Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Lady of Dragons ❯ Eve, Femme Fatale ( Chapter 10 )

Doris (Adele Lamont): "Maybe you're better than most... But it doesn't matter.  I still hate all men.  What one of them did to me... you haven't forgotten, have you?  Have you?
Dr. Bill Cordner: "No, I haven't."
Doris: "Neither have I.  I carry the memory around..."

- The Brain That Wouldn't Die, screenwriter uncredited

 

CHAPTER TEN: EVE

FEMME FATALE

On a bridge, leaning over the railing, Seto Kaiba had closed his eyes in thought.  The wind tugged at his coat, pulling it to one side.  It was going to be a gloomy day, but in his heart, Seto knew it wouldn't stop any of the duelists from going about it.

“Seto Kaiba?”

The unexpected voice caused Seto to start back from his spot, only to notice that Yugi Motoh had managed to sneak up beside him.  Leaning over again, he said in an annoyed tone, “What are you doing here, Yugi?”

A chuckle slipped through the younger man's lips.  “I just wanted to talk to you without Marik breathing down our necks.”

“More importantly,” Seto asked, “how did you find me?”

“Your secretary told me.”  Yugi chuckled again, continuing, “She knew I meant you no harm.”

Fingers drumming on the railing, Seto grunted.  “Security regulations - they always want to know where I am.  What did you want to talk about?”

The expression on Yugi's face turned serious.  “I heard about you shortening the tournament… You didn't do it just to make the city happy,” he said with a suspicious look.

One hand lifted and dropped, as Seto replied, “The faster the Battle City tournament comes to an end, the less time the Order has to get their hands on Isis.”

“And the less time she has to get twelve locator cards isn't a factor?”

“She'll get them.  She's already as good a duelist as I was.”

“So I've heard.”  Yugi paused, and then asked, “Are you a believer now, Seto Kaiba?”

The one reaction Yugi didn't expect to that question was for Seto to stifle a laugh.  “The last time somebody asked me that,” the CEO said, “I had a gold key jammed into my forehead.”

Yugi didn't bother to suppress his own laugh.  “Shadi can be a little blunt with his methods, yes…” Taking a short breath, he asked the question again: “Are you a believer now, Seto Kaiba?”

The reply was a long time in coming.  Finally, as a raindrop splattered against his shoe, Seto whispered just loud enough for Yugi to hear.  “Considering all I've seen… it's impossible not to believe…” The CEO straightened suddenly, back on his guard.  “If you don't mind, I have work to do.”

Yugi smiled, straightening up himself.  “Understood,” he said.  “Goodbye, Seto Kaiba.”

Turning on one heel, Seto briefly looked over his shoulder.  “Before I go, Yugi…”

Surprised, the former King of Games replied, “Yes, Kaiba?”

An old, all-too-familiar cast fell across the CEO's face.  “Don't get your hopes up about your son's chances.  He may be good…” Seto lifted one hand nonchalantly.  “But Isis has the Blue-Eyes White Dragons.  Derik doesn't really have a chance.”

With that, he walked away, leaving a stunned Yugi in his wake.

0000000

Four men huddled around a chalked symbol, somewhere in Domino's harbor district.  All four of the men had silver eye pins on their collars.  One of the men, a tall one with messy brown hair, was holding an umbrella over the chalk.

“This is stupid.  Really stupid,” one of the men cracked, gesturing obscenely at the chalked symbol.  “What's the point of standing in the rain all day?  Stage 2 isn't even fully underway yet!”

“Are you going to disobey Master Seskera's command?” the umbrella-holder replied, absently correcting a flaw in one line with a small bit of chalk.  “And Stage 2 is underway - we just need Vicious to get here with the gem.”

“Where is that loser, anyway?” the third man asked, rubbing his long-fingered hands together.  “He said he'd only be a minute or so, but it's been at least a half-hour.”

The fourth member of the group didn't speak, merely grunting as he pulled his hood further down over his face.  The other three men had no clue what he looked like.

“Could be worse, I guess,” the one who had complained said with a sigh.  “We could be out dueling.”

The other three men shuddered.  They were not active by nature, and running up and down the city hunting down kids with Duel Disks did not define fun for them.

The umbrella-holder looked up at the sound of footsteps.  “Ah, Vicious is here.”

