Chapter 2: - Not Again
It was 5 am and Yugi was already up, changed and checking his deck over one last time.
Yami had taken spirit form and was pacing irritably.
"That's not helping." Yugi sighed at him.
'Sorry.' Yami stopped for all of five seconds before resuming.
"You'll wear a grove in the floor."
'I don't leave any imprints, remember?' Yami asked, then sighed, 'Was I keeping you up?'
"No, it was the nightmares again." Yugi gave Yami a slight smile, then shuffled his deck and drew five cards, "I only ever seem to have them before the craziness starts."
Yami didn't have much to say to that, he'd noticed it too. 'Before or during.' The pacing stopped and Yami grinned at him, 'Guess it means that this Tournament isn't going to be quiet.'
"No." Yugi shrugged and shuffled again, "We should warn Joey."
"Yugi?" Yugi's head shot towards the door and Yami faded as Yugi's Grandpa, Solomon Muto, entered the room. "Who're you talking to?"
"No one." Yugi said hastily, "Just myself."
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah." Yugi nodded, "Just checking my deck over."
"You ready?" Solomon rubbed the sleep from his eyes and smiled as he joined his Grandson on the sofa.
"I could do with a hand." Yugi grinned, handing over his deck.
Solomon knew Yugi didn't need his help really, but was grateful that his Grandson was letting him in on this. His Grandson had surpassed him years ago at the game, but Solomon still enjoined being let in on things like this, even if Yugi was still keeping other secrets from him.
"Let's take a look then."
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Joey was running late.
He'd been woken up by a phone call from Yugi at seven, who'd needed some reassurance about this Tournament. Joey had given it but he wasn't convinced that Yugi wasn't right, every time Yuge had nightmares, something strange happened.
Unfortunately the phone ringing had woken his father up and Joey had made a hasty exit, with his deck, Duel Disk and a few spare cards.
Once again he'd be spending the two days in the same clothes.
He'd made the mistake of stopping for Hot Chocolate at the café he and his friends often visited, and had gotten distracted by the argument that had arisen between the Duellist and a waitress as the Duellist dove out of the door.
Arriving in Domino Square with ten minutes to spare, he looked around for his best friend, who didn't seem to be here yet.
There were faces he recognised though, faces he'd never have even dreamed would be in a Duel Monsters Tournament, faces he thought he'd left behind…
"Joey!" Yugi finally arrived with only minutes to spare, out of breath and grinning slightly.
"Hey, what took ya?" Joey asked concerned.
It was Yami, not Yugi and he had a vaguely evil smirk as he answered, "I ran into Weevil Underwood."
"Yuge!" Joey laughed, "Couldn't you wait? The Tournament starts in two minutes!"
Yami's vaguely evil smirk turned into a full blown I-Know-That-Look-We're-Gonna-Die smirk.
"Alright, what was he doing?"
"I'm pretty sure stealing Map Cards is cheating and…"
"Yuge, please tell me you didn't…"
"No." Yami actually looked disappointed at that, "But he won't be competing. It's surprising how violent a girl can be."
"Girl?" Joey looked confused.
Yami scanned the crowd, "That one over there." He said, pointing to a blonde who also had a vaguely evil smirk. "She caught up with Weevil as our Duel ended and well…" Yami just grinned.
"Hell hath no fury…" Joey smiled slightly, trailing off as the big screen turned on, bringing up the Kaiba Corp logo, "Here we go."
Still highly aware of those in the crowd he didn't want to get anywhere near, Joey listened to Kaiba drone on about the rules, the out of bounds places in the city, excreta, excreta, it was cold and Kaiba was boring.
Yami, who knew the rule book inside out back to front and upside down and knew exactly how to twist them if they were attacked, was busy checking the crowd to see if he could see anyone he knew.
