As Mai headed down to her entrance, the noise of the roaring crowd grew in volume and pitch. The sound of it was a relief in a way, because she knew that as long as there were normal people in the crowds, the insane Item Holder couldn't do anything too blatant.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, taking this last moment to brace herself and put on her game face.

She was Kujaku Mai. The Duel Queen of Europe. She wasn't a scared little girl. And she wasn't going to back down, no matter how bad this duel got.

"…our first Semi-finalist, Kujaku Mai!"

She stepped into the bright morning sunlight, to the roars of twenty thousand voices in chorus. She held herself tall and proud as she stalked to the centre, glancing around to find the VIP boxes full of arrogant-looking businessmen and children in school uniform jackets, and the stands were packed. The press were placed along the arena floor, at the edges, where they could get good footage and Digital Duelist was all set to livestream, after the audio had cut off last night just before the duel in Yami.

With no empty seats in the stadium, Mai knew that this wasn't just the most important duel she'd ever fought, for the sakes of the children she considered her friends; if she wanted to maintain her status and her pride, she had no choice but to win here and now.

"And she'll face: Ishtar Ishizu!"

Hanaq stalked out. The darkness following her and spreading out until it lay across the floor like a shimmering, swirling carpet.

"Ready to lose, Kujaku?" She asked as she made her way over to Mai.

"I'm not the one who's going to lose." Mai promised as she took Hanaq's deck, Hanaq took hers and they started shuffling. "I am Kujaku Mai, and you don't deserve to stand up here with me. You'll be the one running away with your tail between your legs."

"My God Monster will utterly annihilate you, and then Yugi will be next."

"No overgrown chicken is going to send me running." Mai swore, able to feel the fire moving in the deck within her hands. "If you want to get to the Queen of Games, you'll need to defeat me, Europe's Duel Queen, first. Only then will you have even a chance of standing against her."

"A continental Queen can't stand up to the sheer power of my God monster."

"You'll find that my deck is more than ready for it."

"Mine is eager to rip yours apart." Hanaq promised as she handed the cards back.

"It won't get a chance."

"Kujaku to move first."

At the announcer's call, Hanaq drew her opening hand and the darkness swept up both their forms until it was sparking over their skin. The almost midday skies darkened, causing many to look up, checking for clouds.

Those few who were sensitive to the Shadows found that the blue skies had shifted to purple and the clouds were a deep black, but most of those in the stands had no clue what was about to happen as Hanaq smirked at Mai.

"Let's duel."

Mai considered her opening hand carefully. She knew what to expect, and that meant that every move she made needed to be as close to perfect as possible, or she'd end up in the hospital with Bakura and Jonouchi.

Thankfully, her deck seemed to be of a similar opinion and had provided an opening salvo that would, hopefully, give her a chance.

"I set three cards face down!" She called, dropping all three cards in a single sweeping motion. "And I summon my Amazoness Paladin, in attack mode!"

As her favourite monster took the field, Mai took a deep breath. The purple eyed, blonde haired Amazoness glared at her enemy, pointing her sword at Hanaq aggressively. Her cloak flared out behind her and her skirt floated in the non-existent breeze.

"It's your move."

"Your Warrior's attack points don't mean anything." Hanaq snapped as the system flagged the Paladin's 1700 attack points rising to 1800, "I'm going to utterly destroy you, and Yugi will be next."

"You'll be facing me next."

Kaiba's voice cut through the excited babble of the crowds caused by Hanaq's confidence. Both Duelists turned towards the red entrance to find Kaiba was stood there, watching; his arms crossed and a distinctly unamused expression on his face.

"Even if you beat Kujaku, which I doubt, I'll be knocking Yugi out and ripping you down in the finals."

"You'd have to beat me for that."

The Pharaoh, who'd followed Mai to her match, unable to wait patiently in her room when her friend was dueling against a killer, stepped out. "And that's not happening."

