FicWad

Duel Deck

Card 23: Ode to the Spell Checker

"This is great," the director watched the duelists getting ready to start filming. It was a Duel Monsters fantasy film, inspired by the monsters that were seen around the city a few months ago. Seto Kaiba was leaving to throw another tournament, KC Grand Pix or something like that. The director had been very lucky to get him to participate in this film.

The camera crew gathered around, making the final checks on the equipment. Security kept the many fan girls under control and away from the stars of the movie. In this movie Seto would play the villain and Yugi's mission was to stop him from taking over the world.

It was a strange habit of this particular director to film the ending first, which took place at Kaiba Land, or as it was known in the movie Kaiba's Evil Lair. They could have closed Kaiba Land for the day, but Seto didn't want to miss a day of profits, besides he would get more publicity this way.

"Quiet on the set!" The director yelled. "Now lets get ready to film the final scene with Yugi's heroic speech!"

That classic board with the numbers was held in front of the camera. "Yugi's heroic speech, take one!"

"Lights, camera, action!" The director excitedly called.

"I will not let you take over the world! The people of Earth have given me a mission, I shall accomplish that mission and my mission is," Yugi made a dramatic pose while reading from some charts with his lines.

"Cut!" The director yelled. "Yugi baby, put more emotion into it, like you do when you duel!"

"Hey Yugi, maybe I can help," Yami offered talking to Yugi on their mind link.

"Alright, you can do this scene," Yugi mentally answered.

The classic board with the numbers was held in front of the camera again. "Yugi's heroic speech, take two!"

"Lights, camera, action!" The director called once again.

The millennium puzzle glowed as Yami took over and read Yugi's lines from the charts. "I will not let you take over the world! The people of Earth have given me a mission, I shall accomplish that mission and my mission is," Yami made a dramatic pose, "to strip you!"

All the fan girls who were watching the movie being made began to cheer and clap. Seto just stared wide eyed. "That wasn't in my contract! You're fired!" Seto pointed at the director, even if he didn't work for him. Security dragged the director away and threw him out. "The movie thing is off, everybody out, except the paying customers that is."

"Aw!" Needless to say, the fan girls were not happy, so Seto had to be escorted out of Kaiba Land by twenty-seven body guards, and taken to safety in his helicopter.

Later the director, who not only directed but also wrote the script, was returning home to Hollywood very frustrated. He first thought it was the fault of the one who made the charts, but it was actually his fault. No, it wasn't his fault; it was the spell checker's fault!

Originally, Yugi was to say, "I will not let you take over the world! The people of Earth have given me a mission, I shall accomplish that mission and my mission is to stop you!" However, the poor unfortunate director later realized that he had typoed "stop" as "strp" and the spell checker changed it to "strip".

The Spell Checker can be a double bladed weapon sometimes, but where would we be without it?

Card 24: Special Delivery

Seto Point of View

The truth is that I've never tasted it, but I heard it's very good. It's not that I don't have access to it, I practically run this city. That's why when I wanted to throw my Battle City tournament no one objected to me using the entire city as the battle field. People dueled everywhere in the city, even in the middle of roads and the police could do nothing but redirect the traffic. This city is mine. I control everything here, everything except this. I have access to it, but I'm not in control. The reason is simple: Mokuba.

I planned to tell my little brother of the situation. About how it felt to be so close, to have the thing I want most in my hand, but not be able to taste it. Of course I backed out before I actually told him. I just can't give my little brother such a disappointment. He looks up to me, everyone does, or they should. I can't do a thing like this to Mokuba, they'll all know. So I have decided to do this in secret.

I've taken every possibility into consideration. Mokuba will never know, no one will. My little brother will be sound asleep when I leave to pick up the package and I'll be back before he wakes up. The meeting will take place in a random alley of Domino city where no one would expect to find Seto Kaiba. It's already midnight and I said I would be there at twelve thirty so I better be on my way.

xoxox xox xoxox

Sneaking out of my mansion unnoticed was easy. I don't want to make any noise so I'll go on foot; it's not too far anyway. A few unknown people walk around the streets of Domino, probably planning to party all night. There's no one around I know, but even if there was, they won't know I'm here, I'm a ninja moving in the shadows. I hurry into the alley, if I'm late the deal will be off and he won't give me another chance to buy. He was very clear when he said it.

