Duel I.

It was Saturday, the favorite work day for Mokuba. In the company there were not many employees, rarely exceeded fifty percent of those who attended the rest of the week, because more than half of them rested. The laboratories did not develop tests to create new video game technologies.

There was no work to do, Mokuba spent hours playing on his brother's computer while he supervised all the activity of the previous week. Sometimes the child believed that Seto invented excuses to continue working and not to perform other activities that previously enjoyed much. Read: participate in duel tournaments.

The following week would be six months since that strange trip to Egypt where Yugi "split" and the last time they both had been close to a duel. It had also been the last instance in which they had contact with Yugi, Anzu and the others.

For months KC was only dedicated to the creation of video games. Dueling disks were not sold; Kaiba had sold the rights to a Romanian company.

Whenever one of his employees named any of the monsters of duels or included them in video games, he was sanctioned. Each invitation that Seto received to participate in some tournament was placed in the trash of the office. And every time his brother spoke the word "duel", he spent days without speaking to him.

Mokuba leave the computer on the cabinet and watched his brother who was tapping the pen on the table periodically. In any person that meant nerves but in Kaiba it meant annoyance.

"What's wrong with you?"

Kaiba did not look at him and continued with his knocks.

"Oh sorry! I forgot that today you do not intend to talk to me because I suggested that you take a look at my video game 'The War of the Roses.'" Seeing that the other ignored him, Mokuba continued. "You do not want to see that my video game will be very successful, don't you?"

Seto paid no attention; he was taking care of important matters -at least for the company- and he knew that Mokuba was aware on how long it would be before he spoke to him.

"I never thought you would do to me what Gozaburo did to you."

Seto stopped knocking, he closed the carpet and he threw the pen against the window. Then a young woman with curly black hair entered the office where they were, her eyes widened when she saw the broken window and immediately, without uttering an opinion, said:

"I'll call someone to fix the window, sir."

"No need. Leave the papers and get out."

The woman placed a stack of envelopes on the table and she left the room.

"I'm sorry," Mokuba said, considering that perhaps his limits had gone away with his last comment, and he turned his attention back to the computer he opened.

Kaiba checked the envelopes without opening them. The vast majority were from companies associated with Kaiba Corp., others who wanted some orders and others who invited the brothers to various events. Kaiba took the latter in his hands and threw them into the bin. Then he started to open what really mattered to him or he had no choice but to open it.

"If they're inviting me too, I think I have the right to know what they're about and deciding if I intend to go," Mokuba said as he took the envelopes out of the trash. "Let's see … I do not like French colonies, I hate skates … I don't shave yet… I don't take care of my hair …"

"Not?" Interrupted the older brother with an ironic glance.

"Shut up," he shouted, throwing the envelope, but with a triumphant smile for breaking his brother's vow of silence. Seto laughed heartily. "Let's see … Dice from dungeons… I never understood it besides that it has gone out of fashion… I don't know who the Queen of Jordan is … I'm not interested in literature … I'm not vulnerable to breast cancer …"

"You do not have to be to attend that event, Mokuba."

"Oh… ¿really?"

"Yes."

"And then why don't you attend?" he shouted as he tossed the envelopes he'd already read to his brother, who easily dodged them. Mokuba took the envelopes that had been on the desk.
"Don't you da…"

Seto didn't end the sentence because several papers hit his face. He took several of these and threw them back at his brother. Mokuba was so focused on the fight that, without paying attention, he took a thick file folder and threw it at Seto.

"These are the last month balances!"

"Oh… oh," the younger said as he stood near the door. However, it wasn't necessary to flee. Kaiba considered more appropriate to order the office than to grumble. In the meantime, Mokuba lay on the wall, watching through the window. He missed being outside that office. In a few months, Kaiba Corp. became a prison where Seto had locked himself in, and Mokuba feared it might happen to himself too.

