"Syrus..."
Mash jerked a thumb at himself as he stepped out of the portal.
"Let me coach you." Mash said with a confident smile.
"HUUUUUUHHHH!????" Syrus literally choked on air. "M-mash... Coach me!?"
"Are you sure about this, Mash?" Alexis leaned from the ledge she was spectating. "This is supposed to be a duel between them."
"Yeah, man!" Jaden called out. "Sy won't get any better if someone's handholding him the whole duel! He's gotta learn on his own."
Mash raised a single finger.
"I would sit back, relax, and watch the duel beside my lovely wife…"
He paused.
"IF THAT WERE THE CASE!"
Then Mash exploded in anger.
"Take a good look at him!" Mash grabbed Syrus by both shoulders and yanked him forward.
"Does this look like the face of someone who's gonna learn ANYTHING!?"
Jaden blinked and turned his eyes toward Syrus, to which Syrus immediately looks away from him in shame.
"The only thing he'll learn from this duel, is how to not embarrassed himself too much after he losses!" Mash explained bluntly. "Syrus here already gave up before he even draw a single card, and the only thing going on his mind is the many thoughts of how he'll be losing this duel!"
"That's not true, Mash!" Jaden protested. "Right, Sy!?"
Syrus looked down on himself, fist tightened at his side, his shoulders trembling, and he even opened his mouth… but no words came out.
Because everything Mash said... was true.
"Which is why…" A smirk curved on his lips, as he taps on Syrus shoulder. "I'm going to guide him back onto his path by coaching him."
Syrus' eyes widened in surprised. "M-Mash…?"
"Syrus here is just lost," Mash continued. "And when you're lost, the whole world will seem scary, dark, and confusing. And that is where I comes in and just point him on the direction to get him back to his own path, and walk on his own."
Jaden scratched his cheek. "Uh… so what are you saying, Mash?"
Mash exhaled loudly that even Chumley can hear it.
"What I'm saying is, Shmaden... Is that I'm just going to just give him some advice and suggestions while he is still the one playing the cards, that's all. And also I'll be doing this just for this duel."
"Understand?"
"Oooo...! If that the case then, go on!" Jaden agrees. "So long as it doesn't hinder Syrus too much..."
"It won't." Mash assured him. He then patted Syrus on the back. "Now… are you ready, Sy-boy?"
Syrus took a breath then looked Mash squarely in the eyes. "Y-Yes! I'm ready!"
"Good!" Mash clapped once. "Then let's start this duel, Jay!"
"DUEL!" Jaden and Syrus shouted together.
{Jaden LP: 4000 | Syrus LP: 4000}
Both duelists drew five cards in a dramatic sweep.
"Alright! Here I come, Sy! Draw!" Jaden shouted as he drew a card, and grinned.
"Sweet! For my first move, I summon {Elemental HERO Avian} in attack mode!" Jaden shouted as he place a card on his Duel Disk.
A rush of wind tore across the terrace rocks as a green winged hero swooped down onto the field.
{Elemental HERO Avian|3 Star|Wind|Warrior/normal| ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000}
"Then I'll set one card and end my turn!" A face-down materialized behind Avian.
Jaden pointed dramatically at Syrus. "Your move, Sy!"
{Jaden's hand: 4 cards | Jaden's field: 1 monster + 1 set card}
Syrus swallowed his salive nervously. "Uh... My turn. Draw!"
Syrus drew a card, and Mash leaned in to see what card Syrus has in his hands.
Mash observes Syrus has these cards:
{Shield Crush}
{Weapon change}
{Limiter Removal}
{Steamroid}
{Gyroid}
And then there's the card he just drew which is {Patroid}.
Mash nodded slightly.
[Not a bad hand… I've seen worse.]
"Alright, Sy," Mash said calmly. "What's your first move going to be?"
"H-Huh!? Oh. uh… first move…" Syrus startled almost dropped his cards. "W-Well… Jay started with Avian, and he has lower Attack than my Patroid, so… I'll summon him in attack mode!"
Syrus slid a card in his Duel Disk and a cartoonish police car with eyes materialized on the field.
