"More times then not, I have heard of people who wish to step out of someone's shadow, to be their own man or woman. The idea of staying in the shadow of another is often viewed as a horrible, shameful thing.

But it is the foolish man that shuns the shadows. For to live in the shadow is your advantage. People will underestimate you, people will view you as merely a second best. Use the shadow as your shield, as your weapon, and turn it against your enemies. By doing so, you will step out of he shadow, as well as honor it."

-Geno Roads

Counterpart

"Ladies and gentlemen, we are ready to begin."

Seto looked over at Tea and nudged her gently. She blinked and leaned close. "So excited?"

Tea smiled. "Mmm...I am always excited. He is an amazing duelist. He's placed in the top 4 since he first began dueling. He won his first championship the very year he started dueling."

Seto shook his head. "All I want to know is why he has to use the Red Eyes Black Dragon! It's a weak card!"

Tea chuckled. "He has found ways to make it strong. With all the combo cards he has gotten, some we never even heard of, he has managed to turn that "weak dragon" into one of the most powerful monsters in the game since your Blue Eyes was on the field."

Seto nodded and watched as Kenji walked up to the platform. "Weevil. Remember when you beat Weevil to win this tournament?"

Tea smiled softly. "I remember you hugging me. I don't think you ever hugged me in public...but you did when I beat him."

Seto frowned. "I hugged you in public before!"

Tea shook her head. "No you didn't! You didn't even hug me after you won the title of King of Games!"

Seto frowned. "Ah, but what did I do that night?"

Tea smiled and gently played with the ring on her finger. "You proposed. I remember you said, 'Tea, I have faced the greatest challenges in the worlds of dueling and business....it's time to take on the greatest challenge in love.' Hmm, like I am a challenge."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "Oh no? From the moment I meet you, you have been the only one able to stand up to me outside of a dueling arena who wasn't family or a Roads."

"And don't forget in dueling as well." Tea said. "I seem to remember when I beat you at that game of dungeon dice monsters."

"Now that's not fair!" Seto said, his old annoyance creeping in. "Dungeon Dice Monster isn't a true game!"

"Oh, your just mad you suck at it."

Seto turned around, his eyes wide. "What happened to the Tea who stood around and gave me friendship speeches?"

"She met Geno Roads." Tea paused. "I could give you one if you would like."

"No no!" Seto said quickly, causing Tea to laugh and the others to look at them, wondering what was so funny. They quieted down as Kenji and Weevil activated their disks and began the duel.

"Gentlemen, this match has a 1 hour time limit. Begin."

Kenji looked over at Weevil. The insect duelist was just as he did 20 years ago: short, annoying and squishable. Kenji shuffled his deck and activated his Geno-Type Duel Disk. Weevil was using the one he had gained when he had worked for the DOOM organization.

"Aren't you a bit old to be dueling?"

Weevil cackled. "My boy, I was winning tournaments when you were but a larva. And I will continue to win duels, you little pest."

Kenji sighed. "Don't you get tried of the bug jokes?"

"You may talk like him, but you shoud know by now you are nothing like your father."

Kenji nodded. "Your right." He drew his cards. "I better then him. I will set this monster in defense, and end my turn."

Weevil giggled, cuasing Kenji to grit his teeth. "That is all the grand son of Seto Kaiba can do? Lay one monster in defense? This will be easier then I thought!"
Owen frowned, his fingers beginning to glow. "God, I want to toss that idiot into the harbor."

Tressa shook her head "owen, please try and be calm." Owen nodded, and the glow faded. "Weevil may be annoying, but I am sure Kenji can beat him."

"We know he can win." Lilka said to her sister. "That doesn't make sitting here and not tossing the little bug in the air mentally any easier."

Weevil smiled as he set his card. "I summon Neo Bug, and command it to attack!" The sickle bug attacked the down face card, only to pause as the arena rumbled. "What is that?"

Kenji smiled. "It is best to let sleeping dragons lie." As he stated this, two glowing eyes appeared behind Kenji, and the bug squealed as The Dragon Dwelling in the Cave roared, awaked. It fired a blast of air, sending the insect into Weevil. (Weevil-5800)

Kenji drew his next card as Weevil tried to get his composure back. "It is time to show you why I am so feared in this games. First, iw ill summon Red-Eyes B. Chick!"

