I can't believe that I got this far! It's a surprise on how far I made it. I know you all want to see Yume's monster side in action, but you have to wait! I'll bring it in once I know the time's right.

With Odion unconscious, the tournament's still going on. Even though Joey wanted Marik disqualified for having a fake name, Seto said that the tournament's about skill and not names.

So, the tournament continued. Mai was picked for round three, but she left before her opponent was picked, which happened to be unfortunate, because her opponent is Marik. Everyone was up except for Marik, who showed up seconds after Seto asked where Marik is.

The platform got elevated, both duelists got their decks ready, drew their respective hands, and the duel started with Mai drawing an extra one for going first.

"Dunames Dark Witch in Attack Mode!" Her angel in dress armor showed up. (ATK/DEF Points: 1800/1050.) "Take it away, Sweetheart!"

Marik drew his card. "I'll start with my Revival Jam in Defense Mode." His slime showed up. "Then play my Magic card known as Jam Breeding Machine." His machine showed up. "This monster-producing machine will create one Slime Token for me with every passing turn. So I suggest attacking me now before my slime creatures far outnumber you!"

I know this strategy all too well! I bet he has Winged Dragon of Ra in his hand as well as Jam Defender! If that's true, then he'll be able to summon Ra without any problems from Mai. I've got to warn her!

Yume turned to Mai. "Mai! Be careful! He'll be-"

"Shut up, Yume!" She said sharply to her. "I'm doing this on my own."

"Mai, you must know that you might be-"

"Yume, I know you're trying to look out for me, but I can do this without you." Yume quieted down, but told Mai to be careful of Revival Jam. "I know what I'm doing, Yume."

Yume just looked down, but felt something on her back. She looked behind, but she found no one. She then turned to Joey. "Hey, Joey." He turned to her. "I'll be right back!" He nodded and she ran off while the duel continued.

Marik chuckled. "Do it yourself, eh? Those are brave words from someone with no idea what they're up against!"

"Clam it, Marik! I know exactly what I'm up against, and exactly what I'm gonna do to beat you as well!"

"Then why do I see such fear in your eyes?! Our battle has only just begun, and already you doubt yourself!"

"Wrong again, Marik! Dark Witch, attack his Revival Jam with spellbinding flux!" Her witch released a torrent of energy on Marik's slime, but the slime came back, shocking Mai.

"Revival Jam," Marik explained, "is able to regenerate itself whenever it's attacked." Mai said she didn't know about it. "That doesn't surprise me. Only one knew about it and you turned her down!" Mai gasped, as he's referring to Yume.

Marik drew his card, then played Pot of Greed, which lets him draw two cards. "Have you realized that this duel is far more than you can handle? Then observe as my Jam Breeding Machine creates the first of many Slime Tokens!" One got created, with equal 500 Points each.

"Then I play one card facedown to render your attacks useless!" He placed it down, and a face down showed up on Marik's side.

Mai drew her next card unfathomed. "You think you're so tough? Well watch as I play my Magic card known as Harpie's Feather Duster! This handy Magic card destroys every single one of your Trap and Magic cards!" A tornado formed up and blew away Marik's face down along with Jam Breeding Machine.

"I saw through your dirty plan, Marik, so I swept it right up! Dark Witch, the coast is clear! Wipe out that Slime Token with spellbinding flux!" Her witch released the same amount of power, this time destroying the Slime Token and sending his Life Points down to 2700. "And I'll complete my turn with one more face down."

Marik drew his card, then summoned Melchid the 4-Face Beast. "And then, I'll sacrifice both my monsters to summon the Masked Beast Des Gardius!" His beast showed up. "Now, ATTACK HER DARK WITCH!" It started charging, but Mai had other plans.

"I activate my Trap known as Mirror Wall!" A crystal wall showed up just in time as Des Gardius attacked its own reflection. "It attacks your beast with its own reflection, cutting it's Attack Points in half!" Des Gardius dropped to 1650.

"Dark Witch, finish off that Masked Beast! SPELLBINDING FLUX!" Power was released yet again as Des Gardius got destroyed with Marik's Life Points dropping again to 2550. But in exchange for getting destroyed, Marik seized control of her Dark Witch.

"Not only do I get Mask of Remnants and reshuffle my deck, but it lets me take control of your Dark Witch. I'll then play the Magic card Remove Trap to dispose of your Trap!" Mirror Wall got destroyed as Mai's left wide open.

