State of the Meta

by Yung Warrior

A self-insert in which a competitive player from 2016 finds himself warped into the world of GX. Between adjusting his deck to make up for the inverted power creep, making grades, and saving the world, there's much to do, but all good players know how to adapt to their circumstances. SI-OC, 1st Person POV

54. The Lion and the Dragon

Chapter 54: The Lion and the Dragon

Songs

The Fang of Critias – Yu-Gi-Oh Duel Monsters Japanese OST

Atreyu - Honor

Warriors – Yu-Gi-Oh Opening 4

My Brother – Berserk (2016) OST

(A long time ago…)

From the gates of the orphanage, Seto and Mokuba peered through the iron bars to see a line of disgruntled working-class men walking down the lane. They were covered in dirt and grime from a long day at the factory. Monday through Saturday, the boys saw those same men walk home at the same time, empty lunchboxes in hand and the same wearied look in their eyes.

"They're closing down the factory next month." Seto said as they idly played with weathered toy planes and cars, the late summer sun beginning to set. They would have to go inside for supper soon.

"Why?" Little Mokuba asked. He knew he could not completely understand, but his relentless curiosity demanded he ask anyways.

"The Americans are selling their aluminum cheaper than the Japanese. That means everyone wants to buy American products, and Japanese factories are making less money as a result. Therefore, these men will be losing their jobs." Seto explained as simply as he could. Even as a child, he was keeping with quarterly industry reports.

"That's terrible! Those poor guys!" Mokuba was sad.

"It's a cold world. That which is given by others will inevitably be taken away by others. That's why you can't rely on anyone but yourself. That's why you need to build the sort of world you'd like to live in." Seto's blue eyes were hard and resolute.

"But...does that mean I can't rely on you, big bro?" Mokuba asked with watery eyes.

Suddenly, Seto's demeanor softened. "Of course you can count on me, Mokuba! We're family. It's different with your family. You and I are brothers. That means I'm always gonna be there for you, no matter what."

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

(Jamie Lancaster POV)

"I draw!" As I considered my hand, I briefly looked over to Mokuba, who appeared inattentive. "Hey, are you good over there?" I asked more harshly than I meant. It was difficult to keep a handle on everything. Kaiba's energy made my hands shake and my voice tremble in fear, but there was no choice but to push back.

"Yeah, I'm good. Sorry." Mokuba looked lost in introspection for a moment. I knew that look because it was a bad habit of mine as well. But as I fell farther away from my old life, I was beginning to realize the futility of living in the past. Thinking about it never made me feel better, and the past had nothing new to say anyways.

I won't look back anymore. "I cast the spell Ostinato! Since I control no monsters, this spell lets me fusion summon a Melodious monster using materials from my deck! So, I'll send Aria and Shopina the Melodious Divas from my deck to the grave to fusion summon Bloom Prima the Melodious Choir (1900/2000)!"

To my field, a petite idol singer with coifed purple hair and a layered yellow dress appeared, her aura full of flowers. Oh yes, this will strike fear in the heart of the White Dragon! "This monster gains 300 attack for each fusion material used in it summon, raising it to 2500. Then, I'll normal summon Soprana the Melodious Songstress (1400/1400)." She was much taller than Bloom Prima, her ensemble a mixture of ruddy orange, navy blue, and white. "Now, since I have a melodious monster on the field I can also special summon Canon the Melodious Diva (1400/2000) to the field!" Canon was a masquerade ball dancer, her hair a spiky blue plume and her face framed by a golden mask.

"Then, I can use Soprano's effect to fusion summon a melodious monster without the use of a spell! I'll fuse Soprano and Canon on the field!" The two girls bowed out, merging together to form a singer with an enormous, flowing red dress and equally long strawberry blonde hair. "I summon Schuberta the Melodious Maestra (2400/2000)!"

The two fusion monsters settled onto the field, starting up to the intro to that damn Numa Numa song. "MA-AI-HEE, MAI-A-HOO, MA-IA-HA-HAAAAA…." I barely noticed it at this point, but both Mokuba and Seto were giving me weird looks. "When Schuberta is summoned, I can banish up to three cards in any grave, and she gains 200 attack points for each. So, I'll banish your White Stone of Ancients, your Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and your Ancient Rules to boost her attack to 3000!"

"Hey, not bad Lancaster! Now Seto won't be able to revive Blue-Eyes from the grave next turn!" Mokuba complimented. Nodding briefly, I pressed on.

"Now, I'll end my turn, triggering the effect of Ostinato. I must destroy Bloom Prima, but I am allowed to special summon both of her materials. So, I'll summon Aria the Melodious Diva (1600/1200) in defense mode and Shopina the Melodious Maestra (2300/1700) in attack mode!"

As the classical maestra appeared next to the pink-dressed dancer, I knew that none of my Melodious monsters could be targeted by card effects or destroyed by battle as long as Aria was on the field. "And since Bloom Prima was destroyed, I can add back a Melodious card from grave to hand. I choose to add back Soprano. That's it for me."

"Good stuff. But now that the first turn's over, we can all attack." Mokuba reminded me.

Seto chuckled. "You idiots think you're top-tier duelists just because you know how to do basic combos. Do you really think that will save you against me? Especially now that my true purpose in life has been awakened?"

"At least we're not slaves! Or would you have us believe you are truly satisfied subordinating your will to a wretch like Sartorius! I don't buy it!" I countered.

"Slavery…you call it slavery, when the Light has only made me greater!? I am grateful to have cast off unnecessary feelings and attachments if it means getting stronger!" He snarled.

