Points of Authority :: Chapter 9 -- The <i>REALLY</i> Wrong Side of Bed
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"What matters is that I have one, Yugi has one, and Marik has one," he stated in simple tone. "Anyone else who doesn't have one is way out of their league. They should probably just go home now."
.: Points of Authority
.: Chapter 9: The Really Wrong Side of Bed
***********
Rushing seemed to be Fate's most annoying tool to use against you...
After last night's little charade both you and Mai went back to her place and crashed. Apparently, Mai didn't feel the need to wake you when you missed your alarm. You remembered something about "You're my enemy, too, in all this Kenzie" scribbled in a note next to your alarm.
And here you were running to Battle City, hoping that there would be some duelists left for you to fight. Usually the duelists stayed on the outskirts of downtown for a less competitive dueling atmosphere. It was when you got deeper into the middle of downtown when the crazy, fanatical duelists came out to entertain some self-proclaimed title.
A huge internal sigh reverberated against your ribcage. There didn't seem to be any sign of duelists that weren't already dueling...or many duelists at all for that matter. It was just mind-boggling to think that one days worth of dueling could wipe out so many duelists from the tournament!
'Kaiba's probably DQ'ing them for completely asinine reasons...,' you bemused.
Satisfied with your cynical conclusion you continued to make your way through downtown Domino. A familiar flair of sea blue caught your eye..."Is that...?"
Taking a longer second look did you find it to be the ever-righteous Mako Tsunami. With all these up-tight duelists left it was nice to see a friendly...-er face.
With a slight enthusiasm you made your way over to Mako exiting the Domino Aquarium. "Hey, Mako!"
"Oh...," he smiled, waving back. "Miss Kenzie! What gracious blessing of the seas has led you to me?"
You slowed exponentially after that greeting. "Uh...yeah. I was actually looking for someone to duel. When I saw you I remembered you said you'd like to duel me during the tournament. And with all these snobb duelists left I think I'd rather duel someone a little nicer..."
Mako sighed whimsically, making your eyebrow raise. "I'd love to Miss Kenzie, but unfortunately my last duel of the tournament just happened with Joey Wheeler."
You blinked dumbly almost feeling embarassed for him. "Seriously...?"
"Yes. My last two locator cards and my Legendary Fisherman...gone; swept away by the whimsical current of Life's ocean!"
'Dammit! Where am I going to find another duelist?' You gave a frustrated sigh. "At this rate I'll never make it to the finals!"
"Don't get so down on yourself! I know you'll make it to the finals!"
"I'm not 'down', Mako. I'm frustrated," you corrected.
"It doesn't matter," Mako stated simply as he put an arm around your neck in a buddy-like hug. "You know, just between you and me, the ocean becomes rather calm when you're around."
You almost fell over from the sheer ambiguity of Mako's words. "What's that mean...?"
Mako stepped away from you solemnly and put a sagely finger on his chin. "It means you'll go far in life...and especially in this tournament!"
You sweatdropped. "Well, that's...nice. Mako, not to be rude...but do you know of any other duelists that would be around?"
He put a hand on your shoulder. "Ah, yes! I see that you're under a time limit. I thought I saw some--"
"--Excuse me. Have either of you seen a blonde-haired duelist with a Brooklyn Accent?"
Turning to the source of the voice you saw a teenage boy, very tan, with bleach-blonde hair that went to the end of his neck. He also sported some gaudy earrings, a...mid-drift hoodie and cargo pants. The only thing that ran through your head was "what the f*ck?!".
Mako must have recovered faster because you heard him say, "That sounds like Joey..."
"Oh, so you do know him?" the teenager queried. "That's great! He said he'd give me some advice today on dueling since I'm not very good yet..."
Something didn't seem right about that... "You'd have to be a little good if you've survived Kaiba's Tournament thus far."
Namu laughed a little hesitantly. "Well, I was just told that he'd be a good opponent to face so I'm looking for him, but instead I've found someone who actually knows him. Do you know where he might be?" He now seemed more interested in looking around, like Joey might actually show up.
"He dueled me at the aquarium and left. I didn't see which way he went, though..."
"Darn it...," Namu growled. "And I was hoping to grow a lot as a duelist by dueling him. I may not make it to the finals at this rate."
Although you were bewildered beyond reason by this 'Namu', you still pitched in some encouraging words because it seemed to be the best thing to do at the moment. "You don't have to duel the most challenging players to grow, Namu. As long as you learn from each encounter...that's all that matters."
