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

Awakening of Evil Part II

Joey growled to himself as he glared across the field. I gotta squash these three snakes or I'm outta the Finals.

'Come on, man!' Tristan called from below.

'Your chances of victory have vanished,' Marik said. Even as he spoke, something was bothering Joey. It could have been his imagination, but the crazy didn't seem right. 'You'll never recover from the triple onslaught from my Embodiments of Apophis.'

Joey looked at him. 'Oh, yeah?' He took a card from his hand. 'I'm gonna have to disagree with you.' He set the card face down on the field. 'So take this.' His card materialised. 'I set one card face down and change Alligator Sword from attack to defence mode.'

'That seems like a final desperate move to me,' Marik said.

'Well, we'll just see.' As soon as Mr. Personality over here attacks me, I'll activate my Scapegoat Magic Card. It'll absorb the hits of all three of his slimy reptiles, leaving me safe and sound.

Marik's eyes narrowed. 'You're about to feel what real power can accomplish, Mr. Wheeler.' He called for the offensive. 'Now, my three beasts, attack!'

The three snake monsters surged forward.

Yugi called out. 'Joey, no!'

'Marik, you're in for a surprise!' Joey activated the card. 'Goooo, Scapegoat!' The card flipped up and the four coloured goats emerged out onto the field. 'My Scapegoats will absorb all three of your snake attacks.'

'I see,' Marik said calmly. 'Good move. But not good enough.' He took a card from his hand and cast it to the graveyard.

'What's that?' Joey demanded.

'Observe my Magic Jammer!' The last card in front of him flipped up.

Uh oh. That wasn't good. 'No way!' That cancelled out the effect of his Scapegoats. They all disintegrated.

'It's time to say goodbye to your furry friends and hello to my serpents.'

'Then I'm toast!'

'Apophis, attack!' The snakes shot forward and brought their sabres down. 'Destroy Rocket Warrior, and Alligator Sword!' Both monsters shattered under the blades. 'Now, attack his life points directly!'

Joey gave an alarmed cry as the last snake came at him. He covered his face as the last sabre slashed him. It didn't hurt physically – holograms, of course – but it did hurt his spirit a hell of a lot. He vaguely heard Serenity call out to him. He dropped to his knees. His life points dropped to 200.

'Get up, pal!' Yugi called to him.

'You've lost all your monsters.' Marik felt the need to vocalise the situation, apparently. 'And now you're down to 200 life points. One more attack and it's over.'

'You can do this, Joey!' Yugi insisted. 'You promised to help me defeat Marik, and if you win this duel he's finished!'

'The end's near,' Marik said. 'What a shame. It looks like you made it all the way to the Battle City Finals just to lose on your knees. Well you may as well stay down, because I'm about to take away the few life points you have left!'

YGO

'One more attack, Mr. Wheeler, and your tiny portion of life points will be gone!'

Sharee looked over as Tristan called out to him. 'Don't give up!'

Serenity turned. 'Tristan, Joey can still win this duel, right?'

'Sure he can.'

Mai, of course, was not one to build up false hope. 'Well, if you say so.'

'What do you mean?' Serenity asked, now worrying.

'Yeah, Mai!' Téa hadn't quite learned that yet.

'Look, guys, I want Joey to win,' Mai said. 'But the odds in this duel are completely against him. Face it, Serenity, Marik still has all of his life points, and your brother is down to his final 200.'

'But, Mai…'

'Well, there's a slim chance,' Mai allowed, 'but Joey may have lost hope. Your brother needs a serious confidence boost.'

'I suggest forfeiting to avoid humiliation,' Odion said.

Joey's arm moved, likely to do just that, but Mai seemed to decide she would now give him said confidence boost. 'No way! Don't you even think about listening to this nut job!'

Joey turned his head with a half-aggravated growl. 'Why not?'

'Well, is that how you got here?' Mai asked rhetorically. 'By just giving up when the odds were against you? Or did you keep on fighting until the very end? Just think about it.'

