Mai - Spire of the Kings, Emboldor
Tel. VII - Year 18 4AOS
Mai got out of bed and wrapped a dark red blanket around her naked body. She approached the balcony silently, walking on the balls of her feet so as not to wake Serenity, who was sleeping like an angel in her bed across the pool in the middle of her room. She opened the glass and gold doors and stepped onto the balcony to overlook the Bay of Kings.
In the distance shined Dallian Academy, a private prep school for students looking to enter the elite Duel Academia far across the sea to the East. Helios -The sun- had not shone over the mountains yet, but its glow announced its arrival. The three moons were slowly fading behind the sea and the sky was a mix of warm gold and lavender. Mai smelled the sweet, salty air to calm her nerves.
She was outraged that the Senate would even think to agree to Antilles's ridiculous terms. While it did have some merit behind it, it was foolish to keep the little prince stuck in the other world. Deep down, she knew sending him there was a bad idea. It was one thing getting him in there, but another getting him out. Hopefully, Yugi and his alter ego would prove their case and win this time.
Mai felt the blanket slip and the cold air wasted no time kissing her exposed flesh. She shivered and pulled the blanket up over her shoulders. "I hate politics," she mumbled. She looked over the railing and saw a familiar little boat sailing towards the sea. It couldn't be. "Yugi?" she whispered. "Where the hell is he going?"
"He's going to begin setting up his Alliance," Téa said, walking out of the darkness clad in a pink night tie. "I'm glad I'm not to late. I was hoping to see him before he left. I have a feeling we're not going to see him again for a very long time."
"Why is he going to look for them now?" Mai asked. "It's way too soon for that. "
Téa shook her head. "If Yuri can't come back yet, then he might as well get the Princes ready."
"Has he already found candidates for such an honor?" Mai asked.
"Oh yeah. He's already got the best of the best to be in the Royal Termnnian Table with Yuri when he's High King. Seven powerful and, may I add, very handsome princes." She giggled. "Prince Michael Octavius Dalton of Eredas. He's the master of The Hundred Dancing Swords and is an elite Duelist. His Archfiends swarm the field and dominate his opponents with a deadly array of effects and restrictions that keep them from attacking or activating effects."
"Really?" said Mai. "I've always been a big fan of Prince Michael. He's done an amazing job cleaning up the streets of Domino. He's a fine addition to the Alliance. Who else is on the list?"
'Well," said Téa, "There's Prince Jon Jahangir of Riftgaard. The Thunder Prince they call him because he wields a massive ax forged by the Thunder Goddess. And his a master Thundermancer as well. On top of that, he has a mighty Eidolon who fights by his side. Gearfried the Iron Knight."
"Whoa..." Mai whispered.
"And from the Kingdom of Uzumé is Prince Jaeyoung Shim. He was trained in the arts of war since he was ten years old. He's also trained in martial arts by the Red Dragon Monks of the Imperial Mountains. That young man was also born under the Star of Might. Once in an eon, the Goddess of War will bless a great warrior with incredible strength and speed. Jaeyoung can punch mountains and cause them to crumble and he took down an army of bandits with the help of his Senka Warriors."
"He's a Summoner, too?" Mai said. "Wow. What a talented young man."
Téa nodded. "Yup. He is sure to be a thorn in the side of our enemies. Antilles especially. He has a hate for the Uzumenese."
Mai wrinkled her nose in displeasure. "Who doesn't that man hate who isn't Dragonheart?"
Téa sighed, her eyes still on Yugi's boat, which was now a little dot in the distance. "It doesn't matter. Jaeyoung is going to be the least of his worries when they're all assembled. Alongside great fighters, we have talented spellcasters like Prince Ryon Balor."
"Ryon Balor? The prince of Katina is here too?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't he be? He is skilled in every form of elemental magic. Ice, fire, lightning, earth, wind, light. You name it, he can do it. King Forrest's troops tried to lure him into a trap by conquering a city where his fiancee was living in. To draw him out even further, the Fat King violated her and recorded it."
"That pig!"
"Oh, that was the worst mistake of his life," said Téa with a half-grin. "Ryon charged into the fields alone and summoned a great firestorm that burned 5000 Naralian soldiers in a matter of minutes. All that was left of them was a giant field of ashes that took weeks to clean. Forrest never attempted to conquer Katina again. And then we have the handsome, and...handsy, Prince Anastasio Trevelyan, Prince of Mondé. When I say handsy, I mean handsy. He grabbed my butt a few times when we danced at the ball in honor of his birthday. He was only fourteen."
Mai laughed.
"He's a good kid nonetheless. I just hope Yuri and the others can teach him a thing or two about manners. He's skilled in the arts of White Magic and swordcrafting, meaning he can enchant weapons with fire and lighting at his whim. Also, he holds a unique archetype of monsters called the Crystal Dragons. His main monster is the Diamond-Burst Dragon. I've seen it before, and let me tell you, it's a beauty. Speaking of beauty, from the Adamantium Citadel, there's Phoenix Lockheart."
"Really now?" Mai said, leaning against the balcony. "What's a mage from the Adamantium Tower doing with the likes of these boys?"
"I personally recruited her into the Alliance. It's only natural that we do, considering mages are being persecuted all over the continent by the Covenant's Witch Hunters. Hmph. Phoenix will show them what for. When I taught at the Adamantium Citadel, she was my brightest student. Mai, I've never seen a girl with so much power before. She can animate fire, summon Phoenixes to do her bidding, and can make fire rain from the sky. Mai, I swear, during the last days of the Gate Wars, I saw her summon a tornado of flames that swallowed up an elite army of mercenary horseriders from Naralia. They never stood a chance."
"Amazing!"
"That's not all. Phoenix is also a cunning Duelist using a Phoenix deck. I guess you can guess where she gets her name from. Aside from being a master pyromancer, she's also skilled in White Magic as well. Rumor has it she can put a stopper in death."
"Now that's a very useful skill," said Mai. "Good call bringing her in, hon."
