Small Note

Sakura: Thanks to all those who reviewed, added to favorites, and are now following this story. It feels so good to get this story up and moving along. I'm going to try and update once a week but it depends on my schedule at work. So far so good for now so please enjoy the next chapter...

Chapter 2

D.D.M

The days that followed into the month of June were the perfect time for the launch of Duke Devlin's first game release of his game called D.D.M. No one not even his friends knew what the letters stood for or what the game was about. They only knew that it was something completely different that no one had seen before and he invited them all to the release date to check it out. Although out of all of them Yugi had to be the luckiest because Duke promised him a free copy as a birthday gift since Yugi's birthday happen to land the day after the game was to release. It would be an early gift but something Yugi was excited to see.

Things seem to settle down within the group as the hot days of summer rolled in. Yugi and Yami were doing better after their weekend getaway. Nothing major happen just the two of them being together like any couple should enjoying some alone time. In a way Yugi was a little bummed out because he thought Tea might be right and Yami might propose but when nothing happened so he let it go. If it was going to happen it would at its own time and Yugi would happily wait for that day. He had already thought long and hard about it and realized he was ready to make a commitment like that so long as Yami was also.

Yami spent more time with Yugi and his friends over the past few days showing that whatever he had been working on no longer had his attention. It would remain a mystery at what kept him busy until he was ready to reveal it to them all. Thanks to being finished he was able to join the group on their trip to Duke's game shop for the release of his game. He was excited for his friend and although he knew a few things from helping him get it started, he did not know all of what the game was going to be about. It would be interesting to see what Duke had been working on. The only one's not joining them would be Tristan, Bakura, and Seto who all had to work, well Seto chose not to come saying he had his own projects to worry about. At least most of them would be there to support Duke.

It was no surprise that when the group consisting of Tea, Ryou, Yugi, and Yami arrived at Duke's game shop there was already a line pretty much down the block. Everyone looked eager for the doors to open so they could get their hands on a copy of Duke's game. His friends were in no hurry since they were already told by the creator himself that he would hold some copies for them if they wanted to buy them. He wasn't going to push his new game on them if they did not want it.

"Look at that line," Yugi commented a couple minutes later when he noticed more people had lined up behind them sending the line nearly around the block.

"They don't even know what the game is and it's this popular…" Tea added on wondering what in the world her boyfriend had created that had people so wild over it. There were people of all ages it seemed but mostly the children and teen crowd.

"Sometimes the unknown makes it that much more interesting. A little marketing strategy that will help sales..." Yami told them knowing a lot about the gaming market. He should since a lot of it was drilled into his head from Seto when he first launched Capsule Monsters. If it hadn't been for Seto's marketing strategies, his own game might not have done so well.

Yugi looked up and down the line and noticed Joey still wasn't there. He looked at his watch and noticed there was only half an hour before Duke's game shop opened, "Looks like Joey's going to be late…"

"Since it's just the first day they probably don't have many in stock, Joey's lucky Duke's our friend or he wouldn't be getting a copy." Tea said before she turned to Yami, "Did you let him sleep in or something?"

Yami shook his head as he wrapped an around Yugi's shoulders. "I stayed with Yugi last night. I texted Joey before I went to bed to remind him to get up early, but honesty we all know Joey can sleep through a hurricane. He probably slept through his alarm clock."

No sooner had those words left his mouth they heard a shout behind them causing them all to turn and see Joey hurrying up to them. He wore this big grin on his face as he happily got in line beside them and said, "Sorry I'm late."

"The end of the line's that way." Tea said completely serious pointing toward the back of the line. The others knew she was only joking or at least they hoped she was.

"C'mon don't be so mean…"

Yugi was glad Joey made it in time now that they were all here they just had to wait until the doors opened. But he couldn't help turning his eyes to look down the way toward his family's own game shop. He didn't tell his grandfather that he was coming here today. His grandfather could never really deny him any kind of game but Solomon never really liked Duke's game shop. There was some bad blood there and if he knew Yugi was coming to get a game from a rival game shop he wouldn't get mad just give Yugi this disappointing look all day.

"Looks like a ghost town…" Yami told him as he looked down the same way his partner was looking.

"Yeah well as long as Grandpa doesn't know we're here we'll be okay. I honestly don't care if Duke's store is our rival, he's our friend and I'm looking forward to seeing his new game." He looked up at Yami as he added on, "Besides grandpa has taste in old-fashion games. It's no wonder we're losing a lot of the younger clients."

