THE VS MOMO TURN 3 PART 2 2023/04/06(Thu)22:52 No. 1060879 ID: e98f33
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Momo was, in fact, correct. There was no card in The Masked Duelist’s deck that would let them win. That card was in Momo’s deck the whole time.

The Masked Duelist fumbles a card for a brief moment and nervously resumes the cycle of summoning, detaching, and paying LP to keep the Animus Engine humming and Momo’s life-gaining, card-drawing loop continuing until, at last, Momo’s deck runs out of cards just as she reaches her peak size.

Momo lets out a high-pitched, squealing scream as beams of light shoot from her towering form, building in intensity until the dam breaks. White light erupts from her entire body, Momo’s cries building with each wave, building up to a final, deafening explosion so powerful it knocks The Masked Duelist’s mask off, cracking it on the floor.

Inside the thick cloud of dust kicked up by the explosion, there’s naught left of Momo but a tiny gremlin. She fluffs her tail, jingles her bell and bounds over to The (un)Masked Duelist with a grin, getting a clear look as they reach for their cracked mask.

“Finally got a peek under those robes,” Momo giggles. “Guess that means you get a peek under mine, too. There’s lots we can do before the dust settles and those birds can see enough to stop us. You sure finish strong.”

The Masked Duelist places their mask back on, but there’s a glimmer of a smile just before they do. “Was it good for you, too?”

“You know it, hot stuff.”

“You aren’t half bad at this game,” says the duelist. “You probably would have won if you hadn’t gotten overconfident.”

“Tsk,” Momo scoffs. “What fun is it if I can’t play the way I want to?”

“You certainly did look to be having fun…”

“I sure did. Oh, and…” she gives a wink with her teeth, somehow. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret. I’d like to see what your plan is when you win this whole thing.”

“Thank you,” the duelist says, and gives Momo a gentle stroke down her back.

The Masked Duelist has defeated Momo!

>>1060739
Nickel!

I'll also vote for Nickel, for the simple fact that a 2000 ATK monster attacking into a 2000 DEF monster doesn't destroy it. Selma's initial strategy seemed to be decking you out, so she's less likely to have cards that'll naturally increase her monster's attack. Having Nickel on your side puts you in a safer position, where you're less likely to lose to battle damage. Even General Halsner can only get up to 1900, unless YOU start playing Beast-type monsters as well.

Now, there is an obvious weak point in this reasoning. A couple actually, with the first being the extra deck. Her strategy so far hasn't made much use of it so far, so she may have some backup plans stashed away in there that could easily overcome a simple 2K wall. Any removal effect would do it, or an effect that changes control over a creature, one that buffs her monsters or nerfs yours, etc.

The second weak point is: If Selma starts trying to deck you out again, having a high DEF monster on the field doesn't really stop that.

Still, with the situation as is, I think taking a safer strategy will do you better here. It takes many cards to pull off a successful deck-out, so simple beatdown is the strategy you really need to worry about. With that in mind, choosing Nickel is the correct answer.

>>1060879
wait... why couldn't Momo use The Reckless Champion Exiled to discard two of her many many cards and banish a monster permanently to break the combo?

>>1060932

We didn't get the exact card text, so it may be that the effect can only be used once, and then its prevention lasts so long as it stays on the field.

>>1060932
>>1060934

The second post here is correct, the full text of The Reckless Champion: Exiled states "As an additional cost to activate The Reckless Champion Exiled, discard two cards; Target one monster that was special summoned, banish it. As long as this card remains face-up on the field, Monsters with the same name as the banished monster can not be summoned or placed on the field." After Simon - who Sees the End was banished by the effect of the card, it functioned as a prison that persisted on the field in order to prevent the summoning of any further copies of Simon.

Xerin vs. Selma Art by Silly Zealot 2023/05/07(Sun)13:20 No. 1062937 ID: 3b86e0
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>Nickel!
>I think taking a safer strategy will do you better here.

You make a good enough argument, perhaps the way to victory opens through the most unassuming path.

-“Sekiel’s special effect is to make an enemy monster switch sides as long as he is in play, and I choose..” I point my finger at the table, -“..Nickel.”


-“Come to me, child, a new and better life awaits in our fold!”- The diminutive preacher stretches his arm in invitation.

The even smaller soldier does not change her expression as she replies, -“A better life is not easily gained, life is struggle, not quick rewa-”

“We have a duck shooting arcade!”- The possum interrupts.

The clone soldier stares silently at this for a moment, before she begins to walk forward. Her tall companion clenches her teeth reproachfully at her; Nickel simply gives her a shrug as she makes her way to my side of the field.

-“And since that lowers the attack and defense of Nickel back to default and much weaker than your General, I think it prudent to give my monsters a boost.”- I say, –“To this effect, I activate Soul Coalescence. This spell card grants 100 attack and defense points to all my monsters for every monster card in my graveyard, provided it is not removed from play.”

-“Don’t worry, I’m not wiping the board again.” – Little Selma says while resting her head on her fist, catching my meaning.

-“I should hope so. Though it did turn out well for me, as all monsters under my control now have… 700 extra points.”- I say as I finish parsing through the stack of cards, -“Hmm, still falling a bit short of the attack of your own warriors, sadly, so I will end my turn.”

Selma’s brow furrows for a moment before drawing a card; I've left her in a bad situation, as she has no other cards in her hand, even my Shared Bounty didn’t help her for long. Still, I can see from her changed expression that the card she drew is not a bad one, the question is…

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Should I use it?” Selma raises an eyebrow in question, it would certainly help her a lot in the long run, and give her a means to return to her milling strategy, but Xerin already has plenty of means to trounce her and this will give him even more. It is a risky move, maybe more so than it is rewarding, but then again, life in her little town has become much riskier the past few days, and in spite of the growing dangers, she has hardly ever felt more excited. Well, then, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

-“This is gonna be interesting,”- Selma says as she places her newly drawn card on the table, -“I cast Speedy Update, a continuous spell card that makes each player draw two extra cards from the deck each at the start of each turn.”

-“Your turn has already started, you would not be able to draw two more cards right now.”

-“Yeah, I know.”

-“So...you will let me draw 3 cards total next turn in advance?”- It is now Xerin who raises an eyebrow.

-“You gave me those extra cards before, so sure, why not?”- Selma shrugs and waves an encouraging hand.

Xerin’s expression eases somewhat, -“Hmmm. Well, thank you, I suppose, but I fear your self-confidence may be misplaced.”

-“I haven’t ended my turn yet, bucko. You said Sekiel makes a monster switch sides until he is out of play, right? General Halsner can solve that problem.”- General Halsner raises his pistol again as Selma finishes speaking.

-“Not so fast. I activate Suspicious Intent, which invalidates one of the opponent's actions,”-Xerin says, and General Halsner lowers his gun and narrows his eyes with distrust.

-“Something ain’t right here.”- Halsner says.

-“It’s just a trap card effect!”- Selma protests.

-“Yes, but….I don’t know, let’s take a moment and give it some more planning.”

-“Darn, and Astrolysis can’t break through Sekiel boosted defense either. I guess I’ll have to end my turn.”

-“Shame, really, but I’d have probably done the same, with so few options, and speaking options…”- Xerin says as he draws not one, not four, but three cards. –“Let’s see what your generosity has brought me.”

Xerin vs. Selma Art by Silly Zealot 2023/05/07(Sun)13:24 No. 1062938 ID: 3b86e0
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Quite something, actually. Just the right ingredients for a killer combo, pun intended.

Time for the closing act.

-“I’ll start by sacrificing Sekiel and Nickel to tribute summon Alice Dietrich.”

-“Pay up, life is struggle.”

The possum preacher grumpily flicks a nickel at Nickel, she catches it mid-flight before they both disintegrate into motes of light. Wonder when they had time to make a bet. At any rate, new motes of light appear and coalesce in the form of a green, ghoulish woman.

[Alice Dietrich, 8 stars, Type: Plant/Mutant, 1750 ATK 1750 DEF]

“With Sekiel now in my graveyard, that makes the raises the bonus of Soul Coalescence to 800 points, giving Alice a formidable 2550 attack and defense, making her more than a match for your General Halsner, but before I attack, I’ll use Deflated Ego to take away the attack bonus he’s gained.”

The game itself seems to have a sense of humor, as it illustrates the General’s return to 900 attack points by making three of the four stars on his pauldron fall off, making him swear loudly.

-“Alice, attack!”- I command.

-“Oh, blast it all.”- Halsner sighs as Alice falls upon him and… swallows him whole after pummeling him with her fists.

-“Ew, what in the hell!”- Selma exclaims.

-“A..apologies, this must be the way the game represents Alice’s special ability, Mass Gain, which raises her attack and defense by 500 points every time she defeats an enemy.”

-“Why did they have to show that ability so ghastly-like?”- She drawls.

-“We did tone it down.”- I hear a voice to my left; it is the tall gray bird serving as one of the judges, –“The original display had her chomping down on the bodies as she usually would in the real world,”- she grimaces quite expressively for someone with a beak, –“We… may change it further, after seeing your reaction.”

-“Please, I’d really appreciate it.”- Selma replies.

-“As would I,”- I bow my head slightly,- “Thank you, miss…”

-“Tiana.”

-“Thank you, Tiana. No need to do it right now, however; the duel is almost over.”

At this, Selma’s ears perk up. “Wait, how many life points did I lose from that attack?“- The score keeping sign appears once again in front of us with the result and she stammers, -“What? No, wait…that’s…” she begins counting with her fingers, -“Let’s see, I lost 800 from the Butthead attack, I sacrificed 1000 to summon Astrolysis, then another 500 from hitting the Wall of Flesh, and this attack would be…?”

I complete the thought matter-of-factly, -“1650 points of damage, which lowers the total down to 50.”

-“Are you kidding me right now?!”- She says, raising her arms in exasperation.

-“Now, now, remember it was your choice to spend that thousand points, and besides, I cannot attack again this turn, so I’ll just place a trap card and let you draw your three cards.”

Selma stops staring daggers at me and looks quizzically at her deck when she remembers the effect of her spell card. The frown on her face is still there, though. I can tell she doesn’t hold out much hope. To be honest, neither do I.

Xerin vs. Selma Art by Donut 2023/05/07(Sun)13:27 No. 1062939 ID: 3b86e0
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Selma is not happy. 50 life points, holy moly, talk about cutting it close! If she has any chance left to win, it better show up now.

She draws her three cards.

……

A plan takes form.

-“Alright, I’ll place two trap cards on the field. Since their combo’s already broken, I’ll finish my turn by tributing Astrolysis to summon a monster card in face down position.”

-”Will that be all?”- Xerin asks.

-”Yeah, y’all said it yourself, I don’t have many options right now.”

-”Hm, well, then,”- Xerin motions to draw his next three cards. -”Let’s conclude our little game, shall we?”

-”Sure, man, it was fun while it lasted.”- Selma shrugs.

-”I can tell you are trying to set me up, so let’s play it safe: I cast Rubber and Glue. For one turn, every effect or attack targeted towards either my monsters or myself will instead backfire, and I summon Youngblood Martinet in attack mode, to destroy your face-down card.”

[Youngblood Martinet, 4 Stars, Type: Military/Beast, 1000 ATK 1000 DEF]

-”With 800 bonus attack it will likely be more than a match for your last remaining monster. If not, at least it will serve to test your defenses.”

-”You may be right about that, I have more than one defense, bud! You just activated my trap card: Magic Annulment, which removes every spell currently on play from the field to the graveyard!”

-”Now what did we promise about wiping the board again?”- Xerin wags a finger in mocking reproach.

-”It’s not the entire field, y’know?”- Selma crosses her arms.

-”No matter, I can counter it with a second Suspicion Intent.”- Xerin’s trap card lifts up to reveal the same type of card with the same shoddy art as before.

-“You had more than one of it?”

-”It is a very versatile card, why would I have only one?”

Selma frowns doubtingly, -”It still feels like bad form.”

-”It feels repetitive, I know, but well within the rules; isn’t that right, Miss Tania?”- Xerin lifts his head towards the secretary bird, now perched on one of the seams of the roof, still watching the duel. She leans down to reply.

-”Most cards can be added up to three times to the same deck; the move is valid.”

-”Thank you. Now,”-Xerin looks back down at the table, -”Youngblood Martinet, attack!”

The young fuzzy soldier charges forward and sinks his spear into the face-down monster. The card flips onto its face. A drawing of Selma is visible for a moment before the card shatters like stained glass, disappearing and then reforming on top of the graveyard stack.

