Konnichiwa! Another chapter. Sorry for not updating. Now, there will be a

continued duel in this chapter, between two hard pressed rivals. And they aren't Jono-kun

and Kaiba! I don't own Yugioh! Kazuki and stupid 4Kids does. Now, ON WITH THE

FIC!

NOTE: /Clow\ = speaking in English; ^Clow^= speaking in Chinese; and Clow=Duel Monsters and talking

/Now, Amazon Angel, attack his life points directly!\ Liuka collected two LOQs

as the kid had wagered. She put a hand on his shoulder. /It's okay. Every time you lose,

you still are a winner. All I can say besides that is, the path of becoming a true duelist is a

path where you teach more of yourself.\ The boy smiled. "Domo arigatou gozaimas

[thank you very much]!" he said before getting out of the dueling area. Liuka knew

enough Japanese to decipher what had just happened. "Eighteen", Liuka muttered,

counting her LOQs. She needed twenty to qualify, but now no one would duel her since

she had beaten every duelist that was unlucky enough to stray onto her path. Kaiba was

also doing well. He had eighteen as well. There was only one choice. /I'll duel you\,

Liuka said, switching on her duel disk as Kaiba did the same, both life points up at 8000.

People crowded to watch. /I'll start\, Liuka said, drawing her hand. Perfect. She drew her

first card. "I summon Injection Nurse Lily in defense mode!" a nurse appeared on the

field with a needle (400/1500) (AN: It's Injection Nurse Lily because Fairy Lily was

kind of stupid if you've seen the original). Kaiba's eyes widened. Great. Nurse Lily

would get 3000 attack points if Liuka gave up 2000 life points. He drew. "I summon

Spear Dragon!" he proclaimed as a dragon appeared on his field (1900/0). It attacked the

Fairy Lily, who shouted, Keep your body clean before getting destroyed.

Liuka: 7600

"Darn it", Liuka remembered that Spear Dragon gave damage whether the

monster was in attack or defense mode. But Kaiba was going to be in for a surprise. "I

summon my own Spear Dragon", she said, "in attack mode. And I'll have it attack yours

since it's in defense mode."

Kaiba: 6100

Kaiba smiled after he drew. "I play a monster in defense mode and one card

facedown", the two cards appeared on the field. Liuka wondered why he had decided not

to attack. Didn't matter now, but she had to worry about his facedown card. It could be

his Crush card, and she decided to be safe. "I play the magic card Cold Wave! This

freezes all magic and trap cards for one turn! Now I switch my Spear Dragon to attack

mode and attack your defense monster!" Kaiba's Dark Clown was destroyed. (600/1900).

Liuka's Spear Dragon was destroyed as well as the Clown since both attack and defense

were the same. "Then I summon a monster in defense mode." Kaiba wasn't sure what she

was planning, but it wasn't going to work. But his Crush Card wouldn't work till next

turn. So he laid a monster in defense mode, and ended his turn. Then Liuka flipped her

monster, Amazon Angel (2000/1900). "When set for one turn, she can attack directly

regardless of monsters on the field", Liuka shouted as Amazon Angel shot an arrow at

Kaiba.

Kaiba: 4100

Kaiba looked at his hand. It wasn't good enough. Liuka was a ruthless duelist,

which explained why she had defeated the other duelists so easily. The crowd had frozen

with suspense; would Seto Kaiba be beaten again? He drew. "I play Pot of Greed. This

allows me to draw two more cards." He had to be the luckiest duelist in the world. "I

summon Blue Eyes White Dragon in attack mode!" his favorite monster appeared and

roared (3000/2500). Liuka's eyes widened. Darn it. Not only would she lose 1000 life

points, when destroyed Amazon Angel would be taken out of play if it had attacked

directly. She braced herself. Losing her favorite monster meant a lot to her since

Michelle had given her that card.

*FLASHBACK*

Liuka enjoyed her birthday in America. The cake was delicious from Publix, a

rented movie (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone), and best of all, the presents. It was

a tradition in Lokh to never receive presents until you could pay for them, so Liuka was

very happy. But her favorite present was from Michelle's. It was a set of Duel Monster

packs only recently released in Japan. So, the kanji was on them. Michelle, however, had

taken the time to scan and translate it on her computer. Liuka thanked her, and then

looked at the first card from the pack. Amazon Angel: If set for one turn it can attack

directly regardless of your opponent's monsters. Liuka held the card to her heart. "I

won't let go of you till the day I die!" her promise came out in harsh breaths. She

could've sworn from under her gloves (she has to wear them because of her cinemopho

powers, sort of like Rogue from X-men) that the card had winked at her.

*END FLASHBACK*

Liuka gave Kaiba a determined look. /Go on ahead; I can't defend my own

monster.\ Kaiba ordered his Bleu Eyes to attack her Amazon Angel. It gave an apologetic

look to Liuka before it was destroyed.

Liuka: 6600

That was my best monster, Liuka thought sorely, and I can't do anything about it.

She drew and looked at her hand. Merlin the Timeless Mage? Oh well. Might as well

summon in defense. "I play a monster in defense mode." The facedown card seemed to

be whispering. Only Liuka could hear it . Time is a one-way path. You can never go

back to change It. It would at least defend her. "I also use the magic card Swords of

Revealing Light!" Golden swords appeared in mid-air stopping Kaiba's Blue Eyes. "Then

I place this card facedown." Kaiba drew. Not the card he needed. "I use Monster Reborn

to bring back my Spear Dragon! Then I end my turn." Spear Dragon roared as it took its

place by Kaiba. Liuka drew, and although not smiling knew exactly what she had drawn.

"I summon King Arthur in defense mode!" A man on a horse wearing armory fit for a

king (no pun intended) appeared, horse neighing. (1800/1200). She just needed the

magic card, and Kaiba would be history. Kaiba drew, but still couldn't do anything, so he

laid a card facedown as well and then played Heavy Storm. It destroyed all magic and

trap cards on the field, so Swords of Revealing Light as well as her facedown card was

destroyed. "Now, Spear Dragon, attack her facedown monster!" Liuka sighed in relief as

she flipped her Timeless Mage. (1800/2100) Kaiba lost 200 life points.

Kaiba: 3900

Kaiba then ordered his Blue Eyes to attack King Arthur. Liuka then activated

Merlin's special ability. /When flipped he can redirect any attack to a monster I choose.

And that would be your Spear Dragon.\ The White Lightning hit the Spear Dragon, which

roared as it disintegrated.

Kaiba: 3800

Liuka was now in the lead. She felt like doing a victory dance but couldn't in the

middle of a duel. She was going to win and get Michelle. /I play Lord of Dragons in

defense mode.\ Lord of Dragons knelt. (Could someone tell me his attack and defense

points, please?). "That ends my turn."

Michelle showed Mokuba her escape plan. "We need to split up, though, so until

we reach the outside you're on your own." Mokuba noticed the change in Michelle's

behavior. She was more shibui [sullen] than usual. Was it because of her mother? He

pondered this as Michelle picked the electric lock. "Now GO!" They ran in opposite

directions, Michelle heading for the emergency exit near the control room. Almost there!

Just a few feet- a hand closed on her arm. She struggled, but then a voice said, "Stop." It

was her mother. "Let go!" the girl kicked, but the grip was of iron. "Let it out. Let out

your hate. I deserve it after all those years. All I want is your forgiveness." Finally

Michelle stopped, and then began crying. "Mom", the words were as ancient as Rome as

mother and daughter embraced. Her mother smiled at her, tears flowing from her face

also. "I owe you an explanation."