A/N: Heads up, to make this part flow better, I did a little bit of a re-cap thing like you get in the show sometimes. I basically copied the end of the last chapter and mixed in some new stuff to freshen it. Nothing long or major, but I realized my cut off point last chapter, while dramatic, made starting this chapter a little rough without doing the recap.

Episode 13: Fortune Cup, Start!

"EVERYBODY LISTEN! We are live at the grand stage! The most elite duelists from alllll over the land have gathered in this one stadium, selected to compete in one single event for a chance at ultimate glory in the game! It's the Fortune Cup and I am honored to be your commentator for the proceedings. Now! Let's meet our competitors!"

When the announcement came, a crack of light appeared above us as the platform was raised and displayed us to the crowd. There were two groupings of six each. I shared my group with Yusei, Leo (impersonating his sister Luna), a huge black man that would dwarf even the immense Tanner, an arrogant man in a suit, and a strangely calm and smug guy in a barret and strange robes. The group across from us featured and even stranger batch, including a marine, a knight in shining armor, a cop, a WWI era pilot, a guy in a concealing robe with red fuzzed shoulders, and a girl in Victorian-era garb with red hair... rose red actually.

I knew that face I was certain of it. I grabbed the side of my head in pain as she recognized me and gritted her teeth in anger. My head felt like it was trying to make room for something that shouldn't be there, and at the same time trying to implode. Feelings came rushing back in cascades, and I knew there was no way I didn't know her. Nobody could make my chest tighten and my very soul ache like that if they weren't someone important to me. I could almost sense the pain concealed deep within her. Every fiber of my soul wanted to cry out to her and help her. My heart ached just looking at her.

Yusei put a hand on my shoulder, "Are you okay, Koyou?" he swept his eyes over the other group to see who might have sparked a memory. His eyes falling on the cop, "Wait a second..., you again?"

The cop grinned wide, "Hello again, scumbag! Looks like I get another shot at ya!"

My pain subsided and I shoved all the emotions aside, "Who is that?"

"Some securities officer who's been hounding me since that day Rally brought us that chip."

"What the heck is he doing here?"

"I don't know."

Leo leaned over, "Is something wrong guys?"

Before we could answer, the announcer pointed our attention to the various screens letting the audience see our names and faces better. I quickly filed away the information, despite how hard it wa to think of everyone but that girl. Apparently the large foreign man was named Bommer, the guy in the suit was Kodo Kinomiya, the strangely calm guy was Professor Frank, the marine was Lt. Adrian Trimmer, the knight Gill deLauncebeaux, the cop Tetsu Ushio, the robed man was known as Shira, and lastly (as if I hadn't figured it out from how I felt) the beautiful girl in Victorian garb was Aki Izayoi, the Black Rose Witch.

There was definitely something going on there was no way three possible Signers were all in the tournament, along with a forth at the end. Thinking about it then, things clicked into place. I'd talked a bit with the twins, and Luna didn't really duel that often. Why had she been invited to the tournament at all? Could she be a Signer? It seemed most likely that if four of five were in it, then the fifth would be too, and it explained why Luna had been brought in as well as why the prize was Jack Atlas. Who almost on cue with my thoughts came riding out on his runner, his dragon doing aerial tricks and kneeling before him as he came to a stop on the platform above us. His runner was a wheel, and little else, but the man was proud and tall. He, and his ace, looked powerful.

I leaned over and whispered to Yusei, "Do you know what buttons he pushed to make his dragon do that?"

Yusei shook his head.

Moments later, Bommer stepped up to reprimand the audience for their reaction to Yusei's photo having a criminal mark. I'd toned it out completely at first, and Yusei didn't care any more than I did, but the big guy wanted his boy-scout badge. "I ask you, as a duelist up here, what it is you all see?" he pointed to Yusei, "What I see is undoubtedly a duelist, selected under the same conditions as all of us. In Duel Monsters, if we have cards then we are all the same, marker or not. No one standing here today should be ashamed of anything!" He looked sternly to the crowd, his pointing finger sweeping across their numbers, "It is all of you, looking at this man through your trivial rose-colored glasses that are no short of vicious!"

