Duel Five: MaI's CoNdItIoNs

Disclaimer: YGO belongs to Kazuki Takahashi & some of the lines in this chapter belong to YGO "Duelist" volume 2.

"Yawn…attack Harpy Queens – Triangle Ecstasy Spark!" Mai ordered coolly, obviously bored out of her mind. The opposing duelist cried out in despair as his monsters were defeated, after he handed Mai his remaining star chips did the blonde woman leave the platform. I was waiting for her with our bags some distance away, the time she was gone I was observing her duel and scanning over my cards to kill the time.

"How do you know what to with them? It's all so confusing," I confessed as I shuffled through my forty-some cards. Mai picked up her sack while I stood up and did the same with my backpack. Staring down at me, her eye brows rose.

"I remember you telling me you had no idea how to duel…" Mai trailed off as she looked up in thought, "I guess I could try and educate you, but in the end what's the point? A kid like you doesn't have the ambition or drive to do anything great with them? Not to mention it takes a load of strategy,"

I frowned up at her, my orange eyes flashing slightly. She wasn't paying attention as her eyes wandered away, but I knew when I was being degraded when it was happening.

"I understand some of it, what I'm saying is that their attacks and what monsters they can – er – morph-"

"Polymerize," Mai corrected without so much as glancing in my direction, I huffed, at least she was listening to me.

"-with," I continued, "aren't listed on the cards. How the heck do you people know what you're doing?"

"Look kid,"

"I have a name y'know,"

"You're starting to annoy me," Mai claimed, completely ignoring what I had said, "either pipe down a little or wander off on your own."

"I'll just follow you," was my reply, Mai frowned.

"Not if I threaten you," she replied, I cocked my head innocently.

"You're an adult, you could go to jail." I retorted smartly, Mai nearly slapped herself out of aggravation.

"Just be quiet," she snarled as she began walking away, obeying her demand (for now) I followed. The sun was setting for the day and I hadn't seen hide nor hair of Ran or Minoru, but it seemed Mai's run-in with their group had left her confused. Since last night, I could hear her talking to herself or looking off in the distance as if in deep thought – when she didn't appear bored that is.

Taking a seat on a grassy, slightly inclined hill, Mai rambled on about how she lost to someone like him. I could only assume she was speaking of Yugi Mutou. It's not like I can blame her, the kid is my height and has a heart made out of marshmallows, in truth I couldn't see her losing to him either.

"What's something you can show, but not see?" Mai suddenly asked no one in particular.

"Um…a bald guy wearing a toupee?"

"A skinny girl with a D-cup? No…that's not it…"

Although I couldn't fathom most of her ramblings, I decided not to add any of my suggestions. This was her issue to resolve anyway.

"I finally found you!" someone cried, Mai and I looked to our left to see another duelist. "Mai Valentine!"

I narrowed my eyes on him – he looked SO familiar! Oh, right…

"Hey, you're that guy who lost to that other guy with the bug cards!" I cried, Mai laughed and the duelist fumed.

"Hey! It's Rex Raptor! The world's greatest duelist so watch your tongue!" I frowned.

"How are you the world's greatest duelist if you lost to that Weevil Underlog or whatever?" I questioned, Mai's laughter subsided as Rex decided to ignore me (to the best of his ability) and glare at the older blonde.

"I wanted to thank you for making a fool out of me on the ship!" he growled, Mai began rubbing her temples in exasperation.

Another irritation…#$%...

"Play me one more time right here!" Rex demanded.

"Shut up!" Mai suddenly shouted, it actually startled me. Her vibrant purple eyes glowered at the dinosaur duelist. "I'm not interested in fighting somebody I've already beaten once! Get lost! Shoo!"

"Grrr…" Rex growled, "What'd you say?! Why you…making fun of me again eh…?"

"Listen! In case you forgot, I was the runner-up in the last tournament, out of everyone in Japan! I even have five star chips already! I'm going to win this time!" Rex finished, Mai turned away to run a hand through her hair out of frustration, leaving me to throw a dart at the duelist's head.

"So what? Mai's got eight," I stuck my tongue out at him, Rex took a step back, his face contorted into an expression crossed with irritation and surprise.

