(A/N: So it looked like none of you guessed what this chapter was going to be. One person guessed Sonia, which made me realize I should've probably specified that we were talking about rich assholes like Kaiba XD. That's really the only intro I have this time. Back to the story!)

After parting ways from Seto Kaiba, Byakuya Togami scoured the city, trying to figure out where to get his last locator card. His planned coup d'état failed so now he had to figure out a new strategy to get himself back on board and into the finals.

I suppose I'll just have to challenge the first duelist I come across, Byakuya thought. Aside from Kaiba and Yugi Mutoh, there isn't a duelist in this tournament that has a remote chance of beating me. Secure in his superiority, Byakuya didn't walk very far after that before noticing a duelist sitting down with a spot of tea at a café. Her duel disk was sitting on top of the table. Well now, that's not exactly a sight you see every day, Byakuya thought. He approached the young lady, dressed in a French maid outfit. "Excuse me."

"Hmm?" The young woman turned her head, gazing at Byakuya with glimmering red eyes.

"I couldn't help, but notice your duel disk," Byakuya said, showing off his. "I'll be straightforward," he said and pointed at her. "I challenge you."

The young woman sipped her tea extra loudly, gazing at Byakuya intently. She then put the tea cup and coaster down. "Very well," she said as she equipped her duel disk. "Fair warning though, I'm probably one of the most talented duelists here."

"Heh, have all the talent you want. You're nothing compared to one such as I, Byakuya Togami."

"Of the Togami Corporation?" the young lady asked.

"The very same," Byakuya answered.

"Then this should be interesting," she chuckled. "A Togami challenging the country's feared underworld gambler, I, Celestia Ludenburg. One would think a match like this wouldn't be performed until the finals."

"Please, someone like you is hardly worth finals material. Once I've relieved you of a locator card and your rarest card, you'll think twice before continuing in this tournament."

Celeste giggled. "You'd best watch that sharp tongue of yours before I rip it out. I can be very vicious when I'm angry."

"I like your confidence," Byakuya said. "Very few would dare to stand up to me unintimidated." He activated his duel disk. "Let's see if that bravado isn't just all talk."

"Works for me," Celeste said and held up her duel disk as well. She and Byakuya then stood the required distance from each other.

"Let's Duel!" they declared simultaneously.

"Since I issued the challenge, I'll go first," Byakuya said and drew the top card of his deck swiftly. Glancing at it, he decided to summon what he drew. "I play Mad Dog of Darkness in attack mode!" The same growly beast he used against Kaiba appeared on the battlefield. "Next, I shall place one card face-down and end my turn."

"Not a bad start, strong monster, a back-up plan," Celeste said, identifying Byakuya's strategy, only to smirk, "Too bad it's about to crumble before your very eyes." She drew the top card of her deck and then declared, "I activate Mystic Space Typhooon, destroying your face-down card."

Byakuya braced for impact as the gale destroyed his card. "Hmph, not bad, but my monster still has 1900 attack points. The chances of you having a monster that can destroy it are—"

"Laughably easy," Celeste said, smirking.

"What?" Byakuya snapped.

"I play Phantom Gryphon, in attack mode!" Celeste declared, unleashing her signature attack beast. "Phantom Gryphon, attack!" The swift, gigantic, phantasmal monster, flew down and destroyed Mad Dog of Darkness with its powerful foreclaws, reducing Byakuya's life points down to 3900. "My turn is over."

"It's my turn then," Byakuya said. He drew the top card of his deck, examined it and smirked, "And just like you, I shall also play a monster with more attack points."

"You're bluffing," Celeste said, eyes narrowing.

"No I'm not," Byakuya said. "Say hello to Chainsaw Insect." The giant bug with chainsaw-like mandibles appeared on the battlefield. It had 2400 attack points.

Celeste kept her cool, but still couldn't keep herself from sweating a little.

"Chainsaw Insect, attack, destroy Phantom Gryphon," Byakuya declared, pointing at it. Chainsaw Insect dashed forward, leapt into the air and swept its mandibles through Phantom Gryphon, destroying it. Celeste's life points fell to 3600. "Of course, such power comes at a price. For its high attack power, Chainsaw Insect allows my opponent to draw a card whenever it engages in battle."

