Back to Joey and the others. I will be going back and forth with Joey's and Hanaski's group due to the gang gaining closer to Atem and freeing him and Seto closer to dueling against Yako. I am going to have to replace alot of monsters Yami used against Yako with Seto's monsters or something. Hopefully, I'll succeed. Review please!
Joey had just exited through one of the rooms on floor BB. They had opened a few doors and still had at least 15 more to go, especially since some of the rooms led to other rooms. Joey was starting to believe that this was ridiculous and that they would never get to Atem before he becomes a new body for Pegasus. Though, Joey wasn't willing to give up for his friend.
Joey began walking down the hallway with Serenity pointing to which door their key card unlocked. He unlocked the door and opened it to reveal an office with a basement window and a guy with a vest-like trench coat, black pants, and a cap on his head sitting on the desk. He had light blond hair and green eyes.
"Well, bout time I started getting something!" The guy said as he jumped off the desk.
"Who are you supposed to be?" Tristan asked.
"The name's Mike Cino!" Mike replied with a smirk up his lips.
"Well, Mike Cino, time for us to duel!" Joey said, turning on his duel disk.
"Fine! I'm bored anyways and even being payed 100 bucks for this isn't worth the wait!" Mike said, then glanced at Serenity's direction. "How about we make this interesting? If I win, I get one kiss from blondie!"
"What?" Joey glared intensively.
"It's okay, Joey, he'll get what's coming to him," Serenity assured with a uncaring attitude.
"Sounds like you can't wait for my kiss," Mike smirked as Serenity snorted a chuckle.
"Or perhaps you're wanting some way to tell your friends that you kissed the Game King's squeeze," Serenity said as Mike shot a glare at her. "Though, if my brother wins the duel, I get one phone call."
"Very well, don't see why, but okay."
Joey gave his sister a look, who just smiled in response. He couldn't understand why his sister would want to make a phone call, if he won. Serenity had something planned up her sleeve. Though, it didn't matter. Right now, Joey wanted to duel this guy and teach him a thing or two about using his sister as a prize turkey.
Mike turned on his duel disk before him and Joey drew five cards. They played Rock-Paper-Scissors to decide who would go first. Mike was the winner. He made his first draw.
"I'll start by setting one card face-down!" Mike said, folding his card in the Spell and Trap Card Zone. "Then, I summon Praying Mantis to the field!" A huge bug with sharp fangs, knife-like arms, and razor sharp claws on its toes. "That ends my turn!"
"Then, I go!" Joey declared, drawing his next card. "I place one card face-down, then I summon Legendary Fisherman onto the field!" An older man with a huge spear in his hand, riding on a whale, appeared on the field. Joey remembered that this card once belonged to his old friend Mako. In fact, this card was Mako's soul card. "Legendary Fisherman attacks Praying Mantis!" Legendary Fisherman swam at Praying Mantis as Legendary Fisherman threw its spear at the bug monster.
"I reveal my trap, Force Recovery! This returns your monster to your hand!" Mike declared as Legendary Fisherman disappeared while Joey returned the card to his hand.
"Shhhhhoot!" Joey responded, trying to be careful with his language. He was still not used to controlling his mouth. He was wondering how Atem was able to do it.
"I'm one step closer to kissing you, sweet cheeks!" Mike said flirtatiously.
"You mean my ass?" Serenity asked as Mike shot the girl a glare.
"Nice combat, Serenity," Tristan complimented.
"Thanks."
"Whatever! My Mantis attacks you directly!" Mike declared as Praying Mantis flew out at and slashed its knife-like arm at Joey, leaving him with 2500 life points remaining. "I also activate my spell card from my hand called Labor Pain! Each time we summon a monster, we must pay 1000 life points!"
"Ohhhhhh shiiiiiiiiit!" Tristan responded with widened eyes.
"With that, I also play my field spell Mantis Egg! With this, I can special summon a Baby Mantis Token during each of my standby phases, which helps, so I don't have to waste my life points," Mike smirked as Joey kept his glare to cover the fact he was nervous. A Baby Mantis Token appeared on the field. "I'll set one card face-down and that ends my turn!"
Joey drew his next card, trying to figure out a strategy. So far, he didn't have many ideas. He declared, "I pay 1000 life points to summon Legendary Fisherman!" He now had 1500 life points remaining. He looked out on the field and eyed the face-down card. It was possible that could be Force Recovery. If that was the case, he couldn't take the risk of attacking. "I place Legendary Fisherman in defense mode, then set one card face-down! Turn end!"
"Afraid to attack?" Mike asked in a mocking tone before drawing his card. "Another Baby Mantis Token appears on the field!" A second Baby Mantis Token appeared on the field. "I pay 1000 life points to sacrifice my two Baby Mantis Tokens to summon out Dreadscythe Harvester!" Two Baby Mantis Tokens disappeared from the field and was replaced by a huge bug with four legs, a white exoskeleton, and a scythe in its hands appeared on the field with death written on its face.