Leo beamed as Bommer went back to his place, "So cool!"

A tall, gray-haired man stood and applauded, the sheep in the crowd joining soon after, "Thank you for your inspiring words and for reminding us of what this sport is all about. That is why I, Rex Goodwin, started this tournament to begin with: so that deserving duelists from anywhere, be it city or Satellite, could come and show their skill. Those standing before you were selected for that very reason. To duel! To grab their chance at glory!"

The crowd cheered and Goodwin returned to his seat. The announcer smiled wide and went into his MC mode, "Now with that I have the pleasure of announcing the first round matchups! Here we go, ladies and gentlemen! Hang on to your hats!"

Several match-up boxes appeared and the images of us cycled in each one. With alleged randomness the following matches were formed:

Koyou Kou vs Tetsu Ushio

Adrian Trimmer vs Gregory Baron

Luna vs Bommer

Gill deLauncebeaux vs Aki Izayoi

Yusei Fudo vs Shira

Professor Frank vs Kodo Kinomiya

Leo noted he was going against the 'cool guy' as Ushio gritted his teeth at not getting Yusei in his first duel. I, however was noting something interesting, which I brought to Yusei's attention, "Yusei, with these many pairs, someone's getting seeded. There's not enough people for the third round."

Yusei nodded, "Also, it seems you're up first."

I'd noticed that too. The crowd was roaring as the proceedings started. The platforms went back down and all the people not dueling walked off to kill time until their matches. Most probably went to the duelist lounge. I, of course, stayed and waited, going to a mark on the ground as instructed. The noise of the stage shifting was soon followed by our platforms rising, putting us at opposite sides of a duel field. It seemed we were opening with a standing duel, which (at this point) was a nice change of pace. Fortunately, I'd changed my deck back to a non-turbo configuration.

The duel system selected Ushio for the first turn. Not bothering with formalities, we activated our disks, "Duel!"

Koyou: 8000 vs Ushio: 8000

"I'm up!" Ushi drew, "I set one monster, then a face down card. Your turn, punk."

My starting hand wasn't that great, but I could work with it. Running over my intentions in my mind, I weighed the options on which battle position to summon in. It only took me a moment to decide on risking an attack counter, even if the monster I was calling was a valuable one it was better to risk failure than guarantee it, "I activate Polymerization. By sending the Future Samurai and Dawnbreak Gardna in my hand to the grave I fusion summon Superalloy Beast Raptinus in attack mode!"

A large dragon appeared that was a patchwork of many different dragons. The Frankstein-like creature boasted 2200 attack and defense. Somewhere in my mind I was certain that I'd learned it was far better to summon him in defense at first, to protect against the often played Mirror Force, but for now I didn't have the number of monsters I needed to spare it.

"I attack your set monster with Raptinus! Go, Patchwork Lighting!" the beast opened its maw and spat out a wild bolt of electricity that sundered the target, an armored canine.

Ushio grinned, "You destroyed my Assault Dog! If he's destroyed in battle I special summon another one to take his place." the officer brought a copy of the creature in defense mode. The numbers were kind of small, only 1200 attack and 800 defense. That effect to keep a monster on the field was handy though.

"I set this card face down and call it quits for now."

My foe pulled his next card, "Now, I tribute my Assault Dog to set a monster. Turn end."

I stared at the field. What in the world was he planning? He made no attempt at hiding the fact he was scheming something, and tributing to set something was rarely ever a good sign. As I drew, I decided to go with my gut. My gut said it was in defense because it could not fight my dragon, not high defense. If it had a flip effect, I had a reviving card set anyway. My draw was Evocator Chevalier, not the best draw I could have had... it relied on equips for its effect and I had none.

"Hurry up, kid. I ain't got all day."

I went into action, trusting my instincts. I was going to kill the set monster and land a good-sized direct attack, "I summon Evocator Chevalier. He'll attack your set monster."

