The Final Face Off Part V

'You have no business being here, Odion,' Malik sneered.

'Let him speak!' the Pharaoh commanded. After all, if anyone could get through to Marik – give him the strength to survive this – it was Odion.

With help from Mayet, Odion staggered forward.

'Be careful,' Ishizu said quietly to Odion.

'We were all doing just fine without you,' Malik complained. 'Just look at you! You're barely able to stand up! You need the Pharaoh's Servant to stay on your feet! How sad. Now if you can just stay upright for a few moments longer, you'll witness my triumph over the Pharaoh! And the demise of my weak side.' He laughed.

Down below, his friends spoke amongst themselves. As Odion stumbled, Joey went to run over to him.

'No, Joey.' Ishizu lifted a hand to stop him. 'This is something Odion must do. It may be the only way to save Marik.'

Odion finally came to a stop at the edge of the duelling platform. 'Release my master now!'

'Your master is almost gone,' Malik sneered. 'I'm afraid you've come too late. I've taken his body and the Shadow Realm is about to take his soul. The Marik you once knew will soon be extinct, Odion. He'll no longer be able to hold me back!'

Marik's one remaining eye was focused entirely on Odion, glistening with unshed tears.

'That's not true,' Odion said. 'I've returned to ensure that your gentle spirit prevails.'

Malik stared down at him, affronted. 'That's enough!' He whipped out the Millennium Rod and fired a blast of Millennium energy out at him.

Mayet lifted an arm, guarding them both. Her own powers, though not originally Millennium in nature, were enough to deflect the blast so they only stumbled.

Odion was not dissuaded by the attack. 'Master Marik, fight the evil within! We've conquered your wicked side before and we can do it again.'

'Silence!' Malik pointed the Millennium Rod at him again. Another blast forced them back another step and Odion lost his footing.

'Odion! Hold on!' Ishizu began crossing over.

'I'm fine, Ishizu,' Odion assured her, pushing himself back up. 'Please, Master. You have the power to stop your dark side.'

Something crossed over what was left of Marik's face.

'Remember you're the one that created him,' Odion told him. 'And you can destroy him.'

Marik's eye widened in realisation. At that moment, the eye vanished.

Malik was not in a position to see this, however. 'I've heard enough! Now take this—' Suddenly, he was cut off. He growled and clamped a hand to his eye.

Hey, look, Yugi said. Do you see what I see? Marik is freaking out up there.

I see, the Pharaoh said.

'What is going on?' Malik demanded. He threw his head back and screamed.

'Fight his evil with all your might, Master Marik!' Odion coached him. 'Let your Tomb Keeper's heritage give you strength!'

Malik screamed again. 'I've come too far to lose my grip now! I am the true Marik and I will not be overwhelmed by my weak side!'

But when he lowered his hand from his face, the good Marik's eye was where the hole in his face had once been. And when he spoke next, it was the good side's voice. 'If you can hear me, Pharaoh, attack now!'

'No, Marik,' the Pharaoh said.

'Please, Pharaoh,' Marik begged. 'I can't hold on much longer. I need your help to banish my dark half forever. I'm sorry for everything I've done to you and your friends. As a Tomb Keeper, I was raised to serve you, but I always resented this task. This resentment turned to hatred and my dark half was born! What I did was wrong, but I'm ready to take responsibility for my actions and correct the wrongs I've committed.' He looked across at Odion and Ishizu.

'Well said, Master,' Odion said. 'I've waited so long to hear those words.'

'Please, Pharaoh,' Marik called down. 'Attack, it's the only hope for my survival!'

The third eye on his forehead flashed and the evil one was back in control. 'No! Don't listen to him!'

And then Marik was back. 'Yes! You must attack me to save mankind! Please! But hurry! I can't hold him back much longer!'

We can't attack him! Yugi insisted. It's just too risky. The force of our attack would send him straight to the Shadow Realm.

But the Pharaoh's mind was already racing. He had a good feeling that, somehow, Marik would survive the attack. Yugi, we have no choice. We must trust him.

Marik gave a final, desperate plea. 'Pharaoh, please attack me now! It's the only way!'

'All right,' the Pharaoh said. 'Here goes! I activate my Ragnarok card!'

'No!' Malik protested.

'Yes,' the Pharaoh said. 'Since my Dark Magician and my Dark Magician Girl are both on the field, the unstoppable magic of Ragnarok can be released!' He took his duelling deck from the duel disk. 'But first I must remove every monster in my hand, deck and graveyard.'

