Sarah: So, how are you guys enjoying the story so far? Do you like it? ^_^ Anyway, I'd like to take this time to reply to some of the reviews I've gotten on this story:
Icy Embraces: I'm glad you think this story is interesting! Try reading "Daddy's Little Girl"- it may help if you ever get confused.
Fushicho Hime: I'm still recovering from you STRANGLING me after reading the last chapter of "Daddy's Little Girl." And I know I've got a knack for killer cliffies, but PLEASE no more trying to kill me, aight?
RunningInCircles: Thanks for reading Ami! You've always been my best critic and you reading this means a lot to me ^_~
And Now! On with chapter two! ^_^
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Seto wasn't sure he had heard her right. The blank look on his face proved that and more.
"Excuse me?" he asked her. "What did you say?" Koujo looked up at him, her blue eyes filled with nothing but seriousness.
"I challenge you to a duel," she said again. Seto smirked at her.
"You? You challenge me?" He burst out laughing, tossing his head back. "That is the most absurd thing I've ever heard! What could I possibly gain from dueling you?!"
"This." Seto looked back down at the girl, his eyes instantly widening.
"That… that's a Black Skull Dragon!" Attack: 3200; Defense: 2500; Level nine. Far superior to even the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. It's only downfall: it was a fusion card. The chances of drawing the cards needed- Summoned Skull, Red-Eyes Black Dragon and Polymerization- were slim to none. But the card was rare- not as rare as a Blue-Eyes, but close. There were maybe six of them in the world and he had none of them… but how did this girl get one?
"Well, Kaiba-san?" she asked, regaining his attention. "How about it? If you duel me, and win, you get my rarest card. Sound good?" Seto narrowed his eyes.
"And what if you win?" he replied. "What do I have to give you?"
"Nothing." Seto's eyes widened even more. Nothing? She couldn't be serious.
"Nothing? You don't want anything?" Koujo shook her head.
"I just want to duel you, Kaiba-san," she said, smiling. Her smile took Seto by surprise. It was so familiar to him and it made him feel… happy? Was that possible? How could this little orphanage nobody give him something he hadn't truly felt in over ten years?
"You just want to duel me?" he asked, dumbfounded. "Nothing more?" Koujo shook her head again, still smiling.
"Nope- I just want to duel you!" As Seto tried to comprehend this, the concept of something for nothing, a thought crossed Koujo's mind: "Besides… the one thing I really want… you'd never give me. Even if you could."
"All right," Seto finally answered. "But we duel my way, with my technology." Koujo's smile merely widened.
"Sounds good to me, Kaiba-san." Seto set his briefcase down in the dirt and opened it, pulling out two duel disks. He doubted the girl's ability to use one, being that it was nearly her size, but he gave it to her anyway. She surprised him again- she slipped the duel disk onto her arm, shuffled her deck and put it in the appropriate place. After that, she looked back into Seto's eyes. He hated it when she did that… he felt as though she'd done it before…
What is your problem, Kaiba? Seto let out a mental groan. Something strange had happened to him since he lost Battle City to Yugi Moto. He'd gained an unwanted companion- his past self, Sorcerer Seto of Thebes. Like Yami did with Yugi, Sorcerer resided in his soul room, which was in a separate part of Seto's mind. And he added his two sense into EVERYTHING.
Nothing. I'm just going to embarrass the hell out of a cocky little girl.
Oh, so being your normal heartless self?
Shut up.
"Are you ready, Kaiba-san?" Kaiba twitched in annoyance- he was really starting to hate how she always called him "Kaiba-san."
"Yes- I'm ready." She smiled, happily.
"Would you like to go first?" Seto shook his head.
"Go ahead."
4000/4000 (Koujo/Seto)
Jesus, she's treating me like I'm God. There was a pause. Sorcerer?
Who is? Seto let out a mental groan.
The girl, you idiot, who else?
Oh her... does she have a name, or is she just "The Girl"? Seto scowled- as much as he hated to admit it, Sorcerer had brought up a good point. He didn't know his challenger's name.
"What's your name, anyway?" he asked as she drew her cards. She looked up at him, smiling brightly.
"I am called Koujo," she replied. "It means princess, which is perfect for me..." Her smile turned to a smirk. "Because I am the Princess of Games." Seto raised an eyebrow.
Conceited, isn't she?
Reminds me of someone...
...shut up.
You know, Kaiba- for once, I wasn't talking about you.
