Arc-V Alternative:Sophomore

[Quillion9000]

Just to give some ground rules on duels and decks.
1. Duels will utilize 8000 life points, unless specified otherwise.
2. Altered Master Rule 5
First person to go gets their draw
Pendulums are treated like Master Rule 3
Pendulums: If they are face up in the Extra deck, do not need a Link monster to be summoned. Weather from hand or face up in the extra deck, you cannot summon pendulums into the Extra monster zone. The exceptions to this are: Pendulum- Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz monsters.
3. This is just the start to the series, meaning anyone who will be a reoccurring character isn't starting out with a full power deck. This is to allow for growth.
4. There will be no OC cards, unless an archetype desperately needs support to work (Something like Guardians).
5. Decks shall use a combination of anime and real-life effects.

---

Duel monsters is a card game, one with significance to this world. People have understood this at varying levels since its conception. On a grand scale, the outcome of duels have decided the fate of worlds. Even on this scale, the game comes back to what it means to the individual.

Dueling is a contest of skills, one which people play for their own reasons. To some it represents a way to crush your opponents while others see it as a way to communicate or have fun. Ultimately, this game is one which tests how much confidence you have as a person.

Canterlot: Ono Residence, Morning…
The sun was just now rising, the rays filtering through Zarc's window. While his bed was comfy, he recognized it would be unwise to linger. His father would be disappointed if he missed school, doubly so if he missed his first day at his new one.

Regardless, it's not like Zarc hated school. He scored well enough in nearly every subject, with the exception of English and art as that was where he generally excelled. He was content with that since attempting to push for better grades would only intrude on his dueling.

After taking care of his morning business, Zarc had come down to see his father wasn't here. "The Canterlot precinct has had dad coming in for the early shifts."

It was different from Neo Domino, where his father typically got put on later shifts as part of Sector Security. It just meant he had been here in the evenings as opposed to the morning. In no way did it mean his father was there for him any less.

Canterlot Streets
Zarc ate breakfast prior to locking the house up and walking to his new school. As he walked, he couldn't help but think of what led to this. Moving from Japan to America had required work, though by no means was it an issue. Kensho had done everything to make the transition smooth.

Once they were settled, Zarc had his father enroll him at CHS. It was within walking distance and allowed duels as part of their program. Crystal Prep had been another option, though Zarc was quick to dismiss it. It did have classes dedicated to dueling but seemed far too restrictive.

It also wasn't within walking distance. Perhaps seeking freedom over a school acclaimed for their dueling was counterproductive to what Zarc wanted. Ultimately, he couldn't have brought himself to attend Crytal Prep.

Flashback
Kensho had taken care of everything, leaving only an in person meeting with the principal before Zarc could attend CHS. She was a tall woman with features plenty of men her age would likely call beautiful.

"Welcome to CHS." The principal greeted. "My name is Celestia. Do you mind telling me your name?''

"I am Zarc." Zarc answered.

After introductions, Celestia showed the father/son pair around the school while answering any questions they may have. By the end of it, the three of them were at the entrance to the school where Zarc was given his schedule.

"Before I let you two go, I would like to ask a question of Zarc." Celestia voiced.

"Sure, ask away." Zarc returned.

"I've heard from your father you're fond of duel monsters and know you created pendulum summoning." Celestia stated. "That's why I'd like to know, are you a duelist?"

"Been one from a young age." Zarc replied.

"Wonderful." Celestia smiled. "I'm sure you'll find plenty here who will be willing to compete against you. If I may ask, what is it you duel for?"

"I duel because there is nothing else in this world I want to do." Zarc had a slight smile on his face. "I aim to be number 1 in the world, hopeful that once I do people will one day talk about me the same way they do the legendary duelists of the past.

This doesn't mean I'm going to be a bad student, after all it is unwise for anyone to throw all their eggs into one basket. What I am saying is I aim to work my way to the top, which would mean entering the pros one day."

"Quite the resolve and passion you have there, Zarc." Celestia smiled at that. "Even those with resolve and passion are not exempt from the rules regarding dueling on school grounds. They are to take place in the gym or outside.

Additionally, no student may threaten another into partaking in a duel. Students here are ranked based on how many wins/losses they have. This is for us to see how each student is progressing and allows us to offer feedback. Am I understood?"

"Understood, Principal Celestia." Zarc returned.

"Good." Celestia nodded. "Before you leave, know I've requested one of your fellow students to be waiting just outside for you tomorrow. His name is Flash Sentry. He shares your schedule and will be with you throughout your first day. A precaution should you need a little help."