He looked at the paper-covered floor and decided to help his brother. The envelopes were scattered all over the office. An envelope soon caught his eyes.

"Hey Seto, isn't this the company that bought us the rights of dueling disks."

Kaiba looked at the envelope and he nodded.

"It seems to be the invitation for a tournament," Mokuba continued remarking.

"What did you just say?"

"Yes, I said TOURNAMENT! Ti … ou … ar … en … ei… em… i… en… ti… Okay? Now remove that murderous expression from you face which does not scare me and let me read! Let's see…"he continued ignoring the familiar expressions on his brother's face.

The invitation was for Seto obviously, it was sent from Romania, from a video game company partner of Kaiba Corp.
"Seto, it says that the reason for the invitation is to discuss the current situation of the bilateral projects. The tournament has nothing to do with this but given your recent past as a duelist, they thought it convenient to invite you.

Seto didn't answer, he kept on arranging the papers as if the boy hadn't said anything. Mokuba glanced at him and then he continued to read the invitation. Apparently his method didn't give the expected results, so it was best to go the other way.

"I don't know Romania, Seto."

"Me neither, Mokuba. But if you want to know Romania you don't have to wait to be invited, and lesser for a business matter. You wouldn't have time to visit anything."

"But I want to know now, Seto. Besides, the one who will take care of the business issues will be you."

"Well … I couldn't go anyway. I have a lot of work here that I don't pretend to postpone."

"Sure, but you can let your little brother go alone, right?"

Kaiba watched him for a few minutes trying to confirm that his brother was trying to play with his mind. His patented smile formed on his face, his suspicions were true.

"Why not? You're a very responsible teenager, you can go with Roland. You're not a kid anymore, are you?"

"Yeah. You're right," he acknowledged, and he sat down on the couch beside the broken window. He had failed. It would be best not to bother his brother again with something that bothered him enough.

"Where did you leave that invitation, Mokuba?" Kaiba asked as soon as he finished his cleaning job.

"Do you think to participate in the tournament?" he asked brightly.

"No." Kaiba smiled. "I may only go to discuss 'the current situation of the bilateral projects' and you will be able to know Romania."

"But when will you return to a tournament, Seto?" he asked as he rose from his seat and came over to take the mentioned envelope from the desk.

"I do not know… I suppose when you'd be the king of the duels, Mokuba" Seto smirked and took the envelope. Then he left the office towards the elevator to return to the mansion.

Mokuba followed, meditating about the last words of his brother.

Anzu left her work heading to Yugi's house like every Saturday when he hadn't to go to college, a team of children's entertainers, or a conference on duels; which by the way were the great majority of Saturdays.

She felt light footsteps behind her, as if someone was running. She stopped and turned to see who it was. It was Jonouchi.

"What do you do?"

"Oh… Hi Anzu! I haven't seen you in a while… Is everything okay?"

"Yeah…" she replied confused. "But why are you running?"

Jonouchi smiled and he kept running without answering to his friend. In a few moments later he was so far away that Anzu had no intention of keep staring at him.

She turned to the left and walked down the block. When she arrived at the open game store, she met the grandfather, who was behind the counter ordering some trifles that no one had yet bought. The old man was astonished to see her, it had been almost three months since the last time they had met. He abandoned his task and went to greet her while he asked:

"Have you come for Yugi?"

Anzu nodded and she asked him to call Yugi but Mr. Moto told her he wasn't in the house. He had gone to Otogi's store after he called in the morning. Anzu said goodbye and left the store.

She was struggling between two options: going to the game store looking for Yugi or going to the animal welfare workshop to which she had been invited by her dance partners. She decided to go to the game store because she guessed that having new friends didn't enable her to ignore the older ones.