'You got a good point there.' Joey lifted his head.

'Now that you're a Battle City Finalist, you're gonna throw it away?' Mai demanded. 'Then I guess you'll always be a runner up instead of a champion. And your sister will always remember how you wimped out.'

'Yeah…'

Serenity spun around and called out. 'Joey! You can still win! I don't know anyone stronger than you, and you inspire me every single day.' She started to tear up. 'If it hadn't been for you, I wouldn't have gotten my sight back. Not because you paid for my surgery, but because you gave me the courage to go through with it. Then, when it was over, you gave me the strength I needed to take off my bandages and face the world. When everything was dark, you gave me light. You've never given up before and you shouldn't start today.'

Joey dropped his hand. 'I won't.' He looked at Odion. 'Bet you never had anyone who cared about you like that, pal.'

'I did,' Odion said simply.

Yes. Yes, he did. A long time ago, granted, but he did have someone who had cared about him to that extent. But that was a long time ago. It feels distant to him. Still, Shamee's mind flashed back to what had happened.

YGO

One cold night, years ago in Egypt, while a tomb keeper was fetching water for her husband, she heard something and looked up to the mouth of the well above her. She easily recognised the sound. 'Hm? A baby? In these parts?'

Luckily she hadn't been restricted by the Tomb Keeper laws that forbade leaving the tomb. She quickly hurried up to the mouth of the tomb and walked to the top of the well. She paused for only a moment, because moving forward. 'Oh, you poor, sweet child.' She gathered the boy into her arms. He soon quietened. 'There, there. Who would leave you all alone in the cold? It's much warmer down here, my child.'

The woman had taken the boy in. She'd cared for him as if he was her own. Her husband couldn't be spoken for so well, but Shamee had still been bound to the Tomb Proper at that time and could do nothing about it.

She could only watch.

YGO

This was not news to Sharee. She'd known it for a very long time already.

'Joey, you always pull through and I know you can beat him!' Serenity called.

'Thanks, sis.'

'All right then,' Odion said. 'Are you going to stay down on your knees and accept defeat?' He chuckled. 'Or be a fool and prolong your suffering by making a move? I suggest you give in and face reality.'

'I can't,' Joey said. 'I've come too far to give up now. Cause if I quit, I'll be letting down everyone who ever believed in me.'

Sharee felt the Pharaoh's awareness beginning to surface. She turned to Shamee as the spirit inside her spoke up. Ready?

'Not to mention letting myself down.' Joey went on. 'It's true. I've been in tighter spots, and I still pulled through.' He looked over at Odion with a new resolve. 'Hey, Marik! You think I'm gonna lose to you? Well, you better guess again, tough guy.' He lifted himself off his knees. 'I came to the Finals for one reason: to win! And that's what I'm gonna do. Joey Wheeler's back!'

Around her, their friends cheered.

'Listen,' Joey said. 'I defeated three of the toughest duellists out there to earn my way onto this blimp, you light-bulb head, and I'm not gonna let you or your shiny skull stop me from finishing what I started.'

'That's right!' Serenity said.

Mai was clearly satisfied. 'You tell him!'

Joey looked down at them. 'Thanks a lot, guys. You rock! And don't worry, I'll win this.' He reached for his deck again, this time to get a card. 'Let's go!'

Odion scowled. 'It seems you're more foolish than I thought. Time for you to lose shamefully, so make your final pathetic move.'

As Yugi and the Pharaoh switched places, so too did Sharee and Shamee.

YGO

The Pharaoh looked up at Joey. 'Save the world.' That was all he needed to say.

'Oh, yeah,' Joey said. He smiled.

'The power is in your hands,' the Pharaoh said.

'Right.' Joey turned his attention back to Odion. 'Your scheme ends here! I promised Yugi that I'd help him stop you from achieving whatever sick and twisted that you and your Rare Hunters have, Marik. And I'm gonna keep that promise by knocking your bald cranium outta the Finals, got it?' He drew. 'Here goes! All right. Let's see.' He looked at the card he'd drawn and his lips tugged upwards. 'Hope you're ready to say goodbye to everything.'

