Skin

by Usagi Squared

Jonouchi Katsuya will always look out for his friends, no matter how weird things get. That means he will keep on fighting, whether facing maniacs with freaky powers, monsters from a childrens game, or the fact Kaiba's a girl. Wait, what? Warnings inside

116. Chapter 115

Cabab

---

He remembers hearing the voice of Neker. "Save him," he begs the dragon, the enormous shadow having coated the room in blood and flesh alike. "I beg you, please save him..!" He stands on his knees, before falling face first to the ground in tears. "If there is anything at all, even if it costs my life..!"

The dragon growls at this, turning toward Neker with narrowed eyes. "You claim to help him," he retorts, "And yet it is your doing that has brought this upon him!"

"I didn't know," he whimpers, his voice scarcely more than a strained whisper. "I didn't know, I swear I didn't know... I'll do anything, anything I swear..."

Neker repeats these words. Again, and again, and still again he weeps, with the shell of his friend breathing behind him. And as he cries his pleas eventually become nothing more than quiet rasping words, with no sound but breathing behind them. And the dragon nods, bringing a clawed hand down to lift Neker up. "There has been enough pain this evening," he growls lowly, wiping the tears from Neker's eyes. "I will save him... How could I not," the dragon adds mournfully, "But you will swear to me this. When the time comes," he says sternly, "You will save him as I am doing now. You will take his place in death, and you will make sure, with all your power, that he lives to see his elder years. Do you swear this," he asks, watching Neker nod furiously. "Do you SWEAR?"

"I do," he says quickly, wiping his face. "I swear it, upon my very soul I swear..! But Dragon," he weeps, looking to his friend. "What have I done..? What have I done to him..!"

"It is not what you have done directly that you must fear," he hisses, crawling toward the boy on the ground and reaching toward him. As black claws pick up the body there is nothing but a slight shiver, with dust blowing away from around them. Otherwise, the boy is still, a fact that brings tears to the great dragon's eyes. "The soul," he whispers, "Is never to be separated in this manner... What your elders do is unforgivable," he goes on, "But never did I know to the extent of their crimes. They have separated shadow from light," the dragon mourns. "They have taken his very soul and shattered it with the intent of reforming it for their own designs... And it is not upon you that this blame falls," he continues, holding the boy close as Neker continues to weep with the growing realization. The dragon takes in a deep and shuddering breath, his own tears continuing to fall. "But mine. I should have realized that blindness was not without its dangers. That the inability to hear would bring confusion and pain... So I will give myself the greatest punishment," he whispers, placing the boy as Neker's feet. "And I ask that you make sure he understands..."

"Understands what," Neker weeps, supporting the boy's head and looking from it to the dragon's own. "What are you going to do?"

"I will do as my kind have done since the dawn of time," the dragon answers, a dull shine slowly coming over the beast. "At the cost of my will I shall become his own. At the cost of my spirit, my soul shall replace his. It is now his own... My shadow is his. I bind myself to his spirit for as long as it exists."

"The cost of your will... But dragon!" Neker protests, his grip on the boy tightening as he watches the monster slowly sink into his friend's shadow. "There must be another way... There has to be..!"

"There is not," he tells him. "A shadow must replace the shadow removed... There is no time. Remember my words," the Dragon finishes through his tears. "Heed them as though they were your own..."

This is the last you will hear of my voice... So remember them child- I will always be by your side...

---

For once, he thought to himself, waking up wasn't so painful today. With the sudden rush of visions and 'memories' throughout the evening the bruises from falling in place were beginning to really hurt- he wouldn't be surprised if he got back home and found himself blue and black under the uniform.

"Ngh.." Katsuya grimaced, pulling himself up with a groan. Weird, he noted dully, looking around the hall almost blankly. The hall was different from the last one he'd been in. It was closer to the room Anzu was in, that much he knew subconsciously- but it was definitely not the one he had blacked out in. So where...

The blond froze as he brought an arm up to scratch his head, thick metal and plastic smacking lightly against it. A duel disk, he noted immediately, bringing his arm out to stare in bewilderment. The black duel disk. But he'd never put that one on Katsuya realized abruptly. In fact, he hadn't been wearing a duel disk at all, so-

He blinked, frowning as he pulled out a card that was wedged within the disk's mechanism. It took a moment admittedly, to realize what it was. When he did however, he almost dropped it-

'The Honor of the King's Right'.

"No way," he muttered to himself, looking around once again. Twice he flipped it over, blinking and looking over the card in its entirety as if it would change in his very fingers. "No way..." This... This was the card Keith had stolen from him. The one he'd somehow managed to snatch from his room the night before the Duelist Kingdom semi-finals, the one that Mai had graciously replaced. This was a card he'd long since forgotten...

Evidently, Keith hadn't.

Pocketing the card after a few more moments the blond looked back, a dull look in his eyes. Just what did that mean, he wondered. That he'd listened to what he'd said? That he was already going to leave and re-think himself? (That he was actually going to do that?)

After a few more moments of staring he turned back, focusing on the task at hand. Honda would be wondering where he was now after all- he needed to get to the server's 'upper' room, where Anzu was. The room couldn't be that hard to find though he figured, walking along the halls with a neutral expression. After all, the door would probably be op-

"Gh..." Katsuya tensed as he spotted the door on the far side of the hall, blood draining from his face. Shadows filled the air- lapping at the sides of the frame like some frenzied storm. It wasn't affecting him like before, thank god- he didn't feel sore, or even dizzy outside the bruises. Just... Unnerved as hell.

He took a step forward, slowly forcing himself to move. Honda was in there, that much he knew after all. And so was Anzu he reminded himself. So was she...

Trapped as she was in a cocoon of melting shadows, screaming before his very eyes as he came to enter the room.

"...Anzu..."

"Jonouchi..!" The blond turned, blinking as Honda moved over from the side. He had a pretty good idea of what his friend could and couldn't see at the moment, he had to say... Both of them would normally be having shivers by this point, and he had a feeling that the only reason why he wasn't was because of how much what he saw now paled when compared to the corpse of the Eraser.

Hihhhh... Creepy. Katsuya forced a smile onto his face nonetheless though, giving a wave with his duel arm. "Oii, Honda!" The smile grew somewhat as his friend came over, looking somewhat breathless.

"So... You won then," he asked, eyes slowly drawn to the black disk in curiosity as his friend nodded.

"'Course I did," Katsuya snorted, the other momentarily ignoring him to go over the disk.

"Wasn't this Keith's?" he muttered, looking back to the blond with a frown.

Well. Yes. Yes it was. His grin grew, the blond going somewhat red with pride. "As a matter 'f fact, it was," he responded with a grin. "An' this black duel disk proves that I'm th' best duelist in th' Professor League!" ...Even though he wasn't a part of the league proper.

Honda merely stared, shaking his head in slow incredulity. "Man," he murmured, "They're handing those things out to everyone now..." What, what!

"O-Oiii, I worked hard," Katsuya grumbled, crossing his arms in a huff. "An' anyway, tha' ain' th' point! What's Anzu still doin' inside tha' machine? Don' tell me she w's really 'too heavy'," he added, turning to Honda with a frown.

"Oh as IF-"

"Y' know, those Ja-shin really got their roots in her, huh..."

Honda blinked, following the blond's gaze to what he saw as nothing more than a machine. "What... The connections?" he asked, a frown coming over his face. "How did you-" He shook himself, realizing what he'd been about to say. "Right. Nevermind. ...It's bullshit though," the teen growled, collapsing in a chair at the side. "We're right here, but thanks to Tenma's damn program we can't even touch her."

"...Yea," he managed to say, fists clenching. Tenma... "Thanks t' those namonaki..."

His friend jumped. "N- Nameless," he repeated. "What?"

The blond didn't respond, but as they watched the machine before them continue to spark and crack and burn he didn't need to. Regardless of the hows and whys, regardless of any names those monsters had, there was only one thing they needed to know. Anzu's spirit was, as Mokuba had found out and told Honda moment's before, displaced. Her body was directly linked to the server in a manner not unlike the Virtual World, and to disconnect her now would leave her mindless. There was only one thing to do, one way to shut the program down.

Someone had to send the other two Jashin into the grave...

And as they stood and stared, that someone finally reached his destination.

---

The wind howled on the top of the field and landing pad, and the clouds above swirled brilliantly. In the wake of the Ja-Shin's slight failure, they had begun to part somewhat in an attempt to return to the clear skies that had been there. Faded, smoke-like in the sky, but black to the core. If one looked in the distance, they could see the first rays of light from a still distant sun...

But the other Yugi didn't care for that right now. As the door to the roof-top opened he and Gekkou strode out and did only one thing. "TENMA!" Yugi snarled, the 'CEO' currently sitting almost impatiently upon the arena's edge. Walking still forward they watched as Yakou turned to the shout and sneered, corners of his mouth pulling up in a smirk of sorts. He'd known they would come and he'd been waiting...

And the last one to face him was, even now, at the side in pain. "...Kaiba," Yugi began, walking toward the woman as she looked up from her own somewhat collapsed position against the rail. "...Are you alright?"

The woman snorted at that, despite obvious discomfort. "Ch... I must really be losing my touch," she rasped, not bothering with disguises thanks to the nearly whispered tone. "If you're that worried about me..."

Yugi stared for a moment as Kaiba said this, tilting his head when he noticed something- he'd realized there was something 'off' about her but... "...Kaiba," he realized, eyes widening, "Is your binding-"

If Gekkou heard that, he didn't show it. Nor did he voice the fact that, to support what Willa had discovered in the darkness before hand, the binding around Kaiba's chest had loosened just enough to reveal what certainly set her apart as 'not male'. "It's nothing," she bit out, standing straight and crossing her arms despite a slight wince. "The holograms of the Ja-shin are a little more 'solid' than one would expect... It's nothing but the poison of the so-called 'evil gods'... That's all. Now..." As she looked over the arena her gaze snapped back to Yugi, eyes narrowing. "The fact that you're here means none of the others could stop you... Though that's hardly a surprise," she chuckled almost bitterly, the boy beside her not at all missing the slight step backward she'd taken in attitude. "After all... I'm the only one who can defeat you..!" Eh?

"Kaiba..." That... He said nothing more, eyes dulling somewhat as he took in the stiffness of his 'rival'. It was probably best not to speak right now... If she wasn't bothering with disguise, that meant she assumed everyone on the roof knew. Which meant that the one beside her, who was still eying her with obvious unease and confusion...

