Disclaimer: All Yu-Gi-Oh! characters and references belong to their respective owners. The song James Dean belongs to Daniel Bedingfield and the company that recorded it and was used in this story with the best of intentions. Story elements © Hideki LaShae. No money was gained in the writing of this story.
WARNING: This story contains sensitive cultural practices and references that might offend some readers. The views and opinions of the cultures which condone these practices are not shared by this author, but they are included in this story for awareness purposes only.
Time to Duel, Mariko!
By
Hideki LaShae
Chapter Fifteen
Let the Games Begin
Téa sits on the bed right beside Marie, gently stroking her hair as Seto sleeps in a chair in the corner of the room. She glances over at Seto, and for a moment she thinks she might see what it was that attracted her childhood friend to the cold corporate executive.
Seto opens his eyes and looks at Téa, catching her gaze upon him. "What are you looking at?"
"You…"
"Why?" asks Seto raising his eyebrows.
Téa smiles. "Just wondering what it was that made Marie fall in love with you. You're not the kind of guy she always described to me as being her fantasy."
Seto stands and stretches. "So she didn't dream about marrying someone rich and powerful?"
"No… she dreamed about marrying someone who would rather stare into her eyes than look at anything else in the world," says Téa mindlessly stroking Marie's hair, "someone who would kiss her with such gentleness that she would think those kisses were the reason why kissing was invented… someone kind who would never hurt her and would hold her whenever someone else tried to hurt her… someone who would rather have her soul than her body…"
I wanna know…
Seto walks up and sits down on the foot of the bed so that he can look at Marie and Téa. "What else did she want?"
"She wanted someone to protect her," says Téa, "which I always thought was weird because she was the one who was protecting everyone else at camp. She protected me and all the other girls. She even taught me how to fight a little, just for self-protection. I've only actually used that knowledge once, and then it was against her."
"You hurt her?" asks Seto glaring at Téa.
"She asked me to! I was so scared about telling anyone what the counselor had tried to do when he tried to rape me, so Marie came up with an idea. I beat her up so that it looked like they had attacked her and tried to rape her, and she had fought back against them. Then we claimed that I was the one who rescued her," explains Téa, "and we explained away my injured hand by saying that I got hurt beating up the attackers when I really got hurt by beating on Marie. She pretended to be weak and fragile so that I would look strong. No one messed with me again the entire summer."
"So she helped you again," says Seto smiling at Marie.
Téa sighs and continues to stare at Seto. "You just… you don't fit the profile she described in so much detail, Kaiba. I can't picture you doing any of the things she mentioned."
Because you can't see the man inside…
"There's more to me than what you have seen, Téa," says Seto simply as he stands up. He walks over to the dresser and opens the top drawer. He pulls out a change of clothes and heads into the adjacent bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him.
Minutes later when Seto emerges from the bathroom, he sees Téa rocking back and forth on the bed with her eyes closed, and she hums a quiet tune. He clears his throat to alert her to his presence in the room again.
Téa nearly jumps and opens her eyes. "Oh, Kaiba! Don't do that!"
"Jumpy?" asks Seto with a smirk.
"I didn't hear you come out," says Téa. She looks over Seto's outfit, trying not to let her eyes rest for too long on any particular part of his body. "What time do the duels start?"
"Soon," says Seto moving to sit down on the edge of the bed so he can be near Marie, "If you would like to change your clothes, I'm sure Marie would permit you to borrow a few of her things, T-bird. They are in the second drawer of the dresser. I'll have to leave for the duels shortly so you could change when I'm gone."
"I would like to stay here with Marie. Would it be possible for me to still watch the duels though?" asks Téa turning her eyes to Marie's face. Her eyes trail down to the IV pumping fresh blood into Marie's arm to replace the blood that was lost through her hemorrhaging.
"I'll have the duels broadcast to the TV in here," says Seto nodding.
"Would it be possible to move Mai in here too? That way Serenity could come and watch the duels with me and we could still keep an eye on our friends," says Téa.
Seto nods again. "It will be done."
"Kaiba… why are you being so nice to me now?" asks Téa.
"You are Marie's friend. I will not choose her friends for her, and I won't prevent her from hanging out with you. So I just have to accept that you will be a part of her life, and therefore a part of mine," says Seto standing, "Enjoy the duels." He starts to walk towards the door.
"Thank you, Kaiba," says Téa.
Seto stops before reaching the door. He glances back at Téa and Marie. He opens his mouth to say something, but he changes his mind and closes it before quickly heading out of his room.