I watched the man's reactions to my move carfefully, he didn't seem to like it, but he wasn't as broken up as he should be. In fact, he grinned as the attack landed, "You destroyed Handcuffs Dragon!" the serpentine creature sprang forward, resembling... well, a pair of handcuffs with a snake instead of a chain. It coiled around Chevalier, plummeting its attack, "When you take him out he equips to his attacker and drops its attack by 1800 points!"

"Tsk. I attack directly with Raptinus!"

"Gack!" He apparently had no choice but to take it. Whatever that card was, I made a note that it didn't stop attacks.

Koyou: 8000 vs Ushio: 5800

The announcer hollered, "Oooh! A massive direct strike connects, but young Koyou's defenses have been breached! Will a counterattack follow?"

Ushio grinned fiendishly, and I realized a big move was coming. I did have a little something prepared. A little something that was probably one of my best cards. "I set another face down and end. Your move."

The man drew, but summoned something already in his hand. "I summon Stygian Security!"

A little imp wearing a patrol light on his head appeared with, "Only 100 attack? Wait..."

My warrior's attack was at 100 thanks to his dragon, "Stygian Security attacks Evocator Chevalier!" both monsters were destroyed, "When Stygian Security is destroyed I special summon a level 1 fiend-type monster from my deck, for example: Stygian Security! Another copy of the same monster appeared along with Handcuffs Dragon. "When the monster Handcuffs Dragon arrested is taken down, he returns to my field. Now, a trap card: Urgent Tuning! These trap lets me synchro summon one time during the battle phase."

"Oh crud."

"Behold, this is the power of authority! Synchro summon! A surprise encounter, Goyou Guardian!" A large kabuki actor with a long, cord-like weapon appeared... with 2800 attack points, "Go! Goyo Lariat!"

Raptinus shattered, "Ugh."

Koyou: 7500 vs Ushio: 5800

I was taken by surprise when the monster reassembled in defense mode and was yanked to my opponent's field. My foe laughed, "When Goyo destroys one of your monsters, I take it into custody in defense mode. I end with this card face down. Come on, punk!"

Things seemed grim. My field was blank ad he'd stolen a 2200 attack and defense monster from me, a good one at that. After all it's effect granted every gemini monster on the fie-

Waaait a minute. I glanced to the stands where I'd seen my dad sitting earlier and he was grinning like a fool, explaining why to my other, non-competitor friends. I couldn't hear him, but I didn't need to. Seeing him reacting that way just confirmed what I had figured out. I turned back to Ushio, grinning as I drew.

"I activate the trap card Birthright! This card special summons a normal monster from the grave. Time for school. Gemini monsters are a special type of monster that count as a normal monster when first summoned or in the grave. So I revive Future Samurai in attack mode." A futuristic swordsman appeared, eying the opposition with razor-sharp focus.

Ushio scoffed, "It's so weak! 1600 isn't going to do anything to my monsters!"

I smiled wider, "I'm not attacking them. Lesson two: Gemini monsters gain an effect when summoned a second time. However, I'm normal summoning the Tuned Magician I drew instead."

"What's yer point?"

"Lesson three: Superalloy Beast Raptinus, the monster you stole, grants all gemini monsters their effects regardless of which side they are on."

"Huh?"

"I activate the effect of Future Samurai! Once per turn I can remove a monster in my grave from play to destroy a face up monster you control. I destroy Raptinus!" my samurai slashed like lightning, the slash sundering Raptinus in two like he was smoke. I removed Dawnbreak Gardna from the game.

Ushio went wide-eyed from shock, "Wait, it was the weaker one, and it helped you! Why-"

"Lesson four: I've got a Double Summon in my hand!" I played it, activating Future Samurai again, "Since Raptinus is gone he loses his effect, thus I can second summon him to use his effect a second time!" The samurai struck once more, splitting in twain the much stronger Goyo Guardian. To pay for it I removed the earlier slain Raptinus from play. It was somewhat fitting that it helped bring it's aggressor down.

"My Guardian!"

