A/N: I'm back, everyone! I'm sorry I was away for so long. I had some major life transitions, including moving 1,500 miles across the country, that took up all of my time and energy. I don't know how often I'll be able to update now, but I'll try to make it steady and consistent even if it's a little slow. Thank you for your patience, everyone. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 23

While I waited alone in Marik's room, I took the opportunity to study my book. I skimmed through the pages, looking for pertinent information. Ideally, I would read the whole thing, but I did not have that kind of time.

After only a few minutes, the words on the pages blurred, and I had to put the book down. I leaned my head against the back of my chair and closed my eyes. I could not stop thinking about what I had learned from Marik. I wished I had been there for him. Why had my grandmother moved to Japan? Just because she knew everyone would eventually gather here? But if Marik had found his way here, couldn't I as well? Maybe if I had grown up in Egypt, my parents wouldn't have died.

But I wouldn't have met Bakura when I was young. Sure, I would have had Marik instead, but… The Spirit of the Millennium Ring insisted we had been drawn together for a reason. How long had he been conscious inside the Ring while my friend wore it? Had he been watching me? Watching us?

I had too many questions and too few answers. My mother had taught me that seeking the answers would only bring pain, but I did not care anymore. This time, people I cared about were on the line, so I had to be strong. I just wish I did not feel so alone. If only I could tell Yami and Yugi what I was doing… I wished I could find a way to make them understand.

My eyes napped open when I heard someone enter. I could feel Marik's presence even before I stood to face him. He had grown cold again, his anger simmering at the surface covering all other emotions. His expression softened slightly when he looked at me but only just. I dared not ask where he had been.

"Samia, it is time for me to put your friends to use," he said in a calculated tone. "You may stay here if you do not wish to be involved, or you may join me – but be warned you will only hear my side of the conversation."

He's going to use the Millennium Rod to speak, I thought. "By 'friends,' do you mean Tea and Joey? Are you going to control their minds?"

Marik's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "Very good. We shall see if they will cause little Yugi to be a little more accommodating." He paused. "What will it be? You were there at the start of my plan, so I thought it fitting that you be there to see the fruits of your efforts."

I bit my lip. What exactly could he have planned? Whatever it was, it would not be good. "If I go with you, will you allow me to try to stop you?"

Marik studied my face. "We will be alone in a room, and there will be nothing you can do to stop me. However, as I said before, you may attempt to persuade me to leniency – though it won't do much good."

I frowned. It might not do me much good, but my presence couldn't be good for him either. I could influence him into feeling guilty if only because he would regret the pain he would cause me. So why did I get the feeling he wanted me to go with him?

He's lonely. Of course, that was it. Would I be able to convince him the only cure was to rid himself of all thoughts of revenge? I had to try.

I took a deep breath. "I'll go with you, Marik."

Marik's face did not change, though I felt a slight upbeat in his emotions. "Very well. Follow me."

I slipped on my backpack and exited the room after him. He led me to the deck of the ship and stopped when we reached the front. I took a moment to take in our surroundings, something I had been too anxious to do when I first boarded the ship. We were in an enclosed dock at the pier with no one else around. No doubt Rare Hunters made sure we were not discovered.

Marik leaned against the railing and stared out at nothing. "They will be here soon," he said. "It is almost time to begin."

"What are you going to do?" I asked tepidly.

"I have taken control of Joey and Tea's minds, and I will use them against Yugi to get what I want."

I bit my lip and looked away. "Oh." I chose this, I reminded myself. I must remain strong.

"They have arrived." Marik closed his eyes and remained silent for a minute. His expression had hardened when he opened them, and he gripped the Millennium Rod tightly. "Welcome." I could tell he used magic to speak through someone – Joey or Tea.

There was a moment of silence. Was Yugi responding?

"Not exactly," Marik said through the Rod. "Joey is not present. He's gone away." Another pause. "That's correct. And if you want your friends back, you will listen to me."

I strained to feel Yugi or Yami but came up with nothing. They were too far away. It was for the best, really. It would be suspicious if they caught notice of me.

