Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh. Never have never will.
AN: I'm not good at writing duels so bear with me.
Pairings:
Fem!Yuugi XYami (puzzleshipping)
Slight Fem!RyouXBakura (Tendershipping)
[action]-dueling
'thoughts'
"speak"
A limo silently made its way to Kaiba Corporation. Inside was a very angry brunette.
"Heart of the cards. Ridiculous. Cards are all about power. And one way or another, his Blue-Eyes White Dragon card... will be mine."
Kaiba sat at her desk as she looked at the men in front of her. They were each specifically picked for the job she had in mind.
"Gentlemen, there's a little something I'd like you to pick up for me at the Game Shop."
"Gladly, Madame Kaiba."
Solomon Moto was washing the counter to close for the day when the bell for the front door opened. Aiko was upstairs cleaning the living room. Two men in suits walked in without any invitation. They meant business.
"Good morning. Hmm?"
"My employer, Seta Kaiba, challenges you to a duel. You may come with us now."
"And if I were to decline?"
"I'm afraid I must... insist."
"Young Kaiba doesn't understand. But I'll teach her a lesson about the heart of the cards."
He grabbed his deck from behind the counter that he kept near him. Hopefully he will teach that girl some manners.
Joy, Trey, Yuugi, and Trisha were walking down the familiar street to Yuugi's house. They were talking about the new shipment of cards Yuugi's grandpa had gotten that morning.
"Man, I hope he has some cool cards today."
"Me too!"
"Yeah!"
As they entered the game shop they noticed an eerie quiet that had settled over the house. It was strange, usually her Grandpa was home by now.
"Okay Gramps, I'm back to get more cards. Hey, hey Gramps!"
"Grandpa, I'm home."
"Maybe he... went out?"
"Maybe. But why would he leave the door unlocked?"
"He was taken by some men in black." a voice said.
They all turned to see Yuugi's mom step out from the stairs that led up to the living area of the building. Yuugi's mom was a tiny thing, barely taller than her own daughter by only a head. She had slight reddish hair, cut in a short bob and dark lilac eyes that were slightly red from tears.
"What do you mean mom?"
"He left willingly, they said something about that girl Seta Kaiba and a duel." she sniffled, "I was upstairs when I heard them."
A phone rang in the nearby room. Yuugi slipped out of her shoes as she picked up the receiver.
"Hello. This is the Kame Game Shop. We're sorry but-"
*Ahh, Yuugi. Perfect.*
A shiver went down her spine as a familiar cold voice answered.
"Kaiba?"
*Your grandfather's here visiting. But he's not feeling well. Why don't you come by my office and pick him up?*
"Kaiba! What've you done, Kaiba?"
The receiver went dead as Kaiba hanged up. Yuugi stared at the phone with a horror struck face. She slipped on her shoes and dashed out the door, her friends quickly following.
"Yuugi!" her mother screamed as she ran out. Her face was covered in tears at the possibility of her grandfather being hurt. A sudden warmth wrapped around her as in telling her it will be alright. She embraced the feeling, not noticing the ghostly arms wrapped around her.
[At the top of Kaiba Corp.]
Yuugi reached the top of the tower noticing her grandfather on the floor. He was clutching his chest in pain. Yuugi ran to her grandfather and kneeled in front of him as she helped to lift him up. He looked clammy, and was sweating up a storm. His breathing came in short bursts as he tried to get air in his lungs.
"Grandpa! Grandpa. A-are you okay?"
"Yuugi. I failed. I wanted to teach that girl Kaiba a lesson about the heart of the cards, but I lost."
A groan escaped his lips as he clutched his chest again.
"Grandpa!"
"How's the old man feeling, hmmm?"
"Kaiba, you bitch. What've you done to him?" screamed Joy.
"We had a duel, that's all. With each of us putting up our most valuable card as the prize. But I guess playing against a champion like myself was just too much stimulation for the old fool."
"Kaiba, you should be ashamed of yourself." said Trey
"It was fair. And look at the sweet prize I won."
They all gasped as Kaiba tore the card before them. Yuugi's eyes filled with tears as she watched the two pieces fall gently to the ground. As she was focused on the card a ghostly hand gently rubbed her back in sympathy.
"Grandpa's most treasured card!"
