"I did nothing but tell him the truth. Then he told me he forfeited because what I had told him had made him lose his focus."

"Nothing could shake Seto that badly, what did you do!"

"Seto attempted to confront me about coming here with Yugi, and then I countered him telling him the truth: that your big brother had failed the boy who had saved you two so many times. Seto was the only one who could have made a difference, and he let Yugi down, though Yugi doesn't see it that way. I do. I am surprised he's still so light-hearted after what we let them do to him!"

Mokuba shrank back into the chair, slightly dazed before he asked, "And what does he think?"

"Come down here and I'll give you something that will be worth more than my word."

"No, come up here. The guards will escort you up."

A few minutes later, I found myself in a large video room.

"What do you have that will be proof of his true feelings?"

"This." I pulled out the CD I had made of Yugi's song once we had it recorded and handed it to him. He put it into a disk drive, of many on the beast of a machine in front of him. A music file came up and began to play. It was Yugi's song. My heart nearly broke as I listened to it, and a third of the way through I saw Mokuba break down in tears. Then we came to the part where I had remixed it, the part before the last verse.

"Lost... lost...lost..."

His voice was echoed,

"Lost in cold illusions...lusions...lusions..."

Then there were quotes of all the things he'd done and then I voiced some of the quotes I and his other friends had said as he fell. They were softer and sounded like they were being broadcast over a radio.

"He's dropping out?"

"He tried to kill himself!"

"Lost...lost...lost... lost in cold illusions...lusions...lusions..."

"They're making him do what?"

"Poor Yugi!"

"How can we let them do this to them?"

Now my voice was clear, but cold and hard.

"No one can help him right now... no, no one will help him!"

Then it went into the last verse and finally ended. As the song file ended, Mokuba copied the song to a private computer file and then gave me the disk back.

"Tell him I'm sorry." That was all Mokuba could say before I left.

I went down into the lounge and saw a few others had shown up, but only one person I knew was there, and they walked right up to me and slapped me across the face.

"Nice to see you, too, Anzu." I mumbled as I rubbed my cheek. That hurt, but it felt kinda good, knowing that I'd hurt them enough for her to want to hurt me.

"How the hell could you leave like that! Do you have any idea what you did to Bakura, you heartless bastard!"

"You're one to talk, bitch." I said coldly before I walked away. She grabbed me by the collar and threw me to the ground, attracting attention.

"You left your yami!" She snapped, "You left him; you abandoned him!"

"He had abandoned me long before I left."

"What are you talking about? You were one of us! We treated you that way!" She held we up by the collar of my jacket. I narrowed my eyes before I punched her in the chest, knocking her back and releasing me. I stood above her.

"If you treat each other with such physical and mental abuse, then I didn't want to be one of you. I was nothing more than your slave, and I left so I could have my freedom!"

"Yeah, right, twerp! You wanted to hurt your yami-" She tried to punch me, but someone grabbed her fist and stepped in front of me. It was Bakura.

"Never try hurt my hikari again, Anzu." He hissed before twisting her arm and then letting go, making her fall to the ground.

"I don't need your protection, and she was right in a way." I said as I moved around them towards another section of the room as more people began to come in, "I left, and I did so in the way that would be most painful for the group. I left like Yugi did, ripping open those old wounds that you're gonna rip open all over again today." I straightened my jacket, "Nice to see you again."

I found my way over to Ara, who had just arrived, "What was that all about?"

"History repeats itself, I guess. I shouldn't have come, I'm just causing everyone pain."

"No, if you hadn't come, Yugi wouldn't have either. He needs to be here, and he needs you for support."

"Thanks, Ara." I said before I went over to the bar and got a drink.

My duel was cake, as Tiana had said it would be. I was escorted to the winners' lounge, others joining up with me as we walked, one of which was –

"Honda..." I breathed in amazement.

"How did you know my name?"

"If you haven't recognized me by now, I see no reason to give you my name." I smirked, "So, how was your match with Tatiana?"

"She passed out halfway through the duel, I won by default."

"She did what!"

"They were wheeling her out on a stretcher as I left."

I heard my ring and instantly looked down. I was surprised my cell phone had a signal in this place.

"Cell phone off, sir."

"Sorry." I hit the off button and hoped that the call wasn't important. I had a feeling it was, though.

We entered the lounge and I found my friends.

"Tatiana passed out during her duel." I said softly.

"What?"

"No way! How did you know?"

"Because her opponent told me on the way here."

"Honda didn't recognize you?"

