AN: Beta Read by Brawn1984 and Starrmastrr.
AN: I do not own Red Hood or Yu-Gi-Oh. They belong to DC Comics and Shonen Jump, Konami, and Kazuki Takahashi.
Disclaimer: Jason is Jason so expect some Vigilante Justice throughout the chapter and the fic.
Bruce looked up as Jason came over to the cash register with several Trading Card Packs and what looked like a pouch for their utility belts if it was a box.
"What's this?" Bruce asked.
"Yu-Gi-Oh." Jason exclaimed.
"Wouldn't it be easier if you grabbed a prebuilt deck?" He asked.
"Only if you want the generic cards that everyone has." Jason explained. "This way you have the chance to get good cards."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah. Like this one." He said pointing at a poster on the wall.
The poster showed a tall lean figure with a sword and shield. The figure wore blue and gold armor, and the shield was also blue and gold.
"Apparently there have only been five prints so far which makes them super rare to find."
"But you're going to find one."
"Yup."
They paid for the cards and deck box before getting in the car and Jason tore through the packs. He had bought ten packs with his allowance and each pack had two five packs in it. He had opened each pack, looked through it and put the cards he wanted in one pile and the cards he didn't want in another pile. By the time he was finished he had a large pile of the cards he didn't want and a smaller pile of cards he did want. He was opening the last five pack and had gotten to the last two cards when he stopped and stared at the second to last card.
"Well, what is it?" Bruce asked.
Jason turned it around to show Bruce the card. It said:
Black Luster Ritual
"Is that a good thing?" Bruce asked.
"Is that a good thing?" Jason asked. "Is that a good thing?! It's only the card you use to summon Black Luster Soldier. Yes. It's a very good thing." He put that card in the pile of keeps and looked at the last card. He became quiet when he saw it.
"I guess that you didn't get the Black Luster Soldier?" Bruce asked.
Jason turned the card to show:
Orgoth the Relentless
"I'm sorry Jason." Bruce said. "Maybe next time."
"Maybe." Jason said glumly.
The rest of the car ride back to Wayne Manor was subdued as Jason looked at the cards he kept and began building a deck with them.
The next day
Jason was walking to the lunchroom of Gotham Academy when he heard someone yelling.
"Dang it!" The voice yelled. "I can't believe that I can't find that ritual card!"
"Which one?" Another voice piped up.
"Black Luster Ritual! I have Black Luster Soldier, but I can't find Black Luster Ritual!"
"I have Black Luster Ritual." Jason said.
"Really?" The kid asked. "What do you want for it?"
"I want the Black Luster Soldier to go with it."
"What! No way! I'll give you every card I own for Black Luster Ritual!"
"Nope." Jason said popping the P to make it that much more annoying.
"Fine then!" The kid, Jason thought his name was Bartholomew, said. "If you won't trade it, then I'll take it from you." He said snapping his fingers and two larger boys came up beside Jason.
"How about we duel for it?" Jason asked. "If I win, I get Black Luster Soldier, and if you win then you get Black Luster Ritual?"
"That seems fair." Bartholomew said.
"Then Shake on it." Jason said holding out his hand for Bartholomew to shake.
Bartholomew shook Jason's hand and the two sat down at the table and took out their respective decks before shuffling them. They drew five cards each and looked at each other.
"Let's duel!" The two said in unison.
"I'll start." Bartholomew said looking at his hand. "I'll play 'Gaia the Fierce Knight Origin'." He said playing it in face up attack position. "With that I'll end my turn."
"My go." Jason said drawing a card. "I'll play three cards face down, and a card in face down defense position. With that I'll end my turn."
"Very well." Bartholomew said. "I'll draw." He looked at his cards before speaking. "I'll tribute 'Gaia the Fierce Knight Origin' for 'Gaia the Fierce Knight'."
"Okay." Jason said.
"Aren't you wondering how I was able to use only one monster for a seven star?"
"'Gaia the Fierce Knight Origin' can be counted as two tributes if it's for a warrior type monster." Jason said catching Bartholomew off guard.
"Y-yes. Well. My 'Gaia the Fierce Knight' will attack your face down!"
"Not so fast. I activate the trap card 'Shadow Spell'! Your 'Gaia the Fierce Knight' loses seven hundred Attack points and can't attack or change battle position!"
Bartholomew growled but took in a deep breath. "Fine. I end my turn."
"I draw." Jason said. "And I play a card face down. Then I tribute a monster to play 'Sword Hunter'. Then I'll attack 'Gaia the Fierce Knight' with 'Sword Hunter' dealing 850 damage to your life points."
"No!" Bartholomew yelled.
"I'm not done yet." Jason said. "At the end of the battle phase any monster that 'Sword Hunter' destroyed gets equipped to him, and he gains 200 attack for each equipped monster."
"No!"
