Hey, guys! Good news! I'm think finally getting my rhythm back and might be able to start picking up the speed of my updates. And I know many of you have been excited for the start of the Battle City arc. Well let's get going!
I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! If I did, Yugi's mom would have had more appearances.
Chapter Nineteen: A New Enemy Emerges
Mari Muto was concerned for her son.
Not quite in the same way she used to worry about him. Yugi was such a shy boy, always by himself at school. He tried to hide it, but Mari knew he dealt with bullies. Only Tea would visit with him. Mari was glad he had such a nice girl for a friend, but she knew how boys at that age could be. All sports and fighting, and not participating made you a target. And a girl coming to his defense didn't exactly help.
But then things changed. Yugi befriended Joey and Tristan and started coming out of his shell. Yugi was surrounded by true friends that reminded Mari of when she was their age. Good friends like that were hard to find, and Mari was infinitely grateful Yugi had found his.
And then with Solomon's health scares six months ago coinciding with Yugi's Duel Monsters tournament, Mari worried she would have to call her husband home from his business trip. Luckily, Solomon recovered, and Yugi won his tournament. And everything looked up.
So why was she concerned?
Mari dusted off the table in the hallway outside her son's room where she could hear him getting ready for school.
"Really? What kind?"
Is Yugi talking to himself?
"Well, I'll help you figure it out."
Maybe he needed to have a difficult conversation with one of his friends. All of them seemed like good kids, but Mari knew some of their home lives were difficult. Maybe Joey was in trouble with his father. Kisara had trouble with her family right after that tournament, but she seemed happier than ever after moving in with Yumi and Gabriel. Mari was definitely happy for her; Kisara was always eager to help out, especially that week before the tournament. Maybe that boy Bakura? He seemed the most reserved of Yugi's friends, like something was always troubling him. He came by the least, so Mari really didn't know what his home life was like.
"Don't tease me! Tea and I are just friends!"
Mari paused in her dusting. That sure didn't sound like a difficult conversation. Maybe he was on the phone. But Mari didn't hear it ring. Unless he called and brought the phone to his room. She suspected Yugi had a crush on Tea; the way Yugi responded, he guessed whomever he was talking to knew as well. Probably Joey, though Mari did hear Kisara tease Yugi at times too. She wouldn't put it past Tristan either, though he seemed more likely to pick on Joey than anyone else.
Yugi emerged from his room dressed for school. If Mari remembered correctly, he was walking to school with Tea and Kisara and then going to meet Joey and Tristan for a soccer game at the school. It was so nice to see Yugi participating in school activities, even if it was just to watch. He had come so far, and it just warmed her heart to see her son spread his wings.
"Stop teasing me!" he yelled at the empty space next to him.
And she was back to worrying. Mari sighed as Yugi headed down the stairs.
"Come on, Yugi! We're going to be late!" Tea called from the door.
"If Joey and Tristan get there before us, they'll never let us live it down!" Kisara added.
"I'm coming!" Yugi quickened his pace and ran out the door, saying a quick goodbye to Solomon as he passed the older man. He took off with the girls down the street.
"Enjoy yourselves!" Solomon called to them. "If the game ends early, feel free to come back and help me sweep!"
"Is he okay?" Mari stepped out of the house to ask her father-in-law. The three teenagers got smaller as they strolled farther down the street.
"Why do you ask?" Solomon ceased sweeping and turned to face her.
"He's been talking to himself a lot lately," she said. "Have you noticed it?"
"Ah, he's fine," he brushed it off. "I was the same way at his age."
Mari sighed and ran a hand through her magenta hair. "That's why I'm worried."
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"So what's with the chain, Yugi?" Kisara asked her friend on the way to the game.
"Oh, I thought it would safer for the Puzzle," Yugi gripped the golden Item. "The cord was starting to fray, and I was a little worried it'd break."
"That makes sense," Tea agreed.
"What did Yami think of it?" Kisara looked to her friend. She could imagine a few possible reactions the spirit would have.
"He liked it," Yugi turned his head away, but not before Kisara caught a hint of red on his face. Knowing Yami, he probably teased Yugi about some way to impress Tea.
"Is that all he said?" the white-haired girl snickered and gently elbowed her friend.
"You're almost as bad as him," the shorter student scowled at her.
"Am I missing something?" Tea raised an eyebrow at them.
"Yes and no," Kisara smirked at her foster-sister. "Remember that offer I made when we picked up my phone?"
"What…?" Tea's cheeks turned pink as it dawned on her.
"What offer?" Yugi asked.
"Don't worry about it," Kisara's mouth widened into a full smile seeing that she got both of her friends to blush. Tristan would be so proud. Hanging around the Master of Teasing was definitely rubbing off on her. "It's a girl thing."
"Anyway, Yami also seemed a little worried," Yugi changed the subject.
"What about?" Tea stopped to fish a pebble out of her shoe.
"The future mostly," the Puzzle wielder answered. "He's been talking about fate like there's something more he's supposed to do."
"That does make sense," Kisara twirled a lock of hair around her finger as she thought. "I mean, he's tied to the Puzzle, right?" Yugi nodded. "So there must be a reason for that. And as grateful as I am for all that he did for us at Duelist Kingdom, I don't think that's why he's here. I mean, it was pure chance we got pulled into that craziness. Does he have any ideas?"
Yugi shook his head. "No, and that's what worries him. He doesn't really know much about his past."
"Poor guy," Tea slipped her shoe back on. "Is there anything we could do to help?"
"If I knew I would," Yugi sighed.
"Well we won't find any answers now," Kisara said. "How about we go to the library after the game?"
"How will that help?" Tea asked.
"Might not do much, but maybe we can find some information that could help us," the white-haired girl pointed out.
"I thought you already tried that," Yugi looked at her.
