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Fanfic Chapter 34: Final Duel of Souls Pt 1: The Highest Stakes
Episode Basis: Match of the Millennium Pt 1
Previously on Yu-Gi-Oh! Stuck in a duel with his best friend, Yugi called on his favorite monster, the Dark Magician, to help destroy Joey's Black Skull Dragon. Thanks to a combination of magic and trap cards, Joey's Black Skull Dragon was destroyed. In a last ditch effort, Joey activated the Time Wizard, the very card he got from Yugi. Its Time Roulette succeeded and Joey's Baby Dragon evolved into a Thousand Dragon and turned the Dark Magician into an old man, or so Joey thought. But in fact, the thousand years caused an incredible transformation in the Dark Magician, turning him into the Dark Sage with the ability to play a magic card during either player's turn. Yugi played Monster Reborn to resurrect the Black Skull Dragon and delivered the finishing attack. Joey gave Yugi the treasure card but Yugi told him to keep it, to use the money to save his sister. Now, it's the match you've all been waiting for: Yugi vs. Pegasus, who will prove to be the master of the Millennium Items?
In the antechamber, Yugi looked over his deck. This is it; all it comes down to is me and my deck against Pegasus. Yugi reminded himself that it was his Grandpa who taught him how to duel, how to utilize each and every card to their full potential. He also reflected on one of the (in his opinion) important lessons his Grandpa gave him.
If you only remember one thing, Yugi, remember this: you must never lose faith in yourself. If you don't believe you can win, then you'll suffer defeat, not only in Duel Monsters, but in life. Always remember that advice, Yugi, it will become more important than any card you'll ever own. I should know, I collected some of the best cards in the game.
You taught me that, Gramps, and I promise to put all you've taught me into effect. I'll free your soul, and stop Pegasus so that he'll never hurt anyone ever again with his Millennium Eye.
The doors to the arena parted and Yugi turned to face it.
"Surprise!"
Yugi was surprised; he was surprised to see his friends waiting for him on the other side.
"Hey guys!"
"Yugi, we all wanted to wish you well," Tristan said.
"Looks like you finally made it," Joey added. "You're going all the way, buddy."
"Yugi, win or lose, you'll always be a winner in my book," Harold threw in giving him a thumb up.
"Have heart, Yugi," Tea advised. "Once this is all over, we'll get your Grandpa back safe and sound."
"Thank you, all of you; that means a whole lot to me."
Harold put his hand on top of Yugi's. He was followed by Tea, Joey, Tristan, and Bakura.
"The time has come," Croquet announced. "Would Yugi Moto, the challenger, please enter the duel ring, Mr. Pegasus awaits you."
Yugi transformed into dueling mode. Lets end this, Pegasus! Yugi determinedly stepped up to the blue podium.
"The challenger has entered the stadium," Croquet announced. The doors on the other side parted dramatically. "And now, for your dueling pleasure, Duelist Kingdom is proud to present: the creator of Duel Monsters and maker of all its wonderful cards…"
And thief of my Grandfather's soul, Yugi mentally added.
"The undefeated, undisputed, victor of Duel Monsters: Maxamillian Pegasus!" Pegasus was flanked by two of his guards, each with covered trays. At last, I'm here, it will take all that my Grandpa has taught me, and all the power in my cards, but I WILL defeat Pegasus!
Pegasus made a gesture with his finger and one of his guards, holding a tray with a Duel Monsters deck on it walked up besides him. Pegasus took the deck and stepped up to the red podium. "So, Yugi-boy, you've turned out to be quite the young Duelist, battling your way pass all the other challengers, winning your way into the castle, all just so you could face me."
"Pegasus, before we begin this duel, I want you to agree to keep your promise. Keep your promise that if I defeat you, you'll release my Grandfather's soul to me!"
"But of course, I'm a man of my word."
"And that's not all, if I win, you must also free the souls of the Kaiba Brothers!"
"Both of them, such a strange request, I thought Kaiba and you were arch-enemies."
"You're my only real enemy!" Besides, I too have a promise to keep.
"But what can I do?" Mokuba asked.
"You can start by trusting in me and together, we'll stop Pegasus. I promise you…"
I made a vow to Mokuba, and that's a vow I intend to keep!
"Ah, so you made a vow to Mokuba," Pegasus realized.
Yugi gasped, did he just read my mind?
"Okay, Yugi-boy, if it puts your mind at ease, I'll agree to your terms." He held out the soul prison cards that contained Kaiba, Mokuba, and his Grandfather. "If you win the duel against me, I will free these three from their lonesome prisons."
"That seemed to go only too well," Tristan said suspiciously.
"Yeah, I think Pegasus intended to take Yugi on this entire time," Joey deduced.