Beside them, Gekkou moved toward his brother, swallowing and watching as the twin gave almost little to no acknowledgment for his efforts. "...Yakou," the one in black began, the other slowly looking up with eyes of loathing.

"...Gekkou," the man hissed, white jacket hanging almost awkwardly on his slumped frame. "...What do you think you're doing here..?"

The calmer of the pair didn't so much as flinch in the face of his brother's obvious hatred, instead continuing on as he'd intended. "The R.A. Project is finished," he warned him clearly. "And right now, you have no where to go. For your sake Yakou... We should end this now."

"End this?" The man stood, hair hanging messily over his eyes. "Who do you think you're talking to..? Finished?" he roared, "Of COURSE it's FINISHED! Because of those two," Yakou snarled, "Because..! ...Hehehehe... Because they did what you couldn't," he suddenly laughed, looking down at his brother in superiority. "You hear me Gekkou..? THEY stopped me..! Not you! All you did was what I ordered," he chuckled insanely. "Possessed by the great Jashin, unable to even blink without my say so..."

"That's right." Yakou's laughter halted immediately, and with obvious incredulity he stared. "You're right Yakou," his brother again admitted. "I lost- and I'm powerless. But they are still here," he added with narrowed eyes. "Yugi is still here... And he can still fight you."

"Then you've... You've given up!" the 'CEO' laughed. "HahahaHAAA! Well! How the mighty 'perfect duelist' has fallen indeed," he sneered, only to have his smile again fade as he caught the expression on his brother's face.

"Perfect..." Gekkou repeated quietly. "Yes... That's what Pegasus-sama called me, wasn't it. And at the time," he continued, "It made me so proud... But then I noticed something," the man said clearly. "I realized over the course of many duels that Pegasus-sama had never meant that I was to be the 'Perfect Duelist'... When we were with Pegasus-sama," he went on coldly, "I won against you and many others, but it was always by a small margin. And each time we dueled, that margin diminished in size. And I couldn't help but notice," he said calmly, "That my opponents were getting stronger. I am 'perfected'," Gekkou announced clearly. "I will never grow. I believe that he must have seen, with his Millennium Eye, just what that meant... That my power as a duelist," he continued, "Was as high as it would ever be."

"You..." His brother shook, shaking with a growing shock and rage. "What are you talking about..!"

"I'm saying that the one who Pegasus-sama really saw the potential in was never me to begin with," he shouted back, his stern glare never shifting. "I'm saying that the one whom he saw promise in, the one he thought would become a 'perfect' duelist... Was you, Yakou!"

Yakou shook his head, trembling in the spot. "Don't say that," he hissed, fists clenching and digging into his palms. "Don't you DARE SAY THAT! You... Do you have any idea," he roared, "Any idea at all..! You're the MOON!" he cried, "Just like your name..! Pegasus-sama was the sun, and you were the reflection of his light! And I... I was left to crawl in the darkness..." His voice faded as he spoke, head bowed. "Do you have any idea... How that makes me feel when you say that..? Telling me this... While I search for the light in this darkness... You..." With a snap Yakou looked back up, fists clenched with renewed rage. "I'll get my light.. The RA Project isn't through just yet! I still have a vessel... And I still have the one I hate, standing right before me!" he roared, gaze snapping to Yugi. "You hounded Pegasus-sama until he drew his last breath... And when I crush you, nothing ill stand in the way of his resurrection, nothing!"

"But Yakou, he's innocent!" his brother protested. "What Keith told you was a lie, Yugi never brought any harm to Pegasus-sama!"

"No... He brought harm alright," the man sneered. "He defeated him in a match and shattered his will to live... If he hadn't have fought you," he snarled, pointing toward Yugi, "Then he would have still been alive today..! No one as powerful as he would have died without wanting to..! So it doesn't matter who killed him directly," Yakou roared, "So long as I defeat the one who allowed it to pass..!"

"EVEN SO," Yugi snarled, having quite enough of the younger Tenma's demands and claims. "The battle between Pegasus and myself had been prearranged from his own side- it was a fair match and a fight between duelists! Our fight has nothing to do with Anzu," he continued, "So let her go!"

"Let her go?" Yakou's sneer grew still more chilling, the expression widening into a grin. "I'm afraid I can't do that Yugi..." The others stiffened even further, and with a hacking laugh the man continued. "Mazaki Anzu is now a part of the Ja-Shin..! To remove her now would mean her death! You can consider it your divine punishment," he snarled, the grin refusing to fade, "And the price of your actions..."

A snort came from behind Yugi, Seto stepping forward to growl. "Just duel him and be over with," she snarled, looking to Yakou but speaking to the one beside her. "Obviously your only hope of fixing this is smashing his 'gods' to pieces..!"

"Yes... But..."

Gekkou finished for him. "If Yugi looses it's likely that Yakou will have just enough power to fuel his project again..."

"Who cares about the risk," the woman snarled back. "Just use that power to crush him first! I've fought you before Yugi," she continued with narrowed eyes. "And I acknowledge your strength... Like hell will I watch you accept defeat at the hands of something like this..."

The boy turned, looking at Kaiba a moment with a swallow. If he didn't know better, he'd have been marveling at the fact that she could still hold onto rivalry right now... But thinking those words over, he found himself responding with an almost worried, but understanding smile. Well then... "...Tenma," he barked, turning back with a shout. "Prepare yourself..! This is the end of your 'Project'..!"

"We'll just see," the man sneered, stepping back to take his place on the arena whilst Yugi did so himself. "I somehow doubt you'll last very long this time..! Now! COME AT ME, YUGI!"

"You asked for it..! DUEL!" they both chorused, disks locking into position as decks of cards shuffled into place. And on both sides cards were drawn, neither of the opponents willing to back down- both fought to bring someone back. Both fought for who they cared about.

Who it was that would return however, was another matter entirely.

"Here I go Yakou," he shouted clearly, "I go first..! I play Alpha the Magnet Warrior in defense mode," he began, the crouching magnet appearing in a flash. "In addition, one card face down before I end my turn!"

"My turn then," his opponent announced, "And I draw..!" From across the field Yakou chuckled darkly under his breath, hiding it quickly as he made his play. "One card face down," he started off, before taking another card to the field. "And next, I summon this- Barbaros, King of the Sacred Beasts..!"

With a mighty digitized roar the monster appeared- the body and head of a lion with the torso and arms of a man between them came to the field, with a lance in one and a shield in the other. But as the armored creature arose Yugi stiffened.

Eight stars... This was an eight star monster, and yet- "Surprised?" Yakou asked in obvious amusement. "Barbaros is the greatest of the Demi-Gods, servants to the Gods themselves... An eight star monster that can be summoned without sacrifice!" he roared, the monster giving a similar cry. "Of course," the duelist admitted almost carelessly, "Without sacrifices, the attack power is lowered to 1900 points... But no matter," he laughed, pointing the beast forward. It's more than enough for your monster, Yugi..! Now Barbaros..! ATTACK! TORNADO SHAVER!"

The leonine beast snarled, lance spinning in his hand as charged- and with ease the magnetic warrior before him was shaven through the middle, scraps of metal and plastic floating through the air a moment before vanishing on the wind. "Gh..." He grimaced as the lion stared him down, before tapping the side of his duel disk to activate the card he'd set. "Activate trap!" he announced, card swinging upward from the field. "Soul Rope! At the cost of 1000 life points," he continued, the meter dipping down as a card was spat from the deck, "I can special summon any level four or lower monster from the deck... And with that in mind," he continued, pulling the card free and setting it on the field, "Arise... King's Knight!"

"Hn... Alright then," Yakou sneered, still holding a dark smile across his face. "I'll end my turn..."

"Very well!" In that case, the next part of his strategy. "First, I summon the Queen's Knight in attack mode," he announced, setting the card on the field and watching as the armored Queen stepped forth. "Next... By the effects of the Queen and King, I special summon the Jack's Knight from my deck- also in attack mode..! Finally," he continues. "One card, face down..."

"What speed..." Though he didn't look to the side Yugi could hear as those watching murmured to each other, Gekkou's voice at the moment standing out most. "He already has the three sacrifices needed for a god..." Yes. That was one way...

But as those standing by Gekkou narrowed their eyes, Yugi did the same. And Yakou merely laughed. "King, Jack and Queen... The three face card summons to call down a God," he sneered. "But not if my beast kills them first..! If even one of your swordsmen are lost, you can't summon a god on your next turn..!" he continued with a laugh. "Now... BARBAROS! Attack!"

"Hn!" As the lion charged Yugi merely smirked. "Don't fear the GODS, Yakou..! I activate my face down card... Polymerization..!"

"Nh-?"

With a widening grin the vortex appeared. The card swung upward and the pixels that formed the knights began to scatter, swirling through the air to form one single being. And as shadows seemed to swirl through the air a single sound cut through it, and along with it the holographic lion charging them now. The knights had fused- and now, upon the field; "Behold... The Arcana Knight, Joker!"

"CH-!" Dust and smoke flew back against Yakou's face, throwing the man's hair behind him and whipping across his face. From the field, Gekkou was shouting cheers- about how he was in the lead now...

But at the same time, Yugi's eyes couldn't help but be drawn to the tight expression on Kaiba's face instead; they both knew after all, what Yakou's deck was capable of. It was designed to summon the Jashin at high speed, Avatar in particular. So how much time did he have with this..? And...

"Hnhnhnhnhn..." Shit. "Yugi," Yakou chuckled, shaking his head as he recovered from the hit. "I believe it was you who said 'Don't fear the Gods'..?" As his opponent stiffened further the air seemed to thicken. Yakou's lips quirked up in the start of a psychotic grin and with one small tap his face down card swung upward. "It is you who should be afraid," he warned. "Now... Tremble before the pulse of the Ja-shin... I activate 'Level Resist Wall'; allowing me to summon two or more monsters whose combined level are equal to Barbaros' own! Watch... Angel 01," he called, the first 'level one' monster arising to the field. "Caacrinolas," he continued, a third level, demonic hound arising next. "And finally," he laughed, as a cloaked bowman followed behind, "Leraje, the lord of archery!" Level four. Three monsters, summoned in an instant... "And since I still have one summon left..." Shit... "Here. Botis, in defense mode," he chuckled, the sword wielding 'naga' coming to a defensive crouch among all the others. "And I'll end my turn." Gh...

Shit. Four monsters, which meant that since he only had one on the field... Yugi drew his next card, teeth grinding as he looked it and the others in his hand over. "My turn," he managed, eyes narrowing. There were no monsters in his hand...

