Archfiend's Fury

All the applicants who passed the entrance exam were aboard a boat that would take them to Duel Academy. Jaden was walking through one of the halls with Syrus.

"Man, this is a cool ship, huh Sy?" Jaden asked.

"Yeah. But I think I might be a little seasick." The blue-haired boy admitted.

"You look fine to me, but maybe we should get you to the ship's doctor just in case." Jaden said. They headed to the infirmary, but little did they know they were being followed by someone. Michael to be exact. He was following close enough that he could keep an eye on them, but not be spotted. He was standing around a corner from Jaden and Syrus when he heard someone call out.

"Michael!" Bastion's voice called out.

'No! What does he want?' Michael thought to himself.

"Greetings Bastion. Did you need something?" He asked.

"Just wanted to see how you're fairing on the trip," Bastion said.

"I'm fine." Michael said before he looked around the corner, only to see Jaden and Syrus were gone. Great, he thought to himself as he turned back to Bastion.

"Are you looking for someone?" Bastion asked.

"Just thought I saw Jaden and Syrus is all." Michael said.

"I see. Would you like to go for a walk with me and get to know one another?" Bastion asked.

"Sure." Michael said.

"So, what was your childhood like?" Bastion asked as they walked through the ship.

"Busy," Michael answered. "How so?" Bastion asked.

"My childhood was spent training to be the best duelist possible." Michael explained.

"So you spent every day dueling?" Bastion asked.

"Not every day. Dueling constantly without taking breaks wouldn't have been practical." Michael responded.

"I see. So what did you do when you weren't dueling?" Bastion asked.

"When I wasn't dueling I was mostly studying and exercising." Michael answered.

"Is there anything you don't excel in?" Bastion asked.

"Social situations actually. I had private tutors and my parents were fairly busy running the family company." Michael admitted.

"I see. What does your family company do?" Bastion asked.

"A few things, but mostly finances, technology, and private security." Michael answered.

Suddenly they were interrupted by the sound of someone calling out.

"Leave me alone!" A girl's voice shouted. Michael and Bastion ran off to find the voice and saw a girl with blue eyes and shoulder length brown hair being harassed by a group of boys.

"Come on, a cute thing like you deserves a handsome guy like me." One of them said as he pressed the girl against the wall. Michael walked up behind him and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"She said to leave her alone." He said sternly.

"Mind your own business." The boy said.

"I make it my business when a group of thugs harass an innocent woman." Michael said.

"Oh, look at Mr. Knight in shining armor here, trying to play the hero." The boy said.

"Duel me." Michael said.

"Excuse me?" The boy asked. "If I win, you leave her alone and the Chancellor will see to your punishment once we reach Academy Island." Michael said.

"Why would I agree to that? It's the word of me and my friends versus just you." The boy said.

"Actually, I have this on my side." Michael said as he pushed a button on the side of his duel disk. A holographic projection showed the boy pressing the girl up against the wall.

"So it looks like you do have a reason to accept my challenge." Michael said smugly.

"Grrr, fine. But if I win you erase the footage, let me do as I please, and give me the deck you used during the entrance exams." The boy said.

"What kind of conditions are those? Michael, don't accept them!" Bastion shouted.

"I won't run from this coward. If those are your terms than I accept." Michael said as he activated his duel disk. "Pound him into the floor Johnny!" one of the other boys shouted.

"If I can beat you, I'll be a legend at the academy," Johnny said.

"Shame you won't be winning," Michael responded.

'He's not even worth my Dark World deck.' Michael thought as he put his other deck in the slot in his duel disk.

"We'll see about that. My machine deck is unbeatable!" Johnny boasted.

"Then put your cards where your mouth is." Michael responded.

Both: "Let's duel!"

Michael: 4000 LP

Johnny: 4000 LP

"I'm going first." Johnny said. Michael just looked on.

"I play the spell card Cost Down, so by discarding a card, all monsters in my hand have their levels reduced by 2 until the end of this turn, meaning I can summon Jinzo without a sacrifice!" Johnny shouted.

