Chapter 29: The Qualifier, Part Two

Duel Monsters would always be Mai Valentine's game of choice, but she spent most of her time manning poker and blackjack tables. Her work on the cruise liner had taught her valuable skills—ways to read and con people, how to spot a tell and how to hide one, when to hit and when to fold—but it had also weakened her in some ways.

Kaiba had charged into the qualifying match with cannons blazing. Mai had been too reserved. She had planned on giving herself a few turns to evaluate the field, realizing too late that Kaiba intended to end it all within that space of time. His first attack was telling—he wanted to face Marik. As did Yuugi. Joey wanted to face Kaiba. Marik had his eyes spread across the field but never in her direction.

No one wanted to face her. It wasn't that her feelings were hurt over the knowledge, but she recognized that it put her at a severe disadvantage. In a game where preserving lifepoints meant death, no one would be aiming to lower hers. And her deck was not built for her to do it herself.

She'd entered Battle City hoping for surprises, hoping for a challenge. She'd certainly found one.

After Kaiba ended his turn, Marik played Drillago [1600/1100], a humanoid machine monster with spiral drills protruding from its every joint.

"My monster has a nasty little effect." Marik licked his lips. "If my opponent has only face-up monsters with 1600 or more attack, Drillago can attack the player directly."

Everyone on the field stiffened—everyone except Mai. Because Marik didn't even know she existed in this fight.

"Who shall it be? Who. Shall. It. Be?" He swung his pointer finger back and forth like a pendulum across the field. "The nasty priest who destroyed my last monster? Or maybe His Majesty himself?" He pointed at Yuugi and smirked. "Congratulations, Pharaoh. You win a prize."

Yuugi set his jaw, obviously bracing for an attack.

But Marik's monster didn't move. Instead, his facedown card rose, revealing a wooden artist's doll with crooked limbs.

"Bait Doll." Marik cackled. "It forces the activation of a trap and, if the timing is incorrect, destroys it. So let's see your trap card."

Yuugi's facedown card flipped, revealing Mystical Refpanel. The card shattered.

"Too bad," Marik purred. "Now . . . back to that attack."

He narrowed his eyes on Kaiba.

But when his monster leapt forward, it leapt toward Joey. It landed on his cart and drove a drill-covered arm right through his chest. He flinched back in pain as his lifepoints dropped to 2400, and the monster retreated.

Joey's cart rose, placing him between Kaiba and Marik.

"Bait and switch!" Marik's face practically glowed with enjoyment. "Did I disappoint you, priest?"

Kaiba scowled and remained silent.

"Seems I didn't quite have an effect. Well, you know what they say. If at first, you don't succeed . . ."

He played the magic card Surprise Attack from Beyond, which allowed him a second battle phase using a monster he'd summoned that turn.

And for the first time, his eyes focused on Mai. He licked his lips.

"Have at the blonde girl," he said.

Mai smirked.

But just as his monster leaped, Joey said, "Not so fast, tongue-face."

He'd activated one of his facedown cards—Roulette Spider. A cartoon spider with a red arrow in place of a spinneret latched onto Drillago's head, and the machine stumbled out to the center of the field.

"Every monster and player on the field is now a possible target," Joey said. "And whichever one the spinner lands on is the one that'll get attacked."

Kaiba leaned forward, bracing his palms on the front edge of his cart. "Shooting blindfolded isn't the worst strategy imaginable, Wheeler. It doesn't even count as strategy at all."

"My luck ain't failed me yet, Kaiba."

Mai didn't know what result Joey was hoping for (possibly an attack on either Kaiba or himself simply to rush for a position in the finals), but there were five players and four monsters, which meant her odds of being attacked had gone from a certainty down to one in nine. She and Yuugi were the only players still at 4000 lifepoints.

As if he stood on a vinyl record, Drillago whirled in place, and the spider's red pointer whirled until it slowed and landed—

Pointing at Yuugi.

The spider vanished, and Drillago leapt forward to drill into Yuugi's chest. His cart rose.

