The Thoughts of a Duellist

by Phenomuk

Just some of the thoughts that run through the heads of the 4 Elite Duellists in the worldI do not own Yugioh. Not a great read. Was bored and I wrote it

The Thoughts of a Duellist

Michael was walking in town, with his duel disk on. He had his head down as always with his long coat behind him as he walked with a small gust in the air. Michael walked to a burger vender

"A cheese burger mate"

The vender smiled

"No problem mate"

Michael sat down on a bench and he looked around

'Why do I duel? Why does anyone compete? For honour? Glory? They say its human nature to compete and fight with each other. I couldn't agree more'

Michael stood up and took his burger. He walked on

'I duel for my pride. I could name a handful of others who do the same and another handful that fight for others. I always thought it was a waste of time to fight for others. Considering the fact that no one ever fought for me in my lifetime so I never fight for anyone but myself.'

Michael looked at his duel disk and he smiled

'And I was glad I was good at duelling. I had been duelling since I saw the cards. My father was a master duellist and that's how I learned the game and learned it well.'

Michael looked up and he saw Nicola talking with some friends. He walked on

'Nicola. A great duellist, no matter how much I hated to admit it, she was damn good. She had beaten me on some occasions but her so-called greatness wasn't what it used to be. Most female duellists in this town have pretty faces, like Nicola herself but I never looked for a woman. A duellist should only rely on him or herself. They can't be distracted by anything or anyone. Yugi was always wasting his time with that speech. At least I thought so'

Michael stopped and he lit up a cigarette. He saw Yugi and his friends

'Wheeler. The monkey pretending to be a duellist. Kaiba saw as I did. Darren didn't think much about it and good on him. He was a waste of time. He was Yugi's example of good friendship

Joey was laughing with Tristan, Yugi and Tea. Michael smiled at Tea

'Tea. The girl I once loved. Those were the days when I felt good about duelling. I wasn't as prideful as I was now'

Michael walked on

'Tea was the best thing that ever happened to me. But the break-up left me bitter and possibly the only reason I am the way I am. I lost the Battle Royale and the Battle City 24 after our break-up. It added to my anger of the losses I suffered. Kaiba had a better reason for being prideful like I am. He grew up with a man who moulded him into the way he is now. I didn't blame him'

Michael threw away his cigarette

'But Nicola sure as hell did. She's the type of girl who needs attention. That's something Kaiba sure as hell couldn't give her and he knows it. Nicola thinks she's all that, possibly the reason she hates Cheri as much as she does. She feels threatened that a girl as beautiful and as talented as her could exist. She just didn't want to admit it'

Michael saw Darren with Reynolds at the arcade

'Darren, my long time rival. We had been rivals ever since we played the game of duel monsters. We are very evenly matched duellists. At this time my pride tells me that I am the best, but common sense tells me, I shouldn't lie to myself. He was a great duellist. Taken on the best, like Yugi and Kaiba and beaten them both, even I lost a few to him. But sometimes, I couldn't help but like the guy. We do for each other what Yugi and Kaiba to for each other. Push each other to the limit'

Michael walked on and it began to rain.

'Rain. So harmless yet so harmful at the same time. I myself actually liked the rain. It was refreshing. The same feeling I get when I duel new people like Cheri. She beat me the first time, but it was good to duel someone new. But then again, I still don't get tired of the old battles with Yugi, Kaiba and especially Darren.'

Michael lit up another cigarette standing in from the rain

'I don't know how to deal with my past, how conflicting it is with my current state of mind. But I do know this, my eyes look forward'

Darren and Reynolds had split up. Darren was on his own, thinking

'Reynolds. My best mate, everyone's got to have one. Even Kaiba but then again, he has Mokuba, his little brother. Must be good to have someone like that. Someone who will respect you, look up to you and love you for who you are'

Darren stood and walked

'I never really had a family. Reynolds was the best I had. We were like Brothers. I heard something once that made me think, I share the characteristics of an arsonist. An absent father and the sight of fire at the young age. It fascinated me, Fire. It was so powerful and destructive'

Darren stopped for a minute but walked on

'Sometimes I begin to think I am an arsonist'

Darren smiled

'But only when I duel. Michael knows how hot I can be when I duel as does Kaiba, both of them very well. It was quiet scary the fact that I knew I had enemies, and that I need to crush them. Everyone wants to go through life without making enemies when the truth is, you need enemies. Kaiba was brought up with the words that everyone is an enemy. That's why he is way he is, bitter and always angry. But I couldn't crush my enemies, even if I wanted to. I need them to survive. I need them to compete against and improve my skills, make them push me to be the best that I could. But then again, I didn't really consider them enemies'

Darren looked at his favourite card

'The Tyrant Dragon, one of the most powerful monsters in the game with good abilities too. Michael's Red Eyes and Yugi's Magician pale in comparison to them but Kaiba Blue Eyes are the monsters to beat. And I have done so before. I always liked the look on Kaiba's face when I would crush his Blue Eyes White Dragon!'

