Legacy of the Duelist: Chapter 2
Oct. 10th, 2011 09:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mancalledtrueTime for Chapter 2... Just one more chapter before the actual duels start, and we get to see how much suspense and action Brian can fail to incorporate.
Three days later, they were back in Domino City.
Wait, so they skipped school for a tournament anyway?
Yugi met Mary at a local juice bar.
"So, did you talk to your dad?" asked Mary.
"Uh huh."
"What'd he say?"
"Basically, he doesn't trust Pegasus either," said Yugi.
Oh, for... Yugi Sr. KNOWS what Pegasus was doing this for! He knows the truth behind the Millennium Items and what they do to people! He wouldn't hate Anastasia automatically based on her parentage!
"But he said that the decision is ultimately up to me."
"Funny," said Mary. "My dad said pretty much the same thing."
A long silence ensued.
Day turned into night and back into day.
"You're going, aren't you?" said Mary.
"I've got to," said Yugi. "But it isn't for any dreams of glory or whatnot.
Bullshit. With Corvello characters, it's always ultimately about glory. No Brian Corvello main character has ever come in less than first place in any contest, tournament, or social competition.
If Pegasus is up to no-good, I'm going to have to stop whatever it is. Her father made my dad's life Hell once – not to mention the lives of several others – and if his daughter is anything like him, she's not going to start it all over again."
I'm tired of pointing out that Yugi Jr. shouldn't be so prejudiced against Pegasus. A friend of mine suggested that this story might predate the closing episodes of Duelist Kingdom being aired in America, which is frankly the only acceptable explanation for everyone loathing Pegasus so goddamned much.
"Up to no good" doesn't take a hyphen.
"If you are going, I am going," said Mary.
"Fine," said Yugi. "We'll take on this tournament together." And then they clasped hands.
Cue the '80s buddy-action music. (Ironically, as I typed this, "The Path is Open" from Persona 3 started playing on my MP3 player.)
"I was looking at this invitation," said Mary. "It says each duelist is allowed to bring one guest for support. I guess with two of us, we get two guests."
"I'll make some phone calls…" said Yugi.
Do you need to get the Mob involved in everything?
A minute later, he was on the pay phone.
...How fucking old IS this story? I still use pay phones, but that's because I'm the last man alive who doesn't have a cell.
"Hello Clive?" he said. "I was wondering if you had plans for the summer. No? Then would you… heh, you can read me like a book.
That's not very hard, as you have large print and cardboard pages.
We'll talk about the arrangements later."
He turned to Mary. "Clive's in," he said. He dialed another number.
"Why do I always have to order him a hooker...?"
"Hi Peter?" he said. "How'd you like to take a few of the best rolls of film in your career? I see… Okay, we'll talk about the arrangements later."
"Peter's in," he said to Mary.
"I had to promise him a titshot, though."
"Am I being that obvious?"
"I hope not," said Mary. "You really need to keep a poker face in this type of contest."
Goddamn it, I already made the Lady Gaga joke.
SCENE CHANGE:
With one thing and another, the weeks went by.
Study, study, murder hooker, study, murder...
Yugi finished his school year, and then diligently studied his deck and the various manuals he owned, going over in his mind the various strategies he had used time and again, and trying hard to think up new ones. He could hardly believe he was about to embark on a journey that seemed so much like the one his father had started on so long ago.
Brian, no matter how much you try to justify it, ripping off the anime is ripping off the anime.
Finally, the big day came, and the four friends found themselves at the location where they had been directed to – Domino City International Airport, at a private hanger.
The men with guns came as an unpleasant surprise.
A pilot greeted them at the hanger. "Yugi Muto Jr. and Mary Wheeler, I presume?" he said with a smile.
"Yes," said Yugi. "And these are our guests – Peter Ramset and Clive Marris."
Suddenly I don't feel so bad about having characters with last names like "Vesnic", "Montmelier", and "Torlar".
"Pleased to meet you," said the pilot. "Before we take off for the Duelist Labyrinth, a few things must be done."
He snapped on a rubber glove. "Now drop your pants," he said.
He gestured to a podium. "First, take your card decks and place them on here – that will make sure that they are in compliance with the game rules."
