Yami: Last time on Yu-Gi-Oh, Nazo got a bit cross with me after I told her my real identity. Then, she turns out to be my long-lost queen and gets kidnapped! As Jonouchi says, time to kick some serious ass!!

Chapter 10: Yami VS Minkabh; Matching Game

Nazo awoke to find herself strapped to a sacrificial Greek pillar on a platform overlooking a deep well, where a rusted machine lay quiet as a sleeping dragon. Her coat rested several feet away, her jewelry removed, and part of her shirt had been burned away to reveal more of her neck and shoulders.

"Good day to you, Your Highness," hissed a voice from the shadows.

Nazo's lip curled in a sneer. "Minkabh, you bastard! What do you want from me?! I'm telling you, I'm not a queen!"

Minkabh strolled to her side, so she could see every line on his ancient face and smell the powerful aroma of incense steaming from his body. "Shukura, even though you may not remember your past life, it matters not to me. I swore my vengeance over 3,000 years ago, and vowed to scour Hell itself to destroy you. But it won't be complete without the pharaoh and his brother to join you."

Nazo smirked. "Well, then you're out of luck! I don't know any pharaoh or his brother! You'll just have to let me go!"

Minkabh put his face close to hers, smelling her. "You know, it's been centuries since I've had the pleasure of having a woman by my side."

"W-what?"

His gnarled, twig-like fingers caressed her face. "Perhaps I should spend my time with you in a far more enjoyable sense." He pressed his wrinkled cheek against her cheek. "Maybe then you'll talk."

Nazo felt like she was going to be sick. "You do, and I'll smash your chest in!!"

Minkabh hesitated, then stuck out a long, black tongue and licked her face. Nazo gagged in revulsion, and then realized he had wiped off her make-up. Her scars, running down her neck and back, were now clearly visible.

"Honesty is always best, Shukura," he whispered in a mocking tone. "Now be still." He took a step away from her. "Your husband is here."

"I… I don't have a husband!!"

Minkabh's eyes darted back and forth. "I sense you, Pharaoh," he sang out into the dark. "Come out! Come out and play!"

Yami's form slowly became visible as the eye symbol on his forehead, shining in his anger, glowed through the dark. Minkabh smiled. "What took you so long, boy? Miss the bus?"

Nazo saw Yami and her heart froze. "Yami," she shrieked. "Get out of here! He'll kill you!!"

"Release Nazo at once," warned Yami. "I don't know who you are, but I am no force to be taken lightly."

"Nor am I, young Pharaoh, as you must remember. I was your father's old magician, Minkabh, who sailed the great seas to reach Egypt, but reduced himself to serve the foolish king."

Yami took a step forward, his arms crossed. "That would make you three millennia old! Impossible!"

Minkabh snorted. "So, you really don't know me. Bah! Damn that spirit for taking your memories! I see you even have a host instead of your own body. Such a bother!" The old magician waved a hand carelessly, and sent out two green bursts of magic.

Nazo struggled to get loose. "YAMI!!"

Yami stood perfectly still. The Puzzle glowed, and a golden shield protected him without effort. Darkness surrounded him once again, broken by the glowing eye on his forehead. "I'll say it once more, you shitty old man. Release… my… WIFE!!"

Minkabh cackled. "You have no idea the powers you are dealing with, boy! Look at you! You've even forgotten how to use your own power, and abuse the perfect power of the Millenium Puzzle!" He stared at it hungrily. "Such a treasure is wasted on you! Always was!"

Yami grabbed the Puzzle and glowered. "What do you now of it?"

Minkabh clenched his fists, suddenly angry. "I served your father for decades! Then, when I cheated at a game to sentence a lowly prisoner, you caught me in the act, and that bastard of a king banished me! ME!! Just for cheating in a game!!"

Yami closed his eyes. "The Shadow Games were sacred. Gods chose their fate, and not even a pharaoh had the right to tamper."

Nazo stared at the pair of them. Was this real? Was she dreaming? Was Yami really…

"The two of you had the power of the gods in your possession and never used it!! I helped contain that power to help you control it, and you still DIDN'T USE IT!!"

Yami couldn't conceal his surprise. "You mean YOU helped create the Millennium Items in the first place!?"

"Certainly! It was I who suggested the spell to control the monsters of ancient Egypt. It was I who chose the thieves to slaughter for the ceremony. And it was I who told your father years later, which caused his health to deteriorate, and him to eventually die." He grinned, pointed teeth flashing. "I had enough power to wield all seven Items at a time and claim the throne! Yet you, as heir, stopped me from claiming it! You, your criminal of a queen, and that pathetic brother of yours all forced me to be punished! Immortality is a punishment, and I'd gladly give my life at any time."

He stared eagerly at the Puzzle around Yami's neck. "Only the power of the completed Millennium Puzzle can rid me of my curse. But it appears that you have yet to complete it!"

Yami's eyes widened in recognition. That voice was the same as his vision! Within the Penalty Game Nazo had subjected him to, this was the man who tortured him and demanded the Puzzle! The man who killed Yugi!

