Yu-Gi-Oh! Friendship is Magic: The Numeric War

by moviemaster8510

Chapter 12: Twins

Author's Note:

This chapter's featured card: Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon

Effect Monster Level: 8 ATK: 3000 DEF: 2500 Attribute: LIGHT Type: Dragon

You can Special Summon this card (from your hand) by Tributing 2 monsters with 2000 or more ATK. During either player's Battle Step, when this card battles an opponent's monster: You can target the monster this card is battling; banish both it and this card, then any monster banished by this effect returns to the field at the end of the Battle Phase. If the monster banished by this effect was an Xyz Monster, this card gains 500 ATK for each Xyz Material the Xyz Monster had when it was banished.

Orion and Helena just had a successful two wins, facing Twilight and Zecora and Applejack and Big Macintosh. Helena was excited to be dueling professionally again, per say, but she still felt a little empty. Orion couldn’t help but notice.

“Are you okay?” he asked her.

“Yeah,” she sighed. “I mean, the people- I mean ponies here are wonderfully nice, the place is clean and wholesome, but it just doesn’t feel quite like dueling without Melanie.”

“I know that you miss her, but remember what I taught you about chaos xyz.”

“Yeah, I know. Where there is despair, there’s new hope. I understand it all, but I just don’t want to relive those memories again.”

“Sooner or later, they will surface. But when they do, you must be the one to take those negative feelings by the reigns and use them to your benefit. That’s the secret to chaos xyz.”

“I’ll try.”

“Do, or do not. There is no try.”

Helena couldn’t help but smirk at walking straight into a Star Wars reference like that. “Then I will.”

“That’s the spirit.”

“Hello, hello,” said a voice distinguishable like a 1920’s street vendor. “What do we have here?”

Orion and Helena looked out to see two tall male unicorn ponies in front of them. They each wore white shirts beneath buttoned blue and white striped vests and black bow ties. They also wore identical skimmer straw hats with a blue ribbon wrapping around it. They each also had identical red and white manes and tails that somewhat resembled bacon. The only thing that visually differentiated them were the moustache on one of them and their cutie marks, the pony with the moustache having an apple with a wedge cut out of it, while the clean shaven one had a cutie mark of the missing wedge.

“I can’t say I know you from ‘round here,” said the shaved one.

“Likewise,” responded Orion.

“Oh, where are our manners?” asked the mustached one. His voice was a bit deeper than the other.

“I’m Flim,” responded the clean shaven pony.

“I’m Flam,” followed the mustached other. “And we’re…”

“The world famous Flim-Flam brothers!” they said in unison.

“Such unfortunate names,” chortled Helena.

“And how so, my dear?”

“Flimflam? It doesn’t take a halfwit to know that you guys are probably conmen.”

“Oh, come now,” said Flam ignoring Helena’s accusations. “Our names may not be the most flattering of all, but surely what you see isn’t always what you get.”

“So we can trust you?”

“As sure as the sun will shine tomorrow,” responded Flim.

Helena couldn’t help but still be wary of their motives. But she knew one way to settle that qualm.

“Are you two in the EFDC?”

“Why, yes we are!” responded Flim and Flam simultaneously.

“Perhaps we can have ourselves a little duel.”

“I don’t see why not,” responded Flam, “but we only fight in pairs in standard mode.”

“Sounds alright with us,” said Orion. “Then let’s go at it, shall we?”

The two brothers unsheathed bright red D-Pads like crisp, ripe apples. Orion turned his wand into his duel disk. Helena’s gauntlet appeared on her arm with the feather wrapped pod on the wrist. The pod was then caught by the silver arm on the gauntlet, causing the feathers to unfurl out into its duel disk fashion.

“I think we found them, brother,” whispered Flim to Flam in a happy tone.

The two then concentrated their energy at their opponents.

The two brothers shot red beams at Orion and Helena’s duel disk, disappearing on contact.

“What the…” queried Orion. He then remembered the same thing happened with Alex and his duel with Ryan.

“You… you’re working for the Vegas Bureau aren’t you?”

Flim frowned at being discovered so quickly. But it was obvious that Orion knew of them so there was no need to conceal it. “You two are more intuitive than I thought.”

“Why are you doing this?”

“It’s all in good business, eh?” Flam took several gold coins from his pocket; their fee for treachery.

Orion scowled at the two. He had no idea what deck they played, but it was obvious that they would be using Numbers. Orion shot a glance at Helena, who nodded as a signal of her preparedness.

“Alright,” said Helena. “Let’s show these barbershop bums what business we have in store for them.”