"I tried specifically looking for the Millennium Items," Kisara countered. "But maybe a different section. He's a spirit. Maybe there's something that would explain how he got attached to the Puzzle."
"Well it's worth a try," Yugi agreed.
"But Joey and Tristan will get bored after a while," Tea pointed out.
"That's on them," Kisara rolled her eyes. "But if it's to help Yami, I'm sure they'll be for it."
"Futures told; fates unfold," a voice said, causing the three to stop. A fortune teller had set up in front of the alleyway. He wore a black cloak with the hood up, covering all but a few wisps of blond hair. He held his hands over a crystal ball. "Step up, boy, and I'll tell your future."
Yugi walked over to him. "Can you really see the future?" he asked.
"Yes," the fortune teller answered.
"What are you doing, Yugi?" Tea eyed the man with suspicion.
"Maybe this fortune teller can help us figure out Yami's fate," Yugi reason, his amethyst eyes full of hope.
"Fine, but we are short on time," Kisara consented. She tried to look into the man's eyes, but they were shrouded by his hood. It made it hard to get a read on him.
"Boy, in order to tell your future, I must hold a personal item," the fortune teller's gaze shifted to the Millennium Puzzle.
"Really?" Yugi asked.
"Your necklace will do nicely," the man held out his hand.
"No," Yugi took a step back and gripped the Puzzle with both hands. "I'm sorry; I can't."
"Then I can't tell your fortune," the teller kept his hand out, waiting. "I need it in order to properly read your aura to see what fate has in store for you. You do want to know, don't you?"
"Okay, but only for a second," Yugi relented and slipped the chain off his neck.
The man leaned forward to take it, and Kisara noticed the purple eye symbol on the hood of the cloak. The same symbol on every Millennium Item they'd encountered. "Yugi, no!" she cried, but she was too late. The fortune teller yanked the Puzzle from Yugi's hands and kicked his table at them, knocking them over. The crystal ball shattered into a flurry of glass when it struck the pavement.
"My Millennium Puzzle!" Yugi shouted.
"What do we do?" Tea asked as they scrambled to their feet.
Yugi took off after the thief. "I'll follow him this way," he said. "You try to cut him off around the corner!"
"Okay!" Tea agreed.
"I'm coming with you, Yugi," Kisara caught up to her friend. Together they sprinted farther into the alley, hoping to catch the thief.
They rounded the corner and paused to catch their breath. There was no sign of the thief, but pointed signs were posted along their path. "Arrows?" Yugi eyed them.
"Looks like that guy wants us to follow him," Kisara commented. "But why?"
"It must be a trap," Yugi concluded. "But what choice do we have? I can't lose Yami."
"You won't," Kisara promised. "And knowing Yami, he's going to be waiting for us when we get there."
Yugi nodded, and they followed the signs, cautiously watching for any signs of the thief or other traps. Kisara wished they had Joey and Tristan with them. She and Yugi would be fine in a battle of wits, but if it came down to a physical confrontation, Joey and Tristan were best equipped to handle it. Steeling herself, she followed Yugi through the alley.
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Tea ran down the block and checked every alley she passed. That thief had to come out from somewhere. But so far nothing. I hope they're okay. Tea couldn't help but feel anxious. The last time Yugi had to face something alone, Pegasus forced him into participating in Duelist Kingdom. Who knows what could happen, especially now that someone else was after the Puzzle?
She ignored the looks other pedestrians gave her as she sprinted on, desperate to see any sign of the thief or her friends. "Hey, Tea!" someone called. "What's the rush?"
Tea whipped around to see a familiar white-haired classmate. "Bakura!" she gasped, happy to at least see a friendly face. "Someone stole Yugi's Millennium Puzzle!"
"No," Bakura's eyes widened. "Where is he?"
"In the alley!" she pointed to where she'd seen him go. "We split up to catch him. Yugi and Kisara went that way, and I'm trying to catch him when he comes out."
"Go get help," Bakura urged her. "I'll see if I can find them."
"Thanks, Bakura!" Tea took off for the school. Bakura could handle the guy if he came out. Right now she had to find Joey and Tristan. Please be all right! She prayed for her friends' safety as she ran on.
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"Where are you hiding?" Yugi yelled at the deserted clearing the arrows led to. It was surrounded by buildings, the most notable being the dilapidated warehouse distinguished by the signs.
Kisara sighed. "I almost wish we had Bakura's Millennium Ring. Minus the evil spirit anyway."
"Yeah, its ability to find other Millennium Items would be useful," Yugi agreed. "This place gives me the creeps."
"Same," Kisara shuddered. "I feel like a lab rat with these arrows."
"But why would he want us to follow him?" Yugi looked to the boarded up windows of the warehouse. "What's he really after?"
"We'll have to ask when we see him," Kisara frowned. She felt her dragon spirit stir—something it hadn't done in months "I've got a really bad feeling about this." She took out her cellphone. "There's no service here. So much for telling Tea where we are."
"Nothing we can do about it now," Yugi sighed and walked up to the door. "On three?"
"Three." The two of them pushed the door open.
The warehouse was dark; the only light came in from the open door and the narrow windows behind them. "My Millennium Puzzle is here," Yugi whispered. "I can sense it, but I don't see it."
Kisara scanned the area, searching for any sign of the golden object. Her dragon stirred again, responding to something in the room. "I sense something too. But I don't know if it's the Puzzle."
"I'm going to confront him," Yugi's eyes flicked over the room, looking for a sign of movement. "I know you're in here!" he yelled. His voice echoed through the warehouse. "Show yourself!"
Distorted laughter filled the air. "Congratulations, Little Yugi," the voice said. "You found me. "Or should I say I found you? And the Millennium Puzzle." A light turned on, illuminating the Puzzle bolted into a blue structure.
"Give it back to me!" Yugi demanded, anger written on his face. Anger, and worry for Yami.
