Reviews and critiques are welcome as to my writing skill. Pot shots at Christianity or any religion are not welcome at all. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any copyrights, trademarks or registry in Yu-Gi-Oh. Wish I did!
In case you are wondering, the cards used in this duel are from the Kaiba and Yugi Evolution decks and the first Forbidden List .
9
Yugi and his friends had received complementary tickets to the Duel Monsters Regional Championship. After all he had been through in the past year, Yugi had decided that he needed a vacation from tournament dueling for a while, but still enjoyed watching good duels. The tickets had been sent by Mokuba Kaiba, but Yugi wondered if there was a setup coming so made sure he had his deck with him. Though he hadn't seen Kaiba for many months, Yugi was sure that Kaiba was still seething about the Battle City Tournament loss.
The announcer's voice rang through the auditorium, "If Yugi Moto is in the arena, please come to the announcer's table."
Surprised, Yugi thought, /What is this/ Yugi looked at his friends with confusion.
"Go on," said his friends, "and see what's up."
Yugi headed down to the table. When he got there, he found he was face to face with Seto Kaiba. Yugi closed his eyes and groaned. /Here it comes/ he thought. He opened his eyes and looked up at his nemesis. Seto's eyes danced with friendly amusement.
"You up for a spontaneous exhibition duel?" Seto asked.
"If you were planning this, it is not so spontaneous, is it?" Yugi smiled back at him. "What are you thinking?"
"You and I duel, no titles, no prizes, just you and I." Seto's face became serious. "Of course, you understand that means no Millennium Puzzle."
Yugi eyes widened and he placed his hand upon his Puzzle. "You're not serious?"
Kaiba put his silver case on the table. "I will show how serious I am." He took his deck from the case and thumbed through it, laying out three cards. "I will remove these cards from my deck, if you will duel me without your Millennium Puzzle."
/What is he up to/ He looked in wonder at the three Blue Eyes White Dragons laid out on the table. Yugi's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he gazed at Kaiba. "What are you trying to prove, Kaiba?"
"That, whether you believe it or not, are aware of it or not, you cheat." He pointed to Yugi's Puzzle. "And that is how you do it."
Yugi's friends had come up behind him. "Don't do it, Yugi. You don't owe him anything."
Kaiba smirked, "See, even your friends know it."
"I do not cheat, Kaiba!" Yugi yelled.
"Then duel me, and prove it. I give up my prized dragons." He placed them in a clear plastic protector and handed them to Yugi's friend, Téa, who looked at them like she was holding a rattlesnake. "Will you give up your prized Puzzle?" He indicated a red-headed girl standing next to him, who held out her hand. She gave Yugi an understanding and friendly smile.
/Don't do it, Yugi. This is not a good idea./ said Yami.
/Why not? There is nothing riding on it - no titles, the world won't end, no one will die or lose their soul. There seems to be no malice in Kaiba's challenge./
/I strongly recommend you don't do this./ emphasized Yami.
/Why? Or do you know something I don't, something about your power and the power of the Millennium Puzzle. Is it really causing us to win, unfairly? But I don't win, do I? You do. I just take the credit for it./
Yami was silent, but Yugi felt a flash of fury from his counterpart. Yugi, disgusted, took off the Puzzle, gave a nod to Kaiba and handed it to Kirii. The announcer said, "Remove any cards you have that are on the Forbidden List." Kaiba removed his Monster Reborn and Witch of the Black Forest and put them in his case. Yugi pulled out his Monster Reborn, Sangan and Dark Hole and returned them to the card holder at his waist. The announcer handed Yugi a duel disk and, as he strapped it on, he and Kaiba entered the arena floor.
Meanwhile, Kirii crooked her index finger at Téa and pointed to a luxury box at the top of the arena. Téa reluctantly followed her, thinking/It was a setup. We should have known better./
Joey and Tristan looked at each other. "What should we do – follow Téa or stay and cheer Yugi on?"
"I don't think Téa is in any danger, but Yugi looks like he could use all the confidence, er, I mean support, we can give him." Joey decided. They moved to the sidelines of the arena and gave Yugi the "thumbs up". Yugi grinned and returned it.
The announcer's voice again rang through the arena, "To start out the Regional Tournament and for your enjoyment, an exhibition duel is about to begin between the King of Games, Yugi Moto, and former world champion, Seto Kaiba. Kaiba has won first move." The crowd went wild at the unexpected bonus duel between these two champions.
"DUEL!" cried Kaiba and Yugi as they inserted their cards into the duel disks. Life Points of 4000 each showed on their displays and high above them on the scoreboard. They drew their hand and Kaiba drew his first card.
"I play Kaiser Sea Horse (1700/1650) in Attack Mode and place this card face down on the field. I end my turn."