Level 6-4/DARK/Machine

ATK 2400/DEF 1500

"And next I play the Monster Reborn spell card to bring back my Perfect Machine King!" He declared.

Level 8/EARTH/Machine

ATK 2700/DEF 1500

"And due to this special ability, he gains 500 attack points for every machine type monster on the field other than himself." Johnny explained.

PMK: 2700-3200 ATK

"Alright, he's got his ace monster out in the first turn!" One of the other boys shouted. The girl from earlier had moved away from the boys and was standing beside Bastion.

"Do you think your friend will win?" She asked.

"I'm positive Michael has something up his sleeve. By the way, my name is Bastion, what's yours?" The boy asked.

"Lily. So, he's the one who defeated Dr. Maxwell in the entrance exams?" she asked.

"Yes." Bastion responded.

"It's your move, now get on with it so I can mop the floor with you." Johnny said.

"I think it's time someone taught you to show some respect, I draw. And I summon Witch of the Black Forest in attack mode." Michael said.

Level 4/DARK/Spellcaster

ATK 1100/DEF 1200

"Some great duelist you are. You throw out some weak witch against my monsters?" Johnny asked.

"Bold of you to assume I'm finished, when in fact, I have not yet begun to fight. I activate the Polymerization spell card to fuse my Witch of the Black Forest with The Dark – Hex Sealed Fusion. And due to its special ability, it can be used in place of any monster for a fusion summon, meaning I can summon Archfiend's Manifestation." Michael explained.

Level 6/DARK/Fiend

ATK 2500/DEF 1200

A monster that looked like Summoned Skull appeared on Michael's field. "I'm not done with just this. Due to Witch's effect, I can add a monster with 1500 or fewer defense points from me deck to my hand, and I choose the original Summoned Skull." Michael explained.

"Not good." Johnny said.

"And your problems are about to get worse. I activate the Contract with the Abyss ritual spell card. With it, I can summon a dark attribute ritual monster, as long as I sacrifice monsters from my hand or field whose total levels exactly equal the level of the ritual monster. I sacrifice the level 6 Summoned Skull to summon Archfiend's Awakening." Michael explained as he summoned another lookalike of Summoned Skull.

Level 6/DARK/Fiend

ATK 2500/DEF 1200

"Call up as many freaks you want, they can't beat my Machine King." Johnny taunted.

"Are you sure about that?" Michael asked with smirk on his face.

Archfiend's Awakening ATK: 2500-3000

Archfiend's Manifestation ATK: 2500-3000

"Why did their attack points go up?" Johnny asked.

"Manifestation's effect increases the attack of all monsters on my field that are named Summoned Skull by 500 points." Michael explained.

"But then why did they gain power? Their names aren't Summoned Skull." Johnny pointed out.

"Not their original names, but due to their special abilities, their names become Summoned Skull once they're on the field, while still counting as Archfiend cards." Michael explained.

"Next I play the Dragon's Mirror spell card. This card allows me to summon a Dragon-type fusion monster form my extra deck by banishing the necessary monsters from my field or graveyard, so I remove Summoned Skull and The Dark – Hex Sealed Fusion from my graveyard to summon Black Skull Dragon." He declared.

Level 9/DARK/Dragon

ATK 3200/DEF 2500

"That's a powerful monster." Bastion marveled.

"Now Archfiend's Awakening, attack Jinzo with Awakened Thunder." Michael ordered. His monster sent a blast of blue lightning at Jinzo, destroying him.

Johnny: 3400 LP

"And since Jinzo is gone, your Machine King's attack points return to their original value." Michael pointed out.

PMK: 3200-2700 ATK

"No!" Johnny shouted.

"Now Archfiend's Manifestation, attack his Perfect Machine King." Michael ordered. His monster sent a vein of purple lightning at Johnny's monster, frying it and causing it to explode and forcing Johnny to shield his eyes.

Johnny: 3100 LP

"Now Black Skull Dragon, attack directly and finish him off!" Michael shouted. His monster unleashed a black fireball on Johnny, sending him flying back through the hall and crashing into the wall.

