Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ It's All in the Cards ❯ A Day at the Zoo ( Chapter 1 )

Riptor the white dragon: *gasp* He actually added another chapter to a short story? Miracles can happen…

Rya: Aw, you're just jealous cause you aren't the main character. *shrugs* Besides, I have to keep up for my adoring fans you know.

Riptor: Geez, he gets two reviews and suddenly he thinks he's J.K Rowlings.

Rya: Awww, shut up Rip, before I sick Anarus on you.

*Anyway, onto the story \^ . . ^/*

"Are you really sure you want to go in there?" Joey said, looking at the entrance of the zoo, which was packed with people to see the "new attraction". "I mean, no offense Yugi, but you kinda stick out in a crowd."

"I want to do this Joey." Yugi replied, determination in his eyes. "I don't care what other people think of me just because of how I look." He stood on his toes to try and see over the crowd's heads, which wasn't as hard now that he much taller then he was before the transformation, which stood as a problem in the beginning, seeing how none of his former clothes fit anymore.

"Good for you Yugi." Tea Gardner said, patting Yugi on the back. "It's nice to know that some people aren't afraid of what they look like when they go out." She smirked and shot a glance over at Joey, who became instantly defensive.

"Hey, look who's talking!" He shot back, giving her one of his Joey grins. Before a heated argument broke out between the two Ryou managed to come back with their tickets, a little worse for wear after pushing his way through the crowd. After getting through the main gates (which was also packed with people, making the group wait a half an hour in line before getting in) Yugi immediately ran to the zoo map, looking for the new display with Kaiba the Blue Eyes in it.

Tea looked around the plaza area as the rest of the group stared at the map. "I don't like the zoo, all the animals caged up like this… they look so sad."

"I don't see why they would be…" Tristian replied, walking back over to her. "They've got protection, can sleep all day, get three meals a day… I think that would be really nice." Tea just sighed and walked to a vendor to get something to eat, Tristian following close behind.

"Here!" Yugi said, pointing to a blue box on the map labeled "reptile house", "It says that they just added a dragon to this area, that's got to be Kaiba!" Without another word he ran off down the paved walkway, the others following close behind, Tea bringing up the rear with a rather large cotton candy in one hand.

It was cool and dark in the reptile house as the group entered. They wondered around in different directions, Ryou wondering towards the snake area, Tea and Tristian walking towards the crocodiles, and Joey and Yugi moving to where the Blue Eyes was being held, trying to fight their way through the crowd gathered near the entrance way. Once they got through this crowd they found themselves in a large, yellow room. The room was split in half, a plexi-glass wall sitting between them and the large white dragon on the other side. Sounds of conversation drifted to Yugi's super-sensitive ears, "it's so cool.", "Mommy, I'm scared.", "I thought they didn't exist?". Yugi tried to ignore the talking and walked right up to the banister in front and peered into the eyes of the Blue Eyes. Somehow Yugi could see the Kaiba in those bright blue eyes, which were half closed and looked back at him with what he could only describe as sadness.

"K… Kaiba?" Yugi whispered just loud enough to hopefully be heard by Kaiba's dragon ears, looking from side to side to make sure that no one was listening in. "Are you in there?"

The dragon's head lifted slightly and stared at Yugi, *It's me Yugi* Kaiba's voice resounded in Yugi's mind. His voice sounded groggy to Yugi, and he guessed that the researchers had drugged him to be more docile and easier to control. "Kaiba, I'm so sorry that you're locked up here." He said, looking away from his rival.

*I really don't want your sympathy Yugi.* Kaiba replied curtly, sounding a lot like his old self again. * I want you to go to where we battled, find out how we became like this, and reverse it and get me out of here*.

"Great idea Kaiba!" He said excitedly, loud enough to make a few people look at him rather strangely. When they went back to staring at the display Yugi leaned in and whispered, "I'll find out what happened to us, don't worry."

*Good…* Kaiba replied. Yugi turned and started walking back when Kaiba told him to stop. *Yugi, if you see Mokuba, tell him I got called to an urgent business trip, ok?* Yugi nodded and the Blue Eyes put his head back on his paws, closing his eyes. Yugi weaseled his way through the people back to Joey, who was busy talking to a girl who was way out of his league. After reminding him of the reason they were there he dragged him back into the main area of the reptile house, where the rest of the group was sitting.

"Did you manage to communicate with Kaiba?" Ryou asked, standing up as soon as he saw Yugi and Joey.

"I did…" Yugi replied, nodding his head slightly. "We need to go to the duel arena that me and Kaiba played on when everything happened and check it out."

"That will be tough, considering the all-city duel that's going on this Saturday." Tristian said, lying back on the zoo bench. "All of those dueling arenas will most likely be locked down till then."

"We have to try." Yugi said, pacing a bit. "We need to save Kaiba from this place."

"How is Kaiba?" Ryou asked, showing concern.

"He's alright for now, but he's been drugged." Yugi answered. "We need to get him back to normal at all costs before the researchers do something to him."

"Alright, let's get going!" Joey shouted, running out the door.

"Joey, wait!" Tristian said, running after him. The rest of the group followed, quickly running out of the zoo and to the duel arena.

~meanwhile, in the office of a rather large building somewhere in the city~

"All tests have been complete." A man in a gray, pinstriped suit said, looking at the back of a rather large, red velvet chair sitting behind the mahogany desk. "Everything is going as planned, just as you expected it too."

"Excellent." A rather sinister voice said from the chair. "Move on to phase two, I want our plan to be put into action as soon as possible."

"Yes sir." The man said, turning and walking out of the office.

The shadowy figure tapped his fingers, smiling. "Soon… soon my greatest dream will come true."

Riptor: Nice cliffhanger Rya.

Rya: It was, wasn't it? Willow gave me the idea.

Riptor: Of course, as always.

Rya: Do I have to lock you up again?! Geez, it's so hard dealing with other personalities sometimes… anyway, for all you readers, this chapter was really quick for me, so don't expect this to be a regular thing from this lazy dragon.