'No!' Malik protested. 'You're making a mistake!'

'I'm afraid it's too late!' The card glowed and the air around the Pharaoh filled with bright orbs. 'Ragnarok is already infused with the power of every one of my monsters!' And those monsters rose up, transparent, but gathering on the field behind the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl. 'Now, Dark Magicians, with the help of my entire army of monsters, unleash your incredible force!'

YGO

'Check it out guys,' Duke remarked. 'It's Yugi's monsters on parade.'

They were streaming all over.

YGO

'Whoa,' Mokuba breathed, looking around. 'I've never seen anything like this.'

Kaiba was also, reluctantly, impressed.

YGO

'You and your Egyptian God Card are through,' the Pharaoh declared as his army of monsters streamed towards the Winged Dragon of Ra.

Slifer was the first, coiling around the Winged Dragon like a snake.

'No!' Malik protested. 'Stop! Call these creatures off right now!'

Obelisk rose up behind and got the Winged Dragon into a headlock.

'No one can destroy my Winged Dragon of Ra!' Malik insisted. 'Release me! Right now!'

Kuriboh rose up to his level and waved in the direction they needed to take the Winged Dragon.

'It's pointless for you to resist my monsters,' the Pharaoh said as all of them ascended. 'They have you trapped in their unbreakable grasp!'

'Noooooo!' Malik screamed.

'Your reign of terror is finally over!' As the Pharaoh said this, the two Dark Magicians crossed over their sceptres and their power began to build up. A magical circle took form above them. 'The time has come for me to fulfil my destiny and rid the world of your evil, once and for all!'

Malik screamed as the circle got brighter and brighter and brighter and he was lifted closer and closer to it.

'May the power of Ragnarok rid the world of your evil, and seal your dark side for all eternity!' the Pharaoh declared.

With a final blinding flash…it seemed to be over.

Yugi, the Pharaoh said. Destroying the Winged Dragon of Ra should have destroyed Marik's dark side as well.

Yeah, Yugi agreed. But what about his good side?

We'll see.

As the smoke cleared…a figure stood there.

And the Pharaoh's eyes widened.

'Ah,' Mayet said, loudly enough for him to hear. 'It's Marik. And it's the real one.'

'He made it!' the Pharaoh exclaimed. 'Marik, it's over. Your evil side has been banished forever.'

Marik looked up, body shaking and panting for breath. 'Pharaoh, there's still one more task that you and I must complete.' He cast off the cloak that his evil side had used. 'I still have one life point left.'

Wait, Yugi said. He's right. We're not done!

They both looked up. Where Marik's eye had once hung, now hung the evil half's eye.

'Huh? What's going on?' Malik demanded. 'No! This can't be happening!'

Marik's dark side is back on the field, Yugi observed.

Yes, the Pharaoh agreed. But now the tables have turned. The next part he said out loud. 'Marik's good side is in control and his evil side has become the victim.'

'You can't do this Marik!' Malik insisted.

Sharee leaned on Mayet's – or perhaps her own – shoulder. 'Does anyone else notice how panicky he is now that it's his butt on the line?'

Mayet's lips quirked.

'Listen!' Malik demanded. 'We can still crush the Pharaoh together! Remember how you wasted away your childhood serving this fool?! It's not too late to destroy him and take what you deserve! The infinite power of the Pharaoh could be yours! If we win this duel, you and I can claim the Egyptian God Cards and the Millennium Puzzle! We'll rule the world together!'

Marik merely turned his head, looking directly at Mayet with a thoughtful expression on his face.

'Don't be a fool, Marik!' his evil side insisted. 'We've come so far! Don't throw away everything we've worked for! We can still win!'

'Your move,' the Pharaoh said calmly.

Marik looked back at him. 'Before I make it, I have one enquiry.' He returned his gaze to Mayet. 'You once said the tradition was created after the Pharaoh died.'

'Though we do not remember clearly, I have a sense that what happened to put us in this position happened quickly and without warning,' Mayet answered. 'It was the surviving Priests of the Royal Court who set everything up. And I know for a fact that the rule to never leave the tomb came in with the fall of the old Pagan belief system.'

Joey pulled a face. 'Now, when you say never leave the Tomb…?'

'I mean "never leave the Tomb",' Mayet said. 'Marik was born underground and he was supposed to spend his entire life underground.'

