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Duel Guard

Shobu's First Test

A man with long black hair, wearing sunglasses, sipped his wine calmly. He looked at a nearby sakura tree before looking at the young man seated across from him.

"So Master has already replaced me? And Miyuni, Mimi, Benny-Ha-Ha and Kokujo as well?" the younger of the two men said. He had long silver/blue/blonde?! hair and sapphire-colored eyes. The older of the men nodded.

"That is correct. I haven't met them yet. Their identities are being kept secret by Master," the black-haired man said. "What do you think of all this Hakuoh?"

Hakuoh placed his chin on the hand of his propped up arm. New Guardians and Champion? It was a bit scary. There are now new people to challenge. Hakuoh looked at the sakura tree.

"I don't know Knight. I guess I pity those new victims," he replied quietly. "They don't know what they're in for."

"But they mustn't be popular duelists if he can keep their identities so well hidden," Knight commented. "And I thought Master wanted Shobu to replace you."

"Maybe Master still wants Shobu but since I'm gone, he has a less chance of getting Shobu's attention," Hakuoh said thoughtfully. "Another top-level duelists is the only way how Master is going to get Shobu interested."

Knight suddenly stood up and Hakuoh looked at him blankly.

"I must warn Shobu," Knight said firmly.

Hakuoh shook his head. "Don't make him worry Knight. Do you want him paranoid? And knowing Shobu, if I do know him, he will want to face this new duelist. It would be best to keep quiet."

Knight sighed and sat down. "You're right. I just hope Shobu can handle any duelist who faces him."

"I'm sure he will be able to," Hakuoh said calmly. "I mean, he did defeat me once and that's saying a lot."

Knight burrowed his eyebrows together. "You never do stop in feeding your vanity."

"Of course."

"Ooh!" Shobu exclaimed. "This is a great fire civilization deck Norihiro! Where'd you get it?"

"In the shops," Norihiro said with a smile. "Where else would I get them from?"

"For all we know, you're someone from a secret organization that makes these cards and is using this deck for your own dark reasons!" Rakudah exclaimed with a smile. Everyone stared at him and Norihiro's eyes narrowed though no one noticed. "Just kidding! You should've seen your faces! As if that's possible!"

Shobu laughed and clapped Norihiro across the back. "Of course! As if Norihiro's like that!"

Oh you don't know how close you are Rakudah, Norihiro thought darkly. You have no idea how close.

Instead, he laughed. "Rakudah, you're so amusing."

"Hehe, I know," Rakudah said sheepishly.

"Anyway," Shobu said enthusiastically. "Let's start with Norihiro's lessons!"

"How is Norihiro doing?" a female voice asked. It was quiet and timid, almost gentle.

"He is doing perfectly," a woman's voice replied. "He has Shobu Kirifuda's trust."

"I see... Reiko, can you do me a favor and see how good Shobu is? I just want to know."

"Of course Milady. Anything for you," Reiko replied with a bow before leaving. As she did, she removed her cloak, revealing a dazzling woman. She had a smirk on her face as she left.

After exiting the chamber, she snapped her fingers and a cloaked figure appeared at her elbow.

"Yes Miss Reiko?" the boy's voice asked.

"Today is your lucky day. You get to challenge Shobu Kirifuda. If you dare lose, you will pay severely."

"Yes Miss Reiko. I won't fail you." With that, he disappeared. Reiko smiled as she went to another chamber. As she went in, she put on a lab coat over her curvaceous body and a computer screen turned on. It showed Shobu in the park, teaching Norihiro a few tricks on Duel Masters while Norihiro listened attentively.

"We'll see how good Shobu Kirifuda is."

Mimi looked in her purse. She sighed heavily as she looked at the shop's window. A few more yen and she would have been able to purchase that cute red blouse! What a shame...

"Mimi?"

Mimi looked up and saw the former Temple champion and her former boss, Hakuoh. Mimi looked surprised before smiling cheerfully.

"Oh hey Hakuoh! How nice it is to see you again!"

"Same here," Hakuoh said with a small smile. He then looked at the blouse she was just staring longingly at a while ago.

"Not enough money?" he asked as he stared at the blouse. Mimi nodded sadly.

"A few more yen would have been sufficient enough," she murmured quietly as she stared at the money she had on her hand.

A hand suddenly went in her peripheral vision and gave her a few more yen, making it possible for her to buy the blouse. Mimi looked up at the smiling Hakuoh.

"There you go. Now you can buy it," he said kindly. Mimi stared at him and then smiled happily.

"Oh thank you Hakuoh! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will repay you someday!"

Hakuoh held a hand up. "You don't need to, don't worry. I just want to talk with you for now."

"Okay. Just give me a second while I buy that cute blouse!"

After a few minutes, Mimi went out, carrying a paper bag. She smiled at Hakuoh.

"Okay, let's go!"

They started walking. They were silent for a few minutes before Mimi decided to break the silence.

"What did you want to talk to me about Hakuoh?" she asked curiously.

"Shobu."

"Huh?"

"Shobu," Hakuoh repeated. "Do you like him?"

Mimi blushed brightly. "O-of course I do. He's my friend-"

"You know what I mean Mimi."

Mimi blushed harder if that was possible.

"Y-yes... Why are you suddenly asking this?"

Hakuoh sighed. "It's just that... Do you know that Master has already replaced me?"

Mimi suddenly perked up and looked sharply at Hakuoh.

"What do you mean? Didn't Master plan to replace you with Shobu?"

