Chapter 13
Evil Spirit of the Ring
"Bakura, why have you done this? Why have you taken us to the Shadow Realm?" Yugi asked. "I'd like to know that myself!" Rarity added, feeling hurt and betrayed by the man she thought she was in love with, but Bakura just chuckled. "Bakura? The friend you know is no longer present." he answered, revealing he wasn't really Bakura at all. "If you're not Bakura, than who are you?" Yugi asked, this time more demanding. "I am a thief and a stealer of souls. And I have done terrible things in my quest to possess the Millennium Items. You do remember the legends, don't you? Whosoever wields all seven Millennium Items will possess power unimaginable. And before I'm done with you, your Millennium Puzzle will be mine. But as for what you may call me, since I am the spirit of the Millennium Ring speaking through the body of your friend, I am therefore known as a Yami. Thusly, you may call me Yami Bakura." the being answered. "You claim you'll possess my puzzle by this game's end? Well, that's not going to happen, whoever you are." Yugi responded. "Then let the Shadow Game begin. The first move is yours" Yami Bakura said as both players drew their hands.
"And my first card, the Cyber Commander, Tristan's favorite." Yugi said as he played the card in defense mode. Suddenly, Tristan appeared, in the guise of the Cyber Commander. "Tristan?!" Rainbow shouted. "How cute! Tiny Tristan!" Pinkie said with a big, goofy smile. "Huh? What a weird dream. Where am I? What's going on here?" Tristan pondered as he looked behind him and saw his friends at giant size. "What in tarnation is going on?! How did Tristan get so tiny?" AJ asked. "Yami Bakura, he must've used his Millennium Ring to capture Tristan's soul within his favorite card! So he's the Cyber Commander!" Twilight answered as Yami Bakura chuckled. "Who's your little friend there? He may be in defense mode, and he may look pretty tough, but can he deal with this? The White Magical Hat!" he pondered as he played his first card, a level three, Light attribute Spellcaster/Effect monster with 1000 attack points and 700 defense points. "Attack!" Yami Bakura commanded as The White Magical Hat himself appeared. "Oh, man! I must still be dreaming!" Tristan said with worry as the White Magical Hat charged. "Yeah, that's it. This is all just a really bad..." but before Tristan could complete his sentence, the White Magical Hat landed his attack, causing Tristan to disappear. "NO! Tristan!" Yugi shouted as the girls and Spike looked on in shock. "Aw, looks like that card's been defeated, and your poor friend's soul was trapped within it." Yami Bakura chuckled. "Where is he? What have you done with Tristan?!" Yugi asked, demanding to know where his friend was sent to. "Your friend is gone, on his way to the discard pile. Or the graveyard, as we call it in Duel Monsters." Yami Bakura answered. "G. G-g-g-graveyard?" Fluttershy asked in fright. "It can't be. Tristan can't be, gone." Yugi said in shock and sadness, thinking his friend's soul was lost forever, and with it, his life. Meanwhile, Tristan's soul reappeared in a physical manifestation of the Duel Monsters graveyard. "Boy, this is creeping me out big time! But how'd I get here? I remember being attacked and the next thing I know, I'm wandering around this graveyard." Tristan said before finding a tombstone. "What's this?" he asked as he dusted off the tombstone to find his name on it. "No! If I'm reading that tombstone right, I'm dead! But this can't be!" he shouted in horror.
