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((Note there may be a little OOC in this with Kaiba and Serenity. Oh and I bumped up Serenity's age some so there isn't a massive age gap))

All comments and suggestions pm me with.

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It was the same as it always been, a warm, peaceful, calm day in Battle City.
Joey Wheeler, a sharped tongued teenager with a New York accent, walked up to the Game Shop that his friend, Yugi Moto, owned and ran with his grandpa.
A smirk crossed his face as he noticed the shop was more crowded than usual and that his friend was having some trouble keeping up with all the customers.
“Free Ice Cream!!!”Joey shouted outside the door, standing aside so as not to be run over by the stampede of people that ran out and down the road.
Whistling innocently, Joey walked into the shop and flipped the sign to closed.
“Thought you may need a break.”Joey grinned, holding out a hand to help Yugi up from off the floor after being trampled by the crazed customers.
“Thank’s Joey.”Yugi grinned sheepishly, taking hold of his friend’s hand.
“So Yugs, did ya hear about the new tournament Kaiba set up? I’m thinking on entering myself and thought you may like to as well.”Joey asked, leaning against a stack shelf of cards.
“I’ve only heard what’s been going around here amongst the other duelists..They say that a few duelists from America will be joining in as well as welcomed guests by Kaiba.”Yugi said, nodding in acknowledgment that he had heard something, while stacking up some boxes.
“So are you in? I mean it’s ok if not cause Serenity and Mai are gonna be joining in as well. With Tristan, and Duke as well of coarse...,”Joey informed, muttering as he spoke the last two names for he knew they only came to be near his younger sister.
“Very well I’ll sign up, when is it?”Yugi asked, wiping his hands and than joined Joey towards the door.
“In an hour.”Joey grinned, knowing you couldn’t beat his last minute thinking.
“Well that doesn’t give me much time to sort my cards and pack as well..Guess I’ll have to duel with what I got.”Yugi sighed, now walking to his room to pack.
“Sweet!”Joey exclaimed, “I’ll be right out the door okay Yugs.”Joey informed.
Yugi nodded and ran upstairs.

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“So does anyone exactly know how this tournament is going to work? I heard it’s suppose to be a puzzle to test the duelist’s wit as well as battle skills.”Mai asked, stretching her arms up into the air, walking along next to Serenity.
“I don’t know I heard it’s a secret only Kaiba knows.”Serenity said, walking along quietly, looking around for her brother and the others.
“What’s wrong with you anyway? You seem kinda scared.”Mai pointed out, stopping to check on her.
“I’m not scared or anything, it’s just I don’t know if I’m strong enough to duel in this.”Serenity admitted sadly.
“Not strong enough?”Mai exclaimed and cocked a brow, “Listen to me Serenity, you may not have the strongest monsters out there, but that’s not how a duel is won..It’s won by strategy and hope, something you I believe are the strongest in.”She said, putting a reassuring hand on Serenity’s shoulder.
“If you say so.”Serenity nodded with a small smile.
“Of coarse I do. Asides you received an invitation from Kaiba himself so he mustn’t think you too weak.”Mai pointed out.
Serenity nodded again.
It was true, he had sent her an invitation and not even one to Yugi..She wondered why though.
She barely knew him to have been good friends and no way in the world was she strong enough and it definitely wasn’t because of her brother who Kaiba hated.
She decided to leave it a mystery for her thoughts were best served at the present for now.
“Here come the boys.”Mai smirked rolling her eyes and shaking her head as she watched Duke and Tristan fight for Serenity’s first greeting.
“Hello guys.”Serenity smiled, greeting them both at one time to resolve the problem at hand.
“You guys seen Yugi or Joey about recently?”Mai asked, hoping to get a lock on where Joey was.
“Last I heard is that Joey was headed to Yugi’s shop so they’re probably on their way or already there.”Tristan informed.
“Than we best hurry cause we’re running late!”Serenity pointed out, taking off running down the road with the others.
Their pace was stopped suddenly when Serenity ran into what felt like a brick wall, but turned out to be Seto Kaiba.
“Sorry Kaiba.”Serenity said, rubbing her head where she had hit him.
Seto didn’t speak a word, but instead outstretched his hand in order to help her up.
“Thanks.”Serenity smiled.
‘That smile! It can’t be!’He realized shocked, she was the same girl from his past that helped him survive all his life.
A small smile of irony crept onto his face.
“That’s a look you don’t see every day.”Mai mused.
Seto looked back up at her, “Excuse me.”He said with a small polite bow before turning away.
“Goodbye Kaiba.”Serenity said, smiling back.
“I told you,”He smiled, his back facing her for a moment before turning to face her again, “Call me Seto.”He said with an emotionless face and then walked away.
Serenity gasped in realization, but kept it quiet.
‘The boy from the swings..How couldn’t I have recognize him. Now I see it was him all along and I was so blind.’She thought to herself with small chuckle.
A blush crept onto her face when she saw Mai smile down at her, “Does someone have a crush on Kaiba? I can’t believe it.”She smirked smiled and gave Serenity a wink, than walked along pulling Duke and Tristan by the ear, “Show’s over guys she doesn’t need your heroics.”
Serenity stood staring at where Seto had been before walking along with her head down.
“Just like my daydreams where I meet you again.”She smiled softly to herself.