"Just wait, oh Queen." Hanaq sneered, her voice echoing over the roar of the crowd, "I'm going to tear you to shreds, just like I did your friend and your boyfriend."

"You won't get the chance to bully anymore kids." Mai broke in, refusing to be lost amongst the powerful personalities and determined to drag the witch's attention back to her. "This duel has only just started, and I don't lose to cowards."

"How am I a coward?" Hanaq demanded as she drew.

"Bakura? Jonouchi? They're kids. Senior division Duelists, but still kids. If you want to dance with the Queens, you have to prove that you can do better than bullying children for a title."

"I deserve everything they have and more! You have no idea how much my family's been through! How much 1203893186 I've been through!"

"Oh, boohoo." Mai flicked her hair over her shoulder. "Daddy didn't love you, you had to babysit from a young age, you suddenly had to work to make money because everything wasn't given to you anymore. Get over it. Welcome to the real world. You're not the only one who was forced to grow up quickly. If you want to truly be a role model for your brothers, you'll stop whining and prove yourself."

Hanaq gritted her teeth as she considered her hand. Kujaku was a disrespectful bitch, but she was also a powerful Duelist who knew her stuff. That meant that if she wanted to make Kujaku beg for forgiveness for embarrassing her, Hanaq was going to have to pour all her skill into this duel.

And her opening hand wasn't the way to do it.

"I discard my Gravekeeper's Commandant to pull Necrovalley to my hand!"

The initial move pulled her field card to her hand, but she didn't play it. Not yet. Kujaku had a field card of her own and playing Necrovalley too early would allow it to be replaced by the Amazoness Village, costing her the buffs that could turn this duel around.

"Then I set two cards face down."

She slammed the cards in question into place.

"And that ends my turn."

"I summon Amazoness Tiger!"

At Mai's call, a huge orange-brown tiger took the field, stalking up to the side of the Paladin, its attack points rising instantly from 1100 to 1900 as its effect kicked in.

"Both Tiger and Paladin gain attack points for every Amazoness monster on the field, including themselves." Mai crowed as her Paladin's attack rose to 1900 too. "And in response to Tiger's summoning, I activate Amazoness Onslaught!"

The trap card flipped up, revealing the image of several Amazonesses leaping from the trees. The card that Mai summoned using its effect wasn't so graceless. Instead, the Amazoness Queen stepped forward, placing her hand upon the shoulder of the Paladin before picking up the chain attached to the Tiger's collar.

"And she gains 500 attack points this turn, thanks to the trap that summoned her."

The one-eyed Queen smirked at Hanaq as her attack points rose to 2900.

"And now my Amazoness monsters can't be destroyed by battle. This duel is over before it really starts. Paladin, attack her defence card!"

"I activate my Rite of Spirit and Hidden Soldiers!"

At Hanaq's yelp, the two cards flipped face up. In response, the Commandant rose from the grave, bringing its 1600 attack points with it as it adjusted its Anubis mask upon its brow. While the Gravekeeper's Descendant stepped out from behind Hanaq, his dark robe askew and his short hair messy as he took the field with 1500.

Neither of them could stop the attack on the facedown Nobleman, who was pierced through by the Paladin's blade. A pained gasp erupted from Hanaq as the blade pierced her monster and the Shadow Game slammed the same pain into her, cruelly reminding her of the blade that'd pierced her side days ago.

"I use Nobleman's ability to set a card in defence mode!" Hanaq snarled out, trembling from the pain as she slipped the card into place.

"That won't protect you! Queen, attack her Commandant and Tiger, attack the Descendant!"

Neither monster hesitated. The Queen's blade swept through the neck of the Commandant, sending its head rolling across the arena floor, while the Tiger leapt upon its enemy, sending it crashing to the floor where the Tiger drove its fangs into its neck.

Hanaq barely remained on her feet, her hand going to her throat with a strangled cry of pain, as 1600 life points were ripped from her total and her deceased monsters faded away.

Mai couldn't help but be proud that she had drawn the first blood. Especially when her opponent's expression told her that Hanaq hadn't expected to be the one left in agony.

