Chapter 17: - Hired
"Damn, Rich-Boy's cook is scary." Joey whispered, half afraid that he'd coming chasing them down the corridor again.
"Well how was I supposed to know he'd be in the kitchen?" Kari asked. "I thought we'd touch down before meal time."
"Perhaps we're getting a meal with the closing ceremony." Tristan shrugged.
"Back to my room?" Kari asked. Joey and Tristan nodded and gave her a hand to her feet.
They were halfway back when Kaiba 'happened' to bump into them. "Ironhide." Kaiba nodded, "I'm challenging you to a duel. Tuesday at 5pm. I'll send my limo to pick you up."
"Thank you very much Mr Kaiba, but I'll have to give you some details, I'll be back in work by then."
"Very well. Do you accept?"
Joey rolled his eyes, causing Kari to have to stifle her giggles as she agreed and the CEO stalked off down the corridor.
"Well that didn't take very long." Kari laughed as they reached the corridor with her room in.
"We warned you." Joey smirked as her door slid open. "If anything I'm glad he won't be chasing Yugi around any more."
"Won't be chasing me nothing." Yugi groaned, "He issued a challenge while you three were gone, I have a match with him on Thursday."
"He thinks he's going to be King of Games by then." Joey snorted, "He's playing Kari on Tuesday."
"Got you already?" Yugi asked, Yami rolling his eyes in the background.
"He just happened to bump into me in the corridor." Kari rolled her eyes in return. Yugi laughed and shook his head.
"You entering the Tournament in a couple of week's time?" Kari asked as she sank onto the sofa.
"Yeap, it'll be nice to not be entering as the 'King of Games'." Yugi said.
"I'll be there, hopefully we'll get a rematch." Kari grinned. "If Yami hadn't looked so shocked, I would have sworn he'd thrown the Duel."
'I would never…'
"Yami doesn't throw Duels." Yugi assured her.
"I might head for the Infirmary, ask if they've got any ibuprofen." Kari said, "And then I'm sorry to kick you out but I just want to sleep off the ache until we get back."
Yugi and Yami looked at each other, "We're sorry." Yugi said looking at the ground.
"What for?" Kari looked confused.
"For dragging you into our mess."
"I had a chance to run didn't I?" Kari asked, "I just didn't take it."
"But…"
"You can't apologise for every mess that comes after you." Kari said tactically, "Do you wake up in the morning and think I'm going to get people coming after me deliberately?" Yugi shook his head, "No? Then it's not your fault."
Joey looked highly amused by her bluntness, "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to get some pain killers and I'm going to sleep. Feel free to stick around, but please do so quietly."
They had dispersed by the time she got back.
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Kari was the last into the Dinning Room which was surprisingly clean considering the mess they'd made this morning, and she looked as stiff as old boards.
She frowned, looked around, then shrugged and joined her friends at one of the tables as the blimp finally finished docking.
"Sleep well?" Mai asked.
Kari shrugged.
Tea, Joey and Tristan took that as a no.
"I was wondering if I could have your home phone numbers." Kari said as Seto Kaiba stood up, "You know, to keep in contact."
"You can have mine but…" Yugi whispered and cut off at a glare from Kaiba.
The press, who'd piled on the blimp the moment it had been safe to board, arrived and set up in seconds.
"Oh great." Kari groaned.
"You knew it was coming." Joey pointed out.
"Oh shut up."
"Another Battle City has come to a close and this time I'm very pleased and surprised to announce a new winner."
'What's he up to?' Yami asked.
"Dunno, let me listen."
"First however, I will introduce the runner up. Not who you most of you would expect as runner up, may I present the second prize check, to Former King of Games, Yugi Muto."
'Git.'
"Shush."
Yugi took the check and sat down, well aware of the murmuring from the press.
"Now to introduce the winner. Today, on Battle Island, the King of Games was dethroned in favour of a new ruler, a female ruler. May I introduce to the Duelling World, the winner of Battle City and the new Queen of Games. Kari Ironhide!" Kari gulped and stood up.
The press looked stunned as Kari accepted the check.
Of course they did. She was an unknown in the area. She found herself smiling and returned to her friends quickly, glad that was over.
