//------------------------------// // Episode 28: Trouble in the Old West // Story: Yu-Gi-Oh E-QUEST // by DakariKingMykan //------------------------------// EPISODE TWENTY-EIGHT Applejack had been riding her horse clear across the plains and coming up on what looked like an old western town. “Reckon I might find me a challenge there.” She galloped over, and finally dismounted. Place seemed rather plain like in all Western Sets you’d expect to see-- Bank, Saloon, Inns, Stables, cookhouse, and even a church with a big bell tower. There were all kinds of folks in town, all dressed up like cowhands, country ladies, and there were more horses and cows in corals and tied up in sidings. The people all just walked past Applejack, not even looking at her or stopping to say “Howdy.” Applejack wondered, and waved her arm, passing it right through a cowhand standing next to her. Not surprisingly, her hand passed right through him like an optical, or rather, virtual illusion. Applejack found this all strange. If her horse felt real and she rode it all the way here, why was everything else virtual? She decided not to bother worrying and thought it best to go looking for a point card, and maybe she’d run into an opponent. The town, though small, was still big to Applejack, and hard to see anything with all the folks around. She thought she’d start in the saloon, and just walked right in gently. There were men playing cards, ladies serving them drinks, a man at the piano playing regular cowboy music, and a bartender at the pub. Applejack looked around the pub, and by the bar stools. Then she spotted a point card, right at the end of the counter, and was about to go for it, when suddenly, something had just missed her, and shattered a bottle on the counter, which made all the virtual people look up in shock. …It was a shuriken. Applejack turned to face the front of the saloon and saw someone standing there holding another shuriken, and a katana sheathed on his waist. The virtual patrons actually began to cower as if they could see and hear what was happening-- like they were programmed to. This guy, however, wasn’t revealed to be a cowboy, but more like a Japanese boy wearing a samurai kimono. “You touch that card, and I shall shoot you next.” he humbly called to her. Applejack lowered the tip of her hat down, and glared at him. “…Go ahead, make my day.” The two stood at opposite ends, as if they were ready to draw. The samurai stepped forth, “I am Yosei, Samurai in training. Of all the places to wind up in a virtual realm, I end up in a western town. Why could I not be in the mountains, or a riverbank?” Applejack didn’t know to feel confused or offended by his complaining. “There’s nothing wrong with this place. In fact I almost wish it were real.” Yosei scoffed, “Being an obvious country girl, I would not expect you to understand.” Now Applejack was getting mad. “Seems to me that you’re a bit uncultured or misunderstanding.” “Whatever you may think of me, let us just duel, and get it over with.” Applejack agreed, and moved in closer to him, making the duel barrier appear, and all the virtual patrons seemed to vanish leaving only the tables and chairs behind. Rather than shout off to begin the match, the duelists simply prepared their disks, and Applejack called, “…Draw!” The two drew their cards. Applejack LP: 8000 Yosei LP: 8000 “Ladies first…” Yosei insisted “You will see I am not so uncultured.” “Much obliged,” said Applejack. “I summon BUJINGI FOX in defense-mode!” (Def: 2100) “Then I end my turn with a face-down. So, you’re up, Ninja Boy.” Yosei felt insulted, “I am Samurai, not a ninja!” He drew his card anyway. “I call forth the SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI BIG WARAJI.” (Atk: 800) “Hey, that’s a Level 5 monster!” cried Applejack “How were able to bring that thing out on your first turn?” Yosei snickered, “It is because of my monster’s special ability. If there are no spell or trap cards in my graveyard, I am able to special summon this mighty warrior from my hand… even though it is actually Machine-Type.” However, my creature has another special ability, one that permits me to tribute it and now I am able to summon a far stronger monster.” His monster vanished, and Yosei drew out his Katana and wailed like a strong warrior in battle while wielding it, “I call forth SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI BIG BENKEI!” (Atk: 1000) The huge samurai