1Writer's block was hell. Here it is finally
Special thanks to friends, you know who you are!
Tori laid in bed, computer beside him opened on video chat and a small stress relief ball in his hands. He kept tossing the ball in the air and catching it while listening to his friend's update on their life back in the states. Well, he was only half listening. The events of yesterday was still bothering him, it wasn't the questionable teaching methods. It was how secretive he was, heck earlier that morning, when he questioned his teacher about why Kaiba addressed him as 'Mutou' he shifted to their appointment. A walk in the park later today for another lesson.
"Tori? Are we boring you?" Jason asked, snapping Tori back to the present.
"No, I just have a lot on my mind." Tori replied with a soft tone.
"Do we need to come down and kick someone's ass?"
"No Jay, but my mind is on someone." Tori sat up and tossed the ball at the bedroom door. "It's my teacher, Yami? The guy I told you about in my email?"
Kevin spoke up. "I swear on my Skull Dice, if you say the words 'I think I'm falling for him' I am hopping on the first plane to Domino."
"Shut up, I barely even know him! No, what's bothering me is he has more secrets surrounding him than freaking Atlantis! No matter what I ask him he tenses up or avoids the question all together!" Tori got up to pace around. "I even tried to confront him about this and he changes the topic like I never even asked him."
"Okay, as someone who deals with the weird since high school. Atlantis doesn't have THAT many secrets surrounding it. Actually, this professor, Hawkins? He actually-"
"Now is not the time to go on about your eighth wonder conspiracies, Kevin!" Jason scolded. "As for your problem Tori, I say the subtle route is over. Be blunt."
"That's going to get him to drop me as his student off the bat. I am so not losing a teacher."
Tori glanced at the wall clock and sighed
"Hey guys, I have to get going. It's almost time for me to meet up for another Duel Monsters 101 with Yami."
"Have fun in class." Kevin teased.
"Be sure to bring an apple for your teacher." Jason laughed.
Tori shook his head and exited out of the chat before turning his computer off. He grabbed his wallet and deck case before heading out again. Leaving his room and heading down the stairs, he passed by an open room. His father worked from at home mostly while his mother was at the university teaching away.
"Hey, Dad? I'm heading out to meet my teacher."
His father nodded and looked up. "Call if you're staying late."
"It wasn't our fault we lost track of time."
"I mean it, Tori."
"Alright, I'll call if something like that happens again." Tori rolled his eyes and left the house. Still the same protective father, that's never going to change either. Returning to the afternoon sunlight, Tori closed his eyes and took a breath of air, the hot muggy air was enough to make it hard to breath. It was one of the hottest days of the summer, this was going to be hell on earth. Ice cream had better be involved in the lesson. Biting his lips, he returned back inside to get a water bottle; there was no way he was going to pass out from heatstroke.
"Right on time, well more like five minutes early. But hey, you made it on time."
And there was the comment. Tori shook his head and made his way to the bench where his teacher was.
"Yeah, Well, I didn't need another 'be on time' lecture. So I left earlier."
"Good." Yami stood up. "Come, we don't want to keep our opponents waiting."
"A duel already?"
"Yes. You know the spells and their effects, which now I'm more surprised you didn't catch the mistake I made in our first duel."
"Mistake?" Tori looked up at him. "What mistake?"
"De-Spell, it doesn't stop Dark Hole's effect." Yami pointed out. "You would have won and turn the duel around."
"Wait seriously? What the hell then!?"
"Technically that was your first lesson. Observing the playing field, your opponent may try to cheat you out of victory." Yami shrugged. "But, this duel is going to be different. You are going to be expected to pay attention to the field, but you and I are going to be working together on this one. The rest will be explained later."
A tag team duel. That alone should be an interesting lesson due to the fact it was a game of surprises. Different deck type working together and different plays balancing each other out. Since his partner was a man who taught Katsuya Jonouchi, so he would be working with a powerful deck alongside his own novice structure one. The outcome is bound to work in their favor. The idea of them dueling side by side just made him grin.
"Someone's lookin' confident" came an amused tone.
"He takes after his teacher." Yami informed. "I suppose it's what I get from being around you too long."
"Hey!"
Tori snapped back and looked over to where his teacher was. Standing beside him was a man with brown hair styled in a point, no idea who he was. But beside the brunet was-
"Katsuya Jonouchi." Tori breathed in awe.
Yami just smiled. "Told you I'd be able to get him here. Jonouchi is not only my student, but also a good friend of mine."
"So you're the mysterious Tori Yami told me about." The blond walked over and held his hand out. "Nice to meet ya in person. I look forward to helping with your lesson of the day. Of course, don't think I'll go easy on ya."
"I don't expect you too." Tori shook his hand. "This is...Wow, I mean you're one of the big name duelists and ...you're here helping a newbie."
Jonouchi just laughed. "Ah come off it, I'd help ya out even if you were a champion! So, are we going to start this tag team duel or what?"
"Impatient as ever, Jonouchi." Yami smiled. "It will be Tori and I, versus you and Honda. Though I do have some rules to make this a little interesting and challenging." he tilted his shades forward a bit, letting his violet eyes stare the group down. "Such as; absolutely no communication of any sort with your partner. No sign language, no Morse code, nothing. No communication between you what so ever."
"Yami, you're joking right?" Jonouchi paled. "I mean how are we going to know what the other is thinking-"
"That's the point of the exercise, Jou, There's going to be duels where you need to rely on trusting your teammate." He took out his deck and smiled. "Now, let's get this duel underway, shall we?"
