DISCLAIMER: If you recognise it from somewhere else, it isn't mine.

Let the Finals Begin

Kaiba stood in the Stadium with Mokuba, waiting for the Finalists. He had no doubt that Yugi and the Dork Patrol would be the first ones to arrive. My competition, if you can call them that, will be arriving soon – along with the two remaining Egyptian God Cards. That was the important bit. 'Hm?' Suddenly, he thought he heard something. Suspicious, Kaiba turned his head. 'Go turn on the lights.'

'Lights?' one of his men asked.

'Illuminate the Stadium right now!' Kaiba ordered.

The man jumped. 'Uh, right!' He pulled his walkie-talkie out and gave the order. 'Uh, turn the lights on.' The bright lights of the Stadium flashed on, one by one.

'What is it, Seto?' Mokuba asked.

'I thought I heard something.' He looked around. 'No one should enter the Stadium without first reporting to me.'

'Not to worry, Mr. Kaiba,' his head security guard said. 'We'll locate any and all trespassers.'

He looked towards the entrance of the Stadium. 'Some one else is arriving.' And he'd bet it was Yugi's gang-bang. He was right.

Mokuba stepped forward. 'Hey, look. The first three finalists: Joey, Yugi and Mai.'

YGO

Sharee entered the Stadium behind Yugi. She looked around. It seemed to be more like of a football pitch than a duelling arena. And Kaiba never does things half-ass. There'll be something else. She looked around as the group came inside. Shamee could feel it. Marik was already here.

'This is it?' Yugi asked.

'This place is still under construction,' Duke observed.

Mai didn't seem all that happy. 'We're unfashionably early.'

'Welcome.' One of Kaiba's men spoke up as they stopped. 'Present your locator cards.' The guy next to him reached into his inner pocket.

'Check it out.' Joey decided to talk as the three of them did so. 'We all got six.'

The other guy had pulled out what looked suspiciously like key cards. 'Then here are your Tournament IDs. Congratulations. You three are now officially Battle City Finalists.'

'We already knew that.' Mai had no patience for being told the obvious.

'Now security is tight, so make sure you have these cards with you at all times.' He handed them over to Joey, Mai and Yugi.

'Thanks.' Joey took his card. 'Now where's everyone else?'

'So far it's just the three of you and, of course, Mr. Kaiba,' the guy told him. 'We expect the other four Finalists shortly.' If not for the sunglasses, Sharee was certain she would've seen him glance at those behind the three duellists. She could already see Kaiba's disdain.

Sharee idly scratched her side.

Mokuba saw her. 'You okay there, Sharee?'

'Yeah, sure.' Sharee shrugged. 'Bandage just probably needs changing. I'll do it later.'

'How did you get that anyway?' Tristan asked.

Sharee smirked. 'Well, after Marik attacked my family, I decided to knock him flat on his ass. I did, but he cheated and stabbed me with the sharp end of his Millennium Rod.'

'What?' Téa demanded. 'Why would he do that?'

Sharee just gave her a bland looked, but she didn't dignify the question with an answer. 'So I just left him counting stars for a while.'

Kaiba raised an eyebrow. Sharee knew, in his opinion, she should've done more than that. Hey, cut me some slack. I was a blood-tap for crying out loud. She didn't say it though. Suddenly, Kaiba looked over as the doors opened again and someone else stepped into the Stadium.

'Guys,' Yugi said. 'I've got a bad feeling about this.'

'Hey, Yug, you think it's that evil creep Marik?' Joey asked.

'It could be. He must be one of the eight Finalists.'

The person came into the light of the Stadium. Joey turned his head. 'Huh? Who is that?'

Sharee wasn't surprised to see it was Marik.

She was more surprised when Joey and Téa ran over to him. 'Wait a minute,' Joey said. 'I know you. You're Namu.'

Namu? Huh, nice cover. Sharee leaned her bodyweight onto one leg and watched. Yugi was standing right next to her so it was a good time. 'I wonder if I should tell them…' She muttered it quietly so that only Yugi would hear. He looked up at her. He glanced at "Namu" for a moment, as their friend prattled on to him, and then back at her.

'You mean that's Marik?' he whispered.

'Yeah,' she whispered back. 'Either he's already forgotten that I know his face or he thinks I won't tell you.' She paused. 'Or he painted himself as such a nice guy so that if I did, no would believe me.'

Yugi looked back at their friends again. 'Should we tell them?'

Sharee considered it for a moment. 'No. It would cause too much trouble. There'd be confusion and yelling and them insisting that it's impossible, that Namu is too nice to be Marik. No, besides, he doesn't seem like he's gonna do much more than deceive them quite yet.'

Yugi nodded and moved over when Téa called him. He kept up a good charade of ignorance to Marik's identity. I might actually be getting somewhere with him after all. She felt Shamee's confusion in her mind but, before the ancient could question her, the doors opened once more.

