.:.The dragon card the Pharaoh holds in his hand glows with a shining light as they walk. "It must mean Joey's nearby." He says, as they follow it. The light grows brighter when pointed in some directions, so they watch for the brightest light and use it to guide them thus.
It stops glowing suddenly, as they reach a street. Looking up they see the green light of the Seal atop a building. "Joey!" the Pharaoh says and they begin running towards the structure.
They hear a motorbike zoom off. "Oh no!" Tea says. "You don't think...?" She asks. "Let's just keep going." The Pharaoh says. Finally they reach the building and climb to the top. "Oh no!" they shout as they see them.
Lying against the fence rest Joey and Valin. "Joey." They say, walking over to him. "I think it's pretty clear what happened here." The Pharaoh says, looking at Valin a few feet away. "Yeah, Joey beat Valin and Mai beat Joey." Tristan says. "I can't believe she's turned on us!"
"She's just…not herself." Tea says, pained as she looks at Joey's unconscious form. "Either way, now we have to get back Joey and Yugi." The Pharaoh announces. "No better time then the present." Alyssa says. "Let's go." The Pharaoh says in agreement as he picks up Joey's dragon card, the claw of Hermos, from the ground. "I'll get Joey." Tristan says, bending over and picking up his fallen comrade.
They walk towards the office where they knew they would find Dartz. They heard a car behind them and rushed to the sides as it screeched to a halt. "Wow, nice ride!" Tristan says, gawking at the convertible. "It must have cost a fortune!" he said. "Not for me." Kaiba says, getting out of the car. "What are you all doing here?" he asks. "We should be asking you that same question." Tea says. "Especially since you were heading here first." She tells him.
"I had a few things I had to do first." He says. "I see Wheeler ran into a bit of trouble." He said nodding at the unconscious body. "You have to believe us now." The Pharaoh says. "I believe nothing." Kaiba says. "He just fainted. It's not something I wouldn't expect from such an underdog." Kaiba says. "C'mon, Mokuba." Seto says. "Mokuba?" he says, looking around when he isn't answered.
"Seto!" he hears a block over. "Mokuba!" he shouts, running towards the sound. In the next street he can see Mokuba being chased by another one of the evil creatures. "That's what we were telling you about earlier!" Tea shouts to the Pharaoh. "Kaiba! You have to use your cards!" the Pharaoh calls out to him. "XYZ Canon!" Seto shouts, slamming the cards down onto his duel disk needed to create the monster. It appears and blasts away the other creature. "C'mon, Mokuba. You need to get out of here." Seto says, taking his younger brother's hand.
"Seto, that might be a problem." He says, as creatures began appearing everywhere, coming at them from the streets, standing on the rooftops, some even coming from the ground. Kaiba grits his teeth as he tries to shield his brother behind him. "Celtic Guardian! Dark Magician Girl!" They hear, and the Pharaoh's cards spring to life and fly to them, creating a path. "This way!" he shouts and they flee down the small aisle the monsters created.
"You can't run from all of them." Tea says. "No, but you can. You all, get out of here." He tells them. "We'll take care of them." He finishes. "But-" Tea begins. "For once I think he's right, Tea." Alyssa says. "C'mon Mokuba. Let's get you out of here." She says, taking his hand. "If anything happens to my brother," Seto warns. "He'll be fine." She says. "Now come on, we need to go."
They run out the quickly narrowing aisle into the next street. The Pharaoh and Seto end up back to back as the creatures encircle them. "Go!" they shout as they release a number of monsters. Swiftly they go through the hordes, cutting them down. "Cut a path back to the group!" the Pharaoh shouts. The group of monsters nod in agreement and redirect their attacks towards the alleyway they had entered through. The pair runs down the street, most of the monsters gone but more still appearing.
They turn into the other street and see with horror that another throng of the creatures have accumulated there. In the corner near a fire escape Tea and Alyssa stand in front of a terrified Mokuba. Tristan holds Joey on his back underneath, standing behind with the frightened child.
"Pharaoh!" she shouts, seeing him enter the alleyway as she dodges the blow of one of the monsters, trying to kick it back. "We could use a little help!" Alyssa says, dodging again.
