I own nothing.
Chapter 7: PaniK and Daemos
Everyone ran into the clearing, spotting a duel arena in time to see all three of Mai's Harpy Ladies be destroyed and her lifepoints be depleted.
"Bye bye, birdies!" A male voiced mocked. "Now, hand over all your star chips, loser!"
With no other choice, Mai did as she was ordered to and got back down to the ground.
"Mai!" Yugi yelled. "Are you okay!?"
"You're too late." Her opponent said.
"Too late for what?" Tea demanded as Joey stepped up.
"This sideshow freak giving you a hard time?"
"That's right." The man taunted. "Just like Pegasus pays me to do. Root out all the dueling filth on this island and dispose of it."
"What does that mean?" Bakura asked.
"This is no joke!" Mai insisted. "PaniK's of the island's Eliminators, and if you don't get out of here, he's gonna do to you what he did to me."
"Eliminator?" Yugi repeated. "What's that, Mai?"
PaniK grabbed Mai's arm, yanking it up to show her empty dueling glove. "Look. This is what she means. Right here! Not a star chip left."
"But that would mean she's been disqualified." Tea said.
Yugi frowned. "You're out, Mai?"
She nodded. "I am. It all happened so fast. The way PaniK duels. I just lost it."
"That's not right." Rain growled, getting a sinking suspicion.
PaniK laughed. "Ha! She was one of my easiest victims yet."
He threw Mai towards them. Rain ran and caught her so she wouldn't stumble. Joey burst forward, Tristan and Bakura trying to hold him back.
"Move it! There's no excuse for pushing around a girl!"
"Calm down, Joey!" Bakura said. "I understand how you feel, but he's more than twice your size!"
"You okay?" Rain asked.
Mai nodded. "Yeah. Thanks."
"Don't mention it." Rain then glanced around. "Mai, Mokuba went after you. Where is he?"
Mai's eyes widened. "H-he was just here! Someone must've snatched him."
Rain clenched her fist. "Damnit! I should've gone after him! Oi, ugly! The kid that was here, what did you do to him!?"
PaniK smirked. "Oh? The Kaiba brat? I just had him sent back to Pegasus like I was told. Bet he's getting a nice greeting at the castle for all the trouble he's caused."
"Why you-!"
Yugi quickly grabbed Rain before she could charge the guy. "Rain, stop! Violence won't work on him. I've dealt with a lot of bullies in my life, and I'm afraid there's only one way to deal with them."
She blinked for a moment before nodding, the two of them staring down PaniK.
"You have to stand up to them!"
Other Yugi took control, glaring down PaniK who grinned back at him.
"Now, let's see you try your intimidation tactics against me, PaniK. I don't scare easily, especially when I'm standing up for my friends. So let's duel!"
"You twerp! I'll eliminate you from the tournament just like I did her! Why don't you tell him how I trounced you!"
"Please, Yugi." Mai said, looking scared.
By now, (Y/N) took over, stepping between Mai and PaniK. "That's enough. Playtime's over. You've been issued a challenge. Will you accept or not?"
"Fine, but don't think I've forgotten you either, girly! I've got a friend who'd love to meet you."
Suddenly, Other Yugi yanked her back as a new man jumped from the arena right where she was standing. This guy was just as big as PaniK covered head to toe with ominous black robes and a red oni mask covering his face.
"You speak too much, PaniK." His voice was obviously disguised.
"And you don't savor the kill enough, Daemos."
(Y/N) was a little off put after almost getting crushed, but quickly came to her senses as Other Yugi checked her for injuries.
"Are you all right?"
She smiled and nodded. "I'm fine...thank you."
The male spirit glared down the newcomer. "Who are you? Another Eliminator?"
PaniK grinned. "Give the boy a prize. My partner Daemos here decided to jump in since you were ganging up on me."
"Rather than hunt you rats down individually, we can participate in one duel together." Daemos said, apathetically. "Each team will share lifepoints and a field."
The two spirits looked at each other and nodded in agreement.
"We accept your challenge." Other Yugi declared.
As the duelists took their positions (the stands actually swapping for larger ones to fit two people), the others cheered the spirits on.
"You got this, Rain and Yugi!" Joey shouted. "Show those creeps how we deal with dogs like them!"
"Yugi and Rain, huh?" PaniK said. "Must be our lucky day. Pegasus has promised a generous bounty to the Eliminators who defeat the two of you. Hey, Daemos, think he'd throw in some extra cash for inflicting bodily harm? Not that I wouldn't do it for free."
"Ha!" Other Yugi scoffed. "You better start thinking of others ways to make money, PaniK."