{Patroid|4 Star|Earth|Machine/Effect| ATK: 1200 DEF: 1200}
"How's that?" Syrus turned toward Mash with hopeful eyes.
"Hm..." Mash rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Definitely not the play I would've make... I would've have summoned Steamroid since it has 1800 attack points more than Patroid..."
"EHHH!? Did I misplayed!?" Syrus panicked. [Arghh… I already messed up!? How dumb can I be...!]
"But actually… now that I think about it," Mash smirked as he thought about it. "this is not a bad play. Honestly? Might even be better than what I would've done. Good job."
"HUH!?" Syrus blinked rapidly. "R-Really!? That was a good play!?"
"Yeah." Mash clarified two times. "Anyway, what's your next move now?"
"Oh. Right!" Syrus straightened himself, confidence flickering back. [Mash believes in me… I can do this!]
"Then I'll go straight to battle—!"
"And that is your first misplay, Syrus." Mash cut him off flatly.
"EHHH!? What did I do wrong!?" Syrus nearly spiraled again. [Argh! Syrus, you're back to being dumb again!]
Mash sighed deeply. "I don't want to quote that ugly-ass teacher, but the ugly bastard was right about at least one thing even if it's so obvious."
"Like Dr. Crowler said..." He raised a finger and mimicked Dr. Crowler's smug and even face perfectly. "A monster effect is the difference between knowing how to play Duel Monsters and NOT knowing how to play it!"
Mash rolled his eyes. "Monster effects are just as important, if not more important than ATK or DEF. Now, Sy… Like my goat Sun Tzu once said, know yourself before knowing your enemy, how many years have you used Vehicroids?"
"Uhh... more than 10 years, I think...?"
"So more than a decade, eh? Good. Then tell me, what's Patroid's effect, again?" Mash hinted.
Syrus blinked then he understood. "Oh! Okay, I got it!"
"Then I'll activate Patroid effect! It allows me to look at one of your set card, Jay! And so, search his set card with Siren Bust, Patroid!" He thrust out his hand dramatically.
Patroid then activate it siren and lights flashed red and blue, sweeping over Jaden's set card until it flipped open, revealing the trap card {Negate Attack}.
"Geeez…" Jaden muttered.
"Wah! It's Negate Attack!" Syrus exclaimed. He turned to Mash. "So I shouldn't attack, right?"
"Not quite." Mash shook his head. "I suggest you attack."
"Huh!? Why!?"
Mash pointed at Jaden with a completely straight face.
"Because, Sy… Jaden is a fool."
"Huh!?" Jaden and Syrus said simultaneously.
"Analyze the field, Sy, and know your enemy." Mash gestured broadly. "You aren't the only one misplaying over here."
"HUH!?" Jaden yelled. "What did I do!???"
"First off, Shmaden, you let out a 1000 attack monster in attack position as your first play in your first turn. Which not only is a misplay, but if it were to get destroyed, you're gonna be locked out from fusion summoning your 'Favorite Hero'" Mash explained.
Jaden opened his mouth. "But—"
"Yeah, yeah, I know you're baiting Syrus to attack so you can use Negate Attack. But honestly? That's a waste of perfectly good protection. Because the trap card you're trying to bait with is negate attack. I would rather do this tactic if the set card is something like {Mirror Force} or {Magic Cylinder}."
"Yeah... I would've do that too if I have them." Jaden admitted.
"Exactly." Mash said. "Now analyze all the information, Sy. If Jaden were to use negate attack, all it does is negate the attack and end the battle phase. Your monster will be fine and your life points will be safe. All it does is turn this turn into neutral, which, if we compare it to other trap cards... it barely affects you."
Syrus nodded firmly. "Mhm!"
"So…" Mash smirked. "What's your play now?"
"I'll..." Syrus clenched his fist, took a breath, and declared. "I'll go to battle! Patroid attack Avian with Siren Crash!"
Patroid police siren wrung as it sped up toward the green hero.
"Ugh… having Mash on your side feels like cheating…" Jaden grumbled. He flipped his set card. "I activate Negate Attack!"
A wave of blue and red aura comes out of the card and stops Patroid from continue attacking.