"Don't make us ask twice," Kisara chimed in, hoping she sounded more threatening than she felt.
The voice laughed again. "It's not going to be that easy for you. If you want your Puzzle back, you'll have to fight me for it." Spotlights flashed over the two students. "That's right, Yugi. You and I are going to duel! And the winner gets to keep your Millennium Item!"
"You know, you could have just asked nicely," Kisara shielded her eyes from the light with her hand. The spotlights dimmed, and the rest of the warehouse lights came on, revealing a duel arena. Why is there a duel arena here? What possible use is there for it in a warehouse in the rundown part of town?
"Are you up to the challenge, Yugi?" the voice ignored her. "I've been waiting for this for a long time." The fortune teller stood next to the red side of the arena.
"Who are you?" Yugi glared at the thief. "What do you want with my Millennium Puzzle?"
"I desire the power your Item contains," the fortune teller answered. "But according to the rules of its ancient magic, I have to win it from you in a duel."
"So that answered one questions," Kisara crossed her arms. "That still doesn't tell us who you are."
"Let's just say that I'm the one who shall control your destiny as I have controlled others, and that I am not unfamiliar with the power of a Millennium Item. Indeed, I know more about their hidden mysteries than you will ever know."
"Not like the bar is set very high," Kisara muttered as her head suddenly pounded.
"Stay behind me!" someone blocked her way, his arm stretched out in front of her. His beige cape fluttered in the breeze, and gold bands adorned his arms. He gripped a golden scepter in his right hand.
"All right, then I accept your challenge!" Yugi's voice chased the vision from Kisara's mind.
"Of course you do," the fortune teller smirked, and he made his way to the red side of the arena.
"Yugi, are you sure about this?" Kisara asked her friend.
"I hope so," he answered. "What about you? You look like you saw a ghost."
"Don't worry about me," she told him. "Can you contact Yami?"
Yugi paused, his gaze focused on the Puzzle. "Barely," he finally said. "I've always been in contact with the Puzzle when he's come out before. He's not going to be able to help this time." Worry showed itself in the crease of Yugi's eyebrows. "If I lose, I lose him forever."
Kisara bit her lip. "I could fight him."
"No, I have to," Yugi insisted. "Yami's been helping me ever since we met. It's my turn to help him. I'll be fine if I just believe in the Heart of the Cards."
"Okay," Kisara gave him an encouraging smile. "I'm here if you need me. And remember, even in our friendly games, I still haven't beaten you. You can do this."
Yugi nodded and took his place on the blue platform. The arena roared to life, lighting up the warehouse even more. "It's time to duel!" Yugi yelled as he drew his hand. "I place the Celtic Guardian on the field in attack mode." The arena flashed, and the elf warrior materialized on the field. "I've made my play. Now make yours!"
"I place my monster in defense mode," the thief remained stoic as he set the card. The corresponding space lit up.
"What's the matter?" Yugi taunted. "Don't you have the courage to face me head-on?"
"I don't need to," the teller scoffed. "You're the one that better go on the offensive if you hope to win back your Puzzle."
Careful, Yugi. Don't let him get inside your head. Kisara glanced around the warehouse. They had no proof this thief was working alone. It wouldn't help if the duel distracted them from noticing other accomplices.
Yugi drew his card. "All right, I attack with my Celtic Guardian!" The elf charged forward and slammed his sword into the lighted space. A metallic creature revealed itself.
"That's exactly what I wanted you to do," the fortune teller laughed. "Your attack has activated the power of my Cyber Jar!" The metallic satellite-like creature emitted a wave, causing the holograms of both monsters to blur before they exploded. "This machine destroys every monster on the field. And it also requires us to draw five new cards. Let's see what you've got up your pathetic sleeve this time, Little Yugi." He drew his five cards.
"I place my monster in defense mode," Yugi set one of the cards he drew.
"And I'm placing mine in attack mode," the thief sneered. "Meet Mechanicalchaser and Ground Attacker Bugroth!" A green metal spear with wings and saber protruding from it appeared next to a turquoise walker pod with cannons on either side of it.
These seem familiar. Kisara eyed the machines with suspicion. How many machine duelists are out there?
"Show yourself, Bandit Keith!" Yugi yelled at his opponent.
It is him! The thief pulled back his hood, revealing the disheveled blond hair tied back with an American flag bandana. His eyes were blank as he watched his opponent. Why would he want the Puzzle? He didn't have anything to do with the Items at Duelist Kingdom.
"What happened to you?" Yugi asked.
"I'm not Bandit Keith," the blond answered. "I only speak through him since he's become my mind-controlled slave."
"How is that possible?" Kisara asked
"After Bandit Keith was ejected by Pegasus from Duelist Kingdom, he fought for his life against the harsh ocean waters," 'Keith' explained. "My followers and I were on our way to achieve some very special items when we fished him out of the sea. I'm always looking for new minds to control, and Bandit Keith seemed like the perfect puppet to do his bidding."
Kisara glanced around the warehouse again. I was right about this guy not working alone. Now the question is how many are here.
"And as fate would have it," their adversary continued, "he led me straight to you: the boy who possesses the legendary Millennium Puzzle. Is it all sinking in now, Little Yugi? After all these years, I will not hesitate to make your Millennium Puzzle mine."
Kisara looked to Yugi and mouthed 'Millennium Item.' Yugi nodded. It had to be how this person was controlling Keith. After all, the Millennium Eye allowed Pegasus to read their minds, and the Key allowed Shadi to enter Yugi's mind. Who was to say another one couldn't control someone else? We really need to get more information on these Items.