"With that I'll end my turn."
Bartholomew drew a card. "I play 'Spiral Fusion' to fusion summon 'Curse of Dragon, the Magical Knight Dragon'. Then I'll end my turn."
"I draw." Jason said. before he looked at the new card. "I play 'Strike Ninja'. Then I'll attack your 'Curse of Dragon, the Magical Knight' with 'Sword Hunter' dealing 650 damage to your life points..."
Bartholomew grumbled before handing 'Curse of Dragon, the Magical Knight' to Jason to add to his 'Sword Hunter'.
"Next." Jason said. "I'll attack your life points directly with 'Strike Ninja' for 1700."
Bartholomew growled at Jason.
"I end."
Bartholomew drew a card before growling at his hand. "I'll end."
"Do you want to mulligan and try to get a better hand?" Jason asked.
Bartholomew did so and couldn't help but smile. "If you don't beat me this turn." He spoke. "You're going to lose so bad." He spoke.
"Well then." Jason said. "I guess that I'd better win this turn then, shouldn't I?"
"Wait. No." Bartholomew yelled. "I'll lose my Black Luster Soldier!"
"Then I guess that you better hope I don't win." Jason said drawing a card. "I'll set a car in face down defense position, play 'Protector of the Throne' in attack position and attack you with 'Sword Hunter' for 2650. Then I'll attack you with 'Strike Ninja' for 1700..."
"No! No! NO!" Bartholomew yelled.
"Finally. I'll attack you with 'Protector of the Throne' for eight hundred."
"NNOOO!" Bartholomew yelled while the rest of the crowd cheered Jason's Victory.
Jason put his deck away and grabbed the Black Luster Soldier and Black Luster Ritual cards. "Ya know." He spoke. "I think your deck is really cool. You just need to take out all of those high-level monsters I'm sure you stacked your deck with. The reason I was able to win is a little luck, a little skill, and the right ration of low to high monsters, and the right ratio of monsters to spells and traps."
"I'll build a better deck." Bartholomew said. "And maybe we can play again."
"Sure." Jason said. "But I won't put Black Luster Soldier or Black Luster Ritual on the betting block again. I won it, and I'm keeping it."
"Fair enough. I'll just have my parents buy me a set."
Jason nodded and left.
That night.
Batman and Robin were on patrol, chasing down a crook that had mugged an older couple. He had shot the old man in the thigh severing his femoral artery, and the old woman in the stomach nicking her spine. Robin and Batman chased him to the top of a building. Batman went one way and Robin went the other. He tackled the crook and pushed him over the edge. The crook grabbed the ledge and held on for dear life.
"Help!" He called out.
"No." Robin said stepping on his hand. "That old couple didn't deserve to die... but you do." He stomped on the crook's hands until the crook fell, screaming to his death.
Jason turned around to see Batman glaring at him.
"I tried to save him." He lied.
"No, you didn't!" Batman yelled. "I watched you step on his hands and watch him fall to his death!"
"He deserved it! That couple is dead because of him!"
"We don't kill!"
"Well maybe if you did the crime rate might fall!"
Batman glared at him. "I'm taking you off active duty until you get those ideas out of your head."
"Whatever." Robin said jumping off the roof and heading for the Batmobile. He didn't notice the crook hanging by his ankle from one of Batman's lines.
One month later.
The crowbar came down and struck him. It hurt, but not like the first ten times. The pain was beginning to dull, not by much though. The crowbar struck again. It was as if the madman was reading his thoughts and began hitting him harder.
Then the Joker hit him in the face. "WOW. That looked like it really hurt." Then the Joker hit him three more times and savored every hit like it was a cheese sample. "Whoa, now hold on. That looked like it hurt a lot more. So, let's try and clear it up shall we pumpkin. What hurts more? A?" The Joker hit him again. "Or B?" And he was hit a second time by the Joker. "Forehand?" The Joker hit him a third time. "Or backhand." The Joker hit him again and began laughing his sadistic laugh.
Jason murmured something. The Joker leaned down and spoke. "A little louder lamb chop. I think that one of your lungs is collapsed. That tends to always impede the oratory." Jason spit blood up at the Joker. The Joker returned the favor by slamming his face into the floor. "Now that was rude. The first boy blunder had manners." Jason smiled even though it hurt. The Joker wiped the blood off of his face. "I suppose that I'll have to teach you some manners. So that you can learn to follow in his footsteps better." The Joker contemplated that for a bit. Then said. "Nah... I think that I'll just keep hitting you with this crowbar." Then the Joker laughed as he hit Jason repeatedly with the crowbar. Jason closed his eyes and wished he were somewhere else.
