Yugi Muto jolted into awareness as the world shook around him; his chair clattered against the floor. Joey was jostled in his bed by the shaking blimp, but his eyes didn't even blink open.

Then, the tremors stopped as quickly as they had begun.

Yugi rubbed the sleep out of his tired eyes. He must have fallen asleep the previous night in the chair by Joey's bed. The light streaming through the porthole said it was morning already. He had only begun to wonder how he could possibly save his friend from the Shadow Realm, when suddenly the blimp started to shake again.

Yugi gripped the bottom of the chair and planted his feet firmly on the ground as the blimp swerved and quaked. Joey shook in his bed like a rag doll.

Again, the tremors stopped.

Yugi waited in his chair, his hands still gripping his seat and his feet still solidly on the ground, ready for it to start again at any moment. But it seemed it was done, at least for now. He didn't want to leave Joey, but if it was something important, he needed to know what was going on. He hoped it wasn't Marik, but that was all he could think it could be. It definitely wasn't the weather; through the porthole he could see the clear blue sky, without a cloud in sight.

He pushed himself to his feet, with a final glance back at Joey, stepped out into the hall. He met Tea on the way. She looked a little groggy, as though she'd slept even worse than Yugi had.

"How's Joey?" she asked.

"He still hasn't woken up."

"I'm sorry. I know you'll find a way to help him somehow."

"I hope so."

By the time they reached the front of the blimp, almost all of the others had already gathered at the helm. Seto Kaiba barked orders while the others crowded around. It felt empty without Joey. The others were all there, talking and shouting, but somehow it felt much quieter without him. Joey should have been there, taking Kaiba to task for getting them into the whole situation, whatever it was. At least it looked like his sister, Serenity, had Mai looking after her.

Joey wasn't the only one gone. Marik was thankfully absent, as was Odion, and Ishizu - Marik's sister who had come to Yugi to tell him of Marik's past the night before - was probably still back in her room, where she had spent the rest of the tournament, foreseeing everything with her Millennium Necklace. Yugi had hardly seen Matsuda since his friend with the Millennium Ring had been knocked out in that unofficial duel against Light - Yugi still wasn't sure exactly what had happened there. Light was missing too. And now, it seemed like there was something wrong with the blimp.

Yugi just liked playing Duel Monsters. Why did it always have to bring so much tragedy?

The blimp took another dive, and they were thrown to the ground. He could feel the blimp shaking with the resistance from the water. He needed to get back to Joey! If they crashed, Joey wouldn't be able to swim! He scrambled to his feet as the blimp leveled out again and ran back to Joey's room.

"Yugi!" Tea shouted after him, but she had to understand.

As he ran, he heard someone taunting Kaiba over the intercom. It sounded like the blimp had been hijacked by someone named Noah, and that it really was about Kaiba.

Thankfully, Joey was still safe - as safe as he could be, at least. Out of the porthole in his room, Yugi could see the blimp quickly approaching the water again. Before they made impact, the water gave way to metal. In the distance, he could see a metal platform tapering off into a horizontal wing on the surface of the water. Just below the blimp, a lighter metal door slid open and the blimp lowered itself into the darkness.

Before Yugi's eyes had a chance to adjust, the blimp was illuminated by an array of spotlights. All he could make out through the porthole were dark metal walls in all directions.

The intercom turned back on and Noah declared, "It's time for you and your friends to exit the ship."

A line of turrets emerged from the wall, all aimed at the blimp. The message was clear, but Yugi would not leave Joey alone!

As though in response to his thoughts, they let loose a round of fire. Yugi threw himself between Joey and the porthole.

The bullets rattled against the wall, but to his relief they were safe inside. Yugi hoped his friends were alright in the helm. It had to be made of tougher stuff too, right?

The intercom fell silent. Yugi waited, but nothing happened. There was no more gunfire, no more announcements. The blimp did not move. The room was eerily quiet. He could almost hear Joey's shallow breathing. He could only wonder what happened to the others. Had they acquiesced to Noah's demands, or worse? He could not hope that Noah had just given up or decided to wait for them to leave the blimp of their own volition.

He was dreading leaving Joey alone when he heard quick footsteps in the corridor. Yugi froze. He hoped it was his friends, but what if it was Marik, coming to finish what he had started. Or it could have been Noah, or maybe someone working for him, searching the blimp for any stragglers.

The footsteps stopped by the door, followed by a series of quick knocks. Yugi did not move. I won't leave Joey. I won't!

