Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Chapter 9: Super Entrance!
Yugi instinctively raised his arm over his head as the explosion shook the floor below him, but he knew it would not shield him from the blast. However, before the explosion could consume him, a dark figure quickly grabbed his waist and jumped, leaping away from the explosion. It took a while for Yugi to come back to his senses and realize that he wasn't dead. He removed his raised arm from his eyes, looking at the man that saved his life.
"Shin?" Yugi said as he recognized the man. "You saved me?"
Shin nodded, but gave no other response.
"How's Sakura?" Yugi asked, hoping that she was also alright.
"Shaken." Shin said as he glanced towards the girl. "But otherwise, she is fine. She seems to have calmed down."
"I'm glad." Yugi said, sighing in relief. "Thank you for saving us, Shin." He quickly ran over to Sakura, who had stopped crying. "Are you alright, Sakura?"
"Not really." Sakura replied. "But I think I'll be fine." She noticed Yugi's worried expression, knowing he was skeptical of her answer. "I'm okay, really. Come on, Yugi. We have to go find Joey."
"Yes, we do." Yugi said.
"You two are forgetting something." Shin said, holding out two cards. "These are yours."
"What?" Sakura asked as she looked at what Shin was holding. "Oh, the Barrel Dragon."
"And Toon World." Yugi added. "They were Tamashii and Kaede's rarest cards."
"You won the duel." Shin said. "So take them."
"Again, I thank you." Yugi said, taking one of the cards. "I believe the Barrel Dragon would fit nicely with my deck."
"Then I'll take Toon World." Sakura said as she took the remaining card. "I don't really have any need for it, but I guess I did earn it. Thanks, Shin." The man gave no reply, which didn't surprise Yugi or Sakura at all. "One of our friends are being held by these guys." Sakura informed. "You know him, he dueled you just yesterday. Will you accompany us in finding him, Shin?"
"If that is what you wish." Shin replied.
"That'd be great." Sakura cheerfully said. "Let's go find Joey."
----------
Elsewhere.
"Tamashii and Kaede has failed." Said a robed man.
"Indeed." The dark figure replied. "It was obvious they were no match for the pharaoh."
"He had help." The robed servant informed. "He was aided by a girl with exceptional dueling skills."
"The girl?" The dark figure said. "Could it be. . . ? I didn't think that she would be the one."
"As your second in command, I advise you to be cautious." The servant said. "The pharaoh is making strong allies."
"Then I'll leave the task of defeating him to you, my trusted servant." The dark figure ordered. "You will require this." He handed his servant a card, one of a unique three.
"Obelisk the Tormentor?" The servant gasped as he took the card. "I will not fail. But what of the girl?"
"Shin has volunteered to keep an eye on her and Yugi." The dark figure informed. "She will remain under his watch."
"Volunteered?" The servant whispered to himself as he left his master's presence. "I wonder if. . ."
----------
The dock warehouses, 35 minutes later.
"So who are these Dark Monarchs anyways?" Sakura asked.
"I've only heard very little of them." Yugi answered. "I believe they are a gang of duelists ran by an extremely powerful leader. Their organization is very similar to that of the Rare Hunters Clan. They usually wear black robes and act only during nighttime to increase their stealth. They are very dangerous men."
"No kidding." Sakura murmured. Her eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of another robed man. "Yugi, look! I think I see another member of that Dark Monarch clan."
As Yugi, Shin, and Sakura approached the robed man, they found that he was unconsciously lying on the floor. A very visible bruise was dented into his face.
"He's been knocked out." Sakura observed. Then she noticed another odd feature on the unconscious man's neck. It was a black tattoo of a crown surrounded by fire. "Hey, what's this?"
"I'm guessing the tattoo is the symbol of the Dark Monarch clan." The spiky haired duelist responded. "I noticed the same tattoos on Tamashii and Kaede's necks."
"How odd." Sakura commented as she stared at the strange symbol.
"Yo guys!" A friendly familiar voice said from behind them. Yugi turned around at the sound of his best friend.
"Joey!" Yugi happily shouted. "You're alright!"
"Of course I am." Joey boasted. "You don't ever gotta worry about the invincible Joey Wheeler."
A giant sweat drop developed over Sakura's forehead. "So how'd you escape from that guy, Joey?" Sakura asked.
"Weirdest thing." Joey said. "I was gonna meet up wit you guys, but then this guy popped outta no where and knocked me out with some sorta stun gun or something. When I came to, this guy was already unconscious, so I started lookin' around for you two. That's when you guys found me."
'So you didn't do anything.' Sakura thought to herself, groaning a bit at Joey's ego. "So who knocked him out?"
