Chapter 23: Why Duel Monsters Became A Hit (Part 3)
DIMENSION: MANGA (The One That Saves the Day)
"I know," Anzu said. "It was the last piece to make me come to Japan, and restart over." She sighed. "A temporary stay, to help lure me in. I know Jounouchi is smarter than he acts sometimes. I'll have to see how this plays out before I decide." Anzu looked at the phone. "Yep. There we are messing around by the counter." She smiled. "Weird watching yourself on a phone." She gave it back. "I'll do my absolute best here for you. Your grandfather used to share so much about so many games." She winked. "I hope some of that rubbed off on me." She looked into the display case. "I'm guessing this system is different now."
"Yeah." Anzu seemed to understand. It was serious, but it was also leverage to have her come back. Yuugi saw her apartment and her neighborhood. Walking home alone at night. The jacket she wore surviving in that New York temperature. Anzu was putting everything she could into surviving while things got better. But how long for the 'while things got better'? ///Yuugi: She still has the same kind of determination I remember. It's hard to believe she fell this low. Okay, change the subject. Make her feel better./// "There are no rare cards in this store, just unofficial copies." Yuugi came around and opened it up. He brought out a card. "See? It's stamped with the huge word copy across it. It's not official at all. It's just laminated paper really." He let her feel it. "If anyone wants to purchase real cards, they have to wait. I'll make a sign-up sheet for it."
"Even the cheaper cards?" She looked down in there. "There aren't any cards in here at all. Not even the glittery unofficial collectible cards." She smiled. "It's amazing how big the game really got."
"It rode on coattails." Yuugi didn't know if it was a good thing. "I started with my games. I liked the monsters and the setup. The cards were already there. Then, without Seto Kaiba's influence, Mokuba took the company into several directions. Every new game was being licensed with it. After Seto Kaiba left Mokuba the company? He didn't want to go in the same direction anymore. The direction that took his brother's sanity."
"Is Seto Kaiba still missing?" Anzu asked.
"No, but he hardly sees his little brother. Once every year or so," Yuugi said. "So, Mokuba went a different direction, and focused solely on duel monsters branding with their tech. He made it all into a household name. People of all ages latched on. Merchandise was all over the place. Making the graphic images even more solid in Kaiba tech. The more real it all seemed, the more it surpassed everything. The first Duel Monsters movie really took everything up. Now, Kaiba's tech is used in making movies, theatre productions, commercials, educational systems, surgery units, with a set rule of at least one duel monster somehow in each project. It's top of the line, so?" He shook his head. "It . . . it's good, but I doubt it's what Seto Kaiba really wanted. Kids can't even afford to do anything but print off the cards illegally on a computer to play now. But? Well, Seto Kaiba never left any guidance and Mokuba's goal is to not run the company into the ground, or lose his brother's favorite game's popularity while his brother is AWOL."
"Oh. I didn't know all of that," Anzu confessed.
"Not many do. I work with Mokuba, so I have a better idea of how duel monsters ended up this way," Yuugi confessed. "Since this is first and foremost a game store, we don't focus too much on that product."
"I see. A pricey product too," Anzu agreed.
"Right. This is a simple game store, nothing more. No rare cards. I guess not even cards. No one should be coming for cards except someone who already knows what they want," Yuugi said. "If kids come in, there are a ton of different card games to redirect them to try."
Anzu nodded. "I get it." She looked around the Game Shop. "There were always so many different games. Your grandfather loved showing off games we thought would be interesting."
"Yep, and I know every single one now," Yuugi said. "I'll make a list of the most common questions people have when they come in. If they have something that doesn't say specifically, just call me. I'm only a shout away."
Anzu nodded again. "This place brings back a lot of memories." She leaned over the counter. "Growing up, this was almost like a second home."
"Well, now it's your first," Yuugi said. "As long as you want it to be. And. I'm sorry that it's not exactly-"
"It's perfect," she cut him off. "Do we need any more tape?"
"The upper corner of the poster could probably use more." ///Yuugi: Okay. Don't bring up dancing. At least not yet./// As they finished attaching the last of the tape, Honda came in without even a knock on the door.
"Yuugi." Honda said, almost hitting the counter. "Are you kidding me? A duel? Against Jounouchi?" He looked at Anzu. "Hey, Anzu. I promise I'll welcome you back in just a second." He smiled at her then looked back at Yuugi. "Yuugi, are you insane?"
"I didn't set the terms, and I'm not a part of this," Yuugi said.
"I can't beat him at cards. I don't play cards," Honda groaned. "I don't see why I have to do that to ask Shizuka to marry me."
"Maybe because you never even told him you were living with Shizuka?" Yuugi guessed.
