Seto Kaiba vs. "L"
This was a waste of Seto Kaiba's time. Whoever this "L" was, he didn't have an Egyptian God Card and he wasn't even much of a duelist. All he had was a stupid grin that was supposed to look intimidating, but just looked ridiculous. And now he was laughing maniacally about that "Shadow Realm" nonsense again. Seto couldn't believe that at his own tournament he was up against the crazy person.
It was time he put an end to this charade, and crush this waste of his time once and for all.
"Show yourself, Obelisk the Tormentor!"
All it took was one attack from the God Card, and his opponent collapsed. Pathetic.
Winner: Seto Kaiba
Taro Matsui, or Touta Matsuda, as he was calling himself, rushed his unconscious accomplice, "L," off the arena, bringing the Millennium Ring with him. The defeated Ring was Light Yagami's for the taking. It wasn't nearly as valuable as Marik Ishtar's Millennium Rod, but all of the Millennium Items were powerful enough that Light could not leave them in anyone else's hands. And if the spirit of the Ring was to believed - which was dubious at best - combined, the Millennium Items had a power even greater than all of their individual powers put together.
He did not have long to acquire the Ring, but he could not be too hasty.
"I hope his weird friend is okay," Tristan Taylor was saying as they all meandered to the elevator down from the dueling deck on top of the blimp.
"Yes, that's quite unfortunate," Marik Ishtar, now under the guise of "Namu" said, his voice stilted. His acting had been acceptable when they had planned out what he was going to say, but apparently improvisation was beyond him.
Light supposed he ought to rescue his "master." He put in, "It goes to show just how powerful those Egyptian God Cards are. We'll have to be careful when we go up against them!" He shot Ishtar a conspiratory glance and earned a quick smug smile in return.
It was all going to plan, not that these fools were clever enough to ruin it. All he had to fear was the inept interference of bumbling stupidity, and that was easy enough to turn in his favor.
Joey Wheeler exclaimed, "And you'll have to get through me first!"
"That shouldn't be too hard." Taylor hit Wheeler on the head in what passed for a friendly gesture - it seemed Seto Kaiba was right to call them monkeys.
"I did manage to beat you in the Duelist Kingdom finals," Light admitted with a little embarrassed laugh. He did not mention that it had been an easy feat, which would have been even easier without the interference of the Millennium Puzzle.
"I hope you'll be alright, Namu," Tea Gardner said. "I'm still amazed you made it to the finals after just a few tips from Joey."
"I got lucky, I guess," Ishtar said. His tone was still awkward.
If he wanted something done right, Light had to do it himself. "You're a better duelist than you give yourself credit for. I think you just needed the confidence boost of meeting someone like Joey Wheeler."
They finally made it to the elevator and there were enough of them that Light could easily suggest that he and "Namu" wait for the next one.
Once they were alone Light switched from one pretense to another. "I know it is a necessary evil, but I look forward to the day when you take the throne and I can make my allegiance to you known. It feels wrong to give undeserved compliments to fools at your expense."
"It will not be too much longer!" Ishtar declared, "As soon as we acquire the remaining two Egyptian God Cards, we can make them suffer for all their indolence!"
The elevator soon returned to the top of the blimp.
As they stepped inside, Light pretended to marvel, "And what power you will wield with all the Egyptian God Cards. It is clear that Seto Kaiba is unworthy of even one, only you could master the power of all of them."
A flush crossed Ishtar's cheeks. "It's is only a matter of time before I have all the Egyptian God Cards, and then I will be Pharaoh!"
Light grinned at him to mirror the boy's own eager expression. "It would be a mere token next to the power of the Pharaoh, but I think I may be able to acquire the Millennium Ring for you without much difficulty. The Millennium Items do rightfully belong to the Pharaoh, after all."
Ishtar considered the proposition for a moment. Finally, his greed and pride won over, and he assented, "Go at once, but if it proves too difficult, do not waste your time. Remember, our true aim is the Egyptian God Cards."
