Disclaimer: see chapter one
Chapter 11: Being in good arms
"What!" Téa yelled, "Kaiba wants you to be his apprentice!"
Yusuke had told Joey, Mai, Téa, Yugi, Tristan and Grandpa about his conversation with Kaiba, that night during dinner, "That's right," he said
"I wonder why Kaiba would want an apprentice," Yugi said
"There's somethin' fishy about dis," Joey said in a suspicious tone, "Rich boy must be up to somethin'."
Mai elbowed Joey's ribs hard, 'Sometimes I wondered why even I married him,' she thought, while rolling her eyes, "Look, the bottom line is that there's a chance that Yusuke could be accepted to Duel Academy."
"Yeah, if he doesn't blow it, first," Kari said, glaring at Yusuke
Yusuke laughed nervously at his sister's comment, "Don't worry, sis, I promise that I won't blow it." He said
"Somehow I have a hard time believing it." Kari said in dreary tone
"Yeah, me too," Keiko said, "I'm amazed that it took Kaiba to get you convinced that skipping school could ruin your future, Yusuke."
"I wasn't convinced, Keiko," Yusuke said, "I still think that school sucks and shouldn't be invited in the first place."
"Now, you're normal kid, Yusuke," Joey said
"Even for a demon kin." Yugi added
Yusuke was freaked what Yugi had said, "Yugi!" he exclaimed glaring at the dueling king
"Relax, Yusuke," Yugi said, claiming his younger cousin down, "Everyone, but Kari and Keiko, knew about the pharaoh spirit living in my Millennium Puzzle."
"Yeah," Joey said, "When I was your age, everywhere that we go there's always some whacko wantin' to take over the world, with some magic and it always happens when Yugi duels, with Atem's help."
"Who's Atem?" Kari asked
"Atem was the spirit of the pharaoh of my Millennium Puzzle." Yugi said in a sad tone, "You see, he was the one, who helped me to get the courage to move on with my life with my friends."
"Plus he was our friend as well." Téa said
"You don't say," Yusuke yawned, "I'm goin' bed, good night, guys!" The black haired teen left the table.
"Good night, little buddy," Tristan said
Yusuke got out his green sleeping bag from his bag, after changing into his pajamas. Just as he was going to get inside it, he spotted his deck on the desk and a card was sticking out. Yusuke went to get his deck and pulled out the card, which was a monster card. He then sat on the ground. This monster card was a magician wearing a red robe and was holding a scepter, with a blade. The magician was a level 4, fire attribute monster with 1400 attack points and 1700 defense points, "Blast Magician……" Yusuke smiled, "This card sure brings back memories."
Flashback (Ten years earlier)
"Ryu Kokki, attack Mystic Swordsman LV4!" five-year-old Kari (KLP: 100) commanded
Five-year-old Yusuke cries at his lost and while Kari laughs at him for losing all the time. Five-year-old Keiko goes to Yusuke's aid, "Yusuke, here!" Keiko gets out her deck and pulls out a card and gives it to Yusuke, "It should give your monsters a helping hand."
Yusuke smiled and pecked Keiko's right cheek, making the little girl blush, "Thanks Keiko!" he said
Later…….
"I'll activate the spell card, Allied Forces to make my monsters go up by 400 since I got both my Mystic Swordsman LV4 and Ninja Grandmaster Sasuke on the field." Yusuke (YLP: 100)
Kari (KLP: 100) laughed, "My Ryu Kokki is still better than your monsters, Little Yusuke!"
Yusuke twitched anime style, "I'm NOT little!" he cried, "I'll summon Blast Magician in attack mode!"
"So what, Little Yusuke," Kari taunted, "That magician is weaker than my monster!"
Yusuke smirked, "Maybe, but it's going to make my Mystic Swordsman stronger than yours!"
"How's that!"
"Another part of the effects of Allied Forces," Yusuke said, "It makes all of monsters attack points go up by another 200 points, so………" Yusuke counts his fingers, "My Mystic Swordsman attacks Ryu Kokki and I will the duel!"
End Flashback (Present)
Yusuke continues to look at the card and was smiling at it, "Yusuke……"
The black haired teen was shot out of his thoughts and turned to see Keiko, by the door and walking towards him, "Hey!" the brunette crouched down to Yusuke's level and looked at the card that Yusuke had in his hand, "That's Blast Magician," she said and smiled, "I remember giving that card to you, before."
"Yeah, anytime I draw this card I always gives my monsters a boast in strength," Yusuke said, "Kinda like it's using its magic to give me a win."
Keiko smiled, "I'm glad that Blast Magician has been a good help to you even though you had those unbelievably high level monsters that you had in your deck."
"By the way, do you still have that……"
"You mean this," Keiko pulls out a card from her deck, which happened to be a trap card, with a picture of Marauding Captain blocking a lizard attack, with a shield, "Draining Shield……"
"Anytime I draw this card, I'm reminded of you," Keiko said, "How you would always protect me from harm."
"Well, that's because I care a lot about you"
Keiko puts her hand onto Yusuke's, "Same here," she said in a soft tone
Yusuke looked up at Keiko's brown orbs and smiled, "Yusuke, are you really serious about not skipping class?" Keiko asked
"Of course I am"
"What convinced you?"
"Well, during my duel with Yugi, something happened inside me," Yusuke explained, "I don't know but I was starting to love dueling so much that I can't seem to get enough of it."
"So, the reason why are going back to school is because of dueling?" Keiko asked, hoping that she doesn't get an answer that she wouldn't like
"Part of it," Yusuke replied
Keiko blinked twice, "What's the other part?"
"After three years or three weeks in this realm in Demon World, I actually, missed going to school and being a normal street punk. But I already gave up fighting for duel monsters, now I'm trying to be a normal teenager, you know. Going to school, dueling and being with my girlfriend, who I love so much that I was afraid that I have to break up with her because of I thought that I was going to keep her safe from harm."
Keiko smiled at those words and sat closer to her boyfriend, "Yusuke, I didn't sense that I was in any danger when I first saw your Ma-zoku form, after that battle with Sensui, so all that worrying was all for nothing." Keiko grabs Yusuke's right arm and wraps it around her, "As you know that when I'm in your arms, alone, I know that I'm safe." Keiko then wrapped her arms around Yusuke's back and snuggled against his chest. Yusuke smiled as he could feel Keiko's warmth radiating from her body and gripped tighter, then laid his cheek on Keiko's hair, "I don't know just how you can be so calm in a people-eating monster's arms," he said, in a soft tone.
Keiko let's out a muffled sigh, "You're no people-eating monster, Yusuke," she said, "Please stop worrying about my safety all the time, okay."
"I should say the same for you too," Yusuke said, "You're always worrying about my safety whenever I'm doing a case."
"But I can't help it, I love you"
"Yeah and I love you too" Yusuke said, waiting for a response from Keiko, but no response. Yusuke looked down to his chest to see that his childhood sweetheart had falling asleep on it, 'She's asleep,' he thought as he wrapped other arm around the sleeping brunette and smiled, 'It's best not to wake her up' Yusuke sighed knowing that Keiko had securely locked her arms around his torso, making it impossible for him to get out. Yusuke laid his back onto Yugi's desk taking the sleeping Keiko with him. Yusuke smiled and brushed Keiko's hair down, 'She's so peaceful!' Yusuke then kissed Keiko's temple, "Sleep tight, Keiko don't let the bedbugs bite." He whispered falling asleep himself.