I keep walking into the darkness of the alley and spot him in a corner. "Do you have it?" I ask, trying not to show I'm a little nervous.

"Yes," He replied quietly as he hands me a brown paper bag and at the same time I hand him the money.

"Don't tell anyone," I insist before he runs off. I go deeper into the alley and look around to make sure no one followed me. I open up the bag and stare at the merchandise for a moment. I can't believe I finally have it.

All the stores in which this is sold are closed at this hour and if I get it during the day, Mokuba will always somehow find out. Tonight I finally did it. I got Yami to buy this and keep it safe until I came for it, that way Mokuba will never know. I take the bag of Oreo cookies out of the paper bag, open it and eat an entire cookie, this feels so good.

I take another cookie and lick the cream off before eating it too. I've never had the chance to taste the cream side before. Mokuba always showed up when I was about to eat Oreos and asked if he could have half the cookies and of course he always wanted the cream side. Now I feel a little guilty about eating cookies without him, but it was the only way I could taste the cream side, just this once.

End of Seto's POV

As Yami entered the Game Shop, Yugi turned on the lights. "Where did you go so late?" The hikari asked.

The yami knew his story was farfetched, but he tried to explain anyway. "Would you believe me if I told you Kaiba offered to pay me a thousand dollars if I delivered some cookies to him in an alley at thirty minutes past midnight?"

Card 25: Mirror Image

There was a cold feeling all over his body as his leaned against the smooth surface of the large mirror. It was so cold, yet so relaxing, just sitting on the floor next to the mirror when his little brother was away. When Mokuba was there, he could only catch small glances at the mirror, but now that Mokuba was somewhere with his friends for the afternoon, they could be alone. The younger Kaiba had left quite angry because Seto preferred to stay and work than to go with him and his friends to the movies. Little did he know how powerful his words could really be.

"I'm cold... Hug me" He moved slowly to the side, resting his face against the mirror. It was cold, so very cold, yet it felt warm and safe at the same time.

"Don't leave," He placed his hand on the mirror touching his reflection's face.

"Why are you sad? I'm right here for you." He willed the reflected image to smile.

"We have very little time to ourselves, I want you to be happy," he told his reflection and pressed his body against the mirror's surface, wishing he would fall into the other side, into the arms of the only one he could truly trust.

"You're the only one who cares for me." He closed his eyes and wished with all his heart, which contrary to what most believed he did have, that the one in the mirror would come to him.

"You're the only one who doesn't ask anything of me but takes me as I am." Memories randomly surfaced in his head from all the times he was asked to be someone other than himself.

"Why can't I be like you? You're just Seto..." He opened his eyes to see a pair of blue eyes staring back at him.

"You're not the CEO of a major corporation, you're not the one in charge of Kaiba Corp. and you're not the one that will be blamed if it ever was to fall, you're just Seto and that's enough." It was too much pressure, too much perfection to achieve.

"You're not a big brother, you're just Seto. Why do I fear him? Why do I fear letting Mokuba down to the point where it's best to avoid him?"

"Why can't I be more like you? Why can't I just be Seto and let that be enough?" He cared for his brother very much, yet he feared he wasn't a good enough brother for him.

"Why can't I be like you? Why can't I be your mirror image?" He wasn't just Seto, he was so much more, yet he felt like so much less.

He stepped away from the mirror. The young man staring back at him showed a hint of superiority mixed with disgust and pity. "Love me, please don't pity me..."

The image glared at him. "Don't hate me... please."

He stepped closer to the mirror again whispering to the image. "If you hate me too, then I can truly say that everyone in the world does, because you are the only one left. But I know you can't hate me."

