Episode 38: The New Order Part 1

Ma'at is running through the same white hallway as the last time we saw him. He looks distressed and panicked. He turns into a room and approaches Themis, who is having a violent coughing fit on his bed and looking more frail than ever. Ma'at says, I'm here Themis! I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. What is wrong?"

Themis says weakly, "Do not worry Ma'at. I am sure you know as well as I why you are here."

A tear comes to Ma'at's eye. He says, "Please no Master. You can't depart yet, the world needs you."

Themis coughs. "We both know that it is inevitable. I can not survive in a world of such-" he coughs, "-darkness."

Ma'at pleads, "There must be a way I can save you! I've taken the souls and energy of 11 dark duelists! I have energy to spare, what if I transferred some of my energy-"

Themis shakes his head disapprovingly, "No Ma'at. You need that energy. My time on this earthly plain is through. You are now the Lord of Order. It is now your job to rid the world of the Darkness and Chaos that plagues it. You are the worlds only hope."

Ma'at is now all out crying. "No! You can't leave! I'm not ready! You must stay!"

Themis slowly nods and a tear goes down his eye. "I am sorry Ma'at. I would not leave if I knew you were not ready, but you are. You are the greatest Guardian of Order that I have ever taught. You turned away from the wrongful path of Chaos. You have-" he coughs violently, "-you have fully redeemed yourself for the mistake of serving Chaos and more. I will rest easy knowing that you are the Lord of Order."

Ma'at looks like he doesn't know what to say. He just cries.

Themis looks up towards the roof and a look of relief washes over his face. He says, "This is it. Good-bye Ma'at. May Order always protect you." Upon saying that, Themis begins to fade away. Within moments he has completely disappeared.

Ma'at says to himself, "That's it, he's gone. He's become one with the Grand Order, the only person whose ever meant anything to me. He's gone." Ma'at starts to go in to deep thought. He thinks, I was raised being taught the corrupted path of Chaos. That horrible Apophis kept me blind to the true way. He always said that Chaos is the only way to Order, and I believed him! Then the Darkness took full control over him. I abandoned the Society, I could not serve Darkness. After that I was a nomad, going were I was taken, never with a home, never with a family, never happy. Then Themis found me and took me in. He taught me the true path, the path of Order. Since than he has been like my father, like the father I never had due to the wretched Society of Chaos who took me away from him when I was an infant! The Society ruined my life! And now it is their dark ways that have destroyed Themis! They will pay, they will all pay! He says aloud, "I Swear it as the new Lord of Order!"

Yugi and Tori are walking through a dark passage, with only a flashlight for light. Tori says, "I hate to admit it, but we've been searching through these tunnels for a long time, and there's enough passages to last a year of searching. We need to call it a day. Maybe come back later."

Yugi nods slowly. "As much as I don't like it, you're right. We'll need to think of a better search strategy and come back later. Blindly stumbling through the dark is not helping us or Yuni."

Yugi and Tori walk towards the nearest ladder and climb up. Both shield their eyes from the bright sunlight at first. Tori points and says, "Hey, what do you know, there's Brutus and Zenith!"

Across the street, Brutus is waving to them. Yugi and Tori run over. Brutus says, "Hey guys, how'd your search-" Brutus covers his nose and says, "Eww. What stinks?"

Tori says, "We were just searching in a sewer for several hours."

Zenith looks disappointed. He says, "No fair. Why do you guys get to smell like sewers?"

Everyone just stares in confusion at Zenith. Yugi breaks the silence by saying, "Anyways, how'd everything go for you Brutus?"

Brutus fake yawns and says, "Oh, no big deal. I only beat a member of the Disciples of Darkness."

Yugi and Tori look shocked. Yugi says, "You beat a Disciple!?"

Brutus says with pride, "I sure did. He thought he could scare me with a couple scary stories, but I wasn't frightened. I showed him whose boss."

Tori asks, "Did you find anything out?"

Brutus says, "Sadly, no. I must have been the one to scare him, he ran off to his mama after I was done with him."

Zenith starts to say, "I wouldn't say-" Brutus elbows him. "Ouch! That hurt!"

Tori says, "Well what do we do now? We're out of leads. I highly doubt we're finding anything in the sewers anytime soon."