Mai was the last player at 4000. The one in line to be eliminated. It wasn't how she'd hoped the Qualifier would go.

After one facedown card, Marik ended his turn.

And then it was her turn. Her chance to make up for lost ground. But when she looked at her cards even after her draw phase, she had to admit it would not be an easy battle.

"I summon Cyber Harpie Lady [1800/1300] in attack mode," she announced, sliding a magic card into play at the same time, "and I'll also play Elegant Egotist. If I have a Harpie Lady on the field, this spell allows me to special summon her two Harpie Lady Sisters [1950/2100]."

Three harpies swooped onto the field, one in purple armor and two in gold. Along with her Amazoness Fighter, Mai had four monsters total, the most of any player. If her first goal was simply to lower her own lifepoints, the solution was clear.

"Harpie Lady Sisters"—she pointed at Kaiba—"attack Kaiba's dragon."

But Kaiba was ready for her with a facedown trap called The Strong Survive, which prevented him from being attacked by cards with more than 1500 attack points for the next three turns. Since Mai couldn't take battle damage from attacks involving her Amazoness, she was out of easy options—there was no one else with higher attack points than her own monsters.

She'd entered Battle City looking for something. Something she still hadn't found. It couldn't all end here.

After examining her hand carefully, she glanced at Joey. The boy fidgeted in his cart, stepping back and forth from one side to the other. His ears were as red as they'd been since the start of the match.

Upon entering the qualifier, Mai had told herself she would be strategic—she would take the smartest opening and face whoever that turned out to be.

But if she was honest with herself, there was only one duel in the semi-finals that had truly impressed her, only one duelist she itched to face, one duelist she didn't know if she could beat. Everyone else had charged into the qualifier with clear targets. She'd been wrong not to.

With a smile, she slid a card into play. "I place one card facedown and end my turn."

Yami dove into his next turn with full focus. He'd lost Buster Blader to the effect of Marik's Helpoemer, but he drew the Dark Magician Girl [2000/1700] at the start of his turn, one of the two cards he'd wanted, which he chose to take as a good omen. He sacrificed his Obnoxious Celtic Guard to summon the female magician, and she left a trail of glitter as she swept onto the field. When he played Magic Formula, her attack points rose to 2500.

"I'll also play the spell card Premature Burial," he said. "By paying 800 lifepoints, I can special summon a monster from my graveyard."

He returned his elven warrior to the field, and as his cart rose toward the ceiling, the holograms of his monsters rose with him. He stopped just before reaching the 1500 lifepoint marker.

He was in the lead. Marik was closest to him at 1800.

All he had to do was keep it that way.

"Dark Magician Girl." His magician perked up at her name. She twirled her spiral staff and winked. "Attack Drillago."

If his magician destroyed Marik's monster, Marik would have only 900 lifepoints left.

"Thought you'd come for me, Pharaoh." Marik smirked. "So eager."

Dark Magician Girl gripped her pointed hat and slashed her staff though the air. A ball of crackling dark energy shot toward Marik's monster. Yami held his breath.

Drillago burst apart.

Yami relaxed.

But he'd done it too soon.

Marik's facedown card rose.

"Spell of Pain," Marik announced. "When an attack or effect would damage me, I can switch the damage to my opponent. I think Joey Wheeler could go for a good dose of pain."

Joey hissed as his lifepoints dropped. His cart rose a foot or so above Yami's level, stopping exactly at the 1500 marker.

"Oh dear, oh dear." Marik cackled. "Looks like Wheeler's on track to lose first. He'd make a lovely opponent for you, Pharaoh. An easy victim to crush. I'm sure I'll still be around when you're finished, though I can't promise your other friends will remain in pristine condition after quality alone time with me."

Yami ground his teeth. The nails of his empty hand dug into his palm as he clenched his fist until his veins popped.

"Face me in a duel, why don'tcha." Joey shot Marik a glare. "Then we'll see who's easy to crush."

