It wasn't every day that Yu wondered if he had made the right choice, but today was one of them. The good times hadn't lasted because he had eventually told them what had occurred in the Velvet Room a few days ago, and likely why they hadn't seen Marie around. Yu suspected she couldn't leave because of whoever had attacked her, and stolen her god like powers, trapping her in the one place that could sustain her existence now that she was nothing more than a shade. As expected, his friends, including Nanako, had been understandably shocked, but they had decided to do all they could to help one of their friends. God or not, former, unwitting spy or not, Marie was one of them at the end of the day. That wasn't why Yu was doubting himself now however.

The reason was simple as he stood over his Uncle's hospital bed, his arms at his side as he stood behind his cousin. How did it come to this? He asked himself for the umpteenth time. With most of his friends gathered in the Inaba hospital, none of them were willing to break the uneasy silence that had fallen over all of them. They had been there, and they still couldn't believe what had happened to have caused Detective Dojima's coma. At least, that's what the doctors were calling it, but they knew better. Looking at Nanako's back, Yu didn't know what to say since it was his fault her father was in this state to begin with.

One day ago

Dojima Residence

The smell of coffee woke Yu up almost immediately after another day of talking about what they knew of Marie's problem, as well as the recent return of the Shadows from the other world. Beyond that, little had happened, save for the usual antics that ensued anytime his friends were together. Remembering his coffee mug that his Uncle had given to him two years ago, Yu found it buried in a box he had forgotten about in his initial unpacking, and had headed downstairs to find Ryo and Nanako waiting at the table. "Thought that'd get you outta bed Yu." The detective chuckled as he got up to pour him his own glass. "Same as usual?"

"Yeah." Yu replied with a nod of his head, hearing an amused giggle from Nanako. "Morning Nanako."

"Morning! I have piano practice today, but we have the rest of the day after that!" She exclaimed excitedly, earning a laugh from her father and a small smile from Yu. Just as he was about to ask her something though, Nanako gasped before running to the living room. "I forgot, a package came in the mail today!"

"A package?" Yu asked after taking a sip of his hot coffee before nodding his approval to his Uncle. The man grinned and nodded in turn before they both turned to see the white box the young girl had put on the table. The symbol on the side immediately drew their gaze, since it was one both he and Nanako recognized considering the duel decks they carried around these days. "Industrial Illusions? Why did they send me a package?"

"Maybe they heard about your tournament win?" Ryo said with a shrug. "You did blow up the arena while you were act it." He chuckled as he got up from his chair to start cleaning up the light breakfast they had made that morning. "There's a plate for you as well. I gotta put in a few hours at work, but I should be home by the time Nanako's done with her piano lesson. Take care you two."

"You too daddy! I love you!" Nanako called out, and beamed when Ryo smiled over his shoulder on his way out the door. The girl's cheer dimmed somewhat the moment the door shut behind the detective, and Yu met her intense gaze as he sat down to eat across from her. "Will he...be alright? With everything going on…"

"I know why you're worried about him, but I'm sure he'll be fine. He's strong, maybe not in the same way we are, but he loves you too much to give up easily." Yu reassured her, and earned a small nod from the girl across from him. "Besides, if someone makes the mistake of touching a hair on your head, what do you think your dad will do?" Nanako's face uplifted into a full blown smile from Yu's words. He smiled back and chuckled quietly, before turning his gaze to the box on the table. Just as he started to reach for it though after taking another bite from the food on his plate, his cellphone went off. He smirked and shook his head in amusement when he saw it was Yosuke, no doubt asking for help at Junes again. He had nothing else to do, so he had no problem in going to his rescue. His only concern was Nanako. "Do you want me to walk you to your piano lessons?"

"No, you don't have to do that Big Bro. Say hi to Yosuke for me!" Nanako's cheer earned another chuckle from Yu as he finished his call. It was only after Yu put his cell back into his pants pocket did her smile disappear altogether. "I'm not so small anymore Big Bro….you don't have to protect me all the time anymore!"

"I know Nanako, but I'm still your family. It's my job to worry about you, just like your dad." Yu replied, not offended in the least by her protest. Besides, he didn't blame her for trying to be more independent, despite the danger they were all inevitably heading towards.

"Big Bro….thank you." She managed to get out, touched by his concern and love, and wiped at her eyes with the back of her sleeve before getting up from the table. Getting her things together, Yu watched her stop at the door before turning to face him. "Whatever happens...we'll always be together, right Big Bro?" Yu nodded his head without a second thought, which was more than enough reassurance for the young girl as she ran out the door, her head held high.

The rest of Yu's morning and part of his afternoon was spent stocking shelves and helping the occasional customer find whatever they were looking for. Having put in time at the Junes department store many times before, he knew the layout like the back of his hand, and had no trouble giving assistance to whoever needed it. It felt good doing something as simple as helping out a friend anyway, so even if he hadn't been paid for the effort, Yu would have still gone out of his way to help Yosuke, or any of his close friends really.

