"Mr. Kaiba, the finalists are likely going to be arriving at the location soon, should we wait for their arrival?" asked Roland.

"Of course, and remember no delays." Kaiba said. "I'm already at the location with my locator cards, so get here immediately."

"Yes sir Mr. Kaiba." Roland said.

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"Seto, the next finalists are arriving, and it looks like its Yugi and Joey." Mokuba said.

"Well, I would expect Yugi, but Wheeler making it to the finals is a surprise, although I suppose miracles happen in stranger ways." Kaiba said. "I suppose I owe you a congratulations, you made it past the easy rounds, now the real duels will begin."

"I take it you advanced to the finals as well Kaiba?" Yugi asked.

"Of course, losing wasn't even a possibility I considered for a second." Kaiba said.

"Mr. Kaiba, two more finalists are arriving." Roland said.

"Namu, you made it to the finals?" Joey asked.

"Well, I got lucky, but maybe my luck will hold out until the end of the competition." Marik said.

"I assure you both that I will be the winner of this tournament, and the Egyptian God Cards will be mine." Odion said calmly.

"Really, and who do you think you are?" Kaiba asked.

"I am Marik." Odion said staring straight into Kaiba's eyes.

"Well, things just got interesting." Kaiba said.

"Seto, maybe we should let then know." Mokuba said with a grin.

"Well, now that you're here we have over half the finalists already." Kaiba said. "Now you should all know that the finals won't take place here, they'll take place 3000 feet in midair."

"Whoa, now that is what I call intense." Joey said.

"The finals of the largest duel tournament in the world should be played where the world can see it." Kaiba said.

"I wonder who the other three finalists are?" Yugi said.

"So this is where the finals take place, I should have expected something of this scale from Kaiba." said a voice entering the arena.

"Mai, is that you? Wow, it feels like yesterday we were dueling at duelist kingdom." Joey said. "You know the finals take place in the air on that blimp right?"

"Really, and I thought the stadium was overdoing it, well at least this way we'll have a few for the losers." Mai said.

"Finalists, please present your locator cards to me so I may confirm your status as a battle city finalist." Roland said before a group of people walked into the stadium.

"Yugi, Joey, looks like we all made it." Aelita said with a smile. "Having friends around always makes things easier."

"Well, it seems all seven of you are finalists, so please come with me as we prepare for takeoff, we will wait five minutes for the eighth duelist. If he or she has not arrived by that time, one of you will automatically advance." Roland said as the crowd walked onto the blimp.

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"Wow, this is awesome, I can't believe this blimp is being used for a card game." Odd said looking around his room.

"Odd, don't forget that X.A.N.A. is still a threat, besides we only get this room, because Aelita was in the tournament." Jeremy said.

"Yeah, but Jeremy we still should try to enjoy our trip besides if X.A.N.A. is in the card game computer, if no one is playing right?" Ulrich said.

"I suppose that is true, alright maybe we can relax for a while." Jeremy said.

"All finalists report to the main hall immediately." Roland's voice said over the speakers, "We will determine the first duel immediately."

"Well, looks like relaxation will have to wait." Aelita said.

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"Duelists when you arrived you were given a number from one to eight, now those numbers will determine when you duel in this tournament." Roland said as a machine with eight numbered balls and a blue eyes figure rose from the ground. "This blue eyes randomizer ensures that every duel is fairly selected, so now we shall begin the randomization procedure."

(Kaiba=1, Joey=2, Yugi=3, Odion=4, Marik=5, Mai=6, Aelita =7, and Ishizu=8)

"The first duelist has been chosen, it's number 5 Namu." Roland said as he picked up the chosen number.

"Me, I was hoping to have a chance to watch a duel before playing against people of your skill level, but I guess I can handle it."" Marik said.

"Don't worry Namu, I'm sure you'll do fine." Joey said reassuringly.

"Thanks, I hope I do well." Marik said before the second number was chosen.

"The second duelist has been selected, it's number 8, Ishizu Ishtar." Roland said.

