Yugi awoke with a start as his alarm went off. He groggily slapped the Snooze button, which ended the annoying sound as quickly as it started. The boy sat up, rubbed his eyes, and tried to remember why he turned his alarm on.
"Good morning Yugi," said the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle. Yami manifested beside the boy's bed, a smile on his face. "Did you forget what today was?"
Yugi looked at him, totally baffled. "What are you talking about? It's Saturday, isn't it?"
Yami started to look annoyed. "We're supposed to meet Joey at the harbor. The S.S. Aqua leaves for Monster Island today, remember?"
Yugi fell out of bed. "Oh no! I almost forgot!" The boy ran to his closet and dug through the pile of clothes there, while at the same time trying to get out of his blue, star covered pajamas. "Good thing you remembered."
"I was working on deck strategies all night," Yami said. "It was tough to decide what cards would work best with this battle system, since I am not familiar with the other games that are included in this tournament."
"I know... it's been a while since I've played any of those games." Yugi slid into his black leather pants, which were a part of the "street duelist" uniform Joey had bought him for his birthday recently. It would be hell trying to get into the belt-shirt that went with it. Leave it to Joey to make him look like some dominatrix's slave and call it "cool".
Yugi glanced over at his protector, who waited patiently while looking out the window of Yugi's room. "Yami? Why are we going to this tournament? What is it that made you want to go?"
Yami frowned at the question, but answered. "Looking at the billboard your friends pointed out awoke some of my memories. A girl... Juri, is going to be at that tournament. At least, her reincarnation is."
"Her reincarnation? You mean like I am to you?"
"That's right." Yami turned and leaned against the window sill. "In my time, Juri was a Hebrew slave who became a student of Simon Muran, a great magician and adviser to the Pharaoh before me."
"The Pharaoh before you? You mean your father?"
Yami closed his eyes. "Yes... my father. Simon raised me in my parents' stead. My father died while battling a Hebrew magician named Moses. My mother died shortly after and was buried with him."
"...I'm sorry," Yugi said sadly. It reminded him of his own father, who died a long time ago as well.
Yami shook his head, wordlessly indicating that Yugi didn't need to apologize. "The Pharaoh's priests discovered that Juri possessed a Ka... the spirit of a Duel Monster in my time. They tried to draw it out and capture it within a tablet, but each attempt failed. The Ka was too powerful to be contained by one tablet."
Yugi finished snapping his belt-shirt, and put on the neckband that connected to his Millennium Puzzle. He locked it in place. "What did they do?"
"...They were forced to capture the Ka in five tablets."
"Five tablets!!?" Yugi gasped. "You mean... like five cards?"
Yami looked at him grimly. "Yes. The Ka was contained within five tablets, but the priests and the Pharaoh were unable to sever the girl's link with those tablets. They were afraid that if she were to learn the ways of magic, she would be able to release the Ka's full power. So they imprisoned her before Simon could complete her training."
Yugi trembled. The thought of someone controlling the power of Exodia like that... it was unreal. "So they just left her there? That's so sad..."
"The story didn't end there," Yami said. "Juri wasn't just a Hebrew slave; she was also the lover of a Japanese prince. This prince and a band of legendary warriors tried to free her, and attacked the Pharaoh's city using their magical powers. They could not summon Ka... but they commanded powerful beasts created by the forces of Thunder and Lightning. Electricity bound in flesh and blood."
"A second type of monster?" Yugi asked. "Made of electricity?"
Yami nodded. "They failed to free Juri from the Pharaoh's dungeons, but they made a prophecy with their last breaths. They said that one day, after the Forbidden Ka was freed, the Pharaoh would be defeated by the very power he sought to lock away."
"You mean somebody will defeat you with Exodia!?" Yugi cried. "But that's impossible! Grandpa is the only person whose ever had a complete set of Exodia cards! And we lost three of them at sea!"
"...I don't think this is merely tied to cards, Yugi," Yami affirmed. "The prophecy speaks of the Forbidden Ka being freed. It sounds like they were referring to Exodia being released from his prison."
"...Becoming real?"
Yami looked at his Aibou with the determined glare that only an ageless spirit could manage. "I am going to Monster Duel EX to find this girl, and ensure once and for all that Exodia is sealed. The Pharaoh and his priests were unable to do so in the past... but I have something they didn't have."
"What's that?"
The spirit looked down at the Millennium Puzzle, hanging around Yugi's neck. "I have you. With you, my powers are magnified. Two souls in perfect synchronization can accomplish feats that even an army of wizards could not." Yami put a ghostly hand on his partner's shoulder. "Together, you and I will destroy Exodia, before his power is used by an evil force."
Yami faded from sight, returning to the Millennium Puzzle and Yugi's subconscious mind. Yugi considered his words, and understood why Yami wanted to go. As always, the two of them were going to save the world... and this time, they were literally saving it. If Exodia was ever freed from his prison, he could wipe out a planet and everything on it.
"Alright! Let's go!" Yugi grabbed the Industrial Illusions® sports bag containing his Duel Ark, his cards, and the supplies he'd packed for the tournament. He raced out the door of his bedroom, ready to take on the world.
--
Kaiba's private helicopter flew over the city of Domino, the city that the Kaiba family had under its thumb as far as the economy went. Sakura looked out of the helicopter, excited to be so high in the air and in such an expensive helicopter, just so that she could go to a luxury boat! She figured it would have been easier just to take a cab, or walk, but Set-san had his own way of doing things. She and Mokuba took it as a chance to see the city in its entirety from high above. Domino was beautiful when seen as a whole.
"Oh, look at that!" Sakura gasped. Mokuba looked over her shoulder at what she was pointing at. It turned out to be the harbor, where the luxury boat was anchored. The boat was huge, even by his standards. You could fit two football fields on that thing. And all of this was provided for only 400 competitors? What was Zero thinking? He must've been the richest man in the world, or he liked to show off what money he had.
"When we land, make sure you keep an eye on Sakura," Kaiba warned his brother. "Zero doesn't want his robot to be broken before he gets use out of it."
Sakura frowned at the older Kaiba. "Seto-sama, do you have to call me that?" It was easy for her to get touchy when he referred to her as a robot all the time, instead of a person.
Kaiba scowled back. "I make it a point to call people what they are, not what they pretend to be."
Sakura blinked. "Then how come you only do that to me? You never call Mokuba anything!" Mokuba sweatdropped; he really didn't want to be in this fight.
"If it makes you feel any better..." Kaiba shut his suitcase full of Duel Monster cards as the helicopter approached the landing pad. "...I always called my stepfather, 'Old Drunk'."
"...Seto," Mokuba whispered. His brother stepped off the helicopter, not bothering to duck like the pilot and his co-pilot were. Sakura and Mokuba looked at each other, and quickly followed Kaiba to the stairwell that lead to the main harbor.
"I think he's still sore about that loss," Sakura said as the younger Kaiba helped her off the helicopter. "Or he just doesn't like me being around."