Wiping a hand across his forehead as he, Yosuke, and Teddie went up to the Junese food court after their shift ended, he cocked his head to the side when he saw the blonde haired boy standing by the edge of the roof. When he got close, Teddie sighed heavily before turning to face him. "Why would someone attack Marie-chan, Sensei? Why would someone want to create Shadows? It's all beary confusing, and I don't like it."

"I don't know why they'd go out of their way to do all this Teddie, I just know we can't give up." Yu replied softly before laying a hand on Teddie's shoulder. "Whatever happens, we'll get through it."

"Yeah. It's just so frustrating." Yu had to chuckle a little when Teddie let out a small, annoyed growl before stomping his foot. "When I get my hands on whoever attacked Marie-chan, I'll make them so sorry!"

"I know you will Teddie." They all would if he had any say in the matter. Still, they had almost gotten in over their heads by rushing the confrontation with Namatame, and while they had come out the other end alright, Yu hadn't forgotten that hard learned lesson. Cooler heads would prevail here, just as it had before. "Just don't forget what it took to get this far Teddie. We need to be careful, especially with a new member to the team only now gaining her power."

"I know. Nana-chan isn't nearly as strong as we are, but I have a feeling she'll be just fine." Teddie replied, and Yu couldn't find it in him to deny the former Shadow's exuberance as he shared the wide smile with a much smaller one of his own. "OH! Speaking of, where is Nana-chan?"

"At her piano lessons. She should be coming home soon though."

"Maybe we can surprise her before she gets home?!" Yu liked the sound of that, and it didn't take long for him, Yosuke, and Teddie to round up the rest of their friends. The only hitch came when Rise offered to bake Nanako a cake, to commemorate her becoming another Persona user as well as a full fledged member of the team, but some careful negotiation with her and Chie stopped that idea in its tracks. Like Yukiko and Chie, Rise's cooking skills were...questionable at best. So they settled for something far simpler, before making plans to meet up at Dojima's house later that afternoon.

Dojima Residence

Early evening

"Daddy, Big Bro, I'm home!" Nanako called out, and immediately gasped in delight when she saw everyone was in the living room, a considerable amount of food on the living room and kitchen tables laid out.

"Welcome home Nana-chan!" Teddie called out the loudest, all but knocking Yosuke to the ground in his excitement as he rushed the small girl, only to be tripped when the Junes assistant manager grabbed his trailing leg in retaliation. Teddie round up in a ball on the floor by the front door, but he was still grinning from ear to ear while everyone else laughed or shook their heads at the whole scene.

"Stupid bear! You trying to break my neck?!" Yosuke roared, but calmed as he flopped back into his chair and shot a giggling Nanako a grin from the living room table. "It's good to see ya again though Nanako-chan. This was your Big Bro's idea."

"Technically it was Teddie's." Yu corrected his friend, but smiled all the same as Nanako ran into his stomach, her arms latching around his back.

"Thank you Big Bro!"

"You're welcome Nanako." Yu replied, before gently prying himself loose of her rather firm grip around his midsection.

"For once Teddie had a good idea." Rise chimed in as she carried a tray of her grandmother's tofu to the small living table. "And once Yosuke and Yu called us, we thought it fitting you got a proper celebration, despite the hardships you faced getting the same power we have. The gathering at Junes didn't count apparently." This she shot towards Yu, who only chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck from the pop idol's light teasing.

"Hey, any excuse to party is good enough for me." Kanji called out, grinning as he and Naoto knelt by the small table in the center of the room. "'Sides, we still gotta figure out who the lowlife was that attacked Marie-chan and took her powers. Bastard like that ain't gonna know what hit him when we catch up to him!"

"I thought we agreed we'd postpone talking about that while we were celebrating Nanako's recent achievements?" Naoto reminded her counterpart, and smiled when she saw him look away in an effort to conceal the red tinge to his cheeks. She turned to Nanako next, her intense gaze fixed solely on the small girl. "You did what none of us were capable of doing without first engaging our Shadows in mortal combat, and that alone is worthy of praise. But you took it a step further and finished your duel with the still missing Sam Tywell, despite the exhaustion normally associated with a Persona awakening. You truly are one of a kind, Nanako-chan."

"What she said!" Chie shouted in agreement. "I know we've said it before, but you totally rocked that day Nana-chan!"

"Indeed. Just remember that you don't have to face the world alone anymore. We're all here standing beside you." Yukiko quietly said, and smiled softly when Nanako wiped at her eyes again with the back of her sleeve.

"I won't forget, promise." Nanako managed to get past her lips as she looked to everyone gathered around her before letting her gaze fall on her 'Big Bro' and her dad, who had been standing by the kitchen counter that whole time.

"Good. Now, let's eat." Ryotaro said, before tossing the box that had arrived in the mail earlier that morning towards Yu. "When we're done, go ahead and open that. I think we're all wondering what's in that box Yu." He only nodded his head and set the box beside him for now before following his friends' example and digging in.

It wasn't long before everyone had settled down after the good food that had been brought to the party. Contented grins were present on everyone's faces, if not outright smiles as were the case with Nanako and Teddie. "Man, I'm stuffed!" Yosuke groaned and patted his belly for emphasis. "Is it just me, or is your grandmother's tofu getting better?"