Back at the Shadow Game, Yugi was still unhappy about what happened to Tristan while Yami Bakura chuckled. "When you duel in the Shadow Realm, the stakes are always higher, Yugi! You made a sloppy move and now your friend, he paid for it with his very soul! Now, which of your friends will you sacrifice next?" he said as Yugi looked at his hand. 'Yugi better think his next move carefully.' Twilight thought to herself, but also realized something. 'Wait, if our souls are back in our bodies because of our magic, then that means when our favorite cards don't have us trapped inside them.' she continued. 'I'd avoid using the cards that have my friends' souls trapped in them if I could, but to save my friends, I have to win, and I only have one card that can beat his White Magical Hat.' Yugi thought to himself as he made his next move. "I use my Polymerization card to fuse King of the Swamp and Masaki the Legendary Swordsman to summon Joey's favorite card, the Flame Swordsman!" he said aloud at last before Joey appeared as the mighty warrior. "Hey, what gives? Hey, Yugi..." Joey started to say before looking behind him and screaming when he saw his friends at giant size. "What the?! You're all giants! Ah, man, I finally cracked." he said in shock. "Joey, listen to me, your soul has been sealed inside your favorite card. You've become the Flame Swordsman." Yugi explained. "I'm the who?!" Joey asked in shock. "You heard him, your soul was separated from your body over here, and placed in your favorite Duel Monsters card, forcing you to become part of what looks like a life size game of Duel Monsters." Rainbow answered. "She's right. And if I don't win this duel, we can't restore you to normal, but if you're defeated in this battle, you'll be carried off to the card graveyard just like Tristan was." Yugi added. "Graveyard?!" Joey asked in fright. "In order for me to win this duel, restore all of you back to your bodies and get us out of the Shadow Realm, I'm going to need your help." Yugi answered. "You want my help? You got my help." Joey said with enthusiasm. "Are you sure you're okay?" Twilight asked. "Okay? I figured I lost my mind, but I'm gonna go with it. Now, who wants a beating?" Joey responded before he turned around and realized just who he was fighting. "Giant Bakura?! Now I know I'm nuts! I'm, like, six inches tall, practically wearing a dress, about to fight my giant friend?!" he shouted. "That's not really Bakura. An evil spirit from his Millennium Ring known as a Yami has taken over his body." Rarity explained. "Well, I have no idea what you're talking about, so here goes nothing." Joey responded as he charged in and struck down the White Magical Hat. "Say goodbye to the Cat in the Hat!" he said with pride as Yami Bakura's life points dropped to 1200. "Whoa, man. I did it, Yugi! Now what?" he said in surprise. "Now it's his turn." Yugi responded.
"Your little swordsman got lucky that turn, Yugi, but not this time." Yami Bakura said as he drew his next card and played another in defense mode. "That's odd. If it's a monster, why'd he play it face down?" Spike asked. "Cause if it's weaker than that magician of his, he's afraid of what Joey the Swordsman will do to it." Joey answered. "Hang on, Joey. It could be a trap." Yugi advised. "Only one way to find out, I'm going in." Joey responded. "Wait, Joey!" Fluttershy called, but it was too late as Joey struck down the creature, not even knowing what it was. "What a dolt." Yami Bakura said with a smile. "It was a Morphing Jar!" Yugi shouted. "Huh? A Morphing Jar? Did I mess up?" Joey asked. "Let's see, if I remember correctly, Morphing Jars are level two, Earth attribute Rock/Effect monsters with 700 attack points and 600 defense points. When you attack and destroy a Morphing Jar, all the cards in both players hands are sent to the graveyard." Spike answered. "We're just really lucky that I don't have Tea's soul card in my hand right now." Yugi said as he looked at his hand. "Sorry, Yuge." Joey said as he got on his knees in apology while both players sent their whole hands to the graveyard and drew new hands. Yugi then noticed, to his shock and slight horror, his OWN favorite card in his hand, the Dark Magician. 'The Dark Magician! He's MY favorite card! But is it also my soul card?' he pondered as Yami Bakura chuckled. "With a new hand, comes a whole new perspective. The game, ever changing. New dangers surround every turn." Yami Bakura said as he set another defense monster and a place another card face down. 'He's trying to freak me out. I can't figure out what he's up to, so I'll have to risk playing.' Yugi thought to himself as he readied his next card. "I summon, the Dark Magician!" he said at last as he played the card and, to everyone's surprise, Yugi appeared wearing the Dark Magician's garments. "And now I'll play a magic card to revive a monster from my graveyard, Monster Reborn!" the bigger Yugi added as he played said card and brought Tristan back to the field.