"Yeah, and just between you and me, I think the Alliance could use a woman's touch." Téa winked. "And on top of skilled warriors and magicians, we have Prince Marcel of the Kingdom of Akuuda. He goes by the name the Dragoon of Red-Eyes because of the magical armor the Dragon Goddess blessed him with. Since last year, Prince Marcel has helped Zane and Prince Michael clean Domino of Duel Gangs and city warlords like that icky Gremlin character. It's no surprise to me that Yugi chose him. Akuuda is the last place on Earth that still thrives with True Dragons. And they're Red-Eyes Black Dragons to boot."
Téa couldn't help but force out a happy, hearty laugh from deep within her heart. "Now that's an Alliance, eh, Mai?"
Mai laughed in excitement. "You know, knowing those kids with incredible power are on our side, I'm kind of feeling better already. I feel...I feel like we have a chance at making things right." She placed her hands over her chest. "I feel like...everything is going to be okay."
"That's what makes Yugi so special, Mai. Even when times are tough and difficult, and you feel like giving up. He's always there to fill you with hope. Hope that will get us all going."
"Well, I guess I should follow Yugi's example and keep a cool head in these trying times."
"That's all we can do," Téa agreed. "I guess while Yugi is out to get the princes ready, we have Serenity's little quest to go on."
Mai tapped her finger on her lip. "Hmm, I wonder what that little darling has in store for us?"
Andre - Neros Island/Aquarius
Tel. VII - Year 18
Andre walked from his bed toward the window of his very unique apartment. This complex was built underwater. On some days he'd see schools of fish swimming by or even whales. A group of them swam by at sunset last night.
He looked at his bed and saw his date from last night still asleep in her underwear. He had hopes she'd be the one but most likely she was another one-night stand, and she'd be dressed and out of the room as soon as he got out of the bathroom.
He walked to the living room nearby. The shades of his window were down, leaving long vertical shadows against his flat screen on the wall.
He made sure the girl was asleep before opening the palm of his hand. He created a charm that allowed him to communicate with anyone he wanted from Termnnia.
"Report," said his contact. Yami Yugi was staring at him from an illusionary sphere that displayed his face.
"Master. I have come in contact with the prince."
"How is he?"
"He's doing well for the most part. His Dueling skill seems to be top-notch according to his friends but I want to see his skills for myself. Permission to Duel Prince Yuri, sir."
Yami closed his eyes and chuckled softly. "I had forgotten that's what they call him now. I almost don't remember that his parents named him Daveed. You have permission to Duel him so long as you have monsters that only exist in their records. If you use anything they're not familiar with, not only will the citizens of the Standard Dimension ask questions, but I'll haul you back and imprison you for using Termnnian artifacts in another world. Am I clear?'
"Crystal clear, sir. You don't have to worry. I've already constructed a deck fit for their format."
"Good. Keep a close eye on him, Andre. Our enemies are still looking for him. Report anyone or anything suspicious to me at once."
"I understand sir. And when can we take back the..."
"That's a topic for another time. I will say no more on the issue. Is there else you wish to report?"
"No, sir."
"Then good luck, Andre. Yugi out."
The sphere faded and Andre went back to the bedroom to check on the girl. Just as he thought, there was no sign of her.
"Figures," he said.
"I told the girl to leave," Axel Brodie said, coming out of the darkness. "Nice place you got here. It's no wonder you're always so short on gold coins."
"I can manage," said Andre. "Master Yugi gave me a blank check."
"I'm sure he did," Axel said walking toward the window. "So this is the Standard Dimension. Now I know why they hid Yuri here."
"Why?"
Axel, being a skilled pyromancer, aimed his hand a the kitchen. Normally, a fireball would have shot out of his palm, but nothing did. Not even a spark or even a billow of mist.
"My powers are gone. The Standard Dimension robs everyone who crosses into it of all magical abilities. Even a Termnnian Prince will be reduced to nothing more than some plain teenage punk if he ever set foot in here. Ser Yusei was here earlier to help us make a sweep of the Phobos Gardens District. He said even his cards were affected too."
"What? How?"
"His ace monster is Stardust Dragon, a Synchro Monster but upon crossing into this world, the dragon was reduced to nothing more than a Normal monster. I checked the decks of the Lancers in my squad. Their decks were affected, too. No Pendulums, Synchros, nothing."
Andre laughed. "Even if the Standard Dimension didn't turn those cards into Normal Monsters, you guys still wouldn't be able to use them."
"You don't think I know that, smartass!" Axel almost yelled. "Of course, I know. But we're not crippled by this predicament. No, sir. Lancers are the best Duelists that Declan Akaba could find in Eredas. They've adapted their decks to the format of this world, so it's going to be no problem for them. What about you? Are you set to go on patrol tonight?"
"Yeah, count me in. I was getting bored beating that Nick Rogers guy over and over again. What do I have to do?"
Yuri - Washington Family Restaurant, Aquarius
Aunt Margret let out her warm signature hearty laugh as she came out of the kitchen holding a bowl of rice, still steaming from the pot. "Oh, this is so fabulous!" she declared. "There's nothing like getting together with friends and family and sitting down to a good meal. Pamela, darling, can you take this is and set it next to the soda? It is hot!"
"Yes, ma'am," Patty replied politely. She got up from the table to help Aunt Margret. Aunt Margert approached her seat on the other side of the table, her smile growing wider upon seeing Yuri sitting next to Patty, who Tyson also invited to dinner that night in the dining room of their new restaurant. It was built on the fifth floor of the new section of the Phobos Island Mall, offering a panoramic view of the city and ocean outside. It was night, so all Yuri could see was nothing but darkness, stretching as far as the eye could see and the ripples of the waves against the harbors and parks, reflecting the colorful neon that lit night.
Yuri and Patty were both dressed their best tonight, however, that seemed unnecessary as Tyson's family came by in their casual clothes. Tyson came by with a platter of fried chicken and set it in front of Yuri and Patty. As soon as it hit the table, the Washington Family reached over and grabbed as many as their fingers could nab. Yuri and Patty watched in awe at the large portions Tyson's very large family was serving themselves. Each and every one of them from Aunt Margery to Tyson's father was fat and happy, Tyson being the exception since he and Yuri worked out at the gym every night to end the day.
Tyson's father, Mr. Dennis Washington, got up and tapped his steak knife against his glass, welcoming the family and Yuri and Patty to the completion of his new restaurant.
"We've come a long way since we first got here," he began.
