.:. "AAAAAHHH!" Mokuba, and Tristan yell. "We're gonna die!" Tristan says. "That's it! We're done for!" Tea slaps him across the face. "Keep yourself together man!" she says. "Tea is right." The Pharaoh says. "We still have time to get out of the building. First we need to get Joey and Mai." They rush over to the pair, Tristan picking up Mai, Raphael picking up Joey. "It's good for a change of scenery." Tristan says looking at Mai before Tea hits him on the back of his head again. "Ow!" he says. "I mean, it's nice she's not as heavy as Joey was." He says.
"Chopper One, get here now!" Kaiba says into his watch, a miniature transmitter inside relaying his directions. Within seconds they hear the loud sound of the chopper whizzing to greet them. "I told you he's the best!" Mokuba says as he sees the chopper come into view moments later. "It's just lucky that it was based so close." Tristan says. The chopper lands on the roof, the air from its whirling blades causing dust and other loose objects such as paper to fly around.
"My guardians!" Raphael shouts as his deck slips out having caught on Joey's jacket as he walked and the cards scatter all over due to the winds. "Leave'em man, they're gone!" Tristan says as they feel the building lurch beneath them. "I'm not leaving those cards." Raphael says as he sets Joey down and chases off after them. "Suit yourself. But we aren't waiting." Kaiba tells him. The Pharaoh spies a few of the cards nearby and proceeds to get them, collecting them as he walks.
"Here, you get one of Joey's arms Tea." Alyssa says. "We'll pull him over." "We're pulling Joey?" Tea asks as they begin to do so. "Well we can't pull Mai." Alyssa says. "Otherwise they'll both kill us when they wake up." She says and they laugh.
The Pharaoh meets Raphael and hands him his cards. "You have them all then, correct?" The Pharaoh says, preparing to enter the chopper. "All except for one…Oh no, it's Iatos!" he says. Raphael glances around the rooftop and spies it on the edge. "I'll get it." He says. The building gives a tremendous lurch and begins swaying precariously. "The building can't hold this anymore." The Pharaoh tells him. "You won't be able to get on if you get it." "Then that's what I have to do." Raphael says running over to the card.
"Get in here!" Yami hears the whole crowd yell as they pull half of him in and the copter leaves the ground. The group looks out the window as Raphael reaches for his card. He holds it in his hand for a brief moment before the building gives way beneath him. "Raphael!" Yami shouts. "Hang on!" he opens the door to the helicopter and jumps out, reaching out a hand to Raphael. The former adversary reaches up to take it but is unable to. "Take this." He says, handing a card to Yami from his pocket. "On it is a map. It will take you to Dartz."
"But, Raphael," he starts but the building beneath him shakes as well. Raphael grabs the arm of the Pharaoh as he tooo begins to fall. "Get Dartz!" he shouts and tosses him onto the plane, the building collapsing into its true form which makes the entire group gasp.
"No!" the Pharaoh shouts making a desperate grab for him as something else pulls him in all the way. "I'm not letting you wreck my copter." Kaiba tells him. "Not unless you're paying for another, and I doubt you could foot that bill." He says condescendingly.
"Poor Raphael." Tea says. "And just when he'd finally figured things out too." She says. "You can't save everyone." Tristan says. "But we are saving Yugi." The Pharaoh says. "Oh? And how do we do that?" Kaiba asks, irritated. "The one person we were going to use to lead us to Dartz is now six feet under, more actually."
The Pharaoh freezes as he realizes this. "Oh no!" he says. "What do we do now?" Tristan says, banging a fist against the wall of the helicopter. "Raphael gave me this. He said it would take us to Dartz." Yami says, hading the memory card to Kaiba, who pulls it up on his computer. "wWell, well, well, looks like you did something right after all." He tells the Pharaoh. "This map shows us exactly where we need to go." "Mr. Kaiba, we're being hailed by what seems to be the military. Shall I bring us down?" someone says, the announcement playing over the speaker system. "Why not?" Kaiba says. "It's not like I've anywhere else to be." He says sarcastically, but the pilot brings them down.
"Mr. Kaiba." One of the men in white suits says to him. "How are you to-" "Just get to the point." Kaiba tells the older man. "Right. As you know, there have been some strange occurrences going on as of late." "And that means what to me?" Kaiba asks him. "Mr. Kaiba, the military is in need of your help." He says.
"What?" Kaiba asks him. "Yes. We have located where the disturbance is based and we need you to fly in and disable it. It seems to be housed ona small island; the building registered there is apparently owned by a corporation. We know that the leader of this business is a man named Dartz." "And why would it be me going in?" Kaiba asks him before the man could try and further get off the topic. "Shouldn't this be something that you take care of?" "Well, ordinarily it would, but it seems to be written in a code we haven't been able to decipher. A military chopper would raise more suspicion then what appears to be a wayward civilian chopper." "And?" Kaiba asks. "And…we suspect that there are many of the crazed monsters near the specified location. We need an expert in the field to go in."