Which meant he had only one choice.

"Arcana Knight Joker!" he ordered, the monster already nodding as it rushed forward. "Attack Botis!"

In a flash the blade cleaved forward, scattered remains of the demonic warrior misting through the air as Yakou chuckled. "Is that all you've got?" he taunted, the remainder of his monsters hovering with strangely similar expressions. "I still have three monsters..." Tch.

"I..." As he'd planned of course... Yugi's fists clenched but in the end he merely steadied himself and took a card from his hand. "...I set a card face down," he announced. "And then I end my turn." And now...

Yakou still had three monsters. So, if he had a God in his hand...

"Hnhnhnhnhn..." Shit. "HnhnHAHAHAAA!" Shit..! "In that case Yugi... Prepare yourself, and feel the TERROR of the Jashin..! Come... Accept the blood of the demigods... Consume the sacrifice, and become FLESH," he howled, the three monsters streaking upwards in the form of an oily slime. The tendrils combined... Twisted and formed, with a porcelain mask forming the center of it all... "Summon forth... THE DEVIL'S ERASER!"

A piercing, screeching wail came through the air, and it was all he could do not to cover his ears and turn away. From the shadows of the ground and air both the elongated and serpentine demon appeared, and looking toward its blank face Yugi swallowed. So this... Was the third of the Jashin brought into being through Yakou's soul... The Devil's Eraser... With four thousand attack with the cards left on the field for Arcana's summoning total, there was no question of what came next.

This was it. "NOW, Eraser," Yakou laughed, pointing forward. "ATTACK THE KNIGHT with DIGESTIVE BREATH! I need only BREATHE to destroy you...! NhnhnHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!"

As Yakou's laughter reached fever pitch Yugi threw his arms in front of him, his own monster unable to completely keep the heat and stench of Eraser's attack from affecting him. The acid rendered his monster naught but sludge- and as he looked over his singed arms with a squint he found himself quickly staring in shock. Though the rest of the monsters that had been on the field had looked almost ridiculously 'false' the being before him was more than real...

How ironic. The least self-sufficient of the Gods and he was already feeling the pain of its attack. 'It's nothing more than a false god', he thought he heard Kaiba spit. That was all. But as Yakou set a single card face down he found himself battling his own fear again. "Gh... My turn," he managed to say as he drew his next card. At the moment he had only one card on the field- one monster would give Eraser two thousand points, which meant he only had one option here.

Defense!

"I summon the Big Shield Guardna in defense mode!" he announced, the hologram in question hanging statically before him. As expected the Eraser's attack jumped another thousand- the power hanging on the air seemed to increase, but with six hundred more than that in defense he was safe... For now. "End turn..!"

"Hnhnhnhnh..." ...So why was Yakou... "Hnhnhahaha..!" Why... "So pleased with yourself," Yakou sighed, his opponent stiffening with confusion. "Stopping a God with a monster like that... Do you really think it'll work?"

"What..."

The laughter increased and the oils at Eraser's base seemed to swirl and twist. The darkness increased, pointing upward, and with a vicious laugh Yakou brought another card to the field. "The Devil's Eraser is a being that cleans everything... Destroys everything, obliterates even other gods..! And with this, I'll erase your arrogance..." What..!

"My ARROGANCE?"

"It's my turn now isn't it?" Yakou asked with a grin. "Well then... WATCH THIS! I offer the Eraser as TRIBUTE!" Tri-tri...

"He's offering a GOD-!"

Before Kaiba's shout could be responded to, the darkness swirled and howled. The clouds above converged into a vortex, the winds whipping against his face and arms as the monsters on the field began to melt. Eraser was first, entering the vortex piece by piece, until finally his entire being had literally vanished with the wind.

And with it, both Guardna and the card he had placed followed... All that was on the field seemingly replaced by one thing. A six star monster whose attack was now unmatched- "Gaap- God of War!" Yakou cried. "A monster whose attack increases for each 'God' in my hand... And at the moment," he continued, grinning as he turned a card forward, "This is the only one I have..."

The... "The Devil's..." The Devil's Avatar.

He had Avatar in his hand. And now... "I'll place one card face down," Yakou decided, the hologram shimmering into being at Gaap's side. "And now... My god will guide Gaap straight to you- and his aim is unerring! HERE I COME YUGI... Now! GAAP!" The insect armored demon gave a curt nod, charging with claws the size of his arms. "ATTACK..!"

"NGHHAHHHG-!" Razor sharp claws left no visible effect on his body but as he attempted to defend himself the pain was all too real. The monster before him hovered there a moment...

But as he struggled to breathe he managed to take one card from his hand, shaking fingers gripping it and setting it to the field. And as the image of another card appeared, Yakou shook. "What... You... But the Eraser destroyed all your cards..! How could you-"

"Cross Counter Trap," Yugi grit out, shaking and attempting to stand. "On the turn this trap is sent to the grave by an effect, I can activate a card from my hand- your attack," he continued, the image of 'Cross Counter' slowly fading out to be replaced by another, "Allowed me to activate that trap..! Now!" he continued, "Activate the 'Stairs to Hell'! When I take a direct attack," he roared, shadows rising from the field as cards were ejected from the deck, "I can summon two of Hell's envoys from the deck! And I choose these two!" he continued, the shadows rising to take the form of black armor and pale skin. "Envoy of Hell – Gorz," he began, a blindfolded and bladed warrior rising to the field. "And... The Envoy Kaien!" Similar armor rose up at Gorz' side, a tall helm and narrowed eyes meeting the field. Kaien's blade was gripped tight in her hand, and despite the dress-like garb she was more than ready for battle.

And from across, Yakou showed fear for but a brief moment. "Two..." Two level seven monsters, summoned in an instant. "This..." As he looked over the monsters he quickly regained his composure, eyes filling with darkness and his face contorting with rage. Once again, he had somehow gained the lead...

But the odds were still against him- Yakou's Avatar was still in his hand, and the chance that three sacrifices would appear was too high! Even so... "It's my turn now Yakou..! I'll set one face down card... And following that," he continued with a snarl, "I attack Gaap with Gorz..! HELL'S CROSS!" A resounding clang met the air as the blade met Gaap's armor, before easily cleaving the being in half. Yakou grimaced against the resulting backdraft of wind, his lifepoints depleting.

In the aftermath however, came a trap. "Activate!" Yakou cried, "Yellow Alert!" Ngh- Yellow? "Special summon one monster from my hand for the turn! And," he continued, opponent preparing for the worst, "I summon Tellus in defense mode!" Tellus?

If he'd summoned Avatar he could have easily destroyed Gorz but... "Very well... KAIEN!" he ordered, the woman charging with her sword at the small rounded 'angel'. "Attack..! HELL'S BLADE!"

Another ring of clashing metal, and Tellus was easily cut in two. But as the monster returned he froze- Something had been left behind... Just one small...

"A wing..?"

"When Tellus is destroyed," Yakou laughed, Yugi's turn timing out in the silence, "He leaves behind a wing... Moreover, now that it's my turn," he cried, "I can do this..! Spell card, MULTIPLY!" he laughed, the wings quickly doing just that to fill two more monster places upon the field. "And you know what that means..." Three...

He had three tributes and one summon left, and with the Avatar in his hand..!

"The pulse of the Jashihn is getting louder," Yakou whispered, eyes widening to an impossible extent as the white wings began to grow dark. "Can you hear it Yugi..? Another Jashin will manifest itself before you now, just watch! LOOK, and DESPAIR!" he roared, the wings melting in the air as a vicious cyclone began to tear at the sky, "AS I SUMMON THE DEVIL'S AVATAR..!"

"GRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

As the clouds tore and lighting struck the sound of thunder pealed through the air despite not a drop of rain falling from above. Within the KaibaCorp building the server tower began to spark. Anzu's body screamed in silent protest, Jonouchi collapsed, hands gripping his head in a fruitless effort to fight the waves of pain now suddenly wracking him and throughout it all the others could only watch... With their eyes trained either on the events within, or on the field above.

"Do you see now?" Yakou cried, eyes wide and almost satanic grin wider. "See the form of my other self..! This is the Devil's Avatar... THIS IS THE GOD THAT WILL CRUSH YOU..!" A jet black sun, the antithesis of the God Ra... A complete and total eclipse, as though the serpent 'apep' had come from the shadows and devoured him completely...

Yugi watched as the shadows twisted and converted, melting and writhing as they attempted to decide on a form to mirror. And with a blackened hand it 'reached'... With wide sightless eyes it stared, mouth gaping, hair limp...

'Yu... gi...'

"Gnh- Anzu..!" As quickly as he saw her she was gone, vanished into the shadows above- and as his eyes followed the path that Yugi's took, Yakou smirked. "Hnhnhnhnhn... Well... It looks as though your precious friend is already being absorbed by the Jashin," he sneered, eyes narrowing as they turned to face his opponent.

"What..." Absorbed..?

"Exactly," Yakou hissed, voice tinged with an almost possessed form of adoration. "Absorbed and replaced, allowing Pegasus-sama into this world... She will be drunk up, every last drop," he sneered, "Unless you can topple this Jashin..! This Avatar who transcends everything on the field to reign eternal..! NOW AVATAR," he ordered, not even waiting for his opponent to shout a response. "Take your new form..! For this is the JUDGEMENT of the Jashin," he snarled, the black shadows twisting and furling into the more powerful of the two envoys on the field. "DEATH to you and all the ones you love..! AVATAR!" Yakou ordered as the duplicate of Gorz sneered. "FINISH HIM NOW!" This...

The shadow charged and with its blades cut Kaien in half easily, fragmented pixels scattering the air and melting to join the pool. The oils burned the air and burned his arms and feet, and as he looked toward it he growled. This monster...!

There were shouts at the side again, he realized. Shouts of worry from Gekkou, shouts of alarm from the 'Card Professor' with them. Kaiba was silent. His other half as well, was silent, merely watching with wide eyes from the back of his mind. His lifepoints... Had now dropped to a mere 99 in that turn. The Avatar's power was unspeakable... Taking the power of the most powerful on the field to surpass it only by one. The only thing it needed.

And now, he was standing here, about to be crushed by it. "What's wrong Yugi?" the duelist taunted, mad grin leering from the end of the field. "It's your turn you know..! For every moment you deliberate, more of Anzu's soul is absorbed... Better hurry...!"

