A/N: Thanks for the review on Chapter 12, even though I wish more people reviewed. and also, the lemon will be happening in the next chapter. so be on the lookout for that. and I intend to make it steamier and longer. So, I may have to go to Wattpad for inspiration.

This chapter will be the start of Seto's duel with Pegasus, even though it will come at a terrible price. READ ON AND ENJOY!

Chapter 13 - Kaiba vs Pegasus and Kaiba Loses His Soul!

Seto stood there, waiting for Pegasus to enter the room. all of them on the balcony, just watching as Kaiba started to sweat. then came the sound of two big doors swinging open. Pegasus' smug grin could be seen from the balcony. as soon as he stepped on to the platform, Kaiba wasted no time in yelling at him. "Where's my brother?" Kaiba yelled out.

"What? no hello, how are you? I thought we were friends Kaiba boy. don't tell me that seizing your company and kidnapping Mokuba has put a rift between us? It was nothing personal. besides, it's not like I hurt your kid brother. he's perfectly safe. in fact, you can have him back if you like. just beat me in a duel like we agreed and I'll hand him over. I mean, one little duel should be enough for the duel monsters world champ."
Pegasus answered. That Millennium Eye Pegasus has, could make it a real big problem. Even for Kaiba. Yugi thought to himself.

"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I'm not hoping Kaiba loses this duel. I still say he's a first-class jerk for everything he put us through.
but I can't help but feel for him, trying to get his kid brother back." Joey commented. "Far as I'm concerned, anyone who stands up to Pegasus can't be all bad." Tristan spoke up. Everybody gave a collective, "Huh?"

Joey and Tristan are right. after all, what could be more noble than fighting for someone that you love? I just hope that Kaiba has learned to fight with his heart, as well as his head. Yugi thought to himself.

She knew that Kaiba didn't stand a chance at beating Pegasus, since he cheats with his Millennium Eye. she stood behind Yugi, her hands resting on his shoulders, like a bodyguard. they all just watched to see what Pegasus would do next. Kaiba hadn't said a word, so Pegasus just wanted to coax him on. "Come now, Kaiba, don't keep us in suspense, not with an audience waiting in the wings."

Pegasus looked right at the balcony, making Kaiba do the same. his eyes widened with shock as he saw her and Yugi standing up there.

"Yugi, Stacey?" he said in surprise. "Hi, Seto." she said, a little awkwardly. "Hey, Kaiba." Yugi said a little grimly.

"How could you be in here, after I defeated you? huh, I should have known you'd find a way."

"Newsflash, dumb ass! I wasn't the one dueling you. and besides, you almost committed suicide, when you knew my cousin should've won!"
Stacey snapped at him. "I'm thinking with all of this stress that Stacey's under, she should get laid, Joey." Tristan whispered to Joey, who yelled and blushed. "No way! We're not having a one-night stand Tristan. Stace is not that kind of girl. She told me that she wants to go all the way!"

"Alright, enough chit-chat. look, Kaiba, I've been looking forward to this for quite some time."

Kaiba knelt down and opened his briefcase, showing his duel disk prototypes. grabbing one, he threw it at Pegasus.

"Then you wouldn't mind using this." Pegasus just looked at it as if it was a flying saucer, a little in awe at Seto's creation. he spent a minute just examining it, when Kaiba's patience reached it's limit.

"Well?"

"You want me to duel with your latest contraption? But I don't even know how the silly device even works."

"Cut the theatrics! are we gonna duel or what?!"

"Alright, Kaiba, let's settle this like businessmen. you want me to agree to your terms, if you do something for me. I'll duel with this, but I won't be the one dueling."

"I smell a rat!" Bandit Keith shouted. "That would be that cologne you have on, dude." Stacey said, making everybody giggle.

"I assure you, I'll still be the one making all the strategic decisions, the game play won't change at all."

