Yugo's Place — 9:07 PM.
The Duel Disks are activated.
The living room is bathed in dim lighting, with the blue neon glow of the disks lighting up the focused faces of the four players. The table is cluttered with open soda cans, half-eaten chip bags, and a still-warm box of barbecue nuggets.
Kael and Yugo are on the same team. Each has their own clear style: Kael is calm, surgical. Yugo is explosive, twitchy, but creative.
Renzo and Zenn, across from them, are a volatile duo. Renzo plays by instinct, like a predator, while Zenn calculates every move like a symphony.
— "Draw Phase. My turn," Zenn says.
He draws slowly, half-closed eyes, then smiles.
— "Starting the Pendulum Scale. 'Wisdom-Eye Magician' on the left. 'Dragonpit Magician' on the right."
Kael frowns.
— "That's fast..."
— "Setting three cards. Then I Pendulum Summon: 'Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon', 'Performapal Skullcrobat Joker', and 'Oafdragon Magician.'"
The holograms fire up in a cascade. The dragons roar.
Renzo bites into a nugget, barbecue sauce dripping from his fingers.
— "I play 'Fire Formation - Tenki,' search 'Zoodiac Ratpier,' summon it, start my XYZ chain..."
— "Zoodiac Drident hits the field," he finishes.
— "Three monsters and a negate on turn one? Seriously..." mutters Yugo.
Kael adjusts his Disk.
— "Then let's break their momentum. I activate 'Reinforcement of the Army,' search for 'Elemental HERO Stratos.'"
— "I summon him. Effect: I destroy Drident."
— "Oh no you don't," Renzo replies, munching another nugget. "Drident activates in response. Bye bye, Stratos."
Yugo slaps his palm.
— "Alright. My turn. I play 'Mask Change Second.' Send 'Shadow Mist' to the grave, draw two, and summon 'Koga.'"
He reaches toward the field's center.
— "Battle Phase. Koga attacks 'Skullcrobat Joker.' He gains 500 ATK."
— "It hits!" Kael announces.
— "Not so fast," Zenn murmurs. "'Pendulum Reborn.' I bring him back straight from the Extra Deck."
— "You did not just top-deck that," Yugo groans.
— "I always draw what I need. That's how I play."
One hour later.
The duel is intense. Everyone's given it their all. The chips are gone, the drinks too. Even Renzo starts lounging back on the couch between phases.
— "You two are ridiculously solid," Zenn says to Kael.
Kael adjusts his glasses.
— "It's just logic. If you calculate the ratios right, you can always come back."
— "Don't play modest," Yugo grins. "You handled that like a king."
Zenn draws his final card.
— "Last turn. All or nothing."
He smiles... then looks down.
— "...Brick."
Kael bursts out laughing. Even Renzo cracks up.
— "You kept that smug smile the whole duel for that?"
Zenn laughs too.
— "That's real dueling. Sometimes you pop off. Sometimes... you just pull a Pot of Riches with zero Pendulums."
Yugo folds his arms.
— "So... Team HERO wins?"
— "No arguments," says Renzo. "You earned it. But next time, no more fun decks."
— "Next time," Zenn adds with a sly look, "I'm bringing my Timegazer deck. You'll cry."
Kael stands and stretches.
— "You mean brick twice as hard?"
They all burst into laughter.