Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ The Battle Royale ❯ Broken Stalemates ( Chapter 3 )

The next day was a Saturday and all duellists were out and about. Michael was out and about

"I wonder where the others are"

Michael saw a small crowd gathering around the centre square

"Terrific, who's being a show off now?"

He walked into the crowd and Nicola had just beaten some kid

"Who's next?"

Michael stood before her

"Fantastic, just in time too. I'm on a roll"

"Of losers?"

"Very funny. I've been thinking about the time we first met, when you defeated me in that duel I always wanted to get revenge"

"Then you'll have to keep hunting"

They readied their disks and the scanners read 4000 life points. Nicola drew first

"First, the Magical ghost in attack mode and one card face down"

Michael drew

"Mystic Tomato, defence mode and two cards face down"

Nicola drew again

"Armoured Zombie in attack mode"

"Wrong, Trap Hole!"

Her monster fell into a trap and it was destroyed

"Damn"

"And then the change of Heart to bring your Ghost to me. So now I'll sacrifice both my monsters to summon the Red eyes Black Dragon!"

Michael's monster roared as it appeared on the field

"Red Eyes attack her life points directly!"

Nicola was struck down by the Red eyes attack and her life points dropped to 1600

"Good start"

She drew

"But it's only a start. One monster face down defence mode and one card face down"

`Come on Michael, summon another weak monster"

Michael drew

"I will summon La Jinn in attack mode and I'll have Red Eyes attack your face down card!"

"Wrong, Dark Spirit of the Silent. Your La Jinn will attack my monster"

"Sorry but I play Remove Trap!"

Nicola's card vanished. Michael drew his next card

"I'll place one card face down then I'll make my Red Eyes attack your face down card"

The Red eyes incinerated the card

"La Jinn, hit her life points now!"

"Not so fast, face down card, negate attack!"

Michael's La Jinn' attack was stopped. Nicola drew a card

"I will play Monster Slayer. Which means I can discard 5 monsters from my deck and put them into the Graveyard"

She flicked through her deck and placed five monsters into the graveyard. She shuffled her deck and she smiled

`She must have Shadow Ghoul, or worse!'

"And now I'll summon the Crass clown in defence mode and I'll play Monster Renewal"

Michael was confused

"What is that?"

"It takes a monster from each of us and I can summon a monster from the graveyard or my deck. Arise, Dark Necromancer!"

Nicola's strongest monster appeared on the field and she smiled

"I'll now reveal my first face down card. Card of Safe Return. I can now draw another card from my deck. And now it's a stalemate. It seems we will have to think past each other. I'll place two cards face down"

Michael drew his card

"I too will place two cards face down and I'll summon a monster face down in defence mode"

"And I'll place another two cards face down. Perfect stalemate. Both monsters at 2400 attack points and 4 cards face down each. But I'll pass for now to see your move first"

The Necromancer made Nicola's Armoured Zombie appear on the field in defence mode

"I'll flip my monster face up so I can sacrifice it and summon another monster face down in defence mode"

Nicola thought

`Must be a high defence power monster. Better leave it be.'

She looked at Michael

"Ok, now I play Dragon Capture Jar"

"Wrong, flip, Reaper of the Cards!"

Michael's reaper like monster appeared and it cut down the Capture Jar into pieces

"Then now I play Guillotine"

A Guillotine appeared on the field and it trapped Michael's monster

"No!"

"Say goodbye to your monster"

The blade came down and it cut off the Reaper's head and it was destroyed

"And now, Necromancer…"

"Red Eyes…"

They both shouted

"Attack now!"

Both monsters wiped each other out. Again they both shouted

"Reveal face down card, Monster Reborn!"

Both monsters reappeared on the field. The Necromancer then revived the Crass clown in defence mode

"A true stalemate. I've haven't duelled like this before, but I'll reveal my face down card, Offerings to the Doomed"

"No!"

Michael's Red Eyes was destroyed

"And I'll play the Anti Magic Arrows to destroy your face down cards"

Arrows shot from the card and they impaled Michael's cards

"Necromancer, attack his life points directly!"

Michael was hit by her monsters attack and his life points dropped to 1600

"Stalemate again, this is getting tense"

Her monster once again revived the 13th Grave in defence mode

"I couldn't agree more. I'll summon a monster face down in defence mode"

"Ok then. And I'll destroy your monster, Necromancer attack!"