"Liar! The real Seto would never say that! You're not in your right mind, can't you see?!" Mokuba pleaded, desperate and angry.

"Silence! I draw. Normally, I would use Azure-Eyes effect to revive a Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my graveyard, but since it was banished, I'll just continue by summoning Giant Germ (1000/100) in attack mode." The monster was a pulsating black and violet sphere with wriggling feelers on its surface. It was extremely grotesque, as an enlarged germ should be, I suppose.

"Then, I'll activate my face-down card, the Crush Card Virus! By sacrificing a dark monster with a thousand or less attack points, I can weaponize this disease to destroy all monsters on the field and in your hands with 1500 or more attack points for three turns!"

The giant germ rapidly dissolved into poisonous mist, the miasma spreading to our side of the field. "Damn it! I play my trap card, Melodious Illusion! This card protects one of my melodious monsters from spell or trap effects for the rest of the turn, and it can also attack twice during each battle phase! I'll…shoot, I'll have to protect Aria!" The pink-clad diva was spared while Schuberta and Shopina were claimed by the virus.

"I can protect Thunder Dragon Colossus from destruction by banishing a thunder monster from my graveyard. I'll banish Thunder Dragonhawk. And when he's banished, I can use his secondary effect, letting me shuffle my hand back into my deck and draw cards equal to what I shuffled back." Mokuba deftly protected his monster from destruction. He put back his entire hand, drawing three new cards. All three of his cards were Thunder Dragon monsters with over 1500 attack, so he had to send them all to the graveyard.

"I see…his ratio must be mostly monsters, but with them in the graveyard, he can protect his Colossus while thinning his deck." I thought, impressed by the idea.

"Very well. Then, I'll use the spell card Light of Redemption, paying 800 life points to add back a banished Light monster to my hand." Of course, he added back Blue-Eyes, since he was exempt from the effects of the Crush Card Virus. "Then, I'll set a card and end my turn." (Kaiba 7200/Mokuba and Jamie 8000)

"He's normally more aggressive than this…be careful!" Mokuba warned.

"Well, he just blasted my field, but other than that he's been practically tame." I remarked to an eye-roll from Mokuba. All around us, menageries of monsters were doing battle as the tide of yellow turncoats clashed against the reds and blues, but I barely noticed them as the feeling of impending death grew potent.

"I draw." The black-haired college student said. His card didn't go to the graveyard, so it was either a spell, trap, or a monster under 1500 attack. However, he chose to hold onto it for the time being. "I can't get over your Azure-Eyes, so I pass." Mokuba sighed.

"Fine. I'll summon Kaiser Sea Horse (1700/1600) in attack mode!" Kaiba declared, his next creature an indigo-armored merman with a golden spear and a noble demeanor. "You two have quite the wall up. I can't destroy either your Thunder Dragon or that ridiculous idol singer…so I'll end my turn as well."

"We have to go on the offensive. The second he finds a way past our defense, he'll finish us off. We're fucked if the momentum shifts his way." Mokuba said, his estimation not particularly optimistic.

"Yeah, I know." Of course, he only brings that up when it's my turn. Luckily, I actually had a way of doing so. "I'll start by summoning Tamtam the Melodious Diva (1000/2000) in attack mode." Weak enough to fly under the virus, this musician was a little girl in jester-esque clothes with a giant cymbal. The way she drummed on it would have cute if it wasn't so damn loud and annoying.

"BANG – now, I'll – BANG – overlay Tamtam – BANG – and Aria!" I mentally prepared myself for the wave of pain as I utilized the two level fours for an exceed summon. The temple-throbbing headache and the feeling of my gut getting tenderized by a giant piston let me know it was working.

"I exceed summon the rank four Castel the Skyblaster Musketeer (2000/1500)!" The winged marksman emerged from the overlay network portal with rifle unsheathed. Using exceed summoning, I was able to play a monster with high attack power while bypassing the virus, which still would be effective for another turn. "Now, I'll activate his effect! By detaching both of its materials, Castel can shuffle one face-up monster on the field back into the deck! And I think your Azure-Eyes Silver Dragon makes for a fine target!"

The birdman launched a gigantic net from its gun barrel, rather than a bullet as one might suspect. Is it possible that this world is governed by the draconian censorship laws of 4kids? We are in the dub-verse after all. Regardless, the net captured the shining dragon without interruption, swooping the beast back to its cage, so to speak. "Now, I'll attack your Kaiser Sea Horse with Thunder Dragon Colossus!"

The purple serpent loosed a volley of sizzling electric beams, only for their path to be halted in place by a suddenly appearing violet energy field. The electricity froze in place before fading out. "I play Negate Attack." Kaiba drawled, "And if I have to explain what that does then even the Lord of Light could not help you in this fight."

"I get it, smartass." I grumbled. "I end my turn."

"Good." Kaiba drew. "Kaiser Sea Horse's special ability allows it to count as two tributes for a Light monster, so that means I can use to normal summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon to the field!" The sea creature vanished, offered as a tribute for Kaiba's ace monster. Seeing that thing again was getting more repetitive than you could imagine. The "wow" factor had worn off quite some time ago.

"I don't suppose you got a trap for that?" I asked Mokuba, who sighed at seeing the Blue-Eyes again. "None that would help." He responded tightly.

"Blue-Eyes, attack his Castel with BURSSSSSTOOOO STREAM!" A blast of white lightning obliterated my exceed monster with the same ease as it would against any weaker monster. More shocking was the intense wave of pain I felt as the aftershocks of the attack left me winded. (Seto 7200/Jamie and Mokuba 7000)

"Hey, are you alright, Lancaster?!" Mokuba started to move to my side, but I stood up quickly enough and waved him off, though the sudden move made me see stars.