Harold gasped, "Hey, guys, remember what that Eliminator guy Panik said…?"
"Pegasus promised a hefty reward to the Eliminator who can defeat Yugi Moto."
"This tournament, the kidnapping of Yugi's Grandpa, I think it was all a trap just to lure Yugi here!"
"But what could Pegasus be after?" Tea wondered.
"It's not what he's after that worries me," Bakura said. "Throughout this tournament, Pegasus has stacked the deck in his favor. Spying on Yugi, sending others to test Yugi's limitations, I bet it was all to give Pegasus an upper hand over Yugi."
"Hey, Pegasus can have twelve upper hands and Yugi's still gonna kick his keester!" Joey argued. "When this is over, Yugi's gonna be the undisputed champion."
"He's right," Tea agreed. "When it comes to dueling, our Yugi can't be beat."
"I don't know…" Bakura said distractedly.
"Don't forget, Pegasus also has that Toon World card," Harold pointed out. "If he draws that, Yugi's going to have an incredibly tough time."
"Stop being so down-beat, guys."
"I'd have to agree with Harold and Bakura on this one, guys," Tristan said. "Pegasus probably has tricks we haven't even seen yet."
"No matter what card he plays, no matter what trick he tries, Yugi will find a way to overcome it. He hasn't come all this way just to lose in the final match."
"There's no way that overdressed primadonna stands a chance against our Yugi!"
"Joey, it's not that I don't want Yugi to win," Harold argued. "But we have to face facts: we don't know what Pegasus is capable of."
"They're going to draw their first cards," Tea announced. "Let's go to the upper gallery so we can get a better view." Tea and Joey left with Harold following reluctantly behind.
"I guess there's nothing we can do but wait for this duel to play out," Bakura said to Tristan. "Pegasus holds all the cards right now. As long as he holds them prisoners, we're at his mercy no matter what the outcome."
"That's right!" Tristan turned and ran off.
"Tristan, where are you going?"
"I'm gonna see if I can find Kaiba or Mokuba anywhere. Because if I can get them back, even without their souls, Pegasus won't hold all the cards."
A search for their empty vessels is not a bad idea.
Croquet went through the legal routine, "Challenger Yugi Moto, as per the rules of the Duelist Kingdom tournament, present the card that is required for you to participate."
"As per your rules, here it is," Yugi said flashing the Glory of the King's Opposite Hand.
"So it is, and so the stage is set for the final and deciding duel of the Duelist Kingdom competition. Just as the card you hold is a blank slate, there are no limits to the prizes you may request from your opponent. If you are the victor, you can decide if you want to take over his company, or this entire island, or even Mister Pegasus' Millennium Eye."
"Wow, maybe I should've signed up for this tournament," Harold commented.
"This is crazy!" Joey exclaimed as Bakura walked up to them.
"Where's Tristan?" Tea asked Bakura.
"Tristan wandered off by himself somewhere, I'm not sure where."
"Probably just went to the john," Joey dismissed. "Forget him, this is just getting interesting."
"Any request will be honored?" Pegasus asked as if he was just hearing this for the first time. "Wow, now that's what I call a prize, do I know how to throw a tournament or do I know how to throw a Duelist Kingdom tournament?"
"Promise me again that you will free the souls of everyone you've captured in a card."
"Yes, but if I'm the victor, you have to fulfill your end of the bargain as well."
"I don't like the sound of that," Harold commented.
"Nor do I," Bakura agreed.
"Take a look at that blank card you have in your hand, Yugi-boy." Yugi stared at the Glory of the King's Opposite Hand card. "It's blank for a reason. For, if I win, I shall claim your soul… forever!" Yugi's eyes narrowed. "So you see, you have much to gain, but also much to lose as well."
"It's a risk I'm willing to take, but I don't plan to lose!"
"We shall see."
"We will indeed, Pegasus."
"Time out, I think there's a little too much risk involved here," Harold said.
"If Yugi loses, he loses his soul too!"
"But even knowing what's on the line, Yugi still isn't backing down."
"I'm not sure if that's incredibly brave or just plain smack-dab crazy."
"When Yugi's fighting for the people he cares about, my money's on brave," Joey said.
"This is the biggest gamble I ever seen anyone take on Duel Monsters."
Tea tried to put on a brave front but it was only semi-succeeding. Oh, Yugi, you just have to win. If you don't, I'd… no, I can't start thinking like that, you have to win, Yugi, you just have to!
"I hate to disappoint you, Pegasus, but I have no intention of ever becoming part of your soul collection."
Not only will you become a permanent part of my collection, Yugi, but by defeating you, I secure my control of Kaiba Corporation and all its inventions!
In the Kaiba Corporation tower, the Board of Directors had just tuned in to the duel through a close-circuit video feed.
"The duel is about to begin."