Flim and Flam glanced at each other like Helena was merely bluffing.

“Let’s go then,” said Flim to his opponents.

“DUEL!” they all yelled.

Orion and Helena vs. Flim and Flam

Orion’s Turn: Orion activates the continuous spell Six Samurai United. Orion summons The Six Samurai – Zanji (ATK: 1800 DEF: 1300). Next, he special summons Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan from his hand, as he controls another Six Samurai monster (ATK: 1800 DEF: 500). Whenever a Six Samurai monster is summoned, a Bushido counter is placed on Six Samurai United (BuC.: 0 -> 2). Orion then sends Six Samurai United to the graveyard to draw a card for each Bushido Counter on it (2).

Orion place 2 cards face down and ends his turn.

Status: Hand-3 Life-8000 Monsters-2 Face Down Cards-2

Flim’s Turn: Flim activates Graceful Charity, drawing 3 cards and discarding 2. Next, he special summons 2 Cloudian – Storm Dragons by removing from play 2 Cloudian monsters in his graveyard (ATK: 1000 DEF: 0). Then, he activates the two Cloudian – Storm Dragons’ effects. Flim places a Fog counter on a monster on the field twice, placing them both on The Six Samurai – Zanji (FoC.: 0 -> 2). Next, he plays the spell Lucky Cloud.

Flim places 1 card face down. With Lucky Cloud’s effect, if Flim summoned 2 or more Cloudian monsters with the same name, he draws 2 cards.

Flim ends his turn.

Status: Hand-4 Life-8000 Monsters-2 Face Down Cards-1

____________________________________

Summoning two Level 4 monsters in his first turn, yet he doesn’t xyz summon? thought Helena to herself. Those two must be in the works for summoning a very powerful Number. Looks like I’ll just have to prepare for that, won’t I?

____________________________________

Helena’s Turn: Helena activates the field spell Luminous Spark, increasing the ATK of all LIGHT monsters by 500 while decreasing their DEF by 400 (ATK: 1800 -> 2300, DEF: 1300 -> 900). Next, Helena special summons Photon Thrasher from her hand as she controls no monsters (ATK: 2100 DEF: 0) (ATK: 2100 -> 2600). Then, she normal summons Photon Crusher (ATK: 2000 DEF: 0) (ATK: 2000 -> 2500).

Helena tributes The Six Samurai – Zanji and Photon Thrasher to special summon Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon from her hand (ATK: 3000 DEF: 2500) (ATK: 3000 -> 3500, DEF: 2500 -> 2100). Next, Helena overlays Photon Crusher and Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan to xyz summon Number 115: Nebula Angel Carina (ATK: 2300 DEF: 1800) (ATK: 2300 -> 2800, DEF: 1800 -> 1300).

Helena places 1 card face down and ends her turn.

Status: Hand-1 Life-8000 Monsters-2 Face Down Cards-1

____________________________________

“How do you like them apples? Pun fully intended,” stated Helena.

Flam just smiled at his brother, who smiled back. Helena could see that they were going to make a move that would even surprise her. It seemed to her that she had made her most fatal of mistakes: she misjudged her opponents.

____________________________________

Flam’s Turn: Flam activates the continuous spell Summon Cloud, allowing him special summon a level 4 or lower Cloudian monster from his hand, choosing Cloudian – Altus (ATK: 1300 DEF: 0). Next, Flam summons Cloudian – Turbulence (ATK: 800 DEF: 0). When Cloudian Turbulence is normal summoned, Flam places a Fog counter on it for every Cloudian monster on the field (4) (FoC.: 0 -> 4). Next, he activates the effect of Cloudian Turbulence. By removing a Fog counter from it, he can special summon a Cloudian - Smoke Ball from his deck. He activates this effect 3 times. (FoC.: 4 -> 1) (ATK: 200 DEF: 600). Flam overlays Cloudian – Turbulence, Cloudian – Altus, and the 2 Cloudian – Storm Dragons to xyz summon Number 176: Crimson Hurricane (ATK: 4100 DEF: 3500).

Next, Flam overlays the 3 Cloudian - Smoke Balls to xyz summon Number 83: Galaxy Queen in defense position (ATK: 500 DEF: 500). Flam activates the effect of Number 176: Crimson Hurricane. By detaching one xyz material from it, when this monster battles an opponent’s monster, it is removed from play instead of being sent to the graveyard after damage calculation. Flam attacks Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon. Helena activates Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon’s effect. When it battles an opponent’s monster, she can remove both it and Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon from play.

