Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! If I did, then this story would be on TV and not on a website.
CHAPTER 5: Invited
"No! I'm serious! I did get lost and stuff. And Se - the prince helped me. I'm serious!" Serenity protested as her sisters scowled at her. Mai and Téa had just bought at least three bags of candy a piece and had come outside the candy store to find an empty-handed Serenity stuttering an excuse.
"So, you're saying you were cornered by three weird guys who were harassing you and Prince Seto comes and saves you? So, you're the pitiful damsel in distress and he's your knight in shining armor? Are you trying to make us jealous?" Téa demanded.
"No. I was running and I bumped into Seto - err - Prince Seto, who scared off the guys who were chasing me. And, when they cornered me…no wait, this is out of order. You see, first I was lost -," Serenity saw the look of annoyance on both her sisters' faces.
"Clearly a made up tale," Mai scoffed, "if you keep on adding stuff and messing it up."
"I didn't make it up! You guys gotta believe me!" Serenity pleaded. Her sisters looked at each other and shook their heads.
"I think this is the last time you're coming to the market with us. Now come on, you still have a lot of cleaning to do. You're not going to smell the fresh air for at least a year."
"Yeah, forget about it, Cinder."
………
Seto shook his head as he remembered the events that had happened this afternoon. He shuffled his Duel Monsters Deck as he waited for his parents to stop arguing with each other on what the palace cooks were going to make that night. It was quite a scene to be in the throne room, on the actual thrones themselves, arguing. Seto leaned against one of the tall marble columns. The servants passing down the halls glanced quizzically at the two royals as they proceeded on their daily chores.
"We had chicken three days ago, Maximillion, and so I think salad is the best thing to have. I mean, we haven't had it for six months."
"That's because it's disgusting. Who wants to eat leaves for dinner?"
"I do!"
"Oh."
"Anyway, it's much healthier."
"So is chicken. Protein is good for you."
"Salad is still better. Think of all the vegetables you're eating."
"I think it makes you seem like you're a……… a something that eats leaves. Like those nicer dinosaurs that existed in the past. Anyway, let's remember we're humans." The two glared at each other. Seto rolled his eyes.
"Ahem!" Pegasus and Cecilia looked at Seto. "I prefer spaghetti." The two royals thought to themselves. Just then, a little raven-haired boy poked his head in through the main doors.
"Spaghetti?" he asked. "Did anyone say spaghetti? I want spaghetti!"
"That settles it!" Pegasus declared. "We get spaghetti tonight. Okay, anyways…" He dismissed the Chief Cook and sat back in his throne.
"You called me, yes?" Seto asked, standing straight and heading for his parents, still shuffling his cards. His little brother, Mokuba, tagged along behind him.
"Yes, we did. Seto, my boy, your mother and I had a talk last night about some issues. I believe that the two of us are starting to grow old."
"Of course. Everyone's growing old," Mokuba interrupted.
"No, Mokuba, I mean growing too old. You know what I mean? Soon, we'll have to hand over the throne to Seto."
"So," Cecilia continued. "What we decided was that it was time that you found yourself a bride." Seto dropped the cards he was holding.
"WHAT???" His mind quickly flashed a picture of Serenity. For a moment, he considered her, and then wiped the memory clear. What am I thinking? "Me? Marry??"
"Now, now," Cecilia said. "We expected that reaction from you. Keep your shirt on. Both of you have to marry someday and carry on the royal traditions. For right now, it's Seto's turn."
"I don't want to marry!!"
"Oh come now, Seto," Pegasus reasoned. "How else will we get to meet our grandchildren?"
"I don't want to have children either!!"
"Be sensible, my dear," Cecilia said. "If you are to carry the crown of the king upon you, then you must have a queen, and children to continue our family's bloodline."
"Yeah, but still…"
"You are mature enough not to act like girls carry germs, and that kissing and stuff isn't gross."
"I've never kissed anybody…and I don't plan to. If I have to marry, the girl cannot come within two miles of me."
"You're ridiculous, Seto. I'll bet that you won't be able to keep your eyes off the girl when you finally do marry."
"Yeah, right."
"Anyways, I just wanted to tell you about that. And in order to find a girl, what must we do?"
"I don't know."
"I know! I know! I know!" Mokuba cried. "We have a ball." Seto glared at his brother.
"Wait a minute. First you tell me that I have to marry. Second you tell me I have to love her. Third you tell me I have to have children, and now you tell me I need to dance at some ball? Forget it!"
"Well, how else will you be able to fall in love with your bride-to-be?"
