Yu-Gi-Oh! Love Selflessly – Chapter 24

Out in the waiting room, Yugi let out a sigh. He thought, "This is it. Just me and the deck my grandpa gave me against Pegasus." He flipped through his cards and thought, "Pegasus may have taken his soul, but his heart has always been right here with me in these cards." Joey called, walking into the room with the rest of the gang, "Hey, there, champ!" Téa said, smiling brightly, "Surprise!" Yugi beamed and asked, "Hey, guys! What are you doing here?" Tristan said, "Well, we all wanted to wish you well." Yugi smiled, looking up at his five friends.

"You're the best," he said softly. Joey said, "You finally made it! You're going all the way up, bud!" Téa said, "Yeah, and when all this is over, we'll get your grandpa home." Yugi nodded and said, "Yes. Thank you, guys. It means a lot." Over the loudspeaker, Croquet said, "The time has come. Yugi Muto will now duel Mr. Maximillian Pegasus for the title of Duel Monsters World Champion. Please proceed to the arena." Téa, Joey, Tristan, and Bakura turned to walk back up to the balcony. Joey said confidently, "Go get 'im, Yuge!" Yugi frowned and said, "Okay. It's time to duel." As he and his friends separated, Emiko looked down at her feet. She called out to him as he approached the door to the arena.

"Yugi, wait," she said, running to catch up to him, "I want you to take this." She sifted quickly through her deck and pulled out two cards. He looked down as she handed them to him and asked, "Emiko? What are you-" She cut him off and said, "I want to help you. This is my last chance to help my brothers. Take them." He read the cards, taking them from her hand gently. He looked up at her and said, "But, these cards are-" She interrupted him once more, "A very powerful combo." She smiled and nodded reassuringly. She said softly, "Take them. Take them and use them to beat Pegasus at his own game." Yugi smiled back. He said, shuffling them into his deck, "Alright." She watched as he threw the doors open, walking through them onto the duelling arena. She sighed and thought, "Just win. You have to."

Yugi stepped up onto the blue side of the arena once again, taking his place across from the Duel Monsters creator, who had a smirk plastered onto his face. He chuckled. Yugi gripped his deck and thought, "At last, I finally face Pegasus. It's going to take all the wisdom my grandpa gave me and all the power in my deck, but I will defeat him and get back the souls he's taken."

Emiko walked up to the balcony, looking around as she rejoined her friends. She asked, noticing the absence of Tristan, "Where'd Tristan go?" Bakura said, "I'm not sure." Joey said nonchalantly, "He probably just went to the john. Forget about him! Things are just getting interesting." Emiko sighed, looking back behind her, "Alright, if you say so."

Pegasus said smugly, "So, Yugi-boy, you've finally made it. You've proven yourself to be quite the young duelist, battling your way through all the other challengers, solely to face me." Yugi shouted, "Pegasus! Before we begin, I want you to agree to keep your promise! If I win, then you'll release my grandfather's soul and the souls of Emiko's brothers Seto and Mokuba Kaiba!" Pegasus said, "Oh, but of course! I'm a man of my word." Yugi gritted his teeth. Pegasus held up the three cards containing the souls of Solomon, Seto, and Mokuba, and said, "If you can defeat me, then I will release the souls of all three of your beloved ones." Croquet said calmly, "Yugi Muto, please present the card that will allow you to participate in this final round of the tournament." Yugi confidently said, holding up the blank card, "As per your rules, here it is. Glory of the King's Opposite Hand." Croquet said, nodding, "Excellent. Just as the card you hold is a blank slate, there are also no limits to the prize you may request if you are the victor. You may decide, if you wish, to take over his company. You may ask for this entire island or you may ask for Pegasus' Millennium Eye." Pegasus said, "Wow, do I know how to throw a Duel Monsters tournament or do I know how to throw a Duel Monsters tournament?" He stretched his arms out and said, "However, if you lose this duel, then you'll have to keep your end of the bargain. Take a good look at that card you hold in your hand." Yugi looked down at the blank, white card.

"If I win," Pegasus said, "Then I will claim your soul forever! It's certainly quite the risk, wouldn't you say?" Yugi said confidently, "It's a risk I'm willing to take." Pegasus chuckled, "Oh, my. So courageous. So defiant."

Téa said, "Hold on. If Pegasus wins, then he's going to steal Yugi's soul just like he took Mr. Muto's and Emiko's brothers!" Joey said, "Yeah, but even knowing what's on the line, Yugi's still gonna do this." Bakura said, "True. He's betting his own soul on this." Joey smiled and said, "Yep, that's our Yugi. He would do anything for anybody." Bakura said, "Yes, but this is the biggest gamble I have ever seen anybody take on Duel Monsters." Emiko said, "I-I just hope he wins." Téa remained silent and she thought, "Oh, Yugi, you just can't lose. If you did, I'd," she bit her lip nervously, "You just have to win. For your grandfather. For the Kaiba brothers."