Yugi holds up Yuni's holo-locket and says, "Well, I still have one idea. Maybe Apep might know something. I think I'll go in and ask him."

Tori says, "Good idea, he was investigating the Disciples of Darkness before he went away. Maybe he'll have an idea of how to get into their hideout."

Yugi takes a deep breath and thinks, I've been avoiding this too long. The Apep in the chip may not be the real one, but he has all of his memories and feelings. He doesn't even know that Yuni is gone. He looks up and says aloud, "Okay, just give me a second."

Before Yugi can activate his powers, a familiar voice says, "Greetings Yuni, Tori, and Brutus. How are you doing?"

The three turn around to see Otto walking up to them. Yugi says, "Otto, how are you. It's been a while."

Otto says, "Indeed it has been. I was hoping I would find you. Did you know that you are currently placed among the top five favorites to win the tournament?"

Yugi shakes his head. "To be honest, I've had a lot more than just the tournament on my mind lately."

Otto says, "Is that so? Would you three mind if I stuck around for a little while? I would just adore the chance to see a possible World of Duel Champion dueling."

Yugi, Tori and Brutus all look at each other awkwardly. Tori shakes her head no and Brutus shrugs. Tori says, "I don't know Yug- Yuni. We've been pretty busy lately." Otto looks intrigued at Tori's slip up.

Yugi says, "We have been pretty busy lately. If you don't mind, we have some business to get to. Sorry."

Otto says, "Oh no, allow me to apologize. I was the one who assumed. Maybe sometime in the future, when you're not so busy."

Yugi says, "Sure, if we meet again, I'll be sure to show you an awesome duel."

Otto says, "I look forward to it. Until next time my friends." Otto walks off. As he walks away, he thinks, How interesting. So Yugi is in control of Yuni's body. It would appear that the Disciples have only half achieved their goal. I'll have to keep an eye on them for awhile. I hope they don't mind me doing a little eavesdropping.

Back with Yugi, Tori says, "That was close, I'm glad he didn't insist on tagging along."

Yugi spends a couple of moments thinking and then says, "I don't know what it is, but something about that guy just rubs me the wrong way. I shouldn't worry about that now though. I need to talk to Apep."

Yugi places the data chip that contains Apep's program in the palm of his hand and concentrates. He opens his eyes to find himself inside the data stream with Apep floating in front of him.

Apep says, "I am glad you came to me Yuni."

Yugi flinches. "I'm sorry Apep, I'm not Yuni."

Apep slowly nods in understanding. "What happened Yugi? Please, tell me everything."

In the real world, just as Yugi's activating his technokinesis, Ma'at approaches the group. He thinks, That's the Chaos scum from before. And what's this? It appears he's interfacing with that data chip. I will have to intercept him in there. Ma'at approaches the group.

Brutus says, "Who the heck are you?"

Ma'at says, "I have come to get my vengeance on those who contributed to the loss of my master. Get out of my way."

Brutus and Zenith move in front of Yugi. Brutus says, "I don't know what your problem is, but I won't let you lay a finger on him!

Zenith says, "The same here!"

Ma'at says, "I have no strife with you. Move yourselves now, and no harm will come to you."

Brutus says, "Never!"

Ma'at shakes his head. "I warned you." He waves his hand and suddenly Brutus and Zenith are forced to the side.

Tori shouts, "What are you doing!?"

Ma'at says, "It is none of your concern. This is between Chaos and me." He approaches Yugi and places a finger on top of the data chip. He then connects to it.

On the other side of the street, Otto is hiding and looking over at Ma'at confronting Yugi and friends. He thinks, How interesting, a Guardian of Order. I did not expect that. I'll have to hack my way into that chip as well. I can not miss this confrontation. A dark aura comes out of Otto and flies across the street and goes straight into the data chip.

Back inside the data chip, where time passes slower, Yugi is finishing explaining what happened to Apep. Yugi says with a tear in his eye, "And so we've been searching for another entrance to the secret base since then. We haven't had any luck. We were hoping that you might know something."

Apep shakes his head slowly. "I'm sorry Yugi, I didn't even know that they had an underground base. I wish I could be of more help. I could have been if I didn't go and lose to Oblivion. This is all my fault. I left this task to Yuni, and he's gone. All because of me." Apep hangs his head in shame.