loomed over Applejack and growled most fiercely, and then it instantly went into defense-mode. (Atk: 3500) “When my monster is summoned, it able to switch its battle position.” said Yosei “… And now I shall enhance him with another card… …SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI SOULPIERCER!” “What? You’re equipping a monster onto a monster?” asked Applejack. “Yes, I am. For you see, this card allows to inflict damage on you even if attacks a defending monster!” Applejack was most confused, “Uh, that’s fine and all, but your monster’s in defense-mode, not attack-mode.” Yosei snickered, “I am quite aware of that, but you seem to be unaware of my samurai’s special ability; one that allows him attack even though it is defending me.” Applejack’s eyes bugled, “What did you say? It can attack even in defense-mode?” Yosei nodded, and then called to his monster, “Attack now!” (Def/Atk: 3500) VS (Def: 2100) Applejack’s poor little fox didn’t have a chance, and was crushed. Applejack LP: 8000 -----> 6600 “I can’t believe it!” Applejack thought “I never heard of monsters that can attack like this, and now I’ve lost a great deal of my life points too.” Yosei bowed in honor, “The next card I shall play two continuous spells of the same kind, known as, SUPPLY SQUAD! So long as these remains active, once each turn, should my monsters be destroyed, I shall draw one card for each. My turn is complete.” Applejack nodded. “I draw…!” She took her next card, and thought carefully. “I’ve got to stop that big boy from blowing up my points anymore, and I think I know just how to do it.” “Now, I summon a monster face-down in defense-mode.” That was all. She did nothing else. “Go ahead, it’s your move.” Yosei thought deeply, “She seems rather confident, and she just made a move without hesitation. What is she planning?” He drew his next card. “I must not let her intimidate me. A true samurai knows boundless courage and rarely shows fear.” Applejack continued to glare at him. “I will not be taken in by your intimidation. I shall now strike you with my monster! …Attack!” His Samurai leapt up and struck Applejack’s monster, which revealed to be a “Bujingi Crow” Applejack smirked, “Got’cha!” “What?” “First I activate Bujingi Fox’s ability in the graveyard. I just banish it, and discard one “Bujin” monster from my hand to the graveyard, so I take no damage from the attack, And also, when you destroyed my monster I get to use this one, “BUJINGI RAVEN.” I just send it out of my hand, and your monster will instantly be destroyed!” “Ah!” The Raven image emerged from the graveyard as soon as Applejack had discarded it, and it flew towards the Samurai and shattered it to bits. Yosei was most shocked, and hung his head low. Applejack noted this. “Hey, it’s no big deal. You just made one bad move. No need to look all down like a wet weekend.” Yosei hissed very softly, “To have my treasured monsters meet defeat by my lack of judgement is one thing, but to be defeated by a cow-person is another.” Applejack clenched her fists, “Okay, first of all, I’m not that kind of a cow-girl, I’m your average farm girl. And Second: What do you have against folk like me?” Yosei looked up at her and gave her a deathly stare which sent shivers up her spine. “My family’s ancestry has a tragic chapter. We samurai had always lived in peace, no matter where we resided. Be it the mountains, the countryside, or in the newly forming cities. But there were always those who dared to move in on our territory. My great-great grandfather had a farm in the west, which was peaceful and tranquil, until a band of western desperados, fleeing from the law for crimes committed. My grandfather tried to use reason with the intruders, but the cruel western men refused, and demanded to use the farm as a hideout, forcing my grandfather to do battle. He fought valiantly and repelled some of the men, but overestimating the men and their dirty fighting, my grandfather was shot and wounded. Stricken, he was forced to flee with his family, and the men had won and taken their land. They had been captured when the law had arrived, but the ruthless cowhands had laid waste to the farm-- slaughtering the cattle, destroying the crops, and damaging the home and the barn far beyond repair. From that point on, my family no longer trusted anyone of western cultures, or those who resembled them. We had rebuilt our family legacy, living in the mountains, safe