Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh.
My notes: Well I checked my list, and checked it twice. Seems everyone was on the nice list, especially Light Derived from Darkness, and Kikoken whose constant reviews early on inspired me to keep on this project. Additional thanks go chattypandagurl, geminiprincess547, ThePianoFiend, Yume no Zencho, Aoi Dragon, cute-Baka, Freak09, and faeriefan (whose praise of this as the greatest, outstanding story in the entire yugioh section will not lead me to get a big ego, or so I hope) and everyone else who's reviewed this story. It's been a little over two months since I've started this and I have over fifty pages, officially making this my longest work, ever. And it's still not finished. This is what happens when you can't let an idea out of your head go away. I'm going to take a little break, a much needed one, as I try to think up of decks and events for Joey, Serenity, Tristan, Teá, Nadia, and Seto. I've plotted things for everything else except them which only goes to show that you can't plan for everything. And if people don't particular like how this duel ends, well let's just say its vital to the plot I've got worked out. I really wish I didn't have to write duels, I can't keep planning them. I was going to post this earlier until I realized that Yugi still had a card out, forcing me to rewrite the last part over again. Really, really hate writing dueling posts. Anyways enjoy!
Separation
Nadia entered into her small room. Her host family was away for the moment which allowed for her to be a bit less discreet. Kneeling, she sat in front of a small table with a small Buddha statue flanked by two candles along with an incense tray; a very simple setup. Her hands lit the candles and positioned herself, facing the wall. She pulled out the Millennium Ring from out of her handbag and placed it around her neck. As the object swayed to rest in front of her chest, she could be heard murmuring a small prayer. Within moments her eyes were closed to the outside world.
One attack from the Blue-Eyes will wipe me out, Yami Yugi thought as he glanced at his life-point counter. But why does Mokuba have this dragon? Seto was never known for much generosity and to freely give his brother even one of his dragons seems incredible to believe. The only defense he had was his one face-down card, and with only two cards in his hand, Yami Yugi was at a severe disadvantage.
Especially since it was still Mokuba's turn. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon, end our family rivalry and destroy Yugi's life-points." With a roar of acknowledgement, the dragon lowered upon all four of its robust legs, and let loose a beam of white lightning.
"I activate my trap card, Enchanted Javelin," Yami Yugi yelled before the lightning stuck him; the force propelling him to the ground. His breathing became labored as his chest and nerves registered intense pain but he was alright.
"What is this?" Mokuba asked. "Your life-points are supposed to be gone!"
"Normally I would have lost, had I not played Enchanted Javelin. It allows me to gain as many life-points as the monster has attack points. Thus I gained 3000 life-points right before the Blue-Eyes took them away."
"More of your cheating ways," Mokuba said, crossing his arms. "But on my next turn, you're going down."
Mokuba's only got one card in his hand and one card face-down on the field. This next card could help turn things around, Yami Yugi thought as he drew. But this won't help! He wiped his forehead clean of sweat. "I set this card in Defense mode."
Yugi, I feel something disturbing our connection. I can't tell where it's coming from, the pharaoh voiced.
Are you certain?
Yes. We've got to keep going though, Yami focusing at the duel at hand.
"Not much you can do is there Yugi?" Mokuba taunted as he drew. "Go, White Lightening." His brother's dragon blasted the defensive monster to bits.
Come on, Heart of the Cards! Yami Yugi mentally cursed. He let out a sigh of frustration as he again placed another monster in defense. Which was promptly destroyed the next turn. I can't keep this up. If I don't do something fast…that Blue-Eyes is going to devour me. His hand trembled as he drew and secretly thanked the Heart of the Cards. "Mokuba, do you think you have the ability to wield your brother's dragon?"
"I have the card. Isn't that enough?" Mokuba asked, astonished at the affront.