"Old-fashion huh…?"

Yugi and Yami froze in their tracks upon hearing the familiar voice and slowly turned to see none other than Solomon standing behind them with this very stern look on his face. Their friends slowly moved more up in line as he started to chew them out mostly for not telling him the truth about where they were going. Once he said his piece all would be good but for the moment Yugi and Yami were force to listen to the lecture they were being given and in public at that.

Duke had no idea the turn out would be this great as he looked out the window toward the street below. The line looked like it went on forever and all were waiting to get their hands on a copy of his game. He could even see his friends in line, but was curious as to why Yugi's grandfather looked like he was chewing Yugi and Yami out over something.

Shrugging his shoulders he continued down the hall toward his father's room of their three bedroom apartment. Just like Yugi they lived above their game store and it was only him and his father. His mother left them years ago when Duke was only about a year old and never looked back so it was just them and Duke was fine with that. Unlike his father who for some reason held a grudge against Solomon, Duke felt no ill will toward them no matter what his father tried to tell him. Yugi was his friend and even though that only happened though Yami he had been glad it did. He ended up with a whole group of friends now and even a beautiful girlfriend.

The only problem was he really could never have any of them over til today. He wanted today to be special so he wanted his father to let go of his anger for one day. Knocking softly on the door, Duke let his father know he was coming in before he opened the door. His father had been hovering over by the window probably watching Yugi and his grandfather before his son came in.

"Dad…" He called into the dark room the only light coming from the one window and the door as Duke opened it up. His father quickly reached for something beside him and slipped it on his face.

"It is okay, come in," Mr. Devlin told his son as he turned to face him. Wearing the outfit of a clown and a mask he looked every bit like the mascot the store had on the front of the place. The mask was black with large white lips for the mouth opening and a red nose while one eye had a tear around it the other had a star. There were small sections of hair on either side of the mask to cover the wearer's ears. To most he looked like the mascot but only Duke knew why he wore the get up. It did not use to be like that but once they opened up the the Black Crown game store years back he changed his look to something more convenient.

"Is it time, Duke?"

Duke nodded as he stepped into the room, "We're all set up. All that's left is to open the store. But dad I gotten talk to you for a sec." When his father said nothing to acknowledge him he went on, "As I told you yesterday I invited my friends and that includes Yugi…. Please dad, try not to mess this up for me."

"Mess this up…" Mr. Devlin laughed at those words, "Why would I mess this up when this is the perfect chance for you to get our revenge on Yugi and his grandfather."

Duke sighed, "Dad this is what I'm talking about. I've told you a million times your revenge seeking is not worth all this. Yugi is my friend whether you like it or not. I'm not going to take revenge out on them because I have no reason to…."

He would have said more had it not been for his father slapping him in the face. Mr. Devlin ripped off his mask revealing the face of a man who did not look like he was in his late forties but someone who was old and decaying like he was well over a hundred years old. His face looked sunken in around the jaw and when he opened his mouth to yell at Duke it was easy to see the missing teeth. "Do you see me, Duke?" He shouted at him as he grabbed his son by the shoulders, "Look at my face, you know who did this to my face and it was that brat's grandfather Solomon Mutou …."

"I-I know! You've told me that since I was little…" Duke gave his father a light shove to get him off him. He knew the story and he was sick of hearing it. The fight between Solomon and his father was there fight and no one else's. For some reason his father just could not understand that Duke did not want to get revenge because it never solved anything. He saw things differently and he had friends he did not want to lose. "Please dad just put your mask back on…"

Mr. Devlin placed his mask back on his face after seeing the hurt look on his son's face, "I-I'm sorry Duke, did I scare you?"

Duke shook his head as he turned to leave, "I'm fine, just please don't screw this up for me. I worked really hard and I don't want anything to mess it up. I would love for you to come down but if being around Yugi is too hard just stay up here." He left without hearing anything else from his father. This is how it had been most of his life not being able to be in the same room with his only parent for long. However he wanted his father to be happy for him and come down to see how big a hit Duke's game was going to be. It would really help their store make a name for themselves.

It all depended on if his father could behave himself and if he couldn't then Duke did not want him anywhere near his friends. He hated it but that's how it had to be.