"Now." Mai smirked as Hanaq's lifepoints settled on 2400 and her Queen's attack points dropped to 2400. "It's your turn."

The demon-possessed Wrath snarled as she drew. Pain meant nothing to nothing to her. It couldn't. She couldn't let herself be dragged down by the agony when she needed to make this whelp submit to her, rather than the other way around.

"I flip my face down Visionary!"

The huge, hulking brute of a Gravekeeper arrived on the field with an irritated huff. His sharp gaze swept across the woman on the other side of the field, before he gave a dismissive shrug and glanced over to his Duelist as if asking, "really?"

"My Visionary gains 200 attack points for each Gravekeeper in the graveyard." Hanaq continued as his attack points rose to 2600, more than any of Mai's monsters. "And that's not all. I play Card of Sanctity, allowing us both to draw until we have six cards in our hand."

Mai didn't hesitate to refill her hand, while Hanaq couldn't help but feel relieved as flames trembled along her nerves and the Winged Dragon of Ra took its proper place amongst her drawn cards.

She hadn't expected to need the God card against a normal, non-magical average Duelist, but Mai was proving to be much stronger than she'd anticipated and the God could easily be the card to save this duel.

...If she could get it out.

"I set a card face down and a card in defence mode." A second Nobleman went face down on the field. "And equip Visionary with Wonder Wand."

The giant of a man held his hand out and a ruby-topped staff appeared in his hand, increasing his attack to 3100.

"Your Amazoness monsters can't be destroyed by battle, but you can still take damage!"

Hanaq's words made Mai grimace and brace herself.

"Visionary, attack Paladin!"

Mai had just enough time to activate her face down card before fire erupted from the staff and swirled around the Paladin, scorching her clothes and skin. The burns sent the monster to her knees and made Mai bite her tongue to keep back the scream that wanted to escape, refusing to give Hanaq the pleasure of getting her response as her lifepoints dropped by 1200.

"I… In response, I activate my Amazoness Magic Mirror!"

Mai's trap card flipped up. The reflective surface surrounded by a wooden woven frame, with bone horns pointing out didn't do anything except float at Mai's side.

"What does that do?"

"Amazoness Magic Mirror comes in two forms. A trap and a magic card. This one, the trap version, can only be activated when I take damage. Then once per turn, I can reduce the battle damage I take, to 0."

Mai had a plan, but it all really depended on whether the computer running the referee calls for this duel was as particular with wording as the players were.

Unconcerned, Hanaq shrugged. "Fine. Your turn, Kujaku."

"I activate The A Forces!"

With the magic card's arrival, Queen and Paladin's attack points shot up.

"For every Warrior and Spellcaster on my side of the field, my Warriors gain 200 attack points." Mai explained as the now 2300 attack point Paladin rose to her feet, assisted by the now 2800 attack point Queen.

"And my continuous trap, Amazoness Onslaught, allows me to summon another monster this turn, bringing a second Paladin to the field!"

With two Paladins at 2600 and her Queen at 3000, Mai's field was almost impossible to beat.

"Paladin one, attack her defence card!"

Another Nobleman flipped up, allowing Hanaq to set another card in its place, making Mai wary. If she attacked, she could cause herself more pain and cost herself lifepoints. Waiting, however, didn't have a cost, because it would still take Hanaq two turns to both get enough monsters on her field and summon her God monster.

"And with this card face down, that ends my turn."

"And your tournament." Hanaq sneered. "I activate Necrovalley!"

The stadium floor was swiftly filled with swirling sands and the morning sun above beamed down upon them with all the wrath of the midday sun, increasing the attack points of Hanaq's Gravekeeper's monsters by 500.

"Then, to finish this duel, I play Double Summon."

Mai let out a hiss as the magic card appeared.

"This allows me to summon twice this turn. So, I flip up my Oracle and summon my Gravekeeper's Heretic."