"Well said, Miss Kenzie!" beamed Mako. "You really are the rapture of the dueling field...!"
"Would you stop calling me that, already?!" you nearly bellowed.
If it wasn't for a character like Mako, you would've thought he was feigning the hurt look he gave you. "Oh NO! I couldn't--! To be so informal with you already, Miss Kenzie..."
You gave him a strange look as you said under your breath, "What the hell is he..."
"He seems to be off in his own little world now," Namu pulled you away from your thoughts. "But it sounds like you've dueled your share of battles. I bet you have some pretty rare cards in your deck."
Odd. Did his innocent looking face just seem to flash in a devilish smirk? Maybe hanging around Kaiba was making you paranoid in general...
"Well, I wouldn't say 'rare'. 'Strange' or 'uncommon' I think fits my deck."
"Aw, c'mon. You don't even have one rare card in your deck?"
"I think the rarest one I have is a Jinzo, and probably about as ludicrous as House of Adhesive Tape...," you added a little lower.
Namu raised his brow. "'House of Adhesive Tape'...? Just what kind of deck do you have that you would need that card?"
"Um, I guess it's mainly a discard deck," you stared off into thought. "It's nothing special, but I guess not a lot of top tier duelists use it."
"I'll say," Namu sparked some interest. "I know I'm probably no where near your calibur, but would you minded if we dueled?"
Your face must of perked up more than you intended, given the alarmed face Namu made. "That would be great! I've been looking for someone to duel!"
"Well, I guess we'll both get something we want," you heard him say lowly, but you paid no mind to it because you were busy getting into position to duel.
The holographic devices launched from the Duel Disks, the Life Points set themselves up, and you both drew your starting hands. Your hand included Trap Hole, Raigeki, Magic Thorn, Torrential Tribute, Jowls of Dark Demise (effect monster), and Needle Worm (effect monster). As usual, you let your opponent go first, and Namu set a card in his magic/trap zone and summoned the Bistro Butcher in attack mode. 'That's odd...if he's an innocent duelist, putting Bistro Butcher in wouldn't make since for a basic deck...'
"Now it's your turn," Namu said in a sweet voice. Again, you paid no mind to how a duelist could act so...innocent.
You decided on setting Trap Hole, Magic Thorn, and Torrential Tribute. You also decided on sacrificing your Jowls of Dark Demise to get Namu to summon another monster to trigger your Torrential Tribute card.
Right when you set your monster card, Namu announced that it activated his trap card, Magic Thorn. 'But...I have Magic Thorn in my deck... Why do I get the feeling that he's lying about something?'
"Namu, what kind of deck did you say you have?"
"It's a deck made out of the best cards I have," Namu stated cooly. "I'm afraid I don't really have a theme..."
Well... Maybe it was just a fluke that it looked like a discard deck. You knew that none of the top tier duelists ever used them in serious tournaments because of how slow they were right now with the cards out there, but those who used them were usually apt duelists.
You declared the end of your turn and Namu started off with drawing a card; this actiavted your trap card, Magic Thorn. Namu then attacked with his Bistro Butcher and destroyed your face down monster, however, the flip effect let you control one of his monsters for the remainder of the turn. Since his turn was over the monster went back to his side of the field. Namu ended his turn.
Your next turn drew a Book of Moon (quick play magic). You went with using Raigeki to wipe his field, summoned your Needle Worm in attack mode and attacked him for direct damage (Namu = 3250). Then you activated your Book of Moon to put Needle Worm in face down defense position to use his effect next time and you ended your turn.
Namu summoned White Magical Hat and you activated your Trap Hole card. He looked slightly crestfallen as he ended his turn. You drew Chain Destruction (trap) and then flip-summoned your Needle Worm, causing 5 cards from the top of Namu's deck to be discarded. You then attacked with your Needle Worm again causing 750 more damage (Namu = 2500). Before ending your turn you set your Chain Destruction trap card, just in case.
"Are you sure?" Namu queried. "Your leaving your Needle Worm open for attack? I could cause a lot of damage to you..."
Not trying to get caught into a trap of words, you replied, "I guess that's just a sacrifice I'm willing to take to use the effect of my Needle Worm."
In all actuality, if Namu got wind that it was a set up to use your last trap (it's been sitting there a while, so his defenses may have gone down), he may not summon anything face-up to the field.
Namu's next turn did surprise you, however; he pulled out a Monster Reborn and summoned his Summoned Skull to the field. You reacted right away with your Torrential Tribute card.