"It appears not. So, how much of the old gang is in here?"

"Everyone but Yami and Seto beat their opponent already, and Seto would have if he hadn't forfeited before the start of the match."

"Ryou, what did you say?" My face paled.

"I told him what I thought was the truth, and he was so rattled that he said he couldn't duel."

"Ryou!" I exclaimed.

"Hey, he tried to corner me by telling me he knew you came with me, so I couldn't help myself! Anyway, Anzu still hates me and Bakura is acting like he wants to make up."

"I wonder how genuine that is." I got up, "I'm gonna go get a drink, need one, Ara?"

"I'll have sake." Ara sighed.

"Right." I nodded and left. I walked through the room and wove though the crowd to the bar, 'accidentally' bumping Honda in passing.

"Hey!"

"Oh, sorry, Honda." I said quickly as I tried to move along. Bakura and Jou turned to stare at me, looking awed.

"What?"

"Okay, so I'm not the only one who thinks he's familiar."

I rolled my eyes and turned to the bar to order myself a shot of whiskey and Ara's sake.

"Hey, we aren't finished!" Jou snapped

"You never were." I retorted, not bothering to look at them.

"Hey, look at me when I'm talking to you!"

"Make that a double-shot." I told the bartender before I turned to look at him.

"Who are you?"

"For someone who used to know me so well, you sure do forget fast." I said as they handed me my drinks. I got up and turned to leave.

"Wait." Bakura said, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"No, we were both done waiting long ago, Bakura. I think you've already seen that." I put on my old innocent face, and Bakura gasped, hand flying up to his mouth.

"Oh, Ra!"

I quickly wove back to my friends and gave my girlfriend her sake before I sipped my whiskey. That took the edge off.

"So, what'd you find out?"

"They don't recognize me, or at least, they didn't. Bakura figured out right before I left."

"Well, be thankful the last of the winners are showing up, they don't have time to find us." Ryou gestured towards the door with his head. I turned and my eye widened.

"Yami..."

There he was, looking like always had. I saw my former duel disk on his arm and I couldn't help but glare daggers at him.

The screen flickered to life and I saw Mokuba's emotionless face there. That only happened when something had really shaken him.

"You may now proceed to your second match. The guards will escort you to them."

The screen flickered and a list of duels showed up. I quickly found my name and smirked. I was up against Jonouchi. Yami was up against Ara, which made me worry, as did Ryou going up against Anzu. The list only had pictures, no names, so Jou didn't know my name from that. He was probably told my name by Bakura, assuming Bakura didn't pass out from the shock.

He and I were escorted to the match, and while we did so he tried to get a name out of me.

"Who are you, and how do you know me and my friends?"

I looked at him surprised, "Bakura didn't tell you?"

"He was too shocked to talk."

"I'll tell you if you win the duel - actually, I'll have to tell you either way, since I'm gonna kick your ass like I did so long ago!" I smirked and walked into the arena. This one was smaller, and it looked like a forest. I got out my deck and handed it to him before I took his to shuffle. He and I retreated to our proper places as they flipped a coin. He went first. We each drew five cards.

"Let's Duel!"

TBC (I jest. Sarah, this is your reward for waiting patiently, that and the end of the post) MOVING ALONG

(okay, since I'm still kind of new to the whole duel system, I was only introduced to Duel Monsters recently, and I'm still trying to get a good grip on things. I'm only writing the ending, because that's when Yugi gets desperate and by some miracle of fate (Heart of the cards, (snort) YEAH RIGHT! I call it luck) he draws the card Chris gave him. I'm writing the fireworks here, folks, not what led up to them. Jou has 2550 life points left. Yugi only has 600)

I narrowed my eyes as yet another one of my monsters was shot down by his 'Mad Dog of Darkness' which was equipped with 'Black Pendant'. He ended his turn and I drew a card, praying that it was something I could use to get rid of his monster.

I had kept my Pot of Greed card for emergencies, and I would probably need to use it this round. I also had 'Horus LV4', a 'Dark Hole' magic card, and 'Mystical Elf' in my hand. Jou had placed all his faith in a single monster.

"Game over, Jou, my faith in my deck has prevailed yet again."

"I'm surprised that you can talk so big when you're down and about to go out!" He snapped, "Why can't you just tell me your name!"

"I'll have told you by the end of this turn. The first card I'll play is 'Brain Jacker', and the only monster there is to control is your Mad Dog." The dog vanished and appeared on my side of the field, "Next, I summon Horus LV4 in attack mode. Now, Mad Dog, attack his life points directly!"