He went on about the days when he and his brother sold hot dogs on the streets, then moved up to buy their own food van. Finally, that grew to become a catering service and eventually a five-star restaurant that earned him enough money and fame to move him and his family to Aquarius, where he continued to make their empire grow. For almost an hour, he told stories about his adventures to get to where he was today. It wasn't an easy road. Mr. Washington's tale of success was filled with discrimination, murder, blackmail, and betrayal. Betrayal from his closest friends, his investors, and even his own family, which explained why it was so small at the moment. Even his wife, Tyson's mother, wasn't in the picture anymore.
Mr. Washington had to be smarter than all of them if he was to survive the little war they had going. And a war it was. There were tales of shootouts, attempted assassinations, the destruction of his old restaurant, and a family coup just to get the money to get things started.
His story was so exciting and thrilling, that a movie company bought the rights to it and was working on both a documentary and a feature-length film called Mr. Sensational: The Rise of the House of Washington. He even had a poster of it already. He brought it out on an easel and removed the white cloth to show everyone. Yuri and the others stood up and clapped when it was revealed.
The poster had Will Smith playing a younger Dennis Washington. He was on the cover in black and white, the title underneath him in white curvy white letters. His arms were crossed over his chest. One hand wielded a gold-plated Desert Eagle with floral engravings; his signature weapon and on the other hand he held a spatula.
When his speech was done, he said: "Dig in!"
Finally, it was time to eat.
"I am hunh-gray, I am hunh-gray," said Grandma Washington. "I am hunh-gray. Come on now." She waited for Tyson's father to pass the barbeque ribs.
"Gawd damn, Yuri!" Mr. Washingron exclaimed. "It's like we don't see yo ass no more, good to see ya, son. You, too, Pamela, baby. How long's it been?"
"Oh, I say it's been about a year," said Aunt Margret. "You kids sure have been busy lately. Pamela, my baby, are you still trying to get into that school? What was it again?"
"FZD School of Design," Patty replied before she ate a strip of chicken.
"Da hell is dat?" replied Tyson's oldest cousin, Ernie, who brought his son Teddy along.
"It's an art school in Singapore."
The entire clan looked at her and then exchanged looks of surprise with one another. "Oooooo," they all said.
"Why y'all wanna go so far away to get an education?" said Cousin Ernie.
"Because they want the best," said Aunt Margret. "And these kids deserve the best. They've been working hard these past four years in high school. It's time for them to grow and focus on their futures."
Ernie scoffed. "Why does Pamela need to go all the way to Singapore just to learn how to draw? It don't make no sense!"
"Because she wants to do something with her life!" snapped Mr. Washington. "She don't wanna settle down in no convenient store the way you did."
"Hey, I didn't get no fancy diploma or go to no far away school, but I still became something of myself. Because my family is here." He tapped the table sharply. "Man, if you guys go traveling to these faraway places, y'all gonna miss a lot." He patted his son on the back. "You're gonna miss Teddy's life. His golden years, pretty much. You're gonna miss out on his first date, his first...well, everything. And then y'all gonna blame yourselves."
"Don't mind him," said Grandma Washington. "He ain't made nothin' of himself so he gets mad at the world for getting farther ahead than him. But just because you kids is busy don' mean y'all have to stop paying us a visit every now and then. You know, kids, in my day people would always visit their families. Didn't matter what was goin' on. They came by with some pie, a little ice cream, and they'd sit around the table and cherish the moment they had with one another."
"Oh, yes," said Aunt Margret. "Nowadays the youngsters are running around with their phones, their hot cars, and now Duel Monsters. Pamela, don't you fret, child. It doesn't matter how far you go to make your dreams come true. So long as you remember and love your family, that's what matters. Don't you be forgettin' about us now."
"Oh, I never will."
Aunt Margret smiled, lifting her hands to her face. "Awww, so sweet, my baby. And what about, Yuri? Why have you been away from us for so long? I remember when you was younger, playing with Tyson at the playground. And you and him would come over and eat dinner with us all summer. It was so lovely. Such a shame that stopped."
"I needed a job," Yuri replied.
"That's for damn sure," said Mr. Washington. "Your dad still not lending you any money, Yuri?"
"I'm afraid not." Yuri helped himself to some mashed potatoes and handed the bowl to Patty. "He's still in that 'you want it, you gotta earn it mentality'."
"Well, he's a smart man," Aunt Margret said, already ripping the fried skin off her chicken with her fork. "He's a smart man. I've seen a lot of wealthy parents spoil their kids and they all grow up being delinquents. Any of y'all heard of Travis Booker?"
"Yeah," Yuri, Patty, and Tyson said together.
"His dad is the owner of the big-ass car dealership in town."
"Indeed," said Aunt Margret. "It was his eighteenth birthday yesterday. And to celebrate, he and all his friends took their fancy hot cars into the central plaza and blocked the roads off to host his party. RAPTOR didn't do a damned thing about it. Traffic was held up for hours and those kids just didn't care. That's what happens when you give money to a child so uncaringly. I often say this — and forgive me for being dramatic — but I say giving a child that much money is like handing them a gun."
"I guess I can kind of see your point," said Yuri. "The consequences can be pretty severe."
"You are absolutely right, Yuri. I'm glad your father continues to be harsh on you when it comes to money. If he spoiled you, you wouldn't be the kind, gentle, sweet, young man that you are now."
"I wasn't always," Yuri said, shooting Tyson a sad look, remembering the times he and Tyson bullied the stowaways for money with their gang. Tyson was the muscle of the group. Even though he was a kid, he could knock down an adult and beat them badly.
"That was then, this is now," said Aunt Margret. "You two have grown up to be better men. You study hard, you work hard, you help out your communities now. You shouldn't be so hard on yourselves for what you did in the past. You were just little boys. And you know what they say. Boys will be boys."
"Boys will be boys," repeated Mr. Washington. "Speaking of which, I heard Tyson got a new deck. Why don't you try it out against Yuri after dinner?"
"You want us to Duel?" Tyson asked. "If Yuri wants to, I guess it's fine."
Yuri shrugged. "Why not? I think it'll be fun."
"There, you see," said Mr. Washington. "Boys will be boys. Like in the old days when Tyson and Yuri would rush to play the Xbox after dinner."
"Aww, such precious days," chimed Aunt Margret.
