"You sure you're ready for this, Yugi?" Atem shifted, holding tightly to the boat's railing.

"Atem, I'm a mob boss, not a child." Yugi scowled, but Atem knew most of his irritation was due to the boat ride much more so than himself… Though Yugi was definitely angry at him, too. "Of course I'm ready."

"We might die." Atem reminded him.

"If we do, the Bandit King will go after him." Yugi shrugged at him, expression only darkening. "And we both know he won't stand a chance against that psycho."

Atem sighed. "Stop looking at me like that." He turned his gaze to the waves and shifted again.

Yugi said nothing and only continued to scowl at him.

"Please?"

Yugi huffed, that time, and directed his glare at the water instead. After a few moments, his expression softened and he glanced back up at Atem. There was the expression he'd been trying to mask - that sad one that Atem hated seeing even more than he hated Shadow Magic. He frowned slightly and reached out, cupping Yugi's cheek gently.

"Stop it. We'll find him."

Yugi's lips twitched.

Arriving at the docks was a very similar experience to the last time. They stalled there with an almighty lurch that was almost enough to make him want to lose his lunch, and when they disembarked the same man was standing there, waiting for them. Atem's mind started racing, because they needed to have a plan in mind before they met Pegasus and his dumb ass had forgotten to formulate one prior to leaving.

Yugi's hand brushed his, eyes telling him, "Calm down." He did his best to comply while the man led them off toward the mansion without a word.

"Do you have your mental guard up?" He breathed to him.

Yugi nodded mutely and Atem took some small comfort in that.

"Well, well, well." Pegasus said as they entered. "What have we here?" When his eye fell on Yugi, it widened.

"Just stopping in for a friendly visit," The younger man smiled sweetly. "Nice to finally meet you, Mr. Pegasus."

Atem was both impressed and scared by how easily Yugi managed to act like his old self. "Mr. Pegasus," He said, "I'd like you to meet a good friend of mine… Yugi Muto. The Pharaoh."

Pegasus visibly paled, then. Atem could almost see the wheels turning in the man's head. Trying to figure out why he didn't hate Yugi now that he knew the truth, no doubt. If only Pegasus would have planned for him not letting his morals stand in the way of getting his brother back.

Oh, well. It was Pegasus' loss.

And that was the last thought he had before everything went black.

"'Tem!" Yugi's eyes widened as the man crumpled to the ground without explanation, and then they narrowed again, all pretenses of sweetness dropping when his gaze turned back to Pegasus. "Bad move, old man." He said calmly as he dropped his duffle bag to the floor and knelt next to it. He knew Atem had slipped it in here…

There it was.

He put the Puzzle's chain around his neck before he straightened up and faced Pegasus again. "I don't take kindly to my friends being knocked out by rich pricks who think they're all that."

"You're one to talk about rich pricks, Pharaoh." Pegasus managed to seem unshaken, but the sight of the Puzzle around his neck was intimidating. He was dangerous enough without it, but with it…

"Oh, hush. You know, I think this warrants a Shadow Game, don't you?" As he said it, he reached back about six years into his past to remember what he needed to do to initiate one. The Eye of Horus on the Puzzle flashed. The room bathed itself in shadows. "But what game shall we play?" He cocked his head to the side.

Even after only having visited it once or twice, he knew the Shadow Realm when he saw it. He knew it like the back of his hand, suddenly, and knew that if he tried to leave this particular pocket of it at the moment he'd just emerge back inside it. He also knew that Atem had not come with them - his body laid just outside the range of this little pocketful of darkness.

"And what shall the Penalty be?" He asked when the thought came to him.

Pegasus seemed uneasy, but that question prompted him into action. "The loser has to give up their Millennium Item and impart piece of very valuable information to the winner. And they cannot lie." He suggested. He knew both of them would benefit from such a Penalty in the event of their winning. Now all he had to do was hope that Yugi would go along with it.

He had much more experience with Shadow games than Yugi did. More experience with Shadow Magic. He could undoubtedly win this, no matter what game Yugi chose.

Yugi considered the suggestion before nodding. "That sounds fair enough. And as for the game…" He smirked. "I believe you'll be quite familiar with the one I picked."

A table appeared in front of them with an all-too familiar pair of mats laid on it.

"Ah, yes, of course." Pegasus chuckled as he took a seat. "Duel Monsters. I'm very familiar with it."