"That's low!" He exclaimed after the dog bit him on the leg, hard, gnawed on it, and then let go to come back to me.

"Jou, I remember the day you got that card, and I told you that you placed too much faith in it when I dueled you with it. You place your faith in one monster and that's your weakness. You play favorites with the cards in your deck."

"Like you would know!"

"Yes, I would know, and I did know!"

"Who the hell are you?"

I glared at him and then I closed my eyes as I shook my head.

"I had rather hoped you would have figured it out already, Jonouchi, but I guess that Honda was right. You DO forget anything inconvenient really quickly!"

"WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!" He barked, "I'm more sensitive than that, you little-"

"Since I've already won, I may as well tell you." I took a tape player out of my pocket and there it over to him.

"Is this some kind of joke?" He chuckled as he plugged in a set of headphones.

"It's a recording of one of my songs, Jou. Play it."

He turned up the volume and kept the headphone around his neck, and I could hear myself singing.

"I must escape this hellish life,
Wake up from dreams of this cruel strife.
I pack my things; leave what I know.
Take off the puzzle; let it go!"

"Oh, shit..." His face paled as he looked up at me, "You..." His voice was barely audible.

"Pile up the things from long ago,
Back when we wouldn't let go.
Never give up, and never stop!
But you did, you all gave up!"

The drums and guitar blared as I now practically belted out the words.

"You took my power, gave me pain,
Made me live a life of shame!
I take a match; that flickering light,Hid all the memories of this strife!"

Jou had the sense to shut it off before he fell to the ground on all fours and threw up. He then looked up at me with eyes filled with awe and regret as he stood back up.

"Yug..."

I ignored him, as he had ignored me, and quietly ordered my dragon to attack.

"Horus, destroy him."

"YUG!" He shouted, his voice cracking as the full brunt of his regret, anger, and bitter sorrow came to surface as a great ball of flames came at him. The fireball left Jou smoking as he fell to his knees.

"Yugi, I'm so sorry..." He breathed as he looked up at me as the field cleared and the scoreboard above us showed Jou's life points at zero. I won.

"I used to duel with you every day to help you build up a strong deck and discover good strategies, Jonouchi, only after this loss, I'm not gonna help you fix your deck." I then turned and walked towards the exit.

"When you see Yami, tell him I said 'hello'." I said over my shoulder with a cool voice.

"You sound like Kaiba."

I turned around to face him, "I probably do, because I feel like he used to when I'm around you. There are no friends, there are acquaintances, and there are opponents. But that's only when you and the others are around. When I moved here, I made friends, real friends, friends who I could trust and depend on. With you, Honda, Anzu, and everyone else, there were always so many secrets. I felt left out. I felt like a pawn in your games. As many times as we've all saved each other, nothing changed. You all still kept secrets from me. So I now have a secret I'm not telling anyone unless they find on they're own. My name is Yugi Mutou."

I then allowed myself to be escorted back to the winners' lounge. Unfortunately, none of my friends had made it here yet, but some of the old gang had, and when they saw me, they were amazed.

"You beat Jou!" Malik asked in awe.

"That's amazing."

"Not really, he relied on a single monster and that allowed me to beat him."

"That's Jonouchi, for you." Bakura sighed from the bar. He looked drunk, "Hey, come over here for a second."

I ordered another shot of whiskey before turning to the drunk albino.

"Yes?"

"Yugi, why don't you just tell them who you are?"

"Why don't you, tomb raider?" I snapped, "I'm frankly surprised you're leaving me the honor of telling my old captors I'm the person who nearly burnt their house- no, my house, since it is mine, or was, until I ran away and it went to Yami."

"So you were the one who did that? We just thought you had managed to escape once the fire started since your room was burned pretty badly, or that you had burnt up in the fire. You looked good for someone who's been dead for a year." He laughed, slapping me on the back.

I downed my whiskey in one gulp and then coughed.

"So, how is my old lover doing?"

"Why didn't you ask yourself?" I asked calmly.

"He was too cold to me. Doesn't he realize I love him?"

"You and the others abused him like you had abused me for Ra knows how long; I doubt he thinks your feelings are genuine. He probably thinks you just want him back to entertain yourself again."

Bakura looked like I'd pulled out his heart and mixed it into a drink.

"If you loved him so much then why did you do that stuff?"

"I did it because if I didn't then I would be separated from Ryou, and then they might kill him. I was heartbroken when he ran away, but I knew it was for the better."