"Yeah, must because it was my monster that got attacked…luckily, we should be safe from a direct hit as long as your thunder dragon is on the field." I grimaced.

"All in good time, boys. I set a card and end my turn."

"I draw! Now that three turns have passed, the crush card virus is no longer in effect." Mokuba said. "Now get ready! We're not gonna be your punching bags, Seto! I'll attack your Blue-Eyes with Thunder Dragon Colossus!"

Thunder Dragon Colossus shot a beam of concentrated electricity from its maw, which was matched by a white lightning laser from the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Since Colossus was clearly weaker, both Seto and I expected some sort of additional move to be made. "During the damage step, I'll use the effect of Thunder Dragonmatrix (0/2000) in my hand! By discarding this monster, I can boost my dragon's attack points by 500!"

Behind the violet dragon appeared a crackling orb, its center shining with a bright yellow core. It began coursing extra static into the Thunder Dragon, giving it the jump needed to overcome the Blue-Eyes. With a burst, the yellow beam squashed the white one and disintegrated the Blue-Eyes. (Seto 7100/Jamie and Mokuba 7000)

"Maybe it'll stay down this time." I commented. "Doubtful." Mokuba was quick to reply, and we shared a grim smile as he ended his turn.

"You could send Blue-Eyes to the abyss a thousand times over without even getting close to truly defeating me! Now, I cast the spell Cup of Ace!" Kaiba sneered while procuring a coin.

"Kaiba using coin flip cards? Isn't that more Joey Wheeler's wheelhouse?" My lips twitched as I realized my semi-pun.

"Seto would normally never use a card based around chance. Is it possible the Light's power allows him to influence the results of the coin flip?" Mokuba wondered.

"Heads! That means I get to draw two cards." Kaiba said, lending credence to Mokuba's idea. "I play Dragon Shrine! This spell lets me send a dragon-type monster from my deck to the graveyard!" He elected to send his third Blue-Eyes to the graveyard, causing both Mokuba and I to realize where he was going.

"Come on, you've got to be kidding me! He doesn't have…" I trailed off.

"Oh, I do! Now, prepare to face the ultimate fusion! I activate Dragon's Mirror, allowing me to fuse using dragons in my graveyard! I'll banish all three Blue-Eyes as material!" From the ground, three swirling streams of light erupted, breaking through the soil and spiraling into the air. Behind Seto, an enormous glass mirror formed, its surface the size of a downtown office.

I couldn't move, or even blink – the sheer weight of Kaiba's power bore down on me like stacks and stacks of plates atop each other. I fell to my knees, Mokuba doing the same. Sweat poured down my face as my complexion paled. With great effort, I raised my head to face the new monster. Suddenly, the giant mirror shattered apart, the fragments of glass rapidly turning to sand from the heat. Fully armored, the three-headed hydra dwarfed an ordinary Blue-Eyes in size. It could have worn Thunder Dragon Colossus like a scarf. "I summon Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon (4500/3800)!"

The other duels in the area halted at the sight of the beast. I was dimly aware of Erin dueling Jasmine, Alexis facing Mindy, Kenzan and Syrus, Aster and the goateed guy I forgot the name of, Bastion and Prince Ojin all in apprehension at the sight. "I'm done taking it easy on you two twerps! It's time to prove once and for all the difference between our levels! Neo Blue-Eyes, attack with hyper neutron blast!"

There was nothing Mokuba or I could do as the blasts slammed into the battered Thunder Dragon Colossus, except to banish Thunder Dragonmatrix to avoid destruction. "Darn, I only have one more thunder dragon to banish!" Mokuba said before the aftershocks hit us, causing us both to howl in pain. (Seto 7100/Jamie and Mokuba 5400)

"I activate Neo Blue-Eyes effect! Since it is the only face-up card I control, I can send a Blue-Eyes fusion monster from my extra deck to the graveyard to make a second attack!" Seto's cruel smirk widened as he pitched the original Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon to the graveyard. Immediately, the three-headed dragon charged another triple burst at Mokuba's monster. It weathered through, but we still felt the shockwaves. This time, the attack sent the two of us rolling across the ground like Sonic the Hedgehog. (Seto 7100/Jamie and Mokuba 3800)

As my head was reeling, I overheard Seto cackle, "You see! The bond I share with Blue-Eyes White Dragon is unbreakable! The gap between your powers and mine is akin to that of Heaven and Earth!

"Damn…I sure wish Yugi was here…" Mokuba muttered, as the first seeds of despair were beginning to take root.

"Fuck that! I don't need his help!" I pridefully thought. The idea of Yugi fixing my fuck-ups was intolerable. What are we, side characters in some Shonen series waiting for the main character to swoop in and save us? Well, I guess that's pretty much the case. I can't help but think of myself as the main character of my story, but in the grand scheme of things I suppose Yugi was far more important in the eyes of God/Destiny/etc. than me. So was Jaden. After all, my name doesn't have a "Yu" in it. Then or now. Not a very comforting or helpful thought in this instance…come on, there's got to be a way to win!

"Don't give up, young warrior…." A female voice called out to me, and for a moment I thought it was Sonata's. But this voice was higher-pitched, pure and clear as a bell.