After a while, the Joker got tired of beating Jason with the crowbar he put on his overcoat and his hat. He looked at Jason and spoke. "Okay kiddo I have to go, but it was fun right?" Jason stayed silent. "Well maybe a bit more fun for me than you. I'm just making guesses since your being so quiet. Oh well. Be a good boy, get your homework done, and be in bed by nine. Oh, and if you see the big man tell him I said... hello. The Joker began laughing hysterically and left.
Jason opened his eyes and got to his knees. He slid his handcuffed hands under his legs, so they were in front of him, and he tried to stand but fell back down, he looked at the door and figured that it was locked. He crawled towards it and when he got to it, it was indeed locked. Jason closed his eyes, and he heard it a faint beeping. he looked to his left and saw a bomb. Of course, the Joker planted a bomb. Why wouldn't he? Jason saw it counting down and he knew that he didn't have long.
He crawled to a box, he used all of his strength to stand only to fall back down, he caught the box and it tipped over on him it was big enough for him to fit under. It was a freaking miracle. He fumbled with his utility belt and found a pellet. It had foam in it. He crushed it and he was enveloped in foam. A few seconds later, he felt the explosion.
As Batman searched the wreckage that was once a building, he found a limp body. He picked it up and wrapped it in his cape. "Jason." Batman said. That was the last thing Jason heard before he went to sleep not expecting to wake up.
"Jason." A powerful booming voice called out to him.
"Where am I?" Jason asked.
"You are at a crossroads."
"Crossroads? What do you mean?"
"Do you want another chance at life? Or do you want to rest? The choice is yours."
"I... want to live."
"Very well. I will send you to a world full of Chaos, a world in which you will thrive. You will be needing this." The voice said before Jason felt rejuvenated.
He looked down to see that he was wearing a red zip up hoodie with a charcoal grey long sleeved shirt with a red bat insignia in the center of his chest, a pair of black cargo pants and black military grade boots.
"Do not forget this." The voice said causing a small box to appear in front of him.
Jason recognized it and reached for it. It was his deck box. He reached for it, and as soon as he grabbed it, he felt gravity take effect and fell.
The first thing he noticed was the cool ocean breeze followed by the smell of the ocean. He opened his senses and felt cold metal under his cheek and hands. He opened his eyes and saw metal plating under him. He got to his knees and looked around. He was on a boat.
He didn't have much time to get his bearings when he saw a group of people walking around the deck. He hid in the shadows and saw their deck boxes on their hips. He looked down to make sure his was still with him. It was. Good.
He also noticed that the people were wearing dueling gloves from the Duelist Kingdom arc of the show.
'Wait. I'm on the boat to Duelist Kingdom.' He thought. 'This means that either I'm in the weirdest dream I've ever had, or I'm actually in Yu-Gi-Oh.'
"SAY GOODBY TO EXODIA!" A shrill nasal voice called out followed by... "My cards! Those were the Exodia cards my grandpa gave me!"
Jason ran around the corner in time to see a green blur jump over the edge followed by a short kid.
"Shit!" He swore under his breath before running at Weevil and grabbing his arm before swinging him over the edge with a satisfying *POP* as Weevil's arm was dislocated.
He looked down at the slug that was looking up at him in horror. Then the bug began slipping out of his dueling glove. He watched as the glove slid over his fingers before catching on his middle finger. The digit began turning blue the longer he held him until there was a tearing sound and Weevil fell into the water below. He looked over to see a guy with a weird haircut and a trench coat and a brunette trying to throw a rescue ladder over the side of the ship.
He ran over and helped them push the ladder over the side and handed the Dueling Glove to the guy. "Hold onto this." He said before climbing down the ladder. He got to the bottom and reached for the blond with the green jacket and pulled him onto his back before going around the other side of the ladder and reaching for the shorter kid.
'Wait. That's Yugi Moto! Then that means that this is the world of Yu-Gi-Oh.'
He grabbed Yugi and pulled him onto the ladder and the two made their way to the deck. When they got to the side of the ship Yugi climbed up first before he swung around and pushed Joey on board before looking around for Weevil. He didn't see any specks of green floating on the water which meant that Weevil had either been pulled under the boat or he'd been pulled out to sea and was doomed. So, he climbed on board.
"Thank you so much!" The girl... TéA said.
"Don't mention it." He said looking at the guy... Tristan. He took the Dueling Glove and handed it to Joey. "Here ya go." He spoke. "You're going to need this."
"Th-thanks man." Joey said taking the glove. "Where's yours though?"
"I'll find one." He spoke. "You guys should get inside so you don't catch a cold. "I'll go find some towels for you."
"Thanks man." Tristan said. "But what's your name?"
Jason knew how to manipulate a situation in his favor, so he drew in on himself to make himself look smaller. He forced himself to let tears fill his eyes, and he let his voice crack.
"Y-you guys don't remember me from school?" He asked. "No. Don't worry about it. It's my own fault. I mostly keep to myself. I don't have many friends, but I know that you guys like playing Duel Monsters."