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Seto Kaiba over looked the crowd before him with his cold stare, his dark blue eyes examining the different duelists.
He could tell most of them didn’t even have a duel to their name, all mostly newbies and amateurs.
A wicked, but small, smile came upon his face.
That’s why he had set up the random partner and qualification parts to this tournament.
In order to rid them of all losers and leaving only the best.
His main intent of it all though was in order for him to face Yugi again, and win, claiming the title of King of Games.
It was time to begin.
“Welcome duelists to the Ultimate Duelist Tournament!”He announced, pausing to smile smugly at the thunderous roar and applause he received.
“Before we begin the main tournament though, you must first find out who your partner will be. This will be done randomly by a computer. Any who dislikes the thought of ending up with someone they don’t know is advised to leave now so we can remove you from the computer database.”Kaiba informed, pausing once more to watch twenty percent of the crowd leave.
“All remaining please direct your gaze to the main screen behind me in order to find out your new dueling partner. That is all for now.”Seto finished, walking off the stage in order to view who his own partner would be.
A smirk smile crossed his face as he looked up at the screen.
“Figures.”He said to himself.
He looked back up at the screen again and gave a small smile before turning to find his partner.

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Kaiba walked towards where he had seen Serenity from the stage, a feeling of unease churned in his stomach.
He scowled at this, what was wrong with him today!
It was just a girl after all and he had talked to Serenity before.
Now that he knew she was the young girl, the only shining light in his dark childhood, changed everything.
Because of her he was as successful as he was now.
He owed her everything and for once he had no idea, no plan, no strategy, or no solution on how to repay her.
Even speaking to her would be hard without breaking down.
It seemed that for once in his life he had lost control..Of himself no less.
He sucked it up, he had to, he was Seto kaiba, CEO of Kaiba Corps.
He couldn’t afford to slip because of one girl.
No.
Young woman.
She was no girl, he realized this when she first spoke to him.
Besides his brother, she was the only one who deserved his respect and kindness.
Seeing her come into view, he leaned forward and tapped her on the shoulder.
Coughing as well to get her attention.
Serenity turned to face him with that smile that had captivated him so.
His eyes widened a little.
Had he just been standing there looking at her like an idiot?
No, he couldn’t let a female, even her, get the best of him.
“We’re partners.”He informed, gesturing towards the screen, regaining his signature stern look.
“I know.”Serenity nodded with a small smile, holding out his invitation.
He looked at the paper, than back at her, a sharp pain going through his heart as he thought she may be rejecting him as a partner.
“I wanted to thank you for the invitation.”Serenity said, looking up as she had long ago into his deep blue eyes as if she could read his soul.
A wave of calming relief washed through Kaiba and he had to keep himself in check so none of his worry would show in his voice.
“You’re welcome.”He said, staring back into her eyes.
“W-why did I just receive one and not anyone else?”Serenity asked, looking down from his gaze.
This made Seto’s smile broaden, he loved how she was intimidated by him. It showed she respected him when others did not.
“I wanted to show you my appreciation for what you did for Mokuba last week..This was the greatest way I could think of to show my thanks. I hope it made you feel special.”Kaiba informed, nodding to Mokuba and glaring at Joey.
Serenity gave a confused look, not sure what she had done.
Than she remembered.
Mokuba was being pushed around by some bullies and she had gone over to stop them.
Kaiba turned his gaze back onto her, softer than it had been before.
“Please come with me to the stage. I need to announce the next set of instructions for the tournament.”He informed, holding out his hand to her.
Serenity looked down at it skeptically.
“So I don’t lose you in the crowd.”He explained.
Slowly, Serenity took his hand into a firm grasp and followed.