"Oh, who the fuck is it now?!" I snapped irritably. My tune changed quickly when I saw Kisara, the woman who carried the spirit and power of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon within her. In a past life, she was the lover of Priest Seto. She was petite and frail-looking, with snowy hair that trailed to her feet and – imagine this – blue eyes. I could see why Seto was so obsessed with that damn dragon if this what her human form looked like. She had an otherworldly, angelic presence with beauty to match.

"It's not so bad – you're just dying." She said, apparently sharing some of Seto's trademark humor.

"Hey, I know you! You're…" Mokuba said, able to see her as well.

"Yes, Mokuba. It's no surprise that you would feel some kinship with me, based on the bond I have with your brother. It hurts me so much to see him like this. As for you, you must be…Jamie Lancaster." She said the name with a touch of mockery, going against her pure appearance.

"Yeah." I said, my tone brooking no argument to the contrary. "Believe me, this situation hurts us too, albeit in a more physical way." As I snarked, blood seeped from my temple down the side of my face. Mokuba was swaying in a concerning manner.

"You've done well. His power and mine are enough to rival the Egyptian Gods. To even stand against such duel energy merits applause." She said reassuringly.

"Make sure that gets put on my tombstone." I said, eliciting a hacking laugh from Mokuba.

To my surprise, Kisara wasn't annoyed by my snide remarks. "You two are a lot like him, in ways you may not even realize. So you must know how badly Seto wants to break free of his mental bonds. How badly I want him to return to himself. I cannot stop him from using the Blue-Eyes any more than I can stop him from using his arms and legs. But I can grant you help in my own fashion."

Suddenly, a warm light embraced by body and soul. So unlike the harsh, blinding Light of Destruction, this was a late summer sun that vanished the pain effortlessly, replacing it with a deep calm and conviction. "I thought the light was bad and the darkness was good in this world. But now this light is clearly good, in the sense that it healed me, while that light of destruction is clearly bad. Likewise, Jaden's darkness is that of creation and preservation, while the darkness used by the likes of Kagemaru is the opposite. Things are never as black and white as they seem."

"I know it is difficult for men of pride such as yourselves to accept help, but I hope you don't mind terribly." Kisara said with a knowing chuckle. The enveloping comfort was as unfamiliar as it was…nice.

"Thank you. I appreciate it." I wish I could have phrased it more eloquently, but in the moment, I was overcome by such a sense of content that the simplicity of the words seemed fitting. I struggled to suppress the ball in my throat. Mokuba did the same.

"It's good to know that some duel spirits are kind. We've had our fair share of trouble with them lately." Mokuba said. "I gotta say, I would have never thought the spirit of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon to be such a nice lady."

"Like humans, we are capable of great evil. For some, it is in our nature. But the choice for peace is always there. I confess, I have some self-interest in this conflict. Please, fight on and return my lover to me." Kisara bid like an angel to her paladins.

"As long as we're confessing things, I'm mainly in this to finally kick Kaiba's pompous ass, as well as save the Earth and all that other stuff." I admitted.

Kisara chuckled. "Well, I can't blame you. Don't tell him, but sometimes I was cheering for Yugi in their battles just for the sake of Seto getting a much-needed reality check. Now is a similar time."

She leaned in, speaking personally to me. "Is this universe anything like your own? I can tell from your energy signature that you aren't from around here. It's cool to meet people from different places!"

"I'm beginning to recognize the benefits of a calm and peaceful life." I responded, not wanting to discuss this with her. "It's a long story and we're short on time."

"I see. Well, I appreciate your efforts, traveler." She said before disappearing, leaving the vision of Seto standing cross-armed in front of his Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. The sight wasn't as terrifying as it was before. Without even realizing it, I was standing tall now.

"Are you two idiots finished with your little pep talk? If this were tournament, your asses would have been disqualified for stalling." Kaiba barked.

"Yeah, we're ready – hey, wait! Did you hear what he just said, Jamie?" Mokuba said excitedly.

"Yes, although it kind of went in one ear and out the other."

"He said ass! If he were really under complete mind control, he probably wouldn't swear! That means the real Seto's starting to push through!" Mokuba's words sounded like wishful thinking, not that I could blame him.

"I wouldn't start celebrating just because of that." I muttered, and Mokuba moved into his turn.

"Alright, I'll play Card of Sanctity, allowing us all to draw until we have six cards in hand. Next, I'll cast the spell Allure of Darkness, letting me draw two more cards as long as I banish a dark monster from my hand afterwards. The monster I'll banish from my hand is Thunder Dragonroar (2400/0). When this monster is banished, I can summon another Thunder Dragon monster from my deck to the field in defense mode! So, I'll summon Thunder Dragondark (1600/1500) in defense mode."

From stormy grey clouds emerged a dark black dragon with purple accents on its scales. It curled up in defense mode near the larger Colossus.

"Now, I'll fuse again! By banishing Thunder Dragondark as well as the Thunder Dragon Colossus on the field, I can summon another fusion monster without using Polymerization! I summon Thunder Dragon Titan (3200/3200)!"

The two electric serpents merged together, their scales melding into one body. The hide turned a bright, shocking green, the new dragon having three heads much like Seto's Ultimate Dragon. Although it bravely reared its full height, it still paled in comparison to the Blue-Eyes. However, Seto's eyes were narrowed, as he knew of the Thunder Dragon's ability.

"Now, I'll activate the effect of my second Thunder Dragonmatrix in my hand! By discarding it, I can boost Titan's attack points by 500! But that's not the point – activating the effect of a Thunder monster in my hand triggers Titan's effect, allowing me to destroy a card on the field! Go, destroy Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

The titanic Thunder Dragon unleashed peal after peal of static energy, waves of lightning crashing over the larger beast. It took time, but eventually it went down, having no protection from destruction effects. Seto frowned, but otherwise didn't react to what had to be his strongest monster getting folded.

