I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! If I did, Dark Side of Dimensions wouldn't have taken so long to be made.
Chapter Two: Eye on the Ball
Seto didn't come to school the next day. Or the day after that. A week passed, and Kisara still saw no sign of him. Tea told her not to worry; Seto tended to miss school while he ran his company. It wasn't unusual for him to miss a week or so at a time. Kisara tried to tell herself it was just that, but she couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong.
In between classes one day she, Yugi, Joey, and Tea had decided to do a mini Duel Monsters tournament. Kisara lost to Yugi, again, and she was watching Joey and Tea's duel. Joey believed he had the upper hand, but Tea destroyed his monster with her Breath of Light magic card. "And that brings your LifePoints down to zero, Joey," Tea grinned. "Once again, you lose and I rock!"
"You stink at this game, Joey," Tristan laughed at his friend.
Kisara chuckled at their exchange while Yugi and Tea started the final match of their tournament. When they finished with Yugi winning yet again, Joey and Kisara dueled for third place. She quickly claimed victory when Joey fell into her trap. He pressed his face into the desk in defeat. Joey challenged everyone to a rematch, and they defeated him again. And again. No matter what, he just could not manage to claim a single victory.
After school Joey, Yugi, and Kisara hung out in the school yard. "Tristan's right. I do stink at Duel Monsters," the blond student lamented. "I can't win a game to save my life. What is it, Yugi? Why can't I ever win? Teach me what I'm doing wrong."
"Well, let's start by checking your deck," Yugi answered his friend.
"Here you go," Joey handed over his deck. Kisara looked at the cards over Yugi's shoulder. Both frowned as they looked through the monsters. "Powerhouse lineup, don't you think?"
"No one can win with these," Yugi said.
"Joey, there's nothing but monsters in here," Kisara added.
"I know. I packed it every butt-kicking monster I could find," Joey grinned.
"But that's not how the game works," Yugi insisted. "Duel Monsters is all about combining your monster cards with your magic cards to increase their strength. With no magic in your deck, your monsters will get creamed every time."
"Joey, you were there when Yugi explained the game to me," Kisara added. "Weren't you paying attention?"
"I don't need the flak from you, Kisara," Joey grumbled. "Come on, Yugi," he turned back to his friend. "You've gotta help me learn more."
"Well, Grandpa's the real game expert in the family," Yugi said as they walked to the game shop. "Maybe he can help."
Yugi and Joey asked Grandpa to teach Joey as soon as they got to the shop. The old man was hesitant. "I don't know. Duel Monsters is a very complex game."
"Yeah, tell me about it," Joey agreed. "Tea beat me three games in a row, not to mention the same for Yugi and Kisara."
"Actually Tea beat you five times in a row," Yugi corrected him.
"And we each beat you seven times today," Kisara added.
"Aw, man," Joey slumped his shoulders as his friends reminded him exactly how many defeats he had.
"I could teach you to be a great duelist," Grandpa said, "but only if you're willing to spend endless days and sleepless nights filled with rigorous training."
Wow, Grandpa takes this game more seriously than I thought. Kisara watched the exchange between the old man and the cocky blond. Joey's attitude made Grandpa reluctant to accept Joey as a student, leading him to beg Yugi and Kisara for assistance. Kisara smothered a laugh when Yugi used reverse psychology to convince Grandpa to take Joey on by saying their blond friend was too much of a challenge to teach. The old man began Joey's training right then and there, proving Joey knew very little about the mechanics of the game itself. Kisara sighed and figured Joey was going to be in for a tough time.
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Joey was put through the ringer as the next couple of weeks pasted. Part of Kisara felt sorry for him, but at the same time, he was the one who begged Grandpa to teach him Duel Monsters. Joey was so exhausted that Kisara fell in the habit of kicking him awake during school so he wouldn't get detention.
When the finals of the Regional Tournament aired, the gang gathered at Yugi's to watch it. Kisara had never seen a televised match, and she relied on Yugi to tell her about the different competitors. The two finalists were Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor. "Bug-boy versus Dinosaur-breath? What kind of match is that? It should've been me in there," Joey complained.
"I know you've been training for weeks, but those guys are in another league," Tea consoled Joey. "You're just not there yet."
"Sure, rub it in," Joey glared at her.
"No, rubbing it in would be reminding you that you still haven't beaten me or Yugi," Kisara grinned. If Joey wasn't such a good sport about being teased, she wouldn't have dared to. Usually the relatives she stayed with just wanted her to sit quietly and not remind them she was there. She hadn't poked fun with friends since she played with Seto and Mokuba.
"And on top of that, you're so tired you can even keep your eyes open," Yugi chimed in. They waited for Joey to respond, but all they got was a quiet snore. Kisara smothered a laugh. "I think Grandpa's lessons may have been a bit too tough for him."
"Considering I've been kicking him awake in class all week, I agree with you," Kisara said.
"You know, it's true what they say," Tristan said, raising his voice. "You snooze, you lose!" He laughed at his friend.
Joey glared at him before letting his head droop in defeat. "I must have been nuts to think I could ever learn this crazy game. Even Kisara got ahead of me, and she didn't start until she came here!"
"Joey, I used to watch Seto play when we were kids," Kisara reasoned with her friend, "and I'm really not that much better than you. There's no way I'd be able to compete with the duelists at that tournament."
