Episode 66. - Two Civilizations, Stereo Type

Angelo Cypher sat, shuffling his deck, waiting for the tournament to begin. The tenth set had brought him quite a few new cards to play, and he was anxious to test the new additions.

Angelo was fairly well known amongst his peers at this store, having played the game since it had first become available. Even now, he still kept one of the very first creatures in his deck, simply adding more around it whenever he felt that new, good cards, had appeared. His deck was now nearly eighty cards, but this did not bother him at all. As far as he was concerned, he had enough defenses to stop anything, and enough offense to break through anything that attempted to defend itself instead. His newest additions to the deck would just make him even more unstoppable.

This meant that when the tall, brown-haired man in the white cowboy hat walked into the store, Angelo took it upon himself to be 'helpful'.

"I think you're in the wrong place, cowboy," he now said, shuffling his deck, looking up at the man from his chair. His heavy physique, black jacket and dark hair contrasted strongly with the attire of the man he was speaking to, who, by contrast, looked very plain. A fit man in his early twenties, wearing a plain shirt, jeans, and brown boots.

Dan Kilburn looked to his left, where two youngsters were dueling, then to his right, where two others were trading cards, and said simply, "Nope."

Angelo's eyes narrowed, then his face took on an even more quizzical expression when the man walked past him to registration and took a deck out of the bag he was carrying.

"He's got to be kidding..." Angelo now muttered to himself as he watched the Southern man indeed register for the day's Duel Masters tournament. He did not recognize the lithe blue-haired girl that followed soon after, either. More unknown competition, but neither looked particularly dangerous.

Angelo was quite surprised therefore, when an hour and a half later, he found that he was facing the cowboy in the semifinal, and the unfamiliar blue-haired one was in the other.

"You newcomers must have brought some surprising decks to be able to make it this far," he noted now, to Dan, "But it stops here. You can't beat Depthcon Tech. Especially not now."

"Hey now, that's just a little presumptuous, don't ya think?" Dan laughed, "But we'll see what you can do. Time for a taste of country!"

"Hmf. You can go first, then."
Angelo was not mocking this opponent with that decision. He knew his deck would probably work better going second, with his newly added cards. Dan Kilburn led off the duel with an Apocalypse Vise to his mana zone. Cypher smirked. The first sign of a Disruption deck.

Cypher casually placed a Natural Snare into his own mana zone, and watched as Dan followed his play with a Rumbling Terahorn, then a Faerie Life that placed an Invincible Cataclysm into his mana zone also. The feeling that now swept over Cypher was one of a warm field, a contrast to the usual Kaijudo he felt from Disruption style duelists. He sent a Holy Awe to his mana zone and summoned a La Ura Giga.

"Now that's a weird move," Dan noted, drawing and placing the Tornado Flame into his mana zone. He now cast Volcano Charger, watching in his mind as the explosive power destroyed the Guardian, and the ash rained down gently into his field. He stood calmly in the midst of it, waiting for Cypher's next move.

"Poltalester, the Spydroid, to mana. Summon Bronze-Arm Tribe!"
The Tribe caused a Sanfist, the Savage Vizier, card, to go to his mana zone. For the first time, Cypher could feel the odd effect of adding a dual civilization card to his mana. It was a strange feeling. He was aware that it was there, but felt no power added.

Dan drew his card and again placed it into his mana zone. Soulswap. He took no other action. The warm breeze swept over his field, as Cypher now realized that his opponent seemed to have only Nature and Fire in his deck.

"Ha! You're kidding me now. Defenseless decks fail, cowboy. I can just break through your whole batch of shields. You don't even have a creature out."

"Come on if you're comin', kid," Dan smirked, "I'm ready anytime."

Cypher drew a Brain Serum, and placed it into his mana zone, then cast his own Faerie Life, causing a Dimension Gate to follow the Brain Serum. Now, he summoned an Aqua Hulcus and drew a new card.

"I'll make this quick then. Bronze-Arm, ikei!"
The shield shattered, then the energy triggered, causing the ground around Dan to glow and ripple with energy as everything underwent another growth spurt. Faerie Life had placed a Mighty Shouter into Dan's mana zone.

"At least now I know you've actually got creatures in there," Cypher laughed, "Too bad it didn't end up where you needed it. End turn."

Dan looked at his hand, drawing his card, then looked at his mana zone.
"Oh, I think it ended up exactly where I needed it... and I've definitely got creatures in here, but where I come from, we raise 'em big. Tornado Flame to mana. Summon Bazagazeal Dragon. Baza, attack that Hulcus. Ikei."