"Yes, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon is a rare and powerful card and this one will never be used against me."
Solomon looked on horror struck as his best friend's card was torn to pieces. It had meant so much to him and now it was gone.
"Ahh, my Blue-Eyes White Dragon. My treasure. Argh!" Solomon once again keeled over in pain as his heart throbbed once more.
"Grandpa! Please Hold on. How could you do such a thing?" Yuugi said through her tears. Her grandfather was in horrible pain and all Kaiba could do was gloat.
"Yuugi, here. Take this."
He reached for his back pocket as he pulled out his deck. He handed her the cards gently unto the hand as if showing respect.
"Huh? Grandpa."
"I built this deck. I put my soul in these cards. And I taught you everything I know, Yuugi. Take them. Take my cards and teach her respect. Teach Kaiba respect for the heart of the cards, Yuugi."
Yuugi looked at her grandfather like he was insanw. Here he lay on the floor, injured- possibly having another heart attack, and he wanted her to deal with Kaiba?
"But Grandpa, you need help. I've got to get you to the hospital. "
"That sounds like an excuse. Your friends can care for your grandfather while you and I duel... unless you're afraid?"
"Take her Yuugi!"
"Huh?"
Yuugi looked back to see her friends with smiles, encouraging her to duel Kaiba.
"We can take care of your grandpa while you take care of creepy Kaiba. Teach that rich, spoiled brat what a real duel's all about."
"For your grandpa, Yuugi." Trey said quietly.
"I don't know..."
"Trust me, you're like the best player I've ever seen, and you've got the your Puzzle. You can do this Yuugi! I know you can!"
"We all do."
She smiled as their encouragement reached her. She turned back to her grandfather with new determination. She gripped the deck and smiled at her grandfather.
"Okay, Grandpa. I'll do it."
"I know you will, my girl."
Trey whips out a marker from his back pocket that he kept there in case of emergencies.
"Everyone, put your hands together and I'll mark us with a special sign."
"What gives, Trey?"
A black smiley face was written on their hands.
"It's a symbol of our friendship so when Yuugi's dueling, no matter how tough it gets, she'll know that she's not alone, we're all right there with her."
"Hey Trey, uh, this isn't permanent marker right?" Joy asked nervously.
"Uhhh no?" he said sheepishly.
[Ground floor]
Trey hoisted up grandpa on his back as he took him down to meet the ambulance.
"Joy, Trisha and I will take Yuugi's grandpa to the hospital. Why don't you get back in there and cheer Yuugi on?"
"Okay, take good care of him, Trey."
Kaiba and Yuugi set themselves on top a huge machine facing each other.
"I designed this virtual stadium myself. Impressive, hmmm? I think you'll agree, it adds a bit more life to the game. We each begin with two thousand life points, the first player to hit zero loses. Are you ready to play, slut?"
That was going too far. The dark spirit inside the puzzle boiled in anger as Yuugi was being called such names. He quickly took over the situation.
(Much deeper voice) "Play-time is over, Kaiba!"
A flash of light emitting from the puzzle showered Yuugi's body when it receded there stood a boy with the same coloration of Yuugi's hair except it stood straight up in a star shape and three lightning pieces shut upwards. He was wearing the Domino High boys' uniform but was a darker shade. His eyes were a sharp ruby and held a lot of anger.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Now, Kaiba, prepare yourself, because it's time to duel. I've never dueled for revenge but you insulted Yuugi and you shall pay for it!"
Kaiba stood flabbergasted. How the hell did this happened? Yuugi had just stood there not just long ago. Where is she? Well no matter she'll beat this loser than look for Yuugi. (AN: Kaiba will still call him Yuugi as well. And will be redeemed. She's being a bitch now, but will be less of one later. Yami fixes it.)
"Virtual systems ready. So let's begin. I attack with the mighty Hitotsu Me Giant. Brace yourself, Yuugi. You've never dueled like this before."
[A giant green Cyclops appeared in the field as Kaiba laid down the card]
"She's brought the monster on the card to life."
"It's my virtual simulator. It creates life-like holograms of every Duel Monster."
"So this is how you beat my grandfather. He has a medical history of heart attacks and you decided to use that against him. Well now it's my turn. I call on the Winged Dragon- Guardian of the Fortress."