"Oh really?" Seto asked aloud. "Maybe I'll have better luck against you then the King. Make your move."
...what does she look like? Seto was puzzled by this question, but described Koujo to Sorcerer.
Why?
Just wondering. That answer seemed to satisfy Kaiba, which pleased Sorcerer.
"My Ra," he thought to himself. "Can it be..?"
"Okay!" Koujo said suddenly, still smiling happily. "I play two cards face down and Sonic Bird in attack mode! His effect allows me to move a ritual card from my deck to my hand!"
"All right," Seto replied, thinking about the ritual card she was looking for, wondering what it was. "Do you end?"
"Nope- last, I equip Sonic Bird with Follow Wind, boosting him up to 1700. Your Move, Kaiba-san!" As Seto twitched again, Sorcerer burst out laughing.
Kaiba-san?
Oh, shut the fuck up. Seto drew a card and smiled- perfect.
"Two cards face down," he began. "And Vorse Raider in attack mode! Attack Sonic Bird!"
"Hold it!" Seto narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
She DARE stops me?! He heard Sorcerer let out a sigh, which only angered him further. What?
Just wait for it, Kaiba.
"You just triggered my trap!" Koujo said happily.
Oh...
"Say hello to Compulsory Evacuation Device," Koujo continued. "It allows me to return one monster on the field to its owners hand! I choose Vorse Raider!" Seto scowled and put Vorse Raider back in his hand.
Not bad for a child, Sorcerer said, smugly... maybe even proudly. Seto didn't care how he said it- just hearing it pissed him off.
Shut it.
What? came the innocent reply.
Nothing, just you're so....argh.....nevermind.
Koujo, meanwhile, was all in her glory.
This is better than I thought it would be, I'm REALLY dueling Seto Kaiba! A voice in her head, one that she knew wasn't hers began to laugh, just as happily as Koujo herself would.
I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Asayake.
"End turn," Seto said with a scowl, bringing Koujo back to reality.
"M'kay!" she replied, her smile not wavering in the least as she drew her next card. "One card face down and I switch Sonic Bird to defense. Your turn!" Seto drew his next card.
"Hm... Spear Dragon in attack mode!" Koujo's eyes widened, as did her smile when the dragon appeared on the field.
"COOL!" Seto found himself chuckling at the girl's eagerness- she wouldn't be so eager in a minute.
"The effect is," he continued. "That when Spear Dragon attacks a defense monster, the difference is subtracted from your life points, but then I have to put Spear Dragon in defense mode. Go, Spear Dragon! Attack Sonic Bird!" Koujo's smile did finally vanish as her Sonic Bird did the same.
"Bye Sonic Bird!"
3300/4000
Seto switched his Spear Dragon to defense mode and placed one card face down.
"I end my turn." Koujo's smile returned. Her turn brought on endless possibilities with the drawing of a simple card.
"Okay, Kaiba-san!" Koujo drew her next card and bit her bottom lip, thinking.
"Hmm," she thought. "I have three pieces... and the perfect card!" She smiled as she placed a card in her Spell/Trap card zone.
"One card face down," she said. "No monsters. Your turn!" Seto raised his eyebrow at this, but said nothing more.
"Hm..."
Watch out for her face down card... Sorcerer warned.
I know how to duel! Seto retorted.
"I play the magic card Two Levels Down!" Koujo looked at him, confused. "What's that do?" she asked, innocently.
"I can take two levels off a monster... for example, making an 8 star monster...a 6 star monster." Seto began to smirk. "Which means only one sacrifice! I offer my Spear Dragon for my now six star Blue Eyes White Dragon!" An excited gasp escaped Koujo's lips as her eyes flashed happily.
"AWESOME!" One of the famous Blue-Eyes White Dragons was staring down at her. "What a rush..." Seto scanned her cards, thinking.
"Should I attack?" he asked himself. "I don't want to risk my dragon..." He smirked. "But it's too good a chance to pass up!"
"Attack her directly!" he cried. "White Lightning!"
"WAIT!" Seto looked at Koujo, slightly annoyed.
"Now what?"
"You activated another trap!" she said happily. "This one is Shadow Spell! It decreases the attack of any monster I choose by 700 points, and makes it so they can't attack or change their battle position. I choose your dragon!"
I told you... Sorcerer said, mockingly.
GOD FUCKING DAMMIT!