"Believe me, when we're done with both of you, you'll be out of star chips, jobs, and any sort of enjoyment you take on inflicting pain to others."
"Money is irrelevant to us." Daemos corrected. "We collected enough to retire long ago. Truly, the spoils of this job are crushing the weak, like you."
PaniK cackled. "Get ready, you two, we're about to take you into a world of hurt!"
The male spirit crossed his arms. "We will not be bullied by the likes of you, PaniK. We play with our hearts, and that's why we'll always win against your type."
"You've never faced our type before." PaniK insisted. "When either of us is in a match with someone, there's a lot more to it than sheer dueling strategy."
"Meaning?" (Y/N) incurred.
"PaniK's ruthless, you two!" Mai called out. "Daemos probably too. He had me totally terrified!"
"That's right, and she's not the first either. We Eliminators have built our careers on stalking weak players like her and strong-arming them into dueling us! You see, when you're as good as we are, you learn to appreciate the hunt as much as the duel itself."
"You preen too much." Daemos scolded. "All your effort should be on thoroughly destroying your opponents in a duel."
"Relax Daemos, we'll crush them both, just like I crushed Mai!"
Other Yugi smirked. "I see how you both work, PaniK and Daemos, sneaking up on unsuspecting duelists because neither of you have the courage to challenge them face-to-face."
"Nothing but a pair of weak willed, cowardly, fools." (Y/N) added. "You disgust me."
"Watch your mouth, you insolent curs!" PaniK seethed, finally cracking.
"True duelists fight with honor and respect." Other Yugi continued. "Not using the underhanded tactics of a poacher."
"Honor? Respect?" Daemos repeated. "Those are simply other words for weakness! True strength comes from watching the will to fight and live drain from your victims eyes!"
"I'd wager against it." (Y/N) shot back, she and her male counterpart holding up their dueling gloves. "We'll wager all the star chips we have to win back Mai's!"
"It's a deal!" PaniK quickly agreed, to the annoyance of his partner. "If you win, I'll give you all 8 of her star chips. The bet makes no difference to us."
"What do you mean?"
"What I mean, little Yugi, is that when you duel against PaniK and Daemos, you're putting much more than just your measly star chips on the line. Much more!"
Both the spirits suddenly found themselves locked into place. As they instinctively began trying to get free, (Y/N) noticed suspicious cannons on either side of them.
"Watch out!"
She pulled her male counterpart back to barely dodge a column of fire spewing straight up. She then forced them lower to the ground as a second column shot out.
"Rain! Yugi!" Tea yelled from below.
"We gotta get them outta there!" Joey yelled as the spirits' gritted their teeth at the heat.
PaniK laughed. "What's the matter, you two? Can't take the heat? Well, get used to it because you're strapped in for the long haul."
"Turn it off, PaniK!" Joey demanded as Mai looked up in horror.
"He used those on me, too."
"Yugi, Rain, stay strong!" Bakura said encouragingly.
Eventually, the fire stopped and the two duelists were eventually able to stand back up.
"Well, that was unpleasant." (Y/N) undersold. "Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine, thanks to you." Other Yugi said. "I suppose now we're even."
"I can see the fear growing in your eyes. I can hear you both quaking in your boots! You're beginning to realize the nightmare you stepped into!"
"In this game, your lives are meaningless." Daemos further explained. "They are simply bargaining chips."
"Get lives, you psychos!" Tea yelled.
"Forget these guys, you two!" Joey urged. "This wasn't part of the deal!"
"Yeah, no joke!" Tristan agreed. "It's not worth it!"
"Are you finished blowing smoke, PaniK and Daemos?" Other Yugi said defiantly. "It will take much more than cheap pyrotechnics to make us lose our cool."
PaniK cackled. "The last time someone had the nerve to talk to me like that, I broke them in half!"
"Save your cackling for later, hyena." Daemos hissed. "Let's duel!"
PaniK & Daemos 2000LP; Yugi & Rain 2000LP
PaniK went first, drawing.
"Seeing as my flames didn't startle either of you, let's turn down the lights. My Castle of Dark Illusions will turn this duel into your Darkest Hour, Yugi and Rain!" A floating castle was summoned to his side of the field, seemingly draining the light from the area. "It's magic shrouds the field with a veil of shadows! And the castle itself is extra fortified. Thanks to the field power bonus I get for playing it at night!"
Castle of Illusions
1196 ATK/2509 DEF
"We're not afraid of the dark, PaniK." Other Yugi said.