When the elevator arrived on the level where they were all staying, Ishtar went one direction, towards his own room, and Light went the other, in pursuit of the Millennium Ring. He had made a point of remembering where each person's room was, and had his memory failed him, he still would have heard a shout coming from Taro Matsui's room.
He ran to the source of the noise and threw open the door. Inside, was Taro Matsui, cowering before his no longer unconscious accomplice, who was wielding the glowing Millennium Ring. Matsui must have attempted to take the Ring for himself, but without a Millennium Item of his own to subdue it, it would have cost him his soul, if not his life, had Light not intervened. Matsui did deserve punishment for his crimes, but acquiring the Millennium Ring was more important. His comeuppance would have to wait.
"Stop!" Light exclaimed, stepping between Matsui and his accomplice.
"Get out of my way or I will take your soul too," the spirit of the Ring snarled.
"You're not taking anyone's soul," Light said. He pulled out the puzzle from his bag, but did not let it take control.
The spirit of the Ring cackled.
"I challenge you to a duel!" Light declared, "Your Millennium Ring for my Millennium Puzzle!" He turned to Matsui, "Go, escape while you can!" It would be better if he didn't have any witnesses.
The spirit of the ring gave another wild laugh. "If you want to throw away everything you have, then I gladly accept!"
"Wait! Don't do this!" Matsui cried out against all reason. Again, he was intent on ruining Light's plans. "Don't hurt him! He's not in his right mind!"
"I won't let him steal your soul," Light insisted, though it really was a waste.
The purple fog of the shadow realm was already setting in, but Matsui refused to budge. So Light let the spirit of Millennium Puzzle take control just enough for his demeanor to change, but he kept a hand firmly on the reins as they dueled.
For all the Ring's cackling, threatening, and boasting, Light won even more easily than he had expected.
"No!" Matsui shouted, as the spirit of the Puzzle took the spirit of the Ring in hand and banished it to the shadow realm with a shove. Unfortunately, he didn't have time to duel the criminals and banish them as well before the tournament resumed, but he could tie up that loose end later.
Matsui had rushed to his fallen accomplice's side and was attempting to rouse him.
The spirit of the puzzle wanted to return to its sanctum, its rescue complete, but Light wasn't quite done with it yet. He forced his legs forward, toward the Ring and its host, and extended his arm to push Matsui aside and take the Ring. Even though its spirit had been banished, he could still feel some malevolent force laying dormant inside of it. He tucked the Ring into his bag and then took off the puzzle and stowed it away as well.
Light let himself falter as he regained control. He blinked a few times, as though blinking into awareness.
"What happened?" he asked, sounding a little dazed. He continued more urgently, bending over the fallen criminal for a closer look, "Did it happen again?"
Unfortunately, the man's eyes fluttered open, and he gave Matsui and Light a wide-eyed stare.
"Thank goodness you're alright!" Matsui exclaimed.
Light helped Matsui walk the man to the bed. He curled up against the headrest, but did not close his eyes. There was something about the way he watched them that suggested some thought beneath his mute exterior. However, Light was far from intimidated. After all, the man had been foolish enough to fall victim to the Millennium Ring.
Before Light could leave on the pretense of preparing for the tournament, Matsui asked, "What happened there? What did you do?"
"I don't know," Light answered with some apprehension. "The Millennium Puzzle must have taken control. The last thing I remember was taking it out to duel the Millennium Ring."
"Well, whatever you did saved my friend from its control, so thank you," Matsui said. He hesitated. "But could I have it back now? You've seen how dangerous it can be; it's not safe in anyone's hands. I can make sure it gets locked away where no one will get to it."
Light feigned surprise, "What do you mean? Did the puzzle take it?"
Matsui nodded. "Could we have it back? We could also take the puzzle off your hands. It seems pretty dangerous too."
Light had hoped he would be able to get way without dealing with this, but he had expected it. "I don't mean to be rude, but it doesn't seem like the Ring was very safe with you."
