Hmm, I think I should start updating more often . . . I'm losing reviewers. Well, I've been busy, so I really couldn't have updated any sooner than this. Oh well. I always tell people to write for themselves and not others, so I guess this is just going to have to be the way this fic goes. I've seen authors get less reviews on better fics, so . . . . *shrugs*

The reviewers . . .

Emily10: Thanks! Sorry I didn't "update soon" like you asked . . . .

Flaming Tigress Mage: She sounds like a good author from your description. Whenever I find time, I'll have to remember to check her out. And I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter! ^_^

Yoshimi Takahashi: Ah, the late Yoshimi Takahashi . . . . ^_~ I promise you that there won't be . . . MUCH . . . angst in this chapter. It's just this fic got so sugary sweet that all my teeth nearly rotted out! Think of the more serious moments as toothpaste or something.

Yeah, it's kind of easy to tell that I'm not precisely a squealing Kaiba fangirl, isn't it? You'll see the results of the match in this chapter.

And this is actually going to count as a "soon" update, since you only reviewed yesterday! Whoohoo! ^_^

*******

Whoo, I'm slipping, aren't I? Three reviews. But thank you very much to the three of you who actually did review! I really appreciate it.

Anyway, this is a comparatively long chapter, so I hope you'll all enjoy it . . . and review it. Have fun!

~ * * * ~

The duel with Kaiba was set for one o'clock that afternoon. Only the finalists in Duellist Kingdom would be permitted to view the match. Helena had attempted to insist on being with me during the match, but I explained to her in simple terms that if Kaiba lost, he would use her as an excuse, saying that she had looked at my deck and told me the cards or some other such nonsense. My dear daughter didn't seem too pleased with this information, but eventually gave up. Ten minutes before the battle commenced, Laura escorted her to the viewing area.

Before the match, I closed my eye and breathed deeply. While it didn't matter so very badly if I lost, I still had gotten used to my victories and felt no need to break up my rather extensive winning streak. I may have felt badly for Kaiba, but my sympathy did not extend to permitting him to win on purpose.

Having mentally prepared myself as well as I could, I stepped out to the indoor duelling arena. It was suspended by thick metal beams over a giant pit. Why did I design it that way? Call it whimsy.

"So, Kaiba-boy, are you ready?" I called out confidently.

Kaiba glared in a boring display of aggression and attempted dominance. "Let's just get on with the match, Pegasus."

I rolled my eye expressively. "My, my. Was the mattress uncomfortable last night, Kaiba-boy? Is that why you're so cranky this morning? I can have the maids change it if you like."

As I handed over my deck to Croquet, who would give it to Kaiba to shuffle, I pondered why I so loved to bait him. Perhaps it's because it's simply too easy, I mused with a smile. In any case, it was amusing, which was all I cared.

When I received Kaiba's deck, I shuffled it only briefly before handing it to Croquet. I knew that though Kaiba would resort to almost anything to win, cheating was not one of those "anythings."

While I waited for my deck to be returned to me, I waved at Helena, who wiggled her hand back and forth in return. Kaiba, noting our exchanged, sneered. I suppose he was unimpressed by my unprofessional conduct, but for Osiris' sake, Duel Monsters was created to be a game, something with which to enjoy oneself, although I personally did not think Kaiba would be able to recall the last time he treated a match as such.

Once the two of us had our decks returned, I proclaimed, "And let the duel begin! You may start first, Kaiba-boy."

"Stop calling me that!" he hissed, ruminating about his first move.

I shrugged. "If you wish for me to stop, I shall . . . consider it."

The duel began dully enough, with Kaiba bringing out his Rude Kaiser. Then, a turn later, he started to play a card, a triumphant expression on his face.