After they were done eating, Mr. Washington closed the restaurant and led them to the mall's state-of-the-art Duel Tables, with bigger screens to better see the action taking place. Yuri, Tyson, and Patty had to leave them for a second to rush to the nearest card shop to make new additions to their decks. Yuri was more than happy to spend some money on cards since payday was the day before. He was anxious to see what he would get from the new packs. When they left the store and opened their packs, Yuri sighed. As usual, his pulls were a disappointment.
"Just my luck," Yuri said. All three packs were normal rares. Tyson and Patty scored an Ultra Rare and a Super Rare.
"Don't feel bad, Yuri," Patty said. "I'm sure your luck will change one of these days."
"I highly doubt that," Yuri said, tossing the wrapping away in the nearest trash can.
"Yuri, don't doubt yourself so much," Patty continued. Tyson nodded in agreement. "You're going to blow our minds one day." She stopped in front of a small playing area for lesser-known card games. There was a small group of kids making sounds with their lips and acting dramatically as they lay their cards on the playing field, which seemed full of unnecessary accessories.
"What are you guys playing?" Patty asked.
"Beat it, girl! These grounds are for elite players!" a boy said rudely.
"Well, excuse her," said Tyson. "What exactly is this elite game you guys are playing if you don't mind me asking?"
"We're playing Redakai!" another boy boasted proudly, sticking his chest out.
There was a long, awkward pause. Then Yuri, Tyson, and Patty burst out laughing. "HA!" they said at once. "HAHAHAHAHAHAH!"
"LOSERS!" Patty called as they walked away.
They made it to the Dueling Grounds where Mr. Washington made reservations for the three of them to play in. He stared at the huge screen, shaking his head in disapproval.
"I sure can't wait for those new devices to come out," Mr. Washington said as Tyson and Yuri got ready. "It'll make these overgrown screens obsolete."
"Yes, I do agree," said Aunt Margret. "You ready boys?"
"Give us a show now," said Grandma Washington. "Come on, come on!"
"Duel Monsters," grumbled Cousin Ernie. "What an overhyped game."
"You're too old school," said Tyson. "All right, Yuri. Ready?"
"I'm all set."
"DUEL!"
LP 2000
Turn 1
"I summon Armored Lizard in attack mode!" Yuri set the card down on the touchscreen game mat. The zone he put the card in shined brightly. Then, on the screen beside him, the Armored Lizard took for, hissing as it came to life and showed off its 1500 ATK.
"All right, Tyson, that ends my turn."
Turn 2
"Armored Lizard, huh? Yuri, you're making this too predictable. So I'll keep you guessing with this monster face-down." He slid the card horizontally on the field. "Then, I'm going to play the field spell, Forest. This is gonna give all the beast monsters in my deck a 200-point boost. And then I set one card face down. Your turn, Yuri."
Turn 3
"You're probably just bluffing," Yuri said.
"Take it easy, Yuri," Patty said, watching the Duel from a chair beside their table. "Tyson's been playing this game longer than you have."
"Yeah, don't underestimate me, Yuri. I'm not Nick."
"Thank God," Patty said with a roll of her eyes.
"I know, I know, I know. Take a joke, you guys. Knowing my luck, things aren't going to go my way in this game. I set a monster in defense mode, too, just so I can keep you guessing, Tyson. And then I'm going to play Pot of Greed and draw two cards."
"Hey, that's a rare spell card," Patty said. "Nice."
"Don't hurt him now!" Mr. Washington called from the stands nearby.
"I'll try, sir," said Yuri. "Now, I'm going to attack your face-down monster. Go, Armored Lizard!"
His monster slashed his claws in an intimidating display, then ran across the forest to cut down Tyson's monster.
"Sucker!" Tyson said. He flipped over the card, revealing a giant hamster with black and white fur and tendril-like hair sticking out of its head. The hamster smashed against Armored Lizard, sending him flipping through the air. Armored Lizard landed on the ground on his feet, sliding back to Yuri, using his left claw to anchor itself to a stop.
Yuri's Life Points trickled down to 1500, for the hamster's defense was much higher than the Armored Lizard's attack.
"You just attacked my Super-Nimble Mega Hamster," Tyson said. "With the field power bonus he gains from the Forest, his defense went up from 1800 to 2000. Nice try, Yuri."
"Aw, damn. Well, I end my turn."
Turn 4
"Ouch, Tyson, that was brutal," Patty said.
"That hamster is some scary shit!" Mr. Washington called out.
"Yeah, like Stranger Things!" commented Grandma Washington. Meanwhile, Teddy rolled his head around in laughter. "That's cool," he said.
"You haven't seen anything yet, Cuz," Tyson bragged. "Man, it feels good to be Dueling again! Let's see what my deck's got in store for you next." He drew his card and smiled. "Sexy. Get ready, Yuri! Here comes the king of my deck. I tribute my hamster to summon —"
"—Tribute?" Yuri interrupted. "We're playing by official tournament rules?" In tournaments, Duelists had to tribute monsters in order to summon powerful ones. Since they didn't play officially in any league and just played by their own rules, Yuri and his friends never had to worry about those kinds of things. But Patty's tapping on the table told him things were about to change.
"Might as well get used to it," said Patty. "They're going to be making us play with those rules by winter. So might as well start clearing your deck out of all those high-level monsters."
Again, Tyson nodded. He seemed to do that a lot whenever Patty said anything. "Yeah, you gotta prepare for anything Yuri. Anyways, as I was saying, I'm going to summon my ace. Behemoth, King of all Animals!
"That's not good," Yuri said.
ATK/2700 DEF/1500
The screens displayed a big, purple beast with a long mane of violet hair and horns. He snarled, revealing green gums and shiny, sharp teeth as tall as a man. The creature Tyson summoned was almost as big as a mountain.
"Hold on," said Patty. "He's a Level Seven monster. Shouldn't that require you to offer two tributes for his Advanced Summon?"
"True, true, but at the host of 700 of his attack points, Behemoth can be summoned with one monster. Besides, I wouldn't want him to come out in his full power. It wouldn't be fair to Yuri. Now, when he's successfully Advance Summoned, I can add my hamster back to my hand. All right, Yuri, it's time to show you why Behemoth is the King. Attack his Armored Lizard!"
