Darn, thought Russell, as he reshuffled the two Monsters back into his deck. Now I’m wide open...
“Now I’ll place a card facedown...” stated Bugsy.
He played a card and it appeared.
“And I’ll summon Parasitic Ticky in Attack Mode!”
He played the card, and a Monster that could best be described as… disgusting appeared. It was a humanoid resembling a tick or louse, with sickly white skin. It carried a quiver full of metal javelins. (0/0)
Russell was afraid for a minute, but then he saw that it had no Attack Score.
“You summoned a Monster with zero Attack Points?” he asked. “In Attack Mode?”
“A big, smart Junior like you should know never to judge a Monster by its cover,” said Bugsy. “Parasitic Ticky may be deadlier than it seems...”
He’s right, thought Russell. I don’t believe for a second that it’s harmless....
He drew a card.
But I can’t leave myself defenseless...
“I summon... Obnoxious Celtic Guardian!” he shouted. “In Attack Mode!”
He threw the card down, and the armored elven Warrior appeared. (1,400/1,200)
“I activate my facedown card!” shouted Bugsy. “Go, Scapegoat!”
His card lifted, and four multicolored sheep popped out...
And Parasitic Ticky’s stats shot up to (2,000/2,000)!
“In case you haven’t figured it out,” chuckled Bugsy, “Parasite Ticky gains 500 Attack and Defense Points for every Token Monster on the field. A very situational effect, but one that I have no problem with…”
“Oo-kay,” answered Russell. “Think I’ll end my turn there...”
“By the way,” said Bugsy, drawing, “I happen to know that I can’t destroy Obnoxious Celtic Guardian with a Monster this powerful, so please don’t bother pointing that out. However, I also know that when my Monster attacks him, your Life Points will still take a hit.
“So, Parasite Ticky, attack with javelin sting!”
The Tick hurled one of its weapons at the Guardian, and he stumbled backwards.
[B](R: 4,200) (B: 5,100)
“My move...” stated Russell.
He drew.
“And these Western Warriors are starting to bore me... It’s time to go to the East...”
He put a card down.
“I summon Mataza the Zapper in Attack Mode!”
A grim-faced ronin with his hair tied in a ponytail, in green oriental armor, holding a long katana materialized. (1,300/800)
“That’s weak!” laughed Bugsy.
“I also have a Continuous Spell Card,” replied Russell, playing it. “The A. Forces. This card increases the Attack of my Warriors by 200 for each one I have on the field. In other words, the more allies my Warriors have, the stronger they become.”
Obnoxious Celtic Guardian’s Attack rose to 1,800, and Mataza’s rose to 1,700.
“And by the way,” added Russell. “Mataza may not be the strongest Warrior, but he has a special ability. He can attack twice in one round.”
“I don’t care if he can attack ten times!” laughed Bugsy. “My Ticky is stronger!”
“True, but who said I was going to have him attack your tick?” asked Russell. “You’re forgetting one thing. It needs those Scapegoats to stay strong... so if they go, it’s weakened!”
Bugsy stopped laughing.
“Now it’s time for Mataza the Zapper to do what he does best,” shouted Russell. “ZAPPING! Mataza, take out two of those Scapegoats!”
Mataza drew his katana and concentrated… and then split into two Matazas! They both leapt in opposite directions, then leapt off the walls, and each made a slash, blasting two Scapegoats into pixels!
The two Matazas struck a pose, and then blurred together, fusing into one again.
Parasitic Ticky fell to (1,000/1,000)
“Obnoxious Celtic Guardian,” ordered Russell, “attack Parasitic Ticky with silver blade slash!”
The elf leapt forward and slashed through the bug! It gasped, and then shattered.
[B](R: 4,200) (B: 4,300)
“That’s one way to cure a bad case of ticks,” chuckled Russell. “And looks like you’re in trouble, Bugsy. Aside from those two Scapegoats, you’re out of Monsters!”
Bugsy drew a card.
He held up the Shadow Spell he had gotten from Russell.
“Time to use this,” he said.
He placed it in a slot, and it appeared.
“That was the stupidest thing I’ve ever seen!” commented Russell. “You actually showed me a Trap before you set it?”
“I gotta admit, that was pretty dumb,” agreed Alice.
“It doesn’t matter whether you know what it is or not,” explained Bugsy, “because I’m not keeping it there. See, the next Monster I’m going to summon requires two sacrifices, but in this case, you don’t sacrifice Monsters to summon it. You have to sacrifice two Spell and/or Trap Cards.”
