Shout out to my dear friend Light guardian35 once again for helping me tackle the writers block I had. Please read her stuff, you find her on Quotev and AO3. Also, I want to recommend you fanfic that I finished reading. It's just part one of six stories but I rather enjoyed it, so give it a go. It's The Coming of Shadows from DemonSessama.
Here is the link: /works/41161380/chapters/103182777
Now I wish you all a good read with chapter 6! :D
Chapter 6: Welcome to Duelist Kingdom!
The next morning we find Yuugi and his friends and Sehrazat and her friends all together sitting at the grand dining table Sehrazat and Kihana have in their doppel bedroom cabin.
After a good night's sleep, our heroes are ready to tackle whatever Pegasus would throw at them in Duelist Kingdom.
But first, breakfast!
Like yesterday evening, the girls just order the whole card again, only this time with breakfast food.
The clattering of tableware and laughter is heard.
Jounouchi and Honda had the fullest plates. It seemed they had a contest about who could eat the most and the fasted.
Anzu could only shake her head at them and turned back to Maja. The two girls had discovered that both of them liked to dance. Maja even took a course on belly dancing! Even if Anzu wanted to make a career out of that, it was nice to talk about it with someone who understood the subject.
Little Sadiye enjoyed her tower of chocolate chip pancakes and would encourage Jounouchi and Honda to eat more since she found it funny how the boys eat like pigs.
Sehrazat and Kihana were still full from the amount of food they eat yesterday evening, so they eat just a bowl of cornflakes each.
Yugi was the only one who apparently had finished eating.
He had taken out his five Exodia cards and was frowning at them.
On his left side sat Sehrazat, who saw this. She finished drinking her glass of orange juice.
"Something wrong, Yugi-Kun?", she asked him worried.
"Even if you and Joey saved my Exodia cards, the ocean's salty water seems to have damaged them pretty well.", he told her with a sign and put the cards away. "I don't know if the card reader will even register them."
"So you mean, you can't probably play them?"
"Seems like it. And trying them out during a duel is way too risky."
Sad for him Sehrazat put a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry, Yuugi-Kun."
"No need to be Sehrazat-Chan. It's not your fault or Joey's. Only Haga's."
He turned to face her to give her a reassuring smile. Both got lost in the beautiful eyes of the other and anything else seemed to vanish.
Kihana, who was drinking coffee, hide her smile in her cup. Damn, if this two weren't adorable. They could give someone diabetes.
The two short duellists looked away from each other, with a bashful expressions, but with a little smile on their lips. This connection they felt with each other… seemed to get stronger each time they interacted.
Not that one of them is complaining.
This feeling…they didn't want it to stop.
It was new and exciting, yet so familiar and comforting.
"You will have to battle then without Exodia for your grandpa's soul.", said Sehrazat. "But I know you will manage Yugi-Kun, you are an extraordinary Duelist."
Yuugi felt his heart beat faster than it ever did. She had complimented him before on his duelling skills, yet it still made him want to sign dreamily that such a beautiful and sweet girl, who was such a brilliant duellist, thought this of him.
He never had experienced that.
She was Europa Champion which put her in a different league altogether.
And still, she made him sound like he was equal to her.
He so much wanted to tell her, how incredible she was, but his shyness prevent him from forming the necessary words.
It was then that he felt this strong voice in his head, the voice that normally comes out to help him in duels, encouraging him to take the leap.
His hand trembled so badly, yet he managed to reach out and put a bit of Sehrazat's pretty and smooth blue hair behind her ear. Surprised she turned to him with wide sparkling orange eyes.
"You are the one who is extraordinary.", he told her softly.
Yuugi self did not know for sure if he was only referencing to her duelling skills or if there was more…it just felt right to say it.
He felt it deep in his heart.
Sehrazat eyes seemed to fill with tears and get a soft edge around them.
Our two lovebirds didn't note how currently anyone else was looking at them, stopping what they were doing.
