Yu-Gi-Oh!: Duelist of the Roses
Chapter 1
"Bye, Grandpa!"
"Goodbye, little Yugi. Have a good day at school!"
Yugi Mutuo ran happily through the streets of his hometown. Why? Because today was the last day of school! One more day of "learning" and he'd be free at last!
::I can hardly wait until the break! I've got so many things planned with my friends! We're going to have lots of fun!::
"Hey, Yugi!"
"Hey, Tea, Joey, Tristian! Hi!"
Yugi's best friends, Joey Wheeler, Tristian Taylor, and Tea Gardner, were all approaching Yugi. They also looked so very excited for the last day of school!
"So, Yugi, what've you got planned for us? After all, you are our official "Summer Break Commander!" So what's fun for this year?" Joey seemed rather enthusiastic, which was normal for him when he's dueling in Duel Monsters, but not so in public.
"You won't believe it! But, I'm not telling until one week after today, since it's not all ready yet!"
Tea chimed in. "Aw, come on Yugi! Just tell us!"
Yugi just smiled mysteriously. "Nope, not yet!"
So, excited, they all headed for school. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary... or at least not until after gym. As Yugi was dressing back into his ordinary clothes, he noticed a note in his locker.
::It's not Valentine's Day... what's going on here?::
Picking up the note rather cautiously, Yugi read:
"Yugi Mutuo, I know your reputation as a duelist - and I also know your secret. Your secret about your Millennium Puzzle. Meet me tonight at midnight in the park, and wear the Puzzle. In time, I will reveal my true nature to you. I think it would be worth your while to come..."
"...and it's signed, 'Duelist of the Roses'. Do you guys know anyone by that alias?"
Everyone shrugged. "Nope!"
The moment Yugi had met up with his friends, five minutes before the final bell of school rang, he'd told them about the note. Everyone was still very baffled as to what this could be about.
"Hey, Yugi. You don't think Malik is back, and he wants your Puzzle again, right? I mean, you never know if he'd not come back to life."
"Yeah," Yugi replied, "but I don't think Malik would want to come back to life as a Rose Duelist. I mean, what is a Rose Duelist, anyways?"
Tristian answered, "I think I've heard about them. They're a small force of elite duelists with legitimate dueling skills that go way beyond even Seto Kaiba. They're known for their amazing tests of skill, courage, knowledge, and, of course, dueling abilities. They might be challenging Yugi to beat them at all four skills."
Tea then remembered something. "Oh, yeah! I remember something I read about these guys. Duke Devilin, the creator of Dungeon Dice Monsters, joined them a little after we beat him. They claim that the test of skill is in fact a Dungeon Duel with Devilin!"
"Well, then, I wonder what the other two tests are..." Yugi said with renewed confidence.
"Well, I'm sure with Yami on your side, there's nothing you can't do!" Tea replied.
"Yeah, I guess..."
::But even with Yami, completing four challenges in a row will be hard. I'll have to train myself, both physically and mentally, to prepare for the upcoming challenge.::
"Yugi..."
*gasp* "Yami? What's wrong?"
Yami's voice seemed deep in thought, as if he weren't really there.
"Yugi, I don't think this is a good idea. This Rose Duelist may be dangerous, and if my assumptions are correct, he may have knowledge of the Shadow Games. This will not be an easy challenge. I'm not even sure we should go; after all, we know what happened the last time we walked so willingly into a battle."
"Yeah, but still... this seems really exciting. Besides, I'm ready for anything."
"Very well, then, Yugi. I'm with you regardless of your choice. But we'll have to be careful. This may be more dangerous than you think."
"Right. Let's do it!"
Chapter 1
"Bye, Grandpa!"
"Goodbye, little Yugi. Have a good day at school!"
Yugi Mutuo ran happily through the streets of his hometown. Why? Because today was the last day of school! One more day of "learning" and he'd be free at last!
::I can hardly wait until the break! I've got so many things planned with my friends! We're going to have lots of fun!::
"Hey, Yugi!"
"Hey, Tea, Joey, Tristian! Hi!"
Yugi's best friends, Joey Wheeler, Tristian Taylor, and Tea Gardner, were all approaching Yugi. They also looked so very excited for the last day of school!
"So, Yugi, what've you got planned for us? After all, you are our official "Summer Break Commander!" So what's fun for this year?" Joey seemed rather enthusiastic, which was normal for him when he's dueling in Duel Monsters, but not so in public.
"You won't believe it! But, I'm not telling until one week after today, since it's not all ready yet!"
Tea chimed in. "Aw, come on Yugi! Just tell us!"
Yugi just smiled mysteriously. "Nope, not yet!"
So, excited, they all headed for school. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary... or at least not until after gym. As Yugi was dressing back into his ordinary clothes, he noticed a note in his locker.
::It's not Valentine's Day... what's going on here?::
Picking up the note rather cautiously, Yugi read:
"Yugi Mutuo, I know your reputation as a duelist - and I also know your secret. Your secret about your Millennium Puzzle. Meet me tonight at midnight in the park, and wear the Puzzle. In time, I will reveal my true nature to you. I think it would be worth your while to come..."
"...and it's signed, 'Duelist of the Roses'. Do you guys know anyone by that alias?"
Everyone shrugged. "Nope!"
The moment Yugi had met up with his friends, five minutes before the final bell of school rang, he'd told them about the note. Everyone was still very baffled as to what this could be about.
"Hey, Yugi. You don't think Malik is back, and he wants your Puzzle again, right? I mean, you never know if he'd not come back to life."
"Yeah," Yugi replied, "but I don't think Malik would want to come back to life as a Rose Duelist. I mean, what is a Rose Duelist, anyways?"
Tristian answered, "I think I've heard about them. They're a small force of elite duelists with legitimate dueling skills that go way beyond even Seto Kaiba. They're known for their amazing tests of skill, courage, knowledge, and, of course, dueling abilities. They might be challenging Yugi to beat them at all four skills."
Tea then remembered something. "Oh, yeah! I remember something I read about these guys. Duke Devilin, the creator of Dungeon Dice Monsters, joined them a little after we beat him. They claim that the test of skill is in fact a Dungeon Duel with Devilin!"
"Well, then, I wonder what the other two tests are..." Yugi said with renewed confidence.
"Well, I'm sure with Yami on your side, there's nothing you can't do!" Tea replied.
"Yeah, I guess..."
::But even with Yami, completing four challenges in a row will be hard. I'll have to train myself, both physically and mentally, to prepare for the upcoming challenge.::
"Yugi..."
*gasp* "Yami? What's wrong?"
Yami's voice seemed deep in thought, as if he weren't really there.
"Yugi, I don't think this is a good idea. This Rose Duelist may be dangerous, and if my assumptions are correct, he may have knowledge of the Shadow Games. This will not be an easy challenge. I'm not even sure we should go; after all, we know what happened the last time we walked so willingly into a battle."
"Yeah, but still... this seems really exciting. Besides, I'm ready for anything."
"Very well, then, Yugi. I'm with you regardless of your choice. But we'll have to be careful. This may be more dangerous than you think."
"Right. Let's do it!"