"You would be, if only you knew the fearsome nightmare within its shade! The blanket of shadow cast over my entire side of the field makes it impossible for you to see the creatures we summon, but leaves your entire side exposed and vulnerable to my attacks. Unnerving, isn't it? How the darkness preys on your fears, on your mind, until you're too scared to think, too terrified to fight!"
PaniK and Daemos's side did in fact disappear from view, much to the frustration of Other Yugi. (Y/N), on the other hand, looked much more annoyed, if anything.
"Are you quite done? This little fear mongering farce is getting old!"
"You tell 'em, Rain!" Joey yelled.
Other Yugi looked at her. "Do you have a plan?"
She looked down at her hand. "They're not the only beasts that lurk in the dark. And you haven't seen the extent of my deck yet. Just give me until my turn."
He nodded. "All right, I trust you."
"Don't think you can storm my castle with the help of a field power bonus of your own, think again." PaniK yelled. "Just as my shadows block the light from above, they've blocked the field power from the ground below. Only the night grants bonuses here."
PaniK & Daemos 2000LP; Yugi & Rain 2000LP
"R-(Y/N) says she has a plan. I'll have to trust her." Other Yugi thought before making him move. "I play Celtic Guardian in Defense mode."
Celtic Guardian
1400 ATK/1200 DEF
PaniK & Daemos 2000LP; Yugi & Rain 2000LP
"A foolish decision." Daemos mocked before summoning something.
(Y/N) gritted her teeth. "We really are blind out here."
"Attack!" Daemos declared as a shadowy figure engulfed Celtic Guardian and dragged it away to be destroyed.
"Our first victim of the night." PaniK declared.
"That's cheap!" Joey yelled. "How do you defend against what you can't see?"
"Or defeat a monster you can't find?" Bakura added before Tristan made a joke.
"Anybody got a flashlight?"
PaniK cackled. "Even your friends have lost hope for you. Play any monster card you like, the creatures within our Veil of Shadows will consume them!"
PaniK & Daemos 2000LP; Yugi & Rain 2000LP
Other Yugi was starting to understand how PaniK got his name. He had faith in his female partner, but he failed to see what her deck could do against the blanket of darkness. In contrast, (Y/N) looked more annoyed than anything.
"Are you quite done preening?" She jabbed. "Some of us prefer dueling over watching a second rate peacock puff up his chest to look bigger."
Joey and Tristan oh'ed at the burn as Other Yugi held back a laugh at the sheer bluntness of his female counterpart.
"You rotten little runt!" PaniK yelled as she smirked back.
"Even your own partner called you a hyena. I'm sure he would love to hear you bite your tongue."
Daemos did not argue as PaniK seethed. "Talk all you want. Your little light creatures are about to get consumed by the darkness!"
(Y/N) drew, still smirking. "Ho ho, who said I only play with Light monsters? I summon Howl the Nightcrawler!"
The creature which was summoned to the field let out a fearsome howl that rattled its surroundings. The monster looked like a cross between a wolf and a crocodile, unlike the friendly spirits (Y/N) and Rain favored, this beast was cloaked in black fur, with piercing icy blue eyes and a bloodthirsty disposition.
Howl the Nightcrawler
1700 ATK/1400 DEF — 2210 ATK/1820 DEF with field boost.
"Gah! That's one nasty looking pup ya got there, Rain!" Joey yelled.
Daemos huffed. "So you have beasts that can take advantage of the field."
"Bold of you to assume your monsters are the only creatures of the dark. The forest is filled with unseen dangers. Don't think the shadows will protect you! Howl can see you just fine! Howl! Hunt their monster down!"
The wolf let out a cry as it dove into the darkness, teeth bared. A scuffle was heard as the great wolf dragged out their monster and tore it to shreds.
Barox
1794 ATK/1989 DEF
"Yeah!" Tristan yelled. "That wolf made mincemeat of that monster!"
Howl himself seemed quite pleased with his killed and seemed to grin at the furious PaniK.
"Seems the only fear Howl smells is your own." (Y/N) mocked before ending her turn.
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 2000LP
PaniK gritted his teeth. "You big mouthed little girl! As if that mangy mutt of yours will save you from the beasts I have in store!"
He summoned another creature hidden in the shadows. Its eyes peered from the dark, but neither duelist felt fear.
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 2000LP
"You'll have to try harder than that, PaniK." Other Yugi taunted before contemplating their next move.
Even with (Y/N)'s help, the darkness was still a problem. Castle of Illusion had to go if they wanted to take control of this duel.
