Chapter 41 - 41

Chapter 41

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"What are you looking at, Joey?" Yugi asked as the two friends walked down the street, trying to locate some duelists that either of them could challenge. After Joey had beaten that Rare Hunter (and they'd alerted a police officer about the body though the man hadn't seemed that interested in dealing with it when they'd left; he hadn't even asked them any questions) they'd found that most of the contestants for Battle City had cleared out, spreading throughout the city. Yugi wondered how many had no plans to actually win the tournament and were mostly interested in getting a few rare cards before calling it a day. Normally he would have found that to be dishonorable but after spending so much time with Edwin he was beginning to see there was more than one way to duel.

"Mmhmm," Joey said, clearly having not heard Yugi. He was staring down at the smartphone Edwin had insisted they all get (well, not so much 'insisted' and more he had grabbed Joey by the collar and screamed, "GPS YOU MORON! WE ALL GET KIDNAPPED TOO MUCH!" until Joey swallowed his pride and accepted the tech; the rest had agreed to take one without complaint). Yugi's own was tucked in his pocket, set to vibrate because he didn't want it to distract him during a duel.

"Is Serenity okay?" he suddenly asked, worried. He knew Joey's sister was supposed to get the bandages off within the next few days and Joey had been worried because he couldn't be there when it happened; Serenity had insisted that he duel in the tournament and thus not told him when she'd be discharged.

"What?" Joey said, looking up at Yugi before shaking his head.

"Serenity. Is she okay?"

"Oh... oh yeah, perfectly fine. In fact I should send her a voice message, let her know that I just won my first duel... assuming she isn't following Battle City herself."

Yugi was surprised by that. "Following Battle City? What do you mean, Joey?"

"Followin' how we're all doin' of course, Yug! Ya didn't think ol' Kaiba would throw a tournament like this and not make sure everyone could see him duel, did ya?" Joey scoffed. "That jerk loves the lime light. No way he'd miss out on a chance to show off to everyone how great he is at duelin'" He looked down at his phone, lips pressed together as he dialed his sister's number. "Hey sis! Didn't know if you'd be able to answer. What? Oh, just checkin' in-"

Yugi, for his part, frowned and began to slow down, lost in thought. 'I knew Battle City was a big deal but I never considered that others would be watching me duel. Well, other than the people who are standing around.'

'Do you think many people are watching?' The Pharaoh asked him mentally.

'Depends on how Kaiba is broadcasting it. There could be millions of people watching us duel!' Yugi adjusted his jacket... mostly because he needed something to do with his hands. 'Not sure I like that... I mean I know that everyone knows I'm the King of Games but to be the focus of so much attention?'

'But in the end none of them matter, Yugi. Not when it comes to a duel. When you are drawing your cards all that matters is you, your deck, and the person you are battling against. The rest is just scenery. You need to remember that. Don't get lost worrying about others when you need to focus.'

'Yeah, you're right.' Yugi licked his lips. 'Still... I like dueling because its fun, not because I want to be famous. But it only just hit me that I'm never going to be able to duel without attracting attention ever again.' His mind flashed to all the opponents he managed to beat over the last few months. 'I defeated Kaiba, who was already considered the best duelist in the world. And then Weevil the Intercontinental Champion. I beat Pegasus, the creator of Duel Monsters! I'm the King of Games... and that means that people all over the world are going to watch me duel.' He paused. 'Or want to defeat me.'

'That is very true,' The Pharaoh stated. 'Whenever someone manages to gain power there will always be those that lust after it and attempt to take it from you. But it merely means that we have to work together and duel even harder. Remember Yugi, it isn't fame that we need to worry about... but the fate of the world.'

'Yeah, you're right,' Yugi said as he moved to catch up with Joey who'd gotten a bit ahead of him. 'Marik is still out there, along with his Rare Hunters. The God Cards are out there too. And then there is Kaiba... maybe he just threw this tournament to get the other Egyptian God Cards but we can't be sure of that. And if Edwin is right the Spirit of the Millennium Ring was never banished. He is out there too and Battle City feels like the perfect place for him to show himself once more.'

'And those are only some of the threats and dangers,' the Pharaoh reminded him. 'There will be plenty of duelists who desire the title of King of Games and will do all they can to claim it from you.'

Memories of Duelist Kingdom flashed through his head. PaniK. The Paradox Brothers. The Fake Kaiba. Weevil Underwood. 'You're right. And even with our improved decks there will be other people with upgraded decks as well.'

'Which is why we must always be on our guard,' the Pharaoh told him.