Russell paused.
“Your Monsters are getting weirder and weirder!” he exclaimed.
“Thank you,” answered Bugsy. “So now, I sacrifice my Greed, and your Shadow Spell...”
The two Traps vanished.
“To summon... Anteatereatingant!”
A huge ant with a fiendish glow to its eyes rose on Bugsy’s side of the field. Saliva dripped from its mandibles! (2,000/500)
“Impressive...” said Russell, getting nervous.
“Of course, it eats things other than anteaters,” chuckled Bugsy. “Right now it might have a taste for certain Samurai...”
Mataza the Zapper drew back in fear as the monstrous ant eyed him hungrily...
“But I’m not going to attack him yet,” continued Bugsy. “See, by forfeiting its attack, Anteatereatingant can instead destroy one Trap or Spell Card. Such as The A. Forces!”
The Ant spit a stream of venom from its mandibles, striking the Spell Card! It dissolved, and the two Warriors returned to their original Attack Scores.
“I’m ending my turn now,” said Bugsy. “Next turn, he’s lunch!”
Russell drew.
“I don’t think so...” he said with a grin.
He switched cards on his Disk.
“I sacrifice Obnoxious Celtic Guardian...”
The elf vanished.
“To summon my good friend… Freed the Matchless General!”
A sound like a galloping of horses sounded, and a war cry was heard in the distance...
As Russell’s card appeared, a powerful form leapt out, a mighty Warrior clad in splendid armor holding a huge sword! His handsome face showed several things... wisdom, courage, strength, and majesty. (2,300/1,700)
“Freed, attack the Anteatereatingant!” shouted Russell. “Blade of the battle-scarred!”
The General leapt up into the air and brought his sword down on the ant, splitting it in two!
“Mataza! Take down the last two Scapegoats with zapping blade!”
Mataza spilt into two again and sped forward, obliterating the last two sheep.
[B](R: 4,200) (B: 4,000)
“So now what, Bugsy?” asked Russell.
Bugsy slowly drew...
“I play... Pot of Greed...” he stated. “Now I can draw two cards…”
He played the card, and then drew two more cards.
He grinned...
“Freed may be matchless,” said Bugsy, “but sooner or later, everyone meets his match...”
He showed him a card.
“I just drew the strongest and rarest Monster in my deck,” he said. “I got this guy from winning a tournament last year in Boston… That’s where I’m from, by the way…
“Anyway, it’s an eight-star Insect called Doom Dozer.”
“How are you supposed to summon it?” asked Russell. “You’d need to trade two Monsters for it, and you have none on the field.”
Bugsy gave him the eye.
“It isn’t a Monster that’s summoned that way,” he answered. “It’s kind of like Dark Necrofear... But instead of removing Fiends in your Graveyard from play, you have to remove Insects.
“So, I remove Parasitic Ticky and Insect Knight from play...”
Two cards slipped out of his discard slot.
“And I summon... Doom Dozer!”
With a bellowing roar, a huge creature emerged! It looked like a centipede from Hell, with fangs, horns, claws, and a blood-red carapace! (2,800/2,600)
“EEK!” shouted Alice.
“What do you think?” asked Bugsy.
“It isn’t pretty,” answered Russell. “And it isn’t ugly. It’s pretty ugly!”
“Well by the way,” added Bugsy, “since summoning Doom Dozer was a Special Summon, I can also summon Neo Bug!”
He threw another card down, and an alien looking Insect resembling a cross between a scorpion and a wasp appeared. (1,800/1,700)
“Neo Bug, attack Mataza the Zapper!” shouted Bugsy.
Neo Bug flew forward and grabbed Mataza in its pincer, crushing him.
“Doom Dozer, attack Freed the not-so-Matchless General!”
Doom Dozer lumbered forward and grabbed Freed in its mandibles! He groaned and shattered.
“Freed…” muttered Russell, sadly.
“And one more thing,” added Bugsy. “When Doom Dozer damages your Life Points, you have to discard the top card on your deck.”
Russell took the top card from his deck.
So much for using Gilford the Legend this duel... he thought, as he discarded the card.
[B](R: 3,200) (B: 4,000)
“Give it up, pal,” chuckled Bugsy. “I don’t even think there is a Warrior who’s stronger than Doom Dozer!”
Russell drew a card.
“Well, this card worked for you,” he said, showing him the Pot of Greed.
He played it and drew two more cards.
He looked at Bugsy.
