//------------------------------// // Chapter 28 - Catch an Apple (part 02) // Story: Po-Ni-Oh!: Rise of the Heroes // by flawlessvictory20 //------------------------------// “This is the end for you Applejack!” bellowed Bolt. “Not quite sugarcube. Ah activate mah trap card ‘Bottomless Trap Hole’,” she spoke as she motioned to one of her facedown cards. Bottomless Trap Hole ATT: TRAP Type: Trap Card Card Text: When your opponent summons a monster(s) with 1500 or more ATK: Destroy that monster(s) with 1500 or more ATK, and if you do, banish it. “And thanks to this card yer monster destroyed and removed from play,” she explained. A large hole appeared underneath the mechanized warrior and he was sucked into it. As it fell deep into the abyss its body faded away. “Damn it, alright there’s always my backup! I play my facedown card ’Call of the Haunted’ to bring back Sparano!” As the card revealed itself, Soprano emerged from within it onto the field. “And now I use her special effect, which is whenever she’s Special Summoned I bring Cannon back to my hand. Plus, since I control a ’Melodious’ monster, I can Special Summon her to the field as well! Return to me, Canon!” Canon returned to the field in a battle stance. “Err, Ah thought Ah was rid of that one,” huffed Applejack. “You thought wrong, Element! The music can’t go one without the Maestra! I sacrifice my two monsters to bring out Monzarta the Melodious Maestra! Monzarta the Melodious Maestra ATT: LIGHT Level: 8 stars Type: Fairy/Effect Card Text: Once per turn: you can Special Summon1 LIGHT Fairy-type monster from your hand. You cannot Special Summon other monsters the turn you activate this effect, except for LIGHT monster. ATK/DEF: 2600/2000 A grand cord played as a spotlight focused on the center of the field. A melodic tune filled the area as a large female humanoid fairy descended from the heaven. Her short curled hair billowed gently in the wind as her wings flapped. Her flowing red dress complete with pink frills and golden yellow accents made her a sight to behold. “And what does she do?” “Once per turn, I can special summon a LIGHT monster from my hand. And I just happen to have one! I summon, Shopina, the Melodious Maestra. Shopina, the Melodious Maestra ATT: LIGHT Level: 7 stars Type: Fairy/Effect Card Text: Once per turn: you can target 1 LIGHT Fairy-type monster in your Graveyard; add it to your hand. You cannot activate non-LIGHT monster effects during the turn you activate this effect. ATK/DEF: 2300/1700 A harmonious piano rift flooded the field as a heavenly maiden appeared on the field. This elegant maiden played her ethereal keys as her purple dress accented with various frill blew to a non-existent wing. She looked at Applejack with a faint smile. “And now with her effect, I can add any Light fairy monster to my hand and I'll add soprano and end my turn,” he concluded. “Mah go!” she stated as she drew her card. “Ah set one card facedown in defense mode and switch sage into defense mode. Ah’ll end by playing one card facedown.” Bolt drew his card and analyzed the field. ‘I know if I attack that Sage, she’ll be protected from the first attack because of her pendant,’ Bolt heard Sombra deduce. ‘Better take out that unknown card first.’ Bolt proceeded with his turn. “Now, Monzarta! Attack her your face down monster! Symphonic Strike!” The red-clad maiden moved the wand to mimic a musical progression. With a flick of the wrist, a musical shockwave is sent to toward the facedown monster. Applejack looked to Bolt with a cocky grin. “What’re you smirking about?” asked Bolt. “Y’all attack mah Amazoness Vanguard,” Applejack stated. Amazoness Vanguard ATT: EARTH Level: 4 stars Type: Warrior/Effect Card Text: If this card is attacked while facedown, flip face-up in Defense Position and destroy the attacking monster (negate any effects). As long as this card is on the field (regardless of position), your opponent cannot declare any other monsters on your side of the field as targets. ATK/DEF: 0000/3000 A slender female humanoid warrior appeared wielding a large tribal shield. Her long hair tied back in a ponytail draped down her curvaceous, yet tone frame. Her tribal clothes mimicked those of her warrior kin. As she looked from behind the shield, her piercing gaze showed an unbridled determination to protect. “And thanks to her effect, when she’s attacked while facedown yer monster is destroyed. “What?!” As the attack impacted the shield, the shockwave repelled back to Monzarta. The force of the shockwave instantly destroyed her. “Grr, fine. But Shopina’s ability activates, which lets me add Monzarta to my hand. With that, I end my turn.” “Ah’m sorry, sugarcube. But Ah can’t lose here,” she apologized as she drew her card. “First, Ah play ‘Reinforcement of the Army’!” Reinforcement of the Army ATT: SPELL Type: Spell Card Card Text: Add 1 Level 4 or lower Warrior-Type monster from your Deck to your hand. “With this, Ah’ll bring ‘Amazoness Swordswoman’ from my deck mah hand.” Bolt grinned to himself. ‘I don’t know what she’s planning, but it won’t matter,’ he chuckled as he looked at his trump card. ‘Since I have ‘Honest’ in my hand, I can increase my monster’s ATK to counter whatever she’s got. ’ “Next, Ah play ‘Pot of Greed’, which lets me draw two more cards,” she stated while she drew two additional cards. “Now, Ah play the spell card ‘Double Summon’.” Double Summon ATT: SPELL Type: Spell Card Card Text: You can conduct 2 Normal Summons/Sets this turn, not just 1. “And thanks to this Ah can summon two monsters this turn,” she declared. ‘What’s she planning to do with