King of Duelists – Chapter Three

"Fine. You keep summoning Yugi's annoying brat-pack, but you forget Seto has friends of his own!" Blue-Eyes declared. He placed a new duelist card down and Mokuba appeared on the field. "Mokuba gains an additional five hundred points whenever he listens to his older brother's 'Intimidating Monologue', as long as it's not directed toward him, that is, and as you know your wretched Yugi is the target this time!"

Dark Magician merely crossed his arms and smirked faintly. The Dragon sneezed again, turning black all over, becoming a Blue-Eyes Black Dragon. With green clovers and yellow moons. (Apologies to Lucky Charms, of course!)

"Seto's 'Intimidating Monologue' is fully charged. Attack, my duelist! Crush Yugi's idiotic optimism and win this duel!"

Seto advanced toward Yugi, sneering and haranguing him for being weak and useless. Despite the bolstering effects of Téa's 'Fluffy Bunny Friendship Speech - Level Two' and Joey's 'Inspiring Monologue', Dark Magician knew that Seto's attack was affecting Yugi. Trusting in the heart of his cards (well, duelists) the Purple Prestidigitator did nothing.

Joey jumped forward, poked his finger at Seto's chest, and started yelling in the Supreme Kaiba's face for picking on Yugi. After challenging Seto to pick on someone his own size, Blue's duelist did just that, shoving Wheeler away hard enough to send him sprawling in the dust, before stalking back toward his side of the field, muttering about wasting a perfectly good 'Intimidating Monologue' on a second-rate, hack duelist like Wheeler. Mokuba's special effect 'Little Brother Hero Worship' automatically began, as he started to sooth Seto's irritation at having his attack misdirected.

"Grr!" Blue grumbled before selecting two cards and placing them face-down on the field. "It's your turn." He sneezed again and turned bright pink. Oddly coordinating red and white roses dotted his bubblegum-colored hide. The unrepentant magician was hard pressed not to laugh at his scaly opponent.

"Excellent," Dark Magician said. He merely watched as a new duelist (well, in this story, that's his official term) appeared on the field. Tristan, summoned by the special effect created by having both Téa and Joey in play at the same time reached a hand down to help Joey to his feet, applying a noogie along the way. Both Joey and Tristan pushed and shoved each other playfully as the returned to their assigned positions protecting Yugi from a direct attack.

Meanwhile, Téa's 'Fluffy Bunny Friendship Speech' advanced to its third and final level. Joey forgot all about getting tossed on his backside by Seto, Yugi's smile tried to rival the gleam of the sun and Tristan stood just a little apart (so he could look at everyone at once) crossed his arms and nodded in a self-satisfied way. Level Three was so powerful that even Mokuba looked up into Seto's face with a hopeful light in his eyes. If only Seto could be more friendly, if only he weren't so strict and hard on himself -- Mokuba's expression dimmed, for he could see that Seto was truly immune to the effects of Téa's speech. He fisted his hands, pushed his own reaction to Téa's speech aside in imitation of his big brother's willpower, and stepped closer to the seething tower of irritation Seto Kaiba had become. In front of the Dragon, one of the face-down cards turned over. 'Brothers' Bond' inspired Mokuba to start praising Seto and taunting the others for not realizing what a great man his big brother was.

Téa's Speech faltered, just a bit, as did Joey's Inspiring Monologue. Tristan jumped in to fill the gap created by their hesitation (for really, all of them rather liked Mokuba, despite how awful his big brother was) with his 'Snarky Support Dude Discourse' that was somewhat weaker than both Téa's Fluffy Bunny Friendship Speech (of any level) or Joey's Inspiring Monologue. It did have the effect of advancing Joey's monologue to the next level where Joey's wild claims about Yugi's dueling skill made the quiet boy blush a bit and start demurring at the string of non-stop (and somewhat ridiculous) compliments. Tristan's 'Snarky Support Dude Discourse' as usual, consisted of short, usually humorous zings more often than not aimed at Joey. In and of itself, the Discourse was weak, but when added to Joey's Monologue, now Level Two, it had the effect of counteracting 'Mokuba's Taunting'.

"Now that all three of Yugi's friends are on the field, I can play this card," Dark Magician said, speaking loudly to be heard over the din of three of his duelists talking all at once. He placed a card face up in his magic section. "'Burger World Dollar Day Feast' gives me two hundred and fifty life points for each duelist on my side of the field. That's one thousand points, Blue," the Magician patted the Dragon's tail kindly again as his duelists cried out in delight and began to eat the massive mound of burgers, fries and sodas that appeared floating before them.

"I hope they choke," the Blue-Eyes White Dragon muttered crossly. "I had you this game!"

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Author's notes -

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