The image appeared to look down upon him as if he were just an inferior creature. "You think you could be a better brother than me?" Being Mokuba's brother was the reason he lived for, yet he felt like he always did worse every day.

"I'll get out of your way." He would no longer be a brother. Mokuba had someone better now, so there was no use for him now. There was no reason for him to stay.

xoxox xox xoxox

"Seto!" Mokuba's voice echoed all over the large empty mansion. "Seto, I'm sorry about what I said!" He ran up the stairs as cold chills ran down his spine. "You are a great big brother, the best I could ever have!" There was a painful feeling in his heart.

"Seto?" What the mirror reflected was the one thing that Mokuba would desperately try to erase from his mind, yet he could never forget the nightmare.

Card 26: Understanding

Seto Point of View

Sometimes I wonder if there's someone out there that can understand me. Sometimes I wish there was. That day like any other day I went on with my seemingly perfect life that isn't so perfect. That day I thought would be like any other day, but for once I'm actually happy to admit I was wrong. Because that day was different, that day I found you.

It happened as a complete accident. I wasn't looking for you because I didn't think you were out there, but you were and that day I found you. At first I didn't recognize you, but then the truth hit me. I know who you are. How could I not know the second I read it? I guess I just wanted to give it more thought, just to be sure. Yes, I know who you are, you're the one I wished for.

That day like any other day I went to work, yelled at my employees and spent all morning typing. That's when it happened. I was typing when the power went out because lightening had crashed near by. It was a very stormy day. My computer screen froze, or so I thought. I hit random keys almost unconsciously, trying to get some reaction from the computer.

Soon enough the computer worked again, but the keys that I unconsciously hit brought me to a search engine. The words I randomly typed where things that I thought only I could understand and I didn't even realize I typed them. I hope I hasn't spaced out and accidentally typed anything too personal on a company document. It's not like me to get so distracted, but lately things have been too stressing, even for me.

I read a little of what was written in the search results. It looked like it was someone's blog. I never type my life for everyone to read, but I wonder if I should type it, then I won't get the sudden urge to type everything out of my system when I'm working. No one needs to know I'm the one who wrote that, maybe I'll consider this option.

I can't help it but to click on a specific link, the description feels so familiar somehow. It seams like the search engine used part of the latest entry in the description as it is the first text that appears on the page.

I read, "does anyone know how much energy it takes to pretend to be perfect all the time? Then I wonder why do I do it? Is it that I care? No. Is it that I want to become what I pretend to be? Certainly not. Is it that I don't have a choice? Maybe. Thinking of things I come to the conclusion that I have nothing to pretend for, or rather no one. That's okay I've always said I don't need anyone, but then why keep up appearances?"

This person, who ever it is, asks the same question I ask myself. At the same time whoever this may be, brings my answer. I go on because of Mokuba. I let people think I'm perfect because I don't want to disappoint him. I don't blame him, not at all. I blame myself for getting myself trapped in this situation.

It keeps unwanted attention away. If you're relaxed, you're irresponsible. If you have your own way of making priorities instead of mindlessly following the crowd, you're insensitive. If you want to be happy and try to be, you're selfish. If you're life doesn't go a certain way, you're wasting it, even if that's how you truly wanted it to be. But you know what? If it doesn't go your way then you really are wasting it. In short, if you're different, you have a problem.

People always criticize what they know nothing of. Always making assumptions and stereotypes and using generalizations with everyone around them, without first looking at themselves.

You know what I think? Being 'someone' isn't important and people liking you isn't important. Why should I care? I don't. I pretend so I can keep them away, until the day I can escape this world ruled by the mindless majority. I don't fit in, nor do I want to. Just because the majority does something, it doesn't make it right, and just because only a few people do something, it doesn't make it wrong. I hate hypocrites.

By now I should have stopped wasting my time and continued working, but I can't stop reading. Sometimes I wish there was someone out there that could understand, but I don't really care if there is. I hide more secrets than they think. The one they see is an act to keep their questions away. Different means bad to them I guess, but that's a lie.