[Selma, Shy Librarian, 6 Stars, Type: Beast/Savant, 1500 ATK 1500 DEF]

-”A card of yourself…?”- Xerin arches an eyebrow skeptically.

-”I was meaning to use it with the cards from my own set, but I needed something to stall your monster, and like we say back home, y’all play with the cards that’ve been dealt to ya.”- Selma says with a marked southern drawl and a resigned posture.

-”What is its special effect?”

-”Dying like a bitch, apparently.”

Xerin gives an expression between a repressed frown and smirk at the unexpected remark. -”Hmph. Well, then, if there is nothing else,”- he looks down at his side of the field, -”Alice, attack her life points directly.”

The green ghoul raises her right arm, quickly reshaping it into a large, boney spike, then shoots it forwards, elongating it into a seemingly impossible stretch, speeding towards Selma.

-”That’s a duel-ending attack, alright, but not for you,”- Selma says, tilting her head forward with sinister glee, “I activate my last trap card, Burnt Bakery, which makes an attack aimed at my life points bounce back!”

-”I just activated Rubber and Glue, remember? You cannot destroy my monster with its own attack.”

-”Oh, but the attack is not aimed at the monster, but at the bakery.”- Selma points a finger at Xerin’s deck (grow up), -”The diverted attack translates as 1 discarded card for every 500 attack points.”

Xerin thinks a moment before replying, -”6 cards is a lot, but I can still launch another attack next turn.”

-”No, you don’t! I told you my card’s special effect was dying, and I meant it: when Selma, Shy Librarian gets sent to the graveyard, it activates her special ability, One Last Edit, which allows her owner to change one non-thousands place digit from one card for one turn.”

-”That’s rather specific, but also…”

-”Overpowered if used well? Yeah, and I’m changing the 1 card per 500 points effect from Burnt Bakery, to 1 card per 100 points!”

-”What?! That’s ludicrous!”

-”But still within the rules, right, Tania?”- Selma, Xerin, and even the monster on the field all turn their sights toward the regal bird above.

-”The effect of the Shy Librarian is specific enough that it was considered apt for play, and the effect of the trap card employs the monster’s attack, not the monster itself. I deem the move valid.”- As Tania finishes speaking, Alice’s spiky arm, which had been hovering in place since the start of the argument, quickly changes direction towards the stack of cards at Xerin’s side.

His eyes widen.

-”Wait!”

Xerin vs. Selma Silly Zealot 2023/05/07(Sun)13:30 No. 1062942 ID: 3b86e0
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Phantoms, your advice is rubbish!


I was this close, THIS close, to winning. And suddenly I get trumped just because of some…cheap… ass pull…ARGH!

Right. Things have not gone as planned, I was hoping I would at least make a couple steps up the ladder before meeting such a defeat.



I really did not want things to come to this so soon, but it seems I am left with no other choice…

Xerin vs. Selma Silly Zealot 2023/05/07(Sun)13:32 No. 1062944 ID: 3b86e0
File 168349154855.png - (383.36KB , 968x790 , Duelhandshake.png )

…But to get off my seat and shake her hand.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-“Congratulations Miss Selma, that was a fine turn of tables.”

-”Yeah, sorry about the snide remarks from before. I tend to be mean without meaning to around new people.”

-”Happens to the best of us, my dear. I confess I was rather rude myself.”

-”I’ll say. That “Volin card set” jab was really uncalled for.”

-”I apologize for that. I will endeavor to be more polite next time we duel, should you ever want a rematch.”

-”Sure, I’d love to win best 2 out of 3 one day!”

-”Ahahahaha…… please, quit it!”

SELMA WINS!

Genevieve vs. Strawberi and Warwick Art by Donut 2023/05/30(Tue)08:44 No. 1064797 ID: 6be1bd
File 168546149034.png - (116.74KB , 426x425 , 1.png )

The young aardvark has traveled far on missions from The Order. She has taken many aliases and been to plenty of strange places. Vast mountain ranges, deep caves and breathtaking valleys.

However, when word came of a select magical card tournament, with invitees from far off worlds and a grand prize bestowed by a godlike being, “Mademoiselle” Genevieve readily agreed to take on the invitation, familiarize herself with the rules of the game, and investigate this unique yet suspect gathering.

Genevieve got her first clue that something was awry two steps after entering the tournament grounds. She was greeted by a trio of talking birds, who told her they would be serving as the judges. Her second clue came when she was matched against two diminutive beings, a girl of noble birth and her timid manservant. It was then where she saw the cards come alive before her eyes.

And the third came when she began getting trounced.

Seriously, what was she doing wrong? Her defense was solid, her Chastity Cage and Hidden Blade trap cards worked well, she had even managed a good character card combo with Paladin and Priestess of Agnieszka. And yet still, after a few turns she now had only 2100 life points, while her opponents remained perfectly unscathed!

“Those are some fine characters you've managed to pull. You’re going to need them.” says the pink girl in a tiara, who goes by the name Strawberi. ”Servant, you have given good advice so far, how do you suggest I deal the next blow to this low-breed miscreant?”

That girl had been like this since the duel began, and her gradual victory had only made her worse! Genevieve tries her hardest not to scream in frustration and leave the tournament altogether. Instead, she sighs and replies with a measured tone.

“I am right here, you know? Do you always say such things to your opponents?

“Oh where are my manners? I apologize for my choice of words.It’s as you say, I should not disrespect my dueling partners, even if they are hardly a match.”

Strawberi lets that final remark hang in the air as if it was more an astute observation than an outright insult, and goes back to listening intently to the advice of her purple servant, Warwick. Genevieve can’t quite tell how much of Strawberi’s strategy is actually hers and how much was her butler’s. She sees Strawberi shift in her seat and hum happily as she prepares her next action.

“I hope you haven't forgotten about Zecia’s Panties, which are still equipped to Marge. They let me replicate the effect of normal spells set to my field by sending them to the graveyard. And wouldn't you know it Clothes Off Your Back is a normal spell! With it, I'll be able to replenish my hand.” Strawberi beams.

Right, time to get serious.

Genevieve vs. Strawberi and Warwick Art by Tippler 2023/05/30(Tue)08:46 No. 1064798 ID: 6be1bd
File 168546158291.png - (126.61KB , 502x800 , 2.png )

“That’s not happening, Miss Strawberi,” Genevieve says. ”I chain the effect of my character, Niccolo, to flip both him and Marge face-down.”

[Niccolo, 5 Stars, Type: Spellcaster, 1500 ATK 2000 DEF]

Marge, 4 Stars, Type: Beast, 1400 ATK 1200 DEF

Niccolo quite literally draws a whip and hauls it around Marge’s big lizardly body. She gives an expression of shock as he pulls and pulls, until the both of them spin into the air and faceplant on top of their respective cards, flipping them face down.

“And since face down cards can’t have equip spells on them, your…Panties get sent to the graveyard.”

“Servant, your tactic didn’t work at all,” Strawberi yells at Warwick, who looks down sheepishly at her. ”And it cost us a card, too! Be a dear and try to come up with a better idea while you fetch me a milkshake, would you?”

“Y-yes, Miss Strawberi.” He responds, stepping down from the stool he’s been standing on (he had not been offered a chair). He runs off, tray in hand, towards the bar at the corner of the tournament hall. Genevieve scowls.

“So, may I continue with my turn?” She asks.

“Oh! Yes, of course. He will be back shortly, so he won’t miss much.” The noble replies with a handwave.

“Well then, I will use my trap card Stance Change to flip Niccolo back into attack position.” says Genevieve. Niccolo emerges back from his card, jumping out with arms outstretched in a jovial pose. “As per Stance Change’s effect, I can flip it back down instead of sending it to the graveyard, letting me use it again next turn.”

“Wonderful. I suppose we’ll be seeing it again at this rate.” Strawberi grumbles.

“After that, I will now…sacrifice?”

“They seem to prefer the word tribute.”

“Right. I will Tribute the Paladin and the Priestess of.. Ag..ñi..eska?”

“You aren’t much for these kinds of games, are you?” Strawberi asks as she rests her head on her hand, before remembering her manners and removing her elbow from the table.

“I must admit, I am pretty new to this one.” Genevieve shrugs with an apologetic expression.

“Understandable. Few people have time for such pastimes when they are out tilling the fields or running their shops. I do appreciate your hard work, mind you. I just don’t find it very glamorous.”

If a deadpan expression could simultaneously express anger, Genevieve’s face would be reflecting just that.

“I will tribute my Paladin and Priestess of Agnieszka to summon The Avatar of Purity, and then I’ll send it on the attack against your Bruce character!”

[Bruce, 4 Stars, Type: Beast, 1000 ATK 1000 DEF]

[The Avatar of Purity, 10 Freaking Stars, Type: Spellcaster, 3300 ATK 3000 DEF]

As the monastic pair vanishes from the field into the graveyard, an angelic cyclopean entity rises into being on a set of bright imposing wings. Bruce can only look up and let out a meek "meep” as The Avatar (of Purity, don’t get too excited kids) swoops down and flings a ray of burning light upon the brutish lizardman.

“I will send Niccolo to attack Marge as well.”

Niccolo draws a whip once more, and flicks it onto Marge’s face down card. It shatters on touch, reforming on top of Strawberi’s graveyard above her fellow lizard thug.

Strawberi is seething in her seat as her life points drop to a mere 1700.

“Here is your vanilla and chocolate, Miss Strawberi,” Warwick says, methodically climbing back onto his stool without spilling his tray.

“Where were you?” The now slightly pinker girl says. She swiftly snatches the milkshake from Warwick’s tray, spilling some droplets on his overalls. “Look at this! Over half my life points gone and only one character left on my field! You should be faster next time!”

She takes a sip from the milkshake’s straw while Warwick gives a puzzled look to Genevieve, who returns one of her own. She does the waiter a favor and diffuses the situation. ”Well, you should have plenty of opportunity to plan your next move now. I’ll be ending my turn.”

Strawberi puts her now half empty glass back on the tray, and gives a short sigh. Her lacteous break having improved her mood somewhat.

“Ah, marvelous!” she exclaims to no one in particular. She gestures with a finger for Warwick to lean closer. “Alright, my dependable, if flawed, advisor, confer with me. We cannot let this affront to my perfect score go unpunished!”

She draws a card to join the other 2 in her hand, turning her head away from her opponent. He does the same, and they both whisper conspiratorially for a minute or two, before turning back towards their opponent.

“Pardon the interruption, I will begin my turn presently,” she says with a curtsy bow of her head.

Genevieve vs. Strawberi and Warwick Art by Himitsu 2023/05/30(Tue)08:48 No. 1064799 ID: 6be1bd
File 168546173388.png - (686.80KB , 1256x2000 , 3.png )

“I will use my spell card, Concentration Break, to destroy your Chastity Cage,” the young noble starts, laying down her spell card. The Chastity Cage, upon having its concentration on chasteness broken, gets sad and dies. “I will also use the effect of my remaining character, Servant of Humility. By discarding a card from my hand, I can destroy a spell or trap that you control. Let’s say, your Stance Change you seem so fond of.”

[Servant of Humility, 4 Stars, Type: Fairy, 1100 ATK 1000 DEF]

Genevieve grumbles, ”Fine, but I’ll chain its effect to flip Niccolo into defense position one final time.”

“No scruff off back,” Strawberi replies with a dismissive gesture, ”unlike the equipment card I discarded: Starter Gear! Did you know its special effect lets me bring it back from the graveyard to the field? I simply have to choose a character to equip it to, and back it comes!” She smiles, as The Avatar of Purity gets equipped with drab and low-quality garments. “And if I want it back in my hand, then I can place it back by returning the card it has equipped itself to as well. Although if I send one of your characters back like this, I will sadly have to banish Starter Gear in exchange. But I believe it’s well worth sending your Avatar of Purity out on its ear, or in this case, wing,” she adds, smirking as finishes at her clever witticism.

“That’s a price you won't have to pay, as The Avatar of Purity won’t be affected.” Genevieve says.

“What?” Strawberi leans over the table, as Genevieve lifts the card to show it to her. The tiny wings of The Avatar of Purity’s follow the card’s unexpected displacement.

“It says it right here: ‘This card is unaffected by your opponent’s card effects’,” she reads off matter-of-factly.

Strawberi takes the card, and she and her purple peasant page both look at it for a moment.

“Servant Warwick,” she says, making him wince at the uttering of what passes for his full name in her eyes, ”why didn’t you inform me of this card's effect before?”