“I summon Gearfried the Iron Knight,” he said.
He put the card down, and Gearfried appeared in front of him. (1,800/1,600)
“What?” asked Bugsy. “He can’t even beat Neo Bug!”
“I believe it was you who said, ‘Don’t judge a Monster by its cover’!” answered Russell. “Gearfried has a powerful secret hidden inside him that I can unleash by playing this Spell Card...”
He played a card.
“Release Restraints!”
Gearfried leapt up into the air, and cracks started to form over his armor...
In a burst of light, a new figure emerged. It was a powerful, bare-chested barbarian with wild, black hair holding a powerful blade.
“Meet Gearfried the Swordmaster!” exclaimed Russell.
(2,600/2,200)
“I’ll admit that he’s powerful,” said Bugsy with a yawn. “But he’s still not enough...”
“Really?” said Russell. “Well, Gearfried’s true strength appears when he’s armed with an Equip Spell Card. And I have a good one...”
He showed him a card.
“It’s called Armed Changer. This card is so powerful, that in order to Equip it to a Monster, I have to discard another Equip. So, I’ll discard my Fusion Sword Murasame Blade...”
He discarded a card.
“...and Equip Armed Changer to Gearfried.”
He played the card.
“Now, when Gearfried is given an Equip, he can destroy one Monster... and I’ll bet you can guess which one he’s gonna aim for!”
Bugsy gulped...
Gearfried slashed his sword downward, and Doom Dozer screamed! It was blown to pieces.
“And do you know what the best part is?” asked Russell. “I still have his normal attack to use on Neo Bug!”
Gearfried made another downward swipe, splitting Neo Bug down the middle! The two pieces shattered!
[B](R: 3,200) (B: 3,200)
“And now we get to the effect of Armed Changer,” continued Russell. “When a Monster destroys an opposing Monster while Equipped with this card, the controller can take any Monster from his Graveyard whose Attack Score is less than the Equipped Monster, and add it to his hand.”
A card slipped out of his discard slot, and he took it.
“Your move…”
Bugsy slowly drew, and considered.
“I summon… Gokipon… in Defense Mode…” he said.
He put a card down, and a cute, cartoonish Insect appeared, crouching in Defense. (800/800)
He looked at his hand.
If I survive one more round, I might turn this around, he thought. I have Monster Reborn in my hand, and when Gokipon is destroyed, I can search for an Insect with low Attack Strength. So when he destroys it, I’ll just get Nobleman Eater Bug, use Monster Reborn to summon Neo Bug, and sacrifice it to set the Bug. Then its Flip-Effect can destroy two of his Monsters!
“Okay, that’s my turn,” he stated.
“Right!” said Russell, making a draw. “Now I’ll summon the Monster I got from Armed Changer’s effect…”
He placed a card down, and Mataza the Zapper appeared again. (1,300/800)
“Oh no…” moaned Bugsy.
“Mataza, destroy Gokipon!” shouted Russell.
Mataza split in two again. One of him rushed forward and cut down the Insect.
“Now attack directly!”
Bugsy cringed as the other Mataza’s blade struck him.
“Gearfried…” ordered Russell, “finish this!”
Gearfried the Swordmaster slammed his blade down and a wave of energy shot forward! Bugsy screamed as it ripped though him…
The duel was over.
“At ease!” said Russell.
[B](R: 3,200) (B: 0)
Everyone in the bar applauded.
“Yeah!” cheered Alice. “That’s the Russell I know!”
Russell leapt down off the table and walked over to the one where Bugsy was lying prone.
Bugsy groaned.
“Guess I have a lot to learn still,” he said.
“Not really,” answered Russell. “You have a powerful deck and a lot of good strategies. I’d say you could have beaten a lot of the students who aren’t as good as me…”
He wrote something down on a slip of paper.
“Like I said, a recommendation won’t help much, but I will give you the directions on where to get an application…”
He handed him the paper.
“Just remember our deal – you owe me a favor!”
Bugsy grinned, and turned to leave.
I think we’ll be seeing more of that one, thought Russell.
He checked his watch. Nine PM.
He figured he’d best get back soon, before Ben got mad…
[B]* * * * * * * * * *
When Russell got into the common room of the dorm, Ben was still on the couch, going over his cards.
Speak of the devil, thought Russell.
“Hey, Old Ben,” said Russell. “Still working on the deck?”
“It’s done now,” answered Ben.