On the field, a little red egg appeared next to the Dwelling dragon. It slowly began to rock, and chrips were heard. Finally, the egg burst apart, and the baby Red Eyes fell out, looking around. It stared at Weevil and hiccupped, a ball of rife flying out.

"You want me to be scared of that pet? It looks like something little girls would play with." Weevil said.

Lysandra frowned. "He just insulted the baby, didn't he?" Owen nodded. "This is not going to end well."

Right on cue, a roar echoed across the field. Everyone looked around, and then a shadow fell upon the arena. Kenji smiled as his chick faded. "Mommy's very angry."

And with that, the Red-Eyes Black Dragon slammed to earth, roaring at Weevil. Seto placed his fingers on the bridge of his nose.

"The Red Eyes...he had to use the Red Eyes!"

Tea smiled. "Is it so terrible that it was a card Joey and Yugi used?"

"YES! Yes is it terrible!"

Kenji looked over at Weevil. "You will regret what yous aid about my chick....Red Eyes, molten fire ball!" The dragon roared, and fired the deadly attack at Weevil's Neo Bug. The insect duelist shielded his eyes as his bug shattered. (Weevil-5200)

Weevil merely laughed. "You believe that one little fire will destroy me, you are a fool! The mightiest dragon will die of age, but the roach can survive a nuclear winter. I set this monster and this card, ending my turn."

Kenji nodded. "But the roach can be stepped on easily. Red Eyes, attack his down face card!"

However, as the blast hit, it revealed a wooden chest. The box began to burn, and from it rushed a Swarm of Scarbs, which overran the Red Eyes. It roared in agony as the bugs burrowed into it's skin, and finally brought it down.

"So much for the might dragon." Weevil drew a card. "You should know better then attack a bug....they tend to swarm. I set this monster and end my turn."

Kenji frowned, and set a monster. "I end my turn Weevil."

Weevil grinned wickedly. "That's all? No brave attacks? No daring words? Just ending your turn? Have me and my insects already broken your spirits?"
Joey frowned. "After all these years, and I still hate that laugh."

Yugi nodded. "I hope Kenji wipes the grin off that cocky..."

Seto looked at Yugi and frowned. "You doubt my boy Yugi? He may love the Red Eyes, but he is still a top rated duelist. He will take Weevil out with ease."

Everyone grabbed their ears as a screech filled the arena. Weevil was the only one who didn't seem bothered by the noise. Kenji frowned, trying to shout over the noise. But it was too late, as his Giant Germ shattered and Weevil's Howling Insect finally quieted. (Weevil-4700)

Kenji rung his finger in his ear. "That was foolish. All you managed was to give everyone a headache."

"I'll give you more then a headache when my bugs destroy you!"

Kenji frowned. "Oh joy." He drew and smiled. "I play Spear Dragon!" The ancient dragon flew over Kenji, watching the insect. "Attack!"

As the insect shattered, Weevil merely smiled. "You should have taken classes about insects Kenji, because then you would have know my insects ability and why what you just did was foolish!" (Weevil-4200)

Kenji looked at him, annoyed. "Your losing LP rapidly, and you think you can come back? Go right ahead, try your best!"

"That I will. You see, my Howling Insect's call has the ability to call one insect from my deck to the field. And I chose to summon Insect Princess!"

Kenji watched in amazement as the green skinned butterfly flew down and landed gracefully next to Weevil. It is a same that such an elegant monster must work for this annoying worm.

"Now my Princess...attack his down face Spear Dragon!" The inset leapt in the air, and with a twist of her hands, shattered the dragon. She landed on the field and nodded solemnly. It seems all you have left is your sleeping dragon."

"not for long. I summon a second Spear Dragon!" Another long beaked draco flew next to Kenji. "But this time, I won't attack, but use him as a second wall against you."

"You are a fool Kenji! You believe my insects will lie down and let you squish them?" Weevil's glasses gleamed. "Think again. I flip summon my Man eater bug!"

