It was Friday afternoon and Yugi Motou a short thin high school boy was talking animatedly with a young brown haired girl as he leaned against the counter of his grandfather's gaming shop. Yugi loved his grandfather's store. It gave him access to all the newest card and board games. It also gave him an excuse to spend time with his grandfather, not that he needed one. And Tea, the young brunette, well she just loved Yugi Motou.
Suddenly, another teenage boy, burst into the store. He let the door slam into the wall as it swung open, causing Yugi's grandfather to call out in a stern voice," You break it, You buy it!" However the boy didn't even pause to look back or shut the door.
"Yug'," he said excitedly," You've got to come see this. After school, in the back parking lot, some of the older kids have been holding duel monster matches and they're just about to start a tournament."
"Wow Joey," said Yugi," I didn't know you were so interested in duel monsters."
"Are you kidding, "Joey blustered, "Of course I am. And the first duel in the today's match is Guy Tailor against Ribbon Skye."
"Isn't Guy Tailor a junior high kid," asked Tea?
"Word is he's never lost a duel," Joey continued,"and what's more they say he doesn't have a single monster card in his deck."
"What,"Yugi cried in disbelief, "Who wants to play duel monsters without any monsters?"
Joey shrugged," That's what they say. Anyway the match is about to start, let's hurry."
Joey and Yugi ran out of the open door without even bothering to close it behind them.
"Boys," Tea said in frustration as she went out the door and ran to catch up with them.
When Tea arrived Joey and Yugi were standing on the outer edge of a large circle of students watching the two contestants rearrange their respective decks. The older girl Tea recognized from Math class. She was a tall blonde girl named Ribbon. She was very shy and the only reason Tea knew her name was because Tristan had had a secret crush on the girl last year and had doodled it over and over again on anything that would stand still.
The boy seemed very tiny surrounded by all the Domino High kids but he was almost the same height as Yugi. He had brown curly hair and blue eyes but unlike his opponent he didn't look at all nervous. On the contrary, he stood facing the crowd, smirking as the judge read the rules.
"I hope you are prepared to lose," he taunted Ribbon. Monsters are so untrustworthy."
"Not as untrustworthy as some people," she responded," I have full faith in the heart of my deck."
Guy Tailor won the coin toss and chose to go second.
"As my opening move," Ribbon stated," I summon Dunames Dark Witch in attack mode and place one card face down on the field.
Guy countered, " First I play Restructure Revolution, for every card in your hand you subtract 100 life points."
Three hundred points were deducted from Ribbons scorecard by the official tournament judge.
"Now," the small boy said coldly, " allow me to show you how loyal your monsters truly are. I play Change of Heart to take control of your witch. Dunames Dark Witch attack my opponents life points directly."
"Not so fast," Ribbon yelled," I play the trap card Sword and Shield which switches the attack and defense of all face up monster cards on the field for one turn reducing my witches attack from 1800 to 1050 attack points."
The judge subtracted 1050 points from Ribbon's life points.
"Then," Guy continued," I will play Dark Hole to send this faithless monster to your graveyard where it belongs. I finish by placing one card face down on the field."
The entire audience was buzzing with whispers.
"What's wrong with him," Tea asked in a strained voice. How had she thought this boy was young and carefree?
"This is definitely not the way duel monsters were meant to be played," Yugi said in a shocked voice.
It was Ribbon's turn.
"I place one monster on the field face down and activate Yami, a spell card which boosts the attack and defense of all fiend and spell caster monsters by 300 points.
"Good move," Joey whispered, "She's being more cautious now that she knows he uses so many trap cards."
"I activate Swords of Revealing Light, for three of your turns none of your monsters can attack. I end my turn," Guy said.
" You can't hold my monsters back for long," Ribbon said confidently," I summon Crazy Fish in attack mode. I end my turn."
In the crowd Tea was bouncing on her heels, "That's telling him," she cheered miming shadowboxing moves. Joey and Yugi exchanged amused looks behind her back.
"I don't seem to have the card I need," Guy, pouted," so I activate pot of greed a magic card allowing me to draw two more cards."
"Very good," he smiled," I play Rageiki which destroys every monster on your side of the field. Then I will use Monster Reborn a magic card allowing me to choose a monster from your graveyard and summon it on my side of the field. I choose Crazy Fish."
"Oh dear," Guy mocked in surprise," It seems you're about to be attacked by your own monster again. Crazy Fish attack your mistress' life points directly."
The judge subtracted 1600 points from the defenders total.
"This isn't over," the blonde girl said shaking with rage," I set one monster in defense mode. I end my turn."
"I place one card facedown. I end my turn," Guy said.
"You're going down," Ribbon called, " I offer my facedown monster as tribute to summon Fire Wing Pegasus in attack mode. And as soon as your Swords of Revealing Light are gone I am finishing this."
"You're so proud of your Pegasus aren't you," Guy asked," Well it's about to cost you 500 life points. I play Just Desserts, subtracting 500 life points for each monster you have on the field."
"That's not going to stop me, "Ribbon said," Because your Swords of Revealing Light are gone. I summon Gazelle King of Mythical Beasts in attack mode. First I will have my Fire Wing Pegasus attack Crazy Fish. Go Pegasus."
"I counter your attack with Magic Cylinder. This card negates your attack and subtracts your monsters attack points from your life points. Its funny how you keep getting hurt by your own monsters attacks," Guy jeered.
"I'm not through yet," Ribbon, said," Next I will attack with Gazelle King of Mythical Beasts."
But Guy was prepared for this," I counter with Mirror Force. This destroys all of your monsters in attack mode."
Both Pegasus and King of Mythical Beasts were sent to Ribbon's graveyard.
"I end my turn," Ribbon ground out between her teeth.
"I thought you might," said Guy," I attack with Crazy Fish for 1600 attack points. I also place one card facedown on the field. I end my turn."
"Fine," said Ribbon," Your days of manipulating my monsters are over. I set one monster in defense position. Next I'm using a card you've seen before. I activate Monster Reborn to return Dunames Dark Witch to my side of the field in attack mode. Then I will attack Crazy Fish with my regenerated Dark Witch. Attack."
"Some people never learn. I counter with the trap card Cemetery Bomb It subtracts 100 life points from you for every card you have in the graveyard. With your recently discarded Monster Reborn Card that makes 700 taking your life points to 0."
"NO!" Ribbon shouted. Tears streamed down her face and she ran away from the parking lot of Domino High as fast as she could.
As Guy put away his cards and left the dueling arena the crowd parted for him. No one seemed willing to be touched by this creepy little kid, no matter how good he was at duel monsters.
Joey, Yugi, and Tea pushed forward to get closer to the victor of the latest duel. Someone had to put a stop to this little cretin.
"What's the big idea, "Joey demanded, "Duel monsters is supposed to be fun not a way to humiliate someone!"
"That's right," Yugi shouted," You've totally disrespected the heart of the cards and the intention of the game. Someone should teach you a lesson."
"I take it you are challenging me to a match," the boy said disinterestedly.
"That's right, he is," Tea answered for him.
"I'm very tired now, "Guy answered," but I'll be back next Friday after school. I'll be waiting. Just watch your back. They're called MONSTERS for a reason."
The three friends watched as the short brown haired boy walked off.
"Jeez! What's wrong with that kid," asked Joey.
"I don't know,"Yugi answered but I'm gonna find out."