card. "Your shrine also benefits us as well. This card creates a mystical around any monster that is about to be destroyed by an effect. Protecting him from being destroyed by your trap."

"You did good to avoid my trap but instead of taking 800 life points of damage you take 1600 life points of damage (R: 4000 M: 2400 K: 4000) and you have to remove all of your trap cards in your deck from the game for three turns before shuffling them back in. Why go to that length of trouble?"

"So I can use Breaker for this," Mei said playing his next card. "I play Tribute Doll. This card allows me to sacrifice a monster on my field to special summon a monster from my hand. So, it is good-bye for my warrior and hello to the Demon God of Thunder Sanga. I'll end my turn now." A golden monster has appeared flying in the place of his previous monster (7/2600/2200.) Suddenly a spirit-like monster appeared on Rishid's side of field (6/2500/2000.)

"What's going on here," Kyuu asked. "How can you summon a monster and a powerful one like that on the start of my turn?"

"Easy you simple-minded fool," the tattooed man answered. "Because of First Coffin, whenever a players turn ends, Second or Third Coffin come into play, once all three hit the field I can summon Spirits of the Pharaoh in attack mode immediately. Don't worry, his special effect is useless since I don't have any level two or weaker undead in my deck any way much less my graveyard. Now take your turn."

"Fine I'll summon my Marauding Captain whose special ability allows me summon another warrior type monster and I'll summon Command Knight in attack mode," Kyuu said as two armored warriors appeared and both have 400 more attack points than what the card states.

"Command Knights ability to raise all warrior monsters attack by 400 atk pnts." Rishid took notice. "I'm going to guess that you are going to play tribute doll to summon your demon god."

"Your correct and I'll sacrifice Marauding Captain to summon Suijin of Water then set two cards face down and end my turn," The Chinese duelist said. //He can destroy my Knight, but my trap card will sacrifice one of his monsters to summon one of mine and with my cost down magic card, our Gate Guardian will be on the field in no time.//

"I summon one of my few true monster onto the field," Rishid said after drawing a card. "Eight Pincer Scorpion in attack mode." A bug-like monster appeared onto the field (2/300/200.)

"What an insane move summoning that monster into attack mode," Mei said. "Why bring such a weak monster to the field?"

"I'm not done," Rishid answered casually. "I activate my trap cards Avatar of Apophis. I have two in my hand and this card functions as a monster." Three snake-like monsters with swords appeared (4/1600/1500.) "I'll have my bug attack Command Knight, activating its special ability which increases its attack strength by 2400."

"NANI," Kyuu said. //That weakling packs that much punch.// As his knight was destroyed (R: 4000 M:2400 Kyuu: 2900.) "I activate Sacrificial Revenge and combo it with Cost Down. Say goodbye to your bug and I'll summon Kazejin to complete the set and summon the Gate Guardian to seal your doom." After a green monster similar to the other two arrived, and the three vanished in a flash of light, replaced by a humungous monster composed of the three demon gods (11/3750/3400.)

"Two bad your monster can't attack on your next turn cause I play Nightmare Bog Spirits," Rishid said playing his last card.

//That stops Gate Guardian from attacking this turn while his monsters are two weak to do anything so it didn't affect him much.// Mei thought while drawing a card. "I end my turn."

"You dumb to leave your monster's in attack mode," Kyuu said drawing his card. "On our next turn Gate Guardian will attack and take away your life points, but for now, I'll end my turn."

The tattooed Egyptian just drew his next card. "I play Careless Avarice to draw two cards at the expense of my next two draws." Seeing the next two cards, he begins to speak again. "I play Raise Dead and call forth your Breaker so I can use his ability to rid the field of Nightmare Bog Spirits." The other two were surprised.

"Your attacks mean nothing so why get rid of that card," the younger brother said.

"True," the older confirmed. "Your monsters can't scratch our Gate Guardian, so why allow Breaker the ability to attack the turn its summon."

"Because of my Union of Attack magic card," Rishid played his other card. "All of my monsters in attack mode attack this turn and their attack points add up to a single sum on one monster. My monsters total 9900 attack points on your Gate Guardian and do 5150 life points of total damage. Since Gate Guardian was both of yours, you each take 2575 damage, but since Mei had 2400 life points (M: 0), the remaining 175 go to Kyuu (K: 150.) Now I activate a one-time ability of Pharaoh's Shrine. Since it holds the many treasures of the ancient Kings, I can sacrifice 3000 life points (R: 1000 M: 0 K: 150) to set one trap card on the field. I now end my turn."

//He's baiting me into attack him. I know that card has to be a card that sends battle damage back to sender.// "I summon Fire Sorcerer in attack mode and use its special ability," a young girl in a black dress appeared surrounded by flames (3/800/1200.) "I discard two cards to do 500 life points of effect damage."

"Thank you very much," the robe man said. "I active Barrel Behind the Door. Instead of receiving your monster's effect, you get affected by it. Game over, I win (R: 1000 M: 0 K: 0.) Rishid's buddies jumped the two losers and knocked them out. "Don't bother with their decks, Gate Guardian is rather useless, just get me the puzzle cards." Once they got what they were looking for, they went back to the pier where their boss was waiting for them. As they got back, they saw two extra figures next to Malik. One was a blond boy with brown eyes, wearing a blue and white shirt with jeans. The other was blue eye brunette girl wearing a yellow shirt with red trim and the word spirit on the front along with a red miniskirt. Both had blank expressions on their faces. "I see you got yourselves some new slaves while I was gone."

"Yes," Malik said handing a deck to his followers. "Allow me to introduce you to Katsuya Jounouchi and Mazaki Anzu. Both are very close friends to the Pharaoh and are part of my next plot against him. I'll duel him through Jounouchi where both of their lives are at risk and if Yugi refuses, Anzu dies. The deck I gave you is Jounouchi's and it is useless."

"I see," one of the Ghouls replied. "Most of these cards are useless and common. How he get this far in the tournament is beyond me."

"What about that illegal deck we took a while back Rishid," this caught Malik's attention.

"I've faced a duelist who was using a burn deck that contained magic cards that were banned by Kaiba herself because they did direct damage to the opponent," Rishid explained handing Malik a deck he had taken. "The weak monsters in Jounouchi's deck can benefit greatly from all of the open opportunities on the Pharaoh's life points with these cards. One of them being banned by I2 itself, called Thunder Bolt."

"Great idea," Malik complimented. "Since it won't be an "official" Battle City Duel, illegal cards don't matter. Besides, even if this plan went up in smoke, I still have the finals and a willing ally to help me get what I want. Start fixing that deck up for the upcoming duel." Everyone broke off to prepare for the next event.

-To Be Continued-

Finally got this chapter done. Rishid is the hardest character to create a deck for because of the lack of reliable trap cards. The combo with Cost Down is not a legal one but then the game from the manga series is quite different from actual game rules wise. So was that effect of Pharaoh’s Shrine.