"Let the duel continue," 'Keith' drew his next card. "I play Machine King in attack mode!" A monster coated in red, blue, silver metal with a red circled in girl on its chest materialized. It reminded Kisara of the transforming robots one of her previous foster brothers liked. "It gains 100 attack points for every machine that's on the field." Machine King's attack points rose to 2500, and its eyes flashed red. "Machine King, attack with Jet Punch!" The metallic monster launched its right fist at Yugi's face-down, destroying Silver Fang. "You may as well give up now."
"It's not over yet!" Yugi snapped and drew his card. "I play another card in defense mode."
"Stay strong, Yugi!" Kisara encouraged her friend. There wasn't much else she could do until the duel finished.
"Your defenses are useless against my mechanical army," the opponent taunted. "Especially now that I'm adding this machine to my troop: Mega Sonic Eye." A horrid combination of metal and flesh materialized on the field, its one eye staring at Yugi. I'm never going to get used to some of the monsters in this game. Kisara avoided looking at the new menace and focused on the Machine King. Its points rose to 2600, and it destroyed Yugi's Giant Soldier of Stone. "Give up yet?"
"Come on, Yugi!" Kisara cheered. "You can get past those mechanical nightmares!"
"Please," 'Keith' sneered. "All your defenses are gone, and you have no idea the power you're up against, Little Yugi."
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"Come on, guys, hurry!" Tea urged Joey and Tristan to follow her. "Yugi and Kisara may be in trouble!"
"Just point the way," Joey quickly pulled his shoes on. "We're right behind you."
"Yeah, any creep who picks on our pals have to deal with us all," Tristan added.
They hurried out of the school building only to run into Coach Morty. "Just where do you think you're going?" he asked. "You volunteered to help out at the soccer game."
"I know, Coach, but we got an emergency," Joey told him. "We… uh…"
"Tea's cat has gotten sick," Tristan said with the most solemn expression Tea had ever seen on him. "We need to take it to the vet."
Playing along, Tea folded her hands and looked at the coach with pleading eyes. "Please! We need to help Fluffy!" She buried her face in her hands. "Poor Fluffy!" she sobbed.
"I didn't realize your little kitty was sick," Morty said. Between her fingers, Tea could see tears forming in his eyes. "Of course you can go."
"Yes sir," Joey and Tristan acknowledged Morty's consent. "Thank you, Coach." The three friends took off running.
"Save that little kitty!" Coach Morty called after them.
"He's really a softy at heart," Joey smirked as they made their way towards the alley Yugi and Kisara disappeared into.
"It wasn't cool to mislead him," Tea chastised the guys.
"We had to; it's an emergency," Tristan insisted, but he couldn't hold back a laugh at the coach's expression.
"Yeah, now which way did they go?" Joey asked.
"It should be down this way," Tea turned down where she last saw their friends. Arrows were posted all over the walls, but they were pointed every which way.
"What the heck?" Joey examined the one closest to him.
"Now how are we supposed to find them?" Tea asked.
"We start with forward," Tristan took charge. "We'll figure it out from there.
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"Stop stalling, Yugi," 'Keith' demanded his opponent. "Unless you want to admit defeat?"
"I have too much at stake to give up," Yugi drew his card. "So take this: I play Curse of Dragon!" The yellow dragon with red accents appeared on the field and roared. "And I play Gaia, the Fierce Knight!" The mounted warrior appeared next to the dragon. "And that's not all. I also use my Polymerization to combine these two monsters in order to create Gaia, the Dragon Champion!" The spell absorbed both monsters, and Gaia emerged riding the Curse of Dragon.
"Take him down!" Kisara yelled. That was one of his best monsters, and it would definitely knock their adversary down. And the fact it was a dragon was a nice bonus.
"Dragon Champion, attack Mechanicalchaser with Double Dragon Lance!" Yugi ordered his monster. Gaia flew forward and slammed his twin lances through the green machine. Their adversary's LifePoints fell to 1250, and Machine King's points dropped below the Dragon Champion's.
"Way to show him!" Kisara cheered. She wasn't used to doing this alone—this was more Tea's specialty—but Kisara had to hold down the fort until they either defeated this guy or Tea found them.
"Very impressive," 'Keith' commended. "But what will you do when I put my weaker monsters in defense mode to protect them from your Dragon Champion's attacks?" Mega Sonic Eye and Ground Attacker Bugroth crouched on the field. "And I play Machine Conversion Factory, a magic card that adds 300 attack and defense points to all of my machine cards."
"Oh no," Kisara whispered. The Machine King was once again the strongest monster on the field.
"Now Machine King is strong enough to overpower your Dragon Champion," Keith's blank eyes locked on Gaia as the Machine King fired its fists at him. Yugi's LifePoints dropped to 1800. "Your offensive is over, Yugi."
"Don't give up!" Kisara yelled. "You can do it!"
"Your machines might be the most impressive I've seen," Yugi smirked, "but they're still made out of metal. So I play Makiu!" Mist filled the field.
"You think a little mist'll destroy my machines?" the adversary scoffed.
"No," Yugi shrugged. "It won't destroy them. But it will cause them to rust and lower their attack points." The metal dulled and oxidized, turning all three of them the tarnished orange of rust. "And the mist turns your monsters into one gigantic lightning rod, which makes them the perfect target for my Summoned Skull!" The demon growled at the rusty machines. Its attack points rose to 3250, and its Lightning Strike tore through the Machine King. The opponent's LifePoints fell to 500. "Any more machines for the junk heap?"
"Great job, Yugi!" Kisara called to him. I don't know if Yami's able to watch right now, but I bet he feels the same way I do.
"I picked the Graceful Charity card," 'Keith' held up his draw. "By placing this card on the table, I'm able to draw three new cards as long as I discard two." His hand dropped to his side before drawing his cards. "And I suspect they'll be just the cards I need."
Wait, is Keith going to try what he did at Duelist Kingdom? Kisara eyed the duelist on the red side. This guy claimed to only control Keith, so he might not know about Keith's record of cheating. Nor did Kisara have proof that he would. I should have thought of that sooner. Be careful, Yugi!