A man with long white hair, clad in a black cloak, walked up to the group.  Without saying a word, he held out a medium-sized black gem.  Inside the gem swirled a cloud of bright light.

The man with long fingers took the gem, setting it on the chalk symbol.  “Life energy…” he muttered reverently.  Looking up, he heard his pager go off.  A brief glance to it later, he nodded.  “It's time.”

At five points in the city, five groups of five began to chant Hieratic.  Stage 2 was officially under way.

0000000

A storm broke over Domino, and the resulting rainfall struck the city like a million watery needles.  Isis Kaiba, who was quite unprepared for the change in weather, dodged into the nearest building.  Once inside, she shook herself off, wringing out a lock of her hair.  Just her luck it had to rain immediately after the tournament was shortened…

Only after she had managed to recover somewhat from the rain did the girl bother to examine her surroundings.  Isis's travels had led her into a slightly less pleasant part of Domino, and she was inside of an old office building.  Its owners had cut monetary ties with the city and fled the year before, leaving the building to be graffitied by errant high school gangs.  The lights were out, needless to say.

Suddenly, the lights flickered on, revealing a woman standing by the elevator.  Isis gasped in surprise, but composed herself fairly quickly.

The woman threw her head back, causing long, blonde locks to whip back through the air.  She wore a red dress that went down to her ankles, black spiked heels, and elbow-length white gloves.  Isis found herself admitting that the woman was startlingly beautiful… and would have ranked as a “fatal beauty” if it wasn't for the long scar down her face, from her hairline to her chin.  The finishing touch was a reddish-gold Duel Disk on her left arm.

Isis's eyebrow rose.  That was a Type-6 Duel Disk, so outdated that it was almost a joke.  Why did the woman have one?

That question faded from her mind as the woman spoke, in a clear yet harsh voice.  “Hello, Isis Kaiba.  It's about time I caught up to you…  I've had to follow you for quite some time.”

“Why were you following me?” Isis hissed, her foot tapping.

In response, the elevators behind the woman opened, and she tilted the eye pin on her dress strap towards Isis.  “I am Eve, mistress of discard and one of the Order of Ammit's finest duelists.  I challenge you to a duel!”  The thus-named Eve leapt back into one of the elevators, concluding, “Meet me on the roof.”  The door closed.

Definitely not wanting to be disqualified, Isis rushed into the next elevator, only to let out a squeak of fright as the door closed.  Stupid claustrophobia!

0000000

When the elevator door opened, Isis found herself inside a large, clear dome, with several air vents visible.  Eve had already moved to the center of the dome, inside a painted circle.  Her Duel Disk was activated, and a pair of hologram projectors hovered in the air behind her.

There was an electronic rush, and Isis's Duel Disk activated as well.  To her annoyance, she only had five cards in her hand, indicating that she would do second.

“Does four locators cards and one ante card sound good to you?” Eve asked.  Isis merely nodded.

Both duelists let forth a loud, “Let's Duel!”

I-8000 E-8000

The woman in the red dress drew her sixth card, then snickered and played a card onto a Magic and Trap zone.  “I play Delinquent Duo, which at the cost of 1000 Life Points, will strip two cards from your hand!” 

I-8000 E-7000

Two small demons popped into view, spinning around at breakneck speeds.  The first demon hurled itself across the field, slamming into Isis's hand.  To her horror, her Premature Burial was discarded.

The second demon hovered over Isis, requesting a second card.  At least this time she got to choose…  Picking her Wingweaver, she let the demon eat it.  Only then did she remember a very important fact about Delinquent Duo.

“Are you an idiot?” Isis shouted, pointing at Eve.  “Delinquent Duo is on this year's Banned list.  You just disqualified yourself from the tournament!”

The one reaction Isis didn't expect was a shriek of laughter.  After getting her breath back, Eve smirked and replied, “My Duel Disk is rather outdated, but with reason.  I'm hacking into the tournament database, so it works, but the tracking systems have no clue it's there.  This duel is outside the committee's knowledge, little Isis.”  Picking another card, she finished, “One monster in Defense mode.  End turn.”

Rather ticked, Isis drew a fourth card, and then smiled as she tossed it onto her Duel Disk.  “I summon Kaiser Seahorse in Attack mode!” (1700/1650)  The armored fish rose in its full glory, spinning its spear over its head.  “Attack her facedown monster!”

