Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Altered Destinies ❯ Chapter 6: Ghouls and Ghosts and Bandits, Oh My ( Chapter 6 )

This is my first attempt at a Yu-Gi-Oh fanfiction so please be kind in your reviews, if you review. I might not have many of the characters in character. On another note I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh and never will. I don't know whom it is that owns Yu-Gi-Oh and besides giving these unknown parties credit for making such a kickass manga/anime, I don't really care. Also, I don't have any money right now so, no one can benefit at all when it comes to suing me.

I came up with this idea when I read a couple of stories that I have read on fanfiction.net. One was recently taken off for some reason but it had been a good story. The other focused on the series if Yugi had been born a girl. I decided to take my shot at this kind of story but using Seto Kaiba. I will only mention this once so pay attention:

/Backslash/ - a conversation between a person and their spirit. i.e.: Yugi to Yami and vice versa.

//Double Backslash// - the person is thinking.

-Altered Destinies, Chapter 6-

Jounouchi fell to his knees as Kaiba's dragon just destroyed his monster, sending his life points to zero. "That's right makeinu. Stay down on your knees and don't get back up."

"Was that really necessary Kaiba?" Mai asked the brunette.

"Yeah," Anzu said. "Jounouchi was just starting to get his confidence as a really good duelist. Did you have to take that away along with his dragon?"

"Then maybe he shouldn't have challenged me in the first place," Kaiba answered back. "I could've used the first dragon that I drew earlier in the match, but that would be overkill."

"But it still doesn't give you the right to put him down like," Yugi said.

"Look Yugi," Set started, "if you thought what I did to Jounouchi was unmerciful then you are wrong. Pegasus would beat him twice as badly and with no pity for the fact that your friend here couldn't beat my weakest fusion monster until it was to late." Kaiba paused for a moment to gather up the will to say what was next. "Have you forgotten that this is the guy that invented Magic and Wizards? He has every card, including prototype cards that never made it to print. I wouldn't be surprised that he already has decks constructed as the perfect counter to each duelist still alive in this tournament. He also knows every strategy in the game. To make it worse, he has demonstrated an ability that is far more devastating than any card or strategy has ever proven."

-Narrative Flashback to Kaiba-

Kaiba was sitting on the arena floor at the King of Games tournament being held in New York City as a special guest. Kaiba looked on distasteful at what she considers a primitive game table. //These guys don't have anything on what I've been working on.// Kaiba watched as Pegasus J. Crawford was about to take on another American duelist, Keith Howard. Keith was considered the number one ranked duelist in the world after Pegasus and many people have heard of Kaiba Seto on the fast rise to the top when she won the Japan national tournament. Of course, many people thought that Kaiba was a guy at that time.

"This is it for you Pegasus," Keith said as he made the first draw of the game. "Alright the match is already mine from the start. Looks like the title and the prize money are mine." Keith has had the habit of winning tournaments and makes with the cash prize like a bandit, earning him the nickname of 'Bandit Keith.' Bandit Keith was about to play his drawn card, he saw Mr. Crawford write something on a piece of paper then wave a young boy sitting in the crowd above Seto. "Hey no asking for help."

"Who said I even need help to beat you Bandit Keith," Pegasus said calmly. "You dueling skills are so simple, a child could beat you." The white-haired man handed the piece of paper to the boy. "You may not have played this game before, but follow what was written on this paper." Pegasus walked back to his seat next to Kaiba. "I do hope that you are enjoying yourself here Kaiba. I know that it has to be so boring here without the holographic dueling arenas that you're working on."

//That project is top secret. How did he know?// Kaiba thought, but before she could ponder about what Pegasus said, Bandit Keith made his move.

"Garnetia Elephantes," the blonde adult said as he threw his card down.

"Good card," the boy said looking at the note. "But this note said to play this card in sign of attack when you do play that card." The boy placed a card onto the table.

"What?" Keith couldn't believe the monster that was just summoned.

"Looks like you lost all your life points," the bandana-wearing duelist stood up in rage at the boys comment.

"There is no way you could have know that," Keith took the note from the boy's hand and what he read had spooked him.

When Bandit Keith plays Garnetia Elephantes, counter with the monster card that has 1850 attack points. It gains a power boost from his monster and can attack directly.