"Don't worry. Seto really does like you. He just doesn't show it very well."
"Then why does he say those things about me?" she asked. "He acts like he doesn't care about my feelings."
"Seto isn't very good with 'feelings'... Our stepfather taught him that emotion was a weakness. So he tried to beat it out of him. After a while, Seto just stopped expressing his feelings, and ignored everyone else's."
Sakura couldn't imagine what that was like. She always felt bad for Seto when Mokuba talked about their past... how their stepfather abused them. Mokuba was always so proud of his brother. Seto protected his little brother from the worst of their stepfather's abuse, and Kaiba took it no matter how horrible it was. Mokuba loved his brother more than anything because of that. But now as an adult, Seto was feeling the repercussions of all that abuse, in the way he treated people around him. He treated them as things to beat... things to defeat, and show that he was their superior.
"...I hope your brother can express his feelings someday, like you do," Sakura said, watching the older Kaiba talk to a harbor guard.
"Me too," Mokuba replied. "...Me too." They followed Seto as he walked towards the luxury cruiser, and gazed in awe at the sheer size of the ship. For children their age, it was an amazing sight to see – better than Tokyo Tower!
"Come on, you two," Kaiba ordered. Sakura and Mokuba whispered something to each other. Kaiba turned and looked at them with annoyance. "Well? Let's go!"
Sakura and Mokuba smiled, and jumped over to the stunned adult. Suddenly, they each had one of his arms and held them like devoted little children did when in the presence of a parent.
Sakura clutched the young man's arm, hugging it like a teddy bear. "We're ready when you are, Seto-sama!"
"What the heck are you to doing?" Kaiba asked, not amused in the slightest. He was even more surprised when Mokuba snatched Kaiba's suitcase from him. "Hey!"
"I can carry that, big brother," the boy said with a big smile. "I want to hold your hand like we did when we were kids!"
"Me too!" Sakura said, looking up at the boy oh-so-sweetly. "Pleeease?"
Kaiba still did not look amused. "Are you two trying to embarrass me?"
"Yup!" they replied in unison.
"Grow up." Kaiba shook Sakura off his left arm, and snatched his suitcase out of Mokuba's hand. He turned and started walking towards the ship again, leaving the two kids behind. They stared incredulously at the man as the crowd made way for his approach.
"...Are you sure he has a heart?" Sakura asked.
"Look at it this way!" Mokuba said, finger held up like an estranged professor. "He didn't want to walk to the ship like that, because he would have been embarrassed if he did! Only people with hearts can get embarrassed!"
"I guess so. But can you imagine him blushing?" Mokuba laughed at the image.
They raced towards the ship, trying to keep up with Seto without getting swallowed up by the crowd. The two managed to get to the ship ramp, where a ticket booth was setup and a man was checking several people trying to get on the boat. This batch happened to have fake tickets, so they were carted away by a group of security guards.
"Hi Tony!" Sakura said, waving at the ticket man. He was an employee of Kaiba Corp who showed up from time to time, and was a friendly gentleman. "Can we get on?"
"Sure thing kids," he replied, opening the gate for them. "Just make sure you stay out of trouble."
"Aww, you're no fun," Mokuba pouted. Tony chuckled and waved them through. Sakura raced Mokuba to the top of the ramp, where Kaiba was waiting for them with an impatient look on his face. They stopped their laughing, and stood there as silent as could be. Kaiba just shook his head.
"Here." He handed them a key. "This is your room. Your luggage is in there."
Mokuba blinked. "One key? You mean we have the same room? B-b-but... Seto!"
"I'm not paying for a robot to have her own room," he said icily. Nobody was close enough to hear him say that, but the kids weren't sure he cared or not. Seto could say anything he wanted and get away with it, considering the amount of influence he had. Nobody would dare question what they heard. "Just put her in the closet when she turns off." Sakura looked down, ashamed at Kaiba's words. Mokuba gave his brother an angry look, but Seto didn't seem to care.
"I'm in Room 1, the presidential suite," he said. "Contact me by cell phone if I'm not there." Kaiba turned and headed off, leaving Mokuba angry and Sakura on the verge of tears.
"...I guess he's right," Sakura said softly. "I can just deactivate myself and stay in the the closet until we arrive at the island." Sakura started walking down the carpet that would lead to their room, until Mokuba grabbed her by the wrist rather suddenly.
"That's nonsense," he said evenly. "You'll sleep on the bed. I'll use the floor." He smiled. "It'll be like camping out."
"Mokuba... you don't have to do that. It's not like I'll be uncomfortable or anything."
"Maybe not, but I'll feel better. I don't like my friends to sleep in closets." Sakura smiled warmly.
"...Capu-kun." That was her nickname for Mokuba, because of his favorite game that he tried unsuccessfully to teach Sakura to play.
"Now come on! Let's go check out the rest of the ship!" Mokuba dragged the surprised girl by the hand to the entertainment section of the deck, where most of the ship's patrons were congregating.
--
Rika wandered the ship, thinking to herself if all this was such a good idea. Coming to the tournament to promote it was a good way to get some extra cash, and it she expected the competition to be fierce. It sounded like a lot of fun. But her mind kept going back home, where Ryo was. She hadn't heard from him since their fight, and she hadn't seen him on the boat, so it looked like he decided not to come to the tournament. Just as well! If he had, she wouldn't want to see his face anyway. And if he stuck around too long, she'd have axed him from the tournament herself! That perverted cowboy wannabe!
Or that's what she kept telling herself. A part of her hated Ryo for what he did. But another part of her wanted to forgive him so that Rika wouldn't be alone anymore. The last thing Rika wanted to do was crawl back to anyone, especially a boy, and especially when he was the one who'd caused them to break up. But still, that part of her nagged at her mind. If she didn't do something with her time, she'd be left with nothing but her thoughts. She had to find something to do, or at least something to watch.
Rika entered the entertainment area, where several small game centers were set up for the players to use while they waited for the boat to reach its destination. There were several Duel Stadiums for those who wanted to play Duel Monsters or Digimon. There were also a couple Arena Floors for the people who played Pokemon, apparently. Rika had never seen a Pokemon battle, and now she was curious since there were going to be a lot of Pokemon players here. She heard a pair of boys talking about a battle starting right now between two good players, so she followed them to the appropriate arena. When she got there, she saw two boys that looked like they were her age. But they looked as competitive as those Duel Monster freaks she'd read about in the news!
"You ready Ash!?" said one of them, a boy dressed in a green sweat suit with green fingerless gloves and a multicolored hat. He reached towards his belt, and pulled three tiny metal balls from it. Each ball was marked with a yellow star; it looked like a sticker. "Three Pokemon!"
The other kid, "Ash", was dressed in a black T-shirt that hugged his body, and a pair of black jeans. He had a pair of fingerless gloves on too, with red streaks like flames on them. He reached for the backside of his belt and pulled out three tiny balls as well, one situated between each finger. He fanned out his hand before his face. "Three Pokemon. I just hope you've leveled up a bit since the last time we battled, Ritchie!"
