A/N: Hey, everybody. It's weekend!!! I'm sooooo happy. We had testing for the last two weeks and it was so boring! Anyway, I just wanted to tell everybody that the characters are going to duel in this chapter and Daphne's not in this chapter at all. I need you guys to bear with me on the dueling part, I know I didn't get everything right, but I tried. ^.^
"Yami!" Daphne's eyes darted over to them. Her face was pale and her anxiety showed.
"Don't worry, baby, I'll get you out of that." Kaiba looked over curiously at the pharaoh. The pharaoh was extremely calm and cool, his steady eyes never leaving the Ishtar.
"So you've named the game, Marik, now name the rules to this Shadow Game." Yami took out his deck from his pocket. Kaiba looked less tense while Priest Seto looked quietly on the two rivalries.
Marik sneered, "Pharaoh, let's just lay all the cards out on the table. Both of us know we've got to face our destinies, but only one of our destinies could come true."
"Yes…"
"I know my destiny is to be the holder of all Millennium Items and have all three God cards." The look he gave Yami was piercing and intimidating. "Do you know what your destiny is?"
"To defeat you." Yami didn't miss a beat, nor was he intimidated by the pair of lavender orbs.
"Then let us battle, so I can get the satisfaction of defeating you and become pharaoh!"
"As you wish, Marik, but don't be surprised if the outcome is different from what you expect."
"Then, let's duel."
While this was all going on, Kaiba was under the uncomfortable circumstances that there was someone sitting in front of him that looked just like him. That bothered the willowy brunette. How can someone look just like him? Kaiba's proud and disdainful pride would not allow him to look past that fact. He's better than this…other him. He just knew it.
That's why as soon as his blue eyes caught sight of Priest Seto walking down the steps and away from the duel, he followed him.
Priest Seto walked away the throne platform. Somehow, in his heart, he could still not bear to watch his use-to-be best friend duel with his arch-rival. Since Marik also stated obvious that he did not like the sorcerer, Priest Seto thought no one would miss him if he just excused himself.
"And where do you think you are going?" A frosty voice called him to a halt. He turned around and saw the tall, broad figure of himself, feet planted firmly behind him.
"Oh, it's you, Technology." He smirked as he turned to face him fully, his eye leveled to Kaiba's eyes.
Kaiba's eyes narrowed. This dark sorcerer acted just like himself…how very annoying. "Trying to run? I don't think so, not while I'm around…Sorcerer."
"Don't call me Sorcerer," Seto said impatiently. "My name is Seto."
"So is mine." Kaiba pointed out.
"What do you want?" It was almost like they were having a competition of producing the coldest voice, because like temperature, their voices were getting colder and colder.
"What do I want?" Kaiba's eyes gleamed. "That's very simple. You look like me…you act like me…you talk like me…and even though I'm almost positive you're not as powerful as me, I could be more sure about your perception. Therefore, I'm challenging you to a duel, right here, right now. But if you're scared, back down now." He gave a low, taunting chuckle. "It would be disappointing but certainly understandable."
Seto smirked right back, not daunted at all, "Who's scared? You've underestimated me…Technology."
"When we're done dueling, you'll be finding yourself a new name as well as finding yourself calling me—Seto Kaiba."
"You're all talk."
"We'll find out now, won't we?"
"We shall be dueling with honor, but it wouldn't hurt to have two referees while we have them." Marik snapped his fingers and the hooded figure known as Rashid stepped forward.
"My honor, master."
"Who else do you have in mind?" Yami said darkly, shuffling his deck in his hands.
"Why, of course, that white haired friend of yours." Bakura's expression was so comical because he was so enraged being insulted as "The white haired friend of Yami's," that Marik had the urge to laugh. But the spirit contained himself, took a deep breath and gave a shadow of a smile.
"My honor as well." He drawled, mocking Rashid.
"Don't get too comfortable, tomb robber. Once I've taken care of the pharaoh, you're next."
"With pleasure." The voice was soft…chillingly soft.
"There's been a slight change of plans," Kaiba's voice cut in. When he had the pharaoh and Marik's attention, he announced, "It's going to be a two on two. Battle City rules, elimination in set. First team that gets totally eliminated looses the duel."
"Kaiba—"
"Don't try to stop me, Yami." The voice was harsh and settled. "Don't try to deny me the pleasure of taking this pharaoh wannabe down."
"Are you telling me that you've finally accepted my position as a pharaoh?"
"Don't be stupid, Yami. You've already had a 'Kaiba wannabe' doing your bidding, don't expect another one."
"Two on two, huh?" Marik smiled maliciously. "Well, that's fine with me. I'll get to take my two biggest enemies down in one game. This game is already doing me advantage."
"Haven't you ever heard of that saying, Marik?" Bakura said sarcastically. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch?"
