Aoi: Here we are, chapter 23! With (hopefully) 50% less grammar errors!
Akai: Ha! That will be the day.
Yugi and his friends walked to the stadium. They didn't exchange any words. When they finally reached the stadium, Jonouchi spoke.
"Ya ready Yug?" he asked. Yugi looked down at the ground.
"I don't know, Jonouchi…. It's all happening too fast." No one said anything. Finally Anzu stepped forward; she placed her hands on Yugi's shoulder.
"You don't have to do this, Yugi. No one is forcing you."
"I am," a clod voice said. Everyone turned to see Kaiba. Mokuba was standing next to him like always. "Yugi, this isn't a choice. If you don't do this, you're not only giving up your title as duel king, but you'll be giving it to some parasite who claims to be Eiko."
"For once I agree with you, Kaiba," everyone looked up at the stadium. Eiko was leaning against one of the top pillars of the stadium looking down on them. "Well, except for the whole 'claiming to be Eiko' thing. I may have said it once or twice, but I am Eiko."
"No your not!" Anzu exclaimed. Everyone looked at her; it was out of character for her to yell at people. "I might have only known you for a bit, but you're nothing like-"
"Blah, blah, blah, friendship speech, blah!" Eiko said. cutting Anzu off. "Is that all you do? You can't even duel, can you?" Anzu was silent, not sure what to say. Anger started to show in her face. "How about from now on only the real duelists speak! That means Kaiba, the dog, Mai, and Yugi." She brought her hand to her chin, "I suppose Bakura too, considering he was in the Battle City finals." everyone glared at Eiko from below, and if she saw, she didn't care. "I'll see you inside." She then disappeared into the darkness.
For a moment, everyone looked at the spot where Eiko had been just a moment ago. Anzu was still mad.
"Lets go!" she said while walking into the stadium with a determined look on her face, as if she were about to duel Eiko. Everyone followed and entered the center of the stadium. Eiko stood on the opposite side of the arena.
"Why hello, Yugi. While I probably should have said this before, I'm glad that you came." The gang got a closer look at Eiko. She had on the same combat boots and ripped fishnets as the night before. But she had replaced her shorts with a black skirt, and instead of a black tank top. she had on a red one, with an open back leather jacket. Her hair was in a tight ponytail and her arms were crossed. She had a smirk on her face as always. "Let us begin, shall we?" Yugi nodded in reply. They stated to shuffle each other's decks. "You remember the agreement, don't you, Yugi?" Eiko asked as they shuffled.
"Yeah, if I win, you give back all of the cards you stole."
"I won most of them," Eiko corrected. The corners of her mouth turned upwards. "And of course, if I win, then I get the other two Egyptian God cards. Obelisk and Ra…" Yugi nodded his head in agreement and the duel began.
"I'll go first!" Eiko said. "Draw!" she studied the card for a moment and placed it in her hand. "First I play the card 'Cost Down'! This makes it easier for me to summon higher level monsters," she explained. "Then I play the card 'The Witty Phantom' in defense mode, and end my turn."
It was Yugi's turn; he drew a card. 'Damn! I don't have any monsters in my hand, or at least none that I can play!'
"Bad hand Yugi?" Eiko asked, placing her hand on her hip. Yugi didn't reply,
"I play one card face down! Then I play the card 'Calming Magic' which means that you can't attack in your next turn. Then I end my turn."
"Hmph. That's it?" Eiko said, a little disappointed. "Oh well. I draw!" a smirk came to her face. "I summon, 'Red Eyes Black Dragon'!" Eiko exclaimed as the dragon appeared on the field. "And because of 'Cost Down', I can summon him without any sacrifices!" Eiko's smile faded a little. She felt a small wave of pain go through her head, but she ignored it. "Unfortunately, because of 'Calming Magic' I can't attack you on this turn. So I guess I'll just end it with a face down."
"Come on, Yug! Don't let her intimidate you!" Jonouchi yelled from the stands in which the gang had situated themselves. "You can still beat her!" Yugi looked at his friends and nodded in agreement.