"What – eight?" On cue, Mai gave him a look at her almost-full gauntlet, Rex's jaw fell in shock.

"You get it? Two more star chips and I'll be in Pegasus's castle! But don't be afraid…I've already decided who I'm going to get my last two star chips from! And believe me, he's not a loser like you!" Mai snapped.

"Who is it? Yugi?" asked Rex, I looked to her as well, wanting to know the answer almost as much as he does. Mai stared off into the approaching sunset.

"But before I do that…there's another guy I have to take down…" Mai said, I glanced at her.

So it wasn't Yugi she had lost to…then who…? Mai suddenly looked over at Rex.

"All right Rex, I'll duel you!"

"You mean it?" Rex cried jubilantly, I frowned at Mai, the older blonde smirked.

"Under two conditions, you have to beat someone for me first plus you have to defeat Penny here, in a duel." Mai stated as one of her hands landed on my head. I peered up at her as if she had just confessed that she was my long-lost mother. Rex looked as if someone just stuck something foul-smelling under his nose.

"What? You want me to duel runty here-"

"You're not one to talk Dino Midget," I snapped.

"-why? She doesn't even have star chips let alone she doesn't even look old enough to even be here!"

"Tsk tsk, Rex, don't you want to duel me?" Mai teased, Rex and I both continued to gape at her.

"Um, yeah, of course I do-"

"Then duel Penny and one other person of my choosing and you're free to challenge me." Explained Mai, then she winked in his direction. "By the way, until you meet the requirements you're my slave – got it?"

"W-What?!" exclaimed Rex, I nearly rolled my eyes. What was he freaking out over? I'm the one that has to duel a Champion runner-up!

"Fine, I accept!" My face fell.

Of course he does…

"Will that Holographic Simulator be fine with you?" I was so depressed over Mai's proposal that I wasn't surprised when Rex questioned me. With my amateur-level deck I nodded then stood, Mai got up and walked with us over to the projector several meters away. Rex took blue and I took the red side, after watching Mai step onto it many times earlier today, I loaded onto the platform easily. I tried not to flinch when the machine shuddered then lifted me up.

I looked down at the grid I knew duelists were supposed to put their cards on to play them, but why were there so many spots? What the heck!?

I peered down at Mai who stood with her arms crossed, she waved up at me cheerfully.

"Good luck!" she cried, I nearly body-faulted.

"You're going to help me aren't you?" I didn't want to beg, but I must have sounded like it as Mai glanced over at Rex.

"Why bother myself? Just ask the World's Greatest Duelist," she said loudly so Rex could hear as she pointed over at him, I sighed when Rex grunted.

"What? You don't even know how to duel? What kind of game are you playing Valentine?" Rex snarled, Mai waved him off too.

"Just duel already, I have other duels to win and a castle to get into." Stated Mai, I looked down at the grid, more baffled than before. If this was what Mai wanted then so be it, that meant the quicker I lose the quicker we'll get into the castle, so I can talk with Pegasus.

But it'll really smart if I do lose – even if I'm no good at it, losing never appealed to me.

"Whatever, since you don't know how to duel, I'll go first to demonstrate – pay attention," Rex stated as he drew five cards, our life points automatically lit up to 2000 off the side of the panel. My right eye twitched.

"I summon Uraby!" I watched after he pulled five cards from the deck he placed beside the panel, I did the same on the opposite side. I also pulled out five cards as soon as a giant dinosaur was formed on the field. My eyes must have been bulging from their sockets because Mai was saying something to me, but I didn't hear her.

"Calm down Penny, it's just an image." She said, I gulped at the attack and defense points of the monster that measured up to 1500 and 800 respectively. I peered down at my deck.

"I'll go easy on you," said Rex, although I should have been grateful, his cocky attitude didn't make the situation any better. "So I'll leave my turn at this, go for it."

Glancing down at my cards, I mulled over my memories of my other cards sitting in my deck. Mai said this was all on strategy, but what if I didn't know my cards well enough to put one all together? Frustrated I glared down at the five cards sitting helplessly in my hands.