"Knight and I thought so too," Hakuoh replied earnestly. "But Knight received news from a reliable resource that Master had already replaced me."

"With whom?" Mimi asked quietly.

"We don't know. Apparently, Master is keeping their identities hidden that is why Knight and I think that perhaps Master is planning to include Shobu in this dangerous game he's playing."

The former Second Guardian of the Temple bit her thumb, frowning nervously. What was Master up to?

"Why didn't Knight tell Shobu this?" Mimi asked, looking at Hakuoh.

"We didn't want to worry Shobu," Hakuoh explained. "And like I said to Knight, knowing Shobu, he might just attract this new Temple duelist. That is the last thing we want. You know what happened the last time. Both Shobu and me almost got hurt."

"You're right," Mimi said, biting her thumb again. "I have to keep this to myself."

"I just decided to tell you since I know that you care about Shobu and want to protect him," Hakuoh said, looking at her. "I'm just giving you a warning to be cautious of duelists that want to challenge Shobu."

Mimi nodded. "Thanks Hakuoh. How about you? Master hasn't been bothering you?"

Hakuoh smiled at her. "Don't worry about me. I have Miyuni and the others to protect me - not that I need protecting."

"Of course Hakuoh."

"I want to try playing now!" Norihiro said excitedly. "Let's play!"

"Okay!" Shobu said cheerfully. "Now-"

"Shobu Kirifuda?"

Shobu, Rakudah and Norihiro looked up the hill and saw a man holding a deck of cards. Shobu raised his hand and pointed to himself.

"I'm Shobu Kirifuda."

The man jumped down from the hill and landed at the bottom. He pointed at Shobu.

"Shobu Kirifuda, I challenge you to a game of Duel Masters."

Shobu looked stunned but then smiled confidently as he looked at the determined man's face.

"I accept."

Norihiro's eyes widened in excitement. "Ooh! Another duel!"

"Shields deploy!"

"Activate shields!"

Shobu drew a card and then looked at the man. "Um... Who are you again?"

"I didn't say my name," the man said with a shrug. "And it is of no importance to you."

"Then tell me why you want to duel me," Shobu said stubbornly.

"Hmm... I'll tell you if you defeat me."

"Deal."

And they started. Shobu's opponent made the first move.

(A/N: Descriptions... I'm sorry but I have to skip them. And I still need the duelists list of cards! I only have Mimi's so far...)

"This is a cool match!" Norihiro said excitedly. "Hey Rakudah, you think Shobu will win?"

Rakudah looked at his laptop then at Shobu. "Of course he will. Shobu's good."

Shobu smirked (not in an evil way) and made his final attack.

"Bolshock Dragon! Todome da!"

The opponent got a bit thrown off to the ground. Shobu jumped up in the air with a triumphant "yeah!". Norihiro and Rakudah cheered.

Shobu went to his opponent. "Now can you tell me why you wanted to duel me?"

"I work for the Temple and I'm just here to test how good your are. Since I lost, I'm fired now. Wonderful," the man said sarcastically. "And I just got in!"

"The Temple?" Shobu said in shock. Rakudah had a shocked expression on his face as well. Norihiro narrowed his eyes dangerously and the man suddenly noticed Norihiro standing behind Shobu and Rakudah. The man's eyes widened in fear. He was about to say something when he suddenly froze as though petrified. Shobu and Rakudah looked confused and Shobu started poking the man.

"What happened to him?" he asked curiously as he poked the man.

"Maybe he just got shocked at losing," Norihiro said with a charming smile as he urged Shobu away from the man. "Come on Shobu! It's getting late! You should go home!"

"Norihiro's right Shobu," Rakudah said. "Your mom's going to get worried." Shobu nodded.

"Okay, let's go Rakudah. Bye Norihiro!" With that, Shobu left with Rakudah. Norihiro was waving at them with a smile on his face until they disappeared. He then turned sharply to the man and the man was unpetrified.

"M-Master Norihiro, I didn't know you were here-"

"Who sent you?" Norihiro asked, an echo in his voice, his eyes hidden by his bangs.

"M-Miss Reiko sent me-"

"Who gave you the permission to speak freely of whom you serve?" Norihiro said coldly, suddenly looking at the man with narrowed green eyes.

The man bowed on the ground apologetically. "I-I didn't mean to-"

"Go back to the Temple and report to Reiko. Make sure you do or I will hunt you down. You revealed too much to Shobu. You also almost blew my cover and I won't stand for that, understood?"

"Y-yes Master Norihiro," the man said, cowering in fear.

"Very good. Now scat and make sure you remember what I said. Return to the Temple." The man hastily stood up and ran off. Norihiro flipped his phone open and dialed Reiko's number.

"Norihiro?" Reiko said over the phone.

::I'm sure you were watching that whole thing.::

"I was," Reiko said, reclining on her seat. "Don't worry. I will punish that man severely. Our dear lady just wanted to know how good Shobu is. You should talk to her you know."

::I will soon enough. Bye and chose better minions next time. You have a high taste in fashion but your choice of henchmen is very poor.::

"Norihiro, you wound me," Reiko said dramatically. She then smirked. "But of course. Sometimes, I think you are more serious than Akio."

::No one is more serious than Akio. I just don't want to mess this up for my beloved cousin.::

"You are being sarcastic," Reiko said calmly. "Bye Norihiro."

::Bye.::

Reiko placed the phone down and smiled at the images of Shobu.

"Very good... Very good indeed. But you need to be better Shobu Kirifuda."