Chapter 40
Slifer and Obelisk faced each other, fighting with neither one giving way. "The power of our Egyptian god monsters is equal!" Yami said. "But neither one will give up this fight!"
"You're right!" said Kaiba. "It must be a holographic malfunction!"
"Seto!" Mokuba called. "Are you okay?!"
A bright light emerged from the two monsters and gradually grew stronger. What is this? I asked.
I have no idea, said Marik.
I suddenly felt strong magic from the Millennium Puzzle and the Millennium Rod. Then I was sucked into a vortex along with Yami and Kaiba! I felt slight panic as we spun out of control. What was going on?!
What's up with my Millennium Puzzle? Yugi said. The struggle between Obelisk and Slifer must have sparked something inside! But where is it taking us?
"This can't be real!" Kaiba shouted as we flew through space.
We suddenly stopped and were hovering in the air. Wow, that was wild, I said.
Look around, Marik advised.
"It looks like some sort of ancient city," Yami said. "It's completely destroyed! Oh!"
Something about this place seems really familiar to me, Yugi said. But I'm not sure why!
Yeah, me too, I agreed.
Oh, I know! Marik said. This-
"Ah! Yugi!" Kaiba said. "This looks like Egypt! But that doesn't make any sense! We're on my Duel Tower!"
"Kaiba!" Yami said. "We've been transported to another place... Perhaps another time!"
"Impossible!"
Maybe this is just a vision created by my Puzzle, Yugi said. I understand you, Samia, but then how can Kaiba see it, too? He doesn't have a Millennium Item!
It's the Millennium Rod! Marik said. It belonged to him in his past life. His spirit is still connected to it.
Yes, I felt magic from the Millennium Rod as well, I said.
"Oh!" said Yami as we flew across the sky again. We stopped near two large statues. "That looks like Obelisk the Tormentor and Slifer the Sky Dragon!" He gasped. "But they're made of stone! What's going on!?"
"These are statues of the Egyptian gods!" Kaiba said in shock. "Unbelievable! The detail is incredible! It looks exactly like Slifer and Obelisk!"
Maybe that's because it is them! Yugi said. But how were they turned to stone?!
This is so weird, I said. Yugi's Puzzle glowed, and we started flying again. We stopped above ruins again, these ones covered in smoke.
"Look at this dump!" Kaiba said. "I'm guessing that no one's lived here for ages!"
"Yes..." said Yami. "And the entire city is shrouded in a dark cloud. Look! The darkness seems to be coming from that palace!" He pointed at the ruin.
"But what lies within?" said Kaiba.
The scene suddenly changed. We were inside a building now - perhaps the palace. I saw two familiar people facing off against each other. A sorcerer held the Millennium Rod and a pharaoh had the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. The sorcerer laughed.
"Look at the almighty pharaoh now," he said. "It appears your once prosperous kingdom has crumbled under your feet and is now in the merciless grip of the Dark One. How does it feel to be virtually powerless?"
"Kaiba!" Yami said. "These are the two ancient figures we saw on the stone carving!"
"Don't be ridiculous!" Kaiba scoffed.
He even ignores evidence right in front of his eyes, Marik muttered.
"Look, Kaiba!" said Yami. "It's my Puzzle!"
"And the Millennium Rod," I added.
"Why have you chosen his side over mine?" the pharaoh said in a stern tone.
"That's where you're wrong, my pharaoh," the sorcerer said. "My minions and I have no allegiance to the Dark One, but we have no allegiance to you either. I am here to finish our battle, and prove no one can overpower my Millennium Rod!"
Who is this Dark One? I asked Marik.
I do not know, Marik replied. Ishizu may know more. I made a mental note to ask her.
"Even in my darkest hour, I shall defeat you!" the pharaoh said.
"Then let our duel begin, pharaoh!" the sorcerer said. "The moment I've been waiting for is here! I will finally take you down!"
"Really?"
"Yes! I shall be forever remembered as 'he who defeated the pharaoh.' Now, prepare yourself. For it's time to meet my ultimate beast! It will show you no mercy."
"Let's duel!" they both said.
"Behold... my dragon!" the sorcerer said. "Blue Eyes White Dragon!" The dragon emerged from a stone tablet.