“I’m sorry, miss, but I was not familiar with it. It must be from one of the new expansions.”

“Hmph!” she pouts. ”Nevertheless, I will take Starter Gear back onto my hand, as well as summon a new character: Sertis, The Cleaner.”

As soon as it is placed on the table, a dangerous-looking reptilian with four beady red eyes, a membranous hood on his head, and a sharp electric saw in his hands springs out of the card.

“Time to take out the trash!” he says, with a fang-filled smirk. The humble fairy servant beside him takes a step away from him.

[Sertis, the Cleaner, 4 Stars, Type: Alien, 1200 ATK 800 DEF]

“Your Servant of Humility appears a bit distressed.”- Genevieve remarks.

“Hm, a pity, since I will be using her and Sertis to make an X-y-Z-”

“Um, I think it’s pronounced ekseez,” Warwick quips.

“What? No! It’s an acronym. X. Y-” She protests.

“I believe it’s an X, a Z-” Genevieve says.

“You read it wrong, you illiterate plebeian!”

A very curious scene is witnessed by all closeby, as the three duelists erupt into an argument where increasingly inaccurate pronunciations and acronyms are thrown to and fro, lined by the sound of the Avatar of Purity enthusiastically swaying and singing YMCA.

After a few minutes and a judge-fiat to refer to it as “ekseez”, the match continues.

“Anyway,“ Strawberi says, mustering back her composure, “I will now use my Servant of Humility and Sertis, the Cleaner as materials for an ekseez summon.” The bitterness in her voice as she says the last part is palpable to all listeners.

“You made me listen to that whole mess just for that?” Sertis asks in frustration before he and the Servant vanish and their cards are sent to the Graveyard.

Strawberi clears her throat, “Now, with these materials, I will summon my new champion. Witness now, the grand and only, Headmisress Juliana!”

As she says this, Strawberi dramatically lifts a card from her hand and slams it upon the table. A curvilineous dragoness emerges from the card, inviting pose and seductive gaze betraying her nature.

[Headmistress Juliana, 4 Stars, Type: Dragon/XYZ, 1900 ATK 1800 DEF]


“With her, I now have the perfect combination. You see, Headmistress Juliana can strip herself of one material, the cards used for her summoning, allowing me to trade an equipment card from my hand with any of my choosing from the deck!” The pink petulant pipsqueak pontificates, putting forth a play-by-play, “And what better card to use than Starter Gear, which can be brought back from the graveyard by equipping it onto a character? It can even come back to the hand if I’m willing to return said character as well. Like, say, one that cannot be affected by opponent effects?”

The image of Juliana leans forward in a provocative fashion, grabbing the card of Sertis underneath her own. In a deft motion, she throws it all the way into the graveyard pile. As it flies away, Genevieve thinks she can see an expression of disappointment etched on Sertis’ painted cardboard face.

As she said she would, Strawberi discards Starter Gear, peruses her deck, and then takes the Equip spell she looked for into her hand. She then brings Starter Gear back to the field by equipping it onto the Avatar of Purity. And since it doesn’t affect the angelic being, its effects simply return it to her hand. The combo quickly repeats, as Juliana flings the other card away. In the end, while Juliana was out of material, Strawberi had two new equip spells in her hand.

Genevieve vs. Strawberi and Warwick Art by Himitsu 2023/05/30(Tue)08:50 No. 1064800 ID: 6be1bd
File 168546179907.png - (1.47MB , 1256x2000 , 4.png )

“A most astute strategy, Strawberi.” Warwick smiles.

“Thank you, Servant, it was quite ingenious of me to bring you along to lend me ideas.” She beams back, taking her milkshake for another sip. Genevieve starts doubting the validity of inherited ruleship as Strawberi finishes her glass and speaks again in a delighted tone.

“Where was I? Ah, yes! I now activate my trap card Shared Shame, which allows me to summon an XYZ character with the same number of stars as one on the field lacking any material. I’ll summon Troublesome Tripod Trio.”

A threesome of small green aliens appear on the table, only to promptly disappear as she continues.

“With both of these rank 4 XYZ, I will call on a special character from my extra deck. One that lets me use two rank 4 XYZ characters with no materials on them as such.” She proceeds to stack the two cards, overlaying a card atop them. ”Prepare for the end of our duel, as I now summon The-”

”I BELIEVE I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF, YOUNG LADY,” a reverberating voice echoes far into the corners of the hall. The ground begins to rumble as the figure of an aged yet imposing man, bald of head yet magnificent of beard, slowly emerges from the card of-

”I SAY AGAIN, I CAN SPEAK FOR MYSELF. I AM THE GOD OF HUMILITY.”

[The God of Humility, 8 Stars, Type: Fairy/XYZ, 1800 ATK 1800 DEF]

“I HAVE COME WITH SINGULAR PURPOSE: TO BRING LOW THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS, THE ARROGANT AND THE VAIN.”

“So why are you not fighting her?” Genevieve nods her head towards Strawberi.

“Hey!” The noble girl protests.

”THIS CHILD, SELF-CENTERED THOUGH SHE MAY SEEM, IS STILL A CHILD, WITH AMPLE TO LEARN AND AMPLE TIME TO CHANGE. YOU, HOWEVER, HAVE GROWN IN AGE AND SO TOO HAVE THE THORNS IN YOUR HEART, FILLING IT WITH LONG-FED FEELINGS OF RESENTMENT AND VENGEANCE.”

”Oh, gods.”

”YES?”

”No, I meant…” Genevieve sighs, ”sorry, this is a bit too grandiose for a card game, let’s just… let’s just continue.”

”Yes, let’s,” Strawberi replies, ”Another aspect of The God of Humility you should know, is that he grows stronger with each equipment spell card in the graveyard.”

”EACH TESTAMENT TO THE PRIDEFUL BEING STRIPPED DOWN AND MADE VULNERABLE AND ASHAMED GIVES ME STRENGTH!” the deity bellows.

“Yes, 500 ATK and DEF points per discarded equip card, to be exact.” Strawberi says.

“That’s a ridiculous amount!” Genevieve answers.

“IMMENSE POWER IS THE GET OF THE DIVINE.”

“I didn’t make the card, I merely employ it, my dear adversary.”

Genevieve sighs once again, “Alright, so, how many discarded cards do you have?”

“Servant, please count the cards.”

“I’m… not sure where to put the tray, Miss Strawberi.”

“Tch! Fine, I’ll do it myself. Can’t have any…” Strawberi mutters something under her breath while she counts the cards. After a moment, she sits up straight again and looks back at Genevieve, ”Five! Five equipment spell cards are in the graveyard, giving my God of Humility-”

“YOUR GOD OF HUMILITY, YOUNG MAIDEN?” the figure on the table roars more than asks.

“Um… THE God of Humility.”

“THANK YOU,” the god booms calmly.

“Who gains an extra 2500 ATK and DEF points, giving him a total of 4300!”

Genevieve gasps in awe, or rather, that’s what Strawberi wished. Instead, she scowls and gives a dissatisfied “hm” upon hearing the number.

“But I’m not done,” Strawberi continues, ”because I also activate my set spell Clothes off your Back, which lets me discard as many equipment cards as I choose from my hand, and draw an equal number of times from my deck. By discarding the 3 cards I have in hand, that gives The God of Humility a grand total of 5800 points!”


“That is quite an impressive combo, and all in a single turn. I must applaud,” Genevieve says, ”but remember that my Hidden Blade will destroy any opponent character that tries to attack mine.”

“Oh, I remember, alright”- Strawberi replies cockily, -”and as luck would have it, one of the cards I just drew is the ideal one to counteract it: Edited for Broadcast.”

Strawberi places the continuous spell card on the table, the art for which is very lewd and therefore edited for this thread.

“This card prevents any card effect from being activated, either by you or me, during damage phases.”

“You cheater! You couldn’t possibly have such a specific card in store without seeing mine! Judge!”

“Oh, don’t flatter yourself, Genevieve dear, once you’ve seen as many decks as I have, one learns to plan ahead for any eventuality.”

“Erhm…I may have noticed your deck had a large number of traps while you were taking inventory and suggested adding this one just in case,” Warwick interjects.

“Yes, well, that too. But at any rate, I now can attack your Avatar of Purity with impunity! God of Humility, make away with this riff-raff!”

Genevieve vs. Strawberi and Warwick Art by Silly Zealot 2023/05/30(Tue)08:55 No. 1064802 ID: 6be1bd
File 168546211635.png - (358.18KB , 1280x851 , Duelthingy 2.png )

The God of Humility, empowered by the discarded cards such as to tower over the heads of the sitting players, paces step by rumbling step towards the small cyclopean Avatar.

“YOU CLAIM TO BE A BEING OF PURITY,”-the looming god speaks, “BUT PURITY IS WORTHLESS WITHOUT HUMILITY,” the god takes another step forward, the avatar a step back.

“PURITY ALONE IS BEREFT OF DIMENSION, OF PERSPECTIVE,” another thundering step makes the Avatar jump up. The cyclopean godling begins flinging scalding beams of light and all manner of destructive spells towards the approaching deity, to no avail.

“WITHOUT PERSPECTIVE, WITHOUT CONSIDERATION, PURITY CAN LEAD TO CRUELTY, TO NARROW VISION, TO ELITISM,” The Avatar of Purity amasses a grand sphere of energy and throws it at the god, who simply lifts his massive hand to stop it. Exhausted, the Avatar lands back onto the table, unable to do anything but what as the energy balls ebbs away to nothing.

“ALREADY YOU STRIKE OUT AT ME, NOT STOPPING TO WONDER WHETHER THAT WILL AMOUNT TO ANYTHING,” The Avatar tries to take flight again, but is soon caught by the long reach of the God of Humility.

“YOU HAVE BEEN TOLD YOUR WHOLE LIFE THAT YOU WERE ABOVE THE REST AND HAS THUS LOST VISION OF THOSE BELOW,” holding the Avatar on one hand, the divine being raises the other one with punitive intent. The Avatar lets out a scream of desperation.

“IT IS TIME YOU LEARN HOW TO BE HUMBLE!” The lord of all demureness concludes his verdict. The outstretched palm falls.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The cries and sobs of the Avatar can be heard all across the hall as the spankies hit his bum-bum. After a couple minutes, the God of Humility lets go of the chastised cherub.

“NOW GO HOME AND REFLECT ON WHAT YOU DID! SHOO! SCRAM!”

“Boohoo-hoohoo!” The angelic child cries once more, rubbing his battered tushie as he slowly flies all the way to the graveyard.

The scoreboard appears one last time over the field and shows Genevieve’s life points quickly drop to 0.

STRAWBERI (and Warwick) WIN!


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


“That….it….. GAAAAAH!”

Genevieve is angry. More than angry. She is borderline livid. Did she really have to go through all that arguing and veiled insults from that insufferable kid only to lose after watching two full minutes of… a godly spanking?!

“Huzzah! Victory is mine!” Genevieve’s attempt at figuring out where her life went wrong is interrupted by her opponent’s cheering. Indeed, both Warwick and Strawberi are so elated by their win, that they both share a high-five. Strawberi then remembers their respective stations, and tells him to fetch her a victory ice cream cup.

Genevieve feels tempted to fume, to rage, to wring Strawberi’s little neck and toss her across the hall onto a trash bin, which admittedly would be pretty funny to watch…

Oh, but then, she sighs, deeply, but not for too long. Maybe it was true, maybe she did hold a lot of resentment in her heart. She raises an arm towards Warwick.

“Wait,” she says. Both her opponents turn to look at her, ”fetch one for all three of us, would you? It is a victory celebration, after all.”

Warwick turns to look at Strawberi, who looks right back at his expectant, somewhat confused face.

“Hmph! I suppose a small moment of commingling is fine, given the circumstances,” she says, facing Genevieve again.

Warwick’s eyes brighten and an excited smile parts his lips as he runs towards the bar.

“But don’t get into the habit!” Strawberi yells at him, “this is a special occasion and we have only three more duels to go!”

This is fine, thinks Genevieve, she is no longer a contestant, but she is still a guest. She can still find out the true nature of this tournament and its grand prize some other way.

She has traveled far. She has used many aliases and been to many realms. She has plenty of skills to make up for this setback. She can still hang around and witness more, learn more.

And as she looks at her two tiny opponents clinking their cups and laughing, she thinks maybe also make a couple new acquaintances.

Art by Donut Enid & Franklin INTERMISSION 2023/06/10(Sat)20:56 No. 1065588 ID: 629f2e
File 168645577882.png - (83.64KB , 626x430 , Deck Building.png )

Enid and Franklin make their way to rest area after their match against Bonnie. She sets their current deck out in front of them, a pile of cards towering about 80 high.

