37 - Duelist Kingdom: Part 1

The orientation for Pegasus' Duelist Kingdom Tournament was, honestly, a snoozefest. 

A mousy, brown-haired man, surprisingly not a buff guy in a suit, went on stage to explain the rules and the expectations for the next 48 hours¹See Chapter 34 for the rules if you need a refresher..

I remember the rules being a bit of a surprise to Yugi and his friends in the anime, but it looked like they were very clearly laying things out here. 

I was going to ask someone why this was, but at the end of the speech, the man explained that he was a representative of the Japanese National Association of Duelists. A quick head tilt and the weird feeling of info being filtered into my brain followed, and I suddenly knew all about it.

In short, they were the Duelist Union. 

No, I am not kidding. 

Each nation had one and they advocated for fair treatment of duelists as well as having a part in all of the popular rules duelists followed. (Such as the dispute centers where people could solve domestic issues with duels.)

I guess I shouldn't have been too surprised. If the government ran things with a card game, I suppose the people forming a union to ensure things were fair made sense. 

I'm sure that if Pegasus had his way he would have left it all as a mystery, but in order for him to hold a sanctioned tournament, he needed to follow some clearly defined laws - One of which was outlining the tournament rules to competitors beforehand. 

Anyway, once that was done, the mousy man wished us luck and retreated somewhere else on the ship. Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood were then called up on the stage and presented with keys to the presidential suites of Pegasus' Cruise ship by the spikey-haired buff dude, whose name turned out to be Kemo.

After they left, with giant smiles and better-than-thou attitudes, we were told to line up so we could receive our own room keys - Another change from what I remembered.

This was because each duelist would be sent back to this ship if they failed in the tournament, and they needed a place to stay and sleep - Thanks once again to the mousy-haired man and NAD!

Mai Valentine practically bolted from her seat beside me as soon as they started handing out room keys, so I, unfortunately, didn't get a chance to tease her any more than I already had. 

I quickly got my key and found my room, the equivalent of a studio apartment, and put my bag down before heading to the central common area of the ship. 

'Ah, here we go. This was more like the show I remember.' I think with a smile behind my mask. 

The common room was a big open plaza with many tables, chairs, and benches set up surrounding a Tiki-style bar. Most of the duelists competing were here talking, having practice duels, trading cards, or generally relaxing. I sat down on a bench in the middle and looked out at the sea of people enjoying themselves before the tournament started. 

The trip was going to take about 10 hours, so we had some time to hang out before getting a few hours of sleep for the start of the tournament. 

I smiled to myself as I picked out some of the named cast from amongst the crowd. 

Mako Tsunami was chatting the ears off of 2 female duelists in a Jacuzzi while they nodded along uninterestedly. Rex Raptor had a small gathering of younger duelists surrounding him and his chest was puffed out in pride as he talked about how he was going to smash the competition. Bonz sat alone at the bar laughing darkly to himself...is he okay? Does he need an adult or a friend?

Mai Valentine had another gathering, this time of older guys, surrounding her as she put on her psychic act and astounded them. Joey Wheeler ran around like a chicken with its head cut off, trading cards with people before showing his trades to an exacerbated Yugi Muto...And Weevil Underwood watched Yugi with a wide smile and a dark chuckle.

I saw him approach the duo and chat with them for a moment before he headed down a corridor of the ship to the right side of the boat with the two protagonists in tow. 

'Looks like it is time...' I think with a sigh. 

I thought a lot about what to do for this exact moment. Weevil was about to toss 5 of Yugi's cards, the 5 pieces of Exodia, off the side of the ship so that he wouldn't have to play against them.

It was a major dick move, and I know I would have thrown him over in response if it happened to me. 

That begged the question; The million-dollar question I had been stewing on for the last week: Do I stop it from happening?

Should I let this happen? Do I set something up to catch the cards after they were thrown overboard? Can I even stop this from happening?

I knew I could. 

If I followed them right now, I could make sure Yugi never let Weevil handle his cards. 

I could prevent this plot point from ever taking place...

But I wasn't going to do that.

It was a shitty thing to let happen, I knew, and I was probably a shitty person for letting it happen.

Especially when the cards meant so much to Yugi because they came from his kidnapped Grandfather...

At the same time, however, it was a defining moment in this arc. The removal of Deus ex Machina, or at least one element of it, from Yugi's deck. It forces him to grow as a person and as a duelist, not to mention that it deepens his friendship with Joey, Tristan, and Tea. 

Joey was going to jump overboard and try to save the cards - A terribly dangerous and stupid thing to do, by the way - and then Yugi was going to follow to save him from drowning. After which, Tea and Tristan throw over a ladder for them to climb back up. 

Declarations of friendship then ensue and they deepen their feelings of trust. Blah, Blah, Blah, you get the point.

The problem was, it was too important of a moment to get in the way of - At least that was how I defended my decision in my mind.

No, I would not interfere...but that didn't mean I was going to do nothing at all. I still planned on helping in my own way.

Yugi needed my help, in fact, to even stay in this tournament at all. 

I realized this fact and the most important issue this situation causes once we were onboard and past the check-in: We were allowed to bring exactly 40 card decks and a 15-card extra deck. Additionally, we were checked for extra cards before we were let on board. 

This meant that losing those 5 cards would not only hurt his deck, but it would take Yugi out of the tournament entirely.

That, I was not going to let happen.

Lucky for me, I always have all my cards on me (Perks of having a magic card collection and deck builder!), so with this in mind, I follow them after waiting a good 10 minutes. 

As I head down the same corridor they just left, I see Weevil laughing merrily back in my direction. When he is near me and finally notices my presence, I stick out my arm to block his path in the ship's narrow corridor. 

