Chapter 2

By the time school ended the next day, Ruth and Sadie were quickly part of the friend group we'd built, becoming fast friends with everyone. But, the bad feeling I'd had since the day prior had only gotten worse. I tried to shake it off, distracting myself with Duel Monsters, but it did little to disperse it. Just like yesterday, I picked up my little brother after getting changed out of my uniform and met up with everyone else. "Man, I hope he's got some cool cards today." Joey brought up as we walked.

"Me too!"

"Yeah!" We all agreed as we reached the Game Shop.

"Okay, Gramps, I'm back to get more cards!" Joey called out. "Hey! 'Ey Gramps!"

"Grandpa, I'm home." My stomach dropped as Gramps didn't even reply when Yugi called out to him.

"Maybe he went out?" Téa asked, looking at us.

"Maybe, but why would he leave the door unlocked?" Sadie pointed out.

"Something's wrong…" I trailed off under my breath as the phone rang. Yugi moved to answer it.

"Hello? Game Shop." After a minute the color drained from Yugi's face. "Kaiba?!" He was quiet for a minute as Sadie, Ruth and I all exchanged glances. My bad feeling had been right... "Kaiba! What have you done, Kaiba?!" Yugi sounded more panicked this time.

"Let's go." I told them before we all raced to KaibaCorp. I should have warned them better, I should have helped at the Game Shop so I could be here to stop Seto… I felt a smack on my head as we all piled into the elevator. "Ow!" I rubbed the back of my head.

"Stop those thoughts right now, you couldn't have stopped Kaiba from doing this." Ruth told me. I blinked. "Sadie might have known you longer, but you forget, I know when you start overthinking. So quit it. This isn't your fault." Before I could reply, the doors to the elevator opened, revealing Gramps on the floor and looking more in pain than I've seen him.

"Grandpa!" Yugi exclaimed, being the first of us to run forward.

"Oh no…" I trailed off.

"Grandpa, are you okay?" Yugi asked him.

"Yugi, I failed. I wanted to teach that boy Kaiba a lesson about the Heart of the Cards, but I lost." He groaned in pain.

"Grandpa!" Yugi exclaimed.

"How's the old man feeling, hmm?" Seto sounded smug. I grit my teeth, my bracelet shimmering again.

"Even for you, Kaiba, this is a new low! How dare you!" I exclaimed, standing up. I felt like the rage of Ares had consumed me.

"Kaiba, ya sleaze, what've ya done to him?!" Joey yelled.

"We had a duel, that's all. With each of us putting up our most valuable card as the prize, but I guess playing against a champion like myself was just too much stimulation for the old fool." He sounded nonchalant, and a growl of anger left me, feeling my lips curl back in a snarl.

"Kaiba, you should be ashamed of yourself!" Téa exclaimed.

"It was fair, and look at the sweet price I won." He held up Gramps' Blue Eyes before tearing it in half, much to all of our shocks.

"Grandpa's most treasured card!" Yugi looked just as angry as I was, if not more horrified.

"Yes, The Blue Eyes White Dragon is a rare and powerful card, and this one will never be used against me."

"You two timing, no good snake!" Sadie yelled.

"My Blue Eyes White Dragon, my… My treasure." I turned my attention to Gramps, worried about his well being.

"Grandpa, hold on."

"How could you do this?!" I snapped.

"You knew this would happen, Calliope, and you did nothing to stop me." Seto rubbed it in my face. I glared, but the anxiety crept back in. I should have done more…

"Don't listen to 'im, Cal, this ain't ya fault." Joey interrupted my thoughts.

"Yugi, here! Take this." Yugi looked at his grandfather.

"Huh? Grandpa?"

"I built this deck. I put my soul into these cards, and I taught you everything I know, Yugi. Take them. Take my cards and teach him respect. Teach Kaiba respect for the Heart of the Cards, Yugi."

"But, Grandpa, you need help. I've got to get you to a doctor."

"Sounds like an excuse." Seto snarled. "Your friends can care for your grandfather, while you and I duel… Unless you're afraid." Looking at his eyes, something immediately seemed off. The darkness in your former love has possessed him, child. Let the boy handle this. I heard that voice again.

"Take 'im, Yugi! We can take care of ya Grandpa while ya take care of Creepy Kaiba." Joey encouraged him. "Teach that rich, spoiled brat what a real duel's all about!"

"For your Grandpa, Yugi." Téa added.

"I don't know…"

"Trust me, you're like, the best player I've evah seen and ya got the Millennium Puzzle."

"You can do this, Yugi, I know you can." I encouraged him.

"We all do." Téa added. That seemed to be the final push he needed, because he nodded and turned to his grandpa.

Okay, Grandpa, I'll do it."

"I know you will, my boy." Gramps replied before Téa held up a marker.

"Everyone, put your hands together," Once everyone's hands were in, Téa drew a smiley face on our hands, each of us now having a piece of it. "And I'll mark us with a special sign."

