Corporate socialising: if it wasn't hell already, it would certainly lead you there. Jun Manjoume drained his champagne glass and looked around at his assembled subordinates as they gossiped, laughed, drank, flirted… He wouldn't know any of them any better after the evening was over, and even if he did it wouldn't help him to do his job. It was a pointless torture to stand for five minutes to give platitudes about the strength of the Manjoume Group and the value of his employees' work, then lurk for hours while they enjoyed themselves on company funds and cast knowing looks at him standing alone.

He wasn't much of a businessman, he knew that. As much as his brothers had tried to mold him his heart would never be in it. He spent his time overseeing sponsorship deals, booking duels for hot ticket pros, trying to poach the best duelists and secure unique cards… but it was never him out there on the duel field. The cruel irony being this very party was being held in the Group's own duel field.

"Senior executive vice president," said a bright feminine voice, close enough to cut above the general hubbub. Momo Yamazaki from Bookings: diligent, ambitious, creative. A model employee. Manjoume accepted the fresh glass offered with a ready smile, setting the empty one down on the table behind.

"Department chief," said Manjoume. "Good work on the Ayanokouji-Hamaguchi match up. Press has been almost favourable."

"They turned out to have quite some chemistry, didn't they?" Yamazaki laughed. Manjoume copied, too soon and too forcefully, and her smile slipped slightly. "We can expect increased sales of Ayanokouji-san's merchandise line now, I think."

"About time." Manjoume had only signed Ayanokouji under pressure from his brothers, who were golf buddies with Ayanokouji's father or some such nonsense. He'd been a disappointment from the start.

Something caught Yamazaki's attention over Manjoume's shoulder, and she waved. "Umm… happy birthday, senior executive vice president." She clinked his glass with her own.

"How did you…" Manjoume began, but she was gone, winding her way through the throng. He huffed out a breath and slunk back into the corner, eyeing the new wine stain on his white shirt cuff.

The room pitched into darkness.

Someone screamed.

A blaze erupted in the centre of the room with a whoomph. A dark figure emerged to stand silhouetted against the flame.

Manjoume fumbled for his phone, being too far from the alarm, and dropped it. Bending down to try to search for it was a mistake as he banged his head on the table edge. He straightened up, cursing, and came to two realisations: one, he'd felt no heat from the flame; and two, no-one else was panicking or running for the exit. Indeed, there was actually a small smattering of applause as the fire died.

The lights came back on and Manjoume squinted against the brightness. The interloper was tall and outlandishly dressed, in a long black coat with purple and gold accents, a ridiculously big collar and puffed sleeves. The turtleneck underneath was stretched tight across his chest, clinging to a physique evidently honed by regular hours at the gym. What attracted Manjoume's attention, however, was the duel disk weighing heavy on his wrist.

"Get me my duel disk," Manjoume hissed at someone nearby, eyes locked on the newcomer. He was running through lists of pros in his head – it was hard to tell, with the sharp-edged mask obscuring the mystery duelist's face, and the long brown hair could be a wig, but he was pretty sure that this wasn't someone on the Manjoume Group's roster. He couldn't match any others he'd wronged recently either.

Manjoume's heart was beating fast as he strode to meet the stranger. Most likely this was someone looking for sponsorship, and wanting to make a strong impression. The Group didn't need another gimmick duelist. But what if… Manjoume had always felt wrong, somehow, like he was meant for greater things. Maybe this was the moment he proved his qualities against a vicious opponent. Maybe this was to be his fairytale prince, whisking him away for a life of adventure. His imagination ran wild as he slipped the offered duel disk on and shuffled.

The other smiled, a satisfied hum escaping his taut lips as he pushed his deck into place.

"Duel!"

"Duel!"

"I draw." The intruder slipped six cards from the top of his deck, his expression inscrutable under the mask as he scanned them. Manjoume drew five. Not a bad hand – three monsters, a trap and a spell, nicely balanced.

"I summon Red-Eyes Black Chick in attack position, and send it to the graveyard to special summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon from my hand." The dragon reared up behind the intruder with a roar, its wingspan causing the assembled guests to press back further against the walls.