Matsui gave an awkward laugh of embarrassment. "Yeah, that didn't quite go to plan, but now that we know the extent of its power we can keep it locked away where no one will use it. I don't know if Tristan told you, but I'm with the police. We can handle it for you kids."
"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Light insisted, keeping his voice level and not at all accusatory.
Matsui showed him a badge. It looked real, but Light knew better than that.
"I'm sorry, that could be a forgery," Light said as though he felt bad about it. "The Millennium Items are too dangerous and powerful to just hand them away, you understand. I'll just hold onto them until we land, you know they can't go anywhere until then, and then we can deliver them to my father directly - he's the chief of the National Police Agency."
Matsui hesitated - Light had him. "Kaiba has to have a safe somewhere on this blimp," he attempted with a glance back at his accomplice. He was still staring at both of them from the corner of the bed.
"You trust Seto Kaiba with the Millennium Items?" Light asked, incredulous.
"Maybe not," Matsui rescinded his suggestion. Still, he persisted, "But you're still under the power of the Millennium Puzzle."
"And your friend is under the power of the Millennium Ring," Light countered. This was going nowhere and he could see it would continue to do so indefinitely. He would have liked to just challenge Matsui to a duel and be done with it, but he had wasted enough time as it was. The others would wonder if he was absent, and even with the puzzle he did not want to be caught quite yet. So, he said, "I'm sorry, I have to go. The next duel of the tournament is in a few minutes and I still have to prepare."
"This is more important than a tournament!" Matsui protested, but Light was already on his way out.
"I made it to the finals, I'm not about to give up the chance to win it all. I've got to go, see you after the tournament." With that, Light stepped out the door, leaving the criminals to bide their time until their arrest - if Light didn't have time to give them their due before then.
He returned to his room with the two Millennium Items. He was considering possibly switching out some cards from his deck in preparation for the next duel. When the door slid open, he found himself face to face with a middle-eastern man in a turban and plain white robes, with large, golden hoop earrings, and a large golden key hanging around his neck. There was something familiar about him and something off. The puzzle could feel that he had the power of at least one Millennium Item and there was something else about him that it could not quite place.
"I am Shadi," the man said with a strong accent. "I am here because there has been a disturbance. You have interfered with the destiny of the Millennium Items. Who are you who possesses the Millennium Puzzle, the Millennium Eye, and now the Millennium Ring?"
Shadi did not wait for an answer. He held out the key around his neck and held it up to Light's forehead. Light could not move back or turn away.
As Shadi turned the key, the room vanished from around them and he found himself in an expanse of scouring white light. It saw all imperfections and rot, and burned them away until everything was pure and clean. Light alone was illuminated in a brilliant glow.
From his vantage point, Light could see Shadi struggling across the expanse toward a giant golden pyramid that was slowly eroding under the harsh glare. Step by step, Shadi strained against a nonexistent wind, shielding his face from the light's power. At last, he reached the door of the pyramid and went inside. Light did not know for how long he stayed alone in that unchanging expanse of light. Time did not wear upon him.
Suddenly, the key turned again against his forehead, and he was back in his room on the blimp, facing the turbaned man. Shadi seemed worn and his face had twisted into an expression of horror.
"You are not the rightful vessel of the Millennium Puzzle!" Shadi said, his voice shook with dire urgency.
The game was up. This man had seen all. Light's smile turned cold. "If you want it, you will have to win it. Let's play a Shadow Game, your Millennium Items against mine" - Shadi could hide nothing in Light's soul; Light could feel he had more than one.
"It is not my place to take the Millennium Puzzle," Shadi said. Somehow he dared defy Light even after experiencing the full force of his soul. "It is up to its rightful owner to win it from you."
Before Light could protest, Shadi vanished as though he had never been there at all.