Upon entering the game store, she did not see any of her friends nearby. She looked at the counter and saw that a red-haired girl with an eccentric fashion. She wore a short yellow jacket with large pockets on both fronts, over a white shirt with blue diamonds and on her head, on her red hair, she wore a cap of aviator. Anzu found her very amusing, she thought that she would be a very nice person and that she could inform her where Yugi was. She walked over to her, she stopped and said,

"Hello, my name is Anzu and…"

"What do you want?" the other asked as she ordered some products with her back at Anzu.

Anzu's surprise at the young woman's treatment lasted only an instant. Soon her disfigured smile returned to being huge and bright while she thought that anyone could have a bad day.

"You know? I am…"

"No. I don't know. So say what you're going to take, please, "she demanded, dragging the last two words.

"I'm not buying anything," Anzu said. "I just want to know where Yugi is."

The girl behind the counter thought for a moment with her eyes closed and leaving a pack of cards on the table. Then, as if it took too much work to remember, she rested her chin on her hands as she made a curious gesture with her mouth, which Anzu found very … very tender.

"Oh! I know what you're looking for," she said, and she went to one of the shelves. Then she came back with an adorable plush in blue dress and exotic hairstyle: a Yugi doll. She looked at Anzu with the product on her palm, which was at the height of her head, and said:

"Here is him: the only one able to defeat you with a single card, the only one that can dismantle the most subtle strategy; the only one that has reached the top and has been maintained for consecutive years as the King of the Duels. With only one hundred and thirty yen, it can be yours. Get it in all the country's game houses. " She smiled as she squeezed the doll's neck. From him came the words: 'It is time to duel.'

Anzu, dumbfounded at the effect of marketing of her friend's success, only managed to tell the truth.

"It is a charming little plush but I'm looking for the real Yugi."

"Then I can't help you," the redhead said maliciously. Then, changing her expression, she advised her: "If you need his presence so much, buy his copy " and she put the plush almost on Anzu's nose.

"I do not know …" Anzu said, barely retreating.

"Let Yugi say what you have to do," the young shop assistant concluded and she pressed another button on the 'Yugi' duel disk.

"Heart of the cards, guide me," it said.

Many of the boys who were in the local approached the counter to watch this sensational toy. The young woman smiled at the repercussion that the product had while she imagined how many she could sell.

Anzu also rejoiced. Many of these boys prevented the other from observing her movements. It was the right moment to walk the shop and look for the young prodigy. She went to the door that led to the service office, to which only employees had access allowed. But when she reached the door, an ugly chill that started in her ears, followed by the nape of his neck and ran all over her column, was provoked by a creepy scream, unbearable for the human being, which Anzu could translate as:

"Security!"

She felt frustration flooding her mood. She could swear that this untimely girl had the ability to see through bodies; how else could it be explained that she had discovered her when she was so entertained for have drawn the client's attention?

For the good luck of the chestnut haired girl, Yugi, Jonouchi, Otogi, Honda and Shizuka left that office. They watched the scene with almost nothing to understand: two of the security guards took Anzu by the wrists and she was trying to break free, the new employee was on her back and deducing by her shoulders, she was crying. Otogi went to the counter to see what was happening and Yugi looked at one of the guards and said,

"Could you let her go, please? I know her and there is no reason why you should have her like this."

"I'm sorry Mr. Moto," said one of the security guards, "but Mr. Otogi has not authorized it, and we only obey his orders." And saying this, they approached his boss. Yugi had no choice but to follow them.

"What is it, Zybil?" asked the young merchant.

Zybil did not answer. She turned with tears-drenched eyes and in her hands the adorable plush that caused sensation was broken in two pieces. Otogi looked at Anzu and all the others imitated him.

"Do not look at me, I didn't touch that thing," she defended herself. When she realized that they did not believe her, she said. "If you do not believe me ask them" and she pointed to all the clients. Instantly they looked at the floor. Anzu could not believe it, did they all compel against her?

"You ran for a reason" said one of the children.

Jonouchi and Honda would have sworn that steam came from Anzu's head. Yugi and Shizuka looked away from her friend, quite confused. However, Otogi did not ignore the situation nor pretended that nothing had happened. Anzu had betrayed him no matter the friendship that had long bound them together.