The giant fish threw itself forward, its spear ramming through the facedown card.  A two-headed lizard rose into view and shattered, only to reform a moment later, one head missing.  Eve explained, “That was my Twin-Headed Behemoth, with the power to avoid death one time… of course, it's weakened in the process.”  (1000/1000)

With a huff, Isis picked one of the other cards in her hand and set it facedown, nodding as she ended her turn.

The blonde drew a fifth card, and then announced, “White Magical Hat in Attack Mode!”  The elegantly dressed fellow spun into view, a crescent moon glowing over his shoulder.  (1000/1000)  “And with my Magic Card, Secret Path to the Treasures…” The card glowed into view, creating a shimmering doorway right beside the monster.  “Any of my monsters with 1000 or less ATK can strike your Life Points directly!  White Magical Hat, attack with Thief's Cloak!”

Tipping its hat, the monster jumped through the glowing door and passed in front of Isis, its cloak passing through her.  Looking at her hand, Isis gulped as her Giant Trunade faded from view.

I-7000 E-7000

“I forgot to mention,” Eve added as her monster returned to its rightful spot, “the White Magical Hat discards a card from your hand every time it damages your Life Points.”  She set a card facedown, and then waved a hand to her opponent.  “My turn ends.”

Isis drew another card, giving her a hand of two cards.  She was wary of that facedown card, but one or two more hits by the White Magical Hat would leave her without any options.  “I summon Gradius, in Attack Mode!”  The ship rose into view, metal gleaming.  (1200/800)  “Gradius, attack her Twin-Headed Behemoth!”

The ship flew past the lizard, firing one good shot and blowing it to pieces.

“And now,” Isis said with increasing calm, “Kaiser Seahorse, attack her White Magical Hat!”

But before the fish could raise his spear, Eve laughed and interrupted, “Not today, fishy.  Activate trap, Raigeki Break!”  Her facedown card lifted and revealed a spark of lightning, firing across the field and obliterating the Kaiser Seahorse.  “Raigeki Break allows me to destroy one card on the field in exchange for a card from my hand.  'Sinister Serpent will do nicely."

Tapping her foot in aggravation, Isis set her last card and said, “My turn's over.”

One immaculately manicured hand slid across Eve's deck, drawing a third card to her hand.  A flash of light indicated that her Sinister Serpent was back into her hand, as well.  Snorting in disgust, she set a monster facedown in Defense mode and switched her White Magical Hat to Defense as well.  “Your turn.”

Isis raised an eyebrow in confusion, but drew a card anyway.  Smiling, she played it and announced, “I equip my Gradius with Cyclon Laser, raising its ATK to 1500!”  The Gradius glowed slightly.  (1500/800)  "Attack the White Magical Hat!”

A fusillade of lasers blew through the White Magical Hat, blowing it off the field. 

I-7000 E-6500

Unable to resist a giggle, Isis ended her turn, feeling in control again.

Eve hadn't said a word, but her expression cracked as she drew a fourth card.  A smile crossed her face, as she said, “Don Zaloog, in Attack Mode!”  The gangster somersaulted from his card, landing in a three-point stance on the field.  (1400/1500)  “And now,” she continued, “the Axe of Despair will raise his power by 1000 points!”

The gangster swung his arm, causing a hideous green axe to blur into view in his hand. (2400/1500)

Isis calmly set her finger over the button for her trap, only to hear Eve say, “And I'll end my turn, just to be safe.”

This entire duel was an exercise in frustration!  Drawing another card, Isis summoned it without even bothering to think.  “Thunder Nyan-Nyan, in Attack Mode!”  The volt girl rose into view, spinning her drumsticks.  (1900/800)  “Attack her facedown monster with Lightning Drums!”

There was a quick drum riff, and then the Nyan-Nyan crossed her sticks and sent a bolt of lightning into the facedown monster.  A truly disturbing wall of veins appeared briefly (1000/1850), and then shattered, revealing a spinning cloud of darkness.  Eve snickered and explained, “That was the Wall of Illusions, and it sends any monster that attacks it back to your hand.”

The cloud engulfed the Thunder Nyan-Nyan suddenly, and they disappeared, with the Nyan-Nyan returning to Isis's hand.  Muttering to herself, she pressed the button for one of her facedown cards.  “Light of Intervention, so that next time, I can see what's coming!  And I'll end my turn.”

