'Well. I've let her know, but it's weird we haven't had our next clue yet.' Yugi murmured over the bond as she put her phone down, having grabbed a snack and an energy drink from the aquarium cafe, and feeling much less like she was going to pass out as she drank.
'Perhaps something went wrong.' The thought was hopeful, since it could mean they might get out of a lesson or two. 'I'm just hoping Katsuya is okay.'
Yugi was too but she knew he couldn't tell her even if he wasn't. Not with the threats from Ishizu hanging over them like a great looming dragon.
She leaned back into her seat, having come to the show pool to take a moment to eat and gather herself after the Shadow Game with Hirutani. While the rest hadn't restored all the energy her twin spent, it'd given her enough strength to at least consider facing the rest of the lessons.
'Are you alright, Imoto?' Concern bounced through the bond from her twin as Yugi finished her drink and rose to her feet, planning to beat the crowds out of the aquarium.
'I'm… I'll be fine. I'm stable again at least, so that's a plus. Seriously, Ba-Khu-Ra was right, we need to start eating when I'm stressed.' The Queen of Games tried to be reassuring, 'Normally Katsuya badgers me until I do, but…'
She trailed off, her shoulders sinking. She was entirely expecting him to break up with her after this was all over. She wouldn't stop him either. She'd gotten him and his sister into this and she was trying her best to get them out by following the orders of Shizuka's kidnapper, but if he wanted to leave her once Shizuka was safe, Yugi wouldn't fight it.
She couldn't.
"YUGI!"
Her name being yelled startled her and she turned to the direction of the voice to find Anzu waving at her vigorously from where she was sitting with her parents in the front row. Mrs. Mazaki looked amused as Yugi made her way across the stands, trying not to get in anyone's sight line and block the show going on.
"Mutou-san, it's nice to see you again." Anzu's mother smiled at Yugi as Anzu budged over to make room for her friend. "I hope your tournament is going well."
"Just need a couple more Map Cards." Yugi gave a smile she didn't entirely feel, fully aware that while Anzu's parents were aware of some of the things in the past, the magical side of events were completely outside their wheelhouse and they'd never believe her if she mentioned it. "I just wanted to wish you, Happy Birthday."
"Thank you. We're heading home after this, so if you want to stay out with your friend, Anzu, feel free." The KC lawyer offered, aware Anzu had been wanting to get away all day. The hug she got from her daughter in return made it sting a little less.
Yugi slumped into the seat, not sure how she was going to explain any of this to Anzu, but also aware she couldn't just vanish without worrying everyone and making things worse than they already were. She checked her phone again, confusion making her nervous when there was still nothing from Ishizu, then put it away to watch Kajiki playing with the huge whale in the giant, six storey deep tank.
Anzu, however, was watching her friend. She could see something was wrong. She'd known that today and the next couple of days would be stressful for her friends. They were stressful for her too, in a different way, but she hadn't seen Yugi this ill- looking and off-kilter since just after the Duel with Pegasus.
Not that she could ask about it around her parents. Her mother had known about the legal messes her friends were in, ever since she'd helped them get the police off their back after the fire. The magical side of everything, however, was another matter. Anzu wasn't sure she could ever tell her parents everything about that, not when they were as logically minded and straight-laced as they were. If Anzu hadn't seen it all with her own eyes, SHE would've doubted it herself. Her parents would never believe her.
Not that she could let herself care. Not right now. Not with how Yugi was trembling in her seat, how her hands kept clenching and unclenching, and how pale she looked.
She'd failed Yugi once and Yugi had been hospitalised for almost two months because of it. She wasn't going to fail her again.
Making up her mind, she tugged on Yugi's sleeve and nodded towards the sign for the restrooms. Yugi blinked at her, confused for just a moment, then nodded, rising to her feet when what felt like a tidal wave's worth of water washed over them.
Yugi twisted, protecting the Duel Disk on her arm from the surge, and Anzu pulled her in close, protecting her friend as best she could, before glowering toward the watery arena, where Kajiki, somehow, was stood on top of the whale as the music for the show trailed off.
"Mutou Yugi!" The microphone attached to his headband picked up him almost bellowing Yugi's name, "It's been a long time, my friend."
