Harley Card 4th Draw

“Promise me no more bugs...”

“Don't worry, red, next bug we see we'll stomp and squish and trail them all over these city streets!”

Clarissa hugs herself as she and Harley make their way down the somewhat populated street still close to their entrance gate of Battle City. Every now and then people will pause and look their way to whisper as Harley remains blissfully ignorant to all this paying more attention to her duel disk won from Weevil.

“So what d'ya think will happen if I put like a four of clubs in here?”

A question a fair number of duelists have asked themselves. The answer? The same thing that happens to any other kind of card you put in. Nothing. As Harley begins to murmur over the possibilities of this Clarissa takes notice of something along the wall of a building. An LED screen displaying the cities rules. It glitches out a little but that's not what attracts the Poison Ivy impersonator.

“Um...Harley?” She calls out to obtain her cohorts attention. When she has it, she points out the tournament rules. “I think we should go. It really looks like they're holding some sort of massive event here.”

“Like a bake off?” Harley wonders looking over the rules. “Half this stuff I don't even understand. What's a locator card? What constitutes a rare card? *gasp* What if I put in my business card? What's gonna happen t'me?”

Clarissa wants, but she can't, to ignore Harley here and just move on...but would Poison Ivy do that? No, she'd work to get her partner in crime to focus and so that's what Clarissa attempts to do.

“Harley, we need to leave because look.” She points to a security camera right above the rules screen. It isn't pointed down at them but it's certainly active as it scans around. “I'm on the run, remember? If one of those cameras picks me up...”

She smiles hoping the next words out of Harley's lips are-

“Hey! Bozos!” Not that. “You got nothin' better t'do than to watch little kiddies play card games?”

Several more stop when they hear Harley's taunts as Clarissa merely facepalms.

“Why don't ya come down here and I'll show ya how to really play!” Capping off with a nod, Harley skips back to Clarissa's side who tries to show some support. “There. Now when they come, we knock 'em! No more runnin'.”

“Yep...no more.”

“You're a loud one, aren't you?”

The pair look behind them to see a woman standing facing toward them wearing a purple colored suit open to expose the white blouse top.

“What's with her head?” Harley whispers.

“That's her hair.” Clarissa whispers back.

“How much spray she use?”

“I don't know, but...remember when you said we should run?” Clarissa asks hoping Harley is just that crazy.

“She's got a disk thingie.” Harley points out and steps from the huddle despite Clarissa's cries of her not to. “Let's duel, you!”

The woman stands in shock and soon smiles before laughing.

“Really? You? What's your deck gimmick? Circus rejects?” She continues laughing as Clarissa comes up beside Harley.

“What's her deal?” Harley asks.

“She's Mai Valentine. She's among the worlds top five duelists.” She says as a fangirl but then remembers her role and brings a hand up to her hip. “Though she remains at the bottom of it.”

“Hey! One piece! Keep your opinions to yourself and shop for more color.”

Harley steps forward. “Don't yell at my friends!”

“Don't yell at me!”

“Duel me!”

Mai is about to shout back but soon smirks and flicks her hair back.

“You're really quite adamant about that, aren't you? Well alright, little clown girl, but you had best be prepared for what I have.”

The two stand ready, across from one another and with their duel disks activated. Mai pulls out her five cards and calls out.

“Alright, since you issued the challenge it's my right to...wait. Why isn't your name coming up?”

“Huh?” Harley asks back holding her five.

Mai is close to asking the question again when her reader suddenly updates with Harley's name. “Never mind.” She mutters to herself. “I'll draw first.”

Mai draws up her sixth card and adds it to her hand. Clearly not a part of her opening strategy but her expression shows that it's something worth thinking about.

“For my first turn, I play...Harpy Lady in attack mode!” As she places her card down, the monster becomes active. “And I'll equip her with Rose Whip and Cyber Shield!”

“Kinky.”

“Exactly. Now, for-wait...what?” Mai blinks a couple times as Harley admires the sight of the Harpy Lady before her and nods approvingly.

