My apologies for being so late with this one!!!! Forgive me!!!!
Fieren: Gawd, I am tired of writing duels! That would explain the lack of them last chapter. I think for the next while I will stay away from duels, and maybe try to focus more or less on the plot, or story development, or character development, etc. Thanks again for the reviews. Recommend me to your friends! Also, sorry for taking so long to get this chapter up.
Chapter 9: Team Selection and an Offer You Can't Refuse
Sunday was the most marvellous day of the week for the lazy, Japanese school student. Yuuhi sat up with a yawn as he looked at his alarm clock. With a contented smile, he slipped out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, to catch a shower. As he stepped into the bathroom, he glanced down the hall and into the living room. Yuugi was sitting on the couch, lazily staring at the television. Yuuhi laughed as he entered the bathroom, and closed the door.
Yuugi was sitting lazily on the couch, staring blankly at an anime program on television. He snorted as he saw something particularly odd. These characters were constantly settling their disputes on a board game, instead of using their fists and feet. Some of these people knew karate, yet instead of going Black Belt on their enemies, they fought using a board game.
"This is lame." Yuugi laughed. He picked up the remote and changed the channel.
Yuugi, I can't help but think that television show is way too similar to what we do.Yami said.
Don't be ridiculous, we don't play board games.Yuugi laughed at Yami's well-positioned thought. The similarities were striking (A/N: Even -you- have to admit it.).
Yuugi continued to flip channels until the phone rang. He tossed the remote onto another cushion as he stood and answered the phone.
"Mutou residence." Yuugi answered.
-Yuugi, what are you and Yuuhi up to today?- It was Anzu.
"I'm not sure about Yuuhi, but I know I'm not doing anything, Anzu." Yuugi replied. "I'm pretty sure he said he was busy." Yuugi was lying. He had had a big crush on Anzu for a long time, he would do almost anything to be alone with her.
-Oh, that's too bad, the gang and I wanted to hang out today.- she replied, a little saddened. Anzu had seemed odd ever since Yuuhi had come back. It was only mildly aggravating Yuugi.
Suddenly, a slight tone went off on the phone. "Call-waiting, Anzu. Could you hold?" Yuugi asked.
-Sure.- she said.
Yuugi clicked the Flash button on the phone and waited until he heard the line change.
"Mutou residence." Yuugi answered.
-Pharaoh.- Came the voice of Malik. -Can you meet today?-
"You're in town already? I got your last e-mail, I didn't think you'd be here this early." Yuugi said in a shocked tone.
-I did say it was urgent. The Dark Jackals are moving against you. You should be prepared.- Malik said. -I can meet you at the harbor, since I don't know the city, the harbor is easiest for me.-
"The harbor is fine. I have someone on the other line, I'll see you at the harbor." Yuugi said as he clicked the Flash button again and returned to Anzu's line. "Sorry, I can't make it. I have to make it to the harbor. Malik is going to meet me there."
-Malik? Oh, that's right, you've been keeping in contact with him haven't you? I suppose I understand, maybe we could meet up later?- Anzu asked.
"Maybe." Yuugi replied. "I have no idea how long I'll be though."
-That's all right, I'll talk to you later.- Anzu hung up the phone and Yuugi responded in kind.
Yuugi's shoulders sagged. Bad memories revolved around Malik, although after his defeat at Battle City he had once again sworn his servitude back to Yami, that was a plus. Just in case, Yuugi returned to his room and turned to his dresser. He reached under it and pulled forth a box. It was simple, and brown, nothing outstanding stood out on the box, with the exception of a lock. Yuugi pulled the key from his bottom drawer of the dresser, and as he inserted the key into the old metal lock, he turned it and heard it click. Returning the key to it's proper place, Yuugi pulled the lock off and opened the box, inside sat the two Millennium Items he has obtained during Battle City: the Millennium Rod, and Millennium Necklace. Yami would know how to use the Millennium Rod, so if anything happened…. Yuugi didn't want to think that anything would happen, but he couldn't be too sure. He reached into the box and pulled out the Millennium Rod. Mind control powers and a dagger to top it off. Placing the Rod in his pocket, Yuugi stood and made his way to the door. He slipped his sneakers on and made his way out the door.
-----
As he heard the door close, Yuuhi stepped out of the bathroom and ran his hands through his hair. The television was off and Yuugi was gone. Yuuhi turned and as he tightened the towel around his waist, he headed off into his room to get dressed. Before Yuuhi could enter his room, he heard his Mom call from the hall.
"Yuuhi! When you get dressed, dry the floor! You tracked water all over!"
"Sorry, force of habit!" Yuuhi called back.