Rise grinned and nodded her head rapidly, making her pigtails bounce with the motion. "She's been trying a few new recipes, and when I told her we were partying at Senpai's house, she suggested I take some of her new stuff with me. I'll be sure to pass along the praise."

"It was good Rise, thank you." Yu replied, and blushed when Rise leaned over and kissed his cheek. He had to reorganize his thoughts after that, having forgotten what he was going to say from the unexpected but not unwelcome show of affection.

"Now, what's with the box Yu?" Rise asked, bringing him back to the present as she nodded her head to the box at his side, which had been pushed to the edge of the couch at some point. "I'm not the only one wanting to know what the deal is with that thing."

"Yeah, why did Industrial Illusions send you anything? Did they perhaps hear about your tournament win the other day?" Yosuke asked, before saying, "I mean yeah you won by default because Nanako-chan wasn't able to duel anymore that day, and we did kinda trash the stadium, but would they still be interested in you because of that?"

"Guess there's only one way to find out." Yu said before setting the box down on the table once a space was cleared. Pulling the box lid open after cutting through the tape that held it closed, he was the first to see the two, purple cloth gloves, as well as a DVD sealed in a clear plastic case. Upon closer inspection, he and the others saw that the two gloves were open at the fingers, and that there was a white band around the wrist that had several empty spaces in the shape of stars. A note was at the bottom, as well as four star chips, that fit the openings on the gloves perfectly when Yu stuck one into the empty space. "All the note says is to play the DVD."

"I got it Big Bro!" Nanako said before taking the case and popping the blank silver disk into the player that was situated below the small TV on the other end of the room. At first, there was nothing but a blank screen, but before long, everyone gasped when they saw who appeared.

"Isn't that Maximillion Pegasus?!" Yosuke was the first to ask, his eyes wide as saucers as the man himself chuckled low in his throat.

"Greetings Yu Narukami, or in your language, konnichiwa I believe is the appropriate word. I am Maximillion Pegasus." Just as Naoto had described him, Pegasus indeed looked rather odd in his red overcoat which was tied together at his throat by a black string done up in a pretty bow while the coat itself had two gold buttons on both sides of his chest. A white, almost frilly collar could be seen underneath the bow string at his neck, but that wasn't what had Yu's gaze riveted to the screen. The man's amber eyes, the one they could see underneath his almost lustrous silver hair that framed his face, were starting directly at them, as if he were in the room with them rather than sending a recorded message.

Something about that gaze had Yu's senses on alert, and a quick look around the room confirmed that the rest of his friends felt it as well. Even Ryotaro looked unnerved as he grimaced slightly as he put let his arm fall over Nanako's shoulders, as if he were about to throw her behind him at a moment's notice. The thought had certainly crossed Yu's mind as he shifted his gaze back to Pegasus's image on the screen. What amazed him more was that Pegasus had seemingly waited for the shock to wear off before he continued his message. Almost as if he knew, somehow, but that couldn't have been possible. Unless there's more going on….

Yu scowled slightly when Pegasus released an amused chuckle the moment the thought completed itself. "I heard of your rather stunning victory in the recently constructed Inaba Stadium a few days ago, and I thought I'd invite you and your cousin, Nanako Dojima, to my newest tournament. The Duelist Kingdom tournament to be precise. But before that, I thought I'd have you duel me."

"Wait what? Duel against a video?! This guy's insane!" Kanji yelled, but immediately paled when the man's gaze fell on him.

Pegasus continued on, undeterred. "We'll play with a strict time limit. The one with the most life points by the end wins the duel."

"Okay, I've heard a lot of strange things, but this one just tops the cake. Is this guy totally whacked or what bro?" Yosuke asked, and he wasn't the only one finding it hard to swallow that Pegasus wanted Yu to duel against a video of all things.

"Ironic coming from you, wouldn't you say Yosuke Hanamura?!" He didn't allow them a chance to process the fact he had just addressed one of them by name before a blinding, golden flash of light filled the room.

(Play Pegasus Theme, Face Up, Face Down from the original Yugioh series. (Optional but I think it's rather fitting.))

Yu was on his feet in an instant as were the rest of his friends when the room's temperature dropped several degrees, and the lights dimmed while the house itself became lifeless and gray. "What have you done?!" Yu asked through clenched teeth, Izanagi-No-Okami appearing over his shoulder when his master summoned him instinctually the moment he was aware of the shift of their surroundings. A quick glance around the room revealed that everyone had done the same, but Yu froze momentarily when his gaze fell on his uncle. He wasn't moving at all, as if he had been turned to stone, and he appeared just as lifeless and cold as the darkness that surrounded them. Nanako was too busy frantically trying to shake her dad awake to notice much else.

He didn't get a chance to dwell on it long when Pegasus opened his mouth again. "I've simply taken our match into a different place and time with a power not much different from your own." Pegasus said with a shrug of his shoulders, as if this kind of thing happened all the time. "While I'll admit I am slightly surprised only one of you are frozen, the rules of our little game are quite simple. If you want to free yourself and your friends, you have no choice but to duel me, Yu Narukami."