I'm almost done reading the entry and somehow want to read more. "Let your life flow how you want it to." That last sentence is so simple, yet it holds so much meaning. This makes me want to read more and I do so.

After reading several entries I've found that there really is someone out there that understands. First there was the occasional email that came more and more often. We're different in some ways and the same in others, a good balance.

You understood me in a way different from what anyone understood before. Whoever you are, I had to find you beyond the virtual world. Tracking the computer used to post this site was easy, given the fact that I have the best technology in the world.

You, like I did, kept things to yourself except you left a clue out there in the virtual world of the internet for someone to find you. I'm glad you left that clue out there, because now you're not out there anymore. You are here, with me.

End POV

Card 27: Cleaning the Closet

"I can't believe she left," Joey muttered under his breath, as he tried to pull himself free from all the random junk that occupied most of his room and specially the area in front of his closet. The closet had two doors, one of which was stuck, it didn't matter anyway, if it stayed stuck it could hold in all the random objects in that corner, besides opening one of the doors was enough to reach in and place any other things that needed to be stored in there.

Joey kept his clothes in drawers due to the risk of losing them in the closet, but he never worried about cleaning it, nor did the thought occur to him that it might eventually run out of space.

Today that poor abused closet door had finally become unstuck as Joey placed a lonely shoe in the closet. He had lost the shoe's companion and after searching for about an hour initially, then putting the shoe down and trying to recover it's companion for another hour again a week later, Joey gave up on his one man rescue team and was about to sacrifice the lonely shoe to the Shadow Realm aka his closet.

Joey didn't want to throw the single shoe away, in case its missing sibling showed up. It would appear that the shoe was the thing that finally caused a chain reaction, making the contents of the closet fall like an avalanche, pushing the formerly stuck door open and falling on Joey, burying him alive.

Serenity had come running when she heard the tremendous noise. Now the siblings lived in an apartment in Domino city by themselves. Serenity always kept the rest of the apartment clean, neat and organized, but she never ventured into Joey's room. Not even Serenity knew for sure if she avoided her brother's room out of respect for his privacy, or simply because deep down she feared that she might find some kind of mutant garbage monster in there, that would try to eat her alive.

Either way, the smell which Joey had somehow grown accustomed to and didn't notice any more, was very uninviting to Serenity. She had told him there and then that he had to clean his room, then she turned around and left to buy some groceries, assuring her brother that she expected the room to be clean on her return.

It might sound uncharacteristic of Serenity, but no matter how patient and calm one is, it eventually runs out. She did, however, ask for Joey to clean in the most polite way possible, without losing the firmness or urgency of the request.

Joey attempted to get his legs free of whatever they where stuck in, he was waist deep in random junk. How was he to clean this mess if Serenity left? Wasn't she going to help? She did clean the rest of the apartment by herself, but still it would be nice if she lend a hand anyway. He felt like he was sinking in quicksand. Soon he hit the bottom as he stepped on a banana peal, hidden beneath the many random items on the floor, and slipped falling into the mess, screaming out for help in the process.

"Let me give you a hand," a female voice was heard, but it wasn't his sister's voice. Joey looked up at the blond woman holding out her hand to him and before he could fully process what was happening, he took it, allowing her to help him stand up.

"Mai," Joey voiced, as her presence there sunk in, and his face turned red. He didn't know why, but somehow, he didn't feel comfortable with Mai knowing about his less than organized habits, he wanted to look good for her and this didn't look good.

"Let me help you out of there," Mai held his other hand as well to help Joey maintain his balance on the many random objects on the floor. He nodded letting her lead him away, still surprised that she showed up so suddenly in his room.

The truth was Joey had given Mai a copy of the apartment's key saying that she could come to visit any time she was in Domino city, but when several months passed and she didn't use that key even if she came to visit, so he thought she wouldn't be using it any time soon.