Marik nodded and turned back to him. 'I'm sorry, Pharaoh. It was my duty to help you and instead I turned my back. I can't change the past, but I can start over by embracing my family legacy.' He glanced down to Odion and Ishizu. 'I'm proud to be a Tomb Keeper and I'm proud of my sister and my brother.'

Odion's eyes softened and he spoke. If the Pharaoh was lip-reading right, he said, 'Thank you, sir.'

Marik looked up at the Pharaoh again. 'My family has waited 5000 years for your return. Now you're here, so I must fulfil my destiny…by letting you fulfil yours.'

The Pharaoh's eyes widened as he realised what Marik was saying.

Malik cried out in alarm. 'No! You can't do this!'

Marik closed his eyes. 'I must.' He reached over. 'I hold the key to helping the Pharaoh unlock his true powers – the secret is imprinted on my back in an Ancient Egyptian text. But before I reveal this ancient mystery, the Pharaoh must be in possession of all three Egyptian God Cards.'

'You're making a huge mistake!' Malik insisted.

'No,' Marik said. 'For the first time in years, I'm making the right choice.'

'What are you doing?' Malik demanded.

'I'm honouring the Ishtar name,' and Marik laid his hand over his deck, 'by surrendering the duel.'

There was a bright glow all around him.

The Pharaoh gasped. 'Ah! Of course! By forfeiting the duel, his life points will drop down to zero and his evil side will vanish into the Shadow Realm.'

'If you do this, you'll be sorry!' Malik turned to empty threats. 'You need me.'

'As Sharee has said, "like a hole in the head",' Marik responded.

Everyone looked at Mayet, except for the Pharaoh, Yugi, and Mayet – all of whom looked at where Sharee's spirit stood.

She grinned. 'I didn't think he was listening.'

'Begone!' Marik declared. 'I surrender this duel to the Pharaoh!'

'Noooo!' Malik screamed as he was swallowed by the Shadows.

Marik's life points dropped to 0. 'It's finally over, my Pharaoh.'

'Yes,' the Pharaoh agreed as the Shadows melted away. 'And the darkness has lifted from your heart.'

Next to him, Yugi's body was fully restored and he was released, dropping down. We won the duel!

The Pharaoh looked at him, relieved. You're safe now.

YGO

The little boy jumped up and down. 'That was so great, mother!'

His mother chuckled. 'It was. I'd forgotten what a thrill it can be watching the Pharaoh battle. I was even worried he might not pull through a couple of times.'

'No way!' the boy insisted. 'He's the best!'

'That, he is.'

YGO

'Marik has overpowered the evil that controlled him for so long,' Ishizu said, relieved. 'My Pharaoh…thank you. You've saved mankind.'

'We did,' the Pharaoh said. 'I would not be victorious had it not been for all of you.'

Marik nodded.

At that moment, Roland raised his hand. 'And the winner of the winner of the Battle City Tournament Crown is…Yugi Moto!'

Yugi's friends began to cheer as the field was lowered. Mayet walked back over to them. Joey and Tristan climbed onto the field before it even lowered properly.

'That was amazing, Yugi!' Tristan declared.

'Yeah,' Joey agreed. 'The way every monster in your deck showed up! That was classic! Up high, pal!' The Pharaoh hit a high five with Joey. 'That was truly your best work, Yug!'

Meanwhile, Odion and Ishizu had stepped over to greet Marik.

'Marik,' she said.

'Ishizu,' Marik said, 'I'm sorry.'

'All that matters is that you're safe and you've returned to the way you were, my brother,' she said. 'You have fulfilled your destiny and ended the mission of the Tomb Keepers.'

'Sister, does this mean the three of us can start over?' Marik asked. 'And build a new life for ourselves?'

'Yes,' Ishizu said. 'I think it's time our family started living in the light, don't you? Side-by-side with the rest of mankind.'

Odion began looking worried.

'I'm glad you're back,' Ishizu said.

'So am I,' Marik agreed.

YGO

Suddenly, Kaiba stepped forward. 'Sorry to interrupt, but as the organiser of the Battle City Tournament, I guess I should congratulate the winner – even though you only won that duel thanks to Marik's forfeit.'

The Pharaoh looked at Kaiba. Actually, if Kaiba hadn't given me the card I needed, I would have lost the match right away.

'Nice duel,' Mokuba said. 'And, as the winner, you get to keep the rarest card from your opponent's deck.'

Mayet nodded. 'Not only that, but we have some other business to attend to.'

'What other business?' Tristan asked.

'This whole issue with the Ishtars came about because of an ancient tradition designed entirely to simply deliver a message to the Pharaoh here.'