Yugi smiled and put on a determined expression. He said, "Sorry to disappoint you, Pegasus, but I have no intention of ever becoming a part of your soul card collection. Croquet said, "The final duel in this tournament will now begin and the winner will be crowned King of Games! Ready your decks and begin!"

While the duel was beginning upstairs, Tristan wandered about down in the labyrinth-like dungeon. He looked around each of the dimly-lit hallways, searching for either of the Kaiba brothers and he muttered to himself, "What the heck have I gotten myself into? This castle is like a giant maze." He thought, "This is worse than trying to find your friends down at the mall. There's no sign of Kaiba or Mokuba anywhere." He walked down the hallway, but stopped in his tracks, hearing the low chatter of a few of Pegasus' guards in front of him. He backed up, looking frantically for a hiding place. He ran back and jumped behind a suit of armour, realizing that he could slip inside of it and hide. He stayed as still as he could, silencing his breathing and watching as the guards passed by. His heart felt like it might burst out of his chest, but he steadied himself. The guards turned the corner and one said, "Time to change shifts. How is he?" Another voice said, "Quiet and glassy-eyed as ever." A third voice said, "I'm gonna go check on the other one." Tristan watched as two of the men walked out of the hallway and went their separate ways. When he was absolutely sure they were gone, he finally relaxed and slipped out of the suit of armour.

"Thank goodness," he thought, "Now, which way did that guard go?" He walked to the first hallway where the guard went and peered around the corner, but he saw nothing but an empty corridor with a dragon statue mounted on the wall. He walked down to investigate, feeling around on the dragon statue until he felt the head move just a tiny bit. He pulled down on it and murmered, "Ah-ha. Gotcha." Beside him, a door slid open and he cautiously entered, walking down the flight of stairs that was revealed to him. He said under his breath, "Alright, here goes nothing."

Joey said, looking back and forth between Pegasus and Yugi, "Man, it's like we're hanging out in the old west, just waiting for the first cowboy to make the first shot." Yugi said, drawing his first card, "Alright, this is it. Let the duel begin!" He set two cards face down. Pegasus snickered, "Oh, sneaky play. That face-down card wouldn't happen to be a Beaver Warrior, would it?" Yugi's eyes widened. He thought, "No way! Is his Millennium Eye actually allowing him to see my cards?" Pegasus snickered again. He said, "Oh, how fun. I'll play one card face down as well, then I'll throw down this! Red Archery Girl in defense mode!" He smiled and said, "Back to you, Yugi-boy." Yugi switched his Beaver Warrior into attack mode and attached his face-down magic card, increasing its attack and defense power, but Pegasus countered, switching his Red Archery Girl into attack mode and destroying Beaver Warrior. Yugi growled and set a monster, leaving Pegasus to set a card and summon a monster, making sure both of his creatures were in attack mode before ending his turn.

Joey sighed and said, "Man, that was something else. Maybe Pegasus really can read minds." Emiko sighed sadly. Joey added, "I mean, I know Yugi can beat just about anybody in a fair fight, but if Pegasus can read his mind, then who knows what could happen?" Bakura said calmly, "That's what makes his Eye one of the most powerful Millennium Items. He can read anyone's mind he chooses. Anyone who opposes him must use extreme caution." Emiko glanced at him, her blue eyes narrowing skeptically. Joey said, "Yeah. You seem to know an awful lot about that Eye, Bakura." He said, looking back at the playing field, "Just a little. One thing I don't know is if any mere mortal can stand against it." Joey said, "If not, then there's no one else who can save Grandpa and the others." He looked around and said, "And where the heck is Tristan? We should all be here supporting Yugi!" Bakura shrugged and said, "I don't know. Maybe he got lost." Joey groaned, "Good grief. Doesn't he realize he's missing the match of the century?"

Yugi thought, "Pegasus has to be reading my mind. How else would he have been able to so easily counter my attacks and how in the world am I supposed to beat someone who can see every card I draw and every strategy I think up as soon as they hit me?" Pegasus said aloud, "I think- no, wait- I know you're only just beginning to fully comprehend my power. Do you now realize the absolute magnitude of the jeapoardy you've put yourself in by accepting this duel?" He smiled and asked, "How do you expect to defeat not only the creator of Duel Monsters, but also a duelist who has the power to read your every thought? I can see everything in your mind. Your hopes, your dreams, and even your fears."