"You're supposed to be performing." Anzu grouched at him, only for him to wave it off.
"H… Hi Kajiki." Yugi stammered as she uncurled, having hoped he'd ignore her in favour of his performance. "Nice show. We could talk later, if you want?"
"No, I want to talk now." He extended a hand over the railing, offering to help Yugi on the back of the whale, "Or rather, I want to duel you."
"What?" Anzu had never heard Yugi fear a duel like she did now and confusion flickered through her as Kajiki chuckled, oblivious.
"You can't say no, my friend. Tournament rules mean you'd be disqualified."
Colour drained further from Yugi's face as she scrambled to take Kajiki's hand, confirming in Anzu's mind that something was very, very wrong, and Anzu caught Yugi's arm, earning herself a panicked look. "Yugi?"
"Take my satchel and my phone." Yugi shoved them towards Anzu, "I'll… I'll be okay."
"You sure?" Anzu pulled the objects close.
"Text Ishizu, let her know I'll be distracted for the next thirty minutes." Her friend nodded with a smile that Anzu could see was false, but convinced those watching, "I've got this."
"I won't hurt her." Kajiki promised as he pulled Yugi onto the whale. "I just want a Map Card or two."
"I have three." Yugi murmured quietly, aware that if she lost, it wouldn't matter how many Kajiki took from her, "How many do you have?"
"Two, so we each need everything our opponent has." He grinned, "This will be an incredible show for the people!"
As he gestured around, Yugi ground her teeth together, trying to remain calm. There were at least a couple of thousand people in the stands, including one of her best friends. If she lost here or tried to walk away, they would see her fall and not get back up.
And she could not, no, would not let that happen.
'You sure you're okay, Imoto?' The Pharaoh asked her sister, 'I can step in if you want me to.'
'I said I'd handle the non-magical duels and I can't…' She swallowed hard as she stepped from the whale to the floating platform in the middle of the arena, 'I can't just be a damsel in distress. I won't make everyone else fight for me. I need to fight for myself.'
'Alright.' The trust that flooded the soul bond reassured Yugi as she shuffled their deck and activated her Duel Disk, bolstered her flagging strength and helped her handle the constant ache in her soul. 'I believe in you.'
'I know.'
As she watched her holographic projectors shoot out of her Duel Disk and skid to a stop at the edge of the platform, she drew her opening hand. Then she smiled at her opponent, needing to make everything seem okay and looking forward to a game that didn't directly involve the Shadows.
"You can take the first turn, Kajiki."
"And I'll make it a good one, my friend." Kajiki grinned, having hoped to duel against the Queen of Games back on Duelist Kingdom and wanting to at least give her a challenging duel, even if he didn't win. "I activate A Legendary Ocean!"
As the field card slammed into place, the waters rose, swamping the arena. Yugi wasn't the only one who held their breath as the ocean swirled around them, settling as high as the roof of the seating. Around them, coral and ancient ruins rose from the pool, while below them the whale circled, confused by the holograms. The platform itself vanished beneath a swirling foam that covered Yugi's feet as she released her breath, remembering it was all just a hologram.
"I summon my Great White, in attack mode." At Kajiki's call, a great white shark sprang from the pool and circled the duelists, its attack flashing 1800, before diving back below the waves. Yugi wasn't afraid though. She knew it wouldn't protect them from her own monsters, or her spells and traps.
"Let me guess." Yugi tilted her head, thinking, "Your Legendary Ocean increases his attack by 200?"
"Nice guess." Kajiki looked surprised.
"Great White's supposed to be 1600." Yugi grinned back, feeling proud of herself as fish of several varieties swam between her and her opponent. "Does it do anything else?"
"Water monsters also get to be a level lower in both our hands." Kajiki explained, pausing as he realised Yugi didn't have a microphone to help her voice carry to the audience, like he did.
He turned and gestured to a member of staff, "Can I get a microphone for my opponent here?"
When the staff member skittered off, Kajiki looked back at Yugi. "Your turn, while we wait."
"It's a simple one anyway."
Yugi wasn't entirely pleased with her hand, but she was pretty sure she could run with it, "I play a card in defence mode and a card face down."
