Tea's Little Sister ~Mokuba Kaiba~[Book 1]

Yugi Muto vs Mai Valentine part 1

"The first duel will now begin. Mai Valentine vs Yugi Muto. Duelists, please proceed to the arena." Croquet announced, before Yami and Mai went to each sides of the arena.
'No matter what happens, I've got to keep the spirit from my Millennium Puzzle under control. I can't risk him hurting Mai.' Yami thought to himself.
"Before we begin, you must each show me the card required for your participation." Croquet announced again, before both Yami and Mai presented their cards, which were the Glory of the King's hand and the Glory of the King's opposite hand cards.
"Both qualified. The duel may proceed." Croquet confirmed.
"Good luck. Go, Yugi!" Tea cheered Yami on, before Joey suddenly showed up, suprising the others.
"Joey?!" Tristan exclaimed.
"What's with you, Joey?!" Bakura exclaimed as well.
"What? I was getting a birds out of you with the action." Joey retorted, before he faced the arena.
"Go, Yug! Wipe her out, man!" He cheered Yami on.
Yami and Mai just kept looking at each other for a moment, ready to duel. Yami thought to himself, 'I've got to be at my best if I'm gonna make it through these playoffs. I also have to keep the spirit of my Millennium Puzzle in check. I mean, if Pegasus can steal my soul with his Millennium Item, who knows what the spirit of the puzzle might do to win against Mai?'
Mai thought to herself, 'I used to think the only person on earth the Duelist could trust was herself. Everyone else was just, an opponent. Then I met Yugi, and I learned through him that even the strongest opponents in this arena could still be friends outside it. If he hadn't earned me his star chips, I might never have made it to the final round. I owe him a very great day. I promised Yugi an honorable duel, and that's just what I'm gonna give him. But if he thinks that means I'm not gonna battle all out, he's dreamin'. I'm gonna give this match everything I've got. So when Yugi goes down, it'll be a victory I can be proud of. As much as I like it my plan to duel hard, and I plan to win. I promised him an honorable duel, not an easy one.'
Then she spoke out loud as she held up her cards and announced, "Here I come, hotshot!"
"Right!" Yami agreed.
"Duel!" They both announced together.
As Mai picked up her card, Yami just laughed and said, "If you're playing honorably, you can't try your psychic act on me the way you did on Joey."
"Uh-uh, no tricks this time, Yugi!" Mai replied, coolly.
Yami just smiled and thought to himself, 'You know, I believe her. Mai's really come a long way.'
"I'm not all smoking mirrors, kiddo. Even without my tricks, I can still duel with the best of them!" Mai added, before she pulled out her card.
"And I play Harpy Lady in Attack Mode!" She announced, as she placed the card down in front of herself and the Harpy Lady appeared on the field.
"That move is Mai's standard opening play." Tristan commented.
"Yugi, be careful! Watch out!" Tea warned Yami, as she called out to him.
"Nothin' to worry about. Yugi knows what's coming, Tea. He's seen Mai's Harpy Lady in action like a billion times already." Joey said, a bit reassuringly.
"And now I'll lay down the second card, which will finish my turn." Mai announced, before she placed the card facedown in front of herself.
'I better finish my turn. I better finish this fast. The quicker I defeat Mai, the less chance for interference by the spirit inside my Millennium Puzzle.' Yami thought to himself, before he drew his card and his monster appeared.
"Gaia the Fierce Knight, attack Harpy Lady!" He commanded his monster.
Mai just smirked and thought to herself, 'Gotcha!'
Just as Gaia was about to attack the Harpy Lady, Mai spoke up, "Thanks, Yugi, I wanted you to attack. It'll set off my trap."
Then Mai placed the card down, and just as Gaia was about to attack... He was unable to!
"No, my knight!" Yami exclaimed, before Gaia got trapped inside a mirror wall of some sorts.
Then Yami gasped, "A wall?!"
"Your Gaia ran smack into my mirror wall, which cuts any of your monsters attack power in half. As soon as your monster attacked, the mirror wall rose up to protect my Harpy Lady. Your Fierce Knight met an equal attack from its own reflection, draining half its points. Pretty darn slick, huh, Yugi?" Mai taunted, before the knight's life points went down to 1150. Yami trembled in anger.
"Guess it's my turn again." Mai announced, before she placed her next card down in front of herself.
"High fashion Harpy Lady, cyber shield."
With that saying, the Cyper Shield appeared on the Harpy Lady.
"The makeover's complete." Mai announced, just as her life points went up to 1800.