"Your move." Koujo drew her next card and let out a sigh.
"Darn it," she said. "I'm not getting any monsters... So I'm gonna have to use my Dark Hole." Seto twitched as his dragon vanished from the field and went to the graveyard.
"Fine." Koujo's smile faded slightly.
"Sorry, Kaiba-san... but you have two more, right? I really want to battle your Blue Eyes!" Seto didn't say a word, still angered about the loss of his dragon.
She hasn't changed a bit...
What?
Koujo's smile faded completely- she hadn't meant to make Kaiba mad... but that was the only thing she could do!
"Your move," she said softly.
Sorcerer Seto found himself between a rock and a hard place. He hadn't really meant for Kaiba to hear his last comment, nor did he want to explain things to him. And little Koujo's sudden melancholy state provided the perfect scapegoat.
You're gonna make her cry! Seto looked over at Koujo and noticed the change in her- she wasn't smiling. Her eyes no longer had that bright sparkle... and she did look on the verge of tears.
I didn't mean to - argh - damn it! He drew his next card and looked at Koujo. How can I make it up to her... He looked at the card he drew... and smiled.
"You want to see Blue Eyes then?" As a crowd of kids from the orphanage gathered around, Koujo looked up at him, still fighting tears.
"Yeah..." Seto nodded his head.
"Then I play Monster Reborn on the Blue Eyes White Dragon destroyed last turn." Koujo's eyes brightened again.
"Cool!"
"Then," Seto continued. "I'll play Lord of Dragons in defense mode and equip him with Flute of Summoning Dragon." He grinned dangerously. "You know what's next, don't you?" Koujo nodded eagerly.
"Yeah! Blue Eyes ULTIMATE!"
And she's excited. Typical.
It's a Blue-Eyes White Dragon- no clue WHY.
"Activate Polymerization!" The excited spark returned to Koujo's eyes as the Ultimate Dragon took the field. "I can't attack with him yet, so I'll just let him sit here for a minute until he's ready. Now your move."
"Okay!" Koujo drew her next card and giggled happily. "All right!" Seto raised an eyebrow.
She can't beat my dragon...false hopes...
"This is great!" Koujo said happily. "First, I play De-spell on your polymerization!" Seto scowled a little as his dragons separated, but said nothing. "And now... I use Pot of Greed to draw two more cards!"
"All right..." Koujo's eyes widened more as she drew her two cards.
"And now... I play Change of Heart on one of your Blue-Eyes White Dragons!" Seto's eyes narrowed.
SHE is controlling MY dragon!?
"Fine." Koujo giggled happily.
"This is gonna be awesome! GO WHITE LIGHTNING!"
"What the?!" Seto watched as his dragon under Koujo's control and one still under his vanished. "What did you do that for?!" Koujo smirked.
"If I used anything to power up your dragon," she said. "Then it would still be with him when he returned to you. This way, I can take two of your dragons out with one shot!" She flipped over her face down card. "But now, I play Ookazi, inflicting 800 points of direct damage to your life points!"
3300/3200
DAMN IT! She's winning!
What do you care if she wins? It's not like you have to give her anything... besides, you wouldn't take her card even if she lost.
...I know.
"Do you end?" Seto asked. Koujo nodded.
"Yup!" Seto drew his next card and smirked.
"I play the spell card, Dragon Treasure!" he said. "It boosts my Blue-Eyes White Dragon up to 3300, just enough to take you out!" Koujo nodded, still smiling.
"Looks like you've got me, Kaiba-san. It was fun dueling you, though." Seto raised an eyebrow, but didn't order the attack. "Well? Are you going to finish this?"
What are you waiting for? Sorcerer asked, angrily. Earlier, you were complaining what a cocky brat she was! Seto shook his head.
I can't do it.
"How about this," Seto said, aloud. "Let's end it in a draw."
A draw? That's your brilliant idea? Koujo blinked. Twice.
"Huh?"
"Let's call it a draw." Koujo was confused.
"But... you can beat me...
"I know- let's just call it a game." Koujo let out a sigh and shook her head.
"Fine..." With that said, she put her hand over her deck. "I concede." Seto's eyes widened in amazement- she had the chance to call a complete loss a draw… and she didn't do it? "I don't draw with anyone," she continued. "Especially not someone that's better than me." Koujo then slipped off her duel disk and took out her deck. She searched through it until she found what she was looking for- the Black Skull Dragon. She tossed it to Seto, then turned and walked away.
