Beyblade Fan Fiction / Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Adventures of a Blader (how original!) ❯ Chapter 55

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own BeyBlade or Yugioh. I own: Serena, Nicole, Antonio, SnowLeopard, Dragonia, and anything else that is not BeyBlade or Yugioh. Kelsey, Angie, and Joe own themselves. Yamura belongs to Laura. Austin belongs to Austin, though in name and looks only. Everything else about him I made up.
 
Telepathy
/Serena/
//Kai//
[Max]
::blah:: or {blah}- bitbeast
 
Thoughts or songs- in italics
Flashbacks- in bolded italics
Talking in Russian -bolded
 
 
 
Chapter 55
 
 
“That's all there really is to Domino. Like I said, nothing exciting.” Serena drove along the docks. The sun was setting, and the view was nice.
 
“Boring town.” Kai looked out at the ocean.
 
“I thought so to when I first moved here.”
 
“Hey, isn't that your friend Yugi?”
 
Serena slammed on the brakes. “What?!” She looked where Kai did. Sure enough, there was Yugi. He was playing a game with Joey Wheeler. Monsters were on the field; but it didn't look like a harmless game. Joey and Yugi were chained to an anchor, and Teá was sitting under a box hanging from a crane. As Serena looked on, the crane was knocked into the sea and Mokuba Kaiba released Teá. “What the hell is going on?” Serena turned off the car and jumped out, running to the battle. Before she got there though, something exploded; and the anchor dropped into the sea, dragging Joey and Yugi with it.
 
“No…no!”
 
Serena stood frozen until Yugi broke the surface. She helped pull him out; then helped with Tristan Taylor, who had jumped in to get Yugi over to the dock. Tristan froze when he saw Serena.
 
“Smith! What are you doing here?”
 
They were interrupted as Teá ordered Mokuba to get a key. Mokuba went to do as he was told; but a girl Serena had never seen before jumped into the water, a key in her hand.
 
“Serenity!”
 
All eyes were focused on where Serenity dove into the water, even Yugi, who had just coughed up a lot of water. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when Serenity and Joey came into view. Willing hands pulled both of them onto the dock. Serena stood in the background with Kai as the Kaiba brothers left and everyone yelled at Joey. Joey felt guilty for being brainwashed and a terrible friend. Serena found out that Serenity was Joey's sister. Serena spent the time during the argument to tell Kai who was who. Besides Serena's friends and Serenity, there were two people that Serena didn't know. One was blonde with violet eyes and dressed like a slut. The other had black hair and green eyes. He had a black and red bandana and a dice earring. He reminded Serena of Austin. Only after the argument did Tristan remember that he had seen Serena.
 
“Hey, where did Smith go? I thought I saw her.” Tristan looked around and froze as he saw Serena come forward.
 
“What the hell is going on? I came to Domino to visit friends, only to find them almost killed!”
 
“Serena! You came!” Yugi smiled.
 
“Well duh! I said I would arrive today. Now, will someone answer my question?”
 
It was quite a long explanation. Serena felt her head was spinning by the end of it. “Wait. Let me get this straight. There's this psycho who wants to control the world?” Her friends nodded. “And he's targeting Yugi because that puzzle around his neck holds a spirit in it?” Again, nods. “And this psycho, this Marik, can control people?” More nods. “Wow,” was all Serena could say. Kai looked like he didn't believe any of it.
 
“Who's your friend Smith?” asked Joey in his Brooklyn accent.
 
“This is Kai Hiwatari. Oh, and the name's not Smith anymore, it's Tate. I found out I had been adopted.”
 
“Adopted? Why?” asked Tristan.
 
“I'd rather not explain. So who are your friends?” Serena nodded to those people she didn't know.
 
“I'm Serenity.” Serenity's brown eyes looked down.
 
Shy thing, isn't she?
 
“Duke Devlin.” The one who reminded Serena of Austin came up and shook her hand.
 
“Right! Austin's brother. Nice to meet you. Did Austin quit the gang life?”
 
Duke nodded. “And he's doing great in school and at work.”
 
The blonde girl coughed. Serena turned to her.
 