Darren smiled

'I even liked thrashing Michael's Red Eyes as well.'

Darren laughed a little. He saw Cheri walking down the other side of the street. He smiled

'Someone to love, it's the greatest thing you'll ever learn. To love and be loved in return. Michael knew it, even Kaiba knew it. I did as well and those were the days when I was at my best. I won many tournaments but Michael handed me a defeat in the school's final, shortly after I was dumped. It tore me apart and I couldn't focus. I never told Michael as he wouldn't have believed me and I don't blame him'

Darren stood up and he walked on

'I wouldn't have believed him, considering the time we were going through at the time. It was beginning of our rivalry and a day I won't ever forget. He beat me in front of the entire school. It was humiliating'

Darren clinched his fist

'I won't forgive him for that. Not until I humiliate him in the same way. Big tournament, large crowd filled with my peers and his.'

Darren smiled

'I can just see it. The Japanese tournament is coming up soon. That's where it will be, but first I must get Cheri to be by my side. I will be at my best with her cheering me on. I guess Yugi was right about having friends to support you. They can help'

Darren looked up

'Someone to believe in you is a good thing. Reynolds does that for me, but to be honest its not enough. He doesn't cheer me on, not because he doesn't want to. He feels I'm good enough on my own and that has some truth to it, but I could be so much better. I was taught to be the best I could. A former 5-time world champion trained me and his name was Harry. A great duellist but I doubt he could keep up with me now'

Darren looked at his deck

'With all the great monsters I have in my deck I could beat him easily. A master's greatest privilege is seeing his student, surpass him'

Darren smiled widely

'And surpassed him I have'

Kaiba was in his mansion, relaxing for once in his life. He was having a drink of orange juice with ice in the glass. It was sunny but with clouds in the sky

'I'm rich, powerful and well respected. It's every man's dream apparently and it is good to be so. But it comes at a great price. Sometimes I amaze myself with how hard I work and how hard I am on myself. But I constantly remind myself its for the best'

Kaiba looked at his deck beside him

'Everything I've done in my life, I've been the best at; except for the one thing I love the most. Duel monsters!'

Kaiba slammed his drink on his table

'Its like a splinter in my mind, driving me mad. I was the greatest at duel monsters and a kid, whom no one had heard of, came from nowhere and defeated me in the worse way possible. With Exodia and against all three of the Blue Eyes White Dragon's!'

Kaiba clinched his fist but he relaxed

'But then again, that's how it is it these days. All major sports men are rising to the top and being knocked off by the unknown. But it still shouldn't have happened to me!'

Kaiba stood up and was looking over the city in his mansion

'But to add to the embarrassment, two more duellists entered the elite class. Michael Kernaghan and Darren Coey. Two so called hot shots that have defeated me on quite a few occasions, like at school during Darren's rampage. He defeated us all, until Michael's sister came in. And Darren defeated me at the third Battle Royale. He attacked me directly with his Tyrant Dragon. Michael hasn't officially beat me one on one, but he has won tournaments over me and that to me counts as a defeat'

Kaiba sat down on a seat and he sighed

'But Yugi, is the worst of them and the chances are he always will be. The one man I have to surpass to become the number one duellist in the world. That title has been stolen from me, but not just by Yugi. Nicola took it from me as well at the Battle City 24 hours. A great idea I came up with but like the first Battle City tournament it came crashing down before me. It was infuriating, to realise your plans for success fail. Gozaburo taught me that, even thought I hated him for everything he did to me, I realise that he was right'

Kaiba sat up

'That everyone is an enemy and that you must crush your enemies and competition before they crush you.'

Kaiba opened up the picture of Mokuba he always kept around his neck

'Mokuba. He was the one person who reminded me of the good times I had. They say your childhood is priceless and I would have to agree. There was a time when I wanted to forget my past, but I realised I was wrong.'

