Disclaimer: Tell me how does it go again? Oh yea! everything Yu-gi-oh doesn't belong to me!

Chapter 2 - Dealing With Duels

Vari let out a groan. It was only 4th period and she was already dead tired. She finished all of her extra homework last night, needless to say her teachers were quite impressed. "Training at the monastery was much harder then basic algebra." Walking through the halls to her next class, she spotted Yugi, Tea, Joey and Tristan all together. They never seem to leave each other's side do they? "It must be nice to have friends like that" she thought to herself, but what did she know? she didn't have any close friends at all because of her constant moving. It was always so hard to say good-bye.

Yugi spotted her across the hall. He ran towards her. "Hey Vari, how's it going?" he asked.

"It's OK I guess."

"What class do you have next?"

"Hmmm...let's see...." she pulled out her schedule. She didn't have all of her classes memorized yet. "I have Math Honors"

"Oh...well, it says here you have 6th period lunch, you can sit with me and the gang if you want"

"I'd love to, thanks" Secretly she was relieved, she didn't want to sit alone again like yesterday. The sound of the bell rang, students started to pour out of their classrooms.

"Well, better get going. I'll see you later"

"OK, see ya Yugi" she waved good-bye.

Walking to math class, she heard the late bell ring. Swearing, she dashed through the halls. After getting a little lost on the way, she finally found it. Quietly, she tiptoed in, hoping the teacher wouldn't notice while his attention was to the board.

"Miss Mayoto!" she winced at the sound of her name. "Care to tell us all, why you are late to class?" as he said this, everyone's attention diverted towards her.

"Well...I got a little lost..." she heard some of the students snicker. "I apologized Mr. Hiraku. I'm afraid I'm not fully acquainted with the school yet." she tried to look as innocent as possible, this teacher didn't look like a person you should mess with.

"I'll let you off this time, but next time I won't be so lenient" he said. "Go take a seat"

Vari scanned the room, all the seats were taken, except for one....next to Seto Kaiba! Slowly, she walked to her seat and sat down. Trying not to look at the famous CEO of an industrial company, she couldn't believe a person like him would still be going to high school.

"You got off easy" he said, he didn't look directly at her.

"Are you trying to scare me?" she inquired.

He gave a smirk, it seemed to be his trademark. "Merely a warning" he replied.

"I attack with Dark Magician!" Yugi said. That drops Joey's life points to zero.

"Awww....you beat me again!" Joey grumbled.

The five of them, all sat on the lunch table. Yugi and Joey were dueling while the others watched.

Yugi laughed "Sorry Joey, better luck next time."

Tristen grinned at him "You need more practice. Yugi is undefeatable."

"Are you into Duel Monsters?" Tea asked Vari.

"Just a little. I'm afraid I'm a tad rusty. I have my dueling deck with me though." she pulled it out for show.

"Hey these are really great cards!" Tristan said impressed. "But there all in different languages! How do you read them?"

"I wouldn't get them, if I couldn't read them silly. I collect them as I go around to different places"

All of a sudden Joey put on an insane grin on his face. "Hey I never really got to ask you out on that date...."

"And what about it? Vari said, giving a mocking look.

Joey's grin got that much wider "How about a duel? If I win I take you out on a date"

"Isn't that a little unfair Joey? You were second place at Duelist Kingdom...." Tea said

"Hold on Tea" Vari held up her hand. "And what if I win?" she asked the blond.

"Hmm....well....I'll give you my rarest card, how about that? Which is the Time Wizard"

"Uh...Joey, you think that's such a good idea?" ask Tristen.

"Quit your fussing, I got this one in the bag" Joey whispered to him.

"Alright I accept" Vari said.

Both of them placed their cards on the table, after shuffling each other's deck, the two drew five cards each.

"I'll start us off. I place one card face down in defense mode and two face down cards." she said, putting her cards down on the table.

"Then I'll also place one face down card and bring out Masaki the Legendary Swordsman in attack mode! Attack the face down defense monster!

"Damn!" Vari said, as her Swordsman of Landstar was sent to the graveyard.

"Luckily, since it was in defense mode you don't loose any life points"

"Yea luckily. I'll place this card face down in defense and another face down card on the field, and end my turn"

"Aww come on! You're just going to play defense the whole game?"

"Be patient Joey."

"Alright.... I play Island Turtle in attack mode, Masaki the Legendary Swordsman attack the face down defense monster!"

"Too bad Joey" Vari flipped up her card. Man-Eater Bug "Your monster gets destroy as well."

"I still have Island Turtle which leaves your life points wide open for attacking."

"Wrong again Joey. You forget I have other face down cards as well. And I play Waboku, negating your attack!"

"Damn it!" Joey cried out. "You're trickier then I thought."

"It's mine turn to go on the offensive. I bring out Ancient Elf in attack mode, and play Book of Secrets Arts increasing it's attack and defense by 300. Attack the Island Turtle!"

Joey's life points went down to 1350. "Nice move" he said "I think I'll bring out King of Yamimakai, and play this magic card, Dark Energy, giving it even more attack strength, up to 2300. Attack Ancient Elf!" Vari's life points came down to 1450.

"Awww shot! Good come back Joey. I guess I'll have to play Sword Hunter"

"Sword Hunter!?"

"Yep! And I'll play De-Spell, just to get rid of that Dark Energy of yours. Attack King of Yamimakai!" Joey's life points went down even lower to 900.