"What the? Joey? Yugi? You guys dreaming this, too?" Tristan asked. "This ain't no dream, Tristan. And you're definitely not going insane, Joey." Rainbow responded. "Long story short, you, Joey and Yugi, at least I think that's Yugi down there, are now your favorite Duel Monsters. Tristan, you're the Cyber Commander, Joey is the Flame Swordsman and Yugi is the Dark Magician, apparently." Rarity added. "How can I be down here when, just a second ago, I was up there?" Yugi asked. "Yeah, if you're down here, who's that up there?" Tristan asked. "I don't know." Yugi answered. "Don't you?" the bigger Yugi asked. "Well, I have noticed that, sometimes, when I'm dueling, it feels as though I'm being guided by someone." little Yugi answered, to the confirming nod of the larger Yugi. 'I think I know who this larger Yugi is. He's the incarnation of the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle! Just like the evil spirit of the Millennium Ring, he's a Yami. So, I guess until we find out his true name, me and the others should call him, Yami Yugi.' Twilight thought. "Have you also noticed that you had gotten more confident? And maybe taller?" AJ asked. "Yeah. And sometimes, it's like I can hear a strong voice calling out to me from my Millennium Puzzle. An ancient, powerful voice." Yugi answered. "Really?" Tristan asked, amazed by what he's hearing. "I'm not sure what it's all about, guys, but I'm pretty sure we can trust him, whoever he is." Yugi responded. "I think I have a good name for him, at least until we find out who he is. Yami Yugi." Twilight said. "Hey, if the big guy is okay in your book, and if he's okay with Spike and the girls, then he's okay by me." Joey said with a smile. "Right." Tristan added. "So, now what?" Yugi asked. "Maybe we should try and find Tea." Tristan answered. "I didn't see her in Yami Yugi's hand." Fluttershy said. "Then she must still be in the deck." Yugi hypothesized. "Then we should try to win this thing before her card gets played." Joey pointed out. "Smart thinking, Joey. The sooner you beat Yami Bakura, and the sooner Tea's card is played, the quicker we can get out of this dreadful place." Rarity. "Right. I'm gonna bash me some Bakura." Joey said, ready to rumble. "Hang on, Joey. Yugi was just played, so I'll let him attack first." Yami Yugi advised. "Right. Here goes, Dark Magic Attack!" Yugi called as he attacked Bakura's face down monster, which was another Morphing Jar. "No! Another Morphing Jar!" Spike shouted as the creature was destroyed. "We'll have to send all the cards in our hands to the graveyard again." Yami Bakura said with a chuckle as he and Yami Yugi did so.
"I'm sory." Yugi said to his larger self and his friends. "It's okay, man, I did the same thing." Joey responded while Yami Yugi drew his next card. "No! The Magician of Faith!" Yami Yugi said in shock, knowing just who saw that card as their favorite. "Isn't that Tea's favorite card? Do you suppose her mortal soul is trapped within it? I wonder. Maybe you should play it and find out. But then again, you don't know what I'm laying here, so you might be putting her in danger." Yami Bakura pondered as he played another defense monster. "A dilemma. And while you decide, I'll just activate this trap card, Just Desserts!" he added. "No!" Yami Yugi shouted as the trap activated. "I think it will help you come to grips with your situation." Yami Bakura said as Yami Yugi's life points dropped to 500. "Just Desserts takes 500 life points from you for each of your monsters on the field. And you'll feel like each and every point has been ripped from your beating heart!" he explained. "Man, I always hated that card!" Rainbow shouted, remembering when she dueled someone who had that card and sprung it on her. "Yami Yugi, are you okay?" Fluttershy asked. "Yes. But one more play like that from him, and it's over!" Yami Yugi answered.