"Oh, you bet I have! And I've even added some new Pokemon to my team! Let me show one of them to you!!" Ritchie threw one of his balls towards the center of the arena floor. The ball expanded in midair, like a mechanical balloon suddenly being inflated. It bounced off the floor, and instantly opened to unleash a beam of red light that expanded into a hologram. The ball reversed its acceleration without being touched, and flew right back into Ritchie's hand. He caught it proficiently. "Hitmonken!"
Rika never saw a monster quite like that one. It looked like a little brown creature dressed in a black robe like those worn by the samurai in old movies. On his head was a wicker hat that covered his face, and in his hand was a metal sword as long as he was tall – about two feet. It was kinda cute, but at the same time looked like a monster meant for battle. [Level 57 – Fighting Type]
Ash smiled at the monster. "A Hitmonken, eh? I heard those are really hard to find. But I'm guessing you got him from Route 29 in the Lost Kanto region."
Ritchie grimaced. "That's none of your business. The fact of the matter is that he's the toughest Fighting Pokemon ever discovered. And mine is at such a high level, that none of your monsters can match it."
"We'll see." Ash chose one of his balls and pocketed the other two. "Pokeball, go!!" The ball flew through the air as Ritchie's had, and released an owl with odd color patterns. [Level 65 – Flying/Psychic Type]
"A Noctowl, eh?" Ritchie said, somewhat amused. "You think your Noctowl can keep up with Hitmonken?"
"We'll find out, won't we!" Ash shouted. "Noctowl, go!" The bird flew into the air above the two-foot fighter. "Fly as high as you can and come down for a strafing run!" Noctowl obeyed, gaining altitude before looping around and flying along the edge of the ship. Other boat riders had to dodge out of the way of the holographic monster or get hit by it.
"Quick Attack!!" Ritchie ordered. Hitmonken blurred out of sight as he moved in for the attack. Noctowl was stunned by the incredibly fast maneuver, but Ash ordered his Pokemon with unerring efficiently, helping it to regain focus.
"It's coming from the left at 10' o clock!" Ash shouted. Noctowl dove in the opposite direction, just as Hitmonken slashed his sword several times in the space where the bird Pokemon was moments before.
Rika was aghast. How could he see something moving so fast? I couldn't even see it... Maybe it was just a lucky guess. The Pokemon community is full of kids; none of them are anything to a Tamer like me. Despite this line of thought, Rika couldn't keep her eyes off the battle as Ash and Ritchie commanded their monsters with expert efficiency. Finally, after several feints and glancing blows, Noctowl scored a solid blow on the fighting Pokemon, and knocked it out completely. The round went to Ash.
Ritchie groaned, and held out his pokeball. "Hitmonken, return!" The Pokemon dissolved into red energy, and the energy flew into the pokeball as it closed. Ritchie held the ball close and whispered a few words of consolation before pocketing it again.
"They don't make rare Pokemon like they used to," Ash said, smiling. "Or maybe you've just been taking it easy on your training ever since you won the Kanto Cup last year. A Pokemon that slow wouldn't last a second over in Hoen." Ritchie smirked at Ash's taunting. Rika got the feeling that they were good friends, since neither of them seemed to be taking this battle seriously.
Ritchie drew another pokeball and threw it. "Sparky, I choose you!!" Ritchie's pokeball opened to reveal the biggest mouse she'd ever seen. Its cheeks were red, and the fur on its head was wild like the hair of a little boy. [Level 91 – Electric Type]
"What is that thing?" Rika asked.
The kid next to her looked at her like she had the plague. "Where've you been for the last seven years? That's a Pikachu! And Ritchie's is the strongest Pikachu that I've ever seen!"
"Thundershock!!" Ritchie ordered. This time, his Pokemon's attack worked in his favor. The Pikachu charged up with electricity before charging at Ash's Noctowl. Before the creature could react, the Pikachu put its tail next to Noctowl's and let loose with its built-up electricity. Noctowl screeched as it was electrocuted, and fell to the ground as its energy was expended. Ash couldn't believe it! Noctowl had gone down in one hit!
"Didn't expect Noctowl to go down so quickly," Ritchie teased. "But I guess since Flying types are vulnerable to Electricity, it makes sense that he wouldn't stand a chance. Or maybe Sparky is just too much for your Pokemon to handle."
Ash ordered his unconscious Pokemon to return, and switched to his second pokeball. "I can take anything you can dish out! Pikachu, your turn!" Ash's Pokemon appeared in a flash, and without hesitation it charged for its opponent.
"Agility!" the trainer's shouted in unison. Soon, both Pikachu's were invisible to the eye again. Rika tried to keep up, but like the other members of the audience, she was unable to keep up with the two Pokemon. Amazingly, Ash and Ritchie seemed to have no trouble!
"Sparky is fast," Ash complimented. "But he's not as fast as Pikachu is."
"Are you sure about that?" Ritchie countered. "Let's find out. Quick Attack!"
"Quick Attack!" Ash mimicked. Both Pokemon froze at opposite ends of the arena, and zig-zagged along the edges of the field until they collided at full-speed. Neither monster dealt any damage; their attacks canceled each other out. They tried again, and again, but neither Pokemon could get around the other. Finally, both trainers ordered them to stop, and both Pikachus returned to their trainer's side.
"It looks like we're evenly matched Ash. We're not going to get anywhere with Electric attacks, and our Pokemon's Speed are practically the same."
Ash chuckled. "Good thing my Pikachu knows a few other tricks. Flash!!"
"Wha-!?" Ash's Pokemon leaped a good twelve feet into the air, then unleashed its electrical power as a wave of light that enveloped the arena. Everyone covered their eyes to keep from going blind, but they could still hear Ash give the order to attack. By the time the Flash had ended, Ash's Pikachu had scored several hits on Ritchie's Pokemon. Sparky was still able to fight, but he looked weaker than before.
"That was a cheap shot!" Ritchie snapped. "And since when did your Pikachu know Flash!?"
"I plan on winning this tournament," Ash said. "So Pikachu and I have worked on some new moves. Zap Cannon!!"
Ritchie couldn't believe it! "No way!! No Pikachu can learn Zap Cannon!" But despite that simple fact, Ash's Pokemon was powering up that attack! Ritchie managed to recover his senses, and realized he'd have to knockout Pikachu here and now before he can unleash that next attack. "Sparky! Tackle Attack!!" Sparky charged straight at Pikachu, who was too busy charging up to notice the attacker.
"Agility! Phase in and out!" Ash ordered. Pikachu disappeared just as Sparky rushed past, then reappeared a split-second later. "Attack now!!" Pikachu whipped around, and released all the pent-up electricity in his system in the form of a Zap Cannon attack. Despite Sparky's resistance to electricity, he couldn't defend against so much power. Sparky flew back, landing at Ash's feet and not getting back up.
Ritchie stared silently at the scene before ordering Sparky to return. He looked at Ash, cold and calculating. Play time was over, it seemed. "...How did you do that? Pikachu can't learn Zap Cannon. Believe me, I've tried."
