Stacking The Deck - Chapter 26.1

While he initially only planned on purchasing Fallen Current, getting a few extra copies of them when he saw they were only a hundred DP each…he ended up splurging and spending an extra twenty thousand DP.

The equivalent of two thousand quid back home. So in total he spent the equivalent of two thousand and fifty quid when including the five copies of Fallen Current he bought.

Sadie it seemed, had gotten a new card in stock that she knew he would love and kept it by for him instead of putting it straight up for sale.

One he'd never heard of at all, but after he saw the effect, couldn't resist the urge to buy it at all.

'Eat your heart out Zane.' Yarden laughed to himself as he relaxed on his comfy green couch, deck in hand and his newest acquisition at the front, admiring it.

The great big serpentine dragon of magma staring back at him was a thing of beauty and badassery in one.

'Tch, it's nothing special,' Serpent Night Dragon coiled along the length of the backrest of the couch scoffed, 'It's just a big flaming rock snake, hardly comparable to my own majestic self.'

Looked like someone was jealous.

'I am not.' he turned his snout up at him.

'Kinda are,' Dark Magicial Girl phased into view and plopped herself down across his lap. Luckily she wasn't physical or she would have knocked his cards out of his hands, 'No need to be though, we all know your Master's favourite. Well, besides me that is teehee~'

Serpent Night Dragon promptly, ignored her.

She shrugged with another giggle and phased her head through his cards and gave him a beaming smile, 'It's about time to go Master. That Dimitri Kid has already stolen Yugi's deck and your pals, girlfriends included are on their way there now.'

"Girlfriends, plural?" He raised an eyebrow at her, even as he stood up, going right through her body and stowed his cards in the deck box attached to his belt.

'Jazz-Jazz and Minnie-poo, we all know it's a matter of time,' Dark Magician Girl shrugged and gave him a teasing wiggle of her eyebrows, 'Lovely-Lexi went and decided to go see it early with them and that Zane guy you love to flex your muscles with.'

Huh, that was different. Maybe because he bought them all tickets? "Why didn't she come get me?" he wondered.

Breaking and entering was right up his alley.

'Cuz you gave her into trouble last time they did something along these lines remember? Well, kinda different, but they went out to find that Chazz guy and you gave them a verbal spanking, but same diff,' she shrugged again and explained, 'Basically, she thinks you're a stick in the mud.'

You wot mate?

"…You've gotta be kidding me," he gave the duel monster babe a deadpan stare, "Because I gave them into trouble for being stupid and not using an inkling of common sense, I'm a stick in the mud?"

What the hell was wrong with people's logic here?

'Well, that and plus you told her before when she asked you to help with the duel giant and the eggwich thief that you wouldn't and I quote, waste your time with lame crap like that,' Dark Magician Girl added, 'Alexis has a pretty decent grasp on how lazy you are now. Honestly, I'm almost surprised you're bothering with this at all, you don't usually want to deal with these little adventures unless you get something out of it…but then, that's exactly why you're going, isn't it master?' as she finished, she gave him a deadpan look and directed her eyes at the table in front of the couch.

Where a rather shiny new video camera sat fresh out of the box and set for use.

"It's good publicity for me and it'll be easy," Yarden shrugged in response, leaning over to pick up the video camera, "He's just some copycat that only managed to beat Syrus and last as long against Jaden because for some reason the guy refused to use his best cards early on."

Dark Magician Girl's eyes narrowed and she leaned back on the couch, 'You're underestimating Yugi's deck far too much,' she told him seriously, 'You've only saw a fraction of what it's capable of. If you don't take him seriously, you'll lose.'

"…I doubt it," Yarden responded with a shake of his head, "Unless it's full of cards I don't know like the new ones he used against Kaiba, that deck won't be able to do much against me, especially not in the hands of Dimitri. That guy hasn't won a single duel since the year started, even after copying winning professional decks."