Téa brushes a strand of hair away from Marie's eyes and watches it bounce right back into the place she had pulled it from. She sighs.
Yugi, Joey, Seto, Marik, Duke, Tristan, and Mokuba meet in the very same room on the blimp where the first set of duels was decided by the lottery method Seto had devised.
"We will now be leaving the blimp and heading into Kaiba Tower," explains Seto, "Our duels will be broadcast back here to the blimp, and the order of the duels will be decided once again by lottery."
Mokuba holds up a small bag and smiles. "Duelists, select your ball."
Seto reaches into the bag first and pulls out a blue ball, the same color as his eyes.
Joey hurries over to Mokuba and reaches into the bag. He pulls out a red ball and smiles. "So what's this mean, Kaiba?"
Marik reaches into the bag next and draws out a blue ball.
Mokuba moves over to Yugi and lets him withdraw the last ball from the bag, red to match Joey's.
"The duel's have been decided," says Seto, "We will duel the person who has the matching ball."
"Red goes first, followed by blue," says Mokuba.
"So… it's you and me up first, Yuge!" exclaims Joey glancing at his best friend.
Yugi nods. "So it seems."
"Everyone, follow me!" exclaims Mokuba leading them out of the blimp and into Kaiba Tower.
"So… what's this duel field like?" asks Duke.
"You'll see soon enough," says Mokuba with a mischievous smirk.
"I don't like the looks of that grin," says Tristan.
Mokuba leads everyone into a large darkened room, and the blackness engulfs them completely as the door closes behind them. "This is it… Kaiba Corp's Shadow world!"
"Ouch!" exclaims Joey, "Who kicked me?"
"Move it, mutt!" exclaims Seto.
"Get away from me!" snaps Marik.
"Sorry, I thought you were a wall!" exclaims Duke.
"How are we supposed to duel in here if we can't even see!" exclaims Yugi, "We wouldn't know what cards we're playing!"
"Activate Dark Light!" exclaims Mokuba giggling.
The floor begins to glow eerily, and a path of black lights shines the way to the dueling platform.
"The duel platform itself is a little better lit than the room," says Mokuba smiling at the look of surprise on Joey's face as he looks around the still dark room, "I hope no one's afraid of the dark. Joey Wheeler and Yugi Motou! Your duel is first! May the best man win!"
Joey and Yugi look at each other. They both nod their heads in a silent pledge to give it their all.
Yugi takes out his deck. "Joey… would you shuffle my deck?"
"Only if you shuffle mine, Yuge!" exclaims Joey pulling out his own deck.
Yugi and Joey exchange decks and shuffle them quickly but thoroughly before they pass the cards back to their rightful owner. They slide their decks into their duel disks and head up onto the platform. They take their positions.
"You get the first move, Joey," says Yugi.
"Not this time!" exclaims Joey, "It's your move, Yuge!" He runs his hand through his disheveled blond locks.
Could have my hair cut by the extra mile…
Joey smiles at his shorter friend.
"Yu-Gi-Oh!" exclaims Yugi, and his hair sticks up in much sharper spikes compared to what it would normally be. His purple eyes seem to deepen slightly in color, and they gain a look of pure determination. "Are you sure, Joey?"
"Your move, Yugi!" exclaims Joey nodding his head.
Yami draws his hand from his deck as he sees Joey doing the same. He draws his first card. "And so we begin."
The duel starts slowly, but it heats up quickly.
Serenity steps out of the bathroom still pulling down the shirt she just changed into. "What's happening?"
"Yugi just played his Dark Magician!" exclaims Téa holding her breath. She stands in front of the TV swaying her body and dancing slightly to music only she can hear.
Serenity giggles as she sees Téa. "You really love to dance, don't you, Téa?"
"Yes, I do!" exclaims the girl spinning around in a pirouette. The pale blue low-rider jeans she wears hug her legs tightly and conform to her body nicely. Meanwhile the black muscle shirt, with the cerulean blue stripes down the sides, drapes a little loosely over her torso. She wears a pair of white socks and her pink pumps lie on the floor beneath the bed.
I could have fly moves, be a dance floor dream…
"I wish I could dance like that!" exclaims Serenity.
"Don't worry! You're a member of the Hot Rods now!" exclaims Téa, "Marie and I will teach you how to dance, Stingray!"
"Thanks, T-bird!" exclaims Serenity. She bunches the royal purple, ankle-length skirt up around her knees as she sits down cross-legged in a chair near the bed. Her silky white blouse hangs open to reveal the satin camisole she wears instead of her bra. She turns her eyes to the TV and watches apprehensively as Joey looks over his cards and tries to select the best combination for his next play against Yami.