"Is anyone in there?" It was Matsuda.

Yugi heard Matsuda begin to walk away before he finally found his voice. "I- We're in here!"

For a moment, Yugi was worried Matsuda hadn't heard, but he soon heard him turn around and the door swung open. Thankfully, Matsuda was alone. He was not being threatened by Marik or Noah's guards that Yugi had conjured out of his imagination. Even his friend who had been possessed by the Millennium Ring was absent.

"Are you alright?" Matsuda asked as he stepped inside, closing the door after him, just in case - it seemed he was thinking along the same lines as Yugi.

Yugi nodded.

"How's your friend doing?"

"Still..." Yugi trailed off, unwilling to say it.

"I'm sorry," Matsuda said, looking a little sheepish. "We'll find some way to bring him back, don't worry," he promised, but Yugi could tell he wasn't even sure if he believed himself. Finally Matsuda got around to the real reason he was there. "Do you know what happened just now?"

Yugi shook his head. "I just heard the announcements. I think the blimp was hijacked."

"Yeah, that's what it sounds like. Do you know if everyone else is alright?"

Yugi shook his head again. He hesitantly explained, "I last saw the others in the control room. I went down before the first announcement to see what was going on, but I was worried about Joey."

Matsuda nodded. "Thank you, I'll check there next."

Yugi hesitated. He didn't want to leave Joey alone again, but he had to know if the others were okay. Finally, with a glance back at Joey, he said, "Can I come?"

"Sure."

They set off through the empty corridor. The only sound was their own footsteps that echoed around them as they walked. They really were the only ones there. As they rounded each corner, Yugi expected to see someone, whether it was one of his friends looking for him, Marik brandishing his Millennium Rod, Noah or someone looking for them on his behalf, or even one of Seto Kaiba's employees. But they only encountered more vacant hallways.

They came to the elevator and stepped inside. Yugi tried to brace himself for the worst, but he would never truly be prepared. He hoped that Noah hadn't acted on his threat. He hoped his friends were okay!

The elevator doors slid open.

The bridge looked abandoned compared to how full it had been just minutes before. It was only occupied by two of Kaiba's employees, one of which was talking frantically into a headset, while the other was busy pressing buttons on the control panel.

"What happened?" Yugi demanded. "Where is everyone?"

Both of Kaiba's employees stopped what they were doing and looked up as though they hadn't noticed Yugi and Matsuda arrive. One resumed speaking into the headset, his voice a little quieter than before.

The other pressed a few more buttons and then finally explained, "Mr. Kaiba and the others went to confront Mr. Noah."

"Is everyone okay?"

"They seemed fine when they left."

But who knows what dangers they're facing out there…

Yugi could have run out after them and joined his friends to fight this Noah and put an end to his plans, whatever they were. But then Joey would be left on the blimp, in the Shadow Realm, all alone. And he didn't know what Marik would do without anyone there to stop him.

"I have to stay on the blimp to keep an eye on my friend anyway. If you want to go help the others, I can keep an eye on Joey too," Matsuda offered.

Yugi shook his head. "They're strong, and they have each other. I know they can do it. I can't leave Joey alone."


Matsuda took the elevator up from the helm, toward the kitchens. He had suggested that Yugi join him, but Yugi had declined in favor of returning to his friend. Yugi was probably right. He wasn't the only one with someone to look out for. Matsuda hoped L was doing alright. It wasn't likely that anything had happened while Matsuda was gone, but it was best if he moved quickly.

He stepped out into the large banquet hall where everyone had gathered for dinner the night before and where they had selected who would be playing in each duel. Now, the room was dark and empty. Even the robotic dragon that had selected the duelists' numbers was bent over as though sleeping.

Matsuda had barely started off toward the kitchen when he heard the sound of another set of footsteps coming his way. At first he thought it was just an echo, but Marik Ishtar was impossible to miss as he emerged from a darkened hallway. On his forehead was a glowing golden eye, like the one on the Millennium Items.

Matsuda froze in place and readied for a fight. So long as Marik didn't use any magic, Matsuda was sure he could restrain him fine - as tall as he looked with his mountains of hair, he was just a teenager - but Matsuda knew he was no match for a Millennium Item.

Marik watched him with an almost amused expression as he walked past, his Millennium Rod in hand. Hanging around his neck was the Millennium Ring. Matsuda stopped himself from asking how Marik had gotten the Ring from Light Yagami. He suspected he already knew the answer.