"No, its not. Many have tried taking that card away from your brother. Seto has seen his dragon corrupted, used against him, defeated," Yami Yugi answered, remembering all the times he, himself, had abused the Blue-Eyes, forcefully blinking, "Yet he continues to play it. Because he believes in it. His heart is in it." He saw Mokuba cringe at his words. "And I don't think your heart shows the same patience, devotion, and forethought that he has shown. Because you would eventually prepared for an event like this. I play the magic card, Snatch Steal!" The mighty White Dragon was immediately taken to the other side of the field and was staring down at Mokuba.
"You have no right!" Mokuba shouted. "You're nothing but a petty thief!"
It's happening again, its growing stronger. Be on your guard, Yami warned. This time Yugi did feel something odd between their mind-link but shook it off. "These things happen in the game and in life. The question is: are you able to stand up to your fate and continue on despite what you know will happen next?" The jaw of the Blue-Eyes began to open.
"I'm not afraid." The boy in stripes stood ready to receive the blow.
That's the Mokuba I know. Let's hope this snaps him out of it. "White Lightning Attack!" The dragon roared as it let loose its attack. Yami Yugi watched the boy not even flinch as he was knocked down towards the ground. He still had 800 life-points left as he rose to his knees.
"Are you done?" Mokuba asked, groaning. Yami Yugi nodded. The boy drew, immediately gaining 1000 life-points, the second effect of Snatch Steal. "I figured you'd eventually take my brother's dragon, which is why I kept this in my hand. I summon Saggi the Dark Clown (600/1500)." A jester-dressed monster appeared, its face a mask of white and black. Bells jingled from Saggi's flamboyant hat, collar, and gloves. "Attack!" Laughter filled the air as Saggi hopped over and mocked boxed the White Dragon into destruction. Their life-point counters remained the same however.
"Let me guess, a creature of Dark?" Yami Yugi asked, understanding the new Element rule. He continued to feel the sun beating down on him.
"Yes," Mokuba nodded, "and now I place one more card face down." A second card appeared beside the other one he still had from earlier. He then proceeds to take off his vest, being careful around the duel disk as he did.
If that's Seto Kaiba who's controlling Mokuba, then that next card will be the Crush Card. But what if it's someone else controlling him? Yami Yugi drew his Obnoxious Celtic Guardian. This card would survive; it only has 1400 Attack points. Mentally, there was a small burning, scratching pain that was spreading from behind of his eyes which was proving to be quite the distraction. He summoned his sword-wielding monster to the field; the green and brown clad warrior was posed in battle stance. "Go attack Saggi the Dark Clown!" The fighter rushed over to the half-grinning clown.
"Activate my trap card!" Mokuba shouted.
I knew it. The Crush Card! Yami Yugi thought preparing to counter a lack of high powered monsters. A flash of blue light appeared wrapping both duelists in a sphere however. When he looked over he saw his monster kneeling on the ground, straining to get himself up or even hold up his sword. "What is this?!" Yami Yugi asked.
"This is Gravity Bind," Mokuba grinned. "It prevents any four star monster or higher from attacking. It was one of the few counters against Seto's deck," he said as he drew. "I play this, Stuffed Animal (1200/900)." A seemingly innocent looking teddy bear appeared on the field. It walked forward a few steps before it's head fell over, revealing a zipper mouth filled with sharp teeth. "I then play the Black Pendant, which increases the attack points of my Stuffed Animal by five hundred points. Attack his Obnoxious Celtic Guardian!" The wild teddy bear walked and mauled the elfin swordsman to pieces. "Go Saggi the Dark Clown with Ominous Hilarity!" The masked entertainer, displaying his physical potency, shocked everyone all by throwing a pie at Yami Yugi in the face. The Dark Clown laughed and laughed as Yami Yugi calmly wiped his face the white pie filling off his face, his face in utter disbelief. The sun above burned brightly.