The group looked taken aback. It worked.
"I'm sorry." Yugi said. "But I don't ever remember seeing you in class."
"Like I said." He said wiping at his eyes. " I don't have many friends, and I mostly stay in the back. I don't answer questions or raise my hand or anything. I also have a really good memory, so I don't have to take notes in class. I know that Joey and Tristan used to pick on Yugi until Yugi helped get a bully expelled. Then they became best friends. I would have done something, but I tend to be a shy introvert who keeps to himself."
"I think I remember seeing you." Téa said.
Jason caused his cheeks to heat.
"Wait." Tristan said. "How were you able to do that crazy stuff on the ladder then?"
"Sometimes I don't feel like myself. I get brave, and strong. I don't really remember what happens when I'm like that, but I know that sometimes bad things happen."
"Whoa." Yugi said.
"W-well." I guess that I b-better go get those towels for you guys." Jason said before leaving. He replaced the timidity with his normal attitude and walked away to find the towels.
He was rounding a corner when he heard something from the hallway.
"If you don't want me to throw you over the edge then you better give me your Star chips!" A loud angry voice said.
"B-but..." a timid voice began followed by the sound of flesh hitting metal. Jason rounded the corner, jumped onto the wall and up before spinning midair and bringing his foot on the older Duelists head, sending him into the wall.
"Run." Jason said sternly to the kid that was getting assaulted.
The kid ran and Jason grabbed the attacker's hair and slammed his face into the ground before looking into around to see the attacker's bag. He looked through it and found some duct tape, a knife, and some rope along with the attackers Duelist Glove, Star Chips, deck, Set Sail to the Kingdom, Duelist Kingdom, Glory of the Kings hand, and Glory of the Kings Opposite Hand. There was also a Rule Book tucked away at the bottom of the bag. He'd have to read it later.
He grabbed the attacker and duct taped his hands and feet together before taking some rope and tying it in his mouth before duct taping his mouth closed. "Maybe a little time out will teach you some manners." He growled. "If the crew doesn't find you by the time I get back, I'll let you out."
He took the Duelist to a room and dropped him off and put the bag over his shoulder and went to find the towels.
When he arrived at the gathering hall with the towels, he handed them to Joey and Yugi. "S-sorry guys." He stammered. "I-I got lost."
"Don't sweat it man." Joey said. "You got us da towels, right?"
"I-I guess I did. Yeah." His stomach decided to growl then, and he blushed. "Sorry."
"Go get something ta eat man."
"Alright." Jason said leaving to the buffet. He snuck stuff into his newly acquired bag and ate what he could. He made sure that he ate food that would keep him filled longer so that he didn't need to eat as much.
"Um... hi." A voice said from behind him.
He turned around to see the kid that he'd saved from the other Duelist. "What's up?" He asked.
"I, uh I just wanted to say thanks for helping me back there."
"No problem. What's your name?"
"Seto Kotsuzuka." The kids said.
"Well, Seto. Why was that kid picking on you?"
"He wanted my Star Chips."
"Did you give them to him?"
"No."
"Good. Do you need help with your deck?"
"Would you really help me?"
"Yeah. Let's find a place, and I'll help you."
They grabbed some food and Seto took out his deck. Jason looked through the deck and Extra cards from the attacker's bag and immediately found some cards that would work with his deck in case he wanted them.
"Here's my deck." Seto said.
Jason looked through Seto's deck and was impressed. "Dark World Deck. Not bad."
"Not really. I lose more times than I win."
"Then you either need a new deck or a new strategy."
"How am I going to get a new deck?"
"Well. We can always trade for new cards and build a deck around the new cards?"
"I suppose."
Jason took out the other deck and looked around the room. "Hey!" He called out. "Does anyone want to make any trades?"
A line formed to trade with him. He looked through each deck and made trades with everyone. He looked at the cards that he traded for and was satisfied with them.
"Here." Jason said handing Seto the new deck.
Seto took the deck and looked through it. "Wow. This deck is amazing. Can we do a practice duel?"
"Sure." Jason said taking his deck out of his deck box. The two shuffled, passed each other their decks to cut, and gave them back before drawing five cards each.
"Let's duel!" The two said in unison.
"I'll go first." Jason said throwing a card down in face down defense position and a card face down in the spell and trap zone. "And with that I'll end."
"I draw a card and I'll set a card in the spell and trap card zone and play 'Dunames Dark Witch' in attack position and attack your face down defense position."
"Thanks to 'Sangan's' ability I can look for a card with 1500 or less attack and add it to my hand."
"I'll end."
"I draw a card." Jason said drawing a card. He hid his excitement behind getting the card he'd just drawn. "I'll play a card in face down defense position and end my turn."
"I draw." Seto said before playing 'Neo the Magic Swordsman'. Then I'll attack your face down with 'Neo'!"