Pegasus walked to the boy and raised his hand in victory while Bandit Keith had a mental breakdown.

-End Flashback-

"Sounds like what he did to me," Yugi said as he remembered his timed duel with Pegasus.

"I don't know how he did it, but thanks to the success of this duel disk," Kaiba said softly as she put away the duel disks. "I might have the edge and I could use whatever advantage that I could get. I suggest that you do the same." After a few minutes, both Kaiba and Yugi wished each other good luck on their separate journeys.

A young Seto Kaiba stood in front of a door. It had been a week since she took over KaibaCorp from her stepfather. The images of the day he raped her still fresh in her memory, Seto decided that she shouldn't keep her big secret from him. She had already had to deal with the servants and guards that worked at the mansion with her situation. With threats of firing and proving how vicious she could be on many of the guards, they agreed to keep their mouths shut about her gender to anyone. She opened the door to the room where Mokuba was and saw him playing video games. Seto couldn't help but disapprove of the messy floor. Soda cans, CD cases, and other games littered to floor. "Mokuba," Seto said softly.

"You must be a new servant here," Mokuba said. "Niisama would be furious if he found out you hadn't used -sama. I know about the mess and I'll clean it up after I am done." Mokuba just turned his face to see the new person in his room. His jaw dropped open when he saw a female looking version of his brother. Same brown hair, same blue eyes, wearing a short T-shirt and jean shorts. "Niisama, is that you?"

"Yeah, this was a secret I was forced to keep from everyone, including you, for so long," Seto answered. "You don't have a brother Mokuba, but a sister. I can understand if you want to yell at me or wish that you never knew me."

Mokuba paused the game and walked up to his sister. "I am a little upset," Mokuba said, "but only because you kept this from me for so long. I guess though if I were in your position, I would take longer." Mokuba wrapped his arms around his sister's waist. "Cool, I've always wanted a sister."

Seto quirked and eyebrow before asking, "How come?"

"She could help me on what to do when asking out a girl on a date," the brunette shook her head at Mokuba's statement.

"Can you keep me a promise otoutosan," Seto asked and the black-hair boy nodded. "You must keep this a secret from outside of this house. The people here know but only because I had a run in with one of the guards on my way here."

"So that's what all that yelling was about," Mokuba said.

"Yeah," Seto blinked but Mokuba vanished. "Mokuba." Darkness surrounded Seto as a familiar scream of horror echoed. It was of Mokuba before she condemned him to the Death Chamber. Mokuba's image appeared in front of her in the distance. "Mokuba!" she yelled as she ran out to her brother who had a look of pure terror on his face. Try as she might, Seto couldn't get to her brother as a horde of monsters swallowed Mokuba. "Mooooookuuuuuubaaaaaa!"

"Why should you care about a loser like him?" Seto turned to the voice and is shocked to see her, as she was before Death-T. "He is a loser and deserves that fate and so do you."

"Last time I checked, you were the one that lost," Seto told her former self.

"You'd like to think that wouldn't you," the other Seto said. "But the truth is that you lost and you deserved it for caring for him and you will continue to lose."

"I told you that death is what losers deserve," a very familiar voice called out. Seto now saw Gozaburo appear next to her other self. "Your brother is a loser and deserves death. Love is just an illusion and your concern for him was what cost him the match. That makes you the loser." The two figures turned into a flaming female like Duel Monsters that Seto recognized as possessed Dark Souls, and they charge at her about to strike.

Seto woke from her nightmare. She looked around and saw that she was in a tree to hide from Pegasus' goons. She wanted to avoid being detected to soon. "Just a dream," Seto muttered to herself opening her locket to she a picture of her brother. "Don't worry Mokuba. I'll save you and make up for everything I did to you in the past." After looking around to see if any one was nearby and finding no one, she jump out of the tree and went back to the task of heading for Pegasus' castle.

"Don't play that one Ghost," a blonde man wearing a bandana and some shades said to a young boy with a very ugly face. "Play the one next to it in sign of attack." The boy saw the card that the man said.

"Armored Ghoul," the boy said. "He not an undead monster that would get a field bonus."

"True, but we are working on a strategy here," the blonde said. "Standard undead monsters lack power right now and this will help beef up your deck."

"Hey no fair giving him advice," Jounouchi accused. "Since I'm sure you guys abducted me thinking that I am amateur."