"Why did you do it, Anzu?"

"I didn't do anything!" she shouted, breaking free of the guards and bringing her face to Otogi's. "I was just looking for Yugi and she didn't want to tell me where he was. The rest isn't true."

"If you don't trust me, Otogi, you can see the security tape," the red haired employee suggested in a very weak voice which was about to crack.

"That's it. Look at the tape…"

"I don't need any tape to believe what Zybil said. I would never distrust her or my clients" at such words Anzu remained without an answer. But Otogi continued. "Anzu, I hope this is the last time I see you in this place. And if you see me anywhere else, please ignore me, because I will do it with you."

Anzu didn't answer, only ran out of the shop. A few seconds later Yugi intended to go after her, but Otogi's words stopped him.

"Yugi, are you going to look for her despite everything she did?"

"Otogi, Anzu is my friend and I'm sure she has an explanation for this. If only you would listen to her…"

"That girl, whom you consider your friend, every time she had you close she wanted you to disappear and give way to the Pharaoh because he was the only one that mattered to her. I can't believe you're so blind not to see it."

"That's not true!" shouted the king of duels.

"Of course it is, Yugi. There's a reason why she's been avoiding us all this time: because we remind her of Atem. We all believe this" and as he said this last sentence Otogi pointed out, without measuring consequences, to the others.

Yugi looked at them interrogatively. Shizuka looked away, Honda opened her eyes more than usual and Jonouchi swallowed to say,

"It's true Yugi, we all guessed that but we didn't tell you because we didn't want to hurt you, as we are doing now…"

Yugi remained silent. What was the meaning of what his friends were telling him? He needed to be alone and think about it. It was best to go home.

"I'd better go. See you tomorrow, " he said as he said good-bye and retired.

The silence became present in the place remaining as a partner of the meditations. On one hand, Jonouchi was not repentant of what he told Yugi, because that was something that in all that time he had not been able to think of differently. On the other hand Honda and Shizuka agreed that it would have been better to don't hurt his friend.

"See you tomorrow, guys" said Otogi while watching how funny Zybil looked while she was trying to repair the broken plush.

"I'll try to talk to Yugi later to see if he will accompany us to the tournament and see if he will participate" said Jonouchi.

"I don't doubt he'll participate," Shizuka said.

"Yugi is able to not participate if Anzu does not travel with us because…"

"Otogi, I didn't know you would travel" the redhead said, leaving Yugi's issues aside.

"Yes. Jonouchi and Yugi were invited to a tournament in Romania and I thought to accompany them, "Otogi clarified, then he added," and you will take care of the store in the meantime."

"Me?" Zybil asked, her eyes wide.

"No, of course not!" Jonouchi protested, leaving Otogi with his words in his mouth and a murderous look on him. However, Jonouchi ignored him and continued saying "You'll have to find another employee, because Zybil will go with us to Dracula Land."

Shizuka and Honda looked at him like he was crazy. If she went and Anzu wouldn't want to go. Was Jonouchi planning something?

"It's a great idea, you're a great friend," Otogi agreed. "You want to go?"

"I don't know," she hesitated. "Are you going to participate?

"He won't," replied Jonouchi, without giving Otogi a chance to respond. "But I will, and I'll be glad to see you in my duels, so you have no choice but to join us."

"But … who will take care of the shop, Otogi?"

"No one, I'll close it until we get back."

"But…"

"No more talk about the subject," Otogi said, and went towards two customers who were trying to understand a game.

Jonouchi followed him with his gaze and then turned it to his friends, it was time to leave. They planned to attend a concert at Abingdom Boys School, of course with Yugi but now they would go alone.

"It's a pity you work till so late," he told Zybil, but she didn't understand why. "I think it's time to go," he said, looking at Honda. He nodded and the three of them left the shop.

In two days they would meet again.