Hello again. I have signed up for Nanowrimo and won't be posting for the next month. So, this is my last update until December. Merry (Early) Christmas
"All duelists to the tower!" yelled Roland.
Yugi along with Marik and a rested Remy walk behind Seto; Mokuba and Noah and the Fae were to be the only audience. Atem had the fiends on the far side of the island and he needed all the help with the mind crush.
"I know this is serious," said Noah, giddily, "but I've wanted to see Yugi duel since he told me about it! And I have the chance!" He emphasized his excitement by punching the air.
"You're quite an excitable young prince, Your Highness," Otogi said, nudging his wife's arm.
"Don't touch me."
"Ah, honey, please—"
"Don't HONEY me. You're why this happen!"
Teana pulled at her now shoulder length hair. Once done she briskly walked past to the front, daring any man to stop her.
Yugi turned to Marik.
"What happened?"
"It's a funny story," he said snickering. "When they were cloaking some of the guards to attack, one of those fiends had the idea to sneak up on them. Obviously it didn't work. Buuuttt, Otogi forgot to warn Teana in time and the guy got a good chunk of her hair in his grasp. Otogi beat him, but he was still able to cut it off. Trust me, Ishizu said it looked bad and Mana had to do some her beauty practice to fix it."
"Yeah, and it doesn't look bad. In fact, that's how she had her hair when we met," exclaimed Otogi.
"Women."
"Oh," was all Yugi could say.
Mokuba watched the merriment from the front, walking with Seto. He sighed. Seto needed him to help explain the rules and check the system; although, he would prefer to spend more time with Noah. He vaguely remembered him from the charity and maybe he could tell him what Yugi left out.
These thoughts in his mind, Mokuba was determined to have the whole truth and hang out with another kid.
He looked back at Noah, who winked. Mokuba ignored the slight blush he felt on his nose.
As for Noah, he wondered if what Red said was true.
"Don't fret, he and his brother are of your kind. I can tell."
Thinking of that, Noah recalled Alistar confirming with Seth that Kaiba possessed a high being's essence. Noah, fire in his belly, decided to believe the Nightmare's words and his own conclusions about the Kaibas.
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Entering Alcatraz Tower, the duelist, beside Kaiba, awed at the sleek modern interior in comparison to the junk yard of the outside.
"For the quarter finals, each duelist must enter into a door and the rest will be explained."
On the floor where four doors. Yugi entered the one closest to him as Marik stared each down, like a soldier choosing his shield.
"Lady Luck be with you, mon amour," said Remy as he kissed Marik on the cheek and got into the last available door, Kaiba already in his.
Marik's face heated up then got in the last one.
Inside the room was dark until a whirring sound started. The audience heard it, then out of the walls came the duelists.
Yugi was a little off center from the unexpected lift. At each platform was a dueling field and a plug to hook the disks to the field.
"For the quater finals, this is a preliminary round, it is to determine who you will be matched with for the finals. Now it is a four way duel."
"Is there such a thing?" asked Teana.
"Apparently," said Noah.
"It's not that difficult, it's like playing chest against multiple opponents. Each duelist watches for themselves and they have allies in the arena, you know someone who they can protect."
"Oh," said Noah.
"To determine the order of the preliminary match, choose a random card from your deck. The one with the most attacks points goes first."
Kaiba takes out Masked Beast Des Gardius.
Yugi has Feral Imp.
Marik holds his Swordsman of Landstar.
Remy has Thunder Kid.
"Order is as follows; Kaiba-sama, Yugi Motou, Remy Dubois, and Marik Ishtar. You can choose to ally yourself with another opponent, but the cards you've chosen cannot be used in the duel."
The duelist put the cards in their graveyards.
"Duel Start."
"I play Vorse Raider and put two cards face down."
"I play Big Shield Guardna in defense mode," Yugi says. "Then put two cards face down."
Remy checks his hand. None of his cards are monsters, so he places Grave Robber face down.
Marik plays Lord Poison and Newdoria, one monster face down in defense mode.
If I want to face Yugi in the finals, I need to get Remy's Winged Dragon of Ra, Kaiba thinks. But I have to lose first. Damn, this'll be hard.
"Vorse Raider to attack Remy's life points dead on!"
The beast warrior charges its intended prey, until chains entrap it.
"What?" Remy says relieved.
