Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ As If! ❯ The Gauntlet is Thrown ( Chapter 2 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

*Author's Note: First off, I should probably respond to some reviews... I'd been planning to do that for the next new episode of the show, but who knows when THAT will be? Well, let's get started...

Mai Valentine - Heehee. Yeah, it'd be kinda cool if someone DID jump off a ledge, but I'm trying not to actually kill anybody, what with the number of running jokes I have. I fear it might seem a little out of place. *grins* Good idea, though... who knows? I might end up using it after all!

Jenny-fer - Well, I'm using pretty much every coupling here, but Yami/Yugi is definitely one of my favorites. *grins* Not that writing this thing hasn't given me a whole new love for Yami/Kaiba, Bakura/Yugi, and some others...

PDM and Eternal Darkness - I presume the reason that Kaiba couldn't stop his Swordstalker's attack in the duel against Pegasus was that you can't stop a play because of a revealed trap card -- otherwise, there would be no point to traps. Yugi, however, COULD stop his attack because it was only harming himself. What he was actually doing was forfeiting the game, and Kaiba's final attack was just symbolic. In other words, the show is amazingly inconsistent, and the writers clearly have no idea how to play the game. But that's okay. It's not like I do!

Lizzie - Thanks for your review regarding Kaiba's three Blue-Eyes. That certainly makes sense, and I appreciate the info, but I still think he should have given the card to Mokuba. I mean, wouldn't that have been the nice, brotherly thing to do?

Generally - Ff.net treats reviews as being HTMLed, so if you make a smiley face using the symbol above the , (comma) key, it thinks everything after it is part of an HTML tag, and so doesn't show it. Since it took a fair bit of trial and error for my friends and me to figure that out, I thought I'd save you all the effort and tell you straight out.

Everybody - Thank you very much for all your reviews!! Without them, this would have been a fic that was put up on a Friday and taken down on a Sunday, but now, it's going strong. I adore every single one I get. They're all such very good inspiration for me -- you're the reason I'm writing this, all of you. As always, I would very much appreciate feedback. There's no point in me writing this if it's not funny, so I want to know! ((Oh, and tell me if you don't want me to do these long A/N's anymore.)) Thank you again!!

Now that that's done, I have a few other notes... I'm still looking for a picture of Yugi with angel wings! If you tell me where I can find one / draw me one yourself / any other possibilities there might be, I'll give you this! *holds up a box that's about four inches high by four inches wide by two inches deep* ...well, it's INSIDE the box. Nobody will get to know what it is until I get a picture of Yugi with angel wings, though! *sarcastic* Ohh, the excitement. ((Obviously, this is more of a muse sort of gift, since there's no way I could actually GIVE you anything. It's just an idea, but hey, it's the thought that counts, right? ^_~ ))

Finally, I have captured a Malik-kun in a small, glass room for our pleasure and amusement. About a week ago, I became absolutely obsessed with the guy, and now wish to share my devotion wi...

*A humanoid-feline sort of creature named Catling wanders by, carrying a pouch full of catnip. Background info: She's the head of my gang of minions, and spends most of her time either sleeping or depleting my supplies of "mint." That tells you an awful lot about how well my world-domination plans are going, actually...*

Catling: Um, doesn't Malik sort of have a Yami?

DG: Well, yeah, but actually, I call both Ishtar Malik and Yami Malik "Malik-kun," for convenience. "Yami" refers to Yami Yugi, and Yami Bakura is called just "Yami Bakura." See?

Catling: *looks up from sniffing at her bag* But don't you think he'll be a little angry at being locked up?

DG: *shrugs* Yeah, but I stole his Millennium Rod! *holds it up proudly*

Catling: That doesn't actually lock up the Yami, you know. *munches on a handful of catnip*

DG: ...it doesn't?

Catling: Nope.