Odion remained stoic. 'Your false threats don't frighten me!'

'I place two cards face down.' The cards appeared on the field. 'Then I summon Swordsman of Lanstar in defence mode.' The card appeared on the field and his monster emerged from it. 'Now back to you, Sunshine.'

'I hope you've enjoyed your brief experience as a Battle City Finalist,' Odion said to Joey.' He called the attack. 'And now, my Embodiments of Apophis, triple attack!'

This was it.

Joey narrowed his eyes. 'Not so fast. Time to skin your snakes.' He activated one of his face down cards. 'So, go now!' The card flipped up. 'My Foolish Burial magic card lets me put one card from my hand into your graveyard, and next I'm gonna reveal this.' The second card flipped up. 'My trap card – Grave Robber!' The effect of the card activated.

A fast summon. Joey had held one card that he wanted to summon and use in one turn.

Odion obviously didn't get it yet. 'Now you plan to rob my graveyard?'

'Wow.' Joey's response was sarcasm. 'Did you figure that out all by yourself or did someone hand you a cheat sheet? Yes, Einstein, I'm gonna rob your grave!' The card in question appeared in Grave Robber's hands as it laughed. 'And, look, I've taken back the card I just put in there.' The card began to glow. 'Now, reveal Jinzo!'

There was a bright light on Joey's side of the field. Grave Robber disappeared and the card appeared. The surface cracked right across and Jinzo burst through. He stood there, right next to Joey's Swordsman, and folded his arms. Odion finally registered that Joey wasn't quite as daft as he acted, and drew back.

'Oh, no! He's summoned an extremely powerful monster to the field.'

'That's right,' Joey said. 'I remembered your snake creatures were a special breed of monsters that also happen to be trap cards. Your slimy reptiles have all the strengths of trap cards, but they have all the weaknesses too.'

'Weaknesses?' Odion demanded.

'Jinzo's special ability lets him destroy trap cards.' As Joey said this, the eyes of Jinzo's goggles glinted – as if powering up. 'Jinzo, wipe out his serpents!' Jinzo roared and shot lasers out of his eyes, destroying all three of the Embodiments of Apophis. 'You know, I won Jinzo in my very first Battle City duel, against a real opponent.'

'Yeah,' Mai said. 'That's the way, Joey!'

'Good job!' Serenity called.

'Yes,' the Pharaoh mused. 'Joey seems to be using what he's learned from his past victories.'

YGO

Joey pointed across the field. 'Now, then, do you still think I'm an amateur or did you learn your lesson?'

'I'm not through with you yet, Mr. Wheeler!' Marik was full-on glaring at him. 'I still have all my life points.'

'Not for long, Marik,' Joey said. 'See, with my man Jinzo by my side you and your trap cards are ancient history.'

'Joey, you go!' Téa called as Tristan and Duke laughed for his comeback.

Mai even had something to say. 'I knew that you'd pull through!' Wasn't very often she did cheering. 'Now show him who's boss!'

If it weren't for all my Battle City victories, I wouldn't be here right now. I won Jinzo by defeating Espa Roba, and now his card is giving me the strength to beat Marik!

YGO

Kaiba watched the duel above. He was only half-surprised, to be honest. Looks like Wheeler got lucky. But, then again, he always got lucky. That was how he was up here in the first place. It was nothing to shake a stick at. Perhaps he'll survive in this duel long enough for me to see Marik's Egyptian God Card after all.

He smirked.

YGO

'Here we go!' Joey drew. 'Look out!' He looked at the face of the card. 'Huh? Check it out, bald wonder. Now I summon Battle Warrior in attack mode!' He set the card and the monster appeared on the field. 'But wait, cause that's not all.' He flipped around one of the cards on his duel disk. 'I also switch my Swordsman of Lanstar into attack mode!' The Swordsman moved into an offence position.

Marik growled.