"You do realise they'll expect you to say something afterwards don't you."
"You're kidding."
"No, I hope you like to play 20 questions."
"Take the title back." Kari moaned at Yugi. "Please?"
"I'll win it back." Yugi surprised her by saying until she noticed the red eyes and smirked.
"I'll take you up on that."
They ate quickly and with the press hovering expectantly. They descended like vultures when the meal was cleared.
Twenty questions wasn't the game, twenty hundred was.
Yugi was caught in the crush too. Kaiba had a few questions thrown his way, but for once Joey didn't seem to mind being ignored. He used his much bigger size to allow Kari and Yugi to get through so they could escape after making their apologies.
Kari saved Yugi and Tea's home numbers on her mobile before they split up.
Home and bed was the order of the rest of the day.
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"Ironhide, are you aware the press is scaring off our customers?" The Café manager asked sometime Monday afternoon.
"I don't know how they got my work address, but I'm going to cause whoever told them serious bodily harm."
"Are you kidding, the publicly is great, go and talk to them."
"No, I don't want to… eep." Kari was pushed out of the staff room door and in front of the press.
"Miss Ironhide!" They started talking at her.
"Give me a second to serve the customers." She said to them, noting who the only customer left was, "Hi Joey."
"Hi Kari." Joey nodded, "They found you then."
She nodded, "Cause a distraction will you?" She hissed after taking their order.
Joey nodded and she smiled gratefully.
He waited until she'd turned around and headed for the counter then shouted, "Hey look it's Jessica Hughes… is that a new boyfriend?" The press of course, unable to avoid a story about the stars, turned away and only a couple of them saw Kari drag Joey out the back entrance and flee.
"Well that was fun." She said sarcastically when they'd lost the last of them.
"You're fast."
"Practise. I wasn't always popular." Kari shrugged.
"So what're you planning to do now? You can't go back to work."
"Hand my notice in and find somewhere new to work." Kari shrugged, "They'll go out of business or fire me if that keeps up."
Joey snorted, "Wanna come to Yugi's? There's normally something interesting going on."
"As long as it isn't the same sort of interesting as yesterday, I'm in."
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Seto Kaiba was looking at application forms when one caught his eye.
It was from a foreigner, so normally it wouldn't have been looked at, but the name on it made him smirk and insert the CD portfolio.
So the Queen of Games was job hunting in his industry was she?
He could use this.
He could use her he decided, looking at her portfolio.
Maybe there was a way he could work this to his advantage.
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Kari was watching Joey and Tristan brawl in the Muto living room when her mobile phone went off.
The two teens paused while she answered it.
"Hello. Speaking. Last stage interview?" She looked excited at the prospect, "When? Tomorrow…I've arranged…Ok. Duel first, interview afterwards…Ok. Ok. Thank you. Goodbye."
"What was that about?" Tea asked as Joey and Tristan started all over again.
"I've got an interview to work for Kaiba Corp after my Duel tomorrow." Kari said, "Won't they break something in a minute?" She frowned at the two.
"Na," Yugi shook his head, "They know Grandpa would kill them if they did." He looked at her, "Did they say who was going to be interviewing you?"
"Mr Kaiba. It has to be Seto doesn't it?"
"You can't call him by his first name." Tea reminded her, "It's not polite here."
"Sorry." Kari replied, "Well at least he's efficient. I won't have to go back again if he doesn't like me."
"He just wants to make you nervous before your match." Joey shrugged, finally winning and stealing the spare seat.
"Well if I didn't run away from Xuan, I'm certainly not running from Kaiba."
Yugi laughed, "So what's the plans for tonight?"
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"You think he's going to mind?"
"Us recording?" Yugi asked, he shook his head, "No, he'll want it recorded in as many ways as possible in case he wins."
"Ok." Kari took a deep breath and stepped into the Kaiba Corp building at 4:45pm. The others had been waiting for her outside. "Uh, hi, I'm here for a five o'clock Duel with Mr Kaiba."
"Name?" The secretary asked.
"Ironhide Kari."
"Mr Kaiba's expecting you. He didn't mention anything about guests though." She buzzed and asked the CEO who told her, rather loudly, to let them all up, "Go on up." She said, "Second lift on the right up to the 15th floor, then the third on the left, go up to floor 29 and the PA should sort you out there."
