Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Dark Dueling ❯ A Cheating Bandit ( Chapter 7 )

Dark Dueling

By FlikFreak

 

Chapter Seven: A Cheating Bandit

 

~*~

 

Yugi didn't know much about Den Dueling - how it worked, how his deck could help him, anything - but he finally decided to just go with the flow and use what he already had. His deck had never failed him before, and he knew it wouldn't fail him now. Besides, the best way to learn how to play was by experience, right?

 

“Hey, you.”

 

There was an odd moment where Yugi wanted to lash out at the voice that had jerked him from his concentration. Instead, he glanced warily up at the man in front of him. He wore an odd pair of khaki pants, a red T-shirt, a studded blue denim vest and a strange bandanna on his blonde-haired head that resembled the American flag. Whoever this guy was, he seemed patriotic of his country aside from the fact that his posture was completely menacing. “You in the tournament, kid?”

 

Yugi nodded. “Yeah.”

 

“Then I challenge you to a duel,” the man replied gruffly. “Name's Keith Howard. Meet me at Duel Arena 7.” With that, the man walked quickly off.

 

For a moment, Yugi sat in a rather stunned silence. Were all duelists like this? Shrugging, he picked up his backpack and headed to the duel arena labeled with a large 7 and cautiously entered. It was a great place for a duel, just like the other Den Duel arenas, but for some reason the fact that the arena was rather dark appealed greatly to him. He didn't particularly care much for the somewhat defunct lighting. As soon as he began reaching for his deck, however, his suspicions on the lights were proved wrong as they blared down at him, scorching his sight momentarily. Wincing, Yugi shielded himself from the light before a voice spoke up.

 

“What's wrong, kid? Afraid of being on stage?”

 

It was the man…Keith Howard was his name? Yugi managed to straighten his stance and he shook his head. “I'm fine. I've just never been in a Den Duel before.”

 

Keith laughed. “You must be nuts, then, having your first match ever in an all-out tournament.” After a moment, an oddly malevolent grin appeared on his face. “But I don't care. It just means an easy first win for me!”

 

The overhead screen flickered with a few odd graphics as the Digital Referee started up. “Cryptic Cup Tournament Match confirmed. Combatants: Yugi Mutou, Keith Howard. Ruleset: Standard. Begin Match. Battle!”

 

Yugi and Keith drew their cards and began. With a nervous gulp, Yugi held up a card. “I summon Feral Imp!” He cried. A dark cloud danced behind him, and within moments a small green creature not much taller than Yugi appeared from it, leaping in front of him. Its fur was undoubtedly soft, its long ears perked somewhat in attentiveness for the battle. Long, red claws extended from its paw-like hands and feet, a similarly colored (but very small) horn on its head. Golden-yellow eyes peered warily ahead.

 

“Hah!” The man replied. “What good will that weak monster do you?” Ignoring Yugi's surprised expression; he pulled a card of his own. “Looks like you won't be lasting long this match!” He said. “I summon Zoa!”

 

In a whirlwind of darkness, an enormous blue fiend not dissimilar to the Feral Imp appeared, though with major and menacing differences. The beast was at least five times the size of Keith, and its ears were webbed with red, leathery skin, causing them to resemble bat wings. Spikes protruded from the creature's elbows, knees, spine and ears, giving it an enormously menacing appearance.

 

Something throbbed within Yugi, but once it finished, he shook it off and continued his focus. Before he could announce a movement, Zoa thundered forward and launched an attack, but it missed the Feral Imp.

 

Instead, it hit Yugi.

 

The boy was sent skidding along the concrete ground, pain shooting through his body even after he came to a stop. The imp he summoned bounded over to him, cocking its head and purring quietly to him. As Yugi began to stand, he noted his opponent laughing at him. “This is going to be so easy!” Keith cried. “I'll be in the finals in no time!”

 

That little… Yugi began. He's cheating, isn't he?

 

Keith apparently decided to rub salt in the wound and pointed at Yugi, smirking. “Come on, kid! Get up! This won't be any fun unless you're actually still standing!”

 

Something began to rise from within Yugi's mind. A strange, empowering sensation was flowing, reaching the bursting point. A strange metallic taste bled into his mouth and his body began to feel incredibly heavy. The memories poured back in…the light, the black mist, the burst of power that wasn't his own…

 

It was happening again. That nightmare was repeating.

 

As the golden light began to envelope his senses, Yugi shielded himself from the burst of supernatural wind and cried out in terror. The dark mist returned, gushing out from what was almost nowhere, flowing onto the battlefield like a river of pitch-black fog. His heart began to pound in his ears, and before long his mind tumbled into a familiar and frightening darkness, his limbs slowly numbing.

 

~*~

 

The spirit stirred from its hiding place. It hadn't wanted to reveal itself again, but the boy had been attacked. This Keith Howard person…he was not the main enemy that was causing so much pain, but the spirit could not ignore such filthy intentions. In a strong pulse of power, he wrenched control from Yugi, ignoring the terror that flew past him, and stood firmly on the ground, sparing a quick glance at the green imp at his side.

 

Feral Imp…it has been so long since I have seen one. This boy has excellent taste in companions.

 

He turned to the man in front of him. “Keith Howard,” he said slowly. “You would dare to do such a thing?”

 

The man shrugged. “I dunno what that weird light show of yours was all about,” he said, “But cheating is cheating. I'll do whatever it takes to get to the top.”

 

The spirit gritted his host's teeth. He'd have to learn to conceal the process of switching out with his host eventually, but for now, he had more important matters to deal with. “Your cheating is the least of my angers,” he replied. “It's time for you to pay up for what you've done.”

 

Keith wasn't about to give up. With another command, he sent Zoa charging toward the spirit again, but much to his surprise a sphere of shadows slammed into the creature with surprising force, sending it careening backward into a pillar behind its master. Keith, stunned by this turn of events, gazed frantically around for whatever had caused this sudden turn of events. It didn't take him long to find out where the blast came from.

 

Feral Imp stood in front of Yugi, snarling angrily at Bandit Keith. The spirit shared the sentiment; he did not like this man. “If cheating is how you want to do things,” he said angrily, “Then prepare to pay the price, for I spare no mercy for cheaters. Go, Feral Imp!”

 

Before the man could even react, the little green imp leapt with an intense ferocity at Zoa, fangs and claws bared. Zoa, whom was still recovering from the previous attack, was unable to defend itself from the rapid strikes sent to it by Feral Imp, and was quickly destroyed.

 

“Duel end. Winner: Yugi Mutou. Keith Howard eliminated from Cryptic Cup Tournament.”

 

“Howard the Coward,” The spirit scoffed, striding confidently to the man whom had fallen onto the ground and was shaking in terror. The eye of truth appeared on his host's forehead, and the spirit narrowed his host's eyes in anger. “You may have your own goals in this tournament and my goal may be to save you mortals, but a pathetic excuse for a duelist like you has no right to even attempt a challenge with me. Accept your fate.”

 

The man began to scurry back. “No!” He cried, the eye on the boy's forehead blinding him. “No, no! Please!”

 

“Penalty Game!”

 

As the spirit turned his host's body around and began to walk off, Keith stole a glance at his hand, which was rapidly transforming into a familiar-looking firearm device. His arm began to move on its own accord, and he began to shriek in terror. Moments later, a gunshot was heard.

 

Keith Howard lay trembling and unconscious on the floor as the lights turned back off, leaving the arena dark and empty. The spirit did not bother to look back at him.

 

No monster is weak, Keith, only the heart of the duelist it is commanded by. You would do well to remember this.