On the front page of the "Wildcat Tribune-Post" were the words: "SCHOOL DUEL! Laura Devlin VS Delilah Rhodes!" The front page also had a story entitled "Is It Over?" and a picture of Laura slapping Kazuki in the face. Kazuki, Koji, and Hsu were walking down the corridor to the cafeteria, met by several students saying things to Kazuki.
"Who's it going to be, Kaz?" asked one student.
"Laura or Delilah?" asked another.
"Sorry, guys, but my friend has no comment at this time," Koji kept saying.
"KAZUKI MUTO!" roared Laura, stopping the three of them dead in their tracks.
"Oh, great," said Kazuki.
"Don't think I didn't see that freak Delilah Rhodes kissing you all over your face!" Laura screamed. "I have had it with your playing around!"
"No—Laura—you don't understand!" Kazuki said, but this was obviously the wrong thing to say, because the next thing he knew, Laura had shoved him up against the wall. Just then, Tristan bustled on to the scene.
"Laura Devlin!" he called.
At once, Laura turned and saw him, but she did not release her grip on Kazuki's shirt.
"Let him go at once," said Tristan, and she obeyed. "I would never have believed this of you, Miss Devlin," he said. "I would never have believed you would stoop so low as to attempt to manhandle one of my best students in my World Geography class. I am sure you are a model student as well, and I am going to regret having to do this to you, possibly for the rest of my life. I am going to have to do the unthinkable. I am going to have to assign you a detention."
"What?!" said Laura. "How can you do this to me?"
"I did mention it would be a difficult decision, Miss Devlin," said Tristan. "I am very, very disappointed in you. I clearly expected better of you in a situation such as this. Now, regulations clearly state that once a detention has been assigned, it shall be served on the same day after school, except when said detention conflicts with a Thursday Afternoon Duel, in which case said detention shall be served the following Friday after school. I am deeply ashamed of you, Miss Devlin, and I am sorry to have to do this, but such is my duty as a teacher." Then he said to everyone else gathered at the scene, "Move along, people, there's nothing to see here."
So Kazuki, Koji, and Hsu sat down at their table in the cafeteria.
"You know what I think?" asked Koji.
"What?" said Kazuki loudly.
"I think you and Laura are through," said Koji. "She seems to think you're happy with Delilah."
"But I'm not!" insisted Kazuki. "It's Laura I like!"
"Didn't you hear me, Kaz?" asked Koji. "Laura's through with you! If you're smart, you'll start going out with Delilah!"
"I told you, I don't want Delilah!" said Kazuki hotly.
"Kaz," said Hsu. "Listen to my brother. Laura doesn't want you anymore."
Kazuki scowled.
That afternoon, the Kaibadome was not quite as full as it was during the duel between Kazuki and Mikey, but it still boasted a respectable attendance figure, as a select group of Domino City denizens joined a throng of DCHS students and teachers. And in the television booth were our humble announcers, Mike Adamle and Duke Devlin.
"Good afternoon from Domino City," said Mike Adamle. "I'm Mike Adamle with my partner Duke Devlin reporting for 4Kids TV. Welcome to today's duel between Laura Devlin and Delilah Rhodes, a duel that was apparently set when Delilah said things to Kazuki Muto that made Laura jealous, and she had apparently decided that the only way to solve the problem was a duel."
"I'm not entirely sure that was the wisest decision on my niece's part, Mike," said Duke Devlin. "From what I learned from my colleague and friend Yugi Muto, I know that a duel for love insults the Heart of the Cards."
"Heart of the Cards or no Heart of the Cards," said Mike, "yours truly is in for a duel with high anticipation and electricity. And Duke, I know that electricity of this magnitude almost makes you want to join in."
"Let me tell you, Mike," Duke replied. "The electricity in Domino City is through the roof! We have the classic offense vs. defense showdown in today's duel between two very fine female duelists."
"First, let's take a look at Delilah Rhodes' offense," said Mike. "Delilah commands a hard-hitting offense, using female monsters at will. Expect to see an appearance by the Dark Magician Girl. With cards as powerful as that, Delilah's offense will be tough to shut down."