Yugi made a funny look, but that didn't sound unreasonable. He took his deck out of its box and laid it on the podium. A few computerized beeps emitted from it.
It then consumed the deck in a burst of flame.
...I'm just going to assume the funny look is a duckface.
"Good…" said the pilot. "More than forty cards, no counterfeits… now you…" He pointed to Mary, who repeated the act – her deck was okay as well.
"That thing doesn't record what is actually in the deck, does it?" asked Yugi.
"No, and you can trust me," said the pilot. "Among Miss Pegasus's employees, lying is completely forbidden."
"Really…" said Yugi, under his breath.
For once I can agree with Jackass!Yugi - that's probably the hollowest excuse for reassurance ever.
"Now, before we take off, you must choose a direction – north, south, east, or west."
"How come?" asked Mary.
"The Labyrinth has four entrances, and you must decide on one before we get there."
"Okay," said Yugi. He turned to Mary. "What do you think?"
"Well," said Mary. "We were invited when we were in Soho – which means South of Houston Street – so I'd say south."
In case you're wondering why Mary knows that, Brian Corvello is a NY native.
WE ALL LIVE IN AMERICA: 3
They choose south, and we SCENE CHANGE to the flight:
The plane ride to Europe was long and tedious. Most of the time, the four friends could see little but water when they looked out the windows of the private jet. Yugi nervously shuffled his cards the whole way there.
Taking their edges off and ruining them as playable cards. But what the hell, cards are cards, right?
"Yugi?" said Clive, when they were a long way into the trip.
"Yeah?"
"Is it true they don't wear underwear in Misshogi?"
"Do you really think Anastasia is plotting something?"
"I don't know, Clive. She certainly hasn't tried to steal anybody's souls to force us to come; this could be nothing more than some grandiose party thrown by an eccentric. But I just can't get the suspicion out of my mind. You know how she is… never appearing in daylight, always with those dark sunglasses…"
As a friend pointed out, she's apparently able to look over those sunglasses just fine. Please remember that. It will become one of the biggest plotholes to ever appear in a Brian Corvello story, and he's TERRIBLE at continuity.
"Maybe she's a vampire," said Peter.
"Funny," said Yugi, "but either way, this whole thing makes me more nervous than a Launcher Spider on an Umi Field."
Umi weakens Machine-types. For once, Brian DOESN'T get a card reference wrong.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking," said the intercom. "We are beginning our decent into Crete; please fasten all seat belts and restore tray tables to upright positions."
As someone who's taken quite a few flights, they tell you to fasten your seat belts long before the descent starts.
SCENE CHANGE to Crete:
After landing on Crete, the four friends soon boarded a ferry to take them to their final destination; and after about an hour, they saw it. The Duelist Labyrinth! The island stretched for miles in every direction, and towered above their heads like a grand plateau. Most of what they could see was forest, broken up here and there by exotic, but small towers and castles. When they first saw the island, it was easy to see the huge palace in the center, but it was soon eclipsed when they approached the landing point of the southern entrance. There, built into the side of the cliff, was a great pair of doors, a hundred feet high – but no dock.
How much more blatantly can you rip off Duelist Kingdom, Brian? You might as well be paying Konami, Weekly Shonen Jump, and Kazuki Takahashi royalties.
One of the men on the ferry spoke into a microphone. "Open the gate, five-zero-niner," and the door slowly retracted upward. After it had fully retracted after about three minutes, the ferry cruised inside.
The first period should be a comma. And the second "after" is redundant. Brian never did like beta readers.
They found themselves in a great, cavernous grotto, where the ferry docked on one side. "All ashore who's going ashore!" said the man who had called for the gate to be opened.
As they ran out, he pulled a lever and dropped them into the water for a laugh.
The four friends walked slowly onto the floor of the grotto, where a tall man in a black business suit met them. "Yugi Muto Jr., Mary Wheeler, guests… my employer sends her welcome. If you wish to get started, follow me, and a special someone will explain the rules of this tournament."
They followed them into a large room, which looked like a temple. Statues and mosaics of duel monsters of all types decorated the place, and it was lit by several flickering torches. Two other men in black suits stood by an altar of sorts on the front. A very large door with a winch next to it was behind the altar.
