//------------------------------// // Series 1: Stones of Equus - Arc 1: Another Earth - Chapter 1: Challenger // Story: Yu-Gi-Oh! Equus // by moviemaster8510 //------------------------------// Thursday, May 10, 2012 _________________________________________________________________________________________ The dream was the same every night. A male human around 18 would walk around a desolate city, looking for someone. Anyone. Upon giving up, he felt a massive rumbling in the earth. He then looked up to find a large planet heading straight for Earth. As he observed the planet as it sped closer and closer to Armageddon, he saw what looked like a cozy little town on its surface. When the planet was close enough, he could see the populace for a split second before the planet collided. They were equines of various kinds and colors, huddled with friends and family or running in fear. He could always remember one of them specifically. It was a unicorn mare (at least he thought). She had a purple coat with a darker purple mane. She looked up at the planet they were speeding towards. She was looking at him. Right before the other earth could crush him and end all life on both planets- _________________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________________ He woke up, drenched in sweat. It was only a dream, he thought. Then why did it feel so real? “Alex!” called a voice from downstairs. “Alex Yuwell! Get your lazy butt out of bed or you’ll be late for school!” Alex got out of bed and took a quick shower before going into his room and changing. Alex was a pretty fit young man for his age. He wasn’t “hot” as he would label other people with great pecs and abs, but he looked healthy, and that’s all that mattered to him. He dried his brown hair as best as he could with his towel that was still damp from drying the rest of his body. He slipped on a pair of underwear and black socks and then put on some black pants and a red Ed Hardy t-shirt with his favorite jade ankh necklace. Today was a special day and he wanted to be prepared for it. Alex ran downstairs to meet his best friend, Tom Emmitt’s, mom and Tom sitting at the kitchen counter eating a breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast. Tom’s sister Sarah was also joining them. Tom Emmitt was a smaller person for his age, being the same age as Alex. He had short, curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes. What Tom lacked in size though, he made up in speed and strength. Sarah was about the same height as Tom, but she was a year younger than he was. She, like her brother and mother, had blonde hair, but hers flowed straight down behind her head. For her age, she looked very mature. “So,” said Mrs. Emmitt, “does anyone have something special planned for today?” “Yeah,” answered Tom, “Alex is going to duel the school champion today after class.” “Ooh. Well, I wish you the best of luck Alex.” “Thanks a lot,” said Alex with a smile. After breakfast, Alex ran back upstairs and packed his backpack with books, pencils, notebooks, and his silver colored D-Pad duel disk tablet. He put his wallet and phone in his front pockets. Then, he put his iPod Nano attached on a wrist-band on his right arm. He slipped a black blazer over his shirt and put his headphones and keys in those pockets. Once he was done dressing up. He went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and spike his hair. Lastly, he hooked his D-Pad’s graveyard/wrist dealer and deck box onto his belt. Grabbing his backpack, he walked downstairs to meet Tom and Sarah to walk to school. “Have a good day!” called Mrs. Emmitt. “See ya!” replied Alex. The three teens walked down the sunny suburbs of Naperville, Illinois to get to their school, Naperville North. It was a short walk for them; only twenty minutes. “So,” mocked Tom, “how does it feel to know that you’re going to get creamed by Reese Miller?” “Tom,” scolded Sarah, punching Tom on the arm. “Don’t worry. You’ll do just fine.” Will I? thought Alex. He remembered what happened yesterday in Dueling Club... _________________________________________________________________________________________ ................................................................................................................................................................ _________________________________________________________________________________________ “Okay,” called Rich, the club president, “we are about to cast the vote to see which one of us is going to represent our club in the Chicago World Dueling Championship this Summer.” Rich held a paper voucher for an entry to the CWDC in his hand