"That was complicated." Joey complained as they finally reached the top floor.
Kaiba was already waiting for them.
"I half expected you to bring them with you for the Duel." He said, "They're to go to the 30th floor, while we're on the 32nd."
"Yes Mr Kaiba."
"We're recording the duel to send back to Kari's friend, Robyn." Yami was in control, "That's alright?"
"I don't care." Kaiba snapped, ignoring the changes. "Ready Miss Ironhide."
Kari nodded.
"Let's take this upstairs then."
It was a traditional Duelling Arena, the old platforms and emitters but it was on a scale Kari had never seen before. It was easily bigger then the ones she'd seen on TV in the programmes about Duellist Kingdom.
"You're to make the first move, Miss Ironhide."
"Fine." The two voices echoed and Kari held off until Yami gave her the thumbs up to say they were recording before she drew, "I summon Mad Dog of Darkness in attack mode and play one card face down and end my turn." The 1900 attack point dog was larger then Kari had ever seen it before.
Kaiba drew, "I play two cards face down and summon Battle Ox in defence mode. It's your move Ironhide."
Kari drew and grinned, oh her partner loved her this week, "I sacrifice my Mad Dog of Darkness for the Dark Magician Girl!" The Spellcaster arrived on the field with a flourish.
"I activate Cloning." Kaiba called. A huge machine appeared on his side of the field, "It allows me to clone the monster you just summoned and have it on my side of the field." A Dark Magician Girl that reminded Kari a little of Dark Link from the Legend of Zelda games, stepped out of the machine and glowered at her Dark Magician Girl.
"Fine, I activate Magic Formula, increasing my Dark Magician Girl's attack by 700." Kari called. Her Dark Magician Girl read the book that appeared and smirked as she gazed at the 'clone' Dark Magician Girl. "Dark Magician Girl, attack his fake!"
"I activate Negate Attack!" Kaiba's clone was saved for now.
"I guess I end my turn."
"I sacrifice Battle Ox and my clone for my first Blue Eyes White Dragon."
Uh oh.
"Blue Eyes, destroy her Dark Magician Girl!" Kari's mage was destroyed and first her points went up by 1000 and then down by 300. "Your move Ironhide."
"I play a card face down in defence mode and end my turn." Kari growled.
Kaiba drew, "I summon Spear Dragon in attack mode." He hesitated for a split second, then made up his mind, "Spear Dragon, attack her face down card!"
Kari lost 500 points to Kaiba's trample effect, taking the difference in attack of his monster and defence of hers away from her life points.
"Blue Eyes attack her directly!"
Kari was suddenly very glad of her 1000 boost earlier, as her points dropped to 1200.
"Your move Ironhide."
She drew and winced, "A card in defence mode and one card face down, your move."
"Spear Dragon, attack her face down card."
It exploded, Blue Eyes exploded.
"Old Vindictive Magician." Kaiba growled, knowing what it was already that had caused his dragon's death. "One card face down and I end my turn."
"I summon Double Costan in attack mode and set a card face down." Kari sighed, "Your move."
Why in attack mode, is she that obviously trying to lure me in? Kaiba thought, "I play Monster Reborn to bring back my Blue Eyes and summon Lord of D. Because he's on the field I can activate Flute of Summoning Dragon to summon my other two dragons."
"In response to you summoning your other two dragons, I activate Trap Hole to destroy Lord of D."
"It won't matter, Blue Eyes end this by attacking her Double Costan!"
"Mirror Force!" Kari's voice could be heard over the roar of the triple attack.
Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragons and Spear Dragon died.
That worked better then I'd hoped. Kari thought to herself as Kaiba gave her a dirty look and ended his turn.
"I summon Herald of Creation." Kari called, bringing forth only the third light monster in her deck, with 1800 attack points. "Double Costan, Herald of Creation! Attack!"
Joey cheered as Kaiba lost 3500 points, reducing him to 500.
"Your move Seto Kaiba."