"I hope that risk was worth it," Celeste said, drawing from the top card of her deck. "You're dealing with a notoriously skilled gambler after all."

"There is nothing in your deck that could defeat me. I choose to use this monster to show my superiority to my foe, so that no matter what they draw they could not hope to defeat me."

"We'll see about that," Celeste said.

"Yes, we shall," Byakuya said. "I now place one card face-down on the field and end my turn."

Celeste drew the top card of her deck and gracefully placed it in her hand. She then scanned her hand for a potential strategy and plucked three cards from it. "I begin my turn by playing Cost Down!" Celeste declared. She sent a card to the graveyard. "At the cost of discarding one card from my hand, I can lower the levels of all monsters in my hand. And with that situation underway, I can play this card without sacrificing a monster: Phoenix Beast Gairuda!" The powerful winged beast appeared on Celeste's side of the field. "And thanks to its special ability, it gains 300 additional attack points whenever it attacks." Phoenix Beast Gairuda's attack power increased to 2800 as Celeste declared her attack, "Phoenix Beast Gairuda, attack! Destroy Chainsaw Insect!"

Celeste's monstrous bird companion alighted itself in flames and charged straight through Byakuya's monster, the residual flames causing him to recoil when his monster was destroyed. His life points became 3500, giving Celeste an advantage. "And since I attacked Chainsaw Insect, I get to draw another card." Celeste placed it in her hand. "Your move, Togami boy," she said with a chuckle as she played a card face-down.

"Your mockery will only result in your downfall," Byakuya said calmly. He drew the top card of his deck. "Heh, I shall play Change of Heart. Now your monster serves me," He said, tilting his head back to look down on Celeste. "And since I know the effects of Change of Heart are only temporary, I shall take a page out of your book and sacrifice the monster you've so generously given by using Cost Down to lower the levels of the monsters in my hand. That way, I can summon White Night Dragon in attack mode." A crystalline blue dragon appeared with 3000 attack points. "And I shall use this marvelous beast to attack your life points directly."

"I activate the trap card, Mirror Force!" Celeste declared, revealing the face-down card. With her trap card deflecting the attack, she destroyed Byakuya's monster.

Strangely, Byakuya looked impressed, "Playing Mirror Force at this stage was quite unexpected. I must admit, I admire your skill, Celestia Ludenburg." Byakuya pointed at her. "But even if I respect your skill, you will still fall before me."

"Right, right, that Togami blood," Celeste said with a bored tone. "My turn yet?"

"Yes, unfortunately."

Celeste chuckled. "Then this is going to be a fun turn for me," she said. She drew the top card of her deck. "I play 7 Colored Fish in attack mode!" the rainbow trout appeared. "And I use it to attack your life points directly!"

7 Colored Fish unleashed a burst stream of water from its mouth and doused Byakuya, reducing his life points to 1700, giving Celeste a significant lead. "That concludes my turn."

"My draw then," Byakuya said. "And I'll start by playing Pot of Greed so that I can draw two cards." Byakuya said, drawing two cards from his deck. "Next, I'll play a personal favorite of mine: Gene-Warped Warwolf." The white 4-armed monster appeared. "Gene-Warped Warwolf, destroy Celeste's 7 Colored Fish! War Fist Beatdown!" Byakuya's monster pounded Celeste's tuna and brought her life points down to 3400, double his own.

"I'll now play a card face-down," Byakuya said. "And end my turn."

"Then it is my turn," Celeste said and drew the top card of her deck. "First, I place two cards face-down," she said as the holograms appeared. "And next, I play Card of Sanctity, now we must both draw until we're holding six cards."

"Ha! And I'm the idiot for letting you draw cards with Chainsaw Insect?" Byakuya scoffed.

"Unlike you, I can afford it. I'm the gambler here," Celeste chuckled. "A good gambler does things for themselves even if it might benefit their opponent."

"Well let's hope this little gamble of yours doesn't backfire," Byakuya told her.

Celeste ignored him. "I place a monster face-down and end my turn."

"My turn then," Byakuya said and drew the top card of his deck. "I shall sacrifice my Gene-Warped Warwolf to play this: my Brain Golem!" A grotesque looking monster with long tentacles, shaped like a brain, and eyes all over its body appeared. It had 2500 attack points and 1800 defense points.

"That thing looks absolutely hideous."