Yugi snickered and sat down as well. He knew the rules of reality were different in the Shadow Realm - beneficial for him, seeing as his dueling deck was currently sitting in a locked box at his house. He held his hand out over the deck space and watched, both satisfied and relieved, as it appeared there. Pegasus seemed vaguely impressed as he did the same.

"I did not know you were so handy with Shadow Magic, Yugi-boy." He smirked over the table at him. "The last intelligence I received said that you were quite useless with it, actually."

Yugi rolled his eyes as he began drawing cards. "I don't use it. I see no reason to. I assume you've been told that the Bandit King and his men are quite adept with it?"

"Indeed." Pegasus drew some as well. "The best the world's seen in a while, actually."

Yugi nodded. "Well at least you have accurate information on one of us." He sat back and examined his hand. "Any special rules?"

"Hmm… Neither of us can use our Items to influence the duel." Pegasus decided.

"Fair enough. We each start with 8000 lifepoints." Yugi declared. Two small display screens formed at their right hands, in the corners of the table. After a moment or two, the screens flashed, red lines flickering until they formed the number he'd set, displaying it twice with their names written above one or the other. "The first move is yours, Pegasus."

"Why thank you, my dear Pharaoh." Pegasus chuckled. He looked through his hand for a moment before making a decision. He laid down a card. "I summon the Dark Rabbit, in Attack mode." He smiled as a small avatar of the monster appeared above its card. "And I end my turn."

Yugi considered it. The Dark Rabbit was a level four monster, with an attack power of 1100. In his hand, he currently had nothing capable of beating that. Oh, well. He drew a card - what luck. He'd drawn exactly the card he needed right now. "I play Gazelle, the King of Mythical Beasts, in Attack mode." The beast appeared. Pegasus nodded grimly, already anticipating the next few words. "And I attack your Dark Rabbit."

Gazelle lept across the field and closed his wide jaws around the Dark Rabbit's throat. With a squeal, the hare disintegrated and Pegasus flinched. The display of his lifepoints ticked down to 7600 due to the 400 point difference between Gazelle's attack power and Dark Rabbit's.

"I end my turn." Yugi said, unable to prevent the smug smirk that tugged at his lips.

They continued like this for quite some time, though each and every round they ended up thwarting each other's plans at every opportunity. Pegasus would summon a low level monster, and smelling a rat, Yugi would destroy it with whatever monster he had on the field. In turn, Pegasus would lay traps to discourage him from such risky moves. Both of their lifepoints dropped periodically, from battle, from spells, from traps.

It was a long and harrowing duel, and when Pegasus finally managed to summon two very particular monsters to the field, he began to laugh. Yugi scowled.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because, my dear Pharaoh, I've just done everything I need to do." He smirked. "I play the Spell card, Polymerization, to combine my Thousand-Eyes Idol and Relinquished to summon the Thousand-Eyes Restrict!"

When it appeared, Yugi's urge to sneer was somewhat overwhelmed by his urge to cringe. He pushed both down, the first because he knew he shouldn't underestimate one of Pegasus' beasts and the second because he couldn't afford to appear weak. The Thousand-Eyes Restrict was still strangely disconcerting to him, though, and he guessed it was probably because of all the eyes protruding from its body.

But it didn't have any attack or defense points, for fuck's sake. What was it gonna do? Stare him to death?

He wouldn't put it past Pegasus to create something like that, really. The man was twisted, that was for damn sure. And as far as Yugi knew he'd always been that way. Ever since he'd come into the limelight so long ago as the creator of Duel Monsters and then faded away behind the name of his company.

… Yugi revelled in the fact that no one was simply worried about the Immortals taking them down - they were worried that the Pharaoh would get involved. He wasn't synonymous with his men. His companies. He was a threat all by himself while Pegasus was merely the faceless figurehead of his so-called "company".

At least people remembered Yugi's name, whether it was simply his title or not.

He raised an eyebrow at Pegasus, who had remained quiet for the time being.

"Oh, don't mind me." Pegasus chuckled. "I was simply waiting for a response of some kind."

"Were you expecting me to scream?" Yugi sneered. "Sure, it's ugly, but I'm not sure I'm intimidated just yet."

"You will be..." Pegasus grinned. "When I use the Thousand-Eyes Restrict's special ability to absorb your Feral Imp."

It was difficult for the Pharaoh to bite back his urge to curse aloud while the Thousand-Eyes Restrict's attack and defense points ticked up to 1300/1400. "I should have known." He sighed, instead.