"Time for your lesson," Grandpa walked in carrying a package.
"What? We're not done?" Joey moaned.
"Not by a long shot, you slacker," Grandpa grinned at his student who moaned again. "Now, quick your whining, Joseph. I know you've been working long and hard, but you really are coming along as a duelist, and I'm quite proud of you."
"Gramps, thank you," Joey leaned over the couch to hug his teacher, but Grandpa walked away before he could, and he fell over the edge. Kisara chuckled at the sight.
"Oh, by the way, Yugi, this package came for you," Grandpa handed the package he was carrying to his grandson.
Yugi took the box and read the label—Industrial Illusions. "Why would Industrial Illusions send you a package?" Kisara asked.
"I don't know," Yugi answered. "Is it possible they heard I beat the world champion?"
"You mean Kaiba?" Tea chimed in.
"Yeah, it wasn't an official match or anything," Yugi continued, "but Kaiba did drop out of the tournament because of me."
"Just hearing Kaiba's name gives me a headache," Joey grumbled. Kisara looked down at the mention of Seto, letting her icy hair fall into her face. He still hadn't returned to school, and she was starting to really worry about him. Maybe she should go to see him or Mokuba and check in on them. Joey noticed her expression and nudged her arm. "Hey, Kisara, don't worry about him," he said. "I'm sure he's fine. He's probably just embarrassed that he lost to Yugi.
"Thanks, Joey," Kisara tucked back her hair and smiled. She really appreciated him trying to make her feel better. "I'll try not to worry so much."
"Whoa! Guys, Raptor just stomped Weevil!" Tristan drew their attention back to the duel on television.
"Yugi, are these guys any good?" Joey asked.
"Oh, yeah, they're both pretty tough customers," Yugi answered. "Weevil specializes in insect cards, and he's a great strategist. Then you've got Rex Raptor and his dinosaur cards. He uses their power to overwhelm his opponents." Kisara saw the competitors from different angles. Weevil had light blue-green hair in a bowl cut resembling a beetle and large gold glasses making him look bug-eyed. He wore a green jacket with a red bow-tie. For some reason he gave Kisara the creeps. Maybe it was just the bug motif; she had never liked insects. Rex had long brown hair with light grey bangs covered by a red beanie hat. He wore a tan vest over a green jacket and black shirt. If Kisara had to choose between either of the finalists to go up against, she'd choose Rex. Even through his confidence and trash talk, Kisara could tell he was an honest guy.
"Itsy-bitsy bugs against dueling dinosaurs?" Joey laughed. "Raptor has got this one in the bag."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Yugi warned his friend.
"Besides, Joey, shouldn't you know power isn't everything?" Kisara asked. "How many times has Tea beaten your big, powerful warriors with her little fairies?"
"I think I liked it better when you didn't poke fun at me," Joey grumbled.
"I only do it because you don't get mad," Kisara answered him. "I'll stop if you want. I don't want to make you uncomfortable."
"No, that's not what I meant," Joey backtracked. "I like that you're willing to joke around with us. But you're not the only one allowed to do it. I get to tease you too."
"Well I did learn from the best," Kisara grinned at him.
"Thank you very much," Joey grinned back at her.
"Actually I meant Tristan," Kisara answered him.
Tristan laughed. "Yes, I am the champion at something!"
Meanwhile Rex took the lead in the duel with his Two-Headed King Rex. Everyone thought he had the duel in the bag, minus Yugi and Kisara, especially when Weevil played Basic Insect. The little bug was no match for the King Rex. Until Weevil played his face-down Vortex trap. The trap ensnared the dinosaur, and Weevil powered up his Basic insect with his Laser Cannon magic card. Basic Insect attacked and wiped out the rest of Rex's LifePoints.
The broadcast went on to the awards ceremony with the trophy presented by Maximillion Pegasus, the creator of Duel Monsters and president of Industrial Illusions. He had long silver hair, and he was dressed in a tailored red suit. "Congratulations," Pegasus presented Weevil with the trophy, and the insect duelist expressed his appreciation. "And as Regional Champion," Pegasus continued, "I invite you to participate in a bold new tournament I'm hosting at Duelist Kingdom!" The crowd went into an uproar.
"Duelist Kingdom sounds like it will quite an event," Kisara commented.
"Yeah, a tournament hosted by the creator of Duel Monsters himself," Tea added.
"Yugi, you forgot to open your package," Grandpa gestured to the unopened box from Industrial Illusions.
"What could it be?" Everyone circled around it as Yugi opened the box. Inside was a fingerless red glove with a solid metal wrist and star-shaped holes, two star-shaped pieces that probably fit into the holes, and a video tape. Kisara had a bad feeling as Yugi popped the tape into the VHS player.
Maximillion Pegasus appeared on the tape wearing a red turtleneck and a black blazer, and his silver hair covered the left side of his face. "Greetings, little Yugi," the tape said. "I am Maximillion Pegasus." Everyone leaned closer to the tape. Why would the creator of Duel Monsters send something to Yugi? Kisara's bad feeling intensified as Pegasus continued. "I have heard some terribly interesting things about you, Yugi. Your impressive defeat of Seto Kaiba intrigued me so much, I've decided to investigate your amazing dueling skills personally. Right here, right now, we shall hold a special duel. We'll play with a strict time limit of fifteen minutes, and when time's up, the player with the highest LifePoints will be the winner. Are you ready?"
