DISCLAIMER: If you recognise it from somewhere else, it isn't mine.

Match Of The Millennium Part IV

Shamee ground her teeth as she watched the Shadow Bubble appear over the duelling arena. She was at a bad position to launch herself down so she'd be in it too. She heard Pegasus's last words before the bubble consumed them.

'I will defeat you, in one realm or another, Yugi!'

'Where'd they go?' Téa asked.

'That's a Shadow Bubble,' Shamee said. 'It means the arena has been shifted to the Shadow Realm.'

'The Shadow Realm?' Tristan asked. 'You mean that place the Evil Spirit took us?'

'Yes,' Shamee said. 'The only reason Pegasus would have taken them into there would be…' She paused, thinking. There was only one explanation.

'Would be…?' Joey pressed.

Shamee frowned. 'Would be to overwhelm Yugi's mind so the Mind Shuffle doesn't work.' She glanced at Bakura. 'He'll be fine here.' She started walking. 'Let's get down there!'

'Pronto!' Joey insisted.

'But how can we help Yugi when we can't even see him?' Téa demanded as they followed Shamee.

Shamee glanced at her over her shoulder. 'That does not concern Pegasus.'

YGO

Yugi looked around nervously. This place always gives me the creeps. Whenever Pegasus brings me here, it only means one thing. Yugi and Yami spoke at the same time. 'A Shadow Game.'

'You'll find your experience in the Shadow Realm this time around will be a lot harder than your last,' Pegasus said. 'The strain of maintaining your Mind Shuffle will make it more difficult for you to mentally conjure up your monsters.'

As he said it, Yugi registered the truth. He's right. I feel weak.

I'll take over, Yugi. Yami seized control of the body.

YGO

'I think I'm strong enough,' Yami said. 'So let's finish out duel now.' He drew. You'll be safer if you let me handle Pegasus, Yugi. I can survive in this Realm easier than you.

But we can't abandon our strategy. It was the only thing keeping Pegasus from reading our minds!

Yami gritted his teeth. You're right. It's the only reason we have our narrow lead.

Pegasus drew and chuckled. 'For my next brilliant move, I play my Dark Eyes Illusionist in attack mode.' A purple aura surrounded him and the beast appeared. 'And did I tell you? It's a monster I created just for this game?'

Yami's eyes widened.

'And, don't forget, in this realm it's as real as you are!'

'I can see that,' Yami said.

'Oh, I know he looks formidable.' Pegasus gushed over his beast. 'But what sort of a threat could he be to you? He has zero attack points and zero defence points. Of course, since it's a monster you've never seen before today, you have no way of knowing its hidden secrets. And I have been known to keep a few tricks up my sleeve from time to time, right, Yugi?' He laughed to himself.

Yami's eyes narrowed. 'I don't know what secrets your Dark Eyes Illusionist holds but I'm certain it's not as harmless as you would like me to believe. I'm sure it's quite dangerous.'

'Yugi, you're so suspicious.' Pegasus laughed.

'I'll lay my Curse of Dragon on the field.' Yami set the card. 'Dragon, come forth!' A vortex appeared next to him and the Dragon flew our. It settled next to the Dark Magician.

We've got to keep Pegasus off balance! Yugi insisted. We've got to keep switching our minds.

All right, Yugi. Yami allowed the switch.

YGO

Yugi's weakness returned as soon as he retook control over his body.

'I don't think you have it in you, Yugi-boy.' Pegasus mocked him. 'You now have two creatures to maintain. Your Curse of Dragon and your Dark Magician.'

The strain was even more taxing than before but he needed to do this. He muttered to himself. 'This is so hard. The strain…it hurts!' He panted for breath. It's like nothing I've ever felt before. Whole world is spinning.

Yugi, if this is too much for you, you should let me take over.

Yugi caught himself on the duelling board. 'Give me a minute. I just want to try to last out this turn.'

YGO

The four of them stared at the Bubble. Téa suddenly slapped her hands over her heart.

Joey looked at her. 'You felt it too, huh?'

'Yeah, a sharp jolt right in my heart,' Téa said. 'Along with the strangest feeling that something bad has happened to Yugi!'

'Tell me about it, Téa.' Joey agreed. 'I think that our little buddy's in big trouble.'

Tristan spoke gently. 'I know.'

Joey and Téa turned to her.

'You felt it too?' Joey asked.

'Yeah.'

'We all felt it,' Shamee said.

'Maybe it's because we've all become so tight but it's like we've developed some kind of weird link with him.'

Joey looked back at the Bubble. 'For sure.'