That girl was near the Arcade, he thought he'd caught sight of Bakura just now, but he couldn't be sure, and he hoped he was wrong, but he thought he'd seen Hirutani hanging around for some reason. Kaiba was winding up, with a speech about how only the best would make the finals, and Yami just rolled his eyes wondering if Kaiba would bother going out and Duelling, like last time, considering he didn't have Obelisk the Tormentor to test against other Duellists.
With just ten minutes before the official Duelling started the Duellists gathered in the Square scattered to different parts of the city.
"Yuge, I'll see you in the finals." Joey grinned.
Yami nodded, "See you there."
They split up, Joey heading for the park, which, last time, had been a popular place for Duellists to gather, while Yami headed towards the city centre, where the more experienced Duellists tended to prey on the poor new ones passing through.
The aim was to head for opposite sides of the city, so they didn't run into each other and end up having to play each other too early, after all they both needed five more Map Cards each and didn't really want to play each other before at least the Quarter Finals.
Joey shivered as the wind blew through the park's trees. He wondered if any of the Duellists would deliberately lose just so they could go somewhere warm.
The weather report had talked of snow. Joey had never Duelled in snow before and had wondered what it would do to the emitters.
It would be interesting.
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Yami looked at the clock hanging above one of the shops and grinned, the Duelling would commence any second.
He had to wonder if anyone would challenge him or if all the people who normally jumped out at Yugi and issued an on the spot challenge had gone home. He hoped they were here because if he had to try and talk people into fighting him it wouldn't be as much fun.
There seemed to be two types of Duellists nowadays, Duellists who avoided him like the plague so they didn't get knocked out of Tournaments too easily and Duellists who were under the impression that they could beat him and specifically came looking for him so they could say 'I beat the King of Games'.
"Looking for anyone in particular?" Yugi asked with a hint of laughter in his mental voice.
'No,' Yami replied, 'Just thinking.'
"I'd've thought you'd be looking for an opponent before the…" Yugi stopped as around the city air horns went off, signalling the start of the Second Battle City.
"Muto!" Someone shouted.
Yami grinned and wheeled around, easily spotting the… Yami's excitement turned into a growl in milliseconds as he saw who was wearing the Duel Disk and coming up to him, he didn't know the creep's name but he was one of the ones who'd ganged up on Yugi and Joey over three years ago. Yami never forgot a face, especially the face of one who'd harmed Yugi.
"What do you want?" Yami growled.
"I challenge you to a Duel." The goon smirked, "By the rules of this Tournament you have to accept or forfeit a Map Card and since we've only just started you only have one."
"I accept," Yami growled, "But why are your type in this Tournament?"
The creep laughed as they paced it out and turned to face each other, "The Boss was recruited by some guys who want that gaudy tat of yours. He's been looking for any excuse to get revenge on you and Wheeler, and the one who brings it to the Boss gets a bigger cut of the pay."
"Hirutani's back?" Yami growled.
"That's right, back and worse then ever." The creep drew, "And I'll move first, summoning Gearfried the Iron Knight in attack mode and playing two cards face down. It's your move Muto."
Yami frowned and drew, he actually knew what he was doing? That alone was smarter then Yami would have credited the goons with, last time they'd met Hirutani had done all the thinking for them. "Queen's Knight, in defence mode, with three cards face down." Yami paused, "Why would Hirutani take work from someone else, why not just come after us?"
His Opponent smirked, "The money's totally worth the hassle of doing someone else's dirty work. Is it my move or not?"
"Make your move." Yami growled at him.
He did, drawing a card and launching an attack with Gearfried.
"I activate Magic Cylinder, reflecting the attack back at you!" Yami snapped, activating the trap card as he spoke.
"Waboku!" The goon snapped back, activating the trap, saving his life points but not negating the countering effects of Magic Cylinder.
"My Queen's Knight is safe." Yami growled.
"For now, your move." The goon didn't understand why they didn't just knock the kid senseless and take the gaudy gold item from him, something about needing to defeat the kid first, but none of the goons understood it and Hirutani would have just dismissed it as superstition if it hadn't been a factor in payment.