"Fang of Critias!"
"Eye of Timeaus!"
They shout as the dragons sweep into the sky. Their beams rack the ground as they destroy the gathering of Orycalcos Soldiers. Circling the city street a few times, they finish wiping out all of the dark beasts and return to the decks of their masters.
"Are you all alright?" the Pharaoh says as Seto and he join them. "I think we're all fine." Alyssa says, surveying the group. "Mokuba!" Seto says. "Seto!" his younger brother shouts, running to him. "Are you alright?" He asks. "I'm fine." Mokuba says as he hugs his brother tightly.
"Well now that that's over," Alyssa begins, relieved. "We can start to worry about that." Tea says, her eyes wide as she points down the street. "What is that?" Tristan says. "Doesn't matter, get up!" Kaiba shouts. "You first, Tea." Tristan says, as they all brace their arms together to act as a support. "Push down the ladder!" Tristan tells her. "It's…stuck!" she says as she tries.
"You next." The Pharaoh says to Alyssa. "But Pharaoh," "Now!" he commands her and she jumps up, climbing over the rail. "Take Mokuba!" Kaiba says, handing him up. Alyssa reaches down and pulls him over as Tea continues struggling with the ladder. "I can't get it!" she says again. "Here Pharaoh, I'll give you a boost." Tristan says as the Pharaoh plants a foot in the middle of his interlocked fingers, hopping onto the fire escape. Meanwhile, Kaiba did a fancy kick off the wall, allowing him to effectively jump up. Together they push down the ladder.
"Hurry!" the Pharaoh calls as the mass gets closer. Tristan huffs his way up the stairs carting Joey on his back. "Slowpoke" Kaiba says. "Let's see you do that again carrying this." Tristan says to him.
They haul up the ladder just in time as a million and one rats run underneath them. "…Rats?" Mokuba says. "I think I'm gonna faint." Tea says, turning pale. "If you fall, I'm not goin down to get you." Tristan informs her and she backs away from the railing. "What I'm wondering is what it is they are running from." The Pharaoh says, and all are quiet.
Finally the rats have moved out from underneath them. They push down the ladder for the fire escape. Alyssa leans against the ailing, her face slightly pale. "Are you alright?" the Pharaoh says, coming over to her. "I'm fine." She mumbles. "I just have a headache."
The Pharaoh sighs. "I know what you mean." He says, rubbing his own temples. "We're almost there though." She says, standing. "Just a little bit more and we'll have Yugi back."
"Yes," the Pharaoh says, happily. "Almost." He echoes. He watches as she begins toward the fire escape ladder. "Are you sure you're not going to have a problem going down?" he asks. "Of course not, my Lord." She tells him. "So long as I take it one step at a time." Still, he reaches out and steadies her as she wobbles momentarily. "That must be one monster headache you have." He says, feeling his own worsening. "You have no idea." She mumbles.
They all look up at the logo on the building, pushing a button that will open the elevator doors before them. "Who puts an elevator right at the front?" Tristan asks. "I mean, seriously." He says. The doors open, and a figure falls out on them, unconscious, as feathers drift downward from the fog in the lift.
"Mai." The Pharaoh says, catching her lifeless form.
.:. "There he is." Alyssa thinks to herself as she spies the Pharaoh in the outdoor stadium. She'd expected to find him here, playing with his friends. "He loves these games." She says to herself as she watches him defeat his opponent's monster. "He seems to be pretty good at them too, my King of Games." She tells herself with a smile.
She waits near the doors of the arena until she sees they are finished. "I wouldn't want to distract him" she thinks. Finally she begins making her way towards them, as they are at the far side of the arena, on the last court. She assumed that his pals must have been playing other games earlier as well, so he took the last one.
As she has walked half the distance she hears a growl from behind her. She turns and sees a large creature that looks as if it were part dragon and bird. "I could have sworn that they were finished!" She tells herself as she stares up at the giant animal, backing away from the creature slowly. It swipes out a claw at her and she turns, bolting terrified towards the covered walkway.