"How does he expect you to duel against a tape?" Kisara asked.
"That's crazy!" Tristan chimed in.
The image of Pegasus chuckled. Kisara could swear she heard him say, "No, it's magic!" as his hair parted, revealing a golden eye. The next thing she knew, they were surrounded by shadows, and everyone but she and Yugi were frozen.
"What's going on?" Kisara asked.
"What have you done to them?" Yugi yelled. "Where have you taken us?"
"We're no longer in the world you know," Pegasus answered them, "but I will return you after our game. Though I wonder why your white-haired friend came along too. What kind of power is she hiding? That intrigues me almost as much as you do, little Yugi."
"Then it's time to duel!" The Millennium Puzzle flashed, and Yugi changed like he did during his duel with Seto. "Start the clock and make your move, Pegasus," he said, his voice deeper like before. Kisara wondered why Yugi changed when he dueled.
"Nervous, Yugi-boy?" the game creator asked as he played a card face-down. "You should be. You have never faced a duelist like me before."
"You may be good," Yugi acknowledged his opponent as he drew. "But I will beat you to save my friends."
"And you're not alone, Yugi," Kisara added. "I've got your back."
"Ah, yes, Kisara, is it?" Pegasus turned his attention to her. "I can see you adore dragon cards, just like the one in Yugi-boy's hand."
"How?"
"I told you you've never faced anyone like me before," Pegasus chuckled. "I know every move you'll make before you can even make it. For example, I can anticipate your next play and counter it with this Dragon Capture Jar." A light appeared from the card and pulled Yugi's Koumori Dragon into it, trapping it inside the jar.
"This is insane," Kisara whispered. "How is any of this even possible?"
"To answer your question, Kisara-girl, this dark dimension we're in is known as the Shadow Realm, a mystical place where incredible monsters can be summoned and the impossible is quite possible." Pegasus smiled as he looked through the cards in his hand.
"But that can't be true," Yugi said.
"Tell me, Yugi-boy, do you believe there is magic in these cards?" Pegasus asked.
"There's no such thing as magic," Kisara insisted.
"A belief that disheartens you, doesn't it, Kisara-girl?" Pegasus turned his attention to her. "I can see how desperately you cling to your stories about dragons, magic, and happily-ever-afters, a stark contrast from the lonely existence you've had. Aside from the friends you've made here, the only two friends you've had were a certain Seto Kaiba and his little brother Mokuba." Kisara recoiled as Pegasus seemed to know her thoughts and feelings. Something was not right about him. "But what do you say, little Yugi?"
"Don't you know?" Yugi countered as looked through the options in his hand. "You invented this game."
"What if I told you I didn't?" Pegasus appeared amused at Yugi and Kisara's confusion. "In ancient times, the Egyptians called this the Shadow Game. Powerful pharaohs would hold mystical duels in other dimensions, just as we're doing now, but not with cards. They battled with real monsters, and real magic—magical forces so powerful, the Egyptians lost control of them and nearly destroyed the entire world."
Kisara thought of what happened when she first touched Grandpa's Blue-Eyes White Dragon. She and Seto were dressed as Egyptians fighting some creature with the dragon. "It's a good story, Pegasus," Yugi said, "but these monsters can't be real."
"I can see Kisara-girl is starting to believe," Pegasus chuckled. "It's hard to deny what's in front of your eyes. Just like it's hard to deny my Dragon-Charmer as his Flute of Resurrection frees your Koumori Dragon, but puts him under my control."
Yugi brought out his Silver Fang to defend himself, but it was no match for the Koumori Dragon. The flames from the attack nearly roasted Yugi and Kisara; Yugi pushed her behind him to shield her. His LifePoints dropped to 1500.
Pegasus laughed at their plight. "As you see, Yugi-boy, these monsters are quite real. And also quite dangerous." The other two just glared at him. "Ah, you two really are quite entertaining. The way you scowl and sneer, so defiant and yet helpless. And so completely ignorant of the power of your Millennium Puzzle."
The Millennium Puzzle? Kisara suspected there was something to Yugi's Puzzle, especially after his duel with Seto. As if he sensed her suspicions, Pegasus continued. "Five thousand years ago, a powerful pharaoh locked the magic of the Shadow Games away. The pharaoh captured these vast magical energies in seven mystical Millennium Items."
"You're saying that my Puzzle's one of them?" Yugi reasoned.
"Yes, and there are mystical energies locked within it—magic that could change your life forever if you only knew how to unlock it."
"But why tell us this?" Kisara asked. "What do you gain?"
"Ooh, Kisara-girl spent more time with Kaiba-boy than I realized," Pegasus feigned innocence. "To put it simply, I need you to know. But perhaps I have said too much, and since the clock is still ticking, I propose we resume playing our little duel."
He's stalling, trying to throw Yugi off his game. Kisara tensed as she tried to think of what Yugi could do. Pegasus pulled his silver hair back to reveal his left eye—a golden eye that was the same symbol on Yugi's Puzzle. It was just like what the creature had in Kisara's vision. She shrunk back behind Yugi, terrified of what it meant. It was one thing to tell herself it was just a hallucination, that it wasn't real. Now she wasn't dreaming, and the eye stared back at her.
