Mistress of the Black Dread

Chapter 32: Brother vs Sister; The Champion of Ra

This wasn't how Ryoko thought the tournament was going to go. She didn't know what she was expecting, but she knew it definitely wasn't this. First she finds out her adopted brothers are the head and co-head of some fucked up organization that hunts duelists down for their rare cards and 'challenges' them into high-stakes duels so they can swipe their rare cards. Then there's the whole mess with the three super-powered Egyptian God cards that everyone wants to get their hands on. Next was the darkness inside her brother taking him over after her other brother was struck by lightning after he'd attempted to attack her with a fake Winged Dragon of Ra card. The icing on the shitty cake was the whole shit storm that was their little detour to the virtual world because of some petty old men that apparently carried grudges longer then a spoiled teenager.

"The four Battle City finalists are now being transported to the top of the tower for the first duel of the semifinals," Roland announced as the terminals the four teenagers were standing on moved up. Yami looked at Kaiba who was holding Ryoko's gaze, a silent conversation seeming to pass between them as Marik observed them with a sinister smirk.
I have to crush Kaiba to get to Marik. It's the only way I can save the world from destruction. Hopefully Ryoko won't be in the Shadow Realm and Marik will have been stopped....He thought worriedly.

"Marik Ishtar and Ryoko Akane will face off in five minutes," Roland said a the four terminals finally reached the top of the tower, Yami looked at a stone-faced Ryoko nervously. If Ryoko is defeated by Marik, she could end up losing more than just this tournament, she could lose her soul.....

"Hey," she greeted with a small half-smile. Yami jumped, startled, before he walked up to her. "Ryoko, this is going to be the most difficult and dangerous duel you ever fought," he stated seriously.

"Yeah, now that I know what I'm up against and what the risks are, I'll be more on guard," she replied reassuringly dispite her skepticism of the whole thing - she knew that the Rod was dangerous, the mess at the docks drove that lesson home loud and clear and she knew how dangerous the Gods were even if she didn't know why; oh well, she'd figure it out later. Yami looked down, trying not to think of the consequences if she loses the duel.
Ryoko sighed at the boy's concerned look before heading over to Seto who looked like he wanted to talk to her, she gave her boyfriend a reassuring smile upon seeing how nervous he actually was.

He gave her a look that said 'be careful with this one and don't loose', to which Ryoko responded with a nod. She wore her choker as a precaution, she didn't know how or why, but she knew that her choker would help protect her from Marik's underhanded tactics via his Millennium Rod.

"I want you to use this," he said lowly, handing her one of his Blue-Eyes, knowing that she wouldn't accept using Obelisk even if he insisted she do so. She looked at him with surprise and shook her head adamantly, "No, I don't want to risk losing her to Marik if I do lose," she told him. His face softened at the concern she held for his favorite monster, it meant a lot to him that someone else held his Blue-Eyes in such high regard. Ever since his duel against Ishizu he'd felt a stronger pull towards his three Blue-Eyes, and it seemed Ryoko felt the same. Durring the recess before they'd been forcefully brought to the virtual world they'd briefly discussed the vision Seto (and Ryoko as well surprisingly) had witnessed just before he could order Obelisk to attack. He found it hard to believe that Ryoko had seen what he'd seen, but she accurately described everything he'd seen in the vision to a tee, and even if she hadn't he knew that she wouldn't willingly lie to him.