Chapter Twenty-Four: Yami's War

"Hiya!" A girl's battle cry was heard outside. Yugi wearily woke up as the sounds of wooden sticks resounded throughout the room faintly. He pulled the covers off himself, slipped on his Millennium Puzzle and stepped over Joey and Teran. After last night's incidents, no one had felt like doing much so after some card games and a movie, everyone had retired early. Yugi opened the sliding door and saw Saria and her dad sparring with wooden swords on the private beach. Mr. Floyd was garbed in a blue muscle shirt and jeans while Saria was wearing only a lavender bikini.

Yugi could only wonder how cold Saria must have been feeling, because it was very chilly from the other night's rainstorm. Yugi continued to watch their duel until Mr. Floyd rolled behind Saria and hit her in the back with his wooden sword. Saria, caught off balance, went tumbling into a small area laced with sand and mud that had washed in from the storm. Yugi couldn't help bursting out in laughter. Saria and her dad turned to see him on the balcony.

"Morning Yugi! Why don't you come on down?" Mr. Floyd asked as he pulled Saria deftly out of the mud. Yugi nodded and went back into the room. He rifled through his backpack and pulled out a clean pair of jeans and a pair of socks. He slipped them on and went down the stairs to see Mrs. Floyd cooking on the stove.

"Morning Mrs. Floyd," Yugi greeted. Mrs. Floyd looked up from her cooking, smiling.

"Morning Yugi. Did Saria's training wake you up?" She asked. Yugi nodded.

"It's OK though. I usually wake up about this time every morning anyway. Why does Saria train? It looked like she was having a hard time keeping up with Mr. Floyd," Yugi asked, taking a seat at the bar-like table. Mrs. Floyd handed him a plate with French toast and a glass of orange juice. Yugi hungrily dug in.

"It's a tradition in this family that every member of the family learns how to handle the sword. When Patrick found that Saria hadn't been practicing, he got pretty mad and asked her to train this morning. Besides, every kid in the Great Sea has to know at least one form of defensive combat in order to graduate and get a high school diploma," Becky explained. Yugi nodded.

"We don't have requirements like that back home," Yugi commented as he pushed the last crumb of his toast into his mouth.

"Yes, I know. But since the war days of my husband and I, we feel it is necessary that Saria learn some form of combat. Duel Monsters can't protect you from someone who wants to punch your lights out you know," Mrs. Floyd replied, then she caught herself and grinned," Then again, Yami is always summoning creatures to aid you when you're in danger."

"Yeah, it's nice to know he'll always be around to help me out. I'm not much of a fighter," Yugi replied, glancing at the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. At that moment, Mr. Floyd and a mud-laden Saria came through the sliding door.

"Sweetheart, you're going to track all over," Mrs. Floyd stated, not looking up from her cooking.

"Sorry Mom. I'll hit the shower," Saria promised and she climbed up the stairs. Mr. Floyd kissed his wife good morning and sat down to read the paper.

"So, what are we gonna do today?" Yugi asked.

"Well, you and Joey and Saria have to duel me for a Valkyrion Medal after I drop off Farore's Pearl at the office. Then I have to head up to Greatfish Island to claim that last pearl for my research," Mr. Floyd said.

"Have you got an arena arranged yet?"

"Yup. Down at my office. Relax OK? I'm surprised you didn't ask about what happened at the council meeting last night."

"OK. What happened?"

"Town council wants me to drop my gym leader duties. They feel this tournament has been nothing but trouble since it began. After ten o'clock today, my gym leader duties will be gone. I'll be free to give you guys a lift anywhere you need to go."

"That sounds good. I hope Joey wakes up soon."

"Right here Yugi," said a half-awake Joey.

"Morning Joey. Sleep well? Let me answer that: No," Mr. Floyd greeted as Joey sat down next to Yugi.

"As soon as you guys eat and Saria showers, we'll head to my office where we can duel for your Valkyrion Medals," Mr. Floyd said as he turned back to his paper and at the same time, sipped some of his orange juice. Mrs. Floyd slid a plate of pancakes towards Joey.

"Better eat up. You're going to need your strength today," Mrs. Floyd said as she turned to make more. Joey immediately woke up at the smell of the pancakes and Yugi and Mr. Floyd watched humorously as Joey wolfed them down. It was then pounding feet resounded throughout the house as Tristan ran down and grabbed up a fork and knife.

"Someone say pancakes? Pass me a plate!" Tristan said, somewhat drooling. Mrs. Floyd wearily passed him a plate and the eating frenzy was on. Yugi smiled innocently as he said.

"Watch out! Joey and Tristan are at it again." Both friends stopped long enough to listen to Yugi laugh and then they finished their plates of pancakes. It was then Saria came out in a lavender top and blue cargo shorts.

"Morning Joey. Morning Tristan," Saria greeted, trying to keep a straight face. Both had some butter and syrup around their lips. They licked the stuff off and lay back in their chairs.

"Man! That was the best pancakes I've ever had," Joey sighed.

"Well, you were just served by the best cook in the Great Sea," Patrick said affectionately, glancing at his wife. He promptly finished a plate of toast and another glass of orange juice then stood up. He grabbed Farore's Pearl, which Saria had given him last night and headed for the door.

"Let me know when you're ready to duel. I'll be at the office waiting," Mr. Floyd said and he took off through the light fog that covered the island. Saria sat down and as she finished a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, Serenity came down, her hair tousled.