"I summon King's Knight and because I have both King's and Queen's Knight on the field I can special summon Jack's Knight." Two more monsters appeared on Yami's side of the field, "Jack's Knight! Attack his Gearfried!"
Gearfried blew up and the goon's life points dropped by 100.
Yami was finding it irritating that he didn't know the guy's name, "Queen's Knight! King's Knight! Attack!"
The goon's life points dropped by 3100, down to 800 and Yami frowned, this was too easy. If they were working for some bad guy who was after the Puzzle, surely they would have at least gotten good at the game. "Your move."
The goon drew with a growl, wishing he'd been picked to play against Wheeler. He wasn't sure how they were supposed to beat the 'King of Games' when none of the gang had been playing more then a couple of days.
"Raigeki!" The goon snarled.
Yami's eyes widened as the goon slammed it into his Duel Disk. "That card's forbidden!"
"I told you!" The goon laughed as Yami threw up his arms instinctively to protect himself from the lightening. "We're not in this Tournament to win it, we're not foolish enough to think we can, we're just here to get in your way and take your pendant!" Yami glared as the goon summoned another Gearfried, "Gearfried! Attack!"
The Warrior monster attacked Yami directly, causing him to cringe and loose 1800 points.
"This isn't over yet, Yugi. Your move."
Yami growled as he drew, if the guy was using Raigeki, then he could have the Direct Assault Cards… he felt Yugi's mental shudder and remembered that it had been Yugi, not him, who had been on the receiving end of Meteor of Destruction and most of the Hinotama cards.
"Monster Reborn to bring back Jack's Knight." Yami said, giving Yugi quick mental assurance before turning his attention back to the duel, "And I equip him with Legendary Sword to increase his attack by 500. Jack's Knight and activate A Warrior Returning Alive to bring back Queen's Knight from the graveyard. She reappeared on Yami's side of the field. Jack's Knight, attack with Legendary Slash!" The goon's life points dropped again, to 200, "I'm not done," Yami growled, "Queen's Knight, finish this!"
The woman warrior finished off the opponent's life points and Yami deactivated his Duel Disk, "I'll take your Map Card."
The goon chucked it at him but smirked, "Please, you think I'm the best we have? I'm not even close, but I think most of our decent Duellists went after Joey."
"What?"
"Good luck Muto, you're going to need it." The goon ran off and Yami chased after him with a growl, losing him in the crowd.
"Hirutani? Joey's Old Gang Boss? He's after our Puzzle?" Yugi sounded confused.
'Yes, but only to give to someone else for money.' Yami growled, 'We're going to have to find Joey.'
"I'm beginning to think entering these Roaming Tournaments is a bad idea." Yugi said, worried about his friend, "Every time we split up, something like this happens."
'It'll be alright, if they're all as bad as that guy was, Joey can handle them.'
"Yes but…"
'But?'
"They're only Duelling us because they have to in order to get paid." Yami felt Yugi's desire for a face to face conversation but couldn't enter the Soul Rooms while they were out in public like this, "Who could be after us this time? I don't think we've annoyed anyone and normally the Bad Guys starts bothering us miles in advance of the Tournaments."
'We can deal with it Yugi.' Yami tried to reassure him, while heading back the way he'd come, 'Joey and I beat Hirutani and his goons before, we can do it again.' Yugi didn't reply but Yami could sense how on edge he was, 'It'll be alright.'
"Can we just find Joey please?"
'Do you want control?' Yami felt the equivalent of a headshake.
"You're stronger then me, you stay in control."
'You're stronger then you realise Yugi.'
"Not as strong as you though… watch it!" Yami snapped out of dazed mode just in time to narrowly avoid crashing into the blonde from earlier.
"Hi Yugi." She grinned, "Where're you running to so quickly?"
"Looking for a friend." Yami panted, "Have you had a match yet?"
She shook her head, "No, but I'll face you later, good luck finding your friend." She wandered off into the crowd and Yami raced off.