[Guardian of the Fortress appears on playing field]
Joy, who had finally reached the top, looked in amazement as she saw the real monsters in the field.
"Whoa, monsters! Real monsters!"
"Fireball attack!"
[Guardian of the Fortress blasts Hitotsu Me Giant with a fireball. Hitotsu Me Giant shatters]
A young girl with spiky ebony hair wearing a striped tanktop, with a light blue handkerchief, light blue jeans, and sneakers ran in and stared at the field
"Big sister!"
Kaiba- 2000-1800
Yuugi-2000
Moyuka, still worried about what would happened if her sister lost, looked on with concern.
"Are you alright?"
"Alright! Go Yuugi!"
"Hah. Well played, Yuugi... for a beginner. But how will you deal with this?"
[Saggi the Dark Clown appears on playing field]
"Saggi the Dark Clown? But that card has hardly any attack strength."
"True, your Winged Dragon's attack is 1400, while my dark clown's is only 600, but if I combine it with this card..."
"Ahh, A magic card!"
"Exactly. The Negative Energy Generator. It multiplies my monster's attack by three. Dark Clown, attack with Dark Light!"
[Saggi attacks Guardian of the Fortress. Guardian of the Fortress dissolves]
Yami-2000-1600
Kaiba-1800
"As you can see, combining cards can be very effective."
'She's good. She knows every aspect of this game. But my grandpa put all of his gaming knowledge, his whole heart, into assembling this deck. I have to believe that it holds some secret strategy.'
He draws a card from his deck and sees that it's a right arm of something.
'Ah, this card is useless. I can't beat the Dark Clown with this. I'll have to use a different monster in defense mode. The monster will be sacrificed, but my overall life-points will be safe.'
"Dark Light Attack!"
[Yami's face-down card dissolves]
"Hang in there, Yuugi!"
"You're not faring any better than the old man did, Yuugi. Your deck is just as weak and feeble as your grandfather."
"My grandpa is a great man, and a better duelist than you'll ever be. He entrusted me with his cards and I can feel his heart in this deck. I doubt you have that kind of faith in your cards, Kaiba."
"Wha-?"
'Yuugi' draws a card and smirks.
"And my faith rewards me with Gaia the Fierce Knight! With a destructive power of 2300!"
"Ahh!"
[Gaia appears on playing field and attacks. Saggi dissolves]
Kaiba-1800-1300
Yuugi-1600
"Way to go, Yuugi!"
"Alright, Kaiba, your move."
"Hah. This'll be over sooner than you think. Hmm. I call on the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
[BEWD appears on playing field]
"No way!"
"Impossible! We all watched Kaiba tear that card in half." Screamed Joy.
"Surprised? Did you think your grandfather was the only one to possess a Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"
[BEWD attacks Gaia. Gaia dissolves.]
"Argh."
Yami-1600-900
Kaiba-1300
"Your Fierce Knight is destroyed. Faith or no faith, you will fall before my superior monsters, Yuugi. Power is what this game is all about, you fool. Faith is for losers... like your pathetic grandfather. In your entire deck, there's not a single card that can stand up to a Blue-Eyes White Dragon. So what hope do you have against two?"
[Second BEWD appears on playing field](AN: Wait a minute did she just summon a whole bunch of monsters in one turn? XD)
Why don't you just admit defeat, Yuugi?"
At the hospital, Solomon was on an oxygen mask and is being rushed down a hallway on a stretcher.
"Don't give up... Yuugi."
"I won't give up. Grandpa's counting on me. Huh, a magic card. Swords of Revealing Light! It stops all monsters on the field for three turns.
[Glowing swords appear around the BEWDs]
"How desperate. What possible good will a three turn delay do to you?"
'He's right. What do I do? I can't figure out what to do with these cards. They're just a bunch of... pieces. How can I use them to battle an expert like Kaiba?'
{For someone claiming to have faith, you're giving up too easily, Yuugi.}
Solomon appeared inside Yuugi's head.
{Listen, sometimes the cards are like a puzzle. You have to put all the different pieces in their proper place.}
"Ahh, like the Millennium Puzzle?"
{Exactly. Each piece helps build a greater entity.}
Solomon disappeared from inside Yuugi's head.
"Grandpa!"