What would Chief Yagami say if he knew Matsuda was there and had done nothing to stop him? But Matsuda didn't know what he could have done.

Maybe if Light was in a coma at least Matsuda could find him and get him to a doctor when they landed. He got up his courage and asked, "Where's Light? You had to get that Ring from him."

Marik cackled. "He's gone. His body has been consumed by the Shadow Realm! Take it as a lesson, all who defy me will meet the same fate!" He brandished his Millennium Rod at Matsuda.

But he stood his ground, and no attack came.

Marik lowered his rod and left with a roar of harsh, wild laughter.

Matsuda only relaxed when the elevator doors slid shut and he heard it begin to move, carrying Marik away, no doubt to torment someone else. He needed to get back to L as quickly as possible. At least L hadn't done anything to earn Marik's ire. Matsuda hurried across the banquet hall and down the corridor that Marik had come down. He only had to check a few doors, which concealed fully stocked storage closets, before he found an industrial kitchen. Inside, was another door to a walk-in refrigerator, packed with leftover food from the banquet the night before - before all of the madness of the quarterfinals. He could hardly believe it had just been one night since then.

He grabbed some provisions for himself and a quarter of a cake for L that would last a little while, at least. There were urns for tea and coffee, but even without his hands full of food, they would have been too big and heavy to carry. So, he returned to L's room with the food and hoped it would suffice for the time being.

He did not encounter anyone else on his way back. He knocked at the door to let L know he was about to enter, but he didn't expect a response and his expectations were soundlessly met. He opened the door to find L crouched where Matsuda had left him, at the head of the bed. He had hardly moved from that spot since he had been freed from the Millennium Ring. He had even slept curled up there.

L did not say a word as Matsuda entered - he had hardly spoken either. Instead, L watched Matsuda with wide eyes as he entered the room and put the trays of food down on the table.

"I'm back," he declared to break up the silence, though, of course, it was obvious, and he detected a hint of exasperation in L's expression, but he may have just imagined it.

"Do you want some cake?" he asked. With L like this, it was hard to keep his voice normal, but he tried. The last thing he wanted to do was condescend the detective.

Matsuda didn't expect an answer, but after a moment or two, L nodded.

That was a good sign. Matsuda was hungry - that was what had inspired the outing in the first place - but the cake came first. He removed it from the platter, cut a sizable slice, and set it on a paper plate with a plastic fork. It had nothing on what L was used to, but it was the best he could do for the time being.

"Here." He tried to hand L the plate, but L did not remove his hands from his knees, so instead Matsuda just put it down on the bed in front of him, and then went to prepare himself a plate of food.

By the time Matsuda was ready to eat, the cake was gone. So, he put down his plate and got L another slice. He belatedly realized that he didn't really need to cut the cake up into slices at all, but it was already too late. By the time Matsuda was done with his lunch, L had finished all the cake that Matsuda had brought.

L closed his eyes in contentment and leaned back against the headboard. Eventually he spoke, his voice a little hoarse from disuse, "Thank you, Matsuda."


Joey lay on the bed, unmoving and unaware of the world around him. His breathing was so shallow it was almost imperceptible. He was alive, but his soul was gone. There was nothing any of Seto Kaiba's doctors could do to wake him up. No doctor could bring his soul back from the Shadow Realm. But there had to be some way to bring him back!

When Yugi had defeated Pegasus with Light Yagami's Millennium Puzzle, Pegasus had somehow been able to free all the souls he had imprisoned. Maybe the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle - as dangerous as Yugi knew it was - could do it too. But Yugi didn't know where Light was; he'd probably gotten off the blimp with the rest, but Yugi hadn't seen him at the helm with all of the others...

Maybe Ishizu knew something. She seemed to know more about the Millennium Items than even Light and Ryou Bakura did. Maybe she could help him bring Joey's soul back from the Shadow Realm. He hated to leave Joey alone, but he couldn't just sit around and wait for Joey's soul to come back to him. If he didn't do anything, he would never have his best friend back. After everything they had been through together, he couldn't let Joey down!

Yugi wiped the tears from his eyes and strode out into the corridor with all the confidence he did not feel. He wondered if Marik was still there, stalking the halls. He hurried to the next room over.

He hesitated to knock on the door, but he had to be brave to save Joey!

There was no answer.

He ran over to the next door and tried again, and again no answer.

It took a few tries before he finally heard Ishizu's voice coming from inside of one of the rooms. "I have been expecting you."