I heard a cry of "That's my boy!" from the crowd and I nearly laughed. "Now let's see if you set an attack blocker! Tuned Magician and Future Samurai attack directly!"

He hadn't, "Rahhhhh!"

Koyou: 7500, Ushio: 2400

The announcer was beside himself, "Astounding! One oversight was all that was needed to breach the defenses of his foe! Technique truly worthy of a Duel Academy elite and the Neo Domino Invitational Champion!"

Apparently someone had updated his file on me or aside, Ushio was smiling as he wiped his chin. It was like he was respecting a well-done punch to the face, "That was pretty good. You've got a pretty harsh virtual feel too. Too bad though."

"Huh?"

He laughed.

I didn't have another face down to lay down, so I'd have to rely on what I had. "I end my turn then, Some me what you got."

Ushio drew, but didn't bother looking at the card, he already had his move, "I cast he spell card Monster Reborn, special summoning Goyo Guardian back to my field in attack mode. I sieze your Future Samurai!"

The lariat came in fact and killed, then took my monster, "Gah!"

Koyou: 6300 vs Ushio: 2400

"I'm not so easily countered." I declared, extending my hand, I discard a card to activate Damage Condenser, special summoning a monster with attack equal to or less than the damage I just took in attack mode. I summon Gemini Soldier."

"Ha! Pipsqueak!" he promptly removed a Stygian Security from play, "I normal summon then activate Future Samurai, destroying Tuned Magician." My own effect was turned against me, "One face down ends my turn."

I drew, "I shift Gemini Soldier to defense, then summon Infinity Dark in attack mode. He'll take out Future Samurai. I end by equipping Supervise to Gemini Soldier."

"Pah!" Ushio drew, "I think I'll take your Infinity Dark!"

The lariat came down again, "Ugh!"

Koyou: 5000 vs Ushio: 2400

Ushio laughed, "What? You run out of gas kid? I end my turn."

I smiled. Not being used to gemini, he'd wasted a chance to normal summon when he wasn't using his one per turn for anything, "I drew and smiled. I was going to take a beating if he read that card's effect, but I'd had no other option. Leaving Future Samurai was worse than giving Infinity Dark, "I set a face down, turn end."

Ushio took the time to read the effect of his new card... then shifted it to attack mode and activated it. It was better than him summoning something else I guess. "Time to fce your own monstes again. I attack Gemini Soldier with Infinity Dark. As you know, Infinity Dark's effect switches Gemini Soldier to attack mode beforehand!"

"Gah!" I stomached the pain, "Once per turn, Gemini Soldier can't be destroyed in battle. Plus when he battles, I special summon a level four or lower gemini in defense. I summon Blazewing Butterfly in defense." Useful to me, useless to him. Go ahead and give me another smack you thug! Give me all I need to win!

Ushio chuckled, "Then I attack again with Goyo Guardian! It's mine now!"

I smiled as my Soldier shattered and I took massive damage.

Koyou: 1700 vs Trudge: 2400

"I activate Gemini Soldier, bringing the most useful single card in my entire deck to the field: Dark Valkyria!" I was learning over time why my dad loved that card so much, "The effect of Supervise entering the grave also activates, calling forth the monster I discarded to activate Damage Condenser: Rise up! PHOENIX GEARFRIED!" The white and red lord of geminis erupted from a pillar of fire with attack points equal to Goyo's. I laughed, overcome by the rush of the battle, I felt strangely intoxicated at the prospect of returing all the indignity Goyo had inflicted, "It's over. Make your last move!"

Trudge studied his field and his hand, then simply ended his turn. He didn't seem to scared of the 2800 attack going after Infinity's 1500.

I placed hand to deck, Come on! I want to punish him! I want to strike him down for having the nerve to steal my monsters from me! Give me the hammer with which to deliver my vengeance! My bosy tingled, not because I needed the draw to win, bu because I wanted to ensure I obliterated him. Was granted not brutality, but certainty. It matched the destructive impulses I was in the mood to indulge, "I activate: Heavy Storm! Destroying all spell and trap cards on the field!"