Ash winked. "Sorry, that's privileged information. I can't tell even you, Ritchie."
Ritchie tsked. "Fine. I'll beat Pikachu anyway." Ritchie threw his last pokeball onto the field, and out popped a blue, four-legged creature with a green bud on its back. A kid in the audience identified it as a Bulbasaur. [Level 25 – Grass Type]
Ash looked confused. "A Bulbasaur?" Are you sure that's such a good idea Ritchie? I know Grass types are resistant to electricity, but... Bulbasaur's not going to last long."
Ritchie's frown turned into a knowing leer. "You wouldn't say that if you were paying attention. Look around his neck." Ash did so, and noticed a red collar around the creature, with a metal brooch in the center. "That's a Power Guard. It takes one of my Technical Machines and equips it to my Pokemon for the entire battle. It's a little thing I won at the Kanto Cup you're so fond of making fun of."
That did sound like a good power-up, but Ash wasn't worried. "As if Bulbasaur has any attacks that would make me worry. Pikachu, Raigeki!!" Ash ordered his Pokemon to launch its thunderbolt, and the attack flew through the air at the Bulbasaur. The attack collided with something hovering just above Ritchie's Pokemon, and Bulbasaur didn't seem to be damaged.
"Whoa!" shouted a kid in the audience. "That looked like a Substitute!"
Ritchie pointed at Ash's Pikachu. "Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!" Bulbasaur's attack cut through Pikachu's defenses, and knocked him back even further. Amazingly, the little critter was still conscious.
"At least now I can attack since the Substitute was destroyed," Ash said. "Pikachu, finish him with another Thunderbolt!" Pikachu used the attack again, but again Bulbasaur was protected by an unseen force.
"Hold on! How did you block that attack!" Ash shouted. "There's no way your Bulbasaur's Substitute could survive Pikachu's Thunderbolt!"
Ritchie shrugged. "I guess I should have explained it better. I gave Bulbasaur my Power Guard, and also gave him the Substitute TM. Substitute creates an alter ego of my Pokemon that protects it from enemy attack. It's true that Substitutes don't have a lot of Hit Points, but the Power Guard gets around that by making the effect last for the entire battle."
Ash growled. "But... if Power Guard lasts the entire battle, then... I can't knock out your Substitute! Your Bulbasaur will be invulnerable!"
Ritchie put a finger to his nose. "On the nose-ey, Ash. Which means I have ample time to use my attacks to defeat any of your Pokemon, no matter how strong they are."
Ash stared at the Bulbasaur, and a ghostly image of a black-skinned Bulbasaur floated over it. It was true; the Substitute was still there... and it didn't look damaged in the slightest.
"Face it Ash; I've been getting ready for this tournament too. And I plan on winning. Bulbasaur, finish it!!" The Pokemon obeyed and launched its Razor Leaf attack.
"Pikachu, return!" Ash shouted quickly. Just as the Razor Leaf would have hit, Pikachu disappeared in a flash of red light. Ash frowned as he thought of what to do.
"You only have one other Pokemon, Ash," Ritchie taunted. "And there's no way for you to get past Bulbasaur and his Power Guard. So you might as well give up."
Ash glared at his opponent. "You'd like that, wouldn't you." Ash opened his pokeball, releasing Pikachu again. "Zap Cannon!" The exhausted Pokemon started to charge up its attack again. Lightning crackled along its cheeks.
"What's he doing?" an audience member said. "That Pikachu can't fight in its condition."
Rika frowned in thought. What is he planning?
Ritchie sighed. "I hate to do this, but its better to end it quickly. Bulbasaur, Razor Leaf!" The grass Pokemon's leaves struck full-force, only to burst into flames the moment they touched Pikachu's charged fur. Pikachu didn't even flinch.
Ritchie frowned. "Tackle Attack!" he ordered. Bulbasaur ran full-speed towards the enemy monster, only to be knocked back by a burst of static discharge. "Again!" Ritchie ordered. Bulbasaur charged even harder this time, but it met with the same result. Bulbasaur wasn't able to damage Pikachu!
"Pikachu's defense increases while he's charging up," Ash informed him. "Normally you don't notice it, because his attacks are lightning quick. But now, it's keeping him safe from your Bulbasaur. You'll have to use something stronger than that if you want to hurt him now."
"...Alright then. You asked for it. Bulbasaur, power up your Solar Beam! Blow him away!!" Bulbasaur started to gather sunlight into its flower, and collected this energy in front of him as a ball of light. At the same time, Pikachu continued to charge up his attack. It looked like they would unleash their attacks at the same time!
Rika reached into her pocket and put on her shades. This is going to be good.
"It's useless, Ash. Your Pikachu's attack won't get past my Substitute. You should give up before Pikachu really gets hurt."
Ash slowly held up his arm, and extended his finger towards Bulbasaur. "Pikachu... ZAP CANNON!!"
Ritchie growled. "SOLAR BEAM!!" The two monsters attacked, and lightning collided with light. The energies coalesced into one explosion that swept over the entire arena and roared like a dragon. The trainers stood their ground, neither willing to look away for fear of losing sight of their Pokemon.
When the light cleared, Pikachu was down, and he wasn't moving. Bulbasaur stood up slowly, but he was still conscious. The round went to Ritchie, tying them at two Pokemon each. Ash commanded Pikachu to return, and drew his last pokeball.
"You failed, Ash," the other trainer said impassively. "Pikachu is your strongest Pokemon, and even he couldn't defeat Bulbasaur and his Power Guard. So what do you think you can accomplish now?"
"Pikachu accomplished what I wanted him to do," said Ash. Ritchie's expression showed his curiosity, but Ash wasn't talking. "Typhlosion, go!!" Ash called his last Pokemon, which was difficult for Rika to describe. Its powers were based on fire, judging from the reddish coloring and the flames that spurted from its mouth occasionally. But she didn't know what animal could compare to its form. [Level 71 – Fire Type]
"Typhlosion, run to Bulbasaur's side and use Flamethrower, now!" The Pokemon obeyed, stomping its way across the arena at an angle. Ritchie was incredulous to Ash's strategy. It didn't make any sense for him to attack when Bulbasaur was still protected by the Power Guard and the Bulbasaur Substitute. Still... he had to watch out. Ash was known for coming from behind in the most unexpected of ways. Ritchie had to finish strong.
"Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip and throw Typhlosion into the sea!" Bulbasaur extended its vines from the base of its flower. The vines extended and tried to wrap around Typhlosion, who was too big and too slow to avoid the attack. This didn't seem to bother Ash though, as he ordered the Pokemon to "finish it". Typhlosion fired its Flamethrower straight at Bulbasaur. Bulbasaur was hit dead on, and his vines burned away from the intense heat! Ritchie's Pokemon was damaged by the attack!