Yami had only one card left. If he didn't place it on the field, he would lose it to Marik's Helpoemer effect, which remained active throughout the rest of the match. He slid Seven Tools of the Bandit into a slot.

"I'll play one card facedown," he said.

"You're out of cards." Marik clucked his tongue, but he grinned. "A good duelist never has an unintentional empty hand."

Yami swallowed. "That ends my turn."

If he'd drawn a Card of Sanctity on his first turn. If he'd drawn Pot of Greed or Graceful Charity. If he'd drawn . . .

But he hadn't. And now he was out of moves while Kaiba was obviously on the hunt to face Marik himself. Maybe he would succeed, or maybe Marik would redirect his attacks, too, and drag Joey into the first match.

Either way, someone else would end up in a shadow game.

Either way, Marik would toy with someone else's life while he danced just out of Yami's reach.

The Millennium Puzzle heated against his chest. He gripped the chain.

From across the field, Marik's eyes widened, but they widened in glee.

A shadow game right now would involve everyone. It wasn't an option.

Yami didn't have any options.

Joey hated the feeling of being laughed at. Even if he just felt the prickle that made him suspect it, he was ready to fight. He'd punched out kids for just daring a sideways smirk. His dad laughed out loud, and it grated on him every time; his mom laughed silently, and it grated on him even more.

Rich-boy was always laughing at him. He thought Joey didn't belong in his fancy tourney, and the best way to prove him wrong would be to knock him out of it completely.

Focus up, Joey Wheeler, he told himself. It's now or never.

Below him, Serenity waved a banner with his name on it. He gathered his courage and breath, and he drew a card.

But before he could make a move, Kaiba piped up, announcing that his Reaper's Ritual was still in effect. His dragon got another 1200 attack points, and Rich-boy's life dropped the same. His cart rose even with the pharaoh's.

Well, good news, then. He'd be even easier to knock down to zero.

Joey had drawn Time Wizard. It was a big gamble, but it was a gamble he would have to take.

"I play Time Wizard [500/400]," he declared, slapping the card down on his Duel Disk. His stubby monster appeared, looking like an old-fashioned alarm clock with pointed shoes and a magic wand.

Kaiba snorted. "Congratulations. The one duel that card might be useful in. But self-destruction still isn't strategy."

"We'll see who's destructin', Kaiba."

Joey took another deep breath. He'd won against Ishizu with luck; he could win against Kaiba.

"Time Roulette, go!" he shouted.

His stout little monster leapt in the air and lifted his wand. The top of it was a spinner on a background of castles and skulls. A castle would mean his opponent's monsters all got destroyed regardless of attack power, and his opponent would take damage equal to half their attack points.

It would mean a big fat zero for Kaiba.

"Say goodbye to your precious dragon, Rich-boy."

Kaiba scowled. "I'd never lose Blue-Eyes to you."

A skull would mean the same fate for Joey—the loss of his monsters and half their attack as damage. But he had faith.

The red arrow spun and slowed until it ticked through the options one at a time. Skull. Castle. Skull.

Castle.

It stopped: skull.

"Congratulations, Wheeler. Self-destruction is all you're good at."

In a burst of smoke, Time Wizard and Gearfried both disappeared.

And Joey's lifepoints dropped to 350.

The cart rattled slightly as it rose, and Joey was glad he was high enough up Serenity couldn't see his face anymore.

He was in the lead. Technically.

But Joey knew what losing felt like.

Even if he faced Kaiba, could he really win?

"Think you're good enough, boy?" His dad's gravelly laughter echoed all around him.

He didn't even look at his remaining cards. Didn't set anything facedown.

"I end my turn," he said bitterly.

Seto had planned. He'd acted with precision.

And the final turn had come.

For the first time, he locked eyes with Marik and said coldly, "I've been waiting for this."

Marik smiled coldly back. "Come at me, priest."

Seto could wipe Marik out with a single direct attack—it would be glorious overkill. But the goal wasn't only to drain Marik's lifepoints. He wasn't about to send Marik to the finals first only to have Yuugi swoop in to face him.