"I activated my Regulation of Tribe, it stops the attack of any monster type I choose. That includes beast warriors."
"Thank you Yugi."
"Sure," says Yugi. I need to face you first to keep Kaiba from Ra.
"I whole heartedly agree, master," Slyfer says.
"That's the first I heard from you in awhile," Yugi whispers.
"Yes. I can't actually converse with you unless you hold me."
"Okay." Yugi has a funny look on his face from across the platform.
Marik notices but does not say a word.
"Alright, I draw." Remy looks at the card and smiles. "I summon Alligator Sword in attack mode and end my turn."
Marik has his Newdoria attack Kaiba's Vorse Raider.
Kaiba's Vorse Raider destroys it, but then Newdoria's special ability comes into play. Kaiba's Vorse Raider goes to the graveyard.
Marik then uses his Spell of Hate. "Spell of Hate sends my damage to any player on the field and I choose Remy."
Jaws drop and Remy's betrayed look turns into one of empathy.
"I know, it's strange, but Yugi I won't let you face against Remy. You can win Ra from me, but he'll fight," Marik explains concern for his beloved but determination in his voice.
"Marik..." says Yugi.
"That won't happen, freak. It's me against Yugi in the finals, and Ra is mine!"
Although, I'd prefer to finally kick's Kaiba-jerk's ass, thinks Marik as he balls his fists.
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"100 fiends tied up, take one down, throw it around, 99 fiends tied up."
"Hermos! Will you stop that infernal racket."
"Critias, shove it. Everyone knows you're not a music lover," Hermos retorts to his tempermental partner.
The other grinds his teeth. Timeaus watches the exchange from a distance. He wonders how such fine soldiers and spies could act so petty.
"The world is strange with no direction leading one way or the other."
Timeaus nods at the voice of Akefia's lover.
"The final count is coming in at three hundred and sixty, leaving fifty left," Ryou said.
"That's good. How's the King holding up?"
The men turn to their ruler, who slouches as another fiend is brought to him.
"Here we go," he said as he stands with great effort. Using stores of energy, Atem's crimson eyes take a vermillion hue as he stares down the fiend trembling. "Your mind shall never again comprehend another evil deed towards the Shadow Realm, nor will you ever be allowed a thought. Mind Crush!"
The fiends eyes widened as a brush stroke of thorns entered his head. Soon he was calm, pupils gone, on the ground.
Atem huffed and landed on his butt.
"98 fiends tied up, 98 fiends, take one down, throw it around, 97 fiends tied up."
"Hermos," Atem said, rubbing his temples, "enough of that infernal racket!"
"Yes, Your Majesty," Hermos says quietly.
Critias grinds his teeth. The nerve of the king telling him what to do, he thinks. Hermos should have listened to me. And that idiotic dungeon master drinking my good whiskey—
"Critias, we still got more ta go, move up," yells Jono.
Critias comes out of his rants.
"Your partners," says Ryou to Timeaus, "are...huh...
"Pains in the ass, worse than mules, darknest before the dawn," Timeaus spun to a silent Ryou. "They're all these things and more, but Hermos and Critias are also my war brothers."
Ryou nodded. "That's a strong bond. Akefia and I were together during that time, albeit we're soul mates, but I think we...grew closer than most."
"I agree. Five minutes you're not withing arms reach of each other and you go and fornicate in my ship."
Timeaus saw the red blush and sweat come down Ryou's face.
"I said I'd clean up..."
"Please," he says, "I don't want to know anything than the short version I was told."
Ryou bows his head embarressed. Akefia watches the exchange, grinning at the cute blush his kitten has.
He then turns to his friend.
"Atem."
"Yes..."
"Let me handle the rest, Mana, Shizuka, and Ishizu left some time ago to watch the duel. Go, see Yugi fight."
Atem looks to his friend. Once upon a time, they were enemies, but Akefia was the best friend he had thought only existed in Jono.
"Thank you, Akefia."
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"This duel's got so many turns, I'm starting to get dizzy," said Mana, fully recovered.
"Yeah, I got lost at the point Marik's Lord Poison was destroyed," Noah said. "And my neck's getting stiff."
He rubs his sore neck as Mokuba roots for Seto. Mad or not, Seto's still his brother.
"You got them, Nii-sama, I know you do."