"If Pegasus wins, we'll broadcast this to the whole world!"
"And the publicity will restore our reputation among Duelists."
"Our secret alliance with Pegasus will pay off at last, very handsomely!"
All of my plans have come to fruition in this one final duel of souls! Pegasus thought. And if all has proceed as I have envisioned, Yugi's Millennium Puzzle will soon be mine!
"The final duel will now begin, the winner shall be declared King of Games and shall get whatever he so desires," Croquet said. Two guards were lowered to the center of the arena vie an elevator. Each guard went up to a Duelist and asked for his deck. The decks, in turn, were placed on the covered trays and brought to the opposing player. Yugi cut and shuffled Pegasus' deck while Pegasus just touched Yugi's deck.
"It's fine as it is," he assured.
"Let the decks return to their proper owners." The decks were returned and the guards retreated from the arena the same way they entered. "Now, the scores shall be set at 2000! Let the final duel begin!"
"Duel!"
(Y: 2000)
(P: 2000)
As Pegasus drew his initial hand, he thought, You have come far, Yugi-boy, and have learned much, but your still a novice compared to me. For I have mastered the power of my Millennium Item.
Yugi's thought: I won't lose, I can't lose!
What have I gotten myself into? Tristan wondered as he wandered the hallways underneath Pegasus' castle. This castle is humungous, it's worse than trying to find your friends down at the mall without a cell phone. There's no sign of Kaiba or Mokuba or anyone down here.
Voices could be heard in the distance. Tristan panicked and quickly dove into a suit of armor. A guard came down the hallway, passed Tristan, and rounded a corner.
"Time to change shifts," someone said, most likely the guard who just passed by Tristan. "How is the little twerp?"
"The same as ever, glassy-eyed and glum, you don't have to worry about him running off," another voice replied.
"But we have to be careful, he's Pegasus' pet prisoner."
"Pet, shmet, I'm out of here."
"Catch 'ya later." Once the guards were out of sight, Tristan ducked around the corner that the guard went. But all he saw was a dead end.
Where'd the other guard go? Tristan asked. The only thing that could be seen was a dragon statue. It's a dead end, there's nowhere he could've gone, how strange. Tristan tripped on an uneven stone tile and fell on the dragon statue, grabbing its head in the process. The side wall opened up to reveal a hidden staircase. A secret tunnel, but where does it lead?
"Here we go," Harold said as Yugi drew a sixth card.
"I'll place one card face-down and a monster in defense mode." Two of Yugi's squares lit up.
"Oooh, sneaky play," Pegasus commented. "That wouldn't be a Beaver Warrior, would it?"
Is his Millennium Eye really allowing him to read my cards?
"Oh, this is so much fun," Pegasus said as he drew a sixth card. "I'll lay one card face-down as well, and throw this, my own monster card. I play Red Archery Girl (1) in defense mode." A clam shell appeared and opened up to reveal a green-haired mermaid with a bow on her back. "Back to you, Yugi-boy."
Yugi wondered why Pegasus would play a monster in defense mode. Is he trying to draw me into an attack?
Yugi-boy, I know all, I see all, the cards you have face-down are Beaver Warrior and Horn of the Unicorn. In the next turn, you plan to use these two in a combination attack.
Pegasus seems so confident, but that's always been his style, never to reveal his true motives. His down card worries me but I can't pass up this chance to gain an early lead. I have to strike! "I switch the Beaver Warrior I had hidden to attack mode!" Yugi's beaver in armor appeared. "And I also play the Horn of the Unicorn that I had face-down, to raise his attack points by 700!"
(BW: 1200-1900)
"Now, attack the Archery Girl!"
"You made a grave mistake, Yugi, you activated my trap card."
I should've known.
Pegasus turned over his face-down card. "Tears of a Mermaid!" Bubbles surrounded Beaver Warrior. "Unfortunately for you, Tears of a Mermaid activates the moment an opponent's hidden card is put into play. It blocks all possible attacks by an opponent's monster. In addition, it destroys the equip card lowering Beaver Warrior's attack power to its original value!"
(BW: 1900-1200)
"Now that it's weaker, I'll switch my Red Archery Girl to attack mode! Red Archery Girl, turn that beaver into road kill!" The Red Archery Girl cocked an arrow and let fly destroying Beaver Warrior.
(Y: 1800)
(P: 2000)
"Did you see that, Yugi had the upper hand but Pegasus knew how to counter it."
"But how can he?" Joey wondered. "Maybe Pegasus can read minds."
"If that's true, then Pegasus knows what Yugi's going to do at the exact same moment Yugi does!"
Joey looked around. "And why hasn't Tristan come back yet?"
"Maybe he got lost," Bakura suggested.
"Good grief, doesn't he know he's missing the match of the century?"