Ushio went wide-eyed. It seemed that other card he'd sent WAS an attack blocker. No Entry to be exact.

"Now I second summon Dark Valkyria, her effect adds a spell counter to her, and I can remove that counter to destroy a monster. For example Goyo Guardian!" It fell prey to my angel's dark javelin.

"No!"

"I attack Infinity Dark with Dark Valkyria!" my target was crushed, "Then I finish you with Phoenix Gearfried! FALLING CUTTER!"

The security officer stumbling back from the virtual impact and nearly feel off the field as his life counter hit zero. Instead, he simply fell to one knee, clutching his ribs, "Geez! That's some feel you've got! I... think you broke a rib."

I didn't feel that bad to be honest. The guy was a jerk to my closet friend so he could have every single one broken for all I cared. I just raised my hand in victory and glared at the man. I was moving on, and that was enough for me.

The announcer confirmed, "We have a winner! Technique overcomes the power of Goyo Guardian and it is Koyou Kou that proceeds to the second round! I'm sue we can look forward to even greater duels as the day and the tournament rolls on!"

Mei's Perspective

Walking from the stands and through the lobby to one of the lounge areas, I was lucky enough to be the first in line at the concession stand. Actually a line wasn't even forming, probably because it was only one of two stands on the same side and also because the second match of the day was coming up almost right after my brother's. Anybody who was getting refreshments had probably already gotten them. Well aside from that tired looking person resting her head on one of the tables.

I smiled at the clerk ("Steve") and placed an order, "Two medium Atlas Ascensions please."

Steve nodded, blushing at little for some reason, and was swift in retrieved two large drinks.

"Um, I ordered medium."

He smiled, "Oh its no problem, we're running a special. No extra charge."

Reading his expression, the pieces fell into place. He thought I was attractive and was hitting on me. I was about to give him an earful, but then I remembered I was trying to go back to my nicer self, "Thanks, Steve. Here you go." I'd been to the stadium enough and ordered the drink enough to know the rice without asking.

"Say, aren't you Mei Kou, the girl that made it to the finals of the invitational?"

I smiled and nodded, "Yeah, I got pissed off at the guy and ended up losing. Were you watching?" I hoped not. That whole incident had been really embarassing.

He shurgged apologetically, "No, I had work that day. It must have been quite a match. I don't often hear blasts that big."

I chuckled, "Yeah, that hit me in the face. Sting like hell."

"Well, you don't seem any worse for wear." he flirted.

"Thanks." I turned to go on my way.

Steve, however, worked up some nerve, "Hey, I get off at seven. Do you maybe want to go grab a bite to eat?"

I looked over my shoulder and smiled, "I've got a family thing today."

He kicked himself mentally, looking disappointed, "Oh, right. There's a Kou in the Cup. You probably want to celebrate with him. Some other time then."

I smiled again and went on my way, setting one of of the two drinks in front of the tired woman, "Here, have some." took on a mocking commercial voice, "Atlas Ascension, for the energy to reach to top!"

She looked at me, somewhat startled and I was immediately startled at her appearance. She was gorgeous. Long black hair, intense eyes, slender but shapely features, and immaculate skin. Whoever she was, she must have been a model. She forced a well practiced smile and went into a clearly professional 'pretty mode', "Oh, that's nice of you, but you really didn't have to."

"Take it," I said, sitting down hard in front of her. I felt immediately self-conscious about my manly way of sitting down, but cast that aside, "You look really tired. Busy day?"

"Yes...," she hesitated, studying my face for a moment. That look on her face as she did so was very familiar. I actually saw it every day when my father looked at anyone. She was reading minute details aobut my face to figure me out, a gift few people actually had. She seemed to see she could trust me and opened up, "My manager's sick, she had to miss today and it has been quite hard working without her."

"Oh, I thought you looked familiar. You're a celebrity?" I tried to place her, "Sorry, I know I recognize you, but I don't know from what."

