Yu-Gi-Oh! Love Selflessly (Version 2 - SEMI FINAL)

Prologue 1

"Long ago, when the pyramids were still young, Egyptian Kings played a game of great and terrible power; but these Shadow Games erupted into a war that threatened to destroy the entire world until a brave and powerful Pharaoh locked the magic away, imprisoning it within the mystical Millennium Items.

Now, five thousand years later, a boy named Yugi unlocks the secret of the Millennium Puzzle. He is infused with ancient magical energies, for destiny has chosen him to defend the world from the return of the Shadow Games, just as the brave Pharaoh did five thousand years ago."

~ Yami Yugi - Season One, Episode One (4Kids' English dub)

Yugi Muto and Joey Wheeler, sitting at Yugi's desk, were locked in battle, playing a game of Duel Monsters. The card game, created by Maximillion Pegasus, had taken the world by storm. Kids played it, adults played it, tournaments were held, and it seemed like there was not a single person who hadn't heard of the game.

"Joey! Hey! Earth to Joey! It's your turn."

Joey stared at his hand of cards, his brows knitted together in concentration. His eyes slowly flipped from card to card as he racked his brain, trying to come up with a strategy. His friends and classmates had gathered around to watch the two play. Tristan Taylor chuckled and teased, "Aw, look at him thinking. Isn't he cute?" Emiko laughed. Joey said, ignoring Tristan's comment, "Alright, how's this?" He grabbed a card and placed it on the duel mat in front of him. Yugi read the card, nodded, and said, "Ah. Pretty good move, Joey, but not quite good enough." Yugi grabbed a card and countered, taking Joey's life points down to zero. Joey wrote the results in his notepad next to him, then sighed in defeat.

"Thanks a lot, Yuge! A card that powerful totally wipes me out!"

Tristan snickered, "Wow, you stink at this game." Yugi said optimistically, "You did great, Joey. You're getting the hang of it! I just have better cards. You see, my grandpa owns a game shop and I get all my best cards from him." Emiko's sapphire eyes lit up.

"Wait," she said, "Your own game shop?" Joey stood up and announced, "What the heck are we just standing around here for? We ought to get going!" Yugi said, taking care to put his deck back into its case, then into his backpack, "Alright. Maybe I can even convince him to show us this super rare and powerful card he's got." Emiko smiled again, but she glanced behind her, where Seto Kaiba, just passing by the classroom, had stopped to eavesdrop over the conversation. Her face dropped a little, but he swiftly moved on. She thought to herself, "I have a bad feeling about this." Ryou Bakura, her best friend, said softly, breaking her from her thoughts, "Em? What's the matter?" Emiko looked back at him, then smiled. She said quietly, "N-nothing. I'm ok, Bakura." He let out a soft sigh through his nose.

"Something's on her mind," Bakura thought, "I just wish she'd open up more." Emiko ran to catch up with Yugi, Joey, Tristan, and their other friend Téa Gardner. She turned and asked, "You coming, Bakura?" He waved his hand and said, "No, I have some errands to run. Maybe some other time." Emiko acknowledged, waving to him, and turning to follow her friends. The group gathered together by their lockers to change their shoes and grabbed their belongings before walking out of the school building together. As they walked, Joey said, "So, Bakura's not coming?" Emiko shook her head and said, "He said he had something to do." Yugi sighed, "Oh, I see. Maybe some other time, he can come along, then." Emiko nodded. Téa asked, changing the subject, "Now, I have to ask, when do you think we'll get to see you and Yugi go head-to-head?" Emiko looked at Téa and just shrugged. Joey said, nudging her on the arm, "Come on, Em. I saw you and Bakura duelling the other day! You're not half bad!"

"Now that's a duel I wouldn't want to miss," Tristan added. Yugi said cheerfully as they turned the corner, "Here we are, guys! My grandpa's shop!" He pushed open the door, causing the bell to jingle and catching the attention of an elderly man at the back of the store. From behind the glass display counter, he said, "Hello there, Yugi. I see you've brought company." The kids approached the counter, in awe of some of the cards within the display case. Emiko spotted a few cards that she had been eyeing for some time. Yugi asked sweetly, "Gramps, do you think you could show my friends that awesome super-rare card you've got?" Solomon thought for a moment, taken slightly aback by Yugi's request, but hearing Yugi and Joey both begging to see it, he laughed and said, "Oh, alright. I don't see why not." He turned around and pulled a small, card-shaped box out of a locked drawer. Upon opening it and setting the box on the glass counter, the group saw, in perfect, pristine condition, a monster card. Emiko's eyes widened as she looked down at the card.