Tristan peered quietly around a corner at the base of the staircase and saw, sitting motionless behind iron bars, a glazed-over look on his face, Mokuba Kaiba. He sat in a little ball on the solid cot in the cell, his ankles chained to the nearby wall. In front of the cell, sitting in a simple chair, looking mindlessly through the pages of a newspaper that Tristan couldn't quite make out in the dim lights, was the guard from earlier. He looked around and saw a set of swords mounted on the walls. Quietly pulling it down, Tristan took the rather heavy blade down, but the blade was a little heavier than he thought. He let out an accidental grunt, alerting the guard to his presence. The guard stood up and asked, "Who's there?" He ran around the corner recklessly and Tristan slammed the butt end of the sword into his gut, knocking the wind out of him, then brought his elbow down on the man's head, knocking him out cold. Tristan dropped the heavy weapon and ran to Mokuba's cell.

"Mokuba," he said, "Mokuba! Hey, kid!" Mokuba didn't even look up at him. It was as though he didn't hear a word Tristan said. Tristan looked down and saw the keyhole. He ran back to the guard, digging through his pockets and pulling out a small key on a ring before returning and inserting it into the lock. The latch clicked, letting the iron door swing open. Tristan grinned to himself as he ran inside and unchained the dazed boy, lifting him up onto his back and sprinting out. He thought, "I've got to get him back to Em. I know she and the others will be able to protect him while I go find-" In front of him, Tristan heard a couple of men barking orders. He gritted his teeth, holding onto Mokuba's legs as he laid draped over his shoulders. In another hallway behind him, he heard more men. He grimaced. He'd been caught.

Bakura turned and walked away, catching Emiko's attention. She asked, "Hey, where are you off to?" Joey said, "Yeah, you got somewhere you gotta be, Bakura?" Bakura said, turning to look back over his shoulder, "Yes. I thought I'd go check on Tristan." Téa said, "He has been gone for quite a while." Joey said, "Yeah, too long if you ask me! I mean, what could be more important than this match?" Emiko turned and said, "Wait, I'll go, too-" Bakura said, cutting her off, "No, Emiko. I think you should stay and cheer Yugi on for us." Emiko sighed, furrowing her brows. She said, "Are you...sure you'll be alright, Bakura?" She thought, "Something's off about him. Maybe it's just me." He said, turning to her and smiling gently, "I'll be fine." Joey said, "Alright, then." Emiko watched as he disappeared into the hallway, turning back towards the rooms. She sighed and turned to watch the duel.

Yugi locked eyes with Pegasus, determined to think of some way to bypass his Millennium Eye's powers. Pegasus smirked. Yugi cautiously laid down a card face down and summoned a monster in defense mode. Pegasus skillfully countered, switching his Ryu-Ran into attack mode, though Yugi activated Spellbinding Circle, rendering the attack useless and decreasing the creature's power. He then switched his monster to attack mode, but Pegasus activated his face-down card to transfer the effects of Spellbinding Circle to Yugi's Summoned Skull. Joey slammed his fist on the balcony railing.

"Come on, Yuge," he shouted. Emiko called out to him, "Yugi! Don't give up now! You can beat him!" Téa yelled, "You've got this!"

Pegasus drew a card, then smiled. He said, giggling like a child, "Oh, Yugi-boy, I certainly hope you remember this next card." Yugi's eyes widened. He thought, "It can't be." Pegasus said, once again reading his mind, "Oh, yes, it can and it is! The magical Toon World!" The Toon World card materialized in the form of a huge pop-up book, transforming his two monsters into their toon forms and hiding them deep within the pages, but not before switching his Red Archery Girl into attack mode.

Téa and Emiko gasped audibly. Joey said, "Aw, nuts! Toon World is back on the field! That's not good!" Emiko said, "It's not going to be easy to beat that card and his Millennium Eye." Joey said, "Come on, Yugi!"

Tristan skidded to a halt in the middle of the hallway, sweat dripping down his forehead. Four guards had him surrounded, their guns aimed at him and Mokuba, who had closed his eyes and gone unconscious. One of the men said threateningly, "Hand over the kid or we'll shoot." Tristan growled. Another man behind him said, "Just come quietly, punk." Tristan said, "No way. Come and get him." Behind two of the men, a familiar voice said in a gravelly voice, "Lay one hand on the boy and you will rue the day you were ever born." Tristan turned. Bakura walked slowly out of the shadows, chuckling. His smile sent shivers down Tristan's spine, but Tristan said, "Bakura, get the heck out of here!" He looked down. Bakura was wearing the Millennium Ring and his face held a sinister expression. The guards turned, now aiming their guns at the boy. One man said, "You just walked into a world of trouble, kid!" Another said, "You heard him, now step out of those shadows or else!" Tristan gasped. Bakura snickered, shuffling a deck of cards slowly. He said, "Or else you'll do what, you pathetic little drones?" The men sharpened their aim at him, but Bakura pulled out a single Duel Monsters spell card, holding it up for them all to see. In the blink of an eye, all four of the men were trapped in a mysterious rope that appeared to be composed of light. They were bound tightly and their guns fell to the floor as they struggled against the ropes. Tristan looked around in disbelief.

