Elsewhere in the area of the refueling station.
"NO! My Machine King! He should've been more than a match for your little Magician girl. HOW!?" The Duelist shouted in frustration.
"Dark Magician Girl gets a power boost for every Dark Magician and Magician of Black Chaos in either players graveyard, her attack was at 2600." Yugi explained.
Yugi: 6100
Tom: 0000
"It was a good match regardless, and it was an honor to Duel the one and only Yugi Muto." Tom said handing over his Machine King card.
"Thank you, It was a good match. Remember while you may feel good winning, you can learn more from losing." Yugi said as he walked away, His Duel Disk now registering a total of twenty six.
Tom watched as Yugi walked away, looking down at his deck then back up to the departing Duelist. A wicked smile was playing over his lips.
Whipping his Backpack around, Tom fished out a Walky Talky.
"Sir, Yugi Muto is now in the finals. I saw to it personally." He spoke into the device.
"Very good Thomas. Return to the ship for your prize package. The cards you requested and the money you've earned are waiting in your quarters." Willem Springs voice said through the device.
Still elsewhere in the area.
"That was an impressive match Joey. You only came close to losing ten or twelve times in that one." Mai smiled.
"Hey, I wasn't that bad. I still won didn't I?" Joey asked rhetorically.
"Yes you did, but you can't afford to take so many chances if you plan to take the Title in this Tournament." Mai chided the younger Duelist.
"Yeah I know, But if you can't have fun what's the point? I know you have to take it seriously sometimes but why take it to the point where the enjoyment is gone?" Joey asked.
The two Duelists stopped walking and watched the setting sun for a few moments.
Mai looked over at Joey and saw him staring at the sinking red orb with a wistful look on his face.
Fed up she exhaled harshly and grabbed him by his goatee and pulled him into a kiss.
The Diner
"So, I walk in and the room is trashed, bed's over turned. Clothes every where and the dresser's been knocked over. Robert's laying on the floor painting like he'd just run a nine second mile sweating like mad." Sammantha paused and took a bite of her Ceaser Salad.
"So I run over to him and ask what happened, you know, thinking that someone had broken in and he'd stupidly tried to fight them. What's he say?" She paused again and looked at Robert.
"Damn bird flew in through the window." Robert said as he hung his head in shame. "Freaking thing was mean too, Took me almost an hour to get it out the window again." Robert finished and took a sip from his drink before taking a spoonful of mashed potatoes.
Ryu, Kelly and, Samamntha all started laughing.
"So I look around the room and then back at him." She said.
"It was a really big bird!" She and Robert said at the same time.
This brought a new peal of laughter from Kelly and Ryu.
The four continued their meal and conversation for a few moments more when Kelly noticed Yugi entering the eatery.
"Yugi! Over here!" The blonde Duelist called out, waving her hand in the air to catch his attention.
"So Yugi, In the finals yet?" Sammantha queried the spiked haired duelist as he sat down.
"I certainly am, check it out." Yugi answered as he held up his Duel Disk the readout showed twenty six Star Points.
"Holy crap Yugi, didn't you have like fifteen when we got here?" Robert sputtered as he beheld the young mans total Star Points.
"I did, but the Duelist I just beat had eleven, but it was odd. The entire duel felt a little too easy. Like he was holding back." Yugi said as he looked over a menu.
"Why would a Tournament participant throw a Duel? It doesn't make any sense, especially throwing a duel against you. I mean, even if they lost the tournament over all they'd still have the notoriety of having beaten Yugi Muto, best on earth." Ryu spoke then took a drink of his tea.
"It's odd, Tom didn't seem terribly disappointed that he'd lost all of his Star Points and his Machine King." Yugi replied as a waitress approached to take his order.
"Wait, Tom? As in Thomas, a machine Duelist obviously by the usage of Machine King?" Kelly spoke up.
"Yes, why?" Yugi asked as the waitress departed.