"A little early for such a powerful card, don't you think?" Manjoume was crowing inside. A well-known archetype, and a normal monster – it wouldn't stand a chance against his deck. "You can't attack this turn."

"Oh, I'm never premature." The other duelist aimed a smirk at their audience, earning a few titters from the ladies. "And I don't need to attack to make my mark. I activate Dragon's Gunfire to deal you damage of 800 life points."

Manjoume involuntarily braced an arm against the gout of flame signifying the damage. He felt the heat rising. How dare anyone do this to him!

"I end my turn." There was something in the other's voice that Manjoume couldn't quite place. Not smugness, not arrogance… more excitement, or expectation…

"Draw." Megamorph, that would come in handy. "I summon Stygian Street Patrol in attack position." The hellish biker roared onto the field, planting its feet firmly on the ground and staring down Red-Eyes' maw with the smaller figurehead at the front of the bike.

"1600 attack points doesn't come close to Red-Eyes' 2400."

"I equip it with Megamorph. Thanks to you, my life points are lower than yours, which doubles the attack of Stygian Street Patrol to 3200." Manjoume laughed, certain of his superiority, despite being a little rusty on the duel field. The bike's engine revved up.

"What?" The mystery man stepped back in mock horror, before addressing the audience again with a smile. "I guess it's not the size that counts, it's how you use it."

That earned another laugh from the audience, freer this time. They were beginning to relax, damn them. "Stygian Street Patrol, attack Red-Eyes!" Manjoume threw out a hand as if going for the other duelist himself. The biker launched into the air at speed, turning at the last second to bring the full torque of the spinning wheels to bear on the dragon. As the attack hit, Red-Eyes splintered and disappeared. So too did the mask covering the other duelist's face.

There was a collective sigh from a significant proportion of the audience as the other man, unveiled, shook out his long brown hair and aimed a beaming smile at them, thumb up. He wasn't merely handsome, handsome though he was. He had a magnetic charisma in the way he moved and when he turned his back to Manjoume, the full force of that gaze socked him smack in the solar plexus.

"You're not just another wannabe," said Manjoume with suspicion. "Who are you?"

"Me?" The smile was now tinged with mischief. "I'm your birthday gift."

Stygian Street Patrol's effect activated, dealing 700 points of damage to the 'gift'. The coat disappeared as had the mask, leaving the skin-tight turtleneck underneath. Manjoume flushed. Some of the assembled employees were cheering, others had their phones out to record Manjoume's embarrassment. He could walk out and have the lot of them fired. Or he could refuse to be cowed, see this duel through to its conclusion, and walk back in on Monday as if this was nothing to him…

"I set two cards face-down and end my turn."

"Then, everyone, are you ready to go… Buck Wild!" Music started pounding over the speakers, driving and repetitive. Manjoume wiped his damp palms against his trousers as 'Buck' waved and blew kisses to the now screaming audience. Even Yamazaki seemed overcome, hand over her mouth and leaning on a friend. It wasn't fair, having his attention stolen like this. Manjoume scanned his remaining cards, planning his strategy, as Buck drew.

"I summon Lord of D, Ruler of Dragons." The bone-armoured magician, finding no dragons on the field to protect, settled into an offensive pose. Buck's voice lowered to a stage whisper, drawing the audience closer. "The effect of Megamorph is reversed, now my life points are lower than yours. Lord of D's 1200 attack points can take down Stygian Street Patrol on 800. My monster, attack!"

When the virtual dust cleared, it unveiled Manjoume with a cocksure smirk, standing behind Stygian Street Patrol… remaining with 1600 attack points. A quick-play spell card lay face up in front of him. Lord of D disintegrated. "Looks like he got Cold Feet," said Manjoume. "The effect of Megamorph is negated this turn."

Buck sighed dramatically as 800 points of damage hit him, half from the battle damage and half from Stygian Street Patrol's effect. One by one the sleeves of his turtleneck jumper disappeared, exposing toned, bronzed arms which he displayed with fluid but deliberate moves. "I set a card face down. Cold feet, eh? I'm not afraid of commitment, Manjoume-san." Buck lowered his head and smiled at Manjoume, his come-to-bed eyes enhanced with sharp eyeliner. "I may end my turn, but I'll be back. I'm persistent."

