SailorStar9: With Chapter 49 uploaded, we hit Chapter 50 of this fic. For everyone who put this fic on your favorited and followed lists and/or story alerts, thank you, but remember everyone, a lot of authors (myself included) sustain on readers' reviews.
Disclaimer: I own nothing expect the Safiastra and Ami's dueling deck.
Chapter 50: The Magician's Disciple - Dark Magician Girl
'Dark Magician', I won't let you sacrifice your soul for me in vain. Yami Yuugi promised.
I sacrificed my 'Dark Magician' in order to finish Yuugi off, but it was all in vain? Pandora hissed. He's lost his 'Dark Magician' as well. In my deck, I still have two more 'Dark Magicians' waiting to kill you. "Continue the duel. My End Phase. Reverse card set. Turn over. Yuugi, I know you don't have another 'Dark Magician' in your deck, right? The true title of the 'Dark Magician' user goes to me after all."
"We'll see about that, Pandora." Yami Yuugi retorted. "If you're the true 'Dark Magician' user, you should have heard it. The mourn of the card's soul who was betrayed by his master."
"I don't hear anything like that." Pandora sneered. "The only sound filling my ears is the buzz of the circular saw about to cut you up. Yuugi, you only have 700 points of your Life left. At the moment it hits zero, the cutter will slice into you. And I will conduct the perfect ending to the greatest escape show."
"The cards will decide how the fight ends." Yami Yuugi was unfazed. "My turn." right now, Pandora has no Monsters on the field. This may be my chance. "I Summon 'Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts'."
"You fell right into my trap, didn't you?" Pandora grinned. "Trap Card: 'Shadow Balance'. This Trap Card is activated when the opponent Summons a Monster. Judging by the number of Monsters I have on the field, it will make your field equal to that."
"Damn it." Yami Yuugi cursed. "The number of Monsters he has on the field is zero. That means..."
"That's right." Pandora smirked. "'Shadow Balance'." he took out both 'Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts' and 'Big Shield Gardna' in one move. "Now the number on both our fields is zero. It's a shame, since you just Summoned a new Monster. My turn." with this card, my victory is guaranteed. He grinned widely.
Both our fields have no Monsters. Yami Yuugi frowned. That means he shouldn't be able to sacrifice lower level Monsters to Summon a more powerful one.
"Yuugi, it seems you've read through my strategy." Pandora remarked. "On the contrary, I have a card that will let me Summon a high level Monster in an instant. A card that will let me call the best magician, the 'Dark Magician'. This is the key card to victory. 'Dark Magic Curtain'. This turn, the player will pay half his Life Points as a cost to Summon 'Dark Magician' from their deck. Come forth, 'Dark Magician'." he Summoned his second 'Dark Magician'. "Yuugi, how do you like my perfect Magician deck? Summon speed, quick acting, and magic combination. Including everything, it surpasses your deck. I'm the only one worthy of being called the true 'Dark Magician' user, don't you think? Right now, you have no Monster guarding you. This turn, if I were to attack you with 'Dark Magician', it's certain that your Life would diminish and I would win. The only thing guarding you is that set card on your field. Most likely, it's a Trap Card that activates when an attack is launched and it wipes out the attacking Monster. What an eyesore. Why don't I seal that set card? Magic Card: 'Anti-Magic Arrows'." the rain of arrows, pinned both of Yami Yuugi's set cards to the ground. "Now, all of your remaining hope has been sealed. You lose. 'Dark Magician', attack the player directly." what? His eyes widened when 'Dark Magic Curtain' appeared in front of Yami Yuugi, stopping 'Dark Magician' from attacking. "'Dark Magic Curtain' is on Yuugi's field?"
"The Magic Card you played, 'Dark Magic Curtain', is a card that affects the entire field." Yami Yuugi reminded. In other words, I am also allowed to use that magic. I will also Summon a Magician card."
"Impossible." Pandora stammered. "You shouldn't have another 'Dark Magician' in your deck."
