Yugi became very still. Had he heard correctly?
He tried to make sure. "I-I-what?"
Mokuba rolled his eyes. "Have to kiss me. You know, the penalty for killing my monsters? Geez Yugi, pay attention. Pick up some cards and let's play. We'll start with four thousand Life Points. You can go first."
Numb, Yugi reached for his cards and tried not to blush. Kiss? Was Mokuba serious? Yugi had never kissed anyone in his life. Except for his mother and his grandfather but that didn't count because they were family. Yugi had always thought that his first non-family kiss would be with a girl. Preferably Anzu although Yugi was already sure that her feelings lay with the Spirit of his Puzzle.
The faint voice of Mou hitori no Yugi spoke again. I do not like this, Aibou. Mokuba is planning something.
Yugi drew five cards and tried to push his sadness aside. It wasn't the Pharaoh's fault Anzu loved him. Besides, Yugi already had a good idea of what Mokuba was trying to do. It's all right.
Aibou.
Yugi didn't reply and drew his sixth card to begin the Duel. Three Monster cards, two Magic cards and one Trap card made up his first hand. He looked them over for a moment before sliding Kuribou in facedown defense position. "I'll play one Monster facedown. Your turn."
What-?
Please, Mou hitori no boku. You believed in me when I dueled with Jounouchi on the dock today. Let me deal with Mokuba.
Mokuba drew. His hand consisted of two Monsters, two Magics and two Traps. It didn't take him long to make a decision. "I'll play the Man Eating Plant in attack mode and two cards facedown." He positioned the two Magic cards accordingly. "End turn."
That was familiar. Yugi tried not to frown as he picked up his next card. Another Trap. He set it on the table along with one more Trap and a Magic card. "Three cards facedown and I'll sacrifice Kuribou to bring out Black Magician Girl." He placed her in attack position…and then hesitated, blushing. "Go."
This time Mou hitori no Yugi's voice wasn't so faint. Aibou!
Yugi stood up so suddenly that Mokuba nearly dropped the card he had just drawn. Then he watched as Yugi grabbed the Puzzle and walked over to his bed, where he laid it next to the pillow.
I can't attack him yet, Mou hitori no boku. Not until I have a better idea of what his strategy is. So for now I'm just going to hold off. He won't attack me anytime soon anyway. Trust me.
In other words, don't start doubting him now. The spirit let out an echoing sigh. I do trust and believe in you Aibou, but it is just that I hate seeing you in uncomfortable situations. And judging by your elevated temperature and hesitation, Mokuba has tangled you into a big one.
Yeah. But it won't stop me from winning.
Mokuba stared. Yugi's cheeks were still a little red but his game face was now definitely on. It was scarily similar to the face he had worn in Mokuba's dreams. The one that had nuzzled against Mokuba's face as their lips touched…
The memory made the boy anxious and he cleared his throat. "Are you and your imaginary friend finished yet?"
Yugi gave the Pharaoh one last word of assurance before walking back over to his chair and sitting. Mokuba rolled his eyes again and then slid out his next Monster. "You really should see a shrink or something, Yugi. I play Crocodilus in defense and end my turn."
Yugi had thought as much. He picked up another Monster card and put it on the table. "Gamma the Magnet Warrior set to attack." A moment. "And I didn't know that you still had that Deck."
Mokuba knew that he would remember. He rearranged the cards in his hands. "I tried to find the kid after the tournament but I didn't know his name or where he was from. So I keep his cards with me all the time now just, you know, in case I see him again. It's a long shot but I still gotta give him an apology and everything so…yeah, that's why I still have 'em."
This pleased Yugi to hear. Mokuba sure had come a long way since they had first met. But still, he had to say, "You can't win against me with someone else's cards, Mokuba. I've told you, that isn't how this game works."
Mokuba met his eyes. "I know."
Then why continue? Yugi wondered. "Your move."
Mokuba added a new card to his hand and noted with satisfaction that a hint of blush was still on Yugi's face. "You really should attack, Yugi. I'm gonna beat you at this rate if you don't."
Yugi shook his head. "No you won't, Mokuba. Because you aren't going to attack any of my Monsters either, are you? You're too afraid that it you do, I'll change my penalty to negate yours. And you don't want that because you're counting on your penalty to keep me from winning."
Mokuba looked down at his cards. Yugi was right, he wouldn't attack his Monsters. OCC would be blown if he did and Yugi declared no kissing allowed. But like any good Kaiba, Mokuba had thought about this beforehand and had a card that would work around it. After all, he hadn't come here to win some stupid Duel Monsters game.
He pulled the card from his hand and laid it down in attack position. Then he flipped over one of his Magic cards. "You're pretty smart, Yugi. But that doesn't mean I still won't attack you. I equip the Malevolent Nuzzler to Leghul. It adds seven hundred more points to his attack and then I'll use him to attack your Life Points with one thousand!"
So Mokuba was going to bypass his Monsters altogether. Yugi's hand snatched for his Trap card. "Then I activate Magic Cylinder to deflect the attack back to your Life Points."
Darn, he couldn't counter that move. Mokuba had no choice but to take the damage. The score was now Yugi four thousand, himself three thousand.
But it wasn't too big of a deal. Mokuba was using an Equip Deck; specially designed to power up weaker monsters. He still had two more Malevolent Nuzzlers waiting in his Deck along with three Invigoration Magic cards, three Reinforcements Trap Cards and a long list of others. Powering up Leghul with these would force Yugi into attacking for sure because he wasn't the kind of person who would give up a Duel without fighting.
And that's just what Mokuba was counting on for OCC's success. Yugi's fighting spirit.
He waved a hand. "Your turn, Yugi."