Small Note

Sakura: Here's another chapter!

Chapter 20

Full Strength!

Marik put his motorcycle in parked and dismounted along with his partner. The two stood before Bakura and by the look in everyone's eyes it looked like a fight might break out in front of the Domino Aquarium. However whatever was about to go down would not be said in front of unwanted ears as Marik turned to walk away while giving his lackey's some orders. "You two keep an eye on Joey. He and I have to talk…"

Without another word he walked off headed for an alley just up ahead. Marik didn't even look to see if Bakura was following because he knew he would be. It had been way too long since they last seen each other and he had no doubt they would meet again someday. Just figured today would not be that day.

Hidden within the alley away from listeners on the street Marik turned to Bakura and stated, "What's someone like you doing in Domino city, Akefia?" He demanded more than asked.

"Now that's a name I haven't heard in a while, but I'm afraid my host no longer goes by that name." Bakura pointed out not even fazed by the brief look of confusion that flash between Marik and Malik's eyes. "If you are to address me, the name is Bakura now."

"Host…? I'm not quite in the mood for tricks." Marik leveled Bakura with a glare but the other did not look like he was joking.

In fact Bakura just chuckled and said, "Why don't we just get to the point already. I know you don't like my host and he most certainly does not like you. How about I just take that millennium item off of you and I'll let you live…"

A tug on Marik's sleeve caught his attention away from Bakura as his boyfriend spoke up, "I think he's telling the truth. We know Akefia and I don't think that's him."

"You mean possession…" Marik almost wanted to laugh Malik off but then he remembered something he had nearly forgotten and his eyes cut back to Bakura. "You still have it don't you?"

Bakura had no trouble reaching into his pocket and pulling out the item, "I see your memory has not failed you yet being trapped in those tombs." In his hand was a round golden eye with the same symbol on it as Yugi's millennium puzzle and Ryou's millennium ring. A silver ring had been placed around it with a chain making it a keychain. "Nice little key chain don't you think?"

Marik growled. "Well if you're not Akefia or Bakura or whatever he is calling himself now. Who are you?"

"You could say I am a collector of the items. I am merely borrowing this boy's body to serve my purpose."

"Collecting them are you? Then what do you plan on doing with them."

Bakura smirked, "I'm pretty sure you can figure that out yourself. I have all the knowledge of who you people really are. I know all the same secrets that you and your kind know."

"So you must know of the other millennium items? Do you know Yugi, the owner of the millennium puzzle? You must be planning to get rid of them eventually right?" Marik questioned. He was just going on a whim here, but if whoever was controlling Bakura knew of their secrets of the millennium items, he knew of the owners. Evil plans were already forming in his head of how to kill two birds with one stone.

"Maybe…"

"Listen Bakura, I don't care about the millennium items. All I want is Yugi's life…."

Bakura looked at him a little in disbelief. "Really…"

Marik reached behind him and pulled the millennium rod from his partner's hands. "If I can bury him here at battle city, this millennium rod will mean nothing more to me than a hunk of metal. But I still have use for it now. So how about this, if you agree to help me, then after it's all over I'll be glad to give you the rod."

"And if I say no…?"

"You won't leave this alley alive. I still have beef with the one you claim to be in control of." Marik said before he also added, "I'll give you five minutes… yes or no…. it's your choice…" Either way this would all work out in his favor in getting his revenge on not only Yugi now, but a certain traitor he vowed to kill if he ever found him again.

"Can we really trust him?" Malik whispered low enough so only Marik could hear him. He remembered the one in front of them and he didn't have a problem with him as much as Marik did. Why would he want to work with him if he hated him so much?

Marik only smirked, "Don't worry, I know what I'm doing…"

Back inside the Domino Aquarium the duel between Mako and Joey was just getting started as Mako wiped out all of Joey's monsters. However just the few short turns they have had so far were not impressing Mako at all.

"You're like the krill of duelists Joey! So puny I hardly noticed you, this isn't even fun," Mako growled not happy at all. He figured at least as a duelists Joey would have improved over the years.

Joey watched as Mako started his turn. He wasn't happy with the turn out as well, but the duel had only just begun. 'Mako's got one monster on his field… He's gonna use it to sacrifice summon an even higher level monster and then lay into me.' But he wasn't worried because he still had his trap card ready for that.

Mako however had other plans, "Here I come direct attack on Joey!" He announced sending his flying fish at the blond.

"Trap card activate!" Joey shouted activating his trap card although he never realized how bad a move that was until the flying fish went over the chasm that opened up on the duel field and still attacked Joey directly.