"I'm sorry, Seto! Thunder Dragon Titan, attack directly!" The dragon's three heads converged, forming a focused, thin beam. Seto threw up his arms in a futile defense before the thin beam struck him head on. The elder Kaiba was blown off of his feet, the cards in his hand falling to the ground like leaves. "Holy shit!" I let out as Seto flailed through the air before crumpling on the ground. (Seto 2800/Jamie and Mokuba 3800)

I couldn't believe we actually got that good a hit on him. Simultaneously, I was really glad Mokuba or I hadn't gotten hit with a direct attack like that. Kaiba's white jacket had flown off, and the front of his black undershirt was burned through by the attack. Of course, he had to be built like a linebacker on top of everything else, although the burns had marred his appearance greatly. All three of us were looking pretty rough at this point – such was the nature of a fight with some real duel energy behind it.

"Heh, not bad, boys. Good thing I'm Seto Kaiba, or that might have actually hurt me." Lightning lingered and crackled in the air as the other duels happened all around us. Mokuba and I were breathing heavily, but Kaiba was panting. He rubbed his chest, barely seeming to feel the wound there. His gaze wavered drastically between its usual sharpness and the possessed haze Sartorius had him under.

"Come on Seto…we just want to help you." Mokuba repeated, although now his words were weighed down with exasperation.

"I will not be lured back into the dark by devils masquerading as friends and family! I refuse! Sartorius is the voice of the true god, and I will continue to pursue a clean world as redemption for my past crimes!" Kaiba bellowed.

Mokuba's patience appeared to be at an end. He decided to try a different method with him. "Look at how obediently you parrot your master's lies! The true Seto Kaiba would rather die than say such things! You have been laid low by Sartorius' trickery and deceit, and even I have underestimated him! But that doesn't mean we can't both rise again and reclaim our pride as duelists, as men! If you continue to do Sartorius' bidding, then we will all die like dogs! The second you're not useful to him he'll throw you away like trash!"

"I must atone…. I must! I cannot go back to being unclean!"

"We've all done things we regret. I know what it's like. But you've done good things too, Kaiba. You have done more for the game of Duel Monsters than just about anyone. How would humanity battle the duel spirits and protect ourselves without your technological developments, or the training provided by Duel Academy? And even beyond that, how many people has your Kaiba Land made happy? How many fond childhood memories will those kids carry forth into adulthood?" I pleaded. There were some days when fond childhood memories were the only thing getting me through.

"How dare you speak down to me, Lancaster! You, a child of sixteen with no life experience! You could not have survived a tenth of what I have! So, by what right does the lion judge the dragon!?" Kaiba redoubled his aura, his frame a silhouette against the blinding white.

"Damn it, he's not going to listen to a word I say…I hate to say it, but I won't be much help with getting through to him, Mokuba. He's still hung up on the damn animal metaphors" I said apologetically. From Kaiba's perspective, I was merely a teenager with just enough skill and wits to get a menial job at his company – of course he wouldn't value my opinion particularly highly. It was remarkable how much I cared about gaining Kaiba's approval in the past,

"I figured. Just keep fighting, Jamie. We're gonna have to do this the hard way."

"You talk because you know you have no chance against the light's power! Save your words! My victory is as inevitable as god's own will! It's my turn!" Seto bellowed. "I activate the spell Soul Exchange, allowing me to use one of your monsters as a sacrifice!"

Sure enough, Thunder Dragon Titan began dissolving into static and oxidized air as he spoke. "I'll use that Thunder Dragon Titan to tribute summon Kaiser Glider (2400/2200)!"

The ensuing dragon was compact, with odd golden scales so bright and shiny they appeared like armor. In some ways, it was like the Cornish game hen to the Winged Dragon of Ra's turkey, they looked so similar. "Since I played Soul Exchange, I cannot conduct my battle phase this turn. So, I end there."

I drew. "Be strong, Jamie. Sooner or later, he will exhaust his resources. He is not invincible." Sonata said quietly, having remained on the edges of my awareness throughout most of the duel. "It's not over yet! Don't give up!"

"Heh, thanks…hey, what happened to the pop songs? You've been awfully quiet since the beginning." I chuckled wearily.

"Just waiting for the right moment." Sonata winked, her azure hair swaying in the wind.

"Well, for now I just gotta do what I can. I cast the spell Instant Fusion! By paying 1000 life points, I can summon a level five or lower fusion monster from my extra deck, but it can't attack and it's destroyed during the end phase." As I spoke, shadows rose from the ground, hundreds of eyes peering out of the dark pools. (Seto 2800/Mokuba and Jamie 2800)

"I summon Thousand-Eyes Restrict (0/0)!" The golem emerged fully, its eye of Wdjat stilly gazing upon Kaiba, who twitched uncomfortably.

"That's one of Pegasus' cards – that'll annoy Seto for sure." Mokuba snickered.

"I'll use my monster's effect, allowing me to equip one of your monsters to it! Suck him!" I bid, Thousand-Eyes Restrict swiftly absorbing Kaiser Glider into its body. Sadly, that was all I could do for this turn. "I'll set a monster and end my turn." With that, Thousand-Eyes Restrict went to the graveyard, with Kaiser Glider going with it. And since it was an equip spell, it's effect upon destruction didn't activate, leaving Kaiba's field bare.