As soon as it was eleven o'clock on the dot the doors to the Black Crown game store opened to the public and all the eager gaming fans that had been waiting wasted no time in rushing in. Somehow Yugi and Yami made it inside but got separated from their friends and Yugi's grandfather. Yami was able to pull Yugi from the crowd and to the side away from all the craziness. Theirs friends were nowhere in sight but neither wanted to fight the crowd to find them.

"I don't remember it being this crazy when Duel monsters came out," Yugi commented watching as people pushed and shoved each other out of the way to make it to the registers. At some point some security guards showed up forcing some buyers to wait outside until others left to make room in the store.

"Same for when Capsule monsters was released but that could be because both those games were sold in multiple stores." Yami said recalling the days when he first released his game. It had been a big hit but it was sold all over so no one had to travel far to get it and no store was ever this crowded. "I'm sure after today Duke already has plans to sell booster packs all around."

Yugi looked up confused, "Booster packs? So it's not just one game."

"I don't know all that much but I do know Duke talked about booster packs that can add on to the game kind of like Duel Monsters. I don't know if he went through with them or not I'm just guessing."

"Then you guess right…."

Yugi and Yami both jumped at the new voice and turned to see Duke standing behind them grinning, "Glad to see you two came. Where are the others?"

Yami pointed behind him at the mess, "In the crowd somewhere, this is really insane."

Duke nodded agreeing with him, "Probably should have hired more security then we did. I think all of Domino might be here." He looked to the two standing in front of him, "Well you don't have to worry about fighting the crowd. I got your gift upstairs," He said to Yugi before he looked to Yami and smirked, "However if you want your copy you'll have to go to the register."

Yami rolled his eyes at his friend and said, "Yeah I think I'll wait until this mess is over."

"Ah suit yourself it will still be there when you're ready to get it." Duke said as he turned to leave. "I got some things to do but wait around a bit and I'll bring Yugi's gift down. I'm sure he wouldn't mind one early present."

Yugi nodded excited to get his hands on a new game, "We'll catch up with you later."

Once Duke was out of sight the two went back to looking through the crowd to see if they could spot their friends. At some point the spot they were standing in started to get crowded with more people so they moved farther in the store to get out of the way. As they were walking back Yugi ran into someone nearing falling backwards on his butt but Yami was there to catch him.

"Oh sorry…" Yugi went to apologize and then develop a look of shock when he saw the person was dressed as some clown. He was a little creeped out by it.

The clown waved it off not saying a word and then moved on. Yami thought that was completely strange but at the same time felt like he should know that person. "Guess he's here for the kids."

"Still creepy…." Yugi said with a shiver as he linked one of his hands with Yami to keep them together. It felt like the horde was never ending.

They weren't standing long where they were when not a few minutes' later two security guards walked up on either side of them. "Excuse me sir…?" One of them said addressing Yugi and placing a hand on his shoulder, "Will you come with us to the office..?" His tone of voice life no room for argument meaning he wasn't really asking.

"Huh? Why?" Yugi questioned right back before he felt two hands come up under his arms and pick him up as if he was a child. "W-What… H-hey put me down!"

"W-what the hell…!" Yami shouted at the same time as his arms were pulled behind his back. His hold he had on Yugi was broken with ease as the security guard none too kindly restrain him. The two weren't being very quiet about being dragged away farther into the game store but their cries were unheard over the noise.

"What?! You think I was shoplifting?" Yugi shouted as he was forced into a chair by the security guard who carried him in there. Another one had been waiting in the room which judging by the monitors it was the security room for the store. The one who had been waiting for them explained to Yugi why he was bought in there. And once Yugi heard why he was completely shocked.

"Yes… Just to be sure, we want to search you." The guard informed him as he nodded to his partner.

The one behind Yugi forced the young adult out of his white vest that he had put over his black shirt that day. It was the only thing with pockets big enough to hide anything, not that Yugi would ever stoop to something so low and that's what he told them. "No way! I'd never steal that's impossible." He really wished Yami was here with him. What made things even more scary is that he had no clue where they took his boyfriend either.

The guard in front of them came up to Yugi and easily pulled the millennium puzzle from around his neck much to Yugi's protest. "We'll hold on to this pendant for now."

"Hey give it back that's important to me!" Yugi shouted. They had no right to take his puzzle even if they were accusing him of being a thief. The puzzle was rightfully his!

The guard just laughed and said, "You can have it back when you're proven innocent."