Yugi Muto vs. Odion aka. Marik Ishtar
Yugi wanted little more than to defeat Marik once and for all. This was the man who had forced him to fight Joey - his best friend - and threatened his own life again and again. According to Ishizu, there was even more at stake, possibly even the fate of the whole world! And if he defeated Marik, maybe Yugi would finally be able to relax and just enjoy the rest of the tournament with his friends.
But he knew it couldn't be that easy. In each duel he had fought against one of Marik's Rare Hunters, there had always been some trick, some trap with dire consequences to keep him off guard and ensure their victory. Maybe it was thanks to Seto Kaiba that he couldn't set up another deathtrap. He had at least expected Marik to begin the duel by declaring it a Shadow Game, but he never did.
Yugi kept waiting for the trick to reveal itself, but the only tricks were Marik's trap cards, which were entirely within regulations. He did not taunt Yugi, as Marik had done through his Rare Hunters. He was even polite, addressing Yugi as "Mr. Muto" throughout the duel. Yugi thought it was part of some ploy at first, but it didn't seem like it.
Then, Yugi realized, maybe there was a bigger trick at play. Maybe this duel was Marik's trick. Maybe his opponent wasn't Marik at all, but someone pretending to be Marik under his orders.
And who, then, is the real Marik?
There was only one other person in the tournament that Yugi didn't know. Light's new friend. Namu. Yugi glanced over at him without even thinking about it, and for an instant he sensed a great evil that was not present in his opponent. And then it was gone, and he was just looking at an ordinary boy, who had been very nice to all of them.
Whether Namu was really Marik or not, he was not Yugi's opponent. He focused his gaze back on "Marik," or whoever he really was, and took another turn.
When his turn came back around, Yugi got up the courage to say, "I don't think you're really who you say you are. This has been a difficult duel, you're a really good duelist, but there haven't been any tricks, like all of Marik's death traps, and some of his Rare Hunters even cheated outright. I don't think you're Marik."
His opponent growled and out of the corner of his eye, Yugi saw a similar expression flit across Namu's face.
"You shouldn't spout such nonsense, Mr. Muto," his opponent said, brandishing his Millennium Rod.
"I don't think it's nonsense," Yugi insisted.
"I am Marik" - he hesitated, a war seemed to wage within him - "and I will now play my Egyptian God Card to prove it! Come forth, great dragon, and reveal your awesome strength in the name of the next Pharaoh, King Marik!"
The stone chest on the stairs of the holographic Temple of the Kings slowly opened to reveal the Winged Dragon of Ra card. It burst into a column of light that shot up into the sky. Yugi nearly tumbled backward in the shockwave that followed. The wind picked up into a fearsome gale. The clouds circled around the column of light.
"Show yourself, my beast!" he cried, raising his Millennium Rod to the heavens.
A golden dragon that glowed with the fire of the sun emerged from the clouds. It dwarfed his opponent's Temple of the Kings and radiated more power than any hologram should have been capable of. It let loose a fearsome roar.
"Dragon of Ra! Attack his life points directly!"
Yugi readied himself for impact, though he knew it held a power he could not possibly withstand. He hoped against hope that he would survive the blow.
But it never came.
The dragon did not move, but the clouds circled in around their duel. Lightning flashed down from the clouds and danced around the arena. Yugi wanted to flee and duck for cover, but his feet were fixed to the spot. In the distance he heard his friends shouting to run.
It happened so quickly he almost didn't see it. His opponent turned his head to the sky as though he accepted his fate and was hit with a single bolt of lightning that knocked him to the ground with a shout and shattered his Millennium Rod - it was a fake.
"Odion!" Namu - no, Marik - shouted from the sidelines.
The Winged Dragon of Ra vanished. The lightning stopped and the clouds began to disperse.
Odion struggled to his knees, but his strength was gone. He fell back to the ground and did not move again.
Winner: Yugi Muto
This was a waste of Light Yagami's time. To keep up appearances, he was obligated to join the others to watch Yugi Muto duel Marik Ishtar's servant, Odion, who was pretending to be Ishtar himself. The charade was easily uncovered and Ishtar had been too foolish to make use of it while was successful.