'Well, you'll see,' she washed her hands of the discussion, 'Just know, while my teacher isn't with the deck and neither are the god cards, many of the spirits that are deathly loyal to Yugi are within the deck and even in the hands of a thief, they won't go easy at all, they'll respond with equal if greater force. They'll refuse to give a poor showing that can reflect on their master.'

"I'll keep it mind." Yarden nodded, and he would. But, he wasn't all that fussed or feeling threatened at all.

Dimitri was just that bad.

___________

Not long later, video camera in hand Yarden walked along the path away from the Obelisk Blue boys dormitory.

Instead of heading up towards the Duel Academy itself though, he made his way down towards the docks and then passed them as well, circling around and-

A shrill high pitched scream echoed.

And it was very close by.

"Ah, I'm just on time then." Yarden grinned, picking up the pace from a walk, into a quick jog.

He rounded the corner a few moments later and found Syrus laying flat on his back beside a large rocky outcropping, while another taller teenager stood near the edge atop another, dressed in the mustard yellow jacket of Ra Yellow, with a ragged scarf around his neck.

Dimitri.

Also, for some reason he'd made the bottom of his jacket flare out at the back, the same way Yugi Moto wore his own jacket.

'How did he even do that anyway?' Yarden thought idly as he made his way over to Syrus, did he like use an iron or something? A pot of some hardening substance to stick it that way?

So weird.

"Syrus, you alright?" Yarden asked the boy who was just kind of laying there, groaning.

How did he even fall anyway? It wasn't like Dimitri had access to any real power, he highly doubted Yugi's deck would do that to some poor innocent kid just trying to get the stolen deck back.

…Maybe he just slipped? Syrus was a real klutz after all. Kid needed to work on his body and get fitter for sure, especially his legs.

Some calf raises and squats would do wonders for keeping his footing firm and stable.

"Y-Yarden," Syrus winced as he helped him up and gave him a pitiful look, "He has it….and he beat me…easily."

That wasn't exactly a grand accomplishment, but Yarden held his tongue, "Has what?" he asked, even though he already knew.

"Yugi's deck…he stole it." Syrus revealed.

"That right?" Yarden hummed, hiding a grin. With that now known, he could act on that information. He turned to Dimitri, "Alright mustard boy, how about you hand that deck back over, stealing's a crime you know?"

Dimitri merely raised an eyebrow at him, "Mustard boy? Do you mean that fool Dimitri? I think you have me mistaken for someone else young Duelist," he replied, his voice filled with a forced gravel and grit, that was nothing like his usual high pitched and rather whiny sounding voice, "I am Yugi Moto, the King of Games and greatest duellist in the world!"

He was really going to give himself a sore throat was what he was actually, if he kept that up too long.

"Aren't you a little old to be playing pretend mate?" Yarden snorted and casually jumped up atop the rocky outcropping Syrus had been standing atop previously, "Now how about you give it up before you actually get in trouble. Or before you end up catching these hands." he continued, holding up a fist.

Dimitri snorted, crossing his arms, "Threats of violence and made up nonsense about not handing over my own deck? I think not," he then uncrossed his arms and dramatically pointed at Yarden, "If you wish to take my deck from me foul ruffian, you will have to do it through the ancient ways. In a duel!"

Hmmm.

He kind of wanted to just say screw it and go kick him around a bit. He had to resist the urge to cringe from that. He was feeling embarrassed even from being involved in this nonsense.

How could he say crap like that without wanting to curl up and die?

Still, he resisted the urge to say that big final 'screw it' and do him in real proper. After all, a recorded victory over Yugi Moto's deck, used by a pretender or not, would go a long way to boost his infamy alongside his victory over the Paradox Brothers.

And if his instigations went his way, Rex Raptor sometime in the future as well. There was no way that guy with his fragile ego would stay silent with his insults on live television and then refusal to apologise.

"Fine, whatever," Yarden shrugged and agreed aloud, "It won't take long I suppose." saying that, he crouched down and held his video camera out to Syrus.