"Vorse Raider in attack mode." Kaiba knew he was in trouble, not that he'd ever admit it, he had to keep magic and trap cards off of the field to prevent her doing to him what she'd done to Yugi, but it wasn't working. "Attack Double Costan!" The zombie monster died, taking Kari down to 1000. "Your move."
"I play Monster Reborn to bring back your Blue Eyes White Dragon and use it to attack your own Vorse Raider." Kaiba's Vorse Raider died and so did his life points.
Kari grinned as the bleep finished counting down the points, then the grin died, she had to get through an interview with him now… that, somehow, was scarier then Duelling him.
Yami gave her a thumbs up as they headed for the lifts but she didn't get a chance to talk to her friends before she was dragged through for her interview.
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Kari was quiet on the way back to the Muto residence making the others worry about what Kaiba had said to her.
She thanked the limo driver politely and waited until it was out of sight.
Before giving the loudest excited scream the gang had ever heard from anyone ever.
Considering that they hadn't been expecting it, it was little surprise that Joey and Tristan jumped a mile, Tea had backed off quickly and Yami had switched control with Yugi.
"Are you alright?" Yami asked.
"I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job!" This continued upstairs and into the living room.
"So I'm guessing she was hired?"
"I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job!"
"Kari, calm down and tell us exactly what you've been hired to do."
"I've been hired as a Games Artist, to be one of the people who works on graphics for games and things. Mr Kaiba also said something about helping out the Tactics department on occasion but I don't know what that is."
"So you'll be working on the holograms for the Duel Disks?"
"Hopefully." Kari nodded. "We'll see."
"So when do you start?"
"Thursday morning." Kari replied, tired now the adrenaline was draining away. "It's going to be a bit of an evil start time but…"
"What time is it?"
"6 am."
"What?"
Kari shrugged, "I have to hand in my notice effective immediately in the café and be ready to start at 6am Thursday."
"So, celebration?" Joey asked.
"Pizza?" Kari asked with big wide eyes.
"Akkk! I thought only Yugi could pull off the Cutsie Eyes of Doom!" Joey scrambled away.
"Please!"
"Ok. What type…?"
This dissolved into a five way debate that was only settled when they ordered five different pizzas.
Suffice to say there was pizza available for breakfast.
"Well how was I supposed to know he'd be in the kitchen?" Kari asked. "I thought we'd touch down before meal time."
"Perhaps we're getting a meal with the closing ceremony." Tristan shrugged.
"Back to my room?" Kari asked. Joey and Tristan nodded and gave her a hand to her feet.
They were halfway back when Kaiba 'happened' to bump into them. "Ironhide." Kaiba nodded, "I'm challenging you to a duel. Tuesday at 5pm. I'll send my limo to pick you up."
"Thank you very much Mr Kaiba, but I'll have to give you some details, I'll be back in work by then."
"Very well. Do you accept?"
Joey rolled his eyes, causing Kari to have to stifle her giggles as she agreed and the CEO stalked off down the corridor.
"Well that didn't take very long." Kari laughed as they reached the corridor with her room in.
"We warned you." Joey smirked as her door slid open. "If anything I'm glad he won't be chasing Yugi around any more."
"Won't be chasing me nothing." Yugi groaned, "He issued a challenge while you three were gone, I have a match with him on Thursday."
"He thinks he's going to be King of Games by then." Joey snorted, "He's playing Kari on Tuesday."
"Got you already?" Yugi asked, Yami rolling his eyes in the background.
"He just happened to bump into me in the corridor." Kari rolled her eyes in return. Yugi laughed and shook his head.
"You entering the Tournament in a couple of week's time?" Kari asked as she sank onto the sofa.
"Yeap, it'll be nice to not be entering as the 'King of Games'." Yugi said.
"I'll be there, hopefully we'll get a rematch." Kari grinned. "If Yami hadn't looked so shocked, I would have sworn he'd thrown the Duel."
'I would never…'
"Yami doesn't throw Duels." Yugi assured her.
"I might head for the Infirmary, ask if they've got any ibuprofen." Kari said, "And then I'm sorry to kick you out but I just want to sleep off the ache until we get back."
Yugi and Yami looked at each other, "We're sorry." Yugi said looking at the ground.
"What for?" Kari looked confused.