"So why the request? why not fight your own battle for once in your life?" he just laughed at him a little, then clapped three times,
making the doors reopen again. once they did, they revealed a familiar face, Mokuba. he was chained to another man, being hauled in like an animal. without his soul, Pegasus could make him do anything he wants. "Kaiba's brother!" Yugi said in surprise.

"Mokuba! It's me!" Kaiba shouted in surprise. "Something's not right." Yugi said. "It's like he's been hypnotized." Téa said.

"Something's off about Mokuba. he seems like he's in a trance." Bakura said. "I'm sorry if he doesn't seem like himself. but I find that the captives I keep are far easier to manage after I've made an extraction of sorts."

How much she wanted to wipe that smirk off his face. was he really that heartless to make Kaiba duel his brother's empty body?
Seto clenched his jaw, trying to resist the urge to kill Pegasus, so he just yelled at him.

"You monster!"

"Now, now, Kaiba boy. petty insults aren't the way to get your brother's soul back." everybody around her gasped, they knew that he had Mokuba, but they didn't know about taking his soul. she hadn't gotten around to telling them yet.

"What does Pegasus mean?" Mai asked. "It means he did the same thing to Mokuba that he did to my uncle. Yugi and I were there when he did it." Stacey answered. "That explains why Kaiba did what he did back on the roof." Yugi said, finally understanding.

"I told you your little brother was safe. but how long he remains that way is up to you." Kaiba growled and Pegasus continued.

"Beat me in a duel and I'll release him as promised. but fail, and not only will his soul remain in bondage, but yours will join it.
to save your brother, you will have to defeat me."

"Defeat you? I'll crush you!" Kaiba yelled. I had no idea. I knew Pegasus kidnapped Mokuba, but I had no clue that he snatched his soul too.
Yugi thought, then he remembered something: Of course! that's why Kaiba went to such lengths to beat me. his brother's even worse off than he thought. Mokuba's like my grandpa and Stacey's uncle now. she and I have to help Kaiba in any way we can.

Seto agreed not to use the duel disks, but to play how Pegasus wanted. and now the stakes were even more higher now. if Kaiba loses,
not only did he keep Mokuba's soul, but his as well. she and Yugi both decided to help Kaiba in any way they could.

"Kaiba, you have to believe in the heart of the cards, it's the only way to rescue Mokuba!" Kaiba looked up at them, and he just yelled back.

"Keep out of this! I'm fighting in this duel my way!"

"Just don't forget it takes more than powerful monsters and strategy to win this. his Millennium Eye changes everything. and about the things that I yelled at you on the roof, I'm sorry dude." she said to him. He gave her a quick smile, pretty much letting her know he forgave her.

The duel began. Pegasus made the first move. one card in defense mode and another face down.

"I'll play a card face down too, and I'll play Rucizer in attack mode. attack Pegasus's defense card with Forearm Slash."

A big alligator with blades on his arms popped up. what kind of monsters they come up with? it attacked, and killed a small alligator card. Pegasus made a fake
oh no expression, then laid out a...parrot dragon, come on. really? but it was stronger than Rucizer. but as soon as it was about to attack, Kaiba revealed his face down card, a magic card called Mesmeric Control. it weakened Pegasus' monster and Kaiba attacked.

"I don't get it. Pegasus talks a big game but acts like a kid. Tristan said. "It's almost like he's toying with him." Mai said. "Yeah." Joey responded.

"Didn't he pull this act with you two?" Joey asked Stacey and Yugi. they both nodded. "Yup. I guess he doesn't take the world champ seriously." Yugi said.

Kaiba took a minute, she guessed he was catching on to what Pegasus was doing. as he was about to lay down a card, Pegasus stopped him.

"Stop right there. I'd like to play a little guessing game with that card you're about to play."

"A game? we're in the middle of a duel, here!"

"I'm allowed to play a game. my trap card says so. Don't you remember? it's called Prophecy. and it gives me the right to guess whether the card in question is over or under 2000 attack points. if I answer correctly, then the card in question becomes mine. and I'll just prophecise that it is indeed over 2000."