The beast rose up on his hind legs and let out a mountain-crushing howl. He then dashed across the forest and stomped on Armored Lizard like an insect. The chair Yuri sat on rumbled to simulate the impact. "Arrggh!" he grunted. His Life Points fell to 800.
"I end my turn, Yuri. Impressive, huh?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I Draw!"
Turn 5
"I can't do anything to combat your behemoth, so I'll set a monster face-down and end my turn."
Patty clapped her hands. "Hang in there, Yuri. You can hold out against him. I know you can."
Turn 6
"Patty, you shouldn't get his hopes up. I've got Behemoth in play. And I never lose when I have Behemoth on the field. My monster is gonna rip Yuri's defenses down until I can get at his Life Points. For now, I'll set a monster of my own and attack your face-down monster with Behemoth."
Behemoth charged across the forest once more, knocking trees down and smashing hills. He stomped his foot on Yuri's face-down monster, Mechaleon. It let out a croaking scream before it shattered to pieces.
Turn 7
"You are not going to make this easy for me, are you?" Yuri said. "I set another monster and end my turn."
Turn 8
"Too bad, Yuri," said Tyson. "If you couldn't stand up to one Behemoth, trying fighting two. I sacrifice my face-down monster to summon Gravity Behemoth!"
ATK/2300 DEF/2000
"That's a big monster!" Cousin Ernie shouted upon seeing the gray-colored beast that looked like it hailed from another planet. Its body was as thick as stone, and it was almost as tall as Behemoth, King of All Animals.
"And I'm going to boost the power of Behemoth, King of All Animals with Beast Fangs! This will increase his attack points by..."
"I get it, I get it," Yuri said. He placed his hand over his deck. "I quit."
"Yuri, you can't just quit," said Patty.
"Quitter!" Grandma Washington called out.
Mr. Washington stood up from his seat. "Quit? Yuri, you know how much I paid to rent these tables? Come on, boy. Get back in the game."
Yuri didn't listen and picked up his things. "I can't. I forgot I have to go to work tomorrow."
"You okay, Yuri?" Patty asked.
"No. I need to get home. Thank you for inviting me, everyone. But I have to go."
"Hey, Yuri," Tyson said. "Don't take it so hard, man. I thought we were having fun."
"There's only so long that I can tolerate calling my rotten luck can be fun, Tyson. I need to get going."
"That's okay," said Patty. "I understand. We'll meet you at the shop tomorrow. I can still hang around and Duel you, Tyson."
Yuri said one last goodbye to the Washington family and left the Dueling Grounds. "Stupid game!" he muttered as he stormed outside.
Ser Joey - Drakestone Inn, Emboldor /Termnnia
"Well, that was pathetic," Joey said, staring at the Seeing Stone that Serenity gave him. It showed replays of Yuri's Duel with Nick.
He was sitting at an inn with Tristan and Duke, all three of them exhausted after a long hunt to bring down Skullbird monster that was terrorizing a town. The Earl paid them handsomely with a sack of gold coins and a chipped ruby, but those went directly into Serenity's account for the expedition she was saving up for.
Still, they had enough silver and a large coin called a Plate, which bought them a week at the inn. Joey took a long gulp of beer from his tankard and then asked: "Is that really all they have? All that they can play with?"
Duke nodded his head. "Sadly, yes. Kaiba doesn't want to give them access to the new cards until Yuri improves."
"That sucks," said Joey. "Why hold the whole world back because of one guy? I thought the game paid for that whole island he lives in."
"That island was a gift to those people," said Duke. "Paid for by Seto Kaiba. Why? I don't know. The whole history of that place is covered in black ink."
"Why?" Tristan asked, cutting into his pork sausage.
"Can't answer that," Duke replied with a shrug. "I may be the High King's chamberlain, but even that information is above my pay grade. I do know that Duel Monsters wasn't that popular of a game until recently. Ever since Yuri's twelfth birthday, the game increased in popularity with the Magic Ruler, Pharoah's Servant, and Dark Labyrinth booster sets having been released."
"What!" cried Joey. "You've gotta be kidding me! Those sets are ancient!"
Duke shrugged. "It's all Seto wants to give them. Maybe it's for the best Yuri starts off this way. I think Pendulums, Synchros, and that other stuff we play with are way out of their leagues."
"Argh, that Kaiba," said Joey. "Didn't he recently send a hundred cards into the Void so he could teach aliens how to play the game? What makes these people any different?"
"The people of that world aren't that smart. They have high intelligence but they use it to make each other lazier and upgrade useless things like phones and music players. Had it not been for Kaiba, the technology that keeps that city moving and afloat would not even exist. You know, they can get clean unlimited energy from the sun but continue to kill each other for oil and pollute their planet with toxic power plants. The people of Earth are way too greedy and way too sensitive."
"You don't think that's affected Yuri in any way, do you?" Tristan asked. He shoved a cut of sausage into his mouth.
"No way," said Duke. "Our Agent is keeping a close eye on him. And based on the reports that kid Andre sends us every week, Yuri's doing just fine. He's had a shift in character, thank goodness."
Joey finished the last of his ale. "I know, man. What was up with him all those years? He turned into a thug. A violent thug."
"Bakura's work, no doubt," said Duke. "Thankfully his Duel with the Pharaoh cleansed his spirit and cleared his mind. He's no longer tainted by darkness."
"But that's a big whoops on our part," said Joey. "How could we not anticipate Bakura would be there? How could we not have seen him? It makes me so angry."
"You're not the only one, Joey," Duke said with a heavy sigh. "I cut my arms for weeks when I found out: chastisement for being so cynical. For thinking putting Yuri in another world was going to be enough to keep him away from all evil."
Tristan wiped his mouth with a handkerchief and set it on his lap. "What's done is done, you guys. The Spirit of the Puzzle exorcised all the evil out of our Prince with that Duel."
"But what's to keep Bakura from coming back?" said Duke. "If he corrupted Yuri once, what's to stop him from doing it again?"
"King Antilles, that's who!" Joey slammed his fist on the table. "I can't believe he barred us from going in to help him. If that doesn't prove he's bought out the Senate, I don't know what can."
"Well, they're all on his side and there's nothing we can do about it," said Duke. "The only thing we can do is hope Serenity can get through to the other world with that card. And hope that Yuri uses it well."