"What happened!?" Ritchie cried. "Substitute should still be working! Why didn't it protect him!?" Only then did he notice the ghostly figure. It was still facing forward, in Ash's direction. It hadn't moved since Ash switched Pokemon. It was almost like... "He's been paralyzed!?"
Ash smirked. "You bet. Pikachu's Zap Cannon doesn't just damage a Pokemon. It paralyzes them as well. So even though I can't knock out your Bulbasaur's Substitute, I could still paralyze him with Pikachu's attack, so that my third Pokemon wouldn't have to worry about it!"
Ritchie grimaced. Without its Substitute, his Bulbasaur was a sitting duck. Typhlosion's Fire attacks would burn it to a cinder at that level! He didn't want his Pokemon to be hurt... so he had to give up. Ritchie extended his pokeball, and ordered Bulbasaur to return. Neither Ash nor Typhlosion made a move to stop him.
"...I give up," Ritchie said reluctantly. He smiled in admiration of his opponent. "That was an awesome move Ash. I never thought the Substitute could be paralyzed just like a normal Pokemon could."
Ash called back his Typhlosion and pocketed the pokeball. "That was a great battle. Now I'm more excited than ever about this whole tournament. And we haven't even gotten to the island yet." Ritchie and Ash high-fived, and the crowd descended on the arena to congratulate them and do battles of their own.
He's pretty good... Rika considered what she just saw. Those monsters... I'd heard that Pokemon were supposed to be the most advanced virtual pets ever made. They were holographic, but they could move and act like real pets, and they could even think for themselves. They're almost like our Digimon were when they became real.
Ash spoke with Ritchie and his friends a while longer, before he picked up his sports bag and slung it over his shoulder. "I'll see you guys in the cafeteria." Ritchie called him a show-off before saying good-bye, and Ash gave him a similar farewell. He slowed to a halt when he noticed Rika at the edge of the ring.
"...Misty?" he gasped. Rika blinked behind her shades. Ash got in for a closer look. "Is that you?"
"What'd you call me?" Rika answered.
Suddenly, Ash threw down his sports bag and pounced on the girl. "Misty!! Ha-ha-ha!" Rika fell over in her surprise, with Ash sitting on her stomach. "I can't believe it! I knew you'd be alright, I just knew it!"
"Get off me!" Rika snapped. She gave Ash a good shove, knocking him to the ground as he'd done to her. She stood up and dusted herself off. "What the hell is your problem, jerk!"
Ash didn't seem to understand. His clueless expression said it all. "Misty...?"
"Why do you keep calling me that?" Rika grumbled as she picked up the Walkman that hung on her belt, and grabbed her backpack. "The name's Ms. Nonaka, kid."
Ash stared at her, making Rika feel very uncomfortable. "Weirdo." She turned and walked off... for a few feet, at least. Her conscience had caught up with her quickly. She looked back, and saw Ash still sitting there, head sagged as if he were crying.
Rika walked back. "Hey, what's the matter? I only pushed you back. It couldn't have hurt that much."
"...Sorry," Ash said, standing up slowly. "I thought you were someone else." Ash grabbed his stuff and tried to walk by. Rika stepped in his way, stopping him.
"Hey... nice battle back there, by the way," she said. "I'd never seen Pokemon fight before. I never realized it was such an intense game."
"It's a sport, not a game," Ash muttered. "And thanks." He tried to walk by, and again Rika stopped him.
"That's all you have to say?"
"What do you want!?" he yelled. "I already apologized, so leave me alone!" He pushed Rika aside and ran towards the dining hall, situated on the other side of the deck. Rika frowned. She was so used to boys knowing her and talking about her behind her back. This guy actually seemed interesting, even though he played a kids game... or sport, whatever he wanted to call it.
Rika went into the hall, where dozens of kids and adults alike were ordering food from the gourmets and the various fast food vendors set up in the area. The kid Ash was sitting at a table, glancing at something that looked like one of those old Gameboy systems, but a little thinner and sleeker. She sneaked her way behind him, and glanced at the view screen. There she saw a picture of a redheaded girl, smiling and hugging Ash's neck from behind. They appeared to be outside of a house in a suburb, complete with a white picket fence and a porch swing. They looked really happy together.
"Is that who you mistook me for?" Rika asked, startling the boy. He snapped the device shut. "I guess we look kinda similar... from a boy's perspective, at least."
"It was a mistake," Ash said, putting the device in his bag. "Wishful thinking."
Rika sat down in one of the other three chairs. "Wanna tell me about?"
"Not really." Ash grabbed his stuff and stood. He was about to leave, but Rika stopped him the only way she knew how.
"I challenge you to a battle, kid!" she shouted. "Right now!"
Ash glanced over his shoulder. "No thanks, 'Ms. Nonaka'. I don't play with groupies."
"Groupies!" she snapped. "I am not a groupie! There's no way I'd want to go out with a guy like you anyway! I'm a Tamer; I don't date little boys."
Ash seemed to perk up at hearing that. "A Tamer? You mean a Digimon tamer?"
"That's right! And I'm challenging you to a battle with my Digimon, right here and now." Rika reached into her backpack and pulled out the Duel Ark she found in her suite. "A battle with these."
Ash smiled mischievously, as he had when he battled Ritchie. "All right. I've been itching to try out my skills on one of you. Even if I have to battle someone as irritating as you."
"Irritating!?" Rika shouted. "I'll make you eat those words!" She slid the Duel Ark in place, activating it instantly. "Hurry up and put yours on, kid!" Several people eating in the area noticed the two players, and turned their chairs to get a good view of the action. This was sure to be a good fight.
Rika met Ash on the arena floor, just outside of the dining hall entrance. Ash reached into his bag and pulled out a personalized Duel Ark. His had a literal swarm of badges attached to the glove-portion of the device, and the Ark itself was black with red highlights.
Ash removed the glove on his left hand and replaced it with the Duel Ark. He then pulled out a deck of cards from his bag. "These cards have the battle data of all my pokemon that I've ever caught, and are updated instantaneously. This deck is filled with the best I have to offer." Ash slid the deck into place, and the Duel Ark lit up instantly. "I'm not much of a card player, but at least I can train my monsters better than any Tamer can."
Rika frowned. "Whatever. I just want to see if you and your Poke-friends are worth worrying about." She drew five cards from her deck, and the life points were set automatically. "Hurry up and draw."
** Ash: 4000 LP || Rika: 4000 LP **
Ash drew five cards and looked at them casually. He glanced up at Rika. "We'll just skip the preliminaries and go right to the main event." Ash set a card in his Active Slot, and a Pikachu appeared beside him. [1700/1500, SPD 25]
Rika placed a card as well, causing Renamon to appear. "I agree." [1700/1450, SPD 26]
"I guess that's sums it up," Rika said, smirking at the data on her Duel Ark. "My Digimon is equal to your Pokemon, and she hasn't even evolved yet."
"Don't be so sure," Ash warned. "Pikachu, go!" The rodent ran at Renamon full-speed, and Rika ordered the Digimon to follow suit. Renamon attacked, scoring some minor damage on Pikachu, and in turn the rodent bit her arm and dealt damage as well. They scuffled like this for a while, until Rika decided that it was time to take the battle up a notch.