His eyes were still mechanically, singularly focused – it was clear he was still completely under Sartorius' mind control, no matter what we did. Drawing, Seto said proudly, "The lord's providence has provided for me once again. It truly is the end this time, fools. I activate Monster Reborn!"

Behind Kaiba, the three-headed beast rose again, each head flailing as their maws roared with life. Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon was back, like it had never left. "But he's not here for long. I sacrifice Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon to summon Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon (3000/2500)!"

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me! We're going to be beaten by that horseshit card!?" I couldn't contain myself. Losing to a good Blue-Eyes card would be one thing, but fucking Shining Dragon?! That trash rare that was used to sell movie tickets? This was too much!

"That's right, Lancaster! Behold, as my servant embodies the light's glory!" The Ultimate Dragon's body cracked and burst apart, revealing a sleek, mechanical dragon that moved like a jet plane. It seemed to be illuminated from within by the Light of Destruction's power – at this point all of the bright light was giving me an ocular headache on top of the other damage incurred in the duel.

"Man, I haven't seen Seto play that card since the battle against that loser Anubis! I guess the summoning condition makes it pretty unwieldy." Mokuba recalled. "Make sure not to target that card with anything – it can negate."

"Yeah…" I didn't have anything to target it with in the first place.

"Shining Dragon gains 300 attack points for each dragon monster in the graveyard. My three Blue-Eyes may be banished, but there are still two dragons in my graveyard, so its attack becomes 3600." The weaker attack points were a trade-off for the negate.

"Now, I attack your face-down with Shining Nova Force!" The dragon wiped away my set Solo the Melodious Songstress (1600/1000).

"When Solo the Melodious Songstress is destroyed by battle, I can summon a Melodious monster from my deck. I choose another copy of Aria the Melodious Diva (1600/1200), protecting my monsters from battle and targeting!" I placed the purple-haired singer in defense mode. She would keep our life points defended.

Seto silently ended his turn, smiling as though the end was inevitable. Mokuba drew, sighing under his breath. "There's not much I can do. I set a monster and a face-down to end my turn."

"Hmph." Seto looked down upon his forlorn opponents. "First, I'll play another Cup of Ace to draw two more cards!"

"Hey, you still have to flip the coin first, motherfucker." I not-so-gently reminded.

"Right, I just got ahead of myself for a moment. Excuse me." Kaiba flipped the coin, which predictably landed on heads. It appears the Light of Destruction's "luck enhancement" extends well beyond Sartorius.

Drawing two more cards, Seto continued, "I summon Assault Wyvern (1800/1000) in attack mode." A lesser creature flew beside the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, its hide similarly robotic but a darker blue in color. If that card destroyed a monster by battle, Seto would be able to summon another dragon of his choosing from his hand or graveyard. That would let him summon back Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon again!

"Assault Wyvern, attack Mokuba's set monster!" Seto bid, the small dragon firing a volley of energy blasts from its wings.

"I activate my face-down trap, Magic Cylinder!" Mokuba revealed, amusingly using one of my "signature" cards. It would have been pointless to use it on Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon since it would just negate it. But this would at least deal a chunk of damage while stymieing his larger game plan. The direction of the energy blasts was reversed, now returning to the sender. The beams knocked Seto down. They also tore away his white jacket and most of his black undershirt, revealing that the bastard was in good physical shape on top of everything else. (Seto 1000/Mokuba and Jamie 2800)

"We're not going down without a fight, Seto!" Mokuba found the energy to raise his voice as his elder brother slowly rose, his body clearly wracked with aches and soreness.

"Heh…I will bear any amount of pain for the sake of salvation – "Kaiba's sure-to-be rant was cut off as the ground began to shake suddenly. Pebbles and clumps of dirt rose into the air as the hundreds of duelists on the island lost their footing.

A huge energy was emanating from the top of the volcano, and even more strangely, I saw a huge, flat stone platform rising into the air, accompanied by pillars of lava along with clashing black and white spears of duel energy.

"What the hell is going on? That looks like it's going into space! It looks like there's two….no, three people up there!" Mokuba squinted, brushing a few matted black locks out of his eyes. "A duel in space…of all the absurd notions!"

"A duel in space…" I muttered. "Say, where are Jaden and Sartorius? It would make sense for those two to be emitting this much raw power…it feels like either of them could destroy the planet! But who could the third person be?" My mind was running through the possibilities, but I was certain everyone was fighting on the ground here. Could it be Yugi? Or did the Kaiser come to our aid in the midst of all this chaos? I glanced around the battlefield – there was Alexis, Aster, Bastion, Erin and Kenzan on our side. On the other side was the possessed Jasmine, Mindy and Syrus, as well as the other fighters Sartorius brought with him. It felt like I was forgetting someone….

"Urgh…" My musings were cut short by the sound of Kaiba's pained sounds from across the dueling field. He grit his teeth, closing his eyes before the pain caused him to clutch the sides of his head. "ARRGH!"

Mokuba and I stared on in horror. "What the fuck is it now?"

Seto fell to the ground, fingers scrabbling madly against his forehead as hard veins bulged in his temples.

"I won't! I won't!" Kaiba's voice was throaty and raw, sounding on the verge of tears. "How dare you turn me against my students! Against my brother! How dare you!"

"Dispense with your foolish pride. You are a loyal follower of the Light. Nothing else." This voice was disembodied, and it didn't sound like Sartorius. Well, maybe a little, but it was definitely different. Deeper, more powerful… "Soon, you and your brother will be reunited in the morning sun. But the infidel that wears the name Jamie Lancaster must be destroyed in order for balance to return to the universe! Destroy him and prove your faith, Seto Kaiba!"

