Chapter Two

Simply Irresistible

Griff Terrace nodded respectfully, though he seemed somewhat aloof at the prospect. "I accept," he repeated solemnly, "but, I am somewhat...winded, after my last duel. I mean no disrespect but could you come back tomorrow?"

Deirdre Masako made a face, obviously displeased, but what could he do? Either he was lying; unlikely, or he simply was tired, which was understandable. "All right, I can wait a day."

"Thank you, my friend." Griff held out his hand and shook Deirdre's reluctantly extended hand with a warm smile. "Meet me here early tomorrow morning. Around 9:00. I'll give you a battle deserving of both our talents. I can only hope you don't disappoint me."

"I would never dream of it," Deirdre replied stoically.

Griff took a step backward, waving goodbye, then spun around on his heel and walked through the crowd and out of sight. Realizing there was no one left worth worshipping, the people dispersed leaving Deirdre alone with his thoughts. With a heavy sigh, he walked down the street. Just because Griff wasn't in the mood to battle didn't mean he was going to deprive himself of a good duel today. Someone had to be willing to get a bit dirty.

Everywhere he looked he saw people, most armed with Duel Disks, though they were all idly standing by or sitting down, discussing any number of topics but few had the look of a person willing to just drop everything and accept a challenge at the drop of a hat. These were the kind of people Deirdre liked. Strong-minded and self-assured. Not for once believing they could possibly lose. That was how a true duelist should act.

Not long ago, he had watched a television program featuring two people in a heated game of Dungeon Dice Monsters, if he remembered correctly. One was the famous Duelist Kingdom champion, Yugi Motou. The other was some kid with a die in his ear named Duke Devilin. He seemed cocky enough, he should be, he had invented the game and was absolutely positive that his opponent didn't have a chance against him, and in all aspects he should have been correct.

Though Yugi had obliterated that preconception before when he defeated Maximillion Pegasus at the game he had invented. Yugi, of course, came out on top. He had defeated the man at a game that he created. It was truly remarkable, though the game didn't seem like anything more than a less-elaborate version of Duel Monsters and wasn't anything Deirdre had been interested in.

What bothered him about this whole match is that during certain points Yugi began to preach about the "Heart of the Cards," which apparently meant believing in your deck enough that you trust it too assist you in winning a duel. It seemed like superstitious rubbish and it most likely was. It was a theory that Yugi used as a crutch. He tells himself that if he believes in his deck he'll come out on top no matter how impossible the situation looks. Apparently, winning a duel nowadays only requires that you talk to yourself and pat yourself on the back occasionally.

"'Heart of the cards' my ass," Deirdre grumbled, and as he walked was soon clearly able make out a cacophony of voices all centered around one person who was shadowed beneath a mass of people. Deirdre could not make him out, but he had nothing better to do so why not listen to the absent-minded badgering of some punk who no doubt thinks he is better than everyone else?

"I am currently undefeated," he said with a loud and commanding voice. "I get nothing but little weenie throw-away duelists who rant and rave the entire duel, even though I am beating them the entire time! It's sad! I want a real battle!" The kid stood up and now completely towered over the circle of people around him. "Someone come forward! I promise I'll go easy on you!"

Deirdre grinned and stepped forward. "I accept your—"

"I accept your challenge!" A commanding voice said on the opposite side of Deirdre, a voice that had dwarfed his own voice and diverted everyone's attention away from him and onto this other kid. Every person in the crowd let out a simultaneous gasp and started to break the circle, then formed a larger one around Deirdre, the challenger, and Yugi Motou.

The large man looked down at Yugi and laughed. "The Duelist Kingdom champion! Excellent! I know this is a duel worth my time! My name is Boehmer, friend!" He extended his hand. Yugi grinned and accepted the offering, and Boehmer completely eclipsed his hand and nearly crushed his bones into powder, though he was seemingly oblivious to his own strength.

Yugi grunted and pulled away. "Yes, t-thank you, Boehmer."

"All right! Then let's get started!" He and Yugi backed away from each other and moved into the center of the improvised ring, then both launched the twin holographic imaging pods from their Duel Disks and formed the plate on which they laid their cards.

Deirdre took a step back and entered the circle, seemingly like he never existed.

Not long after the match had started, however, someone tapped him on the shoulder. Deirdre turned around and came face-to-face with a beautiful young woman with shoulder length blonde hair and a white button-up shirt. Strapped to her right wrist was a Duel Disk that hung just barely past her checkered skirt.

"I couldn't help but notice that you had stepped forward first. It wasn't fair that other guy got the challenge instead."

Deirdre shrugged. "I'll get other chances."

"Want one now? This would be my first duel of the tournament." She smiled, like it would alter his decision based on her appearance. Though she was very attractive.

"It would be my first as well. If you're offering, then I accept your challenge."