"Kisara?" Yugi noticed her fear.
"I'm fine, Yugi," she reassured him. "Just finish this so we can go home."
"She's right, Yugi-boy," Pegasus chimed in. "Time is running out for you and your friends."
Yugi drew a card from his deck and played it without looking to see what it was. Pegasus attacked the card, expecting Zombie Warrior, but the card was really Dark Magician. Pegasus could see the cards in Yugi's hand, but not his deck. The purple-robed spellcaster appeared on Yugi's field. Like the last time Yugi played him, Kisara was reminded of an ancient Egyptian priest, one sworn to protect those he cared about at all costs. Why did she feel that way, and why was it only with certain monsters? What was it about Dark Magician and Blue-Eyes White Dragon that made her feel this way?
The Dark Magician destroyed the Koumori Dragon and dropped Pegasus's LifePoints to 1200. Pegasus just laughed and claimed he would be the victor because Yugi played Dark Magician. He then summoned his Faceless Mage, a card Yugi had never heard of. Kisara knew they were in trouble if Pegasus was using cards even Yugi didn't know. Yugi remained confident in his spellcaster—Dark Magician was one of the strongest monsters in the game. Pegasus added the magic card Eye of Illusion to his combo. Yugi ordered Dark Magician to attack, but it had no effect, and they only had five minutes left in the duel.
Yugi drew and summoned his Celtic Guardian, prepared to take down the Faceless Mage, but it was destroyed by an attack from his Dark Magician. The Eye of Illusion took control of the spellcaster and turned him against his master. Kisara closed her eyes from the sight; Dark Magician against Yugi just felt so wrong. He was supposed to protect Yugi, not attack him.
"Well, Yugi-boy, our time together is nearly up," Pegasus played a card face-down, "and as I've more LifePoints than you, it appears I am the victor." He began applauding himself. There were only seconds left in the duel.
"Take him down, Yugi," Kisara encouraged her friend.
Yugi played his Summoned Skull to take out the Faceless Mage. If the attack succeeded, Yugi would win. The Summoned Skull lunged into to attack, but the timer clicked to zero before it could finish. Kisara found it hard to believe fifteen minutes had already passed, and, at the same time, that it was only fifteen minutes.
"Ah, well, we've run out of time," Pegasus chuckled at the turn of events. "But how close was that? If you had been able to complete that attack, I would have lost. But I didn't, did I?" he grinned at the two friends. "I've taken the measure of your talents this day, Yugi Muto, and when next we duel, we shall play for far higher stakes."
"I'm done with your games," Yugi scowled at the silver-haired man.
Pegasus waved a chastising finger at him. "You presume I'm giving you a choice in the matter," he said as he pulled his hair back again, revealing his eye, "but I'm not. For I, too, possess one of the Millennium Items, the all-powerful Millennium Eye."
"A Millennium Eye?" the tri-color haired teen repeated in disbelief. Kisara stayed behind her friend, fearful of what the Eye could do.
"That's right, Yugi-boy," Pegasus answered him, "and now I'll show you the true extent of its magic." The Eye flashed, and Kisara saw a golden light engulf Yugi's grandpa. "You see, I have found that, given the proper incentive, anyone can be made to play my game." The screen Pegasus was on became covered in static, and Grandpa's face appeared on the screen, calling out his grandson's name.
Yugi shifted back to his regular self and pounded on the screen, yelling for his grandfather. "Yes, we will duel again, Yugi-boy. How else will you reclaim your grandfather's soul?" Grandpa's face disappeared from the screen, and the shadows surrounding them vanished. Grandpa's body fell to the floor as the others were unfrozen, looking around confused. Yugi continued to yell at the television while Kisara explained to Joey, Tristan, and Tea what happened. Grandpa was unresponsive; his soul was no longer with them.
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Grandpa was rushed to the hospital, and he remained in a coma. Kisara and the others helped Yugi and his mom keep the shop open after school, taking turns behind the counter. If Kisara could afford to miss school to help during the day to help Mrs. Muto, she'd do it in a heartbeat, but her guardian would kill her if she did. When Kisara went home, she searched for any information she could about the Millennium Items. She wouldn't let Pegasus get the upper hand on them again. Not that she could find much.
After their turn at the game shop one afternoon, Kisara and Joey walked home. "Thanks for letting me come over to study," Joey said. "I'd do it at home, but my dad makes it hard to do."
"It's no problem," she told him. "It'll be nice to have company for once. You just have to stop at your house, right?"
"Yeah, I'll be in and out. Promise," Joey answered. "Just stay here, and I'll be right back." He ducked into his house, and a few minutes later he came out carrying a package. "My dad wasn't home, which makes things easier. He's not the best host."
"I understand, Joey," Kisara answered as they continued on to her apartment. "It's not like I can brag about my family life."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
Kisara looked into his earnest hazel eyes before unlocking the door to her apartment. She picked up the package at the door and led the way to her living room. "It used to be just me and my mom," she finally answered him. "She worked as a housekeeper for Gozaburo Kaiba. Since there was no one else to watch me, I'd go over there until she was off work. I holed up in the library reading the time away, making sure the Kaibas never saw me. I don't know if they knew I was there, but Mom always told me to stay out of their way. Then one day Gozaburo adopted two orphans. Seto and Mokuba found my hiding spots, and we became good friends, always playing when Seto didn't have lessons, which was rare in itself. Mokuba once called me his big sister, and for a nine-year-old with no friends, it was the best thing I could've been told.