At that point, two men each grabbed Yugi and Mary, and the sacrifice to Moloch began.
"Wow," said Peter. He took out his camera.
Get used to this, as this is the whole of Peter's character in this fic.
The first man positioned himself behind the altar. "People," he said, "the island you are about to enter is a true labyrinth.
Bullshit. A true labyrinth is a maze with only one entrance that leads to its center. This "labyrinth" has four entrances. It's as much a labyrinth as a game of Chinese Checkers!
And what's a labyrinth without a minotaur or two? Thus, we are going to let the Mighty Minotaur explain the rules of this tournament." He took from his pocket a Monster Card, one that bore the image of an axe-wielding warrior with a bull's head – its title said "Mighty Minotaur" on the front. He slapped the card down on the altar, and the card summoned forth an image of giant figure of the creature on the card.
I thought the title said "Mighty Minotaur" on the back, because that would make so much sense...
The monster snorted steam from its nostrils and waved its axe menacingly. Yugi didn't flinch.
Standard "Corvello heroes have no fear" garbage.
"Welcome to the Duelist Labyrinth Tournament," said a deep voice from the monster. "You have been invited because you are the best of the best. Listen closely and commit my words to memory, because these rules will not be repeated again.
"1. Thou cannot touch the color yellow."
"In your trek though the Labyrinth, your initial goal is to collect a total of seven Duel Jewels. You will each start with one. The standard way to collect them is to find other Duelists who are competing, and wager your Jewels in duels. Dueling stations can be easily found by following the signs and questioning the employees at the way stations; keep track of where each can be found. Some are in plain sight, others are hidden. In a duel you may wager as many Jewels as you like, but be careful – lose all of them, and you lose the tournament.
Brian, just call them Star Chips. You're not fooling anybody. That's all they are. Star Chips with a dumb name.
"When you find special areas, you may be able to challenge various special employees of Pegasus; these Duelists are good, but not unbeatable – discover their strategies, and you will prevail. Defeating them can earn you vital information, treasure, or even special cards to add to your deck.
So, basically Panik, but voluntary.
"Speaking of treasure, be on the lookout for hidden caches of what we call Star Coins. These are the basic currency of the Labyrinth, what you will need to buy food and supplies at the way stations. The special caches may even contain cards that you may use for your advantage, and various other treasures.
"The way stations are situated at various points within the Labyrinth. These stores and restaurants sell mostly food, and a place to freshen up from time in the wilderness, but some will sell information, and a few will even have a card or two available for sale. But be careful with your money – the cards are quite expensive.
Brian coming up with a reasonable explanation as to how his characters can eat and drink without having to forage, unlike their ancestors. (You may recall that Yugi ended up dueling Mako when Yugi's group tried to steal Mako's catch.)
"When you collect a total of seven Duel Jewels, make your way to the palace in the center of the Labyrinth. Of course, you have not nearly won even then. New instructions will become available should you ever be in the position to reach its gates.
"With an enormous amount of skill and luck, you may in several weeks compete in the finals, and perhaps even challenge my master for the Duelist's Crown. But I give you fair warning… Anastasia Pegasus has never been defeated.
"Bitch, she'll scratch your eyes out."
"Before you enter, we have a small gift for each of you." The Minotaur gestured with his axe, and two small chests appeared on the altar. "These chests contain your bracelets to carry Duel Jewels – with one of them already placed – twenty Star Coins apiece and money belts to carry them, and each of you also get one special gift – a new card for your collection, chosen at random, and guaranteed to be useful.
"They also contain a map and one random weapon."
"I am afraid that all the more help I can offer you now is to wish you good luck."
"Which is a fancy way of saying you're all going to lose to the kid with the spiky hair. Sorry about that."
The guy running the podium turns the Minotaur off, and Yugi and Mary raid their treasure chests.
"What sort of cards do you suppose these are?" said Mary.
"Probably some weak monster," said Yugi. "I doubt we'll get TOO much help…"
Oh, ye of little faith... You're a CORVELLO HERO!
As he looked in the chest, a look of minor surprise came across him. "Huh…" he said.