She dodges another swing of the monsters arm as she desperately tries to outrun the huge beast. It takes aim at her again. This time, though she dodges the brunt of the attack, the monster's hand catches her arm, slicing it with its razor sharp claws.
She lands a few feet away, backing against a pillar as she holds her arm tightly to try and slow the bleeding. She braces herself expecting its fist to plow into her, but it never comes. Instead she hears another voice. "By all the power of the millennium puzzle, I summon Obelisk, the Tormentor!"
A green fist appears from a portal as the large being takes place. "Now, Obelisk, destroy this outsider!" the Pharaoh shouts. The green giant makes a fist of its own, punching the wayward animal. It flickers momentarily before disappearing.
"Are you alright?" Yami says, rushing over to her and kneeling beside her on the ground. "I'm fine." She says. "It merely cut my arm is all." She says. "I'll go back to clean it up." She states, beginning to stand. "No, stay still." The Pharaoh says. "Let me see that." He says, concerned. "No, it's not that bad, really." She says turning away, but he removes her hand covering her arm.
From the top of her shoulder to her elbow runs a long, deep gash, smaller scratches to its side. It is bleeding badly, and is clearly littered with dirt from when she fell. "Oh, baby.' He says, removing his cape and tying it about her arm. "We're taking that to a doctor."
"I don't need a doctor." She says, pushing away his hands. "I know how to take care of such things myself." She says, beginning to stand again. "You needn't worry so much about it."
"You are still having that looked at." He says. "Fine." She tells him. "I'll have someone look at it. Go back to your matches. I know you enjoy them." "This is a little more important than a game" he says. "Besides, if I let you leave alone you won't go. I'm coming with you." He tells her. "Fine." She says. "Your being ridiculo-woah! Yami, it's my arm that's hurt, not my legs!" she says as he picks her up. "Put me down." She says, poking his chest lightly. "But I don't want to." he says and she sighs as he carries her off to the live in doctor at the palace.
Later that night she lies in bed, a thick bandage wrapped all along her upper arm. She lays against the Pharaoh, as she usually does, her head on his bare chest and tucked tightly against him, his arm about her waist as he lays on his back.
However, tonight she can not stop tossing and turning in her sleep. It begins lightly at first, a mere turn or two, but quickly accelerates into much worse. The Pharaoh awakens after a soft nudge or two in the side. Looking over he sees her restlessly moving about, constantly changing position.
Softly he reaches over and pulls her into a hug while she sleeps. "It's okay." He whispers to her. "It's just a dream" he says, running his fingers through her hair. "Shh…" he says, calming her. After about five minutes she lays still, and the Pharaoh lays back down.
It is only a short while later when he is reawakened by her fitful sleep. Now worried, he tries to wake her as her movements become more profound and agitated. "It's okay." He continues. "You're dreaming. Wake up." He tells her, but she does not respond. She keeps tossing and turning, tossing and turning in her troubled rest. He continues, becoming more alarmed as time passes and she does not react to his efforts. "Alyssa, it's alright." He tries. Quickly he reaches over and catches her, her panicked movements as her nightmare progresses almost causing her to fall off the bed. "It's alright." He says, anxious as he holds her sitting up and she continues her thrashing. "Wake up." He says. "It's only a nightmare. It's just a dream." He says, quickly, trying to reassure her while she will not wake. Her distressed movements cause her to almost hit him a few times. The Pharaoh takes control of her arms which still jerk within his. "It's alright." He tells her. "Wake up." He continues as he rubs her back, trying to soothe her.
She swivels around quickly in his arms, whimpering slightly as her face contorts into one of pain and anguish. "Come on, wake up." He tells her. "It's alright, you're only dreaming.' He says. She moves faster and faster until he feels he is shouting for her to wake up, trying to have her hear him when suddenly her eyes open and she stops.
She collapses against him, shaking, as he wraps his arms around her and kisses the top of her head. "Shh, shh…" he whispers to her as he feels her tremble, her breathing ragged from the aftermath of the nightmare. "It was just a nightmare." He tells her. "It was only a dream. Shh…" he says, stroking her hair as he calms her. "It was horrible." She sputters out to him. "I'll bet." He thinks. "Shh…" he continues. "It was just a dream."