"It's pointless. Now, you listen, Yugi. We are playing by my regulations. I'll release your pathetic friends as soon as I get what I want. Of course, since I want your Puzzle and Egyptian god card, there's only one way to do this: You and I are going to duel. Refuse and your friends are mine forever!"

I could imagine Yugi protesting. No way he would accept this.

"You'll never set him free unless you follow me, Yugi."

Marik shifted, and I sensed a small change in his magic. "Yugi, you better do exactly as I say. This may come as an unpleasant surprise, but like your friend Joey, Tea too is under my control. Surprised? Looks like I've turned your closest friends into your greatest enemies. You're at my mercy."

"He'll figure a way out of this," I muttered under my breath. "Somehow."

Marik glanced at me out of the corner of his eye but said nothing. "Welcome to my very special dueling arena. Look around you. Should you accept, you'll be battling your best friend in a duel none like you've ever experienced for the highest stakes imaginable."

I closed my eyes and attempted to visualize the scene he painted.

"Let's begin. Why don't you both try these on for size? Notice that you're both securely fastened to a chain that leads to a large anchor hanging above you. 30 seconds after a player's lifepoints reach zero, the anchor will drop to the bottom of the sea!"

My heart thudded. No!

The magic shifted. "That's right. Now look down. That small yellow box is your lifepoint counter, but it also contains the key to your survival. When one player's lifepoints reach zero, the other player's box opens, revealing a key that unlocks his shackles. Remember, you'll have 30 seconds to free yourself before the anchor drops."

"This is madness," I muttered. How did Marik think of this stuff?

"You'll have to fish Joey out of the sea first. And don't think I left little Tea out of all the fun, but I'll get to her role shortly. And just in case you had any plans of refusing to duel, think again! If there's no winner within 60 minutes, the anchor will automatically drop, sending both of you plummeting into the sea!"

My eyes flew open. "No!" I turned to Marik and flung my arms around him. "Please stop."

I felt Marik's surprise, but he got over any hesitation he had a moment later. "But you will lose, Yugi. And before that anchor drops, I'll take your Millennium Puzzle and your Egyptian god card."

I closed my eyes again and rested my forehead against his chest. "No."

"Ha! And Seto Kaiba, don't think you're merely a spectator in all this. As soon as I'm through with little Yugi and his friends, I'm setting my sights on your Egyptian god card, Obelisk the Tormentor."

There was a minute of silence. Kaiba was probably protesting.

"Sorry, but the duel will continue as planned. And speaking of plans, here's the final piece of my plot. I've taken extra measures to make sure no one interferes, so don't try. If you attempt to stop this duel, the crate you see hanging over my head will fall. You wouldn't put poor Tea in danger, would you?"

My heart plummeted. There was no way out. What was Yugi going to do? I focused on sharing my emotions with Marik. If I couldn't change how he felt, I could at least make sure he knew I did not agree with him.

"Now that everything seems to be in place and everyone is familiar with all the rules, why don't we start the show? Oh, wait, I almost forgot: I wouldn't want little Tea to miss all this."

I felt a jolt of magic, and I presumed he had released Tea's mind. I almost wished he hadn't. This could not be a pleasant scene for Tea to witness.

Marik continued as if nothing had happened: "Now then, there's one last matter. Yugi, your Egyptian god card is off limits, so if you were planning on using it against me, you're out of luck. Now remove the card from your deck so I can claim it when I win. Now place Slyfer on the ground, Yugi. So, whoever wins will retrieve that card while the loser goes swimming."

Marik looked down at me with a smirk. "Soon I'll possess Slyfer the Sky Dragon and Yugi's Puzzle. My plan won't fail."

I shook my head stubbornly. "He'll find a way around this."

He raised an eyebrow. "How? My plan is flawless."

I did not respond, for I did not know the answer myself. I just knew there had to be a way. There was always a way.

