Ooohh, I'm so glad people are actually liking this story! I was afraid no one would read it because it's so lame (remember it was my first ever). Anyway, now that I have three reviews, I can post the next part! Remember I don't own nuthin' but Raia. Remember to read and review! (I wonder if anyone has come close to figuring out who she is yet…)
PART III
Yugi stared blankly at the field. His life points had been severely depleted after his Dark Magician was destroyed by Raia's monster. The current score stood at Raia: 1500, Yugi: 1400.
"Come on, Yuge!! Why didn't you turn over one-a them trap cards?!" Joey shouted.
"Geez, Joey, keep cool," Tristan advised.
Yugi looked up at Joey, a blank glaze covering his eyes. He countered quietly: "Who said they were trap cards?"
"Huh?" Joey asked.
"You bluffed that whole time?" Raia realized.
"Mai always said psychology is half the game," Téa said quietly.
"No joke. That loss really shook Yugi up," Joey observed.
"Don't give up, Yugi!" Tristan encouraged.
"That's right," Bakura added. "There's still a lot left to this duel."
Yugi nodded, and then looked back at Raia.
"Aww...how sweet. Almost breaks my heart..." she mocked.
'...if I had one...' Joey finished the thought. THAT'S IT! . He took a long, hard look at Raia, and all the pieces fell into place. But...there's no way... Could she...? Nah.... Is it possible...?
Téa looked at Joey, then nudged Tristan. He looked at Joey.
"Hey, earth to Joey. What's up?" he asked.
"Huh?" Joey answered, pulled from his daze. "Ah, it's nothin'," he said.
"I know you," Tristan replied, "and that ain't a 'nothing' look. What's the matter?"
"I don't know. There's somethin' really familiar about that girl, though."
"What do you mean?" Téa prodded.
"She...reminds me a someone," Joey explained.
"Well, who? Spill it Joey," Tristan prompted.
"I'm not sure," he lied. "It's probly just nothin'."
Yugi looked down at the cards on the field. His face sobered up quickly. I won't lose...
Raia looked over at Yugi. Even after all that, he's still defiant. I gotta give him credit for the tenacity, but that isn't going to help him with this. I will defeat him. Then, it's on to Pegasus...
She slowly drew her next card. "This is it, Yugi. Are you ready to face defeat?"
"There is no way I'm going to lose to the likes of you," he answered fiercely.
"Wrong, Yugi," Raia countered. "Not only will you lose this match, but I will regain what I've lost just by defeating you."
"Huh?" Yugi said. "What do you mean?"
"I mean that because of you, something very dear was taken from me. And in beating you, I am sure that I can reclaim it."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Yugi said, genuinely confused.
"I don't expect you to understand, Yugi," Raia replied. "But that's no matter to me. This card seals your defeat either way. Elemental Control!"
Wait a minute... Now THAT card I've heard of!
"In case you all didn't know, this is the final step of my plan. I can use this card to combine the four elemental rulers that you see before into one supreme controller of the elements!"
The four creatures were enveloped in a bright light. When it dimmed, the monster that had taken their place looked stronger, meaner, and uglier if that was possible. The creature was a true monstrosity, having four different heads, huge leathery wings, razor claws, and a tail that seemed to be made of an eternal blaze of fire.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I present: the Terrestrial King!"
"Ugh!" Téa said in disgust. "That thing is horrid!"
"Quit the comments from the peanut gallery!" Raia called.
She looked back at Yugi. "The end is now. I can use the magic of the Elemental Control to attack twice with this one beautiful creature you see before you. Once I destroy your defense monster, the game is over."
"Oh, no," Téa whimpered.
"Yugi..." Joey said softly.
"Terrestrial King," Raia commanded, "ATTACK!!"
Yugi's defense monster shimmered into view.
"Look!" Joey called. "It's a Kuriboh!!"
"All right, Yugi!!" Téa cried.
"They're in denial. Celebrating over a Kuriboh?" Raia said.
"Not just a Kuriboh..." Yugi began.
"Here it comes," Tristan chimed.
"...but thousands of them. Go, Multiply!!"
"WHAT?! Multiply!?"
"That's right," Yugi answered. "Now instead of just one monster, I have an army of them standing between you and my life points."
Raia's attack reached the Kuriboh, causing a hundred explosions, from which she and Yugi had to shield themselves. She looked back at Yugi's field.
"No way! All the Kuriboh are still there!"
"Yes. And with them on guard, there isn't a card in your deck that can reach my life points now."
Raia growled.
"Now, it's my turn," Yugi said defiantly as he drew his card. "And I play one card face down."
He's just stalling until he can play Reborn the Monster or draw one of his stronger monsters, but it won't matter. As long as the magic of Elemental Control remains on the field, I'm as invincible as he is. But what do I do now?
She drew a card, and sighed. "It's your turn, Yugi. There's nothing I can do for now."
Yugi gave a soft sigh of relief. It's nice to see her on the defense for once.
"I play the Summoned Skull, in attack mode."
Raia smirked.
"Lightning Strike!"
Raia brightened a little. "That I can handle! Terrestrial King, counter the attack!"
One of the monster's heads rose up and roared loudly. The lightning from the Summoned Skull's attack rained down on the creature, but was fended off by some kind of shield.
"What's goin' on?" Joey yelled.
"How is that monster blocking the attack?" Téa asked.
"Easily. Since the Terrestrial King is still made up of four separate entities, if one is attacked, the other three can block for it," Raia explained.
"Sounds like that Gate Guardian Yuge and I faced against the Paradox brothers," Joey said.
"It's similar," Raia replied, "and nearly unbeatable. There's no way to get through him. But now that you have another monster besides those lumps of scuzz, I can get through to YOU!"
"Are you sure?" Yugi asked calmly. "Are you willing to take that chance?"
"I always am..." Raia replied. "Terrestrial King, ATTACK!"
"And I play, Mirror Force!" Yugi answered.
"MIRROR FORCE?! No way!!!"
"Yes, and you've just sealed your Terrestrial King's fate!"
"NOOOOOO!!!!!!" Raia cried. The attack ricocheted back at her own monster, which was annihilated from the field. She heard the counter in the background lower her life points to 1000.
That was... My best monster... How... It was Raia's turn to stare at the field in disbelief. Even if I can play another monster, it probably won't be strong enough to stand up to his Summoned Skull, and I can't get at his life points through all those fuzzball Kuriboh! She drew.
"I play this monster in defense mode," she said.
"Hm," Yugi answered. He looked at Raia. It's... like she's lost the will to keep playing. Destroying that monster was a heavy hit, but... It doesn't matter now. I'm going to win for my Grandpa, to bring him HOME!
Raia's Millennium Heart glowed brightly for a brief second, and she saw the flash of an image before her eyes. It was an old man, one who looked a little like Yugi himself. And two others... NO WAY!!!
Raia's breaths grew ragged. She was bent over the arena station, and her eyes swelled with tears. My brothers... I... I can't win this way... Not against him...
"I...don't think I can finish this match..." she started.
Yugi was a bit taken aback. "You mean..." he began.
Raia just blinked. She couldn't bring herself to surrender. She had never given up to ANYONE. But Yugi was different...
"No, Raia," he called.
"Huh?" was all she could answer.
"I don't want you to give up. You said that you came here with a purpose. And that's a rare thing in my experience. If you've got something to fight for, DON'T give up!"
"But...I..." Raia stammered.
"Let the heart of the cards decide who wins this match," Yugi coached.
The Heart of the Cards...? she thought. Wait, THAT'S IT!! The Heart of the Cards!!