"This way," Bakura said, "Now is our chance." Tristan asked, running as fast as he could to keep up with his friend, "Bakura, what did you do to them!?" Bakura turned a corner and Tristan followed. He wondered, "That was weird. How the heck did Bakura even do that? Unless that's not really him. No way, I thought that was just a dream, but I guess not."

As Yugi summoned a monster and launched an attack, but just as unbelievably as in his duel with Kaiba, Pegasus' Toon Red Archery Girl countered in a strange way. The clam that she resided in stretched its arms up to catch the blade of Yugi's Celtic Guardian. Everyone gasped. Yugi growled. Pegasus said, "My, my, my. Did we forget a little something about toons? Toons don't follow the same rules! Now, my Red Archery Girl, take aim and fire!" Celtic Guardian was destroyed easily and the mermaid retreated back into the pages of Toon World where Yugi couldn't harm her.

Emiko said, "No! How is Yugi supposed to beat monsters that don't follow the same rule set as normal monsters?" Joey said, "You got me, Em. Something about them toons just doesn't seem fair!"

Pegasus set two cards, then Yugi set one monster in face-down defense mode. Pegasus countered with Gorgon's Eye, making Yugi's defense monsters completely useless and causing more damage to his life points. Pegasus then flipped up his face-down Doppleganger card, copying Summoned Skull, which was then transformed into a toon monster, thanks to the Toon World card. Pegasus laughed as the Toon Summoned Skull made his rather comedic appearance. Yugi asked, "What have you done to him?" Pegasus said, "I haven't done anything compared to what he's going to do to you!" Yugi said, "You're twisted." Pegasus reeled animatedly, "Oh, Yugi-boy, how could you say such a thing?" Yugi snarled, "Just make your move." Pegasus said, "Alright, Yugi-boy. Toon Skull, attack with your Lightning Strike!" A bolt of lightning hit Yugi's defense monster, losing life-points due to Pegasus' trap card. Before retreating into Toon World, the Summoned Skull charicature flexed his cartoonish muscles, taunting Yugi smugly.

Tristan and Bakura ran up the stairs and through the halls of the depths of the castle, more men in suits chasing after them from multiple directions. Tristan asked, panting heavily, "What exactly was that back there, Bakura? You used a magic card, but for real!" Bakura said, his breathing oddly steady, considering how far they had been running, "Not now! Those guards are still after us!" Tristan said, turning carelessly around a corner, "Fine, but something's up with you and- AHH!" He found himself at a dead-end, about to fall, but Bakura grabbed him with one hand, yanking him back. He fell backwards, feeling his tailbone hit the ground hard. His heart raced as the adrenaline from his near-death pumped through his veins. He let out a heavy sigh and said, "Dang. I owe you one, Bakura. That was close." Bakura turned around swiftly.

"There they are," one of the men behind them shouted, approaching them, guns aimed and ready to shoot. One man said, "Both of you are coming with us!" Tristan said, "Welp, that's it. We tried." Bakura asked, "What do you mean, 'we tried'?" He pulled out a card and said, "With just a little bit of help from the Shadow Realm, I can guarantee that we'll get out of here alive." Tristan asked, "What are you talking about, man?" The guards slowly grew closer and closer, their guns locked onto them. Bakura pulled his deck of cards out of his pocket once again and drew a card. He chuckled.

Yugi looked at the cards in his hand, then drew his next. As he glanced at it, Pegasus said, "Hmm. I see you've drawn the fabled Dark Magician. Your favourite card, if I'm not mistaken." Yugi grimaced. He thought, "I have to figure out a way to beat his Millennium Eye. If I lose this game, I'll lose not only my grandpa, but also Emiko's brothers. They're all counting on me and so is Emiko." Yugi reluctantly played his Dark Magician in combination with the Magical Hats. Suddenly, Yugi came to a realization.

"Hold on," he thought, "Pegasus has magic, but so do I. I have a magic that merges me with the spirit inside of my Millennium Puzzle!" He took a deep breath and called out, "Spirit? Spirit, please listen to me! Quickly!" The Spirit of the Puzzle asked, "Yugi?" He said, "I can feel Pegasus trying to enter our minds again and I can't keep him out!" Yugi said calmly, "I know, but I have an idea. I don't know if it's going to work, but I think we need to try switching our minds back and forth. I think we should alternate turn-by-turn!" The Spirit said, "Okay, I understand. Let's try it." As Pegasus' attack was launched and Pegasus cheered triumphantly, Yugi, now separated from the Spirit, said confidently, "Looks like you might just be losing your touch, Pegasus." Pegasus said, "Wait. I just probed his mind!" Yugi said, "Maybe you probed the wrong mind! One that doesn't know where the Dark Magician hides." Pegasus growled in frustration. Yugi placed one card face-down and ended his turn, leaving Pegasus in a stunned silence.