A/N: Thank you to everyone who has taken time to read and/or review this story.

Back to Domino High Rooftop

Téa, Joey, and Tristan eagerly watched on as the duel monsters contest continued on in full force.

"So Joey," Téa started, "Do you think Yugi has a chance to win this duel?"

" 'Course Téa! Our pal Yugi would never loose ta some creep like Kaiba! I'm sure Yug has a plan to kick dat no good dragon-lovin' slimeball from here ta kingdom come!"

"I dunno Joey." Tristan interjected. "This duel has been pretty even-sided to this point."

"Tristan!" Joey yelled at his friend. "You sayin' Yug's gon' loose ta Kaiba?!"

"Calm down buddy. All I'm saying is it that looks even so far."

"Yugi will win this duel, I know it." Téa firmly granted to the two quarreling boys. "We just need to believe in him."

'Come on Yugi' Téa inwardly mused. 'I know you can do it!'

The wind blew as the two duelists stood at opposite sides of the battle field. The next move belonged to the Pharaoh, who was ready to launch his counter-offensive.

"It's my turn now Kaiba."

Yami drew a card and then added it to his hand.

'Excellent!' Yugi internally voiced to his ancient counterpart. 'The Dark Magician!'

'But how do we summon him?' Yugi further questioned. 'Kaiba has two face down cards, which are probably traps…and…"

In a soft yet firm voice, Yami assuaged his aibou: 'Yugi, have you forgotten of our plan already?'

The abrupt end of conversation indicated Yugi's slight embarrassment and lack of focus for that matter too. Yami, sensing the tension residing within the boy, thought it better not to push for any alternative reason causing his friend so much discomfort.

Putting internal conversation aside, the King of Games decided to put his well-concocted plan into effect.

"Now Kaiba – behold the magic of magical dimension!"

Yami's face down card surfaced revealing the all-powerful card, Magical Dimension

"Let me explain how this card works," he began. "By offering a spellcaster on my side of the field as a tribute, I am automatically able to summon a different spellcaster in my hand to the field. Then I…"

"I know how the card works Yugi!" An irritated Kaiba interrupted. "Get on with it."

In an instant, Yami's Mystical Elf de-pixilated and gave way to what looked like some sort of a dark portal hovering above the battle field. The inter-dimensional portal began to shimmer and slowly, and from within the portal descended a magician clothed in a fine lilac. Light blue orbs carried a solemn demeanor that spoke of power and arrogance – equivalent to that of the Pharaoh. His hair fittingly matched his armor, along with the headdress he adorned that seemingly crowned him king of all magic.

"From the mystical dimension portal, come forth my Dark Magician!"

The Dark Magician descended from the airborne rift, equipped with his trademark staff and serious demeanor. The gang looked on as purple boots gave way to the Pharaoh's signature duel monster.

"My Dark Magician should ensure that I leave this duel the victor." Yami assuredly proclaimed.

Seto Kaiba looked at the Pharaoh. "Hmph, dream on."

"Dark Magician, attack Kaiba's facedown card with Dark Magic Attack!"

The magical sage raised his staff and held it level with the face down card. Particles of energy drifted and then formulated into a massive ball of dark power. As soon as enough energy was assembled, the Dark Magician released the projectile from the tip of the staff towards Kaiba's hidden monster. Seconds before the blast connected, a hologram of Kaiba's mysterious monster emerged hovering directly over the face down card. The ball of dark energy penetrated Kaiba's creature, which gave way to the rupturing sound of pixels as whatever was left of the card immediately was sent to the card graveyard.

"Yeah!!" Joey and Tristan exchanged high fives in support of their friend and his seemingly small defeat in this particular exchange of monsters. "Yug's got 'dis duel in da bag!" Joey happily proclaimed while adding a wide toothy grin to his statement. Téa rejoiced as well, however – unbeknownst to her friends, her happiness stemmed from seeing her beloved Pharaoh succeed in his current encounter with his rival.

"I should thank you." Seto Kaiba began in a low, husky voice, "your predictability never ceases to amaze me."

He then continued.

"You've just triggered the events that will lead to your downfall and my ascent as the number one duelist in the entire world!"

"Explain yourself Kaiba!" Pharaoh commanded.

"In due time" he retorted, "but first, take a closer look at the monster you just sent to the card graveyard."

Yami and his friends turned their collective attention to the vanishing image of the monster recently vanquished by the Dark Magician. The amorphous shape of a pale brown figure wiggled squirmed around for a few more seconds and then faded away.

Yami took note of the monster and then it hit him. "Oh no!"

On the sidelines, a slightly puzzled Téa Gardner turned to Joey in hopes of finding some clarification to the intricacies of the duel. "Joey, why is Yugi so concerned about Kaiba's monster? It doesn't seem too powerful to me." A much more solemn Joey Wheeler met her gaze with an answer. "If 'dat is what I think it is," he started, "then things are not lookin' so good for Yugi."

A smug-looking Seto Kaiba smirked as he continued drawing out Yami's apprehensions.

"Your Dark Magician just destroyed my deadly Giant Germ. In addition to your loosing 500 life points, my germ replicates and allows me to summon two more copies of it from my deck to the field."

(Seto: 4000)

(Yami: 3500)

The young CEO searched through his cards and proceeded to play two more copies of the viral monster. The holograms appeared on the playing field and by the looks of things; Kaiba was not done putting his strategy into full effect.