Manjoume's mouth was dry as his eyes locked on to Buck's. He tried to force a swallow but succeeded only in putting a bubble in his throat that he had to cough out. He drew. Now he had a hand full of monsters – three choices. He hoped this was the right one, although it could cost him if the duel were to drag out. "I'll end the duel this turn. I tribute Stygian Street Patrol to summon Skull Archfiend of Lightning." The daemon arose, all bone and sinew and leathery wings.

"2500 attack points!" Buck took a step back, cowering. He had 2100 life points remaining and no monsters on the field to protect him.

"And that's not all!" Manjoume laughed uninhibitedly, feeling he was finally on the front foot. Adrenaline tingled in his fingertips and thrummed in his heart. "I remove Stygian Street Patrol from my graveyard to special summon Archfiend Soldier from my hand. Attack him directly, both of you!"

Buck braced himself against the onslaught, before turning to his audience with a sly chuckle. "I activate my trap card, Negate Attack, and end the battle phase." He shook his head sadly at Manjoume. "All that power, spent. You can play rough on a one-night stand but it's gentleness that makes a lover want to stay."

"You're not my lover!" Manjoume shouted. "You're my opponent!" He was getting a pretty good idea now that someone had orchestrated this to humiliate him. Kimura from accounts, perhaps, he'd denied him a promotion recently.

"Oh, Manjoume-san." Buck looked almost disappointed. "Dueling is the same as love. You don't feel it?"

Manjoume paused, his mouth hanging open. He'd wanted so badly to go to Duel Academia but his brothers had insisted he join the company and oversee others doing what he longed to. Now here, at this disastrous party, facing a stripper and surrounded by derisive employees, he was finally feeling alive. He laughed. "Then, bring it!"

Buck grinned back, and Manjoume felt an odd pang at that expression being aimed solely at him rather than the audience. "I see you do understand. Then, I draw."

Buck scanned his cards, calling over a willing accomplice to check his course of action. She flushed as he nudged his head close to hers and passed his arm around her waist. When he let her go, she squealed all the way back to her group of friends.

"I activate Allure of Darkness," Buck said, drawing two cards. "Some ladies love a bad boy… and the Lady of D, Dragon's Protector, is no exception." He caressed the card's edge with a finger, before pushing it slowly into the graveyard slot of the duel disk. "Unfortunately I must cruelly cast her aside, but she will live on in my memories. I activate Swing of Memories to bring back my best girl… Red-Eyes, show yourself!"

The dragon roared as it returned to the field, its pose behind Buck seeming almost protective of his comparatively small figure. Manjoume scoffed. "She still can't beat my Skull Archfiend."

"She doesn't have to," Buck remonstrated gently. "Red-eyes, attack Archfiend Soldier!"

Manjoume winced as the 500 points dropped off his life. "You only scratched me, and due to the effect of Swing of Memories, your Red-Eyes will be destroyed at the end of your turn. You're doomed."

"Is that what you think?" Buck smiled, his voice low and inviting. "I still have a normal summon left this turn. I sacrifice Red-Eyes to tribute summon a monster in defense mode. I'll also set one card face-down and end my turn."

Manjoume drew, eyeing the two unrevealed cards suspiciously. A level five or six monster lay under one, so that meant high defense or a nasty effect. The other, a counter of some sort.

"It costs me 500 life points to keep Skull Archfiend on the field." Manjoume tried, and failed, not to flinch as the foul wind from the monster's wings reached him, the counter on his duel disk ticking down to 2200, just 100 more than Buck.

"Mmm-hmmm, compromise, a necessary part of a healthy relationship." Buck nodded approvingly.

"Oh, it's no compromise," Manjoume sneered. "I'll have you this turn."

"So bold!" Buck fanned himself with his empty hand. "The ladies must find you irresistible."

There was outright laughter in the crowd at that. Red-faced, Manjoume played a spell card, trying to concentrate on the duel. "Pot of Greed allows me to draw two cards from my deck."