"Fine." Yu growled out as he brought out his duel deck, his eyes narrowing when half of a game board appeared on his side of the screen. Kneeling next to it, Yu looked over his shoulder and breathed a little easier when he saw everyone, except Ryotaro, looked to be alright. Ryo, like the area around him, had turned gray and just as cold as wherever Pegasus had taken them. He needed to end this and fast. "Let's get this over with."

"Don't be so boring Naru-boy." Pegasus replied, chuckling as a life point meter appeared on his side of the screen. "You really need to lighten up. And since I'm being so generous, I'll let you make the first move."

Narukami; 2000

Pegasus; 2000

"Alright." Yu drew a card and scanned the five already in his hand. This guy created this game, which means he likely holds every advantage. That means I can't hold back, no matter what he throws at me. With a silent nod to his friends and Nanako, Yu turned back to his opponent before starting his move. "First I'll set a magic card, then I'll summon a monster in face down defense position and end my turn." Yu hoped Senri would be enough to deter Pegasus from throwing a monster at him, and then there was his face down trap card, Shield of Justice. Even if he did attack, Yu could block the assault and end the battle phase altogether. Senri, The Empress. 900 ATK / 900 DEF

"That's all you could do eh Naru-boy? I guess I shouldn't have expected much else from a fresh face in the dueling circuit. Oh well, my turn." Pegasus chuckled darkly as he drew another card before his smile widened slightly. "Tell me Naru, do you believe there's magic in these cards?" He asked as he set a magic card down.

"It wouldn't surprise me if that were the case. But why ask me, didn't you invent this game?" Yu asked in turn as Pegasus paused to regard him with curiosity for a moment before setting his own monster face down in attack mode. Strange choice, but one Yu planned to take advantage of if at all possible.

"What would you say if I told you I didn't?" Pegasus countered, and grinned at the few gasps of surprise his admission got from his captivated audience. "Five thousand years ago, Egyptian Pharaohs used ancient, powerful magic to summon up monsters, just as we're doing now, except they played for far higher stakes. But they lost control and the mystical forces nearly destroyed the world, so a wise and powerful Pharaoh locked the magic away."

Yu; 1 monster face down defense, 1 magic card

Pegasus; 1 monster face down attack, 1 magic card

Yu said nothing as he drew another card and looked at Pegasus's side of the field. He was certain that face down was a trap, but he couldn't not attack, or he'd ensure his opponent's eventual victory. "What does that have to do with me and my friends?" Yu finally asked as he summoned a second monster. "Persona! The Fool, Izanagi! Come forth from the sea of my soul! And as a bonus, Izanagi can empower one monster card on the field and raise its attack by 600 points! And I choose Izanagi himself!" He declared before he noticed something amiss. Directly behind and above him, a disturbance in the darkness caught his attention, and it was his turn to gasp when the very same black armored samurai materialized fully, no longer transparent or spectral in nature. Izanagi, the Fool. 1300 - 1900 ATK / 700 DEF

"No way! Did you just bring Izanagi to life?!" Yosuke managed to get out as he all but fell over the couch in shock.

"This can't be!" Rise stared in disbelief as she took a hesitant step back. "I can sense him as if we were in the Midnight Channel! He really is standing right there guys!"

Despite her own shock, Naoto managed to level her gaze on the cackling Pegasus. "Am I to believe that the rumors surrounding you are true then Maximillion Pegasus, that you truly can wield strange and powerful magic? And by your own admission, are the same magical forces you mentioned earlier the same as the ones you're using right now?"

"Very astute of you, but I would expect nothing less from the 'Detective Prince'." Pegasus replied, a grin firmly in place as he nodded his head at her observation. "As I said before, the Pharaohs of old called forth monsters, and used them to battle each other in the Shadow Realm, just as we're doing now. But don't take my word for it. Observe. The trap card, Tears of the Mermaid!" The face down monster on Pegasus's side of the field revealed itself to be the Red Archery Girl. Laid out on her stomach, propped up on her arms was a young girl in a clam shell, a bow laid out before her until her master ordered her to attack. Sitting up fully, the green haired girl pulled an arrow from her nearby quiver before putting it to her bow. That wasn't the troubling bit of news however as the archery girl's eyes started to glow a pale white before dozens of small bubbles poured forth from her gaze. Red Archery Girl. 1400 ATK / 1500 DEF

"What's happening! No...Izanagi!" Yu cried out, but his attack had been stopped dead in its tracks before it could begin. A shimmering blue field had appeared around his samurai, sealing him in place. Not only that, but the lightning that he had been prepared to unleash on Pegasus' monster was reflected back at him, forcing Izanagi to his knees as his own attack backfired.

"The power of Tears of the Mermaid stops your attack, forcing your powerful monster back to its original attack score! But the fun's only beginning Naru-boy. Now my Red Archery Girl, destroy that Fool! No pun intended." Yu could only watch in horror as his monster was skewered by the arrow that passed right through his Persona before he shattered into pixelated particles, but it wasn't until he felt something run down his face that he realized there was a small cut on his left cheek where there hadn't been one before. "Did I forget to mention that the damage done here can become very real? It must have slipped my mind."