'So, it WAS a vision from the future," Yami thought. 'And if I don't stop him, he'll kill Yugi and Nazo!'

"I'll play you for Nazo," he said.

Minkabh shook his head. "I thought she might be good collateral. She stays behind me at all times to make sure you do not attack me during our game."

"I NEVER CHEAT," Yami snarled. "Any more terms to abide by?"

Minkabh smiled, his wrinkles stretching. "If I win, I keep the girl until you find your brother, in which case I will return. If you win, you keep the girl."

"And you leave Japan forever," added Yami.

"No matter. I cannot set foot on Egyptian soil as long as you are within the living world. I do believe this game will be best performed in the Shadow Realm, don't you?"

"Which game-"

But Yami was cut short. Minkabh waved his arms. The machine, chasm, and room dissolved into complete darkness. It soon relit, illuminated by dozens of torches to expose Yami's throne room back in time. Yami himself was dressed for competition, wearing a red and gold helmet, cape, armlets, and shorts. Minkabh, looking centuries younger, wore a green and silver robe and helmet.

Nazo remained chained behind the throne several feet from Yami's reach. She wore a worn, white skirt, a weathered choker, a gold and blue vulture headdress, and nothing else. This does mean her top was totally exposed, like many servants in ancient Egypt. She closed her eyes once again, trying to convince herself she was dreaming.

Yami wished he could help her, or at least cover her up, but first thing was first. He had to battle Minkabh.

The wizard stepped toward a large table, where twenty five 4-inch cylinders stood, lined neatly five-by-five. He beckoned the pharaoh to him. "The game is similar to that which I played to sentence prisoners to their death. For you see, boy, Shukura was the thief you caught me trying to cheat that resulted in my banishment. It is time to learn your lesson. I won't have to cheat to beat you."

"Explain the rules."

"Gladly. Inside each cylinder, except one, are twenty-four balls, each with a color and a word. The object of the game is to collect as many pairs as possible. For each turn, you are given the chance to lift three cylinders. If two match, you keep them and receive one point."

"What if there is a tie?"

"There will not be, Boy Pharaoh." He held up two fingers. Instantly, a Duel Monsters card shot from Yami's pocket and into Minkabh's hand. He examined it. "So, this is the fate of your friend, Priest Mahado. Pity, he had such potential for magic." He flipped it over to show Yami's Dark Magician. He also pulled out a key. "This is the key to the queen's shackles." He placed them under one cylinder. "Whoever finds it and pairs it with an empty cylinder receives five points and ends the game."

Yami sneered. He did not want to risk losing his favorite card and Nazo. Then again, all he had to do was win a game! "I accept!"

"As if you had a choice. Heroes never do."

"GAME START!!"

"Beauty before age," said Minkabh, bowing in mock respect.

Yami lifted three cylinders. Two were blue and had a stork symbol. One was green and had a lotus. "One point on the first try," he said, taking the blue balls.

"It gets harder after a while, boy." Minkabh lifted two cylinders. One was red and had water lines; the other was the green lotus. For his third choice, he lifted the one Yami had just moments ago. Only now, it was red water.

"How…"

"This is the Shadow Realm," informed Minkabh, taking the red balls. "Nothing is ever the same. Your turn."

The game continued until Yami had three points and Minkabh had five. The magician spoke true when he said it got harder, because there were now empty cylinders to consider. He lifted three more: one yellow wheat-plant and two empty ones.

"Pathetic," said Minkabh, finding another pair. "It seems your memory really was damaged!"

Yami sneered. He lifted two cylinders to reveal two orange storks, and to his shock, the last one revealed the Dark Magician and Nazo's key!

"Too bad," said Minkabh with a bone-chilling smile. "You receive one point instead of five!"

Yami watched closely as Minabh lifted an empty cylinder and one with a yellow ball. He concentrated hard on the field. Don't find the Magician. Don't find the Magician!' Minkabh lifted another empty cylinder.

That's it,' Yami screamed in his mind. It's just like Magic Silk Hats! The Dark Magician appears when and where I wish it!' He lifted one cup. A purple eye. He lifted another. Empty. He waited, staring intently at one last cylinder, praying. Mahado, if you can do anything, obey your pharaoh and protect your queen!' He lifted the cylinder ... and let out a sigh of relief. "I win," he said.

Minkabh snorted. "Fine, I concede boy, but only because I need you and your wife searching for your brother." His eyes met Yami's, and green and red sparks shot between them. "However, I will make sure your reunion is not a happy one." Once again, he disappeared and a puff of black smoke.

The dome to the Shadow Realm lifted, and Jonouchi kicked the door of the warehouse down. "Yami," he called. "Where are-" He almost fell into the machinery, but was caught by Otogi and Honda.

"Yami-kun," called Ryou, leaning over the edge. "You down there?"

"Hai," Yami called back. "Catch!" He threw something small and gold up, and Jonouchi caught the key. "Help Nazo! She's closer to you! I'll climb out!"