He cracked the door open and she waved him in. It was dark inside, but he quickly entered and closed the door behind him. His eyes took a minute or two to adjust to the low light. The room was nearly identical to Joey's, down to the chair Ishizu was sitting in positioned next to the bed, which was occupied by the sleeping Odion.

"Yugi, what are you doing here?" she asked. "Why are you not with Seto Kaiba and your friends?"

"I couldn't leave Joey." He hesitated. "Who were you expecting?"

"My brother will be here soon. His evil side desires to kill Odion because Odion is the only one who can keep it under control. You must leave before then or he will try to kill you too due to your connection to the Pharaoh."

Yugi hesitated again, but he needed to try! With all the resolve he could muster he asked, "Do you think the Millennium Puzzle could save Joey?"

"It is in your destiny." Ishizu's answer wasn't entirely promising, though she said it with confidence.

Still, Yugi forged on, "Do you know if Light is still on the blimp or if he left with the others?"

"My brother sent him to the Shadow Realm. The Millennium Puzzle has fallen into Marik's hands."

No! Not another! How could this happen? How many more friends will I lose?

At least the others were out of Marik's reach, but they had walked straight into another danger. He could only hope they came back safe.

It was a terrible idea, perhaps the worst idea Yugi Muto had ever had, but it was the only way he could think to save Joey. "Then I have to take the Millennium Puzzle from Marik."

"If you wish, I can challenge my brother to a duel to distract him while you reclaim the Puzzle. He keeps it concealed in his room and does not carry it for fear of the spirit of the ancient Pharaoh who he has betrayed."

"I don't want Marik to take you too!"

"The Puzzle cannot be left in his hands. It is a sacrifice that must be made."

"What about Odion?" Yugi insisted.

She glanced down at him with worried eyes. Then, she turned back to Yugi, her expression resolute. "You must guard him. He will be in no danger while Marik is distracted, but he cannot remain here or Marik will destroy him. Here, use this." She removed the Millennium Necklace and handed it to Yugi. "It is rightfully yours."

"I can't! What if I'm too late and Marik reaches Odion before I can move him? I can't even lift him!"

"It is a risk that must be taken. Marik cannot be allowed to gain the power of the ancient Pharaoh."

But Yugi couldn't do it alone! All his friends were away helping Kaiba. The only one left was Matsuda and his friend who had been possessed by the Millennium Ring. Maybe Matsuda could help him protect Odion.

"Go," Ishizu ordered. "I will challenge my brother and give you the time you need to steal the Millennium Puzzle from him. It is your destiny to save the world from evil."

Yugi reluctantly left Ishizu and Odion and knocked on every door until he found Matsuda's room. He could hear footsteps approaching from around the bend, and he knew only one person that it could be.

Finally, Matsuda let him inside. Compared to Ishizu's room, it was brightly lit. Matsuda was also not alone. Crouched on the bed was his friend, now freed from the Millennium Ring. He watched Yugi with overly wide eyes as he stepped inside, but did not say a word.

Yugi hastily explained Ishizu's plan.

When he was done, Matsuda said, "I can definitely help you move Odion, but are you sure this is a good idea? Marik is dangerous, and so is the Millennium Puzzle. Even if you do get it, how do you know it will help you save Joey?" He hesitated and glanced at his friend, before saying in a lower voice, "My friend here is the smartest guy I know, and even he lost to the Millennium Ring."

Before Yugi could say anything, the man on the bed spoke up, "I didn't lose." His tone was almost petulant, though his expression barely changed. He did not move from the corner of the bed.

Both Yugi and Matsuda waited for him to say more, but he offered no further explanation.

"Anyway," Matsuda said, "Are you sure about this?"

Yugi nodded. "I think it's the only way. Unless you have a better idea."

Matsuda hesitated for a moment, but finally shook his head. "Be careful. Don't worry about Odion, I'll take care of him, just be careful with that Puzzle."


Ishizu and Marik Ishtar faced each other from across the dueling arena atop Seto Kaiba's blimp. The wind howled around them, even though they were locked away inside Noah's bunker. Ishizu confronted her brother's dark side with solid determination, though she knew she would lose even without the power of her Millennium Necklace. Marik watched her with a cruel smile, equally assured of his victory - and once he had won, he would kill Odion at last. In his hand he held the Millennium Rod, and around his neck was the Millennium Ring.

There was no referee to call the beginning of the match. They both shuffled their cards in silence, and then the duel began. Though there were no clouds in sight, a purple haze fell over the arena. The loser would be taken by the shadows and only the winner would remain.