"It was just a dream." She whispers, hiding her face in him. "What was it about?" he asks her a few moments later when she is still trembling. "I don't know." She whispers. "I don't even know. I can't remember."
.:. The mist egresses out of the elevator and floats down to the floor, spreading out like a cloud among their feet. The Pharaoh holds Mai's unconscious body still before laying her against the wall for support.
"Hello, Pharaoh." He hears across the way. Raphael stands, his duel disk out, and large white wings from behind him. They flap and a few of the feathers they had seen earlier fly off them and gently float to the floor.
"Raphael." The Pharaoh says, turning towards him. "So glad to see you remember me." Raphael says, an evil grin brandished across his face. "It would be hard to forget." The Pharaoh says, referring to what had happened. "Not like your life in Egypt, huh?" Raphael digs at him. "That is not pertinent to this right now." He tells him.
"That's right. I don't know how you managed to escape me the last time, Pharaoh, but I assure you it's not going to happen again. I'm gogin to have your soul." "Is that what you did to Mai?" Tristan asks. "you took her soul too?" "She had it coming to her." He says.
"You're so desperate for people to fuel this Great Beast that you would even take one of your own?" the Pharaoh says. "She wasn't one of us." He says tersely. "What do you mean by that?" Tea asks. "Yeah, I'd say she was out to get us." "Not when she came in here looking for Master Dartz. I taught her some respect finally." He tells the group. "By stealing her soul?" The Pharaoh repeats. "She deserved it." He says.
"And why would she deserve something like that?" Mokuba's little voice squeaked. "Comin' in here raising in uproar about that Wheeler kid. Apparently he'd finally been taken and she wanted him back." The group gasps as they hear this. "Don't worry. They're together where they are now." He says, chuckling.
"And soon you'll be joining them too, Pharaoh." He tells Yami, extending his arm as his sickle shaped duel disk activates. "It's time to duel." "I'll accept your challenge." The Pharaoh says activating his disk. "But Pharaoh!" he hears Alyssa say. "If he pulls that card…you could-" "I'm not going to make the same mistake twice." He tells her. "You needn't worry." "I'll always worry for you, my Lord." She tells him. Her cheek tingles were his fingers touch as he reaches out and brushes some of her hair behind her ear. "But you shouldn't." he says, and turns away.
"Raphael, I'm going to open you're heart tonight." He announces to him. "As a friend did for me. Perhaps then you'll see the folly in what you are doing and change your ways." "I don't need your help." Raphael says as he draws his cards. "I will purify this world of its evil spirits, and to do that I will be ridding it of you." "I think you will find otherwise before the night is over, Raphael." The Pharaoh remarks to him while activating his duel disk. "But as you wish. Let's do this."
He draws his own hand and Raphael begins the fight. "I'll start by playing my Guardian Caest." He says. "And I'll also play my Guardian Grarrl." He places his card onto his disk as the monsters appear on the playing field. "That's it for now." He says. "The same ones as last time" the Pharaoh thinks. He looks at his own hand. "I'll call to the field my Queen's knight." He says, and the imposing woman appears, her sword and shield in hand. "And next I'll call upon my Magical Elf." He says, "In defense mode."
The other creature appears, her head bent as she kneels on the field. "Heh." Raphael says. "Is that the best you can offer? At this rate, I'll have you beaten even faster than I beat your little partner." He taunts him. "So he doesn't know it was me." Yami says to himself. "Well, I might use that information later on." He thinks, storing it away.
"I would never put my best in show at out the beginning." The Pharaoh says. "You'll just have to wait." "But not much longer." Raphael says. "I call to the field the sacred Seal of Orycalcos!"
The familiar green seal descends upon the building top, encasing it's occupants in an invisible dome. The bystanders back up as it expands towards them, pushing them away. The Pharaoh holds up an arm as the seal surrounds him, glaring across the way at Raphael. "That allows my Guardian Grarrl to attack your Queen's knight." He says. "Go!"