"You're finished, Little Yugi," the opponent declared. "I've drawn the ultra-rare Zera Ritual card! It's used to summon one of the most powerful monsters in the game!" A throne with a shadowed figure appeared on the field. The backing of the throne reminded Kisara of the demon illustrations in her old fairy tales.
"Whoa," Yugi eyed the throne. "I've never even heard of the Zera Ritual card before. But I've got a sneaking suspicion I'm about to learn more about it than I really want to know."
"How perceptive," 'Keith smirked. "For once I put the Zera Ritual into play, this duel is finished."
It's definitely bad news. Kisara had only ever seen Yugi use ritual monsters, all ending with devastating results for his opponents. Yeah, Kisara had managed to take down the Black Luster Soldier, but Yugi had still one the duel overall, and that was the only time she'd seen one of his rituals defeated. Now he had to face a monster of that caliber.
The eyes of the figure on the throne lit up, and both of their adversary's monsters were engulfed in flames. When the flames died, a blue demon with a dark magenta cape materialized on the field. "Behold Zera the Mant!" the blond laughed. "Our battle ends here. Say good-bye to your Millennium Puzzle. Zera, attack now!" The blue demon swiped the Summoned Skull with its claws, destroying it and knocking Yugi's LifePoints down to 1500.
"Don't give up, Yugi!" Kisara yelled.
"I play my monster in defense mode," Yugi set his card. "It's your move."
"First I play Seiyaryu in attack mode," the opponent summoned the familiar pink dragon.
Fury coursed through Kisara. That was her signature card, her go-to before she got Blue-Eyes. How dare he use it to try to hurt Yugi and Yami! Kisara reined it in, forcing herself to keep a cool head. I almost sounded like Seto with how he wanted Blue-Eyes. Keep it together; Yugi can handle it. If anything, my use of Seiyaryu will have prepared him to deal with it.
"And for my next maneuver," 'Keith continued his turn. "I play this card face-down." A backrow space lit up. "And now, last but not least, Stop Defense! It forces the monster you played in defense mode to switch to attack mode." Yugi's Koumori Dragon revealed itself and roared. "Zera the Mant, Jagged Claw Attack!" The blue fiend snarled and slashed the dark purple dragon, shattering its hologram. Yugi's LifePoints dropped to 400. "The end is near, Little Yugi."
"This duel's not over, whoever you are," Yugi steeled himself and drew.
He placed a monster in defense mode. Seiyaryu destroyed the Mystical Elf, but at least Yugi's LifePoints were safe. 'Keith' ended his turn by playing two more face-downs and switching Zera into defense mode.
I have a really bad feeling about what he's planning. Kisara's eyes roamed the area. Between looking for signs of Keith's previous dishonest record, listening for other accomplices, and watching the duel, her nerves were starting to fray a little bit. Or maybe a touch of paranoia. Either way, the situation was not currently in their favor.
"This card face-down," Yugi made his move, "then Dark Magician in defense mode." Yugi's signature purple-robed wizard knelt on the field. "And finally I play Magical Hats to hide him!" A large silk hat covered the spellcaster, and then it multiplied into four, completing concealing him. "Now you'll have to find my Dark Magician in order to attack him."
"Hmm," 'Keith' eyed the Hats. "I should have seen that coming." He smirked. "Oh wait, I did. So I'll play Magic Jammer. Sorry, Yugi, but once I sacrifice a card from my hand, Magic Jammer allows me to disable your magic card. Say good-bye to your Magical Hats, and hello to your Dark Magician." Purple mist filled the arena, and the Hats dissolved. Dark Magician knelt on the field, alone.
"Stay strong, Yugi!" Kisara encouraged him.
"And now I'll play this," 'Keith flipped over another one of his cards. "It's a magic card called Curse of Fiend. It forces all our monsters on the field to switch from whatever mode they're in to the opposite."
That's why he put Zera in defense mode! Kisara's eyes widened as Seiyaryu cowered on the field while Zera and Dark Magician stood ready to battle. Yugi was already on the defense, so the guy maneuvered things so he could hit Yugi's LifePoints.
"Zera, attack now!" The fiend swiped at the purple-robed spellcaster.
"Nice try," the tri-color haired duelist countered. "But I activate Mirror Force! It reflects Zera's attack right back at you!" A reflective surface materialized between Zera's claw and the Dark Magician.
"Ha," the blond scoffed and revealed another face-down. "I'll block your reflection with a little Solemn Judgement." The mirror shattered, and Zera's claw slashed through Dark Magician. Yugi's LifePoints fell to 100.
"No way!" Yugi recoiled.
"How?" Kisara asked.
'Keith' laughed. "Solemn Judgement is another one of my rare and powerful cards. I have to give up half of my LifePoints to use it, but in exchange I'm allowed to remove the last card my opponent played."
"That's not good," Kisara bit her lip. Yugi really needed one of his crazy come-from-behind combos.
"I'm placing a card face-down," Yugi made his move, "and a monster in defense mode. Now let's see what you've got."
"I play Tribute to the Doomed," the blond held up the magic card before laying it on the field.
"That's one of the rarest magic cards in the game," Yugi eyed his face-downs.
And one of the cards Rebecca used. Kisara started weighing Yugi's options in her head. If that monster was destroyed, Yugi's odds of winning dropped significantly.
"Very perceptive," 'Keith' sneered. "Tribute to the Doomed is one of my personal favorites. It allows me to annihilate any monster you have on the field." Mummified wrappings rose from the spell and made their way towards Yugi's monster.
"Better think again!" Yugi revealed his face-down. "The Living Arrow takes any magic attack aimed at me and fires it right back at you!" A golden arrow launched forward and pulled the wrappings around Zera. A clawed hand reached up and pulled the fiend below the field.