"Sorry." Jason said flipping the card up. "But my 'Oni Tank T-34' has 1700 defense so that means that he's not destroyed."
"Fine. Instead, I'll attack with 'Dunames Dark Witch'."
Jason moved his 'Oni Tank' to the graveyard.
"I end."
"I'll draw." Jason said drawing a card. "I'll play a card in face down defense position and end my turn."
"I draw, and I'll play 'Mekk-Knight Avram' before attacking your face down!"
Jason flipped up 'Giant Soldier of Stone'. "Sorry. Equal defense again."
"I'll end."
Jason drew another card and set it face down. "I'll set a spell or trap and end."
"I draw, and I'll play 'Zombie Master' in attack position before ending my turn."
"I'll draw." Jason drew a card and… "I'll play 'Monster Reborn' to return my 'Oni Tank' to the battlefield before activating 'Monster Recovery' returning my 'Oni Tank' and the rest of my hand to my deck." He added the cards to his deck, shuffled and allowed Seto to cut his deck before drawing a new hand. "Next I'll switch my 'Giant Soldier of Stone' into attack position and activate 'Shield & Sword' switching all of our monsters attack and defense before attacking your Mekk-Knight."
"No!" Seto yelled. "Well. Good Game I guess." He said extending his arm for a handshake.
Jason almost asked him why when he remembered that in Duelist Kingdom the life points were only set to two thousand as opposed to his universe where the life points were at eight thousand. So instead, he shook Seto's hand. "Do you want me to show you the tips and tricks to your deck?"
"Sure." Seto said.
They spent the next hour going over his deck and the three different strategies that Jason had intended the deck for.
"So, what are the three strategies?" Jason asked.
"Remove cards from play, deal damage, and overwhelm my opponent."
"Yep. Your deck consists of cards to remove your opponent's cards from play, which you were unable to do. It has strong monsters to overwhelm your opponent. And it has cards that deal damage though you'll want to leave options one and three as backups in case you can't overwhelm your opponent quick enough."
"Thanks. I never got your name by the way."
"It's Jason."
"Thanks Jason. Maybe I'll meet you on the island and we can duel again."
"I'm looking forward to it." Jason said.
With that Seto left and Jason was approached by a man who stood at 6' 5", with chestnut brown hair, and blue eyes. He had a tanned complexion, a big and tall build, and wore a pair of black rimmed glasses. "That was a nice thing that you did for him." The man said.
"Yeah." Jason said. "What of it?"
"Nothing. Don't get the wrong idea."
"I'm guessing that you're one of the eliminators mentioned in the rule book?" Jason asked. He hadn't read the rule book but seeing the anime and reading the manga had given him knowledge. Which meant that he needed to be careful... 'shit!' He swore. 'I threw Weevil overboard and changed canon. Now who is Yugi going to fight?'
"Hey." The eliminator said. "You in there?"
"Yeah. Sorry."
"No problem. How did you know I was an eliminator?"
"Lucky guess."
"That was some guess. Yeah. I'm an eliminator, but not like some of the ones brought here."
"Like Panik?"
"Yeah. Don't get me wrong, but that guy is a few quarts short of a full tank."
"I agree. Considering what he's done in the past to win duels?"
"It makes me sick. What kind of a bastard breaks into the apartment of a guy whose little sister... no. I can't. I'll lose my temper if I continue."
"What did he do?" Jason asked coldly.
"A duelist that was favored to win had just lost his parents. He was twenty-one and had been living on his own thanks to the prize money he'd won and being frugal. He took his sister in like any good big brother should and a week later, the night before the finals, Panik snuck into the duelists house and traumatized his sister while recording it and made threats that if the duelist didn't throw the duel, then he'd kill his sister, but not before..." the duelist took in a deep shuddering breath.
"So, you threw the match to protect your sister." Jason surmised.
"What else was I supposed to do?"
"I'll make you this promise." Jason said. "If I run into Panik first, I'll make sure he never threatens anyone ever again."
"How do you plan to do that?"
"It's a big island. Accidents happen."
The duelist looked at him in shock. "You mean that you're going to kill him?"
"No." Jason said sarcastically. "I'm going to build a campfire and sing Kumbaya with him."
The two stayed quiet for a while before Jason spoke up again.
"What were you going to do with him?"
"I hadn't gotten that far yet."
"You need to have a plan, a backup plan, a backup for your back up. You need to have a plan Z in case plans 1-10 and A-Y fails."
"Do you?"
"Not yet. I have plans 1-10 and A-M. I still need plans N-Z."
"How do you have so many plans already?"
"Easy. Same plans, different people."
"I see."
There was another bout of silence before the stranger spoke again. "Why are you here?" He asked.
"What do you mean?" Jason countered.
"What are your aspirations? Why did you come to Duelist Kingdom?"