"Hey I found something," The one behind Yugi spoke up pulling to Yugi's shock and dismay D.D.M packs from Yugi's vest pocket.

'That can't be!' Yugi thought having no idea at all how those got in there and why in the world he didn't even notice they were there. If anything he should have felt if someone put them in his pocket and there was no way in hell Yami would do that to him.

"This is a serious problem sir…" Yugi's eyes turned to the doorway as a new figure stepped in and his eyes widen when he saw it was the clown from before. The guard who spoke handed the puzzle over to the clown as if it belonged to him.

"It appears that under that innocent mask is the face of a thief." The clown spoke holding the puzzle tightly in his grip.

"I didn't steal anything!" Yugi shouted in anger hating that no one believed him and if a guard wasn't holding him down to his seat he probably would go over there to try and take his puzzle back. He wasn't one for violence but that puzzle belonged to him and no one else. It was very special to him. "Give me back my puzzle!" It was the only thing he cared about at the moment.

"Little boys who won't say 'sorry' need a physical lesson. Take him away!" The clown ordered and the guard followed those orders as they dragged Yugi out of the room all while he was shouting for them to let him go.

"Darn it what the hell is going on!" Yami shouted in anger as he tried pulling on the handcuffs again. After being dragged off and separate from Yugi, the guard took him to this room which was empty except for a table and chair. It was the strangest room he had ever seen and made him wonder what the hell Duke was doing with a room like this.

Thinking of his friend, he swore that if this was some prank he was going to kill Duke for putting him through this. The getting dragged somewhere was not so bad, but having one of his hands handcuffed to the chair he was sitting on was going over the top. And to make things even more worst was that the chair was super glued to the floor or something because Yami couldn't even drag it to the door to try and escape. Although he was probably sure they locked the door if he somehow managed to break free.

Yami pulled some more to see if the handcuff was maybe cheaply made and would break, but about the only thing he was doing was killing his hand trying to pull free. After giving it one final tug, Yami dropped his head on the table with a sigh. If nothing else he was worried about his partner more than himself. Yugi had looked so scared being dragged off like that.

"And the day started out so well…" Yami stated to himself.

"And it's only going to get better," Someone else said causing Yami to shoot up and watch as the clown he had seen before walk into the room. He hadn't even heard the door open, but he did not fail to notice what was in his hands and that gave Yami a new reason to fight.

"What have you done to Yugi? Why do you have his millennium puzzle?" Yami shouted struggling to pull his hand free. "I swear if you hurt him in any way you won't be leaving this room alive."

The clown just chuckled as he held the puzzle up by its chain, "For now that little boy is fine. As for the puzzle it's found itself a new owner that is more deserving."

Before Yami could even question about the non-sense this clown was spouting someone new entered the room. This was thankfully a friendly face in the form of Duke who as soon as he walked into the room took it the situation with a look of confusion.

"Uh dad, what the hell is going on?" Duke asked wondering why he was called down there and why in the world Yami was handcuffed to a chair. He had been busy on the floor and also searching for Yugi to give him his gift. A security guard then approached him at that point and said his dad needed him for some urgent business. "What's so urgent that it couldn't wait?"

"It's time to get our revenge!" Mr. Devlin informed his son and although they couldn't see it under the mask, Yami was sure he was smirking. "Now is finally the time for us to take back what should have been rightfully ours."

Yami looked between the two slowly processing the clown's words and recalling Duke calling him dad, "Wait a minute this is your father?" He asked pulling attention back to him. He had never meet Duke's dad personally seeing as Yami never really came over to his house. They mostly went other places or to Yami's house. He remember Duke saying there was some kind of accident and his father was ashamed to be seen in public so he let it go since it seemed too painful for Duke to talk about.

"Yeah, sorry about this man," Duke nodded with a sigh before he turned to his father and said, "Father I told you I didn't want to get revenge. Yugi is my friend and besides that's not even Yugi. That's Yami his boyfriend and my best friend."

"Of course I know that's not Yugi, Yami here is just a pawn in this game to make sure all the players act as I want them to," Mr. Devlin chuckled evilly as he finally allowed his son to see the puzzle in his hands, "Yugi has already been collected and is waiting for the game to start."

"Game? What game are you talking about?" Duke was seriously starting to worry his father had gone off the deep end. It might have not been such a good idea to invite his friends to the release. "Dad what have you done with Yugi?"

"Nothing serious, but I'm not sure how he will be after the crushing blow you give him after you defeat him."