"Then one day Gozaburo fired Mom. I don't know why; it's not like he would tell a kid who probably wasn't supposed to be there anyway. And Mom never said why. She just said it wasn't something I had to worry about. She tried to find another job, but then there was an accident. Someone drove through a red light and ran her down. They didn't even stop to help."
Kisara didn't even notice the tears falling from her eyes until Joey pulled her into a hug. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I can't imagine something like that happening."
She wiped at her eyes. "I never imagined it happening either."
"Maybe we have some good news," Joey opened the package he picked up at his house. Inside was a video tape.
"Not again," Kisara tensed at it.
"I don't think it's from Pegasus," Joey reassured her. "Besides, why would Pegasus send me something? I haven't done anything spectacular." He popped the tape into Kisara's player.
A girl with long auburn hair wearing a pink blouse appeared on the screen. "Hey there, Big Brother," she said, waving at the camera. "How have you been? I really miss you."
"Serenity?" Joey whispered, entranced by the video.
"I can't believe it's been six years since we've seen each other," the girl went on. "I'll never forget the day Mom took me to live with her." Now it was Joey's turn to tear up. "I'm sending you this video just so you don't forget your little sister's face. It seems like I'm running out of time. I was hoping to see you once more before," tears welled in the girl's eyes too, "well, uh, you understand. So long; take care, Joey." The tape came to an end.
Kisara hugged her friend, "So much for good news, huh?"
"Yeah," Joey returned the hug. "That was my sister, Serenity. After our parents got divorced, my mom took Serenity and left me with our dad. I get why she left Dad. I mean, I probably would've left him too if I were her. But I've never understood why she didn't take me too. Did she not want me?"
"I know how you feel," Kisara said. "Mom didn't have any close relatives, though there were a variety of distant cousins, aunts, uncles, and whoever was willing to take me in. But none of them really wanted a girl from a relative they barely knew. I didn't fit in, and I never lasted more than a year with any of them. My current guardian, some third cousin or something, decided out of sight, out of mind was the best solution. He pays for what he deems I need, and I'm on my own for the rest. If I get into any trouble, I'm on to the next relative, if there are any left."
"I guess both our lives suck," Joey said. Kisara let out a small chuckle. Even when they were both depressed, Joey managed to lighten the mood.
"What did Serenity mean by running out of time?" she asked.
"She's always had really bad eyesight," Joey explained. "But it's getting worse. Pretty soon, she's going to go blind, even with surgery."
"Can anything be done to help her?"
"There are specialists that could save her eyesight now, but we don't have that kind of money."
"When it rains, it pours," Kisara looked out the window. "Between our depressing lives, your sister, and Yugi's grandpa, it seems like things will never be normal again."
"They will," Joey promised her. "I'm going to find a way to save my sister's eyesight, and we're going to find a way to save Gramps."
"You're right," Kisara smiled at him. "Meanwhile we should get our studying done. You're working on math, right?"
"Yeah, I hate algebra," Joey frowned at his textbook. "Math was hard enough when it was just numbers. Now they gotta add letters to it too?"
"It's mainly logic," Kisara told him. "Think of it like guessing your opponent's face-down card in Duel Monsters. If you know the kind of deck they run, and the other cards on the field, you can reason what the face-down card might be. In algebra, you know everything on the field, and by putting the pieces together, you can find the missing number. Does that make sense?"
"I think it makes less sense," Joey sighed.
"I'm sorry. I guess I'm not a very good tutor," the white-haired girl apologized.
"Just help me figure out each step as I go," the blond said. "Like with Duel Monsters, if I do it enough times, something's bound to stick."
They studied until dinner time. Since Joey didn't really want to go, and he figured his dad wouldn't have anything for him, Kisara made ramen for two. When they finished eating, Joey finished his algebra and headed home.
Once Joey was gone, Kisara opened the package she picked up at her door. She had recognized the Industrial Illusions label when she found it, but she didn't want Joey to worry about it. He had enough on his plate with the message from Serenity. Plus if Pegasus pulled something like he did with Yugi, it would be better if there was no one for him to take hostage.
The contents of the box were almost identical to Yugi's except for one exception—an envelope of cards was tucked in next to the stars. Kisara took the video tape and popped it into her player before ducking behind her couch. "Greetings, Kisara-girl," Pegasus's voice sent a shiver down her spine. "No doubt you're watching this with caution, if not from as far away from your television as possible. I assure I will not take you to the Shadow Realm as I did with Yugi-boy. This tape is just as it appears: a recording of the devilishly handsome me. The power you have intrigues me; I do wish to know what it is. But there is no point in dueling you now when even you don't what you're capable of. That's why I'm inviting you to participate in Duelist Kingdom as well. This way we can both see the extent of your mysterious power. My, my, what a show that will be. Ta-ta for now." The tape came to an end.