"Well, there was a Machine Duelist by the name of Thomas, he was really good at playing people, conning them into doing what he wanted them to do. It might be a coincidence but..." Kelly was cut off by Robert.
"It's a hell of a coincidence." Robert said.
"Well sure but even if it is the same guy, Aren't the Ghouls out to collect rare cards? Why would he intentionally lose? Doesn't that go against the mandate?" Sammantha asked.
"The Ghouls are about getting rare cards but some are given tasks to carry out. This might include losing on purpose or sabotaging matches to favor other Ghouls." Kelly answered.
"So, who would benefit from me getting into the finals?" Yugi posed to the group.
"I don't know how Mr. Spring's mind works, and to be honest I don't want to, that man scared the hell out of me." Kelly said as she ate the last of her fried mushrooms.
"I know what you mean Kel, believe me." Robert spoke, his voice sounding far away.
Robert pushed his plate away and leaned back, his arms crossed he closed his eyes.
Sammantha leaned in close to him and spoke, "What's wrong hon? It's still bothering you isn't it?"
Looking into her eyes, those crystal blue eyes, even in the dimming light they seemed to glow.
"Yeah a little. I just think I need to clear my head." he answered.
"Really? Well then bro, how about a duel?" Kelly asked, sandwiched between Ryu and Yugi.
"Kelly, I don't think that's a good idea." Came Roberts response.
"Our last duel wasn't really a fair one, I mean it was raining, I was slightly psychotic." She joked.
"Besides, what am I going to do with these Star Points? I'm not a registered participant. And unlike some of the other ghouls I wasn't hacked into the system. But once these points are on your disk they'll be useful." She added.
"Alright I guess. But it's a friendly Duel, neither one of us gives up a rare card." Robert said, laying down the rules.
"Fine, let's go." Kelly said as Yugi allowed her out of the booth.
"Alright sis, let's rock." Robert said following her, with Ryu and Sammantha close behind.
"Waitress, can I get that club sandwich and soda to go?" Yugi called from the table.
"NO! My Machine King! He should've been more than a match for your little Magician girl. HOW!?" The Duelist shouted in frustration.
"Dark Magician Girl gets a power boost for every Dark Magician and Magician of Black Chaos in either players graveyard, her attack was at 2600." Yugi explained.
Yugi: 6100
Tom: 0000
"It was a good match regardless, and it was an honor to Duel the one and only Yugi Muto." Tom said handing over his Machine King card.
"Thank you, It was a good match. Remember while you may feel good winning, you can learn more from losing." Yugi said as he walked away, His Duel Disk now registering a total of twenty six.
Tom watched as Yugi walked away, looking down at his deck then back up to the departing Duelist. A wicked smile was playing over his lips.
Whipping his Backpack around, Tom fished out a Walky Talky.
"Sir, Yugi Muto is now in the finals. I saw to it personally." He spoke into the device.
"Very good Thomas. Return to the ship for your prize package. The cards you requested and the money you've earned are waiting in your quarters." Willem Springs voice said through the device.
Still elsewhere in the area.
"That was an impressive match Joey. You only came close to losing ten or twelve times in that one." Mai smiled.
"Hey, I wasn't that bad. I still won didn't I?" Joey asked rhetorically.
"Yes you did, but you can't afford to take so many chances if you plan to take the Title in this Tournament." Mai chided the younger Duelist.
"Yeah I know, But if you can't have fun what's the point? I know you have to take it seriously sometimes but why take it to the point where the enjoyment is gone?" Joey asked.
The two Duelists stopped walking and watched the setting sun for a few moments.
Mai looked over at Joey and saw him staring at the sinking red orb with a wistful look on his face.
Fed up she exhaled harshly and grabbed him by his goatee and pulled him into a kiss.
The Diner
"So, I walk in and the room is trashed, bed's over turned. Clothes every where and the dresser's been knocked over. Robert's laying on the floor painting like he'd just run a nine second mile sweating like mad." Sammantha paused and took a bite of her Ceaser Salad.