"Now... You shall meet my loyal servant!" the pharaoh said. "Show yourself!" A familiar figure rose from his stone tablet as well.
"That's the Dark Magician!" Yami said with surprise. "This is the ancient conflict that Ishizu spoke of!"
And according to Ishizu, these are ancient versions of ourselves! Yami said.
"I'm afraid you don't stand a chance, pharaoh!" the sorcerer bellowed. Suddenly, we were sucked back into a vortex.
I groaned as soon as we hit the ground. I blinked my eyes open and looked around. "We're back."
Are you okay, Samia? Yami asked.
I'm fine. And you two?
We're good, said Yugi.
"Kaiba... Are you all right?" Yami asked slowly.
"I'm fine..." Kaiba said, although he was panting from the experience. "What just happened?"
"We were shown... The origins of our destiny."
"Hey, Seto!" Mokuba called. "Huh? What happened to the Egyptian god cards?" He was right. Slifer and Obelisk were no longer on the field.
"Now do you believe... in your connection to the past?" Yami spoke slowly and carefully. I sensed Kaiba's complete shock. He was still trying to deny everything, but it was becoming increasingly difficult for him. "Do you understand the significance of this duel?"
"I understand that I need to win, Yugi!" Kaiba said, his anger covering his confusion.
Yami narrowed his eyes. "You can't deny what we both saw!"
"Yugi! Don't be a fool! That was nothing more than an illusion!"
"Kaiba! Acknowledge the truth! This is fate. You and I have been destined to duel each other for 5,000 years!"
"Whatever! Let's just end this now!"
He's hopeless, Marik muttered.
"I'm dueling for so much more than a mere tournament victory," Yami said. "Is that clear!? I joined this to help save mankind, and nothing will stand in my way. That includes you, Kaiba."
"Believe whatever you want, Yugi," said Kaiba. "This will all be over soon!"
"Last I checked, it was still your move, Kaiba!"
"Now you're starting to make some sense. Let's move on so I can end this and claim the victory I deserve! I hope you're ready."
I sensed Kaiba's confidence as he drew a card even though he had no monsters on the field. He set a card down and ended his turn. Yami played Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts in defense mode. Kaiba activated his trap card, which created a copy of Gazelle on his side of the field. Yami set a card face down, ending his turn.
"Sorry, Yugi," Kauba said, "but you've just made your final move!" He chuckled. "For the monster that I now hold in my hand is the key to your ultimate demise." Yami gasped.
"All I need to do is sacrifice the Gazelle I got from you, and I can summon it to the field. So, prepare to feel the wrath of my Blue Eyes White Dragon!"
"Blue Eyes?" Yami exclaimed. "But how? You need to sacrifice two monsters for that!"
Kaiba smirked. "Is that so? You should know that things aren't always what they seem!"
Yami narrowed his eyes. "Enough talk, Kaiba. Just make your move so we can end this duel!"
"Yes, ending this duel is exactly what I'm about to do, thanks to this magic card. Yugi, you were correct. Summoning Blue Eyes usually requires two sacrifices. However, thanks to my magic card, that rule no longer holds true now. This card is the key to unlocking my great beast and wiping you out! Behold, my Cost Down magic card!" Yami gasped. "Now my Blue Eyes White Dragon is instantly reduced from an 8-star monster to a 6-star monster!"
This isn't good, Marik muttered.
"The time has come! And mark my words... This is no illusion, you fool! First, I sacrifice my gazelle clone. And now... I summon Blue Eyes White Dragon!" The dragon appeared on the field with a roar while the fake audience cheered.
"Yeah!" said Mokuba. "Take it to the hoop, Seto! Nothing can stop you now!"
"All right! It's time for me to finally put an end to this feud right now! Blue Eyes, attack his Gazelle with White Lightning!"
I winced when Gazelle was attacked and destroyed. This is getting bad... I said.
We shall see... said Marik.
Kaiba let out a harsh laugh. "You may as well throw in the towel, Yugi! Your only monster's gone! And unless you can summon something with over 3,000 attack points... This duel's over!"