Izanagi 1900 - 1300 vs Red Archery Girl 1400

"Big Bro! You're hurt!" Nanako cried out in alarm before Yukiko immediately cast a low level healing spell on the cut before Yu could begin to protest.

"I'm fine. Don't worry Nanako, I'm not outta this yet." Yu replied, even as his life points dropped by a 100 points from the loss. At least I know what that card is now.

"How'd he counter you like that?! It was like he knew exactly what you were going to do!" Yosuke shouted, his eyes still as wide as saucers at this unexpected turn of events. "This is unreal. First he brings the cards to life, then trounces your monster?! What else can he do, read minds?!"

"Wait, didn't Naoto say that he seemed to read Bandit Keith's mind?!" Chie asked, her tone worried at the possibility that was exactly what had happened to have allowed Pegasus to somehow perfectly counter Yu's attack.

"Doesn't matter! Senpai! Kick this guy's ass so we can get back home!" Kanji roared before pointing a finger at the TV screen. "I don't give a shit about this ancient magic crap. When we're through with you, you'll be lucky to still be breathing you bastard!"

Pegasus merely smiled at the threat to his person and wiggled his finger at the bleach blonde man. "Strong words from a brute like yourself Kanji. But I do find it intriguing all of you seem capable in summoning these Personas I've heard about since watching your duels, Naru-Boy. That pesky fog did nothing to hinder my magic."

"So that means-" Yu began, startled, forgetting the timer that was still counting down.

"That I saw that rather spectacular performance you put on in the stadium while your little cousin took on Sam Tywell, a former 'Rose Duelist' as he called himself? That I did Naru-Boy." It was then that Pegasus flipped his hair over his shoulder, and Yu caught a glimpse of something golden where his left eye would have been. Before he could ask about it though, Pegasus had since turned his gaze on Nanako. "And I must say my little Nanako, you gave quite the stunning performance yourself. The passion alone as you stared down your repressed emotions, and to top it off, you gained your own Persona. To see it all made my heart soar with joy!" Pegasus raised his arms above his head to show just how 'high' his 'heart' had soared no doubt, but his theatrics did nothing to endear him to the Persona users. If anything, his antics only served to anger them.

"That's enough!" Yu shouted, his gray eyes full of rage which was directed solely at Pegasus. "You can mock us, pull us into this messed up realm, but don't you dare talk to my cousin like that! This is between me and you Pegasus!"

Yu; 1900 LP 1 monster face down, 1 magic card

Pegasus; 2000 LP 1 monster face up, no magic cards

The dark gleam that appeared in Pegasus's amber eyes went unnoticed by Yu as he wagged his finger in disdain at his newfound attitude. Finally. Pegasus thought with glee, barely keeping his emotions off of his face as he reached for his deck. "Very well, but you forget it's my turn. I draw, and I set two cards face down, and I also summon a favorite of mine, Dark Rabbit in attack mode!" As the name implied, a floppy eared, dark furred rabbit hopped out of his own summoning portal and raised his paws up in a boxing stance. The goofy grin on its face hid a maliciousness that Yu was certain was the same as its owner's. Dark Rabbit. 1100 ATK / 1400 DEF

"Now my furry friend, attack that face down. Give it a good thumping!" Pegasus declared cheerfully, watching in glee as his Dark Rabbit charged down field.

"I don't think so! I activate the Shield of Justice trap card!" Naoto's Persona, Sukunu-Hikono appeared, and a blue field of energy sprung up between Yu and the arrow Pegasus's monster let fly, blocking it completely. "With this card, I can also stop the battle phase, ending your turn!"

"Not bad, but it won't be enough." Pegasus replied and clapped his hands sarcastically before he ended his turn.

"We'll see." Yu growled in response before drawing another card. "I set another magic card and then I summon a new monster! Come forth, Persona! The Star, Kintoki Douji! And I activate his effect. By flipping a coin, if it comes up heads, I can special summon another monster. If it comes up tails, I have to pay 100 life points for every star of a monster card that I banish from my hand or the field." The Star, Kintoki Douji 1000 ATK / 1000 DEF

"A risky move, but one I've seen before. Let's see if fate is on your side Naru-Boy." Pegasus replied, his small smirk back in place as he waited for the coin that had materialized above the field to land between them. He grimaced slightly when he saw the result. "So you can summon another monster, but it won't help you."

"You might be surprised." Before Yu could play his card though, Pegasus held up a hand, freezing him in place.

The cheerful gleam in his amber eyes did nothing to relieve the stress Yu was barely keeping in check. "Hold on! I'd like to play a guessing game with that card you're about to play!"

"What?!" Yu shouted back, dumbfounded until he saw the card he had forgotten about on Pegasus's side of the field. "No…."