The words were illuminating. My very presence here was sowing chaos and discord. I did not ask to be reborn in this universe, but something brought me here…and if both Light and Darkness shunned me, then to whose benefit is my presence serving? Why? What is the point of this, of anything? What am I supposed to do?

The existential confusion was like a numbing wave, my mind filled with white noise. I barely noticed or wondered why Seto was suddenly resisting the mind possession when he seemed incapable of doing so before. Did it have something to do with what just happened at the volcano? If Sartorius was on that platform, then perhaps physical distance had something to do with it.

"No, I refuse!" Kaiba's words snapped me out of my reverie, and when I looked across the field, he had finally quieted down, almost eerily calm now.

Mokuba spoke up, "…Seto?"

The older brother was huffing and puffing, sounding like he had just finished running some laps on top of all the other punishment we've been laying on him during this fight. "What the fuck? Why does my head feel so weird?" Seto Kaiba's distinctively normal voice called out.

"Seto!" Mokuba cried, sounding for all the world like a little kid again. "Is that really you?"

"I remember…I remember everything that happened while that fuckhead Sartorius was messing with my mind…how dare he?!" There could be no doubt it was the real Seto now. He flexed his power, white energy spiraling skywards. I still had no idea why this had happened now. It didn't seem to be a result of anything Mokuba or I did. An imperfect victory…

"I cannot thank the both of you enough…you have my eternal gratitude." I heard the angelic voice of Kisara say in my ear, Mokuba surely hearing the same. And yet, the fever within me did not subside. I still wanted to fight.

"I'm so glad you're back to normal, Seto! Now quick, let's end this duel and go help the others! With you on our side, there's definitely still a chance to win!" Mokuba said optimistically. As I looked around, it looked like our side was getting pushed back, which was to be expected with a four to one numerical disadvantage. Even with Kaiba on our side, we might still fail, especially considering the three of us were exhausted and bloodied.

Kaiba looked upon Mokuba and I before briefly assessing the rest of the battlefield. "Thank you, Mokuba. You enacted the proper security codes that kept me from accessing LabCorp assets while I was…compromised. You even used your training to fight against me in a life or death battle. I'm so proud of you."

Mokuba looked over the moon – I couldn't help but notice no such praise was lavished my way. "I couldn't have done it without Lancaster helping me." Mokuba politely replied, smiling at me.

"Oh, him? He is merely an employee doing his duty. Though I admit his skills have progressed at an acceptable level." Kaiba said coldly. An angry smile rose to my lips. Noticing this, Kaiba continued, "What, do you want a pat on the head? You think you're owed something? No one owes you anything. You're still alive, aren't you? Consider that your prize. Everyone on this planet could have been dead by now. Count yourself fortunate your efforts were enough to hold me off. I still have no idea how you got so strong…it's unnerving." With each word of his, my fingers coiled tighter into fists. I said nothing in response, trying to keep from saying something I regret. My eyes were firmly fixed on the ground.

Mokuba gave Seto a reproachful look, but said nothing in my defense. "Come on guys, we have to go help the other students. Let's call this game off."

"I agree. Both of you should surrender. I will not have it said that I lost here." Kaiba ordered. I sharply raised my head.

"Why don't you surrender? The same objective will be accomplished that way. Besides, you were just dueling using the Light of Destruction a few moments ago. It might be dangerous." I couldn't keep my anger contained any longer.

Mokuba looked shocked, while Seto, to my frustration, nodded. "Very well. We can continue, Lancaster." He said, readying up with remarkable ease considering how addled his mental state must be.

"Ugh, you're impossible, Seto! And you, you're as bad as he is, Lancaster! I'm out of here, when you two come to your senses you can join me." With that, Mokuba unceremoniously dipped out of the duel, running to the more active part of the battlefield. I didn't even know you could do that. Maybe I should've gone with him, focused on the real threat. But at this moment, all I cared about was finishing my fight with Kaiba. Even if I lost, at least I would know that I gave it everything I had. At least I would know for sure. I had to know for sure if I could beat him!

"I understand it, Lancaster. A duelist has his pride. For the service you've done me over these months, I will indulge your effort, as futile as it no doubt is. Take your turn." My boss said. Hearing that strengthened my resolve. Maybe this wasn't the right thing to do, but it was I had to do! I must defeat him!

"Alright! Let's go, Kaiba!" I roared. Behind me, I heard Sonata play…oh, come on!

"DOOOOOON'T SAY IF I WERE YOU~OR TELL ME WHAT TO DO~HOW THINGS WOULD BE IF YOU WERE IN MY SHOES~CAUSE YOU'RE NOT ME!"

"Hey, great song choice!" Kaiba genuinely complimented.

"Uh…" It wasn't me, chief! "Thanks." I only had Aria on my field, while he had Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon with 3600 points and Assault Wyvern on his side. I could try and wait it out in defense mode, since Aria could dodge targeting and defend from being destroyed by battle. But who knows what he could draw next turn? Besides, I might have a way to finish this if I'm lucky.

I have to bet it all on this! "I summon another Canon the Melodious Diva to the field! Then, I'll overlay Aria with Canon for a rank four exceed summon!"

The pain was nearly too much to take this time, but I managed to hang on somehow. My two monsters took the form of red and blue energy spheres, opening the portal to the overlay network.

"I summon Number 50: Blackship of Corn (2100/1500)!" The emerging monster was an old-fashioned pirate ship with the number fifty printed in odd font on its sail. Its ebony boards creaked as the ship stood otherwise still in the air. In this timeline, it seemed that the number monsters didn't seem to have any particular significance, unlike in Zexal. They were accessible to everyone and didn't seem to mind who used them. Kaiba was thinking quickly, gazing at the new beast.