'What?' Téa demanded.

'You're kidding, right?' Duke asked. 'All this happened just because someone wanted to tell him something?'

'Good grief!' Joey groaned.

'What message?' the Pharaoh asked.

'Marik, if you will?' Mayet turned to him.

Ishizu nodded to her brother. 'The Pharaoh will need both.'

'That's true,' Marik agreed. He walked over.

'Make sure he doesn't give you the fake one,' Joey grumbled.

'Joey!' Téa hissed at him.

Marik stopped before him. 'Pharaoh, as I complete my final mission rest assured that everyone who was banished to the Shadow Realm by my dark side will return.'

Everyone looked happy at that news, but none moreso than Joey. Mayet looked thoughtful.

'It's about time!' Joey declared.

'You said it!' Tristan agreed.

'Thank you,' the Pharaoh said.

'Take this.' Marik pulled out the Winged Dragon of Ra and handed it to him. 'My rarest card, and remember: you're going to need this card, Pharaoh.'

The Winged Dragon of Ra, Yugi mused as the Pharaoh added it to his deck with Slifer and Obelisk. We have all three of the Egyptian God Cards. But now that they're in our deck, what are we supposed to do with them? How can we use these cards to unlock the hidden powers of the Pharaoh? We need more information.

'Pharaoh,' Marik said, drawing his attention again. 'I have one more task to perform before my Tomb Keeper's mission is complete. Observe.' With that, Marik stripped his shirt, Millennium Ring and all, and turned. 'The secret of the Pharaoh's power!'

'This is getting weird now,' Téa declared as the Pharaoh read it.

'You're telling me,' Joey agreed.

'These markings were passed down by my family from generation to generation for 5000 years,' Marik said.

'We were taught that when the Ancient Pharaoh saved the world from destruction, he wiped his own memory clean,' Ishizu explained. 'But he knew that someday he would return and he'd need his memory back. So he entrusted one family with his greatest secret.'

Ishizu said that was what they were taught but, clearly, there were conflicting accounts on that.

'The key to unlocking his mind and his power,' Ishizu said. 'Now that you hold the three Egyptian God Cards, and the Millennium Puzzle, all you need to do is read the words on Marik's back. You're so close.'

Joey stepped forward. 'Hey, Yug. Can you really read that chicken scratch?'

'I can,' the Pharaoh answered.

Mayet, clearly, had been reading it too. 'And it's a real pain in the neck.'

'Why?' Tristan asked.

'Because, according to the text engraved into Marik's back, I used my name to lock away my memories, my power, and a "great demon". And my name is the key to unlocking all of them again.'

'And,' Mayet added, 'every place we rightfully should find his name, it has been chipped away or otherwise destroyed.' She frowned. 'Presumably to stop the demon from being released before we returned.' Her eyes suddenly widened. 'And that would explain why Millennium Item holders with strong negative emotions like anger or grief keep going whacko.'

Marik turned his head. 'That's the great evil that was locked away?'

'Evidently,' Mayet agreed.

'Is there some answer on how to get your name back on this tattoo?' Téa asked.

'Tattoo?' Kaiba suddenly asked, despite the fact he'd turned his back when the talk of a demon had begun.

'Téa, that's…uh…' Mokuba swallowed. 'That's not a tattoo.'

'What?' Téa asked, confused. But what else could it be?'

'Marik, may I?' Mayet asked.

Marik took the Millennium Rod from his belt and handed it back. Mayet turned to their friends and wrapped one hand around the head of the Rod and one around the handle. With a click, she pulled them apart. The sun glinted off of a sharp short blade that had been concealed within the Millennium Rod.

'Those markings were made with this,' Mayet told them. 'That isn't ink; it's scar tissue.'

With a horrified gasp, Téa slapped her hands over her mouth. Duke, Tristan, and Joey pulled faces of disgust. In his mind, Yugi cried out in alarm. It seemed he, too, had not realised the true nature of the etchings in Marik's back. Mayet returned the blade into its sheath.

'Do the inscriptions tell you how to rediscover your name, Pharaoh?' Ishizu asked.

'Yes,' the Pharaoh said. 'It seems using the Egyptian God Monsters in combination with the stone tablet in the museum will initiate a re-enactment of a sort that will grant me the opportunity to re-discover it.'

'That makes sense,' Sharee said from where she stood in spirit form. 'I mean, no way would anyone call you by name. As an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh, you were considered a Living God on Earth so you'd have just been called by honorifics – except by other royals. But your Tomb would have also still been under construction and, even so, would already have your name stamped everywhere.'

