Disclaimer:Oi, you've seen it enough times to have it memorized by now. >. A/N: Crap in a hat, it's been a while since the last chapter was out! So sorry for the big delay! I don't have really much to say but read and review! ^_^


~Chapter 13~


"...many people are counting on us. So we can't let them down! ..."

Anzu felt her head started to pound again as Yugi's last statement in the shadow duel between him and Pegasus continued echoed in her skull, and a feeling of strong will. He squinted his eyes tightly shut, for a moment planting her feet into the ground as Honda dragged her along. The whole castle was going berserk; there were barely any guards around, and all of the slaves of the castle were trying to make their escape off of the island. Jounouchi, Yugi, and Bakura were no where to be seen; Shizuka was worried sick about her big brother, along with Jounouchi's mother. And Yugi's mother...was bawling her eyes out, since she had no clue where her recently aged 14-year-old son was, but was pretty sure that he was already dead.

Anzu hoped that he had made his escape during all of the chaos, despite the odds that his execution was fulfilled.

But then, what were these voices sounded off in her head? Was she going crazy?

No, they seemed too real. Too real to be an illusion of a crazed person's thoughts. For some odd and unexplainable reason, she could practically hear the young boy's thoughts, speech, and feelings.

"Anzu, come on, stop that! We've got to leave, now!!" Honda shouted frantically.

"But...what about Jounouchi and Yugi?" Anzu asked worriedly.

Honda bit his lower lip. "I want to find them, but we can't; for all we know, they're dead right now,"

"No... at least Yuugi's not," Anzu whispered.

"What'd you say?"

Anzu looked up. "It sounds crazy, I know, and I've probably cracked, but...I can hear Yuugi! And... and know what's he's feeling, too!"

"You're shittin' me,"

"No, I'm serious! We've got to find them, now! Yugi's alive, I know it!!"




I've got to win, I've got to! Those were the words that went on over and over again in Yugi's head as the duel progressed. The Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon that once shone with the radiance of his, Jounouchi, and Seto's spirits now had a dark aura surrounding it, Pegasus' smirking face shadowing over it. As much as he didn't want to destroy it, he knew he had to in order to win the duel. In a way he felt like he was betraying his two friends, but in another way, if he didn't win, he'd be betraying them that way as well. Talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.

But now, the question was, how was he going to destroy the dragon? It was way too powerful for any ordinary monster to destroy; even his beloved Dark Magician fell to it's awesome power. Three turns had past as Yami lay out monsters in defense position, only to have them blown away by he great beast.

"Why don't you just give up now, Yugi-boy, there's no way you'll win. I promise that your trip to the shadow realm will be as painless as possible," smirked Pegasus, crossing his arms.

Yami glared up at Pegasus from across the arena. "You'd like that, wouldn't you, Pegasus? Well, I've got news for you--" Yami pointed his index finger at the evil creator of duel monsters, "--You've put my life in a living hell for the past year, and I'll see to it that no one will ever suffer at your hands again by winning this duel."

"I feel like I'm watching a soap opera over here," Pegasus said dully. "Do what you want to then, Yugi-boy, but you're only stalling the inevitable."

//Yugi, I just thought of something, //

/Will it be of any help to us? /

//It might. Take over for now, I'm going to test something. //

/Umm...all right. /

With a flash of light from the millennium puzzle, Yugi took over his body once more. Almost right away he felt the darkness of the shadow realm grip at his heart and soul, straining his strength. Yugi started to breathe heavily so that he could conserve his energy. Pegasus raised an eyebrow, wondering what he was doing.

/OK, now what? /

//Pegasus! Those clothes you're wearing make you look like a fat hen! Get some fashion sense! Now, Yugi, is he doing anything else? //

Yugi glanced over at Pegasus. Pegasus continued to watch him like a hawk, or hen, waiting for his next move, as he tapped his index finger impatiently on his forearm.

/...He's not doing anything.../

//Exactly. Now, you insult Pegasus, but make sure I won't be able to hear you. //

/O...K...um, Pegasus, you remind me of a baboon! /

"What?? How dare you!" hissed Pegasus, slamming his fists onto the platform. "I'll make sure you'll pay for that!"

/...He heard me! /

//My theory is correct then. He can only hear whoever's in control, but can't hear the other one! He can't hear me! So, that means if one of us think of a plan, he won't know! //

/But how come he could hear me earlier? /

//I think it's because you wear letting me know as well, and after I thought of it myself, he heard as well. //

/Oh, I see! I get it! Now we have a chance of winning! /

"Whatever you just found out won't help you, Yugi-boy," stated Pegasus, "So hurry up now...it looks like Katsuya and Seto don't have much more time on Earth."