Then she drew her card. "You may have gotten a few lucky shots, Marik, but that's over, as things are about to change!"

"Much more than you know, Mai." He took out his Millennium Rod and pointed it at Mai, indicating that he's going to have this dual to be finished in the home of Duel Monsters: The Shadow Realm. "Let the shadow game begin!"

He laughed as shadows enveloped the place. "This is not part of the game, Marik! What's going on?!"

While that amount of dueling was going on, Yume decided to head to her room ever since she felt that poke on her back. She thought that something was wrong since nobody was there.

Once she got to her door, she saw Ishizu. "Oh! Hello, Ishizu." She nodded, then asked how she knew her. "Yami talked to me about her trip with Joey. She said that you met her and said that she was the Pharaoh's Apprentice."

"That's all true, Yume. Now tell me: Did you felt pain somewhere on your body?" She explained that she felt a poke on her back, even though no one paid attention to it. "It's best if you see it for yourself, Yume. But you'd better be quick about it, because Mai is starting to lose her mind, literally."

"Oh no, Ishizu! I hope I make it in time!" She scanned to gain entrance to her room and she got in. Once the door closed, she immediately put the puzzle where she could keep a watch on and took off her jacket.

She still felt the pain, so she decided to have her shirt off. (s/n She is supposed to be the same age as Yugi, so it's either 17 or 18.) She tried to see what's behind her, but can't see any of it.

'Something on your mind, Yume?' She looked and saw Yami there, watching her. 'I hope it's not a dance!'

'Yami, I need you to look at my back and tell me what you see!' She agreed and looked. Then she gasped at what she saw.

'You have… very small wings on your back, Yume.'

'Wings? I bet you're just saying that!'

'I'm serious, Yume! Look at a mirror with your back turned to it.' Yume found a mirror and did so. She saw that Yami was right: she does have small wings on her back.

'How did I get them?!'

'I'm not sure myself, Yume. Perhaps you need to talk to your parents about it.' Yume agreed, grabbed the puzzle, then thought of both her parents: Yugi and Dark Magician Girl. Then the puzzle started glowing.

~Shadow Realm~

She opened her eyes and see she was in the Shadow Realm. She looked around and saw her parents. She quickly came over to them and they turned to her.

"Yume!" Dark Magician Girl said surprisingly. "I'm surprised to see you. Usually, we have to call you over to us."

"Because this time it's important to me!" She told them about the wings on her back, and turned around to show them, to which they both just looked at them.

"Yume. We actually expected that. Those wings are part of your monster half. It just didn't have time to start it."

"Then why am I feeling them now instead of the other times?! Shouldn't I have known about them?"

"They needed time to grow, Yume. By the time you faced Pegasus, we heard that you would use your monster side to battle him. If you had done that, then you would've been unstable with your powers."

"Then… how is it possible for these wings to start growing now?"

"The time they needed is dependant on the damage you took to your Life Points in all your duels." Yume looked through her memories of all the battle damage she took: Kaiba, Weavil, Mako, Bakura, Mai, Pegasus, Bandit Keith, the Rare Hunters, even Joey!

She heeded what Yugi said and realized that, while she takes damage from her Life Points, they weren't intense on pain because her monster side was using some of it to charge. "I understand, Dad. The damage I take is that some were involved with my monster-half. But please tell me: what's this about my monster-half?"

"I'm afraid we can't keep the truth away from you." Dark Magician Girl said. "Yume, you're monster side is known for, and when equipped right, can be an Egyptian God bane."

"So… if I equip it right, I could destroy Egyptian God monsters?" She nodded. "Right. So… what's my monster half?"

"We'll be giving you clues on it." Yugi said. "For now, take this!" He handed her a card and she looked at it. "It's called Talons of the Bane. If you equip it with the right monster, they can destroy Egyptian Gods, despite how weak they are."

"I understand now."

"You need to get to Mai and quickly!" She nodded. "But before you leave, know this: You'll understand how to control the monster side within you, but you'll need it to end this threat. You don't have much time!" She nodded when the puzzle glowed.

~Kaiba Craft 3, Mai VS Marik~

Once she was back from the Shadow Realm, she put her shirt back on with her jacket, then rushed to the top of Kaiba Craft 3 with the Puzzle, hoping she's not too late.

When she showed up, she saw a giant orb on Mai's side, and Marik has Holding Arms on his side. "Hey, guys!" They turned to her. "What'd I miss? Also, what's with that orb?"