"Oh. I guess that the reason I came here was because I needed a change of scenery, and I'm a duelist. I figured Duelist Kingdom would give me the change of scenery I needed, and if I win the prize will be nice."
"What will you ask for if you win?"
"I don't know. Maybe for a place I can call my own. I've never had anything that I could just call my own... well except my deck. What about you?"
"I just want the money so I can make my sister's life a little better, and maybe get the courage to talk to the girl I kind of like."
"You could just, I don't know, talk to her?"
"Do you think that would work?"
"I don't see why not."
"I'll have to try that when we get back."
"What's the worst that could happen?"
"She could laugh me out of Domino City, and I have to move away."
"Wow! And I thought I had an overactive imagination. The worst that happens is she says no."
"Really?"
"Yes. I might not know a lot about girls, but I know that only bratty losers make fun of people who don't deserve it."
"And who deserves it?"
"Panik."
The stranger looked at Jason. "You're a really weird kid. What's your name?"
"Jason."
"You can call me Montgomery."
Jason extended his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Same. I'm going to get to my room for some shut eye."
"Ciao."
Montgomery nodded his head before leaving.
Jason found a spot and laid down using his bag as a pillow. He was always a light sleeper, a side effect of his time on the street, and he had amazing situational awareness because of his time on the street, at Ma Gunn's, and his training with Bruce. He reached into the bag and put the knife in his jacket sleeve in case he needed it. With that he nodded off.
"Well, well, well." Joker said. "Look what we have here. Bird boy, back for more." He raised the crowbar in his hand and swung down.
Jason jolted awake and grabbed at someone.
"'ey!" A thick accent said. "Lemme go!"
Jason looked up and saw Joey trying to pull away from him. He let go and realized that he was panting heavily. "S-sorry." He panted.
"No prob Jason. I was up an' saw ya havin' a nightmare."
"Thank you for waking me up, but the next time you see that, it would probably be better if you let me have it."
"What? Why?"
"I may not look like it, but I was abandoned at the age of six. I've pretty much been alone my whole life. I was on the street for three years, I lived in a reform school for three years, and now I live with an adopted father that I wonder if he only sees me as a charity case."
"I'm sorry man." Joey said. "Dat's rough. I live wit my old man too, an' he spends his time drinkin'."
"Is he abusive?"
"So long as I'm not home, he's not."
Jason grit his teeth. "I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault man. 'Ey! I got an idea. Why don't we have a duel ta take our minds off home?"
"That sounds like a great idea."
They took out their decks and shuffled before handing them to each other to cut. They cut each other's decks and gave them back.
"Let's duel!" The two said in unison.
"I think I'll get things started." Joey said. "I'll play 'Meteor Dragon', and I'll end my turn."
"I'll draw." Jason said. "I'll play a card in face down defense position and a card in the spell and trap zone. Then I'll end."
"All right. I'll draw a card and I'll play the 'Swamp Battleguard' before attacking your face down with 'Meteor Dragon'."
"You destroyed my 'Sangan' and thanks to his effect I can look for a card with 1500 or less attack from my deck and add it to my hand."
"I'm not done yet." Joey said. "Wit my 'Swamp Battleguard' I'll attack Your life points directly!"
"I activate 'Waboku' to protect my life points this turn."
"Fine." Joey said.
"I'll draw. I set a card in face down defense position, a card in the spell and trap zone, and end my turn."
"I'll draw, an' I'll play 'Lava Battleguard'. Before attacking your face down with 'Meteor Dragon'."
"My 'Blast Sphere' latches onto your 'Meteor Dragon'."
"Yeah, but I'm not done yet! I'll attack your life points directly!"
"I activate my trap card 'Call of the Haunted' and bring 'Sangan' back in attack position."
"I'll attack your 'Sangan' wit my 'Swamp Battleguard' who's attack is currently at 2300."
"Leaving me at 700 life points, and you'll take the rest of my life points." Jason said nonchalantly.
"What do ya mean by dat?" Joey asked.
"Just that you've won this duel Joey." Jason said.
"What if I don't attack wit 'Lava Battleguard'?"
"Then your loss, if you lose is on you."
"Then I'll attack you wit 'Lava Battleguard' who has 2050 attack."
"Good game." Jason said.
"Well, I am a master duelist." Joey bragged buffing his nails on his shirt.
"Want to go again?" Jason asked. "No two out of three or anything, just another duel."
"I'm game for another duel!" Joey said. "I'll even let you go first."
"All right." Jason said drawing his five cards. "I'll play 'Amazoness Swords Woman' and 'Swords of Revealing Light'. That will protect me for three turns."
"I can see dat I've already scared ya silly. Don't worry I'll go easy on ya dis time. I draw and I'll play Leogun in attack position. Then I'll end."
"I'll draw and play a card in face down defense position."