"Time to show you the true power of a Digimon!" Rika slashed an option card that would surely clinch the match for her. "Blue Matrix! Digivolve!"
Renamon glowed with blue light, and her body transformed until she was no longer the same monster. Now she was a tall, humanoid creature dressed in flowing robes like a wizard. On her head was a headdress like those worn in feudal japan. She was Taomon, an Ultimate digimon with incredible power. [2650/2450, SPD 16]
Ash frowned. "Is that it? You looked so excited, I thought it would be something dangerous."
Rika was steaming now. "You won't be saying that when your rat is flattened! Taomon, send him to the next world!!" Taomon flew into the air, and called on her magical paintbrush to summon her Talisman Spell attack. A mystical symbol appeared in the air, and Taomon sent it at Pikachu to unleash its destructive magic.
"Agility!" Ash shouted. Pikachu phased out of sight, and the Talisman harmlessly hit the floor. "And attack Rika directly!!" Rika was stunned when Pikachu appeared right in her face, and made a cute 'Pika' noise before unleashing a full-force Tackle attack! Rika fell to the arena floor as the hologram's attack affected her and her Life Points.
** Ash: 4000 LP || Rika: 2300 LP **
Ash called Pikachu back, and calmly waited for the girl to stand. "That must have hurt. But that's what you get for having such a slow monster. It wasn't even fast enough to get in the way of the attack."
Rika managed to get to her feet, with some effort. She drew and slashed one of her new cards. "Ice Devimon!" A ghostly image of the demonic digimon hovered behind Taomon, giving her its power and adding its special abilities to her own. [Taomon == 3180/2940]
"Freeze the ground, now!" Taomon used the Frost Claw special attack she gained from Ice Devimon and froze the entire playing area with holographic ice. Pikachu slipped and slided, not being designed for battles on ice this slippery. Taomon simply hovered above, not worried about the icy field below.
"Now, give that Trainer a smack he won't forget!" Rika ordered. Taomon powered up her Talisman Spell again and sent the symbol at Ash directly. Pikachu reacted, since his Speed was easily high enough for him to intercede. Pikachu took the attack full-on, and the damage was dealt appropriately. Amazingly, Pikachu survived even though his health was a third what it should have been.
"That is one tough Pokemon," a spectator said. "He took an Ultimate's attack head-on, and he's still alive."
Ash looked sadly at his pokemon. It looked like it was in a lot of pain. He told himself to end the battle quickly, so that Pikachu could get a good rest. But first, he had to cut this Digimon princess down to size.
"Hyper Potion!" Ash shouted, slashing the card in question. Pikachu's health suddenly jumped to full, and he received a boost of energy that enabled him to keep on fighting despite his body's condition. He'd be exhausted and bruised later, but right now he was in peak fighting condition again. Ash took a card from his hand, entitled "Thunderbolt", and slashed it quickly. With this Attack at Pikachu's command, Taomon wouldn't stand a chance.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt and wipe out that overgrown dog!" Ash slashed two Electric Energy cards, boosting Pikachu's power even more. [Pikachu + 2 Energy == 2040/1920] Combined with the Thunderbolt's power, even the mighty Taomon felt its effects.
Rika couldn't believe it. That attack almost knocked Taomon back down to Renamon! That Pikachu is something else. She looked across the field at the rodent and its trainer. Both were intense and focused. If he keeps powering up like this, not even Sakuyamon will be able to fight back. I have to do something quick... or I'll be the laughing stock of every Tamer on the ship.
"Pikachu, hit her again!" Ash ordered. Pikachu powered up his second Thunderbolt and aimed it at Taomon. This time though, Rika was prepared.
"Alias!!" Rika slashed the option card. Taomon was annihilated by the Thunderbolt attack, but the Alias card was enough to keep Renamon conscious at least. Taomon's destruction dealt some major damage to Rika's Life Points, but at least she had saved Renamon and put her into a prime location for an attack.
Ash whipped around, seeing Renamon right above him. "Whoa!"
"Renamon, Diamond Storm!!" Rika ordered. Renamon summoned a thousand tiny crystals and threw them down to earth. Ash's Pikachu was about to intercede, but Ash ordered it to stay back. The monster obeyed, though Rika swore she saw sadness in the creature's eyes as it watched Ash fall to the ground.
** Ash: 2300 LP || Rika: 1585 LP **
Ash didn't have time to get up, as Renamon was about to unleash another Diamond Storm. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!!" Pikachu gladly leaped to Ash's defense and met Renamon in midair. Pikachu's Thunderbolt washed over Renamon's Diamond Storm, knocking the two monsters back as the shock waves pushed them aside. Renamon flipped to a standing position and returned to Rika's side, while Pikachu ran to stand before Ash. Both monsters were dirty and bruised from the tough battle, but neither was ready to give up just yet.
Rika smiled lightly. So did Ash. They were both having more fun than they expected. "I'm Rika, by the way. Rika Nonaka."
"I'm Ash," he replied. "Ash Ketchum." Rika nodded respectfully, and they both drew a couple cards to replace the ones they'd used in their latest exchange.
Pikachu is still powered up by those two Energy cards, Rika noted. According to this, he's used up all his Thunderbolts, but he's bound to have more Attack cards like that one. He may not be able to digivolve, but he can keep charging up his Pikachu to the point where I'm no match for it. I have to digivolve Renamon to her highest level.
Ash saw Rika look up, and resumed his orders. "Pikachu, Tackle Attack!" The monster raced towards Rika, but Renamon interceded and counterattacked. The two monsters ducked and dodged around each other, each trying to score a direct hit on the other. The melee gave each player some time to think.
I don't have my Biomerge Digivolution yet, but... She held up the Kazemon card, her latest addition to her deck. This card's effect says it can be used to Spirit Evolve a monster into an H-Type Digimon. She then looked at Sakuyamon's card. Like this one.
Rika glanced up again, and saw Ash looking intently at his hand as well. Pikachu and Renamon fought fiercely between them, still trying to beat each other's reflexes. Well... here goes.
Rika slashed her next card. "Kazemon!" A translucent image of the fairy on the card floated over Renamon, waiting for Rika to continue her play. "And I use her to Spirit Evolve my Renamon into her human form of Sakuyamon!"
"Huh...?" Ash breathed. Renamon was surrounded by pieces of what appeared to be another monster – a golden staff, a black suit, tons of jewelry, and a bestial mask. Renamon was enveloped by each piece, transforming into the shape of a human girl as she did so. Soon, Renamon was no longer there, but another Digimon was. Sakuyamon stood on the field, and let loose a ring of light that announced her presence to the world. [3500/3200, SPD 10]
Ash frowned. "Another slow monster... Guess I'll just have to attack you directly again. Pikachu, get her!" Pikachu did another Tackle attack, but as soon as he got close to Rika, a fox spirit flew from Sakuyamon's hand and blocked his attack. Pikachu bounced back to where he was before, unharmed but a little surprised.
