(Third Person's POV)
Who would've thought the only girl in the group decides to accompany them in the tournament, not only that but as a duelist? There is nothing special with her and she was supposed to be cheering on her friends not to take part in it, she should've backed out but instead, she chose to participate, what exactly is going through her mind?
Tea Gardner stood in front of her mirror, her short brown hair is newly styled into a half ponytail with the hairpin clasped in it. Its head can be seen on top of the hair tie that it might attract some attention as it doesn't just look like a tiny scepter, it has some spikes with pearls. By now, she should've left the jewelry somewhere after getting weirded out.
Lately, she felt there was another presence around her, and she admits that she's a bit anxious but for whatever reason, she has to find out who or what they are. She also felt that they were the ones who took control of her. 'Why me? Out of all people...' She sighed and got out of the house.
At school...
"Good morning Tea—! Whoah. You look different" Her friends stared at her in astonishment. Even Yugi stops shuffling his deck to see her new look, she's indeed different but she's still the Tea he knows, it's just she changed her style. "Umm...Can you guys stop looking at me like I paid for plastic surgery?" She crossed her arms with her left eyebrow raised. "It's my hairstyle that only changed.."
"The weird (1) thing is..you still keep that weird (2) jewelry around..." The Brooklyn blond pointed at the said object. Yugi noticed it as well. "Also...the last time you wore it...you kinda became weird (3) too...I guess weird (4) things make you weird (5)" He laughs sheepishly.
"I'm pretty sure I heard you say 'weird' 5 times, Joey. Yes, I know it's very surreal, okay? Besides, if there is nothing wrong with Yugi wearing the Millennium puzzle then there is nothing wrong with me wearing this accessory. Right, Yugi?" She turns to look at Yugi.
'My millennium puzzle keeps reacting to it...I felt like it holds something incredibly strong. Where did Tea get this item?'Yugi once again stared at the hairpin fixed on Tea's hair tie while she remained silent hoping they would just change the topic and not overthink it, she doesn't wish for everyone to be seemingly more bothered by it than getting prepared for the tournament held in the Duelist Kingdom.
Fortunately, their homeroom teacher entered the room, and they all hurriedly separated toward their seat. With that, they started a lesson to discuss.
Night on Domino Pier, a crowd surrounds the group waiting for the ship to arrive that will take them to the kingdom. All of them are invited to duel as well.Night on Domino Pier, a crowd who were also invited to duel surrounds the group which consists of the three; Yugi, Tea, and Joey waiting for the ship to arrive that will take them to the kingdom. They keep waiting until the ship was finally in sight with Pegasus' henchmen aboard. The one whose hair looks like 'they put effort into applying hair gel to make it stand and point up the air' made an announcement. "Chosen Duelists! Welcome to the event held by industrial illusions! We have investigated every single one of your Duel Monsters records. You are all elites we've singled out. We have bestowed upon all of you an equal chance. Right now, above each of you..shines the bright light of glory! Now, Duelists...Cross the ocean, come seek glory in the Kingdom!" The hair guy ended his 'glorious' speech.
The crowd falls in line as each takes turns showing their star chips that will have their requirements to enter the ship and the tournament. Tea showed hers and heard whispers from behind, she knew very well that they were talking about her.
The trio stood against the ship railings after boarding in. As much as Tea wants to keep her bright and hopeful expression, at the first step inside the ship, she already felt the participants draining her energy.'Come on Tea...Buck up! Don't give up any soon'She kept telling herself.
"Well..what do we have here?" A voice interrupts and once the three turn around, you can tell the brunette was not impressed except for her two male friends especially Joey who seems flushed at the sight of her long, thick, spiky blonde hair and purple eyes. She wore a short-sleeved purple coat over her white tube top, exposing her midriff, black socks along with recurring purple high-heeled boots. "So, you're the Yugi-kid everybody's talking about, huh"
"Check it out!" The new face ignored the blond as she starts pestering the duel prodigy despite Tea's annoyed look. "But I'm amazed that a squirt like you could beat Kaiba, you're famous you know?"
"Thanks very much, I think," Yugi says, looking a bit abashed. Tea then notices how the blonde's face was close to the flustered teen boy, she could feel her face turn red in exasperation, a tick mark appearing on her head. "Haven't you heard of giving a little space? And don't call Yugi a squirt! He beat Kaiba because he's more than that"
"Who might you be? His girlfriend? It's just cute to see you're being defensive for him" This causes her to blush a bit when she realizes that she was acting like a mad jealous girlfriend. "And here I thought duelists are the only ones invited" The blonde adds. This woman sure knows how to get on someone's nerves.
"I AM a duelist, what does that suppose to mean?" Tea raised an eyebrow with her arms crossed feeling insulted.