Suddenly, Ma'at appears. He says, "What is wrong Lord Apophis?" Ma'at manages to say lord as if it was an insult.

Yugi exclaims, "Ma'at!"

At the same time, Apep exclaims, "Matt!"

Ma'at says, "Matt is gone. I am Ma'at. Matt was weak. Matt followed the path of Chaos. I follow the path of Order."

Yugi demands, "What are you doing here, and how did you get here!?"

Ma'at says, "I am here because you are here. We have unfinished business."

Apep says, "Leave us Matt. This is not the way. I sense much darkness in your heart. You can not duel in such a condition."

Ma'at says angrily, "You don't have the right to tell me that! Not after you allowed yourself to be taken over by darkness! I am the only one here who represents the light!"

Apep says, "How could you think that Matt? You grew up learning the way of Chaos. You should know better than any. You can not have light without darkness."

"Stop calling me Matt! I am Ma'at! I was raised by Chaos against my will! You took me away from my family when I was an infant! You never gave me the chance to pick my own path! You stopped me from ever having a family!"

Apep looks sad. He says, "Matt…Ma'at, I never told you this when you were in the Society. You weren't supposed to learn this until you turned 18, but your parents were members of the Society of Chaos."

Ma'at looks horrified. "No! No! You're lying!"

Apep shakes his head slowly. "No Ma'at. Your parents were two of the greatest members of Society. When you were born it was obvious that you would hold one of the greatest connections to Chaos that anyone ever had. Your parents died while on a mission for the Society. It was their final wish that you be raised in the Society. You were to be the first member of the Society to be raised from birth in the ways of Chaos. You were supposed to become the most powerful Lord of Chaos to ever exist."

Ma'at is crying. He shouts, "No, no! This isn't right! Chaos and Darkness are pure evil! I've seen what it can do! It took Lord Themis from me! The only person who was ever family to me. He's gone now! Not only that, but now I know Chaos took my real parents from me as well!"

Apep says with sorrow, "I'm so sorry Matt…Ma'at. You weren't supposed to learn this way. Come back to the Society of Chaos. They will care for you there. We can put you back on your feet. It's not to late to return to the path of Chaos."

Ma'at's tears turn to anger. "No! I will never return to the path of Chaos! I am the Lord of Order! I surpassed the strength that even you possessed Apophis! I am the most powerful person alive! I will destroy both of you! I will take down the Society of Chaos, even if it means doing it single-handedly! I'll start with you." Ma'at stares at Yugi.

Yugi raises his Duel Gauntlet. He says, "I'll take you."

Apep says, "Ma'at, you are speaking with rage and darkness in your heart. Please, don't do this."

Ma'at summons his Duel Gauntlet of Order. He says, "It is because of scum like you that there is Darkness in this world! I will stamp it out if it's the last thing I do!"

Apep turns to Yugi and says, "Be careful Yugi. Ma'at is one of the greatest duelists that I've ever seen."

Yugi activates his Duel Gauntlet and says, "Don't worry Apep, you forget who you're talking to. I'm the King of Games. I can handle him. It's time to duel!"

The Duel Computer says, "Official World of Duel Tournament duel now commencing. Yuni Oha: 2,935 points vs. Ma'at: 4,043 points. Scanning decks…decks accepted. Commence dueling."

Ma'at draws. "I'll go first. I activate Charge of Order! This spell allows me to send two Order monsters from my deck to the grave. I'll send two copies of Knight of Order. Now I'll return the two light monsters in my grave to my deck in order to special summon Envoy of Order (Light/Level 8/Fairy/Effect/ATK 3000/DEF 2500)!" In a flash of light, Ma'at's monster appears. It is an angelic body made out of golden armor and light. "And that's not the end! When I return a Knight of Order from my grave to my deck, I can special summon it. That means I can bring out the two I just used (Light/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 1500/DEF 0)!" The two monsters appear on either side of Envoy of Order. They are both knights wearing ornate, golden armor, with a body of light being shown through the cracks in the armor. They each hold a sword made of light.

Yugi thinks, This guy really is a good duelist. He's got out three monsters on his first turn, and without even normal summoning. I hope I'm up to this.

Ma'at says, "Now that I have set up my forces of Order, I will set a card and end my turn (Ma'at's hand: 3). Just try to defeat me, servant of Chaos."