Yes, I am delaying. Don't judge me.
Jonouchi DOES look like he's grimacing in his attempt to get some shut-eye, thinking about how dark it is and how he hates the night. He hopes he can fall asleep quickly and dream about being in someplace bright. He's just drifting off when something long and snake-like falls from the tree above into Honda's lap. Honda panics after a moment of irritation, earning an angry shout from Jonouchi to shut up because he was just about to get some sleep. Honda keeps thrashing, screaming about a snake. He hugs the tree, which can't be too comfortable, and complains that he hates snakes and reptiles, or anything with slippery slimy skin.
Actually, Honda, snakes and reptiles don't really have slippery skin, but whatevz.
Yuugi holds up a vine, asking if it was the snake Honda was referring to, and Jonouchi identifies it properly with an exasperated expression. Honda examines the vine as Yuugi holds it up for him to see, while Jonouchi calls him a wimp for freaking out over it.
After a few more minutes, Jonouchi is snoozing once more, but is awoken again by another scream, this time from Bakura. He demands to know just what the hell it is this time, Yuugi putting it more politely when he asks Bakura what's wrong. Bakura urges them to look at his Millennium Ring, one of the dangling ornaments around the edge pointing out. Everyone flinches away, Yuugi asking why he brought the thing to the island, but he doesn't give an explanation.
He just wonders what it means, because it was doing the pointing thing when he checked on it in his bag.
Yuugi and Jonouchi stare at the needle that's standing straight out and mumble that Bakura is right. Bakura says this isn't the first time either, since it did the same thing when he transferred to Domino High and saw the Millennium Puzzle for the first time. Yuugi is surprised by this information, though Bakura says the ring doesn't react to the puzzle that way anymore. Yuugi suggests that perhaps the ring is like a dowsing rod and Bakura thinks it might be reacting to Pegasus's Millennium Item. Floored, Yuugi stares in disbelief at the item that can detect other items. At least, supposedly, if Bakura is right.
Honda and Jonouchi look on, dumbfounded and sleepy at the same time. Bakura doesn't notice, consumed with the desire to find out about the Millennium Items, where they come from and how they came to be. He informs Yuugi about this, saying that he had another reason for coming to the island other than helping him and Jonouchi. He's convinced that since Pegasus has the eye, he has to know about them and his island has to contain clues about the mysterious objects. Again, I think this logic is dubious, but you keep getting stuff right by default, Bakura. I suppose it's a fair reason for him to have brought the ring along, given that it is one of the things he's trying to learn about.
Yuugi says Bakura's name, then looks up at the castle in the distance before turning back to Bakura and urging him to not put ON the ring because that's dangerous as shit. Bakura promises that he won't with a friendly smile, and this is when I know that Bakura is totally going to put on that fucking ring. Asshole.
Jonouchi, creeped out by the occult subject, turns to return to his sleeping spot nervously. Yuugi agrees with him, saying that they all need their rest, and Honda teases Jonouchi with an offer to tell him a scary story before he goes to bed. Jonouchi tells him to shut up.
Yuugi lies awake between Honda and Jonouchi, despite his wise words about needing rest. He wants to know the truth too, because he doesn't know if Yami has always been within him or if he just came around when the puzzle was solved. This is definitely a question worth asking, because I have been plagued by it this entire time too. Yuugi knows that he has more immediate concerns now though, namely beating Pegasus and getting his grandfather back in his body. His grandfather just has to wait for inevitable rescue.
Jonouchi wonders aloud who would come to the island in the middle of the night as Mai and Anzu walk back onto the scene, rubbing sleep out of their eyes and looking irritated because it's too noisy up in this bitch. Yuugi just stares ahead at the helicopter as it finishes landing and someone steps out of it. Someone he is surprised to see.
Looking over, he finds that he landed right next to Yuugi, which is quite the coincidence. Anzu asks if he is who she thinks, and Jonouchi confirms that it is indeed Kaiba and it seems he came out of his coma. Good thing too, because no one should be flying a helicopter when they're in a coma. Yuugi wonders why he's there.
Kaiba glares, Yuugi blushes and his heart pounds, and I'm not interpreting that in the romantic way, but the dredged-up trauma way. He looks HELLA uncomfortable until he grows a big grin and says hi to Kaiba. Okay.... He dashes over to him, though his friends wisely urge him to wait. You know, just in case Kaiba decides to strangle him when he gets in range or something. Kaiba doesn't do anything violent when Yuugi approaches, though, just says that they meet again. Yuugi pauses, not sure what to say except "yeah (duh)" until he shoves a hand into his pocket and draws out Kaiba's cards, telling Kaiba he got them back from the Conical Hat Weirdo for him.