“Mai Valentine.”
 
“Serena Tate.”
 
Mai turned to the others. “Let's get off our butts and head to the arena. Remember, it's first come, first serve.”
 
“What?” asked Serena.
 
Joey held up some transparent cards that looked like they had puzzle pieces on them. “These cards here show the way to where the finals are held. Only eight finalists are allowed. You need six of these cards.” Joey laid the cards on top of each other and a holographic map appeared.
 
“So the two days of the tournament, you collected these cards?” asked Serena.
 
“Or lose them, in my case.” Yamura looked up and smiled. “I lost to Yugi.”
 
“You always do,” said Yugi grinning.
 
“Hey! I found it!”
 
Everyone crowded around Joey.
 
“How will we get there?” asked Tristan.
 
“I'll drive the duelists over,” said Mai.
 
“So that's you, Yug, and me',” said Joey.
 
“That's no fair! How will the rest of us get there? Friends don't do that! Friends help each other!” said Teá.
 
Kai rolled his eyes as Serena winced. //You forgot to mention that your friend loves to talk about friendship.//
 
/Sorry./ Serena did a calculation in her head. With Kai and herself in her car, the convertible could seat three more people. Unfortunately, there were five people that still needed a ride. “Three can come with me. At least, safely three can. I'm sure Taylor and Devlin wouldn't mind riding on top of the trunk.” Serena walked toward her convertible.
 
“That's your car?” Joey, Duke, and Tristan ran to it.
 
“Yes. Hands off, unless it's to wipe any of your drool off it.”
 
“Come on Wheeler! If you don't want a slot in the finals that's fine with me; but I want to be in the finals.” Mai revved the engine of her convertible.
 
Joey hurried over while Yamura, Serenity, and Teá took the backseat of Serena's car. Duke got up onto the trunk, legs in the space between Yamura and Serenity. Tristan held Serena back.
 
“Can you do me a favor, as well as Joey?”
 
“What?”
 
“Don't mention anything bad about him. Serenity looks up to him. It may crush her heart if she finds out-”
 
“I get it Taylor. Don't worry. Now get in the car.”
 
Tristan got up onto the trunk besides Duke. Serena climbed into the driver's seat. Mai's car pulled out and Serena followed. She looked in the mirror at Serenity.
 
“So you're Wheeler's sister?”
 
Serenity nodded. “Joey's a really good big brother.”
 
“Yeah. Without him, Serenity would have gone blind.” Tristan put the emphasis on `him'.
 
“Really? Wow.” Who knew that Wheeler was a nice guy deep down.
 
“Hey Serena, why do you call us by our last names?” asked Duke.
 
“It's something I do with new friends.” Serena saw Tristan lean over to Duke, obviously telling him the real reason. “So what's new in Domino?”
 
“Nothing really. Same old, same old. Well, except for that whole somebody wanting to take over the world thing,” said Teá.
 
That's not really new.
 
“So Kai, how did you meet Serena?” asked Yamura.
 
Kai remained silent.
 
“That's right. When you were in Tokyo, we didn't really talk about how I met some of my friends. I met Kai in Russia.”
 
“You lived in Russia? Did you like it?” asked Serenity.
 
Serena remained quiet for a while. “No. Not at all.”
 
“Why?” asked Duke.
 
Serena didn't answer.
 
“Did anyone remember where the finals would be?” asked Yamura.
 
“Right there! Friends!” Teá clapped her hands.
 
Kai groaned.
 
“What's with him?” asked Tristan.
 
Serena shook her head. “I told him not to have the burger meal. Oh, and Kai doesn't speak much, so don't take offense if he doesn't answer.” /Be nice./
 
//Fine. But I don't know how long I can stand that friendship junk.//
 
Serena parked the car next to Mai's and everyone piled out.
 
“Why did we stop here?” asked Tristan.
 
“I don't want to run into any traffic when the finals are over,” answered Mai.
 
The group started walking down the sidewalk towards the site for the finals. Serena spent the time catching up on what was happening, which as Teá said, wasn't much.
 
“So what's new with you Serena?” asked Yugi.
 