Yami growled as he slammed his still free hand on the table. "Enough of this non-sense! Give me back Yugi and the puzzle!"

Mr. Devlin waved him off, "You'll get Yugi back, but only after Duke defeats him and wins the puzzle."

Duke turned to Yami already apologizing, "Listen I'm seriously sorry about this. Believe me I had no idea that he planned this," He went help his friend out, but his father stopped him.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you," He announced pulling a small square object from his pocket with a red button in the middle for them to see, "One more step and Yami here is going to get the shock of his life. I planted a small device under his seat which will give off a rather large electric charge when this button is pressed. I highly doubt you wish to see your little friend die here today do you son." That last part wasn't really a question when they all knew Duke did not want to see any of his friends die.

Yami froze quickly stopping his struggles not knowing if the man was buffing or not. There was no way in hell he wanted to even know if there really was such a device under his chair. Things just went from bad to worst in a matter of seconds.

Mr. Devlin faced his son as he stated very clearly. "You will play the game you created against Yugi and you will win like I know you will. That is unless you wish to be the cause of Yami's rather painful death."

Duke stood there tore multiple ways trying to figure out the best way to solve this without anyone getting hurt. He had no idea his father had been planning all this behind his back and if he had he would have stopped him. There was no way to tell if his father was telling the truth or not and Duke honestly could not tell from the button in his father's hand if he was real or not. And he wasn't even going to try going toward Yami again encase it was true. God he would never be able to live it down if Yami died. Then there was the problem of having to face Yugi which he only wanted to do if it was over a friendly game on their own terms. His game had only come out and Yugi did not even know the rules. How in the hell did his father mean for them to play when only one of them….

"That's why it will be easy because Yugi doesn't know the rules." Duke said out loud more to himself. It should have been obvious why his father acted like he did not mind his friends coming over for the release of his new game that no one knew about or how the game worked. "You want Yugi and me to play D.D.M."

"But of course glad to see you are catching on so easily."

"But father I don't care about the millennium puzzle or getting any kind of revenge. Your fight is with Solomon, why can't you just leave me out of it!"

"Because you are better than both of them! Yugi is nothing compared to you!"

Yami watched father and son have at it arguing over what was right and what wasn't. He never fully understood what happened between Duke's father and Solomon, but it appeared Mr. Devlin believe his son and Yugi should finish what ever happened in the past. It wasn't right and he hated seeing Duke so torn. As far as he could see there was only one way to end this…

"He would still beat him," He spoke up loud enough to get both of their attention. Yami smirked as he looked at Duke, "Sorry man but whether Yugi knows the rules or not. He is and will forever be the King of Games." He looked to Mr. Devlin, "Yugi will defeat your son and prove to you that he is the true owner of the millennium puzzle."

"Yami…"

Yami shook his head cutting Duke off from saying anything, "We both know that the only way to end this is for you and Yugi to play the game." He tried to give his friend the best smile he could despite the situation. "I know both you and Yugi will give it your all."

Duke almost could not believe what he was hearing come out of Yami's mouth. He was slightly hurt to know that Yami believed Yugi would win, but then again his last words told a different story. Yami would always put Yugi first before anyone else but in his own way he was wishing Duke luck because they were friends. This was not the way he wanted to introduce the game to his friends, but what better way for him to truly test it out then playing against the King of Games.

"But remember Duke if you hurt Yugi in any other way besides defeating him in the game, I'll have your head." Yami promised. He wanted Duke to play the game on his own terms and not because of his father. Duke had never been interested in the millennium puzzle, but it would be interesting to see the two playing a game of Duke's own invention.

Duke hopefully seemed to be getting Yami's hidden messages as he turned to his father and said, "Fine Yugi and I will play the game. However rather I win or lose the puzzle will still belong to Yugi."

Mr. Devlin held up the remote reminding his son about his threat from earlier, "We will see about that."

Now knowing all that was going on, Duke knew where his father would have put Yugi in order for them to play the game. So without another word he turn and left the room hoping that after all this, his friends would forgive him for his father's mistakes.

Sakura: Well there you have it… I spent some long hours trying to figure out the best way to go about this and I hope it turned out okay. I was going to add a little bit more but decided to hold off anything else until next chapter. The start of Duke and Yugi's D.D.M. battle starts next chapter! Not sure yet how many chapters it will be but I promise it won't drag on forever.

Yumi: Review!