Marik looked away and activated his magic again. "I think it's finally time to begin this duel. Are you ready to duel, Yugi?" A pause. "Prepare to lose, fool. Yugi, you draw the first card. It's the beginning of the end for you."

A long moment passed. All I could hear was the thudding of my heart against my chest.

"What's the problem, Yugi? Are you too frightened to play a card?"

I wished I could see what was going on. Then again, that would just make it harder to handle. And it was not like I could focus on influencing Marik and Yugi's emotions at the same time.

"Very well. Yugi, say goodbye to your Gazelle, for I play Raigeki, which destroys him! And now, I summon Alligator Sword. Attack his lifepoints directly! Surrender yet or do you want more? I hope you're not going easy on me because we're old friends, Yugi. You'll be sorry."

I flinched. This was not good.

"So, you think that's enough to protect your lifepoints, Yugi? So naïve. I play my Hinotama magic card. Now watch closely as its power blasts away your lifepoints!"

Even though I could not directly feel Yugi's pain, my imagination was enough to cause me to shudder – and Marik's perverted glee was not helping. I let go of him and took a step back to gain a breather.

Marik merely glanced at me in interest. "Looks like Yugi's starting to panic already after getting a taste of my powerful deck. Enhanced by cards gathered by my Rare Hunters, Joey's deck is virtually unbeatable. Yugi will be out of my way shortly, leaving behind his Puzzle and his Egyptian god card."

I opened my mouth to reply, but someone beat me to it: "Pardon me, Master Marik, but I've just learned Joey's sister has arrived in Battle City."

Marik and I turned around to see Odion standing there, his emotions unreadable.

"Did you say his sister?" said Marik.

"Yes, Master."

Marik appeared thoughtful. "This sister of his may prove to be an excellent pawn in my game, Odion. Bring her to me immediately."

"Yes."

A gasp escaped my lips. Not Joey's sister! Hadn't she been through enough already? "Please leave Serenity out of this," I said. "She's not in your way. She has nothing to do with this."

I held my breath as Marik studied my face. I sensed some hesitancy from him, and for a minute I thought he might give in.

"Master?" Odion said.

Marik cut his eyes to the Rare Hunter. "Bring her to me. By entering Battle City, she has become my concern." He looked back at me while continuing to address Odion. "But do not let harm befall her just yet. I will decide what to do with her later."

"Of course," Odion said. He turned on his heels and departed.

I let out my breath all at once. I had not managed to stop him, but I felt I had done something. I had more time now at least.

Marik stared at me for a minute longer. His emotions swirled, and I could not get a grip on them. Then his expression hardened, and he looked away and pulled on the power of the Millennium Rod. "Let's go, Yugi. Time is of the essence, and stalling's not an option. You know that as well as I do, so make a move now!"

Silence fell. I mentally urged Yugi to think of a plan, even knowing he could not hear me. Marik's sudden surprise jolted me out of my thoughts.

"Are you playing some sort of a joke? Kuriboh is weak! It only has 300 attack points. Why would you play it in attack mode? Unless you're trying to lose this duel on purpose to save your friend. All right, very well then. If losing is your goal, allow me to help you."

I hid my amusement. I knew better than to underestimate Kuriboh, and a few seconds later, Marik figured out it was a trap. Unfortunately for him, it was too late. I turned away so he could not see me smile.

Marik grew angry, but he quickly recovered. "Alright, Yugi, I've had enough of your childish games. Now it's time for me to regain control of this duel. Ready? Because this worked so well last time, I'll use another one. Hinotama, attack his lifepoints!"

I shuddered as I imagined Yugi's pain. Why was I not there to help him? I carefully examined Marik, smirking in glee. How in the world was I supposed to influence him? What exactly did Ishizu think I could do?

"I've attacked your lifepoints yet again, Yugi. You're finished. As soon as I wipe out the rest, that anchor will drop, taking you with it right into the sea." A minute of silence passed. "We'll just see about that, Yugi. Joey belongs to me now thanks to my Millennium Rod. So, destroy your former best friend, my mind puppet and strip him of all that he has so that I may rule the world as pharaoh."

