//------------------------------// // Duel 5: Alone Together // Story: Yu-Gi-Oh! Friendship is Dueling 7: The Malefic Menace // by Bahamut0 //------------------------------// Starlight was mad. She'd tried to obtain Burst and Inferno's legendary dragon power, but it had all blown up in her face! Each time ended in a colossal failure! 'Power. I need more power!', her mind fumed as she walked to her locker. Once she opened it up, she spied the mask she had donned. 'Maybe this requires further integration....' Starlight was about to reach out for the mask when she remembered something. 'Wait....Shadow's taking me to that card shop today. Maybe I can find something there that can boost my monsters...' Starlight grabbed her backpack, and headed to the duel park to meet Shadow. "Hi Shadow!" "Hey Star! Thought I'd take you to the card shop I mentioned a few days back. You ready to go?" "Uh-huh! I guess you could say even after I've altered my deck, I've still got a long way to go. Pretty aggravating, right?" "Yeah. Took me forever to get my dragon deck just right. Well, let's get going.." Shadow pulled out Dragluon and summoned him! Starlight's jaw dropped! "What? You can't summon monsters you have a bond with?" "I don't know. I've never tried...." Starlight pulled out one of her Malefic cards, and tried to summon it. But as it tried to materialize, it faded away. "Okay. Maybe this one..." Starlight pulled out Cyber End Dragon, and tried to summon it. But it refused to hear her call! Starlight fumed at her failure to bring out her monsters! "Agh! Why can't I summon them?!" "Maybe this isn't the right deck for you?", Shadow asked. Starlight glared at him, and Shadow nearly stumbled off of Dragluon. "Okay...just forget I said anything." Starlight let out a sigh. "Sorry. I just REALLY want my deck to be good! But every time I use it, even with the modifications I've made, I still lose!" "Well....that's the whole reason we're heading to the card shop today. Maybe it can help you." "I guess." Starlight then got on Dragluon with Shadow. But as she boarded, Dragluon gave her a suspicious stare. "What? Is there something on my face?" "No. Nothing.", Dragluon replied as he took off. 'Although...the presence in your deck would suggest otherwise....' Dragluon soon landed at Discord's card shop and waited outside while Shadow and Starlight headed inside. 'Shadow ought to be careful around her...' "Hi Discord!", Shadow greeted. "Ah! Shadow! I was wondering when you'd stop by." Discord then noticed Starlight. "So who's your girl friend?" Starlight and Shadow blushed. "We're not an item!" both of them protested! Discord let out a chuckle. "Just messing with you. So what brings you in today?" "Starlight here is looking to improve her deck. Think you can help her out with that?" "Of course! But I'll need to take a look at her cards." Starlight was hesitant, but handed over her deck. Discord looked over each of her cards with a contemplative expression on his face. "Hmmmm. Your monsters seem to depend upon this field spell." "They do.", Starlight replied. "In fact, it's the only way they can take the field." "Then it looks like you're going to need field spell searching and protection cards. Fortunately, I have just the cards for that! But I find it odd that these 'Malefic' versions of iconic monsters you have are stripped of their counterparts' effects. They're easier to summon, but they lose their best effects." Starlight frowned at Discord's observation. "But it's not my place to question a duelist's deck choice." "Thank you. Any other cards you can recommend?" "Well, you've got a lot of DARK attribute monsters, so I can Allure of Darkness for extra draw power, and Trade-In because of the decent amount of level eight monsters you have. Also because you have a lot of DARK monsters with more than 1500 attack, you could also use Deck Devastation Virus and Eradicator Epidemic Virus. These cards can REALLY do some damage to your opponent's deck. Also, the Skill Drain card is good for negating the effects of monsters on the field. Would you like to purchase the cards I've recommended?" "I would." "Excellent! I'll fetch the cards right now." Discord left to get Starlight's cards, and soon returned with them. "That'll be twenty-three ten please." Starlight got out her wallet, and handed the money over to Discord. "Pleasure doing business with you! Have a nice day!" Shadow and Starlight then left the shop. "So do you think your friends are buying that we're dating?", Starlight asked with a smile. "I'd say so. Though out of all of them, I was the only one left single. You really picked-up my mood on Valentine's Day, and I never got to say thank you." "Well, I never got to thank you for taking me to a card shop that actually gives you advice." "Then how about we make it even? I'll buy your sweet at Sugar Cube Corner, and you buy me mine. Sound good?" "I can't think of anything better. Why not?" The two headed to Sugar Cube Corner, and paid for each other's treats. "Sure is a nice day." "Yeah. A good day to be alone together.", Shadow said with a smile. "Careful. You almost got me thinking we're dating.", Starlight said with a giggle. The two let out a small laugh. "True. Bit it is nice being with you Starlight." "You too Shadow.", Starlight said with a small smile. "You're the first friend I've made here." "Glad I could make your life less lonely." The two then left Sugar Cube Corner and went their separate ways. "Hey Shadow?" "Yeah-?" Shadow was surprised as Starlight gave him a tight hug. "Thanks for a good Saturday." "...No problem.", Shadow said with a slight blush. "See you around!" Shadow headed home. His thoughts a blur. 'She's cute AND she just gave me a long hug? Okay Shadow. Calm down. You don't have to ask her out. At least, not yet...' Shadow had a fond smile as he headed home. Contemplating a possible relationship. That is, IF Starlight was interested.