Both cards appeared on the field and started bobbing on the surface of the foam, impressing Yugi and those watching with how interactive the whole field appeared to be.
"Your move, Kajiki."
He nodded, then paused as someone waved at him from the stands. It took him but a moment to get over and back with the aid of his whale friend and once Yugi clipped the microphone to her lapel, he drew, pausing for a moment.
Concern pulsed through Yugi as she took in his expression of remembrance and grief. "Kajiki?"
He did a double take, as if her words had dragged him out of a memory, then forced a smile that Yugi could see wasn't entirely real. "I want you to meet a friend of mine, someone who I have come to rely on as an ally. The Legendary Fisherman!"
The monster that erupted from the waters was a muscular male human, wielding a spear and riding a blue and white shark. His dark hair was wild as he swam between Kajiki and Yugi, but its face made her jaw drop. It was so close to Kajiki's own that she could have sworn they were related, if the fisherman hadn't been a monster.
"What…?" Yugi breathed as the monster's attack flashed up at 2050.
"My father was lost to the ocean. I sought the prize money from Duelist Kingdom to buy a boat to look for him. My Fisherman reminds me of him and of my search."
"Sorry…"
"Don't be sorry, my friend." Kajiki waved it off with a chuckle, "If I had to lose the chance, I'm glad it was for something as noble as saving the eyesight of a friend. Still, I won't lose the chance again! Fisherman, attack her defence monster!"
The shark-riding monster surged forward and drove its spear into the card, which transformed into a shield bearing warrior clad in green and gold armour. The weapon bounced off and the Legendary Fisherman had to recoil to avoid being pierced by it.
"My Obnoxious Celtic Guard can't be destroyed by anything with more than 1900 attack points." Yugi explained as her Warrior got to his feet, shield still raised, her voice bouncing around the arena from the speakers, "And since he's in defence mode, I take no damage."
"I can still…" Kajiki paused as Yugi reached for her Duel Disk. She still had a face down card and clearly she was ready to activate it. If he attacked now, he could lose both his beasts.
"Actually, I think I'll end my turn. For now. I want to see what the Queen of Games can do."
Amused that her plans to activate her Dust Tornado to get rid of the field card had rewarded her with more, she drew.
Kajiki could tell something was up when her expression twisted slightly and she let out a sigh, "A card in defence."
"What's the matter, Yugi? Having trouble with your deck?" He asked, drawing his own card, "I tribute my Great White for Amphibian Beast."
The shark circling the platform leapt into the air, glowed brightly, shifted form and dropped back into the waters as a huge green beast with bulging muscles and grey fins. It dove back into the water before Yugi could catch what its attack points were.
"It attacks your face down monster!"
"In response to your attack, I activate Dust Tornado." The reptile-like creature paused in mid-air as Yugi activated her trap card, "It allows me to set a spell or trap and destroy one of yours, and I choose your Legendary Ocean."
More than one person in the crowd let out a relieved breath when the water level dropped back into the pool. The Amphibian Beast's attack dropped to 2400 as Yugi laid a card face down.
"Also, I'm sorry, Kajiki, but I won't let you keep your Fisherman on the field." Yugi apologised earnestly as the card flipped up, revealing an elderly robed man with a staff, who pointed it at the Fisherman before fading away. Kajiki's monster let out a bellow and shattered alongside it. "My Old Vindictive Magician destroys a monster when he's flipped face up."
"He won't be gone for long, I activate my Return of the Doomed." Kajiki flipped his own face down spell card, which allowed the Legendary Fisherman to return to the field, his attack now 1850. "And I switch him to defence mode. Your turn."
"I sacrifice my Obnoxious Celtic Guard for Dark Magician Girl!" Yugi didn't hesitate upon drawing one of her favourite monsters, "And I activate Magic Formula, giving her 700 more attack points."
The Dark Magician Girl was on the field for a few seconds before the spellbook appeared before her. Mana let out a delighted squeak and turned to her favourite pages, skimming it as eagerly as Yugi would a new video game manual as her attack rose to 2700.
"Dark Magician Girl! Attack his Amphibian Beast!"
The Spellcaster pouted at being pulled away from her reading, but loosed a blast of purple-pink magic at the green, scaled, lizardlike creature who burst into a thousand shards of light, ripping 300 life points from his summoner.