The burly monster rushes across the field, his hammer swinging into the Queen's knight, shattering her into a thousand shards. The Pharaoh grits his teeth as his life points go down a few hundred. "Unfortunately, I can't deal with that other pest you have just yet." Raphael says. "So instead I'll just place these two cards face down." He says. "Your move."
"Then I'll play my swordsman!" the Pharaoh says, and the monster he had used to win against Weevil appears on the field. "Attack his Guardian Caest!" he shouts, and the soldier springs forth, successfully defeating the other monster.
"And I'll bring her back by giving away a few of my life points!" Raphael says, playing the same card he had before to bring one of his monsters back from the graveyard. The same light shines as his counter decreases by five hundred, his monster returning to the field.
"Most of his cards rely on there being no cards in his graveyard." The Pharaoh reminds himself, thinking back to a few of the tricks he'd used in their last duel. "If I can just get one to stay in there, half his deck would be useless."
"Well C'mon Pharaoh." Raphael says. "Don't just stand there." "Don't worry, Raphael." The Pharaoh says, drawing another card. "Don't count me out of this yet." "Or yourself either." He adds inwardly. "My move."
Seto, Mokuba, Tristan, Tea, and Alyssa watch the duel before them, cringing and cheering as one. Well, Tristan, Tea, Mokuba, and Alyssa at least. Seto leans against the wall, either trying to fall asleep or merely sitting back, his face stoic and unreadable. Joey and Mai rest against the wall, their bodies empty shells that had been left behind as their souls flew to the Orycalcos.
"It's time for you to examine the depths of your soul" the Pharaoh says halfway through the duel. "And I intend to help you by playing this." He says, showing Raphael the card. He places it on his duel disk and a thick smog billows inside the seal, the dome holding it in so that only the two adversaries experience it.
The Pharaoh's head swims as the mist clears. Finding himself in what appears to be a graveyard, he glances around for any sign of the others. Figuring he must be alone he begins walking. He reads the inscriptions and epithets as he travels down the rows of tombstones. "Why, these are monsters!" he says aloud as he continues on his way. "Berfomat…Celtic Guardian…" he gasps as he comes to the last one. "Dark Magician Girl."
He hears a sound from behind and turns to see Raphael looking at a younger version of himself, the way he appeared when he was a mere boy. "That's…me…" he says, astonished as he observes the young lad. The shadow of himself looks around before breaking into a run. "Come back!" he shouts, following in pursuit.
"No, Raphael, it might be dangerous!" the Pharaoh shouts as he sees him leave. He chases the two through the fog before coming to a halt next to the older of the two. "What's going on? Why are you here?" the Pharaoh asks him.
"This…was…the day I received my…" Raphael begins as he stares down at the vision of himself. "The day you received what?" the Pharaoh asks him. "Raphael!" he calls, but the man is lost in himself, entranced as he concentrates on his younger self.
"Why...why am I here?" the little Ralph asks, confused. Next to him stands Dartz, a hand on the young boy's shoulder. "You are here to find your future, Raphael." He says. "but, how am I going to do that?" he asks. "Take this." Dartz says, handing him his sickle shaped duel disk. "Take this, and use it to find your destiny."
They boy slips it onto his arm, fitting it so that it doesn't slip. "Listen to it. Feel it's power." The man continues. "What is it telling you?" "It's…telling me to go this way." Raphael says, walking towards whatever it is the duel disk is pulling him towards. He walks a few feet before the apparent spell breaks. "It's gone." He says to Dartz. "And there's nothing here." He says again, looking around.
"Have you tried looking beneath you?" Dartz asks him. The boy looks at his feet and sees he is standing on a mound of dirt. He gets to his knees and takes a handful, watching as it slips through his fingers and falls back to the ground. Suddenly he casts it away, his arms moving quicker and quicker as he tries to push more and more dirt out of the way.
"Yes…yes, dig out your destiny." Dartz eggs him on, leading him towards that which is concealed within. "What was it, Raphael?" the Pharaoh tries again. "What did he make you dig up that day?" Raphael watches his former self, still spellbound by what he was seeing. Finally he stops, removing a card from the bottom.