This time, it was Bakura who came in…sort of. Sharee was hardly surprised. What did surprise her was when she spotted Marik and the Evil Spirit share a glance. They're working together. Sharee looked at Téa as she and the others nearly had conniption fits over it. She ought to be quite open to telling her what happened, and Sharee could pose the question like a mere curiosity. Téa wouldn't get suspicious – not like Joey would.

Sharee looked at Yugi. He met her gaze. They both knew this was not Bakura. This was the Evil Spirit of the Ring. They would have to tread carefully around two people from now on. Sharee turned her head again as the seventh contestant opened the doors and made his way in.

He strode in, purple cape billowing. Everyone stood back as he entered. Sharee knew this man though. She'd seen him a few times before. Odion. It explained what she'd been wondering earlier. How was Marik going to get away with hiding under that pseudonym? It was quickly confirmed.

Téa gasped.

'That's the guy!' Joey insisted.

'He's the one who kidnapped me!' Mokuba told Kaiba.

Odion stopped and looked down at Yugi, almost contemptuously. He took a few steps forward.

Kaiba was glaring at him. 'State your name right now.'

'I am Marik,' he said.

Joey ran forward. 'I'll kick your brainwashing keister!'

Odion merely turned his eyes towards the blond. 'You are no match for me, you fool.'

Joey growled. 'The only reason I'm not tossing you out by the cape right now is so I can save my energy to take you down in the Finals! Got that, pal?'

Sharee huffed. 'Okay, between now and then could you please try to calm down? It's bad to duel angry.'

'I should disqualify you right now,' Kaiba said, completely ignoring them. 'For capturing my little brother, Mokuba, but you have something that I want. And before the Finals are over your Egyptian God Card will be mine!'

'Doesn't look like you have too many friends around her, Tattoo-Face!' Mokuba snapped.

Odion scoffed and moved on.

'I think I scared him, Yug,' Joey whispered.

It must've been time because the security man in charge cleared his throat. 'All right. Can I have your attention please? Seven out of eight of you are here, so now it's time to announce that although your locator cards led you here this is not the site of the Battle City Finals.'

'Huh?' All of their group was surprised at that.

The second one stepped forward. 'The actual tournament arena should be arriving here any second now, of course.'

'I'm lost,' Joey said.

'Where are the Finals?' Yugi asked.

All of the Stadium lights suddenly turned upwards. Everyone lifted their gazes.

'Look!' Joey told everyone. 'Up there! It's Kaiba's blimp.'

It's kinda hard to miss it. The others all made various sounds of both surprise and awe. Sharee, for her part, had seen a blimp up close before. They weren't really that big of a deal: just a massive balloon that you could travel in. She had only one thought in regards to it.

'Stand back,' the security guard said. 'We'll all be boarding shortly.'

Sharee shook her head. 'Kaiba, are you capable of doing anything the simple way?'

Kaiba just smirked.

Joey still couldn't believe it. 'Oh, man…'

'So we're duelling in the sky?' Yugi asked.

'You got it,' Mokuba said. 'In fact, four thousand feet in the sky to be exact.'

Sharee watched the blimp descend with the others. Unlike most of them, she was prepared for the uproar of wind that came with the landing. She just bowed her head so her eyebrow ridges protected her eyes from the gust.

Once it landed, Joey turned to Kaiba. 'You got…barf bags on board? Just checking.'

'Relax,' Sharee said. 'You'll hardly know you're in the sky.' She paused. 'Except when it's obvious.'

Mokuba raised his hand. 'All right! Listen up. It's time to board Kaiba-Craft 3 for the start of the Battle City Finals!' The blimp came to rest securely on the ground and the ladder leading inside flipped down.

'We'll depart as soon as the eighth duellist arrives,' security man number one said.

And, if I'm right, she'll arrive at the last possible moment.

'Climb aboard and watch your step.'

Yugi and sees Marik and Odion, pretending to be other people – and that the others have The first people to enter the blimp were the Finalists. Téa and Tristan never really seemed to grasp the concept that, because they were not duellists, they wouldn't ordinarily be let into these things. Sharee got it, so she was really the only one not surprised when the security guards stopped them

The only reason they did get in was because the Kaiba brothers let them on board.

YGO

She arrived a moment after Kaiba disappeared into the blimp. She had covered her face for two reasons. One: she didn't want to be recognised immediately. Two: it was something she was brought up with. When a woman had to go out at night, she always covered her face. She stopped in front of the security guard.

'I believe you gentlemen are waiting for me.' Knowing their next request, she held up her locator cards. 'My locator cards.'

'Welcome,' the security guard said. He handed her an ID card. 'Follow us.' They led her into the blimp.