"Now, I activate Blackship of Corn's effect! By detaching of its materials, I can destroy one of your monsters with lower attack than it. Then, I can deal 1000 points of damage to you, which will be just enough to end this duel! It's over, Kaiba! I target your Assault Wyvern!"

The barge's sides opened, wood slats parting to reveal a line of cannons. After a pause, resounding booms signaled a rain of cannonballs upon the smaller dragon. Every part of me was tensed as I waited for the effect to go through.

Then suddenly, the six cannonballs were swatted aside by an invisible force. Robbed of their momentum and force, the lead balls thudded to the ground, leaving Kaiba's dragon unharmed. "You knew you couldn't beat my shining dragon, so you went for my weaker monster instead. Too bad I had a Destruction Jammer face-down. By discarding a card from my hand, I can negate your Blackship's effect and destroy it." Kaiba intoned, pitching the last card in his hand, a White Stone of Legend.

With another rush of wind, my ship was blasted apart, wood raining down pitilessly upon my empty field. Crushing, bitter disappointment settled in. "This must be how it felt every time you lost to Yugi…" I thought.

"You have one card left in your hand and one face-down on the field. Is your turn over." Kaiba asked.

"…Yeah." Neither of my remaining cards would save me now.

Wordlessly, Kaiba thrust his arm forward, commanding Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon to attack. All of my senses were filled with light and rushing wind, and then it was over. (Kaiba 1000/Jamie 0)

I was flat on my back, the last attack blowing my shirt off completely. Luckily, the duel disk seemed alright somehow. As I struggled to raise my head, I saw Kaiba standing over me. Behind him, I saw dozens of creatures battling, flames and energy blasts and all sorts of other attacks filling the sky.

His expression was hard to read. He looked like he just got put through the absolute wringer – hair messed, face and body covered in wounds, expensive clothes ripped and torn. "Your gamble didn't pay off."

"No, it didn't." I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"But I suppose in some way you accomplished your mission. I'm free of that pathetic loser's mind control, and am free to wreak my vengeance upon him. I have to hand it to you and my brother Mokuba. That was one of the most intense battles I've had in quite some time. You're an incredible duelist, Lancaster." Kaiba said, extending a hand to help me up.

I took his hand and stood shakily. "Even if I had won, I would have done it with Mokuba's help. It wouldn't have felt right, by any measure. I'm just glad you're back with us." I said while shame and humiliation burned within me.

"…How did you get so damn strong anyways? It doesn't make any sense. Is your father a duelist of note?" Kaiba squinted at me.

"Uh…no, my dad," I choked on the word, "is an engineer. But I've always liked Duel Monsters, ever since I was a little kid."

"Hm. I suppose every generation has talented people…" Kaiba clearly was looking for some greater explanation, but I certainly wasn't about to tell him. He seemed to let the matter drop for now. "Anyways, why does my body feel so weird? And where the fuck is my flask?" The White Dragon suddenly wondered.

"Alcohol and drugs are highly frowned upon in the Light's congregation." I answered, enjoying the sight of him spitting with rage.

"No drugs or alcohol for two weeks? I'm getting so fucked up after all of this is over with. But I suppose for now we should go mop up the mess here. Even though I am weakened, my powers should be more than enough to discipline some unruly children."

I sighed, looking at the raging battle across the clearing. I was so very tired…but I couldn't afford to sit by while my friends struggled. I stretched, glancing over at the cross-armed Kaiba. "I will beat you someday…mark my words!" The loss only inflamed my ambition, but it was a matter for another day.

Kaiba and I went forth, towards the maelstrom.

A/N

Hope you all enjoyed.

Longer delay than usual this time. This is usually my busy time of year anyways, and I guess there's some virus going around so that's causing additional, unanticipated difficulties. I also really wanted to do this duel right, as it's been one I've been thinking about for quite some time. Having a "Gen 1" character go up against characters from later on is always a dodgy proposition since the Gen 1 character has "OG Status" that demands they must win. It's the same reason why Red is always considered the strongest trainer in Pokemon. OG Status rules everything. But I hope the outcome of this made sense.

On the powerscaling side of things, while Jamie and Mokuba individually are a tier below Kaiba they are more or less relative to him in a 2v1. Who knows how the duel would have turned out had Seto stayed possessed? Jamie and Mokuba seemed to be winning, but it's hard to say who would have won. The additional factors that helped Seto break free of the mind control will be expanded upon in the next chapter – since Jamie has a limited POV he doesn't know exactly why himself. Regardless, Mokuba understood that the duel wasn't necessarily about beating Kaiba, but wearing him down enough to help him break through the mind control. Jamie's resentment towards Kaiba, as well as his ego, caused him to lose sight of the mission. I felt it would have unjustly rewarded Jamie to have him beat Kaiba here, since he was trying to do it for selfish reasons at the end. That doesn't mean Jamie won't ever beat Kaiba, and he came pretty close here, but today was not the day for him.

Once this arc is finished, I might make a tier list of where each relevant duelist in State of the Meta stacks up to each other. Perhaps I'll go back and do this for the Shadow Riders/Seven Stars arc as well. What do you guys think of this idea? Would you like to see it? I enjoy powerscaling in series, so I might try and do that here, although of course Yugioh does not powerscale as cleanly as a usual Shonen battle series.

Anyways I digress, thanks for reading and I hope to catch you sooner rather than later next time! Stay safe and healthy!