"It's a card." He says, standing up and walking over to Dartz, holding it out to him. "No no, my dear boy." Dartz says to him. "That's yours now. It belongs to you, and the other way around." "I don't understand." Raphael says, looking at the card and scratching his head. "He is you, deep down inside." Dartz says to him. "That is your grief, your anger, your despair, loneliness, sadness longing and hate." He says, his voice growing louder with each word. "Say hello to your newest Guardian!"
A monster springs up through the dirt holding a scythe in it's hands." "I don't like it!" Raphael says, backing away in fear. He turns as he hears his guardian scream. "Iatos, what is it?" he asks with wide eyes as he looks up and sees his tortured protector.
"You don't need him anymore, Raphael." Dartz says, placing his hands on the young boys shoulder. "You now own this." He says, turning him back to face the decaying skeleton. "Iatos?" he asks softly as he begins to see similarities. "No, Dread scythe." Dartz corrects him. "Now, join with it!" he tells him. "But-" "Now!" Dartz says and the monster reaches out, taking Raphael by the arm. He screams as Dartz holds up his index finger to the boys forehead, an image of the Orycalcos seal burning its way onto his forehead before disappearing.
"Congratulations." Dartz says as the exhausted child collapses onto his knees. "You've done it." He begins laughing as the mist clears. Looking across the field the Pharaoh sees Raphael put a hand to his head, shaking it, trying to clear it of the memories.
Meanwhile the gang had grown trouble at the length the mist shrouded the field. "What's going on in there?" Tea says. "I dunno." Tristan says as they circle the dome. "There has to be a way to get in somehow!" Alyssa says. "Not unless you want to try ramming into it there isn't." Tristan says. "And I don't think that option would work well either." He adds.
"What're you doing?" he asks her as she barrels her shoulder into the side. "The Pharaoh's in there!" she says, repeating the movement. "What if something bad were to happen?" she says, slamming into the Sea's walls again. "He could be hurt!" she says, continuing once more.
"You're gonna wear yourself out." Tristan says, stopping her. "But-" "He'll be fine." He says, noticing the worried expression in her eyes. "He's not going to make the same mistake twice." He tells her and she looks away. "He's not called the King of Games for nothing." Tea reminds her as she comes up from behind having overheard what was going on.
"It's just I…you don't understand!" Alyssa says, slumping down to the ground against the wall holding her head which was beginning to ache again. "I can't leave him in there." She says. "Why not?" Tea asks. "I don't know." She says. "I don't know."
"Well sitting there like that isn't going to help him any either." Tristan says. "You just have to have a bit of confidence in him. He'll pull through." He says, giving her a thumbs up. "I know." She says. "That's not what I'm worried about."
"Then what?" Tea says again. "I…don't know." Alyssa repeats. "Well, don't hurt yourself trying to do something that can't be done." Tristan tells her as she stands up. "He wouldn't want you hurting yourself anyway." Tea says. She smiles and nods as they begin walking towards where thy left. "Look, the fog is clearing!"
They see the two standing. "Thank the Gods." They hear Alyssa say, leaning against the wall with relief. "I don't know what just happened." Raphael said as he slowly raised his head to look at the Pharaoh. "But you're going to pay for that."
"It was one of your memories, Raphael." The Pharaoh says. "It must have had some significance to you." "Be quiet!" Raphael says, slamming down a card again. "I play my Guardian Iatos! Attack!" he shouts as the creature flaps it's wings as it heads for the Pharaoh. "This card will reflect it's attack!" he says, raising one of his face down cards. "And mine will cancel out yours!" Raphael says, playing one of his as well. "Well than, this will shoot it back at you, with double force!" The Pharaoh says, revealing another card that he had left in store.
Raphael's eyes grow large as he sees his favorite Guardian and duel monster fly backward from the effect of the magic card. He disappears into thousands of fragments before they vanish altogether.
There is a rumble on the building as they all look around anxiously. All except for Raphael that is, who merely looks at the ground.
"Now you've done it." He says to the Pharaoh, looking him in the eyes. "Done what?" the Pharaoh asks, staring back at him evenly. "Prepare to meet that which appears when Iatos falls, the terror that lurks within my deck. It summons itself automatically to the field. I have no power over it."