Rika smirked. "She may be slower than the rat there, but she has magic. You'll never get by Sakuyamon that way!" Sakuyamon shot a bolt of magic at the rodent, making him hop to dodge the attack.
"She's so strong that we won't be able to counterattack," Ash realized. "Pikachu won't be able to hurt her unless I draw another TM. But I have to use a card to draw a card." Ash shrugged. "Guess I'd better just throw one out there."
Ash grabbed a card and slashed it roughly. "Love Ball! Try to capture Sakuyamon!" A pink pokeball appeared next to Pikachu, who picked it up with his nose like a dolphin playing with a beach ball.
Rika didn't know what he was doing, but she figured it wouldn't matter if Sakuyamon could destroy Pikachu first. "Sakuyamon, get him quick!" Sakuyamon swirled her staff and called upon her magic, ready to unleash her ultimate attack on the tiny rodent.
At that moment, Pikachu bounced the Pokeball high into the air and did a front flip, so that his tail whacked the ball as hard as possible. The Love Ball flew straight at Sakuyamon and hit her just above her knee. Sakuyamon was suddenly changed into red energy and dragged into the pokeball, which rumbled around as if fighting with the Digimon.
"What the hell!?" Did Sakuyamon just get sucked into a pokeball? But she wasn't even a Pokemon! It looked like the pokeball hadn't caught her yet, so Rika prayed that Sakuyamon could break free. Ash stood across the field, equally surprised at what was happening. He didn't expect the pokeball to do anything but bounce harmlessly off her body.
The red light on the pokeball disappeared. The pokeball stopped shaking, and it flew right to Ash. He caught it, and the instant it transformed into a holographic representation of a card. It was the Sakuyamon card.
"I... I just captured your Digimon!" Ash said, surprised as could be. "Cool!"
Rika looked at her Duel Ark, and saw that Sakuyamon's card was still there, overlapping Renamon's. At least the Capture wasn't permanent. Rika would not want to kick this guy's butt to get her card back. "You just got lucky! You may have captured her, but I can still beat you with one of my other monsters!" Rika discarded the useless cards in her Active Slot, and replaced them with a tiny Vilemon. Even though it was a Champion level Digimon, she could summon it as a defender without digivolving to it normally. She just couldn't attack with it. [2050/1650]
If I can digivolve Vilemon to his next stage, then he won't be weakened anymore, Rika thought. But I have to survive that rat's attacks until I draw one. She drew two cards to replace Renamon and Sakuyamon, and didn't get any Digivolution-based cards. These aren't what I needed... but at least they're some good Attack cards still.
Rika slashed the Defense Option card in her hand, which tweaked Vilemon's attributes to the point where he could protect Rika from almost anything... at least as long as the Option's effects lasted. Which was about 30 seconds. [Vilemon == 0/3700]
Ash considered his next move. Pikachu was strong, but he couldn't compete with that Vilemon while it was powered up like that. He could wait 30 seconds and then attack, but that wasn't the way a real trainer would do it. He was compelled to beat this monster fairly. Besides... he didn't want to give Rika a chance to use more cards on Vilemon. She was bound to draw another card she could use to digivolve her monster.
"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" Ash ordered, slashing the appropriate Trainer card. Pikachu rushed across the field and slammed head-first into Vilemon. He hit hard, but he failed to get past the creature's defenses. Pikachu tried to go around him to get to Rika, but Vilemon interceded no matter which way Pikachu went. Ash drew a card, and got his Bayleef card. He didn't want to switch Pokemon, since Pikachu was already powered up so high. Plus, Pikachu and Ash had something to prove to this tamer. They weren't just kids playing around; they could defeat tamers by working together.
Pikachu continued his assault for 30 seconds, and Rika didn't like where this was going. She had a Harpymon in her hand, which might've been able to stand up to Pikachu's electrical attacks, but she didn't have a Digivolution card to play it with. She needed to attack; if she just defended the rest of the battle, she'd lose. She had no Options that could be used in this situation. She had no Rookies to play. She was running out of moves. When Vilemon's defensive power dropped to normal, Pikachu would destroy him and win the battle. And there wasn't anything Rika could do about it.
"Rika?" The girl looked up. "I'd say we're pretty evenly matched, wouldn't you?"
Rika nodded slowly. "...Yeah."
Ash smiled. He turned off his Duel Ark, causing his Pikachu to disappear. "Thanks. I'm glad you said that." He picked up his sports bag, much to the audience's dismay. A lot of them grumbled about Ash "chickening out", and several others were angry at not seeing the fight go to its conclusion. Ash either didn't hear them, or didn't care. He turned the corner, heading towards the suite area.
Rika quickly turned off her Duel Ark as well and ran after him. "Hey, wait!"
Ash turned around. "...What?"
"What do you mean 'What'! Why did you stop? You could have... won." Rika hated to say that, even though it was true. She despised losing, especially since she thought Pokemon was a child's game.
Ash shrugged. "We don't have any reason to fight. I mean... I apologized already. And I wasn't exactly annoyed when you were following me."
Rika looked amused. "What's that supposed to mean?" The trainer laughed lightly.
"I'll battle you any time you're ready," Ash said. "Just make sure your deck is prepared for Pokemon battles next time."
"...Right." Rika had a lot of work to do on her deck. Next time, she wouldn't be caught unprepared.
"Oh." Ash pointed out a room on the second floor, which was visible from their position on the ship's deck. "I'm in room 118, right there. Do you want to hang out some more? We can talk before we get to the island and start competing."
Rika's chest tightened. Did he just invite her to his room? Those things were just bedrooms... was he making a pass at her? She barely knew this guy; he might be a pervert.
Rika noticed Ash was waiting for her answer. He smiled at her. Maybe he knew what she was thinking. She clasped her hands behind her back, trying to wring the nervousness out of her body. She even started shuffling her feet. Rika barely knew this guy... and yet she was curious about him. And the girl in his picture. Besides – she figured she could kick his butt if he tried anything.
"...Sure," Rika said warily.
--
Rika wondered if this was such a good idea. They could have talked just as easily down in the cafeteria. But then again... she didn't want Henry or Takato to see her hanging around with a stranger, and she especially didn't want Jeri to see it. She could introduce them all later... but she wanted to find out if Ash was trustworthy herself.
"The girl in the picture was who I thought you were," Ash said as he checked the complimentary fridge for anything interesting. He found a six-pack of mineral water, and figured it was better than nothing, so he took one. "Want one?"
"No thanks." Rika clicked open Ash's Pokedex, which he said was used in the Pokemon game and doubled as a minicomputer. Ash had several pictures of the redheaded Misty, most of them with himself or another kid with dark skin. "These are friends of yours?"
"Yeah." Ash tilted the Pokedex so he could see it, and pointed out each person. "That's Brock, a guy who plays a Pokemon Breeder in our game. And Misty is a trainer of Water Pokemon. Both of them used to be gym leaders in the Kanto region."