"Oh yes, I activate the trap card, Prophecy!" Flipping over the card, Yu grimaced when he saw that the card had a 2000 written in red at the top of the card, and another 2000 written in blue on the bottom. The arrows suggested the card's power, as did the name itself. "If I'm right, and the card you're holding is indeed higher or lower, I get to take possession of your monster. And I prophesize that it's lower than 2000!"

Yu stood stock still for several seconds, but then a grin started to form on his lips, much to Pegasus's shock. "I had been lead to believe that your Eye was all seeing, that it somehow allowed you to read your opponent's mind, but it seems I was wrong. You're just skilled." Pegasus visibly paled when Yu turned the card over between his fingers, revealing that the card in his hand had an attack score of 2100. "You might be able to read a regular opponent's mind with that strange eye of yours Pegasus, but as you yourself said, we have power as well. And it would seem that our power doesn't play well with yours! I special summon Take-Mikazuchi of the Emperor Arcana in attack mode!" Take-Mikazuchi 2100 ATK / 300

"No! How can you defeat the power of my Millennium Eye?!" Pegasus roared, but managed to calm himself somewhat even as Yu pointed a finger at the Red Archery Girl on his side of the field.

Take-Mikazuchi 2100 vs 1400 Red Archery Girl

"I don't know, but that's not important right now Pegasus! All I care about is ending this! Take-Mikazuchi! Destroy his clam girl! Ziodyne!" The black, robotic behemoth with its lightning bolt club weapon slammed its hands together before a bolt of golden lightning slammed into the Red Archery's Girl shell, electrocuting both her shell and the Girl herself before both shattered.

Yu; 1900 LP 2 monsters face up, 1 monster face down, 1 magic card face down

Pegasus; 1300 LP 1 monster face up, 1 magic card face down

"Grrr….this isn't over yet Narukami." Pegasus's scowl softened a moment later when he drew his next card, and grinned wider yet when he saw his opponent had to switch his new heavy hitter into defense mode at the end of his turn. Which means I can still win this…and I have just the card to do it. "You have played better than I had anticipated Naru-boy, but time is running out, and I am about to end this in my favor. First, I set a magic card face down, and then I summon another monster. Bickuribox!" Yu wasn't the only one to jump back when a toy box appeared before the lid popped open, revealing a dark dressed creature that had a similar cartoon like appearance, much like Pegasus' Dark Rabbit. This one looked more like a cross between a clown and a medieval executioner, with its dark hood on its head, an image that only became more prominent when it pulled a wicked looking scythe out of its mouth after rooting around inside its head with both glove covered hands. Bickuribox 2300 ATK / 2000 DEF

"That is just messed up!" Chie hissed, earning a small nod from Yukiko while Nanako visibly paled at the scary toy box creature as it danced upon its long spring.

"It'll be alright Nanako, Big Bro is going to win this." Yukiko reassured the girl, keeping her thoughts, her doubts, to herself. While she truly believed he still had a chance, something told her Pegasus wouldn't go down without a fight. Then there were his face downs to worry about, a thought shared by Rise when their eyes met.

Pegasus ignored all this as he flipped his hair over his shoulder again, a wicked grin on his own face as he flipped over one of those same face down cards. "And to top it off, I think I'll activate the second trap card, Gorgon's Eye!" A mass of writhing, wriggling snakes erupted from the ground on his side of the screen before the snakes started to pull away, revealing a large center eye in the middle of the dark blue mass. The moment the eye opened, Yu's face down, Senri, was forced to appear, and much to their collective horror, the tiger humanoid quickly turned to stone.

"Senri! You bastard!" Yu cursed, unable to do anything to save his monster, and soon enough, Take-Mikazuchi joined him. "Explain this!"

"I was getting to that Naru-boy. Gorgon's Eye gaze can be quite arresting, as you can see. Any defense monster, regardless if they are face up or down, are turned to stone. Trapped, never to be played again, but the fun doesn't stop there. For each monster I destroy once they've been petrified, you lose half of their defense point value." It was Pegasus's turn to point his hand at Yu before announcing his attack. "Dark Rabbit, do your stuff! Take down that over sized pussycat." Yu was helpless as the floppy eared creature charged down the field before leading with his right fist. The dark paw was followed by a blur of other attacks as the Dark Rabbit slammed his fists into Senri at every conceivable angle before finishing the tiger warrior with a vicious uppercut. And with Bickuribox on the field still, Yu could only watch helplessly as the cackling cartoon headsmen used its spring to stretch itself across the field, doing the same thing to Take-Mikazuchi, shredding the skeleton emblazoned robot into four pieces before he too shattered.

900 - 450 for Senri and 300 - 150 for Take-Mikazuchi. 450 + 150 = 600

Yu; 1300 LP 1 monster face up, 1 magic card face down

Pegasus; 1300 LP 2 monster face up, 1 magic card face down, Gorgon's Eye face up. (Continuous Trap.)

"It would seem we're tied Naru-Boy, but that won't be the case for long. But please, don't take my word for it. Go ahead and make your stunning comeback." Pegasus cheerfully replied, and ended his turn.