"OH WHAT A WASTE OF A GOOD TRAP CARD, SHMADEN!" Mash cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted. "HERE'S SOME KNOWLEDGE FOR YOU SINCE YOU SEEMS SO POOR OF IT!"
"Negate attack is best used in the late game, where typically there are more monster on the board. Because not only does it negate attack, it also end the battle phase, which can have you save more of your monster instead if you just negated one attack."
"Ugh..." Jaden grumbled. "…Thanks… man…"
Syrus tugged Mash's sleeve. "U-Uhh… Mash, isn't this going too far…?"
"Psychological manipulation is also a strategy, Sy." Mash smirked.
"Anyway, that was good move there, Sy. You deserve a high five!" Mash raised his hand.
Syrus froze for half a second.
Then a wide, genuine smile spread across his face.
"Mm!"
They slapped hands both with bright smiles.
From up on the ledge, Chumley jaw was basically dislocated from awe.
"I… I had no idea Mash was this good," he muttered. "I knew he was a strong duelist, but… I didn't think he could teach like that too."
"Not only that..." Alexis crossed her arms, a small, impressed smile formed on her lips as she watched the duel. "He is a really good coach for Syrus, literally. Syrus looks more confident the more this duel goes on."
"HO HO HO HO HO~!!! THAT'S MY DARLING FOR YOU~!" Lovely said proudly, eyes glowing with smug affection as she watched Mash closely. "My Darling has always been a brilliant person. It's only natural the little one learns from him. Ho ho ho~"
{Syrus's hand: 5 | Syrus's field: 1 monster}
"Okay, Sy… I'm REALLY mad now." Jaden said in a calm but angry tone.
"DRAW!" he shouted, ripping a card from his deck. The moment he saw it, a smirk curled across his face. "Heads up, Sy! You're in for a shock!"
"I summon {Elemental HERO Sparkman} in attack mode!" Jaden slapped a monster onto his Duel Disk.
A yellow and blue electric hero burst onto the field with a burst of spark.
{Elemental HERO Sparkman|4 Star|Light|Warrior/Normal| ATK: 1600 DEF: 1400}
"W-Wahhh! He has more attack than my Patroid!" Syrus sweating.
"And now we're going into battle!" Jaden thrust out his hand. "Sparkman, attack Patroid with Spark Blast!"
Sparkman charged energy in his palms and hurled a bolt of crackling lightning straight into Patroid. The cartoon police car exploded dramatically into holographic debris.
{Syrus LP: 4000 -> 3600}
"Oh no…!" Syrus panicked. "Jaden can attack me directly!"
"That's right, Sy! Now Avian, attack Syrus directly with Wing Storm Strike!"
Avian flew to the sky and then he dive bomb straight toward Syrus with a burst of wind.
"Waaahhhh!!" Syrus yelped as Avian hit him and sending Syrus flying to his back on the ground.
{Syrus LP: 3600 -> 2600}
"Ha! And with that, I'll throw down a face-down and end my turn!" Jaden said proudly, setting a card.
{Jaden's hand: 3 | Jaden's field: 2 monster + 1 set card}
"Uuugh…" Syrus groaned, lying flat on the ground.
Mash walked up and leaned over him, with his hands on his knees. "You okay, bud?"
"Hah… Is it okay if I just surrender now…?" Syrus mumbled pitifully.
"Now, now. Don't give up yet." Mash tapped his cheek. "Don't become a Master Duel player, Sy."
"Huh? What does that mean?"
"Nothing." Mash said way too quickly. "Anyway, this is normal, Sy. (Especially for those using a shitty deck.) You shouldn't give up just yet, Sy. And I'm not giving up on you either."
Syrus stared at Mash with surprise,
[Mash… he believes in me. If he believes in me… then maybe I can too!]
His expression hardened into determination as Syrus pushed himself up, dusting off his jacket. "Yeah! I'm sure I can win this!"
Jaden watched from the other side of the field. "Mash... You really are something else, man."
"HA HA HA!!! I CANT BELIEVE IM SAYING THIS~ But without considering my Darling, IM ROOTING FOR YOU SY-CHANNN!!!" Lovely screamed from on top of the ledge. "Do your best~!"