for the whole class to see. Alex loathed this club sometimes. Many decisions made usually involved voting, in which the most popular, as opposed to the right person for the job, won. This was his senior year of high school and he had one last week before graduation. He’d be damned if he was going to stand by idly this time and let Reese Miller, the most popular and most skilled duelist in the school win a ticket for the CWDC because people merely liked him, not because he truly was the best duelist. “With all due respect,” said Alex standing up, “I believe a duel should settle who gets to represent our club.” Alex seethed a bit as Reese Miller dismissively scoffed in front of him. “True duelists don’t have their entries handed to them on a silver platter. They earn them. If Reese gets to go to that tournament because of a popularity contest, then frankly, he shouldn’t be fit to be called a duelist.” Reese was now irked, just like Alex planned. “Listen buddy,” said Reese, finally facing Alex. “I could beat you to a pulp right now if I wanted to.” “Is that a challenge?” asked Alex, smirking. “What are you suggesting?” “Football field. Tomorrow. After school. Whoever wins gets to go to the tournament and represent our club.” Alex outstretched his hand for a handshake. “Deal?” “You got yourself a duel,” answered Reese, clamping Alex’s hand- _________________________________________________________________________________________ ................................................................................................................................................................ _________________________________________________________________________________________ Alex felt a tug on his backpack as Tom pulled him back before he could walk across the busy street and get hit by a Toyota Camry. “Careful guy,” said Tom. “I know you’re excited, but I don’t think Reese would appreciate it if you got killed before he dueled you. I’m sure he’d want to be the one to do it.” Alex laughed, but it didn’t stop Sarah from scolding him. Alex considered himself a decent duelist and was certain he’d put up a good fight. Can I actually win though? he thought. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Class was class as usual. Chemistry, Calculus, Study Hall, Senior Foods, Lunch, English, and Gym. They all passed by Alex as he was preparing to duel Reese. His challenge had even gotten him a lot attention from his peers, though more negative than positive. During lunch with Tom (Sarah had a different lunch schedule), a male student dropped a piece of paper on Alex’s plate of chicken fingers. Upon opening it, he saw a person hanging by his neck from the gallows, an arrow pointing to the body between the body and the word “you.” “I think your odds are looking up,” said Tom. Alex responded by crumpling the paper lightly and flicking it at Tom’s head, smiling. _________________________________________________________________________________________ At 3:10, the final bell rung. Alex already had his backpack packed up and made a beeline for the school football field. Alex stood on the visitor’s forty yard line, awaiting Reese. Alex wasn’t the first one there however. People were packing in the bleachers, ready to see the show. Alex’s nerves were starting to get on him. He didn’t expect any sort of crowd, yet alone one this big, but he guessed it was to be expected when he was challenging the school’s top duelist. “Hey!” called a familiar voice. Alex turned around to find Tom and Sarah in the bleachers cheering him on. Suddenly more people started cheering. Alex turned around to see Reese with his black D-Pad constructed and placed on his wrist with his deck in the slot on the side of the wrist. Reese was a tall, skinny man. He dressed the same every day: black t-shirt, open black vest, black jeans, and black Converse shoes. His ebony black hair drooped over his left eye on his pale face. The one eye that wasn’t covered had an unnatural red color to it. “You actually showed up,” called Alex. “Congrats.” “And what did you think I was going to do?” “Honestly, I figured you would leave me standing here all day, take the voucher for yourself, and then come back the next day with people making fun of me for 'running away' from the challenge.” Reese smirked. “Some people may be willing to do that to get ahead, but I wouldn’t. As the school’s #1 duelist, I have a reputation to uphold. Plus,” he began to shout, “how could I deny my fans a fantastic duel?” The crowd cheered. “Now, Alex Yuwell, are you ready to duel?” “You know it, Reese!” Alex fastened his graveyard/wrist dealer onto his left