"I hope you don't mind that I'm rooting for Yugi," says Téa blushing slightly as she looks at Serenity.
"And I'm cheering for my brother, Joey!" exclaims Serenity. She sees the blush on Téa's cheeks. "T-bird? Do you like Yugi?"
"What do you mean?" asks Téa with suddenly wide eyes. She crosses her arms over her chest to hide her pounding heart.
"Do you ever think that you could be more than a friend?" asks Serenity.
"I don't know… but part of me wants to find out," says Téa, "I care for him so much!"
"Do you love him?" asks Serenity gazing at Téa.
Téa blushes a deep red that looks almost purple, and she smiles. She looks at Serenity. "I think I do."
"Congratulations," says Serenity with a wide smile.
"But don't tell him!" exclaims Téa quickly.
"Hey! You have to tell him that!" exclaims Serenity. "I think Tristan and Duke both like me."
"Yes… I have noticed Tristan acting all goofy around you, Stingray," says Téa, "but he's rather harmless."
"He is rather sweet," says Serenity, "and Duke is rather cute!"
Téa and Serenity giggle and talk about the boys while they keep their eyes glancing to the TV for a sign that the next move has been made.
Joey places a card on his duel disk. "I summon Jinzo in attack mode!"
Yami feels the wind push him backwards as his monster is destroyed. He draws his card. "You may be winning for the moment, Joey, but I'm afraid that it will not last!"
"Big words… show me your stuff!" exclaims Joey smiling confidently.
"Fine," says Yami, "I will start by playing the Swords of Revealing Light!" He glances over to where Duke, Tristan, Seto, Mokuba, and Marik stand at the sidelines. Within their joint mind, Yugi sighs quietly, trying not to have it detected by his spirit ally. "Next I will place one monster in defense mode."
But if she can't seem to notice me
Then what's it worth now…
Yami looks at his cards. He needs just a little more time to complete the ritual and summon forth his monster, and he knows that as long as he draws a monster from his deck within the next three turns, he'll get the time he needs.
"Hey, something wrong, Yuge?" asks Joey, "You seem a little distracted."
"No… Joey, everything's fine," says Yami.
'Is there something wrong, Yugi?' asks Yami, 'You are distracted. By what?'
'It's nothing,' thinks Yugi, 'Well, at least I don't think it's anything.'
'What?' asks Yami.
'It's just… I miss having Téa here to cheer for us. I've… grown accustomed to having her near us while we duel,' thinks Yugi, 'I wish she was here now.'
'She's watching us from Marie's room. She's cheering for us right now,' says Yami smiling at Yugi, 'She wants to be here to be beside you.'
Yugi smiles back at Yami. 'You're right. But still… with her in Marie's room, I can't see her smile.'
"Okay," says Joey drawing a card, "Your move, Yugi!"
Yami draws his card. He places it on top of his duel disk, and he slides his magic card into the slot on the side. "I summon one monster in defense mode, and I activate the magic card, Dark Luster Ritual, sacrificing both of my monsters to summon forth Dark Luster Soldier!"
The dark warrior appears courtesy of the holographic projectors.
Yami closes his eyes for a moment, but he doesn't open them. When the lids come up to reveal the rich purple eyes, Yugi is once again in control of the shared body. He looks at Joey. "I'm sorry, Joey."
"No worries, Yuge!" exclaims Joey with a smile, "I was only here to help you defeat Marik anyway! I know you can handle it from here on out! So good luck! Go ahead and attack me, Dark Luster Soldier!"
The Dark Luster Soldier raises its eyebrows at Joey before he turns to look at Yugi.
"Dark Luster Soldier! Attack!" exclaims Yugi.
The Dark Luster Soldier nods his head before rushing towards Joey's last line of defense and destroys it, along with the remainder of Joey's Life Points.
"Good duel, Joey," says Yugi.
"Yeah… I never stood a chance!" exclaims Joey as he and Yugi move away from the duel platform and meet their friends, and enemy, at the sidelines.
"That was a great duel, Yugi!" exclaims Mokuba smiling, "Okay, now… Seto and Marik! Your duel is next!"
"Hey, Kaiba! Defeat that evil jerk, got it?" exclaims Tristan grabbing Seto's arm before he can move into his position on the duel platform.
"I have every intention of doing just that," says Seto glaring at the hand on his arm. He rips his arm away. "Don't you dare touch me!"