"Of course, he can," said Joey. "I've watched Yuri's Duels for quite some time now. He believes in his deck. He's got the Heart of the Cards on his side. So long as he's got that, he'll be unbeatable. And before you know it, he'll be back home in no time. I trust in him and so should you."
He looked at Yuri's image in the magical sphere. Joey clenched his fist, his spirit burning passionately. "Come on, Yuri," Joey muttered. "Don't let us down, man. The whole world is countin' on ya."
The Next Morning
The Ruby Dragon, Gaming Shop, Aquarius - Yuri
September VIII - Year 18 4AOS
"Congratulations," said Sergei, pacing back and forth in front of the new associates as though he were a military general leading his troops to war. "I bet you little cherubs think it's time to make your mommies and daddies proud, no? That the paycheck they wasted on you was worth every penny because you found yourselves a job. But don't get your hopes up, kiddies."
Sergei took a large sip of coffee from his black mug that read: BOSS in big, white letters.
"I am sure you think of yourselves as full-grown adults because I gave you the opportunity to land a job here in Ruby Dragon Gaming — the best gaming store in all of Aquarius."
He chuckled boastfully at the sound of that. He worked really hard to earn that title. That was no boast he spewed out. That was a fact.
"This is just a job. It's foot out of your bedroom door. You aint out the front door yet, my young comrades. If you want to set your foot out the door, you need to find a career! But this! This is not a career, my little birds. No! No! No! If you want a career and stand where I am standing in the next ten or so years, then lend me your little ears and listen! Listen closely. Listen veeery fucking closely, kids, to the words that are coming out of my mouth because Uncle Sergei is about to hit you with your reality! I am not your friend. I am not your daddy! I am not your shoulder to cry on if you have a problem. I am your boss! And every morning when you walk through those doors...your ass is mine!"
"Oh, uncle," Natalya said, spraying Windex on the glass counter. "Always so over-the-top."
"Ahem," Sergei said looking back at her. "So long as you are on the clock, there will be no cellphones. There is to be absolutely no conversation impertinent to your work. There will be no bathroom breaks taken unless authorized by me or my veteran workers such as Yuri. Yes, this is Yuri Montgomery, son of Jacob Montgomery. But don't think you're here to make friends with him or ask him how the son of the richest man on Earth works at a game shop because if you do, I will kick your ass out of this store. You will not look at Yuri! You will not walk next to Yuri! You will not TALK to Yuri unless it has to do with work. You want to talk to my Godson, then you have to earn that privilege. Am I understood? Excellence! I demand it and I expect it. Now, get to work, kiddies. We got games to sell."
The nervous associates gave nervous glances at one another and walked slowly to their designated areas to do their jobs.
Natalya laughed. "Man, it wasn't too long ago that I was in that position. How did you feel when Uncle Sergei hired you for the first time?"
"Nervous," said Yuri. "Even though I get yelled at from time to time, I have to tolerate it."
Natalya gulped. "I know I'm breaking a major rule here, Yuri, but I am curious. How is it that a boy as rich as you stooped to working a mere retail job?"
"I'm not rich," Yuri answered, setting up the new shipment of booster boxes. "My parents are rich. My father is not to keen on raising lazy little bastards who choose to do nothing but live off their parent's fortune. If I want money, I'm going to have to invest, create a business, and get a job. And with my track record, I can't create a business. I don't know shit about investing either. So, all I have left is my godfather's card shop. I can't complain. At four hundred every two weeks, I'm good."
"That's wonderful," said Natalya. "So, how come you don't spend money to make yourself a kick-ass deck to play in the big tournaments? You could earn a good rep that way and it could lead to contracts with major Dueling Leagues."
"I tried," said Yuri, setting up another booster box. "But luck has never been on my side. While everyone around me got super-rare cards, I got stuck with normal rares. While everyone else finds gold, ghosts, and secrets, I get silver. The only holo I ever got was a Mirror Force."
"Hey, that's a good start," said Natalya.
"I guess so," Yuri replied in a droll voice. He looked out the window, splattered with raindrops. The smell of the coffee downstairs and the soothing jazz music on the intercom relieved him of his stress. But, the bags under his eyes revealed how much rest he got the previous night.
"Did you have the dream again?" Natalya asked.
"I see Patty couldn't keep her mouth shut," Yuri keened as he rubbed his eyes, still heavy with sleep.
"What did he want?" Natalya asked, leaning against the countertop. "This Mr. Hairdo everyone talks about.
"The same as usual," Yuri replied opening and setting up another box in no time at all. "He talks about birthright. God cards. A kingdom waiting for me."
"Sounds like you've been playing Dungeons and Dragons with Carter again," Natalya chuckled. "But, it doesn't stray too far from the truth. I mean, this whole city will be yours one day."
"Maybe that's it," Yuri said with a soft chuckle of his own. "I guess it's the stress of having to take over my father's business. I...I don't think I'm ready for such a responsibility. Like I told you, I had three options to make money. Build a business, invest, or get a job. Unfortunately, I only have enough skills for the latter. If I can't even make the other two options work, then what hopes do I have of running a huge business empire?"
"Those things take time," Natalya said, brushing her hair over her ear with her fingertips.
"And I'm running out of it," Yuri said sadly. "I'm about to graduate soon. This can't be happening to me. My dad's counting on me, ya know."
"I'm more than sure Jacob won't throw you into the company without some training. There's still some time left to groom you for the responsibilities as President of Phobos Corp."
"Da, there is much time," Sergei said approaching the two. "But Yuri's position as President of Phobos Corp has nothing to do with work."
"Ah, but Uncle," Natalya replied. "This is Phobos Corp. Duel Monsters. And aren't we in the business of Duel Monsters?"
"I suppose so," Sergei said, rubbing his bushy chin. "Still, it is in no way associated with my game shop. Enough talking and get back to work, lest I make you clean the bathrooms again."
That was the last thing Yuri wanted. He looked at Natalya and said: Sorry, we'll talk about this later."
Natalya nodded her head repeatedly. "Okay. I understand. We'll talk later."
Later came, but Natalya had other company to be with. As soon as she and Yuri walked out of the store, a Lamborghini Aventador colored dark red and tinged to black at the front rolled up on the sidewalk in front of them. The door slid up. A good-looking young fellow from Phobos Academy came out and put his sunglasses over his forehead.