He held up the card, a Monster Card. It was the Crass Clown.
"That isn't too weak," said Peter.
See what I mean? The plot is always on your side.
"What did you get?" said Yugi, turning to Mary.
"Gift of the Mystic Elf," said Mary, holding up the Magic card.
"That's useful too," said Yugi. "It can restore lost Life Points by 1,000 points."
"Well, I guess the introduction is over," said Yugi. He turned to the three men. "We're as ready as we'll ever be."
And when the men drew their swords and advanced, Yugi regretted his words.
The man started to turn the winch, and the door opened with a loud rumble.
"Again," he said, "good luck."
The four friends walked into the tunnel beyond, and the door slowly closed behind them. Their game had begun.
THE TIME OF RETRIBUTION
BATTLE ONE
DECIDE THE DESTINY!
SCENE CHANGE:
Meanwhile, in the palace in the center of the island, Anastasia Pegasus paced.
Her Worry Room had an ankle-deep rut.
A servant came in. "Miss Pegasus?" he said. "You'll be pleased to know that Mr. Muto and his party has entered the Labyrinth."
"Very good, Nacht," she said, "you know what to do."
...Her manservant is named "Night" in German? NOT AT ALL SUSPICIOUS
He left the room, and she walked through a different door. She entered a room full of computers and viewing monitors.
All broadcasting porn.
Slyly, she turned to a corner, where a walking stick rested. She picked it up. The cane was topped with a gold knob, on which was etched a design – an eye, similar to the one on Yugi's Millennium Puzzle.
She turned on a monitor, and an image of Yugi and his friends walking down the tunnel.
...I'd say something like "an image of them what?", but that sentence actually does make grammatical sense.
And if you can't guess what that walking stick's significance is, please report to the remedial class.
She smiled.
After all, this was only the beginning of Anastasia Pegasus's revenge.
Yeah, she's evil. No big surprise. No, the big surprises come in later stories, when this gets fucked with.
We end with the stats to that Mighty Minotaur card. Like many YGO fanfic authors, Brian includes the statistics for any created cards he includes in his stories, for the use of others who wish to utilize them in their own works. This one's crap, being essentially an Enraged Battle Ox without the trampling effect.
Three days later, they were back in Domino City.
Wait, so they skipped school for a tournament anyway?
Yugi met Mary at a local juice bar.
"So, did you talk to your dad?" asked Mary.
"Uh huh."
"What'd he say?"
"Basically, he doesn't trust Pegasus either," said Yugi.
Oh, for... Yugi Sr. KNOWS what Pegasus was doing this for! He knows the truth behind the Millennium Items and what they do to people! He wouldn't hate Anastasia automatically based on her parentage!
"But he said that the decision is ultimately up to me."
"Funny," said Mary. "My dad said pretty much the same thing."
A long silence ensued.
Day turned into night and back into day.
"You're going, aren't you?" said Mary.
"I've got to," said Yugi. "But it isn't for any dreams of glory or whatnot.
Bullshit. With Corvello characters, it's always ultimately about glory. No Brian Corvello main character has ever come in less than first place in any contest, tournament, or social competition.
If Pegasus is up to no-good, I'm going to have to stop whatever it is. Her father made my dad's life Hell once – not to mention the lives of several others – and if his daughter is anything like him, she's not going to start it all over again."
I'm tired of pointing out that Yugi Jr. shouldn't be so prejudiced against Pegasus. A friend of mine suggested that this story might predate the closing episodes of Duelist Kingdom being aired in America, which is frankly the only acceptable explanation for everyone loathing Pegasus so goddamned much.
"Up to no good" doesn't take a hyphen.
"If you are going, I am going," said Mary.
"Fine," said Yugi. "We'll take on this tournament together." And then they clasped hands.
Cue the '80s buddy-action music. (Ironically, as I typed this, "The Path is Open" from Persona 3 started playing on my MP3 player.)
"I was looking at this invitation," said Mary. "It says each duelist is allowed to bring one guest for support. I guess with two of us, we get two guests."
"I'll make some phone calls…" said Yugi.
Do you need to get the Mob involved in everything?
A minute later, he was on the pay phone.