"Jerk!" exclaims Tristan as Seto and Marik both head up to the duel platform.
"Which one are you referring to?" asks Duke.
"Both," says Tristan, "Especially that fancy pants, Kaiba!"
Be wearing Versace 'cause that's my style…Seto smoothes out the stylish black tank top that he wears beneath his ankle long, white sleeveless jacket. His tight black jeans hug his body like a second skin, and the white stripes down the outside of his legs seem to elongate them and make him look that much taller. He wears a fashionable pair of black boots with silver accents. The muscles of his bare arms ripple slightly as he flexes his arms a little, showing off for the camera that he knows is broadcasting his image to the room where Marie rests. His hand reaches up to gently touch the card-shaped locket that dangles on a cord around his neck, a locket that has always held a picture of his little brother, Mokuba, but for these past few years since he met Marie has also held a picture of her tucked away in a somewhat secret compartment so that she could always be close to his heart. He whispers, "I want you near…"
Marik shuffles his deck and slides it into his duel disk. "Are you ready to duel, Kaiba?"
Seto smirks at Marik. "I'm always ready to duel! It's your move!"
Marik nods his head as he draws his hand. He watches Seto draw his hand from his own duel disk before he draws his first card. "I will play…"
Time seems to halt as the two young men place their cards and make their attacks, neither making much headway against the other. It would seem that Seto's deck is too powerful to be defeated and Marik's Millennium Rod is too strong to be denied.
Everyone fails to notice when a woman enters the room wearing a long black trench coat and a scarf that hides her face. In her hand, gripped tightly by her fragile fingers, is another Millennium Item… the Scale.
The woman steps towards the duel platform.
"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" asks Mokuba grabbing the woman's wrist, "You can't go over there while the duel is in progress! By the way… who are you and how did you get Marie's Scale?"
Seto's head jerks towards Mokuba and the woman when he hears Marie's name. His hand still holds the card he just drew ready for him to look at it for the first time. He looks over the woman and recognizes the coat she wears. "That's my coat!"
The woman reaches up with her right hand, the one not clenching the Millennium Scale, and she pulls the scarf away from her face to reveal her identity at last.
"Marie!" exclaims Mokuba releasing his grip on her.
"That isn't Marie!" exclaims Yugi looking over her intently, "Look at her forehead! That's the Millennium Eye! That's Nefertiri!"
"How true. I am Nefertiri, and I have come to assist my lover." The woman raises her left hand to show off the Millennium Scale. "I have brought you a gift, Seth, my darling."
But if she can't make it worth my while
Then what's the point now?
"Seth?" asks Seto quietly.
Nefertiri tosses the Scale towards Seto. Then she pulls off the trench coat she wears to reveal her slightly tanned skin with the hieroglyphics running down the outside of her arms and legs. She wears the same Egyptian outfit that Marie had worn when she dueled against Seto, the loincloth style skirt and the matching tank top. She wears no shoes for none were needed to reach this location, and the dog-tag locket she always seems to wear is gone from her neck.
Seto catches the Scale.
"My gift to Seth!" exclaims Nefertiri.
'My thanks, Nefertiri. This will come in handy. Release me from my containment, you fool of a boy!' exclaims Priest Seth in Seto's mind.
"I don't want…" Seto's words are lost as he stumbles a step forward. He grips his hand over his heart.
"What the hell is going on?" asks Marik glaring from Nefertiri to Seto.
"Thank you, Nefertiri." Priest Seth smirks as he regains his footing and looks at Nefertiri. His unruly brown hair sticks up at odd angles with an occasional spike. Then his pale blue eyes turn to Marik. "So… guardian. What are you doing here once again?"
I wanna know if you missed me…
"High Priest Seth?" whispers Marik with wide eyes, "But how?"
"You have something that belongs to me, I'm afraid," says Priest Seth, "I want the rest of my soul, you insane bastard!" He places the Scale at his hip where a chord appears to secure it to his waist. He holds up his right hand. "Give me the Millennium Rod!"
"Never!" exclaims Marik gripping the rod tightly to his chest.
Priest Seth's eyes glow a bright sky blue.
The hieroglyphics on Nefertiri's arms and legs begin to glow softly.
The Millennium Rod pulls away from Marik's hands and flies through the air to Priest Seth's waiting hand.
I could be knocked senseless by what you do…
Marik's eyes widen. "How? How…? How could you…? That Millennium Rod is mine! How could you take it like that? What power enables you to do that?"