"Not yet!" I said. I silently tried to give Yami some strength. I knew he could do this. I smiled when I felt his confidence soar upon drawing a card.
"Stand back, Kaiba!" Yami said. "Behold the truth! I know you saw the same visions that I did, and I'm about to prove it, Kaiba. That's right... You and I battled each other 5,000 years ago! And now destiny has brought us together once again. It's true! Look! I use Monster Reborn to bring back a monster from my graveyard. The servant of the ancient pharaoh the Dark Magician!"
I grinned while Kaiba gasped. "Oh yeah!"
"Now, Dark Magician, come forth!"
"Yugi!" Kaiba said with a glare. "Your move doesn't prove a thing!"
"Kaiba! How can you continue to deny your ancient past? Just look at the field! Blue Eyes White Dragon faces the Dark Magician! The time has come to accept your destiny, Kaiba! Fate has led us to battle again!"
He'll never accept it, Marik said. He's a fool.
That's why he can't win this duel, I said. He's in no position to save the world.
"Now then..." said Yami. "I shall place one card face down. "Go, Kaiba."
"You disappoint me, Yugi," Kaiba said. "You're willing to put all your faith in some old folk story. How pathetic! Who knew you'd take it this far? Someone shows you some chicken scratch on an old rock, and you use it to dictate your life? I expected more from you! Trust me, you're no pharaoh! So, stop playing make-believe. You're caught up in the past when you should be concentrating on what's happening right now. And that will be your downfall!"
Yami narrowed his eyes at him. "We shall see."
"Yes, as soon as you're knocked out of the tournament! Then I'll move ahead to the final round and reclaim my number-one dueling status. Now, let's move on!" Kaiba set a card face down and then played the magic card, Card of Demise. This allowed him to draw until he had five cards in his hand, but after five turns, he had to discard his entire hand. Then he summoned Lord of Dragons in attack mode. As long as this monster was on the field, magic and trap cards would not work against Blue Eyes.
Yami played Beta the Magnet Warrior in defense mode. Then he attacked Lord of Dragons with Dark Magician. Kaiba activated the trap card Magical Trip Mirror to take a card from Yami's graveyard. He chose Monster Reborn and used it to revive Obelisk in defense mode! The Egyptian god could only stay for one turn, but it blocked the Dark Magician's attack, reducing Yami's life points to 1500. Kaiba gloated that it was all over.
"Your Eyptian god card Won't be around for long, Kaiba!" Yami said.
"That doesn't matter," said Kaiba. "Obelisk has served his purpose already. I won't be needing his services to finish you off!"
"Huh. Very well then. I'll place one card face down... And end my turn. Your move, Kaiba."
"Well, as you've already pointed out... It's time for Obelisk to return to the graveyard. Now, my Egyptian god card, be gone! The wrath of Obelisk's may be over... But the worst part is yet to come. So, I'd suggest you start living in the moment! And forget all that nonsense about the past!" Kaiba laughed. "But then again... There's nothing you can do to save yourself at this point. As soon as I make my next move, you're history!"
I felt Yami's concern. He worried he could not win and save the world. You can do this, I tell him softly.
How? Yami asked. Even in my head, his voice sounded broken.
I don't know. Just have faith... and take my strength. Now that the Egyptian gods were gone, I had enough energy to give him some peaceful feelings. I felt him relax, and I smiled.
Thank you, Samia.
You're welcome. Now find a way to win this!
Right.
Are you sure he can do this? Marik said only to me. You don't know how the battle 5,000 years ago played out.
True, but I know he'll win. He has to.
We'll see. Despite his tone, he did not sound as pessimistic as he had in the past. I took this as a good sign.
"Alright!" Kaiba said. "Now it's time to bury the past and move on! If you want to believe that we dueled years ago, be my guest, but don't waste your time trying to convince me that it's true. I believe in only one thing, and that's my supreme dueling skills, Yugi! Everything else is meaningless. Now then... Let's get on with this duel so I can finally reclaim what I rightfully deserve: the title that you stole from me, Yugi. I will be known as the world's greatest duelist! I'm afraid this is the final turn. It's over!"