wrist. Next, he took his D-Pad tablet from his backpack and attached it to the top of the graveyard slot. Both duelists’ constructed D-Pads unsheathed, the first two zones coming from the left side of the tablets, the next two zones unsheathing out of the left side of the other two zones, and the final zone unsheathing from the right side. The zones folded up, forming a 90° angle with the D-Pad tablet, with the left two zones folding inward. “Duel detected,” called a voice from an intercom. The stadium spot lights began emitting an aura and encased the area in a holographic environment, putting the duelists in the environment needed to play. Reese and Alex drew five cards from their decks with the crowd cheering behind them, as they knew this was the final step before the duel could start. “DUEL!” shouted Alex and Reese. Alex vs. Reese Alex’s Turn: Alex sets one monster. Alex places one card face down and ends his turn. Status: Hand-4 Life-4000 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-1 *************************************************** “Is that it?” asked Reese. “For someone so eager to challenge me, you seem to be playing rather defensively. Perhaps I should break your protective shell.” *************************************************** Reese’s Turn: Reese summons Double Coston (ATK: 1700 DEF: 1650). Next, Reese activates Double Summon, tributing Double Coston to tribute summon Despair from the Dark with Double Coston acting as two tributes with its effect (ATK: 2800 DEF: 3000). Reese attacks Alex’s face down monster with Despair of the Dark, which was a Dragunity Phalanx (ATK: 500 DEF: 1100). Reese places two cards face down and ends his turn. Status: Hand-1 Life-4000 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-2 *************************************************** “Thanks a bundle for that,” said Alex. *************************************************** Alex’s Turn: Alex activates Cards of Consonance, discarding a Dragon-type tuner with 1000 or less ATK from his hand to draw two cards. Next, Alex summons Dragunity Dux (ATK: 1500 DEF: 1000). Alex activates Dragunity Dux’s effect, targeting a level 3 or lower Dragon-type Dragunity monster in his graveyard and equipping it onto Dragunity Dux, choosing Dragunity Phalanx. Alex then activates Dragunity Phalanx’s effect, special summoning itself from the spell/trap card zone when equipped to a monster by an effect. Alex tunes Dragunity Dux with Dragunity Phalanx to synchro summon Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana (ATK: 1900 DEF: 1200). When Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana is synchro summoned, Alex can equip a level 3 or lower Dragon-type Dragunity monster from his graveyard onto it, choosing Dragunity Aklys. Alex activates Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana’s effect, sending a card equipped to it to the graveyard and doubling its ATK (ATK: 1900 -> 3800). When Dragunity Aklys is sent to the graveyard while equipped to a monster, Alex can destroy one card on the field, choosing Reese’s Despair from the Dark. Reese activates A Deal with Dark Ruler, special summoning Berserk Dragon from his deck when a level 8 or higher monster is sent from the field to the graveyard (ATK: 3500 DEF: 0). Alex attacks Berserk Dragon with Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana, but Reese activates Attack Invulnerability, choosing the first effect to prevent a monster’s destruction by battle, choosing Berserk Dragon. Battle damage is still applied. Reese’s Life Points: 4000 -> 3700 During the end phase, Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana’s ATK returns to normal (ATK: 3800 -> 1900). Alex places one card face down and ends his turn. Status: Hand-3 Life-4000 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-2 *************************************************** “You are a skilled duelist, I’ll humbly admit,” said Reese, “but only the most skilled between us is going to that tournament. And I’m making sure it’s going to be me!” *************************************************** Reese’s Turn: Reese activates Cup of Ace. A coin is flipped. It lands up heads, so Reese draws two cards. Reese activates his spell Card of Distrain, targeting one set spell or trap card his opponent controls and preventing its activation until the end phase if his opponent has two or more set spell/trap cards. If Alex activates a set spell/trap card this turn, he’ll take 800 points of damage. Reese attacks Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana with Berserk Dragon. Alex’s Life Points: 4000 -> 2400 During the each of Reese’s end phases, Berserk