Yugi looked over at Jounouchi and Seto, worry once again written on his face. He's right! Jou's loosing way too much blood, and Seto's barely breathing anymore! I've got to hurry!

//Yugi, I'll take over now, you think of something, but do not tell me.//

/But...maybe you should.../

//I have faith in you, Aibou. I know you'll think of something. //

/...Alright then.../

Another flash of light from the puzzle, and Yami was in control once more. He looked over his hand again so that Yugi could look it over.

OK, so far we have swords of revealing light, giant soldier of stone, pot of greed, and two arms. But the arms are useless! Or...are they...? Why are they in my deck anyway? Yugi thought privately, making sure not to project his thoughts to Yami. They must have some use to them...Maybe they fit together...like a puzzle...Jii-chan...what...would he say...? Yugi started to loose focus a bit, and if he was in control, he would have been sobbing. Jii-chan...I wish you were here...if you were...maybe you could help us...

//Yugi, you're letting me hear your thoughts of Jii-chan! Concentrate! Don't let me know! //

/S-sorry.../

Yugi focused again, but still let his thoughts drift to Jii-chan. I wish...you were here...

"But Yugi, I am here. I always have and I always will."

Yugi looked up, and gasped. In front of him was a ghost figure of Jii-chan! J-jii-chan! Yugi sobbed, and ran up to his grandfather. He jumped into his deceased grandfather's arms, and started to cry into them. Jii-chan! You're here! This is too good to be true! Jii-chan held his grandson in his embrace as he sobbed into his chest. "It's alright, Yugi, I'm here."

B-but how is this possible? Aren't you...dead?

"In a way, yes, I am. My body is dead, but my spirit isn't."

You're a spirit like Yami?

"In a way, yes, but I'm more like a ghost. I'm sorry I didn't let you know this sooner, my boy. But, it's hard to have contact with anyone in this state. But, the only reason I'm able to talk to you know is because I have a message for you and your darker half."

A message? What is it?

"The message is how you can win. You've figured it out mostly without my help, but I can fill you in with the rest and give you and your darker half a boost of confidence. The cards in your hand, the two arms, do have a use to them. Together, along with two legs and a head, form Exodia the Forbidden One."

Exodia? Isn't that the most powerful monster in the game?

"I see I had taught you well. It is."

So, you want me to form Exodia the Forbidden One? But...how can I? I have a whole deck to go through for the other three pieces! It's almost hopeless to do so.

"You have to believe in the heart of the cards, Yugi. If your will to win is strong enough, and your faith, Exodia will come to you."

Heart of the cards? Yami says to believe in it, too!

"I know the secrets of it, too, Yugi. He's right when he says to believe as well."

...I've missed you so much, Jii-chan...

"I've missed you too." Yugi's embrace suddenly started to loosen, as Jii-chan started to dissolve in front of him. "I'm sorry, Yugi, but I have to go now."

N-no! You can't go! Please, stay! I'm sorry!

"Sorry about what?"

It's my fault you died, all my fault. If I hadn't provoked Akira...

"My death was not your fault, Yugi, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It was Akira's fault, nobody should be as cruel as he was. Please let your mind be at ease now, and don't dwell on the past. Strive towards the future. Good bye...Yugi. You'll always be in my heart, and I'll always be with you." Jii-chan evaporated in the air, leaving Yugi hugging air.

Good bye...Jii-chan...I love you...

Yugi suddenly felt him being pushed back to reality and into his soul room. I can't let anyone else die like Jii-chan did! I must summon Exodia the Forbidden One, and stop Pegasus once and for all!

/Yami, I got a plan! I won't tell you but...stall! Draw cards! /

//You're telling me the plan right now, Aibou. //

/No, I'm not. Just do that and trust me! /

//Alright, Yugi, I trust you. //




Anzu felt like her head was splitting apart. She groaned in agony, falling onto one knee, forcing Honda to stop. Honda had to shield his female friend from being trampled on by the stampede of people, as he spoke to her. "Anzu, what's wrong? Talk to me!"

"Yugi...he's angry! Before he was really sad, but now he's angry and...determined!"

"Anzu. You're not hallucinating, are you?"

"Wow, you just figured it out?" Anzu replied sarcastically.

Honda ignored her comment. "What's happening with him?" he asked, concerned.

"Yugi...he just thought of something! Exodia..." Anzu said the last word under her breath.