from most civilization where we would not be harmed. …But our anger and mistrust stayed the same.” Applejack thought that awful and felt sorry for the guy. Yosei clenched his sword tightly. “I entered this tournament to see if I could really test my honor, and see if the time has come to break tradition and venture forth once more, but I can see that is not possible, for my anger remains steady.” Applejack snapped out of her trance. “You can’t just keep bearing some sort of grudge that happened generations ago, and you sure can’t blame me or folks like me for it. Folks have changed over the years. It’s all good now.” Yosei chuckled softly, “Those are very powerful words. I can almost believe you, but unfortunately emotions are something we have no real control over. We cannot ask them disappear or change simply because we desire it too.” Applejack sighed, and didn’t know what else to say. “Just my luck,” she muttered “Why do I always get stuck with the stubborn ones?” Yosei bid her no mind. “It is still my turn, and because you destroyed my monster, Supply Squad cards let’s me draw a card each. And also, since Soulpiercer was sent to the graveyard, it permits me to add a “Superheavy Samurai” to my hand. …but I shall not keep you in suspense of what it is; since I have no spells or traps in the graveyard, I special summon SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI TRUMPETER!” (Atk: 300) Applejack gasped, “That’s a Tuner monster!” Yosei nodded, “And I am not through, next I shall summon SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI SCALES.” (Atk: 800) “When it is summoned, I am permitted to call forth a “Superheavy Samurai” from my graveyard. …Return to me, “Soulpiercer!” (Atk: 1200) Applejack couldn’t believe he had just summoned three monsters all at once, and she knew what was coming now. Yosei drew out his sword again, and pointed it straight up at the sky. “I now Tune my level 2 Trumpeter, with my two Samurai who are level 4, to summon a monster with honor and great strength!” The three monster changed into light orbs and synched together, forming a huge and massive creature. “I Synchro Summon SUPERHEAVY SMAURAI WARLORD SUSANOWO!” (Def: 3800) “…3800 defense-points!” cried Applejack “I don’t know if that’s impressive or frightening.” Yosei scoffed softly, “Think what you will, but for now I set one card facedown, and my turn is complete.” He sheathed his sword and stood tall and still. “My draw!” cried Applejack, but she was deathly concerned now. “This guy sure is good. He keeps summoning monsters with high defense-power, and this big bad-boy is even stronger than the last one, and I just know it can attack me even while in defense, just like the rest. The only chance I have is to get my own front liners up here, but I need to get loads of monsters on the field first. And I think I know just how.” “All right now,” she hollered “I play the spell BUJINCARNATION! Since you got a monster, and I don’t have any, I get to summon one Banished “Bujin” and one in my graveyard. I choose to summon my Fox, and my Raven.” (Atk: 200) (Atk: 1600) “Now I overlay these two level 4 critters, so I can build the Overlay Network!” The portal appeared and the two monsters vanished right into it, much to Yosei’s concern. Applejack then called out as her monster appeared, “I Xyz Summon BUJINTEI SUSANOWO!” (Atk: 2400) Yosei gripped his sword tightly. “Interesting… you also have a creature named “Susanowo.” Applejack nodded at him, “Maybe Westerns and Samurai are closer to each other than you think.” Yosei still didn’t budge with the thought. “Regardless of what you might say, you monster is no match for that of my own.” “That’s what you think.” said Applejack “Now I use one overlay unit to activate Susanowo’s special ability. It lets me add BUJINGI CRANE from my deck to my hand… and just in time too, because now I send it to the graveyard which doubles the attack of Susanowo!” “What?!” (Atk: 2400) -----> (Atk: 4800) “Now it is even stronger than my Samurai!” Applejack tipped her hat, and ordered her monster to attack. “And what’s more…” she called to Yosei “Now I send BUJINGI IBIS from my hand to the graveyard, so even though your monster’s in defense-mode, you’re still taking damage… just like you did to me.” Yosei cried out, and braved himself as the attack struck! (Atk: 4800) VS (Def: 3800) Yosei LP: 8000 -----> 7000 Yosei seemed despondent again at the loss of his