Kaiba switched Lord of Dragons to defense mode and played Flute of Summoning Dragon, allowing him to summon two more dragons to the field. Of course, he chose his two remaining Blue Eyes White Dragons. My heart raced in his chest. This was getting bad.
"Looks like I have four monsters on the field now," Kaiba taunted. "And you... All you've got is your Dark Magician and you pathetic Magnet Warrior, Yugi! And you know what that means... I can annihilate them and wipe out your life points. Yugi! Just give up now!"
Oh no! Yugi said. I'm out of options!
Hang in there! I pleaded.
Suddenly, there was a shift in Yami. Something seemed to lift his spirits. He acted, summon Red Eyes Black Dragon. Kaiba was stunned to see it on the field.
"If you recall, you used your flute of summoning dragon to summon your Blue Eyes to the field," Yami said. "But you may have forgotten that your flute works on my hand as well. So, I owe you a thank you for bringing out this card, which is a gift from a very close friend of mine, Kaiba!"
"This doesn't change a thing, Yugi!" Kaiba said, glaring at him. "I can destroy you and your Red Eyes!"
"Kaiba! Don't be so sure of that, you fool!"
"Now, my Blue Eyes White Dragons will destroy all three of your monsters! Attack now! Annihilate his Dark Magician first! Say goodbye to your favorite monster."
"Not so fast, Kaiba! Activate trap!"
Kaiba gasped. "Magician's Selection? That protects your Dark Magician from my attack, which means you and your monster will escape unharmed!"
Yami smirked. "That's right, Kaiba. But my trap also sends your weakest monster to the card graveyard!"
"Fine! But you'll never escape my other two attacks. Beta the Magnet Warrior is gone, and your Red Eyes is next! So much for Wheeler's gift!"
"That's what you think, Kaiba. Reveal face down card. My Spellbinding Circle card puts an end to your Blue Eyes' attack and lowers its strength by 700. Nice try, Kaiba! Time for Red Eyes to fight back. Destroy his Blue Eyes White Dragon with Inferno Fire Blast!" I watched in satisfaction as Red Eyes destroyed one of the Blue Eyes. "All right!"
Kaiba glared at him. "You may have saved yourself for now, but this duel's far from done!"
Perhaps he can turn this duel around, Marik mused.
I smiled. I know he can.
Kaiba placed two cards face down and ended his turn. Then Yami set one card face down and switched Red Eyes to defense mode. Kaiba activated the trap card Final Attack Orders, forcing all monsters into attack mode. Both players also had to to choose three cards from their decks and place the rest in their graveyard.
This is getting tense...
"It's your move, Kaiba!" Yami said.
"It took you long enough," said Kaiba. "Don't you realize that it doesn't matter what cards you're holding? This duel belongs to me. Now stand back! Ready? 'Cause it's time for the fun part. Enjoy! I play the magic card, Monster Reborn!"
Yami narrowed his eyes. "I knew it!"
Kaiba smirked. "I take it you're aware of which monster I'm planning to bring back from my card graveyard. My Blue Eyes White Dragon!" The dragon appeared with the other two. "Now I have three. Next I'll activate this!" He revealed his face down card, Polymerization. "Now I shall fuse my three dragons together!" He laughed. "Say hello to my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon! Nothing you do can stop my three-headed beast! Look closely, for this is the creature that will strip you of everything you have once and for all!"
This is not looking good... Marik said.
Then why aren't Yami and Yugi afraid? I said. Their emotions were a mess, but there was no strong sense of defeat.
Hmm... They must have a plan.
"I have you exactly where I want you - trembling in fear before my Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" Kaiba said in a cocky tone. "Yugi, I've played out this exact moment in my mind over and over and over again. And now, here we are at the top of my duel tower face to face! And all you have to hang on to is some rock from 5,000 years ago. But you're right. This duel is about the past."
Yami watched him carefully. "That's true."
"I know! But it's not about some ancient battle you think we fought in another life, because you saw a picture on a stone. When I say this duel is about the past, I mean it's about burying the past for good! Yugi, once I defeat you and go on to win this tournament, I'll be number one, not you!"
"I've heard."