"I have only one 'Dark Magician' in my deck." Yami Yuugi admitted "In the world of Duel Monsters, there is but one female magician that is called the 'Magician's Disciple'."
"Impossible." Pandora sneered. "There is a Magician Card that, I, the Magician user, don't know about?"
"I'll show you." Yami Yuugi declared. "'Dark Magician Girl'!"
"But 'Dark Magician Girl's Attack is only 2000." Pandora snorted. "It can do nothing against 'Dark Magician's attack. 'Dark Magician', attack 'Dark Magician Girl'. This time, I win." he grinned, when both Monsters clashed.
"Is that so?" Yami Yuugi smirked.
"Impossible." Pandora was shocked when his 'Dark Magician' was destroyed. "My 'Dark Magician' is disappearing. Why? It's attack should be 500 higher."
"I'll tell you." Yami Yuugi supplied. "'Dark Magician Girl, for each 'Dark Magician' sleeping in the graveyard, increases her Attack by 300 points each. The soul of a fallen ally makes her stronger."
"But..." Pandora was puzzled. There's only one 'Dark Magician' in Yuugi's graveyard. Even with an increase of 300 points, her attack should still only be 2300. My 'Dark Magician' should still have won.
"Look closely." Yami Yuugi stated. "If you are truly a 'Dark Magician' user, the truth should be spread before you."
Pandora's eyes widened when he saw the visage of his sacrificed 'Dark Magician' standing behind 'Dark Magician Girl'. "No way... my 'Dark Magician's soul is there as well?"
"'Dark Magician Girl' inherits the souls of all 'Dark Magicians' sleeping in the graveyard." Yami Yuugi spoke. "Betrayed by you, your 'Dark Magician's soul has chosen to fight against you instead. It's my turn. Prepare yourself Pandora. 'Dark Magician Girl, direct attack player Pandora. Because you betrayed your cards, you've lost, Pandora." he declared, winning the duel.
On the surface...
With Mokuba leading, Sugoroku, Ami and Anzu hurried to the game card shop Yuugi was in.
"Guys, what happened?" Honda stopped the group on his motorbike.
"Honda, Yuugi's gone missing." Anzu responded.
"Most likely, he's been captured by the Ghouls." Sugoroku added.
"Nii-sama led us to this building." Mokuba supplied.
"If you know the location, then it's a different story." Honda expressed. "Let's break in."
Back in the duel...
"For a duelist, to not cherish the bond between your cards, you're only walking down the path of failure." Yami Yuugi advised. "You lost because you disrespected your 'Dark Magician'."
"Impossible..." Pandora gaped. "A duelist who respects his cards... a card should only follow the instructions of the master controlling it."
"A duelist like you who threw away the bonds between your cards, in order to obtain victory, you've already lost the duelist soul." Yami Yuugi declared. "Pandora, all that awaits you is your last act of cruelty."
"You've got to be kidding me!" Pandora squealed as the circular saw closed in on his locked legs. "When my counter hits zero, the cutter will be triggered and it's moving to saw through my legs."
"The key and Puzzle Card." Yami Yuugi looked down at the unlocked box between his legs.
Outside the room...
"What is that sound?" Anzu wondered, hearing the saw's whirl, the rescue team was outside the duel ring.
"An industrial saw!" Ami realized.
Back in the duel...
"It's over." Pandora panicked. Just kidding. Don't dare underestimate a conjurer. I thought over this possible outcome and prepared a spare key in my sleeve. As long as I have this, I can still escape from here. He removed the spare key he had hidden. What's wrong? Am I scared? So scared I can't move?
Pandora. Marik warned his subordinate.
Marik-sama... Pandora gaped.
You lost the duel. Marik reminded. You have to pay the price.
"The key is gone..." Pandora gasped, seeing the key in his hand had seemingly vanished. "I was just holding the key a moment ago."
I just altered your memory. Marik snorted. Your memory of that key just faded away just now. To you, the key may as well not exist.