YGO

Yugi stood on the deck of the blimp with his friends.

'This is awesome!' Téa insisted. 'I've never seen the city from this high up!'

'The lights are so beautiful.' Serenity looked at her brother. 'Thanks for bringing me, Joey.'

Joey planted his hands on his hips and lifted his nose in the air. 'Just one of the many perks of being related to a Champion.' He started laughing.

Kaiba stopped behind him. 'You call yourself a champion, Wheeler? You're here by a fluke.'

Joey turned around and growled. 'Keep walking, Kaiba.'

He closed his eyes, smug smile firmly in place. 'Enjoy this while you can. And, listen, I wouldn't get your hopes up too high, because it's a long way down from up here.'

Yugi turned around, a bit annoyed on Joey's behalf. He noticed that Sharee barely gave the whole exchange a backward glance.

'Oh, and, uh, the last time I checked, monkeys can't fly.' He moved on, but he didn't go very far. Joey's face twisted up. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. Kaiba stopped as he passed Yugi. He looked down at him. 'Yugi, I have some words of advice for you too. I'm aware that you haven't played your Egyptian God Card since you won it, but it's time for that to end right here and now. So it had better be in your deck during the Finals because I intend to win it.'

Yugi felt the Pharaoh's presence in the back of his mind.

'This is my tournament, Yugi.' He turned and leaned over a bit to get his point across. 'Got it? And then, when the Battle City Finals are all over, I'll be the world's greatest duellist and the owner of all three Egyptian God Cards, making my deck unbeatable. So it's time to say your goodbyes to Slifer the Sky Dragon.'

Hmph.

'And to any hopes you had of winning. Listen to me closely: Duellist Kingdom is far away, and as long as you're up here with me you're playing my game, my rules.' He walked away. 'Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a tournament to run.'

Joey had to make a remark. 'Man, this balloon is full of hot air!'

Sharee, for once, agreed with him. 'Someone definitely needs a nap.'

YGO

Joey stepped in his cabin with his sister, sliding his ID card through the access panel. 'Here we are.' He walked in.

His sister practically ran, gasping in amazement. 'Check out our deluxe pad!' she ran to the window and looked out to the city below. Joey walked over and stood just behind her. 'Wow! What a great view! Wow, it's so awesome. Thank you.' She turned around. 'If it hadn't been for you, Joey, I wouldn't be able to see all this. You know that.'

'But you can!' Joey told her. 'And that's what matters.'

'I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be right now. It's…' She looked back out the window. '…kinda like a dream, Joey. Up here in the sky, looking down on all of the buildings. I'll never forget this sight. Never.' She closed her eyes serenely.

'Hm.' Joey did too, but only for a moment. He walked over to her side. 'Thanks, sis.' He laid a hand on her shoulder.

She turned her head and looked at him. 'For what?' They turned to face each other. 'I'm the one who should be thanking you for all this. You're the greatest brother, and my best friend.'

Joey felt the tears and quickly reached up to get rid of them. 'My allergies are acting up! But I couldn't have gotten here without your help, sis. We're a good team.'

'Yes, we are,' Serenity said. Tears rolled down her cheeks. 'Big bro.'

Joey nodded. He turned his mind to the Finals and set his teeth. And I'm gonna win this thing with your support, Serenity. He clenched his fist. No way am I gonna let Kaiba or anyone else discourage me. I gotta stay focused and not let anything distract me from…

His thoughts were interrupted when Téa, Tristan and Duke walked in. It seemed they'd decided to crash in his room. they immediately took full advantage of the comforts of the place too. It was a small relief that Sharee hadn't decided to join them.

Small, because Duke decided he was also going to flirt with Serenity.

It was really all Joey could do to sit down, suck it up and have the soda Tristan gave him as he apologised. He groaned in irritation. 'You wouldn't have to be sorry if you didn't come in the first place. Go bother Yugi.'

'Nah, Sharee's doing that.' And she wouldn't be really bothering him. Tristan knew it too. 'See, we wanted to make sure he had some peace and quiet before the Finals. Joey.' He took a drink.

Joey looked at him in irritation. 'I'm duelling too, ya know.'

Tristan looked down at him. 'Oh, that's right.'

Joey growled. 'You punk. And, by the way, thank you.'

When Tristan looked at him this time, it was in surprise.

'For taking care of my sister.' Joey explained the gratitude.

Tristan nearly jumped out of his skin and blushed. 'Just helping out a buddy.' He took another drink of soda.

'Well, it means a lot.'

'Anytime. I mean it.'

'Yeah?'

'Yeah.'

YGO

Kaiba stood in his quarters, looking down at the city. He was smiling to himself. It's almost time. He moved over and sat in the closest chair. Picking up his deck, he sorted through his cards. 'Hm.' The moment I've been waiting for is about to arrive. He pulled his God Card from the deck and looked at it.