"Wow, I've never been so nervous to play a card again," Namu pointed out while setting a monster card to his field. "I don't even want to take a chance to activate your other trap card..."
Namu, a little shaken by your fast play ended his turn.
You had drawn Morphing Jar #2 (effect monster), immediately set the monster and ended your turn. 'He's done for if he doesn't grab any monster cards when he sets this off...!'.
After Namu drew his card he tribute summoned for another Summoned Skull and then attacked your face down. Since Morphing Jar #2 was your only monster, the effect didn't apply to you.
"Wait, what does that card do?" Namu queried, bewildered.
"When that card is flipped over it sends all monster cards on the field to their respective decks and then the decks are shuffled," you explained in a stoic tone. "Then we pick up cards until we reach the same amount of monsters we had on the field, but they have to be level 4 or lower to be special summoned back to our fields. All other cards are discarded to our graveyard; however, because Morphing Jar #2 was my only monster on my side of the field, it doesn't effect me."
Namu's first draw was Ring of Destruction (trap) which was discarded and he was docked 500 LP from your Magic Thorn because it was discarded from his hand. Next was a Change of Heart (magic) and it was discarded and Namu was docked 500 LP (Namu = 1500).
He paused before drawing another card, "Man, if I keep this up, I'm not going to have any Life Points left..."
Namu must have expected you to say something, but you remained quiet as you hoped he would just lose all his Life Points and you could get some more locator cards!
Namu chuckled nervously as he drew his next cards -- it was another Magic Thorn (continuous trap) and a Magic Jammer (quick play trap). He was now down to 500 Life Points.
"Please be a monster card, please be a monster card...," Namu chanted with urgency. But as he drew his next card, it turned out to be a Tribute to the Doomed (magic). Namu had just lost the duel.
His head had dropped and he looked utterly devastated, like his world had just imploded upon itself. You slowly deactived your duel disk and gathered your hologram devices, thinking that Namu needed some time to gather himself up. When you finally walked over to him he briefly made eye contact and looked away, holding up two locator cards. "Here are the two locator cards," he commented morosely. "I guess I have a ways until I can call myself a good duelist."
You felt kind of bad seeing him like this. "Hey, don't feel so bad, Namu," you patted his back. "I also lost a duel the other day."
Namu's face lifted. "Wow! Even you!? But you beat me so fast!"
Your face darkened and Namu backed up a little ways. "Don't be that excited about it. I just meant you might have had a bad starting hand..."
"Right, right...," Namu waved off your anger. "Well, hey. I don't mean to be rude, but I should get going. I've got some more duels to look for. It feels like we don't have that much time before people could become finalists!"
"Good luck, Namu!" you called as he ran off.
"Yeah! You too!" Namu called back before disappearing inbetween some buildings in the distance.
"Well, that was awkward," you mumbled while looking around. It felt like you had missed something...
"Oh! Where did Mako go?" You searched around quickly, thinking it was impossible he had gotten that far. That's when you noticed the increased traffic in the area -- there seemed to be some stragglers hurrying into the entrance of the aquarium. You spotted a polaroid picture of Mako pasted ontop of the sidewalk billboard poster. You sighed. He would be distracted for a while...
As much as Mako was crazy, he was probably the only person in a 100 mile radius that you didn't think was out to get you (or bother) you in one way or another. It was pathetic, really...
But as pathetic as it was there was no time to dwell on it, you resolved. You took out your locator cards to double check how many you needed. One, two, three, four...wait. Shouldn't you only have three or something? You thought back for a minute...
'That duel with Maverick or whatever...didn't he take my rarest card and at least one locator card...?' You pulled out your deck and thumbed through it -- nothing was different. Well...! No, you still had that one...
You shook off the need for investigation and made a mental note to ask Mokuba about it when you got the chance. Like that duelist, Tacky, said, 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth'...
You returned the deck to your duel disk and started off down the sidewalk, but as you were so caught up in your thoughts you didn't see a speeding body blind side you from the alleyway just in front of you. You gave a ceremonious "Oof!" as you hit the sidewalk. Grabbing your head from a slight pang on the side of it, you looked up to see wild-colored, star-shaped hair. You grimaced, stomach dropping in cold apprehension -- more because you didn't want to duel him, not with all the luck you had just one recently.
Yugi heard your groan and responded almost right after you had made the sound. "...Kenzie!" and he shot up from the ground with fervor.