Eve slid one finger down her scar, drawing another card, a third.  She then played a card, saying, “Harpie's Feather Duster, to destroy your magic and trap cards…” The gust of feathers shattered the cards in Isis's magic and trap zone; Isis whimpered a bit, as she had just lost Mirror Force.  “And Don Zaloog will attack Gradius!”

The gangster laughed, jumped up, and hurled the Axe of Despair into Gradius, causing the spaceship to explode. 

I-6100 E-6500 

The axe returned to the Don's hand, and he drew a throwing knife, looking to Eve.  “Now, when he damages your Life Points,” Eve added, “I can choose to strip a card from your hand, or take out the top two cards of your deck.  Hmmmmm…”

Isis had put a lock of her hair into her mouth and was nibbling on it, staring at her favorite card.  She barely heard Eve say, “The deck this time, Don Zaloog.”  Her attention snapped back to the duel when a virtual knife slammed into her deck.  The top two cards, Luminous Spark and - the girl gasped - Blue-Eyes White Dragon, flipped into her graveyard.

Eve smirked once more, making Isis want to slap her, and set another card facedown before saying, “Your move.”

Once her eyes had snapped away from that scar on Eve's face, Isis drew a second card, breathing a sigh of relief as she played it.  “Pot of Greed, for two more…” Now she had three cards, and one of them was just what she needed.  “And I play Monster Reborn, bringing back the Blue-Eyes White Dragon I just discarded!”

The sky grew light, which was odd, as it still rained.  There was a gigantic roar, and one of the most dangerous creatures in all of Duel Monsters rose from the grave, light glinting off of its scales.  (3000/2500)

But as the mighty Blue-Eyes rose, Eve merely pressed one button on her Duel Disk.  A massive metal ring developed around the dragon, and eight grenades hooked to key points.  “Ring of Destruction, blow it away and give us both the damage!” Eve shouted.

The explosion, put simply, was incredible. 

I-3100 E-3500

 

When the smoke cleared, Isis trembled a bit; setting her Thunder Nyan-Nyan facedown, she whispered, “End turn.”

Eve shrugged, and then drew a second card to her hand.  “I play Graceful Charity…” The angel presented her with three cards, and she tossed her Sinister Serpent and a White Magical Hat before playing another card, announcing, “Confiscation - at the cost of 1000 Life Points, you lose the last card in your hand.”

I-3100 E-2500

Isis quite willingly discarded her Gradius' Option.  Fat lot of good it would do her…

“And now I've won by default!" Eve announced.  "I summon another one of the cards on this year's Banned list.  Yata-Garasu, in Attack Mode!”

From the skies flew a giant crow, perching on the outstretched arm of Don Zaloog.  It hovered off of his arm and cawed. (300/200)

Isis almost broke into tears.  It was over.

The triumph in Eve's voice was like an arrow to the heart.  “First, Don Zaloog will destroy your last defense monster…”

 

The gangster leapt into the air, and the Axe of Despair crashed through Isis's Thunder Nyan-Nyan, vaporizing it. 

 

“And now, my Yata-Garasu will strike your Life Points directly!” 

The crow's wings spread, and it slammed into Isis's Duel Disk. 

I-2800 E-2500 

Once the crow had attacked, it vanished in a cloud of feathers.  “As a spirit, Yata-Garasu comes back to my hand every turn,” Eve concluded, waving for Isis to make her move.

It was her turn, but Isis couldn't do anything.  All she had was Light of Intervention, and that meant nothing at this point.  And the power of Yata-Garasu would prevent her from drawing a card every turn after it damaged her…  “I pass,” she whispered.

Drawing another card, Eve smiled and held up the Yata-Garasu.  “You may as well forfeit, little girl, because you have no chance whatsoever.”

“Why?” Isis asked her tormentor, a tear forming in her eye.  “Why are you doing this?”

“You've seen my scar, of course,” Eve began.  Isis nodded, and she continued, “I was a duelist in the sixth Battle City Tournament, as was my boyfriend Kenji.  I had the bad luck to duel him and win; he got mad, took a knife…” She ran a finger down the scar.  “Plastic surgery could do nothing.  I used to be a model, but I've kissed that goodbye.  But my master has the power to take care of this, if I take care of you.”

She played the card, and the giant crow struck Isis again.