Yami had taken spirit form and was pacing irritably.
"That's not helping." Yugi sighed at him.
'Sorry.' Yami stopped for all of five seconds before resuming.
"You'll wear a grove in the floor."
'I don't leave any imprints, remember?' Yami asked, then sighed, 'Was I keeping you up?'
"No, it was the nightmares again." Yugi gave Yami a slight smile, then shuffled his deck and drew five cards, "I only ever seem to have them before the craziness starts."
Yami didn't have much to say to that, he'd noticed it too. 'Before or during.' The pacing stopped and Yami grinned at him, 'Guess it means that this Tournament isn't going to be quiet.'
"No." Yugi shrugged and shuffled again, "We should warn Joey."
"Yugi?" Yugi's head shot towards the door and Yami faded as Yugi's Grandpa, Solomon Muto, entered the room. "Who're you talking to?"
"No one." Yugi said hastily, "Just myself."
"Everything alright?"
"Yeah." Yugi nodded, "Just checking my deck over."
"You ready?" Solomon rubbed the sleep from his eyes and smiled as he joined his Grandson on the sofa.
"I could do with a hand." Yugi grinned, handing over his deck.
Solomon knew Yugi didn't need his help really, but was grateful that his Grandson was letting him in on this. His Grandson had surpassed him years ago at the game, but Solomon still enjoined being let in on things like this, even if Yugi was still keeping other secrets from him.
"Let's take a look then."
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Joey was running late.
He'd been woken up by a phone call from Yugi at seven, who'd needed some reassurance about this Tournament. Joey had given it but he wasn't convinced that Yugi wasn't right, every time Yuge had nightmares, something strange happened.
Unfortunately the phone ringing had woken his father up and Joey had made a hasty exit, with his deck, Duel Disk and a few spare cards.
Once again he'd be spending the two days in the same clothes.
He'd made the mistake of stopping for Hot Chocolate at the café he and his friends often visited, and had gotten distracted by the argument that had arisen between the Duellist and a waitress as the Duellist dove out of the door.
Arriving in Domino Square with ten minutes to spare, he looked around for his best friend, who didn't seem to be here yet.
There were faces he recognised though, faces he'd never have even dreamed would be in a Duel Monsters Tournament, faces he thought he'd left behind…
"Joey!" Yugi finally arrived with only minutes to spare, out of breath and grinning slightly.
"Hey, what took ya?" Joey asked concerned.
It was Yami, not Yugi and he had a vaguely evil smirk as he answered, "I ran into Weevil Underwood."
"Yuge!" Joey laughed, "Couldn't you wait? The Tournament starts in two minutes!"
Yami's vaguely evil smirk turned into a full blown I-Know-That-Look-We're-Gonna-Die smirk.
"Alright, what was he doing?"
"I'm pretty sure stealing Map Cards is cheating and…"
"Yuge, please tell me you didn't…"
"No." Yami actually looked disappointed at that, "But he won't be competing. It's surprising how violent a girl can be."
"Girl?" Joey looked confused.
Yami scanned the crowd, "That one over there." He said, pointing to a blonde who also had a vaguely evil smirk. "She caught up with Weevil as our Duel ended and well…" Yami just grinned.
"Hell hath no fury…" Joey smiled slightly, trailing off as the big screen turned on, bringing up the Kaiba Corp logo, "Here we go."
Still highly aware of those in the crowd he didn't want to get anywhere near, Joey listened to Kaiba drone on about the rules, the out of bounds places in the city, excreta, excreta, it was cold and Kaiba was boring.
Yami, who knew the rule book inside out back to front and upside down and knew exactly how to twist them if they were attacked, was busy checking the crowd to see if he could see anyone he knew.