Canterlot High
Zarc was broken out of his thoughts upon arriving at the school. There were several duels happening, students showing off their decks. Though, there was also a strange air to things. Zarc wouldn't exactly call it hostile. Intense would be a better word for it.

That was primarily duels between people you could associate with various cliques while those who you couldn't place in one seemed more friendly by comparison. It was a tad unexpected, making him wonder just what kind of dueling environment he was walking into.

"Hey there." Someone tapped him on the shoulder. "You're Zarc, right?"

Zarc turned to his right where he saw a guy with blue hair and eyes. His attire consisted of a black jacket over a white shirt t-shirt, blue jeans with cuffs, and sneakers.

"I take it you must be Flash Sentry." Zarc noted.

"That's right." Flash nodded. "Though Principal Celestia asked me to help you just for today, don't think my help dries up at that final bell. If you need something, you can think of me as the guy to go to."

"As we should have the time before school starts, I could use a duel." Zarc voiced. "Didn't have much time for one during the whole moving and settling in process."

"Don't think that's much a request to ask, given you are the creator of pendulum summoning." Flash gave a small smile as he activated his duel disk, black in color with a blue energy blade. "Can't think of many who wouldn't want to take you on."

Unlike Zarc, who only had to take a momentary break to settle in, Flash hasn't really dueled in months. It's not like he forgot how to play the game, more that he'd have to shake off any rust that's developed. Even then, it might not be an easy ask given how far he fell as a duelist.

"Still though, this feels like the right time to get back into it." Flash thought.

"Then, get ready." Zarc activated his duel disk. "I'm show just what my pendulums can do."

Nearby students noticed what was happening and began to form a small crowd.

"Let's Duel!"

(Zarc 8000/Flash 8000)

"Allow me to start us off." Flash requested.

"Go ahead." Zarc returned.

Turn 1: Flash
"I draw!" Flash added the card before looking over his hand. "Looks like it's time to see if I still got it." He nodded. "I'll kick things off with my Raidraptor – Vanishing Lanius(LV 4/1300/1600)."

A green and navy blue armored lanius appeared. "Provided I got the resources in hand, this avian rarely hits the field alone. Come on out, Raidraptor – Rudder Strix(LV 4/0/1600)." A light blue and yellow armored strix appeared.

"Huh, two monsters of the same level." Zarc gave a slight smile. "That is something."

"It's just the beginning." Flash grinned, knowing now he could still pull this off. "It's pretty much like riding a bike." He continued. "When I normal summon this guy or see him hit the field through another Raidraptor card, my opponent takes 600 life points of damage."

Metal feathers were shot off at the opposing duelist (Zarc 7400/Flash 8000). "With these two Raidraptors at my command, I build the overlay network. Xyz summon Raidraptor – Force Strix(R 4/O 2/100/2000)." A blue and brown armored strix appeared in a defensive position.

"Through detaching one material per turn, I can add any level 4 or lower member of the flock to my hand." Raidraptor – Force Strix(R 4/O 1/100/2000) lost an overlay, seeing a monster slot out of Flash's deck which he claimed. "I'll then set one card before calling my turn there."

Turn 2: Zarc
"Alright, my turn!" Zarc drew. "I'm setting my pendulum scale with Scale 1 Stargazer Magician and Scale 8 Timegazer Magician, allowing for the summon of monsters whose levels are 2 through 7."

He set them at the respective far ends of the spell/trap zone, seeing the magicians rise within light blue pillar. The magician on the left wore white and blue robes while the magician on the right wore black robes with golden accents.

"With this, the duel swings my way." Zarc declared. "Pendulum summon Time Breaker Magician(LV 3/1400/0) and Double Iris Magician(LV 4/1500/1000)." A child spellcaster with a sword and a red robed spellcaster with a sword appeared.

"So, this is the deck of someone who created pendulum summoning." Flash noted.

"Just a bit of what it can do for now." Zarc voiced. "One of Timebreaker's effects allows me to target any one monster on the field, like Force Strix. It and Timebreaker will then take a trip into the future, reappearing at my next Standby Phase."

Timebreaker plunged its blade into the ground, sending out magic which opened up wormholes beneath itself and Force Strix. Both monsters were sucked in, vanishing as Force Strix's remaining overlay went to the grave.

"Now Double Iris, attack Flash directly." Zarc declared, resulting in Double Iris Magician blasting at the opposing duelists and sending him skidding back (Zarc 7400/Flash 6500). "I'll call my turn there."