"That would be me." A boastful voice that rivaled Joey's said from above. The four duelists looked up, searching for the person that saved Joey. The voice belonged to a kid with large black hair hanging over his head. The kid was just about as tall as Sakura, his body was a bit thin, but his arms showed much muscle. He wore a vest above his green T-shirt. His boastful voice displayed an ego as big as the wide grin that he wore on his face. The boy jumped from his standing place and landed perfectly in front of the four duelists.
"Oi! Super entrance!" The boy cried as he landed, sticking out a thumbs up sign.
Another giant sweat drop appeared on Sakura's head. 'Great, I thought Joey had a big ego.' Sakura thought. "And you would be?"
"Whoa! Super hot!" The boy blurted as he stared at Sakura, totally ignoring her question.
"Huh?" Sakura gasped with a puzzled look.
"Ahem." The boy cleared his throat as he composed himself. He stuck out another thumbs up at Sakura, giving her a wink. "My name is Ryo Rokubungi. Let's go out!"
Sakura's eyes dimmed at the blunt gesture. "Lame." She sighed.
"Lame?!" Ryo cried, his eyes growing teary. He quickly ran to the back of the warehouse and sat into a pitiful sulking position. "I'm. . . lame?"
"And overly dramatic too." The unimpressed girl whispered under her breath.
"Anyways, Ryo was it?" Yugi said. "Thanks a lot for saving our friend. We were very worried about him."
"Hey! I told ya dat you guys don't need to be worried." Joey shouted. "I could've taken care of myself just fine!"
"Sure, that's why you got kidnapped so easily." Sakura giggled. "Does Yugi always have to save your ass every time you get into trouble?"
"Yugi?" Ryo said, perking his head upwards at the sound of the name. "As in Yugi Moto, the champion? You're Yugi?"
"I am." Yugi replied. "And it's a pleasure to meet you, Ryo."
"Whoa! It's really THE Yugi Moto!" Ryo shouted in excitement. "This is super cool! I can't believe I'm meeting the champion who defeated Kaiba! I'm gonna remember this day forever! By the way, I pictured you to be a bit taller."
Yugi chuckled at Ryo's enthusiasm. "As do most people. Anyways, let me introduce you to my friends, Joey, and Sakura."
"Super glad to meet you all." Ryo said, giving Sakura another wink. "And who's the other guy in the black trench coat?"
"Oh, his name is Shin." Sakura said as she turned towards the shrouded man. "He doesn't talk much but he's. . . OH MY GOD!!!"
"What is it?" Yugi asked as he turned his face to Sakura's direction. "Is something. . . SHIN, YOU'RE BLEEDING!"
Indeed, the mysterious man was clutching at his side, applying pressure to his bleeding wound. Much of his strength was lost; he could not even stand on his own, seeing as how he was leaning on a wall. "He must have got injured from the blast when he saved us." Sakura said as she clamped her hands over her mouth. "He's bleeding all over the floor!"
"Get him help, fast!" Joey shouted. "Where's da nearest hospital?"
"It's about half way across the city." Yugi answered. "Do you think we can make it there?
"No. . ." Shin rasped. "No hospital."
"How about my apartment?" Sakura offered. "I only live a quarter mile away. If we can get him there, I can bandage him up with the first aid kit I keep in my room."
"Alright, let's go." Yugi said as he helped lift Shin up onto Joey's shoulders. "Hurry, Sakura. Lead the way."
"Follow me." Sakura said as she ran towards her apartment. Yugi and Joey quickly followed.
"Wait!" Ryo called out after Yugi. "I wanted to challenge you to a duel before you leave."
"Maybe later." Yugi replied as he continued running. "We need to help this man first. Maybe I'll duel you the next time we meet." With those words, Yugi ran off after his two friends, hoping that Shin would make it to the apartment.
----------
A few moments later, in Sakura's apartment.
"Made it." Joey gasped, trying to catch his breath after hauling Shin's body for a quarter of a mile.
"How's Shin?" Yugi asked.
"He's still bleeding." Joey said as Sakura laid Shin's body on her hardwood floor. She then began to wrap the wounds in bandages, stopping the blood from flowing out of his body.
"There." Sakura said as she finished bandaging Shin's wound. "He should be ok now as long as he gets some rest. Can you help me move him to the couch?"
Joey nodded as he carefully lifted Shin onto the soft couch next to him. "Won't your parents get worried that some stranger's bleedin all over their floor?" He asked.
"Oh, don't worry about that." The girl said with a small smile. "I live here by myself."