"You idiot! How can a flying monster fall into a pit?" Mako questioned with a laugh. He then played a face down card and ended his turn. "I'm disappointed in you Joey. I hate fighting goofy duelists who don't take the game seriously."

Tea watched the duel from the side lines worried about her friend. 'But Joey is being serious. He's desperate so he's running in circles…' She thought to herself knowing he would pull though somehow.

"Listen Joey whenever I fight somebody I give it my all. That shows that I respect my opponents." Mako preached, "It's the same when I'm fishing no matter how small the fish is I reel them in a hard as I can. Or else someday a big one will pull me in and swallow me. I can't go out to sea right now, I don't have a boat. That's why I'm in this tournament. I need the prize money to make my dream come true. But even if it takes me a while the sea will wait for me. Because the sea s waiting for the day we battle."

"I know how it is Mako," Joey stated whether the fish duelists believed him or not. "Just like you, there's somebody I want to fight." This duel was far from over and he made his next move. First off he started his turn by summoning Alligator sword then placed two cards face down before ending his turn.

'That's more like it now I can't just walk all over you.' Mako thought as he took his turn. He sacrificed his flying fish to summon Amphibian Beast to the field. Since Joey's monster had fewer points than his, he was quick to send his monster on the attack prepared to knock Joey's life points down even more.

However Joey was ready this time as he activated one of his face-down cards, Fairy Box to the field. His Alligator Sword disappeared inside the box that had six holes on the top.

"What the…? Six holes? Do I have to guess the right one?"

Joey smirked, "Can you hit alligator sword as he pops in and out super-fast?" He asked Mako as Mako's beast tried to hit Alligator Sword but was being unsuccessful.

Instead of playing this mindless game, Mako had a better idea as he activated his own card, "Too bad I have this card, Umi field spell card!" As soon as the card was played the field was covered in water making it perfect for Mako's monsters. But also it sunk the fairy box to the bottom and due to being underwater something else was easy to see. "Amphibian beast, hunt him down!" Mako sent his monster on the attack since due to the air bubbles he could easily find the alligator.

"Now here's my other trap card! Skull dice!" Joey announced before the attack could be completed. The little devil appeared on the field letting go of the dice it was carrying. "When that die lands your attack points are going down!" As soon as the rolled stopped on a four, Alligator Sword appeared out of the water taking down Mako's monster with easy.

Mako looked a little impressed by Joey's move as he said, "Well Joey, looks like you can put up a decent fight. Good then this won't be boring."

Joey was going to take that comment and roll with it as he started his turn. Drawing first he ended up with polymerization which would work out perfect for him. The only problem is he had to figure out his strategy first. Thanks to Mako's field card none of his warrior monsters can swim to move across the field to get to Mako. However there were some monsters in his deck that could move over water.

"I play baby dragon and now…" He placed his polymerization card on the field fusing his two monsters, "Meet Alligator Sword Dragon." Joey announced as Alligator Sword hopped onto the back of his baby dragon. Now the two could easily move across the water to attack Mako directly. And that is what they did as the pair flew over the water and nailed Mako bringing his life points down to fourteen hundred.

Mako certainly was not about to take that lying down as his next move became even fiercer. First he played two cards face down before ending his turn. 'I play two cards but you can't see them because of the rough water can you?' were his thoughts as he watched Joey try to figure out what he just played. 'Now try and attack me Joey.'

Drawing a card, Joey was trying to figure out what Mako was trying to pull. Mako didn't summon any monsters to the field, but then again Joey couldn't see his cards so he couldn't tell. Thinking back all of this seemed very familiar and it didn't take long for him to figure out why. 'He's using the same sea stealth strategy he fought Yugi with in duelist kingdom.' Joey assumed out starting to remember that time from years ago. 'Yugi's monster attacked from land but Mako's monster reached out of the water and pulled it under before it could even react…. Wait! What am I worried about? My monster can fly. As long as I don't go too close to the water he can't do anything to me.'

There was no telling if it was the right move or not but it was the one Joey was going with as he sent his monsters on the attack. If Mako's two cards were just a bluff then Joey was going to win with this turn as Mako didn't have enough life points to stay alive.

"Not so fast! Have a trap card!" Mako announced as he activated one of his hidden cards. The trap card Tornado wall came to life, pulling all the water from the field and creating massive water tornado's in front of Mako keeping his life points safe. "This trap card is permanent and as long as it lasts even a flying monster can't come near me."