"Oh, you're a duelist! It doesn't look like it" She nagged.
"Excuse me, what?—Hey, Miss. I'm a really good friend of the famous Yugi, the master duelist! Look" Joey chimed in.
The blonde shows no interest in him. "You're either a champ or a chunk. Cut this guy loose, his fashion challenge doesn't deserve to be crushed on the games" She then turns to leave.
"Please, crush me.." Tea, hearing this from the blond looks at him as if he had grown another head.'What would I expect from that headof his? And who is this woman?' "I'll crush you all eventually. The name's Mai" Was the last thing she said before walking off.
'How arrogant. There's nobody better at playing Duel Monsters than Yugi'
Tea's glare at the blonde stays motionless until Yugi nudges her on her elbow. "It's getting pretty late, we need to get our rooms to have some rest" She won't deny that it's true since the ship arrived late at night, and a nap is what they need. For sure, the ship will take them to the Kingdom till morning.
...
"Hey! Is this a joke or what?! This is a luxury cruiser, I know you got better rooms somewhere!" Joey had to argue with the henchmen who'll provide them rooms without enough necessities.
"And are you serious? What kind of luxury ship has no better rooms?" Tea joined in as well.
"You have nothing to object to, girl. After all, I wouldn't call you a Duelist even him as well. I don't know why Master Pegasus had to invite you" One of them spoke putting her into silence.'Okay. I never had my respect anymore!'
"Do you wanna get thrown out of here?"
"Huh, hey! You're that kid Yugi!"
"Yeah, and you are.."
"Weevil and Rex the Dino Duelist!" Joey stops fighting the guards.
"The duel championship finalists" Tea adds, turning her head at the two new people.
"Heh, you're wasting your time with those guys, the private rooms only go to finalists from the last championship like us," Rex said.
Yugi heads towards them followed by Tea. "Congratulations on winning the regionals, Weevil" He praised.
"It was nothing" Weevil bragged.
"Yeah, I went easy on him that time" The dino duelist brought up.
"Yeah, well this time I and Yugi gonna take the tournament, right Yugi?"
"You seem to be forgetting something, Joey" Tea had her hands on her hips, and was once again irritated. The blond looked lost for a second before quickly saying. "And Tea as well" He scratched the back of his head.
"To tell you the truth, winning the last championship didn't feel like that much of an achievement, I guess I can't call myself a champion until I defeat the duelist who beat Kaiba, but I'm sure I'll be battling you in the big tournament, Yugi, frankly, I look forward to it" Weevil confessed adjusting his glasses.
'The tournament isn't even starting yet but Yugi had challenges already, beating Kaiba gave him fame. Everything is all about Yugi here and there but at least he deserves it unlike me'Tea thought, anticipating dread.
"I look forward to it too!" Yugi delightfully says.
"I'm looking forward to some dino demolition"
"Let me tell you a little secret" He steps forward. "It's something none of the other players know about the games yet"
"Oh, isn't that cheating?" Yugi looks hesitant.
"The other players will find out soon enough but there are new rules on the island that require more strategy" Weevil assured.
"Heh, rules are for wimps and dueling will be either smash your opponent or get smash yourself, it's one or the other" Rex stated.
"Strength is good but you also need to combine them with other types of cards," Joey says out of nowhere.
"Who asked you?" Rex retorts. "Stay out of my way or I'll stomp you like everyone else" Was his last threat before walking off in the opposite direction.
"We'll see who stomps who when we get to the island" The blond shot back, aggrieved.
"That was mean. He's not friendly, isn't he?" Tea whispers to them.
"Ignore him, let's scope up with the competition," The bug boy tells them.
"What do you mean?" Joey asked, still looking irritated by the fact that the dino duelist had just judged him without even knowing his true strength.
"Check out those chumps" Weevil points behind them to see the other players who gathered, and were exchanging their cards to each other. "They're already trading over there. Players here are swapping their cards and strengthening their decks, getting ready for the tournament. It's also a good chance to get a feel for the opponent's cards"
'Oh, I bet this how Weevil gets so much insight into his opponent's strategy 'Yugi wondered, thoughtfully.
'My cards aren't that strong, who would want to trade with me?'Tea thought beside him feeling discouraged.
With a quick blink, the blond is already around them asking the players for a trade. "Whoah, strong cards. Hey, want to trade? How about you? Anybody? Help me out here"
"Guess Joey's trading," Yugi said, as they watch him try to exchange cards.
"He's always as eager" Tea sweatdrops.
"That's the point. If you've come all this way and you're still trying to improve your deck, you've got to be pretty desperate" Weevil says as he starts to head off as well. "I'll catch you on the flip side" He bid leaving the two in the spot.