Johnny: 0 LP

Winner: Michael

"Johnny!" One of the boys shouted. Man, you really went all out on him, Summoned Skull said as he appeared next to Michael in spirit form. Lily looked in their direction and gasped because she could see Summoned Skull standing next to Michael.

'I may have gone a tad too far, but you know I can't stand people like him.' Michael said to the spirit.

"Hey there." Lily called out. Michael turned to face her.

"Oh. How foolish of me. I was so busy teaching him some manners I seem to have forgotten my own. My name is Michael. Might I know yours?" He asked as he bowed his head.

"Well, aren't you quite the gentleman. My name is Lily, and it's a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for saving me from them." She said.

"It was my pleasure. I can't stand when a group of hooligans gang up on an innocent woman," Michael said.

"Well, I guess you're not called the Shadow Knight for nothing. Would you like to walk with me for a while?" Lily asked.

"It would be my pleasure." Michael said before accompanying her through the ship.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later then." Bastion said. Meanwhile, Lily and Michael were having a conversation about the trip before Lily looked around to make sure they were alone and pulled Michael aside into her room.

"What's wrong?" Michael asked.

"Okay, why did Summoned Skull appear next to you at the end of your duel with Johnny?" Lily asked.

"Wait, you saw him?" Michael asked. "Yes, and I want an explanation," Lily demanded.

"Well, for you to see him means you have a connection to the spirit world like me, so there's no point trying to lie." Michael said. Michael gestured for her to sit next to him on the bed, and once she did, he began to tell her what he could about his past.

"So then why are you going to Duel Academy?" Lily asked once he finished.

"I'm afraid that's something I can't tell you." He said.

"Well, you did help me, and I'm sure you didn't lie to me, so I guess you're not out to hurt anyone." she said.

"So is there anything else you would like to ask me?" Michael asked.

"There is one thing, are you single?" She asked.

"P-pardon?" he asked, blushing slightly.

"Well to be honest, I like you. And I was kind of hoping you liked me," she said.

"W-well I." He stammered out, not having been in a situation like this.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked a question like that out of the blue. Bastion told me you're not very good in social situations. We can just be friends for now, and if you decide you like me, we can start dating. I don't mind waiting until you're comfortable with it." She said.

"I'd like that." Michael responded.

"I'm glad. Oh, and this is to thank you for saving me from Johnny." She said.

"You don't have to-," he tried to say before he was cut off by Lily as she kissed him on the lips, causing his face to turn bright red. She cut off the kiss and couldn't help but laugh when she saw the look on his face.

"What, first time kissing a girl?" She asked teasingly.

"Y-yes," he responded as his blush deepened.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed it." She said coyly.

"T-thank you. I had better go." Michael said before he got up and left.

"That was most unexpected of you." A female voice said once Michael was gone.

"Well, he's special." Lily said.

"I see what you mean." The voice said as a duel spirit appeared.

"What do you mean?" Lily asked as she turned to her spirit companion Queen's Knight.

"Something strangely familiar, but I can't put my finger on it." The spirit said. Meanwhile Michael was walking down the hallway, still blushing quite extensively.

"Hahahahaha! I've never seen you like this!" Summoned Skull said as he appeared next to Michael.

"Oh, leave the poor boy alone." Ceruli said as he appeared on Michael's other side.

"Oh come on, I'm just messing with him. Besides, that was the first time he'd ever kissed someone outside of his family." Summoned Skull replied.

"Well be that as it may, you don't have to make fun of him. After all, she was a fine young lady." Ceruli said.

"Wait, you guys were watching me?" Michael asked.

"Actually, we all were." Zure admitted.

"And just when I thought I couldn't be more embarrassed." Michael said.

"Well, your humiliation aside, there was something oddly familiar about that girl you saved." Ceruli said.

"What do you mean?" Michael asked.

"I'm not sure, but it feels like I've seen her before." Ceruli said.

"Could Lily have something to do with my past?" Michael asked himself.