"Great job, Yugi!" Kisara yelled. "Keep it up!"
Keith's eyes flashed, and he leaned over his display muttering to himself. "It looks like your so-called unbeatable Zera the Mant card is ancient history!" Yugi pointed at his opponent to accentuate his statement. "Now it's time for me to win this duel once and for all and take back my Millennium Puzzle!"
"Yugi Muto?" Keith glanced around, dazed. "What are you doing here?"
Is he still being controlled? Kisara watched their adversary carefully. His eyes had been blank for most of the duel, but now they were alert, as if he were trying to get his bearings.
"AAHH!" Keith clenched his temples in pain. "There's someone inside my head!" he yelled.
"Bandit Keith, who is trying to control your mind?" Yugi asked.
Keith yelled nonsense before his eyes locked on the Millennium Puzzle. He leapt from his station and ran across the field towards it. "No!" Yugi and Kisara yelled at the same time. Kisara ran to catch him, but he was too high up for her to reach him. He grabbed the Puzzle and slammed it into the arena, shattering it into pieces.
"NO!" Yugi cried as the golden pieces fell to the ground. Kisara scrambled to grab the pieces as they rolled off the edge of the platform.
"Stop! Go away!" Keith yelled from right above her.
"That's quite enough of that!" Kisara turned to see a blue and white blur slam into Keith, knocking him away. The machine duelist fell off the arena and lay unconscious.
"Bakura!" Kisara identified her savior. "Thanks."
"Where'd you come from?" Yugi climbed down from his podium.
"Tea told me what happened," Bakura explained. He knelt to pick up the pieces around his feet. "Oh my. Keith certainly did a number on your Millennium Puzzle, didn't he?"
"That's putting it mildly," Kisara handed her pieces to Yugi.
"Well, better shatter than stolen, I suppose," Bakura handed his pieces over as well.
"I guess you're right," Yugi sighed as he accepted them. "It took me forever to put it together the first time. But at least I have the chance to try. Maybe since I did it once already, it'll be easier this time."
"I'm sure it will," Kisara encouraged him. "After all, you at least have an idea of where they all go. It'll come back to you."
Bakura knelt by the podium, his hand in a gap of the large machine. "I thought I saw another," he said as he stood up. "There was another piece under there." He added it to the cluster in Yugi's hands.
"Thanks a lot, Bakura," Yugi smiled at the taller student. "The last thing I need is to lose a piece of Millennium Puzzle."
"That would be really bad," Kisara nodded.
"Yes, it would," Bakura agreed. "You can't complete it without them all."
"Thanks again," Yugi nodded to him as Bakura climbed off the arena.
"Yeah, you really saved me there," Kisara grinned at him. "I owe you one."
Bakura smiled and lost his hold, falling the rest of the way to the ground. "Ow," he rubbed his back.
"Here," Kisara offered him a hand up.
"Thanks," he pulled himself to his feet. "Will you two be okay?"
"We should be," Kisara answered. "Were you going to the soccer game?"
"Yeah, I was on my way there," Bakura waved. "I should be heading back."
"We'll be right behind you," Kisara promised.
"I just have to unhook my chain," Yugi added.
Kisara climbed up the arena next to Yugi, and the two friends turned to the bolt holding the chain. "You know, I think you putting the Puzzle on that thing is now working against us," she commented. Now that she was closer, Kisara could see the link holding the chain to the bolt had a small combination lock. "Any ideas on what the combination could be?"
"None," Yugi sighed.
"I'm now keeping bolt cutters in my backpack," Kisara blew a lock of hair out of her face. "How about I start trying combinations and you see if you can get any of those pieces together? It'll be easier to carry if they aren't all loose."
"Sounds good," Yugi started fitting pieces together. Kisara spun the digits on the lock on the lock. Only 990 more combinations to go.
"Stop!" Keith shot up, his crazed eyes wandering all over the place. "Stop talking to me!" He grabbed a pipe and started swinging it. He struck the ground and walls closest to him.
"Keith, stop!" Yugi pleaded.
"It's dangerous!" Kisara added.
Keith slammed the pipe into the equipment along the wall. It sparked, sending him backwards. A cord snapped and smashed into a gasoline tank. The tank exploded, and flames spread through the wooden walls of the warehouse.
Oh no! Kisara coughed as smoke filled the room. The Puzzle was still trapped, and the time they had to free it was going up in smoke.
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"Yugi!" Joey yelled for his best friend. "Where are you buddy?"
"This getting ridiculous," Tristan growled and slowed his pace.
"Someone's playing us for suckers," Joey panted next to him.
"These arrows are like a giant maze," Tea sighed and dropped to her knees. "Whoa!" Her eyes widened at something in the distant.
Joey turned to see smoke rising in the distant. "Check it out," he said.
"Fire," Tristan started forward again. "Someone may need our help.
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"What do we do, Yugi?" Kisara asked. The right combination still didn't come up.
Yugi pulled on the chain, trying to get it loose. "Get out of here," he said. "Go get help."
"There's no service here," she coughed, the smoking growing thicker. "And I'm not leaving without you."
"And I'm not leaving without Yami!" Yugi insisted. He couldn't lose Yami. Not after everything Yami had done for him. Yami was his friend, and he wasn't going to let anything else happen to him.
"Then I'm staying too," Kisara twirled the digits on the lock faster. The flames covered all the walls, obscuring even the door they came in. "I'll keep trying combinations."
"Then I'll keep getting the pieces together," Yugi's speed at handling the pieces increased. He could begin to see the pyramid shape it once held.
They coughed harder as the smoke increased. "Yugi, we can't be in here much longer," Kisara panted as another combination failed. "The smoke will get us if the flames don't at this rate."
"There must be something we can do," he panted.
