Chapter 28- Confusion!

After finishing the stupid argument with the store clerk the gang had gone to sit at one of the many tables lined in the back. Pairs of tables bad been pushed together and projectors were spaced at two-foot intervals along each of the sides. A chair was between each pair of projectors, making a total of 6 spots per table-block. Heather grinned insanely at the sight of the projectors.

"MELEE! I love melee!"

Ryou blinked while Bakura arched a brow.

"What's melee?"

"Melees a free-for-all fight to the death! MELEE ROX!"

B had not reappeared, though Heather looked somewhat wilder, more insane. Everyone else decided that she and her alter ego were sharing control at the moment, and were therefore more dangerous to be around. Ah well.

Seated at ether of the two table-blocks were duelists of varied description. Seated at their own table were a young, Vietnamese boy; a tall, light brown haired girl with glasses and medieval-style cloths; a young, blond haired girl with the words 'The Mailman Made Me Do It!' on her black t-shirt; and a Hispanic, dark-haired boy with Aztec glyphs across his light-green shirt.

The tall girl smiled softly when she saw them and walked over.

"Hey guys! I see a new face!"

"Diane! This is Ryou! Ryou, this is Diane!"

The girl did a curtsy, causing Ryou to look confused.

"The pleasure is mine."

"Er, you don't really have to be that polite…"

"I know, but it's fun once in a while. And besides, the seer of angels must be polite!"

"Huh?"

"ROUND ONE OF THE TENU TOURNAMENT! ROUND ONE!"

Jake (the shaved one) held up a piece of paper.

"At table one we have Diane, Ryou, Nicole, Nicholas and Vincent! At table two we have Laura A, Laura M, Heather, and Andro!

As the players took their seats Jake gestured to Nicole and Ryou.

"For the sake of handicap, you two will be a team, alright?"

The step-siblings nodded to each other, the spirits glaring.

"That works."

"Good! ALRIGHT! YOU WILL BEGIN ON MY COUNT! 3.. 2.. 1... GO!"

In unison the players set their decks beside them, drew 5 cards each, and lay their Ankh cards on the space. Nine warriors appeared. At that moment the Bakura and Nessert dolls fell, lifeless. Ryou jumped.

"What happened!"

On the Arena the white-haired figure of Neb-Thau-Ba-Khu-Ra blinked and looked around. It turned around to gape wide-eyed at Ryou.

"Yadonushi…?"

"'Kura?"

While the two stared at each other the miniature figure of Nessert waved its hands.

"Time out! Time out! Guys, you have to stop blanking out on us! Its getting redundant!"

"But he's… there and I'm… here and…"

Nicole blinked, looked between Ryou and Bakura a few times.

"Oh! You weren't expecting that! In Tenu the spirit represented by the card, if available, plays the role of that card."

Ryou stared blankly, shook his head, and blinked.

"I'm just… used to being the one on the playing field…"

"That's alright, it just takes a little getting used to."

Vincent, the young Vietnamese boy, nodded vigerously. He gestured to his character, an ancient Chinese soldier dressed in full regalia. The knight was looking at Bakura with sympathy in his eyes.

"Its true, Hao and I were originally caught off guard by the sudden separation, but we got over it."

"That is true. But I do love the battle, the bloodlust, the rush…"

Ryou sweat-dropped.

"Just how many of you have spirit halves?"

Half the group raised their hands, Laura, Andro, and Diane being the only exceptions. Bakura shook his head.

"This place is freakish…"

Diane laughed.

"What is oddity but an expression of apprehension on the part of a newcomer?"

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

"…"

Nessert tapped her foot, impatient.

"Are you through?"

Ryou nodded meekly.

"Alright! Lets go!"

"TENU!"

And with that the blood-spread began.