“Ben…” asked Russell, slowly. “If it’s personal, you don’t have to answer, but you never told me how you… you know, lost it…”
“Ya mean this?” asked Ben with a chuckle, holding up his prosthetic arm.
“Yeah…” answered Russell. “Was it in the war?”
“Naw,” answered Ben. “You might not believe this, but I lost it playing golf…”
Russell looked at him.
“I know golf is a competitive sport,” muttered Russell. “But…”
Old Ben grinned.
“Naw,” he explained. “Listen… It’s hard to believe, but my original arm was just as big as this one. When I was a boxer, I had the best left hook… They called me the Strongest Left Hand In The Land…
“One day I was vacationing in Australia, and I was playing golf. My ball went into a water hazard. Now, I was never one to want to waste anything, so I tried to fish it out…
“And as I reached in with my left hand, it grabbed me… a crocodile!”
Russell gulped.
“I guess I deserved it for being so cheap,” said Ben with a shrug.
“Were you scared?” asked Russell.
“Scared?” asked Ben. “Russell, you’re speaking to a guy who’s taken on three-hundred pound behemoths in the ring who seemed to have apes as one of their parents. Heh…
“I was petrified…
“Anyway, the croc tried to drag me into the water, but I held my ground. I pulled backwards. As strong as that guy was, I was hoping my arm would be stronger… And for a while, it seemed it was.
“Eventually, the croc gave up on the idea that he would get all of me… So he settled for my arm, and bit it clean off.
“The fact that I stayed conscious was a miracle. Now, this is one of the benefits of always having a cell phone handy. If I hadn’t had one, I’d have bled to death before anyone found me.
“They were able to save my life, and even managed to save what was left of my arm. Not that it would do me much good… But I got lucky. I had a doctor who liked to play mad scientist. He told me he was working on an experimental prosthetic arm that had as much dexterity and feeling as a normal arm, and he asked if I wanted to volunteer for the test. The best part was, since it was an experiment, it wouldn’t cost me or my insurance company a cent. I agreed.
“The whole process took about a month, and it wasn’t pleasant. But in the end I got this… And I was pleased with the result. My boxing career might have been over, and my arm was metal…
“But I was still the Strongest Left Hand In The Land…”
He paused.
“Anyway, anything happen to you tonight?”
“Oh,” sighed Russell, “ran into a few pests…”
He walked out of the room towards the boys’ rooms.
Wednesday, September 8th, 2106, 10 PM
SPIDER WEB (Spell Card)
Card Specs
Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –
Image: A spider on a beautifully spun web.
Card Description: Take one card from your opponent’s Graveyard that he discarded on his last turn and add it to your hand. If this card is sent to the Graveyard, it is sent to the original owner’s Graveyard.
Note: “Spider Web” was first used by Yami in the anime episode “Grappling With A Guardian (Part 3)”. All creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
CHRYSALIS (Spell Card)
Card Specs
Type: Spell
Attribute: –
Level: –
ATK: –
DEF: –
Image: Insect Queen forming a cocoon around a captive Leogun.
Card Description: Both players return all face-up Monsters to their decks and reshuffle.
Russell’s Warrior Deck:
Since the American Civil War, all male members of the Majors family (and many of the female members) have served in the armed forces, and all were proud to have done so. Most were officers, all were decorated several times. In fact, Russell’s father served in the last war, and his heroic acts earned him the Congressional Medal of Honor, the highest award a member of the U.S. Armed Forces can receive.
With his family’s history and influence, Russell could have easily entered West Point Academy and prospered as a cadet. But for some reason, he had no aspirations to become a soldier. He heard a different call instead, one that called him to the game of Duel Monsters. His family was a little disappointed, but they respected his wishes.
Still, the soul of a soldier still existed in Russell’s blood – it didn’t die easily. When perfecting his deck, he collected many powerful Warriors and Warrior accessories. While he wouldn’t be a soldier for real, he could command a troop of them in the form of a deck of cards.
Most of Russell’s Warriors favor the Earth Attribute, with a few Light ones thrown in and a handful of others. To him, Attribute doesn’t make the Monster – Type is the most important factor for him.
Russell takes pride in knowing that many of his cards were used by the Trinity, a few of them by Yugi. Any card that was good enough for them is good enough for him.
[B][I]Coming up next:
The secret of Russell’s deck has been revealed, now see the secret of Trisha’s! She takes part in some extracurricular work which proves to be more of a hassle than the extra credit might be worth! See a chapter called “A Rival Appears!” coming soon.