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

2: The Changing Current

            Kira frowned at the crowd in front of her. It was slightly chilly, and she wanted to get on the boat before her teeth chattering annoyed everyone around her. Everyone in the crowd was excited, which was understandable. This was the boat that would take the best duelists to the Duelist Kingdom Tournament. She was invited a few days ago and Seto had been astonished. He hadn't meant for it to come off the way it did, but he implied she wasn't good enough and was too soft for the tournament.

She smirked to herself. She would show him. She would prove herself.

"Kira?" a familiar voice asked.

Kira turned with a smile as the voice confirmed her guess. "Yugi Muto! It's good to see you here."

"You too! I'm so glad you were invited." Yugi smiled back and she lightly blushed.

"Thanks, I am here to make a point," Kira proudly said. "How is your grandfather?"

"He is doing well," Yugi answered cheerfully, which was a lie. His soul had been kidnapped by Pegasus, but Yugi didn't want to worry the passionate girl. "Thank you for the flowers and the card! My grandfather loved your gift. That was very nice of you to do!"

"It's the least I could do," Kira told him. She looked down. "I still can't believe Seto ripped up that card..."

"I'm assuming he is not coming since you are here alone...." Yugi observed, glancing around.

"Yeah," Kira said, shivering from the wind. "He's not taking the loss to you well. He ran off the other day in a mad rage. I haven't spoken to him since."

"You want my jacket?" Yugi asked. "You look really cold."

"It's fine." Kira's teeth chattered in defiance.

Yugi chuckled. "Here." He slipped off his jacket and helped her into it. "Perfect fit. See? It was meant to be." He blushed slightly.

Kira grinned to find that his jacket was comfortable. Plus it smelled like him, which was a pleasant smell.

"Smells good," she awkwardly said aloud and Yugi blushed harder. "I mean your jacket smells nice."

"Attention all duelists," a man up ahead announced, causing a silence to cross the crowd. "Welcome to this event sponsored by Industrial Illusions. You received with your invitation, the star chips that will grant you entry into the contest. You are all elite, invited by us after close observation of your past Duel Monsters contests. You each have a fair and equal chance to win. It all comes down to how well you've chosen your cards and how well you play. Now then duelists, cross the ocean and enter the Duelist Kingdom.

Yugi and Kira shuffled forward, pointing out to each other duelists they recognized.

"Hey you, get out of here. Only official contestants are allowed on board!"

"How do you know I'm not official?"

They both turned to see a guard dragging Joey Wheeler away from the boat.

"Because the official duelists aren't trying to sneak on board through the lower hatches," the guard snapped.

Yugi exclaimed out. "Joey? What the-?" He and Kira ran to them.

"Stop your struggling. We're going to have to throw you out," the guard told him sharply, trying to pull him away.

"No way. I came here to duel and I'm gonna duel," Joey defied.

"Leave him alone," Yugi ordered the guard as he and Kira approached.

"Hey, Yugi..... and Kira?" Joey gave an awkward smile.

"Joey! What're you doing here, Joey?" Yugi asked him.

"Hah. Did you really think I'd let you do this on your own? C'mon, help me out." Joey looked between the two desperately.

"Sir, he's with me. You've got to let him on," Kira spoke up before Yugi could. "He is an official dueler with a star chip and everything."