"All right Eiko, I draw!" he looked at the card. 'This might just be the card I need to win this. But I can't use it now.' Yugi decided what he was going to do. "I place one card face down, and end my turn!" Yugi said, placing the card that he had just drew onto the field. Eiko drew her card and placed it in her hand as she had before.
"I hope you're ready Yugi, because this game is just about to get interesting. I sacrifice 'The Witty Phantom' in order to summon, 'Blue Eyes White Dragon'!" A blue dragon appeared on the field and let out a menacing roar to ring through the air. Eiko gritted her teeth as her headache increased. Everyone was taken aback.
"She just summoned one of the most powerful monsters in the game!" Mokuba said, looking up at his brother.
"And she has Red Eyes," Seto said, looking at the field. 'If Yugi doesn't do something quick, it's all over.' Seto thought to himself.
Yugi gritted his teeth. He was safe this turn, but it wouldn't be long until Eiko would land an attack on him, and then it would be all over. Unless…
"It's your turn, Yugi!" Eiko called from across the field. "Unless you've decided to give up already."
"Never!" Yugi yelled.
"Then draw a damn card!" Eiko called back with a tone of annoyance. Yugi drew his card. 'Finally, a monster,' he thought to himself.
"I play 'Toy Solider' in defense mode, and then-"
"Activate trap card! 'Sudden End'! This card immediately ends your turn after you summon a monster." Eiko cut him off.
'Damn,' Yugi thought, 'so close!'
"It's my turn! Draw!" she studied the card for a moment, her eyes got wide. "Mmhm," A small laugh escaped her lips and only grew in intensity "Hahahaha, hahahahaha! Feast your eyes, Yugi, on the great God Osiris!" Eiko said, showing Yugi the card she had just drew.
"No way!" Jonouchi said.
"Yugi!" Anzu yelled, already anticipating what was about to happen.
"It's over, Yugi! I sacrifice 'Red Eyes Black Dragon' and 'Blue Eyes White Dragon' in order-" Eiko stopped midsentence as a wave of pain spread over her. "In order- argh!" she exclaimed, grabbing her head in pain. "No... Not now!" everyone looked at Eiko. Her face was twisted in pain. "W-what are you-" she started to say.
"Seto, what's happening?" Mokuba asked, looking at his brother desperately. Before Seto could answer, Eiko yelled,
"I won't let you hurt my friend anymore!" the voice that came out was lighter, kinder, like the old Eiko.
"What are you…? Argh!" she snarled. Dark aura formed around Eiko, and everyone stared.
"What the-" Jonouchi started to say. Then everything went black.
Yugi woke up, sprawled on a cold black floor. The room had black walls to match the floor, and a purple fog flowed thought the air like clouds. He got up; he saw that the rest of his friends were also sprawled all over the floor, just starting to wake up as well.
"Where are we?" Otogi asked, rubbing his head.
"Beats me." Honda said, starting to get up from the floor. "Last thing I remember, Eiko was dueling Yugi and- hey… isn't that Eiko over there?" he asked, extending his arm forward. Everyone turned to where Honda was pointing. Two girls stood on a platform, staring at each other intensely.
"Hey, you're right!" Jonouchi exclaimed.
"Who's that girl next to her?" Anzu asked, walking up to Jonouchi.
"Well, that's- wait, that's…"
"Eiko!" Mokuba exclaimed. Everyone turned to see the brothers standing next to each other. "The real Eiko! Look!" everyone looked back to the two girls. One had red eyes, the other gold.
"You're right! Eiko!" Jonouchi called. Everyone ran towards the two. "Eiko!" Jonouchi said when they reached the girls. "What's going on?"
"Guys," she said turning to face her friends. "I'm sorry, about everything…"
"We don't care about that right now. What's going on?" Jonouchi demanded. "Just who is she?" he said, pointing towards the red-eyed girl who had claimed to be Eiko. Eiko closed her eyes, tilting her head down and breathing in.
"She's just who she says she is." Eiko said, her eyes still closed. "She's me, just a different me…" Eiko head shot back up, eyes opening. "I different me that I vow to destroy! In any way I can!"
Aoi: cliffhanger time!
PK Phoenix: Die! (Throws grenade)