I did not bother to hide my weariness as I laid my eyes on Marik. "Why?" I whispered, not sure if he even heard me.

"Then make your move, not that it matters. Neither one of your monsters is powerful enough to defeat my Alligator Sword."

"He's stalling," Marik suddenly muttered in his normal voice.

"Or devising a plan," I said quietly.

Marik eyed me coolly. "It does not matter. The deck I gave Joey is unstoppable. Besides, even if he could beat me, Yugi does not have the heart to destroy his friend."

I took in a deep breath as I let his words sink in. "You are so close to understanding, but…" I shook my head. "I suppose I used to think the same way. But now I see…" My confidence grew, and my fear slowly slipped away. "The harder something is, the more danger it has… that's when there's the most potential for good. If you pull too hard on their friendship, it may just be used against you."

Marik's eyes brightened, though he did not seem angry. "What are you talking about?"

"I'll show you," I said, moving closer to him. "Friendship isn't something you can understand unless you experience it for yourself."

Marik turned away when I reached out to touch him, and I withdrew my hand. There had been a flash of fear, but then… sorrow? "That won't help now," he murmured.

I wanted to say something, anything to help, but then he suddenly straightened. "What? No! I want the pharaoh, not this little runt. I want to defeat the ancient ruler. That spineless coward! He sends little Yugi to protect himself. You cheat! I want to destroy the pharaoh!"

I instantly recognized what had happened: Yugi switched places with Yami. That was a pretty bold move for both, though I thought I understood their reasoning. "You're wrong," I said to Marik.

He swung around to face me, "Excuse me?"

"Yami's no coward. In fact, this was probably Yugi's idea."

Marik narrowed his eyes. "Either way, it doesn't matter. I can win this duel with ease now that I'm up against little Yugi instead of the pharaoh. And it doesn't really matter which one of them I defeat; I'll still win the Millennium Puzzle and Slifer the Sky Dragon."

I shook my head. "You still don't get it. This isn't about skill. Yugi thinks this is the best way to get through to Joey." Yeah, that had to be it.

Marik scoffed. "There is no way to break the control of my Millennium Rod."

"We'll see about that." I may have doubted as well if I had not seen if before myself. Friendship had blocked the power of Pegasus' Millennium Eye, and the same principle could work here too. I felt slightly better as I returned to listening and straining to understand the duel.

After a minute, Marik appeared gleeful about something. "Look at you. Ha! You must be desperate to play a card like that. But if you insist, I'd be glad to take a card from your hand, little Yugi. Not that I need any help. Show me your pitiful cards. Now, which card shall I pick?"

An exchange card? What could Yugi be up to? I nearly jumped when Marik suddenly gasped. He gripped the railing tightly and appeared to be struggling with something.

"Your friend is long gone, so I'll be taking your Red-Eyes Black Dragon."

"Joey?" I whispered, staring at Marik in shock. Had Yugi actually figured it out?

"No," Marik growled. "I'm in control."

"It doesn't feel that way to me." I resisted the urge to reach out to him in his struggle. Joey had to win this.

Finally, Marik relaxex and regained full access to his magic. "No. I told you, Joey has gone away, and I'm here to defeat you with my arsenal of rare magic cards, so I don't need your Red-Eyes."

My own emotions lightened as I read between the lines. Yugi was onto something now.

"I said Joey is gone, and you're finished!"

"Their friendship is going to win," I said, earning a glare from Marik. "Don't say I didn't warn you."

He did not respond, but that was fine. I had the impression Yugi was really giving it to him. After a minute, the duel continued. "Go ahead and make your pathetic move, little Yugi. There's not a card in your hand that can stop me from wiping out the rest of your lifepoints."

Something tugged at Marik's magic, and he let out a growl of frustration: "This can't be happening," he said out loud. "I'm losing control of my mind slave! My power over him is slipping away. I can't let that little brat Yugi stop the power of my Millennium Rod."