"What gives, Téa?" Joey asked, looking more than a little confused. She held up her hand with the marking.

"It's a symbol of our friendship, so when Yugi's dueling, no matter how tough it gets, he'll know that he's not alone. We're all right there with him." Téa answered. I nodded. "Callie, you, Ody and Joey stay here and cheer Yugi on for us. Meanwhile Tristan, Sadie, Ruth and I will take Yugi's grandpa to the hospital." She told us.

"Right, keep us updated on him." I told her. "Come on, Joey." I led the way back inside.

"I designed this virtual stadium myself. Impressive, hmm? I think you'll agree it adds a bit more life to the game. We each begin with 2000 life points. First player to hit zero loses. Are you ready to play, runt?"

"Playtime is over, Kaiba!" Yugi exclaimed before I watched in shock as his Millennium Puzzle glowed brightly. "Yu-Gi-Oh!" With his yell, his voice became much deeper. When the light died down, I realized that while they looked like twins, this Yugi wasn't the same as the shy kid I'd come to know. He was a bit taller, his hair had three gold fringes in the middle of the black, and when his amethyst eyes opened, they were more narrow with a determined look.

"Huh? What the?" Seto looked just as shocked.

"Now, Kaiba, prepare yourself, because it's time to duel!" The other Yugi was more confident, so much so that it pretty much threw me for a loop.

"Virtual systems ready, so let's begin." Seto, meanwhile, had recovered from the shock and started the duel. "I attack with the mighty Hitotsu-Me Giant. Brace yourself, Yugi. You've never dueled like this before." Yugi looked just as shocked as I did, honestly.

"He's brought the monster on the card to life!" He exclaimed.

"It's my virtual simulator. It creates lifelike holograms of every Duel Monster." Seto explained.

"So this is how you beat my grandfather! Well, now it's my turn! I call on the Winged Dragon, Guardian of the Fortress!" Just as Yugi summoned his first monster, Joey recovered from his silent shock.

"Wha?! Monsters?! Real monsters?!" He asked. I watched as the Hitotsu-Me Giant charged the Winged Dragon.

"Fireball attack!" With a blast of fire, the Hitotsu-Me Giant was gone, along with a bit of Seto's Life Points.

"Big brother! Are you alright?!" I heard him before I saw him again. Mokuba Kaiba was a kid, hardly 13, but his black hair had grown out since I last saw him, and his eyes were still that soft, dark violet I remembered. My heart hurt seeing him, honestly. Just like Ody and Seto had been peas in a pod, Mokuba had been my buddy while Seto and I were dating. 200 Life Points down, 1800 to go. I watched as the Life Points counter above us kept track of where the duel stood.

"All right! Go, Yugi!" Joey cheered.

"Well played, Yugi, for a beginner… But how will you deal with this?" Seto played a different card, one who's cackling made my blood run cold.

"Saggi The Dark Clown?" Yugi recognized it immediately, though I shouldn't have been surprised at that. "But that card has hardly any attack strength…"

"True, your Winged Dragon's attack is 1400, while my Dark Clown's is only 600, but if I combine it with this card…"

"A magic card!"

"Exactly. The Negative Energy Generator. It multiplies my monster's attack by 3." I watched as Saggi grew in size and I recoiled at the sight of it. Ugggh, I hate that clown! Whether I liked it or not, the Dark Clown's attack points were now at 1800, 400 points higher than the Winged Dragon. "Dark Clown, attack with Dark Light." With a throw of darkness, the dragon disappeared, dropping Yugi's Life Points to 1600. "As you can see, combining cards can be very effective." I watched as Yugi summoned a monster in defense mode, another monster being destroyed with Dark Light.

"Hang in there, Yugi!" Joey and I encouraged him. Monster after monster was destroyed by Dark Light, but due to them being in defense mode each time, Yugi's life points remained intact.

"You're not faring any better than the old man did, Yugi. Your deck is just as weak and feeble as your grandfather." Seto taunted. I growled.

"My Grandpa is a great man, and a better Duelist than you'll ever be! He entrusted me with his cards, and I can feel his heart in this deck. I doubt you have that kind of faith in your cards, Kaiba. But, I believe in my Grandpa's deck!" He drew a card and looked at it before cracking a smile. "And my faith rewards me with Gaia the Fierce Knight, with a destructive power of 2300!" I watched as Gaia charged and speared Saggi with his javelin, destroying him and causing Kaiba's Life Points to drop to 1300.

"Nice move!"

"Way to go, Yugi!" Joey cheered with me.

"All right, Kaiba, your move."

"Ha! This'll be over sooner than you think." Seto drew a card and I got a cold chill going down my spine at the look on his face. "I call on the Blue Eyes White Dragon!" I watched as the virtual systems brought the Blue Eyes to life.

"No…" I trailed off.