'So we better get a move on,' Mayet said.

'Yes,' Ishizu agreed. 'The tablet will only remain for a few more days before I must return to Egypt with it.'

'In the meantime,' Marik turned back around, 'so please, take the Millennium Rod. It belongs with you, where it won't cause any more harm. And take this as well.' He handed over the Millennium Ring. 'The Millennium Ring is safest with you.' He handed it over.

'Thank you.' The Pharaoh took it and handed it off to Mayet, who tucked it under her jacket, along with the Millennium Rod.

'All right, you geeks!' Kaiba interrupted them again. 'This victory celebration has gone on long enough! The Battle City Tournament is over. So if you'd like a free ride home, I'd suggest you board my aircraft right now. Is that clear?'

The Pharaoh cracked a smile at Kaiba's usual blustering.

'If anyone's left behind on the island, the Kaiba Corporation will not be responsible for your safety,' Kaiba continued. 'So go. Because in one hour, this island will explode.'

Tristan cried out in alarm.

'Say what?' Joey demanded.

'You're kidding, right?' Tristan insisted. 'Please say "yes"!'

'I don't kid,' Kaiba said. 'The duel tower will self-destruct in one hour. So board the ship and go home.'

Téa gasped. 'I thought Mokuba said that the engines weren't working on that thing.'

'It's all right now,' Mokuba responded. 'Isn't that right?'

Roland started. 'Uh…well…'

'Goodbye,' Kaiba said. He turned and walked away.

Mokuba quickly followed him.

'Can you believe that guy?' Duke demanded.

'Well, yes, actually,' Mayet said. 'This island used to be the main factory for Gozaboro Kaiba. When you think of what the man did to him…well, sometimes a good explosion is the most therapeutic thing you can do.'

'You mean to tell me this was the plan all along?' Joey demanded.

Mayet shrugged. 'I'd say so.'

YGO

The Kaiba brothers walked down into the guts of the Tower.

'Activate the detonators, Mokuba,' Kaiba said.

Mokuba stopped at the appropriate console and hit a sequence of buttons. Kaiba only paused to ensure his brother got the correct sequence. As he thought, Mokuba knew exactly what he was doing. He then moved along to the other console to finish the required sequence.

The computer voice sounded from overhead. 'Activating KaibaCorp duel tower detonation system.'

'One hour is plenty of time, right?' Mokuba asked.

'The ship leaves now,' Kaiba said.

Mokuba smiled. 'All right. Then everyone should be a safe distance away. So let's do this, Seto.' Mokuba punched in the code.

'Access code accepted.'

'This is it,' Kaiba said. 'Get ready.' He laid his finger over the fingerprint scanner.

'Identified.'

'Last, but not least.' Mokuba took his duel card locket from around his neck.

Kaiba did the same. They slid their respective lockets into the slots on their consoles.

'Key Card A detected. Key Card B detected. Detonation sequence has begun. Evacuate immediately.'

YGO

They returned to the blimp.

Joey rushed into the med bay. 'Serenity, is Mai okay now?'

'She's not up,' Serenity said, looking back sorrowfully.

'No way.' Joey walked over. 'What gives?'

'I don't know,' Serenity said.

'Wake up, Mai,' Joey said. 'You're supposed to be all right.' He leaned over her. 'Hear me?! Yugi beat Marik so your mind should have been released from the Shadow Realm!'

She still didn't move.

'Come on!' Joey insisted, tears building in his eyes. 'Wake up! I know you can do it! Please, Mai! I've give anything in the world to have you back! Anything!'

Serenity covered her face and sobbed…or was she laughing? Then she peeked through her fingers.

'It's not fair.'

At that moment, Mai cracked an eye open.

Everyone but Joey saw it.

Mayet smirked. Next to Mayet, Sharee threw her head back and laughed uproariously.

Joey only noticed when Mai herself started giggling.

'Mai?' Joey asked. 'What's going on?'

Mai finally cracked up laughing, turning over before sitting up. 'That expression is priceless!' She reached over and pulled him into a headlock. 'Did I hear you say you'd give anything to have me wake up? Cause there's a few cards in that deck of yours that I've had my eye on, Joey.'

But Mai turned, even as Joey squirmed in embarrassment. 'Nice doing business with you, Serenity. You were right. He bought it hook, line, and sinker.'