Kaiba's face tells her that he's right. and he also guessed that it was a Blue Eyes White Dragon, and right again. after Pegasus took it, Kaiba switched his monster to defense mode and another face down. then out came the clown card that he used in his duel with Yugi. the clown card along with a crush card.
Normally that combo would have worked, if Pegasus didn't know about it. he made it so Kaiba couldn't play the clown or his crush card.

Now a rabbit, which was really a rabbit, and it looked like something that came out of a Saturday morning cartoon. it attacked the clown and Kaiba's life points were down to 1000, causing everybody to gasp again. "I've never seen Kaiba so shaken before." Téa commented. "This is bad." Yugi said.
"The duel just started and Kaiba's already a 1000 life points behind."

Then there came a magic card that Stacey had never even heard of: Toon World. and it protected any monsters that Pegasus played and lets them out only to attack. it was a good thing Kaiba's monsters were in defense mode. then there came a move that made Kaiba really mad: Blue Eyes Toon Dragon.
even though it was adorable, Kaiba didn't like it one bit. " No! you've stripped him of his pride."

"Please, I've transformed this legendary beast into his most supreme form. also, I've made him look much more cuddly."

"Of all the things that Blue Eyes is, cuddly sure ain't one of them." Joey remarked. and to prove his point, Stacey walked away from Yugi and stood behind Joey and pressed her body against him so that her breasts were touching his back. and then he turned around and noticed that Stacey was trying to cuddle up to him. Which caused him to smile and place his arm around her waist, while she had her arms around his torso. and Téa noticed and smiled as well.

"What are you smiling for, Téa?" Yugi asked, when he noticed that his cousin wasn't with him. "Look for yourself." She said, while she pointed to Stacey,
who was wrapped contently in Joey's arms and Yugi noticed and also smiled at the thought of his cousin and Joey being that way once they began dating for real. If anyone could take care of Stacey and protect her with his life, it's Joey. I mean, he is my best friend and she's my only cousin. so she definitely has my approval. Yugi thought. it destroyed all the monsters Kaiba had on the field. at least he was spared of his life points being taken away.

"You know what? I think it's time someone put a stop to your cheating ways." Kaiba put down the cards that he had in his hand and laid them down.

"Huh?" Pegasus asked, clueless as always. "I may not know how you're cheating, but somehow you can see my cards. So, I'm abandoning my present hand.
Perhaps if I can't see what I'm playing, then you can't either."

"That's a gutsy move." Yugi said. "You said it, cuz." Stacey commented, while she disentangled herself from Joey and they were now holding hands.

"Tell me. how do you think Pegasus is cheating?" Tristan asked. "I don't know. maybe he's got some hidden cameras set up in here." Joey answered.

"You really think so?" Tristan asked. "Hey! don't underestimate Joey, Tristan!" Stacey replied, defending her future love.

"Hey, I wouldn't put anything past that sleazy slime ball. and I'll tell ya this. Now that Kaiba's not even looking at his cards, he going to need to trust more than the heart of the cards if he's going to have any chance of rescuing his brother."

Wow. Joey has sure come a long way since our first duel. Mai commented with a smile, which made Stacey glare daggers in her direction and also caused her to squeeze Joey's hand, letting Mai know that he was hers and wasn't going to let a fake, plastic blonde come between them. I see what you're trying to do, Valentine. There's no way you're going to take Joey away from me. Especially since I have important plans for us!
Stacey thought as she now had a red anime tick on her temple and raised her middle finger towards her. Mai rolled her eyes and focused on the duel.

Kaiba put his hand on his deck and was about to draw out a card. "I put all my faith in this next card. So let it be revealed!" Pegasus gasped as well as everybody else. "YES! The Blue Eyes White Dragon!" Kaiba declared, happily. he drew the card and placed it on the field, revealing another blue eyes.
Stacey smiled. that was a lucky draw, but why didn't Pegasus seem anxious? Kaiba attacked, but the toon dragon just ducked and moved to avoid it.