"Huh?! No way!"

"Impossible! We all watched Kaiba tear dat card in half!" Joey exclaimed.

"Gramps said there were four, remember? And Kaiba's comment about that one never being used against him now? He's got the other three." I reminded Joey.

"Surprised? Did you think your Grandfather was the only one to possess a Blue Eyes White Dragon?" With a blast, Gaia was gone, taking 700 of Yugi's Life Points.

"Your Fierce Knight is destroyed. Faith or no faith, you will fall before my superior monsters, Yugi. Power is what this game is all about, you fool. Faith is for losers, like your pathetic grandfather. In your entire deck, there's not a single card that can stand up to a Blue Eyes White Dragon." I watched as Yugi's turn passed, and his defense got destroyed. "So what chance do you have against 2?" Seto summoned his second one. "Why don't you just admit defeat, Yugi?"

"Don't give up, Yugi. You can do this!" I told him.

"I won't give up, Grandpa's counting on me." Yugi replied. He drew a card before activating it. "Swords of Revealing Light! It stops all monsters on the field for 3 turns."

"How desperate. What possible good will a 3 turn delay do you?" Seto chided. Despite the poker face, I could tell Yugi thought Seto was right. "Quit stalling, Yugi! Or you'll forfeit the match!"

"I never forfeit!" Yugi's face changed and I smiled. He knew what to do now.

"Draw any card you like, it won't change a thing. My dragons may be frozen for another two turns, but my new monster is under no such spell… The Judgeman with an attack power of 2200!"

"Dark Magician, attack!" Yugi summoned Dark Magician on his next turn, taking out the Judgeman and bringing Kaiba's Life Points down another 300 points. "Your Judgeman falls!"

"Oh, a sacrifice that doesn't even phase me, and though neither dragon can move for one more turn, my next card is the third Blue Eyes White Dragon!" Seto exclaimed. "Now, my dragon, attack!"

"Man, dis ain't looking too good…" Joey trailed off.

"Don't lose faith in our friend so easily." I replied, watching as the Blue Eyes destroyed Dark Magician and brought Yugi's life points to a stomach-dripping 400.

"So, tell me, Yugi. How's your faith now? On my next turn, all 3 of Blue Eyes White Dragons are free to attack. This game is over no matter what card you draw! You can't possibly stand against my 3 Blue Eyes White Dragons. It's over, Yugi, you were never a match for me."

"Don't listen, Yugi!" Joey cheered, but Yugi looked like Seto's words had gotten to him.

"The deck… It senses my doubt…" I blinked, seeing Yugi separate from his body in astral form. Was I really seeing that? "Don't lose focus, Yugi, don't lose faith. Concentrate.." I could barely hear the Other Yugi talking to Yugi before they combined again.They almost lost control of their body because of their doubt. The voice echoed in my head again. I gripped the railing in front of me. Ody was cradled in my arm as I looked at the marking on my hand. I squeezed my eyes shut.

We have to help him! I thought before my bracelet glimmered with a golden light. When my eyes opened, I turned my attention to Yugi, feeling a power coursing through my veins. "Yugi!" My voice sounded different, but held conviction as my friend turned to look at me. I held up the hand with the marking Téa drew. "We're all with you!" I reminded him.

"Yeah, kick Kaiba's butt! We gotcha back!" Joey held up his too. It seemed to do the trick, because Yugi's face changed from one of uncertainty to one of determination.

"You're right. I have to believe in my cards like my friends believe in me." Yugi drew his card with a smile.

"Draw your last pathetic card, so I can end this, Yugi." Seto taunted.

"My grandpa's deck has no pathetic cards, Kaiba. But, it does contain… The Unstoppable Exodia!"

"Ah! Impossible!" Seto looked afraid, practically sweating bullets.

"I've assembled all five special cards, all five pieces of the puzzle!"

"Exodia! Th-That's not possible, no one's ever been able to call him!"

"Exodia… OBLITERATE!" Yugi exclaimed. With a single blast from Exodia, all three Blue Eyes were destroyed, and Seto's Life Points were drained to zero.

"Ya did it! Yugi, ya won!" Joey cheered.

"Way to go!" I was back to my normal self as I cheered for my friend.

"This can't be! My brother never loses!"

"You play only for power, Kaiba, and that is why you lost. But, if you put your heart into the game, there is nothing you can't do."

"But…. But how? How could I have lost to him?!" Kaiba asked.

"Kaiba, if you truly want to know…" The Eye of Horus appeared on Yugi's head. "OPEN YOUR MIND!" I watched as the soulless, drained look on his face seemed to shatter, revealing his true face before he collapsed to his knees. "There, Kaiba. Maybe now, you'll begin to see." As Yugi rejoined us, I got a text from Sadie.

"Gramps is awake, thank goodness." I sighed in relief. I hugged Ody to my chest, unaware that our own family affairs would come to light sooner than I would have liked…