"Heh, yeah, she's keepin' an eye on us. Seems like Kaiba rigged our Duel Discs with cameras ta film all the action. And accordin' ta what the analysts are sayin' he's gonna have drones flyin' around soon."

"Analysts?" Yugi asked, his early thoughts suddenly seeming so very small. "Drones?"

"Apparently Kaiba realized havin' Ed on his board meant he had connections with the media. Ol' Chaos Communications Network is airin' Battle City. They only just began, showin' clips, but as the participants get pared down they are gonna begin actually showin' the full duels." Joey grinned. "Hopefully Ed can convince his Uncle ta show some of my duels. That way Serenity can listen in as I take out some punks and get their locator cards. And their rare monsters!" Joey rubbed his hands together.

"Right..." Yugi said nervously.

"Wait... ya didn't know about any of this?" Joey said, realizing his friend was looking a little pale. "I thought ya knew."

"No... I didn't," Yugi said with a swallow.

"Oh man, I'm sorry Yug! I would have told ya if I'd know ya were in the dark! That's what I've been doin' on my phone... checkin' out the tournament standings." He stopped walking and shifted his phone over so Yugi could look at the screen. "See, it lists here all the duels currently going on and if I click this tab I can check out the ones that already happened. Here is mine!" He clicked on a tab so Yugi could see the duel Joey had just had against... "The Rare Hunter's name was Ogden Winniehammer?"

"Ya. No wonder he just went by 'Rare Hunter'." Joey pulled the phone back and began to browse. "Hey! Look at this! Ed managed ta beat that creep Weevil!"

"He did?" Yugi said, impressed. "He's a hard duelist to beat."

"Yeah, but Ed managed to take him out. Got some Insect Queen... can't figure out how to say the word in front of it but no matter. Looks like me and Ed were the first duels to get completed in Battle City-" A chime issued from his phone. "Hey, look at that!"

"What is it?" Yugi said.

"So the Battle City App has a proximity detector. Let's ya know if there are other duelists around. It only activated now because Kaiba was smart enough ta know not ta have it screechin' when all of us were around but now that we're spaced out... anyway, there is a duelist nearby who just won a duel! Wanna check it out?"

"...yeah, let's," Yugi said. "I need to begin dueling soon if I want to make it to the finals."

"Then come on man, let's go!"

~MC~MC~MC~

Mai was also looking down at her phone but it had nothing to do with checking out the stats of Battle City.

...no, that wasn't entirely truthful. She had checked out stats but only of those people she cared about. Which she still found so very odd because only a half a year ago she had been an utter loner. Mai Valentine, flying solo, leaving a trail of broken hearts and defeated duelists in her wake. Twisting men (and a few women) around her little finger to get what she wanted and those that wouldn't dance to her merry tune were beaten down so they'd never forget that she was more than some killer curves. She'd laughed at people who needed friends and allies and hangers-on, seeing it as pure weakness.

And yet there she was, having not even participated in one duel in Battle City because Tea Gardner, Yugi Muto's maybe sort of girlfriend, had run into some groupie for Johnny Stepps (seriously, people made fun of HER name?) that wanted revenge for... something. Honestly Mai had been really paying attention. She supposed it might had involved that duel Tea had had against the dancer on their double date but if that was the only reason for the groupie (who called himself Brick Softshoe... no, seriously, did ANYONE take the time to think of interesting names when they decided to give themselves a new one?) but if so that was a rather pathetic excuse. That had been a casual duel... and yet this fool had decided to zero in on Tea and call her out.

"Agent of Saturn! Attack his life points directly!"

And losing his only locator card and his place in the tournament from the sounds of it.

Mai shook her head. Somehow... Tea had become her friend. It shouldn't have worked because the teen was just so na?ve about the world that it made Mai's teeth ache from her sugary sweetness. And yet... maybe that was why Mai liked Tea and wanted to help her out: she wasn't jaded yet.

'Not that Tea is the only person that's managed to wiggle their way into my heart,' Mai thought as Tea went over and collected her locator card and a warrior monster (Freed something or other, Mai didn't know as the punk hadn't even gotten the chance to summon it) from Brick. Mai now had a bodyguard in the form of Tea's sister, Yuri... who was quickly proving that she was going to be far more than that. Much like how Edwin and Renard refused to be employer and employee and had begun to develop a bond of friendship and brotherhood, so too did Mai find herself growing closer to Yuri. The ex-cop had a wicked sarcastic streak in her and the fallout with her parents had caused the straight laced detective to dive fully into the dark side.