Turn 3: Flash
"You got some good effects, though this duel is just getting started." Flash drew. "Rather than step up, I'll take things a step back. That starts with Raidraptor – Skull Eagle(LV 3/1000/500)." A maroon armored eagle appeared. "While it may not look like much, I like this Raidraptor.

In fact, it's to the point I'll activate Raidraptor – Call which lets me special summon another Raidraptor – Skull Eagle(LV 3/1000/500) from my hand or deck in defense position." As the monster slotted out of his deck, Flash took and played him.

"So, he can just as easily get out a couple of Level 3 monsters." Zarc noted.

"Now, I build the overlay network with my eagles. Xyz summon Raidraptor – Fiend Eagle(R 3/O 2/1000/0)." A black and red armored eagle appeared. "For every Skull Eagle used to Xyz summon, the result gains 300 ATK. In this case, it'll be 600 total."

Raidraptor – Fiend Eagle(R 3/O 2/1600/0 effect). "I then detach one of its overlay units." Raidraptor – Fiend Eagle(R 3/O 1/1600/0 effect). "Through this, I can target any one special summoned monster you control and deal damage equal to their original ATK."

Fiend Eagle glowed with red energy as an astral Double Iris Magician was created and launched at Zarc, seeing him sent skidding back (Zarc 5900/Flash 6500).

"I'll then have my Fiend Eagle destroy Double Iris Magician." Flash declared.

Fiend Eagle bombarded the magician, destroying him (Zarc 5800/Flash 6500).

"That's not bad at all." Zarc noted. "Though now that you have destroyed that particular magician, I get to add any Pendulumgraph card from my deck to my hand. Not to mention the fact Double Iris is a pendulum, so it's hitting the extra deck rather than the grave."

"Even so, I can be content with what I've achieved." Flash voiced.

Turn 4: Zarc
"My turn." Zarc drew. "Time has passed as it typically does, seeing us hitting the Standby Phase where our monsters now catch up. Return, Time Breaker Magician(LV 3/1400/0)."

"As for me, Raidraptor – Force Strix(R 4/O 0/100/2000) shall be placed in defense position." Flash declared. "While he has no overlay units, this bird does have another effect. He'll gain 500 ATK/DEF for every other Winged Beast I control."

Raidraptor – Force Strix(R 4/O 0/600/2500 effect)

"That's going to help me soon enough." Zarc declared. "First, I pendulum summon Double Iris Magician(LV 4/1500/1000) and Breaker the Dark Magical Warrior(LV 6/1600/1000)." The prior red robbed spellcaster appeared alongside a black armored spellcaster.

"When Breaker is Pendulum summoned, he gains three spell counters with each one granting him 400 extra ATK." Breaker the Dark Magical Warrior(LV 6/2800/1000 effect/SC-3). "Just like with the original Breaker, I can remove one spell counter to destroy a spell/trap you control."

Breaker the Dark Magical Warrior(LV 6/2400/1000 effect/SC-2) rose it's sword, projecting dark light which shattered Flash's set card. "I now activate Polymerization to fuse my Double Iris and Timebreaker Magicians. You'll be no match for this toxic predator."

"A toxic predator…" Flash's eyes widened. "Does he have what I think he has?"

"Fusion summon, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon(LV 8/2800/2000)." Zarc declared, seeing a purple dragon appear. "Due to being summoned through monsters on the field, he gains ATK equal to the combined ATK of all special summoned monsters you control until this End Phase."

Starving Venom Fusion Dragon(LV 8/5000/2000 effect) opened two of its maws, sucking in energy.

"5000 ATK…" Flash voiced.

He's seen this dragon in action before, another student held it within their extra deck. Even then, that did nothing to put him at ease facing it now.

"All 5000 of that will now be clashing up against your Fiend Eagle's 1600." Zarc declared.

Starving Venom shot forth one of its maws, seeing it tearing through Fiend Eagle (Zarc 5800/Flash 3100).

Raidraptor – Force Strix(R 4/O 0/100/2000)

"Since your Force Strix is no longer boosted, my Breaker will proceed to clear the field through destroying it." Zarc voiced, seeing Breaker slash through the defense position monster. "With you're field cleared, I'll set one card."

Starving Venom Fusion Dragon(LV 8/2800/2000)

Given that one card is Time Pendulumgraph, there wasn't a thing he could really do with it until he got another Magician on the field. Even then, it was a trap to be activated on his turn over his opponent's.