Yuuhi never had to worry about cleanliness while he lived with his father. Addicts like him were never worried. Yuuhi's father was addicted to a great deal of things, and few of them were good. Gambling, alcohol, drugs, none of them were good, and they were the tip of the iceberg. But now, Yuuhi was actually capable of having a life now, he no longer had to worry about debt-collectors, drug dealers, disgruntled bartenders or mad pimps anymore. Yuuhi was actually happy now. For the first time in a long time, he was happy. He had friends now, and they cared for him, at least to a moderate extent for a few of them.
Yuuhi finished dressing and using his half-wet towel as a makeshift mop, he cleaned the water from the floor. He could see his reflection in one of the puddles. He moved along the floor to more puddles and he continued drying them, and when he was finished, he stood and leaned back. His back hurt slightly from kneeling on the floor. He turned back to his room and tossed the wetter towel onto the floor.
"Yuuhi," It was his Mom again, "while you were in your room changing, there was a phone call for you. Ryou wanted to know if you were busy. He left his number so you could call him back."
Yuuhi nodded his thanks and turned to the phone, that sat on a little side table. There was a pad of paper next to the receiver, and written on it was Ryou's house number. Yuuhi picked up the phone and punched in the number, and waited as the phone rang.
-----
Dr. Doppler heaved a pained sigh as he leaned back in his high-backed chair in his cramped office. Research papers on the new Duel Disk systems were scattered about messily. On the monitor schematics for the construction of the software that the Duel Disk used were displayed. They were highly-detailed, and most of the necessary components were difficult to come by, and use. Doppler had managed to get his hands on the most difficult microchips. They were necessary for the hologram solidification process. Doppler reached down and picked up his mug of coffee. As he took a sip from his mug, he turned his attention back to his computer, and the schematics. There had to be a way to recreate the software without the use of the chips. His attentions were jarred back to his office when he heard his phone rang. Looking at call display, and not recognizing the number, he picked up the phone.
"Hello?" Doppler asked, his curiosity betraying his distaste for being bothered.
"Good afternoon, Doctor." It was a voice that was clearly being altered by a device. He would know, he studied them in college. "Are you busy?"
He was. "Who is this? I have some important business that requires my attention."
"I see," the voice paused, "then I will be brief. I am calling to extend an offer: Work for me. Your talents are going to waste as a reverse engineer for Kaiba Corp."
"What do you know of my work?" Doppler questioned.
"They devoted entire semesters for the study of your work at some of the most prestigious schools in America. I studied you extensively."
Doppler was unaccustomed to such praise, considering his current employment. "What would you have me do?"
"What you're best at. Being a reverse engineer. I'd like you to keep working for Kaiba Corp, as a front."
"Go on." Doppler was curious.
"You are privy to most, if not all of Kaiba Corp's newest software projects, are you not?"
"I am." Doppler was starting to sweat, and beginning to feel nervous.
"I would like you to sell the designs to me and my company." The voice said. "I would pay you handsomely."
Doppler was silent for a moment as he considered the offer. It was true that he disliked Kaiba Seto, but, what he was being asked was immoral. "How much?" Doppler asked.
"I can see you are interested. I shall have one of my associates meet with you. They will discuss it with you then. I look forward to doing business with you, Doppler." The phone suddenly went quiet, and Doppler slowly hung up the phone. He leaned back in his chair, sweat glistening on his brow. The entire ordeal of what had just happened had unnerved him. He looked down to the phone, and he re-looked up the number. The number had disappeared. Unnerving was an understatement.
"I think I'll go home early today." Doppler rose from his chair and started towards his office door. He was reaching for the knob when Kaiba's voice came on to the intercom.
"Doppler, come to my office." Quick, and to the point. Doppler felt like his legs were jelly. Did Kaiba know? Doppler sighed and opened the door. Kaiba would want to see him as soon as possible.
-----
Yuugi had just left the main road and had begun down the road that would eventually get him to the harbor, where Malik would be waiting. Everything had turned weird as of late. The Dark Jackals, Malik returning, and his brother. What was worse, it seemed like Anzu liked him, and to Yuugi, that was more dominant in his mind than anything. When his thoughts turned to Anzu, Yuugi felt a pang of regret. What had she wanted to do today? What was he missing out on now? All the possibilities, few as they may be, were making Yuugi feel outcast. He was alone, save for Yami, who existed inside the golden pyramid hanging from his neck. All of Yami's problem were on Yuugi's mind also. His power, his past, even his real name. Yami had so many mysteries surrounding him. The Pharaoh of Egypt from 5000 years ago. What was his story? What had brought him to the point that he was at now? The God cards were supposed to be the keys that were able to unlock the box that was encasing Yami's memories. They were stolen the night Yuugi obtained them. Yuugi had tried so hard to obtain them, and as he was revelling in his accomplishment, they were snatched from him. Malik's mind servant, the mime, Kaiba, and Malik himself. None of the matches were easy. Yuugi remembered each detail as clearly as it had happened a day ago.