"How pathetic that you have to hide behind a girl, Yugi." Daemos taunted, seeing as PaniK's hot temper was making him useless. "Are you unable to fight for yourself? Or are you simply too afraid? The night has its eyes locked on to the weaker target."
"Be silent!" Other Yugi warned. "If your beasts hiding the shadows were strong enough to overtake Howl, PaniK would've attacked. It seems my partner' claws are much sharper than yours."
"Keep struggling and hiding behind her!" PaniK yelled, much more sharply. "Bullying's so much more fun when you resist!"
"Tough talk for someone trying to hide in the shadows. Don't think I don't hear the strain in your voice. Seems you're the one who's panicking!"
Gritting his teeth, PaniK hit the remote again, causing flames to spit up from the cannon on (Y/N)'s side. The girl yipped as the embers licked her and momentarily set her sleeve on fire. Luckily, her male partner was quick to help her put it out, but that did throw her off.
"You okay, Rain!?" Tea yelled.
"I'm fine!" (Y/N) responded. "Though I will need a new jacket when this is over."
"Perhaps you should think twice before insulting someone." Daemos warned. "You wouldn't want her to get hurt for something you said."
Other Yugi seethed at the other side of the field. How dare he threaten (Y/N), and Rain by extent! The anger that had been boiling within him since the moment they found Mai felt as if it were growing into an uncontrollable fire. If he ever intended to show either of these cowards mercy, the thought would've been surely abandoned in this moment, not that it had ever crossed his mind. As PaniK cackled, thinking he had finally rattled Yugi, Daemos stiffen, unseen by their opponents. Even if he were blinded by shadows like the other two duelists, he would've been able to sense the pure bloodlust radiating off the shorter male. Daemos was used to feeding off the fear of his opponents, but Yugi gave off no such aura, only pure rage, a hate so refined that some part of Daemos knew he was afraid and knew this duel had been a mistake. At the very least, it seemed hurting Rain had been a terrible blunder.
"Quit your cackling and stay on guard!" He hissed.
PaniK scoffed, arrogant as ever. "Oh please. I've got that runt quaking in his boots. He'll be too scared to make a move!"
Other Yugi let out a cold chuckle, one which made (Y/N) give pause. There was something very dangerous sounding in his voice, something that reminded her of herself whenever someone cheated in a Shadow Game.
PaniK gritted his teeth. "If you knew what I had in store for you and your little girlfriend, you wouldn't be laughing!"
"I'm laughing because I can see right through you." The male spirit declared.
"What? What are you talking about, you runt!?"
"You the Bogeyman, PaniK, scaring children into being afraid of the dark, until they realize the dark is nothing to be afraid of, just like you. Once a person conjures up the confidence not to be fearful of the unknown, they've disarmed the only weapon the dark has."
"You wish it were that simple-!"
(Y/N) cut him off, smirking at her companion's declaration. "But it is that simple. And I believe Yugi can more than prove it, a card that will force both of you to face us in the light."
"What card!?"
The male spirit smirked, holding a single card and not questioning how his dueling partner had guessed his strategy. "Just something that will teach you both a hard lesson in broad daylight."
PaniK let out a laugh. "You almost had me there, but we all know that card's nothing but a big, fat bluff! Prove me wrong!"
'Yugi' chuckled. "Why should I reveal my card when you've gone to such lengths to keep yours hidden?"
"I think you're stalling."
"You don't trust me, PaniK? My partner certainly does, and yours seem to as well."
Indeed, unlike his dueling partner, Daemos seemed to be nervous beneath his mask. Though Yugi had seemed to lock down his fury, it was still bubbling under the surface, waiting to be set free. The goading in his voice dared Daemos to strike out to see what would happen.
Sensing the other two duelists were starting to unravel on the other side of the veil, (Y/N) joined in the taunting.
"Believe it or not, not all duelists are lying dogs like you. Yugi, why don't you prove it to them and show them the key to their defeat? I hate that they're calling you a liar."
He nodded, holding up the card.
"Show me!" PaniK demanded.
"Rain! Knock it off!" Tristan yelled, not understanding the play the two duelists were aiming for. "Yugi doesn't need to prove anything to those slime balls!"
"Ready, PaniK and Daemos?" Other Yugi inquired. "Here it is, the Swords of Revealing Light!"
(Y/N) smirked. "Not only will its magic prevent you both from attacking for three turns, but it'll bathe the field in a light so luminous, that even your lurking shadow creatures will be exposed!"
"Soon, PaniK and Daemos, the monsters in your dark empire will have nowhere to hide." Other Yugi declared. "But rather than play it now, I'll take a page from your book and let you worry about when and how I'll use it."