'Yeah, but…' Téa stared. 'If we're feeling what he's feeling, it must be really bad in there.'

'If only there was some way we could help him,' Joey said.

'I think I'm the only one who can.' Shamee stepped up to the Bubble. She drew her focus in and the eye of her Millennium Bandanna glowed.

YGO

Yugi watched Pegasus take a card from his hand. 'You're looking a little pale, Yugi. Maybe you should give up your Mind Shuffle strategy. Take a breather.'

'Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you?' The familiar voice came from behind him.

Pegasus looked up, past him, and stared in disbelief. Yugi, though in great pain, turned. Standing a few feet behind him was Sharee…no. No, it was Shamee. The expression on the face gave her away. She smirked and tapped her Bandanna.

'Millennium Item.' She walked forward. 'Even if it's not one of the original ones, it still works.' Shamee stopped right behind Yugi and laid her hand on his shoulder. He felt a surge of energy and it was suddenly easier to handle the stress of this Realm. The pain wasn't gone completely but it did make it more tolerable.

I'm glad she thought of that, but I better take over now.

As they switched, Shamee dropped her hand.

YGO

Yami looked across at Pegasus. 'I'll use my turn to attack with Curse of Dragon!' The Dragon attacked.

Pegasus smiled. 'Your attack activates Dark Eyes Illusionist's special ability.' The head of his monster turned around and light exploded from it. 'Mesmerising Magic!'

He stopped him.

'To make up for Dark Eyes non-existent attack and defence points, I endowed him with a special ability,' Pegasus explained. 'Dark Eyes Illusionist can use the power of its mesmeric eye to paralyse attacking monsters in their tracks. With such a good monster at my disposal, what could my next brilliant move be?'

Yami gritted his teeth. 'Just play it.'

'As you wish.' Pegasus turned his card over. 'Believe it or not, I'm going to use the Black Illusion ritual card and sacrifice my incredible Dark Eyes.' He gasped. 'Has he gone insane, you might ask, sacrificing a monster that can paralyse any monster I play?' The ritual jars appeared and activated. 'No. I'm merely using this ceremony to create an even better monster.' Pegasus laughed and raised his arms as the energy from the jars caused his hair to fly up. 'I hereby sacrifice Dark Eyes Illusionist…' The monster was sucked into the main jar. '…to summon another spell-caster monster. Yes, there's more!' The entire ritual podium morphed into the monster in question, some humanoid but round and shelled beast. 'The incredible, extraordinary, unforgettable creature known only Relinquished! Quite a looker, huh?'

'What kind of monster can this be?' Yami asked. 'I've never seen anything like it.'

'I'll show you,' Pegasus said. 'By activating its special power!' The eye glowed and the mouth at the lower part opened. 'It's even more irresistible than my previous creature.' A vacuum started up and the Curse of Dragon was sucked into it.

'Oh, no. My Curse of Dragon!'

The mouth closed as the Dragon vanished inside. 'Gone but not forgotten.'

Yami growled. 'Dark Magician, go now. Attack Relinquished! Dark Magic attack!' The Dark Magician leapt forward and attacked.

'Relinquished, activate your defence shield!' Pegasus ordered. The shell came down just as the Magician attacked and Yami's Curse of Dragon appeared in Relinquished. It was hit instead.

'Oh, no!' Yami worked it out fast. 'It's using my captured Curse of Dragon as a shield against the attack!' His Dragon was destroyed.

'The Dark Magician's attack eliminates Curse of Dragon from the game!' Pegasus gloated.

Yami's life points fell to 400.

'But since he was your creature, you lose the life points,' Pegasus said. 'By absorbing its opponent's monsters, Relinquished can use them, and their attack and defence points, to protect against any attacking monster.' The shell arms rose up again. 'And Relinquished remains unharmed while the opponent suffers the damage! Your own attack reduced your life points. As long as I have Relinquished in play, you're your own worst enemy.' He smirked and folded his arms. 'Oo. How frustrating it must be to be you! You know you have all these great monsters in your deck and if you dare play any of them, they will be used against you.'

'This game's not over yet, Pegasus!' Yami stated.

'No, but it might as well be.' Pegasus drew. 'My monster's unstoppable. Watch! I activate Relinquished's hypnotic attraction!' The light shot out of the eye and hit the Dark Magician. It slowly absorbed him. 'Try as he might to resist, your Dark Magician will find my spell-caster as irresistible as your Dragon did. Like your Dragon, he'll soon be mine.'