"But I'm not counting chickens…" Marik chose to ignore. "…I'm counting the God cards that's to be mine!"
"But since Rashid had already been declared official referee…I shall be your dueling partner." Seto stepped up. Marik's smirk dimmed a little and a scowl replaced it.
"I heard you're good, Priest," he hissed. "You better live up to your name. You know what happens if you loose."
"I will." Seto said simply, but didn't meet Marik's eyes.
"If that's the way it is, then let the games begin."
In a blink of an eye, everyone had the dueling disk strapped on their arms and was drawing their first card to determine who goes first. It was a known fact that the player with the strongest card gets to go first.
"I drew…" Yami drew a card. "…the Feral Imp."
Marik scowled as he eyed his card with disdain, "No! Not the Revival Slime."
"Guardian of the Throne Room." Seto announced with a shrug. "I'm first—"
"Not quite," Kaiba interrupted, holding up a card with a smirk. A Blue-Eyes-White-Dragon. "I guess I've got the first honors. Fine with me. Let's get this show on the road. First, I'll play Lord of Dragons in defense mood. And now I activate two Magic cards. Flute of Summoning Dragons, allowing me to play two extra dragons."
Three Blue-Eyes appeared on the field. Their majestic appearances and tremendous sizes bringing even Marik to an awe of silence.
"Well, you certainly didn't waste any time, Kaiba." Yami murmured.
"Haven't you learned that yet, Yami? I may enjoy toying with people, but every move I make is going to count."
"My turn," Seto announced. "I play Tainted Wisdom and I also put two cards face down. Be careful, my pharaoh," a smirk played on his lips. "My Tainted Wisdom may be weak, but it is wise."
"Not for long, Seto." Yami said confidently as he set his monster on the field. "Go Gazelle the King of Mystical Beast! Attack!"
"And I activate my Magic card—Sword of Deep Seated!"
"That increases Tainted Wisdom's attack and defense points by 500!" Yami gritted his teeth as his life points dropped down to 3750.
"That's right, Pharaoh, I warned you that my Tainted Wisdom is wise."
"Enjoy your edge while you can, Seto, but in the end, victory will be mine."
"Silence." Marik ordered as he set his card facedown in defense mode.
"That's it?" Kaiba leered. "First turn and already cowering behind defense, Marik? Do tell me, how do you plan on taking over the world when you are a coward at Duel Monsters?"
"Quiet, Kaiba." His opponent snapped back. "This is not called cowering. I'll know when it's the right time to attack, but meanwhile, I'm building up a strategy."
"Well," the sixteen-year-old CEO drew a card and looked back up. "Unlike you, I've been working on a strategy all along. Activate Polymerization. It will fuse all three of my Blue-Eyes and ending my turn."
"Yes, I suppose that's all you could do after fusing a monster." Seto agreed as he lay a card down. "I'll summon Ancient Brain, in attack mode. But that's not all." He looked over at Kaiba. "You're not the only one with a plan…and a Magic card. I activate my second face down card—Polymerization!"
"So far, you haven't disappointed me yet, though you have increased my work." Kaiba remarked to his other self. "I was hoping to finish this duel fast, but according to this case, my guess is no."
"You may be right, Technology. But for now, let me introduce to you my faithful monster, Skull Knight!"
"Nice try, Sorcerer, but it's still a long shot from my Ultimate Dragon. Yours has only got 2600 attack points while mine is 4500."
"You may be right again, so I'll just throw down this card and end my turn."
It was Yami's turn. "I'll match your move for move. First, I'll also place a card down. And now I call upon Beta the Magnet Warrior in defense mode." He looked over at the pale-blonde Egyptian boy. "Let's see what you've got, Marik."
"Another facedown card in defense mood—"
"It figures." Kaiba muttered from across the room.
"—and I also play Ultimate Offering, allowing me to summon two monsters. Yami, remember your old friends?"
"You mean…?"
"Yes! Now…prepare the arrivals of Slime Revival and Slime Breeding Machine!" The Slime Breeding Machine produced a token.
"Oh, no," Yami looked tired. "That means he's going to bring out his Egyptian God card!"
"Go, you old retired pharaoh!" Bakura's yell could be heard. "Kick that Egyptian's sorry behind! And you, CEO, kill that pathetic excuse of a wannabe—"
"Shut up!" They heard Rashid's attempt to silence Bakura. But the tomb robber was as slick as they come. He ducked and ran in the opposite direction while still doing his noble title of the judge embarrassment.
"It's your turn, Kaiba." The priest pointed out.
"Hmph, it's time to lure that Ishtar out of his shell," the young billionaire said to himself as he placed Saggi the Dark clown down in defense mode and one card face down. Yami immediately knew what Kaiba was up to.