"You've got 5 turns before our monsters wipe you out." (Y/N) warned as her dueling partner placed Curse of Dragon in Defense mode and placed a facedown.
Curse of Dragon
2000 ATK/1500 DEF
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 2000LP
"Tick tock, Daemos." (Y/N) goaded. Your five turns start now. It's your move."
Daemos growled, not liking how he had been backed into a corner. The facedown had to be Swords of Revealing Light, right? As he drew, PaniK caught sight of the card and began to laugh again.
"I must say, it was quite a daring move to illuminate that card to us, Little Yugi, but it was a critical mistake to leave it in the field completely exposed!"
"Hold your tongue, you buffoon!" Daemos hissed, only to be ignored.
"If you thought idle cards were safe, you were dead wrong! Daemos, shatter these runts' chances!"
Without a choice, Daemos played his monster. "Reaper of the Cards."
"The Reaper." (Y/N) said, recognizing the card.
PaniK grinned manically. "When the Reaper is summoned, all magic cards hear the ghostly toll of doom! He'll be sending your Revealing Light card to the graveyard!"
"Reaper, attack!" Daemos ordered.
"Yugi! Rain!" Everyone yelled.
"Your fates belong to us, Rain and Yugi!" PaniK yelled as the Reaper struck out.
However, the attack stopped short as the monster was frozen in place.
"That should have destroyed the card!" Daemos yelled. "Why wasn't Swords of Revealing Light destroyed!"
(Y/N) shook her head smiling. "I don't believe Yugi ever said it was the card he was placing facedown, you both came to that conclusion on your own. That assumption will cost you, I assume."
"Indeed." Other Yugi said. "I reveal the trap card Spellbinding Circle! A trap that snares your Reaper, and leaves him as easy prey for my partner's monster. In Duel Monsters, one must be wary of Reaper of the Cards and its ability. I figured at least one of you had one lurking in your deck, but now that he's trapped, Rain and I are free to play any magic card we please."
Their friends cheered, as if they all hadn't been thinking that the two duelists had lost their minds a minute ago.
"Great play!" Tea yelled.
"Way to put one over them, Yuge!" Joey added. "You too, Rain!"
"You fooled us!" Daemos roared out, the most emotion PaniK had even seen from him beyond scolding him.
(Y/N) rolled her eyes with a smile. "You fooled yourselves. You had no faith in each other to watch your backs and wasted a powerful card."
With their best chance at stopping the spell card gone, Daemos ended his turn.
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 2000LP
"So what if you caught Daemos's Reaper?" PaniK yelled as (Y/N) drew her card. "He's just one of our powerful monsters."
"Really?" (Y/N) mocked. "Then how come your monsters haven't tried to hunt mine?"
The brute gritted his teeth as Other Yugi chuckled. "Getting nervous, PaniK? Howl may have been the only one to attack you, but that will change soon enough."
"Ridiculous! What are you talking about!?"
"You know what he's talking about." (Y/N) answered. "He promised to defeat you in 5 turns and teach you a lesson neither of you would forget. 4 turns remaining, gentlemen."
"You brats!" PaniK yelled as he activated the fire cannons again. "We are PaniK and Daemos the Eliminators!"
By now, both spirits were completely calm and collected in the face of the flames, smirking at their opponents.
"Is that suppose to scare us or are you running scared?" The male spirit asked mockingly.
"Yugi and Rain are playing with fire." Tea said nervously. "I hope they know what they're doing."
"Yeah." Joey agreed. "These nut jobs are playing for keeps."
Mai nodded. "PaniK and Daemos enjoy breaking people down, making them sweat, watching them squirm. To them, dueling's just an excuse to practice their cruelty."
Undeterred, (Y/N) ordered an attack.
"Since Yugi was nice enough to leave my wolf a treat, he might as well take it. Howl! Destroy Reaper of the Cards!"
The wolf leapt at the other monster, locking its jaws around its throat and shaking until it dissolved. Howl turned to face the veil of shadows as he licked his chops, as if he had just enjoyed a meal. (Y/N) ended her turn with a facedown and without another word.
PaniK & Daemos 1168LP; Yugi & Rain 2000LP
PaniK, rattled, held a shaking hand over his deck as he went to draw.
Bigger Yugi smirked. "You can't stall forever. Sooner or later, you'll have to make a move."
"Silence!" He finally drew and laughed. "This beast will win the entire match for me! King of Yamimaka! But don't take my word for it! With the field power bonus, my King of Yamimaka is far more powerful than that mangy wolf!"
King of Yamimaka
2600 ATK/1989 DEF
"Now skin that mutt once and for all!"