Mai had also ventured into the sea of random items to help Joey swim out and just as they were almost out, Joey stepped on something slippery, most likely another banana peal, and fell forward into Mai. She took several steps back keeping Joey and herself from falling, and just when it looked like they were about to regain their balance, she stepped on a baseball that had rolled out of the mess on the floor and fell back taking Joey with her.

For a moment they just laid there until Mai started laughing, until the laughter caught up with Joey as well. "You're hopeless," she shook her head, though her smile never left. "I was going to invite you to a movie, but it looks like you're busy."

"Yeah, well..." Joey had no idea what excuse he could give her for the state of his closet.

"How about tomorrow? If you're done cleaning," Mai offered.

Joey knew there would be no arguing with her and agreed. Needless to say, his closet was perfectly clean and organized the next day, and it remained that way, just in case. However, there was a lot that could be said about the mess under his bed.

Card 28: Running

The sun would soon set in more ways than one but of course he didn't know it at the time. He didn't realize what was to come until the very second it came, until it was too late. No strange feelings that morning. No unexplainable needs to visit Mokuba. No need what so ever to say things that had remained unsaid for most of his life. No need to plan Kaiba Corp.'s business deals for the next year or so. No need to duel one last duel, those where things that could be done later, tomorrow, or the day after that, because he had the time, right? He had his life ahead of him, right? That's what he always told himself.

Seto had been typing on his high tech computer like he always did. He always arrived at work early and no matter what, he was the CEO, and would always be for the rest of his life, no matter what anyone said. This was his place and it would be for the rest of his life. He thought about his life as he typed. Did he do everything he wanted to do? Certainly not, there were many things he wanted to do while he still lived, but did he do them? Did he even make plans for them? No, he just came to work everyday, workaholic to the end.

Many times people told him that he would die young if he kept being such a workaholic. Obviously he didn't believe it; he liked working, programming, building high tech stuff and all of that, virtual worlds, duel disks, everything high tech. He still liked dueling and playing chess and he would for the rest of his life. Suddenly and for no reason, he wished he had dueled more. He stopped typing and looked away from the computer screen. The office felt so empty now but why? Everything was very quiet, too quiet, it was almost eerie. Memories came as a wild flood that could not be stopped.

Seto shook his head, trying to make the images in his mind go away, maybe he really had overworked, a vacation would be good, the first vacation he ever took since he became the CEO of Kaiba Corp. Yes, he would go on vacation and when he came back everything would be back to normal. It would be the first time someone was left to run his corporation for an extended period of time without even contacting him, but the one he planned to leave in change was ready, he knew it, he was a Kaiba after all.

"What am I thinking?" Why was he suddenly planning to leave and not contact anyone? That wasn't his idea of a vacation, but somehow he felt like that was what would happen. His heart started beating faster and suddenly he felt like running out of his office and jumping on a jet that would take him to a far away place, as if this strange feeling he was getting could be outrun. It couldn't.

Despite his need to get away from whatever was after him, Seto did not move. The room felt so cold, but the air conditioner was off. He turned it off after he started feeling cold a while ago. Not a good sign. How could he have dismissed that as unimportant? He had never felt cold like that before, not even when he had the flu. In fact, he felt sleepy now.

Seto pushed the laptop computer to the corner of his desk after saving his work and turning it off. He laid his head on his arms on the desk. "I'm tired that's all," he said to himself. "I'll be okay," he tried to convince himself, but couldn't. Suddenly it felt like he ran a mile. Metaphorically speaking he did, he ran a race he couldn't win.

His heartbeat went back to normal and he caught his breath. He reached for the phone and began to dial, accepting destiny. He held the phone next to his ear and waited for an answer that took too long to come. The phone began to slip away as he lost grip on it. He let the phone fall and closed his eyes to rest. So cold, so tired...

The sun was setting and its last rays of light touched him by the glass window. He never paid attention to the sunset, but he wished he had. The view must have been good from his office at the top floor of the Kaiba Corp. building. He used to get annoyed when the sun touched his computer screen and reflected off it on his face, but now he didn't close the window like he normally would have.