“So, I think we need to take out about half of these.” Enid says.

“Do you mean my half?” Franklin asks.

“Not at all! What I mean is, playing like this isn’t really… good? Having a lot of cards is actually really bad for us.”

“Really? But we have more options.”

Enid sighs. “Yes, but that makes it so much harder to draw the ones we need when we want to.”

“I don’t get it.” Bonnie says, stopping as she’s passing by. “More cards are better, aren’t they?”

“We could put more stuff in that’s good to draw whenever.” Franklin points out.

Seeing that her point wasn’t being understood, she takes a moment to rethink her explanation. She then riffles through the deck, pulling out a few cards.

“Alright, look at these.” She displays a number of spell, traps, and high-leveled characters. “These aren’t bad cards, right? We picked them for a reason.”

“Mhmm.” Franklin nods.

“Buuuuut, these cards aren’t always good. These characters can’t be summoned without tributes, these spells only help when we have certain cards in the hand or on the field, and some of these traps are even more situational. These are Sometimes cards. We only want to draw them some of the time.”

Franklin and Bonnie nod, following along. She continues. “Now, look at this.” She holds up Louie, The Class President (E). “Louie’s effect is always going to help us stack our field. He’s good when we have characters, and he’s good when we don’t. This is an Always card, because we’d always be in a better position if we have it.”

Franklin rubs his chin thoughtfully. “So… You’re saying we want more always cards? But wouldn’t we still want to have as many of those as our deck can fit?”

“The problem is that we don’t have a full deck of always cards. At best we have a bunch of Usually or More Often Than Nots. Some of our cards are even ones we don’t want to draw, since they’re better for us in the deck, or because we have other cards that can get them to us. Like, since Phillip can get Lillian from our deck to the field, it’s bad when we end up drawing Lillian, right?”

“Uh… Hmm…” Franklin rubs his head, staring at the deck with a look of concentration. “So then… When we have a lot of cards, it’s harder to draw the ones we always want?”

“Exactly!” Enid cheers. “It’s not bad to have cards we don’t always need of course, especially when their uses come up. Sometimes an "almost never" card might beat out an "always", but our deck isn’t as good when we’re relying on cards like that all the time.”

“Maybe it’d be better if you could play with 30 or 20 cards instead of 40 then.” Bonnie says.

Franklin nods, finally understanding. “So, we want to get our deck down to just 40 then. What about the extra deck?”

“Well, we don’t exactly draw those cards. They’re just always available, so it’s actually good to have as many of those as possible.”

“So… we should keep it at 30?”

She thinks for a moment, before shaking her head. “No, that feels like cheating. It was fine when we were just slapping our decks together, but if we’re gonna try to improve it…”

He nods in agreement. “Okay, I think all of that sounds good. Do you know if we’re allowed to swap in cards from the draft we didn’t end up using in our decks?”

Naturally, while they’d each put about 40 cards in their main deck and 15 in the extra, they’d ended up leaving a good amount of drafted cards out. It made sense why the judges had them do it like this, as it gave them wiggle room in putting their decks together. If they couldn’t make the idea they wanted work at the start of the draft, they could pivot to alternate strategies. And afterwards they might find good synergies between cards they weren’t thinking about, or realize that powerful cards they’d pulled didn’t quite fit with the rest of their strategy.

She hums to herself in consideration, before standing up and announcing she’d ask one of the bird judges if that’s okay.

With Enid gone, and Franklin petting Rathoney, Bonnie starts going through her own deck. “Man, there were so many monsters I wanted to see the holograms for. Do you think we can get in a quick game before your next round?”

Franklin shakes his head. “I don’t think so.”

“Rats.”

Rathoney perks up for a moment.

She stares at one card for a minute, before shoving it in Franklin’s face. “Hey! Why don’t you play it! You still get to use the hologram floors, right?”

He slowly takes the card from her hand and reads it.

[ Big Angry Dog, Beast-Warrior-Type, Level 8, ATK 2500, DEF: 2400 ]

He scratches at his cheek while humming to himself. “...I could talk to Enid about it. I don’t know if this is one of those Always cards though.”

“Well, I have monsters with more attack than that, but there were a lot of words in its effect, so I feel like it’s gotta be something useful.”

He peeks down and squints to read it.

“Once per turn, if a monster on your side of the field is sent to the graveyard by an opponent’s card effect, you may special summon this card from the hand. When this card is summoned, you may activate one of the following effects:
This card gains 1000 ATK/DEF.
Destroy one monster on your opponent’s field.
This card may attack twice during your next battle phase.”

He blinks, reading the three listed effects again. “Huh. That does seem useful.”

“I knew it! I think I’m figuring this game out. You want cards that either have a lot of words, or a really big number. If you got both, you probably win.”

“...That doesn’t sound wrong…”

Art by Donut Enid & Franklin INTERMISSION 2023/06/10(Sat)20:57 No. 1065589 ID: 629f2e
File 168645582086.png - (61.00KB , 500x383 , Finished Deck.png )

Enid eventually returns, and Bonnie splits to check out some of the other duelists (she seemed especially interested in the gray glasses girl who looked like a rat). She confirms that the judges didn’t mind anyone altering their decks, as long as they weren’t cheating. Franklin brings up asking if they’re allowed to use cards gifted by other duelists, but Enid points out that Bonnie had been playing with cards she traded for in their duel. If it wasn’t allowed, the birds would have said something then.

What follows is a slow hour of staring at cards and discussing interactions, consistency, and a bunch of other stuff. There’s plenty that the pair agree on, but it’s revealed quickly enough just how much they don’t.

“It can get us out of a bad situation though. We could even win the game.” Franklin argues.

“Yeah, but if we roll badly, then we could also make it so that we lose the game.” Enid fires back.

“If we were already going to lose, then that’s fine. This card gives us the chance to win when we would lose, so it’s good.”

“If we’re losing badly, then we’d be better off drawing something more consistent.”

“But even a lot of our consistent cards aren’t always good though… Plus, if we roll two sixes, we win the duel with this effect.”

“That’s a really low chance though.”

“But it’s higher than our chance if we don’t use this.”

After much debate, they reach a compromise on how to structure their deck. They’d keep the majority of it consistent and well-tuned, but they’d leave four cards in that didn’t quite fit in with the rest of what they had. One-tenth of their deck.

The die-rolling spell Franklin was arguing for was counted as the first. Bonnie’s contribution surprisingly didn’t get counted among them.

Their deck may not be as consistent with them, but Franklin did have a point. They basically won their last game because of the card Reboot, which wasn’t really part of any sort of gameplan. It was simply a card with explosive potential, which could have gone either way for the duo. There is a place for cards of that nature in their deck, even if they don’t always want to draw them.

Plus, they were fun. Enid definitely couldn’t argue against that.

They both nearly melt into the table when they’re finished, staring at their neat stack of 40 cards. She smiles weakly at it.

“Do you think we’ll win our next match?

He thinks for what is a normal amount of time for him. “...I want to.”

“Me too. I don’t want to make any obvious mistakes, like with last match.”

“We won that one.”

“I know, but it still feels bad. We almost didn’t.”

“...But we did?”

“Yeah.”

“So… It’s fine to make mistakes. We can still win, even when we do.”

“...Thank you.”

He pats her shoulder and smiles. She smiles back, taking their cards and rising to her feet.

“Come on. We can try to duel some of the people who got eliminated for practice.”

“Do we have time?”

“Maybe? Who knows when those birds are gonna start the next round?”

"You may want to reconsider that plan," The Masked Duelist says as they approach the duo. "The matches in the first round were all simultaneous, and my opponent was far too strong to pay attention to any other duels. I assume most everyone here," they wave their gauntlet around the arena "was in a similar situation. But if you go around to play games against eliminated players now, the other players still in the game will have an easy time observing your strategy and preparing to crush you. You'd be giving yourselves a large disadvantage."

Birb Intermission - Beginning of Ro8 Art By Himitsu 2023/08/13(Sun)21:07 No. 1070211 ID: 52a586
File 169198606845.png - (105.96KB , 500x500 , Birbs.png )

“Attention, duelists!” booms a massive albatross from the rafters. “The first round of matches has concluded. The round of eight is nigh. To those who have advanced, please accept our congratulations and prepare for the next round. There will be only one match held at a time from this point forward. Those who have been eliminated are welcome to either return to your homes or remain here as spectators, but interference of any kind will be punished. By me. So don’t interfere. That is all.”

“Excuse me, Mr. Bird With Helmet? I have a question,” Ceridwen asks. “Um… is my opponent from the last round okay?”

“He is resting. On that chair. I have been instructed to inform you that he has clearly walked to the bleachers under his own power, and not been dropped there by a large bird that specializes in carrying fish.”

“It’s just… he’s starting to smell, Mr. Helmet.”

“Pardon me, I have forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Justice, and I am the one in this conversation who is not judging others’ personal hygiene. Oh, look. He just gave a wave of his flipper. Clearly he is conscious and all right.”

From behind Carl’s corpse, a small blue bird is poking his flipper.

Ceri sighs.

“Can’t you magic away the stink?” Tianna hisses to Toffles. “I thought cleanliness was your divine portfolio.”

“It is,” the fiery bird says. “Pan has forbidden me from incinerating Carl’s corpse, despite the fact that disposing of the evidence would be the most prudent option.”

Pan flutters from behind Carl up into the rafters. “Carl’s not dead,” he says. “He’s just back home. I checked, his soul made it back just fine, so I haven’t let The Formless down. There’s no evidence to dispose of! Nobody got hurt on my watch!”

“He’s not dead, he’s just in a better place?” Tianna rolls her eyes. “You really expect our contestants to believe that if you tell them, much less our creator?”

“I don’t understand!” Pan says. “He’s not supposed to be able to be hurt here! Not unless he preferred death to playing in this children’s card game tournament and decided to send his soul home early.”

“I feel a strange kinship with this fish,” Tianna says.

Birb Intermission - Beginning of Ro8 Art By Himitsu 2023/08/13(Sun)21:09 No. 1070212 ID: 52a586
File 169198615892.png - (202.95KB , 1800x940 , Updated_Brackets.png )

“Is the bracket for the round of eight done?” Pan asks nervously. “I’d like to get Ceri off the bleachers right this moment. She’s starting to stare a little too closely at Carl.”

“Yes,” Tianna nods. “It’s not technically the round of eight, it’s the round of ten, mostly due to your overly permissive interpretation of how two duelists combining their card pools into a single deck might possibly affect competitive balance in a limited draft pool, but apparently my opinion is worth as much as Carl’s dignity. I’ve delegated this to an assistant who’s more comfortable with your management style.”

“My management style?” Pan cocks his head, which is also his entire body, to one side. “I’ve just been flying by the seat of my tailfeathers.”

“Exactly. Here’s what my assistant drew up to accommodate you.”

The birds crowd around the revised paper.

There’s silence, then a stifled screech.

“None of these make any sense!” Tianna pokes at the lineup. “Why is Lady Kensignton facing Princess Reefa? She was in a whole separate division! And why are Strawberi and Warwick on the entire opposite end of the lineup? This should be simple!”

“Who did you delegate this to?”

“Phail Yurr,” Tianna says. “Why?”

Pan lets the question linger in the air like Carl’s wafting, fishy scent.

“Okay,” Tianna sighs. “Okay. I deserve that.”

“It’s okay, we can still use it. Let’s go! Ahem! It’s my turn to say the catchphrase!” Companionship announces. “Attention, duelists! We are going to start the next round immediately. Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick, you’re up! Come on, hop to it! Off those bleachers!”

The first duel of the Round of Eight is about to begin!

Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick Art by Clockwork Seal 2023/08/20(Sun)19:12 No. 1070474 ID: 918cdb
File 169258397483.jpg - (23.99KB , 512x423 , Strawberi Courtesy.jpg )

“This might make a good deck,” Ceridwen says, giving a look over at her cards one last time, “These two cards go well together, right?”

“Attention duelists!” Companionship’s voice rings out across the tournament grounds, calling out for the next duel. Her time is up.

“Oh, no! I thought I had enough time to test this new strategy with someone!”she exclaims, as she gets up and rushes towards the dueling table. “I guess I’ll have to find out the hard way,” she sighs, with a saddened look in her eyes.

“Take your seats, please, and don’t forget to introduce yourselves. It makes the game more fun!” Companionship raises his adorable little wings and lifts off towards the rafters, leaving Ceridwen alone with her two newfound rivals.

