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

23: Special Rules

 Kira sighed as she straightened her ruffled school shirt as she stood with Yugi outside. They both were waiting for the others to meet them after class to tell them the news of Kaiba's new tournament.

"You look troubled," Yugi spoke up after a moment.

Kira sighed and closed her eyes with a small nod. "I am a little. I'm worried but that's nothing new."

"Well, how can I help?" Yugi asked, offering a small smile.

Kira smiled back but it felt obligated. "Unfortunately all my worries have to do with the tournament so you can't really help with that."

She remembered Kaiba's words as he explained the rules to the next before...

"Being that you are all elite duelists, I've added special rules to my tournament, just for experts. For example, you will duel using these new improved duel discs. Another new rule that I designed for the tournament is that before each duel both players must ante up their rarest card, and the loser of the duel forfeits his card to the winner. My competition will make Pegasus and his Duelist Kingdom tournament look like a joke."

Yugi nodded in understanding. "I know you are worried. The stakes are higher this time. There's much more to lose."

"And much more challenges to face," Kira added. "Now we have a bunch of creeps chasing after you. It's hard to trust anybody anymore."

Yugi stepped closer to her and gently took her hand. "Well you know you can trust me and our friends. We can do this as long as we stick together."

"I know we can," she told him, squeezing back. She quickly stepped forward and pulled him into a hug. "I missed you Yugi."

"I missed you too." Yugi blushed as they pulled away. "Please, don't leave again. We were really worried about you. Even Yami was concerned."

"Hmm..." Kira sighed. "I wish I..."

Suddenly the other three burst through the door, joining them outside. Yugi and Kira both looked at the ground awkwardly.

"What?" Tristan asked, exchanging looks with Téa and Joey. "Did we interrupt something?"

"Uh no!" Yugi exclaimed.

At the same time, Kira blurted out, "No, what's up?"

The other three chuckled at their bashfulness.

"By the way, Kira," Joey said, pulling something out of his pocket. Kira took the card with her name on it from his hand. "I forgot to give this to you this morning. It's your invitation to Kaiba's tournament. He must have sent it to my house since I offered to let you stay there."

Kira scoffed. "At least this time he thinks I'm good enough to duel." Téa gave her a side hug sympathetically.

"I can't believe this!" Joey grumbled, tightening his fists. "Kaiba is throwin' his own exclusive duel monsters tournament?"

Yugi nodded. "Yep!"

Téa added, "And the whole thing kicks off in less than a week."

"Ugh! I can't believe money bags didn't send an invite to me! He knew Kira was at my house and that I'd see her invite!" Joey gritted his teeth. "I was da runner-up at Duelist Kingdom! Where's da respect?"

Tristan chuckled. "Here's a news flash for you, Joey. Kaiba doesn't like you."

"I'll give him somethin' not to like!"