"Wait," I requested, flipping over a card on the field. "I activate 'Prediction.' This card allows me to take the card you are about to play, but only if I correctly guess if its attack is above or below two thousand Attack Points. Hmm . . . let me see . . . ." I considered how happy he had seemed a few moments ago. There was only one card that could cause him such joy. Though I fairly itched to use the Millennium Eye to be sure, I did not wish to use the item as a crutch. Tamping down on the temptation, I announced, "I believe your card has . . . above two thousand Attack Points." In a sudden bout of silliness, I placed a hand on my forehead and closed my eye. "Ooh, I see blue . . . I see white . . . could it be . . . the Blue-Eyes White Dragon?"

I peeked open my eye. From the frustrated, furious look on Kaiba's face, I had guessed quite correctly. I claimed the card as my own and played it on the field. "So, Kaiba, how does it feel to be facing down your own trademark monster?"

Kaiba actually ground his teeth. Drawing a card, he snarled, "I switch Rude Kaiser into Defence Mode and play a card facedown."

Hmm . . . I thought. Saggi the Dark Clown. That's a remarkably weak card for Kaiba's through-the-roof power deck. It doesn't even have one thousand attack points. Now, what could he be planning . . . ah, yes. Crush Card Virus, the card he so used to cripple Yugi. Now, how can I get rid of this?

"I play Dark Energy--on Saggi the Dark Clown!" I couldn't help grinning. Because Saggi's Attack Points were now greater than one thousand, Kaiba could no longer activate the Crush Card Virus. He was thwarted.

Next, my eye flicked across the cards in my hand.  My face lit up and I withdrew one of my all-time favourite cards. "And now, I am about to play one of the cards I created because of my love for--"

"Just get on with it, Pegasus," Kaiba snapped. He didn't seem to be too pleased to be losing to me, especially since I had offered him this match as a way of winning back his title.

To be truthful, I was surprised at how well I was doing. While I always won my duels with both friends and staff, I thought it was just the luck of the draw, and not my skill.

I guess not, I thought as I laid down my Magic Card. "I play Toon World!"

"Yay, Daddy!"

I gazed upwards--and grinned. My daughter was seated on the shoulders of Tristan Taylor, cheering. She knew how powerful a card Toon World was, but she also was fond of it because she so loved cartoons. Like father, like daughter . . . .

"This card allows me to transform all the monsters on my side of the field into toons," I explained. "When my lovely creatures reside in Toon World, they're absolutely invincible! And now I summon Dark Rabbit! Attack Kaiba's Battle Ox!"

My opponent clenched his fist as the monster he had played a few turns earlier shattered into holographic shards.

The next turn was even better, from my viewpoint. I played the Blue-Eyes White Dragon I had "borrowed" from Kaiba earlier in the duel. Because of Toon World's effects, it also became a cartoon.

Kaiba remained most unimpressed. He even seemed disgusted as he drew a card. His distasted didn't last for long, however. "I summon the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

"Déjà vu," I remarked; Kaiba ignored me.

"Now, Blue-Eyes, attack!" Kaiba commanded.

However, instead of the attack connecting, my Toon Dragon simply contorted itself out of the way of the strike.

"Weren't you listening when I told you?" I shook my finger at Kaiba. "Toons are invincible when Toon World is on the field."

"That's cheating!" Kaiba accused.

"Not particularly." I examined my manicured nails. "Some might call your Blue-Eyes 'invincible,' or even your Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. But I don't hear you complaining when you win with those monsters."

Kaiba looked as if he'd like nothing more than to rip out my beating heart and crush it, but he knew I had a point and so was stuck.

I drew a card. "Now I play Shine Palace, which raises the attack of all Toon Monsters by five hundred points. Now, Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon, attack Kaiba's own Blue-Eyes!"

"Not so fast!" Kaiba flipped a card triumphantly. "I activate Shadow Spell, reducing your Blue-Eyes Toon Dragon's attack by seven hundred points! And now, because I've activated a trap, I can destroy your Toon Dragon! Blue-Eyes, attack!"

As my Toon Blue-Eyes was destroyed, I shrugged. I was certainly displeased at losing such a powerful monster, but I had a little combo that I had been saving for such an eventuality. After picking up a card, I smiled infuriatingly. "I activate the Trap Card, Dragon Capture Jar! And now I play Dragon Piper, to call out your Blue-Eyes on my side!"