A faint smile tugged at my lips. "I told you." I would have been happier for Yugi if I did not have to feel Marik's frustration, but that was the cost of my powers.

"Sir," a deep voice said from behind us. Odion.

Marik turned to face him. "Hmm?"

"I'm afraid Joey Wheeler's sister got away."

I let out a breath of relief. "Good."

Marik narrowed his eyes. "Then why are you standing here, you fool? Go see to it that she is captured. Now!"

Odion's eyes locked with mine right before he turned to leave. He still retained great control over his emotions, but I still understood what they hinted at. My smile faded as I watched his retreating form. Why did he put himself through this?

A sudden outburst from Marik snapped me out of my thoughts: "Get up and fight back, mind slave!"

"Having trouble?" I said. "You could just give it up, you know."

Marik shook his head. "Sorry, Yugi. Your trick didn't work. I'm still in control. And now it's time. I'll wipe out what's left of your lifepoints, my little friend, and take what belongs to me."

Don't give up, Yugi, I silently prayed. You're so close! As for me, I was close to accomplishing nothing at all. I hated feeling useless.

"All right, it's time for me to finish you off now and take the power I deserve. So, say goodbye as I attack your lifepoints again with yet another Hinotama magic card. Fire Shower Attack!"

I cringed as I imagined the strike on Yugi. I could tell this duel was coming to an end. "Marik, please…" I whispered.

Marik watched me out of the corner of his eye but said nothing. Instead, he focused on the duel. "Too late. I'm about to send you into the sea when I summon Rocket Warrior. And monster struck by Rocket Warrior loses 500 attack points for the duration of the turn. And then I'll play Attrition."

"Marik!" I leapt forward and clung to him in a desperate attempt to change his mind. He flinched in surprise, but his emotions remained the same.

"I said you're too late, you fool. Rocket Warrior, attack now! In its invincible mode, it will weaken your Red-Eyes while remaining unharmed. And now my Attrition card activates. It takes the attack points of my Rocket Warrior and subtracts them from your Red-Eyes, making it even weaker. How sad."

I shuddered at Marik's glee. A second later, however, he faltered as his magic slipped.

"What's going on?" he said in shock. "I feel my control weakening again."

"What did Yugi do?" I asked. I hated not being able to see the duel.

"He gave his Millennium Puzzle to Wheeler," he growled. "But that's not going to help. I'll have him throw it into the sea!"

I gasped. "No!" Yami!

"Say goodbye to your Puzzle, little Yugi," he said as Joey. He paused. "The only thing I'm fighting is you. Farewell."

I flinched as I felt Marik struggle. His eyes blazed in fury. "Throw it now!"

Despite the torrent of emotions, I held onto him tighter. "Just let this go!"

But he all but ignored me as he spoke out loud. "I'm losing my grip again! Alright, keep the Puzzle if you want. Puzzle or no Puzzle, you'll destroy Yugi for me."

My grip loosened. Yugi was winning. He could do this.

"Your friend's mind belongs to me, hear me? Prepare for defeat! Yugi, get on with the duel. The sooner you make your move, the sooner I can eliminate your lifepoints. And you better act quickly because you only have 14 minutes before that anchor pulls you and your best friend into the ocean's depths. You'll be out of my way once and for all!"

"He'll figure a way out of this," I said softly. "He always does."

Marik eyed me. "Not without the Pharaoh's help."

I imply smiled. "He doesn't need Yami for this one."

Marik shook his head. "This duel is making me thirsty. Let's go inside."

I let go of him and followed him inside the ship. My mind remained on the duel while he had someone fetch him water.

"How foolish!" he suddenly exclaimed. He glanced over at me. "He could have attacked us. Instead he left himself wide open for us to attack him! So, don't disappoint me now."

He must have some sort of plan. But I said nothing.

"It's time to end this! Alright, little Yugi, time to wipeout your Red-Eyes and your lifepoints. I play Panther Warrior. You're done! But first, before I strike, I'll transform Rocket Warrior into its invincible mode."