"Gh... Bastard..." But he was right. He had no other choice... Drawing his next card he swallowed, before making his play. "I discard one card to the graveyard," he began, "Allowing me to special summon 'The Tricky'..!" he continued, the cards shifting to their places as the faceless jester rose to the field.

"Oh... Turning to defense," Yakou cackled, shaking in his mirth. "You'll never save your friend that way..."

"I'm not defending this turn. In fact," Yugi countered, his opponent stiffening, "I'll attack the Jashin..!"

"What..?"

"Watch! I activate the spell 'Union Attack'," he announced, card swinging upward. "And, using it's effect," he continued, "Both of my monsters will attack with their combined power..! And since the Avatar's is based on Gorz alone," he spat, pointing them forward, "It far surpasses yours..! So... Tricky, Gorz! ATTACK! MAGIC SWORD RUSH!"

With a blur of light the monsters charged; Tricky with his fists and Gorz with his blade. Gorz would be the one to strike though, bringing his gauntlets down through the avatars form with ease- however...

"Wh-..!" The Avatar quickly retaliated. "Gorz... Gorz was defeated...?"

"Hnhnhnhnha..." Wisps of smoke faded on the air, and as the Avatar's form shifted and twisted into the only remaining monster on the field Yakou grinned. "I activated 'Disappearance of Power'... Rendering your 'Tricky's lifepoints 'zero' and blocking him from attack..." he sneered, the Tricky seeming to 'shrink' on the field. "I saw every one of your duels in this building," the man laughed, shaking his head. "And I had plenty of time to look over the contents of that deck... The only card in your deck capable of conquering the Jashin is Union Attack..!" he continued, his opponent paling more and more. "And now that I've gotten rid of that card the Jashin's reign is unstoppable..! HnhnhahahaHAHAAA!"

"Ngh..." Damn it all... There was nothing else he could do but this then. "One card face down," he announced, gritting his teeth. "End turn..!"

"Indeed it is..." As Yugi continued to stare at his opponent in rage the man laughed, dark grin shrinking into a smile. "So close that I feel like something different..." Different..? "It's my turn!" Yakou laughed, drawing his next card and playing another in the same instant. "And now Yugi! We're going to put a little spin on things!"

"What?" And just what could he possibly do to make this-

"I activate this!" Yakou announced clearly. "The card Fiend's Sanctuary!" Fiend...

Fiend's sanct...

At Yakou's feet came the familiar symbols that had appeared earlier that summer beneath his own. The hex circles and charmed writing, each letter and charm giving off enough light to almost illuminate the entire half of the field. And then yet another circle appeared... Somewhat smaller, directly before them, and immediately to the side of the Avatar's current form. From the circle came a black mist that somehow paled in comparison to the Avatar's darkness... Molded from metal, staring forward until its 'face' locked onto Yugi's own.

He could see his reflection, he realized with a swallow, already aware of the fact that the monster had now gained attack equal to his own remaining life. He could see his reflection, clear as day...

With horror he watched as the Avatar changed to match the 'new' power on the field. As, rather than crude metal limbs it began to swirl, forming a perfect silhouette of something else. First was hands and feet... Legs and arms, initially resembling any other human being, someone with a jacket hanging open over themselves.

And then the puzzle formed. A black chain and a black puzzle, followed by a face of equal darkness. There were no 'eyes'- merely voids on the form that had come into being, and as he paled even more those watching from the side were struck silent with shock. The Avatar's new form was not at all the Mirror Token that Yakou was calling into play.

The Avatar had taken the form of the original Yugi.

---

He had won.

He was certain of this fact- more than certain in fact, Yakou had told himself. He had won and there was nothing his opponent could even claim against it. "Fiend's Sanctuary," he had announced clearly, unable to stop himself from grinning maliciously toward his opponent. The card created a pentagram...

And from the pentagram came a metal fiend... And that fiend took the power of the opponent's life...

"...Ai...Bou..."

Therefore, two monsters reflected what stood before him. "Have you had a long enough look, Yugi?" His opponent was silent, mouth somewhat open in shock as he stared in horror at the 'blackened' Yugi before him. "Have you seen enough, YUGI? The Avatar has taken the form of your other self... A form he'll use to destroy you on this turn..! And how does it feel, I wonder?" he asked, triumph filling him completely. "To know defeat and despair at that other self's hand?"

While his opponent's expression twisted into a look of pure and unrelenting hate Yakou's grin merely grew still wider. Proof of all he was fighting for stood at his side now... Proof of the words that had filled his dreams, of the words that he had been so assured were true now stood with him...

And no matter the front that 'Yugi'... The 'Other Yugi' tried to put up to appear as anything but terrified he knew...

The Avatar was a God after all. Those before it could show nothing else. And as the Avatar's current form leered and scowled at their opponent he had to chuckle- the flinch and hesitation were obvious...

And as he pointed the monster forward, the other Yugi's terror was revealed in full. "Hnhnhnhnhn... Succumb to your SUPERIOR," Yakou howled, the Avatar giving an audible growl as he moved with open hands to grab at his target. "Succumb you fool without memories, you who don't even know their own FACE! AVATAR! NOW!"

The Avatar drew close... Its eyes, though black, were wide with feral rage and though it needn't touch the ground it seemed to even run across it to strike the other Yugi down.

And finally, when it was but two feet from him- "S... STOP!"

Light filled the air, and a piercing screech followed as the Avatar was forced back. One, two, three...

Blades of light toppled to the ground, almost burning the Avatar and blinding those around it. The Swords of Revealing Light..! "Tch... Of course," he hissed, turning a narrowed glare about the field as he re-evaluated his options. "As a field encompassing spell the swords aren't affected by the God's power of negation... You've bought yourself a shield," he spat, the other Yugi breathing haggardly across him. "Well...We'll see how long you have then," the man snarled. "I'll set two cards face down and end my turn instead! But Yugi," he continued darkly. "You can't run forever..."

From across him, 'Yugi' swallowed. And despite his unease, managed to swallow and continue on- "My turn then," he rasped, drawing his next card. With a single glance it was hurriedly placed on the field, cards in his deck shuffling as he removed the lone monster he had remaining. "I play the spell Monster Recovery!" the boy called out, drawing a new set of cards. "By returning all monsters from my hand and field to the deck, I can draw five cards!" Oh really now..?

"Hn." So he made a miracle draw... Well then, he thought to himself as his opponent continued. Fighting until the bitter end...

"I set two cards face down and end my turn!" his opponent cried. "Your move..!" Ahh...

"Not even a shield," he chuckled, narrowing his eyes in amusement as he drew his next card. A single look told him all he needed to know, and the grin widened. "Do these swords make you feel safe..?" Well then. "Hnhnhnhnhn... I pay the 1000 lifepoint cost to keep the Metal Devil on the field," he decided, lifepoints shifting from 1900 to 900. And while his opponent stared in shock he grinned. "I'm not about to wait three turns for your little spell to fade... I play De-Spell!" he announced, the blades of light shattering completely. "Deactivating them now! Which means that it's time," he laughed as he pointed the shadow forward. "For the Jashin... No... 'Yugi Mutou'... The one whose very face and life you've stolen, to bring about your end! PREPARE TO FACE HIS TRUE FEELINGS! NOW-"

"True feelings," his opponent repeated dully, Yakou's grin merely twitching as he chuckled. "You think my partner... Hates me..?"

"You live in his body do you not," he sneered, grin falling as he growled. "You wear his face and live his life, do you not..!" As 'Yugi' stiffened Yakou continued, his own past memories flooding his mind as he snarled. Of the words his adoptive father had given... Of the words all those who had seen them both had said...

The 'other' Tenma... The 'failed copy'...

'It would be better,' they had said, 'If he didn't exist...' Surely...

Surely, the real Yugi, in the back of this one's mind felt the same way toward...

"Gh... You may have his form but you aren't the same!" he roared. "Which one of you dominated the Battle City Tournament, earning the 'Championship' title? Which one of you defeated Pegasus-sama in the Duelist Kingdom, claiming the name of 'Duel King'..! WAS IT HIM?" he asked, opponent standing stiff. "NO! It was YOU who won all those titles..! And ONLY you..! The real Yugi did nothing, and you STOLE his chances of doing so..!"

"That's not..." 'Yugi' shook his head, eyes widening even further. "You're wrong... That isn't..."

"Even Anzu Mazaki," he snarled, the blood draining even further from his opponent's face. "You plan on taking her as well, don't you!"

"You..."

"You can't even come up with a single word in your defense," Yakou growled. "Pathetic..! Really... Could anyone blame him for his anger..!"

"YAKOU! THAT IS ENOUGH!"

As the words cracked over the air Yakou stiffened, eyes widening. "You," he whispered, staring in shock. "The real..."

Yugi narrowed his eyes in stubborn rage, somehow able to hold an appearance of calm despite things. In an instant, even with that, he seemed to calm further- And it was in that instant that he spoke. "You're wrong Yakou," he stated clearly, voice echoing throughout the sky. "I'm not angry at all... And I never have been angry with my other self- not in the way that you're describing."

"What..." That...

That was impossible, he couldn't possibly be... "The other me broadens my horizons," Yugi continued calmly. "To say that I haven't gained anything... That the other me has replaced me... Is nothing but a lie! I've gained all sorts of things, things I consider far more important than a 'title' in a game! Jonouchi-kun... Honda-kun... Kaiba-san, and everyone else- All those people I've met, all of the people I consider my precious friends- if it wasn't for my other self, I would never have met them, no matter how hard I wished! Yakou," he continued coldly. "This is not 'my' rage you're attacking with... It's yours and nothing but..!" That...

"You..." His rage..?

ONLY his rage? They were in the same position..! Overshadowed by another with their face, overshadowed by 'perfect' duelists... He thought...

Of anyone... 'in the end you are alone...' How right... "You really are too dense," he hissed, looking toward Yugi with a stone gaze. "I'm almost jealous..."

The boy blinked, looking almost betrayed. Hah! Betrayed of all things... And at the same time, with that same face, his brother from the side... "Yakou..."

How dare he... "I suppose you're right," Yakou snarled bitterly, the darkness seeming to writhe and twist with his very hate. "Physically there's only one of you! You don't have a living, breathing reminder of your failures and weaknesses like I do!" The ground and sky both rumbled and as all those before him stared in silence his tightened fist began to cut into skin. "One person or two... I'll defeat you together..! So then, Yugi! TREMBLE before the Jashin, the personification of my WRATH! Give into his power and let him kill you swiftly!"

"Tch... If that's the case," Yugi responded, voice seeming to shift as hair grew wild and eyes sharp, "Then allow us to destroy that wrath and free you now! BRING IT ON!"

