Heart of the Duel: A Yu-Gi-Oh Fanfiction

16: All the Cards

Kira ran up to Joey, wrapping her arms around him tightly as he stepped off the elevator.

"Oh Joey!" she exclaimed with a smile as the boy went completely red at her affectionate hug. "I'm so proud of both of you! You did amazing! Since I've met you, you have become one of the strongest duelists I've ever seen!"

Joey became to stammer. "Aww, t-thanks Kira. It w-was n-nothing."

Kira pulled away. "It wasn't nothing. I've never seen a better duel before." If possible Joey blushed harder. "Where did Yugi go?"

"Oh, uh, he's downstairs," Joey told her, gesturing to the elevator. "He wanted to talk with you."

Kira nodded with a light blush before slipping past him into the elevator. She watched her friends disappear behind the doors as she rode down to the first floor. When the doors opened, Yugi was standing nearby, thumbing through his deck.

"Yugi," she greeted and as he looked up she hugged him. "You did so good."

"Thanks," he murmured into her ear as his chin rested on her shoulder. "That was one of the hardest things I've ever done."

"I know." She pulled away. "Now you have to fight Pegasus."

"About that..." Yugi looked down. "I want you to promise me something."

Kira's eyes flashed. "Why are you talking like this?"

"We both know that Pegasus doesn't fight fair," Yugi said. "So if I lose this duel and he ends up... stealing my soul or something... promise me that you will get our friends out of here and to safety. Get the Millenium Puzzle if you can and go! If I perish then it is yours."

"But," she whispered with a shake of her head. "Then we can't save you."

"You don't need to save me," Yugi assured her. "Pegasus is already trying to get you, Kira. Don't let him win. Run and stop him from taking Kaiba Corp. The others will help you."

"I can't do that," Kira said firmly with a shake of her head. Angry tears gathered in her eyes. "Even if I wasn't friends with you, you and I are bonded." She reached down and took the Millenium Puzzle in her right hand. When she did, Yugi's eyes widened and Yami's presence wavered around them. "I feel everything you feel. I can't leave you here to spend eternity as Pegasus' minion not only because I'm bonded with you but because I care about you."

"Kira," he whispered as a tear trickled down her cheek and her pain overwhelmed him in a tidal wave of emotion.

"Don't ask me to do that," she begged.

He nodded slowly and wiped her tear away with his hand. "I feel everything you feel too."

She sadly smiled. "I know." She rubbed her eyes.

"It's time," Yugi said and she let go of the Puzzle. "I must defeat him."

They both walked into the elevator together as Kira told him, "You will."

The doors shut and Yugi gripped his deck in his fist nervously. As they began to slowly move up Yugi shook his head. "What if I can't."

Kira turned to him and grabbed his shoulders, turning him to face her. "You can."

Suddenly Yugi's face burned as the beautiful girl in front of him leaned in and kissed his cheek slowly, her dark eyes gazing into his with fierce determination. She blushed as well, smirking as she stepped away and refaced the elevator. Yugi was too stunned to notice that the elevator stopped and the doors opened to reveal his friends.