Gone were the boring clothing she normally wore. Much like with Edwin and his trip to... well, he'd tried to explain it but he'd lost her at 'I eat Serenity Wheeler's soul, I think'... Yuri had ditched the store bought bargain brands and gotten a glam up. While Edwin had decided to be a dashing little devil in his suit Yuri had decided to go with the goth look. But... white goth. Like a witch who had been into the dark arts but now wanted to be heroic. But was still tough and badass and could kick a man in the dick if he got too fresh. She dyed her hair often (sporting today a blazing red though the faux hawk was new and Mai's suggestion) and walked with just the right amount of swagger and aloofness that meant there was no way she would look out of place walking with Mai and the rest of their gang.

'Our gang,' Mai thought to herself as she fired off a text to her boyfriend, congratulating him on winning against Weevil... as minor as such a thing was as everyone should be able to win against Weevil since he was friggin' Weevil. 'I have a gang...'

"Duel's done," Yuri said, elbowing her in the side. "Tea is just wrapping things up. You want to stick with her or you want to finally find someone you can duel?"

"Shouldn't you be worried about yourself?" Mai asked, nodding towards the detective's duel disc even as she pocketed her phone. "You're in this tournament too."

"To protect you, that's all," Yuri stated. "I mean, yeah... Edwin's evil counterpart did instill the deep desire to duel within me-"

Mai tilted her head at that. "Okay, I really need to have him explain where you guys got those clothes again because I think I missed some important details."

Yuri rolled her eyes. "Alternate universe, good was bad and bad was good. We got new clothing, Edwin got some gold ring to go along with his gold key and me, Tea, and her friend Tristan got our decks and dueling knowledge. And while at first there was a pull to duel hard and aggressive we are managing-"

"YOU!" Tea cried out, pointing to another duelist. "I challenge you!"

"There is still the 30 minutes cool down-"

"Unofficial!" Tea declared excitedly.

"-I am managing to handle the urges quite well. I'll duel if I need to in order to protect you or help someone out but I really don't care if I make it to the finals." She shrugged. "Honestly my money's on Edwin."

"And not me?" Mai complained.

"No offense but I'm beginning to wonder if he actually is Lucifer in disguise."

In Mai's head Selene took control just long enough to scoff at that before going back to sleep and letting her Mai self be back in control. Her Endymion was far better than some whiny angel!

"Well then I suppose I'll just need to prove you wrong and win the tournament myself." She looked around, trying to decide who she wanted to duel.

"Great," Yuri said as the sounds of Tea beginning another duel filled the air behind them. "So, let's pick someone out."

"Oh no no no," Mai said quickly. "That's not how this works."

"It isn't?" She looked over at Tea. "Seems to be working for her."

"Your sister is new at this. She doesn't understand how a proper duelist chooses their opponents. She is... it's like dating."

"I'm not going to like this analogy, am I?" Yuri asked.

"Tea is the drunk girl running into the bar and holding her panties in the air asking for someone to help her see how far she can do the splits." Yuri scowled at that. "I, on the other hand, am searching for Mr. Right. I need to find the right conquest... even if it's for a one night stand."

"And in terms of Battle City a one night stand is someone you face during the first round?"

"Now you are catching on!"

"Not so fast, Rex!" The Pharaoh declared just as the dino began to lumber forward. "I activate my Magician's Robes special ability. "By sending one spell card from my hand to the graveyard I am able to special summon from my deck my DARK MAGICIAN!"

There was a great flare of light from Yugi's duel disc and on the field the Dark Magician appeared, smirking as the robes and the rod flew onto him. Only the robes were more ornate and ceremonial, reminding me of the robes he wore in later artwork, and the staff was longer, gilded and flaring with magic. They were still monster cards but now were in the hands of their master.

"That doesn't matter as I'm still going to attack your Magician's Rod!"

"Are you?" The Pharaoh asked with a cocky little smirk. All of a sudden the field began to flash with light again, swirling in a pattern. "Did you forget that my Dark Magical Circle still remained on the field? This card contains powerful runes that bless my Dark Magician with rare and destructive magics. When he is summoned to the field I can select one monster on your side of the field and banish it from the game! And I choose your Giant Rex!"

The Dark Magician held up his hand, channeling the power of the summoning circle into his palm, the energies whipping about him and crackling with dark lightning. With a mighty thrust he sent the ball of energy right at Rex's dinosaur...

And it slammed into a wall of bones.

"You aren't the only one that came prepared," Rex taunted. "I've watched tapes of you, Yugi. Seen how you like to duel! Always have a card ready to flip up or to send to the graveyard that will change everything. Well this time I decided to beat you at your own game!" He held up a card. "I discard my Miscellaneousaurus, using its bones to protect all my dinosaurs from your Dark Magic Circles's effect!" The banishing spell sputtered out.