"Man, that trap card drained 1500 of Yugi's life points!" Spike said in shock. "I think you should say, OUR life points." Tristan pointed out, seeing as his and his friends souls were on the line. 'Another play like that, and it could be over for all of us. Tea's soul card isn't safe while in my hand. I'll have to play it.' Yami Yugi thought to himself as he set the Magician of Faith, allow Tea to appear from under the card. "Hey! What's up?" she asked, whilst the boys were shocked to see her played. "Oh, boy." Joey said before all three crowded her so that Yami Bakura wouldn't see her. "Uh, guys?" Tea asked. "Stay quiet." Joey urged. "It's a little early for Halloween, don't you think? Huh? What the? What's this?" Tea asked as she saw she was wielding a staff. "Shush. Bakura and Yugi are big dueling giants and are fighting for our souls." Joey explained. "But Yugi's right here." Tea pointed out. "Yeah, well, the big guy's not really me, but he does look like me, but taller, and he sounds older and more confident." Yugi explained, but Tea was confused. "I know it's complicated, but it has something to do with the Millennium Items Bakura and I have. It's some kind of magic." he continued. "Magic? So I'm not crazy." Tea pondered. "Nope, unless we're all either sharing the same dream or going crazy." Yugi responded. "Just think of it this way, Tea. There's two Yugis; the confident and tall one up there, and the shorter, puny one we know and love down here." Joey tried to explain, though he inadvertently hurt Yugi's pride. "I'm confident even though I'm short!" Yugi shouted, clearly offended. "Whoa, Yugi. Just calm down for a second." AJ advised. "You forget, I have the powers of the Dark Magician." Yugi pointed out as he stepped forward. "Yugi, I wouldn't do anything rash if I were you." Twilight advised, but Yugi didn't listen. "I'll show them who's puny around here." Yugi said as he pointed his staff at Bakura's face down monster, which immediately appeared. "Oh, no. I think I know that monster! That's the Electric Lizard!" Spike shouted. "What's the Electric Lizard?" Twilight asked. "It's a level three, Earth attribute Thunder/Effect monster with 850 attack points and 800 defense points. Any monster that attacks it that's not a Zombie will be unable to attack the following turn!" Spike explained. "Oh no! Dark Magician is a Spellcaster! Yugi, stop!" Twilight shouted, but it was too late. "Dark Magic Attack!" Yugi shouted as the monster was destroyed. Everyone on the field complimented the move, but they soon grew worried as the Electric Lizard's special effect kicked in.
"What was that?" Tristan asked. "It must've had a special effect, it's making me go numb!" Yugi answered. "Hang in there, pal." Joey said, hopeful that his friend would come out of it. "Yugi!" Yami shouted as Yami Bakura chuckled. "You can't attack the Electric Lizard without some rather shocking feedback. A lesson your little Yugi won't soon forget." the evil being said. Yugi then prepared and set his next card. "Alright, soul stealer, I play my next card face down. And it's your move" Yami Yugi said as Yami Bakura saw Tea had appeared on the field, though Tristan and Joey tried to hide her. "Don't bother, you fools, I can see her perfectly well. Now I have all four of you right where I want you. Helpless on the field, easy prey for my Man-Eater Bug." Yami Bakura said as he set said monster. "Man-Eater Bug? Glad I'm a girl." Tea said with some worry in her voice. "Yugi, Spike, either of you know what that card does?" Joey asked. "Yeah, Man-Eater Bug is a level two, Earth attribute Insect/Effect monster with 450 attack points and 600 defense points." Spike explained. "The Man-Eater Bug, can automatically destroy one creature on the field as soon as its flipped up." Yugi added, to the horror of the other three on the field. "Well, that's certainly not good." Tea pointed out. "Guys, I really don't want to go back to that graveyard." Tristan said, remembering the time he spent while there. "Don't you worry, Tristan. None of us are going there, we'll destroy that bug before he plays it." Joey said, willing to squash the creature. "That won't work. The moment one of us makes an attack, that bug will appear." Yugi retorted. "Graveyard here we come." Tristan said, thinking it was all over and they were all on a one way trip to the graveyard. "What are you saying, Yuge? That one of us is gonna end up bug food?!" Joey asked. "I'm saying that there's only one way out of this, and we're standing right in front of it." Yugi answered. "Right! The trap card big Yugi put down!" Tristan said, realizing that there was a chance. "Yes, but I'm afraid to use it. It requires that I sacrifice a creature." Yami Yugi revealed. "You mean, one of us?!" Tea asked as the Man-Eater Bug peeked out from under the card, hungrily eyeing Yugi and his friends. "Don't worry, Tea. I'll go." Tristan said bravely. "No way, Tristan!" Tea responded. "Think about it, that Man-Eater Bug is gonna take one of us out no matter what we do. And least this way, we can take it down, too. And I'll volunteer to..." Tristan retorted before being interrupted as Joey rammed the butt end of his sword into Tristan's gut. "I guess you disagree." he then said before falling on his back.