Dragon’s ATK is reduced by 500 (ATK: 3500 -> 3000). Reese places two cards face down and ends his turn. Status: Hand-0 Life-3700 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-2 *************************************************** The crowd cheered at Reese’s use of his ace monster. They were certainly not expecting much of a fight from Alex anymore. “Your defeat is as good as sealed,” taunted Reese. “Don’t you see how pointless it is to fight me? You can go and wallow with your loser friends while I climb to the top in the CWDC.” Alex began to seethe. “How dare you?” he mumbled. “How dare you?” he finally shouted. “I know your tendency to get cocky when you’re ahead Reese, and that’s fine. You can take it out on me, but you do not, and I repeat, you do not disrespect my friends like that!” Alex felt a fire burning inside of him that he had never felt before in his life. “If it’s blood you want, it’s blood you’re going to get!” Alex put his fingers on his deck. “My turn! Draw!” Suddenly, the card Alex drew began to glow bright white, confusing both himself, Reese, and the onlookers in the crowd. A dome of light enveloped around Alex and Reese from the card Alex drew. The dome then converted to a beam and shot itself into the sky and into space, not to be seen. “Alex!” called Tom. The crowd began to panic. _________________________________________________________________________________________ The light carried Alex and Reese to another planet, as evidenced by their unfamiliar surroundings when the light disappeared. Alex and Reese looked around in shock, especially Alex. The town they had appeared in was the one that he saw from his dreams, except this was all real. The equine inhabitants looked upon Alex and Reese with fright and confusion, slowly backing away. One equine stood out to Alex though. It was a purple unicorn with a darker purple mane, the same one from his dream. She, along with the other frightened equines, were backing away. “What are you waiting for?” asked Reese. “The holograms are obviously just messed up right now, so make your move!” Alex didn’t know where he was or why he was there. There was no way Reese would accept a surrender on either side now and there was going to be no way to reason to him that this was real. If finishing the duel could free him from the world on which he now stood, then so be it. *************************************************** Alex’s Turn: Alex summons Dragunity Partisan (ATK: 1200 DEF: 800). When Dragunity Partisan is normal summoned, Alex can special summon a Winged Beast-type Dragunity monster from his hand and equip it with Dragunity Partisan, choosing Dragunity Militum (ATK: 1700 DEF: 1200). Alex activates Dragunity Militum’s effect. Once per turn, he can special summon a Dragunity card from the spell and trap card zone, choosing Dragunity Partisan. Alex tunes Dragunity Militum with Dragunity Partisan to synchro summon Dragunity Knight – Gae Bulg (ATK: 2000 DEF: 1100). Alex attacks Berserk Dragon with Dragunity Knight – Gae Bulg. Alex activates Dragunity Knight – Gae Bulg’s effect. By removing a Winged Beast-type monster in his graveyard from play when it attacks or is attacked, he can increase Dragunity Knight – Gae Bulg’s ATK by the ATK of the removed monster during the battle phase, choosing Dragunity Militum (ATK: 2000 -> 3700). Reese’s Life Points: 3700 -> 3000 The battle phase ends, so Dragunity Knight – Gae Bulg’s ATK returns to normal (ATK: 3700 -> 2000). Alex ends his turn. Status: Hand-2 Life-2400 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-2 *************************************************** The equines were scared at the supposed violence that occurred and began running for shelter. All except one: the purple unicorn. Seeing as how no one of her kind was being hurt, she waited to observe what was happening. Alex observed as Reese got up after the last attack knocked him onto his back. Alex was unnerved to see that real scratches and bruises covered Reese’s body. Now, he looked upset. “What,” he stammered, “what have you done to me?!” “Reese, I have no idea what’s going on. I’m sorry.” “Not as sorry as you’re going to be!” The extra deck box attached on Reese’s belt began glowing. *************************************************** Reese’s Turn: Reese activates his face down Call of the Haunted, special summoning Despair from the Dark from his graveyard. Next, he activates Xyz Plant, which becomes a monster card with the same level as a monster he controls (8). Reese overlays Despair from the Dark and Xyz Plant to xyz summon Obsidian Imp (ATK: 2800 DEF: 2500). Reese attacks Dragunity Knight – Gae Bulg with Obsidian Imp. Alex attempts to activate Dragunity Knight – Gae Bulg’s effect, but Reese activates Obsidian Imp’s effect. By detaching one xyz material from it when he attacks a monster, Reese can negate the activation of a monster’s effect and decrease its ATK by 800 (ATK: 2000 -> 1200). The attack goes through, but Alex activates Invincible Hero, preventing Dragunity Knight – Gae Bulg’s destruction by battle. Damage is still applied. Alex’s Life Points: 2400 -> 800 Reese ends his turn. Status: Hand-0 Life-3000 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-1 *************************************************** Alex was also in great pain. What ever damage he felt was real. He also had numerous scratches and bruises on his body. Reese laughed in his moment of triumph. “It seems that fate favors me so well,” Reese stated, “that it even gave me a new monster to beat you with. Not that I really needed it.” Suddenly, Alex noticed that his extra deck box began to glow as well. Time for a turnaround, he thought. *************************************************** Alex’s Turn: Alex activates his trap Immortal Dragon, special summoning Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana from his graveyard. Alex overlays Dragunity Knight – Gae Bulg and Dragunity Knight – Vajrayana to xyz summon Jade Wyvern (ATK: 2500 DEF: 2100). Alex then activates Riryoku, halving the ATK of one monster and increasing another monster’s ATK by the amount halved, halving Obsidian Imp’s ATK and increasing Jade Wyvern’s ATK (ATK: 2800 -> 1400) (ATK: 2500 -> 3900). Alex attacks Obsidian Imp with Jade Wyvern. Reese’s Life Points: 3000 -> 500 Alex ends his turn. Status: Hand-2 Life-800 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-0 *************************************************** “Hmhm,” Alex chuckled. “It seems fate isn’t so biased after all, is it Reese?” “Shut up! I can still beat you!” *************************************************** Reese’s Turn: Reese activates his face down Jar of Greed, drawing one card. Reese activates Monster Reborn, special summoning Obsidian Imp from his graveyard. Next, he equips Obsidian Imp with Sword of Dark Rites, increasing its ATK by 400 (ATK: 2800 -> 3200). Reese attacks Jade Wyvern with Obsidian Imp, but Alex activates Jade Wyvern’s effect. By detaching one xyz material from it, Alex can target one monster on the field and prevent it from being destroyed by battle, choosing Jade Wyvern. Battle damage is still applied. Alex’s Life Points: 800 -> 100 Reese ends his turn. Status: Hand-0 Life-500 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-0 *************************************************** “Ha!” cackled Reese. “Just one more of those and you’re finished, with or without your monster’s effect.” “Then I guess I have to start getting luckier now, aren’t I?” *************************************************** Alex’s Turn: Alex activates Reload, sending his hand to the deck, shuffling it, and adding the same number of cards that he added to his deck to his hand. Alex activates Dragon Mastery, allowing him to equip a Dragon-type Dragunity monster to a monster he controls from his hand, equipping Jade Wyvern with Dragunity Pilum. With Dragon Mastery’s effect, all monsters equipped with Dragunity cards gain 500 ATK (ATK: 2500 -> 3000). With Dragunity Pilum’s effect, when it’s equipped to a monster, the equipped monster can attack the opponent directly, although the damage is halved. Alex attacks Reese directly with Jade Wyvern. Reese’s Life Points: 500 -> 0 Alex wins. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Alex watched as the last attack blasted Reese to the ground and rendered him unconscious. Alex wanted to help, but his legs buckled from the exhaustion, forcing him into a kneel. He then saw the bottom of his body begin to fade away along with the rest of his body. “Wait!” called the purple unicorn, rushing to Alex’s aid. They can talk too? thought Alex. He was too tired to care. Before the unicorn could reach him, Alex and Reese both faded from the otherworldly town. _________________________________________________________________________________________ Alex and Reese reappeared at the football stadium. Alex looked around as the people noticed their reappearance and ran to help them, especially Tom and Sarah. Alex then looked up to see something that brought him over the edge. He saw a moon in the sky, except the moon looked like a planet similar to Earth. The only difference was that the other planet had one landmass. Alex gave into his exhaustion, and fainted on the ground before Tom and Sarah could come to his aid.