"So sad, that we always want more than what's in front of us." Buck beckoned to Yamazaki in the crowd and she came to him, eyes full of stars.

"I summon Chthonian Soldier in attack position." Manjoume could wipe out Buck's life points with one hit from Skull Archfiend of Lightning. But that tribute summon worried him, despite his earlier boast. Chthonian Soldier's 1200 points likely wouldn't cut it. Buck was clearly trying to goad him into making a mistake, the way he was inviting Yamazaki to feel his sculpted biceps, but Manjoume wouldn't fall for it. "And I attack your monster with Skull Archfiend of Lightning." The daemon shrieked, and crackling yellow light spit out towards Buck's side of the field.

It was a bizarre looking creature that lay in wait. Red dragon wings off a skinny slug-like body, head and tail capped by incomplete silvered rings. Buck's naughty smile unnerved Manjoume. The revealed monster had only 1800 defence points, so he'd destroyed it, but… "Time to see if you're more S or M, Manjoume-san. My Handcuffs Dragon binds to your Skull Archfiend!"

The dragon flew across the field with a screech, its metal jaws closing around Skull Archfiend of Lightning's wrist. The daemon tried to fight against it.

"I can negate the effect and destroy your monster if I roll a 1, 3 or 6!" Manjoume interjected. The duel disk conjured up a die, setting it in motion in front of their eyes. It came up a 2, and the dragon's tail ring slammed shut against the daemon's other wrist, binding its arms behind its back.

"Seems like he wants to give it a go," said Buck. "Try anything once! How does it feel, giving up all that power to another?"

Manjoume watched as Skull Archfiend's attack points dropped to a mere 700, and glanced again at the card he'd drawn. "I'm far from powerless," he said, smirking. "And I still have an attack left. Go for it, Chthonian Soldier!"

The monster moved across the field far too quickly for something wearing such heavy plate armour. A few strikes of its shining cruelly-barbed sword shredded Buck's life points down to 900. The remainder of his turtleneck dissipated in the wake, drawing a collective gasp. It wasn't that the clothing had left much to the imagination, after the jacket had gone, but in bracing against the onslaught Buck's tensed muscles stood out even more under his flawless golden skin. Yamazaki raised a hand as if to test whether they, like Buck's clothes, were holographic illusion, but stopped short of Buck's chest at Manjoume's irritated shout. "Turn end!"

The female employees, and a few others, were clustered around Buck's end of the duel field now. Manjoume had the perfect card to bring their attention back to him, though, just waiting to be triggered in his hand if Buck could pull off something truly wild this turn. There were no cards in his hand, and only one spell or trap on his field, so he didn't have much to work with.

"Draw!"

Manjoume had to look away. It seemed Buck's pectorals were doing a celebratory dance at the result. "Won't you please put some clothes on?"

"And deprive everyone of this fine view?" Buck gave a slow spin for the benefit of the room to appreciative cheers. "Besides, I wouldn't want to interrupt such an impressive duel."

"Get on with it, then." Manjoume huffed impatiently. It wasn't that he wanted the duel to end – he so rarely got the chance, and in front of an audience no less – but he didn't know how to compete with Buck's unique brand of "showmanship", and he sure as hell wasn't about to strip himself.

"So eager," Buck said. "A man like you, begging for satisfaction from a man like me… The thrill of the taboo…" His words meshed with the rhythmic music, feeling intoxicating to the already tipsy crowd. Manjoume remained resolute, staring his opponent down.

Buck played the drawn card with a flourish. "Call of the Haunted brings my darling Red-Eyes back from the grave, as beautiful as the day I met her. Be reborn, Red-Eyes!"

The dragon swooped back in, intimidating in size and attitude, breathing down Buck's neck.

"She's a jealous girl, though, Manjoume-san. I don't think she's too fond of you hitting on me with those monsters of yours. And when she takes out your Skull Archfiend, Handcuffs Dragon will come right back to my side to wipe out Chthonian Soldier – and your remaining life points!"

"Is that so?" Manjoume sneered. "Then, come at me!"