"Shizuka wouldn't agree unless I kept it a secret," Honda said. "I wanted to move on with her."
"Jounouchi will take it seriously. Honor and friendship. If you outright ask without dueling him, he will not be your friend," Yuugi warned him.
"This is so unfair." Honda rubbed his eye. "Why can't he challenge me to beating him in a fight? Or some other game that would make this an even manly match?" He looked over toward Anzu. "And shouldn't you either be cheering for or against me?"
"Hm?"
"You're never this quiet during these things. What do you think, Anzu?" Honda asked her. "Do you think it's right that someone who's won multiple cash winnings and awards should challenge someone like that?"
Yuugi watched Anzu. He'd noticed the change too. ///Yuugi: It used to be no matter the situation, she was right behind us. Cheering the hardest. Cheering the loudest./// Life had put a damper on that spirit. It wasn't completely gone, he knew that, but? After losing her dream. "Go ahead, Anzu. Let Honda know what you think." Maybe she just needs another push.
"Are you sure you want to know, Honda?" Anzu watched him nod his head. "Jounouchi once fought the best champions in the world to try and get the prize money for Shizuka's eye operation when he didn't have any credit to his name. He watches her very closely, and if you can't accept an overwhelming challenge to be with his sister like he once did to help her? Then he won't think you deserve her."
"But I do, I just don't play cards." Honda looked back at Yuugi. "Yuugi?"
"Have you even started trying to train?" Yuugi asked. "Do you need to make a deck?"
"That isn't the right answer," Honda complained. "Damn it. I care for Shizuka. I've kept her out of trouble this whole time. Doesn't he see that?"
///Yuugi: Actually, you've been living and sleeping with Shizuka behind his back. Whether Shizuka wanted it that way or not, I think that's all he sees./// Yuugi would never say that outright though. That wasn't him. "If you marry her, Jounouchi will be your brother, Honda. I think you need to accept that. As unfair as it may be, those are his terms. Not mine, and no, I'm not talking about it with him."
"Yuugi. I don't even have my old deck. I barely remember how to play." Honda looked at the counter. "These aren't even real cards."
"It's a Game Shop, not a card shop." Yuugi looked down at the cards. "You need to research what kind of cards you're looking for to beat him because you won't find much information on these. It's just the front face of copies. So? Think about his deck. A great duelist will always have new strategies. Get some basic cards to start, challenge him, see what he's using in his moves, and move on from there. That's my advice."
"That makes sense." Anzu added. "Don't think about winning the first time. Get him to open up his deck, and remember what he still has. Figure out tactics. That's what Yuugi and he did a long time ago."
Yuugi nodded. "Then if you need training, you can come and see me."
"Fine." Honda sounded defeated. "I can't lose my friend over this mess. I can't lose Shizuka though either, but she doesn't want her brother knowing. It's the reason we were so quiet in the first place." He seemed to find some resolve. "I'm going to try and find some cards. Do you have a license to order, Yuugi?"
"Some cards," Yuugi settled on.
"Okay. I'm going to do this. I can do this." Honda looked back toward Anzu. "Glad to see you back, Anzu. We'll have to go out sometime and catch up while you're here. See you around." He went out the door.
Honda wasn't like Jounouchi, he wasn't into the fun of card games. Even when he had trained Jounouchi to win the money prize for Duelist Kingdom, Jounouchi enjoyed the journey. Trying to train Honda might be painful unless he finds a way to enjoy the game. There was always a chance Honda could win too. Jounouchi won against some tough duelists.
Jounouchi would put his whole heart into it though.
"Jounouchi doesn't think Shizuka feels the same way." Anzu told him. "I should really stop by and see her. I've been gone so long, I wouldn't know how to even hazard a guess if he's right. He could be completely wrong, or right."
"It's tough to say," Yuugi agreed. "I just try and stay out of it. There are a lot better things to focus on." He smiled at her. Much better things, like helping her get back in touch with her positive side. "I have an idea. Do you want to see Bakura tonight?" She nodded. "Great. I'm going to call him and see if he wants to start a new game of Monster World. If that's fine?"
"If he's up for it, Yuugi, I'm up for it."
"Great." Yuugi grabbed his phone again and called. He had already talked to him beforehand about Anzu, and he was more than excited to see her too. More people made for a funner game. "He says great. He'll even make a nice dinner for us ahead of time." He looked at the front door. He couldn't believe Honda just charged in like that. "Don't forget to lock the way to upstairs. We live upstairs and no one should get near there. Even during business hours, we can lock and unlock it."
"Good idea, Yuugi."
Yuugi went back over to the front door, closed it and locked it this time. "Honda and our friends can knock on the door if they need anything until we open for business." He double checked the lock.
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