"You can do this, Syrus!" Alexis cheered, cupping her hands around her mouth. "Don't give up!"
"Totally! I'm sure you can beat Jaden at least once!" Chumley added.
Syrus looks at his friends who is cheering him from the ledge, and feels a surge of confidence in him.
"Alright... Then I'll make sure not to disappoint!" Syrus smirks confidently, "Here I go, Jay! Draw!"
He drew and Mash immediately leaned in to see.
It was {Pot of Greed}
"Use it immediately."
"I know." Syrus slid the card into his Duel Disk. "I'll use the spell card, Pot of Greed! It allows me to draw two additional cards!"
Syrus draws two more cards, and paused.
"Wah!?" His eyes widened.
[Woah... Judging from Syrus expression, he must've drawn a really good card.] Jaden thought to himself.
"Hm?" Mash raised a brow. "What did you draw?"
Syrus hesitated to show the cards as Mash leaned in.
{Power Bond}
{Polymerization}
"Ooh!" Mash grinned wickedly. "You're fucked now, Jay!"
"Really!?" Jaden perked up, excited.
"That's right!" Mash pointed at Jaden. "Now, Sy... I think this is the best time for you to use the card... POWER BO-"
"I use Polymerization!" Syrus announced but as he was about to slip the card into his duel disk, slapped a hand over the Duel Disk.
"Now, now…" Mash gave him the deadliest calm stare. "There are misplays, where you make a mistake while playing, and then there is throwing, where yo are intentionally playing badly. And what you're about to do? That's throwing."
"Why?" Mash asked.
Syrus flinched, trembling. "Y-you… wouldn't understand…"
"No shit I wouldn't understand," Mash said flatly. "That's why I'm asking you to explain it. Why?"
"..."
Syrus swallowed hard. He stared at the Power Bond card in his hand, took a shaky breath, and finally uttered.
"It's… because my big brother said… I'm not allowed to use that card yet. He declared it off-limits."
Mash blinked.
"…The fuck?"
Even though Mash already knew from the anime, hearing Syrus say it out loud again was still a shock to him.
"Why would your brother do that?"
"It's…"
--- (IG note: For those who already know Syrus lil backstory, you can just skip this part.)
Flashback to a playground near a school.
"It was back... when I was in elementary school, and I was dueling against a bully who always picked on me, however that day I finally had the chance to duel against him."
A younger Syrus stood on one side of a playground, clutching his hand cards with both hands and Duel Disk equipped. Opposite him, a bigger kid in a red shirt, round-faced, smug, and built like a gorilla was already smiling like he owned the world.
{Syrus LP: 1600 | Bully LP: 1900}
On Syrus field was Steamroid and Gyroid.
{Steamroid|4 Star|Earth|Machine/Effect| ATK: 1800 DEF: 1800}
{Gyroid|3 Star|Wind|Machine/Effect| ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000}
Meanwhile, The bully has {Gearfried the Iron Knight} and a set card on field.
{Gearfried the Iron Knight|4 Star|Earth|Warrior/Effect| ATK: 1800 DEF: 1600}
"A-alright! It's my turn—draw!" little Syrus shouted, his voice cracking as he pulled the top card of his deck.
He drew {Power Bond}.
"I drew it! The card that I got from my brother!" Syrus gasped. "With this in my hand, the match is mine!"
Syrus looked at Gearfried on the field. "If I use this card to fusion summon {Steam Gyroid}, it's attack point will be doubled, and if it attack Gearfried, I'll win the duel!"
"Tch, What're you smiling about, you little creep?" the bully insulted.
"I'm smiling because you're about to lose!" Syrus said, puffing his chest with newfound confidence. "Prepare yourself, gorilla! I'll end this duel right now!"
"Is that a bet?" the bully taunted. "Because I'm sure you won't, let alone win!"
"Oh, I'm sure of it you big gorilla!" Syrus insulted. "How about this, If I win this duel in this turn, you're gonna buy me anything I ask from the cafeteria for a whole year! But if I lose, I'll walk around the school with my hands, naked!"