At the end of the battle phase, they return to the field. Because of Number 176: Crimson Hurricane’s effect, Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon remains removed from play while Number 176: Crimson Hurricane returns to the field. Flam then activates the effect of Number 83: Galaxy Queen. By detaching one xyz material from it, all monsters he currently controls cannot be destroyed by battle until his opponent’s next end phase.

Flam places 1 card face down and ends his turn.

Status: Hand-2 Life-8000 Monsters-2 Face Down Cards-1

____________________________________

“Two Numbers in one turn…” said Orion still hushed with awe at the sight of the monstrous Number that had easily disposed of Helena’s Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon.

“This is why Mr. Ace entrusted us with this mission,” replied Flim.

“Because when it comes to working in pairs, we’re peerless.” Flam then spoke up.

“Now I have to ask you: How do YOU like them apples?”

“Not as much as you’ll like these!” said Orion drawing a card from his deck.

____________________________________

Orion’s Turn: Orion summons The Six Samurai – Irou (ATK: 1700 DEF: 1200). Orion then activates his trap Copy Knight, becoming a Warrior-type monster with the same level as a normal summoned Warrior-type monster (4). Orion overlays The Six Samurai – Irou and Copy Knight to xyz summon Number 39: Utopia (ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000) (ATK: 2500 -> 3000, DEF: 2000 -> 1600). Orion then equips Number 39: Utopia with Big Bang Shot increasing its ATK by 400 and giving it the effect of piercing damage (ATK: 3000 -> 3400).

Orion attacks Number 83: Galaxy Queen. Flam attempts to activate Magic Cylinder, but Helena activates Trap Jammer, negating the effect of and destroying Magic Cylinder. The attack goes through. With the effect of Number 83: Galaxy Queen, it isn’t destroyed by battle. Damage is still applied.

Flim and Flam’s Life Points: 8000 -> 5100

Orion places 1 card face down and ends his turn.

Status: Hand-1 Life-8000 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-2

Flim’s Turn: Flim activates Pot of Greed, drawing 2 cards. Then, he activates his spell card Xyz Chance. Flim draws 1 card. If the card is a monster, he can attach it to an xyz monster on his side of the field. If not, he sends the card to the graveyard. Flim draws a Cloudian - Acid Cloud, and he attaches it to Number 176: Crimson Hurricane. Next, he summons one monster face down.

Flim places 1 card face down and ends his turn.

Status: Hand-3 Life-5100 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-2

____________________________________

“Running scared now?” Helena chided. “Good. You should be.”

____________________________________

Helena’s Turn: Helena summons Photon Cerberus (ATK: 1300 DEF: 600) (ATK: 1300 -> 1800, DEF: 600 -> 200). As long as that face up card is on the field, neither player can activate trap cards. Helena then activates Photon Sanctuary, special summoning 2 Photon tokens in defense position (ATK: 2000 DEF: 0). Helena activates Number 115: Nebula Angel Carina’s effect. By detaching one xyz material from it when she has no cards in her hand, she can draw 5 cards.

Next, Helena activates Gift of the Martyr, sending a Photon token to the graveyard to have Number 115: Nebula Angel Carina gain ATK equal to the Photon token (ATK: 2800 -> 4800). Helena attacks Number 176: Crimson Hurricane with Number 115: Nebula Angel Carina. Before the attack connects, Flam activates Number 176: Crimson Hurricane's effect, detaching an xyz material from it to remove from play a monster it battles at the end of the damage step.

Flim and Flam’s Life Points: 5100 -> 4400

Because Number 115: Nebula Angel Carina battled with Number 176: Crimson Hurricane, it is removed from play. Then, Helena activates her spell Photon Booster, having one LIGHT monster on the field’s ATK become 2000 until the end phase, choosing Photon Cerburus (ATK: 1800 -> 2000). Helena then tributes Photon Cerberus and the Photon token to special summon another Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon from her hand (ATK: 3000 -> 3500, DEF: 2500 -> 2100).

Helena places 1 card face down and ends her turn.

Status: Hand-1 Life-8000 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-1

____________________________________

Helena smiled with satisfaction as she brought down Number 176: Crimson Hurricane. However, the looks on her opponent’s face wasn’t filled with strife and worry like she had hoped. Instead, Flam was laughing. Helena couldn’t help but be perplexed at his behavior.

“You think you have this duel won, do you?” he wheezed, still exasperated from his laughter. “You think you two have the upper hand? Ha! The only thing you should be thinking about now is something to distract you from the pain that you’re going to feel right now!”