Teana scrutinizes the body language of the duelists. As an ex-dancer, she figures Kaiba has trouble losing, why his face is in such a scowl, Remy worried, which is why he is at the top and hesitating, Marik trying to get to Remy by gritting his teeth and telling Yugi not to protect.
"Yugi's in a tough spot," says Shizuka.
"What do you mean?" asks Otogi confused.
"Look at them, Marik has no monsters on the field and Remy has one face down card. If he attacks next that means Remy and Marik will be tied to go first, which isn't bad. And battling Kaiba before Remy is the safest bet, but also what ramifications will that leave Marik in, facing off Ra."
Otogi gulps. Ishizu's brow furrows at her brother. She knows what he is trying to do, she questions his sanity at the moment. They are not sure what Ra's power can do yet, and Remy said he only won it, not used it. She bites her nails and feels her hand being taken by her older sister, Mana. Mana squeezes it, calming Ishizu.
"I'll be fine."
"How do you know?" asks Ishizu.
"I just do."
Yugi looks around the field. He can't attack Kaiba's Diamond Head Dragon with that face down card, Remy has two, so the logical decision would be to attack Marik, but he cannot do that. Yugi decides to pass, until he hears Marik.
"Yugi, attack me. You need the other card yes," says Marik through the mind link.
"But, that's means you have to battle Remy. We don't know what Ra can do yet...no I'd rather have y—"
"Yugi, let me do my duty! Attack me!"
"Beast of Gilfer," Yugi said, voice wavering on stutters, "attack Marik's life points directly."
Once the blask was shot, Marik's platform went up next to Remy's.
"Thank you, Yugi. I summon Dark Jeroid and end my turn," says Marik.
"That's the weakest on the field," Remy chimes out from his aerial view.
"Yes, but it has a special ability."
"Okay," Remy draws. "Oh, thank you. I summon Blade Knight in attack mode."
"Very well," says Kaiba. "I place two cards face down and end my turn."
Marik's special ability can't get close with Ring of Destruction and Ring of Defense.
"Hm," Yugi examines his hand. "I place one card face down and switch my Beast of Gilfer into defense mode."
"Dark Jeroid, attack Berserk Gorilla."
"Wait, my knight has more life points..."
"Dark Jeroid automatically takes eight hundred points from any monster with a thousand or higher."
The blue creature came upon the knight, but it stopped as Remy activated his face down card. It was one that Marik had himself, Skull Dice.
"With Skull Dice, depending on the number, it will increase my knight's power."
The red die left the little demon, it rolled revealing two.
"Yes, that means your Jeroid gets beaten by my knight."
The Blade Knight went in for the kill, but it shrunk before getting to Jeroid.
"Wha..."
"Kaiba! What did you do?"
"Nothing."
Kaiba revealed his Shrink card, weakening Remy's Blade Knight.
Dark Jeroid took the knight in his arms and crushed it. Remy's platform flew up.
"Why?" says Remy, Marik glaring at Kaiba.
"Helping my enemies brings me closer to victory."
Marik growls. "I'll get you for that."
"Do your worst."
"I will. Trust me."
The duel continues with Kaiba attacking Marik with his dragon. However, it is intercepted by Yugi's Mirror Force.
"Thanks. Now I draw," Marik looks at his hand and grins, "I place one card face down then summon my Buster Blader and use it to attack Kaiba's Diamond Head."
Kaiba sniffs. "I activate Ring of Destruction. It destroys your monster, damaging both our fields, although I also activate Ring of Defense, saving my life points."
Both monsters were destroyed in the explosion, but a strange thing happened. Not only did Marik life points stay down, but Remy's face down card was revealed to be Grave Robber.
"I used my robber to take Marik's Spell of Pain. It uses any damage done to me to happen also to my opponent. Since there was none, both of us are safe."
Just then both Remy's and Marik's life points went to zero.
"Huh..." Remy said dumbfounded.
"I had two of those in my dark, and the second cancels the first," said Marik, solemnly, as he and Remy rose to the top.
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Atem hurried up the steps, the escalator goind unnoticed, and threw the door open to see his wife and the other duelist rise up.
"Wh-w-whe-where are they going?" he managed to huff out.
The room turned in surprise.
"Umm, Marik's fighting Remy for the first round," said Shizuka after some time.
"Shit," Atem responded.