In any event, I saw Yami walk up to Bakura, ignoring me completely and ask, "Where is everyone?"

"I beat Jou, I'm pretty sure that Ryou is going to kick Anzu's ass." I said as I asked for another shot.

"And just who the hell are you? Have we met before?"

"Your drink, sir." The bartender handed me the shot glass and I got up as I took it. I looked into my Yami's eyes and said in a cold voice.

"Yeah, and I will forever rue that day, the accursed day that I met you. Another event caused by the tomb raider over here. Damn you for it." I then turned and walked off.

"I would say that, too, after what he went through." Bakura said drunkenly as I left.

"What?"

"You didn't recognize him! Is everyone else blind?"

"Bakura, who is he?"

"I leave that honor to him, I don't want to be near you when he tells you."

"Bakura, tell me or I'll-"

"Congratulations, you all have made it past the preliminary rounds. Now is when the real duels begin. The following contestants shall be escorted to their matches while the rest watch and await their turn."

They put up the pictures of me, three nerds I didn't know, Ryou, Bakura, and -

"Oh, no..." I groaned. I was now up against yet another old friend- Marik.

We approached the arena and shuffled each other's deck before the coin flip went my way.

"You have the advantage, all the better. I am finally going to have my revenge against you, Yugi. I must admit, you've changed, but you're going to regret the day you ran away."

"Not as much as you're gonna regret hurting me." I replied with equal venom in my voice, "Now let's duel!"

(I'm going to skip over the matches yet again. After these matches, the players are escorted to a large hall where a table is set for them to eat. There are now only 32 players left. Of the people that we know, Yugi, Bakura, Ryou, Yami, Malik, Mai, and Keith are the only ones left in this tournament. Ryou and Yugi are seated near the head of the table, on either side of Mokuba. At the other end, the original gang is seated close to Seto, who finally spills the beans on Yugi.)

"So, Mokuba, how have you been since we left?"

"I've been thankful to steer clear of the old gang, I have no desire to go through the suffering you two did. I'm sorry I couldn't help you two."

"There was nothing you could have done, Mokuba. I was never mad at you. You and Ryou are the only two who wanted to help me, and ventured to try. Even if you were shot down, you helped make me feel a little better."

"I still can't believe you two are this well off now!"

"Neither can we, but we are."

"I miss your old hair cut, but this suits you, too."

"I'm thinking of getting it cut." I said as I looked at the black tangles flowing down to my shoulders, with gold and red streaks adding a certain rebellious flair to it.

"No way! Ara loves your haircut! Besides, it looks cute this way. Trim it, maybe, but don't change it back."

"I meant just trim it, I'm gonna get a couple inches off. I wouldn't change my hair back; it gives me too many memories of the old days."

"I understand." Mokuba said as he polished off him food and pushed his chair back before he said, "Come with me, I want to talk to you in private."

We finished eating quickly and left with him. He led us up to –

"Mokuba, why'd you take us back up here?"

"You came up here earlier?"

"Yeah, to give Mokuba a copy of your song."

"I hope Seto hasn't heard it." I looked at them both expectantly.

"Not yet, but believe me, by the end of the tournament, he will have. That's not why I brought you up here." Mokuba's hands flew over the keyboard. In the main screen was live feed of the dining room.

"What about it?"

He typed another command. A box appeared around the end of the table opposite where we had been sitting, and then it zoomed and focused.

"This..." He pointed. I noticed who the people were. It was what was left of the gang and Seto. Seto had a paper lying face down next to him, and he slid it over to Yami, who's back was to the camera. He picked up and looked at it.

"Pause and zoom in, Mokuba." I ordered as I stepped forward. The camera focused and I paled. The typed info was to blurry to make out, but I recognized the pictures on it.

"Seto, you cold-hearted-"

"Hey, watch the way you talk about my brother-"

"Do you realize what's on that paper!" I retorted.

"Huh?" He looked carefully at the pictures and shrugged. "It's your tournament files. What's the big deal?"

"I had met the group already, only Bakura knew who I was. I told Jou and Marik as I dueled them because they never figured it out."

"So he just told them who's been screwing with them?"

"And even worse, we'll have to go up against them in the final rounds."

"Yeah, we get to meet up in front of thousands- no, millions of viewers."

"Bring up the scoreboard for the tournament."

A web that had everyone's matches set up appeared. I looked at the duel sheets and sighed in relief.

"We don't have to face them for a while yet."