"That must be tough." Yugi commented. "Where are your parents?"
"They're in America." Sakura answered. "They moved there for a job opportunity when I was about five. I didn't want to leave Japan so they left me in the care of my sensei. But recently, he also left with a note saying he had some business to take care of. So here I am, living by myself."
"I see." Yugi said. He then turned to look at the clock on the wall. "It's getting very late. My grandpa is probably worried about me. I'd better be getting home."
"Same here." Joey said. "Serenity's gotta be worried sick about me. Can you take care of things here, Sakura?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Sakura replied. "Careful on your way home."
As the three duelists said their farewells, Sakura returned her watch to Shin, who silently slept on the couch. Sakura questioned herself at why she was doing this. "I don't even know him." Sakura said to no one in particular. "Why am I going through all this trouble to help him out? Well, I guess he did save me. But this is something more than that." She stared intently at the man's face. "I feel bonded to him, somehow."
Shaking the thoughts from her head, she then realized she was quite hungry. She hadn't eaten since lunch, and it was already a bit past eight o'clock. "I should start cooking dinner. Maybe I should cook for two in case Shin wakes up. He'll probably be hungry too." As she headed for the kitchen, she heard a familiar voice from the window across the room.
"Super entrance!" The obvious voice of Ryo cried. Sakura gasped as she turned towards the window. Much to her surprise, Ryo was standing on the balcony of the window, carrying his wide grin.
"You followed me?!" Sakura screamed at the boy, who was tapping on her window. "Oh my god, you're a stalker!"
"Not really, I didn't follow you." The boy replied. "I followed Yugi. By the way, is he still here?"
"No he isn't." Sakura stated as she opened the window to stop Ryo from tapping on it. "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to challenge him to a duel." Ryo answered. "But I guess he left already, damn. Can I come in? It's a bit cold outside."
The female duelist sighed. "Sure." She finally said. "I guess it's the least I can do for you, since you did save Joey from those guys. Would you like something to eat? I was about to make dinner and if you haven't eaten yet—"
"I'd love some!" Ryo exclaimed before Sakura could even finish her sentence.
"I was just being nice. . ." Sakura muttered under her breath as she headed for the kitchen. After half an hour and a few pots and pans later, the dark haired girl finally placed her last touches to the dinner for three. Silently hoping that Shin would wake up, Sakura walked to the living room and set the food onto the table next to Ryo. Much to her disappointment, Shin was still unconscious, lying on the couch without moving a muscle.
Taking a seat on the table where she served dinner, Sakura looked at Ryo, who had already dug into the food without hesitation. "So why are you so intent on dueling Yugi, Ryo?" Sakura asked as she began eating "What makes you think you can take on the champion?"
"Mfft, I dunno." Ryo shrugged, his words slightly slurred due to the amount of food in his mouth. "I mean, how else am I supposed to make a name for myself?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Sakura asked as she brushed another scoop of rice in her mouth. "So you're just trying to beat Yugi to become the new champion? But no one has ever defeated him. Don't you think your goal a bit arrogant?"
Suddenly, Ryo placed his chopsticks onto the table and stopped eating. "It doesn't matter." He said, clenching a fist in front of his face. "As long as I work hard on my strategy and gain as much experience as I can, I'll defeat Yugi and prove myself to everyone that I'm the best duelist there is. Then everyone will acknowledge me and my dueling skills! That's my goal: for everyone to know the name, Ryo Rokubungi, as the number one duelist in the entire world!"
"Uhh. . ." The female duelist said as she stared at the determined boy. "That's quite an ambition you've got there."
"Yeah, you probably think I'm a dork now." Ryo sighed as he continued the remains of his dinner. After finishing, the fervent boy flashed a smile at Sakura as he headed for the window. "Super thanks for the food. I'll be going now."
"There is a front door you know." Sakura murmured as the boy hopped out the window and began his decent through the balconies. "Weirdo. Speaking of which, I should probably check up on Shin."
As Sakura approached the man, she noticed that he still had his duel disk attached onto his belt. "That can't be comfortable." Sakura noted as she attempted to remove it. Then something on Shin's belt caught her eye. It was a box, obviously made for holding Duel Monsters cards, but that wasn't the only thing that Sakura noticed. The box seemed bigger than the usual ones that duelists carry. In fact, the box was constructed large enough to house two decks. As Sakura opened the box, she saw there were indeed two decks inside. "Two decks?" She asked no one in particular. She saw that one front card of one deck, it was the Queen's Double monster card. "This is the deck he used to defeat Joey. Then why does he have another one." Sakura reached to take out the second deck for examination. "I wonder what's in—"
Before her hand could touch the second deck, Sakura found that she could not move her wrist. She looked at what had caught her hand; much to her surprise, it was Shin's hand reaching out from his laying position.