Kisara breathed a sigh of relief when Pegasus's image vanished. Confident she was safe, she took the cards out of the envelope. Seeing they had information about the Duelist Kingdom tournament, Kisara tucked the cards back into the envelope and slipped it into her bag. If she understood them correctly, the boat for the tournament would leave the day after break started.
Yugi had received a packet of cards as well. Before class started, they spread out the cards between their desks as the gang tried to make sense of it all. Both of them had five cards: an island, a boat, the red glove, a pile of treasure, and a blank one.
"Duelist Kingdom is where Pegasus is keeping your grandpa, right?" Joey asked.
"Maybe, but the only way to know for sure is to become a contestant," Yugi answered. "The boat's leaving in two days."
"At least the tournament's happening over spring break," Kisara added. "My guardian would kill me if I missed school for the tournament."
"You guys can't go; it could be dangerous," Tea insisted.
"I have to go," Yugi said. "It's the only clue I have to rescuing Grandpa."
"I still can't believe it," Tristan said. "Pegasus is forcing you to enter the tournament."
"And without invitations, we can't even go with you," Joey added glumly. "I wish we could help you."
"I promise I'll watch his back," Kisara said. "I don't know why Pegasus invited me, but I won't let him catch us off-guard again."
"Hey guys, check this out," Tristan picked up one of the treasure cards. "According to this card, the tournament winner takes the grand prize of $3 million!"
"So what Tristan?" his tri-color haired friend asked. "Who care about money at a time like this?"
"Hey, give me that," Joey took the card from Tristan and stared at it. Joey would care about the prize money. Surely a prize like that would be enough to save Serenity's eyesight. Kisara silently promised to win the prize money for Joey.
After school Kisara went up to the roof. Yugi had gotten her in the habit of watching the horizon from there, especially when she needed a place to think. Kisara couldn't figure out why, but the view helped clear her head. Today Yugi and Joey beat her to it; they sat next to each other talking.
Joey noticed her standing at the doorway. "Hey, Kisara," he said. "It's a party."
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to interrupt you guys," Kisara apologized.
"Don't worry 'bout it," Joey said. "We were just reminiscing about how we met."
"Oh?" Kisara smiled at them. "That sounds like an interesting story."
"In a way, it was because of the Millennium Puzzle," Yugi said. "Grandpa told me it was from some ancient ruin, and he kind of dared me to solve it. It was incredible, unlike anything I'd ever seen. I knew it was special as soon as I touched it. I made wish on the Puzzle, asking it to give me a real friend. I think the Puzzle came through for me, because right around then I met up with Joey and Tristan. Though they sure didn't act like my friends at first."
"Heh," Joey looked guilty as he laughed. "You mean when we were playing keep-away with the Millennium Puzzle?"
"You didn't!" Kisara interjected.
"We just wanted to toughen him up so he could stand up to the real bullies," Joey raised his hands in defense at Kisara's look. "We were only teasing him."
"Teasing? You took a piece of the Millennium Puzzle and threw it out the window!" Yugi correct his friend. "And I was the one that tried to help you guys when that bully picked on you!"
"So what happened?" Kisara asked.
"Well, for one I got my butt kicked by that bully," Yugi grimaced.
"But, I'll never forget how you stood up to him for us," Joey said. "Because of you, we got that moron expelled. And Tristan and I learned what it was like to have a true friend."
"At least you retrieved the lost Puzzle piece," Yugi added. "If you hadn't done that, I could never have solved the Millennium Puzzle."
"The truth of the matter is you're the best friend I've ever had," Joey told his short friend.
"That's really nice," Kisara smiled at her friends. "To be honest, you guys are the best friends I've had in a long time."
"Well we're glad to have you with us," Joey said. "And I promise, somehow, someway, I will help you guys rescue Gramps. We're a team."
"But how can you go without an invitation?" Yugi asked.
"I'll figure something out," Joey promised.
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Kisara walked home with Yugi to do her turn at the counter. "Hello, Mari," she greeted Yugi's mom. "How has business been today?"
"Oh, the usual," Mari Muto answered. "It's just not the same without Solomon though. He has a way with the customers that I just don't."
"It's probably because he takes the games so seriously," Kisara suggested. She really like Yugi's mom. Mari was kind and cheerful, and she put everyone at ease, though Yugi warned Kisara not to misbehave. Mari was not afraid to use a ladle on those who crossed her. It made Kisara wonder what Yugi did to warrant that punishment. It was hard to imagine Yugi as a troublemaker.
"You're probably right," Mari smiled at the white-haired girl. "Thanks for helping out, Kisara. "And you're welcome to stay for dinner when you're done."
"Thanks, Mari," Kisara took the seat behind the counter. After a handful of customers came through, Kisara took out Grandpa's velvet-lined box. Inside was the somewhat repaired Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Grandpa had taped the pieces back together, but it was still obvious what had happened to it. Part of Kisara felt that the card was the reason everything was happening. If Seto hadn't tried to take it from Grandpa, he and Yugi wouldn't have dueled. Yugi wouldn't have won, and Pegasus wouldn't have even heard of him, let alone taken Grandpa's soul. At the same time, Kisara couldn't help but feel there was something about this dragon. She couldn't explain why, but it resonated with her, like it was a part of her.
"Staring at Blue-Eyes again?" Yugi came up behind her.