Nicola's monster wiped out Michael's card and it was the Witch of the Black Forest

"Uh oh"

"Thank you for helping me Nicola. For now I will choose the Fiend Mega cyber into my hand and because of its effect I can put it on the field right now in attack mode"

"It's still weaker then mine"

"That's where my equip card comes into play, the Sword of Dark Destruction, making it 200 attack points higher than yours. Fiend Mega Cyber attack!"

Michael's monster easily struck down Nicola's and her life points dropped to 1400. Nicola drew her next card

"I'll play Disarmer to destroy that Equip card. Then I'll play the Revival of Dorkurider so I can sacrifice my monsters on the field to summon Dorkurider in attack mode and I'll equip him with the Dark Energy to make it, a stalemate again"

They shouted together

"Attack now!"

Once again both monsters attacked and they were destroyed

"Well, no monster reborn this time, but I have this. Dark Magic Curtain!"

A curtain appeared on the field

"If I give half my life points I can summon a strong monster from my deck to the field. Undertaker appear!"

Nicola's life points dropped to 700

"Attack his life points directly!"

The Undertaker was about to attack when The Patrician of Darkness appeared on the field and again both monsters were destroyed

"What happened?"

"It seems you missed the rule about the fact that both players can use the effect your magic card. Its stalemate once again"

Nicola drew

"But there is something you also forgot, this magic card is continuous so I can cut my life points in half again"

Her life points dropped to 350

"To summon the Shadow Ghoul with the attack strength of 2800"

Michael looked at his graveyard

`Only Six monsters, it won't be able to stand up to hers…unless'

"I'll place a monster face down in defence mode"

"Shadow Ghoul, take it out!"

Her monster easily sliced the card to pieces but Michael smiled as he pulled a card from his graveyard

"What's going on?"

"It was the Magician of Faith you destroyed and you know its effect?"

"Uh oh"

"That's right, Red Eyes return to me!"

Michael's Red Eyes appeared on the field and it roared but Nicola laughed

"I don't get it, 400 attack points lower and you think you've won, get real"

"Who said I was finished. I'm forcing us into another stalemate with Metal Morph!"

Michael's Red Eyes turned Metallic and it roared again with the attack strength of 2800. Michael smiled

"It's another stalemate!"

Broken Stalemates

"Are we ever going to get this duel done?"

"Well you are 450 life points less than me"

"But my curtain is still in play and even after we destroy each other I can use my other monster to take you out"

"That's why I'm placing this card face down to end my turn"

"Then I will use the effect of my Dark Magic Curtain to revive the Undertaker"

Her life points dropped to 175 but Michael smiled

"Reveal face down card, Banishment!"

Nicola's monster vanished

"What happened!"

"Banishment destroys any special summoned monster from the graveyard and banishes it right back there. It's one for one Nicola. Attack Red Eyes!"

"Attack Shadow Ghoul!"

They both destroyed each other and the crowds were amazed at the skill of them both. Nicola drew a card and she smiled

"It is time to end this match. I will once again use the effect of my Dark Magic Curtain to summon Spinal the Skull Warrior!"

A large skeleton with a shield and sword appeared

"I remember this one"

"Then I'll summon the Skull Servant in defence mode"

He life points dropped to 83. Her monsters attack power rose to 2300

"And I'll play Mystical Space Typhoon"

"But I don't have any magic cards on the field"

"Who said I would use it on your field?"

Nicola destroyed her Dark Curtain and Michael was horrified

"So now you can't use its effect and this duel is over, the stalemate has been broken. Spinal attack now!"

Nicola's monster struck Michael down and his life points hit 0. Everyone clapped loudly and they cheered as well. Nicola helped Michael up as he fell to the ground

"That was the best duel I have ever fought in"

"Seems like you got what you wanted. Your revenge"

He smiled and he walked off. Nicola turned to the crowd

"Who is next?"

Tea was walking to the square and she saw Michael walking away from the crowd. She smiled

"Mike"

Michael looked up but he just walked past her

"Michael?"

"I'm…sorry Tea. I just want to be alone for now"

"Michael?"

"I said no!"

He shouted in an angry tone and he walked off

"Michael? What happened?"

Michael didn't answer and he walked off

That night Michael was sitting by the river in the park

"How could I have lost to her? It was a perfect stalemate throughout the match and I could have clinched it if I had of called on a strong monster quicker before she got rid of it!"

Yugi was behind him

"Solitude, the perfect time to think"

Michael looked down and he said to Yugi

"What do you want?"

Yugi was in his Yami form

"To help you. You seem a little lost"

"Yeah, first I find out I am the Pharaoh's high priest, and then I go and lose a duel to Nicola"

"Nicola is a strong duellist"

"Not stronger than me!"