"You can still win this! We're right here with ya bro!" Yosuke called out, and while their continued belief in him was reassuring, Yu wasn't so sure anymore. Every time he thought he was pulling ahead, Pegasus pulled a fast one. Even without his Eye allowing him to see Yu's every card, the master of Duel Monsters still possessed a card for every occasion. And with that Gorgon Eye out, he knew he couldn't play his monsters in defense mode, not if he didn't want a collection of fossilized Personas to look at.

"Big Bro!" Nanako's voice pulled Yu from his thoughts, and he was surprised to see that same determination he had seen on her face in the stadium had made a comeback. "I know you can do it, I just know it!"

"Touching speech, but I wouldn't hold your breath little Nanako." Pegasus mocked and threw his hands up in the air in feigned exasperation.

(Play A New World's Fool from Persona 4.)

"Shut up!" Yu retorted as he drew a card. "This is over! I summon Magatsu Izanagi!" A bolt of crimson red lightning split the air behind Yu before the swirling summoning portal was ripped open by a a clawed, vein covered armored hand. "I never thought I'd willingly summon the darkness of my being, but this has gone on for far too long." The rip in reality widened when a similarly shaped blade, much like Izanagi's own, erupted from the tear before a dark red parody of the noble Izanagi flew out of the portal to land next to Kintoki Douji who was still on the field. Another flash of blood red lightning lit up the sky behind Yu's newly summoned creature, casting a dark shadow over the silver haired man's face. "You're finished you scum!" Magatsu Izanagi 1600 ATK / 800 DEF

"You really need to relax. You act like it's the end of the world if I were to beat you." Pegasus chuckled in reply, eagerly awaiting what Yu did next that he had him so worked up. It had certainly taken long enough, but Pegasus was all too happy to see him ready to unleash everything he had, while all but handing the match to him.

"You think this is a game, messing with people's lives?! You're sick!" Rise yelled, earning a collection of cheers and shouts of agreement. "This has never been a game for us! What we had to face to get the power we have, I wouldn't wish it on anyone, and you sit there and make fun of us?! Who do you think you are?"!

"The creator of Duel Monsters, the CEO of Industrial Illusions, and the man who will claim all of your souls if Naru-boy doesn't make his move." Pegasus casually listed off of his hand, adopting a tone that had them shivering since it sounded like he was discussing the weather.

"I was just waiting for you to stop running your mouth Pegasus. I activate Magatsu Izanagi's effect!" Magatsu's yellow eyes flashed malevolently as Yu tossed a card into the Graveyard. "Now I can target one monster on your side of the field and destroy it! Target the Bickuribox! Vorpal Blade!" Pegasus growled low in his throat when Magatsu Izanagi's one side naginata was slammed into his toy box, forcing the monster inside to come out, where the bladed end of the samurai's weapon was waiting. It speared itself on the Persona's weapon before shattering like so many before it. "Next, I activate the trap card, Debilitate!"

"Oh no! My poor little rabbit!" Pegasus moaned as his floppy eared friend slumped visibly when a field of blue light surrounded him, weakening him and divesting him of every point in his attack and defense scores. "How could you be so cruel?!"

"Finish this duel! Ziodyne!" Yu said, ignoring the Duel Monsters creator as Magatsu crackled with crimson lightning before outstretching his right, clawed hand.

"Oh wait, I forgot, I do have a card I can use!" Yu gasped when Pegasus held up the face down card, smirking from ear to ear before he set it down face up. "It's called Trap Displacement! As the name suggests, I can take one of your traps and send it right back at your attacking monster. Sorry, but I believe I'm the victor." Everyone could only gape as Magatsu's power was stripped from him, his lightning loosing its potency as the Dark Rabbit's power was restored right before the crimson bolt split the sky above the furry monster. It was reflected back at the source, shattering the dark version of Yu's original Persona, dropping his life points to zero just as the timer clocked out about the same time.

Pegasus was the only one smiling at the stunning defeat Yu had just suffered. "And what an amazing duel you have given me, but your skills are unrefined, and you still have much to learn Naru-boy. To that end, I believe it would be in your best interests to accept my invitation. After all, it'll be the only way you'll get your Uncle's soul back!" His Millennium Eye flared to life, blinding them all once more before a single beam shot out of the center of the golden relic. It found Ryotaro, and everyone felt rather than saw the magic as it forcibly removed Detective Dojima's soul from his body. The light retracted and flowed back into Pegasus' eye, leaving a ghostly image of the detective crying out Nanako's name.

"Uncle Dojima!" Yu called out first, turning on his feet only to see Ryotaro slump over on the couch.

"Dojima-san!" Yosuke and several of the others yelled at the same time.

"Daddy!" Nanako cried the loudest as the world restored itself once Pegasus disappeared from the TV screen.

Naoto was already on the phone, calling an ambulance while everyone else ran to the couch with Nanako in the center of it. She beat on her father's chest, tears running down her cheeks in great number. He was still breathing, but one look in Ryo's eyes told Yu all he needed to know. For all intents and purposes, Ryotaro was gone.