...How fucking old IS this story? I still use pay phones, but that's because I'm the last man alive who doesn't have a cell.
"Hello Clive?" he said. "I was wondering if you had plans for the summer. No? Then would you… heh, you can read me like a book.
That's not very hard, as you have large print and cardboard pages.
We'll talk about the arrangements later."
He turned to Mary. "Clive's in," he said. He dialed another number.
"Why do I always have to order him a hooker...?"
"Hi Peter?" he said. "How'd you like to take a few of the best rolls of film in your career? I see… Okay, we'll talk about the arrangements later."
"Peter's in," he said to Mary.
"I had to promise him a titshot, though."
"Am I being that obvious?"
"I hope not," said Mary. "You really need to keep a poker face in this type of contest."
Goddamn it, I already made the Lady Gaga joke.
SCENE CHANGE:
With one thing and another, the weeks went by.
Study, study, murder hooker, study, murder...
Yugi finished his school year, and then diligently studied his deck and the various manuals he owned, going over in his mind the various strategies he had used time and again, and trying hard to think up new ones. He could hardly believe he was about to embark on a journey that seemed so much like the one his father had started on so long ago.
Brian, no matter how much you try to justify it, ripping off the anime is ripping off the anime.
Finally, the big day came, and the four friends found themselves at the location where they had been directed to – Domino City International Airport, at a private hanger.
The men with guns came as an unpleasant surprise.
A pilot greeted them at the hanger. "Yugi Muto Jr. and Mary Wheeler, I presume?" he said with a smile.
"Yes," said Yugi. "And these are our guests – Peter Ramset and Clive Marris."
Suddenly I don't feel so bad about having characters with last names like "Vesnic", "Montmelier", and "Torlar".
"Pleased to meet you," said the pilot. "Before we take off for the Duelist Labyrinth, a few things must be done."
He snapped on a rubber glove. "Now drop your pants," he said.
He gestured to a podium. "First, take your card decks and place them on here – that will make sure that they are in compliance with the game rules."
Yugi made a funny look, but that didn't sound unreasonable. He took his deck out of its box and laid it on the podium. A few computerized beeps emitted from it.
It then consumed the deck in a burst of flame.
...I'm just going to assume the funny look is a duckface.
"Good…" said the pilot. "More than forty cards, no counterfeits… now you…" He pointed to Mary, who repeated the act – her deck was okay as well.
"That thing doesn't record what is actually in the deck, does it?" asked Yugi.
"No, and you can trust me," said the pilot. "Among Miss Pegasus's employees, lying is completely forbidden."
"Really…" said Yugi, under his breath.
For once I can agree with Jackass!Yugi - that's probably the hollowest excuse for reassurance ever.
"Now, before we take off, you must choose a direction – north, south, east, or west."
"How come?" asked Mary.
"The Labyrinth has four entrances, and you must decide on one before we get there."
"Okay," said Yugi. He turned to Mary. "What do you think?"
"Well," said Mary. "We were invited when we were in Soho – which means South of Houston Street – so I'd say south."
In case you're wondering why Mary knows that, Brian Corvello is a NY native.
WE ALL LIVE IN AMERICA: 3
They choose south, and we SCENE CHANGE to the flight:
The plane ride to Europe was long and tedious. Most of the time, the four friends could see little but water when they looked out the windows of the private jet. Yugi nervously shuffled his cards the whole way there.
Taking their edges off and ruining them as playable cards. But what the hell, cards are cards, right?
"Yugi?" said Clive, when they were a long way into the trip.
"Yeah?"
"Is it true they don't wear underwear in Misshogi?"
"Do you really think Anastasia is plotting something?"
"I don't know, Clive. She certainly hasn't tried to steal anybody's souls to force us to come; this could be nothing more than some grandiose party thrown by an eccentric. But I just can't get the suspicion out of my mind. You know how she is… never appearing in daylight, always with those dark sunglasses…"
As a friend pointed out, she's apparently able to look over those sunglasses just fine. Please remember that. It will become one of the biggest plotholes to ever appear in a Brian Corvello story, and he's TERRIBLE at continuity.
"Maybe she's a vampire," said Peter.