“Why greetings. I am Lady Strawberi of House Sugarfield, and this is my manservant Warwick,” the finely-dressed girl gestures towards herself and her overburdened companion. “Pleasure is mine almost as much as yours, I’m sure.” She concludes with a light bow.

“Um… yes, I suppose, your… ladyship.” Ceridwen politely returns the bow with a quizzical expression, “My name’s Ceridwen, by the way. Um, sorry if I seem a little nervous. I was hoping I’d have more time to prepare. Also, I think I knocked my previous opponent out cold?” She points a clawed hand toward the bleachers where Carl is now beginning to fester, a couple flies and pixies already gathering above his fishy carcass.

Warwick squints. “He looks kind of-”

“I’m sure the judges would have taken him away if something really bad happened!” the scaly teenager interrupts, raising her hands defensively. “I mean, they wouldn’t just let someone who was seriously hurt for real just lie around in the middle of a crowded building, right?”

“I suppose…” Warwick answers with a raised eyebrow, his frown only increasing as he readjusts his grip on his lady’s luggage.

“Right,” Strawberi focuses her gaze once more on Ceridwen, “they would have done something if that was the case. Though I can’t figure why they would let him lay up there like a drunkard, so unsightly! Let us try to finish this quickly before those flying bugs around him make me lose my lunch.”

“It may have been a bad idea to have had so many sweets in place of a proper meal, Miss Strawberi.”

“Hush, peasant!”

“Well, those pixies do look rather aggressive…” Ceridwen nods, nervously eyeing the feisty fae-folk hovering above Carl’s crater. “Alright, we have kept the crowd waiting long enough. Let’s see who goes first.”

“Of course. Servant, my deck, if you would,” Strawberi replies, raising her open palm.
As soon as Warwck places the stack of cards on her hand, Strawberi lays it on the table and begins drawing cards in tune with Ceridwen. After a few seconds, the first character card is revealed.

Strawberi draws: Chester, the Jolly Seamstress, 800 ATK.

“Confound you! Peasant, why did you convince me to include such low-leveled dreck in my deck?”

“I’m sorry, Miss Strawberi. I’m sure it will pay off once the duel starts.”

“You mean after SHE starts it.” She scowls at Warwick for a second, before sighing as she turns back to look at her opponent, “Go ahead, draw your card, if only for the sake of custom at this point.”

Ceridwen can’t help but feel concern at the angry exchange between Strawberi and her servant. Nevertheless, she nods and, right on cue, draws a character card.

Ceridwen draws: Egg of Spades, 0 ATK

“Oh, crud,” she exclaims.

“Oh, wow,” Warwick can’t help but blurt out.

Strawberi, on her part, arcs an eyebrow at the unlikely outcome.

“What is that?” she asks, pointing a finger at the odd-looking card.

“I-it’s a new mechanic I was planning to test,” Ceridwen replies, her face drooping for a moment, “Before I ran out of time to prepare, that is. These are egg type cards. They technically count as characters. They’re pretty much defenseless, but If I let them hang on the field for a certain number of turns, they hatch into more powerful characters. I can also force them open earlier to summon weaker characters, or use them as tribute material!” She cheers up a bit at having the chance to explain her new strategy.

“Hmph, doesn’t seem to have availed you much so far; a bad start, but thank you for allowing me the chance to open up our duel.” Strawberi says, smiling full-of-herselfely,”Now, let’s shuffle!” she finishes with a snap of her fingers.

Before Ceridwen can protest at the unwarranted jab, Warwick picks up their deck and begins shuffling. The young dragon decides to respond in kind.

After the usual splitting and reshuffling, both dueli- err… both team- no, uh… both the pint-sized pair and the lusty lizard draw five cards and the duel begins in earnest.

Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick Art by Silly Zealot 2023/08/20(Sun)19:14 No. 1070475 ID: 918cdb
File 169258406850.png - (110.38KB , 266x423 , Chester_Adventuress.png )

“This could work. Not a bad hand to start with.” Strawberi chirps contentedly, inviting Warwick to take a look.

“Hey, that card is ba-”

“Hush, not in front of my rival, you dolt!” she scolds him, before looking back at her cards pensively. “Hmm, still, we could use it now, couldn’t we?”

“Why, yes, I think we could, Miss Strawberi!” He perks up, as the gears in his head turn in tandem with his charge’s.

“Very well, then,” the cherry colored noble says, as she plays her first card. “I place a trap card, and then summon Chester, Intrepid Adventuress in defense mode.”

[Chester, Intrepid Adventuress, 3 stars, Type: Beast/Clothier, 800 ATK, 800 DEF]

“No guts, but hopefully some glory,” the small dog-like creature says, as she appears over her card, posing intrepidly.

“That will be all for my first turn. Let’s hope yours is a promising one, you will need it.” Strawberi smiles, not un-unkindly.

“Thanks,” Ceridwen replies rather dryly before looking down at her hand. She hesitates for a moment, unsure if the idea going through her head is the right decision, but then creases her brow and lays a card on the table. She has thought long and hard on this strategy, she is not going to let a few negative comments discourage her now.

“I summon Egg of Hearts!” she exclaims resolutely. Sure enough, a child-sized egg with pink heart-shaped splotches appears on the field.

[Egg of Hearts, 2 stars, Type: Egg, 0 ATK, 100 DEF]

“This egg will hatch in three turns, not including this one, or I can tribute it before then to gain 500 life points. If anything else destroys it, I will lose 500 life points.”

“Wait, does the three turns countdown include our own?” Warwick asks, raising his head over his lady’s beach umbrella.

“No, just three of mine,” Ceridwen replies.

“Interesting trade-off. I take it those 500 life points are a penalty on top of any other battle damage?” Strawberri asks.

“That’s right, and to make sure that doesn’t happen, I will use Nothing To See Here.”

[Nothing To See Here, no stars, Type: it’s a spell card, ATK and DEF sold separately]

“Nothing To See Here keeps a character card from being targeted by any attack or spell for one turn,” Ceridwen says, “It can also keep it from being blocked when attacking the other player, but there’s no need to worry about it right now.”

“Sounds like you are putting a lot of eggs in that basket, spending so versatile a card like that,” Strawberi quips.

“Myeeeah,” Ceridwen quirks her lips in annoyance, “anyway, that will be my turn for now.”

At this raise a finger emphatically, “Then let proper duel be-”

“Oh, no, wait, I forgot to put down a trap card!” Ceridwen says, hurriedly putting said card down on the field, “Haha, sorry, now I end my turn.”

“Ahem.” Strawberi feigns clearing her throat, “As I was saying: then let the duel proper begin!”

Drawing a card, Strawberi shows it toWarwick and, after some small murmuring back and forth, she looks back again at the field with a roguish smile. “I summon Millie, Flamboyant Firestarter in defense mode!”

[Millie, Flamboyant Firestarter, 3 stars, Type: Beast/Clothier, 800 ATK, 800 DEF.]

“Millie! Millie!” the little bird boy exclaims.

“Huh?” Chester looks at him in confusion.

“Sorry, I thought we were doing the Pokémon TCG.”

“You got a card in that one?”

“You don’t?”

“What can I say? I always pick cards of good renown,” Strawberi interrupts, “Now, I will equip Millie with a Patchwork Crossbow.”

As she puts the equipment card under Millie’s, a rather large mix between a one-handed crossbow and a sewing machine forms in the little bird’s hand.

“Woah, nice.”

“This allows my character to increase their attack and defense points by 200 for every equipment card they destroy; which mixes perfectly with Millie’s ability to destroy any card equipped to a character he attacks.”

“Ooh, nice combo. I bet it even adds up to another card down the-” Ceridwen suddenly stops herself in realization, “...oh.”

“Astute observation, my dear rival,” Strawberi replies, “but you shouldn’t concern yourself with that right now. Instead, you should steel yourself as I put Chester in attack mode. And since I cannot target your egg, what do you say if we break the ice by doing so with your life points?

Upon hearing this, Chester perks up and digs a hand through one of her back pockets, from which she pulls out a FUCKHUGE SPELUNIKING SHOVEL, and charges with a defiant scream!

The sight of the diminutive dog charging towards her with an oversized digging tool and the fury of a sun is enough to alarm Ceridwen, but only for a moment, as she swiftly swipes a hand toward the cards on the field.

“You just activated my trap card!” she says, in a time-honored tradition. “A continuous trap, to be specific. Formican Reductor shrinks any attacking enemy, permanently lowering their attack and defense by 500 points.”

A stream of light arcs out of the trap card and envelopes Chester, whose resounding “AAAH” turns increasingly softer and high-pitched until the now barely visible poochingus swings the normal size-ified shovel and hits Ceridwen’s arm with a tiny “thunk.”

Ceridwen now has 5700 life points.

“Uh, um, ow?”

“Take that, you jerk,” Chester squeaks out, raising her shovel triumphantly, “And thanks for the loot!” she says, pulling out a card with her other hand.

“Huh? Wha-?” Ceridwen looks up and down from her, to her deck on the field in confusion.

“Aaand that’s the special ability of my Intrepid Adventuress: when attacking an opponent’s life points directly, Chester can steal an equipment card from their deck and add it to my hand.”

“Aww, no fair!” Ceridwen protests.

“All’s fair when it comes to a duel, lady Ceridwen.”

“Aren’t duels supposed to be honorable?”

“Well, my honor would be on the line should I lose, would it not?” Strawberi shrugs, “at any rate; come, my little excavator. Let’s see what you’ve unearthed.”

“Sure thing!” Chester says, walking back towards her side of the field. After about ten seconds of seeing her teeny tiny frame slowly crossing the distance, Strawberi sits up and grabs the doggy digger and her ill-gotten card herself.

“Let’s see… uh, a Feather Duster?”

Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick Art by Silly Zealot 2023/08/20(Sun)19:15 No. 1070476 ID: 918cdb
File 169258412271.png - (80.74KB , 266x423 , Dusty_Egg_Caretaker.png )

“Sorry, chief,” Chester gestures apologetically on Strawberi’s hand, “it was the first thing I could find.”

“‘At the start of each turn, select an opposing character. This character cannot attack during the opponent’s next turn.’ Hmm, that’s actually rather useful, well done, little servant.”

“Please don’t call me that,” Chester rubs her arm self-consciously.

“My apologies, little Chester, you may return to your post,” she replies, lowering the shrunken puppo back onto the field, “I think this is a good point to end my turn, wouldn’t you say, servant Warwick.”

“A fine turn, my- oop!” He corrects his posture, as Strawberi’s picnic basket and spare shoebox start slipping from under his arms, “A fine turn, my lady!”

“I must say, this is quite a peculiar card,” Strawberi says, looking at the equipment spell pensively, “I wonder, what tale or character is it linked to?”

“Ah, well,” Ceridwen says, looking away and shrugging slightly “I think it will be best to show when it comes up.” She draws a card, and her eyes light up. “Speaking of! I activate Dungeon Entrance, which allows me to special summon the owner of that feather duster!” she says, laying the spell card on the field and searching her deck energetically, “Meet Dusty, Egg Caretaker!”

[Dusty, Egg Caretaker, 6 stars, Type: Beast/Spirit, 1800 ATK, 2000 DEF]

“Greetings adventurers. Please stay away from the eggs.” The dust bunny lifts her skirt in a little curtsy, before immediately shaking her first at Chester and Millie.

“Any attack or effect aimed at an Egg-Type character is instead aimed at Dusty herself,” Ceridwen explains. “She is a very dedicated nanny.”

“Quite a nice card combination, I applaud,” Strawberi softly puts her hands together, barely making any noise. “I do hope I don’t draw any characters stronger than her, now that her attack-annulling tool is out of her grasp, hmm?”

“Err, right!” Ceridwen stammers, looking back at her hand with renewed focus.

She hesitates, assessing both her cards and the field. She could lay another egg on the table, now that her trusty protector is in place, though she is not confident that Dusty will be sufficient now that she can’t use her Feather Duster to prevent enemies from attacking. She isn’t sure that her Formican Reductor can hold off the strongest ones either. She could reinforce her defense further by tributing her Egg of Hearts to summon a stronger creature now, a decision she is not fond of, as she has worked hard to put out that egg and it would hurt to not see it hatch.

She could also simply attack, as Dusty is currently in attack mode and Strawberi’s current characters are somewhat puny, though the trap card Strawberi placed earlier makes her feel a bit uneasy.

What should Ceridwen do?

>Lay a new egg.