Kihana and Sadiye seemed to have a quiet fangirl moment, Joey and Honda were nodding in approval, Maja was softly cooing at them.
And Anzu?
Well, she was surprised for one. She never ever saw Yuugi interact with a girl like this. The second was that jealousy was raising its ugly head.
It…it wasn't fair…she liked Yuugi too, but he had never looked at her like he looked at Sehrazat right now.
Like she was a goddess and he was her devoted follower. Strangely, Sehrazat looked at him the same way.
It just…no it wasn't supposed to be like this…!
The brunette opened her mouth. She needed to say something, anything, stopping this whatever that was!
There she felt how a warm hand touched her cheek and turned her head back to Maja.
The other brunette had a raised eyebrow and formally purred: "Now, now, Anzu-Chan, we were talking so nicely together. Let them be and concentrated on me, my beautiful ballerina."
Anzu formally felt how the red raised in her cheeks and how she quite burned.
What?!
"Is Maja flirting with Anzu?", said Joey to Honda loud enough so she could hear it too.
She had a similar thought running through her head.
"Seems like it, bro.", answered Honda fascinated like an explorer who had found a lost civilization.
"That's because she did.", answered Sadiye in her deadpan tone. "She is pan."
"Pancake?", wonder Joey.
"Pansexual, you ignorant slu-"
"Sadiye Kisara Schariq, don't you dare to end this sentence!"
"But he is being one, big sister!"
"I don't care!"
This started a discussion between the sisters about when someone should curse like that, and at what age it was okay, while Joey and Honda watched on like they saw an interesting Ping-Pong match.
Maja took the chance to roll a lock of Anzu's hair around her finger and wink at her, which made her only blush worse.
The loud discussion brought Yuugi and Sehrazat out of their own zone. Both were more than confused seeing how the Schariq sisters nearly screamed at each other, Maja clearly making a move on a blushing Anzu, and Joey and Honda seemed like to enjoy a good TV show.
They looked at each other and laughed a bit embarrassed for their friends.
After they finished their breakfast and refreshed themselves our group of friends decide to get out of the cabin and wait on the main deck for their arrival at Duelist Kingdom.
It was a warm and sunny day, which was nice.
They enjoyed the fresh sea salt air and the warm rays of the sun on their skin.
Then after a while, it became visible.
The island knows as Duelist Kingdom.
Our group of eight all looked at it.
"Man, this Duelist Kingdom looks like a pretty big place, Yuugi and Sehra.", said Joey to them. "Finding your grandpa's and ma's soul is not going to be easy."
"Well, we gotta start somewhere.", answered Yuugi simply.
"If I have to turn every rock around, I will do it. I'm not going without my mama.", added Sehrazat.
"That's thespirit,childof mine.", told her Afya proudly.
While she was following the others to go to the gangplank which would make them step on the soil of Duelist Kingdom, she talked with her yami.
"Morning, Gran-Gran. Finallywokeup?"
"Mmh, I see you all full ofenergy.", noted Afya. "We will need all ourpowersto defeatPegasus."
"How hard to you think this is going to be?"
"Ibetall myswordsthatPegasuswill do anything in his power to make this trip for us a living hell."
"Even if hewantsmy andYuugi'sMillenniumItems?"
"Men likePegasuslike to play with theirpreybefore theykillit."
Sehrazat made a face at the words of her ancestor. Meanwhile, she followed Kihana down the gangplank.
Oh finally back on land! It was awesome.
Our group of eight huddled together and Sehrazat noted that Honda seemed out of breath. What did she miss while she talked with Afya?
"I think I just had a heart attack.", panted the brunette boy.
"Way to play it cool, Honda.", complimented Anzu sarcastically. "That wasn't suspicious at all."
"Yeah, we totally didn't look like we are trespassing.", agreed Sadiye in her deadpan tone.
Ah, so the non-duellists had been worried they would be found out!
"All right! Every single one of us made it here safe and- Ah-choo!", sneezed Joey in their direction.