"That orb contains the Winged Dragon of Ra, which Mai took from Marik's deck. She played Cyber Harpie, then Graceful Charity."

"How would that summon The Winged Dragon of Ra? She would need monsters in order to summon it."

"That's because, when she played Graceful Charity, she managed to draw Elegant Egotist, which she used and sacrificed all three of her Cyber Harpies and summoned it, but it was a sphere."

"There has to be a way to unlock it, though."

"Oh, there is, Yume!" She turned and see Marik looking at her. "Only individuals with the knowledge of the ancient scriptures can wield the power of Ra!"

"You're just jealous, Marik. Because you lost your Egyptian God card to a better duelist, and I'm gonna use it to knock you out of the finals, Bud! Your Winged Dragon answers to me now!"

"Then why don't you try to read the ancient text written on the bottom of the card?" Mai looked down and see the text, asking what it is. "That is the ancient chant used to call upon the hidden powers of The Winged Dragon of Ra!" He laughed.

"Why don't you try reading the chant? Or perhaps you're in need of a lesson in the ancient Egyptian scriptures, my dear." Mai realized that he's got her trapped.

"Why don't I read the chant and regain control of it! You'll never decipher the ancient words by just staring at it! It's written in a special form of hieroglyphic script used only by high-ranking individuals in Egypt. And I doubt that you fit in that category. However, my family does! They guard the Pharaoh's tomb along with his Apprentice. I bet Kaiba would read it."

Seto then broke his concentration when he said that. "What's that mean, Marik?"

"I'd like to rephrase that: Several people on this vessel can trace their history back to ancient egypt, to a time where sorcerers and kings waged great wars! Back then, the power of the shadows was everywhere, and the world feared those that controlled it!"

"I don't need a history lesson to learn how to control the actions of my Duel Monsters!"

"Maximillion Pegasus certainly did, and not even he knew how to decipher the ancient text when he created the card. But he knew that in ancient times, The Winged Dragon of Ra would only obey those who chanted the words. So, Pegasus printed the words in an ink that can only be seen when the monster is summoned."

Marik knew all along, Mai thought, that I'd never be able to use that card!

"I'll ask you one more time: Are you going to read the ancient chant, or shall I release The Winged Dragon of Ra? This is your last chance, foolish girl! Show me how you can control an Egyptian God!" He laughed, but Mai told him to suck it up.

"I don't believe this!" Yume said. Not only does Mai have no other monsters on the field, but when Marik gains control of it, she's defenseless! I might've known for a fact that Marik planned it this whole time. I bet it was near the bottom of his deck just so Mai could take it.

"Are you going to recite the ancient scripture or not? Because time is running out! So, make your move! Unless you're willing to admit defeat! Remember that you have no monsters on the field to protect you. And that means I can use my Egyptian God card to attack your Life Points directly! So prepare to lose and live an eternity of loneliness and despair!"

I don't think there's a way for Mai to read the ancient scripture. It seems like she wasn't meant to hold it. But Marik said that some people on this blimp can wield The Winged Dragon of Ra. I know that it must be me and Marik, but Kaiba as well?!

She saw Mai place down a face down and ended her turn, unable to read the ancient text. Gravity Bind will protect me. Once activated, it stops the attack of any powerful monster, so whether Marik uses his Holding Arms or awakens the Winged Dragon, I'll be ready!

Marik drew his card, then summoned Holding Legs. "Sorry about your face down, my dear, but it has to go! When summoned, Holding Legs sends every Magic and Trap card on the field back into the player's hands! And when played alongside Holding Arms, this card has another Special Ability: it calls forth the Sacred Stone of Ujat!"

A stone appeared behind Mai. She looked behind and screamed out while Marik was laughing. "And with no monsters, I'm able to attack your Life Points directly! So be prepared to lose everything right now! Go, Holding Arms and Holding Legs! SEIZE HER!" Both of them clamped on Mai's arms and legs as she struggled to try and break free.

"Comfortable? Well, the worst is yet to come!" Both the Holders got Mai onto the stone, to which she can't do anything. Mai demanded about it being a hologram. "I never said it was a hologram! You and I are playing a shadow game, or don't you remember?"

'Yume! I know what's going to happen. I'll be taking over for now.'

'Please, stay safe, Yami.' Yume's puzzle glowed as she switched places with Yami. And just in time to see Mai's Life Points drop to 800. "I had enough, Marik!"