"I…er…" Ran said something about not having to reveal your cards outright at first, that I could put them face down if I wanted to.

"What?" Rex obviously took my incoherent mumblings as an attempt to ask a question, his arms were crossed and his posture claimed he was becoming rapidly impatient. Now irritated with him, I had to bite my tongue from back-talking.

"Um…to put a monster in defense mode I have to put it side-ways right?" I questioned, Rex nodded.

"Yeah, put the cards in between the lines, the ones criss-crossing," that didn't make complete sense to me, but common sense told me I would have to put the cards vertically down on the grid that was shaped like a card. I'm guessing they would have to cross over if I put them down in defense mode.

"Right, then I put down this monster card face-down in defense mode and put another card face-down behind it," guessing right, two large holographic images of face-down duel cards appeared on my side of the simulator. I sighed in relief, at least I managed how to put the cards down right.

"You shouldn't tell me what kind of cards you put down y'know," Rex scolded lightly, I went red out of embarrassment.

"Oh…okay," for the first time in my life since I started socializing with the rest of the world, I was becoming flustered.

"Are you done with your turn?" Rex asked, the impatience in his tone growing significantly.

"Yeah,"

"All right then, I summon another monster – Sword Arm of Dragon!" Without thinking further, Rex also ordered an attack on my face-down monster card.

The dinosaur lunged at it and with it's tail, it struck the card. I watched in fascination when my card revealed it's hidden monster – the Mystical Elf and since the defense points were higher than the Sword Arm of Dragon, my jaw dropped when the dinosaur was destroyed instead. The card shattered to pieces and Rex's life points went down accordingly.

I couldn't help, but laugh outright – not from arrogance, but just that something like that happened. I was almost doubled over in laughter when I took a second glance at Rex's face, he looked so confused and bewildered an eight-year-old had place a monster with such high defense points face-down against him. Even Mai covered her mouth to laugh softly behind it.

When my laughter subsided I found myself wiping my eyes from the tears that leaked out. Rex snapped back into reality and for some reason or another, didn't seem as impatient as he did a moment ago.

"Hmph! Not bad, Runt," he said, although he wasn't very impressed he did let a small smile get through his tough façade. I looked at his life points that now read 1750. I grinned despite myself, sure I wasn't a genius at the game and despite my intelligent nature (most of the time) I figured I might not even win this duel. Yet playing it…it was fun, I have to admit. Especially since I have the chance to see my duel monster cards huge and up-close in 3D!

"I put one card face-down on my side and end my turn," Rex claimed a second later. More confidently than before, I drew a card from my deck and eyed the ones in my hands. I peered onto the field where the Uraby stood without movement on Rex's side.

"I also put a card face-down, your turn." I decided as another card showed up beside the other one. Rex raised an eyebrow and Mai brought a finger to her shiny lips, her purple eyes rather fixated on me. I briefly wondered what was going through her head at that moment.

"If you say so," Rex said as he drew another card, he grinned. "I play Two-headed King Rex!"

Another giant dinosaur emerged from the floor of the simulator, its scales were purple and their horned heads faced my direction. I felt incredibly safe behind my Mystical Elf, but Rex apparently had other plans.

"I'm not done yet, I play the magic card – Stop Defense!" Rex summoned another card, however, instead of summoning graphics, my elf simply went from defense mode to attack mode, my heart plummeted into my stomach.

"I think you know what's coming next – Two-headed King Rex! Attack the Mystical Elf!" I closed my eyes when a bright light emitted from the elf the dinosaur lunged at her fangs bared. A feminine cry escaped the blue elf's lips as my life points went down to 1200.

"Hang in there Penny – oh, no…" Mai trailed off, I looked down at her curiously.

"What is it?" I asked, Mai shook her head as her brows rose in worry.

"I'm starting to sound like Yugi's cheerleaders," she remarked, I sweat-dropped.

"Your turn," Rex said and I drew another card. My heart returned to it's original state when I saw the new card. I even giggled in excitement, Rex suddenly appeared rather abashed by my strange behavior and took it as a bad sign.

