Original Yu-Gi-Oh Series
Parallel
Chapter 032
Originally Written: Wednesday, April 13, 2022 303PM to 515PM
. . . . .
Between the turn time limit, the fact that both Joey and Seto decided to target him during the duel and Yugi nearly strutting despite the clear anger on his face, it took Yugi one round of turns to make it to Joey and Seto's side of the dueling field. It also didn't help that someone really upped the effects of this particular duel so every attack that lowered their life points, they felt. Tristan was pretty sure Yugi was only strutting because otherwise he would have fallen.
Yugi looked up at Joey. "You know I only have three minutes, so if you could just duck down a little bit, we'll get this over quicker. Doesn't it annoy you having me, the 'oh so creepy and evil Pharaoh', technically stand next to you? Joey's a weirdo, but I don't mind him like you do."
Joey looked down at him with creepy, blank eyes for nearly the entirety of Yugi's turn.
Yugi shrugged and made his move, while still facing Joey so neither he or Seto would see his cards. "I'll stand here until you make him duck, douche."
Eventually Joey responded, lowering his head. Yugi slipped the puzzle over his head, and put it around Joey's neck. He then whispered something into Joey's ear, despite knowing Marik would learn of it.
"Thanks, douche." Yugi waved as he started his treck back to his side of the field.
"The hell am I watching?" Tristan asked, heavily confused.
Joey hadn't really moved or said anything outside of declaring what moves he would make, and if he was going to counter. Marik didn't even use him to goad Yugi or Bakura. However, Joey's lips slowly stretched into a smile. Then Joey laughed a laugh that clearly wasn't his. "You are the biggest idiot I've ever met, Yugi Mutou!"
"If Joey drop kicks you mentally, will you feel it?" Yugi replied. "I hope you do. I hope your head snaps back from the backlash and you fall to the floor from the stick shoved up your ass in a heap in front of your closest followers. I also hope they take pictures and post them on social media."
The duel seemed to speed up then. Bakura took out Seto, which apparently he hadn't planned on doing so quickly, or didn't expect, given the glare he gave him. Seto took out a book from somewhere and started reading.
"What are you doing?" Joey asked after he finished his turn. His hands shook, as though he didn't even want to hold the cards in his hand. The puzzle around his neck seemed to glow ever so slightly.
"I am the top ranked duelist on the planet. I have been in hundreds, if not thousands of duels. I don't need to watch this duel to know how it will end, Marik. There's no need to pay any further attention." Seto turned a page.
"You seem to be struggling there, douchebag." Yugi goaded as he made his way back around the pier. "Maybe you should have given yourself more time to finish your turn, heh."
Joey was forced to take out Bakura, despite fighting against Marik. Tristan and the others started cheering him on. Seto looked up from his book and glared at Bakura.
"As your best and only friend you consider one, Seto," Bakura gave him the middle finger, "bugger off, and do it yourself."
Yugi finally made his way back to his side of the field. He nonchalantly gave Bakura fist bump. It took a few more turns, but Yugi gave Joey a clearly planned two fingered salute. "Pharaoh's really annoying. I know you'll take care of 'im. He talks way too much, likes long walks on the beach and dancing with Tea."
"Yugi!" Tea shouted from her shackled chair. "Don't!"
"But I'm not saying I you-know-what until-"
"-Yugi!" Joey shouted. He ran forward and nearly fell off the side of the platform.
"There he is. Last man standing. How's it feel?"
"Yugi!" Joey seemed to freeze.
Yugi nodded as his life points dropped to zero. "Don't be a pansy bitch now. You nagged me for weeks over that thing." He pointed to the puzzle. "I had to pirouette kick you to get you to stop, remember?"
Joey sighed, mind racing.
"Meteor of Destruction. It's in your graveyard." Seto didn't look up from his book. "That's why the duel hasn't ended yet, and that's why Yugi won't say he ends his turn. Ten seconds."
"Yugi played it as a counter…right?" Joey looked at his duel disk, eyes searching for the card as though he would be able to read the description. "Oh…oh!"
Seto nodded. Yugi laughed as Joey pointed to his Red-Eyes on Yugi's side of the field.
"Red-Eyes! Take it away!"
Yugi bowed dramatically. Then he grabbed the key in his box and sat down. He fell to the floor on his back, and swung the key around his finger. He muttered something to himself, which Bakura replied to as he picked up his own key. He chuckled.
Seto closed his book and set it on the platform. "I told Marik this plan was stupid. He made it so this was the only possible outcome anyone would accept."
"You guys suck!" Yugi shouted. The loud boom of the anchor being released drowned out his voice.
Marik didn't like Joey breaking out of his control, and so ordered his rare hunter to drop the crate on Tea. A bullet tore through the hunter's hand before he could press the detonator. He dropped it while screaming curses.
Tristan reloaded his gun, and shot another rare hunter in the leg. "I'll cover you. Get Tea, Mai."
Mai kicked off her heels and ran forward, not even bothering with the hunters who tried to grab her. They all got shot by Tristan.
"C'mon man!" Joey shouted, as he picked up the key in his box. Seto grabbed his and both jumped across.
Seto however, in some form of extremely unfortunate luck, landed in the water, nowhere near Bakura or his box. "Oh." He blinked, kicking his legs to stay afloat and staring at the single key in his hand. "I used too much." He murmured.
Bakura jumped in to save himself the trouble, and handed his key to Kaiba. The anchor started to drag them down, when they realized they were holding the wrong keys. Above them, Joey and Yugi tumbled off the platform.
"Seto!" Mokuba screamed. "Duke! Put me down!"
Duke looked at him unsure, but did so anyway. Mokuba ran away from him, towards the water, and jumped in. A long set of bandages floated down next to Duke. He watched Serenity perfectly dive into the water shortly after Mokuba.
Bakura and Yugi came back up first. Joey and Seto seemed to be having a moment. Why they picked in the ocean's depths to do so was anyone's guess. Joey eventually came up. Serenity held him up under one arm. Under Joey's other arm was an unconscious Seto, and on Seto's other side was Mokuba.
"This is going on our 'List of things to never do again'. Top spot." Yugi brushed strands of exceedingly long, weighed down bangs out of his mouth. He sputtered. "Bleurgh."
"Seto." Mokuba mumbled, holding him tightly.
"What happened? He just conked out." Joey asked.
"He used too much." Mokuba mumbled.
"Huh…" He looked at Seto, one questioned answered and many more left unanswered.