'No, my Dark Magician!' Yami watched his Magician vanish into the beast. 'It captured him too.' The shell closed and the Dark Magician appeared on the side. Yami ground his teeth. 'And now it's turned him into another defence shield.'

Pegasus chuckled. 'That's right, Yugi. You're beginning to catch on. And this time I've got one of your most powerful monsters to use against you. Not to mention, your personal favourite. In an attack, he'll take your life points all the same. Guess you're not his favourite. Not anymore.'

How can I possibly win? Any monster I use will be turned against me.

Yami heard Shamee growl in annoyance behind him. Obviously whatever she had in mind was not something Sharee was willing to live with.

Even if I come up with another strategy, Pegasus will know it instantly.

Yugi suddenly spoke. We can't give up. We have to Mind Shuffle long enough for me to play a card and then retreat before Pegasus can read my mind. It worked before. It'll work again.

But before they'd been in their own Realm. Are you sure you're up to this? We don't know how long you can last in the Shadow Realm.

I don't have to last long. Just long enough to pull one last card.

Yami didn't like the sound of that "last". But if you reach the limits of your endurance, your soul will be shredded, dispersed in the Shadow Realm for all eternity.

Whatever the risk, I have to take it. Yugi was certainly brave. Most would hear that and either back down or hesitate. For grandpa's sake. We both have to trust in the Heart of the Cards.

Yami reluctantly stepped back and allowed Yugi back control of his body.

YGO

As soon as Yugi was in control again, Shamee's hand clasped his shoulder. Once again she lent him her strength. But he still stumbled. He didn't have much time. 'I've…I've got to play fast.' He reached for his deck. I've got to have faith in the Heart of the Cards, because the next card I pull…might be my last. His vision was blurring. Please, make it one that can defeat Pegasus. Please! Yugi drew and laid it down. It's all up to Yami now. 'Pegasus, I play one card face down.' Hand shaking, he pulled a monster card out. 'And for my last move, I throw Feral Imp in defence mode.' The monster appeared on the field. At least now…there's one card that Pegasus doesn't know about. Now maybe we stand a chance.

Pegasus called out. 'Relinquished, prepare to attack! Use the Dark Magician's power.' His monster drew power from his Dark Magician, who cried out in pain, and then it gathered in the eye. 'Filtered Power Attack! Destroy the Feral Imp.' The attack shot forward.

As the Feral Imp was destroyed, Yugi felt pain rip along his every nerve ending. 'My Feral Imp!' He felt strong hands supporting him.

Yugi, switch now, quickly! Yugi would have but his knees buckled and he fell. The last thing he heard was, Yugi? Yugi!

Yugi just had one thing to say. 'Yami. You've got…to beat Pegasus…'

YGO

Téa gasped. She heard Joey and Tristan cry out too. Téa put her hands to her head. 'Feel that?' she asked before lowering her hands. 'Something happened to Yugi just now.'

Joey looked at her. 'I know. But what?'

'Whatever it was, it felt devastating,' Tristan said.

Téa's fear began to overwhelm her. 'He…he's hurt. Or worse!'

YGO

Sharee and Shamee stood in the Mind Neutral Ground, as Sharee had dubbed it, the place in the shared mind-space where both spirits and their hosts could all communicate. It'd been created when Sharee and Yugi had united their minds. They watched as Yami knelt over Yugi and shook him. But the boy seemed to be gone from them. His skin was paler than usual, heavy bags were under his closed eyes and his body was slack.

'Yugi?' Yami called. 'Yugi?' He didn't look up at them, but he still spoke. 'I can't sense his spirit. I can no longer feel the presence of his young mind.' He shook him again. 'No, he…he can't be gone.' This boy had been his responsibility and he'd…he'd failed him.

Pegasus's voice echoed around them. 'Forget him. The boy was too weak. It takes a person with true fortitude to cope with the harsh unrealities of the Shadow Realm. Face it, Yugi is gone and it's just you and me now.'

'No,' Shamee said. 'I can feel his heart signature.'

Yami looked up at her. 'What?'

Shamee nodded once. 'It's very faint, but it's there.'

YGO

Joey stared at the Bubble. 'I'm telling you, I'm getting creeped out. One minute I was feeling Yugi like he was right here beside me, and then the next…'

'He was gone.' Tristan finished the thought. 'I felt it too.'

'Yugi!' Téa yelled and suddenly ran forward.

'Téa, don't!' Joey called.

It turned out to be unnecessary because she appeared in front of them as soon as she ran in the Bubble. She looked just as surprised he felt.

'What happened?' he asked.