DG: ... I am SO dead. *turns tail and runs, screaming things like "IT WAS DONE OUT OF LOVE!!!"*

Catling: *roots around in the pouch for another handful of catnip* Well, that was amusing...*

*Scene: Joey is playing a game of Duel Monsters against Téa.*

Tristan: Joey, make a move already!

Joey: 'Kay, here you go, tough guy. My Rock Ogre's going to rock your block off!

Yugi: It's going to what?

Téa: I'm not sure which part of that preposterous statement to tackle first.

*Scene: Téa crushes Joey.*

Tristan: You stink at this game.

Téa: I wonder how many days in a row you can say that.

Tristan: With Joey here? I could keep it up for months, easy.

Joey: Shaddup...

*Scene: Yugi sits around on the bars outside the school, talking to Joey.*

Joey: What is it, Yugi? Why can't I ever win? Teach me what I'm doin' wrong.

Yugi: Would it involve me having to stand up?

Joey: Er, I guess...

Yugi: Then no. I like it up here. I'm taller than you! Heehee!

Joey: *sweatdrops* Oh, brother...

*Scene: Well, alright. Might as well help the guy...*

Yugi: Duel Monsters is all about combining your monster cards with your magic cards to increase their strength. With no magic in your deck, your monsters will get creamed every time.

Joey: *runs around and grabs Yugi by the shoulders* Huh? See! That's the kind of stuff I need to know. Yugi, ya gotta help me learn more!

Yugi: Uh... Would you mind explaining to me first why everyone's always going and holding my shoulders? I know I'm short and all, but there's no real need to be talking three inches from my face.

Joey: *blushes* Ah, forget about it. You wouldn't get it.

Yugi: Er... alright...

*Scene: Joey's on the floor of the Game Shop, trying to get a little bit of support for his apprenticeship.*

Joey: Please, Yugi, help me convince him! I will work hard, I promise!

Yugi: Well, alright, but only because it's nice getting to look down when talking to someone for once...

*Scene: Yugi rather likes this only-child gig.*

Yugi: Listen, Joey, teaching you Duel Monsters is too big a challenge, even for my grandpa.

Grandpa: It's not impossible.

Joey: Huh? You mean it, Gramps?

Yugi: Joey, he already said he can't do it, and if he can't do it, he can't do it.

Joey: *singsong through clenched teeth* That's not what I call "helpful!"

*Scene: A while later, the gang settles in for a nice evening of Duel-Monsters-watching.*

Announcer: Good evening, duel fans, and our ten million viewers at home, and welcome to the Duel Monsters Duel Dome, where tonight the Duel Monsters regional championship will be decided.

Téa: I'm looking through that audience, and I see only four women!

Yugi: I think that one there in the pink shirt might be a girl.

Téa: *leans closer to the TV* Hmm, maybe...

Tristan: You know what's really impressive? Out of hundreds of fans there are four women, and in under thirty words four of them were "duel."

Téa: It's a conspiracy, I tell you!

*Scene: More stuff on the TV.*

Announcer: Of the two hundred duelists that have competed in this marathon tournament, only two competitors remain standing.

Yugi: I guess the rest collapsed from exhaustion.

Téa: Wow, I never knew dueling was such hard work.

*Scene: Grandpa wanders in holding an exceptionally pretty box.*

Grandpa: Oh, by the way, Yugi, this package came in the mail for you.

Yugi: A package? What is it, Gramps?

Grandpa: I don't know. I don't censor your mail!

*Scene: The same thing again.*

Grandpa: Oh, by the way, Yugi, this package came in the mail for you.

Yugi: A package? What is it, Gramps?

Grandpa: I don't know. It just came in the mail.

Yugi: *sighs* Yes, I KNOW it came in the mail. You just said that.

*Scene: And again.*

Yugi: A package? What is it, Gramps?

Grandpa: I don't know. It just came in the mail.

Yugi: Huh. What an odd thing for a package to do.

*Scene: Again...*

Grandpa: I don't know. It just came in the mail.

