Chapter 2

The room was small and rather quaint, with little crowding the space besides a bed, desk, and dresser. Kira moved to the desk where a few stacks of cards lay haphazardly close to a tipping heap of books and school papers. She picked up the first card on the pile closest to her and stared in wonder at the regal figure painted on its surface.

"She's beautiful," Kira commented to her companion. The teenager stepped closer to look at the item in the younger girl's hand.

"That's Wingweaver," he said. "She's one of the strongest cards in the game. You can have her if you want. I won her in a competition last year and never got around to putting her in my deck. Mine's made of spellcasters anyway, and Wingweaver is a fairy type."

Kira looked up at the slightly older boy. "Thank you, but you'd be better off giving it to someone else. It seems important."

He flipped his hand casually. "Nah. It's just a card. Take it. I would trust you with it more than most of the duelists I know." His eyes wandered to the ceiling. "But I don't suppose you play Duel Monsters, do you?"

Kira shook her head. "No. I knew a boy who liked the game, but I never knew much about it. He gave me a card too, to remember him by."

He clapped his hands together. "This is the perfect opportunity, then! I'll teach you how to play if you want. It's great fun and the basics aren't too hard to master. This way, the cards your friends have given you won't go to waste. How about it?"

Kira stared down at the angelic figure in her hand for a little while before connecting her eyes with his sea green ones.

"I would like that very much. Thank you, Touya."

Kira smiled at the Wingweaver card on the top of her deck. She moved the stack of cards to her carrying case and stood from her resting position against the wall of the pavilion. Her lips upturned as her eyes closed. "Thanks again, Touya. I could never have done this without you."

She surveyed the area. "Well, I've got to keep fighting so now I need to find a new opponent."

There were very few people left in the entrance area and most of them looked like they were more relaxed about competing. They were all trading cards or just talking. One duo was even playing a match on the ground in tabletop fashion.

Realizing she wouldn't find an opponent in the immediate area, Kira turned her attention to the other side of the pavilion where several dirt paths wound away into different parts of the island. There were no stairs. The small court spread out into a tree filled meadow.

Kira didn't like the idea of leaving the castle, what with her poor navigation skills and lack of physical prowess. Long hikes through the woods seemed like a bad idea.

However, staying would severely limit her choices. She was sure it would prove most gratifying to venture out into other parts of the island. So her decision was already made. Kira looked over her choices of directions by way of the dirt paths and randomly chose one heading nearly due west from the castle.

She admired the scenery as she trekked along, enjoying the sea breeze that filtered in every so often. Birds chirped and squirrels bounded among the treetops. She could even faintly hear some duels taking place nearby.

It wasn't long before Kira reached the edge of a large meadow. There were several dueling platforms spread over the area, with almost all of them occupied, and a few people were standing at the bottom of the arenas to watch the matches.

She approached the nearest one, where it seemed the duel was coming to a close. The boy on the blue platform, with spiky, light brown hair, was grinning cockily at his opponent, who looked shell shocked and downtrodden.

"And I think that's the rest of your life points," Spiky said. Kira walked up to some other duelist watching below and took the time to listen in on their conversation.

"Man, that guy's good."

"I know. That's his third win in a row. I wouldn't want to fight him."

"Chicken," the first duelist teased.

The second scoffed. "Whatever. Like you'd do it either."

Kira watched the platforms lower before Spiky collected his star chips. She got a sudden idea and grinned. She discreetly plucked two of her star chips out of her glove and shoved them in her pocket, leaving the original two. It was one of the rules of Touya's training to let the opponent think he has the upper hand, and she was sure this cocky player would lower his guard against someone he thought hadn't dueled yet.

"Alright," Spiky announced, turning to the small crowd. "Any takers? I'll beat you all and get into the castle by sundown!"

After a few moments of murmuring among the other duelists, Kira timidly raised her hand.

"Umm, I'll try," she said. She stepped forward. Spiky held out his hand for her to take.

"Yutoma. Nice to beat you." Kira gave him her name and took his hand.

"How many star chips will you put up?" he asked, adjusting his glove to show off the six he had.

She looked down at her own glove. "Well, I've got two. I guess that'll work."

"Sure." Yutoma shrugged. He moved back to his platform. Kira took up hers as well and the game began.

"I'll let you go first." Yutoma smirked. Kira nearly rolled her eyes at his undeserved confidence but took her turn instead.

"I place one magic card and a monster face down," she announced. It was a bit odd to have an audience, no matter how small. She was really only used to playing with Touya and a few of his friends.

"Alright! Dark Blade in attack mode," Yutoma shouted, drawing her attention. His monster was a dark knight in medieval armor. A large sword was clutched in his hands. His stats were 1800 and 1500. "Attack her face down card."

The knight did so and the field lit up to reveal Kira's Spirit of the Harp. It wasn't destroyed and Yutoma lost 200 life points, since her defense was higher than the Dark Blade's attack.

"Che! Cheap move," Yutoma complained before letting Kira start her turn. She glanced at her hand with a frown. She really didn't have anything useful and hoped the card she drew would help in some way.