"Fall in love? Does it look like I'm a person who can fall in love?"
"At least try it!!!"
"Mom! Dad! This isn't some Duel Monsters game or anything! I'm not going to follow orders like your pet Duel Monster or something, and attack and defend when the… wait a minute, I've got an idea!!!"
"Let's hear it then," Pegasus said. "Go on."
"Okay, hear me out. I'll agree to some parts of your proposition, but not all. I'll marry a girl and love her…and maybe have children…" Pegasus and Cecilia smiled. "BUT………but only on one condition. I do not dance at some crazy ball." Pegasus and Cecilia looked at him with a curious expression.
"Then what else?" Cecilia queried.
"We have something else. Remember, I marry a girl and gain the throne of Domino and have children, but only if my own proposition is agreed to. And instead of a ball, I suppose that we have something else."
"What?" Pegasus asked. Cecilia thought for a moment, before gasping.
"Wait! Oh no, oh no, please no…"
"I say, we have a Duel Monsters Tournament, and I'll marry the girl who can defeat me in a Duel. Take it, or leave it."
………
"And not only that, but I want you to do it twice, to make sure it's extra clean."
"But-,"
"Then you have to clean our rooms and dust all the furniture."
"But-,"
"And oh yes, don't forget to scrub the foyer."
"I did that-,"
"I don't care when you did it, the mop wasn't good enough. A good scrubbing should do the trick." Serenity glared at her stepsisters. In order to make sure that Serenity didn't have time to go outside, they piled on her every chore they could think of that had been or needed to be done. However much Serenity tried to protest, her sisters refused to listen. She knew she had to do everything they said, and more after she was finished. Seeing no way out, Serenity went to the kitchen to find a pail and washcloth.
"There," Téa said with a smirk after Serenity left. "That should keep her busy." Mai nodded in response. Meanwhile, Serenity filled her bucket with water and got a washcloth. Mumbling about "stupid sisters", she went off to the foyer. Even though it was a short walk, the bucket almost pulled her arm out of its socket. She nearly dropped it, sending a wave of water onto her dress.
"Oh great!" she thought. Well, there are no servants around, so it wouldn't do any harm to take off my dress. Serenity slipped off her sweater and dress, leaving her in a pale white shift. Sure, it was cold, but she didn't want to be soaking wet by the time she was finished. And she surely didn't want to rip her dress by crawling on the tiles. Trying not to waste any time, she got to her knees and started scrubbing.
………
"Seto! Are you crazy!! No one can defeat you in Duel Monsters, let alone a girl! This isn't a very feminine game. I don't really think girls out there are playing it," Cecilia protested. She and her husband were trying to persuade Seto to change his mind about the Duel Monsters Tournament.
"You think? Every single girl out there hopes to challenge me in a duel. They're waiting for their chance. This is perfect!"
"Seto, that doesn't mean their practice lessens your skill. Your own father can't beat you, and he invented the game."
"Okay, I guess I can't get married then…" Seto turned and started walking out.
"Wait!" Pegasus cried. Seto stopped with a smirk and turned. Pegasus gave Cecilia a meaningful glare. "He does…he does have a point." Cecilia opened her mouth to argue but shut it. "I mean, we can't make him do everything. If he wants a tournament, he'll have a tournament."
"Perfect!" Seto exclaimed. "We'll have to use that Duel Disk, the latest one that Kaiba Corp. has issued."
"Really," Pegasus interrupted. "I seriously don't get how we can manage to basically bring Duel Monsters to life using…'technology' and yet they haven't found a way to get around faster than horses. It's sad really."
"I hear the neighboring kingdom does!" Mokuba informed. "They have stuff called auto…something."
"Automobiles?" Seto queried. "Those things they say travels at least five times as fast as a horse at top speed, but costs a fortune. Mokuba, there are so many new fangled things out there-,"
"Like the microwave…" Pegasus put in.
"Vacuum…" Cecilia added.
"Refrigerator…"
"Television…"
"Telephone…"
"Anyways…as I was saying…there are so many new fangled things out there that are either expensive or haven't quite gotten to Domino yet. We're glad that Kaiba Corp. headquarters is in our kingdom and we get their technology."
"Yeah…" Cecilia said. "Anyways, I think that about sums it up. We'll have a Duel Monsters Tournament, and the girl who can beat you wins your hand in marriage and your heart. Right?"
"Right!"
"Then prepare to send out the invitations. Seto, you personally should go and invite them. I think the girls will be very thrilled with that." Seto nodded his head and left the throne room. As he walked out the door, he paused and turned around.