"Don't touch it." Shin ordered coldly. "That deck is forbidden."
Stepping back, Sakura bowed as she closed the box and set it back to Shin's side. "I'm sorry." Sakura apologized. "I shouldn't have been so nosy."
The stranger gave no reply as usual. Instead, he reattached the box onto his belt and started to lift himself off the couch and onto his feet. The wound on his side by no means slowed him down. "Thank you for the hospitality." Shin said as he headed for the window.
"You're welcome." Sakura replied, watching the shrouded man prepare to leave through the window. "Umm, there is a door you know." But the stranger was already outside and leaping from the balcony. "Why do all the weirdos use the window?" Sakura sighed.
Taking one last glance at Shin, she noticed something on the back of his neck right before he disappeared from her sight. It was a very familiar tattoo, that of a crown engulfed in flames. "Oh my god. . ." Sakura gasped as she quickly realized where she had seen the tattoo before. "It can't be. . ."
----------
High rooftops.
Shin was quickly making his way across the city via jumping from rooftop to rooftop without making a sound. Suddenly, he stopped, sensing another presence that was also striding along the rooftops at the same pace he was. It was a very familiar sense.
"When you 'volunteered' to watch the girl, I didn't think you'd be watching from such a close distance." A voice behind Shin said.
"Vargas Nagisa." Shin whispered, immediately recognizing the voice. It was that of the Dark Monarch's second in command, and one that he considered an eternal rival. "First of the servants. State your business."
"The Dark Monarch clan has been moving slow of late." Nagisa informed. "In addition, I have received reports of mysterious disappearances of many of our new members, further slowing our progress. I wonder whose fault that is."
"Perhaps our master is growing slow with age." Shin replied without so much a flinch.
"Or maybe, somebody is sabotaging the master's plans." Nagisa accused. "Somebody very close."
"Subtle aren't we." Shin sarcastically said. One of very few sarcastic statements he has ever made. "Do not accuse me of treachery without evidence. The master trusts me, as should you."
"The master's judgment does not reflect my own." The first servant countered. "I question your loyalty to the master's plans. You show too much of an interest in the girl that accompanies the pharaoh."
"I know not of what you speak of." Shin replied.
"Is that so?" Nagisa said as he took out a small assassin's dagger. "And if I was to pay a visit to the girl. . ." Shin gave no response. It was until Nagisa swiftly turned towards the direction of Sakura's apartment and prepared to make his way to there that Shin finally showed any reaction. Quickly, the shrouded man in the black trench coat leapt in front of his rival, blocking his way. "Ah, so there is something between you two." Nagisa noted. "Pity. My dagger has thirst for blood."
"It is not in the master's plans to harm the girl." Shin stated as he started to walk away, only to be stopped by a masked boy, slightly shorter than him. Shin stared at the boy, a bit surprised by his appearance. The black mask made it difficult to detect the boy's age, and hid any expression that the boy wore on his face.
"You will answer to Nagisa-sama." The masked boy threatened as he took out a similar dagger that Nagisa held.
"So this is Nagisa's apprentice and favorite, second of the servants." Shin realized as he towered over the boy. "Please step aside."
The masked boy did not move. Acknowledging that the boy would not budge willingly, Shin made an effort to jump over the boy and onto the rooftop across from him. To his surprise, as he tried to leap into the air, the masked boy swiftly mimicked his movements, landing in front of Shin in the same position, blocking his path.
"It would seem that I have no choice but to play your game for now." Shin rasped with a tone of annoyance.
"I do not know what you are up to, Shin." Nagisa said as he slid his duel disk on. "But I cannot allow you to further sabotage our plans. Your treachery ends here."
"If you say so." Shin replied, sliding his own duel disk on. He reached for the deck box and took out the same deck he used against Joey.
"You think you can defeat me without your strongest deck?" Nagisa asked with a tone of mocking.
After thinking for a while, Shin placed his initial deck back into his box and for the first time in a long time, removed the forbidden deck from his box. "Very well." Shin whispered under his trench coat. "Forgive me. . . sensei."
Having placed a familiar explosive device within his dueling disk, and watching his opponent do the same, Nagisa placed his deck into his duel disk and activated his holographic projectors. "Finally, a worthy challenge." He whispered with a sinister smile. "Time for the fun to begin."
"Yes." Shin agreed as he also activated his holographic projectors. "As the younger duelists say, it is time to duel!"