No, every action had to be precise. The tie he'd been unable to create at the dock had to be created now.

It would take six moves.

If his deck failed him by one card, he would lose his opening to Yuugi or, worse, Wheeler.

So he couldn't fail.

"I play Silent Doom," he said.

Move number one.

Silent Doom allowed him to special summon one monster from the graveyard in face-up defense position. He chose Helpoemer [2000/1400], and he gave it to Marik.

"How gracious." The Egyptian cocked his head. "What's your strategy?"

Seto smirked. He activated his facedown trap, Ring of Destruction. If it succeeded, it would destroy Helpoemer and inflict damage to both players equal to the monster's attack strength. A success would seal the deal and finalize a match between himself and Marik as the first duel of the finals.

It wouldn't succeed.

Move number two.

"Activate trap: Seven Tools of the Bandit," Yuugi cried. His facedown card flipped. It was a common trap, one that canceled out another trap at the cost of 1000 lifepoints, one Yuugi'd had in his deck since before Duelist Kingdom. After its activation, he was down to 600 lifepoints, but it didn't matter. Seto had seen right through his moves. He'd been disappointingly off his game since the start of the match.

"Get a hold of yourself before our duel, Yuugi," he said. "I'd hate to claim my Battle City victory disappointed."

Yuugi practically snarled. "Kaiba, he'll kill you."

Not if I kill him first.

Seto slid Card of Demise into play. It allowed him to draw until he had a five-card hand. Normally, he would have to discard his entire hand after five standby phases, but this duel wouldn't last that long.

Move number three.

This was it—the move everything else hinged on. The uncertain middle where chance of failure was highest.

Seto squared his shoulders, banished every inch of doubt.

And he drew his cards.

Blue-Eyes seemed to shine a little more brightly on the field. The corner of Seto's lips twitched. Far below him, Mokuba watched, and Seto was certain his brother was smiling, too.

Seto played Stop Defense, forcing Helpoemer into attack position.

Move number four.

"Just going to blast me away now, are you?" Marik said. "Cross your fingers that the pharaoh doesn't follow?"

"Unlike some people on this field," Seto answered, "I don't leave anything to chance."

He played Interdimensional Matter Transporter, removing Blue-Eyes from play until the end phase of his turn. His field was bare, nothing between himself and Marik's monster.

Move number five.

Yuugi made a pathetic plea. "Kaiba, don't."

"Save your breath, Yuugi. You played a solid game in the semi-finals, but now your resolve is melting in the tournament heat."

But he wouldn't be deterred. "You can't face Marik."

Seto narrowed his eyes. "It seems I'm the only duelist on this field who can. Without the skills to back it, your eagerness to face him is nothing but pathetic. Spend less time with Wheeler; you're beginning to sound like him."

Seto raised the final card in his strategy.

"I'd offer to toss you the scraps," he said, glancing once more at Yuugi, "but there won't be any."

He played Enemy Controller.

Move number six.

The spell card cost 1000 lifepoints to activate, knocking him down to 600. Just enough to remain alive for the final step. Using Enemy Controller, he ordered Marik's monster into a direct attack. Helpoemer leapt forward, slashed its jagged claws through Seto's chest, but all he did was smile.

After its attack, it self-destructed, and the explosion subtracted its attack points from Marik's health.

With the same move, they both hit zero. A perfect tie.

Note: Guys, writing duels is definitely a weakness for me. I apologize. xP But I'm doing my best. Alright, so, updates: I had that meeting with the editor. She's interested in seeing future work from me; unfortunately, she's not interested in the specific book I was pitching. I'm going to query some other people and see where that goes. In the meantime, I'm taking a small break from original work to focus on Coming Home as my main project again. Hopefully that means I'll be able to return to weekly updates in the near future, as well as catch up on responding to my billion FFN emails, haha. We shall see. Also it's my birthday this weekend! Yay! I love May. Thank you for all your love, support, and patience. See you soon, I hope.