YU-GI-OH!
A New Generation of Duelists
Preparing to Leave
By Dan Kuhlmeyer
Derrick was too busy reading he didn't even hear his dad come upstairs.
"Don't you ever put a book down?"
Surprised, his head snapped up and he smiled at Kaiba.
"Nope."
Kaiba just smiled. "I understand. But don't spend the whole night. You've got a lot to do tomorrow, remember?"
"Yeah."
Kaiba closed the door behind him.
"Seesh!" Derrick heard his Uncle Mokuba complain. "How the heck can that kid spend so much time reading? I can't spend five minutes reading a book like that without falling asleep."
"It's something he got from his mother," he heard his dad say with a chuckle. "She used to love reading, it always drove me crazy. When he was little, she'd read him a book before he went to sleep because she always said that a good story brings good dreams. She was a kindergarten teacher and she loved to be around children. In fact, one of her students used to come over here all the time to hear a story from her."
Derrick listened to it with surprise. I don't even remember that. But then again all I remember is that ever since she died, I've hated everybody. I can't recall anything before that.
A van stopped near the dock by the Stalkers' hideout, where their leader awaited them. The two men who were at the store that sold the Card Scanners got out of the van and as one of them went to unload the Card Scanners, the one who worked the sold the other Card Scanners walked up to the leader and removed his sunglasses, showing a scorpion tattoo where the body covered his left eye and the tail curved around his right.
"We have brought the twelve Card Scanners you wanted, master. But I have even greater news: the Duelists you seek have already got their Scanners. I was aware that I'd run into them so I gave them ones equipped with tracking devices so we could easily find them."
The leader chuckled at this news. "Excellent work, Scorpio, although I'm not surprise. Your mind is as quick and deadly as a scorpion."
Then he was full of amazement. "Oh! Is that why they call you Scorpio?"
Scorpio chuckled as Taurus walked up to them.
"Have you assembled the Duelists?" the leader asked him.
"Yes, master. I have selected the best we have. I assure you they will not fail."
"Good. Have them equipped with a Card Scanner and have them training themselves with them. Then have them on the boat. We'll tomorrow night."
"Yes, master."
The leader chuckled. I couldn't find better leaders for my two teams. Scorpio leads my Spy Network with his intelligence to track down any Duelist I desire and Taurus's strength leads my Strider Team to Duel them and take the rarest card they can get from them. With both teams being lead by such as these two, failure is not an option and it won't be when I Duel Brian and his friends.
It was time. The doctor was ready to take Serenity to get her eyes fixed. Trevor was still worried about if the tests would fail, but Serenity reassured him that she would be alright. She had an operation like this before and she knew she would be safe.
But after she left the room she was staying at, Trevor was back to his worry.
"What if it doesn't work, Dad? What if all the hard work I went through to get the money for this was for nothing?"
"I don't want you to talk like that," Tristan said to him. "It will work and even if it doesn't, she'll still be proud of you for trying. I know I am."
Trevor still wasn't satisfied, but he didn't want to argue any further.
After logging his and Michelle's Card Scanners online, Derrick strapped his on and stood in front of Michelle. Brian sat down to watch the Duel.
"Ready?" he asked her.
"Let's do it!" she answered.
They inserted their decks, inserted their field cards, switched the Card Scanners on, and threw the Holodisks away from them.
"By the way," Derrick called out, "even though we're both using a light field, our Light Monsters will only get a 500 point bonus."
"Fine. Let's Duel!"
"I'll go first," Derrick announced as he pressed his Turn Button. "I'll play La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp in Attack Mode and use Pot of Greed to draw two cards, and lay one card facedown."
La Jinn (1800) appeared.
Michelle pressed her Turn Button. "I'll play Skull Red Bird in Attack Mode, use Change of Heart to control your La Jinn, and have both Monsters Attack you Directly."
Skull Red Bird (1550) appeared and slashed its sharp wings at Derrick.
Michelle: 8000. Derrick: 6450.
La Jinn was about to shot Dark Energy at Derrick when he activated a Trap Card.
"I activate Waboku to decrease La Jinn's damage to zero."
Derrick pressed his Turn Button. "I'll lay one card facedown and summon Y Dragon Head in Attack Mode. La Jinn destroys Skull Red Bird and Y Dragon Head Attacks you Directly."