"For dragging you into our mess."
"I had a chance to run didn't I?" Kari asked, "I just didn't take it."
"But…"
"You can't apologise for every mess that comes after you." Kari said tactically, "Do you wake up in the morning and think I'm going to get people coming after me deliberately?" Yugi shook his head, "No? Then it's not your fault."
Joey looked highly amused by her bluntness, "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to get some pain killers and I'm going to sleep. Feel free to stick around, but please do so quietly."
They had dispersed by the time she got back.
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Kari was the last into the Dinning Room which was surprisingly clean considering the mess they'd made this morning, and she looked as stiff as old boards.
She frowned, looked around, then shrugged and joined her friends at one of the tables as the blimp finally finished docking.
"Sleep well?" Mai asked.
Kari shrugged.
Tea, Joey and Tristan took that as a no.
"I was wondering if I could have your home phone numbers." Kari said as Seto Kaiba stood up, "You know, to keep in contact."
"You can have mine but…" Yugi whispered and cut off at a glare from Kaiba.
The press, who'd piled on the blimp the moment it had been safe to board, arrived and set up in seconds.
"Oh great." Kari groaned.
"You knew it was coming." Joey pointed out.
"Oh shut up."
"Another Battle City has come to a close and this time I'm very pleased and surprised to announce a new winner."
'What's he up to?' Yami asked.
"Dunno, let me listen."
"First however, I will introduce the runner up. Not who you most of you would expect as runner up, may I present the second prize check, to Former King of Games, Yugi Muto."
'Git.'
"Shush."
Yugi took the check and sat down, well aware of the murmuring from the press.
"Now to introduce the winner. Today, on Battle Island, the King of Games was dethroned in favour of a new ruler, a female ruler. May I introduce to the Duelling World, the winner of Battle City and the new Queen of Games. Kari Ironhide!" Kari gulped and stood up.
The press looked stunned as Kari accepted the check.
Of course they did. She was an unknown in the area. She found herself smiling and returned to her friends quickly, glad that was over.
"You do realise they'll expect you to say something afterwards don't you."
"You're kidding."
"No, I hope you like to play 20 questions."
"Take the title back." Kari moaned at Yugi. "Please?"
"I'll win it back." Yugi surprised her by saying until she noticed the red eyes and smirked.
"I'll take you up on that."
They ate quickly and with the press hovering expectantly. They descended like vultures when the meal was cleared.
Twenty questions wasn't the game, twenty hundred was.
Yugi was caught in the crush too. Kaiba had a few questions thrown his way, but for once Joey didn't seem to mind being ignored. He used his much bigger size to allow Kari and Yugi to get through so they could escape after making their apologies.
Kari saved Yugi and Tea's home numbers on her mobile before they split up.
Home and bed was the order of the rest of the day.
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"Ironhide, are you aware the press is scaring off our customers?" The Café manager asked sometime Monday afternoon.
"I don't know how they got my work address, but I'm going to cause whoever told them serious bodily harm."
"Are you kidding, the publicly is great, go and talk to them."
"No, I don't want to… eep." Kari was pushed out of the staff room door and in front of the press.
"Miss Ironhide!" They started talking at her.
"Give me a second to serve the customers." She said to them, noting who the only customer left was, "Hi Joey."
"Hi Kari." Joey nodded, "They found you then."
She nodded, "Cause a distraction will you?" She hissed after taking their order.
Joey nodded and she smiled gratefully.
He waited until she'd turned around and headed for the counter then shouted, "Hey look it's Jessica Hughes… is that a new boyfriend?" The press of course, unable to avoid a story about the stars, turned away and only a couple of them saw Kari drag Joey out the back entrance and flee.
"Well that was fun." She said sarcastically when they'd lost the last of them.
"You're fast."
"Practise. I wasn't always popular." Kari shrugged.
"So what're you planning to do now? You can't go back to work."
"Hand my notice in and find somewhere new to work." Kari shrugged, "They'll go out of business or fire me if that keeps up."
Joey snorted, "Wanna come to Yugi's? There's normally something interesting going on."
"As long as it isn't the same sort of interesting as yesterday, I'm in."