Obelisk the Tormentor.

With this one card – Obelisk the Tormentor! – I can will destroy both Yugi and Marik, and gain their Egyptian God Cards. Once I wield all three, I'll be unbeatable. With that intoxicating thought, Kaiba threw his head back and laughed.

YGO

Mai sat in her room with a glass of wine. 'I may have missed out on winning the Duellist Kingdom Finals, but this time I know that I'll be victorious.'

She set down her glass and started preparing her deck.

YGO

Sharee had just left.

Yugi sighed. 'If I honestly expect to stop Marik from getting what he wants, I have to do what Kaiba said and put Slifer the Sky Dragon in my deck.' He was looking at the card in question. 'But it's a really powerful card and using it could be very dangerous, so I'm going to have to be careful.' All the same, he slid it into his deck. He picked up the whole stack of cards. 'All right! No matter what happens, I've got to believe in my deck and in myself.'

The Pharaoh spoke in his mind. You made the correct decision, Yugi. In order to save the world from destruction, we're going to need that card.

'You're right.' Yugi hardened his resolve.

Slifer the Sky Dragon will help us defeat the Egyptian God Card held by Marik, as well as prevent him winning the one held by Kaiba, Obelisk the Tormentor. The Battle City Finals will be an epic clash between these three Egyptian Gods, but we must triumph.

'Well, that's not the only thing I'm worried about,' Yugi said.

Hm?

'I've got a bad feeling about Bakura,' Yugi said. 'I think Sharee does too. She gave him the look when she saw him enter the Stadium.' "The look" was what Sharee did when she was suspicious of someone's loyalties. He'd seen it a few times before. Her eyes narrowed, her gaze focused on the person and a tick generally appeared in her jaw.

Go on.

'How did he recover so quickly and become a Battle City Finalist?' Yugi asked. 'Unless the person on board isn't Bakura.' The Pharaoh remembered as well as he did. There was an Evil Spirit in Bakura's Millennium Ring – the Thief King, the woman of the Shadow Realm had said. They also remembered what Tristan had said. 'But Tristan got rid of the Millennium Ring in Duellist Kingdom. So how could the Evil Spirit that once controlled Bakura be back again?'

You can't predict the path of a Millennium Item. Shamee and Sharee both knew that when Tristan did attempt to dispose of it. The Ring must've found its way back to Bakura.

That had to be it. 'Oh, no!'

The Pharaoh knew the problem as well as he did. Now winning will be even harder.

'We have no choice,' Yugi said. 'We've got to win. The fate of the whole world depends on it.'

Yes, but many dangers lie ahead, so we have to be prepared for anything.

YGO

Sharee stood in the room, looking at the Egyptian woman…the eighth Finalist. It was exactly who she thought it was. It gave her the opportunity to ask. The woman in question bowed her head, as if confirming something to herself. Sharee had just told her what'd happened on the boat.

'You noticed,' the woman said. 'I wondered what the surprise on your face was for.'

'Yes. I did notice. I know what I felt. When I hit him in the back, there were intricate indentations. It wasn't his spine. What was it?'

'I will tell you, but you will not like it.'

YGO

The screen in the room came on.

'Attention, duellists.' The one on the screen, Téa was sure, was called Roland. 'The Battle City Finals are about to begin. Mr. Kaiba requests the presence of all finalists in the main hall.' The screen flicked off.

'Good luck,' Serenity told Joey.

Joey looked at his duel disk. 'All right now, you guys…let's go!'

'Yeah!' She, Tristan and Duke cheered.

Joey opened the door and they all walked out, just as Kaiba strode past.

'Winners first, monkey-boy,' he snapped.

'What'd you say, tough guy?' Joey demanded.

Kaiba ignored him.

Joey clenched his fist. 'Yeah, you better walk away!'

As Kaiba passed his room, Namu walked out.

'Hm?' Then he saw them. 'Hello, Joey.'

Joey smiled and walked over. 'Hey, Namu.'

'Before we begin, let me just say: may the best man win.'

Joey smiled 'I will. And let me just say, I hope you're not too disappointed when I beat you, Namu.'

Namu gave him a look, like he wasn't sure how to take that. 'Well, I admire your determination, Joey. Let's go.'

'Yeah!' Joey ran ahead.

He didn't get very far before they were all nearly scared out of their socks by a yell from one of the other rooms.

'What stupid idiot thought of THAT?'

YGO

Yugi picked up his deck. 'This is it.' He slid it into his duel disk. This was the beginning. This was what it all came down to. This was his destiny. Most of all, this was the last countdown, and he had Sharee and all their friends right behind him. The fate of the world depends on me and the heart of the cards!

With that thought, he let the Pharaoh take control of their body.