"When it comes to this game one can hardly afford to be disturbed by appearances if one wishes to hold the most powerful deck. And if you're hoping that your face-down cards can save you from my attack," Byakuya revealed a spell card in his hand. "You're wrong. I activate Twin Twisters, discarding 1 card from my hand," Byakuya said, sending a card to the graveyard, "To destroy both of your face-down cards."

A powerful gale picked up, followed by a twin to go with it and they destroyed Celeste's spell and trap cards.

"And now my Brain Golem attacks!" Byakuya declared. "Psionic Shock Strike!" Byakuya's monster destroyed Celeste's monster: The Mystical Elf. "Such bad luck for an esteemed gambler. Mystical Elf is a light-attribute monster.

"So?"

"So, whenever my Brain Golem destroys a light-attribute monster, it can attack again. Brain Golem, attack!" Byakuya declared and the golem used is telekinetic abilities to attack Celeste directly, zapping her and bringing her life points down to 900. "So much for your impressive lead," Byakuya chuckled.

"I'll still win in the end," Celeste said defiantly.

"Please, you've got nothing," Byakuya said. "And to make sure of that, I set a card face-down and end my turn."

Arrogant little…no, keep calm Celeste. Don't let him rile you up. You have this. Celeste drew the top card from her deck and prepared to counterattack. "I play Monster Reborn to bring my Phoenix Beast Gairuda back from my graveyard!" Celeste declared. "And with it, I shall attack your Brain Golem and destroy it!"

"Hmph, when will you learn?" Byakuya asked rhetorically. "I activate my face-down card: Metalmorph!" The trap card flipped face-up. "Thanks to the 300 attack point boost, both of our monsters will be destroyed."

Overhead, Brain Golem's metallic telekinetic powers, met with Phoenix Beast Gairuda's flaming body. The monsters slammed into each other and Brain Golem was incinerated as Phoenix Beast Gairuda fell to the ground on Byakuya's side of the field and then dissipated.

"Well, at least I've rid the field of your trap card," Celeste said. "I now place Dark Elf on the field, in attack mode."

"Playing a monster that can't even attack. How desperate have you become?" Byakuya asked.

"Desperation is part of any victory," Celeste said. "I just have the grace not to express it."

"Heh, well said," Byakuya stated.

"Next, I place one card face-down on the field and end my turn."

"How sad that it will be your last," Byakuya said and drew. Celeste watched him carefully. She had to pay attention. She couldn't screw this up. "I play Lion Alligator in attack mode!" the maned gator appeared on the battlefield with a growl. "Next, I shall equip it with my Black Pendant magic card."

"Not with this in play," Celeste said. "Go! Dust Tornado!"

"Are you mad?" Byakuya asked as his spell card was destroyed. "By destroying my Black Pendant, you've lowered your own life points."

"It's worth the risk," Celeste said as her life points fell to 400. "After all, I'm allowed to play another card face-down in response," Celeste said, slapping the card into the reader.

Byakuya massaged his temple for a moment and looked at Celeste with a contemplative look. She was certainly an odd player, unafraid to take any risk if it meant winning. Like Kaiba, it seemed Byakuya had found yet another duelist like him, but for another reason entirely.

I'd best play this cautiously, Byakuya thought. "I activate the spell card, Fissure to destroy your Dark Elf!" The ground opened up and created a chasm that sucked Celeste's Dark Elf right into it.

"You're wide open for an attack," Byakuya said. "I told you this was your last turn and I meant it. Go! Lion Alligator! Attack Celeste directly and end this duel!"

"Activate trap card: Negate Attack!" Celeste declared, stopping Byakuya dead in his tracks.

"Well, it seems you've bought yourself another turn. I'm impressed. Very well, Celeste, take one more turn. Take two if you can, but you are fated to lose this duel. Because I am a Togami. Victory is simply a foregone conclusion. And just to ensure that, I place a card face-down and end my turn."

Celeste stood still for a moment, sweat dripping down her pale face. Her breath was sped up a bit due to the pressure she was facing in this duel. When Chiaki beat her, Celeste hadn't had a moment to notice she'd been set up. This was the first time, in a long time, even in her other gambling pursuits that she'd been, in a word, cornered.