The absolute calm with which Dan summoned the gigantic Armored Dragon unnerved Cypher quite a bit more than he wished to let on. Bazagazeal destroyed the Hulcus easily, with a single swipe of one of its giant swords, then flew off again, leaving Dan's battle zone empty.

"Seems to me you can't discard my dragon from me with that deck you've got," Dan noted, "I'm interested to see what you'll come up with."

Cypher laughed, "Just a matter of breaking those shields and getting this over with. I can 'raise 'em big' too. Watch. Bronze-Arm Tribe, evolve into Fighter Dual Fang!"

The Beast Folk champion now appeared in the battle zone in all its glory, adding new mana to Cypher. Smaller physically than the great Bazagazeal Dragon, but easily able to hold its own in combat should Bazagazeal decide to challenge it. Cypher smirked, and commanded it to break shields. Neither triggered. Dan's face betrayed no worry, and neither did his Kaijudo.

"That's pretty funny," he actually said now, charging a Mighty Shouter, "Apocalypse Vise!"

The mechanical grinding signaled the end of the Fighter Dual Fang, leaving Dan with his Bazagazeal Dragon still ready for any assault necessary. Cypher frowned slightly, but for the moment, all he would need to do, would be to get either multiple creatures, or a blocker, or...

"Dimension Gate, to bring me my King Depthcon, and another, to retrieve Pala Olesis. You can't discard either, cowboy. So show me what you've really got."

Dan drew his card, and calmly summoned his Bazagazeal Dragon again. A mighty slash shattered two of Cypher's shields, one of which triggered, as an Aqua Surfer. Although the effect was not one that would bother Bazagaeal, the creature could pose a slight problem.

"Guess it's time to really cut loose..." Dan said simply, tipping his hat. Cypher laughed, summoning his Pala Olesis, and an Aqua Skydiver alongside it. The Aqua Surfer rode in on what seemed to be an air wave, and shattered another shield. A Muscle Charger. No trigger.

Dan drew another Muscle Charger, and so, he placed one of them into his mana zone. Cypher creatures were not exactly giving him reason to use the cards.

"What now? Got another Apocalypse Vise? It's worth a shot, more or less, but it's already over no matter what you do..." Cypher grinned now.

"Oh, yeah... I've got one, but I've got a better weapon too. Been holdin' onto it since the beginning of the duel. Surprising what a man can do when his mana grows on its own. I'll just summon my Bazagazeal Dragon, and give him a little extra boost with this Fists of Forever."

Cypher's jaw literally dropped, as the great Dragon now sliced through his Aqua Skydiver, roared, and proceeded to obliterate his Aqua Surfer also, before swooping upwards into the sky to slash cleanly through Pala Olesis, and then finally dive towards his shield zone again, shattering two more. The Brain Serum triggered, giving Cypher two more cards, the effect boosting his Kaijudo out of its state of numb disbelief. Bazagazeal flew away yet again, and Dan's turn ended.

"Alright... you're not bad. Aqua Surfer to mana. Summon King Depthcon! And Pala Olesis!"
Cypher had made it clear that the Leviathan was his avatar, and now, it loomed as a huge dark shape in his waters. Its presence spiked his psychic energy to an almost extreme level.

Dan's avatar by now was also clear. The difference was, that the power of such an avatar manifested itself when Dan had the creature in his hand, and not only when he summoned it. Therefore, when he drew a new one, raising the number of Bazagazeal in his hand, to three, the resulting Kaijudo surge made Cypher's head spin. He could momentarily 'see' the three great Dragons floating around Dan, even though in that moment, only one of them seemed real. Generally because, it was. Cypher shook his head. It had to be a bluff. When the Bazagazeal took form, and attacked Depthcon, he did not block it.

Pala Olesis' energy augmented the defenses of the Leviathan, forcing Bazagazeal into a long, desperate battle against the size of the Leviathan and its forceful splashing. Finally, the dragon's mighty blades ended it, but the exhausted Armored Dragon then splashed into the waves also, unable to fight on. Dan ended his turn. Cypher's psionic output had diminished, with the loss of his avatar. Dan's had not. It had been no bluff.

