Original Yu-Gi-Oh Series
Parallel
Chapter 013
Originally Written: Friday, April 8, 2022 857AM to 954AM
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A/N: Have you taken a look at my profile? Right at the top, I post little blurbs of updates on my story writing and upload progress there. So if I don't update or something, and don't say anything in an author's note, the reason why will probably be there. The newest update is at the top. Whether or not you look at that part of my profile, thank you for reading 'Parallel'. As this story is complete, and the chapters are a bit short, I am feeling comfortable enough to upload two chapters a week. So that will be the upload schedule from now on. I'll let you know, probably on the profile first, if this changes.
Also, please take care and stay safe in this heat, rain, wind, and whatever else kind of crazy weather you are experiencing where you are. Check up on your neighbors as well.
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The inside of Pegasus' castle looked just as gaudy as the outside did. Both were as gaudy as Pegasus' own red suit was. The finalists were declared, made up of a bunch of people Seto didn't care to know. What he did care about was that Pegasus was dueling him while drinking a glass of wine. Seto was waiting for the man to spill some on the dueling platform.
He kept his head and eyes lowered. Pegasus always felt strange to him in a way he couldn't describe. It always felt natural to keep his gaze and presence far away when he visited the mansion or Kaiba Corp to speak to Noa. So it wasn't very hard to listen to Bakura's instruction to 'not look up'.
He placed another card on the field. "I like your Toon World set." He spoke in a soft voice. His eyes focused on the cards he had placed down on his side of the field, not particularly to the projections of them in the middle of the dueling platform. He didn't think about their names, or his strategy. Mokuba was safe now, he could breathe a little bit.
"Thank you, Seto."
"Could we discuss terms for me to obtain a set for my personal collection? If that is alright with you?" His neck was starting to hurt, but he pushed himself to ignore it. Pegasus was powerful in many ways. If he kept his head down, and spoke respectfully to make up for the rudeness in the act, maybe he wouldn't get hurt.
Other finalists groaned at Seto's antics. Apparently this polite version was quite common in a duel. It also usually meant that Seto firmly believed he was winning.
He ignored Joey shouting in question, wondering 'Where the asshole went'. He couldn't tell.
"Of course, my boy." Pegasus took another sip of his wine, and played another card. "For the moment however, I have the only set in the world."
"I understand. This set is quite powerful. In regular play it would be quite challenging to defeat." Seto wished it had been there when Noa sold his Dueling Platform designs in front of him. Instead he stood there like a tool and let Noa do it. Not for the first time, was his step father Gozaburo, ready to ship him back to the orphanage as punishment.
If Seto had looked up, he would have seen a slight shift in Pegasus' gaze and posture. He placed his hand face down temporarily on the side, and massaged his temples. He always got a headache looking when Pegasus was around. It was very strange.
A few minutes later, Pegasus watched himself get destroyed by very similar tactics Seto used against Yugi. His crush virus and Saggi the Dark Clown combo went through Pegasus' deck the same way Noa kept crushing his own heart ever since he started dating Bakura's stupid jerk of a sister.
"I believe I have won." Seto placed his hand on the platform once more, and pushed his fingers together. Then and only then, did Seto actually look up, meeting Pegasus' gaze. 'I knew this strategy should have worked against Yugi's deck.'
"What a fantastic duel." Mako Tsunami whispered. "I don't know how I would have beaten him."
"Which him?" A tiny girl with bouncy blond pigtails asked.
"Both of them."
"Big brother is number one in the world for a reason." Mokuba boasted. He was sitting on top of Seto's briefcase, which gave him ample room to hang his legs between the railing and swing them back and forth. "Take that, Pegasus."
Pegasus looked like someone just evaded all his security just to smack him in public. He sat up all stiff and gobsmacked. Eventually, Pegasus calmed and smiled a small smile. "That you have, Seto dear. Congratulations on your victory. We can discuss the arrangements for our agreement during dinner."
"Y-yes. Of course." Seto frowned, flushed, and immediately ducked his head again. Why did Pegasus always have to make business arrangements sound like personal dates? So annoying. The Toon World version of the Blue Eyes White Dragon was too adorable to ignore, however. He needed it.