Marik was distracted. Yugi had seen the elevator carrying Marik and Ishizu up to the dueling deck. Still, he carefully made his way down the corridor, afraid that if he made even the smallest creak, Marik would appear before him to send him to the Shadow Realm. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad, Yugi reasoned in an attempt to calm his racing heart as the sound of another too loud footstep echoed down the hall. Maybe, if he was in the Shadow Realm, he could find Joey there and they could escape together with all the others that Marik had sent there.

But Marik did not appear, and Yugi doubted that was how the Shadow Realm worked anyway.

He stepped lightly as he hurried to Marik's room. He held his breath as he turned the handle and pushed the door open. It was not locked. There was no evil grin or glowing eye waiting for him on the other side. The shadows in the darkness were just that. Still, Yugi did not dare turn on the light.

He closed the door behind him with an overly loud click, shutting himself away into the darkness. He hoped there was no one there. I am alone. Marik is dueling Ishizu. He is not here. I am alone. I am safe. His heart raced anyway.

A golden glint caught Yugi's eye and he jumped. He nearly froze on the spot before he realized it was the Millennium Puzzle, hanging from a peg in the wall. He could feel it calling out to him. Everything seemed to slow. The thumping in his chest grew louder, but seemed to steady a little.

He approached the Puzzle as though in a daze. His hand reached out to it of its own volition. He came to a stop just in front of the golden Puzzle. He stared at it, hardly aware of what he was looking at.

It's dangerous. The thought echoed in his head like a distant memory. It seemed impossible, but he was inexorably drawn to it. Ishizu was right. It's mine.

No! He shook his head to clear it. It was Light Yagami's Puzzle. And it was not his. It was dangerous, just like the Millennium Ring. It called out to him. It wanted another host. Who knew what it would do with him, what it would have him do. He remembered the Puzzle's anger. It was ready to kill Pegasus. It almost destroyed Arkana too. It was too dangerous. Why would it help him save Joey?

But it was his only hope. The only idea he had.

With shaking hands, Yugi reached out for the Puzzle to pull it down from the hook in the wall. He grabbed it by the chain and tugged, but it did not budge. Only then did he see that it was locked to the hook. He gave another, more forceful pull, but Yugi alone was not strong enough.

Even now, he had come so far, just to fail. But he could not leave Joey there, in the Shadow Realm!

He glanced around the room for something, anything that could help him. Maybe he could make a lever out of something to pull it out of the wall. He hoped Marik was still distracted. He hoped Ishizu would somehow be okay.

He saw another glimmer of gold and froze again. For an instant he saw Marik standing there, with the eye glowing on his forehead, a cruel grin across his lips, and the Millennium Rod in hand like a deadly weapon. I'm going to die.

But Marik was not there. Yugi's heart raced, but the danger was not real. The glint of gold was a small golden key left on a dresser. Maybe it was the key to unlocking the Puzzle. He could hardly believe Marik would be so careless, but he didn't seem entirely sane. Yugi grabbed the key and tried to unlock the Puzzle with shaking hands. He turned the key this way and that. He was about to give up in despair when, with a final twist, the lock opened.

Yugi dove to keep the Puzzle from hitting the ground. As the Puzzle landed in his outstretched hands, he felt something, like a jolt of electricity, but there was no presence in his mind, malevolent or otherwise. It rested in his hands like a golden pyramid, cold and lifeless. If the spirit of the Puzzle had been sent to the Shadow Realm with Light, then this was all a waste, he only hoped that Ishizu knew better!

Yugi held onto the Puzzle like it was the only thing between life and death and stumbled out of the room. He half expected to run into Marik as he burst out the door and raced back to his room, where Joey was waiting. He slammed the door shut behind him and leaned back against it. He could hardly breathe and it felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest, but he had it. He had the Millennium Puzzle.

I will save Joey.

He stood there, clutching the Millennium Puzzle as his breath slowed and his heart settled to a nervous buzz. Still, he felt no presence stirring in the Puzzle. He half expected Marik to break down the door and demand it back.

A knock sounded at the door. Yugi felt it reverberate against his back. He did not move. His heart pounded in his chest again.

Another knock. And then he heard Matsuda call out, "Yugi, are you in there?"

Yugi forced himself to move. He stood up on his shaky legs and turned to open the door. Matsuda stumbled in, Odion draped over his back. Matsuda deposited him into a chair and fell back into another. Yugi stood there awkwardly, still clutching the Puzzle, as Matsuda stretched and caught his breath.