Kaiba wants Yuugi to know that under no uncertain terms that they're still not friends, though. He says thank you, but also informs Yuugi that since he's not the kind to walk away with his tail between his legs, he'll defeat him sooner or later. Then he turns to walk away, but looks back at the sheepish Yuugi for one more boastful statement. He claims he'll be the one to beat Pegasus and save his corporation with his own hands. Well la-de-da.
He begins to walk away again, Yuugi staring at his back with mouth agape, when Jonouchi steps forward, growling. He tells Kaiba to just hold it, which Kaiba does, but without turning around. Jonouchi says there's no way he's letting him go, not after what he did to them at Death-T, which he surely couldn't have forgotten. Jonouchi lunges at Kaiba, seizing him by his collar and forcing him around to face the group as Yuugi tries to get him to stop.
Kaiba chuckles, saying he forgot Jonouchi was even there, causing Jonouchi to grind his teeth. This doesn't cause Kaiba to do anything but hum at Jonouchi's grip on his shirt, or rather the wrist attached to that hand which has a duel glove on it. He smirks at Jonouchi, asking if he's in the tournament too and snidely saying he knows the level of the competition now. Jonouchi is barely held back by Yuugi as he threatens to kick Kaiba's ass some more. Honda joins in to hold onto Jonouchi, telling him to let it go, and I'm guessing at some point pulling him off of Kaiba's collar, because Kaiba's free now and smoothing his lapel.
Jonouchi keeps straining against his friends' hold, though, challenging Kaiba to a duel right now. Kaiba asks him if he realizes what he's asking, and advises him to know his place, which is apparently NOT dueling him. Jonouchi is sick of being talked down to by this douchebag, though, and isn't interested in backing down.
Yuugi begs Jonouchi not to duel Kaiba, but Jonouchi claims he can't back down, so the duel is totally on. Like Donkey Kong. Jonouchi pulls himself free and points to a booth nearby that he tells Kaiba to follow him to, but Kaiba says they should duel right there where they're standing. He kneels to place his briefcase on the ground and open it while Jonouchi looks on with confusion and trepidation. Kaiba tells him not to worry, because he won't try to murder Jonouchi on top of defeating him. Not like he tried to do last time, lol chuckle.
He is SUCH an asshole.
Kaiba picks up one of his devices and offers it to Jonouchi, telling him to put it on and calling it a Duel Disk. Jonouchi and Yuugi stare, repeating the strange phrase in their heads. Jonouchi takes it and slips a smaller part of the machine onto his wrist while holding the UFO piece in his hand, wearing a mystified expression while wondering what it is. As though he's reading Jonouchi's mind, Kaiba smirks and thinks about how he's going to beat Pegasus with this new battle equipment.
Kaiba explains that the device Jonouchi is holding is a new piece of card-playing hardware that his company was developing around the same time as Death-T. He figures this is a good time to test out the prototype, and instructs Jonouchi to put his deck into the slot on the part around his wrist. Kaiba also mentions that the rules are mostly the same ones he's familiar with, but the concept of the field is slightly different.
As Jonouchi puts his deck into the deck-holder dealie, Yuugi marvels at the portable battle machine, wondering what it's like. I imagine you're about to find out, Yuugi. Kaiba tells Jonouchi that they have to stand about five meters apart before beginning.
A monster emerges from the spinning disk, as someone shouts, and it turns out to be a Battle Ox. Kaiba grins while he explains how the graphic data of the card is processed at high speeds using a hyper 3D engine, and it's Solid Vision using a V-2 emulator. That is a hearty word salad right there. Very nutritious. Yuugi is impressed that Kaiba managed to advance the game further by creating a life-sized hologram without the duel box.
So, what did I think of this chapter overall? The joke about Jonouchi not being able to get any sleep throughout the whole night was classic. I don't know a single person who hasn't had one of those nights which almost seemed to CONSPIRE to keep them awake with this or that or the other thing happening. Very relatable and funny at the same time, because it's hilarious when it's not happening to you. Just like screaming children. 10/10, would laugh again!
Kaiba was acting his standard douchetastic self, of course, but there was a point of his douchebaggery that was particularly interesting to me. He assures Jonouchi that he's not going to try and kill him in addition to beating him, which is a reference back to Death-T that plays off Jonouchi's inevitable fears surrounding the incident. Kaiba remembers what he did, understands the damage it caused, but doesn't apologize. Instead, he just promises not to do it again snidely.
Strange as it may seem, I'm calling this a GOOD THING. I was a tad afraid that after he woke up, Kaiba would be so "fixed" as a character that he would start to emulate the behavior and morals of the protagonists, which would take away his uniqueness. He's just gone back to being the jackass he was in in his first appearance, minus the pretense of being Yuugi's friend (no need for that farce anymore). It's a relief to see that he's still the person he was before Yami's penalty game in their first meeting, and also may be a small indicator that it was actually Yami's influence that helped to nurture the streak of crazy resulting in Death-T.
I don't think we'll ever get an open admission to that fact, but this is at least a nod in the correct direction.
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