Yu-Gi-Oh! DF Book Eight: Team Duel Regional Tournament - Chapter Five

Okay, so yeah, I just knocked out half of the competitors in one chapter, but let's be fair, only about half of the teams were genuinely interesting. And I think I make it pretty amusing where I can. I say "where I can" because the real purpose of this chapter is to build up one of the opposing teams in particular. There isn't really a villain this book, but this team is the closest that we really ever get. I may over-exaggerated their abilities a tad in this first chapter, but I think it still works out alright. We also don't get to see a lot of dueling from Jen's point of view in this book. So, you know, enjoy what you get here.

Also, yes, those are A Midsummer Night's Dream-inspired cards toward the end of the chapter. And yes, this chapter did end up running really long.

Chapter Five

Preliminaries

Yu-Gi-Oh! DF Book Eight: Team Duel Regional Tournament - Chapter Four

Now that the characters and their dilemmas have been set up, it's time to set up the tournament itself. This chapter is mostly a big infodump establishing the antagonists of this book, that being the other competitors. As well as bringing a good number of the protagonists together. This is the first time that John and Sarah have competed against each other in a major tournament like this, where their potential careers and their reputations depended on the outcome.

There is some John and Karen stuff at the start, too, but otherwise, there isn't much to this one.

Chapter Four

Competitors

Yu-Gi-Oh! DF Book Eight: Team Duel Regional Tournament - Chapter Three

This chapter was a pretty interesting one to write. Specifically Jen's part in it. Fun fact: I always intended for Christopher to be the kind of person who, while well-intentioned, is primarily concerned with himself, and his own success. Frankly, the whole Team Duelist thing was just a way for him to boost his career. He cares if his team mates do well, but if he has to choose between his success and theirs, he will choose himself. The contrast between the cute, domestic scene between Jen and Christopher in the last book, and the very similar scene in this one, is meant to make this pretty blatant, and to set up for Jen's decision in a later chapter.

Since that's pretty heavy, though, I decided to combine that plot point with a new character reveal. Well, technically it is the reintroduction of a new character. And a potential romantic interest for one of my characters. But you'll see what I mean.

Chapter Three

Preparations

Yu-Gi-Oh! DF Book Eight: Team Duel Regional Tournament - Chapter Two

Did you think that this book was just going to be about John and his group again? What ever gave you that idea? Every other book that I've ever written? That's just silly. Reasonable, but silly. Okay, just reasonable. But seriously, no this book is going to focus equally on Team Illusion (John and Karen's team), the Duel Force, and Jen over on Team Beatdown. Sadly, after this chapter, one character will no longer be counted among the ranks of the Duel Force. For now, her story will end. But we do learn a few things about her before she goes, and more of her past will be revealed later.

Chapter Two

Gifts

Yu-Gi-Oh! DF Book Eight: Team Duel Regional Tournament - Chapter One

So, remember how, back in Book One, I implied that my characters would be participating in Team Duels all the time? Me neither. But I went back and re-read that book, and I totally did! So, I figured that I should probably make up for lost time. That's why this book focuses on a Team Duel tournament. And some plot. After a whoooole lot of establishing chapters, AKA filler.

Chapter One

Competitive Goals