All he received was a chuckle, followed by, "And if you attack, your Feral Imp will be destroyed and you will take the damage."

Again, he had to fight back a curse. He glanced at his lifepoint counter - only 900. Pegasus had 700. His eyes flicked to his hand rather numbly while Pegasus chuckled again and ended his turn. Did he have anything that could destroy the Feral Imp and the Thousand-Eyes Restrict? Without wiping himself out in the process?

Sure, he had his Dark Magician, but it would require two sacrifices and it would lose him the duel if he attacked with it. He also had the Celtic Guardian and the Blackland Fire Dragon, which would do significantly less damage but could take out the Feral Imp… It was only a matter of picking which one.

But what if he didn't have to choose? All he had to do was have a plan… And oh boy did he. "I place one card face down." He announced, doing so, "And summon the Celtic Guardian in Attack mode." He waited a moment for it to appear above its card. "Celtic Guardian, attack!"

It charged across the field. Yugi found himself cringing, of course, when his lifepoints ticked down 100 points, but smiling triumphantly.

"I end my turn."

As he'd anticipated, Pegasus used his next turn to absorb the Celtic Guardian. He bit his lip as he placed his next card. "I summon the Blackland Fire Dragon, in Attack mode… And I use the Spell card, Swords of Revealing Light, to freeze your Thousand-Eyes Restrict for the next three turns." He flipped the facedown, revealing it to be the Spell card, triumphant smile returning when Pegasus paled and then growled. "I end."

Pegasus scowled at him. "There's not much I can do about that." He muttered. "I pass."

Yugi couldn't wipe the smile off his face, even as he actively began to concentrate on trying to draw the card he needed. Please. He thought. Please just let me draw the Silent Swordsman Level Five. I need to draw it. I have to. I will. I will. He grabbed the top card off his deck and placed it in his hand, face lighting up further. "Perfect." He said. "I tribute the Blackland Fire Dragon in order to summon the Silent Swordsman in Attack mode!"

Pegasus paled again while Yugi cheerily removed his dragon from the field, placing it in the Graveyard, and sat the Soldier in its place.

"And now, my friend, I'll use the Silent Swordsman to attack you directly." He grinned. The Swordsman charged. Pegasus' lifepoints dropped to 0. "You lose, Pegasus."

The Shadow Realm faded away around them as Yugi stood up from the table. Pegasus dropped to his knees. "I… I lost. This can't be…"

"Clearly it can." Yugi waited for the table to dissipate between them before approaching and kneeling before the older man. "Too bad, I guess. Now… Where is Noa?"

"You ask about him and not your darling Yami?" Pegasus raised an eyebrow, though the smug amusement in his voice was not mirrored in his emotionless eye.

"They're in the same place, I'm sure." Yugi chuckled. "And I only came here to help Atem on his job, regardless."

Pegasus sighed and directed his eye back to the floor, tendrils of darkness beginning to wind around his legs. "An island." He said, "Nearby." The tendrils retreated slightly. "I can give you a map."

"Lovely." Yugi almost got up, then remembered the rest of the Penalty. "Ah, I almost forgot…" He reached forward.

Pegasus clenched his jaw and squeezed his real eye shut. He knew what was coming. Yugi's fingers dug into the other socket, blood blooming around the golden orb that resided there. He had to try very hard not to grin at the sight… Even as the Pharaoh, that wasn't who he was. He wasn't a lunatic like Ryou. It wasn't right for him to get a kick out of the sight of blood.

He maneuvered his fingers around, twisting, pressing, clawing until he closed two of them and his thumb around the slippery prize and pulled it from the warm socket. The crimson liquid poured forth now that it was unhindered, and rather than watching it Yugi chose to examine the Eye. The gold was dull, clearly neglected for a great deal of time. He hadn't shined it, polished it, even wiped it off. Dust had collected in the crevices.

He hummed and wiped the blood off on the hem of his shirt. The gold glimmered where it had been.

"You'll want to seek medical attention." He smiled as his gaze returned to Pegasus' face.

The man nodded numbly, hand fumbling for his phone. Yugi observed him for a moment. He knew the look on Pegasus' face. It was the look of a broken man, someone who had nothing left to live for. Had taking the Eye and beating him really done such a number on him?

"Tell me, Pegasus… What do you want most?" He found himself asking. Ah, there he was. There was the businessman he pretended to be. The mob boss. Calm and collected and all too ready to strike a deal with his enemy.