The Heretic nodded to his two companions, all boosted by the sands around them.

"Then I tribute all three of them for the Winged Dragon of Ra!"

The Heretic's 2300, the Visionary's 3200 and the Oracle's 2500 burned up and swirled up into the sky as Hanaq chanted. They joined together to form a golden, blazing sun, which unfolded into the great golden dragon that had reduced Ba-Khu-Ra to cinders.

The sheer heat and power of its aura made those in the stands tremble as its feet landed heavily upon the stadium floor, making the whole structure shake.

Mai's knees wanted to buckle as she beheld its 8000 attack points, but she refused to let them. She would not show fear. She refused. Because if she did, she would never, 1203893202 ever live it down.

"And I sacrifice 1000 lifepoints to burn your monsters to ashes!"

The dragon erupted into flames and swept forward, consuming Mai's trio of Amazonesses, turning them into ash and ripping a scream from the Duelist's throat, which forced the technicians to cut the feed from her microphone to prevent it traumatizing the children in the crowd.

As the flames cleared, it revealed Mai, on her knees, barely holding herself up. Her whole body shook as her vision faded in and out.

Hanaq's cackle unnerved those watching. "Let me put you out of your misery. Ra, attack her directly!"

Meisa started forward, not wanting to lose another friend, but Mai's arm shot out, telling her no.

The Pharaoh froze as the mirror that Mai had brought into play darted in front of its Duelist and took the full blast, splitting it around the Amazoness Duelist who forced herself to her feet as the attack died down.

Unharmed.

"How?! The attacks of the Gods can't be negated!" Hanaq snarled as Mai's microphone was turned back on. "You should be gone!"

"Magic Mirror…" Mai gasped out, drawing strength from her fury and her pride to remain on her feet, "Doesn't affect your God… it affects the Battle Damage. Reducing it to zero… your God still attacked. It just… did no damage."

The absolute elation of the crowd who cheered Mai's name as the Pharaoh let out a delighted and ecstatic crow kept Mai standing.

"Now… I summon my… Amazoness Paladin in… in defence mode. And I end…" Mai's foot slipped, and she nearly tumbled to the ground, silencing the crowd, who was suddenly worried for her. "End my turn."

"I play Stop Defence."

Hanaq's infuriated snarl as the Amazoness was forced into attack mode made whispers start. She didn't care though. She didn't need a good reputation, she needed to make Mai burn and burn and burn until there was nothing left.

"This duel is over!" The Wrath snarled, infuriated at being circumvented again. "Ra! Attack Paladin!"

"I activate Dramatic Rescue!"

The Paladin yelped as she was pulled back to the deck safely, only to be replaced by the Amazoness Swordswoman, who was immediately consumed by the divine flames. Mai's microphone cut out again as she screeched, but the flames were drawn into the Swordswoman's blade and fired back at Hanaq in one sweep before the Amazoness was consumed.

"What the fu…?!"

Hanaq's swearword was cut off as she was consumed by the flames to the tune of 6500 lifepoints worth of damage.

Ending the duel.

"I. Wi… Win…"

Mai's gasp as Hanaq's lifepoints hit zero, was heard by everyone within the arena, except Mai, who collapsed as the Shadows faded away.

"Mai!"

Meisa shot forward and managed to just stop her from hitting the floor as Hanaq, steaming and burned stared at the other side of the field, trembling and barely able to stand herself.

"Kujaku wins!"

Meisa ignored the commentator's shaky cry in favour of trying to wake her friend, who let out a pained moan, letting Meisa know she lived and wasn't comatose, but didn't open her eyes or wake at all.

Hanaq's stare didn't stop as she tried to process what'd just happened, completely confused as to how she could possibly have lost. The audience, just as confused and also concerned about Kujaku, burst into murmurs that were broken by Kaiba's voice.

"Ra's attack might be unstoppable, it might be immune to monster effects, but Amazoness Swordswoman's effect reflects the Battle Damage. It doesn't affect Ra at all."