monster, only then to angrily declare, “You will disgrace me and my monsters no more, western girl! I discard SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI SOULDBEADS, which allows me to restore the monster you had just vanquished to the field!” “Ah!” Surely enough, the samurai had reappeared. (Atk: 2400) “I can’t believe this!” groaned Applejack. “Believe it!” snapped Yosei “And do not forget, Supply Squad cards now lets me draw a card each. A samurai never gives in unless he truly must, and I refuse to give in. My grandfather may have given in when he was wounded and left his land, but I refuse to repeat that mistake.” Applejack sighed at his pride, “There you go again; refusing to let go of your grudge.” She said nothing else, knowing he wouldn’t listen, and just ended her turn, and her monster’s attack returned to normal. “Very well,” said Yosei “It is my draw…!” He had only three cards in his hand, but he felt they would serve him well, especially with what he had planned. “Since I still have no spells or traps in my graveyard, I shall special summon SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI TRASPORTER!” (Atk: 1200) “And I shall now invoke his special ability, which allows me to tribute him so that I may summon two “Superheavy Samurai” monsters in my hand to your side of the field!” Applejack blinked once, “What… to my side?” Two spaces on her field began to glow and the two monsters appeared right before her. “I summon SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI BLOWTORCH and the Tuner Monster, SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI DRUM.” (Atk: 500) (Atk: 300) Applejack gazed back and forth at the two monsters on her field. “Why in the hotel-bills would you give me your own monsters?” “Patience!” shouted Yosei, and he waved his sword around hollering and posing, “I am now permitted to draw another two cards from my deck; one for each monster.” Applejack narrowed her eyes as her opponent drew his card. Yosei grinned at what he drew. "And now, I shall summon a Ten-star monster to the field.” “Ten-Star…?!” “Yes… because my graveyard lacks of spells and traps, I am permitted to call out SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI THIEF!” (Atk: 1000) Despite having little attack strength, Applejack gawked at the sight of the huge creature. Yosei then began to look down again. “This monster, though it is a samurai, its name of “Thief” further enforces the sad tale of my ancestry and the loss of their lands.” Applejack didn’t know to feel either sorry for him, or annoyed of his constant complaining, knowing that it wasn’t going to do him any good to remember it every single second. “I keep telling, you, guy… you gotta take a look and realize how different things are now. You can’t change the past, but you can live for the future. That’s what humanity is all about. Think of it like this… One part of humanity has the apples, another part has the crust, and yet another has the oven. Apart, none of them can get pretty far, but only when they come together and learn to appreciate one another and get along well can they make a delicious apple pie that everyone will want to eat.” Yosei looked up at her almost in a daze. Never had he heard such profound wisdom before, from a person like Applejack whom he initially despised. “How is it that you know things like this?” he asked. Applejack smirked and tipped her hat, “Folks like me have our ways of learning and teaching, almost like you samurai folk do.” Yosei felt very deep in thought for a moment, but then he snapped himself back to the duel. “I do not know whether to believe you, but I shall not let you stall me to distract me.” Applejack felt she was really getting to him now. “He said he doesn’t know what to think now.” she thought “There’s hope for him yet, but I just can’t get over why he would give me two of his own monsters.” A sudden thought made her gasp! “Unless…!” Yosei snickered and pointed his sword to his facedown card, “Behold my trap, SYNCRHO MATERIAL! The power of this trap permits me to use monsters that either of us controls to Synchro Summon with!” Applejack whimpered and gawked at the two samurai on her field. Yosei then wielded his sword and made a huge samurai battle-cry. “I Tune my level 1 drum, with my level 1 Blowtorch, and my level 10 Thief! Their combined total equals 12!” Applejack didn’t like the sound of that as the monsters all became orbs of light