Kaiba gave a small smile

'I promised I would do I could to protect him. And I have done so in the past like at Duellist Kingdom I risked my life against Yugi and I gave all I had against Pegasus, but it wasn't enough'

Kaiba sighed and he lowered his head

'And in the Virtual World, I sacrificed victory to get my brother back. The noblest thing I've ever done. There are quite a few things I've done that I thought I would never do. Like fall in love'

Kaiba stood up

'Nicola. Sometimes I wonder what I was thinking and I have to ask what she was thinking as well. She knew I wouldn't have much time for her and she is the type of girl who needs attention and lots of it. I don't have time for anything anymore except for Duel monsters and that's all I need. Fun and Games are for kids. I play Duel monsters for power and glory. Yugi thinks the so called Heart of the Cards are the key to victory.'

Kaiba chuckled

'Skill is how to win, not stupid magic tricks. I'll never forget how Ishizu tried to feed me the nonsense about the 5000-year battle of a sorcerer and the Pharaoh. It was ridiculous that Yugi was that same Pharaoh and Kernaghan was his high priest. I have a firm grasp on reality and I intend to keep it that way'

Kaiba walked back into his office

'The past is the past. I did have good time but I will keep hunting Yugi and the others and I won't rest until I defeat them all'

Kaiba smiled and he got back to work

Yugi was in the park, earlier in the day, looking at his deck. He was flicking his deck from one hand to the other

'Another day, and more crazy duellists running around trying to make a name for themselves. I see Michael and Darren out and about and Kaiba is in his office as always, so its nothing new.'

Yugi stood up and walked on

'I have faced many challenges in my life but I think my toughest challenge of all has been the elites. Michael, Darren and Kaiba. I never thought I would acquire the taste of competition and the thrill of victory like I do now. I only thought it was for prideful men like Kaiba and Michael, but it seems I was wrong. After I saved mankind after Battle City I began to feel like this. I have suffered losses and I have realised that losing isn't the end of the world'

Yugi smiled

'I just don't understand why Kaiba and Michael can't relax and take the game easily. Darren doesn't take it to the level they do and Michael was different before. He felt love with Tea and I'll have to confess to myself, I was jealous. Tea...is a lovely young lady and I enjoy her company'

Yugi stopped and he looked at himself. He smiled

'I'm fooling myself. I like her, a lot. And I've never known a girl...woman like her'

Yugi blushed brightly but he hid his face from everyone. He walked on and he looked at the sky

'But I never had it in me to tell her and I'm not sure if she would feel the same way about me. But as life has taught me, love is a risk. I had not had much experience in love, even in my past life'

Yugi was walking past Kaiba Corp.

'Kaiba. My rival. The way I see it, everyone needs a rival in their lives, to push them on, drive them to be the best they could be. Kaiba has done that for me and I've done the same for him. We have pushed each other to our limits and I consider him a friend, and he considers me a friend as well. He just doesn't want to admit it'

Yugi stopped and he saw Michael. He walked on

'Michael, the smaller scale version of Kaiba but he isn't as heartless as he is. He cares for people and he has helped me save the world a few times. For that I am grateful. He is a great duellist. Among us 4 elites and he has beaten me once in the second Battle City Tournament. He then went on to win that tournament. But when he was with Tea, I was jealous, but I was happy for Tea. She was happier than I'd ever seen her. But I couldn't believe how sad she was when they broke up. But I was there for her, like I said I would be. We all helped Tea through it but we all held contempt for Michael. But considering that Michael never does anything without thinking it through. I'm sure he had a good reason for leaving her. In any case, it's the past'

Yugi kept walking and he saw Darren with Stephen

'Darren. The fourth elite and possibly the most level head of us all, with Kaiba and Michael following their ego and myself following my heart, Darren uses his head and his guts. And I admire that. He follows his instincts and so far they have served him well. He doesn't have faith in cards like Michael and I do and that is his downfall. Darren could be an even better duellist than he is now'

Yugi smiled

'But then again, he holds two victories over me so I can't really criticise his methods.'

Yugi looked back at Kaiba Corp

'I only hope Kaiba can realise that he is playing duel monsters with the wrong attitude, before it destroys him'

Yugi walked on

'And Michael will have to learn it as well'

Yugi walked off