"Harpy Lady, attack Gaia! Cyber slash!" Mai commanded her monster, just before the Harpy Lady slashed the hell out of Gaia, and he disappeared for good!
"Well like they say: Nice Gaia's finish last." Mai taunted.
"He's gone! Harpy Lady's claw attack reduced my Fierce Knight to ribbons!" Yami exclaimed in disbelief, just as his life points went down to 1350.
Mai just laughed and said, "I'm amazed you fell for that trap, Yugi. Don't tell me your losing your edge in a championship game."
Yami just scoffed in reply.
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you're holding back." Mai added, before Yami picked up his card and examined it for a moment.
'I am holding back, but maybe this will help. Summoned Skull! If I can just keep drawing powerful cards like him, this match will be over quick, and I can stop worrying about the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle.'
Then he placed the card facedown in front of himself and spoke out loud, "I lay one card facedown."
Then he held up the card and continued, "And I'll attack with this!"
Then Summoned Skull appeared on the field.
"Let's see your Harpy Lady stand up to this! Summoned Skull, electrify that Harpy! Lightning strike!" Yami commanded his monster, before it drew its lightning at the Harpy Lady.
Mai just snickered to herself and said, "You're really off the game today, Yugi. You made the same mistake twice."
Yami was shocked, "The Mirrow Wall?!"
"That's right! Back again!" Mai taunted, just as the lightning went back at the Summoned Skull, and his life points went down to 1250.
"Now Summoned Skull's attack power is cut in half too!" Mai announced proudly, which made Yami shocked as hell!
"Then it's-- it's a permanent trap?!" Yami asked.
"Very good. A couple of turns too late, but now you're catching on. Better hurry and get that little brain of yours in gear, Yugi." Mai taunted.
"Most of the trap cards I've encountered before disappear from the field once they've been sprung, so your permanent trap took me by surprise. It's the exception to that rule." Yami replied, firmly.
"Mm-hm. It's very exceptional just like me. As long as it's on the field, it'll unleash the same delightful effect again and again everytime you launch an attack. Get it? No matter how many times you try to come at me, your monsters can never reach my Harpy Lady. Let's face it, you're gonna have to bring your game up a few notches just to keep me interested, Yugi."
Yami just snarled in reply.
"Mai's right, Yugi's game seems off." Bakura commented.
"The strategy is whack, man! He can't just attack! Why isn't he thinking through his moves like he's always telling me?!" Joey exclaimed.
"Yugi, what are you thinking?" Tea asked, a bit worriedly.
'Yugi, please. Let me help you!' Yami pleaded to Yugi.
'No! I can't take that risk!' Yugi protested.
"Hm, what is with you? I expected a real battle from you, and all I get is this lame frontal assault." Mai rolled her eyes. Yami just growled in reply.
"The only reason I duel, Yugi, aside from the island trips, the clothes, the cars, the prize money, is the thrill of trouncing a worthy opponent." Mai reasoned.
"Are you saying I'm not worthy?!" Yami asked, a bit offended.
"Not today, kiddo. Your body may be in this arena, but your head and your heart is flipped for parts unknown. It's really a let-down." Mai replied, coolly.
"You're questioning my fighting spirits as well?" Yami demanded.
"Bingo. It seems like you're still shell-shocked about the trouncing you got from Kaiba in your last duel." Mai answered, which made Yami surprised.
"Well, get over it. I'm your opponent now, and I want to beat someone battling at his best. Not some Duelist who acts like he's afraid of his own shadow. You've got to shape up, Yugi, and get your act in gear, or I'm gonna knock you out of this tournament." Mai advised.
"You don't understand! It's not about Kaiba!" Yami snapped back, before Pegasus snickered. As he did, Jill just stuck out both of her middle fingers in his direction, flipping him off.
'Go fuck yourself, Pegasus!' She thought, completely pissed.
"Well whatever's going on, it's boring." Mai rolled her eyes.
"I can't let you win, Mai!" Yami shot back.
"Let me win. Listen, hon, the way you've been playing today, I don't think there's a single thing you can do to stop me. I promised you an honorable duel, Yugi, and I thought you'd give me the saying. You ready to duel for real now? Are you gonna put your heart in it? Or are you going to punk out?" Mai taunted.
"I wish she'd zip it! Mai is even more obnoxious when she's winning!" Tristan growled.
"Yugi, don't let her psyche you out, man! You just gotta ignore her!" Joey called out to Yugi.
"But didn't Mai promise an honorable duel?" Tea asked, a bit nervously, before she thought to herself.