Apparently, toons couldn't stay still long enough for an attack. now, that made sense. and now another add-on to Toon World, raising the toon dragon's attack
by 500. at least he had Negate Attack, one that she knew from her duel with his evil side. She got an unpleasant chill up her spine just thinking about him.
It was Kaiba's turn, he had pulled out a card from his hand and laid it down: Shadow Spell. that made the toon stand still and reduce his attack by 700 points.

And it was gone. Only one attack away from the real blue eyes. Damn it! Dragon Capture Jar and Dragon Piper. although Kaiba put down his Sword Stalker,
then came the end of the duel. Pegasus used his Doppelganger card to make it into a Crush Card. and it was too late to call off the attack.
the only card that he could play now was his Clown card, which Pegasus destroyed. Kaiba lost the duel and his only chance to save Mokuba.

"Mokuba, I tried my very best." Kaiba said sadly. Stacey could hear him from the balcony, his words had spilled with sadness and pain. a tear rolled down her cheek, seeing him lose everything that he worked so hard for. "Forgive me Mokuba. I am so sorry." he concluded. Everybody gasped in shock. "No way!" Joey shouted. "There are no more cards you can play. therefore you lose, Kaiba boy. and you've lost much more than just this duel. You've lost the only chance you've had at rescuing your baby brother. You let him down. but don't worry my dear friend. I will spare you the agony of going on in this world without him."

"What is that?" Kaiba said in shock. "It is the final fate of your soul, Seto Kaiba." Pegasus concluded, while he held up a soul card. the same light from before had flashed. She could hear his cries of pain for help, but there was nothing that she could do. then silence. Kaiba's soul was in the card that was in Pegasus' hand. "Welcome to your new home, Kaiba boy. and your empty will be employed as my obedient servant." he then laughed and said: "Take away that empty shell. Teach it to wash dishes or something."

"Okay. tell me what I just didn't think I saw?" Joey said in anger. "Kaiba." Téa said sadly. tears were flowing down Stacey's face, seeing Kaiba's face,
once so full of life and determination, now gone and lifeless. his goons took him away from the arena, and her heart couldn't be any more hurt.
she fell to her knees and just sobbed. how could Pegasus be so heartless and stupid?! why would he do that?! arms came around her and she looked up
to see Yugi's sweet face. he was crying too. holding her tight and trying to comfort her, but it didn't work. so instead, Joey decided to take over while she screamed sadly into his jacket, his familiar scent feeling so comforting to her, while he whispered words of comfort and running his hands through her hair.

Then came the familiar flash of his Millennium Puzzle, letting Yugi merge with the spirit. "Pegasus! it won't be long now before I put an end to your games!"

"I look forward to your finest efforts, Yugi boy. and wonderful performances from all our finalists. you truly are the best of the best. the creme de la creme.
Crochet, show these people to their rooms and then to the dining room for dinner." with that, he left. he probably knew she was about to jump down from there and beat his ass.

And as usual, Joey and Tristan had to eat like pigs. sheesh! this wasn't a damn eating contest. they ate in the dining hall, all of them sitting together.
even though Bandit Keith was in a corner, alone. Crochet came in and gave them instructions and announcements.

"On behalf of Mr. Maximillion Pegasus, I'd like to congratulate the five finalists and welcome them to the final phase of this duelist kingdom competition.
I trust you all have your play-off entry cards."

"Huh?" they all asked. "In your invitation to the duelist kingdom, you received these two cards: Glory of the King's Hand and Glory of the King's Opposite Hand. "You must have one of these cards to participate in the final tournament. if not, those without them are disqualified."
_

A/N: Whew. what a long chapter, huh? And like I said at the beginning, this was going to be an emotional chapter. Next chapter will be the moment you've all been waiting for: the extended lemon/sex scene between Joey and Stacey. even though she will be with her cousin first and then she'll sneak off in the middle of the night to see Joey. and she'll be wearing very skimpy lingerie and their fun night will commence.

Only ten more chapters left to go and Season 1 will be finally complete. and then I'll start on the sequel. but that won't happen until next month.