All shouted eww and Anzu and Maja could barely dodge the sneeze attack.
"Someone should give the boy atissue.", advised Afya.
It's like Kihana heard her and calmly gave Joey one, which he took with a thank you.
"You would never have caught that cold if it wasn't for Haga.", said Yuugi to his best friend.
"Speaking of our wormy friend, looks like he just slithered his way off the boat and is already looking to start some trouble.", noted Joey. Our friend group turned in Haga's direction. He was standing there, just grinning creepily. "That slimeball. I'd love to wipe that smirk off his face."
"If you need help.", volunteered Sehrazat encouraged by Afya.
"Welcome, all duellists!", greeted one of Pegasus's lackeys with really pointy hair. "Please, follow the stairs to meet your host."
Yuugi rightfully said that the castle had to belong to Pegasus, while Jounouchi motivated anyone to climb them up.
"This are a lot of stairs.", heard Sehrazat Kihana mumble as they made their way up.
"Elevators are much sexier.", found Maja.
This made anyone who heard it giggle lightly.
Suddenly Anzu stopped and said that she saw again someone named Bakura. Her friends and Sehrazat group looked all into the forest but there was nothing. Anzu admitted that maybe it was all in her head.
"Can we just climb up these stupid stairs.", whined Sadiye.
As the youngest and shorted she was already tired of the stairs. Kihana decide to give her little sister a piggyback ride and our heroes made there way up again.
Unknown to them a certain white-haired boy watched them do that from the security of the woods.
"So myMillenniumRing was right.", he thought nearly amused. "Thedamnedqueenfollowedherpharaohinto the next life. Well, better for me to get my hands on theFragmenttoo."
An evil chuckle left his mouth.
Finally our group of eight reached with the other duellists the castle.
"Wow, look! That's Insector Haga! He's the regional champion.", they heard one of the duellists talk.
Another responded to him: "And that's the runner-up—Dinosaur Ryuzaki."
"And there's Ryota Kajiki. He was ranked third.", said a third one.
"Wow, these are all the best duellists in the world, but where's the world champion Kaiba?"
"Didn't you hear? Some kid beat him. On his own turf, too."
"Are you serious? I thought Kaiba was the best."
"He was, but not anymore. Do you see the boy who stands beside the Europa Champion, the Amazon Princess of the Nile, Sehrazat Faizan? That's Yugi Muto he is to be the kid to beat now."
"Oh wow, even the Amazon Princess of the Nile and the Lady of the Dragons Kihana Schariq are here. This is going to be the most exciting duellist tournament ever."
Yuugi and Sehrazat got all shy, while Joey nudged Yuugi and Kihana patted her head proudly.
The lackey of Pegasus with the pointy hair called out to them all from a balcony to gather around. It was time that Pegasus welcomed them.
"Boy, would I like to get just five minutes alone with that guy.", grumbled Joey.
"Make it ten, so I can get a piece of him too.", growled Sehrazat with Afya in her ear.
Pegasus finally arrived on the balcony and looked down at them as if he was some kind of king and they were his humble servants.
Both Yuugi and Sehrazat gave him looks who would have killed him in one instant if this was possible, but it seemed that Pegasus was just laughing at them.
"Greetings, duellists! I am Pegasus J. Crawford! It is my great honour and pleasure to welcome you all to the Duelist Kingdom. You stand before me, the world's greatest duellists!", started Pegasus his monolog. "But come the tournament's end, only one shall be crowned King or Queen of games! I implore you all to assemble your duelling decks with care, creativity, and with cunning. This competition will test your skill like never before! To track your progress in the tournament, you've each been given a duelling glove. You've also been given two precious starchips. You must wager these star chips on each duel you compete in. To advance to the final level of competition for a chance at the 3 million dollar prize, you must win ten starchips. Starchips will admit you into my castle, where you'll face me in one final duel!"
"So seeing all the security guards makes it out to window just storming this castle and get mama back from Pegasus.", told Sehrazat her yami.