"Yeah," agreed Duke, "but if anyone is up to the task, it'll be my niece Laura and her devastating, unforgiving defense. If she plays the right cards at the right time, not only will she be able to defend her own Life Points, but she has the potential to deplete her opponent's Life Points as well. Keep a sharp eye out for Harpie's Pet Dragon. As long as she has that card on her side of the field, Laura's defense will be a force to be reckoned with."
"The duelists have just finished constructing their Decks, and we're set to duel," intoned Mike. "Let's go down to the duel floor, where Larry Csonka is standing by. 'Zonk'?"
"Thank you, Mike," said Larry Csonka on the duel floor. "I'm with Kazuki Muto, the apparent 'prize' in this duel. I understand you're feeling upset about the fact that these two fine female duelists are attempting to use you as a prize in their duel."
"It's crazy!" said Kazuki. "How they can dare put me on the line on a single game! It's absolute, pure insanity! I'm so upset I could do something I might regret later in life—I'm so upset I might destroy this Kaibadome!"
"Easy there, tiger," said Larry. "I understand that you're upset, but let's not get carried away here. I also understand, Yugi, that you're also upset about the fact that a duel like this insults the 'Heart of the Cards.' Tell me more about that."
"Well, I don't mind that Laura and Delilah are in competition over my son," said Yugi, "but I wish that they didn't have to stoop so low as to create a duel about it. And you're quite right that I'm upset, and this duel is a total insult to the Heart of the Cards. Now, I know that there's nothing I can do to stop it, but I wish they didn't have to go through with it."
"Thank you, Yugi and Kazuki, for that insightful interview," said Larry. "Back to you, Mike."
"Thanks, 'Zonk,'" said Mike Adamle. "And we're set to get underway here at the Kaibadome. Let's send it to our duel floor announcer."
"Ladies and gentlemen," said the duel floor announcer, "this Domino City High School Thursday Afternoon Duel is set for 4000 Life Points. Introducing first, from the freshman class, Delilah Rhodes!"
And onto the duel floor stepped Delilah to applause from some of the Kaibadome crowd, whom she greeted by blowing a kiss, which made some boys go wild over her.
"Ooh, boy, look at her!" said one.
"Yeah, if she wasn't chasing Kazuki, I'd definitely be going after her!" said another.
"And her opponent," continued the duel floor announcer, "from the junior class, she is the head cheerleader at Domino City High School, Laura Devlin!"
Laura stepped onto the duel floor to more applause from the crowd. She raised her hand in acknowledgement and greeting.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, our referee," said the duel floor announcer, "he is the World Geography teacher at Domino City High School, Tristan Taylor."
More applause rang out as Tristan took the center of the duel floor.
"Duelists, to me," he said.
Laura and Delilah approached him.
"Now, remember this well: First duelist to zero Life Points is out," said Tristan. "I want a nice clean duel. No illegal cards and no illegal plays of cards. Understood?"
"Of course," said Laura.
"Agreed," Delilah said.
"All right," said Tristan. "Good luck, ladies."
"Kazuki is mine, girl," said Delilah.
"We'll see about that," said Laura.
"Indeed we will," Delilah said.
"Duelists to your positions!" Tristan called.
Laura took one side of the duel floor; Delilah likewise claimed the other.
"The start of the duel will not be far off now," said Mike Adamle.
"Ooh, I'm shaking in my blue jeans with excitement, Mike," said Duke Devlin.
"Good luck, Laura!" yelled Kazuki from the seats, but Laura either did not hear him or was pretending not to hear him, for she did not so much as acknowledge his presence.
"You don't even like him anymore, do you?" taunted Delilah. "That'll make it so much easier for me to take him for myself after this duel is over."
But Laura continued to ignore it.
"Duelists, turn and step up to your lines," Tristan commanded.
Laura and Delilah obeyed, facing one another down.
"Activate Duel Discs."
They pushed the "on/off" buttons on their Duel Discs, which came online immediately.
"Load decks."
Two decks of forty cards each were loaded into the Discs.
"Ready."
They drew five cards each.
"Set…"
"LET'S DUEL!" they both yelled.
The crowd roared as the stadium computer came online, showing "LAURA: 4000 LP, DELILAH: 4000 LP."