'And then there's Jinzo!' Jinzo began powering up. 'Attack his life points directly!' The monster immediately launched a direct attack on Marik's life points. They dropped down to 1600. Joey smiled widely. 'There's more where that came from!' He called out to his other two monsters. 'Now, Battle Warrior and Swordsman of Lanstar, move in with a direct attack!' Both monsters shot across the field and struck.

Marik recoiled as his life points dropped to 400.

'You da man, Joey!' Tristan called from below. 'Now, finish him off!'

'I knew it!' Serenity happily insisted. 'You rock!'

'Now, then,' Joey said. 'You don't feel so tough, do you? Maybe you should have protected yourself a little better.'

'Attack me all you want,' Marik boldly said. 'You can't win. Remember, I still possess my Temple of the Kings card, a card that has ancient powers so strong it can't be stopped. Just wait until you experience its unparalleled force.'

'Your palace doesn't scare me.' Joey clenched a fist to emphasise his point. 'I think I've already proven that Joey Wheeler doesn't sit back and let people walk all over him. So bring it on! Hear me? I can take whatever you've got and dish it right back, buddy! So go ahead and make your move.'

'With great pleasure.' Marik drew. 'Foolish boy.' It could have been Joey's imagination, but he seemed to be looking down at the onlookers for far too long.

'Let's go, potato-head. What's the hold-up?'

'This should hold you up!' Marik took a card from his hand. 'I play my Sword of Revealing Light!' The card appeared on the field as he played it and it flipped up. The Swords flew out from the card face and pinned down everything on Joey's side of the field.

'Hey! What's the deal, Marik?' It was meant rhetorically. He'd seen Yugi use this card enough to know precisely what it did.

At least Marik seemed to pick up on that though. 'Make your move.'

'Gladly.' Joey took a card from his hand. 'Here goes. I may not be able to attack, but I can still do this.' He slapped the card down. 'I sacrifice my Battle Warrior in order to summon the Legendary Fisherman!' His Battle Warrior shattered and the Legendary Fisherman emerged where he'd been. Joey set his eyes on the monster. I know how much this card meant to you, Mako, and I promised you I'd use it well. 'And before I end my turn I'll switch all three of my monsters to defence mode.' As he said this, he did so and all three shifted down.

'Prepare to lose!' Marik drew. He chuckled. As soon as he laid eyes on the card, though, he froze up. It was if he was both shocked and – was that horrified? – yeah, horrified at the card he'd drawn. Joey's suspicions, which had been festering in his head this whole duel, just deepened.

'Hey, Marik, I'm getting tired of waiting around!' Joey called his attention back to where it had drifted to the sidelines.

'First I'll place this card face-down on the playing field.' Marik set his card and it appeared in front of him. 'Now prepare yourself, Mr. Wheeler. For the next card I play will be the final instrument of your destruction!'

YGO

The Pharaoh noticed the worry in Odion. He looked over at Shamee and sent a question through their Millennium Items. What's in his heart?

Fear, she answered. Terror, more like. I think he's got Marik's Egyptian God Card in his hand and Marik wants him to play it.

That would be the logical explanation. But Odion refocused on his cards and set his jaw.

'Something strange is going on up there, guys,' Téa said. 'Check out Marik. He looks really freaked out!'

What would happen if Odion used the God Card? Yugi asked.

He is not meant to use that card. The Winged Dragon of Ra would strike him down where he stands, and perhaps even kill him.

Yugi immediately started worrying about what else would happen if the card was played. Be careful, Joey.

Joey complained. 'Man, this is like the longest move in history!'

'Good moves take time,' Odion said. 'But how would you know that?' He took a card from his hand. 'And, now, I seal this card in the Sacred Arc of the Temple!' The card in question appeared over the Arc as the field spell slot, where the Temple's card sat, slid open and he set the card inside.

'Whoop-de-do,' Joey said calmly.

As Odion spoke, the card slid into the Arc. 'You have no idea what I've just done by securing this all-powerful card within my Ancient Sanctuary.'