forming a very large and strong monster. “I Synchro Summon the biggest and most honorable creature of my forces-- SUPERHEAVY SAMURAI STEAM TRAIN KING!” A giant train, with a monstrous and furious face came whooshing along a railway track and stopping right before Applejack and hissing angry steam at her, nearly blowing her hat off. (Def: 4800) “Talk about a steam-head!” Yosei snickered, “Now I shall use POT OF GREED, so I may draw twice more, and I’m afraid it will only become far for you, since my monster shall now use his special power. He held up one spell card and one trap card. “I send these two cards I hold to the graveyard, which enables my creature to destroy two cards on your field.” Applejack winced, and saw the huge machine ready to blast her. “I don’t think so! I play my trap, BUJINGI REGALIA – THE SWORD! It lets me take “Bujingi Crow” out of the graveyard and put it my hand.” Yosei scoffed, “You still cannot stop my monster’s ability.” The destruction spread to Applejack’s field, and destroyed her active trap card. “…But I can save my own monster.” Applejack hollered “I banish BUJINGI HARE from the graveyard.” Yosei growled, and remembered Applejack discarding a card earlier in the duel when she used Fox’s ability to shield her from damage. “…Now my monster can’t be destroyed from your monster’s effect!” Yosei growled and gripped his sword tightly, “A samurai is prepared with many great ideas. I now use my Steam Train’s other ability, which permits me to banish all spells and traps in both of our graveyards.” The images of all five spells and traps appeared, and all five of them shattered just like that. “And for each one that is destroyed, you shall take 200 points of damage.” Applejack growled, “…That’s 1000 points!” Applejack LP: 6600 -----> 5600 The two huge samurai monsters loomed over her with nasty expressions. Both of them were able to attack while in defense-mode, and put her in a tough place. “…Prepare yourself for the taste of defeat.” said Yosei. “Susanowo, attack now!” His monster complied and lunged straight for Applejack’s monster. “Hold on!” shouted Applejack, “From my hand I discard BUJINGI CROW that I just got back.” It stops your monster’s attack and nets you damage equal to half of your monster’s attack power.” Yosei gasped, and since his monster’s defensive-attack was 3800, he took 1900 points of damage. Yosei LP: 7000 -----> 5100 “Very clever!” he growled “But I still have my all powerful Steam Train King, and doubt you will be able to stop this. …Attack!” The mighty train rushed on ahead and unleashed a wave of hot steam at Applejack’s monster. (Def/Atk: 4800) VS (Atk: 2400) Applejack quickly discarded her last card from her hand shouting “I use Bujingi Fox’s ability! I banish it from the graveyard and throw a “Bujin” out of my hand, and I take no damage!” Her monster was destroyed and the shockwaves flew past her. Yosei didn’t seem too upset. If anything, he was impressed. “How very clever of you to avoid my attacks, but I doubt very much that you shall avoid my attacks next turn. Both of my monsters will destroy you for sure, and victory shall be mine!” Applejack clenched her fists, but she was really starting to think it was hopeless. No cards in her hand, no cards on the field. “Talk about a longshot.” she thought “It’s going to take a miracle of miracles to get me out of this pigpen.” She looked over at Yosei, still not willing to give up, and show him that they were more alike as people than he thought, and finally snap him out of his funk. She shut her eyes deeply thinking, “Come on… Don’t let me down…!” …and she drew her card, much to Yosei astonishment. “She is still willing to go forth?” he thought “She has great courage and determination, much like I have.” Applejack looked at her card. “Well, well, I play POT OF GREED, so now I can draw two cards.” She drew again, and got just what she needed at a perfect time. “I play the spell DIMENSION FUSION! First I pay 2000 life points…” Applejack LP: 5600 -----> 3600 “…But in exchange, both of us now summon as many of our banished monsters as possible… if we have any that is.” Yosei growled as he had none, but Applejack was able to open a large portal, bringing forth five monsters all at once! “BUJINGI FOX…” (Atk: 200) “BUJINGI HARE…” (Atk: 1700) Five powerful monsters all glaring the two larger ones down, Yosei said nothing, but he was most concerned. With all those monsters out now, Applejack