This story takes place a little over fourteen years after the Story Battle Island, also written by me. In that Time Robert and Sammantha have had a Daughter. Roberts position with Industrial Illusions has grown to encompass more than just production. Joey and Yugi have retired from professional Dueling and Kaiba... Well... Kaiba's still Kaiba, just older now. I own Robert, Sammantha, Natasha, Kelly, Ryu and pretty much any other character you don't recognize from the yugioh universe. Feedback is always appreciated.
Robert Marcus sat at his desk idley musing over the task at hand. Before Pegasus had left Industrial illusions in the hands of it's board of directors, he issued a decree, "If you should ever find a way to make cards I've never released viable for play please by all means do. I want my creations to be enjoyed by the gaming masses."
As such Roberts division, Division Six, a joint project between Kaiba Corp and Industrial Illusions, had been working on their most recent task, to create a balanced set of Toon cards. Including the once, nearly all powerful, Toon World.
So far they'd had a fairly good amount of success. By adding some lifepoint costs and a few other effect clarifications the cards were almost ready for a full testing phase.
Robert was shaken from his thoughts by none other than Seto Kaiba, one of the worlds elite Duelists and, technically his boss.
"Marcus! We need to talk NOW!" Kaiba growled as he strode confidently across Roberts office leaving the door open and Roberts Secretrary shooting him an apologetic look.
"What's going on Seto? Want to try to win my Blue Eyes cards again?" Robert smiled, every since before the Battle Island Tournament, just over fourteen years ago, Kaiba had been trying to get ahold of the two Blue Eyes White Dragon promo release cards he had, and after defeating Kaiba in the tournament Robert did something no other Duelist on Earth, Other than Kaiba, had done. He had built a deck with three official print Blue Eyes White Dragon cards.
"Maybe later. For now though we do have to talk about the Blue Eyes." Kaibas tone was deadly serious.
"As you're aware one of the subdivisions of this joint branch of Kaiba Corp and Industrial Illusions is the enforcement of all laws regarding Dueling. With the Kaiba Corp satellite network it's been fairly easy to keep track of Duelists world wide." Seto paused momentarily as he motioned towards one of the chairs in Roberts office.
Robert nodded and Kaiba took a seat, it seemed that like Yugi, Robert had been accepted as a worthy rival in Kaiba's eyes.
'At least until he finally manages to take my Blue Eyes cards away from me.' Robert thought as Kaiba began to speak again,
"And something of interest has come up. It seems there are some fairly large underground duel clubs popping up. One right here in Domino." Kaiba paused again as Robert raised an eye brow.
"And? The enforcers aren't under my jurisdiction in this branch, you know that. They answer exclusively to you and the I.I. Board." Robert replied not seeing why this matter was being brought to his attention.
"This is why." Kaiba spoke as he slid a small piece of paper across the glossy surface of Roberts desk.
Robert looked over the sheet.
'Mistress of the Blue Eyes. Beat her and you can gain ownership of three of the rarest cards on Earth, Guaranteed to be the real thing. Her beauty and power are unmatched, do you have what it takes?'
"Mistress of the Blue Eyes?" Robert spoke slowly, as if feeling the words rolling around on his tongue for the first time.
"Tell me Marcus, what's your daughter been up to?"
Domino High
"So, what do you think Shakespeare meant when he wrote, "All the world's a stage. It's men and women only players?" Ms.Takari asked as she surveyed her classroom for a raised hand.
As she looked out over the small field of students before her she saw many hands raised, it was to be expected Domino High was one of the best ranked schools in the region but the thing that caught her eye was one student with her head down on her desk and the gently movement of her shoulders as she dozed.
As Ms. Takari made her way down the aisle of desks she stopped two short of her target and smiled politely ash she picked up a book. Continuing to her intended destination she raised the book and slammed it down, right next to the students head creating a loud clap, loud enough to starle even some of the students who were paying attention. She'd made it clear in the beginning of the year, if you were too tired to do your work and pay attention tell her before hand so she could hand you your detention slip early.
The female student shot up with a start as the sound and vibration blasted her from her slumber.