"No!" he cried out, but Joey wasn't going to give up that easily. He drew out a card, he face suddenly turn into a wicked grin. "Great this is just what I need! I play Change of Heart, taking control of your Sword Hunter!" but Vari seemed unfazed by this.

"Sorry Joey...." Vari flipped up another face down card.

"Another Waboku!? Awwww...." Joey grumbled.

"That's not all! I play Tremendous Fire, which inflicts 1000 direct damage to your life points, while I only loose 500 life points." His life points were zero now.

"I lost...." Joey said in disbelief

"I guess it was luck" Vari answer.

"That ain't no luck! That was pure skill!" Joey said. "You've been playing me all along haven't you?"

Vari gave a wide smile "Honestly it was luck!"

"I don't believe you. I guess this card is yours...." Joey pulled out the Time Wizard out of his deck.

"Keep the card Joey, I don't want it."

"Well eh....do we still get to go out?" he ask grinning.

"Don't push it"

Tea, Yugi, and Tristen let out a round of sniggers. "Hey it was still worth a shot" Joey said.

At the same time another duel was being played.

"I attack your Swamp Battleguard with my Blue Eyes White Dragon! White Lighting Attack!"

The jock's life points dropped to zero. "No!" he banged his fist hard on the table.

"I warned you that your amateur moves would never be a match to mines! Now if this is over I'd like to spend my time on something constructive rather then with a pitiable, dim-witted organism like you."

The jock's face grew with intense fury. "You think you're so tough!? Huh punk? Let's see how tough you are when I do this!" with all his might he gave a full blown punch to Seto's stomach. Before he could act, Seto took the hit and went flying towards the ground. The jock gave a vile sneer in satisfaction. Seto crumpled on the floor by the unsuspected sudden hit. Trying to get up, he threw his fist in the air, giving the jock an upper cut right on the chin.

A chant could be heard just from over the other side of the cafeteria. The crowd howl out "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

"What's going on over there?" Tristen asked

"I have no idea" Yugi said.

The group looked over, there was Kaiba, who looked more menacingly then normal, clutching onto his stomach. The other by his side was a husky looking jock. They stood in fighting positions. If looks could kill then the jock would have been dead by now.

Vari stood up suddenly and ran over towards the fight.

"Hey where she going?" Joey demanded.

"Com'on guys!" Yugi said, they followed.

"You're going to be sorry, for that!" screamed the jock. "Let's get'em boys!" Without warning three others stood up from their table. All with the same kind of foul sneers on their faces. Together they grabbed a hold on Seto. He couldn't move, couldn't escape, as their leader prepared to beat him into a bloody pulp.

"Hey!" Vari ran over to them before his fist touched Seto's face. "Why don't you run along and leave him alone!" she shouted out.

"This ain't none of your business!" The jock towered over her, he was almost twice her size and looked as if he could easily squash her as well.

"I'm making it my business!" she said

"Is that a threat? I'll be more then happy to rearrange that pretty little face of yours!"

"I would love to see you try!" Vari said.

"I'm going to love this." Taking his massive hands he hurled a full blown punch at Vari, who easily ducked, sending it straight in the direction of his fellow man. Vari kicked him hard, griping his arm, she gave it a painful twist. He collapse onto the floor. The others stared dumbly at the sudden turn of events. Seto was able to pry off of their loosen grips, turning round he shoved them to the back wall, giving them a ferocious knuckle punch.

"Are you alright?" Vari asked, as she got up. Instead of giving a thankful gesture. His face was set in a enraged glare.

"Who the hell do you think you are, interfering like that!"

Vari looked at him, taken aback. "I think I was the one who save your skin!"

"I didn't ask for you help! I'm warning you, don't get in my way again! I don't need a little girl fighting my battles!" he took off before any of the teachers came to see what the trouble was all about.

"WELL YOU'RE WELCOME!" Vari screamed at his retreating form.

"Vari! Are you alright?" Yugi asked.

"Yea, I'm fine, but that Kaiba! What a jerk!" Does he even know the word Thanks!?"

"You'll never expect a Thank You from Kaiba. Me and Yug saved him loads of times, like that time when we had to get him out of that virtual game of his. Never showed any appreciation." Joey said irritatingly.

"Remind me to let them beat him to a pulp next time" Vari said, still fuming.

"What I want to know is, where you learned those kick-ass moves?" Tea asked

"I spent 4 years in China, with my parents. I took a trip to a small monastery. The monks over there taught me a little self-defense. You'd be surprised how many bullies I've went through, apparently I make more enemies then friends."

They all blinked in wonder.

"You know? You're full of surprises." Tea replied

A/N: Well finally there's a little more action then the last chapter. I'm trying to go with the Yu-gi-oh theme here, Duel Monster Battles, although I'm not much of a player I try to make it look as professionally played as possible with no avail. IT WAS REALLY HARD TO WRITE THOSE SCENES! Credits to my bro for trying to teach me how to play. Some of the cards were from my own and some were from various web sites I found. I realize that there is no tribute monsters that you have to do when you play, honestly I was too lazy to write it in, or else it would have been even longer and more complicated. If it sucks to you then I apologize, I'm not really into the card game....

P.S: Yea I know it was a lame fight scene. Looks like I've been watching The Matrix, one too many times. I'm not the best at writing action sequences so don't hate me....R/R!