"Yes but, there's more. I'll also be closing the book on my past so I can concentrate on my future! You see, ever since I was dropped off at the orphanage as a child, I've had to fend for myself. I had to toughen up to protect Mokuba. Then we were adopted by a tyrant known as Gozaburo Kaiba. He taught me to crush my enemies and trust no one, but nothing I ever did satisfied him! So, using the ruthless business techniques he taught me, I outsmarted him and took over his company. Now Kaiba Corp belongs to me! And he's long gone. But that's still not good enough for me. There's one conquest I need to fulfill! And that's where you come in, Yugi. So listen! I'm the best at everything that I do. But when it comes to being the best at Duel Monsters, you are in my way. So, once I beat you, I can forget the past for good! That's why I'm here!"
I feel Mokuba's shock and sorrow, so I walked over to him. "Are you alright?" I asked softly.
Mokuba looked at me in surprise. There were tears in his eyes. "I-I just-"
"It's alright." I put my arm around him and held him to my side in a hug. His brother's words hurt him, so I tried to give him some comfort. "Yugi is going to help him."
A hint of hope appeared in Mokuba's eyes. "A-Are you sure?"
I smiled at him. "Yes. It might hurt, but just watch. Everything will work out in the end." I had to believe.
"Face it, Yugi," Kaiba said, "your reign is over!"
"You never cease to amaze me," Yami said, chuckling.
"Why? Are you astounded by my superior dueling skills, Yugi?"
"Not quite! It's your complete stubbornness and your lust for power that I find so puzzling, Kaiba!"
"Why's that?"
"It holds you back, that's why! You'll never defeat me with a heart full of hatred and mistrust!"
Kaiba smirked. "Ha! You're just trying to distract me because you're scared of losing!"
Yami remained calm and confident. "Why don't I let my actions speak for me?" He activated his magic card Double Spell. This allowed him to use any magic cards that Kaiba used this turn. He used Monster Reborn to summon Buster Blader and Polymerization to fuse Dark Magician with Buster Blader to form Dark Paladin. This monster gained 500 attack points for every dragon on the field, so his attack points rose to 3900, while Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon was 4500. He set a card face down to end his turn.
"This is where it all ends, Yugi!" Kaiba said haughtily before laughing. "Now then, it's time to put an end to my past for good. As soon as I win this, I can finally move on!"
"It's not that easy," I murmured. "And it's not wise."
Even if the past is difficult? Marik asked.
Especially then, I said.
"How foolish!" Yami said. "It's our past that makes us who we are today!"
"Whatever," Kaiba said dismissively.
"You must remember what happened before so you can learn from your past. You can't ignore where you came from. Don't you know it's our history that shapes our future, Kaiba!"
I felt a flash of anger from Kaiba. "Save it, Yugi! It's time to move on, not look back! The past is over, and nothing you say will change my mind, Yugi. I need to take you down, now! Only then will I attain true greatness."
"Your duel tower stands here surrounded by rubble and destruction. And to me it represents your heart. A strong object surrounded by anger and hatred. And as long as you're fueled by hate, You can never defeat me, Kaiba!"
"Don't you realize my inner rage pushes me forward? And that's what I'll use to crush you!"
"If that's the case, then go ahead and direct all of your hatred towards me. And strike me down with your rage!"
"Very well. But I assure you you will live to regret those words, Yugi. Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, prepare for attack!"
"This is it," Mokuba said excitedly.
"Not quite," I said.
"Nothing can stand in the way of my destiny!" Kaiba said. "Now, my dragon, attack!"
"Now I activate the face down card, Magic Formula!" Yami said.
"How pathetic! I activate Absorb Spell! This magic card will absorb the power of Magic Formula. Therefore, the attack points you just added to your Dark Paladin will be transferred to my Ultimate Dragon. Ha ha ha ha! Now you're history along with your Red Eyes and Dark Paladin the Ultimate Magical Swordsman! Farewell!" Kaiba chuckled, but Yami remained confident. It's over!"
"Yeah!" said Mokuba.
"Hold on," I said.
What can he do now? said Marik.
"Yugi!" I heard someone shout. I looked around and gasped. It was Joey! He was alright! And the rest of my friends were with him.
"I win!" Kaiba said.
"I wouldn't be so sure of that," said Yami. "Remember, I still have one face down card left. Kaiba, you're done!"