"Hello?" The voice came from the phone to break the silence of the empty office. Seto Kaiba had ran away.

Card 29: Heartbroken (JoeyxMai)

Joey's Point of View

I run into the light of the sunset in the beach. I remember this place from when I was younger and I used to come here with my little sister. Those were days before I met the ones that are now my best friends, before I met her, before I was heartbroken.

Why did she have to do this? If she didn't like me, if she only wanted to be friends, she could have said so from he beginning. Why did she give me hopes of being something more when she knew all along she was going to let me fall? Those innocent dates as friends only turned into more than that. Why did she let it continue? Why didn't she stop things there and then and just told me? Why did she make me believe she loved me? Or maybe she didn't. Maybe I let my wishful thinking cloud my perception of the situation. Maybe I misinterpreted her friendship for something else. Maybe she wasn't the one sending mixed signals. Maybe I just wasn't listening like I should have. Now I'm heartbroken.

For some time I almost had all that I wanted. Almost, all that I needed to make my life complete was Mai. My sister is cured, I have friends; all I needed was that kind of love that comes from a couple. I wished that things would have worked out between us. That's all I needed for everything to be perfect, but I guess life just can't go my way. It's all a big disappointment, just when I thought things were going my way, something goes wrong. I never get to enjoy the good times enough, they never last long. I always have something to worry about, something to dread in the future near and far. I guess I shouldn't think too much about it. After al,l there's nothing I can do to solve it now. It's a problem without a solution and now I'm just heartbroken.

Sometimes I wish that we could have continued as we were, even if it was all a lie. We could have kept going on those dates as just friends. I would have hung on to the hopes of eventually becoming something more; I still have hopes even if they will never come true. It would have been better than nothing, better than what I have now. I wished that even if you didn't care you pretended that you did, or at least let things be so that I could believe that you did. You didn't have to announce your love to him in such a public place. I didn't need to find out. I don't want to know something that will only make me heartbroken.

Why can't we go back to those happy times? As I watch the sunset I remember the last time I was here. I was here with you that day, just the two of us. We spent the entire day together and had a picnic on the beach. Everything was just perfect. I almost told you how I felt that day, almost. I guess it's a good thing I didn't, since it might have been worse. But then again, it might have been better, because at least then I would have heard it from you instead of finding out for myself, instead of seeing it like I did. As much as I wish it wasn't so, I need to accept the truth. I need to accept the fact that Mai Valentine could never truly love Joey Wheeler as more than just a good friend. It's over, I shouldn't keep insisting when I know it does no good. I'll just have to stay heartbroken.

Yes, it's true, it's over now. I guess that's what I get for getting my hopes up. I should have known from the beginning. I shouldn't have believed it could be possible. I should have given up the second I saw you. Mai Valentine and Joey Wheeler, that's impossible. Yet still, I can't help it but to hope I wouldn't have seen you with him. I rather live in a lie than be heartbroken.

As the sun completely sets and the first stars start to shine, I leave the beach and walk down the lonely streets of Domino city. I'm heading to your apartment Mai. I'm going to tell you how I feel, even if you don't listen. I'm going to let you know, even if it makes things worse, if they can even get worse. I can't let this inside me all my life. I need to let it all out, even if it just makes me more heartbroken.

No one else needs to know. Varon doesn't need to know. Only you Mai, I'll be happy if you just hear me out and find out the truth. You don't need to love me back, just listen to the one who loves you and is heartbroken.

As I arrive I see Varon leaving. I hide and listen to the conversation. "So you understand now? We're still friends right?" Mai asks.

"Yeah, it' alright Mai, I should have know you liked Wheeler. Sorry I stole that kiss from ya in the park. See ya, Mai." Varon leaves without finding me.

I want to punch him for stealing a kiss from her without her consent, yet at the same time I'm so happy to know the truth. I'll tell her about my feelings now that I'm no longer heartbroken.

End POV

More to Come...

Disclaimer, I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Oreo. Special thanks to strawberries her type jokes helped inspire Card 23.