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Seto Kaiba was looking at application forms when one caught his eye.
It was from a foreigner, so normally it wouldn't have been looked at, but the name on it made him smirk and insert the CD portfolio.
So the Queen of Games was job hunting in his industry was she?
He could use this.
He could use her he decided, looking at her portfolio.
Maybe there was a way he could work this to his advantage.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kari was watching Joey and Tristan brawl in the Muto living room when her mobile phone went off.
The two teens paused while she answered it.
"Hello. Speaking. Last stage interview?" She looked excited at the prospect, "When? Tomorrow…I've arranged…Ok. Duel first, interview afterwards…Ok. Ok. Thank you. Goodbye."
"What was that about?" Tea asked as Joey and Tristan started all over again.
"I've got an interview to work for Kaiba Corp after my Duel tomorrow." Kari said, "Won't they break something in a minute?" She frowned at the two.
"Na," Yugi shook his head, "They know Grandpa would kill them if they did." He looked at her, "Did they say who was going to be interviewing you?"
"Mr Kaiba. It has to be Seto doesn't it?"
"You can't call him by his first name." Tea reminded her, "It's not polite here."
"Sorry." Kari replied, "Well at least he's efficient. I won't have to go back again if he doesn't like me."
"He just wants to make you nervous before your match." Joey shrugged, finally winning and stealing the spare seat.
"Well if I didn't run away from Xuan, I'm certainly not running from Kaiba."
Yugi laughed, "So what's the plans for tonight?"
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"You think he's going to mind?"
"Us recording?" Yugi asked, he shook his head, "No, he'll want it recorded in as many ways as possible in case he wins."
"Ok." Kari took a deep breath and stepped into the Kaiba Corp building at 4:45pm. The others had been waiting for her outside. "Uh, hi, I'm here for a five o'clock Duel with Mr Kaiba."
"Name?" The secretary asked.
"Ironhide Kari."
"Mr Kaiba's expecting you. He didn't mention anything about guests though." She buzzed and asked the CEO who told her, rather loudly, to let them all up, "Go on up." She said, "Second lift on the right up to the 15th floor, then the third on the left, go up to floor 29 and the PA should sort you out there."
"That was complicated." Joey complained as they finally reached the top floor.
Kaiba was already waiting for them.
"I half expected you to bring them with you for the Duel." He said, "They're to go to the 30th floor, while we're on the 32nd."
"Yes Mr Kaiba."
"We're recording the duel to send back to Kari's friend, Robyn." Yami was in control, "That's alright?"
"I don't care." Kaiba snapped, ignoring the changes. "Ready Miss Ironhide."
Kari nodded.
"Let's take this upstairs then."
It was a traditional Duelling Arena, the old platforms and emitters but it was on a scale Kari had never seen before. It was easily bigger then the ones she'd seen on TV in the programmes about Duellist Kingdom.
"You're to make the first move, Miss Ironhide."
"Fine." The two voices echoed and Kari held off until Yami gave her the thumbs up to say they were recording before she drew, "I summon Mad Dog of Darkness in attack mode and play one card face down and end my turn." The 1900 attack point dog was larger then Kari had ever seen it before.
Kaiba drew, "I play two cards face down and summon Battle Ox in defence mode. It's your move Ironhide."
Kari drew and grinned, oh her partner loved her this week, "I sacrifice my Mad Dog of Darkness for the Dark Magician Girl!" The Spellcaster arrived on the field with a flourish.
"I activate Cloning." Kaiba called. A huge machine appeared on his side of the field, "It allows me to clone the monster you just summoned and have it on my side of the field." A Dark Magician Girl that reminded Kari a little of Dark Link from the Legend of Zelda games, stepped out of the machine and glowered at her Dark Magician Girl.
"Fine, I activate Magic Formula, increasing my Dark Magician Girl's attack by 700." Kari called. Her Dark Magician Girl read the book that appeared and smirked as she gazed at the 'clone' Dark Magician Girl. "Dark Magician Girl, attack his fake!"
"I activate Negate Attack!" Kaiba's clone was saved for now.
"I guess I end my turn."
"I sacrifice Battle Ox and my clone for my first Blue Eyes White Dragon."
Uh oh.