The group nodded and made their way to a shaded bench area. Hearts were pounding in anticipation as the decks were shuffled. Each duelist drew their five cards, Tori glanced to each of them; his partner and teacher held a calm poker face, Jonouchi had a small grin, and Honda? Well he was hard to read in general. Tori looked down at his hand and smiled slightly; talk about luck of the draw! Dark Magician of Chaos, Call of the Haunted, Card Destruction, Mirror Force and Queen's Knight. This was perfect, and depending on what he drew could help start things off with a bang.
"Tori, as the new duelist. Why don't you start things off?" Yami said, not even looking from his cards.
"Of course." Tori drew and smiled. Black Pendent!
"Alright, to start things off, I summon the Queen's Knight in attack mode, then as a bonus I'll give her the black pendent and boost her up to 2000 attack points!" He smiled. "Then I'll play two cards face down and end my turn."
Jonouchi grinned, "Already starting things off with a bang huh kiddo?" he smiled and drew. "I think I'll do the same. I summon Axe Raider in attack mode, and like you I'll put a card face down."
"Somehow I'm not remotely surprised you two are going to start us strong." Yami chuckled. "But, I think I'll just play two cards face down and that's it."
"Callin' forth the Cyber Commander!" Honda slapped the card in defense mode. "Come and get us."
Tori rubbed his forehead. So far the duel was one thing after another. The teams life points stood with Jonouchi and Honda at 5200 whereas he and Yami had 4800, the odds weren't really looking in their favor. The field wasn't looking so good either, Jonouchi had Jinzo that can demolish any and all traps, Honda was wide open with a face down, Yami had his Dark Magician, and him? He had Magician's Valkyria. There was a way to get rid of that mechanic menace, and he and the spell in his had. Black Magic Ritual, he could sacrifice the two magicians and take Jinzo down once and for all. True he had the face down to worry about, but would it really be okay to take his teacher's monster to the grave?
"Tori, I may be breaking a rule here but, if you have something you believe is going to work. Use it. I trust you."
"But Yami-"
"The point of a tag duel is to trust your partner, and I trust you. Use whatever you believe is going to turn this duel around."
Tori nodded once and turned back to the field. "I play the Black Magic Ritual, by sacrificing our magicians I can bring forth the Magician of Black Chaos to the field!"
"If I may Tori, I think he'll do better with a little power up from the Book of Secret Arts, giving him the extra three hundred points."
Jonouchi paled a little. "3100 attack points?!"
"Oh you know it, Jonouchi. Say good bye to Jinzo!"
4500 for team Jonouchi and Honda, 4800 for team Yami and Tori.
The young duelist had a triumphant smile on his face, Jonouchi and Honda were looking at their cards flustered and nervous. Honda looked to his partner.
"Don't suppose you have another Time Wizard?"
"No, but I have something better." Jonouchi grinned, "I'll play this magic card face down and end my turn. Your turn Yami."
"Somehow, I know what you're planning." Yami shrugged. "I simply pass my turn."
"Seriously?" Honda drew his card and looked at it. I think I'll bring back Machine King from the graveyard with monster reborn!"
But that card was weak. Tori raised an eyebrow and looked to his teacher, he just simply passed and with nothing to defend him Honda could declare an attack! Yami on the other hand just sat there with a calm expression beneath his shades, he tilted his head to Tori and just shook his head no. No? No what?
"I think I'll just end my turn." Honda leaned back.
"You made the mistake of not attacking." Tori pointed out. "Magician of Black Chaos, attack the Machine King!"
"Thanks kid! You activated my spell, Roulette Spider!" Jonouchi flipped his spell. "Here's the thing, one in six chances where you either succeed in your attack on the machine king, attacking one of us directly, or destroying your own life points." He held his hand out with the die in his hand. "Go ahead and roll kiddo, see what Lady Fate has in store for ya!"
Tori paled and accepted the die, he shook it and looked to Yami for silent support before rolling, he needed an even number of some kind if he wanted to keep their life points! Yami watched as the die danced before landing on a two.
"Lucky roll, a direct attack." Yami mused.
1400 for Jonouchi's team.
"However, you were still reckless." Yami scolded.
Tori just flinched and looked away; Jonouchi laid a card face down, Yami summoned Alpha the Magnet warrior, used a spell to rid the face down and attack Jounochi directly. The game was over. After everyone picked up their cards, they walked off to the nearest ice cream stand. The walk was quiet save for Jonouchi giving Tori some tips and pointers for future duels as well as card recommendations to help make his monsters a little stronger or to give his deck an extra punch! Yami just had a faint smile as his friend was helping his student, they were of kinder spirits the way they played.
"Right, uh Yami?" Tori called.
"Yes Tori?"
"About the duel, and the play I made-"
"Don't worry about it, that's just another lesson to take in. Understanding subtle tips from your teammate." Yami took his wallet out. "My treat tonight boys."
"YES! FREE FOOD!" Jonouchi cheered
"This is why you're my best friend, Yug!" Honda cheered as he held onto Yami.
Tori just stared, "Wait a damn minute..." he stared at his teacher with wide eye. "My teacher is Yugi Mutou!?"
"Whoops?" Honda paled. "Right, that was suppose to be a secret."
"Nice goin' blockhead." Jonouchi smacked Honda upside the head.
Yugi sighed and removed the shades and undid his hair tie, ruffling it to stand on its points again. "I was hoping to have you find out at the New Year's tourney."