What, Ishizu is my opponent; this could cause my entire plan to fall apart, Marik thought.

"Well, it appears we will be dueling in the first round, I wish you luck Namu." Ishizu said calmly. With any luck I will save my brother before anyone gets hurt, she thought.

"The duel will take place on the elevated arena, everyone follow me, duelists enter the elevators on the sides of the next room, the battle city finals have officially begun." Roland said.

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"Duelists, take your positions." Roland said. "The first duel of the battle city finals begins now."

"Namu, you may take the first move." Ishizu said as they drew their cards.

"Duel." said Ishizu and Marik simultaneously.

Ishizu 4000 Marik 4000: "Thank you, I start by activating my graceful charity magic card, now I draw three cards and discard two." Marik said as he drew his cards and placed Ra in his graveyard, and reached to send Doll of Demise as well.

Wait; if you wish to defeat your opponent in this battle you need to send Monster Reborn to the graveyard, I know her strategy from the previous matches, if you hold onto your Monster Reborn you will lose this duel.

Marik simply frowned as he sent his magic card to the grave. "Now I summon Drillago in attack mode and set one card facedown. Your move Ishizu."

"Vey well, I shall activate my own Graceful Charity card, now I summon to the field a monster known as Agido, now I attack Drillago with Agido." Ishizu said.

"Wait, your monster is weaker, don't you know that Ishizu?" Yugi asked.

"It's fine, I have everything set up." Ishizu said as her monster was destroyed. "Now since Agido was destroyed in that battle, I roll one die, and based on the result I can summon a fairy from my graveyard with the same level."

"Wait, but if you roll a six anything level six or higher is fair game." Joey said, "That's why you discarded before."

"I roll." Ishizu said as a die appeared and landed on a six. "Now since I have a monster in my graveyard that is level seven, I revive my Athena in attack mode. Now I attack Drillago with Athena."

"Not quite, I activate the trap card Negate Attack." Marik said.

"Very well, I end my turn." Ishizu said calmly.

Ishizu 3900 Marik 4000: "My turn, I start by summoning my Makyura the Destructor in attack mode, and I set two cards facedown." Marik said. "That ends my move."

"Who do you think has the advantage in this match?" Tea asked.

"Well, if I had to guess, I'd say that Ishizu has an apparent lead, but those down cards could be significant." Jeremy said.

Marik, I suggest you use her strategy against her, utilize your Card Exchange magic card once your next turn begins, I'm positive that will grant you your victory, the only concern is it will reveal your identity.

That's not a problem; the main concern is defeating the pharaoh, Marik thought.

"In that case, it's my move, I attack your Makyura the Destructor with Athena." Ishizu said.

"Activate trap card, Life Deal, I send cards from my deck to the graveyard for every 50 points of damage I took, and in exchange my life points remain untouched." Marik said.

What kind of plan could Marik be trying; he never would willingly destroy his own cards, Ishizu thought. "Alright, in that case I set one card and end my move." Ishizu said.

"Namu must be nuts, he just sent 18 cards to the graveyard just to block one attack." Joey said.

"Perhaps, but I have a strategy, now it's my move, and I activate a magic card, Card Exchange, this card switches our hands Ishizu, so now let's see what you're holding." Marik said noting she was in fact holding Exchange of the Spirits.

No, that was his plan, but if he uses that he won't be able to summon Ra unless, she thought.

"Now I set one card facedown, and end my move." Marik said.

"Very well, but I assure you that this next move will surprise you, I draw, and now I activate the magic card Monster Reborn." Ishizu said. "Now I think we both know what card I'm bringing back from the graveyard." Ishizu said calmly. I only hope the gods will forgive me for using their power; it is the only move I can think of, she thought to herself.

Go ahead Ishizu, resurrect Ra, nothing could prepare you for what I have in store, Marik thought.

(Ishizu has begun a duel with Marik, and both of them are preparing each other's strategies, but who will win? Next chapter will feature the conclusion of this duel. As always any reviews or critique is appreciated.)