"You got back from the graveyard a few turns ago. If anyone's going, it's me." Joey said valiantly before charging in. "Joey, wait!" Fluttershy shouted. "It's too late!" Tea said in worry as Joey approached the card. "How tough can this bug be?!" Joey asked as he readied his sword, but the creature appeared from underneath him, tossing him into the sky before Joey landed and tried to hang on for dear life like a cowboy in a rodeo. "Big Yugi! Use that card you played! Hurry! Do it now! Please! I don't want my friends to get hurt! Sacrifice me!" Joey shouted with urgency. Yami Yugi, though hesitant, nodded in agreement. "I activate a trap card, sacrificing my Flame Swordsman to do so! Behold, the Horn of Heaven!" he said at last. "Its celestial tune will blast your Man-Eater Bug and obliterate it from the field, once and for all!" he added. "J..Joey." Yugi said weakly as he got up, now free of the Electric Lizard's special ability. "What's happening to him?" Fluttershy asked. "It's the effect of the Horn of Heaven trap card!" Spike answered. "Don't worry about me!" Joey shouted as he and the Man-Eater Bug were destroyed, to the sadness and shock of everyone. "He's gone. Just like that, by best buddy's gone." Tristan said, heartbroken as he turned away. "Don't worry, you'll soon be joining him in the graveyard. You can spend an eternity together." Yami Bakura said with a chuckle. "You horrible FIEND!" Fluttershy shouted.
Meanwhile, Joey soon found himself in the Duel Monsters graveyard. "No wonder they call this place the Duel Monsters graveyard, it's pretty creepy. But they got Tristan back, so maybe..." he began to say before sensing something and then screaming as he saw a robed ghost wielding a scythe and wearing a necklace with Duel Monster cards on it coming at him. "It's the Reaper of the Cards, and he's come for me! Oh no!" he shouted, as he knew the lore of the Duel Monsters graveyard, and how it was practically home to the being he saw before him, the Reaper of the Cards. Back at the duel, Yami Bakura was pleased with what happened. "I hope you don't harbor any illusions about rescuing your friend, Joey, from the graveyard. You've already played Monster Reborn, the only way to get him back. And soon, the Reaper of the Cards will claim his soul, forever." he said as everyone was still saddened by the apparent loss of their friend. "Poor Joey. He sacrificed himself." Tea said, devastated. Back in the graveyard, Joey was running for his life from the Reaper. "Stay away from me!" he shouted before tripping on a rock, giving the Reaper a chance to catch up. "He was one of my greatest friends." Pinkie said in sorrow before blowing her nose. "He can't be gone." Tea said as she cried a single tear. But that tear soon activated something, and everyone was quick to notice. "Tea?" Yugi asked before realizing what was happening, so did Spike. "Hey, wait! She's the Magician of Faith! I bet it was her tears that activated the special ability of her favorite card!" he shouted as Twilight and some of the others who had a Magician of Faith in their deck and knew its magical power smiled. "That's right, and the effect of the Magician of Faith allows me to bring back one magic card from the discard pile and add it to my hand. And the card I choose, is Monster Reborn, which I play now!" Yami Yugi said as he got said card back and quickly played it, saving Joey from being sliced in half by the Reaper and bringing him back to the field, as his friends gathered around him, glad to see him back from the grave. "You're back! Thank goodness." Fluttershy said as she dried her tears.