"Funny," said Yugi, "but either way, this whole thing makes me more nervous than a Launcher Spider on an Umi Field."
Umi weakens Machine-types. For once, Brian DOESN'T get a card reference wrong.
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is your pilot speaking," said the intercom. "We are beginning our decent into Crete; please fasten all seat belts and restore tray tables to upright positions."
As someone who's taken quite a few flights, they tell you to fasten your seat belts long before the descent starts.
SCENE CHANGE to Crete:
After landing on Crete, the four friends soon boarded a ferry to take them to their final destination; and after about an hour, they saw it. The Duelist Labyrinth! The island stretched for miles in every direction, and towered above their heads like a grand plateau. Most of what they could see was forest, broken up here and there by exotic, but small towers and castles. When they first saw the island, it was easy to see the huge palace in the center, but it was soon eclipsed when they approached the landing point of the southern entrance. There, built into the side of the cliff, was a great pair of doors, a hundred feet high – but no dock.
How much more blatantly can you rip off Duelist Kingdom, Brian? You might as well be paying Konami, Weekly Shonen Jump, and Kazuki Takahashi royalties.
One of the men on the ferry spoke into a microphone. "Open the gate, five-zero-niner," and the door slowly retracted upward. After it had fully retracted after about three minutes, the ferry cruised inside.
The first period should be a comma. And the second "after" is redundant. Brian never did like beta readers.
They found themselves in a great, cavernous grotto, where the ferry docked on one side. "All ashore who's going ashore!" said the man who had called for the gate to be opened.
As they ran out, he pulled a lever and dropped them into the water for a laugh.
The four friends walked slowly onto the floor of the grotto, where a tall man in a black business suit met them. "Yugi Muto Jr., Mary Wheeler, guests… my employer sends her welcome. If you wish to get started, follow me, and a special someone will explain the rules of this tournament."
They followed them into a large room, which looked like a temple. Statues and mosaics of duel monsters of all types decorated the place, and it was lit by several flickering torches. Two other men in black suits stood by an altar of sorts on the front. A very large door with a winch next to it was behind the altar.
At that point, two men each grabbed Yugi and Mary, and the sacrifice to Moloch began.
"Wow," said Peter. He took out his camera.
Get used to this, as this is the whole of Peter's character in this fic.
The first man positioned himself behind the altar. "People," he said, "the island you are about to enter is a true labyrinth.
Bullshit. A true labyrinth is a maze with only one entrance that leads to its center. This "labyrinth" has four entrances. It's as much a labyrinth as a game of Chinese Checkers!
And what's a labyrinth without a minotaur or two? Thus, we are going to let the Mighty Minotaur explain the rules of this tournament." He took from his pocket a Monster Card, one that bore the image of an axe-wielding warrior with a bull's head – its title said "Mighty Minotaur" on the front. He slapped the card down on the altar, and the card summoned forth an image of giant figure of the creature on the card.
I thought the title said "Mighty Minotaur" on the back, because that would make so much sense...
The monster snorted steam from its nostrils and waved its axe menacingly. Yugi didn't flinch.
Standard "Corvello heroes have no fear" garbage.
"Welcome to the Duelist Labyrinth Tournament," said a deep voice from the monster. "You have been invited because you are the best of the best. Listen closely and commit my words to memory, because these rules will not be repeated again.
"1. Thou cannot touch the color yellow."
"In your trek though the Labyrinth, your initial goal is to collect a total of seven Duel Jewels. You will each start with one. The standard way to collect them is to find other Duelists who are competing, and wager your Jewels in duels. Dueling stations can be easily found by following the signs and questioning the employees at the way stations; keep track of where each can be found. Some are in plain sight, others are hidden. In a duel you may wager as many Jewels as you like, but be careful – lose all of them, and you lose the tournament.
Brian, just call them Star Chips. You're not fooling anybody. That's all they are. Star Chips with a dumb name.
"When you find special areas, you may be able to challenge various special employees of Pegasus; these Duelists are good, but not unbeatable – discover their strategies, and you will prevail. Defeating them can earn you vital information, treasure, or even special cards to add to your deck.
So, basically Panik, but voluntary.