She smiled politely, "That's refreshing actually. Sometimes being immediately recognized is tiring."

"I can imagine. I stand out a bit at my school. It's not the same, but probably similar." I decided to introduce myself, offering a handshake, "I'm Mei Kou, nice to meet you."

She blushed, embarrassed, "Oh dear, I forgot to give my name. I'm so used to people knowing it I forgot. I'm sorry. My name is Misty Lola."

I snapped my fingers, recognizing the name and putting it with the face, "That right. You're the one in that weird perfume ad on the billboards around town." (A/N: Seriously, if you've played Tag Force 4 you know what I'm referencing.)

She put on that professional smile, "Yes, it was a bit artsy. The director, Mr. Khang, used to be an effects coordinator for John Woo movies when he was younger."

"You mean those great action flicks infamous for random doves?"

"Yes." She laughed slightly.

"Explains things."

"Indeed." our attention was pulled to the announcement that the next match was starting. Luna vs Bommer, Misty looked to me as I didn't move, "Don't you want to watch?"

I shrugged, "I don't know either of them, so I'd rather stay and make friends. I have so few these days."

"Oh?" she seemed concerned.

"Long story and I don't need sympathy. I'm turning things around one step at a time and that's what matters."

"That's wonderful." she seemed comfortable talking with me, but was still distant. Maybe it was exhaustion.

"I'm actually here with my family, my brother is in the Cup." I noticed the shift in her expression immediately when I mentioned my brother, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize you'd..."

She shook her head, waving off my concern with a hollow smile, "It's all right. It didn't bother me. Really."

I looked at her firmly, "You're lying. I can tell."

She hesitated, studying my face again, then frowned, "You're right. Hearing about happy families makes me miss my brother a great deal. I lost him earlier this year."

I placed my hand on hers, "I'm really sorry to hear that. I really am. I know how you feel."

Misty seemed to doubt me, so I opened up.

"My family is still recovering from losing my brother. I'm lucky he turned up alive, but for three years we all believed he was dead. The pain tore me apart. So much I pretty much tore my family apart myself."

She looked at me with understanding.

"But again I guess I'm lucky. I can't really give you much consolation or advice. The only thing that got me out of the depression was him being alive."

Misty looked to her hands. She probably would have teared up, but I knew from experience she was already past crying, "That's not possible in my case, unfortunately."

It has been in mine as well, but I myself still needed that one explained to me, so I very well couldn't explain it to her, "I do know how you feel though."

She seemed sad for some other reason too, and she couldn't look me in the face directly again. I foud out why when hse decided to be honest, "This may sound strange, but I've always been able to read people fortunes by studying their faces..."

"Actually, that's not to shocking. We're pretty similar in many regards it seems."

"Yes, you read my face pretty well, and cut through to the heart of things rather well. It reminded me of my brother. I could never hide anything from him. We were like two sides of the same coin. I see the future in faces, he could see the past."

"Really?"

She nodded, looking me in the eyes, "I'm only telling you this because I can see you are such a nice person. It's the same reason it's painful to tell you."

"That... doesn't sound good."

"I see your face, and all I see in your immediate future is pain, betrayal, and loss. Beyond that is conflict and struggle, despair."

I could see by looking at her face and into her eyes that she wasn't lying to me or trying to be spiteful. She was telling me the complete truth. She saw even more disaster in my future. I didn't want to believe it. Losing everything again was an understandably terrifying prospect. If her power was indeed real, I had to do everything I could to stop it from being true.

"I'm sorry I can't tell you more. I wish it were a better reading. I really do..."

Overcome with emotion, I stood up sharply and hurried away. Even though I had no idea where I was going. I walked randomly down hallways and passed many people., without paying much attention. If I had noticed the red-haired man in a suit and his perpetual devil smile walking from the observation platform, I might have been able to stop him from hurting my family again. In hindsight, the many deaths Divine would suffer would never be enough punishment for every thing he was guilty of.

Next Chapter: A Cloud of Darkness

Set in stone events: Round one concludes and a plot twist (GASP!)