Afya was still for a second.
"Well, if we found like a secret entrance, we totally could. But I don't think we have this much time and chance to do this with all these guards around us. And I'm not risking your life just for a hunch."
Sehrazat put her duelling clove on, like Yuugi and Kihana at the moment.
"Sotenstarchips it is."
"So it seems like it, child of mine. How frustrating, I rather fight someone physically than with fucking children's card games."
Pegasus also told them that new rules would be in effect, but he would not tell them, they needed to find out of their own and that they would have an hour to prepare and when the sky light up with fireworks it was time to start the tournament.
Under the cheers of the other duellist, he turned back into his castle.
"Theduellistshave arrived. Yuugi and Sehrazat have taken the bait, and the games are about to begin! Everything goes according to plan.", he thinks gleefully to himself.
Our group of eight waited for the beginning of the tournament in a nice meadow. They split up for a second into their original groups since they had to discuss a few things with their original friend group.
Not that they had any secrets from the other, just they needed to decide a few things. Manly Sehrazat group.
So while Yuugi assured Jounouchi that he could keep his one star chip, Sehrazat frowned at what Kihana said.
"I don't like it but you are right.", she said to her.
Kihana nodded and Sadiye and Maja agreed with a sign too. Sadiye found the guys funny and was sad, Maja really liked to flirt with Anzu and was disappointed that she couldn't do it anymore.
The girl walked back up to their new friends.
"Hey guy's, I think it's the best that we split now for the start of the tournament.", told them Kihana, what they had decided.
Yuugi and his friends were shocked to hear that.
"But why? Aren't we a team?", asked Anzu sad.
"Think about it, guys.", said Sehrazat equal sad and looking longing at Yuugi. "We would like to stay but we are four duellists. You know how long this duels can take, if we wait for everyone having a turn we never will get all 10 starchips in time to participate in the final. And we four all in will give us a higher chance at getting the souls of my mama and Yuugi grandpa back and the price money Jounouchi-Kun needs for his sister."
Yuugi looked longing back at her, but he got her point. He wanted to spend more time to get to know Sehrazat, yet he had to think first and foremost of his grandpa.
"I hate to say this, but they are right."
His friends gasped, besides Jounouchi.
"No, Yuug, is right if we are a smaller group we will get faster starchips.", he agreed.
"Don't worry you guys we will find each other again.", promised Maja. She took from her backpack two Walki-Talkies out. "I brought them with me so me and Sadiye could stay in contact with Kihana and Sehrazat, but this is perfect so we can meet up again with each other and check on each other."
She handed one to Anzu.
"That's smart Maja-Chan, so we really will be finding each other again!", praised Anzu her.
Maja winked and purred: "And whenever you just wanna talk Anzu-Chan, give me a call. It must be hard being the only girl in a boy group."
The short-haired brunette blushes red at Maja's flirty behaviour. Her friends tried their best not to laugh, but it was just to cute.
Anzu was spared to give an answer to that as the fireworks light up the sky.
"This is it guys.", says Sehrazat to them all. "No turning back."
"Wouldn't dream of it.", tells her Kihana.
"Let's get this show on a roll!", yells Maja and raises her fist.
The others follow suit with a loud yeah.
"Good luck girls!", wishes them Joey, while Yuugi nods.
Sehrazat smiles at them and Kihana gives them a thumbs up.
"Good luck to you too, boys!"
"We will see you later!", yells Sadiye already running into a random direction to find someone Sehra or her sister can duel.
"Sadiye! Wait!", screams Kihana and runs after her.
Maja just laughs and follows them.
Sehrazat gives one last smile at the group. Her eyes find Yuugi ones and again it's like it's only them.
"I will see you on the other side, Yuugi-Kun.", she says softly.
"I wouldn't want it any other way, Sehrazat-Chan.", he answered her just as softly.
The blue-haired girl nods and with one last soft look, she chases after her friends.
It was time to get these starchips!