"Good thing we're not having a ball…I can't dance." His parents rolled his eyes.
"I know that," Mokuba said. "Remember the ball last year. You tripped on your footwork and sent half the ballroom off balance." Mokuba cracked up with laughter, and even his brother laughed.
"Don't worry. I know how to hold my own in Duel Monsters."
………
Serenity finally finished her scrubbing. It was nearly dinnertime and she hadn't cooked at all. Not that she knew how. Her sisters had been getting along with leftovers, but now those were gone. Unfortunately, they forgot to buy groceries at the market.
"Just great!" Serenity sighed. When she was about to put away the tools she was using, the doorbell rang.
"Get it Cinder!" came a shout from the upper floor. "We're busy!" Serenity rolled her eyes as she went to answer the door. Unfastening the bolts, she swung open the door.
"Yes?" she asked, before gasping. In front of her stood Prince Seto himself. Twice in one day? She was one lucky gal…or was she?
"Well, well, Wheeler…I didn't know I'd find you here." Serenity found herself growing red in the face.
"Oh hi…" Seto smirked as his gaze followed down her body.
"Is this the latest fashion?" he asked. Serenity's eyes widened as she noticed she was wearing a very thin shift, which happened to be very transparent and scandalously cut.
"OH MY GOSH!!!" Serenity frantically looked around for the closest thing to cover herself, and her gaze fell on decorative tablecloth folded up on the couch. She quickly grabbed it and wrapped it around her like a shawl. Seto chuckled silently, causing Serenity to blush red, cherry red.
"I hope I didn't interrupt anything important," Seto said. Serenity looked everywhere but at his eyes. She was so embarrassed that it wasn't even funny.
"No…you didn't interrupt anything…I was just cleaning up…yes, cleaning up… that's all. W-w-why?"
"Oh, it's really nothing. If you were cleaning in your…whatever that was, I suppose no one was around to see you so the house is virtually empty besides you."
"N-n-yes. No one else is here."
"I suppose then I must leave. I was supposed to give invitations to…it says on the envelope…" Seto took out a white envelope and studied the address. "To Mai and Téa Kaiba or something…say…that must be those two daughters of Gozaburo Kaiba that I've heard so much about. They wouldn't be your stepsisters would they?" Serenity scowled.
"They are. They are currently out right now. If you want, you can give the invitation to me and I'll give it to them. What is it for?" Seto handed the invitation to Serenity, who studied the envelope.
"It's for a Duel Monsters tournament." Serenity raised her eyebrows. "My mom got this idea that I should get married and gain the throne of Domino…" Serenity's eyes grew wider. "Therefore, I'm holding a tournament for all girls. The girl who can defeat me gets to marry me. Sounds wacky? My mom made up most of it." Serenity smiled as she looked at the envelope.
"It says my name! I'm invited?" Seto smirked.
"I don't think you're the type. Have you ever played Duel Monsters?" Serenity shook her head. "Then don't bother. This competition is a serious one. I didn't think you'd be the type that would enter." Serenity scowled and placed her hands on her hips.
"I can do whatever I want to do!" she insisted. Seto pulled out his Duel Monsters Deck and shuffled it, as was his habit. He did the bridge and several other tricks, including shuffling the cards through his sleeves and over his back. Serenity gasped in amazement.
"Whoa!!!" she cried. "That's so cool! I use to know someone who did that with ordinary playing cards."
"I use to use those, when I was ten. There was this one girl I met once. She had just been orphaned and was very sad. With my magic tricks, I made her laugh. Of course…I did mess up…" Serenity giggled.
"Princes aren't perfect." Seto nodded.
"You remind me of her, you know?" he said. "She had the same hair…and eyes. Sometimes I feel I can remember her name, or her voice, or her laughter…but I can't."
"Ooohh…did you have a crush on her?" Serenity teased, before suddenly realizing she was talking to the prince and not some everyday Joe. "Oh, sorry…"
"No, it's okay. I'm not sure. She was just my friend, even though I felt very connected to her the first minute I met her."
"Anyway, give it to your sisters. Don't bother coming unless you can learn how to duel and plan top class strategies in two weeks."
"I want to come! I have to!"
"Really? Do you want to marry me that much?"
"That's not why I want to come! I just…I mean… uh, oh…argh!!"
"Just kidding. Just to let you know though, when my mom first told me I needed a bride, I thought of you first. See ya…" Seto smirked and left, leaving Serenity feeling very, very embarrassed.
"Me?"