Random talk: Forgot to say this last chapter. I twisted some facts about patents and copyrights. There is a reason behind this.
Also, despite being a Yu-Gi-Oh fan, I tend to forget the rules to the card game. Trust me, some of the rules are kinda complicated (like chains). I also don't know every card in the game and what the effects are. So, I will be basing some cards off the anime. And if I'm wrong on some of the rules, screw it. The anime barely follows them!
Excuse: Okay, so I don't have one for this fic... I really do have several chapters finished, but I just never got around to posting them. With two knee surgeries (yes, since the last chapter I had another) and recovery, I kinda wasn't really in the mood. Not to mention I kept losing the flash drive with the fics... -_-;
Note: Card's attack and defense points are at the end of the chapter. All card info is from Janime. If you want the link to the sites, they are in my profile towards the end.
"Speak" person talking to another person (same two people from last chapter).
Chapter 2
Tournaments
It has been a week since Heero left for Japan. He would give updates everyday, which pleased Duo. Not to mention Heero promised to get some autographs since a big Duel Monsters tournament happened to take place the same time he was there.
Duo wasn't the only one who enjoyed this ancient game. Quatre found the different strategies people used interesting. How some people played would reflect their personalities. Trowa would just say the game was interesting in general, never explaining further when someone asked. Wufei would deny with vengeance that he actually had a deck of his own. As for Heero, no one knew the reason behind his interest.
So, when a tournament aired on TV, it wasn't surprising that those who weren't busy would gather to watch it. Each one had their own duelist they would cheer for, but there was one that stood out the most. The duelist named Kaibaman.
It was unusual for a duelist to use an alias, let alone one named after a useless and weak card. (1) Not to mention he would dress up as it. He also used a deck that was similar to that of Seto Kaiba whom the card was based off. Some attribute the rise of Duel Monsters to him with his classic style of dueling.
"Man, I wish they would have those Duel Disks," Duo wined as he watched the tournament on the TV. "I bet they were so much more convenient! Plus they were kinda cool."
"Too bad they can't manufacture them," Quatre sighed. "Kaiba Corp is the only company that could. But there was a clause that if production stopped, it would stop for good until some form of ownership or blueprints were found. Not to mention that the design changed since the original version. I believe the last version was something like a motorcycle."
"Motorcycles for a child's card game?" Wufei remarked. "Did these people have any brains at all?"
"Parents felt the same way," Quatre responded. "That was a factor in the game's decline. The concept was popular for a long time. It was just all of a sudden parents were against it."
"Guys, quiet!" Duo yelled. "The match is almost over! Kaibaman is going to win!"
Silence filled the room as the four young men watched the conclusion of the duel. Currently, Kaibaman had X-Head Cannon, Y-Dragon Head, and Z-Metal Tank, all of which were in attack mode. His opponent only had Judge Man, with no card in his hand or in his spell and trap zone. The other duelist knew it was over as it was written all over his face. He knew his defeat was at hand, despite still having 2000 life points compared to Kaibaman's 1000.
"I must say, this has been one of the better duels I've had," Kaibaman said. "But it ends here. I fuse my three monsters XYZ Dragon Cannon!" Kaibaman took his three monsters to his graveyard and placed a new card on the field. Just as he did that, the three monsters started to change their form in order to fit together. As soon as that was done, a single monster was left. The XYZ Dragon Cannon stood, ready to attack. (2)
"Looks like this is the end, people!" The commentator on the TV exclaimed. "Kaibaman just summoned one of his most powerful monsters!"
"Now, I activate XYZ Dragon Cannon's ability!" Kaibaman continued. "By discarding one card from my hand, I can destroy one of your cards on the field. And since you only have one card on the field, your Judge Man is destroyed." The opponent discarded the monster as Judge Man was broken into small pieces. "Attack his life points directly, XYZ Dragon! End this duel!" Lasers came out of various locations and went straight to the opponent, dropping his life points to zero.
"And that's it!" the commentator yelled. "Kaibaman has just defeated Tetsu Ushio!" (3) The crowd in the stadium erupted in cheer at Kaibaman's latest victory.
"So cool!" Duo yelled as he jumped up. "Man, what I would give to duel Kaibaman just once!"
"You would be destroyed," Trowa stated.
"Who cares!" Duo said. "It would still be an honor!"
"Master Quatre," a maid said as she walked up to the group. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but a package just came in from Neo Domino City. There is no way of telling who it is from or why it was sent. I'm sorry I signed for it without letting you know beforehand, but it said it was urgent."
"It is okay," Quatre said. "And thank you for letting me know. I can take it now."
The maid handed the thick manila envelope to Quatre, bowed, and walked away. Quatre examined the envelope carefully. It seemed innocent enough, but he knew things weren't always as they seem. Seeing no threat, he opened it. He was completely unaware of the announcement made on the TV at the same time.
"Now, a spokesperson from Industrial Illusions has an important announcement about the next big tournament," the commentator said. The screen switched to a man in his thirties in a three-piece black business suit on a platform in the middle of the arena floor. He had a dark tan, as if he was from some middle east or something. Yet, his platinum blond hair says otherwise. Warm violet eyes displayed amusement from the last duel.
"That was truly a splendid duel just now!" the man said. "Every duel in this tournament was wonderful! You should all be proud to call yourselves duelist!
"Now onto the reason I am here. In four months, a new tournament will take place here in Neo Domino City! In honor of the great duelist of past, the president of Industrial Illusions has created the Neo Battle City Tournament!