Looking at the field Joey cursed his luck. As the seawater lifted to create the Tornado wall, Joey noticed there were no monsters hidden on Mako's side of the field. He never played any monsters at all and Joey fell right into his bluff. Turns out Mako had Joey thinking too much on that turn. "Darn it! It's your turn!"

Mako smirked as the Tornado's disappeared returning to the seawater for the moment. He played a single card and ended his turn.

There was not much Joey could do at this point as he couldn't tell once again if Mako played a monster or not. The only way he was going to be able to find out is if he attacked again. He sent his monsters on the attack again to see what would happen.

"Don't you ever learn? This trap is permanent…" Mako laughed as Tornado walls came back to life protecting Mako, but that's not all.

Out of nowhere shots rang out and Alligator Sword Dragon went down shocking Joey. "That can't be! Where did he attack from?" Joey shouted as he scanned the field but could see nothing as the sea water returned. Mako had hidden something in the water but what Joey didn't know. The only thing the blond could do was summon another monster to protect his own life points. He summoned little winguard in defense mode and ended his turn.

But just like before more shots rang out and little winguard went down without one monster from Mako's side appearing. There was no motion in the water or anything. Something with super stealth had just taken out Joey's only defense on that turn.

"This is the terror of the sea. So Joey do you still think the sea's not that tough?" Mako shouted as he started his turn. He wasn't even giving Joey much time to figure it out as he played a few more cards. 'I can see the terror in your eyes. My sea stealth has you paralyzed with fear. Meanwhile I've already got one monster ready for a sacrifice to summon the biggest monster you've ever seen.'

Joey was completely unaware of Mako's plan as he simply played a card face down and summoned rocket warrior in defense mode. It was all he could do for the time being.

The time had finally come for Mako to make his move, "Battening down the hatches Joey, using two monsters as bait I call forth the ultimate sea beast!" Mako informed him as he sacrificed both monsters Joey had no clue he had on the field to bring forth one of his best monsters, Fortress whale. The massive Whale appeared on the field taking up most of it with large cannon's on its back. The look of fear on Joey's face was priceless as Mako smirked, "Joey, you're finished!"

"All right, five minutes is up." Marik announced as he looked at Bakura, "Now you either die or join forces with me. What's your choice?"

Instead of answering with a yes or no, Bakura stated, "If you want to hurt Yugi, the easiest way is to go through his friends."

Marik rolled his eyes, "I know I already plan to use them. That's why I've got this millennium rod."

Bakura however wasn't finished as he added, "Their bond is strong. They'll know instantly that you're up to no good. But I have a convenient hiding place, my host. Maybe that could prove useful."

"Host eh?" Marik wondered kind of curious to see where this would go. "And how will you do that?"

A chuckle escaped from the one controlling Bakura as he pulled out a switchblade from his pocket. "My answer is this…" There was a just a flash of sliver before the blade was tossed into the dumpster nearby.

Marik watched as blood came pouring out of Bakura left arm the other looking unfazed by it. The one in front of him just smirked at him and said, "I'll lend you my host for now…" Then the next moment Bakura lay at his feet passed out, the real Bakura never knowing what just happened.

The massive whale that appeared on the field left Joey speechless. He had no clue what to do or how to act with what had happened. The thing not only came up out of the water, it could even fly meaning it was one hell of a monster.

Mako was very pleased with himself for shocking the blond duelist so much. "Joey, your deck is full of landlubber warriors and beast-warriors. You won't have a chance when my one hundred fifty ton fortress drops from the sky. Let this be a lesson, don't ever take the sea lightly. I can't stand guys who make fun of it. I know the ocean's dangers firsthand. We fishermen carry scars from our battles with the sea…." Thinking back he began to remember his dad all over again, "Just like my dad. A long time ago, my dad and I lost one of those battles. For people who live off the sea losing your boat is like death. So on days when the sea was rough when other fishermen were afraid to go out my dad would borrow their boats and fish. And that's how I lost him… Now do you get it? I'll teach you to fear and respect the sea!"

Joey had heard this story once before back in duelist kingdom when Mako told his past to Yugi. But he had his own reason to fight too. "Mako you're a proud duelist, and I do respect you. But as long as I'm a duelist I can't give up."

'Then try Joey, just try to stand up to the ocean!' Mako entered his battle phrase of his turn, "Fortress whale attack!"

While Joey thought he was good, next thing he knew his rocket warrior was killed out of the blue without even an attack yet from the whale. "What?" 'Another attack from an invisible enemy….'

'That's right, step one fortress whale, step two sea stealth two…' Mako's whale went on the attack, attacking Joey directly and taking most of his remaining life points with it.

