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Fanfic Chapter 91: Countdown to Destruction Pt 3: Passing of the Puzzle
Episode Basis: Friends till the End Pt 2 & 3
Previously on Yu-Gi-Oh! Tristan and Serenity were on the run from Rare Hunters when they received help from an unlikely source: Duke Devlin, the Dice Master. Meanwhile, Yugi asked to take over dueling in hopes that he could break Joey free from Marik's mind control. The plan was to use Joey's prize card: the Red-Eyes Black Dragon. Harold also planned on using a card Tea used, Shining Friendship to break her free of Marik's control. But with both of them trailing in life points, can Yugi and Harold triumph over the power of the Millennium Rod?
"Ushi Oni, attack Shining Friendship!" Tea-Marik commanded. The bull demon rushed towards the little green ball.
"Not so fast, reveal trap card: Waboku!" The attack stopped. "Recognize this card? You should, you also used this card in your duel against Mai, remember?" Harold asked.
"You kept me waiting for that little butterball?" Mai asked. "Fine, then, Harpie Lady, attack it and wipe out her life points once and for all!"
"I don't think so," Tea said harshly. "Activate trap card: Waboku!"
"Waboku?"
"Waboku is a trap card that reduces all damage to 0, so Shining Friendship remains on the field," Harold announced.
"Now it's time for you to get a taste of your own medicine. First I reveal my remaining face-down card, Silver Bow and Arrow which increases Shining Friendship's attack power by 300 points!"
(SF: 1300-1600, 1100-1400)
"Next I play the magic card Elf's Light increasing my monster's attack power by an additional 400 points!"
(SF: 1600-2000)
"It's still not enough to defeat my monster!"
"True, but which one are you talking about, Ushi Oni, or Dark Jeroid?"
"Huh?"
"You seem to forget, your Heart of Dark Water prevents a monster from being sent to the graveyard, but it can still be attacked. A master of a light deck like me can easily defeat your deck of darkness. Shining Friendship, attack Dark Jeroid with Silver Lightning Arrow!" The transformed pixie drew back her bow and released an arrow of light hitting Dark Jeroid."
(T: 2950)
(H: 3150)
"How do you like that?"
"I'll show you just how futile your attempts are," Tea-Marik said drawing a card. "Ushi Oni, attack Shining Friendship now!" The fairy was destroyed.
(T: 2950)
(H: 3000)
"Now you see how pointless it is? Her body, her mind, her very soul, is all controlled by me," Tea-Mairk said.
"Not as long as I draw breath!"
"Which won't be for too much longer."
"Now I sacrifice my two monsters so I can summon Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" The dragon let out a roar as it appeared on the field.
"It's… my… Red-Eyes," Joey staggered.
This can't be happening, I'm losing control of my mind slave!
"Seeing that dragon is having an effect on Wheeler," Kaiba commented.
"Well Yugi did say that the dragon card used to be Joey's. I can't imagine what it's like having your favorite card used against you."
I can, Kaiba thought as he recalled his duel against Pegasus's toon dragon at Duelist Kingdom.
"I'm sorry, Joey, but I'm going to have to knock some sense into you and use your favorite card to do it! Red-Eyes Black Dragon, attack his Alligator Sword with Inferno Fire Blast!" The black dragon spat out a fire ball which destroyed the Alligator Sword.
(Y: 1500)
(J: 2400)
"If that didn't knock him back to his old self, we're all in trouble." Yugi desperately called out to Joey. "Joey, are you in there? Are you all right?"
"Your trick didn't work," Joey-Marik said. "I vow to destroy you and take all that you hold dear! And send you to the bottom of the sea where you'll remain for the rest of your brief life!"
"This is getting dangerous," Yami commented. "I'm taking over."
"No!" Yugi cried taking off his puzzle. "I can't let you!"
"But why?"
"Because I have to do this by myself and I still have an idea that might work."
They met in the recesses of their combined minds. "Look, Yami, ever since I first assembled the Millennium Puzzle, you have given me strength and courage. You even helped me make new friends. And even though I'm very grateful to have met you, I also know that deep down, I can't keep relying on you forever. You've given me power, but now I need to call upon my own power. I need to know that I can fight for myself, that I can be like you even when you're not with me. You see, I need to do it for myself as much as for my friends."
"Yugi, let me ask you something, do you believe in yourself?"
"In this, I do."
"Then I believe in you too. Good luck and remember, no matter where we are, our hearts will always be one."
"Thanks, partner."
On the outside, Joey-Marik was asking, "Have you given up, Little-Yugi?"
I don't have much time, Yugi thought. My only chance to save everyone is to free Joey's mind.
"It's time to finish you off for good," Joey-Marik said. "You remember Hinotama, don't you? Well let me remind you!" Yugi was struck a third time with a fireball.