"Michael. I thought you had changed, that you had lost your pride"

"No one loses their pride. Especially not me! I have all the pride I ever had!"

"But that is your weakness"

"No. It's my advantage. The drive to succeed is why I am able to win. True I have faith in my deck I combine it with the will to win at all costs"

"And that is your downfall. You play for power and prestige. You have changed Michael, ever since we defeated Yuri. You used to believe in your deck and in your friends and you prevailed. I don't understand"

"Of course you don't!"

"You said it yourself. We all have pride. You are becoming like Kiaba was and even now he is forgetting his pride"

Michael turned to Yugi

"Don't you dare do that. I am nothing like Kiaba or Darren. I too am in love and I have a heart as well."

"Then prove it! You are a champion, the skill, the passion and the mind of a champion, but after this defeat you are not showing that you have the heart of a champion or even a true sportsman"

Michael sighed

"I'm sorry Yugi."

He walked off

"I don't know if I can"

"Anyone can change"

"But I don't want to!"

"Is that the kind of person Tea loves?"

Yugi struck a cord with Michael and he thought

`Tea. I'm so sorry'

He lit up a cigarette and he breathed out some smoke

"Aren't you trying to give up?"

"Can't live with them, can't live without them"

He smiled as did Yugi

"Yugi. I'm sorry. You were right, everyone looses and pride and egos are damaged. Its how you handle it is the mark of your character"

"I'm glad you understand me"

Michael walked off and he saw a large poster on the way home with Kiaba on it

"Oh my god, that's right, Battle City is coming up soon and this time it's going to be broadcast on Television. Kiaba must have made a pretty penny on that deal"

Michael ran off

The next few days Michael and the others were preparing themselves, mentally and physically and constantly reconfiguring their decks. Tea even joined in the Battle City Tournament and the others encouraged it, her strongest monster was the Dark Magician Girl. She was with Michael in the centre of town

"I hope I can do well with these cards Michael"

"You'll be fine. I'll be with you, every step of the way"

Michael kissed her on the side of the head and she smiled

"But Michael, you know better than I do, what kind of competition is out there"

"I know but then again there are beginners like you out there as well. And you have seen myself and the others duel plenty of times to have picked up on strategies. I have trained you well and you will get to the finals"

"Ok let's not jump the gun Mike. I'm only in this to have fun"

Michael was about to speak but he remembered Yugi's words

"Fair enough. I know this is normally my queue to jabber on about how you should always try to win but I'm not going to. You follow your heart"

Michael stood up and Tea walked with him

The next day The Battle City Tournament began. Michael had just got his duel disk and Tea was walking with him

"Ok Tea, time to find you a duel"

"Well I think people are feeling intimidated with you walking beside me"

"Hey I said I would support you and I aim to make good on that promise. Besides people should know the type of people I'm looking for"

He saw a young girl walk past him

"Hey you"

"Yes?"

"Want to duel…"

"No way Mr Kernaghan I'd be creamed"

She ran off

"Oh great, I guess you were…"

"Tea Gardner, wearing a duel disk?"

A voice laughed. Michael turned

"Julie Knight"

She smiled

"Well this I have to see. Up for it?"

Tea smiled

"You bet"

She readied her disk as did Julie

"Ok rookies go first"

Tea drew

"I'll summon the Harpies Brother in attack mode and one card face down"

"Umm, she talks like a duellist and thinks like a duellist. Let's see if you play like a duellist"

Michael rolled his eyes

"Just shut up and make your move"

Julie drew

"Touchy Mike. I'll place a monster card face down defence mode. I'll activate Solemn Wishes. So each turn I gain 500 life points for each card I draw. I'll also place two cards face down"

Tea smiled

"Should be a peace of cake to take down, Harpies Brother attack her face down card!"

"Tea no!"

Her monster attacked the card but nothing happened. Tea lost 200 life points and the Forgiving Maiden appeared on the field

"What?"

"Tea, face down monster cards are normally effect monsters or monsters with high defence points"

Tea nodded and Julie drew

"I'll now summon the Shining Angel in attack mode and I gain my 500 life points. Then I'll activate my field card, Luminous Spark!"

A blast of light was giving off and the field had brightened up

"My monster now becomes stronger than you monster by 100 points. But your face down card doesn't look friendly so I'll hold back"

Her life points rose to 4500 and Tea was on 3800. Tea drew and she smiled

"I'll sacrifice my monster to summon a monster card face down in defence mode and one card face down"

Julie smiled

"Come on Tea, high defence point's monster. You shouldn't make it so obvious"

Julie drew a card and he life points rose to 5000

"I'll now sacrifice my Shining Angel to summon Marie the Fallen one"

Michael looked at Julie and then at Tea

"Tea, she is going to summon St Joan, get rid of one of those monsters"

Tea nodded and she drew and she smiled

"First I'll place my Millennium Shield into attack mode"

"The Millennium Shield? Where did she get a card like that?"