Yugi drew his first card and studied his hand. /Hmmm, Summoned Skull on my first draw. Great. If I play Neo the Magic Swordsman, it wouldn't cause any suspicion if I don't attack./ "I play Neo the Magic Swordsman (1700/1000) in Attack Mode and also lay a card face down. Your turn, Kaiba."
With his face impassive, Kaiba looked at his new card. "I give my Kaiser Sea Horse as a tribute, and lay this card face down in defense mode. I will also activate The Inexperienced Spy and take a look at one of the cards in your hand."
"No, you won't." Yugi said as he activated his Magic Jammer Trap and discarded a card from his hand. Kaiba gave him a nod ending his turn.
/Great, Swords of Revealing Light might come in handy later./ "I face down this card and tribute summon for my Summoned Skull (2500/1200) and he attacks your face down card."
The dragon, Hyozanryu (2100/2800), was revealed and took 300 Life Points from Yugi. Yugi looked back at his cards. "Okay, I cast Pot of Greed and draw two new cards."
Third draw, Kaiba switched Hyozanryu into Attack Mode and cast Rush Recklessly. "I also summon my Battle Ox to the field in Attack Mode. Hyozanryu, take out his Summoned Skull." Again, Yugi's Life Points went down by 300. "Let's not forget Battle Ox – attack Yugi's Life Points directly!" Yugi's Life Points now stood at 1700 and Yugi was starting to feel desperate as he looked at the two monsters before Kaiba and the empty field in front of him.
Yugi drew, then cast Swords of Revealing Light to keep Kaiba from attacking for 3 turns. Kaiba shook his head - /that card again. Then Yugi summoned his Beaver Warrior in Attack Mode. A plan was starting to form. "I end my turn, Kaiba."
Kaiba nodded and drew his next card. A slight smile appeared then was quickly banished. Kaiba then placed a card face down in Defense and another face down. "All I can do."
/Excellent/ Yugi thought as he looked at the Change of Hearts card he drew. "My only move will be to cast Dian Keto the Cure Master to increase my Life Points by 1000."
Kaiba's turn included only his draw and activation of his Trap, Just Desserts, taking 500 of Yugi's newly-gotten Life Points.
/Here goes/ Yugi thought as he drew. "I cast Change of Hearts and choose your Hyozanryu. I then start my Black Luster Ritual by sacrificing Hyozanryu and my Beaver Warrior." The Black Luster Soldier (3000/2500) appeared before Kaiba's Battle Ox – "Attack." Kaiba's Battle Ox disappeared in a shower of light and his Life Points went down for the first time.
Kaiba gave him a jaunty salute and drew his card. "I end my turn with no move." Swords of Revealing Light disappeared from the field.
Yugi drew and then ordered his Black Luster Soldier to attack Kaiba's face down card. Hane-Hane was revealed. "No!" yelled Yugi as his Black Luster Soldier disappeared from the field and he had to put the card back into his hand. Yugi closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. "I play Giant Soldier of Stone face up in Defense Mode and lay this card face down. Your move, Kaiba." /Oh no, why did I play that face up/
/Hmmm, interesting, why face up, Yugi? Are you losing your concentration/ Kaiba pulled his next card. "I begin my White Dragon Ritual by discarding Mystic Horseman from my hand." The Paladin of White Dragon (1900/1200) appeared. "And I cast Mountain." The Paladin of White Dragon's attack points went up 200 points. "Attack his Giant Soldier of Stone."
"Waboku." Yugi yelled as his Trap activated. Kaiba looked a bit disgruntled as he took more damage, then ended his turn.
Yugi drew a Giant Rat from his deck, then played it face-down in Defense Mode.
Kaiba drew his next card and, without looking at it, placed it in his hand. "I cast Nobleman of Crossout." Giant Rat was now out of play. The Paladin then destroyed the Giant Soldier of Stone. "Your turn, Yugi."
Yugi stared at his newest card in shock – Dark Magician. /But I can't play it; there is nothing I can play./ "It's your move, Kaiba."
Kaiba summoned the card he drew – Kojikoy. He then attacked Yugi's Life Points with both monsters bringing Yugi's Life Points to zero.
Yugi shook his head in defeat. /He beat me so easily. The Heart of the Cards failed me. Could Kaiba be right/ He looked up and saw Kaiba walking across the arena floor towards him. Yugi met him halfway and shook Kaiba's extended hand. "Several times you offered me your friendship, Yugi," Seto's game face disappeared and his expression softened, "If you can forgive all that I have done to you and your friends in the past, I'd like that."
They met Kirii, Téa, Joey and Tristan at the announcer's table. Kirii handed Yugi his Puzzle and Téa handed Seto his dragons. Seto then reached into a pocket, removed a card and gave it to Yugi. On it was a date, time and address. Yugi looked up at Seto questioningly. "Some friends and I are having a get together. You and your friends are invited." Seto started to walk away, but stopped, looked over his shoulder and said, "One condition, leave the Puzzle at home."