Back at the duel, Yami called out to the creator of duel monsters, "OK, Pegasus, I play giant soldier of stone in defense mode,"

"Finally,"

"But that's not all, I play pot of greed, and draw two cards." Yami did so and drew two cards. A leg and a remove trap. "Next, I play swords of revealing light! Now, you can't attack me for three whole turns!"

"Big deal, you're just stalling the inevitable," Pegasus said dryly.

"You'll see, Pegasus," smirked Yami.

Pegasus frowned. I read his thoughts, but he's not planning anything...but why is he so confident he'll win then? "Very well then, I skip my turn,"

"You can't do much else, can you?" Yami smiled. "First I draw," Yami drew a card swiftly from his deck and glanced it over. De-spell. That might help in order to get rid of Toon World if Pegsy happens to turn Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon into a toon...

"Don't me that!" Pegasus snarled, reading Yami's thoughts once more.

Pegsy! Pegsy, Pegsy, Pegsy! Pegsy!!

"Curse you!"

"Heh. I place one card face down, and end my turn." Yami looked back at Pegasus. "Go."

"I skip my turn once more."

Yami nodded, and drew another card. Another damn arm. Why did Yugi have those useless cards in his deck anyway? "I end my turn as well,"

/Things are going fine now, just to let you know, Yami. /

//What do you mean? ...No wait, don't tell me. Never mind. //

/I'll let you know when it's safe, /

//It's never safe though! //

/It will be eventually. /

Yami broke the connection, watching Pegasus draw a card from his deck. "I won't do anything this turn either," Pegasus stated smoothly.

OK...one last turn as Pegasus can attack again...I hope this next card is a good one... Yami drew a card from his deck. Stop Defense. What good would that do? Yami growled to himself as the bright white swords of revealing light faded from the field, and leaving the immense Dragon free again. Damn, time just ran out.

"It sure did, Yugi-boy," chuckled Pegasus. "And now, Ultimate Dragon, destroy that pile of rocks!" The dragon roared mightily and obeyed it's dark master, blasting the soldier to the graveyard.

That was my last defense! Yami thought gravely. Now...if I don't draw another monster...we lose...

/No! Don't draw a monster! Hope for a head! /

//Alright then...//

Yami placed a hand on his deck shakily. Yami was perspiring greatly, as his hand shook on the duel monsters deck. Yami gulped, for the first time in a long time, afraid. Afraid of the outcome of his draw. Would it be good...or bad...?

Heart of the cards... guild me! Yugi thought.

//Can we...do this, Aibou...? //

/I...hope so.../

Yugi, you can do it! I'm with you always! Just believe!!

Was that a voice? Yugi thought he heard it, but as quickly as it came, it was swept away in the wind. ...Anzu? Yami narrowed his eyes. /We can do this! Draw...NOW!! /



"Good luck...Yugi..." Anzu mumbled weakly, as she fainted into Honda's arms.

"Anzu? Anzu?? Come on, wake up! Please!" Honda shook his unconscious friend in hopes of reviving her. The stampede of people was getting denser, and Honda was already gaining a number of bruises while trying to protect the brunette. Honda gritted his teeth. Shit, I gotta get Anzu out of here,

"Honda! Is Anzu alright?"

Honda looked up, wondering who had just called him. Shizuka, Jounouchi's 12-year-old sister, was running towards the two in the crowd of people, trying hard not to be swept away. Honda stood up carefully, making sure that he wasn't going to be knocked over by a person running by, as he cradled Anzu in his arms. Shizuka finally reached the two. "Honda, is she OK? what happened?" the young girl asked worriedly, glutching onto Honda's raggedy jacket to keep balanced. Her cheeks were tear stained, probably because she was so worriedly about Jounouchi she started to cry.

Honda bit his lower lip, willing himself not to start blushing. He always thought Shizuka was a cute girl, and even liked her a bit, but didn't say anything out of respect for his friend. "She just fainted, she'll be alright," he reassured the younger girl.

"That's good. But...have you seen my big brother yet?" she asked hopefully.

Honda shook his head sadly. "No...I'm sorry, Shizuka," Shizuka choked on a sob. "Well, anyway, maybe we'll see him soon. But, we have to get out of here, now!" Honda continued strongly.

"I hope you're right, Honda,"



Yami narrowed his eyes, and before he knew it, he hd drawn the card from his deck. Yami closed his eyes for a moment tightly, not sure what to expect to see.

"Make you're last move, Yugi-boy, I want to end this quickly," said Pegasus.