Turn 5: Flash
"With monsters like those, I got to go for broke." Flash drew. "I summon Raidraptor – King Lanius(LV 4/1300/500)." A purple and black armored Lanius appeared. "He lets me special summon another Raidraptor, and I choose Raidraptor – Retrofit Lanius(LV 4/800/1200)." A green armored Lanius appeared.

"Now, I construct the overlay network with both my Lanius. When I use Retrofit as a material for a Raidraptor Xyz monster, he can count as two. From the shadows this falcon soars on wings of courage. Xyz summon Raidraptor – Rise Falcon(R 4/O 2/100/2000)." A green and blue falcon appeared with a powerful screech.

"A monster with such low attack must have one heck of an effect, doubly so since he actually cheated that monster out with two where it typically seems to require three." Zarc noted, already impressed prior to seeing just what it can do.

"This monster can attack all special summoned monsters on the field." Flash continued. "While that may not seem threatening, I can also detach one overlay unit from my monster and allow it to gain attack equal to all special summoned monsters until the end of this turn."

Black and purple streams flowed from Breaker and Starving, respectively, into Raidraptor – Rise Falcon(R 4/O 1/5300/2000 effect) causing a flaming variation of the same monster to appear overtop it.

"Oh, this is about to do a lot…" Zarc marveled.

"Raidraptor – Rise Falcon, wipe out that field with Brave Claw Revolution!" Flash declared.

Rise Falcon soared into the air before coming down and tearing through both of Zarc's monsters, the resulting blow back more than enough to knock him off his feet (Zarc 400/Flash 3100).

Zarc was quick to rise. "Whenever Starving Venom is destroyed, I can destroy all special summoned monster you control and deal damage equal to the total ATK they had while on the field at the time of destruction."

A wormhole opened beneath Rise Falcon, drawing it in and destroying it.

"My Rise Falcon will fall; however, my life points shall remain due to the very card you destroyed with Breaker." Flash declared. "Since I have Raidraptor monsters in my grave, I can banish the trap Raidraptor – Readiness to prevent me from taking any damage this turn."

"You had a work around for Starving Venom, though you still lost your monster." Zarc noted.

"I'm not completely defenseless, as I can set one card." Flash declared. "Your move."

Turn 6: Zarc
"Here goes!" Zarc drew. "I pendulum summon Double Iris Magician(LV 4/1500/1000) and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon(LV 7/2500/2000)." Along with the red robbed magician from the extra deck came a red dragon with odd eyes from the hand.

"He has that dragon to…" Flash noted, recognizing it the same way he had Starving Venom.

"It's time to end this!" Zarc declared. "My Double Iris Magician will lend a hand to my Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, heightening the power of his Spiral Flame Strike in a direct attack!"

Odd-Eyes fired off a spiraling flame attack, which Double Iris improved with his magic as the two attacked Flash together.

"I activate my face down, Necro Raptor." Flash declared. "Specifically, it will be in relation to your Odd-Eyes. Since I'm about to take battle damage from a direct attack, I can target any 1 Raidraptor in my grave. Then, I reduce that damage to zero and special summon what I target."

"That's nice in theory, though Timegazer Magician renders it moot." Zarc declared. "No trap cards may be activated until the end of a damage step where a Pendulum monster has battled."

"His skill is consistent with yours, Sunset." Flash smiled. "Not bad. Not bad at all."

He was then hit by the attack, knocking him clean off his feet (Zarc 400/Flash 0).

CHS
With the duel having concluded, everybody around them started to talk about it.

Zarc approached Flash and held out a hand. "That was a pretty good duel."

"Yeah." Flash accepted the hand, letting himself be helped up. "I was caught completely off guard by that Timegazer of yours. The next time we duel, I'll be sure to keep him in mind."

"I'll look forward to it." Zarc stated.

It was then the school bell rang, signaling the start of the day.

"Well, we better get to class." Flash voiced. "Too many tardies, and you get sent to Vice Principal Luna. Believe me, it's best not to get on her bad side as a new student."

They started walking in amongst the other students.

"Speaking from experience?" Zarc asked.

"Nah, not me." Flash replied.

As the pair walked in, a girl looked after them. Her hair was red and yellow while her eyes were cyan. She wore a black leather sweatshirt over a magenta shirt, an orange skirt with magenta and yellow lines, and black knee-high boots with magenta flame designs.

"Another creator of a summoning method, the very one I now use. He could be a troublesome one. I'll have to keep an eye on him, just in case he decides to stand in my way."