Kaiba looked even less pleased, if it were possible. "Then, since you've been so foolish as to play Dragon Piper in Attack Mode, I attack it with the Rude Kaiser!"

"So hasty, Kaiba," I chided. "I activate Copycat, and the card I choose to imitate is . . . your very own Crush Card Virus, playing it on the Dragon Piper."

"No!" Kaiba cried, but he couldn't stop the assault. As the fragments of my Dragon Piper floated through the air, the Crush Card Virus took effect. Virtually all of Kaiba's cards were useless. His shoulders slumped, he made the only move he could: he used Monster Reborn to bring back Saggi the Dark Clown. I destroyed it, and that was it. The battle was over.

"Mr. Pegasus is the winner!" Croquet announced.

"Kaiba . . . ." I stretched out a hand.

Kaiba gave me a vicious blue stare. "Forget it, Pegasus. You've won your little game, luring me here to defeat and humiliate me. As far as I'm concerned, I never want to see your vile face ever again."

"But Kaiba . . . ." I began, trying to clarify things.

Kaiba didn't listen. Instead, I was presented with his blue-clad back as he exited the room.

I stared down at the cards left on my side of the playing field. I had meant to make Kaiba feel better with a good match, but because he had ill luck and I drew my best cards, the duel had been over in less than twenty minutes. I tried not to think about what had happened as Yugi's friends and my daughter congratulated me, but all the same, I still felt guilty about what had just occurred.

* * *

That evening, I was restless. I wasn't sure what was wrong; I knew only that something wasn't quite right. Finally, after bidding goodnight to Helena, I headed for bed. Sleep eluded me for quite some time, until I finally slid into a troubled slumber.

The sky was the brilliant blue of midsummer. There was not a single cloud to be seen. I was in the middle of a jade-green field, seated on a chequered picnic blanket with Helena . . . and Cecelia. She laughed and spoke to me without sound. Then, mist began to creep into the scene. It began to obscure Cecelia, and only Cecelia. She became a shadow that dispersed. But another shadow was left in its wake--filthy, greasy. Evil. It advanced slowly, relentlessly. Helena fled, screaming, but it was though I was a statue. I could only watch helplessly as the shade . . . .

My eye shot open before the dream could finish. My heart was pounding--the sensation of the approaching darkness had not vanished.

As my eye grew used to the dim light, I could make out the outline of a person. They were only mid height. They moved forward with a silent deliberateness. A lone ray of moonlight picked out a round shape in gold that hung from the person's neck.

My Millennium Eye gave a tremendous throb as I called out, "Who's there?"

My ears picked out the sound of a quick, raspy inhalation. Then the person, whoever they were, rapidly retreated, closing my door noiselessly after them.

I stayed sitting up in bed for a long time, sweating in rivers, my breath coming raggedly and unevenly.  I knew I had just experienced a brush with pure malice. And, as my Millennium Eye pulsed long afterwards, I understood one more thing: they would be back.

~ * * * ~

Vyctori: Amazing! I didn't think it was possible for there to be even a mini-cliffhanger in this fic!

Menardi: Oh, come on, Vyctori! Everyone knows who it is and what happens!

Vyctori: Well, what happens could change. This is an AU fic, after all!

Menardi: *snorts* Riiiiiight. Well, you lot had better review, because if you don't, THEY will think I'm not doing my job forcing reviews out of people and replace me.

Vyctori: That's not much of a threat.

Menardi: It is when you think of who they could replace me with. Like Weevil Underwood, or Panik . . . or even Lord Conservato or Lord Babi from Golden Sun.

Vyctori: *drops to the floor, whimpering* NO! NOOOOO!!!

Menardi: *satisfied* So if you want to keep your author sane, don't forget to leave a nice review.

Vyctori: *mumbling* No . . . evilness . . . no, precious . . . .