Yami snapped his crimson-violet eyes open and glanced over the card. /Yes! It's the head of Exodia!! /

//Exodia...yes! Now I understand! //

/Play the cards, Yami, summon Exodia! /

"Oh, I'll end this, Pegasus," Yami repied with a feral grin, "But the outcome will not be what you expect."

"What do you mean?"

"Read my thoughts and find out."

Pegasus narrowed his eye, and his golden millenium eye began to glow. His eye then widened. "N-no! Exodia?? But how? I should have known of this sooner! How did you hide this from me?"

"You didn't know about my plan because I didn't know either," Yami declared smugly, "Yugi was the one who planned it, and as long as I didn't know what he was doing, you didn't know either! You could only read my mind because I was the first one to reach, not Yugi himself! We found our loophole, Pegasus, and we used it to our advantage! So..." Yami placed all five pieces of Exodia on the field, "You lose! Exodia, I call on you!!"

Pegasus took a few steps back shakily, as did the Ultimate Dragon, mirroring his movements. "No! I can't lose!"

"Oh, but you will, Pegasus! Your rang of terror ends here!" The form of the Forbidden One appeared on the field through a portal, as it let out it's mighty cry that rivaled the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon's roar. Yami's lips thinned, forcing tears not to fall. I'm sorry, Jou, Seto. But if destroying the Ultimate Dragon will save you...then so be it. "This is for you, Jou, Seto...Jii-chan...and Anzu! Exodia, obliterate!!"

"Nooooooo!!" Pegasus cry echoed through the dark world, but was soon silenced by the sound of a gust of bright white energy slice through the air, and right through the mighty Dragon's chest. With a last whine of pain, the Dragon burst into flames and pieces of it's former self.

Pegasus: LOSER Yugi: WINNER

Yami fell onto his knees, a tired smile planted on his face. "We...we won..." he murmured.

Yami looked up, and saw the swirls of black energy fade from the area, and he was back on the execution grounds, Pegasus no where to be seen. The duel monsters arena faded as well, along with the cage that surrounded Jounouchi, Seto, and Mokuba. Yami found his deck and the three Blue Eyes White Dragon cards laid out in front of him like a present. Yami separated Seto and Jounouchi's cards from his deck, and put his Blue Eyes back in his deck. Yami felt exhausted for some reason. He crawled over to his friends, and started to shack Seto's unmoving body. "Seto? Seto, wake up." he pleaded softly, hardly believing that the soft and raspy tone was coming from his mouth.

Seto shuddered for a moment, as his eyes slowly peeled open. His vision was unfocused for a moment, but soon laid his eyes on Yami. "Yugi? What happened? Where are we?"

Yami smiled, ignoring his questions. "I'm glad you're alright." Yami looked up at Jounouchi and Mokuba. Mokuba was stirring as well...but Jounouchi wasn't, and was still loosing blood steadily. "Jou? Jou!" Yami yelled, his voice still hurting. Yami crawled over to him, and laid Jounouchi's head in his lap. "Jou...please be alright..." Yami checked for a pulse on his neck, and was relieved to feel one. It was faint, but it was still there. Yami heard faintly in the back round Mokuba and Seto reunite, and the sound of...people?

"Is he going to be alright?" Seto asked, holding Mokuba in a hug, and the younger Kaiba cried into his chest.

"I...I hope so," Yami whispered. "Seto, can you help me carry him? Or is your head hurting too much still?"

The elder Kaiba frowned. "I'm fine," he reassured. "But we need to get him to a doctor. He looks pretty bad."

"So do you," Yami pointed out.

"I'm better off than Jounouchi is,"

Yami sighed. "Fine, help me carry him to the castle."

"Wait a minute...where'd Pegasus go? Wasn't he here before...?"

Yami smiled at Seto. "He's gone. I...defeated him. With yours and Jou's help."

"How did we help?" Seto questioned.

Yami pulled out both Seto's and Jounouchi's Blue Eyes. He handed Seto's to him. "This is how."

Seto looked at his Blue Eyes with a frown. "How...did you get that?"

"It doesn't matter now. But we've got to get medical help for you and Jou."

"Well, if Pegasus truly is gone...then we don't have to go back to the castle. We can go home! And I'm sure everyone else is out OK, too."

"You're right!" Yami stood up shakily, and used a nearby tree for support. "Are you all right, Yugi?" asked Mokuba.

"I'm fine, I'm just a bit tired. But now...let's go home." Then, Kaiba and Yami both stumbled along carrying Jounouchi, with Mokuba close following into the sunset. For once the day was bright for our hero. And that's what he truly was; a hero.



~To Be Concluded...~