Marik smirked. "It all ends here. His Red-Eyes Black Dragon is barely alive. That pathetic creature won't stand a chance against Panther Warrior's ferocious onslaught. And when that Red-Eyes goes, so does Yugi. That little runt has only 1000 lifepoints. This duel's over. It's the moment I've been waiting for! Now Wheeler, attack his Red-Eyes with your Panther Warrior!"

Suddenly, I understood Yugi's plan, and I felt no fear.

"What?!" Marik exclaimed as he leapt to his feet, knocking over a bucket of ice. "But I commanded you to take out his Red-Eyes, Wheeler! This can't be. He's not responding to the power of my Millennium Rod!"

A smile played at my lips. "I told you. That dragon represents their friendship, and you can't break that."

Marik growled. "Very well, my mind slave. It appears you have a tendency to disobey my orders and disrespect my power. But I assure you, my Millennium Rod is not a force to be taken lightly. All I need to do is keep you under my control long enough to destroy little Yugi forever!"

And so, the duel continued. Marik and Joey continued to struggle back and forth while time slowly ran out. I stayed near Marik, but nothing I did seemed to persuade him away from his current path. Now there were five minutes left.

"The end is near, Yugi. I could just let the timer run out, destroying you and Joey, but out-dueling you will be so much more fun. And now all of your little friends are here to witness your demise. So, here goes. One more move and you'll be gone for good while I rule the world!"

Dread filled my chest. It was now or never. "Please, Marik…"

"The card I hold in my hand is my key to victory. As soon as I play it, your world will crumble as you sink to your doom!"

I could not take it anymore. I reached out to touch Marik again, but this time I had a different target. "Come on, Joey! You can do it!" I could feel his struggle, and I attempted to lend my support.

Marik glowered at me, but when he spoke, he did not address me. "You have no past. Now destroy him! Destroy Yugi!"

The intensity of the struggle grew, so I closed my eyes and held on tightly to Marik. Joey!

"Your feeble brain is no match for me. So, play Meteor of Destruction now. You belong to me, understand? I command you to vanquish Yugi!"

The pain tempted me to let go, but I held on. Marik increased the power of the Millennium Rod, and I could feel its evil searing through my body. Still, I refused to give in.

"Silence!" Marik exclaimed. "No one can resist my Millennium Rod! Behold the full potential of its ancient powers! Joey Wheeler no longer exists."

I sucked in a sharp breath. The magic grew even more, and I could barely feel Joey now.

"It's over, Yugi," Marik said triumphantly as Joey. "I activate, Meteor of Destruction! You dared to disrespect my power? Looks like your friend is weaker than you thought. Who's losing now?"

I doubled down on my efforts to reach my friend. Then, all at once, I felt Joey's sudden presence, and then both him and the feeling of magic were gone. I dropped down and stumbled backwards, opening my eyes to gaze at Marik's stunned expression.

"What? No! Yugi was right! Wheeler's will was too powerful to overcome! Noooo!"

I took deep breaths to cleanse myself from the lingering effects of magic. My mind buzzed with the reality of recent events. Joey had done it. He had broken free of Marik's control. Friendship had won.

But the duel...

"Marik!" I gasped. "Who won?"

"It doesn't matter," Marik snarled, causing me to flinch. "I lost."

I did not want to press him, but I had to know. "You can't see them? Don't you still have control of Tea? Please?"

Marik stared at me for a full minute. When he finally spoke, I braced myself for him to deny my request. "Fine." Then he turned away and closed my eyes.

I let out the breath of air I had been holding. So, he didn't hate me after all? With his strong emotions, I expected him to turn against me for rooting for my friends. He really is serious about this neutral empath thing. And perhaps he was starting to understand friendship after all.

"Of course, Yugi found a loophole," Marik growled a moment later. "They both lost. Both of their key boxes will open. They will be fine."

I nodded. "Good." I paused. "Thank you."

Marik grunted. He pulled on his magic again, probably speaking to his Rare Hunters.