Cypher now sent his Holy Awe card to his mana zone, trembling slightly as he summoned the Aqua Hulcus, wondering if there really were two more Bazagazeal Dragons simply waiting to obliterate anything he could summon. He exhaled in an attempt to calm himself. He would only need to get through with two more hits. A Faerie Life followed the Hulcus, placing a King Depthcon into Cypher's mana zone. He cringed, but played on.

Dan calmly cast Apocalypse Vise, obliterating Pala and the Hulcus, and played a Mighty Shouter directly afterward.

"Dia Nork, Moonlight Guardian," Cypher declared now, as his summon, following this with the reappearance of his Aqua Skydiver.

"Muscle Charger to mana. Summon Shaman Broccoli, and Bazagazeal Dragon. Baza, take out the Guardian. Ikei. Shouter, break shield."

Cypher did not bother to block the Shouter's attack. He had a different plan on the way. Dan only had one shield, and Skydivers could attack. Dia Nork was destroyed easily by the dragon's blade, and Cypher's final shield was shattered. Dan's Dragon returned to him. Cypher smirked, finally laughing to himself.

"You've tired yourself out by now, cowboy. Try this. Unicorn Fish, not once, but twice, to remove both your Shouter and Broccoli. Now you get to stop three attacks. Think you can?"

Dan looked at his opponent quizzically.
"But I don't need to stop anything. I just need to get through, don't I? You're a weird kid. Broccoli to mana. Cast Volcano Charger, summon Bazagazeal Dragon! That's game!"

The explosive power erupted beneath the Aqua Skydiver, torching it, and Bazagazeal came directly out behind that jet of magma, to swoop down upon Angelo Cypher, and deliver a shocking blow of Kaijudo enhanced power. Cypher's expression fell, and his eyes glazed over.

Dan ignored him. The young man had been, in his opinion, fairly rude the whole time. Dan Kilburn did not like rude people. Since the other duel was finished, Dan simply got up and moved to the seat opposite the winner, for the final. Libra looked at him in slight disbelief.

"You're Kilburn?" she wondered aloud now, though the question was clearly pointless.

Dan nodded, deploying his shields. The judge quickly flicked through the decklists, and decided that Dan would go first. Kilburn led off with a Faerie Life. Immediately, Libra found her senses assailed with the smell of long grass and fresh air. She wrinkled her nose.

"Miracle Quest to mana. End turn."
Her own Kaijudo gave the impression of some dark underwater facility. The smell of chemicals and a sterile environment. The exact opposite of Dan's. The shore where they met was now the only neutral area. Dan had a similar reaction to the mental impression of the smell. He charged Fire mana. A Colossus Boost.

"Summon Shaman Broccoli. End turn."

"Interesting..." she muttered, sending a Propeller Mutant to her own mana and summoning an Emeral. The Cyber Lord fiddled with a shield, deactivating it and then resetting it, before moving forward into the battle zone.

"Muscle Charger to mana. I don't think I'm gonna need it against you either, eh? Summon Mighty Shouter. Broccoli, break shield!"

The shield did not trigger. Libra shrugged, sent a Dark Reversal to her mana zone, and summoned an Aqua Soldier. She made no attack. Dan charged another Muscle Charger to his mana zone, and summoned another Shaman Broccoli.

"Your little creatures can't hold me off..." he noted, more as an observation than a taunt, "So, Broccoli, ikei--" The shield now shattered, but the trap was sprung. An Aqua Jolter. The Shouter continued, breaking another, but this one did not trigger. Libra looked at the card, carefully weighing her options. The shield had been a Snake Attack. She could manipulate this situation, with careful planning.

"Splash Zebrafish to mana. Summon Scout Cluster. Jolter, deal with that vegetable. Ikei."
The Aqua Jolter now rushed the Shaman Broccoli, quickly disposing of it. The creature's essence spread out through Dan's mindspace, increasing his mana. Libra knew exactly how these situations went, and so, sent her Soldier in to break a single shield. Dan would not know it, but his next play would make all the difference.

"Bolmeteus Steel Dragon to mana. Cast Volcano Charger on your Aqua Jolter," he declared, surprising her completely. His next declaration was even more surprising.

"Broccoli, break shield. Ikei!"
Libra's mind took awhile to calculate why her opponent would do this, then she found herself suppressing a small fit of laughter.

"He does not know how much danger he is in. He has no idea that we have a Snake Attack now... Allow him past. Let us see what happens."

The decision was the correct one, demonstrated a moment later when the triggered Spiral Gate whisked the Mighty Shouter away. Dan's turn was over.