"Well, it's your lucky day because I seem to be going to the same place." Kaiba says to him. "Really?" the man asks. "Yes. I've an appointment with this man. Let me see your maps." He says. They confer over them for a few minutes before he enters the chopper. "You all can stay here." He says to the group as they look at him. "Not this time, Kaiba." The Pharaoh says, pushing past him. "I'm coming to get Yugi. You can talk about your business with Dartz after I've gotten him back."
"Whatever." Kaiba says going to shut the door again. "Nope. Sorry." Tea says as she, Tristan and Alyssa climb onboard once more. "This isn't a ride at the fair!" he says. "Of course it isn't." Alyssa says as she snaps on her seatbelt. "At the fair you have to pay."
Kaiba slumped against the back seat.
.:. Alyssa woke up the next morning, her eyes still tired and hurting from the day before. Her head ached and she guessed she had probably been crying in her sleep as well.
It was when she opened her eyes at last that she realized she was sleeping on top of the Pharaoh in the way she always did, her head on his chest and resting on her side, her body tucked tightly against his. She sighed as she buried her head in him again, cursing herself for how weak she was when it came to him. Why did she still have to want to be near him after what he'd said?
She lay down not wanting to get up and stretch for fear of waking him. She rested against him, suppressing more tears as she remembered his words the day before.
"I'll remind you that if it weren't for me you wouldn't even be here now. You'd be in the streets or some poor, broken down old house while you take care of those who could hardly be considered parents as you work yourself away trying to form some pathetic excuse for a life."
She resisted the urge to cry as it practically overwhelmed her. A few tears fell from her eyes and landed on the Pharaoh's chest. Quickly she wiped away the ones in her eyes as she saw him begin to shift in his sleep. She rolled over so that he could not see her eyes. Once more she cursed herself as she tried to nuzzle herself against him as she felt his arms encase her and pull her towards him.
"Good morning." He told her and she felt him kiss her neck lightly. "Morning." She mumbled quietly. "Sleep well?" he asked her. "Yes. You?" she asked him simply. "Yes." He said. Yami sighed.
"Alyssa, I'm sorry." "No, you were right." She says. "I wouldn't be here right now if it weren't for you, and I would probably be in some run down house." "But I shouldn't have-" "It's okay." She says, hiding her head from him.
He sighed and climbed on top of her and turned her face so that she would have to look at him. "Look at me." He told her as he saw her eyes avoid his. "Look at me." He repeated and she did.
"I'm sorry." He told her. "I didn't mean what I said. I was stressed. I shouldn't have taken it out on you." "I'm not blaming you." She mumbled. "But you should." He said. Sighing he repeated himself. "Look at me."
Sighing herself she returned her eyes to his. "What is it?" she asked him. "I don't agree with stopping the games. I'm not going to. But I do love you and I don't want you to be mad at me." "I'm not mad." She says. "But you don't understand, you can't let them go on. Don't you-"
"Let's not do this now, okay?" he said, his head dropping. "If that is what you wish." She tells him. "And don't do that." He tells her, looking back up. "I don't want any of this royalty stuff. It took long enough for you to stop that in the first place." "Fine." She tells him.
"I love you." He said, leaning down and kissing her. "Let's get something to eat, alright? I didn't see you at dinner yesterday." "I'm not hungry." She mumbles. "Go on without me."
He sighed again. "If that is what you wish." He said mimicking her, and getting up. She sat up. "Yami, please. I don't ask you for things often. You know I wouldn't do this unless I was serious about it." "Alyssa," he says his voice strained. "Just promise me you'll think about it, okay?" she asks him. "Please?"
"I'll think about it." He tells her. She got up and hugged him. "Thank you." "I didn't say I was going to-" "I know that. But at least you're going to consider what I'm saying. I'm sure in the end you'll do the right thing."
"Are you coming down now then?" he asked hopefully. "I'm really not hungry." She tells him, but he takes her hand and kisses it. "Please?" he says. She hesitates. "I'll come and sit with you, talk to you, but I'm not going to eat anything." "Well, at least you'll consider it and in the end I'm sure you'll do the right thing." He says, repeating her.
"I'm sure I will." She says.
.:. "Mr. Kaiba sir, the isle is up ahead. We'll be landing in just a few minutes." The pilot says. "Good." Kaiba tells him. "Almost there." The Pharaoh thinks. "I'm coming Yugi."