Michael was even more stunned

"Tea what are you doing!"

"I'll place three more cards face down and I'll summon the Beautiful Head huntress in attack mode"

Michael thought to himself

`She has officially, gone nuts'

Julie laughed and she drew, her life points increasing to 5500

"You have lost it. Attack, Marie the Fallen one!"

Julie monster was ready to attack but Tea pulled up three face down cards

"Block attack!"

Julie's monster was blocked and placed into defence mode

"Then I play Curse of Fiend to switch the position of all monsters on the field and finally the Ring of Magnetism to equip to my Millennium shield"

"What a move"

"And my turn isn't over. I will sacrifice my Head huntress to summon Gyakutenno Megami in attack mode and because of your Luminous Spark its power increases by 500 attack points"

Tea smiled

"And ever better is that your Forgiving Maiden is in attack mode. Attack, Gyakutenno Megami!"

Tea's monster wiped out Julie's monster and her life points dropped to 4000

"I'm still ahead of you Tea and this match is just getting started."

She drew her card and he life points rose to 4500. Michael looked at Tea

"You must take that damn card"

"Thanks for the newsflash. Don't forget my Ring of Magnetism is in play"

Julie smiled

"Well if you insist of playing an annoying card like that I'll play one myself. The Dark Door"

Michael slapped his forehead

"Terrific! Only one monster can attack in one turn"

Tea looked at him and she drew her card

"Finally. Remove Trap to destroy the Solemn Wishes card"

Julie's card vanished

"Finally and now I'll summon Maha Vailo in attack mode!"

"I have that monster as well"

"This monster will be made very strong. I'll equip Maha Vailo with the Silver Bow and Arrow raising his attack power to 1850, its effect increases its attack power to 2350 and finally your field card will further increase it's to 2850. Your card has backfired on you. Maha Vailo, attack now!"

Julie smiled as her monster Marie the Fallen one was destroyed. Michael smiled

"Now she can't summon St Joan"

Julie smiled

"I'll place a monster card face down and a card face down as well"

Tea looked at Michael

"I'll now summon Goddess of Whim in attack mode and I'll attack your monster!"

Tea's Maha Vailo was about to attack but her monster was blocked

"Block attack. Nice try. Now I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your Bow and Arrow negating your effect as well as your equip. Then De-spell to get rid of that Ring of Magnetism. Then I'll play Monster Reborn to revive my Marie the Fallen one. I'll flip the Magician of Faith to bring back my Monster Reborn to summon The Forgiving Maiden"

"You are screwed Tea"

"Don't say that!"

"Well its True Tea. Polymerization, form St Joan! And even better is that my field card works for me again"

She smiled

"Attack her Goddess of Whim!"

"No!"

St Joan slashed down Tea's monster and her life points shot down to 1450. Julie laughed as Tea fell to a knee

"Tea come on, get up you can still win. You have one monster that can wipe her out"

Tea nodded and she closed her eyes

"Heart of the cards"

She drew her card and she laughed

"It's over Julie. I now summon Jowgen the Spiritualist in attack mode!"

"Uh no. St Joan was special summoned!"

"And I'll discard one card from my hand and destroy your monster!"

Julie's monster was destroyed and Tea smiled

"I'll equip Maha Vailo again with the Sword of the Deep Seated, increasing his attack power to 2550!

"But my Dark Door is still in play"

"Easily dealt with. Special Occasion"

"No!"

"It negates all magic cards for one turn. Attack all my monsters now!"

All Tea's monsters attacked Julie's life points and her life points shot down to 0. Michael jumped up

"Yeah Tea!"

Michael hugged her and Tea kissed him

"You did it!"

Julie smiled

"I guess I was wrong Tea. You did great"

Julie gave Tea her locator card

"Good luck Tea"

Julie walked off

Darren was walking around town looking for Balfour. He saw Bandit Keith across the square

"There's a man I want to talk to. Bug guy"

Bandit Keith was sitting by the water fountain. Darren walked to behind him

"The Metal head"

Keith smiled recognising the voice

"Darren Coey, fire ass"

"Get up and duel me!"