"Natalya!" he called out. "Wanna take a ride? I just got it this morning."
Natalya jumped up and down as she squealed with delight. She ran to the car to examine it. "Oh my God! It's incredible!"
"Ain't it something?" the lad boasted. "Come on, the others are at Nefeli Island having a barbeque on Frederico's yacht, let's go!"
"Hey, Yuri, I'll see you at work tomorrow, da?" Natalya said.
Yuri shrugged and waved her goodbye. "Da," he replied sadly.
"Wait a minute," said the lad. "Yuri? As in Yuri Montgomery? So it's true. You are working retail. Whatever for, my man?"
"Reasons that are too difficult to explain," Yuri managed to grumble. Despite who he was, he could not afford a luxury such as an expensive car or his own yacht the way the other rich kids on the islands did.
"Man, I'm glad I don't have that kind of problem," the lad said as Natalya slid the door up and got in. "Okay, it was nice meeting you. See you around. Perhaps we'll Duel sometime."
"Oh, sure!" Yuri began. "I'd like to..."
Before he could finish, the young man got into his seat and closed the door. The Aventador's engines growled and then it sped off. "Woo-hoo!" Natalya shouted as it zoomed down the street and left Yuri alone on the sidewalk. He sadly shook his head and walked home.
"Damn, she just left you, huh?" Andre said coming out of the shop.
Yuri stopped and turned. "You have a knack for showing up unexpectedly, you know."
"Hey, I was hanging out in the back with Carter and Tyson. Have you seen Patty anywhere?"
"You sure are getting attached to her. I suggest you don't do that."
"I just want to Duel her is all, man. Say, since she's not around, why don't we have a quick game? Come on. Nick is starting to bore me. He's just too lame. I heard a lot of good stuff about your skills."
Yuri tapped his foot on the ground. He looked from left to right as he pondered the idea. He shrugged. "I guess one Duel couldn't hurt."
"Great! I've got a table all set up for us, come on!"
Yuri followed Andre inside. He saw Carter and Tyson at the counter buying a few packs for a fun match. Yuri then sat at the Duel Table Andre had for them. He got out his cards, shuffled them, and proceeded with the match.
LP 2000
T1
"I'll start first," Yuri said. "I summon Mechaleon."
"And that's it?" Andre asked.
"Just go. I don't make a lot of money to get good cards."
"But your father is the richest man in the world. How do you not have money?"
"If I'm to get money, I need to earn it. And working here in the shop is the only way I can. Now hurry up. I thought you wanted to Duel not chatter."
T2
"Take it easy, man, I just want to have some fun."
Yuri leaned back in his chair. "Sorry. I've been having an off day."
"I understand, man. All right, to counter your lizard, I summon this card. M-Warrior Number 2." He slid the card on the mat. Just like that, the creature's image was displayed beside them on the screen.
"And now I'll use the Sogen field spell, which increases the attack of Warrior monsters by 200 points. Then I give M-Warrior the power of Legendary Sword. This will increase his attack by another 300 points. His attack is now 1000. It's not much, but at least it will take down your reptile. Attack."
The warrior grunted. He charged across the rolling green hills, raised his new sword, and yelled. He cut Mechaleon across the belly. The reptile monster shrieked and then vanished. Andre set a card face-down and ended his turn. "Go," he said.
T3
Yuri blew a bang off his face with the corner of his mouth. His Life Points shriveled a little to 1800. "Just as I thought. You have a thing for equip-spells. I summon Krokodilus. He's a hundred points stronger than your M-Warrior. Attack!"
"I activate Reinforcements!" Andre held up his trap. "M-Warrior's attack increases to 1500, now he's stronger than your monster."
Again, Yuri sighed, He didn't even bother watching the monsters battling on the screen. He drew and tossed another throw-away monster on the field called Ancient Lizard Warrior. And he wasn't defending, either. He left the monster out in attack mode.
"Yuri, are you even trying?" Andre asked. "This can't possibly be your best."
"I can only do what I can with what little I have," Yuri replied. "So don't lecture me about my best. What you see is what you get."
"I'm disappointed in that," Andre said. "Very disappointed. Your friends look up to you and this is the attitude you walk around with."
"Can you get on with your turn?"
"If that's what you want. I summon Celtic Guardian in attack mode. Then I use the card, Tailor of the Fickle. It switches control of an equip-spell card with another monster. So I give Legendary Sword to Celtic Guardian. Then I use United We Stand. This will increase Celtic Guardian's attack by..."
"That's game," Yuri said, picking up his things.
"But I didn't even..."
"There's no need. See you next time, Andre." Yuri slipped on his backpack and walked off.
Andre narrowed his eyes and shook his head in displeasure. "With an attitude like that, you're going to grow up to be one pathetic king, Yuri. Master Yugi isn't going to be pleased."
Somewhere in Thara
A great convoy with three-floored iron wagons pulled effortlessly by six Megazowlers made its way through the rainy labyrinth of stone hills and rocky cliffs that were known as the Fords of Garreth-Ulthil which meant the Rains of Death in the ancient Norman tongue.
There were Naralian guards in heavy metal armor equipped with giant lances and shields surrounding the wagons with their heads confidently held high. Above them flew a white and gold mech carrying a lance and a cybernetic shield. A Holy Knight of Naralia no doubt, the elite order of warriors whom King Forrest sent for his most questionable missions.
"Ser Azrael here, no problems!" the pilot of the mech said. He yawned with boredom, hoping for some action before reaching Naralia. "How's the cargo?"
"Guardian 1 to Knight 7. It's under control. Just a few more days and we can finally be out of this forsaken country."
"Right," Azrael responded.
Inside the largest and most decorated carriage rested Lord Ballister the Flaming Hammer, one of the ten generals of the infamous brothel known as the House of Flowers.
Lord Ballister, the Flaming General of the House of Flowers
Lord Ballister was a giant of a man clad in orange and black armor studded with rubies and wearing a cape of fur made from a giant black bear he slew in his youth. He was bald and had wild triangle-shaped eyes with beady irises, giving him a wild and manic look.