"Will someone tell me why we brought him along too?" Kaiba says, thrusting a finger at Joey's unconscious body. "Simple." Tea says. "You didn't notice, so we didn't say anything." "I'm getting real tired of these snide comments." He tells her. "Oh? I thought you'd be used to them by now." Alyssa tells him.
They descend outside what appears to be some kind of temple. All around them is a giant storm, the waves of he sea massive forms that crash and break against one another in confused and tortured patterns. Lightning flits through the gray clouds up above, the only source of light to illuminate the darkened sky.
"Get out." Kaiba says the moment they land. The group exits the helicopter, Kaiba helping his brother down. "What are we going to do now, Seto?" the small child asks him. "Well I'm going to go in there and get back my company." Kaiba says. "As for the rest of them, I don't care." "We're coming too, Kaiba." The Pharaoh reminds him. "You might have business about your company, but we are getting Yugi, Joey, and everyone else back that has been captured."
"Whatever." Kaiba says his favorite line again. They follow him into the entrance of the golden temple, ascending the stairs one by one until they reach the massive doors. Cautiously, they enter.
"I don't see Dartz." Yami says as he continues on. "that piece of work had better be here." Kaiba says. "Relax, Kaiba. Everyone just follow me closely." Yami says. They pass through a few other rooms with no luck. Finally they come to the Soul Sanctuary.
The room is massive, with tiles lining the walls and floor. "Yugi look!" Tea shouts, pointing to the wall across the way. "Yugi!" Yami shouts, quickly running towards the other wall. "And Mai, Joey…they're all here!" They were so exited to see Yugi they did not notice the man that was present. Ahead of them is another level, on which stands the statues of dragons, their mouths open. On a cushion in front of them sits a man with emerald green hair that goes past his waist. He is wearing white robes and does not turn to look at them.
"Hello, Pharaoh. And Kaiba too. What a pleasant surprise." He says. "I came to take back my company." Kaiba says, angrily, noticing he is there. "You did not legally take Kaiba corporation. If you refuse to remove your claim on it, I personally will see that your life is a living-" "We are here for other reasons." Yami says, intentionally cutting off Kaiba. "Ah yes, Pharaoh." Dartz says. "I was expecting you for that purpose."
"Then you will not be surprised when I tell you to give back my partner's soul, and all those of the others you have hurt." "To do so you will have to beat me in a duel, and that is impossible." Dartz announces to them. "We were expecting you to say that." The Pharaoh says as he and Kaiba activate their duel disks. "Don't worry, we came prepared."
"That is what you think." Dartz says, standing to look at them. His eyes are two different colors, one gold and one green. In between his eyes rests a red stone, dangling down by a chain, and another of the Orycalcos shards is about his neck. He raises his own arm to reveal a duel disk. "I shall have your soul, Pharaoh, and finally awaken the great Leviathan. There is no escape for you."
"You have to beat me first. I was not called the King of Games for nothing." The Pharaoh reminds him. "There's no way you'll ever beat me." Kaiba says. "Let's duel!" all three shout together.
"Take a look around, Pharaoh." Dartz says motioning to the walls. "Have a little history lesson if you will." The group looks alla round the room, realizing that it consists entirely with the souls of captured people. Alla round them they see clothing from different ages. "I have been collecting my souls for ten thousand years." Dartz tells them. "I will not lose so many so easily."
"So it is us two against you?" Kaiba asks ignoring his comment. "I almost feel sorry for you." He says. "I wouldn't be so confident if I were you, Seto Kaiba." Dartz says as he draws out his hand. "Things are not always what they seem. Isn't that right Pharaoh?" "I'll agree to that." He says, withdrawing his own hand. "I'll allow your friends to leave if you win, but should you lose, you must give your souls to me as the prize." Dartz tells them. "Fair enough. I don't believe in that crap anyway." Kaiba says.
"You may very well by the time this duel is over." Dartz says to him. "Whatever." Kaiba says. "First I'll play my White Dragon Ritual. Sacrificing a card I can summon Paladin of White Dragon." The actions occur on the field as he speaks. "Now, I'll sacrifice my Paladin to summon the Blue eyes white dragon!" he shouts, playing his favorite card. "Unfortunately, it can't attack this turn."
"Then I will play Chaos Ritual, and sacrifice my Magnet warrior for it." The Pharaoh says. "This allows me to special summon the Chaos soldier!" his monster appears on the battle field. "I'll place one card facedown and end my turn." He says simply. "Wow!" Mokuba says. "Dartz is going to have to come up with some kick butt move to beat that first turn." He says.
"I do believe it is my turn." Dartz says. "So first I play the Seal of Orycalcos!" A strange sensation envelops the entire room as the power of the cads expands. "Did it get colder in here all of a sudden?" Tea asks, rubbing her arms. "Now we have the tone set for this duel." Dartz says enjoying the discomfort of the others.