Libra drew a new Scout Cluster. Not exactly useful. Only one of the creatures could ever be deployed at a time. She was perfectly aware of this, and therefore sent this second one to her mana zone. She had a new plan.

"Cast Miracle Quest! Cluster, get that Broccoli! Ikei!"
The creature suffered the same fate as the first, becoming nothing more than topsoil for Dan's mindspace. Now, Libra sent her Soldier in yet again, to break the second shield. As it did, the power of the shattering was drained away by the spell, allowing her to draw two new cards. Since it did not trigger, this made it possible for her Emeral to do the same.

"Ouch..." Dan remarked, his head throbbing with the increase of energy from his opponent.

"I know exactly what you will do next," Shtra laughed, appearing beside Libra, "And I'm sure you know as well as I do, that it will not actually work. My Soldiers do not fear your fiery death devices."

Dan scowled slightly. She was right on both counts. Bazagazeal scoffed at Shtra, as Dan placed a Soulswap into his mana zone and cast the expected Apocalypse Vise, searing her Emeral and Scout Cluster out of existence, and evaporating the Aqua Soldier.

Libra simply drew her card, and placed her Splash Zebrafish into her mana zone, summoning not only the original Soldier, but a new one beside it as well.

"See? No matter how much you scorch and burn, we care not. We will keep coming forever. We do not fear your fire spells."

"Forever? I'll show you 'forever'. They may not fear our spells, but in a second, they're definitely going to fear me..."

Dan now finally summoned the great Bazagazeal Dragon yet again, and the Fists of Forever card caused both his Kaijudo, and Bazagazeal's energy, to increase. The dragon swooped down, slashing one Soldier into steam, then whirled to catch the other two slashes later. With this done, and his shields safe from their assault, Bazagazeal now turned to the final shield on Libra's side. No matter what it was, it could not end the duel immediately.

"Shield Trigger, Aqua Jolter!" she laughed as Bazagazeal's sword slashed through it.

Dan did not know quite what she was so happy about, since it was just one creature. Even if the Soldiers now returned, it would not matter. Neither of them would be able to block his dragon's final attack. He had already disposed of one Blocker, and another was in mana. Her chances of dealing with this in time were slim.

Libra drew her card. A Spiral Gate. No help now, since Dan seemed quite comfortably capable of dueling with no creatures in his battle zone at all. She placed her Propeller Mutant into her mana zone, and smiled as she realized that Dan was ever so slightly short on mana.

"Splash Zebrafish, to return my Scout Cluster, and now summon it. End turn."

Dan wondered momentarily why the young woman had not attacked him. If he had any triggers, they would grant him victory regardless.
"She is limiting our options as much as she can, but what good is it when we are about to limit hers?

"Summon Bazagazeal Dragon! Ikei!"
The Scout Cluster now intercepted the great dragon's attack, preventing Libra from being defeated right then. At this moment, it was coming down to the absolute wire. Dan's mind began to quickly calculate just what she could do to him, from here, that would actually result in her winning. He did not have to wait long.

"Aqua Jolter, evolve into Crystal Lancer! Ikei! Double Break!"
The light shone from within the Liquid assassin, transforming it into the mighty icy Lancer. The shields shattered, the final one triggering. Soulswap. The Zebrafish disappeared into the dimensional gateway, and Libra's Propeller Mutant suddenly found itself in her battle zone.

"Haha! Yes! Propeller Mutant! Todomeda!"
The attack began, but it apparently never ended. The Mutant seemed somehow prevented from reaching Dan. His mind was not accepting the defeat, or the effect.

"Hold on there, now. It seems to me that your Mutant has summoning sickness, lil' lady. You can't finish me off. I've won."

"What are you talking about? Errata on Soulswap. It has Speed Attacker. I've won..."

The judge now stepped forward, to clarify that the errata for Soulswap was not officially in effect everywhere yet, however, it had been for that tournament. This revelation did not help at all, since Dan had not known that the card could not save him, and Libra had not know that the card could have stopped her. Finally, the man tipped his white hat...

"What do you say we just call it a draw and split the prize, lil' lady? I came here to duel, not argue over some card. Besides, that was close, I figure that's just about as even as a duel is gonna get!" He burst out laughing now, showing her that his next card had been just a Gonta, Warrior Savage. Nothing unexpected. He would have had to summon Bazagazeal for the finish after all.

Libra smirked at the man and nodded to the judge, signifying her acceptance of his offer. Dan smiled back. It had been a good day to duel.