>Tribute an egg to summon a stronger character.

>Go for the eyes, Dusty!

Tribute. Your intended combo to protect the egg won't work, so it's now dead weight.

Lay egg is true

Laying another egg would probably be the safest option for Ceri right now. If your opponent wanted to go into a rank 3 Xyz monster using Chester and Millie, they probably would have done so already. And they certainly wouldn't be equipping damage boosters to them if they were just meant to be material.

Charging in could easily result in losing Dusty to a trap card, which would leave your eggs defenseless. They take a long time to hatch, and you've clearly built your deck around keeping them safe to stretch out your time limit. Even if your opponent's get a card that can take out Dusty, you might at least have one egg left in the end, which you can still use as tribute material. If they don't, then they may just have to pass the turn straight back to you, letting you potentially draw more safety/stall options.

Assuming you have 3 cards, including a tribute monster and an egg, that leaves you with just 1 extra card. If you commit too hard and lose your current field, that won't give you many options to recover. Play the long game your deck wants to, and Lay another egg for now.

Attack without mercy.

L'egg

I mean, lay egg.

Give us an eggy

Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick Pt. 2 Art By Himitsu 2023/09/22(Fri)20:32 No. 1072931 ID: fb8a42
File 169543992734.png - (322.20KB , 628x1000 , Lost_In_The_Woods_s.png )

>Jingle bells, Warwick smells…

Once again, Ceridwen decides to have faith in her current strategy. She shifts herself on her seat and lays her next egg card on the table.

“I summon Egg of Spades in defense mode.”

[Egg of Spades, 2 stars, Type: Egg, 0 ATK, 200 DEF]

“This one hatches in two turns, but I can open it earlier to summon a smaller character,” Ceridwen explains, “and since there is not much point in it, I will switch Dusty to defense mode.”

Upon Ceridwen saying this, the card shifts horizontally under Dusty’s feet and she changes her pose ever so slightly. This impresses Warwick, who unlike the other two duelists doesn’t get to play fancy video games with idle animations.

“And… I suppose I’ll place a card face down in the spell and trap zone before I end my turn,” Ceridwen sighs.

“Running out of cards already, Miss Ceridwen?” Strawberi chides.

“Don’t be so sure of yourself, lady, I am building up to something, and my defense is pretty solid right now,” Ceridwen answers, crossing her arms.

“Hmm, yes. We should do something about that, shouldn’t we?” Strawberi says, drawing a card from her deck and placing another on the field, “I cast Lost In The Woods. This spell sends a character on the field right back to the deck, and since she’s taking all the hits for her little eggs, that character would be Dusty.”

At this, Dusty’s card flies off as if of its own volition to the top of Ceridwen’s deck. The figure of Dusty herself holds on desperately to the table for a couple seconds, before she too is sucked and vanishes into the pile of cards. This also impresses Warwick, who doesn’t own a vacuum cleaner.

“Don’t forget to shuffle, it’s part of the effect,” Strawberi points out; Ceridwen huffs and gives her a dirty look as she does so, “Now that your caretaker is gone, your eggs are left exposed, and I know who to call to deal with it. I summon Trapinch on attack mode.”

[Trapinch, 4 stars, Type: Bug/Pervert 1000 ATK, 800 DEF]

“Trapinch! Trapinch!” the abnormally large termite cries out.

“They let Pokémon cards be in other games?!” Chester asks in surprise.

“You don’t?” Trapinch replies.

“Enough chit-chat. Trapinch, use tackle!”

“Trapiii- ah, crud,” Trapinch’s battlecry is cut short as he leaps forth when the Formican Reductor shrinks the attacking port-a-monster midair, reducing his attack and defense by 500. This, however, does little to protect the Egg of Hearts, which cracks in a splash of pink and red yolk under Trapinch’s brutal headbutt.

“Oh, no!” Ceridwen exclaims in frustration.

“And did not you say that part of its effect is losing 500 points if it’s ever destroyed?”

“OH, NO!” Ceridwen exclaims even more.

[Ceridwen now has 5200 life points left]

Strawberi, on her part, puts a single coin on top of Trapinch’s card. “And that’s one victory token.”

“What is that for?” Ceridwen asks.

“For defeating one of your characters, of course. Something interesting will happen once Trapinch reaches 3, and on that note: Chester, smash that second egg!”

“Yaaaah!” the miniaturized spelunker screeches as she charges forward, the power of the cards making her lunge faster than her teenie legs would otherwise carry her.

“Eeep! Wait, no! Ohnonono, I activate and open the egg early!” Ceridwen blurts out, almost too fast to make out while tapping the egg card frenetically like a button.

As soon as the words come out of her mouth, the egg bursts into yards and a very confused kobold is smacked by Chester’s shovel. The kobold, however, rises an arm defensively before swinging it in a batting motion at his assailant, not only fending off the attack but making Chester recoil and land fall onto her back.

[Strawberi and Warwick now have 5300 life points left.]

“What?! You can’t do that!” Strawberi protests.

“Can and did. Look, it’s in the card text.” Ceridwen replies, grabbing the card with a claw to let her opponents have a closer look.

Strawberi and Warwick tilt their heads forward and notice the line of text at the bottom of the card reading:

>IN CASE OF EMERGENCY, YOU MAY BREAK EGG (that means during the opponent's turn, too).

“Who even writes rules like that? That’s such a dumb line.”

In a far off land, in the bowels of the Games4Children R&D department, a cutebold writer feels sad all of a sudden.

Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick Pt. 2 Art By Roaway 2023/09/22(Fri)20:33 No. 1072934 ID: fb8a42
File 169544000721.png - (547.67KB , 628x1000 , Pneumatic_Tubes_s.png )

On the dueling field, the slightly less cute ‘bold stands up, looming over Chester in all his three-foot glory, and proceeds to raise a spear threateningly until Chester goes back to her side of the field.

“Strawberi, Warwick, this is Germ.” Ceridwen says.

[Germ, the Kobold, 3 stars, Type: Lizard, 600 ATK, 1000 DEF]

“Hmph!” Strawberi scoffs, “A rather cheap move, but it’s in the rules, so guess I’ll let it slide this time.”

“All’s fair in a duel, am I right?” Ceridwen says.

Strawberi gives her dirty look, but her stink eye is interrupted as Warwick deftly leans his head over all the clutter in his arms to speak to her. “Umm, Miss, should we…?” he says, the rest being a whisper too soft for Ceridwen to hear. Strawberi turns from Warwick to look at her two remaining cards, considering for a moment.

“Hmm, no, not yet. I think it’d be best if we end our turn for now,” she says pensively, “I don’t have any useful spell cards at present and Millie is too meek to break through that kobold’s defense.”

“Ow.” Millie lowers his head somewhat dejectedly.

“Where the blazes did that character card come from, anyway?” Strawberi asks.

“Oh!” Ceridwen sits up in a mixture of excitement and embarrassment, “I kind of panicked and began tapping the egg hoping the magic of the duel would summon Germ from my deck,” she shrugs, looking away, “I can’t believe it worked.”

This explanation impresses Warwick, who has never seen cards moving on their own outside of that time he found a brown rabbit with a wristwatch while tending the gardens and followed him down a hole, only to be later kicked in the ribs for sleeping on the job.

“Aaanyway, if that's the end of your turn, I think I will just…” Ceridwen trails off as she draws a card and takes a look at it.

“Huh, that’s actually pretty useful!” she smiles.

“What is?” Strawberi asks, raising an eyebrow.

“A card that might just fix things up faster than I thought; I activate Pneumatic Tubes,” Ceridwen replies as she places a spell card on the field, “For the price of a 1000 life points each, I can summon up to 3 characters that aren’t higher than 4 stars from my deck, and I know which ones I’d like to bring out.”

“3000 life points for three minor characters?!” Strawberi says, bewildered for a moment, “you really spare no expense in pulling off your strategies, don’t you?”

“I mean, if you are going to do something risky, better be committed, right?” Ceridwen shrugs defensively as she grabs the cards she was searching for.

“Say hello to my little friends: Weasel, Kobold Wife, Chunky Slime and finally Egg of Clubs!”

Alongside the kobold and the slime, the egg forms into view, bearing the black markings in the shape of blunt objects, strangely seeming the most vivacious of the three as it shakes and shivers, a faint growling emanating from its interior.

“That egg is aggressive,” observes Warwick.

“Oh, yeah, that’s the egg of clubs’ whole gimmick. It only hatches in attack mode and placing it in defense mode resets the timer, but you don’t want to deal with what will come out in 3 turns.”

[Weasel, Kobold Wife, 3 stars, Type: Lizard, 500 ATK, 1100 DEF]

[Chunky Slime, 4 stars, Type: Alien, 900 ATK, 900 DEF]

[Egg of Clubs, 3 stars, Type: Egg, 200 ATK, 0 DEF]

[Ceridwen now has 2200 life points left]


“Hey, honey!”

“Hey, dear!”

Germ and Weasel wave at each other happily as they lock eyes.

“I sure want something tender to serve when we get home!” Weasel says.

“What about those bozos over there?” Germ replies, pointing at the enemy characters.

“Sure! Worm could practice-hunt with the little one.”

“Just try it, you ugly newt!” Chester raises her oversized shovel and waves it threateningly.

“Feisty pair, aren’t they?” Warwick comments.

“Yup! When Germ and Weasel are together on the field, they gain 500 extra defense points,” Ceridwen explains, “But that’s not all! Their protective nature makes it so that when there is another lizard type character by their side, they both gain 500 attack points, and that includes each other!” she finishes, beaming proudly at her clever combo.

“So they gain 500 attack and defense points just for being together? Sound rather sappy,” Strawberi remarks.

“You will get it when you are older,” Weasel says dismissively, then she walks up to Germ and they kiss. It is very sappy.”

“Ugh! Can we return to the battle at hand, please?” Strawberi says, craning her head back in annoyance.

“Yes, actually, I will now send Chunky Slime to attack Chester.” Ceridwen replies.

“Eee-ulp!” Chester’s squeak is cut short as the Slime lunges at her and she is swallowed up into the creature’s bright green goop.

“Chester, you alright in there?” Millie asks, concerned.

Chester’s figure disintegrates into little bits that quickly fade to nothing.

“OH, NO!”

[Strawberi and Warwick have 4700 life points left]

“Drat.” Strawberi says flatly, resting her head on her arm and arm on the stool Warwick so helpfully procured.

“No more stealing from you!” Ceridwen wags her finger, “and now, before I end my turn, I will tribute Chunky Slime to summon Jekkesson Terrorscale, Faithful Father in defense mode.”

A fearsome yet kind-looking green lizardman appears on the table as Ceridwen places the card on it.

Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick Pt. 2 Art By Silly Zealot 2023/09/22(Fri)20:35 No. 1072937 ID: fb8a42
File 169544012795.gif - (1.37MB , 1600x1600 , Jekesson.gif )

[Jekkesson Terrorscale, Faithful Father, 6 stars, Type: Lizard, 1300 ATK, 1600 DEF]

“Hello, little fellas, are you perchance children?” the lizardman politely turns toward Germ and Weasel.

“Um, we are 8, but we are grown ups.” Germ says.

“Kobolds age fast.” Weasel adds.

“Ah. Still, I believe that’s good enough.” Jekesson says, nodding. Immediately, a counter appears above the field, showing Jekesson’s defense points rising by 1500.
“Aw, what?” Strawberi leans over the table in surprise.

“Ah, yes. That’s the Faithful Father’s special effect,” Ceridwen explains, “For every underage character on his side of the field, Jekesson gains 500 points and will defend them from any attack or effect should they be targeted, at the expense of losing 1000 attack points whenever he is attacking an underage enemy character.”

“Preposterous. They are not underage!” Strawberi lifts herself up and motions at the kobold couple.

“Yeah, they are married with children and everything!” Warwick chimes in.

“What kind of trick are you trying to pull with such loose criteria?” Strawberi puts her hands on her hips indignantly.

“Eesh, fine, fine, You’d think you’d care about protecting the little ones,” Ceridwen replies, raising her hands and craning her head back. The counter pops back, showing Jekesson’s defense returning to a lower, but still formidable 2100 points.

“That’s somewhat better! Now, you said that was your last action this turn?”

“Err, yes. Yes, I believe it will be.”

“Very well, then,” Strawberi smiles, drawing a card, “Hmm. You know, Millie’s special ability involves destroying equipment cards, but seeing as you don’t have many of those, I think I will tribute him to summon this new character in attack mode: Njar, the Constructor.”