'Uh, I'm not sure.' Téa went back over to the Bubble, more slowly this time. She put her hand in. The part she put in came out a couple of inches over. Téa cried out in alarm and drew her hand back.

'So what'll we do now?' Joey asked.

'Stand back. There's gotta be some way in.' Tristan charged at it. He didn't come out again that Joey saw.

'Tristan, where are you?' Joey called.

'Yell if you can hear us!' Téa added.

Tristan's voice came back. 'Somehow, I just passed through it.' He came back and stopped in front of them.

'What happened?' Téa asked.

Joey could guess. 'No good, huh?'

Tristan looked up at it. 'Sharee must've been able to get in because of her Millennium Bandanna. Whatever this Shadow Bubble is, it's clear Pegasus designed it to keep Yugi in and us outside.'

Not good, but he was probably right about how Sharee got in. 'I just can't believe our best friend's in the worst jam ever and there's nothing we can do to help him.' Joey punched his hand and growled.

YGO

Yami quickly took control of the body. He opened his eyes from where Yugi had slumped and rose to his feet. 'You used your underhanded tactics to overwhelm Yugi's mind. You will pay for what you did.'

Pegasus was remorseless. He chuckled. 'So I take it, from this emotional outburst, that you're having a difficult time acknowledging the fact that you failed in your self-appointed duty to protect your little duelling protégé. Whoever you are, perhaps Yugi would've been better off without your interference. Hm?'

'Mind your manners.'

This time Yami looked to the right. He knew who it was anyway. He recognised the voice. The woman and the little boy were walking out of the Shadows, from where they had likely been watching the whole thing. The boy skipped ahead of his mother and came to stand by Yami's side.

'Oh, you again.' Pegasus closed his eyes carelessly.

'Be silent,' Yami ordered him. 'For what you have done, I will show you no mercy.'

'Then let the game continue,' Pegasus said. 'It's your turn.'

Yami drew.

'You no longer have Yugi to help you,' Pegasus said. 'Once more, your mind is an open book to me. The card you drew is Winged Dragon and Guardian of the Fortress, a weak monster.' He was smiling self-assuredly.

The woman scoffed. 'I wouldn't say that.'

Yami shot her a small smile but then glared at Pegasus. Pegasus read my mind, so now he knows all the cards in my hand. The only card he doesn't know is the one Yugi left on the field. I have no way of knowing if that's a card that could tip the duel in my favour. He laid the card down. 'I play the Winged Dragon in defence mode.' A vortex appeared next to him and the monster pulled itself out before settling on the field. 'It's your move.'

'Destroying your defence monster won't affect your life points, but I'll do it just for fun. Relinquished, destroy the Winged Dragon.' Relinquished drained the power from the Dark Magician again – in the corner of his eye, Yami saw the woman wince while her son flinched against him – and used its power to destroy the Winged Dragon. Pegasus beamed. 'Ah, that was fun!' Pegasus drew. 'Now, the card of your final defeat.' He played his card. 'Your time's run out.' A vortex appeared over Pegasus's head and a small time bomb monster dropped down onto the field.

Yami knew the monster. 'Giken-Bokwudon, the infamous time bomb!'

'Yes,' Pegasus said. 'Giken-Bokwudon is a self-destructing monster that's immune to attacks.' He held up his hand. 'In just two turns, it will explode and destroy my beloved Relinquished.'

The boy leaned up curiously. 'Why blow up your own monster?'

The woman knew the answer. 'Because it would also destroy the Dark Magician.'

'And Relinquished?' Pegasus smiled. 'His attack power is zero.'

'Meaning your life points won't be affected at all.' Yami finished the explanation.

'That's right,' Pegasus said. 'While my score is unaffected, the explosion will wipe out the Dark Magician. And his attack points will be deducted directly from your life points, ending the game.'

And it'll destroy any hope I have of rescuing Yugi's grandpa, Kaiba and Mokuba. Yami ground his teeth.

Pegasus continued his gloating. 'Face it, the clock is ticking down on your demise and there's nothing you can do to stop it. I just can't remember the last occasion I had so much fun. Remember, only two turns left until ka-boom!'

Yami scrutinised his cards.

'And you don't have a single card in your hand that can help you.' Pegasus continued on, relentless. 'Trust me, I know.' He chuckled.

What am I going to do? Even if I draw a new card, Pegasus's Millennium Eye will let him read my mind and see exactly what card I've drawn.

'That's right,' Pegasus said. 'As long as I can read your mind, you can do nothing against me. You've lost. The game is over.'

The woman made a loud sceptical sound in her throat. 'You obviously don't know who you're duelling.'