"So Tea, are you going to trade?" Yugi asked the girl who shrugged.
"I don't know," The boy noticed the discomfort swirling around her eyes.
"Hey, Tea. If you need anything, I and Joey are here to help. We're in this together, right?" Tea stared at the soothing and innocent smile on his face and she couldn't help but nod and smile with him.'I'm not the one who has lost someone, so what if I lose? The important part is I fought with my friends '
They stayed there for a moment until Tea felt the hairpin glow as if it is sensing something from afar, an invisible thin beam of light appeared in front of her. "Yugi, can you see that?"
"See what?"
'This heavy feeling...I already felt this around Yugi, but thistime it feels heavier'
"I'll be heading somewhere in a moment, I'll be back," Tea says, as she starts following the invisible beam coming from her hairpin.
"Tea, wait—" She was nowhere to be seen.
The cold breeze brushes against her skin when she went out. She turns her head looking around only to spot someone crouching down, hiding themselves. Wait, isn't that Tristan?
Tea slowly walks towards him. "Tristan?" This got him by surprise making him jump from his hiding place, spooked by her voice. "Calm down, it's just me!"
"Tea? You scared me! Don't sneak up on me like that!" He scolded.
"How did you get here?" She asked. "Aren't those who are invited allowed to go in this ship?"
"What do you think?" He hinted.
"...Oh"
"Now stay down or we're busted" He warned.
"Not me, just you" She whispered back. "Anyways, it's freezing out here, I can't sit still" She shivers.
"In another few hours, the sun will rise" He joyously informed.
"That's not funny, Tristan" She glared.
Then without a warning, the door opens and they both quickly hid. "Get down" They peeked their head to see a whitehead that they recognize from their class. "Look, isn't that Bakura?"
"Bakura? You mean, Bakura from school?" The both of them look where he is at, he was at the taffrail with a thoughtful look. "What do you think he's doing here?"
He thought for an answer. "Uh...I guess he's in the tournament" He replied, unsure.
Suddenly, Tea felt the 'heavy feeling' once more, she clutches her head and reached for the hairpin removing it from her ponytail. This lessens the unbearable feeling leaving her breathing heavily.
"Hey, are you okay? You looked troubled" Tristan placed a hand on her shoulder looking worried.
She puts the hairpin inside her bag. "I think it's just how cold it is in here" She lied.
"Then why don't you go inside? I can be here alone, you know?" He suggested.
"I think not" She sighs, not wanting to bump into someone who'd mock her dueling even when they have no absolute clue how she plays the game. "Let me stay here for a while" She unzips her bag and grabbed her deck from the inside pocket.
Her eyes widened when she takes a close look at her cards. "They changed"
"What changed?" Tristan looks over her shoulder.
Before she could reply, they heard a splash and someone yelling. "Joey!" Someone must have jumped into the sea.
"That's Yugi!" She exclaimed. They both nod at each other without another word and hurriedly ran toward the source of the splash. "Yugi!" They came just in time before one of them completely drowns. "Are you okay?" Tristan helps Tea to throw the ladder toward the two.
"Grab a hold!" She yelled.
"Hurry!"
"Tea! Tristan!" Yugi's face lit up when he saw them, looking grateful for their arrival.
The both of them climbed up, they helped each other so none of them fells. "That was close" Yugi felt relieved. "I'm glad you two showed up. Really glad"
"We're a team. We all stick together" Tea says, warmly.
"We'll always watch your back" Tristan adds.
"Thanks a lot, you guys" Yugi smiles at them.
"I'm sorry, Yugi" The blond pants.
"Huh?" Yugi turns to him, confused.
"I failed. I only found two of your cards" He says in disappointment.
"It's okay, Joey" Yugi reassures.
"It's not okay. It's always this way with me. I'm never to help anybody. Not even my own sister, Serenity. I have to win, for her. Winning in the Duelist Kingdom and getting the prize money is the only way to help Serenity"
"We'll both do our best, Joey" Yugi encouraged him. "You for your sister and me for our grandpa"
"That's right. We'll do this together" Tea tries to cheer him up.
"Look" Tristan called.
"The island" They all switched their gaze as the sun rises over the island ahead.
"That's the Duelist Kingdom" Yugi informed.
"...That's it. We're almost there"
It now begins.
To be continued.*
NovaScorpio: Please read before you proceed.
Done with Chapter 4!
As you see, in earlier chapters I used the manga as a reference. Another honest reason why I choose to use the Manga is because it isn't easy looking for the Anime but now I found the full episodes, so most of this chapter is from the dub version.
That's all! And I hope y'all enjoy this chapter even if it's not well written. Thank you!