"We've all got plans, Sorcerer," Kaiba smirked. "But we'll see exactly which one of us has the best strategy. Now, my ultimate beast…attack Skull Knight! White Neutron Blast attack!"
"I counter that with Block Attack. But that hunk of life points is still coming off because now I activate Final Flame, dropping your life points by 600."
"Not to bad." Kaiba forced out a tight smile. "May I inquire on where you learned your dueling techniques?" Curiosity got the best of him. Marik, Yami, and himself were all from the modern days, where the game Duel Monsters dominated Domino City. But this priest who worked with Ra knows what was not too shabby.
There was a long silence from Seto's direction. Finally, long after Kaiba's patience had worn out, he saw Seto sneak a peek at Yami, who was arguing with Marik about destinies.
"They're not listening," he cutted in. "In their minds, you're still making your move. Now tell me. Does it have something to do with Yami? He did act kind of peculiar when he first saw you."
"He did?" Kaiba thought he saw something flash through Seto's eyes. "The pharaoh and I use to be best friends," he slowly admitted grudgingly. "We improved our skills in the Shadow Game together. Until the day we both had to move on—him to the position of being pharaoh and me, following my purpose of life as a priest to serve the pharaoh."
"So…what was Daphne to you?"
"She was the pharaoh's daughter. And I'm the pharaoh's faithful follower."
"You didn't answer my question." Kaiba insisted and Seto gave up.
"I'm fond of her, okay? I'll admit that I have no position and no right to, but I did…we did."
"So what happened?"
"Well—"
"Are you done, yet, Seto?" Yami's demand brought them back to the duel. "I see that you are. Well then, I'll play a card down in defense mode."
"Now who's cowering?" Marik sneered. Both of them obviously still sore from their conversation.
"Like you said, Marik, this is all part of a strategy." Yami gave a mysterious smile.
"I might just shatter that strategy of yours. I now play this card that dropped your life point by 200. And also, as a bonus, I'm going to sacrifice my two facedown monsters to bring out Hyozanryu. Attack Saggi the Dark Clown!"
"Ha! I think it's time you learned your lesson about shattering strategies!" Kaiba looked smug. "My Saggi had been infected with the Crush card, meaning that every monster under 1500 life points is now infected. You're going down, Marik."
"Bakura," Marik called out. "Now is the time for your saying. What was that again? Ah yes, 'don't count your chickens before they hatch.' Isn't that it?"
Kaiba seemed dumbfounded and confused on why Marik wasn't the least bit fazed by the trap set by himself. He stared at Marik's now smug and arrogant smile. His Slime Breeding Machine produced another token. He was getting closer and closer to calling out his God monster.
"It is my turn," a small frown on his face, Kaiba drew a card and announced his Blue-Eyes attack Seto's Skull Knight. 1850 life points deducted themselves from his original number. Seto was now down to 2150 points. However, he refused to be daunted. In fact, to Kaiba, he looked downright tired and sick of this game. It didn't take an expert to see how much he didn't want to be playing along with Marik against Yami. Even Marik could see his heart wasn't in the game.
"Put your heart into it." He hissed. Seto didn't say another word as he played Dark Elf, also activating Mystic Plasma Zone, powering up his monster to 2500. "Your move, my pharaoh." He said quietly.
"I'm going to sacrifice Beta the Magnet Warrior and Alpha the Magnet Warrior in order to bring out Buster Blader. Buster Blader, attack the Dark Elf. Blader Slash attack!" Down went 100 life points from Seto. But Yami's glory didn't last long as Marik played a trap card that allows him to drain 200 of Yami's life points.
The life points were now: Kaiba—3400, Seto—2050, Yami—3550, Marik—4000.
"So anyway, you never answered my question." Kaiba remarked to Seto as Marik and Yami resumed in their argument about Ishizu, the God cards, and the Millennium Items.
"What was your question?"
"So what happened?"
"Well, as I was saying, I betrayed the pharaoh and the princess."
"Why did you betray Daphne?" Kaiba seemed truly interested. Seto gave a wry smile.
"Yeah, why would I? Until the year she turned nine, she use to be so innocent and sincere. So young, yet so caring."
Kaiba nodded in agreement. He could believe that. Even now, Daphne was so naïve at times that it drove him crazy. "She's a sweet girl, alright. Always believing in the best of people. You wouldn't believe how she described Yami and Bakura, but the way she went to the deepest part of my…the core of my entire soul…was just amazing. Ever since then, I try to be everything she stated I was."
"That's a good goal." Seto hung his head. "You think what she did to you was amazing? Wait till you hear this…she believed in me."
Forgetting all about the duel now, both Kaiba and Priest Seto bend their head close as if they were schoolgirls gossiping about the latest news.
"Believing in you, how?"
"She believes I'm not all evil…she doesn't even hate me because I betrayed her and the pharaoh. Can you believe that?"