"Blue Eyes, destroy her Dark Magician Girl!" Kari's mage was destroyed and first her points went up by 1000 and then down by 300. "Your move Ironhide."
"I play a card face down in defence mode and end my turn." Kari growled.
Kaiba drew, "I summon Spear Dragon in attack mode." He hesitated for a split second, then made up his mind, "Spear Dragon, attack her face down card!"
Kari lost 500 points to Kaiba's trample effect, taking the difference in attack of his monster and defence of hers away from her life points.
"Blue Eyes attack her directly!"
Kari was suddenly very glad of her 1000 boost earlier, as her points dropped to 1200.
"Your move Ironhide."
She drew and winced, "A card in defence mode and one card face down, your move."
"Spear Dragon, attack her face down card."
It exploded, Blue Eyes exploded.
"Old Vindictive Magician." Kaiba growled, knowing what it was already that had caused his dragon's death. "One card face down and I end my turn."
"I summon Double Costan in attack mode and set a card face down." Kari sighed, "Your move."
Why in attack mode, is she that obviously trying to lure me in? Kaiba thought, "I play Monster Reborn to bring back my Blue Eyes and summon Lord of D. Because he's on the field I can activate Flute of Summoning Dragon to summon my other two dragons."
"In response to you summoning your other two dragons, I activate Trap Hole to destroy Lord of D."
"It won't matter, Blue Eyes end this by attacking her Double Costan!"
"Mirror Force!" Kari's voice could be heard over the roar of the triple attack.
Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragons and Spear Dragon died.
That worked better then I'd hoped. Kari thought to herself as Kaiba gave her a dirty look and ended his turn.
"I summon Herald of Creation." Kari called, bringing forth only the third light monster in her deck, with 1800 attack points. "Double Costan, Herald of Creation! Attack!"
Joey cheered as Kaiba lost 3500 points, reducing him to 500.
"Your move Seto Kaiba."
"Vorse Raider in attack mode." Kaiba knew he was in trouble, not that he'd ever admit it, he had to keep magic and trap cards off of the field to prevent her doing to him what she'd done to Yugi, but it wasn't working. "Attack Double Costan!" The zombie monster died, taking Kari down to 1000. "Your move."
"I play Monster Reborn to bring back your Blue Eyes White Dragon and use it to attack your own Vorse Raider." Kaiba's Vorse Raider died and so did his life points.
Kari grinned as the bleep finished counting down the points, then the grin died, she had to get through an interview with him now… that, somehow, was scarier then Duelling him.
Yami gave her a thumbs up as they headed for the lifts but she didn't get a chance to talk to her friends before she was dragged through for her interview.
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Kari was quiet on the way back to the Muto residence making the others worry about what Kaiba had said to her.
She thanked the limo driver politely and waited until it was out of sight.
Before giving the loudest excited scream the gang had ever heard from anyone ever.
Considering that they hadn't been expecting it, it was little surprise that Joey and Tristan jumped a mile, Tea had backed off quickly and Yami had switched control with Yugi.
"Are you alright?" Yami asked.
"I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job!" This continued upstairs and into the living room.
"So I'm guessing she was hired?"
"I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job! I got the job!"
"Kari, calm down and tell us exactly what you've been hired to do."
"I've been hired as a Games Artist, to be one of the people who works on graphics for games and things. Mr Kaiba also said something about helping out the Tactics department on occasion but I don't know what that is."
"So you'll be working on the holograms for the Duel Disks?"
"Hopefully." Kari nodded. "We'll see."
"So when do you start?"
"Thursday morning." Kari replied, tired now the adrenaline was draining away. "It's going to be a bit of an evil start time but…"
"What time is it?"
"6 am."
"What?"
Kari shrugged, "I have to hand in my notice effective immediately in the café and be ready to start at 6am Thursday."
"So, celebration?" Joey asked.
"Pizza?" Kari asked with big wide eyes.
"Akkk! I thought only Yugi could pull off the Cutsie Eyes of Doom!" Joey scrambled away.
"Please!"
"Ok. What type…?"
This dissolved into a five way debate that was only settled when they ordered five different pizzas.
Suffice to say there was pizza available for breakfast.