Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ To Melt a Heart of Ice ❯ Dueling Emotions ( Chapter 4 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

*Yu-Gi-Oh! - To Melt a Heart of Ice*
By WildWing

Rating: PG-13 or R, possibly NC-17 in a few chapters

Pairing: Seto Kaiba x Original character

Author's Note: This is my first YGO fic, so please be gentle
in reviews, no flames, I only use them to cook with. ^^;; Also note,
that my fics more than likely suck, since English was never a
good subject for me... I always get things mixed up... gomen...

I know, Seto must be a bit OOC to you guys, but I am
bringing out his family side for this fic, something I
wish to explore. ^^

During the duels in this, and future fics, it will be in the anime
style of the first series, no sacrifices to bring out monsters
like Blue-eyes and such. I'm still learning the game as it is, so once I
learn more, I'll throw in those elements. ^^;

I'm introducing a couple of monsters I have created for the story
as well, so if you wish to use them in your fics, ask me for permission first, onegai?
If any of my monsters have any resemblance to yours, it is not on purpose, I'm
not exactly sure how many fans have made their own DM, so gomen for anything
similar!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh, or any of it's characters, but I do
own Sakura Yuuki, and all future created characters. ^_^


Chapter 4 - "Dueling Emotions"



The duel between the proclaimed King of Games, and Sakura Yuuki begins, both players
have fire in their eyes, Yugi only smiles as he glances at his current hand of cards, it's
rare for him to draw a hand this good in the first round. He places a monster face down,
and two others face down as well.

"Your turn, Sakura-chan." He says in a cool tone, his eyes now hold the look of silent
challenge once more. She nods and looks down at her hand, hoping she can at least
beat him this time, even though she is still learning. "Alright... I will play a monster face down
in defense, and play one of my favorite cards in attack mode!"

She lays down Hyozanryu [2100/2800], and smiles as it materializes on
the field before them, it's diamond wings sparkling brightly. Hyozanryu roars and bears
it's fangs to Yugi. "Now, I'll play another face down as well." Sakura lays her last card
face down, and looks over to the tri-color haired teen, a smirk playing at the corners
of her mouth. "Hyozanryu, attack the face down monster!"

The majestic dragon rushes to attack, it's wings extended to their full length, rainbows
emitting from each diamond upon them. Yugi smiles and flips his card, the Dragon Capture Jar
which puts her Hyozanryu in defense mode, halting it's attack. "Shimatta, I forgot you had
that card..." Sakura growls, with a smile.

"You should know my deck by now," Yugi flips over his monster, the Man-Eater Bug materializing
on the field, "This card has the effect to destroy a monster of my choice, so I choose your Hyozanryu!"
He points to the dragon, as it is destroyed, "Now, I send my Man-Eater Bug to attack your face
down monster!"

Man-Eater Bug runs up, saliva dripping from it's fangs in anticipation as it slashes at the face down
card, the Petit Moth, destroying it in one slash of it's claws. Sakura winces as her monster
is destroyed, thankful she put it in defense mode instead of attack mode. "Your move." Yugi
grins in a taunting tone, yet playful all the same.

Sakura draws her cards, and looks her current hand over carefully, her eyes narrow
in deep thought, a thin sheen of sweat forming on her brow. She places Doma The Angel Of Silence
in attack mode. [1600/1400] "Doma, destroy the Man-Eater Bug!"

Doma smirks and runs up, thrusting it's staff into the opposing monsters stomach, destroying
it, and bringing Yugi's life points from 2000 to 850. He smiles as his life points go down,
yet he is unshaken by this attack, for he has a surprise up his sleeve, as always.

"Great job, but I'm afraid I'll have to counter that move." Yugi draws and looks over to the young woman, "I
now play the Dark Magician, in attack mode!" The Dark Magician appears in a burst of
multi-colored light, staff held out before him, his dark eyes focused on the battle ahead.

"I will also equip him with Book Of Secret Arts, increasing his attack by 300! And also, change
the field with Yami, increasing Dark Magician's power even further, with an added 200 attack!"

Dark Magician powers up, his attacking power now 3000, he smirks down at Sakura
with peircing eyes. "Now, attack Doma!" Yugi thrusts his hand out, commanding his monster
to attack with all he has. The Dark Magician only nods, pointing his staff at a now surprised Doma,
destroying him instantly, bringing Sakura's life points down from 2000 to 600. The game
is now too close for comfort, both players sweating from the rush of the duel.