He would have tossed it over, but the klutz would have totally dropped it.

"Eh?" Syrus gave him a confused look, even as he accepted it.

"I was going to take a video of Yugi's deck, but I think a video of me crushing his deck in a duel will be much better," Yarden smirked, "Record the duel Syrus." he ordered.

"Ehh…okay?" Syrus nodded and agreed.

With that taken care of Yarden stood back up fully and turned to face Dimitri, pressing the button in his gauntlet to deploy his dragon wing duel disk.

"Let's do this then Dimitri, just don't whine too much when I wreck you." Yarden taunted.

Gotta play to his audience after all.

"Hmph, the cute smack talk of a child in over his head," Dimitri snorted, "But since you're so gung ho, then I don't suppose you mind me taking lead and drawing first? It's only natural for the King of Games to go first after all."

Yarden LP: 4000
Dimitri LP: 4000

"Go for it." Yarden shrugged, initiating the duel and drawing five cards, while Dimitri drew six.

"Then allow me to show you the true power of the greatest duellist of all!" Dimitri laughed loudly and proudly, "And I'll begin by playing a favourite spell card of mine, Dark Magic Curtain! This spell card allows me to give up half of my life points and summon the legendary Dark Magician from anywhere in my deck!"

In front of him, a large skeleton phased into view as he played the card, dangling a massive dark curtain that flapped in the wind. It pulled back a moment later to reveal a tall man dressed in purple robes and carrying a green sceptre in hand.

Dark Magician - Spellcaster/Dark/Level 7/Normal: 2500/2100

Yarden LP: 4000
Dimitri LP: 2000

Syrus gasped in awe, "The Dark Magician….and on the first turn too!"

…Okay, but why? Sure it was a twenty five hundred attack point beat stick and the face of Yugi's deck, but the idiot just went and spent half of his life points on his very first move of the duel, never mind turn.

As expected, this clown really was-

"And now with him on the field, I'll go ahead and play the continuous spell card, Sleight of Hand!" Dimitri immediately followed and played another spell card that appeared face up on the field, displaying a hand with two cards on it, one a spell, the other a trap while, the hand having the sleeve of a very familiar purple robe, "What this does young duellist, is allow me to play trap cards immediately, even from my hand as long as I have a Dark Magician monster on the field."

…Okay, that was new. Yarden had never heard of that card before.

"And immediately, I will play the trap card Solemn Wishes!" Dimitri continued, setting another card, this one displaying the face of a solemn woman, "A simple card, but powerful! It is a continuous trap that gives me five hundred life points for every card I draw!"

'Oh, so that was why.' Yarden raised an eyebrow in interest. He was planning on regaining Life Points per turn passively with that card to make up for the ones he lost with the summoning of Dark Magician.

Not a bad plan to be honest.

"And now I activate the spell card Bond Between Master of Pupil!" And it seemed Dimitri was far from finished, "This card allows me to special summon a Dark Magician Girl from anywhere in my deck so long as Dark Magician is on the field. And not only that, it allows me to set one of three different spell cards on the field ready to be used at my leisure!"

A split moment later, a familiar beautiful perky blonde, tiny pink skirt wearing magician burst onto the field with a happy giggle.

'Oh hey, it's me, hi me!' Dark Magician Girl giggled from his side.

Dark Magician Girl - Spellcaster/Dark/Level 5/Effect: 2000/1700

Yarden's second eyebrow rose, 'I'm fairly certain you're not supposed to be able to summon another monster the turn you activate Dark Magic Curtain.' he thought.

Another change, huh?

'Yep, and you better watch out,' Dark Magician Girl hummed, 'That set card can be any of Dark Magic Attack, Dark Burning Attack or Dark Magic Twin Burst, and any of them spell bad news for you master.'

Lovely.

Well, he only had two cards left in his hand so, he should be done with his turn soon, and it wasn't like there was anything so far he couldn't handle.