“Is Tyson getting on your nerves?” asked Yamura.
 
“Well, I haven't killed him yet, if that's what you mean,” answered Serena.
 
“Whose Tyson?” asked Tristan.
 
“A teammate of mine.”
 
Yamura smiled and clapped her hands. “They made you a teammate! Finally!”
 
“Teammate of what?” asked Serenity.
 
“Blading,” answered Serena. “Kai's another teammate of mine.”
 
“You play with blades? That is not nice! You can hurt a friend and friends don't hurt friends!”
 
Serena laughed. “We don't play with knives.” She dug into her pocket and pulled out Dragonia.
 
Joey and Tristan started laughing.
 
“You guys play with tops!”
 
“That's funny!”
 
They stopped when they saw Serena and Yamura glaring at them. Kai's face was still unemotional.
 
“These `tops' as you call them, have caused people to go crazy for control over the world.”
 
The Dominoans stared at Serena.
 
“I thought it was just us.”
 
“No Wheeler. It's other people too. In fact, I spent my whole life believing one such person was my father!” Serena pointed to the image of Dragonia. “Most blades will have what is called a bitbeast. A couple of guys, one being my `father', wanted to get all of the bitbeasts; and then have the bitbeasts attack countries into submission.”
 
“Those little things?”
 
“Bitbeasts aren't so little in battles Devlin. They're like your `Duel Monsters'. They look small when inactive; but once you call them out, it gets bigger.”
 
“Oh.”
 
The rest of the way was uneventful, except for one match. A guy in love with Mai challenged her to a match. The stakes: Mai's hand in marriage. Mai won, leaving her a happy single. Unfortunately, the guy was a sore loser and tried to kidnap Mai. Once that plan failed, Mai's suitor disappeared.
 
“Wow. That was cool, but you know what? I'm going to stick to blading. It's nice and simple,” said Serena.
 
“Well, after you learn the rules and everything about dueling, it is quiet easy,” said Yugi.
 
“I wouldn't mind trying blading. All you do is play with tops. How hard can that be?” asked Joey.
 
“Let me rephrase what I meant by simple. You launch the blade and come up with a strategy. It's still hard, especially if there is a blader stronger then you; but you don't have all these cards to think about.”
 
“I still think it sounds easy,” said Joey.
 
“Really now. Then you come to the next tournament and see how easy blading really easy,” challenged Serena.
 
“You've got a deal.” Joey and Serena shook hands.
 
“We'll all go,” said Yugi.
 
“Well, that's great, but our tournament won't wait for us.” Mai picked up the pace.
 
Yamura stuck her tongue out at Mai's back, causing Serenity to laugh. Duke sighed.
 
“Come on everyone or else Mai will bite our heads off.”
 
It wasn't that far to the site where the finals were to be held. It looked like a football stadium. The group walked inside. In the middle of the stadium stood a group if people: a grade schooler with long black hair and blue eyes; a man in a black suit; and a tall high schooler in a white trench coat. His cold eyes looked at the group.
 
“Oh wonderful. The Geek Squad has more members.”
 
Serena rolled her eyes. Same old Kaiba.
 
Mai, Joey, and Yugi stepped forward, showing their six cards. Kaiba didn't seem to like that Joey had collected the necessary cards. He seemed indifferent about Mai, but Kaiba looked thrilled that Yugi had made it.
 
“I guess Kaiba still hasn't gotten over his obsession about beating Yugi,” whispered Serena to Tristan.
 
“I doubt he ever will,” Tristan whispered back.
 
“How many are here Kaiba?” asked Yugi.
 
“Four.”
 
Joey gave a sigh. “Made it.”
 
Footsteps echoed down the hall behind the group. Out of the shadows appeared a teenager with bleach blonde hair wearing a purple sleeveless top and lots of gold jewelry. He had a duel disk on his arm and he held up six cards.
 
“Namu! You made it!” said Joey.
 
Kaiba simply nodded at the newcomer then turned back to the guy in the suit. Joey and Teá introduced Namu to the group and vice versa.
 
“So why weren't you brainwashed like Joey and I? Marik captured you also,” said Teá.
 