Chapter 9: Super Entrance!
Yugi instinctively raised his arm over his head as the explosion shook the floor below him, but he knew it would not shield him from the blast. However, before the explosion could consume him, a dark figure quickly grabbed his waist and jumped, leaping away from the explosion. It took a while for Yugi to come back to his senses and realize that he wasn't dead. He removed his raised arm from his eyes, looking at the man that saved his life.
"Shin?" Yugi said as he recognized the man. "You saved me?"
Shin nodded, but gave no other response.
"How's Sakura?" Yugi asked, hoping that she was also alright.
"Shaken." Shin said as he glanced towards the girl. "But otherwise, she is fine. She seems to have calmed down."
"I'm glad." Yugi said, sighing in relief. "Thank you for saving us, Shin." He quickly ran over to Sakura, who had stopped crying. "Are you alright, Sakura?"
"Not really." Sakura replied. "But I think I'll be fine." She noticed Yugi's worried expression, knowing he was skeptical of her answer. "I'm okay, really. Come on, Yugi. We have to go find Joey."
"Yes, we do." Yugi said.
"You two are forgetting something." Shin said, holding out two cards. "These are yours."
"What?" Sakura asked as she looked at what Shin was holding. "Oh, the Barrel Dragon."
"And Toon World." Yugi added. "They were Tamashii and Kaede's rarest cards."
"You won the duel." Shin said. "So take them."
"Again, I thank you." Yugi said, taking one of the cards. "I believe the Barrel Dragon would fit nicely with my deck."
"Then I'll take Toon World." Sakura said as she took the remaining card. "I don't really have any need for it, but I guess I did earn it. Thanks, Shin." The man gave no reply, which didn't surprise Yugi or Sakura at all. "One of our friends are being held by these guys." Sakura informed. "You know him, he dueled you just yesterday. Will you accompany us in finding him, Shin?"
"If that is what you wish." Shin replied.
"That'd be great." Sakura cheerfully said. "Let's go find Joey."
----------
Elsewhere.
"Tamashii and Kaede has failed." Said a robed man.
"Indeed." The dark figure replied. "It was obvious they were no match for the pharaoh."
"He had help." The robed servant informed. "He was aided by a girl with exceptional dueling skills."
"The girl?" The dark figure said. "Could it be. . . ? I didn't think that she would be the one."
"As your second in command, I advise you to be cautious." The servant said. "The pharaoh is making strong allies."
"Then I'll leave the task of defeating him to you, my trusted servant." The dark figure ordered. "You will require this." He handed his servant a card, one of a unique three.
"Obelisk the Tormentor?" The servant gasped as he took the card. "I will not fail. But what of the girl?"
"Shin has volunteered to keep an eye on her and Yugi." The dark figure informed. "She will remain under his watch."
"Volunteered?" The servant whispered to himself as he left his master's presence. "I wonder if. . ."
----------
The dock warehouses, 35 minutes later.
"So who are these Dark Monarchs anyways?" Sakura asked.
"I've only heard very little of them." Yugi answered. "I believe they are a gang of duelists ran by an extremely powerful leader. Their organization is very similar to that of the Rare Hunters Clan. They usually wear black robes and act only during nighttime to increase their stealth. They are very dangerous men."
"No kidding." Sakura murmured. Her eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of another robed man. "Yugi, look! I think I see another member of that Dark Monarch clan."
As Yugi, Shin, and Sakura approached the robed man, they found that he was unconsciously lying on the floor. A very visible bruise was dented into his face.
"He's been knocked out." Sakura observed. Then she noticed another odd feature on the unconscious man's neck. It was a black tattoo of a crown surrounded by fire. "Hey, what's this?"
"I'm guessing the tattoo is the symbol of the Dark Monarch clan." The spiky haired duelist responded. "I noticed the same tattoos on Tamashii and Kaede's necks."
"How odd." Sakura commented as she stared at the strange symbol.
"Yo guys!" A friendly familiar voice said from behind them. Yugi turned around at the sound of his best friend.
"Joey!" Yugi happily shouted. "You're alright!"
"Of course I am." Joey boasted. "You don't ever gotta worry about the invincible Joey Wheeler."
A giant sweat drop developed over Sakura's forehead. "So how'd you escape from that guy, Joey?" Sakura asked.
"Weirdest thing." Joey said. "I was gonna meet up wit you guys, but then this guy popped outta no where and knocked me out with some sorta stun gun or something. When I came to, this guy was already unconscious, so I started lookin' around for you two. That's when you guys found me."
'So you didn't do anything.' Sakura thought to herself, groaning a bit at Joey's ego. "So who knocked him out?"