"Great!" She grabbed him by the wrist and led him out of the mob. They walked together (against Deirdre's better judgment) away from the other duel and farther down the street. She positioned Deirdre parallel to the sidewalk behind him and with a girlish skip, went to the other side directly in front of him.

She smiled again, this time cuter, if such a thing were possible. "By the way, I'm Skylar! Skylar Seere."

"Deirdre," he replied, purposely neglecting to tell her his last name. It wasn't like they were going to become best friends or anything. It would be one duel and whatever the outcome, they would walk away not likely to ever see the other again.

"Okies," she said still smiling. She armed her imaging disks and formed her card plate. "Ready?"

Deirdre nodded his head, formed his disk also, then signaled that he was now prepared. The holo-imagers charged then activated, and they both drew five cards.

'Good hand,' he thought. Now equipped with three monsters and two magic, he quickly formed a possible strategy.

"I set one card face down," Skylar said, not losing her enthusiasm. "Then I play the Cyber Falcon in defense mode!" An iron-plated falcon appeared flapping its wings in the air, and releasing a mechanical screech. A truly terrible noise.

"I also set one card face down and then play the Darkfire Soldier #1." A robe-wearing samurai wielding dual swords appeared. Instantly a powerful conflagration enveloped his body though he appeared unharmed. "I'll get this started strong right from the start."

"Yes, but my face down card, Light of Intervention, will make sure you can hide nothing from me." Skylar smiled and winked.

"Doesn't matter," he droned. "Darkfire Soldier, attack the Cyber Falcon!" The burning warrior charged forward and slashed the opposing monster straight down the center, slicing it in half and blasting it apart in a spray of pixels.

"Luckily, it was in defense mode so I lose no life points."

Deirdre nodded and awaited her next move. She drew another card and also placed it in her hand. "I play the Deepsea Warrior in attack mode!" Her new monster appeared, brandishing a wicked-looking spear. "I also lay down Umi." The activation of the field magic card washed the entire holographic playing field with water. The moment the water hit Deirdre's Darkfire Soldier, a cloud of boiling steam emitted from his body and reduced his attack and defense points by two hundred.

"Umi also raises my Deepsea Warrior's attack and defense by two hundred. Look's like your monster just became underpowered. No way he can make an attack by my monster now!"

"You're right, he can't." Deirdre drew a card from his deck, placed it in the center of his hand and set another monster card on the field. "I sacrifice the Darkfire Soldier #1 and play Twin-Headed Fire Dragon in attack mode." A monstrous double-headed beast appeared hovering just above the reach of Skylar's water trap, rearing back its heads and unleashing a loud howl. "And because my Dragon is flying above the water it is unaffected by Umi and receives no point reductions."

Skylar opened her mouth in an appearance of shock but made no noise.

"Twin-Headed Fire Dragon, attack with Double Fire Blast!"

Deirdre's dragon growled with both of its heads and began to drool embers from both mouths. Simultaneously they reared back their heads and released two scorching blasts of fire, incinerating her monster and reducing her life points by 800. She was now at 3200.

"Ah, poo," she whined, then looked at her hand and drew another card. She looked up at Deirdre with a frown and saw his expression had not changed sense the moment she first met him. He was just as passive and emotionless as ever. "All right, I play the Mother Grizzly in defense mode!" A large, brown-furred bear appeared looking quite vexed. "I also play this card face down." She set a magic card, which appeared floating behind her intimidating bear.

Deirdre drew from his hand then a few voices he had not noticed before became clearer. A small group had formed around Skylar and himself, though not nearly as substantial as the one still circling Yugi and Boehmer. He was somewhat flattered but his game was unaffected.

He looked at his hand and saw two monsters that he could put on the field and get a good early advantage, but they were of Pyro and Machine-type. If they were put on the field, Umi would reduce their attack and defense scores by two hundred, and even though that would still not be enough for her Mother Grizzly to destroy either of them, Skylar might have something else planned and it was always better to be cautious than reckless.

He would have to wait until he could get a field effect of his own. He had a Molten Destruction card in his deck somewhere. Maybe Lady Luck would make it appear on top soon.

'Can't say I really rely on luck either, but it seems more reliable than a heart in my cards.'

"I lay one card face down and end my turn."

"Good! Now, watch this, Deirdre! I play the Mystical Guillotine card!" Alongside her Grizzly appeared a giant medieval machine. Several rusty iron shackles shot out from the base of the device and made a beeline for his dragon.

"Not so fast," he chided and flipped a facedown card up. "I activate the Living Arrow, which will turn your Guillotine's chains against you." A glowing blue arrow appeared in front of Deirdre's Twin-Headed Fire Dragon. The shaft rebounded the chains and sent them back at Skylar, who could only watch in disbelieving horror as her own monster was set up on the cutting board. In one swift move, the blade came down and decapitated her Mother Grizzly.

"What! Oh no, c'mon!"

Deirdre almost felt sorry for her, she was obviously a novice and relied on her looks to get her through duels. Unfortunately for her, he never felt bad about beating anyone, not even a pretty girl.