"I certainly hope you were so exhausted due to your study habits Ms. Marcus. Not that it will make much difference." Ms. Takari chided.
"Uh, Um... I..." She stuttered as the stearn woman glared down at her.
Natasha Marcus looked around quickly as she tried to think of a decent excuse.
"My, umm Well... That is, I ..." Natasha stammered.
"Stiffle it young lady, that's the fourth time this month. If you can't get to sleep at a decent hour at home perhaps we should have a talk with your parents. Please go wait in the principals office." Ms. Takari wasn't really asking, it was just in her nature to try to be polite.
Natasha gathered her belongings and as she stood stretched her arms high above her head, standing on her tip toes teasing the male students in the classrooom with glimpses of her toned thighs as her pleated uniform skirt raised slightly.
Grabbing her back pack she headed out the door and down the hall making her way once again to the principals office with a tired Yawn.
"Man last night dragged on too long. I've got to talk Tak into setting these parties up earlier in the evening." She mumbled to herself as she turned a corner to head down the stairs to the Principals office on the first floor.
Division
Six
"You honestly think Tasha would pull something like this? Seto, you know her, Hell you've been at every one of her birthdays since she was born." Robert shot back, his spine straightening and eyes widening in shock.
"That's why I'm coming to you with this. I'm giving you Carte Blanche in this matter, you have Three weeks to settle this issue in any way you see fit. Your company access codes have been changed, here are the new ones." Kaiba spoke, sliding a sealed and plastic coated envelope accross the desk.
"These new codes have a higher clearance level, you also now have direct control over the Enforcers in this matter exclusively. Handle it." With that Kaiba stood up and left the office.
"I intend to Seto." Robert spoke to himself and reached for his phone.
"Ms. Hikari, please cancel all meetings for the next three days. Reschedule those that can't be out right canceled. And get Yugi Muto and Joey Wheeler on conference call for me." He spoke into the mouthpiece, rising from his desk.
"Right away sir." came the reply as he hung up the phone.
Robert made his way to the closet next to the Bookcase on the left wall of his office and lifted out a change of clothes.
Kame Games
"Please! Just one autograph Yugi?" A young girl begged, holding up what looked to be an over sized Duel Monster card.
"Okay, but just this once, I don't even really Duel anymore." Yugi replied taking a pen out from behind the counter and signing the item.
"Maybe but no one's better than Yugi Muto, You retired unbeaten. Not even Seto Kaiba can claim that. Even that Zhane guy at Duel Acadamy isn't that good." A young boy, by the looks of him the little girls brother, chimed in.
"Now now, I was very lucky and all of my oppenents were VERY hard to beat." Yugi laughed, handing the giant card back to the little girl.
"Nah, I bet you were just holding back, you're the best Yugi, always will be." The little girl replied waving to him as she and her brother headed out the door of the shop.
"Did they buy anything?" Yugis grandfather asked, shuffling out from the back room. Remarkably the old man was still around after all the time that had passed. A testament to his strong will and stubborn nature, something you need if you're a great gamer and despite his appearance and occasionally odd behavior in his younger days Solomon Muto was one of the worlds best. Card games, Dice, Roulette. You name it and he was once the king.
"No, sorry Grandpa They just wanted an autograph." Yugi replied, smiling at his Grandfather.
'I swear he's going to outlive everyone in our little group.' Yugi though to himself.
"Oh well, You have a call. I think the young lady said she was calling from the office of Mr. Marcus? Or it could have been something about the circus. My ears aren't as good as they once were." Solomon sighed.
Black Dragon
Beach club
The sea breeze blew in off of the glistening ocean. The sounds of the newly opened beach club were festive and lively but Joey Wheeler wasn't in a good mood. It had taken a huge portion of his total Dueling career winnings to put this place together, His investors had told him it was a gamble but Joey was sure he'd be fine. After all Gambling was always his strong suit when it counted.
It wasn't that the place wasn't doing well, far from it in fact.
In the first two months the money taken in had far surpassed the operating costs, Joeys gamble had payed off.