"You lie!"
"As you will soon see, I've been destined to defeat you for 5,000 years!"
This angered Kaiba. "Enough! My Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon cannot be stopped, Yugi!"
"I'm afraid you're wrong, but I'll let my card speak for itself. So, I play this, my De-Fusion card! This magic card splits up your Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon Into the three original dragons you fused to form it, thus stopping your attack!"
Kaiba's eyes widened in horror. "No! I need my Ultimate Dragon to win the duel! This can't be happening!"
That was smart, Marik said. He played Magician Formula to force Kaiba to use his trap card.
I told you he could do it, I said.
"Now, Kaiba, you have three dragons on the field instead of one," said Yami. "And since my Dark Paladin receives attack points for every dragon on the field, he's now the strongest monster in play! Now, it's time for my final move!"
Kaiba glowered at him. "Just go!"
"With pleasure, Kaiba! All right. The card in my hand will conquer the darkness that now surrounds your heart. So, I play my final magic card, Diffusion Wave-Motion! You're finished! All I have to do is give up 1,000 life points, and this magic card will enhance the attacking capabilities of my Dark Paladin. Now my monster can attack all three of your Blue Eyes White Dragons at once! This duel is over!"
Kaiba glared at him with rage. "Yugi! I will not be defeated at my own tournament!"
"Kaiba, you're too late. Dark Paladin, attack!" Kaiba groaned when Yami's monster destroyed his dragons. I winced but survived it by holding onto Yami's emotions. He had won. "You lose, Kaiba! I told you your hatred and your lust for power would never prevail!"
"Great job!" I cheered.
"Way to go, Yug!" Joey said.
"I told you hatred never triumphs!" Yami said.
"But I had the perfect strategy!" Kaiba wailed.
"My Dark Paladin would disagree, Kaiba, for thanks to his attack, you've lost!"
"No! There must be some mistake!"
"And the winner is Yugi Muto," said Roland, "who now advances to the final round and faces Marik Ishtar for the Battle City crown!"
"Alright!" said Tristan.
"You the man, Yug!" said Joey.
"Hmm?" Yami said as he descended the platform. "Thank you!" He looked at his friends in surprise. "Joey!"
Joey grinned. "That's right! I'm back!"
Yami smiled. "I see... but how?"
"It was easy! Think about it, Yug. I'd never let a freak show like Marik get the best of me. And besides, I gave you my word that I'd help ya beat him, so here I am!"
Yami appeared stunned. "Thank you!"
He really is stubborn, Marik said. I've never seen anything like it. I'm almost impressed.
I told you he has a tough mind, I said proudly. And friendship has a lot to do with it too, you know.
Perhaps you're right...
"That was some ending, right?" said Joey. "You know, the way my Red Eyes Black Dragon came through and helped Yugi to win?"
"Yeah, you were snoozin' but your card wasn't!" Tristan said. "Ha ha!"
Joey shrugged. "I guess you're right. Either way, I was there for my pal."
"It all turned out well," I said with a smile.
Mokuba sniffled beside me. "Seto's out of the tournament now. He's done. It's all over. But he came so far..."
"It's alright," I said gently. "He needed to learn something. You don't agree with that he said, do you?"
Mokuba looked up at me. "No, but still..."
I gave his shoulder a comforting pat. "It'll be alright. You'll see."
"I don't get it!" Kaiba said in distress. "My deck was unbeatable. Where did I go wrong? I executed my strategy perfectly, carefully playing each card exactly as I planned!"
"That was the most challenging duel I've ever fought, Kaiba!" Yami said to him with a small smile.
Kaiba glared at him. "Just save it!"
"It's true. Destiny may have chosen me to be the victor, Kaiba, but you fought well."
"I don't need the pep talk, Yugi!"
"It's quite obvious to me that you haven't learned anything from our duel today, and I'd say that's a shame! You can never truly be a success until you're able to conquer the monsters within your heart, Kaiba!"
Kaiba's anger rose. "Alright! I've heard enough out of you!"