---

An inferiority complex, he thought he heard Kaiba say from the ground. This all started because of one brother's sense of inferiority compared to the other, fed and grown by the darkness of the Jashin.

'Should you be happy..?' Kaiba was asking Gekkou now, eyes cold. 'Or sad about that, I wonder..?'

Gekkou was silent for a number of moments. And in the end he couldn't say anything.

Because the answer, as he looked to his little brother on the field, was obvious.

"Jashin-Yugi!" Yakou ordered in that moment, the shadowed figure snarling in rage. "ATTACK DIRECTLY!"

The demon charged in that instant, charging in a manner almost similar to how he would float...

But Yugi stood by his side at that moment- the real one.

And so he would continue. "It's still too early for the end Yakou!" he cried. "And I activate this trap! 'Shadow Guardmen'!" The card swung upward just as two misty beings of light swooped into the opposing Avatar's face, the shadow again screeching as the light settled into a pair of armored tokens. "By the effects of the trap two shadow guardmen tokens are summoned in defense mode!" he explained, "Which means no damage will come to me now!"

"Nonsense!" Yakou countered as the Avatar briefly faltered in his attack. "You won't stop me with that... Activate the trap Berserker Mode!" Bersek-

"Gh-" With a clang of metal the guardsmen shifted their position, shields lowered and bladed arms at the ready.

"Hnhnhnhnh..." His opponent chuckled. "Thought you could avoid this..? And don't think another trap will save your guardsmen from attack..!" Save them..?

Yugi merely grinned. "Well... Of course I'll go through with the battle phase," he said calmly, those at the side stiffening.

"You..." Kaiba caught on immediately. "I see what you're doing," she realized, a small smirk slowly coming into place over her face. "GOOD! It's about time... STOP THAT GOD WITH A TASTE OF REAL POWER, the power I gave you in Battle City!"

"I will!" he responded, tapping the disk as yet another card swung upward. "Here I come Yakou... Spellcard! MONSTER REBORN!" From the side he could almost see Kaiba's grin. "And the monster I bring back," he continued, a great shadow rising up behind him as the sky rumbled, "Is noneother than this... THE GOD OF STORM... SUTEKH OF THE OBELISK!"

"Almost young KING," the great being rumbled as his wide wings came into being. "One TIME, and you will know my TRUE name and POWER!" One day...

The God towered over the Avatar and yet the Avatar showed little reaction but apparent apathy toward the being that had appeared. And in the same manner, the brief shock that Yakou had in reaction to the armored God's appearance was naught but a smirk. "Hmnp. So what," he hissed, narrowed eyes watching as the the shadows of the Avatar abandoned the form of his opponent. "Even the Gods aren't immune to the powers of the Avatar after all..! See?" he continued, the real Obelisk watching as a somewhat larger version of itself came to loom from behind Yakou. "BEHOLD, he who surmounts your God... JASHIN-OBELISK!"

"Ahhh... No..." Gekkou swallowed from the side, eyes widening. "Don't do it Yugi... Don't! Even if you have Obelisk's power..!"

"Don't underestimate a God," Kaiba snorted, the pair's comments easily heard over the field. "Obelisk' true power can arise at any moment..." Yes...

The highest ability at the God's disposal... One he could use now that there were two others on his side of the field... "Exactly..!" he shouted. "Obelisk's special ability activates!" Yugi cried, the two guardsmen tokens snatched up and crushed within the God's clawed hands, "Sacrificing the two tokens on the field to make his power infinite..! SOUL ENERGY- MAX!" he continued, the Avatar as well crackling with power. "UNDERSTAND, Yakou? A value that cannot be added OR subtracted..!"

"So you still don't understand then," his opponent snarled, paying no heed to the forbidding shadows that the gods now formed over them. The shadows seemed to mist and play around his very body of all things, and if he forgot to look properly he could swear his very eyes had grown black. "Your God and my 'God' stand on completely different places of ranking..! Anything beneath his rule will be negated, plain and simple..! HNHNAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Yugi-san..." The boy turned, catching Gekkou's crestfallen expression and staring back in silence.

"...Gekkou." As the man stared, Yugi merely returned the gaze with a confidence he had almost lost throughout the duel as the morning hour approached. "I'm going to defeat Yakou. Understand?"

Again, there was more silence... But it seemed that, as Gekkou answered, the clouds began to slowly depart to make way for dawn's light. "I beg of you to do so then," he responded clearly.

"Hn! Defeat me!" Yakou snarled, voice seeming to cause as much of a rumble as the gods themselves. "I've already explained why it won't work... Now... AVATAR! SMASH THE OBELISK!" The shadowed hand balled into a fist, and with a feral cry that did not at all suit the beast it flung it toward his opponent's monster.

And Yugi merely smiled, already seeing the outcome of this match. "Yakou... You claimed that the gods both sat on completely different tiers of power, did you not?" he asked, opponent faltering with shock. "Well... Obelisk' 'rank' as God... Is about to be upgraded by noneother than your brother's power!" he announced. "Watch! I activate my third trap!"

"What..!"

"GOD EVOLUTION! And with THIS," Yugi roared, the wings of Obelisk stretching and cracking with feathered designs, "I bestow upon my God the Highest level of rank," he cried, legs fusing into a long and serpentine tail that brought the Obelisk' form a number of feet taller. Armor gleamed with light and power... What was an ocean blue grew gold and scarlet, giving off as much light as the sun itself. With his fists clenched, Yugi pointed the new god forward with a snarl. "Here- Behold the true form of the God of the Obelisk... The God of SANDS, STORMS, and CHAOS..! SUTEKH!"

"HnhnHAHAHAHA! SOONER THAN WE THOUGHT," the God laughed, almost canine helm doing nothing to hide a vicious and mummified grin. "WELL NOW, LITTLE KING... YOU HOLD SURPRISES YET TO BE DISCOVERED IT WOULD SEEM..!"

The clouds split from the point where Sutekh stood. They blew back, unable to cloak the world in darkness as the sun and the light of the Gods bled over them, and as the power that surpassed their own walked the earth again. And as Yakou stuttered, darkened eyes wide and unresponsive, Yugi pointed the God forward. "Yakou," he called. "Here I go..! I ATTACK!" he roared, both monsters slamming their fists toward the other with a snarl,

"GOD HAND IMPACT!"

"RRRSSS-SSSSSSEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-"

"HHRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

-dOUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-

Across the air a shockwave like no other rattled the sky. Light, blinding light formed of darkness as well blinded all those who heard and felt it, and especially those who watched. And as the air visibly rippled beneath that light, and as both opponents shielded their eyes behind their arms both sides couldn't help but wonder the results. Would the Upgrade truly have allowed Obelisk- Sutekh- to surpass the Jashin..?

Or would the Jashin, slippery as it was, find a way around even that..? Inside the server began to scream in protest; sparks flew and those before it were forced to duck behind walls and pray for it to pass. Above it, Anzu and her connections began to scream for real, with one in her presence watching in horror and the other clutching his head in agony as the shadows themselves seemed to attack- The light began to fade...

But with it, the sun could be seen rising on the horizon. And the clouds from the night before finally cleared, leaving the air to be dyed a pale gold and rose. And the gods...

Crumbled. Their bodies flaked and fell as dust, blowing in two separate directions on the wind. The darkness was gone...

For a moment, both duelists could hear a voice. 'You stand on your own,' they could hear, a shade seeming to appear with his back toward the shocked Yakou, 'Because you do not need me any longer...'

Like the gods, the shade as well began to crumble...

And Yakou screamed. "No... Pegasus-sama..!" he cried, the ghost of red and white misting into nothing as colour returned to the young man's eyes and body. "PEGASUS-SAMA! WHY! Why did you leave me..! PEGASUS..!"

The man wept...

But Yugi was distracted by another on the field, who, in the still blinding light that surrounded the duelists, stood and smiled before him. "...Anzu," he whispered, the woman giving him a warm smile. She seemed different somehow... But he couldn't figure out why.

"Hey," she laughed, the light seeming to pass through her in that moment. "We should head back to the others... Shouldn't we?"

The spirit began to mist, but this time he merely smiled and nodded. "Yea. We should." The light cleared in full...

And while Yugi stood upon the field, looking toward the weeping Yakou, those on the side stared in shock. "Obelisk... And the Jashin both," Gekkou whispered, the others unable to speak. "They're both gone..."

The shadows had passed...

But inside, there was still more to come, regardless of the fact that Anzu was now at last waking up...

---

...For the story was not over just yet.

Though the darkness had passed and he knows this, there is the recovery to deal with after all.

After what happens in the chamber after all, Neker stays at his side for hours. Longer than it takes for a curious mother to the boy to come down, longer than it takes for a scarcely alive elder to wheeze out the boy's name as culprit. He stays at his side and listens as the village argues the boy's fate, and as a demand for death rings clear among the core of Elna'am.

He stays as the boy's sister begs an alternative, and as the mother watches on with cold eyes in silence. He listens... And slips away with the boy on his back. He hides the boy among the rocks in the desert, beneath an old and unused stable hut, before returning to the village by way of shadows, just as they have taught him. Some money here and there... Some food, preserved in jars, and some water. It is rude to steal from the dead this is true, but a number of their citizens among the outer ring and even the inner core do so anyway- they have taught Neker well, and it is with those teachings that the Elders homes are slightly emptier as he leaves them one by one. He does not pause to hear the verdict of his friend's sentence. He does, however, catch a few words-

For they have discovered the boy's absence.

'If that demon returns he should be killed on sight..!'

'Let him be run- he'll be killed mercilessly by the desert anyway, even stoning would be pity!'

'He has destroyed our culture, our people..!'

...The words echo.

Neker flees the village with a heavy heart, and as he takes the water he has stolen to the boy's lips he whispers for his friend to wake up. "Come on," he pleads, water splashing in and around the boy's mouth. "Wake up please, wake up..."

The boy does not respond, and as Neker bows his head he wonders if it has all been for naught. If his friend is already past the point of no return, and if the dragon's sacrifice has been wasted. Suddenly however, coughing meets the air. The boy's face twists into a grimace and he moves, rolling over to cough up what water fell to his lungs. "Kh- GHAH!"