That girl was near the Arcade, he thought he'd caught sight of Bakura just now, but he couldn't be sure, and he hoped he was wrong, but he thought he'd seen Hirutani hanging around for some reason. Kaiba was winding up, with a speech about how only the best would make the finals, and Yami just rolled his eyes wondering if Kaiba would bother going out and Duelling, like last time, considering he didn't have Obelisk the Tormentor to test against other Duellists.
With just ten minutes before the official Duelling started the Duellists gathered in the Square scattered to different parts of the city.
"Yuge, I'll see you in the finals." Joey grinned.
Yami nodded, "See you there."
They split up, Joey heading for the park, which, last time, had been a popular place for Duellists to gather, while Yami headed towards the city centre, where the more experienced Duellists tended to prey on the poor new ones passing through.
The aim was to head for opposite sides of the city, so they didn't run into each other and end up having to play each other too early, after all they both needed five more Map Cards each and didn't really want to play each other before at least the Quarter Finals.
Joey shivered as the wind blew through the park's trees. He wondered if any of the Duellists would deliberately lose just so they could go somewhere warm.
The weather report had talked of snow. Joey had never Duelled in snow before and had wondered what it would do to the emitters.
It would be interesting.
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Yami looked at the clock hanging above one of the shops and grinned, the Duelling would commence any second.
He had to wonder if anyone would challenge him or if all the people who normally jumped out at Yugi and issued an on the spot challenge had gone home. He hoped they were here because if he had to try and talk people into fighting him it wouldn't be as much fun.
There seemed to be two types of Duellists nowadays, Duellists who avoided him like the plague so they didn't get knocked out of Tournaments too easily and Duellists who were under the impression that they could beat him and specifically came looking for him so they could say 'I beat the King of Games'.
"Looking for anyone in particular?" Yugi asked with a hint of laughter in his mental voice.
'No,' Yami replied, 'Just thinking.'
"I'd've thought you'd be looking for an opponent before the…" Yugi stopped as around the city air horns went off, signalling the start of the Second Battle City.
"Muto!" Someone shouted.
Yami grinned and wheeled around, easily spotting the… Yami's excitement turned into a growl in milliseconds as he saw who was wearing the Duel Disk and coming up to him, he didn't know the creep's name but he was one of the ones who'd ganged up on Yugi and Joey over three years ago. Yami never forgot a face, especially the face of one who'd harmed Yugi.
"What do you want?" Yami growled.
"I challenge you to a Duel." The goon smirked, "By the rules of this Tournament you have to accept or forfeit a Map Card and since we've only just started you only have one."
"I accept," Yami growled, "But why are your type in this Tournament?"
The creep laughed as they paced it out and turned to face each other, "The Boss was recruited by some guys who want that gaudy tat of yours. He's been looking for any excuse to get revenge on you and Wheeler, and the one who brings it to the Boss gets a bigger cut of the pay."
"Hirutani's back?" Yami growled.
"That's right, back and worse then ever." The creep drew, "And I'll move first, summoning Gearfried the Iron Knight in attack mode and playing two cards face down. It's your move Muto."
Yami frowned and drew, he actually knew what he was doing? That alone was smarter then Yami would have credited the goons with, last time they'd met Hirutani had done all the thinking for them. "Queen's Knight, in defence mode, with three cards face down." Yami paused, "Why would Hirutani take work from someone else, why not just come after us?"
His Opponent smirked, "The money's totally worth the hassle of doing someone else's dirty work. Is it my move or not?"
"Make your move." Yami growled at him.
He did, drawing a card and launching an attack with Gearfried.
"I activate Magic Cylinder, reflecting the attack back at you!" Yami snapped, activating the trap card as he spoke.
"Waboku!" The goon snapped back, activating the trap, saving his life points but not negating the countering effects of Magic Cylinder.
"My Queen's Knight is safe." Yami growled.
"For now, your move." The goon didn't understand why they didn't just knock the kid senseless and take the gaudy gold item from him, something about needing to defeat the kid first, but none of the goons understood it and Hirutani would have just dismissed it as superstition if it hadn't been a factor in payment.