La Jinn blasted away the Skull Red Bird and a Y Dragon Head (2000) blasted fire at Michelle.
Michelle: 5750. Derrick: 6450.
Michelle pressed her Turn Button. "I activate Graceful Charity to draw three cards and discard two. Next I lay one card facedown and play Dark Hole."
Derrick's Monsters suddenly disappeared.
"Now I summon Harpy Lady."
"And it's destroyed for I activate Trap Hole."
Derrick pressed his Turn Button. "I'll play Z Metal Tank to Attack you Directly."
A Z Metal Tank (2000) appeared and shot rockets at Michelle.
Michelle: 3750. Derrick: 6450.
Michelle pressed her Turn Button. "I'll play one Monster in Defense Mode and end my turn."
Derrick pressed his Turn Button and grinned at the card he drew. "I'll lay one card facedown and Attack your hidden Monster."
Z Metal Tank Shot Rockets at the hidden Monster and the Magician of Faith was destroyed.
"Ha! Now that my Magician of Faith is revealed, I can draw one Magic Card from my Graveyard and return it to my hand."
She took the Graceful Charity card back to her hand and pressed her Turn Button.
"I'll reuse the Graceful Charity to draw three cards and discard two. Now I'll use Monster Reborn to revive one of the Monsters I discarded: Hyozanryu. I'll also equip it with Elf's Light. Plus Harpy's Feather Duster to destroy that hidden card."
Derrick's Dark Hole was destroyed and Hyozanryu (3000) destroyed the Z Metal Tank.
Michelle: 3750. Derrick: 5450.
Derrick pressed his Turn Button. "Maha Vailo in Attack Mode gets a field power bonus plus a very powerful bonus: including the power increase from the Malevolent Nuzzler, he gets a bonus for every Equip Magic Card. Now it's strong enough to destroy your Hyozanryu."
Maha Vailo (3200) slashed one of blades at Hyozanryu and destroyed it.
Michelle: 3550. Derrick: 5450.
Michelle pressed her turn button. "I'll play one Monster in Defense Mode."
Derrick pressed his Turn Button. "I'll have Maha Vailo destroy your hidden Monster."
Maha Vailo destroyed Michelle's Red Archery Girl.
Michelle pressed her Turn Button. "I'll just lay one card facedown."
Derrick pressed his Turn Button. "I'll lay one card facedown and end my Turn."
Michelle was amazed. Why didn't he Attack me? This game could be his. Unless he just wants to beat me with his Blue-Eyes. He's just preparing to Summon it.
Michelle pressed her Turn Button. "I'll just lay one card facedown."
Derrick pressed his Turn Button. "I'll play Mystic Clown in Defense Mode and end my Turn."
Michelle pressed her Turn Button. "I'll play one Fairy's Gift in Attack Mode."
Derrick pressed his Turn Button. "I'll Sacrifice Maha Vailo and Mystic Clown to Summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
Both of Derrick's Monsters disappeared and Derrick's horrifying dragon loomed over Fairy's Gift.
"And now destroy Fairy's Gift!"
The Blue-Eyes White Dragon (3500) shot white lightning at Fairy's Gift.
"I activate Waboku!" Michelle called out.
Derrick sneered as Michelle pressed her Turn Button. "I'll power Fairy's Gift up with my hidden card: Graceful Dice."
"WHAT!"
A fairy appeared and rolled a six sided die which landed on five. Fairy's Gift (9500) emitted an enormous light which destroyed the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Michelle: 3550. Derrick: 0.
The Holodisks stopped glowing and each one returned to their owners. Derrick was disappointed by his loss but he smiled at Michelle.
"Great job, Mich. With the new Card Scanners and this new deck, I thought I had you this time. Once again you've proven me wrong."
"Hey you almost had me there. And these Card Scanners are actually kind of cool."
"Well guys," Brian called out. "Now that we're done here, I think we have some things to take care of."
Trevor and Tristan were still waiting for Serenity in her room. Trevor took a deep breath and sighed with worry.
"Don't tell me your still worried," Tristan said to him.
"I can't help it. I've got this gut feeling that tells me it's going to turn out bad."