Something suddenly occurred to me. "Uh, Marik?" I said once I melt the magic fade. I shifted uncomfortably, unsure of how he would take this. "I think I should go meet up with my friends… just so they know I'm okay."

"What?" Marik snapped. "Why should I let you do that?"

I took a deep breath. "Because Yugi – and Yami – are probably worried about me. You let him believe you kidnapped his friends, right? I'm one of his friends. If he doesn't see me soon, he may continue to look for me instead of going to the Battle City Finals."

Marik narrowed his eyes at me, but I felt his anger fade. "Are you in any state to meet with them? Can you convince them you're fine?"

"I… think so."

"Even the pharaoh?"

I hesitated. Could I lie to Yami? If we kept the conversation short, maybe… "I don't know if I can keep him from becoming suspicious, but he'll be even more suspicious if he doesn't see me until the Finals. Plus, you're so good at being 'Namu,' you can probably convince him for the both of us." At least I hoped.

"I am an excellent actor. Fine. But let's make it quick."

I sighed in relief. "Thank you, Marik." In truth, I did not look forward to seeing my friends when I had to deceive them. I could not wait until this whole mess was over.

It turned out we were not far from where Yugi and Joey had their duel. My heart lightened upon seeing everyone chatting to each other in the distance. I stopped a couple of meters away from them. Marik – or, rather, 'Namu' – stood by my side.

Kaiba noticed me first, and he gave me a small nod. "Yugi, I found the last of your little friends," he said.

Yugi turned from Joey, who had just returned his Millennium Puzzle, and his face lit up. "Samia! There you are! I was afraid you may have been captured by Marik as well."

I gave him a slight smile. "No, I'm fine."

"You've been with Namu all this time?" Joey said.

Yugi blinked. "Namu?"

"That would be me," Marik said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "You must be the Yugi I've heard so much about. I'm an old friend of Samia's from Egypt. We ran into each other and decided to stick together until the Finals. I'm sorry if we worried you."

Yugi smiled and shook his head. "Not at all. We just got out of a sticky situation, and I'm glad Samia was not a part of it. It's nice to meet you, Namu."

"We met earlier when we were attacked by those Rare Hunters," Joey explained. "It's good to see both of you escaped. Namu here is a duelist. How many locator cards do you have now?"

"Four," Marik replied. "I've still got a couple of more to go."

Samia. Yami's voice startled me away from the conversation. Are you truly alright? You seem tense.

I took in a deep breath and willed my emotions to remain calm. I'm fine. Just worried about you guys.

We'll manage. Are you sure you can trust this Namu?

I bristled. Yes. He's my friend. I have not seen him in a long time, so I would like to continue with him, if you do not mind. It will probably be safer. And I would not get in Yami's way.

If you feel it's for the best…

I do.

"Oh, Samia," Joey said suddenly, "meet my sister, Serenity."

A smiling brown-haired girl held out her hand. "Hi, Samia. It's great to meet you."

I gave her a genuine smile. "You too. I'm glad your operation went well."

"Thank you. I could not have done it without Joey's support."

"He's a good brother."

"Hey Kaiba!" Yugi suddenly called out. Kaiba and Mokuba stopped in their tracks. "We couldn't have gotten out of that mess without you."

"I did what I had to do, Yugi, got it?" Kaiba said.

"Well, thank you."

"I'll see you at the Battle City Finals."

"Guess that means 'you're welcome,'" Tristan said.

"Samia, we should probably get going too," Marik said gently. "I have more duels to win."

"Good luck," Joey said. "And watch out for Marik and those Rare Hunter creeps."

Marik chuckled lightly. "Will do, Joey."

"I'll see you later then, Samia," Yugi said. "We'll be headed to the finals."

I nodded at him as I started to walk off with Marik. "I'll try to catch up with you later."

"Good work," Marik whispered to me once we were out of earshot. "That went well. They did not suspect a thing."

I only nodded in agreement. My heart hammered as I thought about what was to come next. How was I ever going to change Marik's mind? And could I do it before my friends found out I had deceived them?