“I’m coming Chester!” the itty bitty black bird boy exclaims, extending his arms as he vanishes.
In his place, a gaunt, tall and rather fluffy alien woman appears on the field, swirling shapes of pink holographic light dancing around her fingertips. All eight of them.

[Njar, the Constructor, 5 stars, Type: Alien, 1500 ATK, 1300 DEF]

“Now… hmm… servant Warwick, let’s talk strategy for a moment.”

“Y-yes, Mis Strawberi,” Warwick says, heaving the pile of luggage and knick-knacks and half resting it on the stool.

“Alright, so my options are a bit limited,” Strawberi whispers, her face nearly touching Warwick’s, “right now, there is that Feather Duster I so cleverly purloined from our rival, and also Tantalizing Outfit.”

“Yes, the one that forces the character wearing it to-”

“Be the target of all enemy attacks, quite right, my servant. Now, I think it goes without saying we should equip Njar with the Feather Duster so she can’t keep a character from attacking each turn, and probably use Tantalizing Outfit on an enemy, though I am not sure which one it should be.”

“Yeah, that ‘protect the kids’ ability of the lizard guy will be a bigger problem when another egg shows up, not to mention all three other characters on Miss Ceridwen’s field are parent figures.”

“That’s true, her entire deck seems built around protecting those eggs of hers.”

“Whatever they summon once they hatch must be very powerful.”

“Indeed, servant, and that blasted Formican Reductor keeps shrinking any character I attack with. Her defense is so fiendish, it’s almost perfect!”

“What about that trap card you placed earlier?”

“Oh, right, I almost forgot, Invigorating Reagent. It raises the attack points of my characters by 1000 until the end of the turn! We could use it along with Tantalizing Outfit to destroy that feisty little egg.”

“Well, yes, but maybe we should attack the Jekesson card first. If we destroy that character now, we might not be able to beat him later.”

“Hmm, true, and maybe we should use the Outfit on Trapinch instead. Look at him, he’s all tiny and weak! I don’t think he will make it to three kills now.”

“I’m not so sure, Miss Strawberi, Trapinch also has an ability that would mix well with Feather Duster, now that I think of it.”

“The Sand Attack?Well yes, but it’s not nearly as good as Feather Duster, it only makes a character have a ¼ chance to miss.”

“Even so…”

“Uhm, sorry to interrupt but, are you going to take much longer?”

“Just a moment, dear Ceridwen, we are almost done,” Strawberi raises her voice before turning back to Warwick, “Now, then, I think I know what to do now…”

>Use Invigorating Reagent and Tantalizing Outfit to destroy the Egg of Clubs.

>Use only Invigorating Reagent and destroy Jekesson Terrorscale.

>Save Invigorating Reagent for later and use Tantalizing Outfit on Trapinch.

Only use Invigorating Agent.

just think how happy trapinch would be to have a pretty dress

Save the Agent, use the outfit!

>>1072987

Use just the outfit. We need to see a Trapinch wearing it.

Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick Pt. 3 Art by Donut 2023/11/05(Sun)17:50 No. 1076560 ID: 3c2dff
File 169923542880.png - (18.75KB , 700x500 , BleacherView.png )

Genevieve looks down at the ongoing duel, paying close attention to every move and every snippet of conversation that reaches her ears, which is no easy task amid the din and hubbub of the audience.

Like most everyone around, she is at the edge of her seat. Mostly because the benches don’t have much room. Nonetheless, she is quite attentive at her vanquishers’ latest next move, the mysterious lizard lady Ceridwen having cemented her defense so well, the two small pastel duelists are left stumped and whispering to each other.
So avid is she in trying to read their lips, Genevieve almost jumps out and all the way down to the floor as the odd fellow sitting next to her speaks up.

“Nice match, huh?”

“Eep!”

“Oops! Sorry, didn’t mean to startle ya, name’s Conway, Conway Killjoy.”

The character, who looks like a man sporting a bright sunny dress, a long face-obscuring mane, and a smile that could light up the entire courtyard, lifts a hand out to the disquieted aardvark, after a second’s hesitation, she finally offers hers in turn and they shake.

“Uh, nice to meet you mis..ter?”

“Yup!”

“Nice to meet you, Mister Killjoy,” she says, more confident this time, “That’s… quite the name, if you don’t mind me saying.”

“Heh heh, I’m kidding, nobody calls me killjoy. Matter of fact, usually I’m the life of the party!” He chuckles, his grin somehow actually widening.

“I see.. say, you are one of the duelists here, right?”

“Yes ma’am, and so are you! Sorry I missed most of your match, was busy losing mine at the time. I saw what that nasty god guy did to your poor little angel. Not cool, bro. I mean, the booming voice and the final showdown were kinda awesome, but still, it’s an ugly way to defeat someone.”

“Hmph, tell me about it.” Genevieve folds her arms, focusing again on the duel below.

“Come to check how those two kids are doing, yeah?” Conway leans down, also looking at the ongoing game.

“Hmm, yes, I suppose I am… Mostly, I wonder what this whole tournament is all about.”

“Oh, it didn’t say anything on your invitation?” Conway says before extending his arms like a ringmaster putting on a show, “play a card game of magic and awe, meet new and strange people, make unique friends, and the winner will be given a prize of their choosing!”

“Yes, I gathered as much, but… why?”

“I dunno,” Conway shrugs as he sits up, “maybe it’s to get the different people of the cosmos to bond and form a grand alliance, or maybe it’s some big publicity stunt. I’ve heard the birds who are acting as judges are also powerful gods, but frankly it’s probably one or more of them are of a wish-granting class.”

“Class?”

“Oh, yeah! A type of person born with an innate talent that grants them amazing abilities! It’s pretty common where I’m from.”

“I see… so what do-?”

“Oh, shh shh, the little guys are doing something!” Conway raises his hand in front of Genevieve and ushers her to look down at the duel.

The aardvark turns back to watch and squints for a moment “Wait.. is that..?” she asks in disbelief.

“Nice getup!” Conway smiles once again.

Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick Pt. 3 Art by Nalthar 2023/11/05(Sun)17:51 No. 1076561 ID: 3c2dff
File 169923547536.jpg - (570.62KB , 1383x1641 , traphinch_dress.jpg )

>Save Invigorating Reagent for later and use Tantalizing Outfit on Trapinch.

Exotic and enticing, intriguing and bewildering. Men want to be with him, ladies want to be him. Or something.

The now dazzling bobble-headed termite is so eye-catching, all enemy characters will lunge at him either in passionate abandon or mind-clouding envy. Even noble Jekesson can’t help but feel inadequate at his bedazzling opponent, just look at him pout!

Njar on her part looks just as puzzled and unamused, as she finds her holographic tinkering interrupted when a feather duster suddenly manifests in her hand.

“And I will now use the Feather Duster, of course, on your “germ kobold”, so he may not attack next turn,” Strawberi points a finger at the chivalrous child protector.

Sure enough, Njar waves the Feather Duster at Germ and a cloud of detritus falls on his eyes. The effect is not very noticeable beyond a light flinch, however, as Germ’s eyes, besides being small and beady, are also red with violent jealousy at Trapinch’s captivating looks.

“And then, I will… Uh,” Strawberi trails off, snapping her fingers a couple times, to which Warwicks leans next to her once more and whispers something in her ear.

“End my turn!” she declares triumphantly, “...wait, seriously?” she turns to her servant/advisor in puzzlement.

“I warned you using the outfit wouldn’t be much use, Miss Strawberi,” Warwick replies with a shrug.

“Hrrmm, fine. Let it not be said I cannot accept my misjudgments.” Strawberi proclaims, chin and index finger raised solemnly, “And anyways, now all of her attacks will be aimed at a single creature. I’m sure that will be useful soon enough.”

“Oh, yes, it certainly will,” Jekesson hisses, staring daggers at the pervy pokémon. Germ nods in agreement. Everyone else stares at him for a moment.

“Aaaanyway,” Ceridwen segues, “Now it’s my turn again, let me draw a card and..” she trails of and she looks at the new piece of cardboard in her hand, “Hmm, put it in face down position for the moment,” she finishes.

“That’s it?” asks Starwberi, arching an eyebrow.

“Uh, Miss Strawberi…” Warwick says tentatively.

“Well, not all of it. I guess I could also send Weasel to attack your Trapinch while his distracting outfit is still not a big deal,” Ceridwen replies, flipping Weasel’s card to attack position.

“Not the face, that’s my moneymaker!” yells the alluringly-dressed pokémon, but to no avail, as he is mostly face.

As Weasel’s spear pierces Trapinch’s chitin, he and his mouth-watering clothes vanish in a cloud of pixelated dust. On their side of the field, Jekesson and Germ share a high-five.

“I just had to ask, didn’t I?” Strawberi pouts, crossing her arms.

“I was going to warn you, Miss Strawberi-”

“And yet you didn’t, servant. Some good you are!” she harrumphs.

“Now that will be the end of my turn,” Ceridwen butts in, before her opponents’ quarrel escalates.

Strawberi grumpily aborts her tirade to draw a card, but her face suddenly lits up as she sees what she now has in her hand.

“Aha, A chance to redeem yourself, servant Warwick! Come here now,” Strawberi draws a card and motions for her pigmented plebeian pal to once again make his way around the clutter in his hands to be close enough to whisper. After a few moments of inaudible to and fro, they turn back towards Ceridwen.

“I cast the spell Puddle Jacket, which allows me to destroy one trap or spell card on your side of the field for each equipment card my characters have.”

“But I just destroyed the Outfit that Trapinch was-” Ceridwen starts before her expression turns indignant, “Wait… oh no, you don’t!”

“Oh, yes I very much will!” declares Strawberi triumphantly, “your handy Feather Duster is still equipped to Njar, thus allowing to get rid of your pesky Formican Reductor, and with that out of the way, I will also activate my trap card Invigorating Reagent, which gives Njar 1000 extra attack points until the end of the turn, and you know what that entails…” the little cherry-coloured lady pauses for a second as she lifts her finger dramatically, “Njar, the Constructor, destroy Weasel the Kobold Wife!”

Weasel barely manages to open her mouth before a gush of bright pink bolts pierce her chest and her body shatters like the other defeated characters before her. Germ falls to his knees and screams in anguish as he feels a piece of his heart (and the bonus ATK and DEF points from being together) be ripped out from his chest.

Ceridwen has 1200 life points left.

Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick Pt. 3 Art by Silly Zealot 2023/11/05(Sun)17:54 No. 1076562 ID: 3c2dff
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“Auugh! I needed that character!” Ceridwen protests, both exasperated at her own Feather Duster being used against her and saddened at seeing Germ’s grief.

“Now, now, you knew the risks when sent your kobold on the offensive, I just responded in kind,” Strawberi places a hand on her chest and bows her head in feigned modesty, “Naturally, I will once again use the Feather Duster to prevent your “Faithful Father” from attacking, and with that, I believe I will end my turn, but know that I have plenty more aces up my sleeve.”

“Your dress doesn’t have sleeves, don’t you mean up your skirt?” Ceridwen asks, unimpressed.

“How dare you!” Strawberi lifts herself in her seat in indignation. She hears Warwick stifling a chuckle, to which she tips him slightly with her hand, making him fall off his stool.

“Don’t forget the beachball, it was a holiday gift,” she says as Warwick paws the floor trying to pick all her scattered baggage back up, “And that tea set better not be cracked!” she adds.

“R-right,” Ceridwen hesitantly draws a card as she witnesses the display. As she sees what card she picked, however, her eyes grow wide, “Ha! Get ready to say hello again, because guess who’s back for round 2? I tribute Germ and my face-down Cryluk (sorry guys), to summon Dusty, Egg Caretaker back onto the field!”

At this, both the sorrowful Germ and the now revealed figure of a tiny two-legged creature with a long trunk of a nose and a singular, ever-crying eye, lift off the ground and turn into clouds of dust. A moment later, a gust of wind burst from within the dust, blowing it away as Dusty steps onto the field, a cheery expression etched on her face.

“But that’s not all,” Ceridwen says, “I will also use Species Swap, which allows me to change the Type of one of my characters, to change to… Child.”

“Child?!” Strawberi asks in bewilderment.

“That… doesn’t sound like a real Type,” Warwick adds.

“Yes, it is! It got added in the Questden Babies! Limited Edition a couple years back. It was first made as a Kid’s Game charity edition run, but it was so successful that it got re-released as a more kid-friendly version of the main game.”

“A children’s version of a children’s card game?” Strawberi asks, “Who even thinks of that?”