He paced around with a tankard of wine in his hand and stopped to look at his trophies. On the wall was the most macabre collection of hunting trophies anyone had ever seen. Mounted on the walls were the busts of young women he had hunted for sport on the grounds of his estate back in Naralia. They were cut down to their shoulders and mounted on polished wooden plaques, staring into the abyss with glass eyes. The faces of some of them were locked in the horror of their final moments, eyes wide open and mouths agape as if they were still screaming, pleading for their lives. Their skin was still smooth and soft after being dipped in cauldrons filled with a preservative elixir concocted by alchemists in the House of Flowers. He had blondes on one side, brunettes in the middle, and redheads next to them.
Many girls on display were humans of every race. Lionheart, Altex, Brexon, Sunborne, Feldian, Imperial, Norman, and even Dragonborn from the Kingdom of Dragonrock. He even managed to successfully kill Elvish girls when he rarely encountered them. To the right was a stuffed Duel Monster called Nekogal #2. A cat creature with the body of a voluptuous female, with small fairy wings, and a long tail with a curved blade at the end. He hunted her during his expeditions in the jungles of Feldia. She was posing on a wooden branch inside a glass case.
The vile lord thumped his chest and paced around some more. He was still frenzied from the raid earlier. They had just pillaged a small town nestled around an abandoned iron mine. The raid was effortless on the count of the giant mech they had as an escort. They slaughtered the men relentlessly on the ground and from above, the mech pilot used his giant pulse rifle to blast their livestock to pieces and destroy the guard towers that positioned two archers as sentries. Lord Ballister burst out laughing, remembering their feeble attempts to shoot down the mech with their arrows. They bounced off its metallic body and young Ser Azrael proceeded to blast them to smithereens.
Not wanting the mercenaries of the Golden Swans company to be devoid of action, the pilot flew off and watched as they raided the town, hacking down the men or any woman they deemed unfit to work in the House of Flowers. Skulls were smashed, heads were chopped, and houses were set on fire. Lord Ballister then looked to the corner to see the fresh catch of village girls as they cowered in a cage. The other wagons were already full with the spoils of their heartless raids, so he built a cage to house them in his own personal carriage. He laughed at them with a thunderous roar that shook the place, causing them to cower in their tight prison. The six girls in the cage were the daughters of the town's leader, a dairy farmer who was famous in the easter regions of Thara. Lord Ballister peeled the skin off the man's face their very eyes, then he cut his head off and stuck it on a pike, waving it in front of the girls to terrify them. Before leaving, he killed their dog and made them eat it.
Truly, the days were getting darker if men like this existed. The girls once prayed to the Goddess of the Harvest with all their hearts and souls. Now they felt betrayed. How could such a 'loving' goddess stand idly by as beasts like Lord Ballister roamed the lands and slaughtered the innocent. They had lost all hope. Then again, the king of Narlia was beginning to lose hope in Lord Ballister. The caravan would have made it past the border into Narlia a week ago, but Lord Ballister was having so much fun pillaging and torturing Termnnian girls that they stopped at every village capturing as many as they could for a fat bonus.
His tardiness didn't go unnoticed though. A hologram activated over the war table at the center of his chambers. The insignia of the King of the Holy Naralian Kingdom was suddenly displayed.
"Lord Ballister! Lord Ballister, are you there!?" someone shouted.
"Who is this?" the giant answered, throwing his empty tankard into the fireplace. "What do you want?"
"This is King Forrest!" said the voice. "We were told you'd be here by yesterday, yet you are still in Thara, many leagues from the border. What is the holdup?"
Lord Ballister laughed as he moved his chestplate around, using the rough metal to scratch his massive belly. "The south is full of great merchandise for the House of Flowers. Lots of nice, expensive girls live in these parts. I couldn't help but want to stop by and bring some home for the House of Flowers."
"You are drawing too much attention. It has come to my understanding that you are being followed by a knight named Ser Gerhalos. Need I remind you of who he is, Lord Ballister?"
"No need. I heard plenty about him. Don't worry. With the Holy Knight you lent us, he won't get within a mile of this caravan."
"See that he doesn't! And what of my prize?"
Lord Ballister looked at an iron maiden made of silver and covered in scrollwork and floral engravings. It was sealed shut with five locks and entwined with hundreds of chains.
"It's coming to you soon, my liege," said Lord Ballister. "Soon, you will be the most powerful king in all Termnnia."
"I sure hope so. I expect to see you here in three days. Forrest out."
The hologram powered off and Lord Ballister was alone again. He raised a golden goblet next to his chair toward the iron maiden. "It's almost time. You, my friend, are gonna make me obscenely rich. Hehehehehehe... HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HA! HAAAAAAA!"
Lore
The House of Flowers
The House of Flowers is a powerful and well-connected brothel in the capital of Naralia where it was said all the girls are sent to work after they were captured by King Forrest's troops in his campaign to conquer the other Sixteen Kingdoms of Termnnia. With an income of 5 billion gold a month, they are one of the most powerful organizations in Termnnia. They are organized by seven powerful oligarchs who call themselves the Governors. With their great wealth, they have amassed their own private army known as the Golden Swans and their own Navy called the Rose Fleet, who sail across the seas to find islands with girls of rare cultures never before seen in Termnnia. They also have a secret guild of their best agents known as Office XIII. This guild sends these skilled warriors on missions to locate villages with beautiful girls for the Golden Swans to raid later. The agents of Office XIII won't shy away from partaking in assassinations, taking out anyone the Governers of the House of Flowers believe to be a threat to them.
Aside from capturing and selling women as slaves, representatives of the House of Flowers are known to meddle with the Termnnian Senate, bribing any delegate they could get their hands on, offering them money and pleasurable company in exchange for blocking any legislation that dared to regulate the slave trade or ban it. They even go as far as helping the senators write up bills that force the government to grow lenient with their...shady business. Agents working for the House of Flowers were even known to bribe lords of all titles, and even kings from across Termnnia to give their caravans safe passage back to Naralia.
Those who govern within the organization's halls have influence with every brothel across the continent, which makes it easy for them to get a hold of information from each of the three factions in the current Fifth Great War of Succession (The conflict in which King Forrest and Prince Hector battle the Alliance for control of the Diamond Throne).
They are said to know every dirty secret in the continent and it's even rumored that they hold the secret of Prince Yuri's location in the Standard Dimension.