"Look out!" Yuugi reverted back to his normal form and dashed towards the trapped Pandora, managing to unlock the ankle cuffs holding the magician captive and pulling Pandora to the ground before the circular saw touched him. "It's definitely wrong to throw away your life for a game."
"Catherine!" the freed Pandora ran to the curtain in the back. "Please don't leave me side again." he caressed the mannequin. "I'm so sorry I didn't accept your feelings and drove you away. I don't care about my fame anymore. Let's both return to France together and start over.
"Just what's going on here?" Yuugi was confused.
"Why'd you go and do that?" Marik voiced, using Pandora's body. "You're the vessel for the other Yuugi, am I right?"
"His personality changed suddenly." Yuugi realized. "You're..."
"I see." Marik noted. "You weren't conscious when we met earlier today. My name is Marik. I can control people from any location. I can even alter their memory. If I ease off enough, their voices can still be heard. I controlled Keith using this same method. In order to prove the existence of your other self; to see if you were really the one chosen by the Millennium Puzzle and to see if the man inside you was who I thought he was. And when you completed the Millennium Puzzle again, you confirmed the existence of that man."
"Why do you wanna kill us?" Yuugi demanded. "Answer me."
"It doesn't concern you." Marik rebuked. "But I have business with the soul you contain. Revenge: I am the heir of the clan of Tomb Guardians who lived in darkness for 3000 years, and I will avenge them. On the edge of Necropolis of Egypt, we Tomb Guardians have lived apart from the world, hiding in the shadows, passing the task from mother to daughter and father to son. My clan must avoid all contact from the outside world, living only to protect the Millennium Items we were handed. And we must die for this fate. We must return the Pharaoh's memory to his soul."
"Memory?" Yuugi echoed. "Does that mean the Pharaoh's memory stone table and the seven items re related?"
"Yes." Marik confirmed. "I hold one of the seven secrets are well. I must guard it, even if it means my life, until I present it to the Pharaoh's soul. That's what I was taught as a child. The problem is finding the Pharaoh's soul. The only clue is written in the original Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic text of the Pert Em Heru, the Book of the Dead. It says of the Pharaoh 'You will know him by the three God Cards he wields.' In other words, the one who collects the three God Cards will be crowned the title 'Pharaoh' and regain the Millennium Items and his lost memories. For countless generations, my clan has protected the Millennium Items at the cost of suffering and pain, including my Father. I will put an end to the curse laid upon us. And to do that, I will take revenge on the Pharaoh's soul and kill him a second time. And if the prophecy says that the Pharaoh will wield the three God Cards, then I will obtain the the cards and become the new Pharaoh. I formed the Ghouls for the sole purpose of locating those God Cards. And I have already obtained two of the cards. The third resides in this town: in this Battle City. I shall obtain the three God Cards. And Yuugi, once I kill you, I will be freed from my family's cursed fate, and the world will be mine."
"Marik, I won't let you take away the other me's life." Yuugi declared. "We'll fight."
"You're merely a vessel." Marik snorted. "When the time comes, you can die alongside him. Within this city, another Rare Hunter wielding a God Card is lurking. A man who holds the 'Slifer the Sky Dragon'. He will appear before you sooner than you think. So remember, beware the Stings. We'll meet again, Yuugi." he relinquished his control on Pandora.
"Are you alright, Yuugi?" Anzu burst into the duel ring, after Honda forced the metal door open.
Elsewhere...
Just you wait... Marik swore. "Alongside with your impertinent vessel, I will bury your soul in darkness."
"How will you get the God Card?" Rishid inquired.
"Use a God Card against a God Card." Marik answered. "I, holding the Ra Card, will enter Domino City shortly."
"So, you're going against Kaiba personally, Marik-sama?" Rishid was worried.
"Eventually, it will come to that." Marik confirmed. "But I'm focusing on Yuugi for the time being. Let the Sting out of his stall and set him loose. No doubt he's going to make things really fun."
SailorStar9: Any OOC-nes is regretted. *Sighs* Don't you just hate plot bunnies sometimes? Reviews are much appreciated.