"Now I activate the magic of Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two new cards!" Dimitri immediately dashed those thoughts and drew two cards, "Aha, hello my friend!" the other boys eyes lit up upon seeing one of the cards he drew.

Oh for Christ sake.

And with that his life points rose by a thousand.

Dimitri looked at Yarden with a smug looking smirk, "I drew my dear ally Watapon, and thanks to his special effect, if he enters my hand through a card effect, I can immediately summon him!"

A cute little pink fluffball burst into existence within a shimmer of light in front of Dimitri.

Watapon - Fairy/Light/Level 1/Effect: 200/300

Well, at least it was only Watapon. A tiny little defence or decent for a tribute, but nothing threatening. Still, three monsters on the first turn.

That was pretty impressive for the losers around here.

"Now, everything is in place," Dimitri chuckled, "With this, I play the equip spell card, Mage Power and equip it to my Dark Magician, increasing his attack points by five hundred for every spell or trap card on my field!"

Dark Magician - Spellcaster/Dark/Level 7/Normal: 4000/2100

Okay, a little more alarming now! But, nothing he still couldn't deal with.

"And thus the conditions are filled, thanks to Mage Power and Sleight Of Hand, I can activate the last card in my hand, the mighty trap card, Card Of Last Will!" Dimitri played the last card he had, emptying his hand in total, "When a monster on my side of the field has their attack or defence points change in any way, this card allows me to draw until I have five cards in my hand!"

…Wait, what?!

Yarden's eyes widened as Dimitri immediately began drawing until he had five cards once more in his hand, 'That's bullshit, what the fuck is that!?' he gaped.

Not only did it give him five cards back in his hand, but it also made it so his life points jumped up by a full twenty five hundred.

Yarden LP: 4000
Dimitri LP: 5500

He had nearly half again as many life points as he started with!

"Mmm, those are some lovely life points, don't you agree young duelist?" Dimitri chuckled, "I'm sure you're getting tired with me though, so I'll finish my turn…in a moment. Moving forward, I shall sacrifice my Watapon to summon the ever electrifyingly powerful Summoned Skull!"

Watapon shimmered and disappeared and in its place, a massive demonic skull clad behemoth appeared in its place.

Summoned Skull- Fiend/Dark/Level 6/Normal: 2500/1200

"And now finally, my last play of this turn!" Dimitri declared grandly, slapping down another card, "I play the spell card Dedication Through Light and Darkness! By sacrificing one Dark Magician Monster, like my Dark Magician Girl I can special summon the one, the only, the legendary BDarkMagician Of Chaos from my deck!"

The Dark Magician Girl on the field pouted as she disappeared and in her place, a slender man clad in dark with a large staff exploded into existence and took to the field.

"Welcome my friend," Dimitri greeted the card before turning to Yarden with chuckle, "And now I set one final card, and I end my turn, and thanks to the effect of my Dark Magician Of Chaos, I can take back one spell card from my graveyard and and it to my hand, I choose the spell card Bond Between Student And Teacher and now pass the baton to you my dear opponent."

And Dark Magician's attack rose by another five hundred with the face down added to the field bringing it to a grand total of four thousand five hundred thanks to Mage Power.

…It was matched with Five Headed Dragon.

Dark Magician - Spellcaster/Dark/Level 7/Normal: 5000/2100

Yarden stared at the field set up before him on his opponents side. A continuous trap that gave five hundred life points for every card drawn, a continuous spell that allowed his opponent to play trap cards immediately without setting them. An equip card that increased one of his monsters attack points by five hundred for every trap or spell on his side of the field, one face down that could be one of three possibilities and another unknown.

…And…that.

Dimitri LP: 5500
Dark Magician - Spellcaster/Dark/Level 7/Normal: 5000/2100
Summoned Skull - Fiend/Dark/Level 6/Normal: 2500/1200
Magician Of Black Chaos - Spellcaster/Dark/Level 8/Ritual: 2800/2600

Well now, this could be a problem.