"You might."

"What do you mean?"

He began to type in commands and the chart divided into two sections.

"These duels take place tomorrow morning." He highlighted the first three rounds of duels.

"Up until the final match!"

"Yeah. These take place tomorrow afternoon." He highlighted the first three rounds on the other half, the half I was in.

"The final match takes place tomorrow night."

"I don't face Yami until then." He and I were in different halves.

"Yeah, but I face Bakura tomorrow morning! And Yami!"

"Yes, but you miss dueling with Mai and Malik." Mokuba commented, his voice monotone.

"My second duel's with Keith, in the afternoon." I said, equal blandness in my voice.

"Kick his ass for me!"

"Why?"

"Because that creep beat me up two weeks ago!"

"You didn't tell Seto?"

"No, he was too busy preparing for this tournament, of course I wasn't gonna bother him. I just hung out at our house a bit more often since I was sore and had limited mobility."

"And he didn't notice?"

"He wasn't home for a week and a half of it, I didn't really see him much, and it didn't matter, if worst came to worst, I would have told my brother right before he had a duel with him."

"Added fuel to his fire, nice strategy. Well, I'll get him for you, Mokuba, don't worry. And thanks for warning us."

"Not soon enough, I'm afraid." Ryou said, staring behind me, his crème-white face paling with each passing moment, before the color was replaced by fury.

"Huh?" I turned and saw the gang assembled there in front of us, Seto in the back looking a little uncomfortable.

"Seto, if you don't feel comfortable, then do something about it." I said as I crossed my arms and gave a cold glare at everyone.

"Hey, leave me out of this! I had nothing to do with this little meeting."

"Brother, don't lie to me!" Mokuba entered a command and we saw the clip of him giving Yami our files, "You are the reason they couldn't find out on their own. At least we can give Bakura credit for recognizing Yugi! Well, since you're here, you might as well hear it-"

"No." I said coldly as I started into the crimson eyes of my yami. I saw nothing there, just cold darkness. Had he really become that cold after I left? At least when I was still there he had a little mercy and kindness in him.

"What?"

"Why not?"

"I'll let them hear it tomorrow. Everyone can hear it tomorrow. For right now, all I want to be heard are words."

"Why did you two leave?"

"Why did you beat your hikari?"

He faltered for a second. He couldn't answer that here.

"Why did you, Bakura?" Ryou asked.

He was too torn to speak. He was mute.

"Hey, leave Bakura alone! Do you have any idea what you did to them when you left!" Jou snapped.

"What're you doing here, Jou, I kicked your ass in the prelims. Besides, it's nothing compared to what you did to me." I said as I made my way to the door, "Mokuba, what is everyone doing now?"

"Everyone's in their rooms, as you all should be."

"I'll take them there after we finish this."

"I don't want to spend eternity here, Yami." I stepped forward and gave him a icy glare, loaded with sharp projectiles, "'I'm not done with you.'" I mocked him, "Well, I am... for the moment, anyways. We'll settle this tomorrow."

"I look forward to beating you with your own deck."

"That's not my deck anymore. Those cards are loyal to a heartless bastard, and I have no use for them. I have a new deck, a deck I can trust." I took out my deck and held it up to them before putting it back, "I look forward to putting them in their place."

"No one insults my deck and gets away with it!"

"I think I just did. Let's go, you guys, we've got better things to do than this."

With that, we walked out another door and briskly went to the room Ryou and I shared.

"I don't see what made them turn."

"Well, they'll get an earful tomorrow, or so I hope. Mokuba, I know you could get in big trouble for this, but would you do something for us?"

TBC

AN: I own nothing, get over it. If I owned it, I would never had let 4Kids get their evil hands upon yu-gi-oh and let them turn it into a ing LITTLE KIDS' SHOW! It used to be respectable, but now, I can't even read the manga, the GOOD Yu-Gi-Oh, in public, unless it's in Shonen Jump magazine! By the way, sarah/ryoulover4ever, I highly value my reviewers, so, for patiently putting up with me, I give you (eighteen wheeler pulls up, the back doors open up, and sandy and sugar pours out) your sugar. Feel free to bounce off the walls while you continue reading. Feel free to email me if you want another preview, the next Chappie is ready and waiting. (Claws reveals herself, as does Taladin and Yami Mirei, who glare daggers at her.) I shouldn't have said that.

RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!

(Angry reviewers run after her with reviews telling her to hurry her ass up and post)

REVIEW!

-Ara, Goddess of the Broken