Flam had completely broken from his upbeat demeanor and looked absolutely ruthless. Helena knew that he didn’t make this radical tonal shift for nothing, and prepared for the onslaught he was about to dish out.

____________________________________

Flam’s Turn: Flam tributes Number 83: Galaxy Queen and summons Cloudian – Nimbusman (ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000). Then, Flam activates Xyz Plant, which becomes a monster with the same level as a monster he controls, choosing Cloudian – Nimbusman. Flam overlays Cloudian – Nimbusman and Xyz Plant to xyz summon Number 33: Chronomaly Machu Mach (ATK: 2400 DEF: 1500) (ATK: 2400 -> 2900, DEF: 1500 -> 1100). Orion activates his face down Space Cyclone, allowing him to detach 1 xyz material from a monster on the field, choosing Number 33: Chronomaly Machu Mach. Flim activates his face down Ring of Destruction, destroying Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon and inflicting damage to all players equal to its ATK.

Orion and Helena’s Life Points: 8000 -> 4500

Flim and Flam’s Life Points: 4400 -> 900

Flim activates the effect of Damage Mage from his hand, special summoning it from his hand and gaining life points equal to the damage they took.

Flim and Flam’s Life Points: 900 -> 4400

Flam then equips Number 33: Chronomaly Machu Mach with Megamorph, doubling its original ATK (ATK: 2900 -> 5300). Flam attacks Number 39: Utopia with Number 33: Chronomaly Machu Mach, but Orion activates Attack Invulnerability, choosing the former effect of preventing Number 39: Utopia from being destroyed by battle. Damage is still applied.

Orion and Helena’s Life Points: 4500 -> 2600

Because Orion and Helena’s life points are lower than Flim and Flam’s, Number 33: Chronomaly Machu Mach’s attack is halved because of Megamorph (ATK: 5300 -> 1700). Flam then activates Number 33: Chronomaly Machu Mach’s effect. By detaching one xyz material from it, when a monster’s ATK is changed, Flam inflicts damage equal to the difference between the high amount and the low amount (5300 – 1700 = 3600). Helena activates Poison of the Old Man, increasing their Life Points by 1200 before the effect damage connects.

Orion and Helena’s Life Points: 2600 -> 3800

Orion and Helena’s Life Points: 3800 -> 200

Flam ends his turn.

Status: Hand-0 Life-4400 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-0

____________________________________

Flam was furious that Orion and Helena still had life points left, not to mention still standing strong and resolutely after such a thrashing like that.

“Why?” he grunted. “Why didn’t you use Utopia’s effect to negate that attack?”

Orion looked him dead in the eye. “Isn’t it obvious?” he replied with no emotion in his voice. “You two are con-men; you use tactics to lure your victims by playing with their confidence and lead them right into your traps, like the one that you had set for me had I activated Utopia's effect."

Orion pointed at Flim's face down card during the last part of that sentence. "I do have to hand it to you, it wasn’t that bad of a plan and it could have fooled many a novice duelists, but I don’t play based off of my emotional intuition. I use raw strategies, specifically one that you two obviously didn’t see coming.”

“And what’s that?” Orion smiled slightly before responding.

“Only use your xyz materials when absolutely necessary.”

“And look at how far it’s gotten you,” chimed in Flim. “You have only 200 life points to match with our 4400. I’d really be interested in seeing what kind of comeback you two can muster up now.”

Orion then cracked a wider smile. “With pleasure,” he exclaimed.

____________________________________

Orion’s Turn: Orion activates his Graceful Charity, drawing 3 cards and discarding 2. Orion overlays Number 39: Utopia to chaos xyz summon Number C39: Utopia Ray (ATK: 2500 DEF: 2000) (ATK: 2500 -> 3000, DEF: 2000 -> 1600). Next, Orion activates Heavy Storm, destroying all spell and trap cards on the field, including Flim’s face down card, which was a Divine Wrath. Luminous Spark is also destroyed (ATK: 3000 -> 2500, DEF: 1600 -> 2000) (ATK: 1700 -> 1200, DEF: 1100 -> 1500).

Orion activates the effect of Number C39: Utopia Ray. By detaching 1 xyz material from it, Number C39: Utopia Ray’s ATK raises by 500 while a monster his opponent controls loses 1000 until the end phase. Orion activates this effect 3 times, raising Number C39: Utopia Ray’s ATK by 1500 and decreasing Number 33: Chronomaly Machu Mach’s ATK by 3000 (ATK: 2500 -> 4000) (ATK: 1200 -> 0). Orion attacks Number 33: Chronomaly Machu Mach.