The Pharaoh gritted his teeth. From the sounds of that, Shamee was right.

'By sealing this Card of the Gods I've also sealed your fate!'

'Card of the Gods?' the Pharaoh demanded. It looked like Shamee was right.

Odion calmly closed his eyes and bowed his head. 'That ends my turn.'

'Here I go.' Joey drew. 'Time to bring back a monster from my graveyard with Monster Reborn!' He played the card and it appeared on the field. It flipped up. 'Bring back my Alligator Sword!' The card glowed and the Alligator Sword emerged. 'And now, I sacrifice my Alligator Sword and my Swordsman of Lanstar so I can summon this!' He set the new card and the other two monsters glowed brightly as they were sacrificed. 'My Insect Queen!' The card appeared on the field and the Insect Queen hauled herself out of the card face.

She gave a loud screech.

'I won this card from a feisty little germ called Weevil Underwood,' Joey said.

YGO

Kaiba looked at the three monsters Wheeler had on the field: Jinzo, the Legendary Fisherman, and now the Insect Queen. Three exceptionally rare and powerful cards. They wouldn't stand a chance against one of the Egyptian Gods, but it still brought a smirk to his face.

'My tournament's done wonders for Wheeler's deck.'

YGO

Mai looked up at the three kick-ass monsters Joey had out. 'Look at that!' She certainly was impressed. 'Joey was able to summon every rare monster he won in the tournament all at once.'

'Yes,' Yugi said. 'Joey has come a long was as a duellist since the Battle City Tournament began, Mai.'

YGO

Joey pointed across the field. 'Look out, Marik! Cause your Swords of Revealing Light will lose their power next turn. And when those lights go out there'll be nothing holding my monsters back. And since you have nothing to protect you,' his eyes narrowed, 'you're finished.'

'You think just because you were able to acquire a few strong monsters you can defeat me?' Marik demanded. 'You're so naïve! For I am about to summon a beast that you can't destroy!'

'What?' Joey began to suspect, and fear. He'd heard Yug and Sharee talking about three colossally powerful monsters – and they'd said Marik had one of them.

'While your monsters were trapped in my Swords of Revealing Light, I was able to prepare for the arrival of my ancient creature! And this all-powerful entity will serve as the sacred guardian of the Temple of the Kings, protecting my ancient sanctuary and all of the secrets that lie within.'

'Say that again,' Joey said, 'with small words.'

'You can't win,' Marik said. 'Once I play this!' He pulled a card from his hand and set it. 'Cup of Sealed Soul!' Then I reveal my face down card. The card in questioned flipped up. 'Seal of Circuit!' His eyes narrowed. 'When these two magic cards are played along with Temple of the Kings, they are able to waken a great creature from its ancient slumber.' The Cup appeared on the field and a purple mist began to spew forth from the mouth of it. 'A being like none you've ever seen before!'

'What is it?' Joey asked, fighting back the fear churning through his gut.

'Patience!' Marik decided to reprimand him. 'You're about to find out.' He turned to the Temple behind him. 'Please hear my call, Guardian of the Temple. Now!' The three cards he'd flipped up fused together in a fast spiral. 'Mystical Beast of the Serpent, I summon thee!'

The purple smog covered his side of the field and a pair of glowing eyes appeared. The smog cleared as the monster slammed its first foot down onto the Temple steps. It was a huge and red scorpion-like creature with a mouth full of razor-sharp fangs, pinchers on each side of said mouth, and armour-like skin covering every inch of it. It lifted its head and roared.

Sweat rolled down Joey's face. That thing's tremendous! What am I gonna do?

'That creature is minute compared to what lurks within my sacred Temple,' Marik said.

Joey ground his teeth. 'Then tell me, now! What monster did you hide inside that Arc, Marik?'

Oh, he gladly told him. 'Within the Sacred Arc lies my Egyptian God Card, the Winged Dragon of Ra!'

Not good! With that thing outside, and his Egyptian God Card inside, there's no way I can win!