Yu-Gi-Oh Original Series

Parallel

Chapter 008

Originally Written: Tuesday, April 5, 2022 835AM to 938AM

. . . . .

The Duelist Kingdom looked much bigger and wilder than it did in any photos in the brochures and pamphlets they received. There were multiple resort locations where one could rest if needed, as well as man-made dueling platforms. Yet neither of these items seemed to overrun the trees, dirt, and bugs in the area.

You needed a glove with star chips or a pass to stay at any of the resort locations. If you had a glove with no star chips, you were to go to one to be taken back home. Obviously, you had been eliminated.

"I'm sorry, I don't play that much in tournaments." The blond woman was named Mai Valentine. She didn't divulge her ranking, and told them not to ask. It was considered rude in some circles.

Joey however, only thought to ask one question. "You got more curves than most models. Why are ya wearing jeans and a t-shirt!? C'mon lady, if you got it, flaunt it!"

Tea smacked her forehead.

Tristan chuckled. "Wait for it."

Mai flushed, and blinked in response, not knowing what to say. She pulled at her baggy t-shirt, which covered her considerable bust. Her flush changed to one of anger. "I-I'm playing a card game, n-not twirling around a stripper pole."

The area fell silent for a considerable amount of time. Suddenly, Joey smacked her on her upper back. "You got guts talking smack to me like that. I like ya! Come hang with us, would ya? If ya want. We don't play much eitha."

Tea could not figure out why Mai agreed to Joey's proposition. Either way, another older female was a much needed addition to their little group. Mai had done quite a bit of digging for information. As a result, she easily led them to resorts and rest spots. They never had to spend a night out under the stars.

Yugi didn't know how many contestants had entered, but they were only here for a few days, and the crowd had thinned considerably. Occasionally, Bakura stopped by, told them where Seto Mitsura was, reminded them to avoid him and then disappeared again.

"This is ridiculous. Why's he running off like that? Can't he just stick around?" Tristan took off the brown trench coat he wore and folded it over an arm. It was far too hot today to keep the garment on as he wanted.

"He's in the top ten. He's a large target if you know about that. To stay in number one, Seto Kaiba and him will have to duel, unless one of them is eliminated." Mai's gaze went right to the gun on Tristan's hip. "Both Yugi and Joey are barely winning their duels. Do you have a permit for that?"

"What do you think, sweets?"

Joey smacked him upside the head. "The hell you bring that thing with you anyway?"

Tristan patted his shoulder in a manner Tea, Yugi and Mai didn't understand but Joey did. Joey nudged him with an elbow and rolled his eyes.

Yugi looked at the eight star chips he had gathered. Mai wasn't wrong about their dueling. Sometimes during a duel the voice would give him advice and he'd follow it. Other times he'd completely blank out at the start of the duel and come back as a victor.

The eliminators were truly the toughest opponents he came across. They had no interest in ranking, they just wanted to eliminate people, and they were good at it. Panik beat Mai and then gave Yugi quite a run for his money. Mai encouraged him that she'd get back the star chips she lost and then-some, and told him that even a guy like Panik used to give Seto trouble.

Joey was pure luck winning. He sucked so bad at dueling that his opponents lost mainly because he was a confusing individual to duel against. There was a lot of karma involved in the way he took down Rex Raptor, the kid who tricked Weevil into getting himself eliminated before the tournament even began.

Bakura showed up again a few days later. He spoke to Yugi and Joey as usual, but his words had changed. "I tried to keep him off of you, but he's very determined. I need to figure out why."

"What do you mean?" Yugi frowned.

"Seto wants to duel you, badly. He's somehow figured out how to track you, and is headed right to you."

"Tracking?" Joey scoffed, "He's such a nerd."

"Uh, why? I'm not even ranked." Yugi blinked in confusion.

"I don't know. Off the top of my head the only thing I can think of is maybe it's because he's heard you've gotten so many star chips? But that's not his style. In these style tournaments, he meets the requirements to enter the finals, and then waits for opponents to come to him. Contestants have gotten insanely mad because they come across him reading a book, duel him, and get crushed with a soft spoken voice and a 'Nice duel, that was fun.'. So, I don't know." Bakura shook his head. "I need to figure out why. I've seen the way he duels. He isn't so...mean. This isn't like him at all."

Seto Mitsura-Kaiba was seven feet of sometimes adorable, quiet, nerdy pushover. Tried as he might, Yugi could not imagine him being mean.

Tristan stepped forward, "I'm going with you."

"Do you know how to use that?" Bakura looked at the gun on his hip.

"Should I have to use it? This is a children's card game tournament." Tristan gave him a look.

"They haven't learned the ropes yet, dear." Mai smiled a sweet smile that told Joey that even in her mom jeans, if she had a smidgen more confidence in herself, she'd be a femme fatale.

"This will be fun then. Put your coat back on, gunslinger." Bakura rolled his eyes. "You've got maybe a day or two before he catches up. I don't recommend goading him like you do others, Joey. Not when he's in this state."

"Me?" Joey pressed a hand to his chest, offended. "I'm a woman's man! I don't goad!"

Bakura chuckled and shook his head, "Just remember those legs and arms have a long reach."