Howl was destroyed, but neither duelist was deterred. After all, they were very much confident in their abilities to put the pair of bullies in their place.
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 1610LP
'Yugi' drew. "Your monsters hardly do well when they step out of the shadows. So let's bring them all into the light. I disperse the darkness with Swords of Revealing Light!"
As bright as the sun, the magic card burst forth onto the field, blinding everyone and revealing their opponents.
"No more hiding, you two." (Y/N) said. "The darkness cannot protect you anymore."
"3 turns left, and then you're both finished." 'Yugi' warned. "Also, I didn't use the swords just to illuminate your monsters. It also causes all your monsters on the field to be unable to attack for 3 turns."
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 1610LP
PaniK's eyes were twitching furiously as Daemos set a Barox of his own in Defense mode.
Barox
1794 ATK/1984 DEF
Unlike his dueling partner, Daemos was becoming aware of just what they were up against. These two pipsqueaks weren't normal duelists. They had an aura about them that radiated danger, and Yugi's anger at Rain nearly being hurt had not subsided in the least. Considering PaniK was on the verge of a temper tantrum, it was best to mitigate the damage.
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 1610LP
With little else to do but try to speed up her partner's strategy, (Y/N) simply threw a monster into facedown defense and passed it over to PaniK.
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 1610LP
PaniK drew and began laughing.
"Rain and Yugi, you can forget your foolish delusion of defeating me in just 3 turns! I play Chaos Shield!"
"Wonderful." (Y/N) said sarcastically. "Not only does it switch all their monster Defense mode, but it also boosts their defense points."
"You're thinking too small, you fools! Or don't you realize that I can combine my Chaos Shield with my Castle of Illusions! With this, I can project a defensive shield over our side of the field!"
A barrier encompassed the field, blocking all access to the Eliminators' monsters.
Daemos huffed, impressed PaniK was actually using his brain. "As long as the Chaos Shield is in place, your monsters can't touch us! Do you still think you can win in 3 turns?"
(Y/N) gritted her teeth. "Now we're completely locked out."
"Perhaps." Her partner said. "But that also means they're locked in."
She quirked a brow at him, wondering what he was getting at, before he pointed up at Castle of Illusion. Her eyes widened as she realized his plan.
"Oh that's diabolical. I assume you have a way to pull this off?"
He smiled at her. "I assume that facedown is Polymerization, correct? Be prepared to use it."
"I'm not even going to ask how you knew that. I trust you."
Other Yugi chuckled before facing their opponents. "You'd like us to crack, wouldn't you, because it's always worked for you before, winning through intimidation rather than skill."
"You mock my skill!?" PaniK yelled. "My skill will defeat you!"
"Don't be sure." (Y/N) said, faking a yawn. "You and your partner lack any sort of cohesion, and thus, no way to launch a proper counterattack against us. You've been so focused on scaring us, that you've failed to realize it's much harder to take down a united threat separately. Coupled with the fact that the cowardly tactics of bullies are so predictable, you've no chance of winning."
"Shut up, you bitch!" PaniK screamed. "I'm no coward! I'm not hiding behind anything!"
Other Yugi growled. "Speak to her again like that, and I'll give you something to be afraid of! Your whole strategy is nothing but hiding and cowering!"
The sheer malice in his voice unnerved the Eliminators, but PaniK, enraged at being called a coward, launched the cannons yet again. The embers came so close, but neither duelist flinched.
"The more you use that trick, the less effective it becomes." (Y/N) lectured. "Why don't you stop hiding behind your battlements and start actually fighting?"
Her male counterpart smirked at her cold logic as PaniK finally ended the turn. "The truth hurts, doesn't it? Facing what you truly are is usually more than bullies like you can bear, so you hide in the shadows."
"Those two are really firing these guys up!" Tea said, extremely worried. "For your sake, guys, stop egging them on!"
"Don't get involved." Mai argued, finally feeling some hope the two duelists would win out. "Yugi and Rain are using PaniK and Daemos's tactics against them. They're playing mind games."
"We could snuff out your measly existences with a single push." Daemos threatened, trying to regain control.
'Yugi' shook his head. "That would only prove you're both cowards. If you aren't afraid, then stop hiding and face us with honor."
"Otherwise, we will gladly tear apart those pathetic fearsome facades." (Y/N) finished with a hiss.
"You bluff!" PaniK accused.
The male spirit crossed his arms. "There's only one way you'll know for sure, play out this game. After all, 2 turns remain. Do you have the courage to survive them?"
"We fear no one!" Daemos lied through his teeth. "We will crush you like the insects you are."