"What's wit ya and defense position?"
"It's a valid strategy." Jason said. "Monsters in Defense position have higher defense, so it makes them better defenders."
"Nah Jay! It's all about attackin'." Joey said. "Do ya end?"
"Yeah. I'll end."
"Then I draw, and play 'Tiger Axe' in attack position. Then I'll end."
"I draw and play 'Axe Raider' in attack position and a card face down."
"'ey. I've got that card too."
"It's a small world, isn't it?"
"Yeah."
"I'll end."
"I draw and I'll play 'Baby Dragon' in attack position before ending."
"Don't you have any spell or trap cards?" Jason asked.
"Well yeah, but dey can't do much for me right now."
"They can act as deterrents."
"What do you mean? Like soap?"
"No, not detergents. Deterrents. They can trick your opponent into thinking that you have a trap waiting for them."
"Oh. I see. Kind a like what you have going on."
"Sort of, yeah."
"Well. I've already ended my turn, so I'll do that next turn."
'If you get a next turn.' Jason thought. "I draw and set a card in face down defense position and activate my spell card 'Tribute to the Doomed'. By discarding one card I can destroy one monster on the field, and I choose 'Leogun'."
"What! No!"
"And with that I'll end."
"Grr." Joey growled. "I'll draw, and I'll set two trap cards, and I'll play 'Kojikocy'."
"Joey. Dude. You shouldn't announce what cards you're setting. Don't let your opponent know that you have set traps. Tell them that you're putting two cards in the spell and trap zone, but don't tell them if you're playing spell or traps."
"Oh. Right. Sorry."
"Just be lucky this is a friendly match and not with stakes. That could get messy."
"I won't, but now my 'Kojikocy' will attack your face down."
"Sorry Joey. My face down was 'Giant Soldier of Stone', and it has a defense of 2000."
"Dang it!"
"You lost 500 life points taking your life points down to 1500."
"Yeah, yeah. I know. I end my turn."
"I draw and I play 'Overdrive' in attack position. I'll also begin attacking your monsters."
"No!"
"My 'Giant Soldier of Stone will attack 'Baby Dragon'. My 'Amazoness Swords Woman' will attack 'Tiger Axe'. And 'Axe Raider' will attack 'Kojikocy'. Finally, 'Overload' will attack your life points directly."
"I can't let 'cha do dat Jay." Joey said. "I'll activate my trap card 'Trap Hole of Spikes'! It will destroy your 'Overload' and deal half its life points to you."
"I'll end."
"I draw a card. Yes!"
'You might want to work on your poker face."
"Poke who's face?"
"No. Your poker face. You know, when you've got something good, but you don't want anyone else to know? A poker face."
"Oh. I got 'cha. I play 'Battle Steer'! And I attack your 'Giant Soldier of Stone'!"
"I'm down to 700 life points." Jason said. "I've lost my monster, but so have you."
"Say what?"
"I activate my trap card 'Michizure'. Whenever a monster on my side of the field is destroyed, I can use this card to destroy any one monster on the field, and I choose 'Battle Steer'."
"Now I don't have any monsters to defend my life points!"
"And it's my turn." Jason said drawing a card. "I'll sacrifice both my monsters in order to get out 'Gaia the Fierce Knight'."
"No!"
"Gaia attacks you for 2300 attack."
"NO! I lost!"
"You did win our first match though." Jason said.
"Yeah. I guess I did. Those were some good matches." Joey said.
"Excuse me gentlemen." A voice said causing them to look up to see a blonde-haired man in an expensive two-piece suit. "But we have arrived."
They put their deck's away and headed to the exit.
"So, Jay." Joey said. "Do ya want to hang wit me, Yugi, and our friends?"
"Not right now. I'll join you guys later. How about we meet up later tonight?"
"Sounds good ta me?"
"Let's go find the others and come up with a plan for tonight."
They walked around until they found Yugi, Tristan, and TéA.
"Hey guys." Joey said.
"Joey!" TéA yelled. "Where did you go? We looked everywhere for you."
"I was wit Jay here. He's a really good duelist... not as good as Yugi or me though."
"I-I beat you once." Jason stammered.
"JOEY!" Tea yelled smacking him upside the head.
"OW!" Joey yelled grabbing his head. "What did ya do dat for?"
"You obviously hurt Jason's feelings."
Joey honestly hadn't. Jason had built armor around himself and didn't care what people thought about him. He didn't really have friends; he didn't see the point in having potential enemies lying in wait to stab him in the back. No, what he had were allies, and if he could make allies out of Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and TéA then he would be set in this world.
"Oh. Sorry Jay. I didn't mean..."
"N-no. It's fine. You did win that first match fair and square, and I was able to hold out long enough to beat you in the second match."
"Oh yeah." Joey said. "Speakin' of which. Where do ya want ta meet up tonight?"