Using the Magic Mirror to test that theory had been a genius move, and Swordswoman was an option that Seto himself had considered. The proof that it worked confirmed his other ideas were solid and would work, if Kujaku woke in time for the finals.

Hanaq, who still couldn't entirely believe that her God had been stopped by a relatively common card, could feel the demon's wrath as it came to the realization that its pawn had been knocked from the competition before she could erase the Pharaoh from existence.

'You useless…'

'Easy.' The Wrath cut the demon off. 'I planned for this, remember? I have the backup plan. The Pharaoh won't escape us this easily.'

"Fine. So, I lose." Hanaq's voice was far more level than she felt. "That won't save you, Yugi."

"Cause trouble for a finalist and security will escort you from the island." Kaiba shocked Meisa by stepping between her and Hanaq. "Now, hand over your God card and leave."

"No."

"Tournament rules…"

"Tournament rules say I have to hand my rarest card to my opponent. Since she's unable to take it, I won't be handing it over." Hanaq sneered, ignoring the Shadows surging against her, pushing her to keep her Oath with Mai from before the Duel. "Now, I believe I can leave. After all, you have a tournament to run."

Kaiba couldn't stop her. Not without risking magic being revealed to the people in the stands. He could, however, order his security to follow her and report back if there was trouble before turning to Yugi, who barely paid him any mind as she handed Mai over to the medics who had rushed the field.

In the red tunnel, out of sight of the crowds, Hanaq leaned against the wall and took a deep breath for a moment, before pulling the microphone from her lapel and crushing it beneath her foot in her fury.

"That's property damage, and…"

Kaiba's guards went silent and still as, with a flash of amber eyes and a burst of power from the Millennium Rod, they fell under her control.

'You're going to have to release your prisoners, and let the Pharaoh regain her strength.' The demon huffed directly into her mind. 'I should just leave you to die now.'

'I have to undo the harm Ishizu and I did to them. Not what they did to themselves. And I only have to fix the children and their pet ghosts. Not the adults who are under my sway.'

Hanaq let out a long, slow breath as she reached out to the weavings of her spells.

'So yes, I have to release that little girl, undo the harm done to the Pharaoh and her worthless doll and revive the Thief's brat. But I don't have to release any of my adult minions, hand over the Millennium Items, or give up my God card. Nor do I have to revive the Thief, who chose to break the rules of our Shadow Game, or undo the harm done to the Pharaoh's Consort when he chose to throw himself in the way of that attack. I don't even have to wake him up again, he needs his rest, after all. Waking him would just be hurting him more with his soul in the condition it is.'

There was a pause as the demon processed that. Then he chuckled.

'Oh, that's brilliant. You get to keep the lion's share of the power you've seized and keep those who matter the most to her, from her.'

'Of course.' Hanaq was rather proud of the way she'd manipulated things, loss or not. 'And now I can deal with the Pharaoh however I want. I'm no longer bound by the tournament's rules and she won't be protected by them for much longer. One duel, two at most. The moment her Battle City is over, she's mine to destroy.'

With that, she released her grip on parts of the magic, letting the Shadows flow along the connections she'd forged over the course of the tournament and restore Yugi, Amane and the Pharaoh.

'And, best of all?' Hanaq panted at the sudden drop in power as she turned from the battlefield and headed deeper in, to continue her plan B. 'Imagine the pain and upset it'll cause when she thinks everything has been undone and she discovers her partner still lies comatose. And while she's despairing over that…'

Able to sense the demon pull back, Hanaq turned towards the nearest guard.

"How can I help you, Mistress?"

The title made pleasure and pride flood through her, but it wasn't enough. After her duel with Mai, after the taunts and belittling that'd embarrassed her in front of all those in the stands, there was another one she wanted.

One that would force the world to respect her.

And once she'd torn the Pharaoh to shreds, she'd be able to claim it.

She just needed to takes control of something and someone else first.

"Take me to Kaiba Mokuba."

"Of course, Mistress."