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 1610LP
"It's my turn." 'Yugi' announced as he drew. "I summon Gaia the Fierce Knight!"
The knight materialized in attack mode, its mount whining threateningly.
Gaia the Fierce Knight
2300 ATK/2100 DEF
"Idiot!" PaniK mocked. "Do you really think a monster with attack power that weak can break through my Chaos Shield!?"
"Not by himself." (Y/N) said as she flipped her facedown. "That's why I'm here. I play Polymerization to create Gaia the Dragon Champion!"
The two face up monsters fused, combining into the dragon riding knight.
Gaia the Dragon Champion
2600 ATK/2100 DEF
"I end my turn." Yugi announced. "But you're finished as well."
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 1610LP
Daemos drew, not knowing what Yugi and Rain had planned. Despite knowing that Gaia couldn't take down Castle of Illusion, they were both confident in each other. Regardless, he and PaniK could only wait out Swords of Revealing Light. With not much choice, he passed the turn, causing PaniK to scoff at such a weak move.
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 1610LP
(Y/N) drew, setting her partner up for a killing blow.
"I summon Shriek the Stonewing in Defense mode."
An owl-like beast took to the field with an ear piercing cry. Like Howl, it looked twisted by rot and decay, and like the name implied, her wings were encased in stone.
Shriek the Stonewing
1200 ATK/2000 DEF — 1560 ATK/2600 DEF with field boost
"Next, I place Gumo the Tinkerer in Attack mode."
To the relief of everyone, the girl revealed one of her light spirits, this one kinda looking like something a child would draw, a dark blue orb with long limbs and friendly amber eyes.
Gumo the Tinkerer
600 ATK/400 DEF
"What's a weak thing like that good for?" PaniK mocked.
(Y/N) gave a condescending grin. "There's more to monsters than numbers. I end my turn."
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 1610LP
PaniK gritted his teeth as he drew, laughing as he saw the card.
"Perfect! Metal Guardian in Defense mode. He will further shield our creatures. The field power bonus will raise his defense power to 2795!"
A giant metal knight appeared on the field and slid in front of the still protected monsters.
Metal Guardian
1490 ATK/2795 DEF
"With him on guard, any attack against my monsters is totally impossible." PaniK explained.
Other Yugi smirked, closing his eyes. "Ha! It figures. You're cowering again."
"Insolent dog!"
"Your strategy is nothing but putting defenses. You're showing how weak you are!"
"Silence! Next turn your Swords' light will be extinguished, then we'll hit you with everything at once!"
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 1610LP
"Too little, too late." (Y/N) said. "You've already strayed too deep into the trap. In making your defenses stronger, you've only assured your defeat."
"Nothing but talk." Daemos hissed.
"Then let his actions speak for us. Yugi?"
The spirit nodded. "She is correct. That was your last turn to stop us. Your end is now! Catapult Turtle!"
A mechanized turtle appeared, causing Gaia to fly off.
Catapult Turtle
1000 ATK/2000 DEF
"Slow and steady wins the duel, PaniK. Now, I can use the turtle's catapult to launch Gaia the Dragon Champion and shatter your defenses. Catapult Launch raises Gaia's attack power all the way to 3200. You weren't expecting that, were you?"
PaniK laughed. "My monsters' defense is still much too strong for you! Protected as they are by the Chaos Shield, you still can't touch them! You can only watch helplessly as they prepare to assault you! Hahaha!"
"Who said anything about attacking your monsters? What I'm attacking is the castle."
"You fool! My castle is still unassailable! Its walls are still invincible to any of your attacks, so we won't take any damage at all. Besides, Metal Guardian will stop anything you have planned!"
"Not if I have anything to say about it!" (Y/N) declared. "Thanks to Shriek's ability, your Metal Guardian will be an empty husk, unable to do anything! Shriek, Crawling Stone!"
The owl let out its signature shriek, causing Metal Guardian to be encased in stone. With the coast clear, 'Yugi' declared his attack.
"Turtle, Catapult Launch my Dragon Champion!"
With the dragon riding monster loaded, Catapult Turtle launched it at high speeds at Castle of Illusion. The monster shattered in an explosion of light, taking a huge chunk of lifepoints from the two duelists.
Tristan flinched. "Yugi flushed a lot of points with that maneuver."
"Yeah! He sacrificed his Dragon Champion." Joey noted as Bakura looked puzzled.
"That's an awfully big loss, both the monsters and the lifepoints. I hope this works."
"It has to work." Joey stated firmly.
As the dust settled, the ring surrounding the castle cracked and fell away.