"So I run over to him and ask what happened, you know, thinking that someone had broken in and he'd stupidly tried to fight them. What's he say?" She paused again and looked at Robert.
"Damn bird flew in through the window." Robert said as he hung his head in shame. "Freaking thing was mean too, Took me almost an hour to get it out the window again." Robert finished and took a sip from his drink before taking a spoonful of mashed potatoes.
Ryu, Kelly and, Samamntha all started laughing.
"So I look around the room and then back at him." She said.
"It was a really big bird!" She and Robert said at the same time.
This brought a new peal of laughter from Kelly and Ryu.
The four continued their meal and conversation for a few moments more when Kelly noticed Yugi entering the eatery.
"Yugi! Over here!" The blonde Duelist called out, waving her hand in the air to catch his attention.
"So Yugi, In the finals yet?" Sammantha queried the spiked haired duelist as he sat down.
"I certainly am, check it out." Yugi answered as he held up his Duel Disk the readout showed twenty six Star Points.
"Holy crap Yugi, didn't you have like fifteen when we got here?" Robert sputtered as he beheld the young mans total Star Points.
"I did, but the Duelist I just beat had eleven, but it was odd. The entire duel felt a little too easy. Like he was holding back." Yugi said as he looked over a menu.
"Why would a Tournament participant throw a Duel? It doesn't make any sense, especially throwing a duel against you. I mean, even if they lost the tournament over all they'd still have the notoriety of having beaten Yugi Muto, best on earth." Ryu spoke then took a drink of his tea.
"It's odd, Tom didn't seem terribly disappointed that he'd lost all of his Star Points and his Machine King." Yugi replied as a waitress approached to take his order.
"Wait, Tom? As in Thomas, a machine Duelist obviously by the usage of Machine King?" Kelly spoke up.
"Yes, why?" Yugi asked as the waitress departed.
"Well, there was a Machine Duelist by the name of Thomas, he was really good at playing people, conning them into doing what he wanted them to do. It might be a coincidence but..." Kelly was cut off by Robert.
"It's a hell of a coincidence." Robert said.
"Well sure but even if it is the same guy, Aren't the Ghouls out to collect rare cards? Why would he intentionally lose? Doesn't that go against the mandate?" Sammantha asked.
"The Ghouls are about getting rare cards but some are given tasks to carry out. This might include losing on purpose or sabotaging matches to favor other Ghouls." Kelly answered.
"So, who would benefit from me getting into the finals?" Yugi posed to the group.
"I don't know how Mr. Spring's mind works, and to be honest I don't want to, that man scared the hell out of me." Kelly said as she ate the last of her fried mushrooms.
"I know what you mean Kel, believe me." Robert spoke, his voice sounding far away.
Robert pushed his plate away and leaned back, his arms crossed he closed his eyes.
Sammantha leaned in close to him and spoke, "What's wrong hon? It's still bothering you isn't it?"
Looking into her eyes, those crystal blue eyes, even in the dimming light they seemed to glow.
"Yeah a little. I just think I need to clear my head." he answered.
"Really? Well then bro, how about a duel?" Kelly asked, sandwiched between Ryu and Yugi.
"Kelly, I don't think that's a good idea." Came Roberts response.
"Our last duel wasn't really a fair one, I mean it was raining, I was slightly psychotic." She joked.
"Besides, what am I going to do with these Star Points? I'm not a registered participant. And unlike some of the other ghouls I wasn't hacked into the system. But once these points are on your disk they'll be useful." She added.
"Alright I guess. But it's a friendly Duel, neither one of us gives up a rare card." Robert said, laying down the rules.
"Fine, let's go." Kelly said as Yugi allowed her out of the booth.
"Alright sis, let's rock." Robert said following her, with Ryu and Sammantha close behind.
"Waitress, can I get that club sandwich and soda to go?" Yugi called from the table.