"And that's not all." Kaiba's all-to-familiar smirk graced his features.

"Yugi, not only did your foolish attack allow me to summon two more deadly giant germs to the field, it also triggered one of the most devastating trap cards in the game..."

The level of intensity in Seto Kaiba's explanation increased with each passing sentence.

"You must also face the might of my lethal Crush Card Virus!"

It was Kaiba's outstretched hand this time that gave way to the now vertical face down trap card.

A hologram of the departed giant germ materialized and made its way towards Yami's deck. Upon contacting the Pharaoh's duel disk, the brown amoeba-figure dissolved – not before emitting a high-pitched tone that startled the onlookers as well as one of the participants.

"This trap ensues my victory." A much calmer Kaiba simply stated. "As long as my Crush Card Virus remains on the field, any monster on your side of the field with 1500 attack points or more will be automatically destroyed."

"That means…"

"Yes." Kaiba confirmed. "Take a look at your precious Dark Magician"

The Pharaoh's seemingly unbeatable spellcaster knelt on his right knee – both hands clenched on the left side of his chest. The Crush Card Virus clearly infected the ancient sage. With pain clearly prescribed on his once stern features, the Dark Magician collapsed on the battlefield and then silently disappeared as suddenly as he arrived.

Once the purple pixels shattered, a smug-looking Seto Kaiba smirked. "How's that for heart of the cards?"

If you were to take a look at the faces of those witnessing the showdown on the rooftop, different emotions would be found depending on where you gazed. Two sets of brown orbs gazing in from the sideline would have revealed shock and primarily disbelief. Violets on the battlefield depicted apprehension. The pair of heavy blue eyes staring across from him carried the same stoic demeanor they usually do. The same look that stood present for most of the duel.

And then there was Téa.

Téa Gardner – the happy, ever optimistic cheerleader of the group stood there with shinning bright eyes and a strong determined will. To her, this seemingly hopeless situation was nothing more than another obstacle waiting for her Pharaoh to overcome. Just looking at Téa, if anything, you might think that Yami was the one who had just out-dueled his opponent and seemingly backed him up into the corner.

Meanwhile, while the stunning turn of events left all onlookers silent, Yami and Yugi internally struggled to sort out unacknowledged feelings.

Within the Millennium Puzzle

'Yugi, I know this duel looks grim and things are not going our way, but I need you to trust me.'

A visibly shaken Yugi remained behind the confines of his spirit room and met his plea from inside. 'We can't do this Yami. Something was off from the very beginning of this duel and I knew it.'

Yami noticed that the door to his vessel's inner chamber had not been locked. Taking this opportunity, Pharaoh gently applied pressure to the handle and made his way into his counterpart's room. Yugi's spirit chamber, as well as his own, always reflected the feelings of the occupant's heart. Normally, whenever Yami entered the room to pay a visit to his other half, the surroundings told a story of a young boy with child-like innocence and purity of heart. Balloons, dolls, building blocks, puzzle pieces and various other play toys could be found scattered across the bright yellow space. The door, usually open and inviting, was suspiciously closed or cracked as Yami found it today.

The uncharacteristically closed door was just the first of many changes in Yugi's spirit room. As the King of Games turned the handle on the think wooden door, he took in the foreign scenery surrounding him. The playfulness of the bright cream walls was replaced with a dark, sharp violet color that spoke of abandonment and angst. The teddy bears and stuffed animals that Yami always found himself stumbling over late at night gave way to a layer of what looked like dozens of black question marks. The magnitude of changes present in the small boy's room made Yami think twice as to whether he had in fact entered the correct door.

The small boy he noticed curled up in the corner of the room put an end to his previous thought.

'Yugi…'

Yami barely whispered his aibou's name as the shock of the sight befalling him nearly rendered him speechless.

'You're the great Pharaoh! so explain to me: how did this happen?! Why did Kaiba destroy the Dark Magician?' The acidic nature of Yugi's tone caused Yami to take subconsciously take a small step back. He quickly regained his composure and admitted himself completely into the mysterious confines of Yugi's chamber.

'The duel is not over.' He softly began. 'I just need you to trust me and put your faith in the…'

'…the heart of the cards, right?' Yugi finished for him.

'Yami…'

'Yes'

'Have you ever wondered why we always draw the card that we need at the very time we need it?'

Yami closed his eyes and smiled.

'Yes Yugi. We are rewarded by our faith in our decks and in ourselves. Destiny has predetermined the outcome of the contest – and for that we can only be thankful.'

With his back still to his ancient friend, Yugi stood up and turned to face Yami. His youthful large purple eyes gazed upon the spirit that stood in front of him. Yami met the curiosity written in Yugi's eyes with determination and a bright, fiery passion.

'What happens when destiny sides against us?'

Such a simple question carried such grand implications for the two of them. The intensity detected throughout Yugi's statement hovered above the two for them to contemplate. Truth be told, Yami hadn't actually considered the alternatives to his firm belief in destiny and the heart of the cards. While fate has aided the King of Games for as long as he could remember, he had never once stopped to think what would happen if destiny had chosen another.

For the very first time, Yami had no answer for his aibou. Instead, he vanished from the dark room to test the possibilities that ran through his mind.