"Kanto?"
"Yeah." Ash took a long drink of the water, which wasn't as bad as he thought. "Pokemon isn't just a virtual pet monster... thing. We have a whole sport built around it for monster battling. There are a bunch of different Cups you can win by participating in different Leagues and winning Badges from different cities all over the world. Kanto is the league region made up of China, Japan, Korea and some other places near them."
"And people play in these leagues all over the world?" Rika said, astonished. "But... I've never even heard of these leagues. I thought Pokemon was just a play-at-home thing."
"Well... its sort of an underground sport," Ash winked. He threw the empty bottle of water into the trash and grabbed another one from the fridge. "Holographic monsters aren't exactly normal toys for kids, and a lot of parents and teachers tried to stop Pokemon from being produced. Industrial Illusions used to mass produce them in public, but after a while they stopped advertising it. The only people who really know about it now are the ones who know the last generation of trainers."
"...And you know somebody like that?"
Ash nodded. "My dad was a trainer. Before he left my mother and me, he taught me about Pokemon and gave me his Pikachu to raise. After that, I traveled the world using his Pokemon Credit Card. You have unlimited travel expenses as long as you use certain airlines and transportation companies."
"That must be such a great experience," Rika wondered. "Being able to travel all over the world by yourself, competing in a sport that you love."
"Yeah... but it gets lonely sometimes," Ash muttered. "That's why I became friends with Misty and Brock so quickly. We all love Pokemon, but we didn't want to go out into the world by ourselves. So we stick together and help each other out."
"Are they here now?"
"...No." Ash sat in the cushioned chair, since Rika had the bed. "We were competing in the Johto region... America, basically. Misty was battling a trainer named Gary Oak, an old friend of mine. Gary was losing the match, and was running out of options. So he had his pokemon attack one of the supports on the bridge they were battling on. Misty fell into the water a long way..." Ash stopped talking as he tried to control himself. Rika wasn't sure if he was sad, or angry.
"Misty ended up in the hospital. The doctors said that she was badly injured by the fall. She might lose the use of her legs. They had a procedure that could help her, but it was risky."
Ash sighed deeply, hoping to regain control of his emotions. "We got the invitation to Monster Duel EX around then. I wanted to stay with Misty until she was better, but she and Brock insisted I go to the tournament without them. We argued about it, but... Misty convinced me to go. She said she would meet me when the boat came back to the mainland. I promised her I'd win and bring her back the medal, or cup, or whatever we're going to get."
Rika remembered how he'd acted when he first noticed her. He must've been so excited to see her, thinking she was Misty. It really was wishful thinking, like he'd said. "I'm sorry. About what happened when we first met."
"It's okay." Ash smiled cheerfully. "Anyway, that's my story. How about you?"
Rika smirked. "I can't compete with a story like that. I'm just here to promote the tournament and the Digimon card game. So it's just for fun and money."
"You'll probably do well," Ash said. "You're really strong."
"...Thanks." Rika wondered what she'd do if it came down to her and Ash. Would she beat him, after hearing his story? Could she beat him, after all the trouble she went through before?
"Hey Rika?" She shook herself from her thoughts. "Do you think I could ask you a favor?"
Rika started to tense up again. "I guess it depends."
Ash started twiddling his fingers nervously, which worried Rika even more. Here she was, lying on his bed, and alone with him in a bedroom. It was exactly what she was afraid of!
"Could you and I travel together?"
Rika blinked. "H-huh?"
"Well uh... I don't have my friends with me now. And I don't want to be alone. So, do you think we could travel together when we get to the island? At least for a little while?" He put his hands together and bowed his head. "Please?"
Rika gulped. "U-um... yeah. I wouldn't mind."
Ash looked up. "Really!?"
"R-really. It might be nice to team up for a little while." What the hell am I saying? I don't need any help! But... it might be nice to hang out with him for a while longer.
"Alright!" Ash shook the stunned Rika's hand. "This'll be great!"
Rika regained some of her senses, and shook her hand free from his grasp. "Let's just get one thing straight! If you do anything disgusting or perverted, I'll beat you into a pulp and make sure you leave this tournament in a wheelchair! Got it?"
Ash wasn't sure where that came from, but he nodded anyway. "Okay, whatever you say."
"Because I know how you boys think! You get a girl all alone in the woods and think she'll just fall right into your arms!" Rika had another bad image and blamed Ash for it. "And if you try to peek at me while I'm bathing or something, I'll really nail you!"
"Okay-okay!" Ash said, trying to shield himself from the verbal assault. "Just relax!"
Rika glared at Ash out of the corner of her eye. "I'm watching you, kid. Don't try anything funny."
Ash sighed. Man... she even has Misty's attitude.
"Hey, there's the island!" Rika exclaimed. She rushed to the port window. "Look Ash!"
Ash walked over and squinted at the port hole. "... I don't see anything. Are you sure it's there?"
"We'll be there by morning," Rika affirmed. "And that's when the fun begins. Right?"
The trainer gave a thumbs up. "Right! Monster Island, here we come!"
--
The masked man walked to the massive computer terminal built into his personal chambers. He activated the device with the wave of his hand, and several communication codes were entered. Soon, the computer indicated that the desired link was established.
"Status report," Zero said firmly.
The voice of a duelBot responded. "THIS UNIT HAS DETECTED SEVERAL Ka-Bearers IN THE AREA. THIS UNIT IS READY TO CAPTURE AND SEAL THESE KA IMMEDIATELY."
Zero chuckled. "You obviously haven't analyzed your targets enough. Their powers are as great as their skills. And if the Ka themselves are threatened, they will surely reveal themselves."
"THIS UNIT ONLY HAS BATTLE STATISTICS ON Pharaoh Ka."
"Exactly. That is why your primary directive is currently to study the targets and their abilities. You are also to remain inconspicuous. Kaiba and his kid brother know about your existence, but they do not know your mission, correct?"
"THAT IS CORRECT."
"Keep it that way. What is the status of your Shell Personality?"
"SHELL PERSONALITY IS UNAWARE OF MY MISSION."
"....Good. You are to study and analyze all your targets, and formulate battle strategies with the highest level of success. When the order is given, you will attack. Understood?"
"UNDERSTOOD. THIS UNIT WILL CONTINUE MISSION, AND WAIT FOR YOUR COMMAND."
Zero was about to break the connection, when something occurred to him. "...One more thing. If anyone other than a predescribed ally attempts to capture a Ka or their Bearer, or tries to stop you from achieving your mission, you are to eliminate them by whatever means necessary."
The duelBot paused as it collated and saved this new order. "UNDERSTOOD." The connection broke, and Zero returned to his table. There lay the deck he would be using to defend his Crystal Castle during the tournament. With this deck, he would be prepared for even the Pharaoh's power. And he would win the souls he needed to complete the Forbidden Ritual.
Come to me, Yugi. Come to me, Ka Bearers. It is time that you all realize your destiny, by my hand.