"Morning Serenity," Everyone echoed.

"Morning," Serenity mumbled as she rubbed her face and took a spot at the table.

"Sleep well kid?" Mrs. Floyd asked. Serenity shook her head.

"Too worried about Teran to sleep."

"That's a shame." There wasn't much talk after that until the group was ready to leave for Mr. Floyd's office so they could duel. They bid Mrs. Floyd farewell and the group walked the short distance to town where they got on an elevator to go underground to a large mall-like complex that had a lot of housing and shops. At the far end, was a large complex with a sign that said Floyd Industries.

"This is it guys," Mr. Floyd announced as they entered the spacious and sterile lobby. The group walked over to another elevator and a short ride later, they were in a room with what must have been the world's largest dueling stadium for a three-on-one duel.

"Come on! We have to get set up! We're on a time limit remember?" Mr. Floyd reminded. Minutes later, the decks were shuffled and everybody was ready. Serenity was fortunate this time to take a seat in a side podium next to her big brother and Tristan sat with Yugi.

"OK. Here's the rules for our duel. The three of you will each have 2000 life points while I have 8000. If one of you gets knocked out, the duel will continue. Basically, I have to wipe out all three of you for me to win. On my turn, I get to summon two monsters instead of one, understand?" Mr. Floyd asked. Everyone nodded.

"Lets duel then! And I'm going first! I'll summon the Mystical Elf (800/2000) in defense mode and I'll also summon Thunder Nyan Nyan (1900/700) in attack mode! Then I'll place one card facedown to end my turn!" Mr. Floyd declared, his cards appearing on the field.

Hmm. Mr. Floyd placed one monster in defense mode and one in attack mode. Something tells me pulling direct attacks in this duel will be tough to do since he can summon two monsters at a time. Yugi thought as he activated his Millennium Puzzle. As he did, he could feel Saria tapping into the power of her Triforce Amulet.

"I'll place Big Shield Guardna (100/2600) in defense mode and then I'll place one card facedown to end my turn. Your move Joey," Yami said, glancing at his friend.

"Right. I'll place two cards facedown and summon Battle Warrior (700/1000) in attack mode!" Joey declared, his blue cyber warrior ready for battle.

"Go ahead Saria, or should I say Link?" Joey joked as Saria's attire changed. This time, Saria was wearing long tan slacks and a plain purple T-shirt. On her hands were brown leather gauntlets. Mr. Floyd stared at Saria in adoration.

"I'm impressed Saria! You're starting to learn your full potential with magic power," Mr. Floyd praised.

"I'm just practicing my power of transformation. I want to look more courageous but still pull off a common style like Yugi and Joey," Saria replied. Yugi had opted for a black T-shirt, jeans, and black boots while Joey wore a white tank top, dog tags, jean shorts and his usual worn sneakers. They had always dressed this way and it was their style.

"Can you please make a move Saria? I don't want the time limit to expire," Serenity asked.

"Of course. I'll place Aqua Madoor (1200/2000) in defense mode then place one card facedown to finish out my turn," Saria said, her white mask wearing, red eyed, green clothed, blue haired magician appearing on the field, "Your move Dad."

"With great pleasure princess," Mr. Floyd replied, drawing a card from his deck, "For this turn, I'll play two monsters in defense mode."

"Now, prepare yourself Mr. Floyd," Yami warned as he drew a card from his deck, "I'll sacrifice my Big Shield Guardna in order to summon my Beast of Gilfer (2200/2500) in attack mode!" Mr. Floyd merely grinned as the mighty beast appeared in the place of the guard.

"Beast of Gilfer! Attack Mr. Floyd's Thunder Nyan Nyan with beast flare attack!" Yugi commanded. Mr. Floyd reached for his facedown card.

"Not so fast! I reveal my facedown card! I'll play my trap card, Shadow Spell! It'll ensnare your Beast and reduce its attack power by 800 points!" Patrick interrupted, his trap shooting chains and tying up Yugi's monster.

"No! My Beast of Gilfer!" Yami cried. It was then the chains around Yugi's beast fell off and reattached to Mr. Floyd's Thunder Nyan Nyan.

"What the?"

"Sorry doc, had to activate my Trap Displacement card. It redirects your trap to one of your monsters," Joey said, revealing his counter trap.

"Shall we try this again? Beast of Gilfer! Attack! Destroy Thunder Nyan Nyan!" Yami commanded. Mr. Floyd gritted his teeth as his monster was vaporized in the explosion and reduced his life points to 4900.

"OK! Here comes Joey Wheeler!" Joey announced as he drew from his deck. He smirked at the new card in his hand.

MEANWHILE AT THE FLOYD HOME...

"Morning Teran," Mrs. Floyd greeted, "Everyone left already to duel." This didn't surprise Teran.

"Not like I care," He mumbled as he sat down at the table.

"Teran, they wanted to wait for you but they have to get the Valkyrion Medal before ten o'clock."

"And if they don't?"

"The mayor wants my husband to quit his gym leader duties. He thinks it is endangering the island." Teran couldn't disagree.

"Saria needs you, you know."

"Why? She's got Yugi and the others to help her out."

"True, but when they leave, who will she have then?" Teran stared down at the table.

"Go help her. She needs your support."

"You think she'll forgive me?"

"She already has." Teran bolted for the door.