"Tell me something Trevor. You said you worked hard to get the money for this. What did you think about while you were working?"
Trevor thought about all his Duels with Amy, Pirate, Dusk and Dawn, Steel, and Michelle before he answered. "In every Duel I fought, no matter how hard it got, all I could think about was getting the money to help Mom get her sight back."
"Then you should think about that, when she needs you to do that right now."
Trevor lowered his head. Maybe dad's right. Maybe the only way to help Mom is to think positive. But then again, when I try to think positive about this, I just can't.
"And you're not alone in it, buddy," he suddenly heard Brian's voice. He lifted his head up and saw Brian, Yugi, Teá, Michelle, Joey, Mai, Derrick, even Kaiba and Mokuba were standing in front of him.
"What?" Joey chuckled. "You thought we were going to stay home while my sister was in the hospital?"
"We all care about Serenity," Yugi said. "And we all wanted to be here for her."
Kaiba snorted. "I'm just here because Derrick wanted to be here."
He then noticed Joey was actually smiling at him instead of going in frenzy. He must've known that Kaiba didn't really mean it.
"Besides," Michelle spoke up to Trevor. "If you think we were going to let you go through this by yourself, you're dumber than I thought."
Trevor smiled at his friends. He was already starting to feel better.
The doctor then came with two nurses moving the stretcher Serenity was lying on behind him. Serenity's eyes were covered by bandages.
"The bandages can't be taken off for two weeks," the doctor said to everyone, "otherwise the light will damage her eyes permanently. But the operation was successful."
Everyone started cheering as the nurses moved Serenity from the stretcher to her bed. Trevor walked up to her with tears of happiness. She felt his hand and grasped it as she smiled.
"I'm very proud of you, Trevor. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here right now. Thank you."
Trevor kissed her cheek. "I love you, Mom."
"So do I. Now you've got that tournament to get ready for, so don't spend all day with your old mom."
Trevor smiled as he parted from his mom and joined his three best friends. They all leapt into the air and clashed their hands together.
Brian, Michelle, Trevor, and Derrick waved at their parents as they headed for the boat and they waved back.
Yugi took a deep breath and sighed. "Just when I thought I couldn't be more proud of those four."
"Hey, Hot Stuff!"
Trevor turned and saw Amy rush up to him.
"I need an escort to the boat but you're the only handsome guy I can find."
Trevor chuckled as he took her hand. "As you wish."
And they walked together with their friends.
Samantha Brandon rested in her luxury room. As her eyes opened, her hair turned white as the Headband of Horus appeared around her head revealing her true identity: Alexa Unicorn.
"They have arrived. And without a doubt, the Stalkers are on their way with the Egyptian God Cards and the Dagger of Anubis. Once I have them, I will use them to defeat Brian and Michelle and take their Items. Then I will send all four of them to the Shadow Realm."
Her laugh became more malevolent. "Starting with Derrick."
Brian and Michelle stood next to each other on the bow of the ship. Michelle stared at her necklace with worry.
"We're getting close to finding out who our adversaries are. Once we do, what'll stop them from taking you to the Shadow Realm."
"Michelle, I've never seen you so scared."
"Well my life's never been on the line like this."
Brian placed his hand over her shoulder. "Whatever happens, we'll figure it out together."
They both smiled as they looked into each other's eyes.
On the Stalker's boat, the leader sat on a chair in his quarters and placed his Dagger on a table. The jackal's eyes shone green as it turned in a 60° angle. A wicked grin appeared under his hood.
"They're on their way. All that stands in the way of my destiny are four children:
"Trevor, a mere amateur who's now playing with the big boys. He's no threat at all but he might be useful later on.
"Derrick, a loner with a powerful deck. He may keep his distance from his friends, but he will keep a good eye out for them. A problem that will have to be corrected.
"Michelle, an expert Duelist full of surprises. She's no more than the Pharaoh's shield. I must get rid of her in order to defeat the Pharaoh.
"And my main target, Brian. Once I defeat him, I will obtain his Millennium Puzzle and use its power to conquer the entire world.
"With the power of my Dagger of Anubis and the strength of my Stalkers, nothing stands in my way and I will succeed where my uncle failed."
To be continued...