(Y: 1000)
(J: 2400)
Tea gasped and for a moment, the darkness that covered her eyes was lifted. "What… what's going on…? Harold?"
"Tea, listen very closely, you're being controlled, you have to keep…"
Tea screamed as the darkness returned to her eyes. Tea struggled, her last independent action was her saying "I… end my turn!"
"Okay, now it's my turn." Harold drew a card. "I play Swords of Revealing Light." Three golden swords surrounded Tea. Sorry, Tea, but I'm going to have to contain you so that I can free you.
"Mister Cirrus, we've lost them, sir."
"Keep looking, you fools! How far can three kids go?"
"Okay, they're gone," Tristan reported as Cirrus and his Rare Hunters ran past the truck bed the three teens were hiding in. He turned to Duke. "So what are you doing here, Duke? Last I've heard, you were promoting that Dungeon Dice Monster game of yours."
"I was, but I heard about this Battle City thing and thought I come down to check it out. I was hoping to run into Yugi but I guess you guys will do." Duke gestured with his head towards Serenity. "So who's she?"
"To you, she's off-limits."
"Huh?"
"Her name's Serenity Wheeler. She's Joey Wheeler's sister."
"Joey…" Duke thought back to his duel with Yugi. To Tristan, he whispered, "Is he the one I made dressed up in a dog suit?"
"Yes, and she's very respective towards him so if I would you, I wouldn't mention the dog suit."
"Gotcha." A little bit louder, he asked, "So who were those guys chasing you?"
"I think their leader said they were Rare Hunters."
"Rare Hunters, what are those?"
"I don't know, but I don't like them."
"Guys?" It was Serenity who crept up behind Tristan. "If those Rare Hunters are after us, does that mean they're also after the others?"
Duke and Tristan shared a look. They hadn't thought of that. Tristan's first thought was that they thought he and Serenity were easy targets but now he wasn't so sure.
"Come on, we should get going before they find us," Duke suggested.
"Too late!" Cirrus cried as he came dropping in from the sky. Tristan picked up Serenity and along with Duke, leapt from the truck bed with Cirrus in hot pursuit.
"Has my attack left you speechless, Yugi?" The attack from Hinotama left Yugi sprawled on the dock. Joey-Marik laughed maniacally.
"Seto, we have to do something!" Mokuba protested.
"I know," Kaiba grumbled. "But if we do try anything, they'll detonate the dock and then Yugi and all his little playmates are fish food."
"That's right, Kaiba," a Rare Hunter said from the sidelines. He held up the remote. "If there is any help from the outside, I press the activation button here and the dock goes taking everyone! Tell me, do you really want that on your conscience?"
Kaiba growled.
"I'm… not through yet… Marik," Yugi said as he staggered to his feet. He was panting heavily, the constant direct attacks taking their toll on him. "I won't give up until my friends are free from your control once and for all!" Yugi picked up his Millennium Puzzle which had fallen out of his hand from the third Hinotama attack. He started to walk around to Joey-Marik's side of the dock.
"So you want more, do you? Okay, then I'll summon Rocket Warrior (1) in attack mode!" A humanoid rocket carrying a sword and shield appeared. Any monster that it attacks loses 500 attack points."
"Wait," Yugi pleaded.
"Next I play the magic card Attrition in combination with my Rocket Warrior!"
"What does that mean, Seto?"
"It means that when Wheeler's Rocket Warrior attacks, whatever monster it attacks will lose attack points equal to the attacking monster."
"Joey, I know you can hear me," Yugi said.
"It's too late, Little Yugi! I switch Rocket Warrior to its invincible mode!" The warrior transformed into a rocket mode. Now it'll be unharmed when it attacks a stronger monster. Rocket Warrior, attack Yugi's Red-Eyes!" The rocket shredded one of the Red-Eyes Black Dragon's wings.
(REBD: 2400-400)
"So how does it feel, Wheeler?" Kaiba asked.
"Be silent, Kaiba!" The Rare Hunter holding the remote ordered.
"You just decimated your favorite monster, what are you going to do now?"
Joey stared at the weakened Red-Eyes in horror. "What… no… my Red-Eyes!"
No, my control's weakening again!
"Joey, you're my best friend," Yugi said. "And just as you gave me your Red-Eyes, I want to give you something that is precious to me." He came up to Joey and placed the Millennium Puzzle around his friend's neck. "The Millennium Puzzle."
"Why did Yugi do that?" Mokuba asked. Kaiba didn't reply.
"Now, just as a piece of you will always be with me, so will a piece of me always be with you." Joey stared in shock at the Puzzle. "You're my friend, Joey, no matter what Marik says." Marik might be able to control Joey's mind, but it's his heart that will prevail!