There just wasn't any thrill to it. Not like when he'd defeated Esper Roba in Battle City, or taken down Bandit Kieth back in Duelist Kingdom. Or even in his tied match against Robert Marcus in the Battle Island Tournament.
Neither of them had won but the duel had pushed both to their limits and beyond.
Joey was snapped from his daydreaming of days gone by by the bartender calling out to him, an attractive dusky skinned young woman, Majandra was her name if he recalled correctly.
"Mr. Wheeler sir! You've got a call." She called to him again now that his attention seemed focused on her.
"Tell them I'll call back." He grumped, resting his head on the bar.
"Sir she says it's important, some one named Mr. Marcus want's to speak with you?" Majandra replied, this perked Joey right up. Every since Robert and Sammantha had gotten back from their Honeymoon Yugi, himself and the newlyweds had gotten together for weekly game nights. Sometimes even being joined by Roberts Younger sister Kelly and Ryu, the younger womans now husband of just over a year.
"I'll take it in the office." He called as he ran back into the building.
Division Six,
Robert Marcus's office.
"Sir, Mr. Muto and Mr. Wheeler are on the conferrence line." Roberts secretary called into his office over the intercom.
"Thank you very much Ms. Higarashi, you can go home early." Robert called back.
"Yugi, Joey thanks for taking the time from your schedules. I need your help." Robert spoke into the speakerphone before him as he pulled on a light jacket.
"What's the problem? Can't spend all the cash from those fat checks of yours?" Joey joked.
"I wish Joey, it has to do with Tasha." Robert replied, somberly.
"What's wrong! Is she hurt?" Yugi and Joey both asked.
"No, but I think she's into something very dangerous. Joey, what have you heard about underground Dueling Clubs?" Robert asked as he leaned his elbows on his desk, steepling his fingers.
A week had passed, Robert, Joey and, Yugi all meeting at the Division Six Duel arena, typically used for testing new cards, each evening. Joey had used some of his old street buddies to grab some information on the Duel Clubs. Yugi and Robert had been workign almost non-stop on a new deck designed almost exclusively to shut down Roberts Blue Eyes deck. It combined equal parts of power and control to utterly devistate the speed and power of Roberts primary deck.
"Man, Yugi I don't know. This feels wierd. I mean, I never thought I'd have to build a counter to my own deck." Robert spoke, sliding the cards from his deck back into the deck holder on his old Emeral Green Duel Disk.
"I know how you feel robert but you've got to remember, if Tasha is using your Blue Eyes deck without your permission you've got to stop her. It's your heart in those cards, it's oinly a matter of time before the deck stops working for her." Yugi replied.
Robert shook his head, 'There he goes again, That spirtual duelist stuff...' he thought as the door to teh arena unlocked and Joey walked in.
"Three nights from now, at the Eastern shipping district, warehouse twelve." He said, rubbing his knuckles.
"Joey what happened to you?" Yugi asked in shock, RObert saw why, as the Blonde man approached he saw the forming black eye and split lip.
"Nothin' Yug. Couple a hoods just thought I was an easy mark. I showed them though..." Joey trailed off and dropped to the floor. Yugi was the first to see it. A large splash of dark red spreading over Joeys left shoulder and a small hole throught eh fabric of his denim jacket.
"Oh damn!" Robert called out dropping to his knees next to the younger man and placing pressure on the wound to slow the bleeding. "Yugi, Hit the red button ont he wall there, It signals the emergency response teams" He called out.
Three days later, Domino Hospital.
"I tell you guys I'll be fine! We've got to go and get Tasha back to her senses." Joey spoke, his Sister serenity sitting by his side trying to push him back into the hospital bed he'd been in for two days now.
"Joey, you got shot!" Both she and Yugi called out, the purple haired world Champion jumping up to try to help Joeys sister hold her older brother in his bed.
"Get offa me! It was only a .22 and the doc says my Shoulder blade stopped it before any real damage could be done!" Joey struggled.
"They're right Joey. Chill out, eat your Jell-O and watch the news. Division six will be rolling into that club in two hours. Right after I drag Natasha out of there by the scruff of her damn neck if I have to." Roberts voice was stern. he wasn't going to argue.