"Back in the days of Yuugi Mouto, Seto Kaiba, and Katsuya Jonouchi, a great tournament was held hosted by Seto Kaiba himself. He called it the Battle City Tournament. This caused Duel Monsters to evolve. Duel Disks were introduced along with new rules of how to play. Only the best duelists were allowed to enter.
"Neo Battle City will run similarly, though there will be differences from the original. Those how have enough points on their dueling card may enter. Instead of a city wide duel spree, duels will be held in arenas across the city due to the lack of Duel Disks. The loser is not required to forfeit one of their cards to the winner, only if both duelist consent.
"Also, if you lose a duel, you are out of the tournament. Duelists for each round will be chosen at random unless duelists request an opponent and both parties agree to the duel. Once more, these rules are due to the lack of the Duel Disks. More information about the tournament will be released as it comes.
"As for the prize, the president of Industrial Illusions will be there to award the winner with a rare deck! Not only that, but the winner will have the honor of playing a tag-team duel with the president and their choice opponents!
"So go out and win some points! Good luck to you all and show us some amazing duels!"
"Did you hear that guys!" Duo yelled, jumping up and down. "The president is actually going to show his face! No one knows who he is!"
"That deck must be powerful to be given as a prize," Trowa said.
"A chance to prove you strength against other high caliber duelist," Wufei said. "Who could pass up such an opportunity?"
"I can't believe it!" Quatre exclaimed suddenly.
"I know!" Duo responded. "Isn't it amazing?"
"No, not the tournament!" Quatre said. "I mean what I just got in the mail! Its unbelievable!"
"Explain," Trowa said.
"Someone just sent me the original blueprints for the Duel Disks!"
"That was too easy," Kaibaman said as he took off his helmet in his changing room. "Hm… Neo Battle City tournament… Might be interesting, but it will not be the same. He won't be there…"
"I will enter then."
"No. Someone set it up so I would want to enter. Whoever the president of Industrial Illusions is knows who I am. I can't deny such an invitation."
"Fine."
"Only one thing that bothers me. Battle City was created to draw out the Rare Hunters and the God Cards. I can't be the only target."
"Hn… I'll look more into it when we return. We could also hack into the company."
"No need. They went to the trouble, so might as well humor them. By the way, your friend must have gotten it by now. I think a few changes are ahead for the tournament."
"If he's my friend, then he is yours as well."
"Urg… Don't even think about giving a speech on friendship. I've had enough for one lifetime."
"I'm not. It is only logic."
"Point taken." The man behind Kaibaman smirked. Blue eyes looked at a mirror. Two sets of identical blue eyes stared back. "We are, after all, the same."
"Sir, the response to the tournament was instant," the man from the tournament said. "By the time of the tournament, the popularity of the game will have doubled."
"Perfect!" a man sitting at a large desk said. "It'll be just like old times! You know you're nicer than your ancestor, Ishtar." (4)
"I guess that's a complement," the man named Ishtar said, laughing. "You think your plan will work? Sure, it worked for Seto Kaiba because of the rare card rule."
"Oh, they'll come. Once we announce what the prize really is, people will sign up in like crazy! Plus it will draw him out."
"If you say so. I must go and make some arrangements. Also, a Quatre Rabbera Winner called me on my way here. He said he found something that may change a few things."
"Winner? As in the kid that people call the modern day Seto Kaiba and the CEO of WEI? I'll contact him as soon as I can. Go, you have work."
Ishtar bowed and left the man alone. The man turned the chair around to look at the view of Neo Domino City. Being the president of Industrial Illusions had its perks in that he could choose where he worked. The man smiled has he took out a deck of Duel Monster cards. He picked up the top card and smiled.
"So, Seto… Shall we show them why we're the best?" the man said as he looked at a Blue Eyes White Dragon.
TBC
Cards Mentioned
Kaibaman: Attack: 200, Defense: 700
X-Head Cannon: Attack: 1800, Defense: 1500
Y-Dragon Head: Attack: 1500, Defense: 1600
Z-Metal Tank: Attack: 1500, Defense: 1300
Judge Man: Attack: 2200, Defense: 2500
XYZ Dragon Cannon: Attack: 2800, Defense: 2600
(1) As stated above, Kaibaman has a weak attack and defense power. The only cards I can think of off the top of my head who have just as bad stats is Kuriboh who has 300 attack and 200 defense and Winged Kuriboh who's stats are the same as Kuriboh only with an effect. The problem is that Kaiba is the only one who can use Kaibaman to its full potential since the card allows you to sacrifice the card to summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon, which Kaiba is the only one that has a playable version of. Therefore, Kaibaman is the weakest card in the series that I know of.
(2) Fusion monsters usually need a card along with the certain monsters to play. Some monsters, like XYZ Dragon Cannon do not need this card, only discard the cards needed.
(3) My tribute to Season Zero (the series that never aired in America and the manga series before what Shonen Jump calls Duelists). The first villain ever in the series was a bully named Ushio. I just used a character's name from 5Ds for him.
(4) No, it is not Malik, exactly.
Random talk: Why the heck did I chose Ushio? He was never my favorite villain from Yu-Gi-Oh, and 5Ds Ushio scares me because of the dub voice actor is Dan Green, AKA Yami… I could have chosen from a long list of villains, but I went with Ushio… I guess I'll never know why…
Rubi-chan, over and out!