Marik turned to see Yami. "I don't need you interfering my shadow game. You and I will duel soon enough, Pharaoh's Apprentice, and things are about to get interesting here. For it's time to awaken The Winged Dragon of Ra by reciting the ancient chant and reclaiming my great beast! So I can finish this duel once and for all!" He faced the sphere and started chanting.

"Great beast of the sky, please hear me cry. Transform thyself from orb of light and bring me victory in this fight." Joey looked at the orb and told everyone to look at it.

"The chant is what's needed," Yami said, "to awaken The Winged Dragon of Ra and reveal its power. The beast will belong to him again!" The Winged Dragon of Ra started transforming while Marik continued chanting.

"Envelop the deserts with your glow and cast your rage upon my foe! Unlock your powers from deep within so that together we may win. Appear in this Shadow Game as I call your name! WINGED DRAGON OF RA!" The beast's transformation was complete and let out a roar. "Behold my great beast! The most powerful of all Egyptian God Monsters!"

Everyone stared at it. "It's time now to end this duel!" He laughed as The Winged Dragon of Ra has 5400 ATK Points. This is it. It's over. Marik's Winged Dragon of Ra has more than enough Attack Points to wipe out the rest of Mai's Life Points.

"Such a pity it has to end like this, my dear. Your mind is a mere shadow of its former self, and it's growing even dimmer. And chained to that stone, you can't reach your deck. As soon as my monster attacks, your world will crumble!"

"That's enough, Marik!" Yami shouted out. "Leave Mai alone! Your grudge is against me, not her!"

"That's true, Pharaoh's Apprentice, but I'm just having a little fun up here. There's nothing I like more than toying with someone's mind!" Yami growled out his name.

"Don't worry, we'll face each other soon. It's something I've been waiting for since my family insisted I bare the ancient scriptures on my back, cursed to carry the secret of the Pharaoh's power along with his Apprentice's until they return!"

"The Pharaoh's secret, along with his Apprentice?"

"And although this duty has brought great honor to the Ishtar name, it has brought me nothing but great suffering and despair. For generations, my family has waited hopelessly for the Pharaoh and his Apprentice to return."

He then laughed. "Except for me! Serving the ancient Pharaoh and his Apprentice is a game for fools! Giving up my life just to play servant to a five-thousand-year-old king, when all along I had the key to his great power? I shall become the king!"

'That secret within Marik's back,' Yume told Yami, 'has to be a key somehow, right? I mean, if he holds it, then we should know what it is!'

'Easier said than done, Yume. The only way to find out is to beat him in a duel.'

"I knew I was destined for greatness. I just need to collect all the right pieces so I can put together my destiny!"

"This madness will end now, Marik! You won't get the puzzle and you never will!" But Marik just laughed at Yami.

"The madness has just begun! Tormenting your little friend's mind up here is merely practice! For soon you shall suffer," He then laughed, "while the world finally cowers in fear before me! This shadow game is over!" He laughed some more, then faced Mai.

"The time has come to trap your mind in the shadows forever!" Joey couldn't handle it and decided to get on the platform and run towards Mai. Yami saw what's going to happen. "Winged Dragon of Ra, DIRECT ATTACK!"

Ra roared and charged up for a blast of energy when Joey got in front of Mai and tried to talk to her. And with some convincing about his freaky dream, Mai now remembers him. He tries to get her free, but to no avail, because The Winged Dragon of Ra is fully charged.

"NOW, Winged Dragon of Ra, DESTROY THEM BOTH!" Ra released the energy on them both. But before the energy could reach them, Yami quickly got up on the platform and stood in line of fire and spread her arms out.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" The energy's hitting her hard as she's grunting out in pain. Mai and Joey saw her and was worried for Yume. "These dark shadow powers will never penetrate me! I will shield everyone from your evil!"

Marik just laughed. "I doubt it! Nothing can withstand the unstoppable force of the greatest creature to ever walk the Earth, The Winged Dragon of Ra! All 3 of you are finished!" But he spoke too soon because Ra's energy ran out on Yami as she got down.

'Yami, you need to get better! I'm taking over!' She agreed and they switched. Yume got back up and faced Marik. But of course she passed out because Yami's exhaustion went to her as she blacked out.

a/n That's all I'll do for now on this on! Next is the last duel for Season 2! Hope you enjoyed this. If you want to, you could review and tell me how it's going.