"Ha! Then It's settled!" The bully smirked "Now don't go chicken out and eat your words like a man!"
"Ha! Now it's time to make the gorilla really cry! Watch this! As I play the killer card my brother gave me...!" Syrus raise his arm up in the sky holding a single card.
"POWER BO-"
"Wait!"
Syrus froze.
"Huh!?" Syrus turned to his back to see his big brother, Zane with a cold and imposing expression walked quickly toward him.
"Big bro-!?"
His big brother walked past him without looking at him and pulled a card to the bully. "Here. If I give you this card, could you pretend that this duel never happened?"
"OOHH!! What a sweet card!" The bully immediately took the card, "Well, don't mind if I do then!"
He jogged off without another word and leave Syrus flabbergasted.
"Big bro… what are you doing!?" Syrus asked, "I was just about to win the duel!"
"Wrong. You're about to lose." Zane said without looking back at him. "Look at the card that he set."
Zane then show Syrus a trap card {SpellBinding Circle}.
"T-That card!"
"As long as this card is face up is on field, the targeted opponent monster cannot attack nor switch position." Zane explained. "Although you will have a fusion monster with double the attack if you used power bond."
"It has the risk of you taking damage equal to the amount of attack it increased at the end of the phase, meaning..."
"I..." Syrus notices. "I'll lost."
"Syrus." Zane turned toward him with an icy expression. "You aren't worthy of using that card. Don't ever use it again until you have what it takes to be called a duelist."
His voice cut like a blade.
"I don't even know why I gave you that card."
--- (Stop skipping here.)
"And because of that..." Syrus finished explaining and sighed. "I'm not worthy of using this card, Mash..."
He looked toward his side, thinking he'll see Mash with a disappointed or pity expression, only to see Mash with his entire palm plastered over his face trying to hold his laughter.
"M-Mash!?"
"Syrus... I need you to listen to me." Mash said slowly as he dragged his hand down showing a smile. "That mistake that you made in elementary school is nothing more and nothing less than a dumb little mistake because you're still a little kid with a little brain and a little penis at that time."
Syrus eyes widened.
"Though you still did a little wrong there." Mash continued. "You talked too big, become too arrogance about the opponent back row and because of that you're brother was right to fully criticize you."
Syrus lowered his head, looking down on himself.
"HOWEVER!"
Mash suddenly shouted.
"YOUR BROTHER DOES NOT GET TO DICTATE HOW YOU PLAY!"
"Huh!?" Syrus jerked his head up.
Jaden gestured towards the others on top of the ledge, "What… are they talking about…?"
They all raised their hands, also in confusion.
back on the ground, Syrus opened his mouth. "B-but my brother-"
"You're brother was right about you making that dumb mistake, Syrus..." Mash pointed out. "But he does NOT have the right to limit how you play!"
Syrus stared at him, his breath caught in his throat.
"You are NOT your brother, NOR does he have control of you." Mash said firmly. "You are Syrus FUCKING Truesdale, and YOU are the only one in charge for yourself."
"Now tell me, Syrus Truesdale."
Mash stepped closer, meeting Syrus's eyes with absolute seriousness.
"Analyze the field, know yourself and you enemy, and tell me... What will you do now?"
"I…" Syrus took a moment to think, then something sparked behind his eyes.
"I think… I've got it!"
"Mash!" He turned sharply to Mash. "You once told me, that the only way to beat Jaden is to shut him down real fast without letting him setup!"
"Oh. You remembered back then?" Mash was surprised. "Yes. That's right."
"Then I guess it's settled...!" Syrus faced Jaden with new fire. "I'll end this duel right here, right now, Jaden!"
"For real this time!"
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Alright, I guess you all should get an idea what this arc is all about.
Also, I'm pretty sick rn so I didn't reread for any mistake so please point it out if I made any.
Also, to celebrate my fic for reaching 500K views I was thinking of making an extra chapter!
Or... I just make the next chapter of the arc?
Idk so vote guys, should I make a special extra chapter or just make the next chapter?
- Make the extra special chapter!
- I want to see my boy Syrus has his glory!
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