"Maybe—" her words were cut off as her eyes glowed bright blue. Her hair flew around her, sparking with blue energy. Above them, the Blue-Eyes White Dragon roared. It flew into the air and smashed through the roof, giving the smoke a chance to escape.
"Nice work," Yugi turned to his friend, but her eyes remained the glowing blue, and she didn't respond. The dragon flew back down and spread its wings over the two students, protecting them from the heat. This'll by us some time, but now I have to figure out the combination too.
Yugi focused on the Puzzle again, slowly getting every one attached. Despite the dragon's protection, the heat still grew in the room, making it hard to focus. Still he pressed on, finally clicking the last piece into place. "Yes!" he panted. Now what did he have to do? The world spun as he heard voices and grumbling around him. Right… I have to…
Everything went black.
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Joey's eyes widened when the Blue-Eyes White Dragon appeared amidst the smoke as they came upon the flaming warehouse. "Kisara's in there," he said as it descended back inside.
"Then Yugi probably is too," Tristan said.
"We've got to get them out of there," Tea bit her lip.
"We will," Joey promised. "Tea, you go call for help.
She whipped out her cell phone. "There's no service."
"Then go back until there is," Tristan told her. "Get the firefighters here. We'll go in and find Yugi and Kisara."
"You guys better be okay," Tea glared at them. She took off running back the way they came.
Joey exchanged a look with his friend and they searched for an entrance to the warehouse. They stopped at the first door they found, but the handle was too hot to touch as Tristan quickly found out. Joey kicked at it, but it wouldn't budge. "Okay, on three?" Joey turned to Tristan.
"Three!" the brunet yelled, and they charged at the door. It didn't budge so they tried again. "Three!" The same result. "Three!"
Joey lost count of how many times they tried. "Tristan, you were knocking that door like a Girl Scout," he chastised his friend. "This time, hard!"
The door broke off its hinges with that strike. "Anyone in here?" Tristan called into the sea of flames. "Yugi? Kisara?"
"This place is haunted!" a dark blur shoved them aside and bolted out the door. Joey could just make out the blond hair and American flag bandana.
"Tristan, did we just rescue Bandit Keith?" Joey asked at the retreating blur.
"No way," Tristan tensed, likely remembering the trouble Keith caused them at Duelist Kingdom.
"Forget him," Joey pulled on his friend's shoulder. "We gotta find Yuge and Kisara."
"Right."
They pushed their way through the flames, covering their faces with their sleeves as much as they could. In the center of the room, they could make out a duel arena. As they drew closer see a dragon huddling against the blue podium. "Kisara! Yugi! Are you there?" Joey called.
The dragon roared and tossed its head towards the podium. Joey picked up on the gesture and climbed the platform with Tristan right behind him. Behind the dragon's wings, Yugi slumped against the podium. His hands tightly gripped the Millennium Puzzle bolted to the arena. Next to him, Kisara stared straight ahead, her eyes glowing blue. "Hey, you guys okay?" Tristan waved his hand in front of Kisara's face.
The dragon moaned and disappeared, and Kisara fell forward. Tristan caught her before she hit the ground. "Hey, wake up!"
"How is she?" Joey tried pulling Yugi away from the Puzzle, but his little buddy wouldn't budge.
"Unconscious," the brunet answered. "Don't know if it's the fire or the dragon."
"Yuge's out too," the blond pulled again. "He won't let go."
"Can't leave… without… my Puzzle," Yugi muttered.
Tristan looked up at the bolt with the combination lock. "All right, let's do this, Joey." He carefully laid Kisara down and grabbed onto the chain.
They yanked as hard as they could, but it still wouldn't come. Wait, it's a dueling arena. "Go check if they left a deck up there," Joey told his friend. "If the Puzzle's chained here, one of them was probably dueling."
"On it," Tristan climbed up to the podium.
I need another tactic. Joey grabbed a pipe that was sitting nearby and whacked the bolt with it. Maybe if he hit hard enough, he could break it.
"I got Yugi's deck," Tristan jumped back down. "We need to go." He grabbed hold of Yugi, but the shorter duelist gripped the Puzzle even tighter.
"It's no use," Joey glanced around for other options. They were running out of time. "He won't leave without it."
"So what do we do?"
"There's gotta be a—" Joey's eyes widened as he noticed the size of the loop in the bolt. "I got it! Put the rod in the hole and we'll both pull!" He pointed to where he meant.
"Yeah!"
They inserted Joey's pipe and each braced a foot on the podium. "Okay, on three… Three!" The duo grunted with the exertion, but the bolt finally slid out, and Yugi crumpled to the floor. Tristan scooped up Yugi while Joey did the same for Kisara, and they sprinted out the way they came, right into Tea and the rescue squads.
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Tea sat in the waiting room of the ER. Joey and Tristan sat on either side of her having already been cleared from the minor burns they'd received and the smoke they inhaled. Yugi and Kisara had been rushed in, leaving Tea to have to call her parents and Yugi's mom and grandpa. They arrived, and Mari and Grandpa were allowed to go see Yugi. The Gardners were left arguing with the nurse about Kisara.
"They're going to be fine," Joey put a hand on her shoulder.
"For once, Joey's right," Tristan added.
Yumi came storming past them, grumbling. The three friends looked at each other and glanced back to Tea's mom. "So what did they say?" Tea cautiously asked.
"They won't tell us anything!" Yumi's brown eyes were full of fury. "Family only, and the paperwork we filed to be recognized as her family hasn't processed yet!"
"Yumi," Gabriel put a hand on his wife's shoulder. His bright blue eyes were the picture of calm. "The nurses are just doing their job. We'll figure something out."
Dad always does have the cool head. Tea's gaze fell to her lap. Kisara was going to be alone until the staff let them go see her. Or they found someone who would give them permission. An idea sparked in Tea's mind. "I'll be back," she got up and headed towards the restroom.