“I mean if that's your thing...everyone's gotta have a hobby.”

“What are you...it's a card!”

“Yeah, and it's a very interestin' one. You ever poke your eyes out with those?”

Mai growls under her breath.

“Just move already.”

“Now who's bringin' fantasy into reality?”

“Just move!”

Harley puts out a playful smirk as she begins to look through her hand drawing a new card into them. Aqua Madoor, Ninja Grand Master Sasuke, Premature Burial, Gift of the Martyr, Dust Tornado, and...

“How many turns does this last again?” Harley asks playing her sixth card, Swords of Revealing Light. The move surprises not just Mai but that of the virtual image of her Harpy as well. “Annnnnd this one face down.”

With the end of her turn, Mai just stands there stunned before breaking out into laughter.

“You play a face down monster with Swords of Revealing Light? Did you just find that locator card on the ground or something?” She jokes and laughs as Harley just smiles. Seeing her response garner none from her opponent, Mai just flips out a card from her deck. “Very well. Since you seem determined to drag this on a little longer... I'll play this card face down myself and since I can't attack I'll end my turn.”

“My turn!” Harley gives a little pirouette as she slips off the top card from her deck and looks it over. It's new to her so she has to stop and read over it.

“They really should have built timers into these things...” Mai sighs speaking about her duel disc. “I know it's a new concept to you, but it's called playing your card!”

Clarissa would comment back on Mai about this, but seeing that look on Harley's face...it's clear that she's strategizing something special.

“Alright. I think I got it.”

She starts by first flipping up Aqua Madoor on the field. She then places down a card in the spell/trap zone as Mai tilts her head slightly.

“Really? Well, I was going to destroy him as soon as those swords were gone anyway...”

“Then let's see it happen!”

“What?”

“Go! Aqua Madoor! Aqua...water...go!”

“Wait, are you really...okay.” Mai shrugs and just watches as her Harpy Lady properly defends herself against Aqua Madoor sending it straight to the graveyard. After watching it, Harley can only chuckle a little to herself. “You know, I suppose it might be something to say you beat yourself.”

Mai LP: 8000

Harley LP: 7100

“I know, but these days a quick konk on the head's the best way I can sleep.”

Mai has nothing really to say there so Harley just continues with her turn summoning Grand Master Sasuke in attack mode. Seeing this, again Mai just shrugs.

“I guess you really are in a hurry to get this one done, aren't you?” Again, Harley says nothing as Mai takes her turn. She only just looks at her card putting it in with the rest. “Know what? I'll just skip this turn. Seems by my doing nothing it actually prolongs this duel.”

Harley excitedly draws her card not even looking at it as she slams her second most recently drawn card.

“Then I play this! Megamorph!”

“What?!” Mai practically jumps from her spot when she watches Ninja Grand Master Sasuke's ATK go from 1800 to 3600.

“Go get 'er!” Harley commands as her ninja strikes out against Mai's Harpy with use of his kunai destroying it and taking a big chunk out of Mai's LP.

Mai LP: 6500

Harley LP: 7100

However, since now Harley's LP goes above Mai's then Ninja Grand Master Sasuke's attack power drops to 900.

“You...destroyed my Harpy! Well, revenge will be easy enough I suppose with your card so weak.”

“Then I guess it's time to show ya this!” Harley flips up her trap card, Dust Tornado, using it to destroy Megamorph from the field placing Ninja Grand Master Sasuke's ATK back to its normal 1800. Mai grips her cards tightly as Clarissa claps her hands excitedly.

“I ain't gonna lose to the likes of some sexual deviant, I got standards.”

A massive explosion takes place on the ground as before it stands the mighty Red Eyes Black Dragon. Life points are rendered down to zero as a relieved Joey Wheeler lets out a prolonged sigh. Just off the field, he's given a cheer from Tea and a thumbs up from Hond-Tristan. Though, of all those around, Joey is surprised to no longer see Mai standing there. That's because...