The urgency in his voice made your head snap up to attention. "Oh, Yugi. What's wrong? You look--"
Yugi had flashed right in front of you, grabbed you by your upper arms and made you stand up as he was shaking you from an intense adrenaline that was clearly in his body. "Have you seen Joey and the others?!" he nearly spat at you.
"No...," you wavered. "But it's funny you ask that because there was someone who--"
"WHO was it?! What did he look like?! It was Marik, WASN'T it?!" You felt like he was attacking you... Why was he so angry?
"NO-o!" you almost squeaked. "It was some guy named Namu...and he didn--"
You were abruptly stopped when you were forcively taken out of Yugi's grip.
"You know, Yugi, it's rude to push your problems on other people."
You knew that voice...that tone. Oh, did you know who it was!
Your head snapped right where you thought his ugly, little head was going to be. But he wasn't looking at you at all. No brief snide-looking face or glare... He was completely fixated on Yugi, with some odd look you couldn't quite gather any semblance of figuring out.
"That's not it, Kaiba;" Yugi was also looking dead at Kaiba. It seemed you had been forgotten with the way they were talking to each other. "She's also a friend of mine and the others..."
That comment alarmed you. You had only know Yugi and the others for probably a week, but you hadn't seen them but three times, and technically you had only hung out, casually, once!
Yugi caught your eyes. "About last night, Kenzie...," his eyes seemed pained. "I'm sorry if I offended you; it wasn't my intention."
Yugi's eyes and shifted shoulders tugged at your heart. "Don't worry about it, it's fin--"
"What're you doing hanging out with them?"
A hot ice cut through the delicate atmosphere that Yugi had built up to apologize to you. Still shaken by the abruptness of the comment you replied with a, "You act like I can't--"
"And you can't," Kaiba marked you with his stoic eyes. "If you want to have any kind of respectable reputation as a duelist you will not be seen with Yugi's friends. Doing so will prevent any possible growth you could be capable of."
Something about Kaiba's comment just didn't anger you the way you thought it was meant to be. "Kaiba, that's just stupid...," you waved off.
"So you haven't seen them?! Joey and the others?" Yugi returned with much energy to the converation.
"No, but I ran into Mako in front of the aquarium. He said he had dueled Joey--"
"Where did he go?! Where's Joey!?"
"Would you calm down?!" you said, frustrated by being caught off so many times today. "If you'd stop interrupting I could finish what I had to say before you start going nuts again."
"Why are you acting like I don't have the right to be upset about the safety of my friends?" Yugi was daring you to defy him. "I would do the same for you."
You set him a resolved look, amazed he had the audacity to anger the person who could have a possible lead on what he wanted to find. "Look here, you fanatical cape-monger: Do you think it's smart to piss off someone who could have some information on where your friends might be? Who could also help you look?"
"Ha! Cape-monger...," Kaiba recited to himself, amused.
Yugi rolled is eyes in exasperated resignation, and then asked lowly, "Do you know where Joey is?"
"Mako told me that he left the aquarium after they dueled," you noted. "And that was a while ago, so he could be anywhere...
"But what's going on? Are they in trouble or something?"
"Yes," Yugi felt the grouund was more interesting for this part of the conversation. "Marik has vowed to take revenge on Joey and the others for some past wrong. I have no idea what he has in store..."
"Who's this Marik guy?" you questioned in response.
"There's no time to explain!" Yugi sighed impatiently. "I have to find them before Marik hurts them!"
"Right. I'll help you look for them then," you offered instinctively. You felt another tug backwards, away from Yugi.
"No you won't. You have nothing to do with this so stay out of it," Kaiba lectured. "You get into enough trouble of your own as it is."
You shurgged. "I do not. And besides, I owe it to them."
"That's great! Now come on! We haven't got time to lose!" Yugi started down the street and you followed before Kaiba could get another word in edge-wise. That didn't stop the short mumbling you heard coming from your back.
**********
All of you had stopped the frantic search momentarily, because it had just struck Yugi to try Tea's cell phone because "she always had that thing with her".
Currently, you were standing next to Kaiba, in public, and you weren't fighting. Actually, you weren't saying anything...or rather, acknowledging each other. It seemed more that you both happened to be standing at that very corner and you were inspected the general public as you waited. Despite the pathetic situation, it was kind of pleasant...
Kaiba finally got off of his "shirt-collar communicator" (which you still thought was completely unnecessary to have), and you prompted, "So, what's really going on? Yugi seemed pretty upset, but this whole 'madman's after my friends' thing is a little farfetched."
"Of course," Kaiba answered but didn't look at you; it seemed he was more interested in scouting the crowd for a lead. "You would be the type to realize you're doing something stupid after the fact."