'I don't think she's trying to psyche Yugi out. I think she's trying to help him out! Like she did last time!' She thought, before she remembered the time when Mai offered Yugi her star chips...
**Flashback**
"So you lost one match! Yugi, that doesn't mean that you can just give up! Whatever is going on in your head, just deal with it and move on!" Mai told Yugi, firmly.
**End of flashback**
'In her own weird way, Mai's just trying to help Yugi. She's been dreaming of this rematch, but she wants to face him at his best! Not like this!' Tea continued.
"Well?" Mai asked, patiently.
"Believe me, Mai, I'm giving all I can!" Yami answered, firmly.
'I want to believe him. Winning won't mean as much if he's not at the top of his game. But he just seems so distracted.' Mai thought to herself, in observation.
"I promise you, Mai, I'm not about to lose this duel. Now, make your next move." Yami said, coolly.
'Hm. Maybe he's right. Maybe I am making too much of this. I really do hope that's the case, Yugi. On defeating you, it will be no fun at all.' Mai thought again, before she pulled out her card.
'Yugi thinks I'll send Harpy Lady to attack Summoned Skull. That's why he's playing the other card facedown. It has to be a trap.' She continued, before she looked up to face Yami and spoke out loud.
"No attack this time! Instead I'm gonna sweep your trap away. With Harpy's Feather Duster!" She announced, just as she placed the card down in front of herself. Yami was shocked as hell! Then the Harpy's Feather Duster suddenly appeared on the Harpy's back!
"The hidden card I've played was the Spell-binding Circle. If you have declared an attack, your Harpy would have been snared in the trap. Very clever of you, Mai." Yami remarked.
"I do appreciate the compliment. Keep your eyes on me, Yugi. I might teach you a thing or two." Mai replied, scoffing.
'Mai still has that Mirrow Wall in play. I can't attack without my monsters' power being cut in half. I need to alter my strategy.' Yami thought to himself tensely, before he turned the card over.
"I'll switch Skull to defense mode!" He announced, before Summoned Skull went to defense mode.
"And to finish my move, I'll also play the Feral Imp in defense!" He added, before he drew.
"Not much else you can't do, is there, Yugi? Since I've left you no way to attack. My turn now. I play Rose Whip to raise my monsters attack powers." Mai taunted, before Harpy Lady appeared to be holding the whip.
'She keeps powering Harpy Lady in hiding behind that Mirror Wall as a shield!' Yami thought to himself, tensely.
'Let me help you, Yugi. We can defeat her together!' Yami pleaded to Yugi, desperately.
"Now your Imp's gonna feel my Harpy Lady's sting! Whiplash attack!" Mai announced, before the Harpy Lady whipped the imp! Yami just growled.
"That's nothing, Yugi. Stick around, the fun's just beginning." Mai taunted.
"Looks like Mai's really got Yugi rattled." Tristan remarked.
"Watch it, Yug! Mai is gonna try to multiply her Harpy Lady next! Don't let her!" Joey warned.
"Yugi! Don't give up!" Tea called out, just before Jill stepped in.
"We believe in you, Yugi!" She called out.
"I've got to turn this around." Yami commented, before he thought to himself tensely.
'But how? Mai's playing brilliantly while my intention is divided.'
"You promised you'd try harder, Yugi, but I see now that's not gonna happen." Mai taunted, before she pulled out her card.
"What have we here?" She asked herself, before she realized which card she was holding and grinned.
"Well, with this card my Harpy combo won't be quite complete, but it'll give me more than enough power to vaporize that grungy old skull. Allow me to introduce the ever faithful servant of Harpy Lady!" She announced, just before her next monster appeared on the field.
"What is that?!" Yugi exclaimed, in disbelief.
"Harpy's oh-so-cuddly pet dragon, sweet as a kitten, isn't he?" Mai answered, coolly.
"Doesn't look so cuddly." Jill remarked, under her breath.
"Well, sweet as a fire-breathing kitty can be, and he gets 300 more attack points just by sitting here as master. Now, blast that skull to ashes! Fearsome fire blast!" Mai commanded her monster, before it breathed its fire on the Summoned Skull!
"No!" Yami exclaimed, before Summoned Skull disappeared!
"My Summoned Skull!" He exclaimed, in disbelief.
Mai just chuckled and said, "I told you, you've got to concentrate if you're going to stand a chance against me. Why are you playing so poorly, Yugi? I've got you on the ropes and you're barely putting up a fight."
Yami was surprised at what Mai was saying!