She finally let go of Joey and he turned to face his sister. 'Serenity?'

Serenity let out a laugh and stuck her tongue out. 'Oh, I just couldn't resist.'

'I knew you guys were kidding all along,' Téa insisted.

Duke face-palmed. 'That was not cool.'

'Come on!' Mai said. 'You know it was all in good fun!'

The Pharaoh smiled. 'Let's go.'

There was still one more person to check up on. They let Mai get up and ready to leave and then they headed out to find Bakura.

'I can play jokes on people too, you know,' Joey said as they walked. They all suddenly stopped and Joey looked around. 'Hey, is that French fries I smell?' He spotted the kitchen. 'I say we take a lunch break. Who's with me?'

Joey led the way to the kitchen and they swung open the door…to find Bakura, up and about and having his own small feast. He turned with a smile. 'Sorry, guys, but I'm afraid the donuts are gone.'

Mayet frowned. The only time he seemed not to remember the Evil Spirit of the Ring was when…

'Hey, Bakura,' Joey exclaimed, 'you're back! But what are you doing in here, raiding the refrigerator?'

Bakura looked surprised and he took a bite of banana. 'I was gone for a long time. And there's not much to eat in the Shadow Realm.'

So apparently he did remember, but he seemed a little…too relaxed about it.

Joey sighed. 'Go figure.'

They left him to eat and, as the door closed behind them, Mayet checked her jacket. 'Uh oh.'

'What is it?' the Pharaoh asked.

'The Millennium Ring has vanished. I'd say it's back…' She pointed to where Bakura still was.

Their friends all looked alarmed.

Joey spun on his heel and Mayet caught him. 'Hold on, Joey. The Evil Spirit of the Ring feigns total amnesia when he'd pretending to be Bakura. Clearly, he's not in control right now.'

'Besides,' Duke added, 'at least we know exactly where the Ring is.'

'On top of that, it's good to have an ace up your sleeve,' Mayet continued. 'The Ring's just going to keep going back to him. There's nothing we can do about it except see how everything plays out and we'll try to get Bakura through it as well as we can.' She thought it best not to say "alive".

Joey sighed. 'Yeah…I guess you're right.'

YGO

The Pharaoh led the way up to the bridge of the blimp.

'This aircraft is not going anywhere!' they heard Roland insist as they walked in. 'Not without the Kaibas! Is that clear?'

'Hey,' Tristan said. 'What's going on?'

'We taking off or what?' Joey asked.

'We can't seem to locate Mokuba and Mr. Kaiba,' Roland said.

'Knowing Kaiba, he's got some flash alternate escape,' Mayet said.

'You're kidding me!' Joey insisted. 'Where would he get the time to put that in?'

'And without anyone else knowing about it,' Tristan agreed. 'This whole place is gonna blow soon.'

'Yeah,' Duke added. 'Kaiba said the duel tower would self-destruct in less than an hour.'

'Kaiba's not that dumb,' Joey said. 'I'm sure he's hopping on board his private jet right now.'

'Well, we can't take that chance!' Roland insisted.

'He's right, Joey,' Tristan stated. 'We should go look for those guys.'

'We're just way too nice,' Joey complained.

'Let's go,' Tristan said.

'Yeah,' Téa agreed.

'Hey,' Joey told the technicians, 'do me a favour and don't leave until we get back. I'd like to get home in one piece.'

The Pharaoh turned to Mayet. 'Stay here. Let us know if Kaiba and Mokuba come in while we're out looking for them.'

The rest of them started to leave the bridge.

'Prepare the engines, now!' Roland ordered.

'Roger,' the technician said. 'Engaging main engines. Voltage, check. Fuel, check. Starting rear thruster.' He flicked a switch and the engine began to roar, but only for a moment. 'Oh, no. We have a problem.'

Everyone stopped and turned back. 'Huh?'

'I was afraid of this,' Roland said. 'The engines are weak, right?'

'Worse. They're completely dead.'

'This can't be!' Roland insisted.

'Wait a sec!' Joey insisted. 'I thought that you guys said that they were fixed!'

'Does this mean that we're stuck here?' Téa asked.

'Maybe not?' Mayet said. 'That emergency chopper that you guys called for Joey? Is it still here?'

'I don't know,' Roland said. 'And I don't know that it could safely fit all of us.'

It had better.

Because there was only 45 minutes left.

AN: I'll say it again.

I will NOT be taking COMMISSION REQUESTS

There will be NO COMICS

There will be NO ARTWORKS