"Your move." Yugi chuckled as her monster returned to her reading.
Kajiki drew. His own smile at the holographic antics grew broader as he beheld his hand. "I activate Fortress Whale's Oath, tributing two monsters from my hand to complete the ritual!"
The ritual circle appeared briefly on the field before it was replaced by a gigantic black whale with a castle upon its back, its canons all pointed at the Dark Magician Girl and Yugi as its attack points flashed up at 2350.
"Then I bring back the field that will help me win my way to the finals! A Legendary Ocean!" Playing a second field card from his hand, the waters rose again, increasing the attack of both of Kajiki's monsters by 200, making the whale 2550 and the Fisherman 2050.
"My Dark Magician Girl is still stronger than both of them." Yugi pointed out, hoping her Spellcaster would keep her safe.
"Not once I've played this."
With that, he activated De-Spell, which caused the book to dissolve into motes of dark matter which drained into Yugi, raising her life points by 1000 and taking her to 5000.
"She'll be bait for my Whale!"
Unfortunately for the Dark Magician Girl, it also dropped her attack points to 2000, leaving her wide open for the cannon fire that blew away both her and 550 of Yugi's life points.
"And now you're fish food! Fisherman!"
Yugi yelped as the Fisherman lunged forward and drove its spear into her. Yugi had the weirdest sensation of something passing through her, without anything solid actually doing damage. Her life points trickled away, leaving her on 2400 after the calculations finished.
"And finally I activate my Tornado Wall." His face down card flipped face up, revealing the spell, "Now I don't take battle damage from attacking monsters."
Yugi didn't need the worried murmuring of the crowd to know she was in trouble. Her 2400 life points wouldn't take another attack from both of Kajiki's monsters and even if she got some more monsters on the field, she couldn't damage his life points with them.
Unless…
She would need some luck and to stall out a few more turns but the duel wasn't over.
'You've got this.'
Yugi drew as confidence and faith tumbled across the soul bond and laughed as she beheld what she'd pulled.
"Swords of Revealing Light!" At her call, brilliantly gleaming swords dropped from the heavens, locking the Fortress Whale in place and pinning Kajiki's other monster slots. Except for his Legendary Fisherman, who managed to miraculously evade the blades and grumbled at her in a language no one could understand.
"Why isn't he…?"
"As long as Umi's active, he can't be affected by spell cards and A Legendary Ocean counts as Umi while it's active."
Kajiki's explanation made sense, but Yugi didn't like it. Especially since it meant the Fisherman could pick off her field during what were supposed to be three turns of safety.
"Ah… then I play a card in defence mode and end my turn."
"Your face down card can't save you." Kajiki's words were as much a promise as they were a threat. "My Fisherman will bring in the catch of the day!"
With that, his Warrior stabbed into the face down card, which revealed itself to be Magician of Faith, one of Anzu's former favourite cards and allowed Yugi to pull a spell card back to her hand. As she pulled Magic Formula from the graveyard, Kajiki gestured for Yugi to make her move.
Drawing gave her Sage's Stone, which wasn't what she needed and forced her to pass the turn, but could be useful later.
"Is that all? I hope you're trying, Yugi." Kajiki looked disappointed and the crowd grumbled.
"I have a plan, I promise." Yugi half-lied. She had the beginnings of a plan but she needed to draw a particular card for it to work.
"You've left yourself wide open to my attack." Kajiki pointed out, "That doesn't seem like a sound plan."
"Your Fisherman doesn't have enough attack points to take me down."
"No, but he will take a huge bite out of you." At Kajiki's gesture, the shark rider surged forward. The shark's jaws widened as it prepared to attack Yugi directly.
"No, he won't."
With that, Yugi flipped her face down card, revealing her Magic Cylinder, which sucked up the Legendary Fisherman and fired it back at Kajiki who had enough time to yelp before it collided with him, taking 2050 from his life points, reducing him to 1650.
"You've been saving that all these turns? The ocean duelist's voice rose in his shock, "Why didn't you use it last time I attacked you directly?"
"Because I wouldn't have had it now."
He stared at her, wondering just how long in advance she'd prepared her field and if she'd really predicted him that well, or if she'd just gotten lucky. "Nice move."