Celeste had only one course of action in a scenario like this. When her back was to the wall and all hope seemed to vanish into thin air, she simply stood her ground and forced her best smile. She had to act as if things were all going according to her plan. After all, Duel Monsters, like any game of chance, just required a little bit of luck.

And I need that luck now more than ever! Celeste declared to herself. She drew the top card off her deck in a flash and quickly turned it to look at it. "I play Pot of Greed so that I can draw two cards!" Celeste said with a sweet, lovable smile. She drew her two cards. "And next, I play Harpie's Feather Duster, ridding the field of all of your spell and trap cards."

Byakuya's Bottomless Trap Hole was destroyed, leaving his Lion Alligator defenseless.

"Next, I play Gemini Elf!" Celeste declared as the elf sisters took to the battlefield.

"Wonderful, you'll get us both destroyed," Byakuya said, glancing sideways and looking bored.

"I keep my eye on the field if I were you," Celeste said and let loose the most amused of grins as she drew back one of the cards she'd drawn with Pot of Greed. "I play Double Summon! And I use it to sacrifice my Gemini Elf to play Raiza the Storm Monarch!"

Gemini Elf disappeared and, from a raging green whirlwind, a monster in opal colored armor appeared. In fact, it seemed to be nothing, but armor. It also had 2400 attack points. "And thanks to Raiza's special ability, since it was normal summoned by tributing it to the field," Celeste raised her arm, "I get to select one of your monsters," Celeste pointed right at Lion Alligator. "And return it to the top of your deck."

Byakuya was speechless. "Y-you can't!" he stuttered.

"I can," Celeste said with a smile. "Funny thing about Duel Monsters, the more turns that go by, the greater chance you have of getting what you need.

"You...you set me up!" Byakuya declared.

"Au contraire, Byakuya Togami," Celeste said and then gave Byakuya a defiant look. "I'm just that good."

"This…this can't be," Byakuya uttered.

"Well then, maybe this will give you a reality check," Celeste commented. "Raiza! Send Lion Alligator back to the top of Togami's deck!"

A massive whirlwind kicked up and Byakuya's monster was suddenly nowhere to be found.

"And with the field clear of distractions, all that remains are your life points. Now! Raiza the Storm Monarch, attack Byakuya's life points directly!"

A massive whirlwind blew into Byakuya's face and blew him back several feet, reducing his life points all the way down to 0.

When Byakuya recovered from the blast, as the field dissipated he declared, "This...this is ridiculous! I, the great Byakuya Togami, brought down by some harlot wearing a French maid outfit?" This was utterly insulting!

Celeste chuckled. "It would appear strength, money and skill mean nothing without a little luck, eh Togami boy?" She then laughed again.

Byakuya folded his arms and looked annoyed, "Tch, fine. Let it never be said I'm not without honor or strictly adhering to rules." He grabbed his deck and grabbed Wicked Dreadroot. I never actually thought I would be parting with this. He also grabbed a locator card, bringing him down to four. "Here, my rarest card and a locator card. Take good care of it."

Celeste looked at the card and smiled, "Oh I am very happy with this card. It will see good use."

"Well then, you have what you need, but I must still seek what I need. I'll be on my way."

"Yes, you do that," Celeste said and watched Byakuya walk away. At this point, Takashi had informed Marik of Celeste's success and been possessed by Marik once more. "Celeste, I would like to see the card you managed to obtain. A man like Byakuya Togami likely has very powerful cards to offer."

Celeste showed Marik the card. "Do my eyes deceive me? The Wicked Dreadroot lies in your possession?"

"Indeed it does now," Celeste said, slowly slipping the card into her deck and giving it a nice pat with her pointer finger. "And it's going to be put to good use posthaste. With this card, I shall bring about the downfall of one Joseph Wheeler."

(A/N: Short duel, short chapter. But, we'll get those on occasion. I just hope the tense duel between Byakuya and Celeste was enough to hold your attention. Speaking of attention holding, next chapter will have a very short duel and after that it will consist entirely of plot. Wow, took us nineteen chapters before we saw any real plot starting to form. Up until now it's felt mostly like back and forth dueling with the exception of chapter 17 XD. Also, hope you don't miss Mr. Togami too much cause we're not done with him quite yet XD. Who's he dueling? Well our various list of duelists is wearing thin so your options are limited. Until then though, as always, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)