"That would be me." A boastful voice that rivaled Joey's said from above. The four duelists looked up, searching for the person that saved Joey. The voice belonged to a kid with large black hair hanging over his head. The kid was just about as tall as Sakura, his body was a bit thin, but his arms showed much muscle. He wore a vest above his green T-shirt. His boastful voice displayed an ego as big as the wide grin that he wore on his face. The boy jumped from his standing place and landed perfectly in front of the four duelists.
"Oi! Super entrance!" The boy cried as he landed, sticking out a thumbs up sign.
Another giant sweat drop appeared on Sakura's head. 'Great, I thought Joey had a big ego.' Sakura thought. "And you would be?"
"Whoa! Super hot!" The boy blurted as he stared at Sakura, totally ignoring her question.
"Huh?" Sakura gasped with a puzzled look.
"Ahem." The boy cleared his throat as he composed himself. He stuck out another thumbs up at Sakura, giving her a wink. "My name is Ryo Rokubungi. Let's go out!"
Sakura's eyes dimmed at the blunt gesture. "Lame." She sighed.
"Lame?!" Ryo cried, his eyes growing teary. He quickly ran to the back of the warehouse and sat into a pitiful sulking position. "I'm. . . lame?"
"And overly dramatic too." The unimpressed girl whispered under her breath.
"Anyways, Ryo was it?" Yugi said. "Thanks a lot for saving our friend. We were very worried about him."
"Hey! I told ya dat you guys don't need to be worried." Joey shouted. "I could've taken care of myself just fine!"
"Sure, that's why you got kidnapped so easily." Sakura giggled. "Does Yugi always have to save your ass every time you get into trouble?"
"Yugi?" Ryo said, perking his head upwards at the sound of the name. "As in Yugi Moto, the champion? You're Yugi?"
"I am." Yugi replied. "And it's a pleasure to meet you, Ryo."
"Whoa! It's really THE Yugi Moto!" Ryo shouted in excitement. "This is super cool! I can't believe I'm meeting the champion who defeated Kaiba! I'm gonna remember this day forever! By the way, I pictured you to be a bit taller."
Yugi chuckled at Ryo's enthusiasm. "As do most people. Anyways, let me introduce you to my friends, Joey, and Sakura."
"Super glad to meet you all." Ryo said, giving Sakura another wink. "And who's the other guy in the black trench coat?"
"Oh, his name is Shin." Sakura said as she turned towards the shrouded man. "He doesn't talk much but he's. . . OH MY GOD!!!"
"What is it?" Yugi asked as he turned his face to Sakura's direction. "Is something. . . SHIN, YOU'RE BLEEDING!"
Indeed, the mysterious man was clutching at his side, applying pressure to his bleeding wound. Much of his strength was lost; he could not even stand on his own, seeing as how he was leaning on a wall. "He must have got injured from the blast when he saved us." Sakura said as she clamped her hands over her mouth. "He's bleeding all over the floor!"
"Get him help, fast!" Joey shouted. "Where's da nearest hospital?"
"It's about half way across the city." Yugi answered. "Do you think we can make it there?
"No. . ." Shin rasped. "No hospital."
"How about my apartment?" Sakura offered. "I only live a quarter mile away. If we can get him there, I can bandage him up with the first aid kit I keep in my room."
"Alright, let's go." Yugi said as he helped lift Shin up onto Joey's shoulders. "Hurry, Sakura. Lead the way."
"Follow me." Sakura said as she ran towards her apartment. Yugi and Joey quickly followed.
"Wait!" Ryo called out after Yugi. "I wanted to challenge you to a duel before you leave."
"Maybe later." Yugi replied as he continued running. "We need to help this man first. Maybe I'll duel you the next time we meet." With those words, Yugi ran off after his two friends, hoping that Shin would make it to the apartment.
----------
A few moments later, in Sakura's apartment.
"Made it." Joey gasped, trying to catch his breath after hauling Shin's body for a quarter of a mile.
"How's Shin?" Yugi asked.
"He's still bleeding." Joey said as Sakura laid Shin's body on her hardwood floor. She then began to wrap the wounds in bandages, stopping the blood from flowing out of his body.
"There." Sakura said as she finished bandaging Shin's wound. "He should be ok now as long as he gets some rest. Can you help me move him to the couch?"
Joey nodded as he carefully lifted Shin onto the soft couch next to him. "Won't your parents get worried that some stranger's bleedin all over their floor?" He asked.
"Oh, don't worry about that." The girl said with a small smile. "I live here by myself."
"That must be tough." Yugi commented. "Where are your parents?"