"Yugi is your enemy, you must destroy him!" Marik commanded.
Since Yugi gave that puzzle to Joey, now Joey's in possession of it and I can't use its power, Marik thought. So it's useless to me.
"Joey, I order you to take a piece of the puzzle and throw it into the ocean!"
"Giving me your puzzle was a foolish mistake, Yugi, and you're about to find out why!" Joey removed the center piece. "Say good-bye to your puzzle forever!"
"NO!" But as Joey got ready to throw it, he paused, his hand literally in mid-toss.
"No, please, don't throw it away!"
"Sorry, twerp, you snooze, you lose."
"No, not into the pool!"
"You two runts aren't so tough now, are you?"
"Leave Joey and Tristan alone!"
"You're defending the very same two who picked on you? Why?"
"Because… THEY'RE MY FRIENDS!"
"Then suffer along with them!"
"Not a lot of people stuck up for me like that, Yugi, you're one brave little kid. Here, it's the piece I threw into the pool."
"But I thought you couldn't swim?"
"I can't, but I can dive real good, look I promise I won't harm your puzzle ever again."
"You promise?"
"Sure do, I'm a man of my word."
"Thanks, Joey."
"You know, you and I got a lot in common, maybe we should start hanging out more often."
"Sure."
"I… made… a promise," Joey struggled to say as he lowered his hand. "I… won't… go back!"
Marik growled, "Fine, keep it if you want, it matters not." I can't believe my control is being overpowered by a meaningless whelp."
Joey reattached the puzzle piece and placed the puzzle around his neck. "Get on with the duel, Little-Yugi, I want to win your puzzle the right way! Not that it will matter, in less than twenty minutes, your life will end!"
I have three turns to organize my forces, Harold thought. He drew a card. "I play the magic card Sacred Treasure. This allows me to draw five cards but I can't attack with any of the monsters I draw, so here's what I'm going to do, I'll summon my Forgiving Maiden in defense mode and set a card face-down. I end my turn."
"Then I'll summon Witch of the Black Forest in defense mode."
Marik wants me to attack so he can summon a better monster. Well I'm not about to let him get that chance. "I'll tribute my Wingweaver so I can summon Marie the Fallen One (2) in attack mode!"
"But Marie the Fallen One is a dark monster, why do you have it in a light deck?"
"If Yugi has taught me one thing, it's that dealing with darkness does not mean one is evil. In fact, when used for the right reasons, even darkness can be represented by light."
"Well the fact of the matter is that since Marie the Fallen One was one of the monsters summoned by your Sacred Treasure, you can't attack with her."
"You think I don't know that, knuckle-dragger? I end my turn!"
"Then I'll tribute my Dark Jeroid to summon Ghost Knight of Jackal (3) in attack mode!" A dog-headed human on a horse appeared.
I think I know what he's trying to do: he's trying to bring one of my monsters over to his side. Fortunately for me, he's forgotten about my Remove Brainwashing trap card which should protect my monsters for now.
"I set one card face-down. My turn is over and so is the effect of your Swords of Revealing Light!" The swords disappeared. "Soon, I'll tribute my two monsters to summon a stronger monster and then it'll be all over!"
"A piece of advice, don't try destroying my Marie the Fallen One."
"Why?"
"Because while Marie the Fallen One is in the graveyard, I gain 200 life points for every turn."
"Oh, I'm not worried about that. In fact, you should probably send Marie to the graveyard while you have the chance because once my jackal destroys her; she'll reappear on my side of the field."
"You sure about that?" Harold asked pointing to his Remove Brainwashing trap card.
Tea-Marik still didn't seem worried.
"Well, here goes something," Harold said as he removed the card. "I set one card face-down and activate Monster Reborn to revive Wingweaver! There, I'm all set."
"Then prepare to turn over your Armlet and surrender your soul to eternal darkness!"
Duke, Tristan, and Serenity ran from alleyway to alleyway hoping to elude their pursuers. But Cirrus's speed was almost supernatural. In almost no time at all, he pursued them to a dead end. Actually, it wasn't a real dead end. It was a T-intersection between alleyways. But Cirrus's three Rare Hunter servants covered all of their avenues of escape.
Cirrus cackled, "Soon, you all shall be servants of Lord Marik!"
To Be Continued
Duel Monsters Database
(1)
Name: Rocket Warrior
Level: 4
Type: Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Light
ATK: 1500
DEF: 1200
(2)
Name: Marie the Fallen One
Level: 5
Type: Fiend/Effect
Attribute: Dark
ATK: 1700
DEF: 1200
(3)
Name: Ghost Knight of Jackal
Level: 5
Type: Beast-Warrior/Effect
Attribute: Earth
ATK: 1700
DEF: 1600