"Not our concern until the finals but until then," one of the brutes that abducted Jou said. "It legal. You should've said something about it before the duel. Now do as Keith says Kotsuzuka. He's helped us this far and he's the best." Ghost Kotsuzuka did as he was told and an armor-wearing monster appeared on the field (5/1500/?.)

"Oh well," Jounouchi grumble. "Axe Raider, give that monster a beating." Jounouchi's monster sliced his way through Armored Ghoul." (GK: 1800 J: 2000)

"Don't worry kid," Keith said as the creepy boy drew his next card. "Play the middle card in any mode you want right now."

Kotsuzuka looked at the mentioned card and noticed something. //Earth Eating Dragon (5/1600/1400.) It's another living monster that can't benefit from this graveyard field. What is Bandit Keith thinking?// Ghost went ahead and played the monster in face down defense mode.

"Destroy that monster as well Axe Raider," Jounouchi's monster attack and destroys a purple dragon.

Ghost draw a card and Keith said, "Play that one in attack mode otherwise he won't be tempted to destroy it." Ghost noticed it as Murder Circus and was just like the other two monsters.

"Just do it Ghost," the other goon said in a stupid tone.

"He knows what he is doing and it might be less painful for us," the first one said. Ghost goes along with it.

"I don't see why I should be too worried," the blonde teen said as he threw another card down. "Flame Swordsman, destroy his clown." Jou's monster appeared and made short work of Ghost's monster (GK: 1350 (for some reason, the manga has Ghost Kotsuzuka lose 300 life points here.))

"Thanks to you he has a commendable lead," Kotsuzuka drew his next and his snarl disappeared. "Scratch that last statement. I completely forgot about this card."

"Play it now and take command of the match," Bandit Keith ordered.

"This trap card is unstoppable," the skull like kid said as he threw the card down. "Cry of the Living Dead." Shortly after three hands came out of the ground and three familiar looking bodies appeared on the field.

"Hey what's going on?" Jounouchi demand as he saw the three monster he just creamed return.

"Cry of the Living Dead is a permanent trap card that brings back all the non-undead monster that you destroy as immortal zombies," Ghost explained the new situation. "Not only that but since this is a graveyard field, they each get a power bonus. Dragon Zombie, blow Axe Raider away." The dragon with its new attack strength of 2080 destroys the Axe wielding monster (GK: 1350 J: 1620.)

"This match is as good as done for you," Keith laughed.

"Oh yeah," the teen responded as he drew a card and played it. "It's not over until my life points go down. Garzas destroy that clown." A reptilian-looking monster showed up and slashed at the Murder Circus Zombie and destroys it only to have the clown returned to the field. "What?"

"Physical force won't do you any good here," Bandit Keith exclaimed. "As long as Cry of the Living Dead is in play, these guy will just keep on coming back and stronger than ever." To prove Keith's point, Murder Circus Zombie's attack strength went up to 1890 and destroyed Garzas. (J: 1530)

Jounouchi muttered something as he drew his next card. //All right, Time Wizard, this card worked miracles for me in this tournament. It even fossilized Ryuzaki's monster.// "Go Time Wizard."

//This kid is smarter than I thought. Time Wizard can age the zombies into dust completely annihilating them and Kotsuzuka's life points.// The spinner on the little clock's wand started up.

"Boss what do I do?" Ghost looked on with worry.

"Don't you worry," Keith said. "Time Roulette is complete chance. If your luck runs better than his, you won't have to worry about your zombies being sent into oblivion, so start praying." Ghost did just that as the spinner went on for a minute and his prayers were answered as it landed on a skull.

"NOOOO!!!!!" Jounouchi yelled out.

"Oh yeah," Ghost cheered.

"You thought that was fun, then get a load of this," Keith motioned to the vortex forming above Jou's monsters. "All of his monster will get sucked into a vortex of death, destroy everyone of them and reducing Katsuya's life points by half of the Flame Swordsman's Attack Points." The Time Wizard and Flame Swordsman got sucked into the vortex as Bandit Keith said (GK: 1350 J: 620.)

"He's destroying himself," Kotsuzuka chuckled. "I think I'll skip my turn this time."