Flim and Flam’s Life Points: 4400 -> 400

Orion places 1 card face down and ends his turn. Number C39: Utopia Ray’s ATK returns to normal (ATK: 4000 -> 2500).

Status: Hand-0 Life-200 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-1

____________________________________

“How can this be?” said Flam, still weary from the attack. “Chaos xyz. Mr. Ace never said anything about this.”

“Don’t despair, brother,” said Flim. “We still have one turn to bring this whole duel around.”

He then drew a card. Flim smiled wide with anticipation.

“Finish it,” said Flam with a nod.

____________________________________

Flim’s Turn: Flim activates Block Attack, switching Number C39: Utopia Ray into defense position. Then he tributes his face down monster and Damage Mage to summon Cloudian – Eye of the Typhoon (ATK: 3000 DEF: 1000). Flim attacks Number C39: Utopia Ray. When Cloudian – Eye of the Typhoon attacks, all monsters on the field change their battle position. Orion activates Iron Resolve, halving his life points to negate the battle damage.

Orion and Helena’s Life Points: 200 -> 100

Flim ends his turn.

Status: Hand-1 Life-400 Monsters-1 Face Down Cards-0

____________________________________

Flim was getting tired of their successful struggling. However, he could rest assured that he still had a strong monster on the field to contend with. However, any chances of winning all came crumbling down upon seeing Helena’s confident smile.

____________________________________

Helena’s Turn: Helena activates Monster Reborn, summoning Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon from her graveyard. Then, she normal summons Photon Sabre Tiger (ATK: 2000 DEF: 300). If Helena doesn’t control another Photon Sabre Tiger, it loses 800 ATK (ATK: 2000 -> 1200). Helena attacks Cloudian – Eye of the Typhoon with Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon. Helena activates Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon’s effect. When it battles an opponent’s monster, she can remove both it and Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon from play. Helena attacks Flim and Flam directly with Photon Sabre Tiger.

Flim and Flam’s Life Points: 400 -> 0

Orion and Helena win.

____________________________________

Once the duel ended, five cards flew out of Flim and Flam’s extra decks collectively and into the hands of Orion and Helena. Among them were the 3 Numbers that Flam played, and two that were completely unused by Flim at all.

“Such a waste,” said Helena.

She then walked toward and knelt down to the quivering unicorns. She grabbed Flam by the horn, with her right hand, while holding the edge of her duel disk with the sharp, metallic feathers up to his neck with her left arm. Despite his vicious demeanor in the duel, he was terrified of her now.

“Run and find Mark,” she said. “Tell them how bad we kicked your asses, and then, tell them that if they want our Numbers,-”

____________________________________

“-then you should stop hiding like a bunch of pussies and go get them yourselves,” said Flam in a mousy voice, standing up to Mark about a half hour after he and his brothers’ loss.

“Hmm,” said Mark.

He wasn’t even upset at that last insult of Helena’s. He was relieved; not only did he learn of the new chaos xyz that Orion performed, but he knew that now he had some heavy competition in his hunt. A challenger worth fighting. Prey worth killing.

____________________________________

“You got that?” growled Helena to Flam back in the present after Helena gave him her message.

“Every word,” squeaked Flam, trying his best to appease her.

“Good.”

She let go of his horn and slapped his bony cheeks lightly twice. Her duel disk glowed and dimmed again, her gauntlet disappearing from her arm. She got up and joined Orion, who already returned his duel disk to its wand form, as they both left their enemies behind them. Not even after two minutes of walking, a purple wisp of smoke rolled at Orion, forming a scroll that levitated in front of Orion’s face. He unwrapped it. On it read this:

Dear Orion and Helena,

I was just told by your friends, Lucas and Pinkie Pie, that there are two duelists, a cross eyed pegasus named Derpy Hooves, and a buffalo named Little Strongheart, are going around and taking your friends’ Number cards. They have Numbers of their own, but they claim to not have gotten them from the Vegas agents. Nonetheless, their foolish acts could prove to disrupt your mission to stop these agents and could cause the return of Inverz. I’m having my royal guards search for them now and bring them in for interrogation on the matter. If you do happen to find them before then, just be very careful around them. The fate of Equestria lies in your hands.

Sincerely,

Princess Celestia

Orion crumpled the paper in his hands and dropped it on the ground.

“It seems there’s almost no one we can trust anymore,” said Orion.

They both ran toward the safety of Ponyville to find their friends and relay the message they had just received, if they hadn’t received it already.