Joey: *eyes the package nervously* That tone of voice really makes me think of shifty eyes an' bad liars...

*Scene: Everybody sits around discussing the package.*

Yugi: Is it possible they heard I beat the world champion?

Téa: You mean Kaiba?

Yugi: Yeah. It wasn't an official match or anything, but Kaiba did drop out of the tournament because of me.

Tristan: Well, considering that you heard about that, I'd say it's definitely possible.

*Scene: Talking, talking.*

Joey: Just hearin' Kaiba's name gives me a headache.

Yugi: Why? I mean, I was the one that had to duel him, and Grandpa was the one that ended up in the hospital because of him.

Joey: Ah, well, I'm just such a sensitive guy, y'know?

Yugi: Oh, yeah.

Téa: Riiiight...

*Scene: Back to the game!*

Announcer: Ohh, and Raptor plays the strongest card in his deck -- the terrible Two-Headed King Rex!

Rex: *shouts up* First off, who said that's my strongest card, and secondly, why would I possibly want Weevie over there to know that?! It's not that it matters, of course, it's just the principle of the thing.

*Scene: Weevil plays the trap card Vortex, trapping the King Rex.*

Weevil: While he's trapped there, I'll upgrade my Basic Insect by giving him Armor with Fire Power! Not such a wimpy little bug after all, hmm?

Basic Insect: *collapses under the weight of the armor* Ow.

*Scene: Pegasus is being driven around in his limo after the tournament.*

Minion: Mr. Pegasus, with the announcement that you made tonight, we'll have thousands of duelists flocking to the Duelist Kingdom.

Pegasus: Yes. An event such as this will hopefully attract those who possess the Millennium Items that I seek.

Minion: Er, I was talking more in terms of having to increase the border guard, seeing as how it's a private tournament. And aren't you already coercing them in?

Pegasus: You dare to contradict me?! *presses a button, making the door open and the seat tilt so that the minion gets tossed out of the moving car* Bye-bye! Happy travels!

Minion: *rolling down the road* Always a pleasure to serve you, sir!

*Scene: With the duel on TV over, the group can get back to things that impact them more personally.*

Grandpa: With all the excitement of the championships, you forgot to open your package, Yugi.

Yugi: What could it be? *opens it*

Téa: Some kind of glove.

Joey: And stars.

Tristan: Maybe there's an explanation on the video.

Joey: Pop it in and check it out.

Yugi: Okay. *does so*

Pegasus: *on tape* Greetings, little Yugi. I am Maximillion Pegasus.

Joey: Pegasus?

Téa: We just saw him on TV.

Grandpa: The famous Maximillion Pegasus sends greetings to my Yugi.

Pegasus: Yes, yes, now if we could all stop stating the obvious for a moment, we could get this thing startled, mm?

*Scene: Tape plays, pictures move, stuff happens.*

Pegasus: I have heard some terribly interesting things about you, Yugi.

Yugi: Huh?

Pegasus: *shakes head* I'd heard your outfit was awful, but I never pictured all those buckles...

*Everyone else groans.*

*Scene: Pegasus responds to the gang, despite the obvious difficulty of being on a tape.*

Pegasus: Right here, right now, we shall hold a special duel.

Yugi: But we're in different places!

Yami: Yes, he's in the Shadow Realm, and we're not.

Pegasus: I meant right here where I am.

Yugi: Y'know, time's past since you said "right now."

Joey: I am so lost...

*Scene: Pegasus takes Yugi to the Shadow Realm.*

Yugi: Ahh! Everything's growing dark and cold, and the others aren't moving.

Pegasus: It's called the Shadow Realm for a reason, you know.

Yugi: Huh? Who said that? I can't see you...

Yami: *sweatdrops* Oh, for the love of...

Yugi: So... cold... *passes out*

Pegasus: Dammit, not again!