“I managed to escape,” answered Namu.
 
“How?” asked Duke.
 
“Well, I-” Namu was interrupted as a person in a purplish-blue cloak appeared, a duel disk on his arm and a gold rod in hand.
 
Joey stiffened. “Marik.”
 
No one took their eyes off the new addition. There was a smirk on Kaiba's face. Serena studied the person who had been bothering her friends.
 
Okay, he's big, he's menacing, and he doesn't talk. What's up with that rod?…Wait, it has the eye that's on Yugi's puzzle. Is that what's been helping him control people?
 
//We better watch him.//
 
/No duh./
 
“That's six finalists. I wonder who's going to be the final two,” said Yamura.
 
Uncomfortable silence filled the arena. No one wanted to speak and no one wanted to be close to Marik. Serena and her friends snuck glances at him, all tense, wondering if Marik was going to use his Rod to brainwash one, or all, of them. Every once in a while, the man in the black suit checked his watch. He whispered something to Kaiba, who turned to everyone else.
 
“Our ride will be here soon.”
 
“Wait. The finals aren't going to be here? But the map showed this as the location!” said Mai.
 
Kaiba smirked. Serena could imagine him saying, or thinking, `Idiots.'
 
“This is the place where the finalists were to meet.”
 
“So where are the finals?” asked Yamura.
 
The sound of a motor filled the air.
 
“Look!” Serenity pointed to the sky.
 
Everyone looked up and saw a blimp coming down. It touched the ground not too far from the group.
 
“The final two finalists had better hurry up or we'll leave without them.”
 
“Jerk! There's supposed to be eight finalists. Why deny two people the chance to win this tournament?” asked Tristan.
 
“That's Kaiba for you,” said Joey.
 
Teá peered into the dark hallway the finalists had come through. “Here comes another one!”
 
A pale boy about Joey's age walked into view. He had white hair and chocolate eyes. There was a bandage on his upper left arm.
 
“Bakura! I thought you were in the hospital!” said Duke.
 
“Where's Grandpa?” asked Yugi.
 
“He wasn't there when I was released,” answered the albino.
 
Everyone's attention was drawn to the man in the black suit, who cleared his throat.
 
“Finalists! Please board the blimp. We will be lifting off shortly.”
 
The finalists climbed up the ramp and into the blimp. The others, though, were stopped.
 
“Sorry. No one but the finalists are allowed on board.”
 
“What?!”
 
“Why?”
 
“That's not fair!”
 
“I'm sorry, but that's the rules.” The man gulped as Yamura glared at him, tightening her grip on her staff.
 
The sky darkened as did Yamura's eyes. “You will let us on that blimp!” she said through clenched teeth.
 
Although he was clearly shaken, the man still insisted they could not go on. It started to thunder and lightning.
 
“Let them on.”
 
The man turned to Kaiba. “But Master Kaiba, we have no room for them on the blimp!”
 
“Let them on. If we let no one but the finalists on board, then Mokuba could not come along.”
 
“But-”
 
Kaiba's eyes narrowed and grew colder, if that was even possible. “Are you questioning me?”
 
“N-no sir.”
 
“Good.” Kaiba, with Mokuba behind him, went up the ramp.
 
The clouds disappeared as Yamura smiled sweetly and relaxed her grip on her staff. “Thank you.” She went up the ramp.
 
Serena looked at the sky. “Do you always get those freak storms?”
 
“Sometimes,” said Teá.
 
Everyone was finally on board. The spectators' rooms still had to be organized, so Teá, Yamura, Tristan, Serenity, and Duke all traveled to Joey's room. Serena and Kai walked along the halls.
 
“It's quite a big place here.”
 
“Yes”
 
Serena looked at Kai out of the corner of her eye. Must we talk in Russian? It just doesn't seem right. “So…from the dueling you've seen, what do you think of it?”
 
“It's alright. I still prefer blading.”
 
“Excuse me. Sir? Miss?” One of Kaiba's men came up to them.
 
“Yes?”
 