I-2500 E-2500

The young girl could do nothing but weep, as she saw a vision of her father's dragons in Eve's hands.  Passing again, she wiped a tear from her eye.

Eve drew her next card, but paused.  The sight of Isis crying made her think back to her family - specifically, her niece.  She's so much like Rebecca used to be… So young, but so full of spirit.  I can't crush that this way…  “I end my turn,” she said.

The tears stopped.  Isis looked up, astonished, but drew her next card all the same.  The sight of it confused her.  I thought I took that out of here, she thought.  “One monster in Defense mode, and I end my turn.”

Eve sighed in relief.  She could still win; even with that free card she'd just given Isis, the girl couldn't stop her crow.  “I summon Yata-Garasu,” she said as the crow landed on her field, “and I'll attack your face-down monster with 'Don Zaloog'!”

The axe crashed down, and a redheaded girl with a crescent-topped staff appeared just long enough to get cut in half. (300/400) 

Eve gasped - the Magician of Faith!

A very confident Isis searched her graveyard, and held up one very specific card. 

Eve was doomed, and she knew it.  “End turn,” she said, awaiting her demise.  The Yata-Garasu exploded into feathers and returned to her hand.

Drawing a second card, Isis played the card she had retrieved.  “Monster Reborn, and you know exactly what I'm bringing back…”

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon returned, his roar causing both duelists to shudder - Isis in satisfaction, Eve in terror.  “Destroy Don Zaloog!"  Isis commanded. "White Lightning Attack!”

There was a crackle of ozone, and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon pulled its head back before unleashing a beam of sheer energy.  Don Zaloog dropped his axe in terror before being consumed utterly by the beam. 

I-2500 E-1900

A smile crossed Isis's face, as she set one card facedown and waved for Eve to take her turn.

Eve, shaking in her spike heels, drew one more card.  Hand trembling uncontrollably, she said, “Sinister Serpent, in Defense Mode…” The snake appeared, hissing at Isis.  (200/100)

Isis drew another card, and tossed it down without even caring.  “This is for making me look bad!  Kaiser Seahorse, in Attack Mode…” The fish rose up, spear at the ready.  “Seahorse, attack her snake - and then, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack her directly!”

The snake's head was sliced off by the fish's spear, but Eve didn't care.  She was already staring into the face of her defeat.  There was a roar…

…And the White Lightning blew her over the circle, throwing her into the wall of the dome.

I-2500 E-0000

Isis strolled quietly over to Eve, fishing out a White Magical Hat and sliding it into her deck.  “At least you have something I can use,” she murmured.

But Eve wasn't looking at her.  She was looking at a dark figure on another rooftop, a figure that had seen the entire match.  Isis looked over, and then Eve screamed.

By the time Isis looked back, Eve had apparently passed out.  Shrugging, the girl looted the other two White Magical Hats from her opponent's deck.

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The last fragment of an Invader of the Throne was swept off the altar as Seskera rose from his kneeling, dusting off his hands.  That was two failures… these children were quite the problem.

Leaving the altar chamber, he headed into the main hall, where Odion was already waiting.  “Are the locator cards ready?” the head of the Order asked.

“You will be able to enter the Battle City Finals,” the former Tomb-Keeper replied.  “Are you sure this is wise, however?”

Seskera's resulting glare was like being stabbed in the chest.  “Don't question me, Odion.”

Odion lowered his head.  “My apologies, Master Seskera.”

0000000

The man on the rooftop dried off his binoculars, watching Isis Kaiba enter the elevator again.  He was talking to himself as he replaced his binoculars in his bag.

“Sage overestimated his abilities at a fatal moment.”  The man's cell phone was put away.  “Eve succumbed to inane sentiment.”  The Duel Disk was taken out and put on.  “That's it!  No more `great' duelists for partners!”

There was a clank of armor as the man headed for his own elevator.  “From now on, I'll work only with people as ruthless as myself.”  The man took something from his back.  “But first I want those soul cards… and Peter Wheeler's head on my spear!”

The butt-end of the spear jabbed a button, and the elevator door closed.

Coming next chapter: In the Domino Museum, Peter is trapped and forced into another duel with a member of the Order of Ammit.  Question: What are you supposed to do when your father's in danger and your opponent's deck is designed exactly to combat yours?  The answer: Hold nothing back!  Keep an eye out for Chapter Eleven: "Bowen, Dragonslayer"!