"They're in America." Sakura answered. "They moved there for a job opportunity when I was about five. I didn't want to leave Japan so they left me in the care of my sensei. But recently, he also left with a note saying he had some business to take care of. So here I am, living by myself."
"I see." Yugi said. He then turned to look at the clock on the wall. "It's getting very late. My grandpa is probably worried about me. I'd better be getting home."
"Same here." Joey said. "Serenity's gotta be worried sick about me. Can you take care of things here, Sakura?"
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Sakura replied. "Careful on your way home."
As the three duelists said their farewells, Sakura returned her watch to Shin, who silently slept on the couch. Sakura questioned herself at why she was doing this. "I don't even know him." Sakura said to no one in particular. "Why am I going through all this trouble to help him out? Well, I guess he did save me. But this is something more than that." She stared intently at the man's face. "I feel bonded to him, somehow."
Shaking the thoughts from her head, she then realized she was quite hungry. She hadn't eaten since lunch, and it was already a bit past eight o'clock. "I should start cooking dinner. Maybe I should cook for two in case Shin wakes up. He'll probably be hungry too." As she headed for the kitchen, she heard a familiar voice from the window across the room.
"Super entrance!" The obvious voice of Ryo cried. Sakura gasped as she turned towards the window. Much to her surprise, Ryo was standing on the balcony of the window, carrying his wide grin.
"You followed me?!" Sakura screamed at the boy, who was tapping on her window. "Oh my god, you're a stalker!"
"Not really, I didn't follow you." The boy replied. "I followed Yugi. By the way, is he still here?"
"No he isn't." Sakura stated as she opened the window to stop Ryo from tapping on it. "Why are you here?"
"I wanted to challenge him to a duel." Ryo answered. "But I guess he left already, damn. Can I come in? It's a bit cold outside."
The female duelist sighed. "Sure." She finally said. "I guess it's the least I can do for you, since you did save Joey from those guys. Would you like something to eat? I was about to make dinner and if you haven't eaten yet—"
"I'd love some!" Ryo exclaimed before Sakura could even finish her sentence.
"I was just being nice. . ." Sakura muttered under her breath as she headed for the kitchen. After half an hour and a few pots and pans later, the dark haired girl finally placed her last touches to the dinner for three. Silently hoping that Shin would wake up, Sakura walked to the living room and set the food onto the table next to Ryo. Much to her disappointment, Shin was still unconscious, lying on the couch without moving a muscle.
Taking a seat on the table where she served dinner, Sakura looked at Ryo, who had already dug into the food without hesitation. "So why are you so intent on dueling Yugi, Ryo?" Sakura asked as she began eating "What makes you think you can take on the champion?"
"Mfft, I dunno." Ryo shrugged, his words slightly slurred due to the amount of food in his mouth. "I mean, how else am I supposed to make a name for myself?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Sakura asked as she brushed another scoop of rice in her mouth. "So you're just trying to beat Yugi to become the new champion? But no one has ever defeated him. Don't you think your goal a bit arrogant?"
Suddenly, Ryo placed his chopsticks onto the table and stopped eating. "It doesn't matter." He said, clenching a fist in front of his face. "As long as I work hard on my strategy and gain as much experience as I can, I'll defeat Yugi and prove myself to everyone that I'm the best duelist there is. Then everyone will acknowledge me and my dueling skills! That's my goal: for everyone to know the name, Ryo Rokubungi, as the number one duelist in the entire world!"
"Uhh. . ." The female duelist said as she stared at the determined boy. "That's quite an ambition you've got there."
"Yeah, you probably think I'm a dork now." Ryo sighed as he continued the remains of his dinner. After finishing, the fervent boy flashed a smile at Sakura as he headed for the window. "Super thanks for the food. I'll be going now."
"There is a front door you know." Sakura murmured as the boy hopped out the window and began his decent through the balconies. "Weirdo. Speaking of which, I should probably check up on Shin."
As Sakura approached the man, she noticed that he still had his duel disk attached onto his belt. "That can't be comfortable." Sakura noted as she attempted to remove it. Then something on Shin's belt caught her eye. It was a box, obviously made for holding Duel Monsters cards, but that wasn't the only thing that Sakura noticed. The box seemed bigger than the usual ones that duelists carry. In fact, the box was constructed large enough to house two decks. As Sakura opened the box, she saw there were indeed two decks inside. "Two decks?" She asked no one in particular. She saw that one front card of one deck, it was the Queen's Double monster card. "This is the deck he used to defeat Joey. Then why does he have another one." Sakura reached to take out the second deck for examination. "I wonder what's in—"
Before her hand could touch the second deck, Sakura found that she could not move her wrist. She looked at what had caught her hand; much to her surprise, it was Shin's hand reaching out from his laying position.