"Y-You're awake..!" The boy turns to Neker only to find himself wrapped in a hug, the boy caught in it looking around in confusion. "I thought you'd died," he whispers fearfully, unable to move. "I thought it was all for nothing that it was all to late, I-"

Before he can say more and before the boy can speak there are shouts from the distance, accompanied by lantern lights. Neker learned well, but not well enough to cover his tracks in the sand with perfection. They are coming... And they will not have mercy when they realize that they are still nearby. While the boy looks on confused he finds his arms full of what Neker has stolen, before being pulled up by the shoulders. "N-Neker," the boy asks, shaking his head. "Neker... What's going on?"

"You need to run," Neker tells him, swallowing fearfully, "And fast... Far! They won't have horses, and you have the desert right?" The boy continues to stare, words and sights filling his mind with confusion. "Listen," he continues, biting his lip. "The dragon... He's in your shadow now, he'll always be there. He brought you back to life," Neker weeps, "And I'm not letting that go to waste. There's water and food in this back, it should last until the capital... There's also some gold, so you can trade for something, anything, I don't... I don't know, I..."

The boy watches as his best friend rambles, and slowly his mind connects the jumbled spray of words. Slowly his eyes widen in horrified realization, and clutching the pack of things tears begin to run down his face. "Neker," he whispers. "Everyone is..."

"You need to run," Neker repeats, grip tightening on his shoulders briefly before he turns to face the approaching lamp lights. "I'll hold them off as long as you can but you need to run understand?" The boy stares, confused, and his friend continues. "Run," Neker tells him, the boy taking no more than a hesitant step back. With a start he's pushed back, his friend's eyes wide and angry. "RUN!"

The boy stumbles. But with fearful eyes he realizes he has no choice. He darts off into the desert sands while his friend waits to distract the villagers. He runs with the rising sun coming up from the side of him, and he runs until his feet are cracked and bleeding, until sand coats his sweating skin and until tears and salted ground cannot be told apart from the other. He trips...

He falls... The gold he's to sell scatters before his arms and glitters where the sun hits it, merely glowing dully in locations his shadow sits. And the boy stares at his shadow, for one minute, two... He stares...

And with a mourning wail he finally cries, holding himself close and wishing the dragon was there beside him instead of lost to the depths of his own shadow. With a weeping cry he holds himself close, wishing that a single voice...

"jonouchi"

Just one voice...

"Jonouchi..."

He could hear-

"JONOUCHI WAKE UP!"

"NYH!" The blond opened his eyes with a jolt, choking as he attempted to get his bearings straight. This wasn't a desert, this wasn't sand, this wasn't... Wherever. It was the 'upper' server room. With the machine. The machine that Anzu had been-

"Really," Anzu sighed, arms crossed as she looked worriedly at the teen. "It's bad enough you had to help me, don't add another to the list..." Ah..

"A-Anzu..!"

Honda nodded. "Yep. She woke up half way through the server storm a few moments ago. Of course," he added with a frown, while your 'seizure' stopped at the same time, that didn't mean you woke up..."

The blond flushed, and a third voice joined in. "You're lucky I'm not telling neesama about this too," Mokuba said with a frown, the boy standing there with crossed arms and a scowl. "The only reason I'm not is because those 'jashin' are probably gone; which means it should stop." Errr...

He coughed. "Eh... R-Righ'..." He stumbled to his feet, rubbing his head. "Ow... What'd I hit anyway..."

"The machine, the floor, my face when I tried to keep you from flailing..."

Anzu shrugged. "You'd stopped by the time I was out, so I wouldn't know really." Ehhh...

"Yea tha' figures..." He sighed, before blinking in sudden confusion. Hey wait a second... "O-Oi... Yugi's still fightin' up there isn' he?"

"Nh?" While the others as well blinked, Mokuba frowned.

"I can check... But..."

"If the jashin are gone," Honda asked, "Then the duel should be over right..?"

Anzu shrugged. "Maybe. But Malik's duel wasn't over when Ra was defeated right? So there's a chance..."

"Ah! You're right Katsuya-nii..!" The three turned to where Mokuba was, the boy holding up his slate. "Their duel disks are still running- 900 points for Tenma, and 99 for Yugi..." He bit his lip. "It's not looking good..."

Heh. "But it's good enough." The others turned, and Katsuya grinned. "Hey, Anzu... You can walk alright, righ'?"

The woman stared, expression growing rather incredulous. "...I'm more worried about you..."

"Good!" He quickly grabbed his friend's shoulders, turning to Mokuba with a laugh. "Then what're we waitin' for? Time t' go cheer 'm on!"

"Katsuya-nii, I think the match is about to end..."

"Let's go, let's go!"

"J-Jonouchi..."

"Jonouchi!"

"Goooooo...!"

In the end, they decided to simply let the blond do as he wished, unsurprisingly...

And up above, the moves they would miss played around in his mind.

---

It was morning now. At the side Kaiba was receiving notice from her brother that the server had returned to normal, with all data of the Jashin eradicated. And above, as Kaiba explained things to Gekkou...

'Now that its influence is gone from the server... I'm sure it's vanished from your brother as well.'

Indeed, the shadows seemed to dissipate with Kaiba's words... With ashes of former cards blowing back on the wind and off the side of the building.

Yugi stared as the man before him clutched his head, shakily trying in vain to stand. "...Yakou," he called, unable to see his face even as the man brought his hands down to his sides. "The Jashin are gone- they've left with the clouds and the night. ...I think it's about time," he continued, "That the desires brought up with them fade as well."

Again, Yakou fell to his knees, tear filled eyes staring at the ground. "He said... 'I don't need him'," he whispered, drops of water falling to the ground. Yugi stared, watching as Yakou wiped his eyes and turned his gaze skyward. "...Without so much as turning his head... It's over..."

"No." The man turned, quivering eyes widening as Gekkou shouted to him. "No Yakou... The fight isn't over yet!" Yakou continued to stare, and his brother went on. "Before this battle started... You said that I was a moon reflecting light from the sun, like my name... And you're right. Without the light... Without Pegasus-sama, I would never have been able to stand here. But Yakou! That isn't you!" he cried, the expression on his brother's face moving to despair to mere confusion. "Even in the thickest darkness, you can still move forward..! The reason Pegasus-sama hid the Jashin away was because you don't need them to succeed..! So rather than Pegasus-sama being at the end of this battle," he continued, "Find your true self... The self that Pegasus saw with his eye..!"

Still Yakou was silent, eyes widening somewhat. But despite the silence, it seemed he finally understood- turning back to the front, he shakily rose to his feet... And he nodded. "...Yugi-san," he began, voice still quiet and soft spoken even in comparison to Gekkou's own. "...Let's continue this duel to the end."

His opponent merely smiled. "Hn. Alright then..! It's still your turn Yakou!"

Yakou nodded. "Right..! Then in that case, I activate the spell Level Award," he started off, the mood of the match changing entirely as the card appeared over the field. "Using its effect," he continued, "I change the level of the Metal Devil token to eight stars..!"

A warm wind blew over the field, and as Yugi watched he continued. This was the real Yakou now- a clear mind, and a clear head...

A quiet voice and a desire to be acknowledged as himself. So... Through this duel, they would finally see who Yakou really was! "Next, I activate my trap..!" Another card swung upward on the field, and the duelist explained. "Star Level Shuffle! Which allows me to switch out my level eight 'Metal Devil' for the identically leveled monster in my grave... Return to the field!" he called, the devil and its cursed circles sinking into the ground as pixels formed the paws of a greater beast before him. "The Divine King of Beasts, Barbaros!" A digitized roar heralded the monster's summoning, and as he held his lance and shield high Yakou continued still on. "With this special summon, his attack power isn't as restricted as before... I can't attack now," he continued, ignoring the scowl from Kaiba at the side. "But I'll show you the kind of duelist I am..! I end my turn!"

"I hope to see that," he responded honestly. "Now that the Gods are gone, and the grudge is gone... This is a 'real' duel now!" Yugi announced. "It's my turn..! And I'm not through yet either! But we can hardly expect to make the most of this duel with what we have now... So I'll play this- Card of Sanctity!" he went on, drawing as required for the spell. "We'll both draw until we have six cards!"

His opponent nodded doing the same as the crowd stared. 'Even when Barbaros has 3000 attack points,' Gekkou was saying, watching in wonder. 'Even then...'

"Next, one card face down... And then, I summon Beta the Magnet Warrior in defense mode!" he cried, the small golden monster shimmering into existence with a shout. With a short salute he looked back to the duelist, before taking a crouched position on the field- the monsters were back...

And he was ready.

"Come at me!" Yugi announced with a grin. "With all your heart and soul, make your move..! I end my turn!"

His opponent nodded. "My turn," he began, looking to the single trap hesitantly. Just one trap was there, but it was daunting nonetheless- the Jashin had been finished by three mere face downs...

And yet, rather than exercise caution, his mind refused. This was his fight...

And he wanted to do just as Yugi had said- to attack with all he had..! "Barbaros," Yakou began, before pointing his monster forward. "ATTACK! TORNADO SHAVER!"

"Hn! So you haven't died as a duelist after all then!" Yugi congratulated. "In that case, activate the trap Soul Barrier!" he cried as the lance came in contact with Beta, the monster in question vanishing from sight immediately. "Switching Beta with Alpha from the grave and dodging your attack!"

The leonine warrior paused, as the warriors did this, Alpha entering a crouch just as quickly and bringing his shield up in defense. This was not the monster he had been ordered to attack...

So, rather than continue, Barbaros returned back to Yakou's side of the field. Yakou blinked, and nodded almost gravely in response. "...I set two cards face down then, and end my turn," he decided. "Your move."

"Very well," he began, drawing his next card and giving it a short look. "I play a card face down," he began, setting it upon the field and watching the holograms respond. "Next, I summon Blockman in defense mode!" The lego warrior did not seem to say nor do anything as he appeared, merely taking a defensive position as ordered- in response, he brought his arms to the side and looked across to his opponent. "I end my turn!"

The shields were amassing... And in moments, a clash would appear. "Alright then," Yakou started, realizing this just as quickly as Yugi and those in the crowd. "Here I go! I summon the Machine King Ur!" he started, setting his next card to the field. From glimmering red and gold the robotic creature assembled itself, floating legless above the air with arms that resembled shields. "Next," he continued, "A spell card from my hand... Polymerization!" Poly-

Yugi's eyes widened as the metal cracked off from Ur's form, latching and clicking over top the armor of Barbaros' own. Some pieces were lost... Others merged together in elegant gold. But as the swirling winds that surrounded the monsters faded, Yakou pointed his new monster, armed with shield-like lances, toward the defenses Yugi had amassed. "Now! Divine Beast Machine King... Barbaros-Ur! Barbaros-Ur," he explained, "Is the closest monster to the Gods... Absorbing the ability of the fellow demigod Machine King Ur; for each level it has, he can attack another monster. Moreover," he cried, activating another spell, "The card quick attack! Allowing him to attack now! So! Barbaros-Ur," he ordered, the monster's lances opening to reveal a set of futuristic looking guns. "Attack, with CRAG SHOT!"

