Chapter Two

Just finally arriving on Maxmillion's island, Yugi Mutoh and his friends scanned the island in wonder, taking in the large landscape of trees and the lakeside, to see an enormous castle in the distance.

"Man, this place is huge!" Joey remarked in fascination. "And we get to duel here?"

"I guess so." Tea responded, just as amazed and content as usual. "We are talking about Pegasus here…He's rich!"

"To be honest," Yugi joined in "I just want to get my Grandpa back! I don't care much about the prize itself…"

"Hey, man, I do!" Joey retorted. "This tournament might make the difference for my sister! It'll pay for her surgery!"

"Oh, yeah." Tristan chimed in. "Serenity is still in the hospital…"

"If I win the tournament," Yugi continued "I'll give you the prize money so your sister can get the surgery"

Joey's eyes widened in shock.

"You mean-"

"Welcome to the Duelist Kingdom Tournament, my friends!" a calm, handsome voice came before them. The group of friends looked over at the castle in the distance, to see two small figures atop a balcony.

"Hey, let's hurry! We want to get a good view!" Tea told them.

. . .

"Father," Cecelia had spoken out awkwardly. "By the looks of it, people are still arriving at the island…Perhaps we should wait?"

Maxmillion chuckled charmingly.

"Daughter, please, I'm so excited!" he told her happily. "Not to mention we don't have time to waste!"

Cecelia pouted lightly.

'I don't know what game he's playing,' she thought suspiciously 'But he's not fooling me any.'

From down below, Joey ahead of the rest of the gang, finally arrived at the courtyard of the castle. Looking up at the balcony, Joey and Tristan gazed at the woman beside Pegasus.

"Heyyy, who's that hot babe?" Joey squinted, red-faced.

"I dunno, Joey," Tristan replied slyly. "But she's definitely a scorcher." He winked at Joey cunningly.

"Father," Cecelia gritted through a bright smile for the crowd. "You're not going to make me take on all of them, are you?"

Her father smiled at her proudly.

"No, dear, of course not." He assured her in a similar fashion. "Only the finalists will get the privilege of challenging my little girl."

Cecelia sighed in flattery.

"Alright," she muttered. "But you still haven't told me what this whole thing is about!"

"Oh, right." Pegasus remembered fakely. "Now for the next order of business."

Still chatting away about the mysterious young woman standing with Pegasus, Yugi halted them the instant he saw Pegasus raise his hand to disclose the rules of the tournament.

"…And the finalists of this prestigious tournament," he spoke on from above. "Will then be put to the test by lovely daughter here, the beautiful duchess of Duel Monsters herself, Miss Cecelia!"

At the sound of his explanation, her eyes widened in shock the instant he called out her name, then cleared her throat quickly. She stepped forward, then bowed to address the crowd formally.

"Yes," Cecelia spoke out confidently with finesse and a beautiful smile, hiding her awkward and estranged expression nervously. "So work hard…And perhaps you will get the privilege of challenging me!"

. . .

"WHAT?!" Joey shouted obnoxiously. "We get to duel that hot chick too?!" he swooned dreamily. "Aw, man, I'm in Duelist Heaven…"

"Quiet down!" Tea whispered harshly with a slap to his face. "She'll hear you! You have to get that far first, you pig!"

"Now what she meant was," Tristan jumped in smoothly. "You're facing regional champs here! Keep the 'tude you're pulling and you'll have no chance with the girl!"

Joey sneered at Tristan childishly.

"Easy for you to say, Mister I'm-Not-Duelling-In-This-Tournament!" he shot back stubbornly. "At least I'll get to duel with her and you won't!"

Tristan snickered through his teeth.

"Nope," he teased back cunningly. "I'll be watching you make a fool of yourself in front of her instead!" he burst into laughter. Yugi ignored them with a great deal of effort, still listening to the Pegasus duo speak.

"So let the games begin, my friends!" Cecelia chanted from the tower. "And may only the best come out on top!"

"Oh, I'll be on top of something by the end of this…" Joey muttered to himself perversely.

Minutes after the opening of the tournament had ceased, Cecelia stood blankly as all the contenders of the tournament scattered quickly into the stunning view of the island, with her father glancing over her shoulder with a warm smile.

"You spoke so well, my child," he complimented her charmingly. "As expected from you, of course."

Continuing to stare out into the landscape, the sun beginning to set over the water, she frowned.

"Father, I don't understand…" she hesitated to follow up with him nervously. "You've always been so strict with regards to my studies and it really doesn't make sense to me…Why have you all of a sudden eased up?"

Maxmillion paused for a moment in confusion.

"Darling Cecelia," he finally spoke out. "You have proven that you've been working very hard for so long…I thought I'd surprise you with a little break and some fun, is that too much for you? Do you approve?"

She turned away from the view half-heartedly to face her father with a kind smile.

"Forgive me, father," she bowed apologetically. "It's been such a long time since I've had a bit of leeway that I'd forgotten how compassionate you can be." She brightened her smile beautifully. "Of course I approve of it…It just really took me by surprise, hehe." She giggled at the pun she had made cheerfully. "Oh, I'm so excited now! I guess I had better throw a deck together, hmm?" she looked over her shoulder, to see none of the duelists in her sight. "It won't be long before we have guests in the castle, I'm sure.."

Maxmillion galloped on the spot in joy.

"I'd give it another day or too, dear, don't get too ahead of yourself." He joked. ""However, we had better part ways for now if you want a decent deck, you have thousands of cards to shuffle through tonight…Oh, I can't wait to see you play! Until then, my child!" he shuffled back inside hastily, leaving Cecelia blinking cluelessly at his dramatic attitude.

"My goodness, that was so fake it was all over his face.." she remarked in humiliation. "I really need to think this through…I think a walk sounds pretty good right about now…"