Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Costume Jewelry ❯ Am ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: Has the manga shown Jou and Mai's wedding? No? Then I don't own Yu-gi-oh.

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Dear Diary,

This morning I went shopping and bought:

A solar shower

10 candy bars

Trail mix

Fruit

Instant oatmeal

A pan

Duffel to put everything in

Water bottles

Soda

Chips

Vitamins

A sleeping bag

And a bunch of other stuff.

I also shanghaied the hotel soap, shampoo and towels.

Why, you ask?

This morning I got a call from Himiko-chan, of the Old Girls Network, who was in charge for the arrangements for the Duelist Kingdom tournament that Pegasus announced. The guy's a fruitcake, but the prize money is acceptable.

There ain't going to be any goddamn food on the island, forget beds, until you get in the castle for the final rounds.

What a cheapskate!

Apparently he's also introduced some new rules for kicks. Himiko knew better then to ask if I wanted to know them. Pegasus is a few traps short of a deck, but he always does this crazy stuff that's fun.

It's a shame Himiko decided to join Industrial Illusion's Tournament Organizing Department. There aren't really enough good women duelists.

There's the munchkin in America, and Vivian, who is a ho, Ishizu who has a day job and never leaves Egypt, which doesn't have a big duelist community so no one's heard of her, and Vicky-chan who is agoraphobic and can only compete in tournaments which let her play over a video screen from her bedroom, and `cause she's so good (and `cause she's a girl) they keep suspecting her of cheating and sending referees, and strangers freak her out…

There are maybe a dozen like me.

Which means less competition for prize money.

Ya gotta look for the silver lining.

Anyways, I get on the boat to the island, and only people who competed in the Japanese National Tournament and got to the finals, which were last week, got rooms.

And I wasn't in that tournament because I am an American and hence was in the American Tournament, in which I placed second due to the munchkin.

I still can't believe the rumors about the bear were true.

Anyways, while wandering around checking out the `competition', mostly middle-schoolers, I came across this spiky munchkin who was talking to a blond doofus about how they each only had one star chip, so they had to be careful.

The blond wasn't invited. He's going to get knocked out sooo easy, and I said so.

The blond was drooling when he saw me, then he got ticked off. Baka.

He's going to get kicked off fast. On the other hand…

What the hell is up with this tournament? Himiko said they got orders all of a sudden to hold it a week and a half ago; right after Kaiba finally got his ass kicked by this `Yugi' guy.

I wonder if Pegsy arranged this to see if he makes it to the finals and is any good?

It's weird though. Normally these things are planned months in advance. Himiko and everyone were stressed as hell, having to make gloves and hire a cruise ship and everything on no notice.

And, after the big worldwide National Tournaments, all the major duelists are kicking back, mostly. And he did it with invitations, but most of the people here aren't anybody. Made it past the first couple of rounds, sure, but…

Pegsy is nuts. That explains everything.

Anyways, I ran into this Male Chauvinist Pig named Rex, who came in second in the Japanese National Tournament, and so had a room.

I dueled him for the room, and obviously kicked his ass.

So I'm chilling and raiding the mini-bar, and writing.

I used that scent-thing Himiko showed me, and it really freaked the idiot out. I think I'm going to use it until I run into some honest competition, if I ever do. Didn't see anyone worth dueling on the boat, except Insector Haga, who is scum.

Japan doesn't have a really big duelist population. The game, and Pegsy, are American, after all. You can't move in high schools during recess without stepping over someone's game.

He has estates all over the frigging world, he's that rich.

It's strange, you know? Poker, bridge… people have always gone nuts for card games, gambling, but this…

It's like everyone's obsessed with it.

Football fans are less obsessive than Duel Monsters fans.

It costs more to get airtime at the Worldwide Tournament Final Round than the friggin' Superbowl, Himiko told me.

Which is where they're getting all the money for prizes. That, and the fact they can't print the goddamn cards fast enough.

I want to duel Pegasus. I want to meet the guy who could create something like this, something that brings people from all over the world together. Like the Olympics.

This… it's my life. It's so much fun.

I want to thank him for creating my Harpies.

An' I wanna kick his ass. And this Yugi kid's.

That'll be fun. Kaiba's tough. Someone who could cream him…

But it could have just been an accident.

Right. There are no accidents in dueling.

It's like… I'm part of something, you know? Like… I'm meant to be here, meant to be a Duelist. And I'm being rewarded for it. Cars, condos, diamonds…

Speaking of which, good thing I left my jewelry in the hotel safe. Not bringing the real stuff to a godforsaken island.

God, my nails are gonna die.

That's why Himiko got a day job. Sick of hotel beds. Now, she only duels in unofficial tournaments that are near Osaka.

And `cause… she wanted to be part of this. Bringing it about.

Not like my dad, just wanting to inch up the ladder. Dueling isn't a status symbol. It's a friggin' way of life.

I know that. Himiko knows that. Kaiba does. Everyone who's ever touched a card does.

It's adventure, it's fantasy, it's everything you ever dreamed, when you win that first time, when it all comes together perfectly.

It's for real. Glamour and glitz and cheering crowds and just for one moment you're a god.

Everything you ever wanted in little paper rectangles, worth more than any silver or gold.

God, look at this. I'm acting like a friggin' poet. Sheesh.

Man oh man, I need to get to bed.

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Thanks, moonymonster and Chibi-Pepsi13!