"I play Pot of Greed, which allows me to draw two more cards." She did so and sighed in relief at the monster card. "Now I'll place one magic card and Luster Dragon in attack mode."

Kira ordered an attack on the Dark Blade and Yutoma lost another 100 life points, bringing him down to 1700. Kira hadn't lost any.

"Fine, I'll play a magic card too and Judge Man in attack mode!" Yutoma's newest monster was a large man in armor with an equally large gavel. It's stats were 2200 and 1500, stronger than Kira's dragon. As she expected, Yutoma declared an attack and she lost 300 life points.

She drew her next card and smirked at the monster. There wasn't much that could defeat that dragon.

"I'll play a magic card and summon my Red Eyes Black Dragon! Red Eyes, attack the Judge Man." Kira's large dragon moved to do so, but Yutoma flipped one of his magic cards face-up.

"Not so fast. I activate Dark Spirit of the Silent," he announced. She glowered. "It lets me stop one monster's attack. Then I can choose another monster to attack in its place. And of course I pick Spirit of the Harp."

A ghostly apparition appeared on the field and wrapped around Kira's fairy. She stood, but Kira flipped over a magic card before she could begin her attack. "Reveal Shadow Spell!"

Black chains appeared, wrapping around the Judge Man and holding him in place. His attack points were reduced by 700. He was still stronger than Spirit of the Harp, so Kira lost 700 life points when the fairy attacked.

Yutoma smirked and started his next turn. "I place a monster in defense and activate Pot of Greed."

He drew two more cards, set a magic card, and ended his turn. Kira took a moment to think as she began her turn. She didn't know what that card could be. She had something that could get rid of it, but she wasn't sure if she would need it more later. She had a bad feeling about it, though, so she decided to go with her instinct.

"I'll switch Spirit of the Harp back to defense," Kira called. "Then I'll activate Dust Tornado to destroy your magic card."

Yutoma growled. Kira smirked back, pleased to see she had made the right decision and interrupted his plans.

"Finally, I'll destroy your Judge Man. Red Eyes, attack!" Kira's dragon sent a fireball across the field, incinerating the chained Judge and bringing Yutoma's life points down by 900. That put her in the lead again, 1000 to 800.

"It's my turn," Yutoma said. He flipped over his monster card, though he still left it defending. "I reveal my Dragon Manipulator, and I'll use its effect to take control of your Red Eyes."

Kira's Red Eyes let out a roar and moved to the opposite side of the field. Yutoma grinned.

"Red Eyes," he commanded. "Destroy Spirit of the Harp."

It did so, but since she was defending Kira didn't lose any life points. Yutoma ended his turn by setting a magic card.

Kira set a monster in defense and, since her dragon was back under her control, destroyed the Dragon Manipulator. Yutoma used his next turn to set a monster as well. Kira frowned at her hand. This duel was going nowhere fast, but she didn't have any of her powerful combos to fall back on this time. She drew her next card, figuring she would have to wait until something better came up.

"I play Divine Dragon Ragnarok in defense mode." Kira set the card on the field. "Then I'll have my Red Eyes attack your face down card. Red Eyes, destroy it!"

A small masked creature was revealed as the blast from her dragon hit, though it was soon disintegrated. Yutoma laughed.

"Ha! You activated Hane-Hane's effect. Your Red Eyes goes back to your hand." Yutoma reached for his deck as Kira's card was removed. "My turn."

He grinned at the card he drew and immediately slammed it down. "Battle Ox, baby! Destroy that dragon!"

The Ox stormed across the field and slashed through Kira's Divine Dragon with its large axe. She lost no life points, but she was without monsters on the field. Kira drew her next card and smiled at the fairy. She could have put her Red Eyes back on the field, but with the combo she had planned she could wipe Yutoma out in the next turn.

"I'll remove two of my light monsters in the graveyard from play and summon my Soul of Purity and Light!" Kira placed the card on the mat, and added another one beneath it. "And I'll add the Luminous Spark magic card to increase her attack by 500."

"No!" Yutoma slammed his hands against his station, knowing the game was lost. Kira's fairy attacked at her order, drowning the field in bright light.

Kira smiled as the life counter dropped to zero. That was another duel won. She met with Yutoma at the bottom of the arena. He handed over the two star chips.

"Good game," he said with a friendly smile. "I'm sure I'll see you again in the finals."

She nodded. "As long as you get there too."

He laughed and waved as she retreated from the well populated meadow. Kira stepped onto another dirt path between the trees. If things kept going the way they were she could get to the castle by the end of the day.

There was a burly looking kid on the road ahead. Kira was prepared to walk past him but he called her to a stop.

"Wanna duel?" he asked, grinning. The expression looked a bit darker than it should have. She didn't trust it.

"No thanks," Kira replied, moving to continue on her way. He quickly stepped in front of her. She heard a small rustle of the bushes and another boy with the same stature appeared behind her.

"Come on. I insist."

Kira had a feeling she wouldn't be allowed to say no again.