"I summon Orycalcos Gil Gear to the field." He says, another of the monsters that the friends had seen many times as of late. "Kaiba, be careful about those." Yugi warns him. "Alright then." Kaiba says, not really caring.
"Lastly I'll sacrifice five hundred life points to summon Orycalcos Kyutora." Dartz says. What appears to be an eyeball and a sea urchin comes to the field. "That will end my turn." Dartz says with a smile.
"Hah." Kaiba says. "Let me show you how a real duelist plays." He says, drawing his card. He looks at it and begins to laugh very loudly. "Well, it seems this duel is over." He says. "I use fusion to fuse together the two Blue Eyes I hold in my hand with the one I have on the field, creating Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon."
"And then I will fuse his monster with my Chaos soldier!" the Pharaoh says. "To create Master of Dragon Knight!" The monster comes into play with an imposing five thousand attack points. "Bet Kaiba wishes he could still see his dragon." Tristan jokes.
"And I'll play Meteor Rain!" the Pharaoh says. "This card allows me to attack a monster in defense mode, and if my monster's attack points are higher then it will damage you the difference."
"Attack his Gil Gear!" the Pharaoh says. The Master of Dragon Knight leaps out to attack, hitting the Gil Gear and destroying it. "Now wasn't that easy?" Kaiba says. "Perhaps not as easy as we think, Kaiba. Look!" the Pharaoh says.
There I san aura protecting Dartz, shielding him from the damage. "What?" Kaiba asks confused as Dartz laughs, the light enveloping them and pulling them away into another world.
"Let me show you what this is all for." He tells them as they once more come into a dimension of space. Then, below them, lay a city. "This is Atlantis, my home ten thousand years ago." Dartz begins. "It was quite peaceful. I was King in those days, and we were very happy. We were advanced and yet simple; everyone was happy."
"Then one day the meteors came." He says, his tone getting darker as the scenery does as well. "And people began transforming into their true selves. They went crazy for power and money. It was nothing like it had been before." The images before their eyes changed with his words. 'Finally they became dark enough that they changed physically as well. Even my own wife…transformed into a monster before my eyes. There were shouts and cries everywhere as people faced what is was they were. I couldn't believe it."
Kaiba and the Pharaoh watch as they see a young Dartz watch as his wife transformed from a beautiful woman into a hideous beast. She ran out of the room and they could hear screaming. The Dartz of the past looked out the window, seeing all the terrible events that were happening in his kingdom. "That's funny…" he said, noticing a bloody fountain's water turn a luminescent green. He waded into it and pulled out a green shard, the first shard of the Orycalcos.
"I saw what needed to be done then." He said to them, narrating the miniature movie they were experiencing. "The Orycalcos had shown me the Orycalcos God, one that would free the world of the evils in it, the darkness in people's hearts. I immeadiatly began doing what I needed to to summon the creature; it would be mine to control, mine to purify the world with." What looked like rings transformed into monsters. "I sent them forth to collect what I needed, the souls of man, to bring out this wonderful creature that was going to help me save the world."
"My foolish father tried to stop me, but I told him not to interfere. He went about then, raising up his own armies, awakening the three Earth gods. But it was all useless. We had a giant battle to decide the fate of the world. My monsters against his. Unfortunatly things did not work out as we had hoped for, and both sides lost, Atlantis sinking into the ocean." The Pharaoh looks on, recognizing this as the battle he had seen when he was fighting that monster, the one the spirits of Atlantis had shown him after his duel with Yugi.
"I've been waiting a long time to summon the Great Beast." He tells them in closing. "I will not have two small minded mortals ruin it for me."
"Well it's a little too late for that." Kaiba tells him. "In case you've forgotten, the Master of Dragon Knight just destroyed what was left of your life points. It's over. You've lost."
"Have I now?" Dartz asks him, returning them to the present battlefield. Everyone sighs when they see them return. "You can let go of me now." Alyssa says, swiping off Tristan's arm. "Fine." He says.
"What?" Kaiba shouts. "How is your-" "My Kyutora has a special ability to absorb all damage." He tells him. "Now then, it is my turn."
"But-" "But nothing." Dartz tells him. "And now I re-summon Orycalcos Gil Gars to the field!" The monster appears, five hundred points stronger than before. "What?" Kaiba says, seeing this. "I warned you before." Yami says. "It increases each time it returns." "Yes, how perceptive of you." Dartz says. "Luckily for the two of you, when I special summon Gil Gear I can not draw my card."
"Then I play-" "I didn't say I was finished." Dartz says, holding another card in his hand. "I play Orycalcos Deuterosu, the second Seal of Orycalcos!" Another Seal descends and locks into the first one.
"And now, the real fun begins."