"Thank you. Is it my turn?" When he waved, she drew and smiled, bouncing on the balls of her feet as she got the card she'd been waiting for. "I activate Monster Reborn!"
The Dark Magician Girl returned to the field and waved at the crowds.
"I equip her with Magic Formula and play my Sage's Stone, bringing forth the Dark Magician from my deck!" Yugi continued, pleased to be able to get the ball rolling on her plan to pull this duel back.
Her purple robed magician joined his apprentice on the field. His 2500 attack points were dwarfed by her 2700, but he clearly didn't mind. If anything he looked amused that she was reading.
"Dark Magician, destroy his Fisherman! Dark Magician Girl, take out Fortress Whale!"
The spellcasters attacked as one, their powers entwining with each other's and erupting in a burst of black, purple and pink that consumed Kajiki's side of the field. His monsters were destroyed, but his Tornado Wall kept his life points safe.
"Your move, Kajiki." Yugi's proud call came as the crowd in the stands erupted in noise, having thought the duel was over and surprised and pleased to see otherwise.
He drew, then stared at his hand. His Tornado wall was the only thing protecting him from her monsters and even if he placed a monster in defence, she would destroy it.
Still he had to try. He could not and would not submit to her when he needed the prize money so badly.
"I set a card in defence mode. Your move."
"Then it's over." Yugi sounded apologetic as she drew from her deck, "I activate Knight's Title."
Her Dark Magician's armour transformed into purple, mediaeval knight's armour. A red cape flowed from his shoulders as his staff transformed into a sword. He swept it toward Kajiki, and his Tornado Wall shattered into pieces.
"He can destroy a card on the field when he's summoned." Yugi explained, "This duel is over."
It was and Kajiki couldn't be entirely mad. He'd known challenging the Queen of Games was a risky move, but he hadn'tbeen able to resist and now he was paying the price.
"Dark Magician Girl, destroy his defence monster!"
It shattered, revealing a second Great White.
"And Dark Magician, attack him directly!"
Kajiki's field exploded in a burst of purple energy which ripped away 2500 life points, ending the duel.
Relief pulsed through Yugi as the crowd roared in appreciation of her victory, but she swayed on her feet as a wave of nausea and fatigue hit her hard. Kajiki, seeing something was wrong, quickly moved to get her back to the mainland, before handing her his Map Cards.
"Are you alright, Yugi?" He worried about her as she took them.
"I am now."
As ill as she felt, her smile was honest. With these two Map Cards, she'd won her way to Hekigan. Her life was safe. She slipped the mostly clear cards onto her Duel Disk, which lit in rainbow colours for a moment, before a screen flashed up, revealing her as the third finalist and directing her to go to Kaiba Corp later. "Thank you, Kajiki."
"No, thank you, my friend, for the duel! I hope your finals go well."
Kajiki was at least pleased to have given her a good game and he bore no ill will as he went back to his animals. Anzu was with her before he'd even turned away and the look on her face suggested she was unamused as she handed the phone and satchel over.
"Mutou Yugi, we need to talk."
"We will, I promise." Yugi nodded, checking her phone, only to let out a sharp breath as she realised not only had Anzu had let Ishizu know Yugi had made the finals, but there'd been rhyming reply from Ishizu. One that was already read.
Her eyes caught Anzu's and she winced when she saw the fear and concern there. Then she turned back to the words on the screen. Words that turned her heart to ice as she realised what they meant.
"You have your cards, now as a prize,
I offer you a great surprise.
Your vessel now can have a voice,
The two of you must make a choice.
You can quit the class and end the strife,
Saving your doll's precious life.
But if from the lessons you would be free,
The hostage soul belongs to me."
'We could stop the lessons. You could be safe…' The Pharaoh's mental voice was soft and worried.
'Yes, but at the cost of giving Shizuka up...' Yugi shook her head, then wished she hadn't as she sat. Anzu helped her, clearly worried.
'You're not okay though, and if you go…' Yugi didn't need to respond to her sister's concern, she knew what Meisa meant.
"What's going on?" Anzu fretted, putting her hands on Yugi's shoulders, trying to be supportive, "Are you ok to duel?"
"I don't know."