"I want to duel you at your best, but there's only so far I'm willing to go. You know, I remembered Joey once asked me an important question about why I duel. The answer I gave him was frivolous, but honest. Can you answer the question, Yugi?"
"I'm dueling for my grandfather." Yami answered, simply.
"Hey! He's got a heck of a lot better answer than you did, Mai! Listen, me and Yugi aren't just dueling for ourselves, you know!" Joey stepped in.
"Well, that's what you say. But tell me, could it be your motives aren't entirely unselfish?" Mai asked, coolly.
"Huh? What are you saying, Mai? That maybe we should be more like you? Well, I guess we can do that!" Joey replied sarcastically, before he folded his arms across his chest and mocked Mai.

"I'm gorgeous! I'm such a great Duelist! I love me! How's that?"
"Way to impress a woman, Joey." Jill remarked, sarcastically.
"You are such a twit." Mai rolled her eyes, which made Joey startled. Jill just snickered to herself.
"Joey, can't you see I'm trying to be serious?" Mai asked, seriously.
"Now I can see you're trying to seriously mess with Yugi's head, and you're making me and everybody crazy and dizzy and--" Before Joey could continue, he suddenly almost fell forward, causing everyone to startle and they all quickly grabbed Joey and pulled him back up.
"Jesus, Joey! What's wrong with you?!" Jill snapped.
"Will you control yourself?!" Tea snapped as well.
Mai just scoffed and thought to herself, 'You're wrong, Joey. I'm not trying to confuse Yugi, and you're off-kilter enough without any help from me. Something's happened to Yugi, and he'll need more than his friendship with you to snap him out of it. There's only so much I can do. I may admire Yugi, but I'm still determined to win this duel.'
Yami trembled as he thought to himself, 'Mai's right about one thing, I can't afford to be distracted now! Winning this duel is all that matters.'
Then he pulled out his next card and he became very determined!
'Yes! The Dark Magician! This card would definitely be powerful enough to defeat Harpy's Pet Dragon! If I could attack, but I can't. Not while Mai's Mirror Wall trap card is still in play. I need another tactic. Wait! I know! I'll match her trap for trap!'
Then he placed his card down in front of himself and announced, "I'll lay one card face down, and then form Dark Magician in defense mode!"
Then the Dark Magician appeared on the field.
"That ends my turn." He stated, before he thought to himself while smirking.
'Come on, Mai, attack! I've matched your Mirror Wall with the card called Mirror Force! All your monsters will be destroyed!'
"Now it's my turn." Mai announced, before she pulled out her card, and smirked.
'This card will nearly complete my Harpy combo.' She thought, before she spoke out loud.
"Whatever trap you set for me, Yugi, just became useless." Mai taunted, before she drew her card.
"I play the accessory card, Shadow of Eyes!"
"Huh? The Shadow of Eyes?" Yami asked, confusedly.
"Watch the arena. I really don't think you're gonna like this at all." Mai taunted, before Dark Magician suddenly went to attack mode!
"What is this? My Dark Magician is switching to attack mode?" Yami exclaimed, in disbelief.
"That's right! That's the magic of Shadow of Eyes! It exudes an irresistible force that can lure even the mightiest monsters into battle." Mai answered coolly, which made Yami pissed!
"Mai's trying to force Yugi into attacking!" Joey exclaimed.
"That means that throwing monsters in defense mode is useless too!" Tristan observed.
"So what are you waiting for, Dark Magician? Attack Harpy Lady!" Mai commanded Dark Magician, before it went to attack, but Harpy Lady was protected by the Mirror Wall! Dark Magician's life points went down to 1250, and Yami snarled in anger!
"And I know that you've played a trap card. So Harpy's feather duster, give him a dusting off!" Mai commanded, before Harpy Lady broke Dark Magician's trap!
'No! She eliminated my Mirror Force card!' Yami thought, completely shocked.
"Now to blow some extra smoke your way: Dragon, fearsome fire blast!" Mai commanded her monster, before it breathed its fire on the Dark Magician, and Dark Magician disappeared for good! Yami snarled as his life points went down to 300!
Mai just smirked in satisfaction, "You don't even have your favorite card, the Dark Magician left. What are you gonna do now?"
"Yeah, what is Yugi gonna do now?" Joey asked, in agreement.
"Yugi! You can still turn this around! I know you can!" Tea called out, pleadingly.
"Uh, yeah, it only looks hopeless." Joey replied, a little uneasily.
'I can't lose this match!' Yami thought, before he pleaded to Yugi once again.
'Yugi, let me help you! If you continue to hold me back, everybody loses!'