Sakura grins, "Great move, as always Yugi." She then draws her cards and looks over her hand
carefully, eyes scanning each card slowly. With a partial sigh of defeat, she lays her Silver Fang
card in defense mode. [1200/800] "This is all I can do... until I learn more about the game."

Yugi only nods, everytime they duel there are no hard feelings, only friendship. He lays
down Gaia The Fierce Knight in attack mode. "Gaia, attack Silver Fang!" The dark knight
charges ahead, crushing the wolf with ease, Silver Fang's howl of defeat echoes in Sakura's
ears over and over, as she watches it fade from the field.

"I hate to do this, Sakura-chan..."

"Go ahead, Yugi. Defeat helps one learn, ne?" She smiles from across the arena, her
smile making him feel better about all of this, and he looks to his faithful Dark Magician, "You
heard the lady, attack her life points directly."

With a brief flash of darkness mixed with light, Dark Magician attacks, sending Sakura's
life points to zero. "Gotta admit, Yugi, it was still a good duel!" She steps down from the dueling
arena, and walks to Yugi, where he then shakes her hand, a genuine smile upon his features.

"Hai, it was, as always." He smiles down at her as they walk back into the game shop,
where Sugoroku is arranging the store. "Konnichiwa, Sakura!" He grins and looks up
at his grandson, still marveling at how much he has grown. "Did you two have fun?"

Sakura nods, causing a few strands of hair to fall over her shining eyes, "Hai! I had a wonderful
time, Sugoroku-sama." She bows her head in respect for the older man.

"Now now, there is no need for any formalities, just call me jii-chan."

The young woman only nods, and smiles. She picks up a few random booster packs,
and sets them on the counter, along with a starter for DDM, which a Otogi Ryoji introduced
to her personally.

"Into DDM now?" Yugi asks, leaning against the counter.

"Otogi-kun introduced the game to me, and it just rubbed off on me, I guess. I need
more practice with this one. He mops the floor with me every time!" Sakura laughs, and
pays for her things.

Yugi nods, and watches as she opens the first of the five boosters she just bought, his
eyes scanning each card she gets. They widen as a new, and very rare card comes up in the middle
of the pack - the Gold Eyes Silver Dragon. "I heard this card is a secret rare, very few were made!" Yugi
exclaims, overjoyed at the fact his friend now has a special card to call her own.

"This card even surpasses the Blue Eyes White Dragon, with the right equip cards and such."
Sugoroku looks the card over carefully, as he checks the stats - 3200 attack/2800 defense, and
a wind-based element monster. He pulls out a binder of some extra cards, from his own personal
collection, and looks through them for a good combo. Sakura is in shock, for she's never pulled such a
rare card from a booster pack, not ever, until today.

---

Little does the group know, but Seto Kaiba is on his way to the game shop, to challenge Yugi
to another duel, after modifying his deck a little. He smirks and looks over his three precious
Blue Eyes White Dragons, along with their merged form, Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon. It's no
wonder people call him the Master of Blue Eyes.

"This should beat him, if not, I'll just have to work harder." He whispers, as the limo pulls up
before the ever familiar game shop owned by the Motou's. Placing his deck in his pocket, Seto
exits the limousine, entering the game shop with elegant strides, almost like a panther ready to strike
it's prey.

"Sakura?" He asks in a surprised tone, as he sees the young woman he only met hours
ago, standing before the counter. She turns and looks to him, her heart leaping into her
throat. "Seto? K-Konnichiwa..." Sakura stutters in a shy voice, a deep blush staining
her delicate cheeks.

"With these combos, and merging it with it's counterpart, it can even beat
the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon." Sugoroku informs the young duelist, and shows her the respective
cards.

Rising Air Current - Raises the ATK of all WIND monsters by 500, and decreases
their DEF by 400.

The Reliable Guardian - Increase 1 monsters DEF by 700 during the turn
this card is activated

Silver Eyes Gold Dragon - When merging with the Gold Eyes Silver Dragon,
the combined powers of the monster reach 4200/3800.

Seto's eyes widen - there is a way to beat his best card!?

He looks at the Gold Eyes Silver Dragon, as rage boils within his blood,
"Impossible! No one can beat my ultimate dragon!" He bellows, his eyes narrowing to thin chips of ice.