//Man, I'm way over my head here.// Jounouchi thought to himself as he drew. //I didn't expect the full consequences of Time Wizard failing me. To make things worse, I'm being out duel by the 'Coach' here and not the actual duelist that I am taking on. Now who did they call him, Bandit Keith was it?// Jou furrowed his brow until realization hit in. //That's why I'm being out duel. He was the number one duelist internationally until Pegasus humiliated him as Kaiba said. I don't see why he is so hot and as much as I hate to say it, Kaiba is even better than him.// "Demon Hunter in defense."

"Dr-," the skull kid was interrupted.

"Don't attack yet," Keith said. "Let's humiliate him like Pegasus did me almost a year back. Play "The King of Ghost."" Ghost Kotsuzuka gave a 'roger' and played Ghost King, Pumpkin in attack mode a huge jack-o-lantern crawled out of the ground (6/1500/2000.)

"What is that?"

"The Ghost King, Pumpking," Ghost explain. "Starting on the next turn, all of my undead monsters will gain an extra power boost as each turn passes by. Now Dragon Zombie, attack his defense monster." Jounouchi summon Armored Lizard to the field. "Pumpking, power up my zombie army and Dragon Zombie destroy his defense." Dragon Zombie's attack increase to 2400 as it destroyed the blue reptile.

"Grassman in defense," Jounouchi summoned another monster to be slaughtered. //Yugi, I need you here now.// Little did Jounouchi know that his silent calling to his best friend was heard by said best friend and he and the others are on their way. Jounouchi summons another monster in defense.

"Your defenses won't be enough," Ghost gloated as he saw the card that he just drew. "I've just drawn Seal Defense but I think I'll save it for your next defense and just set it. Now Dragon Zombie, destroy his last defense." The Dragon Zombie, now at 2880, destroys Tiger Axe.

"End of the line for you," the adult said. "No where to run and hide, so why don't you give up."

"No way," the teen said. "My sister is counting on this tournament's prize money to save her sight. If I give up now, I won't ever be able to face her." Jounouchi drew and saw the monster in his hand. "If I can't defend, I might as well go on the offense and stop your zombies from increase their strength any further. Red Eyes Black Dragon, go take down that overgrown pumpkin." Jounouchi's dragon appears and with its breath of flames, destroys Pumpking.

"Minor set back," Keith settled Ghost down and get over his shock that the blonde teen they're facing had such a rare card as Ghost's life points dropped by 450 (manga also had GK's life points at this point of the duel, despite the fact that it should be down to 450.) "Your zombies have more than enough power to finish him off." The zombie kid orders his dragon to take out Red Eyes and it does so (GK: 900 J: 140.)

//Aw man.// Jou thought. //Whatever monster I throw out will be destroy and that face down card will keep it in attack. The only monster left is Melee Warrior Ultimater, but he only has 700-attack points.// Jounouchi place his hand on his deck for one last time and drew his final card. //All right perfect.// "I summon Melee Warrior Ultimater in attack."

"Finally ran out of moves huh," Ghost said.

"I'm not finished as I play this magic card know as Shield in Right Hand, Sword in Left Hand," Jounouchi smirked as static covered the whole field.

"WHAT?" Keith yelled. //That card switches the attack and defense strengths of all monsters on the field. Zombies can't switch to defense this turn and Cry of the Living Dead will only revive these zombies as long as they have an attack strength to increase by a percentage and with zero attack points, the power increase will always be zero.// Ghost started to panic as he saw his monster attack power now at zero.

"And my monsters attack becomes 1000," Jounouchi said. "Battle Warrior Ultimater, smash that dragon." The blue warrior's fists smashes Dragon Zombie (GK: 0 J: 140.) Jounouchi's friends appeared as he turned to face them and give them the thumbs up to show that he is okay.

-To Be Continued-

This has got to be the most horrible duel in the manga in terms of the math being done for Kotsuzuka's life points. I've gone with what I have read off of Edo's site. I personally can't wait till the end of Duelist Kingdom cause that's when I can start to veer off a little bit from the manga story line a bit more. I have three more duels at Duelist Kingdom and they are all of the finals matches. Kaiba will also have one duel after Duelist Kingdom. This way, Kaiba, Yugi, and Jounouchi can each have three duels befor Battle City (I think I'll skip over the Death Imitator battle for Yugi.)