"I summon King's Knight and because I have both King's and Queen's Knight on the field I can special summon Jack's Knight." Two more monsters appeared on Yami's side of the field, "Jack's Knight! Attack his Gearfried!"
Gearfried blew up and the goon's life points dropped by 100.
Yami was finding it irritating that he didn't know the guy's name, "Queen's Knight! King's Knight! Attack!"
The goon's life points dropped by 3100, down to 800 and Yami frowned, this was too easy. If they were working for some bad guy who was after the Puzzle, surely they would have at least gotten good at the game. "Your move."
The goon drew with a growl, wishing he'd been picked to play against Wheeler. He wasn't sure how they were supposed to beat the 'King of Games' when none of the gang had been playing more then a couple of days.
"Raigeki!" The goon snarled.
Yami's eyes widened as the goon slammed it into his Duel Disk. "That card's forbidden!"
"I told you!" The goon laughed as Yami threw up his arms instinctively to protect himself from the lightening. "We're not in this Tournament to win it, we're not foolish enough to think we can, we're just here to get in your way and take your pendant!" Yami glared as the goon summoned another Gearfried, "Gearfried! Attack!"
The Warrior monster attacked Yami directly, causing him to cringe and loose 1800 points.
"This isn't over yet, Yugi. Your move."
Yami growled as he drew, if the guy was using Raigeki, then he could have the Direct Assault Cards… he felt Yugi's mental shudder and remembered that it had been Yugi, not him, who had been on the receiving end of Meteor of Destruction and most of the Hinotama cards.
"Monster Reborn to bring back Jack's Knight." Yami said, giving Yugi quick mental assurance before turning his attention back to the duel, "And I equip him with Legendary Sword to increase his attack by 500. Jack's Knight and activate A Warrior Returning Alive to bring back Queen's Knight from the graveyard. She reappeared on Yami's side of the field. Jack's Knight, attack with Legendary Slash!" The goon's life points dropped again, to 200, "I'm not done," Yami growled, "Queen's Knight, finish this!"
The woman warrior finished off the opponent's life points and Yami deactivated his Duel Disk, "I'll take your Map Card."
The goon chucked it at him but smirked, "Please, you think I'm the best we have? I'm not even close, but I think most of our decent Duellists went after Joey."
"What?"
"Good luck Muto, you're going to need it." The goon ran off and Yami chased after him with a growl, losing him in the crowd.
"Hirutani? Joey's Old Gang Boss? He's after our Puzzle?" Yugi sounded confused.
'Yes, but only to give to someone else for money.' Yami growled, 'We're going to have to find Joey.'
"I'm beginning to think entering these Roaming Tournaments is a bad idea." Yugi said, worried about his friend, "Every time we split up, something like this happens."
'It'll be alright, if they're all as bad as that guy was, Joey can handle them.'
"Yes but…"
'But?'
"They're only Duelling us because they have to in order to get paid." Yami felt Yugi's desire for a face to face conversation but couldn't enter the Soul Rooms while they were out in public like this, "Who could be after us this time? I don't think we've annoyed anyone and normally the Bad Guys starts bothering us miles in advance of the Tournaments."
'We can deal with it Yugi.' Yami tried to reassure him, while heading back the way he'd come, 'Joey and I beat Hirutani and his goons before, we can do it again.' Yugi didn't reply but Yami could sense how on edge he was, 'It'll be alright.'
"Can we just find Joey please?"
'Do you want control?' Yami felt the equivalent of a headshake.
"You're stronger then me, you stay in control."
'You're stronger then you realise Yugi.'
"Not as strong as you though… watch it!" Yami snapped out of dazed mode just in time to narrowly avoid crashing into the blonde from earlier.
"Hi Yugi." She grinned, "Where're you running to so quickly?"
"Looking for a friend." Yami panted, "Have you had a match yet?"
She shook her head, "No, but I'll face you later, good luck finding your friend." She wandered off into the crowd and Yami raced off.