"You mean WE'RE going to bring her out of there right Robert?" Yugi asked, a slightly hurt look on his face.
"No. I'm doing this on my own. Joey got shot because of me. I'm going to get my daughter back on the right track and I'm not risking any more of my friends. I've heard about what happens at those parties. Win too much and you're either jumped before you even get to face the last Duelist or after getting beat." Robert replied.
"Yeah he might be right Yug. No offense but you've never been much for a fight." Joey added, finally resting back into his bed.
"I'm going with you." This time Yugi wasn't going to argue.
"Fine. But you stay in the van. You'll be able to talk to me through my ear piece, and see through the mini cam in my glasses." Robert relented.
Thirty Minutes Later, interior Warehouse 12.
"And that's five in a row! Can No one beat the Mistress of the Blue Eyes?" A makeshift MC was circling the attractive young woman, her Dark brown hair pulled back into a svere ponytail, The dark hair offset her pale skin and vibrant Blue-Green eyes.
She leaned back slightly towards a tall Asian man in a black Leather Jacket and biker pants, his black hair spiked up. his eyes hidden by the black Ray-bans he wore.
"Is this really needed? I mean do we really have to go through all of this ceremony? Can't I just beat the crap out of them and get home. My Teacher tore me a new one again yesterday." She called back to him, her tone showing great annoyance.
"Chill babe. It's all for show. Gotta make the chumps think they stand a chance." He leaned forward and pulled her into a kiss.
Roberts disguise was working perfectly, she'd looked right at him during the last Duel when he'd called out and she didn't seem to recognize him at all. Now though it took every once of will power to keep from surging forward and beating the punk making out with his fourteen year old daughter to death with his own bare hands. True the guy was only two years older accodring to the Duelist registration records flashing over the HUD built into his glasses but it didn't lower the anger any.
"Calm down Robert. you're up next you can beat her and get out of there. The Enforcers are standing by to sweep the building and take everyone else into custody." Yugi spoke over the hidden earpiece tucked behind Roberts ear contacting the bone directly beneath the skin there. Made for a perfect "Speaker" the sound traveled only through Roberts bones into his ear so not even the keenest ears coulc pick up waht was being said over it. The pulsing music of the Duel Club helped cover any sound that might have been made.
The announcer stpped forward and began his schtick.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fifth to last Duel of the night is upon us. he undisputed champion of teh under ground circuit. Natasha, Mistress of teh Blue Eyes!" he called out and the crowd went nuts. Hoots and Howls. Natasha played it up and blew a kiss to the audience with a wink.
"And her challenger, from parts unknown packing a deck that wiped out the preliminary challengers in less than five turns with absolutely no life points lost and no monsters higher than level four. ALEXANDER! Self proclaimed Master of the forgotten God!" He called out, the audience boo'd and hissed. Those that had whitnessed the crushing defeats he'd handed to the other duelists cheered, but only in the hopes of watching him get crushed by Natasha.
"As always, the challenger gets his choice of starting turn or first attacking turn. and Alexander has conceded the honor of the first turn to our own lovely Mistress!" The announcer stepped out of the way and the two Duelists stepped up.
Roberts blue lensed glasses showed a small frame map of the building as seen from above, the Enforcers were moving into position. Yugi even chirped in his ear a few seconds later to announce that all exits had been covered and the one behind Natasha was where he'd moved the evac van to.
"Okay, here we go. i hear you're good but don't get your hopes up. kay?" Natasha spoke, drawing her six cards, her face screwed up in confusion.
'The hell! All magic cards? Why is the deck doing that? I've never gotten a hand THIS bad before' she thought. Setting one card and ending her turn she smiled at her challenger.
"Okay little girl. let's Rock!" he called out, drawing his sixth card and smiling.
Natasha saw it, in that instant she saw her Father. All the years they'd played the game against one another. From the time she was learning to read all teh way up to her very first Duel Disk she always saw that smile.
Leaning back slightly she whispered to her boyfriend, "Babe, I think we might be in trouble."