“I'm sorry, but we have only one room left. Your friends have already been doubled up with each other, even in the finalists' rooms. It may make you uncomfortable, but you two need to share a room. That is, if it is alright with you. I'm sure I can figure out a way for you not to but…”
 
“Um…”
 
//I'll take the floor.//
 
/But-/
 
“It'll be alright,” said Kai.
 
The man nodded, looking relieved. “Then if you will come with me please.”
 
Serena and Kai followed him to their room. The man explained to them how to get into the room.
 
“The dinner buffet will start shortly in the dining room.” The man walked away.
 
The two bladers palmed the door open and walked in. All the furniture was nailed to the floor. The bed was made for one person.
 
“You're going to be bumping into walls if this blimp hits turbulence.”
 
Kai ignored Serena. “We better go eat.”
 
Serena made a noise of frustration, but followed Kai down to the dining room. They were the last two to arrive. Kai went to a dark corner while Serena went and grabbed some food. Yugi waved her over.
 
“You're finally able to see dueling on the big scale.”
 
Serena nodded and popped a shrimp into her mouth. “Yep.”
 
Yamura jerked a thumb in Kai's direction. “He's not very social is he?”
 
Serena sighed. “Unfortunately, no. He wouldn't even tell me why he decided to come with me, when he refused my invitation the first time.”
 
“Maybe he likes you,” said Serenity.
 
Serena started slightly. Observant girl isn't she?
 
Tristan and Duke nodded at what Serenity said. Then, noticing the other looking at Serenity, they started pushing each other. Joey came over looking sick.
 
“What's wrong Joey?” asked Teá.
 
“I think the shrimp doesn't agree with me.”
 
Yamura took a step away from Joey. “Then stay away from me.”
 
Dinner was quiet. No one wanted to talk much. All were anxious about the tournament. Everyone noticed that neither Kaiba nor the eighth finalist was in the room. As soon as the buffet was over, the group was led to a large room. Kaiba was standing by a globe that had white numbered balls flying all around inside it. Two blue dragon statues were attached to the globe. There still was no eighth finalist.
 
“The duels will be chosen lottery style. Each finalist has been assigned a number. The first duel is between…” The suited man paused as a ball appeared in one of the dragon's mouth. “Ryou Bakura.”
 
Bakura seemed nervous.
 
“His opponent will be,” another ball appeared, “Yugi Motou.”
 
“Figures that the first duel will be Yug's,” muttered Joey.
 
“You're just jealous that you're not getting first crack at the tournament.”
 
Joey pulled Tristan into a headlock. “Shad up!”
 
Bakura and Yugi had to go to the arena a different way than the spectators. The arena was on top of the blimp, much to everyone's surprise.
 
“We're dueling in the air?”
 
“Well duh Devlin. What does this look like?” Serena sidestepped Duke's swing and went to stand by Kai.
 
Her friends filed in. Marik stood by the stairs. Yugi and Bakura were at separate ends of the field. Kaiba, Mokuba, and the man in the black suit were on the opposite side of the gang. The man in the suit explained the rules, not like they didn't know them already. The match soon went underway. Bakura's deck was mostly ghouls and dark monsters. One card surrounded the playing field and the spectators. Eyes and mouths appeared out of a red and purple haze.
 
“I'm getting freaked out man!”
 
Serena slung an arm around Joey's shoulders, illusioning everyone as skeletons. “What, you don't like horror Wheeler?”
 
Joey looked at her, then screamed like a little girl. He looked around him and screamed some more. “S-skeletons!” Wheeler closed his eyes and Serena dropped the illusion.
 
“Joey! Are you okay?” Serenity wrapped her arms around him.
 
Joey opened his eyes and stared around in disbelief. “Wait! You were all skeletons!”
 
“Did you hit your head or something?” asked Namu.
 
“I think I'm going insane.”
 
“What? You weren't insane before?” Serena ignored Tristan, who had hit her in the head.
 
Kai was staring intently at the match. Serena leaned over to him. “Thinking of quitting blading?”
 
“No. Something's not right with Bakura.”
 
Serena didn't know what Kai was talking about. Then again, Serena didn't really know Bakura. It wasn't long though, before Serena found out what Kai was talking about.