"The power is mine. The power is Nefertiri's. She helped me to retrieve the Millennium Rod by pulling on the part of her soul which resides in the Rod, just as I pulled on my soul from the Rod," explains Priest Seth laughing wickedly at Marik's plight, "It was simple magic really to summon the Rod to its rightful owner! You should have never touched it!" He holds the Millennium Rod out to point towards Marik.
Marik shivers as he falls to his knees.
"The card I was about to place onto the field was Obelisk the Tormentor!" exclaims Priest Seth returning to the game and making his play, "And now, Obelisk will send you to the Shadow Realm, Marik!"
Marik doesn't make a move or a sound before his body goes completely limp and he falls.
Priest Seth strolls over to Marik and pulls the second Egyptian God Card from his deck. He turns to look at Yugi. "You and I will duel next, Pharaoh!"
"Is it time then, Mokuba?" asks Yugi looking at the short boy with innocent eyes.
"Well… I don't think that he actually wants to wait," says Mokuba, "And since everyone is here, we might as well continue on if you're ready to duel."
'Oh, I'm ready to duel,' says Yami with a smile for Yugi's benefit.
"Oh, I'm ready to duel." Yugi smiles. "Yu-Gi-Oh!"
"Um… Duke, Tristan, do you think you two could move Marik off the duel platform?" asks Mokuba as the short Yugi transforms into the taller Yami.
Duke and Tristan both nod and hurry over to the platform. They pull Marik roughly aside and nearly drop him on the floor.
"Yugi…?"
"Yeah, Joey?" asks Yami turning to look at the blond.
"Do your best. I know that you can defeat him again, even if he does have two Egyptian God Cards," says Joey, "That means nothing because you have something even better, Yuge. You have all of your friends behind you, and we'll be cheering you on all the way."
The doors open, and a bright light floods the room from the doorway.
"Yugi!" exclaims Téa stumbling in. Her right hand clutches her head and her left hand holds some Duel Monster cards.
'Téa!' exclaims Yugi fearfully.
Yami's eyes widen, and he hurries over to Téa. "Téa, are you hurt?"
"Mar… Nefertiri attacked me… Serenity's okay. She was in the bathroom," says Téa falling into Yami's arms, "After Serenity woke me up, I… I found these cards on the bed… with a note from Marie."
Yami takes the cards from Téa's hands, and he reads the note that was with them. 'Pharaoh Yami and my brother Yugi, I can't help you like I thought I could, so this act will have to suffice to assist you in my stead. I know that you can use these cards to help you achieve your victory. You have done it once before against my love. I do not wish for you to use them against Seto, but I don't know how the events are going to play out, and so I just have to trust you. I don't know if I can. I barely know you after all. Just a few short days ago, I didn't even know that you, Yugi, were even real. I'd heard of you, but I thought you were a rumor, and I certainly didn't know that we were family. Just… use these cards well, you two, and stop the evil that is threatening our world. Your Tomb Guardian and sister, Marie.'
Yami smiles. He helps the brown haired girl in his arms over to Tristan, Duke, Joey, and Mokuba, and he helps her to sit on the floor where she will be comfortable while watching the duel. "Thank you for bringing me this, Téa."
Téa blushes and nods her head, but she regrets the action at once and almost faints. She leans back against Joey's legs.
Yami quickly pulls out his deck and rifles through the cards as fast as he can to pull out some of the cards he hopes and prays he will not need, and he makes room for the new cards that were his gift from Marie. Then he begins to shuffle his cards as he makes his way to the duel platform.
"Are you ready, Yami?" asks Priest Seth.
"I am," says Yami confidently, "The question is… are you ready to be defeated once again, Seth?"
"You have yet to defeat me," says Priest Seth glaring at Yami.
"Defeat him so that we can finally be together, my love," says Nefertiri hurrying to Priest Seth's side.
I wish that I could kiss your lips
The way that I
I want to, baby…
Priest Seth pulls Nefertiri into a long, passionate kiss.
Nefertiri melts into the kiss, and she only moves away after Priest Seth breaks off the kiss. She moves to Marik's side and kneels beside his soulless body.
Priest Seth smirks at Nefertiri.
I'm getting no love after all this time…
Priest Seth turns his eyes away from Nefertiri's smiling face and glares at Yami. "Are you ready to duel now, Yami?"
Yami glares at Priest Seth. "I am ready, Seth. You will not win this duel!"
"That is what you think," says Priest Seth with a content smirk. He tucks the Millennium Rod into his belt. "And just to prove that I could beat you no matter what you do, I will allow you the first move…"
"Let the duel begin," says Yami with a curt nod.