"Buster Blader! Attack the Revival Slime!" Yami roared at his armoured monster, weakened by Osiris' second mouth ability. The Buster Blader leapt into the air and swung his sword and cleaved the blue plasma monster in half. As it was pulling together, Yami clicked a button on his Duel Disk. "Activate Brain Control on Revival Slime!"
A giant brain with arms appeared on the field and suddenly, the Revival Slime appeared on Yami's side of the field. The giant red dragon that was the Sky Dragon of Osiris opened the mouth on the top of it's head as it closed it's bottom mouth, and a giant ball of golden energy erupted from it's gaping maw and collided head-on with the blue slime. It splattered in all directions and then reformed, and another ball of energy collided with the slime. All the while, Malik's mind slave was drawing from his deck. Fully aware that this was an endless loop. Yami had won. Thanks to a combo that his opponent had set up to strengthen Osiris, it was no becoming his defeat. Suddenly, the field cleared, and the display read that Yami had won. Malik's slave had lost, and Yuugi had successfully won the Sky Dragon of Osiris.
-----
"Dark Paladin! Use the Diffusion Wave-Motion and strike down Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragons!" Yami called to his only monster on the field. It raised its staff-like sword into the air and a giant wave of energy burst from it, rending all the Dragon's asunder.
"No!" Kaiba fell to his knees. He began mumbling something as the field cleared.
Yuugi had won the Colossus of Obelisk.
-----
Yami had just sacrificed all of his monsters with the exception of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl. Malik still had a single Life Point left. But, Yami's goal had been accomplished, the dark Malik had been replaced by the original. Malik looked up, and with a smile, placed his hand over his deck, forfeiting the Duel, the Battle City crown, and the Winged Dragon of Ra, to Yuugi. Yuugi had at that point, in his possession, all three of the Egyptian God Cards, and the key to Yami's memories.
That night, Yuugi had lost his chance when he was attacked by three men in dark robes. One held him down, and the other two searched through his deck for the God monsters. When they had found what they were looking for, they replaced his deck where they had taken it from, and let him stand as they stole into the night. Yuugi had stood and watched, and in despair, fell to his knees. All of his hard work had been flushed down the toilet.
Yuugi had stopped walking, as his memories flooded back to him. He looked back down the street, and was about to continue on when his cell phone rang. He had bought one a few months back with his money he made working at the Game Store. Yuugi pulled his phone from his pocket and turned it on.
"Hello?" Yuugi asked.
-Mutou.- It was Kaiba. -I have selected you to compete in a new team-style tournament.-
Teams? This was new. This was also very sudden. -I guess so.- Yuugi enjoyed playing Magic and Wizards. He hadn't had a good chance to play since Battle City.
-Good, rally your brother and three others, so we'll all be playing on a team.-
-Four others of my choice?-
-Any three, even Jounouchi, but bear in mind, we have to be able to compete together. Could Jounouchi or I compete well together?- Kaiba asked.
-I suppose not.- Yuugi replied. -I'll do it, I've been wanting to play some real challengers for quite some time.-
-Good.- Kaiba hung up.
Yuugi turned his phone off and placed it back in his pocket. A new tournament. Yuugi smiled at that thought. He started off down the road again, on his way to the harbor.
-----
"Doppler is here, Mr. Kaiba." Yukari spoke over the intercom.
Seto had just hung up the phone as Yukari's cheerful voice came through.
"Thank you, Yukari. Send him in." Seto said after releasing the intercom button.
Doppler walked in slowly, and as he came in, he closed the door. He looked worse for wear. He walked over and slumped down into the chair.
"You wanted to see me?" Doppler asked, sweat glistening on his brow.
"How is the work on the Duel Disk going?" Seto asked, compassion for his ill-appearing employee flooding through his normally cold exterior.
"I have recently been able to acquire some of the chips necessary." Doppler answered. "The schematics for them have been taken apart and numbered step-by-step."
"Smooth then?" Doppler nodded. "Excellent, now take the rest of the day off. Get some rest, you look like hell." Kaiba said.
Doppler nodded his thanks and stood and left the office.
End of Chapter 9
Fieren: Sorry it took so long to write people. I've had a lot on my plate, most of my time has been consumed by a great game called Disgaea: Hour of Darkness. It owns my soul . Anywho, same thing as always, R&R, and please refer me to your friends, more writing comes faster from more reviews. Thanks!