"You got the Puzzle," Matsuda said, a little dubious.

Yugi nodded.

"Are you okay?" Matsuda seemed ready to jump back onto his feet if anything was wrong.

Yugi nodded again. "But I can't hear the spirit in the Puzzle. I hope it's still there…"

Matsuda hesitated, but his curiosity seemed to win out. "Can I see it?"

Yugi found himself reluctant, but he held out the Puzzle and handed it to Matsuda.

Matsuda turned the golden pyramid over in his hands. He even held it up to his ear, as though trying to listen for the spirit, before handing it back to Yugi with a shake of his head. "I got nothing. Are you sure you'll be alright with them?"

"I'll be okay," Yugi said. "I should be able to protect them with the Millennium Puzzle."

"Okay," Matsuda said, though he didn't sound entirely convinced. "I'll be back soon. I shouldn't leave my friend alone for too long. I'm also thinking of checking on Ishizu Ishtar. Would you be alright if I brought her here too if, well, you know..."

Yugi nodded once more and Matsuda took his leave with a final concerned glance back at him.

And then, Yugi was left alone with the Millennium Puzzle and the unconscious.

Despite himself, he hoped Odion didn't wake up for a while. Even though he wasn't Marik, he had still proven himself dangerous.

Yugi sat down in the chair across from Odion and examined the Millennium Puzzle as he hadn't had the opportunity to do before - there had always been some immediate danger occupying them. He turned the pyramid over in his hands. It really was a puzzle. For everything Ishizu had said, it didn't belong to him. He wondered if Light Yagami was the one who had put it together or if he had found it already whole.

He had no idea what to do with it, so he took a deep breath and said aloud, "Hello." The word echoed around the suddenly too quiet room.

Yugi heard no response and felt none in his mind. He glanced up. To his relief, Odion had not stirred and Joey sadly remained unmoving.

He tried again, "Yami, are you in there? I need your help. Please, Joey's gone. He's in the Shadow Realm and I need your help to get him back!" Yugi grew increasingly desperate as he spoke and still received no reply. His eyes brimmed with tears, though he tried to blink them away.

If the Puzzle couldn't help him, what could he do? Ishizu was probably gone too, thanks to Marik. Who else could he turn to?

Then a voice echoed in his head, "Yugi." It was the spirit of the Millennium Puzzle.

Yugi wiped his eyes and answered with a shaky, "Yes."

The spirit of the Puzzle appeared before him, looking more like Yugi himself than like Light Yagami.

"What happened? Why am I in your possession?" Yami asked, his eyes narrowed. Yugi could feel his suspicion.

"I think Light lost to Marik. I took you from Marik because I need your help. Please, can you help me save Joey from the Shadow Realm?"

To his surprise, Yami's suspicions did not fade. "That is a convenient excuse, but how do I know that you are not merely after the power of the Millennium Puzzle?"

What? Yugi didn't know what to say. He could hardly believe his ears, though the spirit of the Puzzle wasn't even speaking aloud.

Before he knew what he was doing, Yugi stood and took the Puzzle over to Joey, who was still lying there, his soul banished to the Shadow Realm "forever," according to Marik. "Joey, my best friend, is trapped in the Shadow Realm! I don't know what to do! I need your help!"

Neither Joey nor Odion so much as twitched at his outburst.

The spirit of the Millennium Puzzle flinched. Still, he gave Yugi a long, searching look. "I sense no evidence of dishonesty in your soul, but still I cannot trust you. I do not know if this doubt is my own, but I cannot ignore it. Too many seek the power of the Millennium Puzzle for dangerous ends." He looked worn, even though he was not corporeal. "I propose a deal. My vessel is dangerous and I do not know what he is planning. I know you think that he is your friend, but if you will listen to what I have to say, I will aid you in rescuing your friend from the Shadow Realm."

"What are you talking about?" Yugi demanded. Light was his friend too, and just like Joey he was locked away in the Shadow Realm all because he had tried to face Marik. "My friends are lost in the Shadow Realm! We have to save them!

The spirit of the Puzzle had no sympathy. "In rescuing your friend, we will also release my vessel. You must understand the danger. He is not what you think he is. Only when you understand can I help you."

Yugi didn't like it. He didn't know how this deal the Puzzle was proposing would help it take over his body, but Yugi could not help but suspect that was the spirit's aim. But Yugi had no choice. If this was what it took to rescue Joey and Light, and probably Ishizu too, then it would be worth it.

"Fine."