"Whoa! What's your problem!?!" He yelps as he looks up at me in shock. 

"Your actions bear the weight of fate, and not in a positive light. All are judged at the end of their journeys, and the sinners are made to pay the price for their misdeeds. I hope you realize whom you just made an enemy of and reflect on your choices by that time. I answer only to the scales of justice, and your excuses mean little to a God." I say cryptically before removing my arm and walking away without waiting for him to respond.

I was just being petty at this point, really, but I hoped I freaked him out quite a bit. He was a little shit, but he was still just a kid, at the end of the day. If I could scare him onto a better path, then I was happy to do so...Though I seriously doubt my words will impact him greatly... 

"What the hell does any of that even mean!?!" Was the shout I heard in response from behind my back, but I ignore him and keep walking forward.

I had more mysterious things to do and a friend to keep in the tournament. It wouldn't be any fun if I didn't get a chance to duel against Yugi at some point in the next 2 days, after all.

When I arrive at the starboard side (right side) of the ship from the corridor, I see a panting Yugi listening to the tail-end of Joey's story about his little sister.  

'Ah. So this is when he tells them...Yup, I messed up earlier. Oh well.' I think with an internal chuckle.

I hang back and wait for the story to be finished and for them to pledge their eternal friendship or whatever else they were doing...to be honest, I kinda zoned out thinking about Ishizu for a second...

When I hear them approaching, and Tristan mentioning something about a new sun rising - Whatever the hell that meant - I step out of the corridor in front of the group of four. 

They nearly jump out of their skins in fright, just as I hoped. 

'Heh. Tea is clinging to Yugi. Cute.' I chuckle to myself, completely ignoring the fact Tristan and Joey were doing the same.

"Wha- Anubis!?! What the hell, man! You gave me a frickin' heart attack!" Joey screams at me, grasping at his dripping-wet jacket. He then pushes Tristan off of him and stands up straight. "Did you...uh...see or hear any of that?"

"I did not, but I know what happened," I answer him mysteriously before turning to Yugi. "You are missing 5 cards now, yes?" 

"I...Yes. I guess I am..." Yugi considers before his face pales, "Oh no! That means I only have 35 cards! I can't enter the tournament with only this many! Grandpa! I won't be able to save my Grandpa!" He yells out in realization with panic written all over his features. 

"Relax, Yugi. I believe I can help if you would allow it." I offer, doing my best not to chuckle at his face going from despair to elation in 2 seconds flat.

"You would do that?" Yugi asks me in amazement. "But, how? We were checked for extra cards earlier..."

To answer him, I hold out an empty palm in front of myself and will 5 cards to appear. 

The 5 cards I was giving him were Sword Hunter, Serpent Night Dragon, 7 Colored Fish, Prevent Rat, and Fissure. The first 4 were decent cards that I was never going to use (7 Colored Fish has been replaced at this point and I doubt I will use it again.) as well as my 4th copy of Fissure. I could probably sell it, but I figured this is a great way to ingratiate myself with the main protagonist. 

I expected them to just pop into existence like they always had before, but even I was surprised when a gathering of shadows appeared in my hands and transformed into the 5 cards instead. It was like watching a black flame burn paper in reverse. My palm was empty in one moment, and then, emerging within whisps of darkness, the cards were suddenly there in the next.  

'Huh...Thanks for the assist, system...?' I offer, turning it into a question at the end. I honestly have no idea how or why this just happened. My cards had never appeared like this before...

I snap out of my confusion a second later to continue my act. Thank all the Gods I had my mask on or I would have looked as slack-jawed as these four were. 

"I believe these will serve you well, though I doubt anything could replace the power of Exodia." 

It was just an offhanded comment. Another ambiguous phrase for the ever-mysterious Anubis to say, but the necklaces around my neck vibrated, as if in agreement with my statement. 

'Jeez, first the system does a weird magic trick, and now the necklaces are vibrating in response to my words...Today is turning into a weird day...I wish Ishizu was here to explain anything of what just happened to me!'

"You...Those cards...They just appeared out of thin air!" Tea exclaims, still holding onto Yugi despite him being a head shorter than her.

"And what was with that black smoke!?!" Tristan agrees.

"T-Thank you, I will use them well." Yugi gets out stiffly. 

I nod to him and turn to make my escape. 

No one stops me.

Okay, let's break that last scene down, shall we?

Be super mysterious and stuff? Check.

Freak everyone out? Check.

Freak even myself out... Check.

That was 3 out of the 2 things I wanted to accomplish...So, overall, I will count it as a success...I guess?

I head back to my room and call Ishizu right away to explain what I just went through while I still have service. She is as baffled as I am and we spend the rest of the evening talking and sharing ideas on what it could be and mean. 

I finally let her go so that I can get 6 hours of sleep, and surprise myself with how quickly I fall asleep. I think she just has a calming effect on me, so I blame and thank Ishizu. 

My alarm wakes me an hour before we are supposed to make landfall and I join the rest of the duelists out on the bow, or the front, of the ship as we watch Pegasus' Duelist Kingdom Island come into view. 

I smile widely from behind my mask at the sight.

It was time for me to shock the world and claim my spot as one of the best. 

I was aiming to win, but I would be satisfied if I could make it to the semi-finals. It was a lot of Plot Armor to work through, after all, and I can only do as well as my cards and luck allow. 

'I am going to steal the show and win me some glorious prizes.' I think, and, it would appear the system agreed with me, as at that moment a black screen with golden hieroglyphics appeared before me.

The prizes were looking mighty glorious indeed.