“Awww!” up in the rafters, Toffles lowers his head with a saddened expression while Companionship places a wing over his head to console him.

Back at the table, the spell card activates, shrinking Dusty into a young, bright blue, marketable version of herself; her being now a minor, Jekesson’s defense rises to 2600 points.

“Now my Egg Caretaker’s got a caretaker of her own! I’d like to see you get through that before my Egg of Clubs hatches next turn,” Ceridwen says, crossing her arms contentedly.

“And I will, you plebeian!” Strawberi says, her cheeks somehow turning even more pink,”All it takes is one good draw to tear your silly little combo down!”

“Hope you’ve been trusting the heart of the cards then, my fair lady, because it’s your turn now,” Ceridwen replies, her lips being the ones curling into a sarcastic smile for a change.

Strawberi lets an exasperated shrill pass through her clenched teeth, before finally sitting back down and grumpily drawing a card, an attitude which changes once she sees what the card is.

“Ah, finally!” she says in a mix of enthusiasm and relieved frustration, “I activate Change of Wardrobe, which lets me draw one more card for each equipment card in my graveyard. Servant Warwick, kindly count the equipment cards I’ve in the pile, please.”

“Erhm..” Warwick lifts his arms slightly, highlighting the large pile of knick-knacks he is still carrying.

“Tch, fine! I’ll do it myself.” Strawberi rolls her eyes, before browsing the small stack of graveyard cards, mumbling inaudibly all the while.

“I-I think there were the Patchwork Crossbow and the..” Warwick begins recalling in an apologetic tone.

“The Tantalizing Outfit, yes,” Strawberi finishes, putting the graveyard pile back in its place, “so that would be two cards. More than enough to deal with the likes of you!” She adds, looking pointedly at Ceridwen, making her roll her eyes.

“Now let’s see here…” Strawberi says, drawing two cards and raising them to eye level, “Aha! I told you it only takes one good draw to turn the tables, watch and learn! I summon Godrender, Eager Blade.

[Godrender, Eager Blade, 4 stars, Type: Construct, 500 ATK, 500 DEF]

“I put the ‘more’ in ‘claymore’!” Godrender exclaims as they rise onto the field.

“That was terrible,” Njar opines.

“AND IT LOOKS LIKE YOU ARE THE CLAY!” the sword yells confrontationally.

“Oh, no, actually. She will be your wielder for the evening,” Strawberi declares, raising a finger.

“Ahahaha, that’s more like it!” Godrender laughs in anticipation.

“Huh? Wielder? What does that mean? And is it actually evening?” Ceridwen asks all confused-like.

“Ah, that’s the beauty of this card, my scaly rival. Godrender, Eager Blade doubles as an equipment card, adding their ATK and DEF points to the character who wields them, and because it is an eager blade, Godrender also allows their wielder to attack twice per turn.”

“What?! That’s ridiculous! A card that powerful can’t be worth just a couple stars!”

“I don’t know what to tell you, my dear, that is how the card was released and I considered it rather ludicrous not to add it to my repertoire.” Strawberi shrugs quizzically.

“No way! I want my rules lawyer!” The aquamarine dragon protests.

On cue, the cranky secretary bird Tianna swoops once again to the table to settle the dispute.
“You will have to forgive us, Miss Ceridwen,“ she says, “we were not quite so thorough in reviewing the most recent sets of cards, and a couple unbalanced ones such as this may have been allowed into the tournament. Blame Pan for focusing on ‘fun.’”

“What was that last part?” Ceridwen asks.

“I mean to say that, at present, it would be rather poor form to ban a card at the last minute, overlooked as it may have been. Rest assured that we will review the Eager Blade card once the tournament, and likely prohibit it from future one, or at the very least lower its potency.”

“Hey, if you wish to strip me of my power, you will have to come and TAKE it!” the bellicose blade goads the feathery judge, who simply ignores them.

“It seems the judges have come to a decision, Miss Ceridwen,” Strawberi butts into the conversation, “do not worry, though. If your defense is as sound as you worked so hard for it to be, a little extra attack power won’t make it buckle.”

Ceridwen lets out a sigh before speaking, “Fine, I guess I don’t have much of a choice, and besides, that only boosts your ‘Njar Constructor’ by 500 points, which is the same as my characters’ defense.”

“Glad that’s settled,” Tianna gives an appreciative nod, “I will be right above in case you need me again. If you’ll excuse me…” and with that, she swoops over the table and flies back up to her impromptu perch.

“I must concede you are right, my soon to be former rival,” Strawberi says once Tianna returns to her previous post, “I can only raise Njar’s attack points so far by using Godrender, but I’m afraid that doesn’t mean I can’t lower your characters’ points as well. I now use the trap card I’m Dazzling, You’re Baffling, which lowers the ATK or DEF of every character wearing no equipment cards in the field until the end of turn. Of course, I choose defense.”

As Strawberi lays the card upon the table, Godrender and the Feather Duster shine with an enchanting light in Njar’s hands, beautiful sparkles dancing around them.
Jekesson and Dusty’s attire, on the other hand, takes on a dirty, patchy appearance, akin to decades old hand-me-downs.

Filled with a new sense of inadequacy, both Jekesson and Dusty see with saddened eyes as their defense drops by 1000 points.

“1000 points less?!” Ceridwen cries, “Aw, man! At least tell me they’ll get their clothes cleaned when the turn ends.”

“I suppose so… but that’s a moot point, as they won’t last until the turn’s end! Njar, the Constructor, take Godrender and, well, rend!”

There are no words to describe the ensuing carnage, the horrifying violence, the sight of a red-eyed llama-dog woman, feather duster in one hand and a large living sword on the other, pink holographic lights dancing around her all the while, striking a raggedy lizard guy and bunny girl, making them land flat on their backs in the middle of a table, all in the name of a children’s card game.

Truly, a display that defies all sane description.

“This game sucks.” Ceridwen remarks, resting her head on her hands.

“A magnificent card combination, Miss Strawberi,” Warwick perks up, a smile across his face for a change, “but it seems we have no more characters with which to attack Miss Ceridwen’s egg, and it is about to hatch.”

“Hmm, yes, I suppose I have run out of actions for the remainder of this turn.” Strawberi muses, then gives a dismissive flick of the wrist, “ No matter. Whatever lies inside that egg is surely no match for your sage advice and, of course, my astounding intellect.”

“So, you will be ending your turn now?” Ceridwen asks.

“Not like there is much else I can do anyway. Go on ahead, do your worst!” Strawberi teases.

“If you insist,” Ceridwen replies as she draws a card, and gives a light nod towards her Egg of Clubs.

As if on cue, the egg hatches and a burst of smoke and fire suddenly envelops half the table, accompanied by a loud, heart-pounding roar.

“Goodness gee!” Strawberi says, startled.

“Eep! Better get that astounding intellect working, my lady!” Warwick helpfully adds.

Ceridwen versus Strawberi and Warwick Pt. 3 Art by Arhra 2023/11/05(Sun)17:54 No. 1076563 ID: 3c2dff
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Mai Terrorscale, 8 stars, Type: Dragon, 3500 ATK, 3000 DEF

Grand. Ominous. Powerful. Pissed.

As the trails of flame vanish and the smoke clears, the mighty dragon known as Mai Terrorscale rises over the dueling field, meeting all players at eye level and far dwarfing the alien and sword in front of her.

“Haha! Almost a worthy opponent!” Godrender declares.

“Hello, dear,” Mai hears a faint, trembling voice from the ground beside her.
She looks down, and smiles.

“Hello, husband,” she says, her toothy grin giving way to confusion, “Why are you dressed like a pauper?”

“Card effect,” the lizardman simply states, a light smile on his lips.

“Say no more,” the terrible dragoness says with an understanding growl, “I can see this game has taken a hard toll on you, but I know you held the line, you always have.”

“Were that I had held it for longer, my love,” the scaly paladin replies mournfully, his voice fading.

“Hush, sweet champion,” Mai answers in turn, in a voice as deep as it is soothing, “You have done enough, it is time for me to finish the fight.”

Jekesson nods, his smile widening for an instant, before closing his eyes, his expression turning resting, serene.

“This is scaring me more than the roar,” Strawberi whispers into Warwick’s ear.

“Go give them hell, lady!” Dusty turns her head towards Mai with an encouraging expression, before she and Jekesson finally fade into motes of light.

“Oh, I most certainly will!” Mai gives out a wide grin.

Immediately she lets out a vengeful roar that resonates across the entire atrium and, in spite of her diminutive size, manages to once more startle everybody around the table, and even the front bleachers!

“Nevermind, that’s also pretty scary,” Strawberi says.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mai’s fiery, furious and wide (in a good way!) figure looms over the humble Constructor, ready to strike the moment Ceridwen gives the command.

Before she does, however, she pauses, looking at the card she has just drawn: Quest Resurrection. A card that lets her bring back one character card from the graveyard.
She comes to the realization she can back up her formidable doom dragoness with one of previous characters, and so thinks back for a moment on the ones that were most useful.

First she considers Jekesson Terrorscale, the in-story husband to the terrifying firedrake. He has a decent 1300 ATK and 1600 DEF, and gains 500 more defense points for each underage character he fights alongside, not to mention he would be a perfect thematic fit to fight alongside Mai. However, he has the disadvantage of losing 1000 ATK points when he himself is attacking an underage character. Such is the lot of the Faithful Father.

Next, she thinks of Dusty, the magical dust bunny spirit. She has the best stats all her dead characters, with 1800 ATK and 2000 DEF points, and is great to protect any new eggs that Ceridwen may be able to summon onto the field, as her special ability as Egg Caretaker makes it so any effect or attack that might endanger an egg type creature targets her instead. However, Ceridwen considers, egg cards take a couple turns to hatch and by that point, Mai or another powerful character may have ended the duel.

Finally, she remembers Germ the Kobold. The unassuming creature has some of the weakest stats in all her deck, with only 600 ATK and 1000 DEF. His special ability, however, is gaining 500 extra ATK points for every other lizard type character on Ceridwen’s side of the field, which her deck has plenty of. She knows that Mai is a dragon, though, not a lizard, and that she would require some rather lucky draws in order to summon enough lizards to bring Germ up to strength.

Strawberi and Warwick look at each other in confusion for a moment as they notice Ceridwen’s trembling. Her One Dragon Army gives her the advantage for the moment, but she is low on lifepoints, and she can’t shake the feeling that this next decision will define the outcome of the duel. Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge.

Which character should Ceridwen bring back?

>Jekesson Terrorscale, Faithful Father

>Dusty, Egg Caretaker

>Germ, the Kobold

I think Strawberi is too arrogant (rather than narcissistic) to bluff about her belief in her superiority. Which implies that she does not have any Child-themed cards in her deck! Her last thief couldn't steal magic cards, so there's little chance of her stealing Species Swap from the graveyard!

Summon Jek and punch her in the neck!

Why is it even called Human Resources when there are no humans here?

It's gotta be Jekesson!
Win or lose, he guarantees a most dramatic climax!

Jekesson and Germ both gain attack per friendly on the board, but Jekesson starts with more attack, enough that he is still nearly as strong as Germ even if he is taking the penalty. Unless Germ has a combo with his kid that you can heart of the cards, he is out.

Dusty's ability probably isn't going to come into play before the end of the game, but Dusty is still a big beat stick, and the only one who can natively trade with the buffed Njar. Until the feather duster is neutralized, Mai doesn't get to attack, so you need somebody who can get through Njar right now. Dusty is the choice.

Jek sweep!

>>1076654
For clarification: Jekesson gains 500 DEF per kid he's fighting along with. Germ is the one that gains extra ATK when he is with other lizards.

>>1076574
HR stands for Helpful Resources in the simulation and it's been played in the cibercafé next door.

I think Germ is out of the question, even if you manage to get some good dragons, that defense is too low at this point of the game
Jek seems good but a species-swap effect or straw and warwick putting any child to defend means he's done for
I'd say go for Dusty,very good base stats and defense, and if she survives you'll get the ball rolling again next turn

Okay, I swear I already voted here, but I guess I didn't submit it?

This decision seems pretty easy. Jekesson and Germ both require setup to surpass Dusty, but you can't really afford that right now. And even if it is unlikely, Jek wven introduces an additional loss condition if Strawberi can get a child type character. Dusty's stats are the most consistent, and they're high enough to pumch over Njar to get rid of the Feather Duster. Dusty is the play.

Go dusty and have them eat our dust... but not literally our dusty, i meant dust as in... forget it, just play Dusty.