"Speaking of treasure, be on the lookout for hidden caches of what we call Star Coins. These are the basic currency of the Labyrinth, what you will need to buy food and supplies at the way stations. The special caches may even contain cards that you may use for your advantage, and various other treasures.
"The way stations are situated at various points within the Labyrinth. These stores and restaurants sell mostly food, and a place to freshen up from time in the wilderness, but some will sell information, and a few will even have a card or two available for sale. But be careful with your money – the cards are quite expensive.
Brian coming up with a reasonable explanation as to how his characters can eat and drink without having to forage, unlike their ancestors. (You may recall that Yugi ended up dueling Mako when Yugi's group tried to steal Mako's catch.)
"When you collect a total of seven Duel Jewels, make your way to the palace in the center of the Labyrinth. Of course, you have not nearly won even then. New instructions will become available should you ever be in the position to reach its gates.
"With an enormous amount of skill and luck, you may in several weeks compete in the finals, and perhaps even challenge my master for the Duelist's Crown. But I give you fair warning… Anastasia Pegasus has never been defeated.
"Bitch, she'll scratch your eyes out."
"Before you enter, we have a small gift for each of you." The Minotaur gestured with his axe, and two small chests appeared on the altar. "These chests contain your bracelets to carry Duel Jewels – with one of them already placed – twenty Star Coins apiece and money belts to carry them, and each of you also get one special gift – a new card for your collection, chosen at random, and guaranteed to be useful.
"They also contain a map and one random weapon."
"I am afraid that all the more help I can offer you now is to wish you good luck."
"Which is a fancy way of saying you're all going to lose to the kid with the spiky hair. Sorry about that."
The guy running the podium turns the Minotaur off, and Yugi and Mary raid their treasure chests.
"What sort of cards do you suppose these are?" said Mary.
"Probably some weak monster," said Yugi. "I doubt we'll get TOO much help…"
Oh, ye of little faith... You're a CORVELLO HERO!
As he looked in the chest, a look of minor surprise came across him. "Huh…" he said.
He held up the card, a Monster Card. It was the Crass Clown.
"That isn't too weak," said Peter.
See what I mean? The plot is always on your side.
"What did you get?" said Yugi, turning to Mary.
"Gift of the Mystic Elf," said Mary, holding up the Magic card.
"That's useful too," said Yugi. "It can restore lost Life Points by 1,000 points."
"Well, I guess the introduction is over," said Yugi. He turned to the three men. "We're as ready as we'll ever be."
And when the men drew their swords and advanced, Yugi regretted his words.
The man started to turn the winch, and the door opened with a loud rumble.
"Again," he said, "good luck."
The four friends walked into the tunnel beyond, and the door slowly closed behind them. Their game had begun.
THE TIME OF RETRIBUTION
BATTLE ONE
DECIDE THE DESTINY!
SCENE CHANGE:
Meanwhile, in the palace in the center of the island, Anastasia Pegasus paced.
Her Worry Room had an ankle-deep rut.
A servant came in. "Miss Pegasus?" he said. "You'll be pleased to know that Mr. Muto and his party has entered the Labyrinth."
"Very good, Nacht," she said, "you know what to do."
...Her manservant is named "Night" in German? NOT AT ALL SUSPICIOUS
He left the room, and she walked through a different door. She entered a room full of computers and viewing monitors.
All broadcasting porn.
Slyly, she turned to a corner, where a walking stick rested. She picked it up. The cane was topped with a gold knob, on which was etched a design – an eye, similar to the one on Yugi's Millennium Puzzle.
She turned on a monitor, and an image of Yugi and his friends walking down the tunnel.
...I'd say something like "an image of them what?", but that sentence actually does make grammatical sense.
And if you can't guess what that walking stick's significance is, please report to the remedial class.
She smiled.
After all, this was only the beginning of Anastasia Pegasus's revenge.
Yeah, she's evil. No big surprise. No, the big surprises come in later stories, when this gets fucked with.
We end with the stats to that Mighty Minotaur card. Like many YGO fanfic authors, Brian includes the statistics for any created cards he includes in his stories, for the use of others who wish to utilize them in their own works. This one's crap, being essentially an Enraged Battle Ox without the trampling effect.