I've just been hit by a pie, Yami Yugi recoiled as he drew his next card. He's still got that one face-down card. "I play the Magic Card, Pot of Greed, to draw two more cards." The lavish green jar appeared with its wide grin. "I then summon Kuriboh in defense position." The small brown fuzzy hairy ball with wide eyes appeared, it fiercely taking its place in front of Yami Yugi. He wiped the sweat off his brow as his vision of Mokuba became out of focus. "I then…I…," he saw the magic card he wanted to play but instead of placing it in the correct slot, he almost summoned it. "I play Black Core. By discarding one card from my hand…," he paused to remove his school jacket, "I can destroy one of your monsters." He was straining to decide which card to choose. It didn't matter; both were cards useless at the moment. He discarded and chose the abominable puffy bear to the graveyard."
"You know what happens when the Black Pendant goes to the Graveyard?" Mokuba asked, dark stains appearing under his arms. "500 life points of damage to you." The jewelry shot a beam of black energy at Yami Yugi, knocking him back, before it disappeared with the forbidding creature. He shook it off as his life-points read 1400.
The young Kaiba drew. But he deliberately stood there, letting the sun continue to affect Yugi. He even silently moved his words, making it look that he was doing something.
One moment, Yugi saw his Kuriboh there. The next, it was missing.The pain behind his eyes growing more intense and the heat playing tricks with him. He could also hear someone talking to him, but he just couldn't make it out. It's so hot, he thought It's like we're in a desert! "Stop this Mokuba! You're not getting anything out of this course of action!" Yami Yugi shouted, having this horrible feeling that he was seconds away from defeat.
"What makes you think I'm not?" Mokuba answered with a shrug. "Once I have your Puzzle, I'll be able to unlock all of its mysteries; the spells hidden within. It will save him, it will save us all."
Yami Yugi felt to one knee, the eye pain becoming unbearable, and cursing his black tank top. "You don't know what you're talking about. We can get through this together." He shut his eyes trying to block out the pain. Yugi! Yugi! the voice shouted. Our mind-link is slipping! Something's interfering with…
"Yugi help me!" he heard Mokuba cry out. But when he opened his eyes, he only found the boy in the striped shirt standing, preparing to make his last move. "This ends now Yugi. I will surpass Seto when I play this…" Yugi couldn't hear the last bit of it. He fell over, planting his face in the ground.
Mokuba smiled. "Say goodbye!" as he played that last final card. Yugi's life-point counter rolled to zero. The boy started walking towards the fallen duelist and pulling the chain-necklace off of him.
"My Puzzle," Yugi said weakly, trying to stop the younger Kaiba from taking it.
"The Library," Mokuba corrected. "The so-called Heart of the Cards," he said as he placed the Millennium Puzzle around his neck, "was always around your neck. You just never knew it. You may be the Pharaoh Incarnate but what good is a pharaoh with out a country that believes in him?" He listened to Yugi, hearing nothing a low groan. "Well I wouldn't worry too much about it. If all goes according to plan, you'll get to spend time with your precious Pharaoh soon enough." Mokuba laughed as he left Yugi out in the blistering sun.
Nadia's eyes opened in shock. It's not supposed to go this way. A slight coat of sweat covered her from head to toe, her breathing irregular. I need to wash up, I… She walked hurriedly to the bathroom. Running the tap, she splashed water over her face. As she stared at her flame red locks in the mirror, she saw him, grinning like the madman that he was. She started walking back when she heard him speak.
"I've got my eye on you. And I have Sekhmet…" The voice would have finished except a cup shattered the mirror.
Meanwhile,
"What's going on here?!" Seto Kaiba asked as he approached the Kaiba Mansion.
Roland approached, his finger in stuck in one ear. "Master Mokuba ordered a lock down and only ordered certain people access to the grounds." He helped his master with the woman that he brought with him.
"Mokuba? Where is he?" Seto asked.
"He should still be in the Assembly Room."
The two walked past the front gate, Roland in tow. "Has anyone else been brought here?" Seto asked, curious.
"Only Yugi Moto," the suit reported.
Hearing that, Kaiba growled. "Have the servants put her in one of the spare bedrooms. After I refresh myself, have the limo prepped. I need to make a visit."