Pegasus must be reading my mind, Yugi guessed. It's the only way he could've been so prepared to counter my cards.
Finally, Yugi-boy is a believer, Pegasus thought using his Millennium Eye to peek into Yugi's mind.
How can I win against an opponent who can know my cards and sense my strategies as soon as I make them up?
"How indeed," Pegasus spoke out loud. "Oh, wait, I know, you're just beginning to comprehend my power. Do you now realize the magnitude of the jeopardy you placed yourself in by accepting this duel? How can you defeat not only the creator of Duel Monsters, but a Duelist who can read your each and every thought? I can see everything in your mind, your hopes, your dreams, even your fears, and what you fear the most right now is me! And with good reason, you know my mind-reading abilities give me an unbeatable advantage."
"This is just a nightmare," Joey complained. "We all know Yugi can beat anybody in a fair duel, but if Pegasus is able to read his mind…"
"It's what makes his eye the most powerful of all the Millennium Items," Bakura explained. "He can read anyone's mind that he chooses. Yugi's, yours, mine, anybody, whoever faces him must do so with extreme caution."
"You seem to know an awful lot about that eye, Bakura," Harold commented.
"Just from what I've seen of it so far, what I don't know is if any mere mortal can stand up against it."
"If that's so, then there's no one who can save Gramps and the others."
Tristan crept down the secret staircase, figuring that keeping something well-hidden must mean there's something they don't want anybody to find. Tristan peeked around the corner to see the guard sitting at a desk polishing his gun.
"Man, this is the most boring detail ever," he complained. "Croquet's just being paranoid again, there's no way this kid would escape without his soul."
"Wanna bet," Tristan said clocking the helmet backwards onto the guard's head. He then slugged the guard knocking him out. "Sweet dreams," he said. He then saw who the guard was guarding: Mokuba, or rather Mokuba's body. He took the keys from the guard and used the card to turn off the electronic lock. However, Tristan failed to account for the retina scanner which immediately sensed that he was intruder and relayed a message to a guard who relayed it to Croquet.
"No matter what the odds, I'll never surrender to the likes of you, Pegasus," Yugi said defiantly. He placed a monster card face-down in defense mode. "I end my turn, now do your worst."
"I always do."
Croquet's cell phone rang. "What is it?"
"We've detected a potential problem in Sector 5. I'm attempting to verify but our guard down there won't respond. There could be an intruder. Master Pegasus asked to be notified immediately if…"
"Master Pegasus is currently dueling," Croquet said unaware that Bakura, or rather Yami Bakura, was eavesdropping using the Millennium Ring.
"Then what are your orders, sir?"
"Listen, secure all the exits, the boy must not be freed."
"Yes, sir."
Yami Bakura snickered.
"Yugi, you can do it," Tea called.
"Nobody's won this yet, bud," Joey added. Harold noticed that Bakura was unusually quiet but decided that he was probably just too into the duel.
"The stairway's closed off," Tristan realized as he carried Mokuba on his back. "They must be on to me." He turned and hurried off into the shadows, hoping that they would conceal him for a little bit.
"Could it be… my turn again?" Pegasus asked. He drew a card. "It's the moment you've all been waiting for! First, I play Ryu-Ran (2) in defense mode!" A blue-spotted egg appeared that cracked across the center. Two claws peeked out. Two legs and small dragon wings also poked out. From a hole at the top of the egg shell, two sinister yellow eyes gleamed. "Not eggs-actly what you expected, is it? And I switch the Red Archery Girl to defense mode as well. The mermaid placed her bow across her back and leaned on her elbow, her head resting in the palm of her hand.
Tristan's progress was halted as he spotted human shadows from around a corner. He turned to go back the way he came but more shadows came from there. "Oh great, I'm trapped," he complained.
"Your move, Yugi."
"I'll scramble your egg if that's the best you can do."
Yugi, you're so full of banter when you're in dire peril. I guess you need another demonstration of the magic of my Millennium Eye. Pegasus used his magic to see Yugi's hand and then he saw the card that Yugi drew. "Could the card you just drew be the Summoned Skull? I'm sure that the Summoned Skull would go nicely with your Celtic Guardian, Spellbinding Circle, Magical Hats, and Horned Imp."
"He's reading all of Yugi's cards," Tea despaired.
"Don't let him psyche you out, buddy!"
How can I? He knows all my cards the moment I draw them. With that eye of his, he's unstoppable!
To Be Continued
Monster Glossary
(1)
Name: Red Archery Girl
Level: 4
Type: Aqua
Attribute: Water
ATK: 1400
DEF: 1500
(2)
Name: Ryu-Ran
Level: 7
Type: Dragon
Attribute: Fire
ATK: 2200
DEF: 2600