"Got it!" Jonouchi rushed around the opening and found Nazo in chains. She had reverted back into her torn street clothes, but her make-up had been washed away, exposing her horrible scars and blemishes. She hardly seemed to notice Jonouchi pull her down, and muttered to herself in a traumatized daze.

"Nazo-chan," Anzu cried, trying to shake her to consciousness. "Nazo-chan, can you hear me?"

Otogi waved his hand in front of her face. Honda snapped his fingers by her ear. "She's gone bye-bye," whispered Honda to Anzu.

Yugi pulled himself out of the gap in the floor with the help of Jonouchi and Ryou. "One good thing about being small," he joked, "is you can get out of tight spots easier!"

The boys laughed and helped dust their friend off. "You okay, Yugi," asked Ryou.

"Un! How's Nazo?"

At the sound of her name, Nazo recognized Yugi, and started to back away, panicking. "No! St-Stay away! This isn't real! I'm not here!"

Anzu approached her. "Nazo-chan, calm down!"

"NO!!" Nazo backed up until she bumped into the wall. Then she held herself and sank to the ground. "Please go away! Please!"

Otogi took out his cell phone. "Should I call an ambulance?"

"No," said Anzu. "They'd tell her parents, and we don't want them to know about his." She sat on her heels to be level with Nazo. "We'll handle this ourselves, and she can spend the night at my house."

"Why," asked Honda.

Nazo muttered, "I won't be missed at home. Nobody notices me. I'm not important. I stink up my family name."

The others gaped at her. It boggled their minds that someone could think something like that about themselves. No one could relate to her except Jonouchi. He bent down next to Anzu, his eyes dark. "You're not like that, Nazo. We're all here for you, no matter what happens. Whoever told you you were nothin'… they're wrong!"

Nazo blinked at him. Yugi wanted to help too, so he kneeled down on Anzu's other side. "Even if you push us away, we'll be in the background to defend you and comfort you. Minkabh won't hurt you anymore."

"It isn't only Minkabh," Jonouchi whispered to Yugi. Yugi looked to his friend, and he realized that the other teen's face was hard set on Nazo's.

Nazo's eyes darkened. "You don't understand. Nobody does. I have no clue about my past. I don't even know why I exist. I have no real skills-"

"No skills?" Yugi asked. "I think Kaiba would tip his hat to your gaming prowess!"

"Let her talk this out," Jonouchi instructed.

Nazo held herself harder, trying not to cry. "Daddy's gonna be mad when he gets home next Sunday. He's gonna find out about my cards. He's gonna know I've had more hallucinations and dreams. He's gonna yell at me, or starve me, or ... or ..." The tears started flowing down her cheeks. "And he's right! He's always right! What good am I? I'm no queen of Egypt! I'm no gifted student or duelist! I'm a brain-damaged, ugly, gambling bitch with no face. No face at all. Lost in the fire."

Anzu's eyes watered. "Nazo-chan."

"Most want to live a happy life. Me? I want to have a life!" Her eyes closed. "After two years, I hardly know who I am! Why? What did I do to deserve this? Can't I at least know that? Aren't I worth at least that?!"

"Nazo," said Jonouchi trying to think up a wise analogy, "uh ... What we are born to is something none of us can control. It-it's like Poker! The cards we get at our start are the ones we gotta deal with and figure out. A lot of us get real shitty cards right away." He paused, and his friends understood how person his speech really was. "But, even if you get bad cards, you can still pull through it! Nothing can get completely hopeless! Especially when you get cards like us." He glanced at the others around him. "We love you! We all know that you can be kind of a cold witch sometimes, but we know you're a good person overall. Your past don't matter to us! We love you for you!"

'If only Jonouchi knew that was more universal then he thinks,' thought Yugi as Yami's transparent form put his hand on their friend's shoulder.

Nazo turned her face away. "You can't understand! No one can! I'm not worth such time or pity! I'm a freak! I don't even remember my favorite color! I take pills like popcorn! I've spent more time in a psych sofa then at school!" Her voice rose to a shrill, angry sob. "I need a picture of my parents on my dresser to fucking remember who they are every goddam morning!!" She shut her eyes tight. "How can you be so sure of my feelings when NONE of you can know how it feels not to know yourself!?"

Then something odd happened. Nazo felt someone take her wrist and pull her into their arms. She opened her eyes and found herself in Yami's warm embrace. He held her for a moment and said, "I understand."

The Bracelet glowed in sync with the Puzzle, and Nazo remembered Yami's story from the night before. She remembered how desperate he looked at the prospect of finding his queen, and the sadness in his eyes as he described his life thus far; so uncertain and full of horrors. She buried her face into his chest. "My Pharaoh..." she whispered.

Yugi: Ohaiyo minna-san! At least Nazo believes us now! Hopefully the weekend will go by without anything weird happening. I've got finals this coming week!

Next time, "Memories In the Moonlight; The Millenium Items Stolen!!"