*Scene: Okay, fine, so it isn't that cold.*

Yami: You may be good...

Pegasus: I assure you, I am.

Yami: ...but I will beat you to save my friends.

Pegasus: Who said anything about saving? This is just a talent search! You'll all be back in fifteen minutes.

Yami: Now come on, where's the drama in that?

*Scene: Some chattering to while the minutes away.*

Pegasus: I know every move you'll make, before you can even make it!

Yami: Well, knowing what I did after I told you wouldn't be all that impressive. ...although, sometimes even that's more than I can hope for...

*Scene: Yappity yappity...*

Pegasus: This dark dimension we're in is known as the "Shadow Realm."

Yami: Hey, it looks cheerier than some places I've been!

*Scene: Talkative bunch, aren't they?*

Pegasus: This dark dimension we're in is known as the "Shadow Realm," a mystical place where incredible monsters can be summoned and the impossible is quite possible.

Yugi: Sherlock Holmes would have a fit!

*Scene: They're still in the Shadow Realm.*

Pegasus: Tell me, Yugi, do you believe there is magic in these cards?

Yami: Don't you know? You invented this game.

Pegasus: What if I told you I didn't?

Yami: Huh?!

Pegasus: I did, of course. I just wanted to see your reaction.

*Scene: They're still talking.*

Pegasus: In ancient times, powerful pharaohs...

Yami: Heehee, people keep calling me "powerful."

Yugi: There's that plural again...

*Scene: They're still in the Shadow Realm, talking.*

Pegasus: In ancient times, the Egyptians called this the Shadow Game. Powerful pharaohs would hold mystical duels in other dimensions, just as we're doing now.

Yugi: What's with all the adjectives?

Pegasus: No better way to rapidly increase the volume to great levels without even slightly increasing the plot!

*Scene: Now let's talk about what was used in these duels, shall we?*

Pegasus: Magical forces so powerful the Egyptians lost control of them and nearly destroyed the entire world.

Yugi: The best part is how it's all documented by history!

*Scene: Pegasus finally restarts the game.*

Yami: I have to counterattack. Silver Fang! *plays Silver Fang, but it gets blasted by the Koumori Dragon* Ohh! The heat!

Pegasus: Ha! As you see, Yugi, these monsters are very real... *snickers* ...and also quite dangerous. *laughs more*

Yami: *hair seared down to the black* Oh, yeah, really funny...

*Scene: Some scowling, some sneering.*

Pegasus: Ahh, Yugi-boy, you really are quite entertaining -- the way you scowl and sneer, so defiant and yet helpless, and so completely ignorant of the power of your Millennium Puzzle.

Fangirl: *runs in and bear-hugs Yami* I knooow! Isn't he so cuuuuute?

Yami: *goes wide-eyed* How do they keep following me here?!

*Scene: *sings* This is the chat that never ends...*

Pegasus: Five thousand years ago, a powerful pharaoh locked the magic of the Shadow Games away.

Yugi: You mean the monsters are still loose?! *runs around screaming in crazed circles in his soul room*

Yami: *buries his face in his hand* I'm not even sure which god to invoke, here...

*Scene: They're talking. You should already know they're talking. They've been doing nothing BUT talking for the past five minutes.*

Yami: What's this have to do with me?

Pegasus: Well, let's see, I've just been ranting about this über-powerful pharaoh for the past ten minutes... maybe in a past life you were a cat!

*Scene: They resume playing. Ha ha. Just kidding!*

Pegasus: The pharaoh captured these vast magical energies in seven mystical Millennium Items.

Yami: Seven Items? You're saying that my Puzzle's one of them?

Pegasus: Yes, and there are mystical energies locked within it -- magic that could change your life forever if you only knew how to unleash it.

Yami: Who says that I wasn't the one to buy that leash? Must everyone be unhappy with their lives the way they are?