Yami narrowed his eyes at him. "Deny the truth, and it will destroy you! You were doomed from the start. Fueled by your anger, your hate, your jealousy, your rage, and lastly, the denial of your past. I, on the other hand, was fueled by faith, faith in destiny and faith in my friends. That's how I won! Kaiba, I didn't crush you on my own. Joey and I did it together using the card he gave me. Red Eyes is no ordinary card. Its strength comes from the bond of my friendship with Joey. That means I never duel alone, Kaiba!"
"That's right," said Joey.
"You never duel alone?" Kaiba said in disbelief. "Wake up! Don't you realize that every single one of us is alone in this world, Yugi? Look at me! I've never had to ask for anyone's help!"
"You don't consider anyone your friend, Kaiba?" Yami said.
"Friendship is for fools! Didn't I tell you I duel alone? Depending on others is for the weak, Yugi! My future is in my own two hands, so keep your friendships to yourself. I'm not interested in having any pals to slow me down!"
"How sad."
"Is-Is that really true?" Mokuba said too quietly for his brother to hear. "I thought..."
"He believes it, but it's not true," I told him just as softly. "He is capable of a lot of love, but he's blinded right now. He'll see the truth eventually."
Mokuba wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "I hope you're right."
"The time has come to accept my defeat like a man, Yugi. Since there's no one else that I rely on, there's no one else that I can blame. As per the rules, take my rarest card!" Kaiba flung a card at Yami and laughed. "Let's go, Mokuba." He turned and started walking away.
Startled, Mokuba ran after him. "Wait up, Seto!" He looked back at me apologetically. "Bye, Samia."
"Hold on, Kaiba!" Joey called after him. "Why don't ya duel me? We'll see who get's the third place crown. Unless of course you're scared of losin' to me?"
"Hmm..." Kaiba muttered while walking.
Anger flared inside Joey. "Hey! I asked you a question!" He ran to block his path.
Kaiba glared at him. "Out of my way, Wheeler!"
"You think you're too good for the rest of us don't ya? Well, I used to be a stubborn jerk just like you are. I picked on everyone else, and inside I felt alone. Then I was in a tough situation, and Yugi stuck out his neck for me. He showed me what friendship is all about. Now I realize that lookin' out for other people actually makes us stronger! Yugi changed my life that day!"
"Thanks, Joey," Yugi said, feeling touched.
"And I've seen Yugi stick his neck out for you a whole bunch of times, Kaiba! And did you ever once say, 'thank you?' Not that I ever heard. Trust me, you need friends! Take away all your Kaiba Corp flunkies, and who's left on your team?"
"Please tell me you're done," Kaiba said. "All this nonsense about friendship is starting to bore me, Wheeler."
"That's right," said Mokuba. "The last thing my brother needs is a lecture from you, so why don't you just lay off?"
Joey looked at him. "Oh, really? How can you defend this guy after what he said about you?"
Mokuba appeared taken back. "Me? What'd he say?"
"He said he was happy being all alone. So, I guess what that means is he doesn't need you, Mokuba! Some big brother!" Mokuba winced and looked away. Joey turned back to Kaiba. "Look, pal, you've done nothin' but bust my chops about my duel monster skills ever since I met ya. Now it seems like you're afraid of losin' to me and lookin' like a fool, Kaiba!"
"Hmm. Watch it," Kaiba said. "Push me too far, and you'll regret it, Wheeler."
"I'll take my chances. So, are you gonna duel me or what?"
"I'm afraid I don't see what the point is other than to waste my time! Besides, I'd crush you."
Joey crossed his arms. "Then prove it to me, rich boy."
Kaiba narrowed his eyes at him. "All right. I've had enough of your nonsense. I'll accept this ridiculous challenge of yours! It shouldn't take too long."
"Good. We agree on somethin'!"
Mokuba tugged on his sleeve. "But, Seto..."
"Relax, Mokuba," said Kaiba. "I'll silence this amateur once and for all!" He turned to Joey. "Now, as soon as you and I begin this duel of ours, Wheeler, all the friends on earth won't save you!"
"Yeah?" said Joey. "Then bring it on, Kaiba!"
He has such a big mouth, said Marik.
Maybe he can help Kaiba, I suggested.
That will be the day.
I looked over at Mokuba, who's emotions were torn. Someone has to do it.