"Aw man!" Joey whined. "Yug was so close ta takin' out that big beefy brute!"

"And now my attack can continue! Giant Rex, destroy the Magician's Rod!" The Dark Magician braced himself, thrusting out the rod as the dinosaur leapt forward and chomped down on the rod, shattering it into pieces and nearly taking off the Dark Magician's arm. (Yugi-3600)

The Pharaoh merely nodded. "A well played move, Rex. You truly do deserve all the fame you have gathered for yourself. But if you think that I am going to go easy on you you're sadly mistaken!" He thrust out his hand. "For while his staff is gone my Dark Magician still has power! Dark Magician, Dark Magic Attack!" His mage mimicked him, shooting out his own hand and blasting the Giant Rex with a bolt of magic that shattered it instantly. "And I'll set these two cards and end my turn." Two cards appeared in the Pharaoh's magic and spell zones as Rex's lifepoints dropped down. (Rex-2900)

"You know, Yugi, You aren't that bad yourself. Rather impressive, honestly. Had we met in Duelist Kingdom I think you would have easily taken me out like you did Weevil." Rex smirked. "But this is Battle City and everything has changed!"

"What is that jerk talkin' about?" Joey demanded. "Yug just took out his best monster."

"That was hardly my best monster, Wheeler!" Rex declared. "And more to the point... I actually WANTED it in the graveyard!"

"Say wha?!?" Joey exclaimed while the Pharaoh leaned back in surprise.

"Wanted it in the graveyard?"

"Indeed! Because with my Giant Rex and my Babycersasaurus in the graveyard I am able to do this!" Rex slapped a card down onto his duel disc. "By banishing those dinos from my graveyard I can summon forth my Ultimate Conductor Tyranno!"

There was a crack of lightning that struck the field and from it appeared a nightmare from the ancient past. A massive dinosaur that was more Godzilla than T-Rex. A giant with black scales, within the beast's form were large orbs that crackled with electricity, sending sparks out upon the dino's spines. Its eyes glowed with ill intent before it threw back its head and roared, the sound so great all of us clapped our hands over our ears in an attempt to blot out the sound.

"Now then, I'll activate my Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's first effect! By destroying my Petite dino I can unleash a wave of energy that forces all your monsters to switch to facedown defense position!" The little baby pterodactyl was shattered with a bolt of lightning before the Ultimate Conductor Tyranno's body began to hum with energy.

"My Dark Magician!" The Pharaoh exclaimed but there was nothing he could do. Rex's dinosaur fired off a pulse of energy that made first the Magician's Robe fly off the Dark Magician, leaving him in his normal garb, before he grit his teeth and sank to one knee before transforming into a downface card along with the robe itself.

"Eh, so what!" Joey proclaimed. "He still has'em in defense mode ta protect his lifepoints! And ya only have that big nightlight on the field ta take him on! Next turn Yug will pull off some sweet move and you'll be done!"

I, however, shook my head. "He's not done yet, Joey."

"Wha?"

"The Tyranno... it has another effect."

Rex nodded. "That it does, Edwin! But before we get to that I need to take care of something else! You see, my Giant Rex doesn't like remaining lost to time. He much prefers being on the hunt. As such, whenever I banish it I get to return to the field... with an extra 200 attack points!"

"No way!" Joey exclaimed as the Giant Rex reappeared, only a bit bigger.

"And just to really finish things off I'm going to summon this: my Evilswarm Salamndra!" The green predator appeared next to the Giant Rex, hissing as it eyed up Yugi's side of the field. "And now my Ultimate Conductor Tyranno activates his final effect: he can attack every one of your monsters and, if any those monster are a facedown, they are automatically destroyed and you take 1000 damage points!" The Ultimate Conductor Tyranno let out a bellow and stomped forward.

The Pharaoh though hurriedly threw out a hand. "Not so fast, Rex! Reveal my trap card! Mirror Force!"

"Alright!" Joey said, pumping his fist in the air. "Say goodbye ta those dinos!"

"This trap will redirect your monster's attack back at it and all other monsters on your side of the field, destroying them! You are finish, Rex!"

But Rex merely shook his head. "I was ready for you to do something like that, Yugi! I managed to get transcripts of your duels in Duelist Kingdom and know that Mirror Force is one of your favorite traps to use. That's why I'm glad I have a second Miscellaneousaurus in my hand!"

"Oh no!" The Pharaoh exclaimed. "With that card you'll be able to prevent my trap from affecting your dinosaurs!"

"Exactly! So the attack continues on! Ultimate Conductor Tyranno, show the King of Games why you are the King of the Prehistoric!"