Kenji watched as the Man Eater leapt at his sleeping dragon. It roared in pain as the bug attacked, and finally shattered into pieces.

"That that's not all! Next, I will activate the field magic card, Royal Hive!" Kenji looked up as a tree sprouted from the field, growing high up into the sky. From one limit hung a massive hive, a buzz coming from inside of it.

"Is that suppose to scare me?" kenji asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh yes, it will." Weevil said. "By sacrificing one card on the field, I can increase my Insect Princess' attack by 500!" Kenji watched as the Man Eater faded, the hive glowing. The princess jumped up to the hive, and placing her lips to the opening, began to suck some honey out.

Kaos frowned. "Am I the only one who finds that obscene?"

Neph placed her hand over Siris' eyes. "See, this is what happens when the FCC doesn't moniter the game."

Kenji frowned. "IF you want me to give up because I need to vomit, then your close."

Weevil looked up as the Princess glowed. She smiled as her body began to grow larger, going from 6 feet tall to 12, her limbs becoming thick with muscle. It stared at Spear Dragon, and then shattered it with a punch. (Kenji-5500)

"What will you do now Kenji? My Insect Princess will continue to grow bigger and larger. What will you do when it is 24 feet? 48? Larger?" Weevil laughed evily. "You are done."

Joey frowned, pounding his hand on one of the food tables. "I hope your son kicks the tar out of that loud mouth Kaiba." He put down his snadwitch. "I am losing my appetite over that jerk!"

Seto rolled his eyes. "Only a miracle cold make you lose your appetite Wheeler...but I agree with you none the less. Kenji better beat that weakling, or I might just come out fo retirement to do it."

Guy smiled. "You are just using it as an excuse." He looked at Raia. "how many times has he tried to get back into dueling?"

"37 times in the last 2 years." Raia replied to her husband. She giggled as Seto sat back in his chair in a huff. "We all miss dueling, Seto. However, we all retired to devote ourselves to our families."

"It seems as if they don't need to be babied anymore..." Seto sighed. "Alright, alright....Tea, when we get home, we need to duel. I need to burn off this tension." He looked at Joey, who was smiling. "And I do mean dueling you pervert."

Meanwhile, Kenji was focused on the Princess. He knew he had the cards to defeat it, but it would mean getting the final piece of the puzzle this draw. He closed his eyes, and remembered everything Kaos had taught him. While his father didn't believe in the heart of the cards much, Kenji had been more open to Kaos' lessons about the deck. Kaos had taught that as long as a card was face down, it could be changed. He had explained that with enough will, you could actually effect reality. If you focused hard enough, you could aucally change one card to another.

There were limits of course. You ahd to know the card was in your deck,a nd that there was a chance it could appear on it's own. You also couldn't know where it was. It was all about blind faith. Have enough of it, and you could bring it out. That was the "Heart of the Cards"

That, or you were a cheater using a millennium item to reshuffle the deck subconsciously.

Focus Kenji....focus.......YES!

"WEEVIL!"

The insect duelist turn to see Kenji smiling, his face dark. "You have annoyed me enough, you pitiful worm. It's time to end this duel, once and for all!"

"And what do you plan to do?" Weevil asked, assuming it a bluff.

"First, I will play Cave Dragon!" The large green dragon lumbered onto the field and roared. "But before you debate this move, he won't be here for long. Next, I will play Monster Gate."

The Cave Dragon faded, and the Sorccerer's Ring appeared, swirling. It began to click, cards running off....and then rumbled.

Come on..... I know your in there....

The gate stopped...and Kenji smiled. "The game ends now Weevil." At that moment, the sky grew dark as his duel disk sparked and crackled. "I summon Knight of the Red Eyes!"

From the gate rushed a Red Eyes Black Dragon, which circled the field.It roared, it's body shifting. First, it's neck sunk into it's body, and it's tail twisted up. The feet and claws slowly changed to allow it to stand bipedal. Then, it's jaw opened wide, turning into a helmet. The claw reached back and ripped it's tail away, now a lance. From the mouth a dark face appeared, two red eyes glowing brightly.