"Originally, no, but if we're talking about Daphne, then yes." Kaiba shook his head, his eyes narrowing as he straightened back up. "But should she have believed in you?"
"I truly don't know." Seto looked miserable. But Kaiba wasn't going to let him off so easily.
"So you would let her down again? Like your betrayal before?" He accused. "How can you stand to let her down again?"
"I—"
"Kaiba!" Marik's voice boomed. "I activate Curse Breaker to counter the little virus that your clown had infected me with. And while my Breeding Machine makes me a third token, I'll return your trap with a trap of my own. Go Nightmare Fence!"
"Ugh…" Kaiba growled as he found himself and Yami under a large cage.
"You got us into this," Yami muttered. "You think of a way to get us out."
"I will." Kaiba said crossly. He laid two cards down. One magic and one in facedown defense. He stared hard at Seto, daring him to do what he plans to do next. He couldn't believe it. After all Daphne went through believing in him and encouraging him, this loser didn't even care and could stand let her down again.
"I summon The Immortal of Thunder." Seto called out. "Its effect increases my life points by 3000." He bit his lips as he set down another card. However, he still announced an attack on Kaiba, "Immortal of Thunder…attack Kaiba's facedown monster!"
The hologramed Hane-Hane flipped up, activating its effect and returning Immortal of Thunder back into his hands. But because of Immortal of Thunder's effect, when Immortal of Thunder goes to the graveyard, Seto looses 5000 of his life points. He stared dully at his 50 life points.
"I really don't want to fight you, Kaiba." He finally said quietly, addressing Kaiba by his name for the first time.
"Well, you want to know something, you loser?" Kaiba shot back. "You've got no choice. You're going to have to. Anyone who's against me is my enemy. Anyone who stands in my way of rescuing Daphne is my enemy. Anyone who betrayed Yami is my enemy. Anyone who has anything against Bakura is my enemy. Therefore, you are my enemy."
Perspiration formed on Yami's brows as his eyes scanned the cards in his hand. Yes! He had just drawn the Big Shield Guardna. He put that down in defense mode as well as the magic card Multiply. He's still got his another card facedown, Magical Cylinder.
"Is that it, Yami?" Marik sneered. "Well, then," he drew a card. "Time to finish this duel!" He slammed a card down on his Dueling Disk. "I play Diffusion against the Blue-Eyes-Ultimate!" Blood drained from Kaiba's face as he watched his ultimate beast transform back into three Blue-Eyes.
"But that's not all! I now tribute all three tokens that my Slime Breeding Machine has produced and call out my unbeatable Egyptian God card—The Winged Dragon of Ra!"
"Oh, Ra." Yami grumbled as Kaiba casted him a withered look for his black humor.
"My Egyptian God is the ultimate beast with its 3999 attack points!" Marik laughed like a maniac. "And I now activate its special effect 'One Turn Kill.' It sacrifices all of my life points except one, but in return, I can destroy one of my opponent's monsters and I choose you, Kaiba. Say good-bye to your precious Blue-Eye. Go, my Egyptian God card…attack and destroy the Blue-Eye!" Marik laughed again. "Good-bye, Kaiba! You're all over. This attack is going to send your life points to zero."
"Kaiba," Yugi's counterpart gasped. "If there's anything you could do now, you'd better do something fast!"
"I thought you were the one with the magic up your sleeves." Kaiba watched helplessly as his precious dragons prepared to be demolished.
"Not so fast, Marik!" Priest Seto's voice rang out.
"What?" Marik swirled on his partner.
"In Battle City rules, I'm not sealed in place as your partner. The rule was each man for himself. It was in courtesy that I became your partner, but now I see that my courtesy had been wasted." Seto raised his chin and glared at Marik. "Therefore, I now activate my hidden Magic card—Fairy's Hand Mirror! It directs an attack straight to another player."
"What?!" Marik gasped again. "You can't turn my own attack on me! You were suppose to be on my side!"
"No, I'm not." The voice was soft. "I…can't be."
"Why in Ra's name not!?" Marik spat, angered. "I've always known you were weak, but never have I dreamed that you were this weak."
"I can't do this to her. I can't hurt her this way. Not again, not ever…" Seto whispered. "She believed in me, I can't let her down. I owe her at least that much."
"Well," his ex-partner sounded disgusted. "I'll block your attack then!"
"You can't."
"Why not?!"
"Because the attack isn't directed at you." Seto looked back up, his eyes determined. "Fairy's Hand Mirror! Direct the attack straight at…me!"
Gasps were heard all around the room as even Bakura and Rashid stopped their chase to stare at the insane young man.
"But Seto—" Yami sucked his breath in. "That means…"
Priest Seto's life points dropped to a zero.
He was officially out of the tournament.