Calm down Rex, even if she did pull out some trump card she can't BEAT you with an amateur's deck… the dino duelist thought to himself as I placed the card down on the panel.

"I pass," I said, but when Rex nearly stared at me I frowned, "I'm allowed to do that right?"

"Yeah, but…okay," Rex drew another card and peered down at his hand, his eyes did not light up at they had when he drew the Rex card.

"I summon the Crawling Dragon #2," Rex was losing interest, he thought I had nothing else up my sleeve. "I'm done, go."

"I summon the Celtic Guardian!" I cried, the blonde elf appeared on the field wielding his sword.

"Cool, but it's attack points are too low," Rex snarled, I huffed.

"I know that dino midget, I may be in grade school but I can do my own math thank you very much!" I retorted, I put down another card. "I activated my own magic card! Change of Heart!"

A girl shrouded in shadows only on her right side appeared, a red Valentine heart hovered over her heavenward palms. Rex yelped.

"I choose to control your Two-headed King Rex!" the girl soared over the field and fused with the purple dinosaur. "Now destroy Uraby and Crawling Dragon #2!"

Swiftly, Rex's life points went down to 1550 as his weaker monsters were sent to the graveyard. I put my magic card into my own as well. Rex's eyes narrowed.

"Are you done yet?" he asked skeptically, I allowed a smirk to slip through my childish façade.

"Nope, I also play Rush Recklessly!" A blood-red boar appeared on the field and ran madly into the Celtic Guardian, my sole monster on the field. Once fused, the elf's attack points rose to 2100.

"Now! Attack the Two-headed King Rex!" cried Penny, by the time Rex's life points reached 1250 I bouncing about in an unfamiliar giddy euphoria. Even though the magic card was placed directly in the graveyard after my turn ended, I happily accepted the fact I might lose.

This was really fun to do!

"My turn – you won't last much longer kid!" Rex cried, obviously irritated the combination of my cards knocked his life points down so far. He probably believed he would never have had lost even a single one dueling against me.

"No, let me rephrase," Rex growled as he happily put down another card, his eyes lit up with fascination. My hopes went downhill when I realized the monster he summoned.

"You're finished here and now! Behold! The Red Eyes Black Dragon!" I gulped, I couldn't top that!

"Let's not forget the accessories," Rex continued as he put another magic card down – Dark Dragon Claws.

The dragon's power went up to 3100 points!

"Attack her puny elf warrior Red Eyes!" Rex commanded and right before me, I watched as my life points dropped down to zero. My first duel concluded that like that. As the simulator vanquished the holographic images of the monsters, I collected my cards back into a deck.

I didn't like the fact I had lost – who does? But it was fun, there was no other way to explain what I had felt. I had a whole new respect for the game, for the cards Ran convinced to me to get, and for the first time, I felt like I was a part of something. Something fun and wonderful that I could share with other people and not be ridiculed for it.

When Rex and I both reached the ground and joined back up with Mai, it was me that reached out for his hand.

"That was really fun, let's do it again sometime - when I get better of course!" Rex and Mai were both surprised by my show of sportsmanship, Rex reluctantly took my hand and shook it. Then his face softened and he let out a grin.

"Fine by me!" Mai sighed.

"All right, your next duel." I peered up at the older woman, what? No "good job?" I frowned then shrugged.

All well.

To ShadowsOfSignifigance: Aw, I don't want to spoil the plot. I don't really enjoy it when writers on don't do their research before they write, sure go ahead and write some cliche (if it's intentional that is.) Yet when people write out what they research (especially us ignorant American young people) they're not only educating themselves, but other people too. It's true honor is everything to Japanese people, but that also goes for the Chinese. As much as I love Disney, things simply don't happen out of miraculous tales of faith in love y'know? I love fluff as much as the next happy person, but reality can be harsh and everything has a dark side to it. I reread my first chapter and didn't see where I had described Penny's eyes as blue, they're very orange. ^^ I had thought of making them blue at first, but I think that color's a little too recessive matching up against an orange gene...but that might just be me. I'm trying to delve into a bit of science too while I'm writing this, I'm not just yanking things out of a hat...thank you for your review!