"That is one big bug!" Tristan responded with widened eyes.
"Gross!" Uka said.
"If you think that's a killer, you should see Weevil's Insect Queen!"
"Deathscythe Harvester attacks your Legendary Fisherman!" Mike declared as Dreadscythe Harvester crawled on its legs to Legendary Fisherman, ready to attack it.
"I reveal my spell card Scapegoat!" Joey declared as four Scapegoat Tokens appeared on the field. Dreadscythe Harvester slashed its scythe across one of the Scapegoat Tokens, bursting it from the field.
"Sounds like you're stalling to me! I end my turn!"
"Good!" Joey glared as he drew his next card. "I set one card face-down and end my turn!"
"You're making a countdown to your death, but don't worry. Maybe blondie can dump the midget asshole and start hanging around with me."
"Knowing your record, I seriously doubt it," Serenity replied with folded arms. A smirk appeared on her lips. "Also, I see you regretting those words in two years from now." Mike showed a smirk, though what he didn't know was that Serenity could see the future. In her future, she saw Atem's growth spurt catching up about three to four inches, becoming taller than Joey, Ryan, Tristan, and even Seto. Atem hight would be catching up very soon.
Mike drew his next card, then declared, "I summon out a Baby Mantis Token onto the field!" A Baby Mantis Token appeared on the field. "I'll have both my monsters attack two of your Scapegoats!" Baby Mantis Token and Dreadscythe Harvester attacked and took out two of Joey's Scapegoats, leaving one left on the field. "It's time we put an end to your stalling huh? I end!"
"Then, I go!" Joey declared, drawing his next card. "I activate Cross Shift from my hand by exchanging a four star monster from my hand with another one on the field! I exchange my Scapegoat Token for Swordsman of Landstar!" The last Scapegoat Token disappeared from the field and was replaced with a little man with a mini sword and shield in its hand. "Now, I sacrifice two of my monsters by paying 1000 life points and bringing out Jinzo!" Swordsman of Landstar and Legendary Fisherman disappeared from the field and were replaced by a robotic psychic monster with a green suit and goggles. All of a sudden, Mike's face-down card burst from the field. "Oooooo, did I mention about Jinzo's ability for destroying trap cards? Yeah, that's gotta leave a mark."
"You son of a bitch!"
"Didn't see that coming, did ya?"
"Whatever, I use Dreadscythe's special ability by tributing one monster on the field and raising Dreadscythe's attack by the amount of attack points of the monster I tributed," Mike smirked as Baby Mantis Token disappeared and Dreadscythe Harvester's attack rose to 2800. "What cha gonna do now, big guy?"
"I end!" Joey declared as Mike chuckled as his opponent's misery.
"You poor fool!" Mike smirked cockily as he drew his next card. Another Baby Mantis Token appeared on the field. "Looks like it's the end for you! I hope you're watching this, hot stuff!"
"Oh believe me, I'm watching," Serenity smirked, knowing who the real winner of this duel was going to be.
"Good! It seems like you're wanting my kiss! I sacrifice Baby Mantis Token to raise Dreadscythe's attack!" Mike declared as Baby Mantis Token disappeared and Dreadscythe Harvester's attack rose to 3300. "Time to put Jinzo out of my misery!" Dreadscythe Harvester crawled up to Jinzo with its scythe and ready to chop the monster in half. "I win!"
"Not so fast, I activate Shield and Sword!" Joey declared as both monster's attack points and defense points switched. Dreadscythe Harvester slashed its scythe at Jinzo, bursting it from the field and leaving Joey with 400 points remaining.
"Buying more time huh? Why don't cha just give up already?"
"If I did, then I wouldn't be activating this!" Joey smirked as he revealed his other face-down card. "Time Machine brings back Jinzo!" A huge time machine that looked like something from a submarine. Smoke filled Joey's field as the metal door opened, revealing Jinzo with 2400 attack, since the trap card returns the monster with its original attack. "Jinzo attacks your bug!" Jinzo created a ball of energy in its hands and attacked Dreadscythe Harvester, bursting it from the field and leaving Mike with 2200 life points remaining.
"Nice going, Joey!" Tristan cheered before whistling for his friend.
"I summon Guard Mantis in defense mode!" Mike declared as a bug with shields on its arms appeared on the field in a defensive position. Of course, he had to pay 1000 life points, which brought it down to 1200. From the look on his face, it seemed that he ran out of ideas. "I end!"
"And you say I have a problem stalling? Dude, you're just as bad as the guy at the entrance!" Joey smirked, then drew his next card. "I activate Stop Defense from my hand!" Mike gasped and watched Guard Mantis change into an attack position. "Now Jinzo attacks Guard Mantis and that's game!" Jinzo shot another ball of energy at Guard Mantis, taking the rest of Mike's life points. "Close, but not cigar, I win!"