"Now Dragon, attack her life points directly!"

The Twin-Headed Fire Dragon growled its compliance and released its immolating attack, blasting Skylar directly and sending her hair and loose sections of clothing whipping about. Simulated heat and force made this tournament all the more exciting. When the flames extinguished, Skylar was left panting and sweating vehemently. Her life points were now at one thousand and dropping..

The crowd had grown larger and some were even applauding now, though it was not likely for Skylar. She knew this, and seemed angered by it. "Lucky for me, the Mother Grizzly has a special effect. I summon the Twin Long Rods #2 in attack mode." Her new monster appeared, waving its elastic metal poles in the air wildly. "And because that was a special summon, I can now sacrifice it and call Wingweaver in attack mode!"

Her new monster, and beautiful six-winged woman, floated above the water and matched Deirdre's monster not in height but definitely in power. Skylar began to jump up and down, happily clapping her hands together. "Sweet! I can win this duel yet! Wingweaver, use Celestial Magic and destroy the Twin-Headed Gross Dragon!"

Deirdre snorted disdainfully at her rude remark toward his Dragon but wasn't worried about the impending attack. "I activate my other face down card, Mirror Force." A glass wall appeared in front of the destructive cerulean wave and reflected it back at its caster, destroying the Wingweaver. Skylar was stunned beyond words.

Once the dust cleared and Skylar had strained to focus back on the duel, though still noticeably shaken, Deirdre shrugged and nodded once. "It was a notable duel. Twin-Headed Fire Dragon, take out the last of her life points."

The crowd cheered the Dragon on as it took in great breaths of air and released two blazing gouts of flame, obliterating the remainder of Skylar's life points.

Deirdre ignored the dissonance of applause and congratulations of the people around him and approached Skylar, who was standing with her head hung low and her cards still uncollected.

Deirdre, of course, had put his deck away and reassembled his Duel Disk immediately after the last blow was dealt. He stood over her and sighed, then placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

She looked up and Deirdre instantly expected a harsh slap in the face, but received none. She smiled, though a bit hesitantly, and placed her hand on top of his. The crowd let out a contemporary groan of disgust and scattered rather loudly. Deirdre and Skylar, though, were unaware of it.

"It was a good match. You have nothing to be ashamed of." Deirdre couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth but figured a small measure of comfort was needed here. Maybe he wasn't completely immune to her charms afterall.

She nodded quietly and collected her deck. She pieced back together her holo-imagers into her Duel Disk and held up two cards, one was her rarest card, the Wingweaver, and the other was her locator card.

Deirdre looked at these items like they were an infectious disease he needed to stay away from at all costs but regretfully took them.

"You deserve them. Thank you for such a great duel, Deirdre." She unstrapped her Disk from her wrist and let it hang limply at her side. "I'm out. See you around."

He watched her take one step away and some part of his non-existent conscious told him that this wasn't right. This wasn't what a gentleman would do, and though he scorned all people, women included, he did consider himself a gentleman. "Wait, I can't accept these."

Skylar gave him a harsh glare but softened up a bit. "You have too. You won the duel."

"It isn't right." He shoved the two cards back into her hands. "Take them and continue the tournament."

She sighed then looked at the cards in her hand. "Thank you but you won. They belong to you now." Neither one seemed to be ready to alleviate this situation so she spoke up. "How about this; just take the locator card. I'm tired of this tournament anyway." She smiled familiarly, just as bright and happy as when they first met all those minutes ago. "Is that better?"

Deirdre nodded, and still rather hesitantly took and pocketed the locator card. "So, you're leaving then?"

She nodded. "Why? You want me too stay? Got a crush on me? I know I'm irresistible. No man can resist the charm of such a beautiful woman as myself."

"I want you too stay," he grumbled angrily, "but not because your 'irresistible.' I want you too stay because I think I can save a lost cause."

"What is that supposed to mean?!" Skylar fumed.

"I think I can make you a better duelist. Sort of like taking on an apprentice. Accept?" Deirdre knew that he was not exactly a world-class duelist either but he had won several local tournaments. Maybe some of his skill would rub off on her.

She looked at him without speaking for a moment, searching his eyes for a sign of sincerity. He had done plenty during their short time of knowing each other to give her the impression that he had no interest in her whatsoever. Maybe he was doing this out of pity. In any case, she found his offer "irresistible."

"All right, I accept." She smiled and hugged him, just to see his reaction. It was just what she wanted; he stiffened up like a board. After a stunned second past he pushed her gently away at arms length.

"G-good," he stumbled then backed up. "Then...err..."

"Wanna meet my parents?"

Deirdre blinked with confusion for a few moments then shrugged. "Okay."

Skylar giggled happily and took his hand, then ran off in the direction of her house. She knew her parents were going to mistake him for a boyfriend and she was so greatly looking forward too his reaction.