{Like the pieces of a puzzle, Yuugi. Remember...}
'Puzzle? When are the cards like a puzzle? Wait! Grandpa once said,'
~Flashback~
A young Yuugi was sitting across from her grandfather as he was teaching her about Duel Monsters.
"Duel monsters contains only one unstoppable monster- Exodia. But he can only be summoned by drawing all five special cards. A feat that, to this very day, no one has ever accomplished."
~Flashback end~
"Quit your stalling, Yuugi. Or you will be forced to forfeit the match."
"I never forfeit. Huh? Another piece of the puzzle."
"Draw any card you like, it won't change a thing. My dragons may be frozen for another two turns, but my new monster is under no such spell. The Judge Man, with an attack power of 2200."
[Judge Man appears on playing field and attacks Yami's monster, which dissolves]
"I can attack with the Dark Magician. But she won't stand a chance once Kaiba's dragons are free of my spell."
[Dark Magician appears on playing field]
"Dark Magician... attack!"
[DM attacks the Judge Man, Judge Man dissolves]
Kaiba-1300-1000
Yuugi-900
"Judge Man falls."
"Ahh, a sacrifice that doesn't even phase me. And though neither dragon can move for one more turn, my next card is... the third Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
"Nngh!"
[The third BEWD appears on the playing field]
" Now my dragon, attack!"
[The BEWD attacks Dark Magician. Dark Magician dissolves]
Yami-900-400
Kaiba-1000
"So tell me, Yuugi, how's your faith now? On my next turn, all three Blue-Eyes White Dragons are free to attack. This game's over no matter what card you draw. You can't possibly stand against my three Blue-Eyes White Dragons. It's over, Yuugi. You were never a match for me."
"Don't listen, Yuugi!"
'Kaiba had three Blue-Eyes all along. She only wanted my grandpa's card so it couldn't be used against her. My only chance now is to assemble all the pieces of Exodia. But the odds are against me. I don't think I can do this. Wha-'
As he reached for the deck, it appeared to move away from his hand.
'The deck! It senses my doubt!'
Yami and Yuugi split for a moment before coming back together. Yuugi had a fearful look in her eyes before Yami's comforted her.
'Don't lose focus, Yuugi. Don't lose faith. Concentrate!'
He looked down and saw the friendship symbol Trey had drawn earlier.
[Trey, Trisha and Joy appear next to the deck in Yuugi's mind]
'Yuugi, we're right here with you.'
'Yuugi, you've got to believe in yourself.'
'You can do it. Just kick Kaiba's butt.'
'They're right. I've got to believe in the cards like my friends believe in me.'
"Draw your last pathetic card so I can end this, Yuugi."
"My grandpa's deck has no pathetic cards, maybe for Kuriboh, but it does contain... the unstoppable Exodia!"
"Ahh! Impossible!"
"I've assembled all five special cards. All five pieces of the puzzle."
[A blue star appears on the playing field and Exodia's limbs appear inside it, one by one]
"Exodia! Ahh, it's not possible! No one's ever been able to call him!"
"Exodia Obliterate!"
[Exodia Obliterates]
"AHHHHHH!"
Kaiba-1000-0
Yuugi-900
"You did it! Yuugi, you won!"
"This can't be. My sister never loses!" Moyuka exclaimed.
"You play only for power, Kaiba, and that is why you lost. But if you put your heart in the game, there is nothing you can't do."
His smirk quickly changed to that of a frown.
"And if you ever insult Yuugi again, I will personally show youbwhat hell is like!"
"But... but how? How could I have lost to him?" Kaiba looked distraught, as if losing a children's card game could ruin her entire life.
"Kaiba, if you truly want to know...open your mind!"
A glowing eye appeared on his forehead as he waved his hand and removed the evil in Kaiba's heart. She fell to her knees as she faints due to mental fatigue.
"There Kaiba, maybe now you will begin to see..."
At the hospital, Treysat beside grandpa's bed. He looks surprised as Solomon slowly opened his eyes.
"Huh?"
"Grandpa's awake!"
"Yuugi won."
[Somewhere in a dark room]
"Ms. Pegasus, madam. Seta Kaiba, our uncontested champion, she's... been defeated in a duel, madam, by someone named Yuugi."
"Hmmm..."
OK so not the greatest chapter *shrugs* But I feel I did my best.