"I always wanted this match"

Both players readied their decks and the scanners read 4000. They drew five cards and the game was on

"I'll go first dragon breath. Guardian of the throne room in attack mode and two cards face down"

Darren drew his first card

`Not great but it will do for now'

"Dragon Piper, defence mode and two cards face down as well"

Keith drew his card and he smiled

"I'll play Cannon Soldier in defence mode and I'll switch my Guardian of the throne room into Defence mode as well"

Darren drew

"On the run already?"

"Yeah sure, whatever"

"I'll sacrifice my monster to summon Mr Volcano in attack mode. Attack his Cannon Soldier!"

Keith laughed

"You have activated my trap card, Reflection!"

Darren's monsters attack as stopped and it bounced back at Darren's monster

"Negate attack!"

A small shield blocked the attack

"And now I will summon Dharma Cannon in defence mode then I play Curse of Fiend"

"Oh no, Mr Volcano has low defence points"

All of Keith's monsters were placed into attack mode and Darren's monster was placed into attack mode

"And now Cannon Soldier take out his Mr Volcano!"

Keith's monster launched its attack at Darren's monster easily destroying it

"Guardian of the throne room and Dharma Cannon, attack his life points directly!"

Darren was struck down by both of Keith's monsters taking his life points down to 1450. Keith laughed but Darren chuckled as well

"Watch and learn Keith. Shallow Grave"

Darren's Mr Volcano appeared on the field

"Look familiar?"

"I should be allowed to revive a monster as well"

"You haven't got any monsters in your graveyard. And then I'll remove my Dragon Piper from play to summon the Spirit of Flames. Then I will sacrifice them both to summon my ultimate beast, behold the Tyrant Dragon!"

Darren's dragon roared as it appeared on the field and Darren laughed

"Tyrant Dragon, take out his Dharma Cannon!"

The dragon breathed a blast fire and it easily wiped out Keith's monster and his life points dropped to 2000

"And as you know this monster can't be targeted by trap cards and I just remembered I can attack again! Tyrant Dragon, attack the Cannon Soldier!"

Darren's monster fired its blast of fire and it burned the Cannon Soldier into nothing and Keith's life points hit 500. Darren laughed but Keith wasn't flinching. He drew

"I will play Gravity Bind"

Darren was angry

"Damn it"

"So now your high powered monsters can't attack me. I'll summon Jinzo #7 in attack mode and Equip him with the Black Pendent to increase his attack power to 1000. Attack his life points directly Jinzo#7!"

Darren was head straight on by his monsters attack and his life points dropped to 450. Keith laughed

"Seems almost square"

Darren drew his card and he laughed

"This ends now. Mystical Space Typhoon

"Ah no!"

Keith's trap card was destroyed as Keith looked up at Darren's huge Dragon

"Tyrant Dragon, attack his Jinzo#7!"

Darren's monster wiped out Keith's monster and his life points dropped to 0 but Darren's dropped to 0 as well

"What the?"

"It's the effect of my Equip card. Once its destroyed my opponent loses 500 life points so it's a tie"

Luckily an official was watching the match

"Ok duellists your life points hit 0 at the same time so this match will resume with each player gaining 500 life points and the monsters will remain on the field"

Darren smiled as he looked at his Dragon standing over him

"Begin!"

Both players' life points rose to 500. Keith drew his card

"I'll play Monster Reborn to revive my Cannon soldier then I'll sacrifice them both to summon the Launcher Spider in attack mode. And I will play 7 Completed"

"No, a stalemate"

"Exactly"

Keith's monster's attack points rose to 2900

"Even Steven, you want to attack or shall I. I'll place two cards face down as well"

Darren drew his card and he laughed

"Perfect. Emperor's Holiday"

"Damn a trap card. That I wasn't ready for"

Keith's equip card vanished

"Tyrant Dragon, finish this duel again!"

Darren's monster launched its attack and again Keith's monster was destroyed but a metal chamber appeared on the field

"What the"

"Its my Time Machine trap card. I can revive a monster lost in my last turn and it comes back exactly the way it was, with my 7 completed equip on it"

"Oh no!"

"And once again it's a stalemate"

Darren drew his card and he laughed

"Not anymore. I summon Little Chimera in defence mode!"

"What?"

A small cat like creature appeared on the field and Keith laughed

"Here Kitty, kitty. What good does that do?"

"I'll show you. Tyrant Dragon, destroy his Launcher Spider!"

Darren's Monster easily wiped out Keith's monster and his life points dropped to 0

"What! But how!"

Darren smiled

"As you can see Little Chimera on the field. Its special ability means it can increase the attack of a fire monster by 500 points making it strong enough to take out you Launcher spider and your life points. I win"