The shots fired forth and in an instant Yugi made his counter. "Trap activate!" he called out. "Negate Attack!" And with those words the oncoming bullets were abruptly surrounded in winds, the harsh gale scattering pixels into the wind before allowing the duelists a moment of silence.

"98..." Yakou seemed to be muttering. "I can't even touch..." That mere 98 point drop...

"It's my turn," Yugi announced, Yakou merely staring. Both were sure now... Who would win this match. Both knew that Barbaros-Ur's power would be surpassed in just a moment...

And as Yugi placed the cards for his next move, the final turn was revealed.

"I sacrifice Alpha to summon this," he started, pixels rising in a column of light as a familiar blond haired magician came to the field. "The Dark Magician Girl..!" The girl said nothing for this match however, merely giving a nod and preparing for the next step. "And now... Here I go! First, I activate Blockman's special ability- splitting it into two separate monsters..! Following that," he continued, the Magician Girl floating back to the side to make way for what would come, "I activate this spell from my hand- Dimension Magic..! I sacrifice the two block monsters," he began, the scattered tributes forming a coffin of immense size, chained and bound, "Now... ARISE! DARK MAGICIAN!"

The coffin divided with the wave of the Magician Girl's staff, and from within it walked the Magician himself. With a single nod he turned to smile toward Yugi- "It is good to see you again, my King." He turned to face Barbaros-Ur. "Now then... I think it is time to be rid of this obstacle before us."

Quickly shaking off the shock, the duelist nodded. "Nm. With the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl on the field at once, he called out, "I can destroy one monster..! SO!" he cried, both magicians charging the dark magic atop their staffs. "Barbaros-Ur is destroyed..!"

"BLACK BURNING MAGIC..!"

From the staffs shot forth a thundering flame, encompassing the opponent's monster entirely. It was eradicated in mere seconds- and as the Magicians returned to Yugi's side Yakou staring almost in shock, he smiled. "Yakou," he said calmly, as the Dark Magician Girl raised her staff again to prepare for attack. "You were a worthy opponent..!"

And with that, while Yakou continued to stare in silence... "Now... Dark Magician Girl attacks!"

"Hnhnhn!~" With the twirl of the staff she pointed it forward, doing just that-

"BLACK BURNING!"

The light filled Yakou's end of the field, but he remained silent, even as the blast's radius blew a shockwave of wind back against him. In fact...

He smiled. 'Yugi-san's strength... Is indeed great,' he decided to himself. The stage lowered... And in the bright morning light, Kaiba walked over with crossed arms, Gekkou instantly rushing toward his brother.

"Yugi," she started, a ghost of a smile playing on her face. "You returned the Kaiba Corporation building to me," she said plainly, looking down toward him. "I have to give you my thanks."

"Ah..." Thanks..? Well. It seemed she had come back for the better after all. "It was nothing."

"Hn!"

The two turned, watching as Gekkou approached his brother. "Yakou," he started, eyes still filled with worry.

The younger of the two merely smiled. "...Gekkou. Thank you, for making me continue that duel. If I'd stopped then," he continued, gaze briefly turning to the ground, "I probably would have regretted it... ...I think now that it's over..."

A card sat in his hands- one that the others had not seen, one that seemed 'incomplete'. And as Gekkou glanced at it for a moment, the 'nameless' card his brother held, it was just as quickly torn.

And at the same moment, the doors opened, four others running forward with a shout. "OI!" the loudest one called. "YUGI! Congrats..!"

"YUGI!"

"Oiii Yugi..! Someone's here for you..!"

As the others turned, Yugi's eyes widened- and as she walked over, still too exhausted to run, Anzu smiled. "Yugi! Hey..!"

"Anzu..." He looked over the others, smile growing larger. "Everyone..!"

"Neesama..!"

"Nm-!" While Mokuba effectively tackled his sister around the middle, Yugi ran toward the rest, the Tenma brothers merely watching it all with smiles.

"So this is the source of their strength," Yakou said quietly, looking over them as each group was lost in their own set of conversation.

"Yea," Gekkou said with a nod. "It is."

"Hah. I'm glad then," Yakou continued. "...That I didn't take their smiles like planned..."

Gekkou said nothing more to that- there was nothing more that needed to be said.

---

When the excitement of the field had calmed, a number of events wound up happening in the end. First, there was an awkward bit of threat exchanging when a majority of them realized what had happened between Willa Mette and Seto earlier- starting with a harsh 'ONE WORD...' and ending with a panicked 'Nothing. I saw... NOTHING.'

She was apparently pleased with that, and promptly went to reclaim her coat and fix the binding that had come loose, leaving everyone else to deal with emptying the building of the others involved.

The fact was though, most had already left- Reiko was helping her grandmother Maiko out in the wheelchair, and gave a wave to the others as they made their way to the parking lot. While Pete and Klamath as well gave a nod when they spotted Katsuya, Kirk gave a steady salute in Yugi's direction... Ted Banias and Richie Merced had to be woken up- and have helped called for- but aside from him, it seemed that people like Cedar, Keith, or Mendo, simply left as soon as the duelists were out of sight.

Tilla, however, was still there when they were gathered outside the exit. And, when Katsuya handed over the black duel disk, she was fairly elated- "Oh... Oh my, this is..."

"Hn! Perhaps not such a bad duelist then..." Well, at least the vampire approved then.

In the end, Tilla Mook took her leave as well though... And as the morning sun put a glow on everything around them, Katsuya looked up toward the top of the building. "So... Guess th's means I get t' go back t' waitin' now... Huh."

Yugi turned, Anzu and Honda as well trading short glances. They knew that the Tenma brothers were already gone now... But as the jet up above began to take off, the three gave their own looks of sympathy to their friend. "...Jonouchi-kun..."

"Why are you still standing in front of the door, Mutt."

The blond jumped, all four of them jumping as they spotted who had just spoken. "S...Seto-chan-"

"I've said something about calling me that as I recall." Though despite the tone, the look didn't seem quite as harsh. As it was, she walked past, Mokuba following behind with a grin. "Now hurry up, the car should be around soon."

"Er..." He looked back toward the others, blinking. "But..."

While Honda shrugged and Yugi laughed, the other Yugi seemed to be giving some form of thumbs up from behind the boy and Anzu as practically mouthing 'GET MOVING'.

"Come on Katsuya-nii..!" Well, that answered his question.

"Alrigh', alrigh'..!" he shouted, running after the boy as the car did just as Seto had predicted. Doors were opened, seats were taken and belts buckled...

The car drove off in silence, with Mokuba sitting in the front and Seto somehow managing to sit at the window opposite Katsuya's own.

More silence on the air. Fiddling with his thumbs he managed to distract himself with the window for all of five minutes before it was already killing him. The silence... The words left unsaid... "So... How w's th' states...?" he eventually said with a grin.

"I was forced to cancel the American Nationals because of this fiasco- it's likely I missed it as soon as the server went back online." Ehhhh... As Katsuya pulled a face however, she went on. "It was fine, otherwise."

...Oh. That was a new response. The car continued on its path, and he turned. "Righ'..." Right. More silence. And another five awkward minutes before he found himself unable to avoid a topic he'd been dying to know about for some time. "...Seto-chan... ..Tha' kiss..."

"'If I live, we can forget all about it'. That's what you said isn't it?"

He coughed, looking away. "Y-Yea... I..."

"Tch. Moron." Katsuya blinked, turning to the woman in mild surprise. "As though you'd forget something like that..."

"Ehehe..." Oh shit... "W... Well..."

"Let me be very clear on this, Katsuya." Oh shit that was his first name, why didn't this make him happy any more- "I am not some school girl or passing woman you can develop a crush on. Don't expect me to respond to any ridiculous hormonal urges of yours. ...Understand?"

"... ….Ehhhh!"

A smirk. "Hn! Good. We're clear then."

"Wh- I don' even-"

The car came to a stop, and just as quickly she was opening the door to leave. "That's all I'm saying on the subject, Mutt- take it or leave it." Uh.

"R-Right, well..." He stumbled out, Mokuba already making his way to the door and the car driving off on its own. "I..."

The woman sighed. "Make it quick, Katsuya... I still need to deal with the paperwork involved with flying back into the country without proper 'barrier' crossing." Oh yea that.

Er... "I... I was wonderin'... When yer don' with tha'... You wanna duel later? Like in th' backyard 'r somethin'..?"

For a moment, he thought she wasn't going to say anything. That she was just going to walk inside and things would eventually go back to as normal as things could be now.

Instead...

"Alright then. ...Later."

Walking inside, he couldn't help but look forward to that.

---

AN: OHGOD.

OHGOD IT CAN'T. IT CAN'T BE.

Usagi updated.

Yeeeeaaaaaa...

Guys I cannot begin to apologize for how ridiculously long it took for me to update this chapter- I underestimated my workload, and more importantly overestimated my patience.

This chapter stands out from the others you see- due to the resources I had to use for the YuGiOh-R section of this fanfic you see, there was lots of information bouncing. But in addition to that, the final duel takes up almost the entire final volume; which is thicker than the norm.

In any case- I hardly expect to be at all quick to update here on out given that school starts again tomorrow (IE, Jan. 3rd), but it'll definitely be quicker than the wait it was this time; now that I'm in 'original' territory concerning what happens next, it shouldn't take that long unless I hit an art block.

In any case, I want to thank everyone for all the reviews, and all the favorites, and more importantly, for sticking with me for the next update..! I can only hope it was worth the wait..!

AND IN OTHER NEWS...

While it would NEVER be updated NEARLY as quick... I've finished the first chapter of 'ReiYoku', the 'original' fanfic based in the YuGiOh world. The story will follow college student 'Yume' and grudging partner 'Reynard' in a world where the card game has been replaced by pitting one's ka against the other in a 'safe' environment. If anyone wants me to put it up here, let me know; just PROMISE you won't ask when I'll update it..! (There's Promo Art for it below by the way, as I used the one of Yume's costumes as the subject for my final painting critique/exam/project.)