As Odion collapsed, Ishtar held his hands up to his head and let out a cry of pain. This Light could use. Light had a little time before "Namu's" true identity was revealed. He rushed to Ishtar's side.
"Namu!" he exclaimed, and then whispered, "Marik" - he raised his voice a little, but still kept it low - "Are you alright?"
He went ignored. At this rate, it would have been easier to take Ishtar's Millennium Rod and use it himself, but he was not foolish enough to risk it in full view of all the others. No, he could handle this, it just required a little finesse, which the boy lacked, but Light had in spades.
"I think Namu's being controlled by the real Marik!" Light said to the others. More softly, he spoke again, "Marik, what's wrong?"
"I think that is the real Marik," Joey Wheeler said.
"He even has the same rod that the other guy had," Tea Gardner put in.
Denial it is.
"He can't be," Light insisted. "Come on, Namu, snap yourself out of it!"
"It's too late," Ishtar hissed. He sounded like he was in pain.
"You're Marik, admit it!" Muto exclaimed.
Before Light could protest, Ishtar pushed him aside and faced the others. "Yes, it's true, I am in deed the real Marik, you fools! Now, at last, I can finish the job my pathetic servants couldn't!" For an instant, a golden eye glowed on his forehead and his face contorted in pain and rage. His voice took on an unnatural quality as he said, "Light, your puzzle, and the power of the Egyptian Gods will soon be where they belong!"
Then, he gave a shout of pain and recoiled once more.
It seemed the Millennium Rod contained a spirit after all, which was now warring with Ishtar for control. Light took on a guise of shock as Ishtar let out a howl of agony. When the sound faded into the night, Ishtar righted himself and gave a sinister chuckle.
Joey Wheeler vs. Marik Ishtar
"I hope you brought a parachute 'cause I'm blasting you right off this blimp!" Joey Wheeler shouted as the duel began.
He seemed to be winning at first, but after only a few attacks, Marik held out his Millennium Rod and declared, "Now listen to me, foolish boy. I'm afraid that practice time is over, so I'd like to take this match to the true home of duel monsters - the Shadow Realm!"
The dueling arena was consumed by a dark haze.
"Marik, end this now!" Yugi shouted from below, but to no avail.
He even begged Joey to surrender, but Joey had too much to prove. He could not throw away everything he'd worked for, everything he'd learned over the course of the tournament. He could feel the cards he'd won from each duelist he defeated calling out to him from within his deck, cheering him on.
But as Marik destroyed each of them in turn, he forgot why they had carried any value to begin with. They faded from his mind until it was as though the whole tournament had never occured at all. And then Marik began to eat away at deeper memories, the friends he had made at Duelist Kingdom, like Mai, Light, and Bakura, and then Tea, Tristan, Serenity, and even Yugi faded from his mind, until he was alone in the shadows.
The only things that existed were him and his opponent. Still, the duel went on. He stumbled through turn after turn, unsure why he was still playing. Some faint memory pushed him forward. People were shouting, but he didn't know why.
Then, Marik summoned the Winged Dragon of Ra.
It's over.
Someone he did not know jumped between him and the beast as it let loose a fiery blast, like a meteor headed straight for him.
"Yugi!" he cried out as the blast made impact.
He felt the heat first, and then the shockwave sent him flying into the banister.
He could hardly move, not even to check on the person who saved him. He did not hear Marik approach over the ringing in his ears. He only saw the tips of Marik's shoes by his face and felt his soul being torn from his body.
They're better off without me.
Winner: Marik Ishtar
Light Yagami vs. Mai Valentine
"I'm sorry for what happened to Joey," Light said as they each drew their first hand. "I understand if you're not up for dueling right now and would rather stay by his side."
"If you think I'm going to back down, guess again!" Valentine played one monster and put another card face down.
Her stubbornness would be her downfall. If only she had stayed out of Light's way, she would have been spared this fate, but it was easier this way. Light drew a card and played two face down.