Yugi looks from his friend, then to Seto, and can easily tell there is something going on
between them, it is seen in their actions and body language. "Hai, Kaiba-kun. This card
was just released, only a few were made."

The now enraged CEO then storms out of the game shop, his trench coat billowing behind
him. Sakura rushes after him, her hand grasping his. He slaps it away, and looks down to her
with cold, emotionless eyes. "I won't let a mere girl even have a card that can beat my own!"

"Seto!" Sakura calls after him, her eyes filled with tears, as the limo speeds off down
the street. This leaves her wondering, as well as heartbroken, wondering if she still has that slim
chance of being with him. Yugi places his hand on her trembling shoulder, his usually cheerful
eyes now narrow with concern. "Sakura-chan... What is going on between you and Kaiba-kun?"

---

Once Seto returns to his mansion, he all but storms inside and up into his bedroom, slamming
the door behind him. He slumps to his bed with a huff, his eyes still narrow.

"I can't believe this! A girl I like has a card that can beat me! Why must I suffer
like this, can't I ever be normal for once!?" He demands, grasping his head within
his shaking hands tightly. Tears held back by years of inner conflict threaten to spill
from his eyes, but her forces them back inside his heart, he can't afford to be weak, not now.

With a shaken sigh, he stands and walks out on his balcony overlooking the massive
backyard of the mansion, as memories of this morning flood back to his mind. Seeing the
young woman playing with Mokuba had awakened a longing for a family to call his own, from
the deep, locked away recesses of his heart.

As much as he tries to deny not wanting to see her again, a long hidden part of his heart
overpowers him, as his defenses slowly begin to fall, from this girl alone.

"How can one person change someone as cold as me? It's not possible,
or is it?" Seto sighs, hanging his head, causing a few strands of his hair to fall over
his now softened eyes. They only narrow as quickly as they soften, the cold and icy
look returning.

"Never should a man give into a woman!" He turns and walks into his bedroom,
laying upon his bed, sleep soon overtaking his exhausted body, and emotions.

Mokuba watches his brother, with hidden anger is his eyes. The younger Kaiba brother
shakes his head at his older sibling's foolishness, how could he act like that to such a
kind young woman, whom seems perfect for him?

"Nii-sama... you stubborn baka!"

---

Speaking of the young woman, she has just returned from the game shop, her face streaked
with tears of mixed emotions. She places her recently bought items on the nearby table, before
running into her bedroom, and flinging herself upon her bed. Sobs wrack her slender body,
as the events of Seto's recent anger play over and over in her mind's eye.

"I should have know he'd never even like me, as a friend at the least!" She sobs angrily
into her pillow, which is now soaked with her tears.

'What is going on between you and Kaiba-kun?'

Sakura can hear Yugi's question once more, along with the conversation they had, once she
clears her mind, as she begins to calm down.


<Flashback: Turtle Game Shop>


Yugi places his hands upon her shaking shoulders, his eyes narrow, and full of concern. "What is
going on, Sakura-chan?" He asks, his voice stern, yet is gentle at the same time.

She only flings her arms around Yugi's waist, crying upon his shoulder as she lets all
her pent-up emotion go, sobbing Seto's name over, and over. This breaks the Game King's
heart, and he returns the embrace, his slender hands rubbing her shoulders.

"Let it all out, then explain everything when you are ready." He whispers, running
a comforting hand over her hair.

Her sobs slowly turn into hiccups, and then sniffles. Sakura slowly lifts her head from his
chest, and wipes her reddened face with the palm of her hand. "I like him so much Yugi...
yet I feel as if I will never have him. And it's official now, all because of that card."

"Sakura... a card has nothing to do with your emotions, if Kaiba feels anything for you,
he will see you are much more important than a card that can beat one of his." Yugi looks
down at the shaken girl, his eyes filled with wisdom beyond his years.

All she can do is nod, for he is absolutely right. If someone really likes you, or even
cares for you, they wouldn't care for a card, or other possessions you own. With a
faint smile, Sakura embraces him, "Arigatou, Yugi."


<End Flashback>


Tears continue to sting her emerald eyes, as she thinks of calling Seto, to tell him that
she will get rid of her card, if it means keeping him happy. But, what Yugi has told her
remains in the back of her mind, thus making her even more confused.

The soft ring of her phone brings her back to reality, picking it up with trembling
hands. "Moshi-moshi?" She asks in a depressed tone.

"Sakura, it's me." A similar tone replies with a sigh.

"Kaiba-san?"