"Sorry, I know I shouldn't," Kisara apologized.
"It's fine," he said. "I do the same thing with Dark Magician."
"Is it bad that I want to take it with us to Duelist Kingdom?" she asked. "If I understood one of the cards right, if we win, we can ask Pegasus for anything in addition to the prize money. So obviously we free Grandpa, but if we get this fixed, it'll be something good to surprise him with."
"I like the idea," Yugi answered. "Go ahead. It's you and me against everyone else there."
"And I promise to have your back," Kisara said.
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Kisara and Yugi stood in line to get on the boat at Domino Pier. The journey would last through the night, and they would arrive at Duelist Kingdom in the morning. Kisara shivered a little bit in the night air. She began to regret wearing shorts and a T-shirt, though she did have her favorite light-blue hoodie with the silver dragon on it. She didn't know what the weather would be like a Duelist Kingdom, and she preferred to be cold over hot. She just had to make it onto the ship and then she could curl up with the blanket she packed in her backpack. She had on her duelist glove with her star chips in two of the holes. Yugi wore his school uniform like he always did.
A commotion drew their attention toward the cargo holds. Joey was being escorted away by two of the guards. He struggled against the guards, and they were prepared to throw him out. "Hold on!" Kisara said as she and Yugi got out of line to help their friend.
"Leave him alone," Yugi commanded.
"Hey, Yugi, Kisara," Joey greeted them.
"What are you doing here?" Kisara asked.
"I told you guys I wouldn't let you do it alone," Joey answered them. "Now c'mon and help me out."
"He's with us," Yugi said. "You've got to let him on."
"Only people with a star chip can get onboard. There are no exception," one of the guards said.
"But Joey has a star chip," Kisara said as she nodded to Yugi. The shorter teen handed his friend one of his chips.
Yugi held up the card with the glove on it. "According to this card, a star chip is proof that one is a duelist," he told the guards.
"Maybe, but all participants are given two star chips," the other guard said. "You'll be at a disadvantage."
"I'd rather take that risk than be without my friend," Yugi insisted.
The guards looked at each other confused. One of them took a cell phone out to make a call. "Mr. Pegasus, we've got a problem sir." Kisara tensed at Pegasus's name. He did not need more hostages to use against her and Yugi. She didn't even realize she was holding her breath until she let it out when the guards let the three of them onboard the ship.
Once the boat was on its way, Kisara took out her fleece blanket with gold and black dragons on it and wrapped it around her. "It better not be cold all tournament or I'm going to feel like an idiot."
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Joey assured her.
"I'm just glad they let Joey onboard," Yugi added.
"Only because you gave up a star chip for me," his friend said. "Thanks for that by the way. But if any other players find out we only have one star chip each, they could really try to take advantage of us."
"Then be quiet about it," Yugi told him.
"Yugi, if you'd rather start with two, I'd be happy to give you one of mine," Kisara offered.
"It's fine," Yugi declined. "We'll make it either way, right Joey?"
"Right, Yuge."
"Well what do we have here?" a woman with thick blonde hair and wide violet eyes looked the three of them over. She wore a purple mini shirt and matching jacket over a white tube top. "So, you're the Yugi kid everybody's talking about, huh?" Kisara elbowed Joey as he stared at the woman. "But I'm amazed that a squirt like you could beat Kaiba. You're famous, you know."
"Thanks very much I think," Yugi began to get flustered as the woman leaned in closer to him.
Kisara pulled Yugi away from the woman. "Look, maybe we should start with introductions," she suggested. "You already figured out who Yugi is. I'm Kisara White, and this is our friend, Joey Wheeler."
"Well, aren't you a sweetheart," the woman turned her attention to the white-haired girl. "The name's Mai. I get why you're with Yugi, but you two should drop this guy." She gestured to Joey. "He's fashion-challenged and deserves to be crushed in the games." Mai turned to leave.
"Don't let appearances fool you, Mai," Kisara warned the blonde woman. "You may regret underestimating us." Mai said nothing as she walked away.
They went off in search of their rooms and found they were all assigned to a communal room. Joey quickly voiced his objections to the accommodations, raising another ruckus against the guards. "Joey, stop," Kisara commanded her friend and pulled him away from the guards.
"Hey, aren't you that kid, Yugi?" Kisara turned around to see Weevil Underwood and Rex Raptor.
"You're wasting your time with those guys," Rex smirked. "The private rooms only go the finalists of the last championship, like us."
Yugi went to congratulate Weevil on his victory, and Rex and Joey declared they'd win this time around. Kisara kept a close eye on the insect duelist. Her instincts said not to trust him, and they'd already had enough to deal with without whatever trouble he might cause. Kisara also didn't like the way Weevil mentioned Yugi's duel with Seto. Granted, anyone bringing up Seto put her on edge.
"Let me tell you a little secret," Kisara heard Weevil whisper to Yugi. "It's something none of the other players know about the games yet."
I knew that guy was a sneak! "Isn't that cheating?" Kisara asked, reminding the bug duelist that she was there and could hear him too.
"The other duelists will find out soon enough," Weevil sneered, "but there are new rules on the island that require more strategy."
"Yeah, rules are for wimps," Rex chimed in. "In Duel Monsters, you either smash your opponent or get smashed yourself."