an additional summons,’ Sombra and Bolt thought. “First, I summon Amazoness Swordswoman in Attack Mode!” Amazoness Swords Woman ATT: EARTH Level: 4 stars Type: Warrior/Effect Card Effect: Your opponent takes all Battle Damage that you would have taken from a battle involving this card. ATK/DEF: 1500/1600 A tall, slender humanoid female warrior appeared. She had long, wavy maroon hair, light tan skin, and piercing light green eyes. She wore a dark purple headdress, a purple strapless top with dark orange spikes, bronze wristbands, a purple loincloth with dark orange spikes, and tribal leg guards. She wielded a large sword with a purple hilt. “Next, Ah build the overlay network to overlay mah level 4 Amazoness Swordswoman and mah level 4 Amazoness Sage. At that moment a dark portal opened up above them and the two warriors flew toward into it. “Ah XYZ summon ‘Amazoness Overseer’!” Amazoness Overseer ATT: EARTH Rank: 4 stars Type: Warrior/Xyz/Effect Material Monsters: 2 Level 4 'Amazoness' monsters Card Text: Once per turn: You can detach 2 Xyz Materials from this card to Special Summon 2 level 4 or lower 'Amazoness' monsters from your Deck or Graveyard. ATK/DEF: 2300/1500 As jungle filled the air, a tall female humanoid warrior walked onto the field. She carried a confident visage which stemmed from her stoic silver eyes. As she took her place in shoulder-length hair draped flawlessly down the sides of her face. Her decorative tribal armor showed signs of many a battle but ultimately showed that she came out the winner in each one. Bolt looked to see two golden orbs that encircled the season maiden. “So what! It’s only 2300. My monster can beat that!” huffed Bolt. “Ah’m not done. Ah remove two overlay units to activate her effect. Ah can now Special Summon ‘Amazoness Fighter’ and another ‘Amazoness Vanguard’ to the field.” The two female warriors appeared on the field. “Next, Ah sacrifice one of mah Sages ta summon the leader of the Amazoness tribe, ‘Amazoness Queen’!” Amazoness Queen ATT: EARTH Level: 6 stars Type: Warrior / Effect Card Text: “Amazoness” monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle. ATK/DEF: 2400/1800 The other warriors on the field bowed as a tall, yet somewhat slender humanoid female warrior walked onto the field. Her tribal attire showed off her feminine feature but still imposed an intimidating aura. Though one eye was covered the other displayed an imposing piercing glare. “Amazoness Queen! This isn’t good...” groaned Bolt. “And with her on the field, mah ‘Amazoness’ monsters can’t be destroyed by battle,” explained Applejack. With a growl, Bolt looked at the trump card in hand. ‘I-I can still win right here. All she has to do it attack…’ “Ah’m not done. Ah equip mah ‘Fighter’ with the spell card ‘Fighting Spirit’.” Fighting Spirit ATT: SPELL Type: Equipment Spell Card Card Text: The equipped monster gains 300 ATK for each monster your opponent controls. If it would be destroyed by battle, you can destroy this card instead. Bolt kept his focus on the trump card in his hand before he returned it to the field. “And thanks to this card mah Fighter's ATK is increased to 1800,” Applejack. Fighter’s ATK is increased to 1800. “From mah hand, ah activate ‘Amazoness Spellcaster’.” Amazoness Spellcaster ATT: SPELL Type: Spell Card Card Text: Target 1 "Amazoness" monster you control and 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; switch the original ATK of those targets until the end of this turn. “Now, with this card’s effect Ah select one monster on my side of the field and a monster from your side. The two monsters then swap their original ATK. And Ah choose mah ‘Vanguard’ and yer ‘Shopina’,” Applejack declared. Bolt let out a nervous huff as Vanguard ATK is changed 2300 and Shopina ATK was switched 0. “So, you’re gambling it all with one turn?” he spoke. “You bet Ah am!” she replied. “Now Fighter, attack her Shopina!” ordered Applejack. With cracked knuckles, the brawling beauty charged the opposing Shopina. “Not so fast! I activate the effect of “Honest” from my hand! By send it from my hand to the Graveyard, my monster gains ATK based on your monster!” “So now both monsters are at 1800, but thanks to mah Queen’s only yours is gonna be destroyed.” As the two monsters clashed shockwave expelled that destroyed Shophina. “I...lose…” sighed Bolt. “Ah’m sorry, sugarcube. Queen…Overseer attack him directly.” The two stoic maiden warriors charged for the defenseless colt. Bolt closed his eyes and accepted his fate as he was struck by both monsters. He fell to his knees as his Life Points dropped to zero. “Looks like…you lose this time…Sombra,” Bolt lightly chuckled. “That may be…but I’ll be taking your soul into the Abyss!” he barked. Bolt felt his body be engulfed in a dark aura that swirled around him. Before it completely consumed him, Bolt threw his mom's deck to Applejack. “Please, Applejack…protect my treasure…” he pleaded as the aura overtook his body and claimed his soul. As the aura dispelled, Bolt fell to the ground motionless. Applejack ran to him and lifted him in her arm. To her horror, she saw the vacant stare on his face. With another soul claimed by the Abyss, the dark field faded away. Once the field returned to normal, Applejack saw the cloaked Sombra clone at end of the alleyway. “You’ve won this time element, but we’ll meet again soon. Count on it!” Sombra darkly chuckled as he teleported away. “No…” Applejack grimaced as she held both the fallen colt and his treasured deck. “Ah promise ta keep this deck safe Bolt. And Ah swear Ah’ll get you back for the Abyss. Ah promised!”