DD: I own nothing but Tashigawara, who was made for the sake of the drabble.


Seto Kaiba glared at his opponent from across the duelling field, his cards clenched in his hand. He could feel a sense of hopelessness rising inside of him that he couldn't seem to drown.

He shook his head. The game was all about skill and luck. As long as he had better luck than his opponent, he would win.

But fate hadn't been kind to him so far… No. He didn't believe in fate.

He scowled and looked down at his hand. Nothing. There was nothing that was of any use to him. He reached up and clenched the locket around his neck.

"Kaiba!"

Seto froze and glanced to the side to see the mutt glaring at him, fists clenched. "Wheeler?"

"You can't lose to this guy, Kaiba!" Joey yelled. "You're better than him! Show him your real strength! I know you can do it! You always managed to pull through before! You're stronger than this guy!"

A small smirk graced Seto's lips and he glanced into his locket. Unknown to everyone else, he had added a second picture to the locket and now an image of Joey grinning up at him rested beside the one of his younger brother.

Joey… You put your faith into your cards, and now in me… Seto snapped the locket shut again. "I don't need you to help me win, mutt," he called. There was no hatred or anger behind the words, but Seto Kaiba couldn't be seen accepting help or encouragement from a dog.

But he could see from Joey's grin that he knew that Seto didn't mean what he was saying. Seto raised his glare to his opponent – a man with messy black hair and golden-brown eyes. "Tashigawara. I refuse to lose to you."

He glanced at Joey out of the corner of his eye before placing his hand on his deck. He closed his eyes and drew, throwing his arm out to the side. He cracked one eye open and looked over at the card.

Maybe fate did favour him after all.


DD: Please review