...that's new. Seto thought the same thing as he placed his deck into his pocket, minus the Black Skull Dragon, and put the duel disks back into his brief case. As he did so, he could hear some of the children laughing.
"Come on," one said. "Princess just made herself fair game." They all went inside, following Koujo. Seto watched them go, his eyes narrowing.
Well...back into the hell house... Sorcerer started to smirk, angering Seto further. SHUT UP. It IS a hell house, and if you had been there with me, you'd see what a fucking hell I had to live in! So for once, KEEP YOUR DAMNED MOUTH SHUT!
Seto stormed into the house and back to the bedroom- it had been ten years, but he knew his way like it was yesterday. He wasn't sure what he was going to do once he found Koujo… other than give her the card back… maybe apologize for insulting her. Yeah, asking for the draw was kind of an insult to the kid- she really was a good duelist. She'd gotten a bad draw, was all… but he'd figure that out when he found her.
When Seto got to the bedroom, his guilt kicked in more than ever- Koujo was sitting on her bed, surrounded by other orphans... and all of them were picking on her.
"What's the matter, Princess?" one said, poking her in the shoulder. "Did your hero teach you a lesson about dueling?" All the kids started to laugh.
"Yeah," said another, a girl named Shikeilu. "I'm surprised he went so easy on you, Princess, offering you a draw and all." She smirked at Koujo, her eyes cold and mean. "You know, I heard he almost killed a man dueling him- the old guy couldn't take the realness of the holograms and had a heart attack..." The smirk widened. "And then "Kaiba-san" tore up the man's rarest card, the only Blue-Eyes White Dragon that wasn't in Kaiba's deck." Shikeilu started to laugh. "Poor little Princess- how could you expect to win against a heartless bastard like that?"
There were parts of that conversation that Seto didn't understand- mainly, the part where those annoying orphanage brats kept calling him Koujo's hero. Was that possible? Was he really someone's hero?
The rest of the conversation just angered him. How dare they judge him- they knew NOTHING about him... and why did they have to do it in front of her? If he truly was her hero, they didn't need to rebut him like that, not with her right there. And he was going to put a stop to it...
"Shut up." Seto froze in his tracks upon hearing those words- apparently, "Princess" had something to say.
Shikeilu glared at Koujo, "What did you say?" Koujo glared right back.
"I said. Shut. Up." Koujo took a deep breath. "You know nothing about him, Shikeilu- you don't have the right to talk about him like that... and if you think I had no chance at beating him- look at the top five cards of my deck. I had them in my hand when I lost." Koujo held her deck out to Shikeilu, who drew the top five cards... and her eyes widened.
"What?! You had these in your hand and you let him beat you?!" Koujo nodded her head and Seto tried to get a look at the cards. Once he did, he felt his stomach turn- Exodia. She'd had all five pieces in her hand... meaning she had really won the game. "Why did you let him beat you?" Shikeilu cried. Koujo smiled, running her fingers through her hair.
"He offered me the draw because I'm a kid," Koujo replied, clearly ignoring Shikeilu's question. "Would a "heartless bastard" do that?" Shikeilu scowled... then smirked.
"You really think he's gonna come back here again, don't you?" she asked. "Well, you can forget it, Princess. Once he's blown this joint, he'll NEVER come back- especially not after some little nobody wannabe duelist like you." Seto shook his head- the decision he'd just made would probably haunt him for the rest of his life. But he was going to do it anyway.
"Koujo." Koujo looked up at him, her face showing that she was genuinely surprised to see him there.
"Yes, Kaiba-san?" Seto rolled his eyes.
"First of all, stop calling me that. Second..." He took a deep breath. "You're coming home with me."
Seto took Koujo's hand and lead her to the head honcho's office. As he did so, he asked the question that had been plaguing him for the past five minutes.
"Did you really have all those cards in your hand?" Koujo looked up at him, smiled and shook her head.
"No, Kaiba-san," she said. "I only had four pieces of Exodia in my hand- I guess I would have drawn the last one on my next turn." She squeezed his hand. "You won that one on your own." Seto let out a 'keh' and shook his head.
"This is yours, by the way." Seto handed her the Black Skull Dragon. "It's a nice card, but it doesn't belong in my deck." Saya looked up at him and smiled.
"Okay Kaiba-san!" As she put the card back in her deck, Seto sighed - this was gonna be one hell of a trip.