With three hundred life points left, Joey listened as the crowd went wild for Mako's move. There was no way Joey was going to back down but he still couldn't figure out what was killing his monsters as soon as he summoned them. If he couldn't keep any monsters on the field he was as good as defeated. As he calculated his move, Mako appeared to be getting a little impatience.

"What are you waiting for? It's your turn. Hurry up and play a card!" Mako reminded Joey wanting to get this duel over with so he could move on to the finals. He watched Joey as the blond simply stared at the field. Curious to know what was going on in that head of his, Mako decided to test the waters, "You have the eyes of a dead fish. Do you give up so soon? What happened to the eyes you had when you came walking into my territory and challenged me to a duel?"

'His territory…" Those words began to remind Joey of when he had first meet Mako, 'Back in duelist kingdom Mako would lure duelists to the edge of the sea because that's where he had the advantage. What if… What if this whole aquarium is Mako's territory? Then his monster could be hiding anywhere. What if I'm looking in the wrong place…?' While he was almost lost in his thoughts movement from the killer whale in the tank beside them swam up making movement in the water. Something else quickly caught his eyes making his eyes widen in surprise for just now seeing it. 'That's only one place it can be…'

Knowing it was now or never, Joey began his turn by first drawing a card. Looking at his hand he ended up with Kunai with chain from his draw and he had one monster already in his hand along with one trap card, plus he had one face down card on the field. If he was going to win this duel, he was going to have to plan everything down to the letter in order to take down Mako's own killer whale.

"I play two more face down cards and then I summon Panther Warrior in attack mode!" Joey announced knowing Mako would think he was just pulling another stupid move.

And Mako sure did as he laughed, "Panther warrior is a beast warrior it can't swim or attack a flying monster. Talk about a futile last stand." Starting his own turn Mako used it to summon another monster. "I play sea snake in defense mode." He didn't even bother to hide this one as he already had this duel won as he sent his whale on the attack again. "First I'll defeat your panther warrior with a stealth attack. Then Fortress whale will 'whale' on you and it'll be quick and painless."

'Only one chance to defeat his stealth monster…' Joey watched carefully looking for whatever he had seen before so he could go on the attack. And just as the killer whale in the tank came up again continuing to put on a show, Joey launched his counter attack. "I play my face down card. Magic arm shield…" The shield appeared on Panther Warrior, "Hide and seek is over Mako. I found your monster and he's right there."

Just as Mako's hidden monster appeared out of the water to attack, Panther warrior was ready with the trap card. The hands extended from the shield trapping Mako's fisherman that sat on top its own killer whale. Mako's legendary fisherman was revealed to all as it's attack got halted. The whole time Joey had been more focused thinking too much and worrying about the whale that he failed to see the fisherman until he calmed down.

"When you summoned the seawater it blended in with the killer whale pool. That's how you hid your monster." Joey revealed Mako's strategy and he had to admit it was a good one, but it was also one Joey was able to figure out. There was only one real killer whale, so when movement from something else that looked similar had to have been Mako's hidden monster. Now Mako's fisherman was captured but what wasn't all. "Now I'll swing him around in front of Panther Warrior. Fortress whale will think the fisherman's its target."

The cannons on the whale's back locked onto their target and fired not even caring that it was one of Mako's monsters. The fisherman went down and so did Mako's life points down to nine hundred.

Mako wasn't too happy about that as he shouted, "Oh Yeah! Well what about shrapnel? Panther warrior must have been caught in the blast and blown away too!"

Joey smirked, "You sure about that? Here's another trap card." He revealed his other card Kunai with chain which had reached out and wrapped around the horn of the whale. And Panther Warrior was on the other end using the chain to launch itself into the air and out of harm's way.

"You've gotta be kidding me. Are you telling me your beast warrior is challenging my flying fortress the biggest animal that ever lived?" Mako questioned as Panther Warrior landed safely on top of his own monster.

"You got it Mako. I'm a guy on a mission and nothing's gonna get in my way!" Joey stated proudly as the tables were about to turn in his favor.

Sakura: Not as long as I thought it was going to be but we did learn a little bit about Bakura. I'm sure there are some questions in the air, but please hold out because all will be explained within the battle city finals. Although I'm sure most can probably guess what it going on. Also yes Bakura is the owner of the millennium eye and no he did not steal it from Pegasus. Pegasus never got the millennium eye and was inspired for duel monsters another way. More will come out later about how Bakura came to have the eye.

Yumi: Please Review!