Disclaimer: We don't own any of the Yu-Gi-OH characters.
The only thing we own is our characters and the plot line.
Don't sue... Have no money.

Summary: What if Yugi/ Yami weren't alone in this world and
the puzzle had more secrets than even they could
have imagined. Who will win in a battle against
Yugi/ Yami's biggest competition... and survive
the consequences of...
Read to find out Please R/R

A/N: this chapter is a little short but important. Hope you like. Thanx for reading.

The shadowed Yami began to speak. "Hopefully, as you can see, we will duel and believe me, you WILL lose. Remember our names because they are the last ones you will ever hear. I am Yamises and my younger friend here is Yugiko."

"Why don't you just tell us who you are?" Yugi was now so mad; you wouldn't have known it was the level headed Yugi. In fact, you could have mistaken him for Joey. (Well accept the height and fact that Joey is a blonde). Yugi may have been pissed but fear managed to creep up into his words.

"My dear Yugi, have you not heard a word I've said?" Yamises said in a calm voice that was almost daring Yugi to try something. He knew Yugi would stand behind his principles and friends.

"Where are you from and how can you look like us and yet be real?" Yugi continued. Yamises turned his head towards Yugiko.

"I" Yugiko sighed "am your past Yugi. I know everything that has happened to you up to this point. Every thought you've ever had, every friend you've ever had or lost, and everything you've said. From Pegasus to Duke to the little you know of Yami's past. I also remember how scared you were when Yami took over and that is nothing to how scared you are now."

"But..." Yugi began but was cut off.

"But... Why we are doing this. Well, that's because..." Yugiko started but stopped mid-thought when he saw Yamises's face.

"Well," Yamises stated annoyed "We'll keep them on need to know basis...only." Yamises threw Yugiko another cold stare that could cut through steel.

"I, Yamises, am your future... I know everything that has happened to you and much more that you would never think up in that imagination you have. Something I do not wish to bring up." His voice seemed to soften slightly and hold a small amount of emotion but that didn't last long.

"Well, just as my past if a mystery to me... Our future is also undetermined for us." Yami interrupted.

"I see you have figured out why I am not so easy to see. But you are far from the whole truth." Yamises just snickered and laughed a harsh, emotionless laugh.

As Yamises and Yami exchanged words, they were nothing above mumbled and incoherent noises after Yugi quit listening to study Yugiko. The boy had long since quieted down and let Yamises take over. His eyes stared intensely on the squares beneath him. He crouched over them and he let his fingers trace the hieroglyphics that were engraved on each square. It was like he was trying to read an open book in front of him, which confused Yugi, but the flames blocked much of his view. Yugi looked puzzled, so to speak, because Yami was the only one able to read Ancient Egyptian. Yugi only read Japanese.

Soon, however, he felt Yugi's eyes watching his every move and looked up to meet him at eye-level. His attitude may have not been pleasant but his eyes told a different story. They were not filled with the same hate and anger that flowed through Yamises. If Yugi didn't know any better... Yugiko was not here by his own choosing.

"If you are me... What has happened?" Yugi spoke with softness in his voice. He felt that screaming would get him nowhere with Yugiko. "Your innocence, what could drive you to do this to yourself? To lock us in the puzzle? What do you have to gain from this?" The last question Yugi asked was heard by all considering Yami and Yamises had finally shut up. It was only met with silence. Soon it was broken by yelling from the one who was never thought to harbor that much sound in such a small body.

Yugiko was now standing and screaming at all of them but his gaze never left Yugi. This caused everything to remain still in its place and no one dared to do anything. "Enough of this... No more wasting time!"

"IT'S TIME TO DUEL!"

"It seems you have angered my young friend." Yamises grinned evilly. "But enough talk, it is time we started this duel. That way you get one step closer to defeat. Yugiko and I have already chosen our decks and so have you Yugi."

"Huh?" Yugi said confused "Oh, wait... I had my deck here with me when we got transferred in here." He finished and pulled his deck from his back pocket. He slid it into his duel disk like Yamises and Yugiko had.

"Precisely," Yamises chimed in. "Now it is time for you to pick your deck...Yami!"

"I don't see any decks to choose from." Yami replied smoothly.

"Are you completely oblivious?" Yamises sounded annoyed again. "Just turn around." Yami turned around as Yamises spoke and found a case full of 10 different decks.

"Choose wisely." Yamises sneered from behind. "You will be bound to the deck you choose. 5 of those decks contain only monsters with attack strength of less than 2000 points. 2 of the decks have nothing but magic cards that even the King of Games could not use to win. 2 others are full of useless cards that cost Life Points to use along with weak rituals. You'd be dead before you know it. Although, 1 deck is a perfect deck that will give you a fighting chance. You have a 1 in 10 chance of picking the right deck and you only get one chance. You may be the King of Games but how are you with luck?"

Yami ignored this but knew that he was probably being truthful about how useless these decks could be. He reached out for the second deck from the left but stopped before he reached it. The last deck had caught his attention. It was glowing a bright, vibrant gold.

"Wha..." Yami started to say but something clicked in his head. It was the 'heart of the cards'. 'That one' he thought. Yami reached inside for the final deck and the rest disappeared.

"Now that we are ALL ready," Yamises said with conviction. "It's time to Duel."

"Wait," Yami cut in. He needed some answers and it was better to get them now than later.

"What now?"

"What are the stakes? There is too much thought and planning behind this to be so simple. Plus, you would never have gone to so much trouble to lock us in here if you had something to gain. Well, if you can beat us."

"Let's just say, if we win, then your bodies are ours and you shall remain here until I shatter the puzzle, leaving you forever trapped beyond the puzzle! Right now, time is stopped in the real world and your body lays lifeless on the shop floor. I t will remain there until we take control of it. No one will be the wiser. In all aspects, we ARE you."

Yamises began laughing once more at the thought of their destruction. Amongst all the distraction, Yugi still noticed that Yugiko winced at the word Shatter. Though slight, it meant a great deal to finding the truth n how this happened.

"Now I think it's time to start this duel without more delay." Yamises spoke with confidence that Yami wanted so deeply to crush. He was Yami in appearance but not in heart. "The turn order will go like this: Yugi, Yugiko, Yami, and then myself." The way Yamises said the last part sent chills down Yugi's spine. Yugi held his ground because he knew he had to be brave for both his and Yami's sake. This would be the duel of a lifetime.

"For my first card, I summoned the Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress. Then I play this card face down and end my turn."

"My turn." Yugiko drew his card and seemed pleased with the results. "I summon Fiend Reflection and equip it with the Black Pendant magic card. Making it stronger than your dragon. Now attack Yugi's dragon and send it to its grave."

"Activate trap!" Yugi retaliated "Magic Cylinder. The attack goes straight back to you." Yugi yelled triumphantly.

Life Points (Currently)

Yugi: 4000

Yugiko: 2200

Yami: 4000

Yamises: 4000

"Yugiko," Yamises yelled with rage at having his team take such a hit so early on. "What were you thinking! You should have seen that coming and known he'd put down a trap."

'that's true' Yugi thought 'I am dueling like I always do, the only way I know how. It was as if he wanted to lose those Life points. Like he wants this to be over with soon.'

It was Yamises's turn after Yami, who only played a monster face down in defense mode.

"This duel will be short lived if you play it so safe. I'd have thought you'd have known better." Yamises said happy with his hand. "And now I summon Zombrya the Dark and equip him 2 Axe of Despairs, making him 4100. But that's not all. I also equip him with Fairy Meteor Crush. I am not completely unmerciful so I play this card face down and end my turn.