"You... YOU!"
"Anyways, your cell phone?" Serenity reminded Mike, bringing out her hand as the guy shot daggers at her.
"A deal's a deal!" Joey smirked.
"You'll have to snatch it through my cold dead-" Mike cried out before Serenity snatched his phone from his pocket without him noticing. "HEY!" He tried to grab his phone away from Serenity, but she kicked the desk and it stubbed on his foot. "F***!"
"Thanks!" Serenity responded before dialing a curtain number on the phone and leaning against the wall casually.
"Mikey, where are you? I've been trying to get a hold of you like an hour ago! Don't tell me you left your phone on silent again!" A female voice responded on the other line. Mike's eyes widened with sweat pouring down his neck.
"Can you tell your boyfriend that the next time he hits on me he will find his limbs cut off for every girlfriend he's got? Oh, and if you don't believe me, you can check his computer on the left side of his closet. His password is mc245. Go to pictures, he has naked pictures of all his girlfriends, including you. Don't ask how I know. Bye!" Serenity said before hanging up, then taking the battery out of the phone and placing it under her shirt. "You'll be needing a new battery!"
"You little bitch! How did you know?"
"I can see the future, big guy! Guess Yako never told you that, did he? I knew from the start you were nothing, but a player who lusts over women. FYI don't EVER mess with me!" Serenity said with a warning, then placing Mike's phone on the desk before snatching the key card from Mike's pocket, and then leaving the room with everyone else.
"Nice play, Serenity. I guess that piece of jewelry really has given you some bone," Tristan complimented.
"Some," Serenity said.
"Hm?"
"It's capabilities are limited. This bone that you're mentioning is coming from helping Atem at his work. Sometimes he needs me for curtain businesses. Sometimes I have to use my necklace to take care of house smashers that rob his place."
"Wait, WHAT?" Uka gasped unknowingly.
"Rob his place? You mean Atem has people trying to rob the game shop? But that's never been a problem before!" Joey said.
"It's because before Atem and his folks didn't have much money. Now that he's working for Mr. Kaiba, he's making tons of money that's used to help pay his family's bills, food, clothing, furniture, decorations, and what nots. Everyone notice this, since Atem usually drives by limo. Didn't you notice Atem arriving at school in limos instead of taking the bus? He picks me up for peets sake!"
"Well... I knew that, but I didn't think..."
"Of course you don't think, you're Joey Wheeler. You never think of these things!" Tristan teased as Joey shot daggers at his friend.
"I could've taken care of those guys if he asked," Joey said.
"Atem doesn't like anyone being involved in his fights and besides that, he has his guards there in case the fights get nasty. He only has my help to inform him who's robbing his place at what time. Sometimes I get manhandled and have to fight back. Though, usually Atem is the one who fights them. Says it's his house and he's like Kevin McCallister. It's his home and he has to defend it," Serenity explained.
"My word! Atem never told me we had problems with house robbers! No wonder he bought that security system!" Uka said.
"Atem didn't want you to worry," Serenity explained as Uka sighed heavily. "Sometimes not even that is enough. Some of these guys know how to outsmart a house alarm."
"But why fight them? He's only a child! It's bad enough he works like he's 30!"
"That's just how Atem works. If someone attacks his house, he fights for it. His grandpa's too old and you could easily be manhandled by them. Alot of the times, he feels like he has to be the man of the house."
"I know that feeling!" Joey said, a smile appearing on his lips.
"Same here. I have to babysit Jouji for my sister, since she lives at the house by herself with nobody to take care of her and working at a strip club," Tristan mentioned.
"But you boys shouldn't have to work like that, you're only children!" Uka said with glaring eyes. She sighed and looked down at the ground while covering her face. "I just want Atem to enjoy his childhood before losing it! He's lost it way too young and I wish I could've stopped it! I wish I could've let him enjoy being young and free!"
"Ms. Moto!" Joey said as the mother looked up at him. "You're like my mom. She also wishes I could still have stayed as a child longer, but I chose that route. Atem and I chose to join a gang that sold drugs and raped women, we chose to take advantage of who knows how many young girls, and we learned from our mistakes. It's part of growing up. Maybe it was too fast, but that was our fault. I shouldn't have chosen to stay with Dad and now I regret ever doing that. If I would've gone with Mom, Atem and I wouldn't have been raped and we probably wouldn't have joined that gang. Though, because of what we went through, we learned from our mistakes and when we have kids, we'll tell them our story and they can learn from us to stay away from those who will hurt you."
"I just hope Atem will live long enough to have kids and watch them grow up," Uka muttered as Serenity walked down the hall and slide the key card on a curtain door and opened it.
"Then, let's save Atem," Serenity said with a childish smile.