"You waste your time and your turn rescuing these foolish mortals." Yami Bakura said. "My friends are never a waste of time. Make your move." Yami Yugi retorted. "Oh, I'll move. And you will lose. This next play will win me the match and your Millennium Puzzle. First I will play the Lady of Faith in attack mode." Yami Bakura responded as he played said card, a level three, Light attribute Spellcaster with 1100 attack points and 800 defense points. "And next I'll play the card that will turn one of your friends against the others, Change of Heart." he continued as he held up Bakura's favorite card. "Change of Heart? Isn't that Bakura's favorite card?" Yugi asked. "And a very magical card it is. With this card, I can turn you against your comrades. One of the very friends you seek to protect, you will soon destroy." Yami Bakura answered. "No! I refuse!" Yugi retorted. "You won't have a choice in the matter, the Change of Heart card allows the user to control any opposing monster, and I choose you, little Yugi!" Yami Bakura rebutlled with a laugh. "Leave the young one out of this!" Yami Yugi demanded. "Why should I? By simply destroying one of your cards on the field, I defeat you as well. Your purpose for being here is to guide and protect him?! Then protect him against this!" Yami Bakura retorted as he played Bakura's favorite card. But Yugi quickly noticed that Bakura himself was trapped in the card. "It's Bakura!" he shouted. "The real one!" Rarity added with a smile. "Was your soul sealed inside your favorite card as well?" she asked. "I want to help, but we must act quickly, Yugi!" Bakura said as he possessed, not Yugi, but the Lady of Faith. "I've taken over his card instead of yours!" he added, to Yugi's confusion and Yami Bakura's shock. "I'll control the Lady of Faith while you attack me. That way, you can defeat the evil spirit of my Millennium Ring!" he explained. "But he can't! He'd be destroying you, sending you off to the graveyard!" Rarity shouted. "I don't care, it's better than being enslaved by an evil spirit! Do it!" Bakura retorted. "BE QUIET!" Yami Bakura shouted. "I have a better idea!" Yami Yugi said as the Eye of Anubis appeared on his forehead and the magic of the Millennium Puzzle activated. "If the evil power of Bakura's Millennium Ring can pulls souls from people, perhaps the power of my Millennium Puzzle can put them back!" he hypothesized as both Bakura and Yami Bakura swapped places.
"Oh, happy day! Bakura's soul is back where it belongs!" Rarity said with a gleeful smile. "And I think I know where Yami Bakura went!" Pinkie added as she pointed down to the Lady of Faith, now possessed by Yami Bakura. "This can't be!" he shouted. "Listen closely, Yugi, use the power of the Dark Magician and send him to the graveyard, now!" Yami Yugi advised. "You got it! Dark Magic attack!" Yugi responded as he destroyed Yami Bakura, sending him to the graveyard once and for all and ending the Shadow Game. "The Millennium Puzzle was almost mine!" Yami Bakura said angrily, but his anger turned to horror when he tuned around and saw the Reaper of the Cards right behind him, ready to fill his quota of souls. Back in the real world, Yugi, Spike and the girls checked on Bakura. "Are you okay, Bakura?" Rarity asked. "I am now, thanks to Yugi." he answered. "Where did you get your Millennium Ring?" Twilight asked. "My father picked it up on one of his trips. He told me its from the ancient days of Egypt, I think that's where the time period they're all from. He was shopping in a merchant bazaar when the Millennium Ring caught his eye. The man who sold the ring to my father said it had something to do with Duel Monsters, but that never made any sense to me since the card game was, then, new and the ring was clearly ancient. When my father got back, he gave it to me. He said he felt I was destined to have it." Bakura answered as he told the tale. Soon, Tea, Tristan and Joey woke up, thinking they were all just dreaming. "I just dreamt that Bakura went totally mental." Tristan said. "Same here. Last time I'm sleeping with Duel Monsters cards under my pillow." Joey added as Bakura approached. "Sleep well, guys?" Bakura asked, though his sudden appearance spooked the two boys, who grabbed each other in fright, before realizing what happened and threw each other off, causing everyone around to laugh. "I dreamt, we were dressed as Duel Monsters, and there were two Yugis." Tea said, causing both Yugi and Bakura to try to rub it off and fail to explain it. 'If they only knew." Twilight thought to herself.
Suddenly, they all heard a scream off in the distance. "What was that?" Joey asked. "Sounded like a scream to me." AJ answered. "Whatever caused it, we'll all face it, together!" Yugi added as they all rushed to the scene.