"You don't seem too concerned about the people you call your friends," Valentine called him out. "You were more worried about Marik than about anyone else."
This duel would be the perfect opportunity to get her out of his way. He explained with just a hint of indignation, "Of course I was worried; I thought Namu was our friend too. It's still hard to believe that I had accidently helped Marik by introducing him to everyone. But I'll make it up to all of you by defeating him with my Millennium Puzzle. Don't worry, Mai" - he put on his most charming smile - "I'll make everything right for you."
"You'll have to get past me first!" She launched an attack on Light's life points.
He flipped over a trap card, but she used a counter trap of her own. The attack went through, but the duel was just beginning.
"And I'm fine," she said, "It's Joey and Yugi you should be helping."
Light made his arm begin to shake and exclaimed, "Mai, be careful!"
"What is it now?" she demanded, skeptical as always.
"I think it's the puzzle," Light said. "It's too dangerous, I don't want to hurt you, but I'm losing control. Please, surrender while you still can! It won't let me!"
"I've come too far to give up now!" She walked straight into Light's trap.
Light let another turn pass. Then he began to take the puzzle out of his bag, still shaking. "I can't stop it! I'm sorry Mai! I didn't want this to happen to you!" He let his voice fade as he put on the puzzle.
Call a shadow game, he ordered.
I refuse.
The spirit of the puzzle relinquished control and fled back into its depths, where even Light could not reach it.
Winner: Mai Valentine
Light Yagami had the Millennium Eye and now the Millennium Ring, both of which were thankfully free of any obstinate spirits. He didn't need the disobedient puzzle except as a form of insurance. But even Yugi Muto's willfully blind friends would see his current objective as a mercy. Marik Ishtar had outlived his usefulness. It was time for Light to do what should have been done long ago, and claim the Millennium Rod for his own.
As soon as his duel was over, Light took to the halls of the blimp to search for Ishtar.
"Light," Tea Gardner of all people called out to him, but her voice and affect were flat. "I, Marik, am controlling her. I am not the one in control of my body, but I still have some power over the Millennium Rod. Come and help me reclaim my body!"
"Where are you?" Light asked. Ishtar was as good as gone. Light did not bother to add any warmth to his voice.
"Come, I'll show you, before it's too late!" Gardner grabbed Light by the hand and led him through the corridor to Odion's room.
The door slid open and Light strode inside to find Ishtar bent over the unconscious Odion. In his hand was the Millennium Rod, which he wielded like a dagger, ready to kill Odion.
Light considered letting him go through with it, but Gardner intervened, "Stop! I command you!"
Ishtar looked up and turned to face Light and the girl under his soul's control. His hair nearly formed a mountain range on his head, only barely parting over his forehead to allow a glowing eye to shine through. He looked absurd.
Light cut straight to the point, "I challenge you to a Shadow Game. Your Millennium Rod for my Millennium Puzzle."
Ishtar cackled. "The winner will keep the Millennium Items, and the loser will be banished to the Shadow Realm!"
It was all too easy.
They walked side by side up to the dueling deck atop the blimp, neither trusting the other enough to let them go behind. They took their places on the arena. Gardner watched them from below as the duel began.
"I will not let the likes of you hold the Millennium Items," Light declared as he took his first turn.
Gardner chimed in, "It is my destiny to become the Pharaoh, not yours!"
"Neither of you are worthy," Light spoke his true thoughts at last. "I will take your Millennium Rod and seal you both away in the Shadow Realm where you will be able to inflict yourselves on society no more."
Ishtar cackled and Gardner protested.
The duel went on. As Light and Ishtar gnawed at each other's' life points, their bodies faded away into the shadows until they were only disjoint pieces held together by a single soul. It was not long before Ishtar summoned the Winged Dragon of Ra once more and set it on Light. He felt the full impact of the flames consuming the remainder of his body as he vanished into nothingness.
The world is rotten.