End flashback

"It's not your fault Yu." Looking up only to see Rise had positioned herself so they were practically eyeballing each other, Yu started to shake his head but was stopped when she put a hand on his chin. "This is not your fault. Pegasus was the one that did this, not you."

"But because of me...because I wasn't able to protect him…." He could still remember every second of the duel, and Yu knew he had let his rage and his need to protect Nanako get the better of him. It hadn't helped Pegasus had toyed with him throughout the entire match, having let Yu dig his own grave by not attacking his Kintoki Douji with his Bickuribox, but he should have known that was his plan from the start. Feeling his hands clench at his sides, Yu tried to look anywhere but in Rise's face, but he didn't have it in him to pull away either.

"Big Bro…." Hearing Nanako's voice, Yu and Rise both turned to see the young girl, her eyes still red and puffy from her crying earlier, slowly reached out and put a hand over his clenched fist at his side. "Are you….going to face Pegasus again?" Her question, so simple, still had Yu feeling like a moron since the answer to their current dilemma was so obvious even if the odds were stacked against them. When he finally managed a small nod, Nanako pulled her hand away and nodded her own head. "Then I'm going with you! Don't even think about leaving me behind! He hurt daddy, and I want him back. If we both go...then maybe one of us….one of us can win and get his soul back!"

"Your chances would be improved if you both went Senpai, but the fact remains that if you lose…." Naoto left the rest of her thought unspoken, but she didn't have to finish it. While their Personas had offered them some protection against his Eye, no one was certain what might happen if Pegasus managed to steal a Persona infused soul from him or Nanako if they did somehow make it to the finals of his Duelist Kingdom tournament. The consequences of such a loss could make Pegasus unstoppable.

But not doing anything….that would be far worse in Yu's opinion as he slowly knelt down so he and Nanako were at eye level. "I'm not going to try and talk you out of this Nanako, because I want Ryotaro back as much as you do. I just want you to be sure realize that you'll be putting yourself in danger if you go with me. We don't know what Pegasus can do with that Eye of his, what his goals are, why he's interested in us at all. If you want to stay here with Yukiko, I wouldn't blame you Nanako, but once we start on this journey, we can't turn back."

"He's right Nanako-chan." Yosuke reluctantly agreed as he folded his arms over his chest. "But he's also wrong. Look man, I know you're just worried for her safety, but if he really wanted to target her as well, I don't think we'd be able to fight off his hired thugs forever. It might be a better idea to take her with you instead of leaving her behind."

"Besides Narukami-san. Ryotaro might be your uncle, but he's Nanako's father." Yukiko replied quietly. "And didn't you say not too long ago that Nanako needed to learn to stand on her own, just like the rest of us? She won't remain a little girl forever."

"That was before-"

"Before what moron?!" Kanji growled, and grabbed the front of Yu's shirt before waving his free hand towards the 'comatose' detective. "Before you turned into a chickenshit?! We all had to go through Hell and back to get this far! You sure as hell aren't going this alone Senpai. You lost one lousy duel against the guy who practically invented the game! So of course he'd beat your sorry ass! But that doesn't give you the right to try and lone wolf this shit just because you're afraid of losing someone else, which is exactly what this is!"

"Kanji-"

"He's right Narukami." Chie chimed in next. "You helped us all face ourselves, and didn't ask for anything in return. Now it's our turn to give you some advice. Let us help you for once. Take Nanako with you, we'll keep an eye on him until you're back from kicking that guy's butt into next year!"

"What she said Sensei!" Teddie agreed exuberantly, pumping his arms in the air before sobering. "Besides, even if we're apart, we'll always be together. We couldn't blame you for anything Sensei. You did the best you could, that's all anyone has a right to ask!"

Kanji let Yu go, but he hardly noticed as his friends' words washed over him. He might have failed, but none of them, not even Nanako, held him responsible for what had happened. He swept his gray eyes over all of them, lingering on Rise and his young cousin the longest, before finally wiping a single tear from his eyes. "Thank you…." He grunted when Nanako ran into his chest, and hugged her just as tightly when she wrapped her arms around his waist. After a small eternity, they finally pulled apart, but not before Yu looked at his uncle's face. To look at him now, he'd have sworn that the elder Dojima was merely sleeping, but Yu knew better. Whatever it takes, we'll get your soul back Uncle. I promise.

End Notes; This was one hell of a duel to write. It was probably one of the hardest ones as well since I pretty much had to have Pegasus all but rape Yu's Persona deck from start to finish, even without the use of his Millennium Eye. I figure, the power of their Personas, created by their bonds of love and friendship, acts the same as Joey, Tristan, and Tae's friendship with Yugi and his counterpart, Yami, except the Investigation Team's power takes a more physical form of sorts. And, keep in mind that only three teenagers managed to block Pegasus's Eye, so the Persona users can do the same far easier by just their mere presence. In a real Shadow Game, they might have to work a little harder at it, but again, they fought a god and won, and they dealt with a similar world where it physically and mentally exhausted them just being in the Other World, much like the Shadow Realm does to Yugi and whoever's unfortunate to be in such a predicament. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed folks! Have a happy New Year!