"Kaiba, don't even start with me," you looked on at the crowds as well. From an onlooker, it looked like the two of you were performing some kind of business exchange. "I wanted to help because it seemed important. I just thought he told me some weird story to make sure I came with you guys."
Kaiba seemed to take a calculated silence, debating whether or not to tell you. "If you must know," he began. "There's a group called the 'Rare Hunters' that are trying to steal duelists' rare cards. They've specifically infiltrated my tournament to steal the three Egyptian God cards. Apparently, they're also after Yugi's sorry friends for some unknown reason."
"'Rare Hunters', huh? What are these 'god cards', anyway?"
"Posessing at least one of the god cards makes you invincible duelists, but having all three will make you the most powerful duelist in the world," he informed. "I already have one."
"Are you kidding me?" you commented increduously, catching a smirk from Kaiba before he continued looking at the crowds. "When in the world did you get one of those?!"
"What matters is that I have one, Yugi has one, and Marik has one," he stated in simple tone. "Anyone else who doesn't have one is way out of their league. They should probably just go home now." That last line was meant to nudge your ego, but you fought the urge.
"Kaiba, I can't," you said matter-of-factly. "You know, you always feed me the same, tired lines."
"That's because they haven't sunk into that stubborn head of yours."
"Me? Stubborn?" you cocked an eyebrow towards him. "Well, have you checked your stalker rating? I'm sure Yugi could put you behind bars for the "obsessive duelist" behavior you've exhibited in just the past half an hour..."
"I don't need some third-rate duelist little girl telling me how to live my life!" There it was! That icy knife he loved to cut through you with.
"And I certainly don't need someone telling me how to live mine either. Ya got that?" you quipped.
"MARIK! Tell me where they are!"
The muffled demand from Yugi traveled from the closed phone booth to where you and Kaiba were standing, jutting both of you out of the bickering fest.
Yugi abruptly charged out of the phone booth and stopped right in front of you and Kaiba, seeming to point at the sky. You both followed his finger to find a hooded figure atop of a decent-sized building. The figure seemed to know that it had been spotted and proceeded to fall gracefully from the building and performed some unnecessary acrobatics until the figure was on the ground.
"Rare Hunter...," Yugi growled. "Where are they?! Where are my friends!?"
The figure flapped his cape from the flick of his arm. The last of the brave crowds seemed to scatter in a panic, thinking he was going to make something explode.
"I have a message from Master Marik for you, Yugi," the figure announced in a jeer. "If you ever want to see your friends again you'll come to the top of the glass skyscraper in the center of downtown.
"You'll come too, Kaiba, if you know what's good for you."
"Hmph. You seem to forget that you have no way of forcing me to go," Kaiba remarked with all the confidence in the world.
"Oh, we've covered that, Kaiba," the figure threatened and looked onward to his side.
"What's that noise...?" you inquired to no one.
"It sounds like it's getting closer...!" Yugi announced. "Over there!"
Following his lead, you all saw a fast approaching helicopter with something hanging from it.
"It looks like something's hanging from it...," you noted as the helicopter got closer.
"It looks like...Oh my god! It's Mokuba!" Yugi remarked in amazement.
"Mokuba...," you heard Kaiba grumble lowly. "If you hurt Mokuba, I'll crush you with the entire weight of Kaiba Corporation, do you hear me!?!"
"Well there's only one way to get him back," the figure taunted. "You will meet me and my partner atop of the glass skyscraper." The figure proceeded to jump out of sight, as the helicopter slowly turned and caught its momentum to fly the opposite way it came.
'They made no mention that I was needed to be anywhere. I can follow the helicopter to find out where they're taking Mokuba!'
You began a dead sprint on the street, following the helicopter.
"What the hell do you think you're doing!?" Kaiba questioned.
You called back, "I'm going to find out where they're taking Mokuba!" and just as your head got back around to the front of you, there was that hooded figure who had been talking to Yugi and Kaiba before. You immediately came to a stop.
"Where are you going, now?" the figure jeered. "By being here you have nominated yourself to be another hostage!"
You instinctively turned on your heel to start running back the way you came, but before you could start you almost ran into the same hooded figure...? How'd he get behind you so fast?
"You'll be coming with us," the figure announced in a much different voice than the figure you thought he was. He was taller too. Without so much as another eyeblink the figure had a hold of your upper arm and he jolted into the air with you.
All you were aware of was Yugi's faint voice calling out your name...