had a serious advantage! She tipped her hat to him, “Now, let me show you how we do things where I’m from. I overlay these two critters to build the Overlay Network, and I Xyz Summon another BUJENTEI SUSANOWO!” (Def: 1600) “What?” snapped Yosei “Why would you summon it in defense-mode?” Applejack smirked, “Because, you didn’t think you’re the only one that can change a monster’s battle position, huh?” Yosei’s eyes widened. “Now I play CURSE OF FIEND! It forces all monsters on the field to switch from defense to attack-mode!” “Ah!” With that, all the monsters switched modes. (Atk: 2000) (Atk: 2400) x2 “With your monsters defending and their points so high, I wouldn’t be to get at them, but now everything is set for me to finish you off!” Yosei was furious, “Finish me? How? Your monster isn’t all that powerful!” “Not yet it’s not,” replied Applejack “But you remember it’s ability… I use an overlay unit, and I get to add this critter to my hand-- BUJINGI CRANE!” “The Crane!” cried Yosei “Oh, no!” Applejack snickered, “All I do is send this little birdy to the grave, and then my Susanowo’s attack is instantly doubled!” (Atk: 2400) -----> (Atk: 4800) “Forty-eight hundred!” cried Yosei “This can’t be happening!” Applejack tipped her hat at him, “Oh, it be happening, and one last thing I never told you about my Susanowo… …It’s allowed to attack every monster you control!” Yosei dropped his sword in shock, and Applejack called up to her monster, “Go Susanowo, attack that Steam-Train King!” Her monster leapt up high in the air and then came down on the huge train, punching it hard in the face and blowing it out! (Atk: 4800) VS (Atk: 2000) Yoesei LP: 5100 -----> 2300 Yosei roared as he thrust himself forward. “This is not over! My Supply Squad cards now enable me to draw!” He drew his two cards, but then gasped in horror. Neither of the two cards he had drawn would be able to help him. “No! My draws have failed me!” There was nothing he could do to stop Applejack now, and she ordered her monster to attack again, “…Destroy Samurai Susaowo!” (Atk: 4800) VS (Atk: 2400) Yosei could only watch in horror and shock as his last monster was downed before his eyes. Yoesei LP: 2300 -----> 0 “…I can’t believe it.” He said ever so softly, and he collapsed to his knees, “I have failed!” The duel field disappeared, and just like that, the saloon when back to normal with all the images of the patrons just minding their own business. Applejack looked at her duel meter. Now she had 35%, but not nearly enough to make the finals, unless that point card at the bar was worth a lot, but she didn’t seem to care as she seemed too focussed on the samurai beating himself up for this. “I have disgraced myself! I have disgraced my ancestry!” I was defeated by a western girl.” Applejack knew this had to stop, and she could think of only one way. She just hoped she wouldn’t regret it. She scooped up the point-card in her hat rather than grabbing it with her hand so the program would not recognize she had it, and she dropped it right before Yosei. He looked up at her in surprise. “Go on, take it.” Not like he had a choice. The card had fallen so close to him that his duel disk recognized it and officially revealed itself to him-- “+50” which raised his 30% way up to 80. He gave her a deep stare, one he hardly gave much to anyone. “But… you-- I…” Applejack held her hand out to him, “…Good Game.” Still lost and dazed, Yosei hardly knew what he was about to do, but he softly took her hand and she helped him up, and then she handed him his sword that he had dropped. “…Thank you, but why did you do that?” Applejack chuckled, “Like I’ve been saying, things have changed, and so have people. You can remember the past, but you can’t always dwell on it like it’s happening all over again. Remember, all the folks have different trimmings, but only together can they make that apple pie.” Yosei felt strange inside, but then his mouth curled into a brave smile, which made Applejack grin. “…There we go. I think you’re going to be alright.” Then she left the saloon hoping to find another point-card so she could port out of the virtual world. Yosei watched as she walked through the doors and out into the sunlight. Never would he forget the kindness and honesty he had been shown, and he really felt perhaps she was right, and it really was time to think of changing. Nonetheless, he still needed to win a duel before he could port out.