"Meet Knight of the Black Dragon. This warrior was formed from the body of a red eyes, and as such, has all it's powers." He turned to the princess. "Finally, I play the magic card Dark Fire!"

All aroundthe Knight, a ring of black fire roared. It slowly moved in, and finally absorbed into the knight. Its eyes flashed as it raised it's lance.

"This card prevents him form being destroyed when attacking...as such..."

"My princess is vunerable!" The butterfly's eyes went why, and it tried to fly away from certain death.

"Knight of the Black Dragon, Molten Fire Strike!"

The knight leapt, his lance stabbing through the air, it's friction cuasing flames to ripple around him. The Princess flew higher, up into the clouds. There was a flash, and she fell to earth, charred to a crisp, shattering. The Kinght landed and stood, cracking his enck.

Tea smiled. "That's my boy, destroy him!" She paused, and blushed. "and...uh...be nice."

Rebbeca looked at Seto. "What the hell did Geno do to her?"

Weevil quickly took a card from his deck. "I...set this monster."

Kenji frowned. "Oh, I am so scared. Really, isn't it time for you to retire already? Seriously." Kenji drew a card. "Now, since my knight is part Red Eyes, I can activate this card: Inferno Fire Blast!" As the attack spell appeared, the Knight raised his clawed hand, a fireball forming. The eyes flashed, and it fired, the blast hitting Weevil and nearly knocking him off the platform. He stumbled forward and frowned. (Weevil-1800)

Owen looked at Lilka. "I bet he misses the day when the duel disks didn't have such realistic holograms."

Weevil drew and smiled. "I don't think I will have to worry about that knight. I will now actiave Paralyzing Potion!" The green liquid hit the knight,a nd it groaned as it froze in place. "This will prevent your monster from attacking for the rest of the duel!"

"Like it matters" Kenji said. "I activate Dark Snake Syndrome." The card flashed, and the snake tattoos appeared on their arms. "each standby phase, this card will do damge to our Lp...and since you have such low lp...it won't take long."

Weevil merely smiled as their LP lowered. "mmm...it won't matter for long. First, I will play Multiplication of Ants, to take my down face card and turn it into Two ant tokens." Weevil laughed. "And then, iw ill sacrifice my two tokens to summon my newest monster: Insect King!"

Everyone watched in amazement as the hive above them rattled, and from it flew a giant bipedal hornet, it's stinger aimed at Kenji's heart. The hornet had a human like body with large round wings and a stinger growing from his back. He had two pairs of arms, and two thick legs that hung under his buzzing body. He growled, and nodded at Weevil.

"His effect is simple: by discarding one insect card, I can do direct damage equal to that monster's attack strength." Weevil slipped a Pinch Hooper into his graveyard, and Kenji grunted as the King fired it's stinger into him. (Weevil-1600, Kenji-4500)

Kenji merely began to laugh as their LP lowered more. "Fool...it's too late for that. I had wanted tolet you die slowly...but you leave me no choice." He smiled . "It ends now." (Weevil- 1200, Kenji-4100)

"What do you mean?" Weevil asked, his smile not as big.

"I hold the spell card that will end this duel. I activate Shadow of the Red Eyes." On the field, a black, phatom version of a Red Eyes Black Dragon appeared. "By sending my hand to my graveyard, I can have the Red Eyes in my graveyard attack your lp directly!"

Weevil looked at him in shook. "no..."

"Yes. END IT!"

"NOOOOOOOO!!!"
Kenji merely smiled as his Red Eyes ghost powered up, and fired it's attack. Weevil was hit directly, and Kenji sighed with relief as the lp went to 0. The monsters faded, and Pegasus walked up to him and raised his arm. "The winner....Kenji Kaiba." He looked a thte screen. "And for this round, Weevil gains no points, and Kenji gets after subtractions...62 points!"

The crowd cheered at the good score, but Kenji merely walked up to Weevil and stared at him, anger in his eyes. He knelt down and whispered, "Don;'t ever insult my dragon again. He may be the dark counterpart of the Blue Eyes...but in my hands, no one can beat my dragon. Remember that....fool."