"Don't touch it." Shin ordered coldly. "That deck is forbidden."
Stepping back, Sakura bowed as she closed the box and set it back to Shin's side. "I'm sorry." Sakura apologized. "I shouldn't have been so nosy."
The stranger gave no reply as usual. Instead, he reattached the box onto his belt and started to lift himself off the couch and onto his feet. The wound on his side by no means slowed him down. "Thank you for the hospitality." Shin said as he headed for the window.
"You're welcome." Sakura replied, watching the shrouded man prepare to leave through the window. "Umm, there is a door you know." But the stranger was already outside and leaping from the balcony. "Why do all the weirdos use the window?" Sakura sighed.
Taking one last glance at Shin, she noticed something on the back of his neck right before he disappeared from her sight. It was a very familiar tattoo, that of a crown engulfed in flames. "Oh my god. . ." Sakura gasped as she quickly realized where she had seen the tattoo before. "It can't be. . ."
----------
High rooftops.
Shin was quickly making his way across the city via jumping from rooftop to rooftop without making a sound. Suddenly, he stopped, sensing another presence that was also striding along the rooftops at the same pace he was. It was a very familiar sense.
"When you 'volunteered' to watch the girl, I didn't think you'd be watching from such a close distance." A voice behind Shin said.
"Vargas Nagisa." Shin whispered, immediately recognizing the voice. It was that of the Dark Monarch's second in command, and one that he considered an eternal rival. "First of the servants. State your business."
"The Dark Monarch clan has been moving slow of late." Nagisa informed. "In addition, I have received reports of mysterious disappearances of many of our new members, further slowing our progress. I wonder whose fault that is."
"Perhaps our master is growing slow with age." Shin replied without so much a flinch.
"Or maybe, somebody is sabotaging the master's plans." Nagisa accused. "Somebody very close."
"Subtle aren't we." Shin sarcastically said. One of very few sarcastic statements he has ever made. "Do not accuse me of treachery without evidence. The master trusts me, as should you."
"The master's judgment does not reflect my own." The first servant countered. "I question your loyalty to the master's plans. You show too much of an interest in the girl that accompanies the pharaoh."
"I know not of what you speak of." Shin replied.
"Is that so?" Nagisa said as he took out a small assassin's dagger. "And if I was to pay a visit to the girl. . ." Shin gave no response. It was until Nagisa swiftly turned towards the direction of Sakura's apartment and prepared to make his way to there that Shin finally showed any reaction. Quickly, the shrouded man in the black trench coat leapt in front of his rival, blocking his way. "Ah, so there is something between you two." Nagisa noted. "Pity. My dagger has thirst for blood."
"It is not in the master's plans to harm the girl." Shin stated as he started to walk away, only to be stopped by a masked boy, slightly shorter than him. Shin stared at the boy, a bit surprised by his appearance. The black mask made it difficult to detect the boy's age, and hid any expression that the boy wore on his face.
"You will answer to Nagisa-sama." The masked boy threatened as he took out a similar dagger that Nagisa held.
"So this is Nagisa's apprentice and favorite, second of the servants." Shin realized as he towered over the boy. "Please step aside."
The masked boy did not move. Acknowledging that the boy would not budge willingly, Shin made an effort to jump over the boy and onto the rooftop across from him. To his surprise, as he tried to leap into the air, the masked boy swiftly mimicked his movements, landing in front of Shin in the same position, blocking his path.
"It would seem that I have no choice but to play your game for now." Shin rasped with a tone of annoyance.
"I do not know what you are up to, Shin." Nagisa said as he slid his duel disk on. "But I cannot allow you to further sabotage our plans. Your treachery ends here."
"If you say so." Shin replied, sliding his own duel disk on. He reached for the deck box and took out the same deck he used against Joey.
"You think you can defeat me without your strongest deck?" Nagisa asked with a tone of mocking.
After thinking for a while, Shin placed his initial deck back into his box and for the first time in a long time, removed the forbidden deck from his box. "Very well." Shin whispered under his trench coat. "Forgive me. . . sensei."
Having placed a familiar explosive device within his dueling disk, and watching his opponent do the same, Nagisa placed his deck into his duel disk and activated his holographic projectors. "Finally, a worthy challenge." He whispered with a sinister smile. "Time for the fun to begin."
"Yes." Shin agreed as he also activated his holographic projectors. "As the younger duelists say, it is time to duel!"