"As you wish. Go, Red-Eyes, Dark Mega Flare!"

Manjoume's heart pounded as the flame reached out towards him, louder in his ears than the beats of the music. It was an experimental card he clutched tightly, a prototype passed to the Manjoume Group by Industrial Illusions for testing by the pro-duelists on Manjoume's roster. It had happened to find its way into his personal deck, though, where it fit perfectly. And now he had a chance to use it.

"Hold it! I send Skull Archfiend of Lightning from the field and Archfiend of Gilfer from my hand to the graveyard to special summon… Darkness Neosphere!"

A flicker of horrified recognition appeared to cross Buck's face before the lights dimmed for the summoning of the fiend. Out of a vortex of sickening purple light came a creature of contradictions: one bird wing, one bat wing; a bandaged face, but unblinking red eyes set at its breast and shoulder; a vine-like exoskeleton imprisoning tortured flesh. It stood, calm and indestructible, as Manjoume laughed chaotically. He could stand to lose Chthonian Soldier in the replay, and the battle damage would be reduced now Archfiend of Gilfer's effect had activated, knocking 500 points off Red-Eyes Black Dragon's attack, and he'd surely have Buck next turn with Darkness Neosphere's fearsome 4000 attack points…

"I activate Ring of Destruction." Buck's face was unreadable, but his hands were clenched as his face-down card flipped over. "And I target Darkness Neosphere. We both take 4000 life points of damage. Duel over."

"Not quite!" Manjoume crowed. "My face-down card, activate! Damage Translation halves the effect damage I take this turn. I'm left with 200 life points – victory is mine!"

Buck let his hands relax as Darkness Neosphere exploded in shimmering shards and his life point counter ticked down to zero.

The crowd were applauding. Manjoume made a victory sign with his fingers and basked in the adulation – until he realised they weren't cheering for him. They were cheering for the slow disintegration from the ankles up of his opponent's trousers. The more sensitive types were fast clearing the room.

Buck strode forward, seemingly unphased by his imminent indignity, to shake Manjoume's hand. Up close, his smile was like the sunrise on a new world. Manjoume couldn't help but blush as he maintained eye contact to avoid looking at the heavenly body in front of him.

"Thanks for the duel, Manjoume-san. You're amazing, and I had a great time."

"Me too." Manjoume admitted. If he could face Buck again, fully clothed, and recapture some of that feeling he'd had during their duel…

Buck leaned in, whispering into Manjoume's ear. "They paid me for a lap dance too, if you're up for it?"

Manjoume jerked back, terrified, and looked frantically around for suspicious faces. Kimura was nowhere to be seen. Yamazaki was giggling with her girl friends.

"I'll take that as a no," Buck smiled, too sadly for an entertainer in a banana hammock. "Then, call me."

"Maybe." Manjoume shuffled off, red-faced.

"Ladies, gentlemen, both and neither…" Buck raised a finger to the sky, addressing the crowd as the music pumped louder and his hips started gyrating. "You know you wanna go… Buck Wild!"

Author's notes:

This was partly a challenge from Higurazel. I had mentioned the roughest outline to her and demanded she write it (she's funnier, more talented, and less inhibited) but she made me do it ㅠㅠ I don't think my ace ass did too well at the whole striptease part but this fic has now taken on a life of its own, and it's going to be more than just the initial concept. If you got through this chapter without cringing, well done, and I promise that's the most embarrassing part over with.

Please be kind on my first written duel. I know Ring of Destruction wouldn't work in this way any more but shhhh it does in this verse because DRAMA. I had to adapt both their decks - Fubuki's to include as many chortle-inspiring cards as possible; and Manjoume's to expand on his early deck without access to the cards that become his staples later. If either of them appear rusty, it's because they are...

I appreciate that this may well not be how Japanese office workers would respond in reality to having a stripper show up at their party. In this universe, this is just the sort of thing that employees of the Manjoume Group do. Chosaku and Shoji are not good role models. Jun isn't yet a role model at all.

I asked Higurazel to beta but she wouldn't change anything... thanks anyway, love! I put "Call me." "Maybe." in for you~