ALSO. Some of you may have noticed I have a tumblr. Some of you may also have noticed that I have been Rping a LOT on LiveJournal during my fifteen minute breaks to keep the writer's muse up.

IF YOU HAVE ENOUNTERED A CHARACTER FROM THIS FANFIC IN RP, DO NOT MENTION IT HERE. Because... Spoilers yo.

Anonymous Review Responses

Dahaaaa... So late...

First! Bemavajyi... Oh- You disabled Pms... (Though there's an account, I can't respond through the site...)

Okay then! I'll just respond here! First off, this is partially why the response is so late (I AM SO SORRY ABOUT THAT)- though I technically swore not to say 'boo' until I was ready to update. Probably not the best idea given that I immediately realized what being an art student meant shortly after. ECK-

In any case, to answer your second review I most certainly intend to finish this fanfic properly- I'm glad you enjoy it so much so far, and I'm absolutely flattered that you've been recommending it..! I can only hope that future chapters impress as well- because believe me when I say, there is much, MUCH more to come..!

Kakamashi what are you doing in the anon, what-

AND AAAH. AHHHH LOOK- LOOK HE'S ALIVE SEE? HE LIVES FOR A WHILE LONGER I SWEAR-

There was LOTS of tears in that chapter huh... One giant let down that. And there was no art because SCHOOL ATE IT.

Actually, that technically happened here too, though in the case of anything I drew in December, it was 'my sketchbook and RP muses ate it'. Erk. I DO have some past Jou (He's called 'Mimir' in the RP to avoid name awkwardness) below though...

Iona! You have your answers after so long- thank you for patiently waiting..!

And to answer your 'dead jou' question, I will point above. So don't worry, it's all good!

And HAHAHAHA, I don't think Kaiba quite agrees... (As for FALCONPUNCH!Yugi, you would be surprised. :|a )

Hey Imadork! Glad you like the reaction~ I had a lot of fun planning that...

And hehehe, I was waiting for the psychic term too actually.

Anyways, speaking of milestones... ...You haven't seen anything yet~ :'D (I should stop saying that, how will I top myself all the time ahhhhh-)

I think getting the wrong name is going to be a running gag. I'm not sure it depends on if Jou steals enough monsters down the road. But yea, I was just dying to write that duel- pretty much the opposite of this one, and I'm really dreading the fact that it could possibly show. :/

OH! And yes, that was Devil's Eraser that caused deafness; the Jashin naturally put a block on those sorts of things.

As for Keith, most of that is canon strangely enough- though I DID throw a bit of spinning at it, and will later on...

A past Jou plushie? Probably like a Jou plush with the Thief King's coloration and cloak. :|a

And now! From chapter 30, hey there 'yugio-girl'! (along with numbers.)

I think it's a little early to ask for another chapter at the time of this review, but with my luck you've reached this chapter already... SOOOOO I just hope that you still think it's the best damn story that kicks ass!~ (Also, when you say 'everyone', do you mean that you're reading this with friends? Cool!~)

Lastly... 'Blah'.

Hahahaha, give it a chance, you're on chapter one- if you get here to see the review response, tell me what you think of the rest of the fic so far~ (And yes, perhaps so. :|a )

Usagi's Manga & Japan Guide/Section

The section that got inspiration from her new 3Ds Zelda combo to finish this thing somehow. Apparently irrelevancy counts.

---

'Cabab' is another Hebrew word, meaning 'circle around'; in a sense, things coming 'full circle.

As another note, the language 'past Jou' speaks technically isn't Hebrew; the language proper didn't exist yet. It becomes it though, which is why I'm using Hebrew vocabulary when needed.

---

Originally, Jou went straight to work trying to break Anzu out before Honda stopped him, explaining that Anzu was still linked to the Ja-Shin.

Fanfic Jou is going no where near those shadows. He knows that it'll hurt! (Also yes; namonaki means 'nameless')

---

Two? But there are three!

Ahhh, but Jou's duel happened AFTER the Gods were 'reset'; which means that the Eraser is already down for the count!

And a good thing too, that thing was a pain in the- (Oh look, it shows up in Yugi's duel anyway, what-)

---

Funny thing, this was originally going to end before Yugi's duel.

YEA.

Then I realized that my notes were just long enough to trick me, and this became the FINALE! DA-DA-DAAA!

---

WHAT WHAT- But Usagi you said the two had to be defeated, and the Dreadroot wasn't there!

Well that was Jou's THEORY. In reality, it makes sense if you think about it; Dreadroot was defeated by Yugi at one point earlier on after all. So he only needed to defeat the Eraser and the Avatar.

Also I have no clue how there can be two Eraser cards. Really. We're going with magic here. It's... Somewhat likely now.

---

I just referenced Star Fox AND I FEEL NO SHAME. -coolshades-

---

This is about where I wound up putting all focus on school work lest I do horrible and fail and never ever work off the student loan.

However, I did a lot of quick roleplay on the side, so that my writing style didn't get rusty. This means my style (of course) changed somewhat so...

CAN YAH TELL? Oh boy...

---

Now, a lot of the dialogue in these chapters came from the peanut gallery so to speak, but unfortunately, it's Yugi's point of view; this means lots of what is being said can't be heard. However, Kaiba and Yugi would create relatively similar strategies against Yakou, at least in base thoughts that were being stated.

---

Interesting note, but this section of the series doesn't send fusion materials to the grave; instead, the materials remain on the field, which is why there are 'four cards' here for Eraser to take power from. In the real game, there would only be two.

….

Xyz summon anyone?

---

No really, he actually says that. 'I'll erase your arrogance!' '...WHAT.' Even Yugi's response was canon, he was so confused...

---

...I've been trying to design the 'Black Queen' too long, Kaien looks too much like Kaiba...

The fact that you get a very brief panty shot from her DOES NOT HELP ME AT ALL. ('what, Usagi what does that have to do with-' 'EVERYTHING.')

...No I don't have the art for that- it's in my sketch book, and that's being marked...

---

Most of the thoughts Kaiba had throughout this duel went to Yugi just as the comments in the 'audience'; again... This is because it's either Yugi or Yakou's point of view for almost the ENTIRE chapter.

And yes, Yakou did just use Yugi as a medium to rant out all the reasons he hates his brother in a sense. I actually wouldn't be surprised if he assumed this to be happening with a girlfriend only to lose her as a result. It would not surprise me EVER.

I am a horrible person, shhhhhh...

---

I almost said that Yugi's 'never been angry' toward the other Yugi at all, and then realized that would be ridiculous.

It's okay for friends to get ticked at the other when one say... Decides to see if he can run into your psychic friend and winds up leaving you with a splitting headache. No one will blame you. (What me, describe scenes I've never actually shown you? NOW WHY WOULD I DO THAT.)

---

No really- as soon as Kaiba realizes what Yugi's doing, he gets all 'AH- YES SHOW HIM REAL POWER!' and then... When Obelisk appears you just see Gekkou's shock and Kaiba SMILING. It's like 'Ha. I gave him that.' (Yeeessss, Kaiba would be pleased that her former god card won over Avatar...)

---

'Gold and rose' Usagi? Really?' I'M AN ARTIST I CAN USE FANCY COLOUR TERMS DAMN IT. (You can tell I stayed up to do this, whoops-)

---

Hnn, those lines to Gekkou? Why yes that does mean Kaiba accepted what was going on right in front of her, it's right in front of her after all. Kaiba actually says this line in the manga too, so hooray for that eh?

---

Yakou's lines concerning Pegasus are slightly different, and that's because, to make up for the fact that I never managed to get his flashback to mesh in (and was therefore forced to cut it entirely), we can still hear Pegasus' real thoughts on things.

---

Okay.

How many of you 5Ds/Zexal fans out there were like 'WTF, IS HE GONNA SYNCHRO/XYZ' as soon as he played a level change card?

Seriously, I... I can't look at level changing spells the same anymore, I can't-

---

All of the lines Kaiba says immediately following Yugi's win are canon. All of them.

That is all.

---

And yesssss, Jonouchi DID give that duel disk back! But since he didn't have Tilla's original one, she got the black one.

I wonder if Richie made her give it back later...

---

That promised duel? A nod to the anime-only 'battle for Third Place', and will happen a little later than you think- it's going to appear in an upcoming chapter in fact.

---

Musical Notes

Now, due to the time gap, I can't really say what inspired all the past!Jou scenes, or the first half- and in fact, I was bouncing around a lot of songs trying to get back into the writing mood once I had the time.

Irony?

All of the songs I listened to near the end are by Owl City; namely Fireflies, To The Sky...

In a sense I was just Youtube hopping for this chapter really...

FanArt and Art

From the tablet to you! Remove the spaces for your links.

Now, again, time means that there's a fairly large difference in QUALITY here... I've sorted it by date for that reason. It's not fanfic specific though; aside from some 'promo-art' of sorts for ReiYoku in fact, it's all from RP using 'past!Jou', or Anzu (yesss, I play Anzu there too.).

Of course, that means there's some interesting differences thanks to roleplay interaction, but heyyyy, it's art time! (And there isn't much sadly...)

Chibis/RP – RPAnzu, Past!Jou – http : /i5. photobucket. com/albums/y153/natasha_unos_1/THESETWO. Jpg – Some more from the RP; you can now see 'PastJou', or Mimir as he's known there (From the Norse seer) in colour... And you can see Anzu in clothes that she will probably never even go near in this fanfic. (Un... Unless you want that I guess..?)

Costume!Malik + Anzu clothing – http : / i5. photobucket. com/albums/y153/natasha_unos_1/AnzuClothes. jpg – From the RP! Anzu of course did NOT look like this to start in the RP; however, she's in a 'Dressing Room' there, which means lots of alternate versions of characters... And she's the only Anzu among a fair number of Maliks.

So the line between which 'mindset' to follow while clothes shopping shifts a little. In any case, I thought you'd be interested in seeing the result- it was fun to make!

Promo! - 'The Doctor of Okuda' – http : /i5. photobucket. com/albums/y153/natasha_unos_1/Yume-FinalPaintCrit-1 .jpg – 'Doctors', by the way, do not refer to either aliens or medical folk when it's capitalized like that in this world; the character you see here is Yume, whilst inside someone's mind... Which in this case is a blend of the Soul Room and the Realm of Duel Monster's itself. Hope you like- this was my final project for colour theory.

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And that's all for this update..! I hope it was worth the wait- I'll be trying to get the next chapter out as soon as possible, but while it takes priority over other fanfic related shenanigans, school comes first... And as an artist, that can take a LOT out of you.