“Harpy Queen!” Mai slaps down the card on her duel disk not ready to allow Harley to get the better of her. Still, unable to attack, Mai ends her turn allowing the Swords to dissipate from her side.

“Hm...” Harley holds her cards close to her face examining each figuring she could use Premature Burial to bring back Aqua Madoor to boost up her defense...but then smirks figuring she could have some fun with it. That is, until she remembers being able to draw her next card. But Waboku seems to bore her at the moment so...she goes with her earlier plan using Premature Burial.

“Bringing in a defense, hm?” Mai asks as Harley looks up a bit surprised as Harpy Lady comes up on the field. “That...did you think she'd come back as powerful as-”

“Nope! She's gone now too.” Harley giggles playing down Gift of the Martyr sacrificing Harpy Lady to strengthen up Ninja Grand Master Sasuke. “Like I told ya before, I got standards.”

With Grand Master Sasuke powered up with the additional 1300 attack power, Harley points forward...and then closes up her fist laying Waboku down and shrugs.

“I end my turn.”

Mai LP: 6500

Harley LP: 6300

“Wh-what? Do you even know how to duel? That was a huge wasted effort!”

“But was worth the look on your face though. You were thinkin' I was gonna use what you got against ya, didn't ya? Nope! Because your cards...aren't that good.”

Mai grips her cards tighter just as much as her jaw begins to clench. Clarissa looks from her to her smirking companion who looks about a tune in her head away from dancing around.

“Harley, maybe--”

“Fine! But let's see if you can keep that smile going when I defeat you! Harpy Queen! Attack her Grand Master!”

Harpy Queen obeys the call and flies in but is blocked by the cloaked figures of Waboku. The fact that Harley had the card down catches Mai off guard as she stands stunned watching her Harpy Queen return back to her position. Still across from her, Harley smirks and giggles.

“Looks like I already won.”

“Mai!” The shout comes from behind her.

“Friends?” Harley wonders aloud as Clarissa watches a trio of individuals she's never seen before rush up just out of the dueling area on Mai's side.

“Whoa!” Tristan calls out upon seeing Mai's opponent. “Didn't know the-”

“Circus was back in town. Ha ha ha ha ha.” Harley finishes Tristan's comment before letting out a bit of sarcastic laughter. Seems she's heard this one enough times and it certainly silences the intruder.

“Is everything alright?” Joey asks knowing now it best to ignore Harley for the time being. “You look shaken up.”

Mai looks back at Joey for some time and slowly begins to smile and nods. “It is now.” She says focusing back on Harley. “Because this clown is going down.”

“It's my turn though.” Harley points out and grips a card to draw but Mai stops her by throwing out a hand.

“I never ended my turn yet.” She says as Harley lets go of her card and lowers her disk ready for whatever Mai has in store.

After taking a calming breath, Mai looks down at her hand with a clear head this time and sees Harpy's Hunting Ground there. She gasps and brings it out reminding herself of its effects. It would definitely be overkill at this point, but seeing the way Harley's been dueling as of late tells Mai she needs to end this quickly.

“And this is the card that will begin to shift the tide.” Mai places the card down...but nothing happens.

In fact, Mai's duel disk switches off and her Harpy Queen disappears as well.

“Hey, what-”

“I'm afraid this illegal duel is over.”

A familiar voice comes toward them as everyone notices Kaiba walking alongside Mokuba using some sort of remote device.

“Sorry, Mai.” Mokuba says. “But like big brother said, this duel is illegal.”

“Illegal?” Mai asks as Kaiba focuses squarely on Harley.

“She's not a registered duelist here, which made it difficult to find her.”

“Why you tryin' to find me?” Harley asks as Clarissa fears now being kicked out, back to a world where Poison Ivy can easily spot them. However,

“Because, your last duel before this one has made me,” Kaiba stands across from Harley shoving his deck into his duel disk. “Curious.”