"What if we meet back here at sunset?" He asked. "We could meet here and find camp afterwards."
"Dat sounds like a good idea."
"Welcome all duelists." A guy wearing an expensive looking suit with a stupid looking haircut said. "Please, follow the stairs to meet your host."
"That castle has got to belong to Pegasus." Yugi said.
"Den what're we waitin' for?" Joey asked.
They walked up the stairs until TéA stopped them.
"Huh? What's that?" She asked.
"Huh?" Yugi said. "What do you see Tea?"
"I thought I saw Bakura."
"Bakura? From school?"
"Again, with this Bakura stuff?" Tristan asked.
"Where is he TéA?" Joey asked.
"That's two times I've seen him now, but he's not there anymore. Maybe it's all in my head?"
"Come on." Tristan said. "We're on a rescue mission, remember?"
As the group started walking again Jason looked over and saw Bakura hiding behind a tree. He pointed at his eye's and pointed back at Bakura in the universal sign of 'I'm watching you.'
They made it to the top of the steps and heard people whispering about some of the top players there. Weevil wasn't since his run in with Jason. Mai was there along with Rex and Mako.
Jason tuned them out and waited for Pegasus to announce the rules.
"Attention." A voice said. "Your benevolent host is anxious to greet you all."
Hmm." Yugi glared at the balcony.
"Boy, would I like ta get just five minutes alone wit dat guy." Joey said.
Pegasus walked out onto the balcony and overlooked the duelists. Jason got a bad vibe from Pegasus. He'd watched the anime, read the manga, but still. seeing him like this was something else. It caused all of his internal alarms to go off.
"Greeting's duelists. I am Maximillian Pegasus! It is my great honor and pleasure to welcome you all to the Duelist Kingdom. You stand before me, the world's greatest Duelists! But come tournaments end, only one shall be crowned... King of Games! I implore you all to assemble your Dueling decks with care, with creativity, and with cunning; for this competition will test your skills like never before! To track your progress in the tournament, you've each been given a Dueling Glove. You've also been given two precious star chips. You must wager these Star Chips on each Duel you compete in. To advance to the final level of the competition for a chance at the three-million-dollar prize, you must win ten Star Chips. Ten Star Chips will admit you into my castle, where you will face me in one final duel!"
Everyone began looking at Pegasus with determination burning in their eyes. Everyone except Jason. He was looking around for someone.
'If I can find Bandit Keith then I can take him out of the running before he can cheat his way into the tournament, but what about Joey vs. Bonz? Will that still happen if I take Bandit Keith out of the picture? Will that have negative side effects? I mean he doesn't play by the rules, and cheats. Maybe I can take his shades, bandana, and vest and trick Bonz into still fighting Joey.'
Jason's thoughts were interrupted by Pegasus speaking again.
"This will be a tournament unlike anything you've ever experienced. State of the art Dueling arenas cover the entire island, and intriguing new rules will be in effect. I could tell you what these rules are, but what fun would that be? You'll discover them as you compete or you won't last very long. Remember, play boldly, think strategically, and Duel Mercilessly!"
Jason tightened his hands into fists as a smile formed across his face. He knew about the field spell bonuses for the dueling arenas, and he knew about the new rules. As long as your effects made sense you had free reign to do whatever the hell you wanted to do. Not to mention that he had an hour to find Bandit Keith, take him down, take his gear and deck, and build his best deck possible with a few of Keith's cards. 'I wonder if I can make it more interesting to get more cards?'
Pegasus had begun talking again.
"You have one full hour to prepare, both your cards and yourselves. When the skies light up with fireworks, the Duels will begin!"
The crowd burst into cheers and Jason disappeared into the crowd. He ran down the steps and began looking for Keith. He found him at the base of the castle steps, glaring up at Pegasus. Jason jumped onto the banister and spun in the air before delivering a flying spin kick into Keith's head knocking him into the railing and knocking him out before he dragged him into the forest beside the castle.
'Sorry Keith, but you won't be pulling any of your bullshit while I'm here.' He took off Keith's vest, bandana, bracers, and shades before making sure that he didn't have any way to escape. He made an inventory of all of Keith's possessions. He had his Bandana, vest(With his deck and miscellaneous cards in his pockets. The guy had a deck in one pocket and seven pockets with miscellaneous cards), bracers(with the hidden '7 Completed' spell cards), and shades.
He grabbed Keith and tied his arm and legs around a tree before putting some rope in his mouth and gagging him with it before duct taping his mouth.
With Keith out of the way he put the rest of Keith's gear in his bag before heading out to wait for the Tournament to start.
AN: The reason Joey has both 'Lava Battleguard' and 'Swamp Battleguard' is because canon has been altered. Any discrepancies in dueling are because Jason is used to playing by Battle City and up rules, and Joey is still a lucky Noob.