*Scene: Well, they're getting a bit closer to playing now... that's something, right?*

Yami: Time's running out, and I still haven't figured out whether he can really read my mind or if it's some kind of trick.

Yugi: Pardon me, but how does it matter?

Yami: Didn't I tell you to be quiet?

Yugi: Nope!

Yami: Oh. Well, be quiet!

Yugi: Okily-dokily!

*Scene: Yami almost plays the Zombie Warrior, but doesn't, since that would resume play.*

Yami: Wait a minute! He definitely knows what I'm about to do, but how? It's got to have something to do with that weird eye of his.

Pegasus: *hurt* It's not nice to make fun! How would you like it if I insulted your hair, or height, or outfit, huh? Huh?

*Scene: Did Yami just lay down a card?! It must be a mirage...*

Yami: I figured out your little game, Pegasus. You may be able to see the cards in my hand, but you can't see the cards I pull from the deck.

Pegasus: Huh? Yes, I can.

Yami: ...you can? Aw, damn it...

*Scene: Yami really did play a card, without looking at it first.*

Yami: My next card is the Dark Magician!

Pegasus: *sarcastic* Ooh, a big, scary Dark Magician.

Yami: Mock me all you like, Pegasus...

Pegasus: Thanks, I was planning to!

Yami: *sweatdrops*

*Scene: Pegasus plays the Faceless Mage with the Eye of Illusion, and Yami attacks it with the Dark Magician.*

Yami: My attack had no effect at all. His Faceless Mage should have been destroyed, but it's still stranding and I'm running out of time.

Pegasus: You really need to train your monsters better, Yugi-boy.

Yami: It's, er, on my to-do list...

*Scene: There's a difference between planning and frittering that Yami doesn't seem to have quite grasped yet.*

Yami: I'm up by three hundred Life Points, but only because Pegasus is toying with me. I've got to find a way to beat him at his own Shadow Game.

Pegasus: Or, next time, you could challenge me, and then it'd be your Shadow Game.

Yami: Now there's a thought...

*Scene: Yami draws a card, looks at it, and plays it.*

Yami: I attack your combo with the Elf Swordsman.

Pegasus: Wow, you gave up your old strategy after one turn?

Yami: Yeah, well, it kinda sucked...

*Scene: Unfortunately, the Elf Swordsman gets blasted.*

Yami: But that's impossible! The Faceless Mage doesn't have a Dark Magic attack.

Pegasus: I thought you'd never seen this card before, Yugi-boy!

Yami: One impossibility deserves another.

*Scene: Some more distressed conversation.*

Yami: It was my own Dark Magician that attacked me. Pegasus is controlling him with the Eye of Illusion. ... There has to be an analogy with the Millennium Eye in there somewhere...

*Scene: Ten seconds left on the clock...*

Yami: Time's not up just yet, Pegasus, and you've left your Faceless Mage vulnerable to a physical assault, which I'll do with the Summoned Skull I drew from the deck a moment ago. You have nowhere to run, Pegasus. I am the vi... *alarm goes off* ... Curses.

*Scene: Sadly, that really does happen.*

Pegasus: Hmm, well, we've run out of time, but how close was that? If you had been able to complete that attack, I would have lost. But I didn't, did I?

*Yami is so horrified that he falls over and starts twitching.*

Yami: Kill... me...

*Scene: Yami is a bad loser and refuses to play again.*

Pegasus: You presume I'm giving you a choice in the matter, but I'm not. *pulls back his hair, and Yami gasps* For I, too... ...hey, why did you gasp? I didn't say anything yet.

Yami: That eye's just really disturbing...

*Scene: Pegasus uses his "weird eye" to steal Yugi's grandpa's soul, and Yugi takes over at the helm.*

Yugi: *clutching the TV* Grandpa! Grandpa! Grandpaaaaaaaaa!!

Téa: *taps his shoulder* Uh, Yugi, your grandpa's back there... *points*

Yugi: Oh, yeah, so he is. Huh.