The black scaled dino let out another roar, teeth crackling with lightning as it lunged forward, easily shattering both of Yugi's cards. The Pharaoh shielded himself as the winds picked up, his lifepoints dropping down rapidly. (Yugi-1600)

"No way!" Joey exclaimed in horror. "Rex just took out Yug's entire field! Now he's utterly defenseless while Rex still has two more monsters on the field!"

"That's right, Wheeler! Yugi Muto is about to be kicked out of Battle City while I become the new King of Games!" Rex let out a laugh as his dinosaurs snarled, The Pharaoh grimacing at the position he found himself in. "Now then," Rex declared, "Evilswarm Salamndra, attack Yugi directly and finish this duel!"

~MC~MC~MC~

"Me no believe it," Abe the Monkey Man, the guy that had been dueling Espa Roba, said weakly, falling onto his ass and staring at Espa Roba in shock. "You know what cards in head. In Ollie's head too!" The monkey nodded his head rapidly.

"All rather easy," Espa said in a bored tone, walking over and holding out his hand. After a moment Abe sadly handed Espa his Alpha, the King of Beasts. "Your mind is like an open book, as is every person's when they face the likes of me. Thanks to my skills reading your thoughts and discovering what cards you held was so very easy."

Mai scoffed.

Espa turned, noticing her. "A non-believer?"

"Very much so," Mai said. "I used to do a similar trick myself. Mine was reading my own cards, using perfumes to be able to tell which card I had drawn, but it worked all the same."

"I do not use such cheap tricks! I am a skilled psychic!"

Yuri, for her part, rolled her eyes. "Look, we'll just leave. Not interested in the parlor tricks-"

"Parlor tricks!?!" Espa shouted before gaining control of himself. "I mean... I do not perform 'tricks'."

"Illusions then," Mai said.

"Tricks are something a whore does for money," Yuri added.

Espa blinked at that.

"...my boyfriend convinced us to watch Arrested Development last night," Mai said. "I can't believe that show has been on for 15 years and is still going strong."

"How can you say its fake though?" someone in the crowd called out. "He saw what Abe the Monkey Man had in his hand! With his mind!"

Mai gave a dismissive shrug. "It's a magic trick. Like slight of hand." She held up her empty hand, flicked it three times, and on the final flick there were Duel Monster cards clutched between her fingers. "You see what I want you to see."

"Or believe what I want you to believe," Yuri said before suddenly swaying. "Oh... oh!" She pressed her hand to her heart. "I... I hear something. A voice..." she suddenly looked up with wide eyes. "From beyond the grave."

The crowd gasped at that and Mai fought the urge to roll her eyes as Yuri began to stumble forward, holding out one hand while the other remained tight to her chest. Espa watched on, getting more and more annoyed at Yuri's antics.

"I'm getting a name... its faint... I'm trying to call it forth. Is there a... Pu.... Pu..."

"Peter?" someone asked.

"Peter... yes... yes, Peter." Yuri looked at the woman who was in her 30s. "He's an... older man..."

"My grandfather," the woman whispered.

"He keeps saying something about... money. Money. He keeps repeating that."

"My mom and I are fighting over the money he left me... oh, I knew he wouldn't be happy with us bickering about it!" the woman pulled out her phone. "I need to call her..."

Yuri instantly stopped. "Don't. That was cold reading." She turned to Espa, Mai grimacing at the sad look the woman in the crowd had flash across her face. "Vague comments that let me lead someone to the answers I need. There was this woman that kept getting drunk in public, I arrested her half a dozen times, who taught me how to do it." She grimaced as she saw the saddened look the woman who thought her grandfather was speaking to her flashed her way. "Admittedly when I normally do that I warn people..."

"Enough of your lies!" Espa declared. "You might know so tricks but they merely allow you to create mimicry of the true mental arts. I will not allow you to stand here any more and mock me." He pointed right at Mai. "You are competing in Battle City."

"What gave it away? The spirits or the Duel Disc I'm wearing?" Mai groused.

Espa Roba pressed his lips together before taking a breath, slowly releasing it before he finally spoke once more. "I will challenge you to a duel the moment the cooldown is done and prove to you that I am no fake. You will know the power of the mental arts and accept me as their master."

"A card game is supposed to prove that you are some mentalist?" Mai complained, moving to stand where the Monkey Man had been. "Alright... but if you are going to get my locator card and my apology then I want something in return." She held up his hand when he moved to speak. "I don't need your promises or praise, little boy. When I win I'll take both the locator cards you currently have. A sudden death match... winner take all."

"Very well then!" Espa declared. "Let us see who the fates truly favor!"

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