That brought a weak smile to the man's face while he typed out a message on his phone and sent it. "You would laugh, I believe."

"I might." Yugi smirked.

Pegasus hesitated before looking up at him. "I just want to find peace with my love, really. But I don't have that option, especially not now."

"Your love?"

"... Dartz." He sighed. "You'll face him eventually, if you continue on the way you are now. I know he won't give up the plan, even for me. He'd rather abandon me than turn traitor on our boss… Not that I blame him."

Yugi hummed. How could he, the Pharaoh, a man who was only doing everything he did out of love, torment a man who was doing the same thing? He made a decision. "I'll spare him for you." He said, "Knowing that you love him…" He shook his head. "That's not the kind of man I am, Pegasus. I do enjoy tormenting others, but I won't do something like that."

Tears bloomed in Pegasus' eye. "You are a far better man than I am, then."

"I do want something in return, though - I'm sure you were anticipating that."

"But of course." Pegasus wiped the tears away before they could fall. "What is it?"

"Lend me some of your men."

"I will do what I can."

"Good."

The door opened, then, and in walked Kemo. "Sir?"

"Ah, there you are." He leaned around Yugi to see him better. "I'm afraid I require some serious first aid."

Kemo visibly paled at the sight of Pegasus' bleeding, empty socket. "Yes, sir. Right away, sir."

Yugi got up and got out of the man's way as he approached, heading over to where Atem still lay prone on the floor. He nudged him with his foot. "Pegasus?"

"Yes?"

"Is he going to wake up any time soon?"

"Within an hour, I believe."

"Perfect."

He wondered, briefly, if he had the physical strength to lift Atem up and carry him back to the boat… He highly doubted it. He may have gotten stronger over the past three years, but Atem was still at least 50 pounds heavier than he was. It wasn't likely that that would be happening.

He supposed he could wait for Atem to wake up, but that would be imposing on Pegasus' misery and he preferred to leave people to suffer on their own.

Thankfully, Pegasus saved him the trouble.

"Kemo, have someone carry the Bounty Hunter out." He said weakly. "I believe the Pharaoh would like to leave."

"Yes, sir."

Moments later, another guard entered the room and picked Atem up from the floor. "Where am I taking him, sir?"

"Just follow the Pharaoh."

The guard looked to him, tilting his head. Yugi pushed off the wall he'd chosen to lean on and made his way back to the boat, though he wasn't entirely sure how he knew the way. He didn't exactly remember the route or anything.

… Or did he?

He shook his head to clear it as he walked up the boarding plank, glancing back to make sure the guard was keeping up with him. He was only a step or two behind him, barely hindered by the man in his arms. Yugi hoped he'd be getting him as a troop - he was strong.

Down the stairs, turn left, and there was the cot. Lovely, he'd remembered where it was. "Just lay him down, if you please."

The guard carefully laid Atem on the bed, saluted him, and marched back off the boat.

Oh, yes, he'd be a great troop to have.

"Pegasus has been defeated."

Dartz still wasn't sure he believed it. Pegasus? Defeated? It just didn't seem real. Pegasus never lost. He was a master of Shadow Games.

Those words didn't even belong in the same sentence, "Pegasus has been defeated."

It just… It wasn't right. His Pegasus didn't lose. He didn't. It was just so wrong to hear he'd lost.

"Defeated?" He'd asked. "By who?"

"That meddling Pharaoh." His boss had replied, voice little more than a deep growl.

He was angry about that, of course, but he wasn't going to do anything. Not yet. Chances were that the Pharaoh hadn't hurt him at all - he may have been a gangster, but Dartz knew he had a reputation for being mostly nonviolent. He only brought death down on the heads of those who deserved it. Pain to those who were irritating enough to make him sadistic.

But still. He'd defeated Pegasus. He was the first… Only their boss was supposed to be stronger than Pegasus. Only that dark entity was supposed to be able to defeat him.

What if he killed him? A nagging voice in the back of his head murmured. What if he got tired of him and killed him? He tried to quiet that voice, but he already knew it would be nearly impossible to do so without Pegasus with him. Or what if the Pharaoh did? What if he made the Pharaoh angry enough to kill him?

Dartz slid down the wall to the floor, brought his knees to his chest, covered his ears, and buried his face in his legs. He could feel himself cracking. He folded himself further - maybe if he curled up tight enough he could hold his jagged pieces together.