"I suppose that's one way to look at it," Kisara said.
Rex threw his competition some trash talk before leaving the room. Before Joey could completely lose his temper at the dinosaur duelist, Weevil suggested the four of them scope out their competition. Several players in the room were trading cards and tweaking their decks. Joey rushed to join the mix and began trading cards with the other duelists.
"Guess Joey's trading," Yugi commented.
Kisara pulled her blanket tighter. "I'm just glad we're inside. I hope it warms up in here soon."
"If you've come all this way and you're still trying to improve your deck, you've got to be pretty desperate," Weevil scoffed at the players. "I'll catch you on the flipside." He turned and left the room.
"I'm glad he's gone," Kisara muttered once he was out of earshot.
"Why?" Yugi asked her. "He seemed nice enough."
"I don't know," she answered. "Something about him seems off. I don't trust him, and we should keep our distance from him."
Before Yugi could respond, Joey came back with the cards he traded. "Cool, a dragon," Kisara commented on his new Baby Dragon.
"Don't you have enough dragons?" Joey asked her.
"Doesn't mean I can't admire them," she answered.
"Here, add this to your deck, Joey," Yugi pulled out Time Wizard and handed it to his friend. "It can be helpful in a tight spot."
"Thanks, I'll take it," Joey accepted the card. "I can't get over how you're always helping me out."
"What are friends for?" Kisara grinned at him.
"Ah, we meet again," Weevil's creepy voice sounded behind Kisara. She narrowed her sapphire eyes at him, but he ignored her and convinced the group to head out to the outer balcony of the ship. "Did you trade for any good cards, Yugi?" he asked.
"No, I'm going to duel with the cards I brought along with me," the tri-color haired teen answered.
"I figured," Weevil muttered. "You used the Exodia card in your duel with Kaiba, right? Those are the strongest cards of all."
"And really rare," Yugi added.
"Could I possibly see those legendary cards?" Weevil asked.
"I don't see why not," Yugi answered. "Just be careful with them, okay."
Weevil greedily held the cards and began muttering to himself. Alarm bells rang in Kisara's head as the blue-haired duelist moved closer to the edge of the balcony. When he reached the railing, Weevil tossed the cards overboard. "Say good-bye to Exodia!"
Kisara tossed aside her blanket and bag and dove in after them. I'm not just going to stand on the sidelines. It's my turn to take a risk for them. The water was freezing, and she shivered as she grabbed the first card. She struggled to tread water as she heard another splash. Over the churning waves she barely saw Joey's blond hair. She grabbed another card, sputtering as a wave roared over her. "Kisara!" Joey called for her. She barely registered his voice before she was sinking, swallowed by the cold sea water.
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Joey dove into the water after Kisara. He could see her sparkling white hair against the dark water. He managed to grab two of Yugi's cards when he saw her fall below the water's surface. Joey dove to grab her, pulling her up for air. She actually managed to grab the other three. He saw Yugi dive in after them, but they were too far away from the ship now, and the current was too strong for him to swim back and pull Kisara.
Suddenly the air around him crackled with energy. Kisara's eyes glowed bright blue, and she shot off blue light. Joey squinted against the brightness, and when the light cleared, Blue-Eyes White Dragon flew over them. It scooped up the two duelists in its claws and carried them to the back of the ship. Joey barely had time to register Tea and Tristan tossing a ladder overboard to Yugi before the dragon vanished, and Kisara's eyes closed.
"Hey, Kisara, are you okay?" Joey gently shook her.
After a minute, she coughed up water and opened her eyes. "Joey?" she glanced around. "What happened?"
Yugi, Tristan, and Tea joined them. "Was that Blue-Eyes White Dragon?" Tea asked.
"Whatever it was, it saved us," Joey answered.
"Whatever what was?" Kisara asked, shivering in her damp clothes.
"You don't remember the big dragon thing that saved you two?" Tristan asked. She shook her head.
"At least we're all okay," Tea said.
"Yeah, thanks for the save, you two," Yugi thanked the stowaways.
"And we managed to get your cards," Joey handed the five to his friend. "Though Kisara did more of the work. I only found two of them, and I couldn't even save the two of us. If that dragon hadn't shown up, we'd be goners."
"Joey, it's okay," Yugi assured his friend.
"No, it isn't," Joey insisted. Even now, after everything he'd tried to do for his friends, he came up short. Just like every other time he tried to help someone he cared about. "I'm never able to help anybody. Not even my own sister, Serenity." Tristan and Kisara knew about Serenity, but telling Yugi and Tea was hard. His family life was far from perfect, and he had tried to keep it away from his friends as much as he could. He had to win Duelist Kingdom for Serenity.
When he finished, Kisara squeezed his hand. "It's okay, Joey," she said. "To be honest, once I saw how interested in the prize money you were, I planned on giving it to you if I won."
"Are you serious?" Joey asked.
She nodded. "Serenity needs it."
"We'll all do our best, Joey," Yugi said. "You for your sister, me for my grandpa."
"And me for my friends," Kisara stood between the two guys.
"That's right," Tea encouraged them. "We'll do this together.
As the sun began to rise, Joey could just begin to see the island. I promise you, Serenity. I will win the prize money for you. No matter what, I won't let you down.