It was plain to see that there was only one person in charge of Ryou's movements, but it was also plain that he wasn't acting the same. Zorc had dismissed both Ryou and Bakura as barely worth playing against, but between the two of them they were a definite threat.
The key is to make sure that you have mostly strong cards in your deck. They were quickly crafting a makeshift strategy for the game, which turned out to be easier than anticipated.
[Which should be easy to do, since only my strong cards have made it this far. After this we just have to wait it out.]
And get rid of those twos.
[Definitely.]
The plan seemed to be working well- Ryou's deck had been streamlined by Zorc's conservative scavenging, leaving him with a handful of higher level cards and only a couple low level ones. Several times he won battles with suit advantage, and Bakura helped keep track of what cards were in his deck.
[Something is bothering me, though,] Ryou thought vaguely as he played his last two. [Zorc has all of the aces, but he hasn't played a single one.]
Maybe he's afraid of that two?
Zorc chuckled as he picked up the card. "If you hadn't wanted to surrender before, now might be a good time to change your mind."
Ryou eyed him warily. "Why do you say that?"
"Isn't it obvious? As of now, you have nothing to stop my aces with."
No...
"No..."
"Oh yes," Zorc smirked. "I thought this game through more than you thought. There is room for five cards in my hand- all I have to do is keep four twos and an open spot, and play whatever comes into that open spot."
[He's going to suck us dry with that strategy,] Bakura concluded grimly. [Slowly and painfully.]
Zorc proceeded to do just that. Whenever Ryou felt like he might be getting the upper hand, Zorc would come out with two or three aces in a row. It wasn't by much, but it dented Ryou's deck every time.
Finally, he had one card left.
A three, Bakura thought bitterly. If that isn't irony, I don't know what is.
Ryou smiled.
Wait, what?
He made a very uncharacteristic evil chuckle.
We're about to make the biggest loss in the history of losing, and you find this funny?
"Well, Zorc, it seems you have me beaten. I don't suppose you'd let me use my rule now?"
"Do as you like," Zorc shrugged. "I'll beat you anyway, no matter what you do."
"I win."
There was a short pause.
"Aren't you going to say the rule?" Zorc asked slowly.
"Yes, that was the rule. I win."
"...wha?"
"It's very simple. I can say it again, if you'd like. I win." He would have had a hard time keeping a straight face even without Bakura laughing hysterically in the background, but he managed.
"That's- That's not fair!" Zorc whined.
"It is too, you said I could have any rule."
"You cheated!"
"What does Mokuba have to say on this?"
"I don't care what that insignificant child has to-" Zorc suddenly froze, his words sticking in his throat.
Mokuba looked up with a satisfied half-smile. "Yeah, I'm gonna have to agree with Ryou."
As the two fought for control of Mokuba's facial expression, Ryou shuddered, forgetting for a second that Bakura was only in his head."Let's never do that...
"Agreed.
"But you just-" Ryou laughed, letting Bakura do the same after a second. Ryou was pretty sure that he was in shock, but didn't much care. The shadows were slowly receding around them, and the future looked brighter than ever.