In the hallway, she took out her cell phone and dialed a number. "Who is this?" the guy on the other end barked.
"Kaiba, it's me, Tea," she answered.
"How'd you get this number?" his irritation was evident.
"Kisara gave it to me in case something happened to her phone again," Tea explained. "Look, I wouldn't be calling if it wasn't important. Kisara's in the hospital."
Kaiba fell silent. "What happened?" he finally asked.
"I don't know for sure," she told him. "We were chasing a thief who had stolen from Yugi. I got separated from them, and then the guys and I found them in a burning warehouse. Joey and Tristan got them out, but Yugi's still unconscious. And they won't tell us anything about Kisara since we're not family."
"What do you expect me to do?" Kaiba snapped.
"I don't know," Tea struggled to keep her voice calm. "I thought you would at least care. Goodness knows she'd do anything for you. Is it so bad to think you'd want to see her?"
"Fine," he hung up.
Tea sighed and returned to her parents and friends. Mari also stood with them. "There you are," she smiled at the brunette. "Yugi's awake. Would you kids like to see him?"
"You bet!" Joey and Tristan grinned. Tea hesitated.
"Go on," Gabriel urged her. "I know you want to see him. We'll wait for word on Kisara."
"Okay, Dad," Tea smiled at her parents and followed Joey and Tristan.
"How you feeling, bud?" Tristan asked when they saw their friend.
"Alive," Yugi smiled.
"I'll give you kids some space," Grandpa patted Joey on the shoulder and went to join Mari and the Gardners.
Tea's heart warmed at her friend's smile. Yugi was okay. There were some bandages on his face and hands to cover the burns he got, but he was alive. In his hands, he gripped the Puzzle. "I don't know how I can thank you guys for saving me back there. You put yourselves in danger to make sure that I was okay. You're the best friends a guy ever had."
"That's what buds are for, right, Pal?" Joey grinned at Yugi's praise.
"So how's Kisara?" Yugi looked for the missing member of their group.
Joey relayed what Yumi had told them. "What happened to her?" Tea asked.
"Blue-Eyes appeared again," Yugi said. "It protected us from the flames, but it's like she fell into a trance. After that I don't know; I was so focused on getting the Puzzle together, and I can't remember what happened after I got the last piece in."
"Good thing I spotted them," Tristan grinned.
"And what about me?" Joey glared at the brunet. "Thanks to my brilliant idea, we were able to pry the Puzzle off the wall."
"Yeah, brilliant," Tristan rolled his eyes. "Let's stick the pole in the hole, and then we'll pull on it really hard."
"Say what?" the blond pulled on the brunet's collar.
"Say nothing! You heard me!"
"Knock it off, guys, or I won't share my hospital food with you," Yugi warned as a nurse came in with a tray of food.
They pulled apart and each rubbed the back of their head. "We'll be good," they promised.
"Let me know if you need anything," the nurse said as she left.
"I will," Yugi promised. He turned to Tea. "Are you okay? You seem kind of quiet."
"Yeah, I'm just worried about Kisara," she told him. "I'm going to go see if there's word on her." She got up to leave.
"Sure thing," Yugi waved her off.
Tea waved and stepped into the hall. As she closed the door, she could hear Joey and Tristan dividing Yugi's food between them. She backed up as a dark blue blur almost ran her over. Two nurses hurried after it, leaving Tea to wonder what was up. At least the guys are back to normal. But I don't think I could say the same about me.
"Anything new?" she asked her mom back in the lobby.
"Nothing other than the staff is stubborn," a black-haired kid answered.
"Mokuba?" Tea's eyes widened at the younger Kaiba.
"Hey, Tea!" Mokuba grinned. "Seto's looking for Kisara. The nurses tried to keep him here, but you can guess how he is. He doesn't take no for an answer."
"Kisara did say he was stubborn," Tea smiled at the kid.
"Yumi Gardner?" a nurse came out.
"Yes?" Tea's mom stood up.
"I'm told that you and your family are allowed to see Kisara White." The nurse flipped through her clipboard. "Along with anyone you wish."
"Do you mind if I come too?" Mokuba asked.
"Of course," Yumi smiled and led the way.
Kisara's room ended up being just down the hall from Yugi's. Inside the doorway stood a figure in a dark blue trench coat. Kaiba conversed with the white-haired girl sitting in the hospital bed. "You're awake!" Tea's face relaxed into a smile as she met her foster-sister's gaze.
"Sorry for worrying you," Kisara lowered her head, her hair falling into her face.
"We're just glad you're okay," Yumi assured her.
"You gave us quite a scare," Gabriel added.
"I'm sorry," she glanced to each of her visitors before returning her gaze to her lap.
"I brought you a book," Mokuba handed her a fantasy novel with a dragon on the cover. "Figured you might want something to read." He rubbed the back of his head.
"Thanks, Mokuba," Kisara brushed her hair back and accepted it. "I've been meaning to read this one."
"Stay out of trouble," Kaiba strode out of the room.
"Sure thing, Seto," Kisara rolled her eyes.
"Kaiba, wait," Tea followed the CEO out of the room.
"What?" he turned to glare at her.
"You were the first one in there," Tea kept her expression even. "How did you convince them to let you see her?"
"I have nothing to say," Kaiba's face showed nothing but minor annoyance. It was impossible to tell if he actually did or not.
"Well if whatever you did let us in," Tea gave him a small smile, "thank you."
Kaiba said nothing as he walked away. Tea smiled and went to update the guys.
I'm going to be honest; I have no idea if Kaiba actually persuaded the staff in any way. So I'll leave it up to your imaginations. Anyway, we're moving into Battle City, so expect some lore and new dueling rules in the upcoming chapters! And as always, good/bad/whatever, let me know what you think. See you next time!