"No!" Tea cried. "It's still floating!"
PaniK laughed. "The castle survived! Fools! For all your threats, my castle is unharmed! Your attack only knocked off its flotation ring!"
"You idiot!" Daemos screeched, sounding terrified. "That was the point!"
"What are you babbling about?"
"Listen to your partner, PaniK." (Y/N) mocked. "He seems to have more sense than you. You can thank Gumo for Catapult Turtle being able to take out the flotation ring. As a tinkerer, he's able to boost the effectiveness of machines."
'Yugi' nodded. "Indeed. Doesn't it seem strange to you that a castle that's lost its flotation ring is somehow still floating? If Swords of Revealing Light not only locked your monsters into place, but your castle as well, then what would happen next? Right now, the only thing holding up your castle are the Swords of Revealing Light. Once your turn comes to an end, they'll vanish."
PaniK's eyes widened as he realized what was going to happen. "B-but that means-!"
"It's over! And now your world's about to come tumbling down! I end my turn."
"And now, the countdown to the end." (Y/N) said.
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 300LP
Daemos hung his head, knowing it was over.
"Do what you must to this buffoon, just leave me out of it. He picked a fight with the girl, not me."
PaniK seethed at his hooded companion as he passed his turn. "You traitor!"
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 300LP
(Y/N) narrowed her eyes at him. "Attempting to throw your partner under the bus? How pathetic. Don't even bother. Your sins are just as great. You won't be spared from our wrath. I end my turn. It's over PaniK."
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 300LP
PaniK didn't even need to look at his card to know he had no way to stop this. His monsters were still bound by Swords of Revealing Light and he had no magic or trap cards that would stop the castle from crashing. He was corner like a rat, and the two cats closing simply stared at him from across the arena, waiting for him to make his final move.
"No one defeats PaniK!!!" He screamed desperately, but with nothing in his hand, his turn came to an end.
PaniK & Daemos 1584LP; Yugi & Rain 300LP
Other Yugi held up a clench fist, signaling their last turn was up. At once, Swords of Revealing Light faded and Castle of Illusions began to plummet. With Chaos Shield up, there was nowhere to run. In instant, they were crushed, and the resulting damage was enough to wipe out PaniK and Daemos's lifepoints.
PaniK & Daemos 0LP; Yugi & Rain 300LP
"They won!" Tea cheered.
"Way to knock 'em down, you two!" Joey yelled.
Across the arena, PaniK trembled in fury. Daemos, sensing he was about to do something stupid, began to back up.
"Don't make this worse. Now is the time for a tactical retreat."
"Nobody beats PaniK." The other Eliminator seethed. "Nobody! Look at them, those smug little worms!"
(Y/N) recognized blind idiocy when it was staring at her. "He's going to try to kill us."
Other Yugi nodded. "Most definitely."
To prove her point, PaniK shouted. "I may not defeat you two, but I can still eliminate you!"
PaniK slammed his hand down on the controller, breaking it. The arena was encircled in flames as the others screamed for their friends.
"Let's see who the cowards are now!" PaniK yelled as waves of fire charged the two spirits.
(Y/N), whose forehead was marked with the eye emblem, held up the Millennium Bracelet which glowed with fearsome light. A barrier surrounded the two, parting the fire to either side of them. As the arena was engulfed by a fire tornado PaniK and Daemos stared in horror at their opponents who were untouched by the attack.
"You survived!?" PaniK shrieked as (Y/N) stepped back to stand side-by-side with her fellow spirit.
The male side eyed her with a smile. "That was an impressive display."
"The Millennium Bracelet is more...defensive I would say. Though that was nothing you couldn't have done all the same."
"Regardless, the thought was appreciated. Shall I take care of them, or would the lady prefer to handle this herself?"
She almost half chuckled at his attempt to hide his wrathful instincts behind charm. And yet...
"Considering my arm was nearly burnt off, I'm not in a particularly forgiving mood. Do your worst."
Her male counterpart nodded, stepping in front of her. "(Y/N) may have protected us from your cowardly attack, but nothing will protect you from oblivion!"
The flames turned on the Eliminators as they shrieked for mercy. Slowly, their voices died in the roar of the fire, and when the smoke cleared, they were gone. At this point, Rain finally decided to make an appearance.
"Well that's not concerning."
"And where have you been this whole time?" (Y/N) asked under breath.
Rain crossed her arms. "Give me a break! It's cramped up here with two people. Besides, I thought you'd might appreciate a little alone time with Mr Dark and Mysterious here."
"Rain..."
"(Y/N), he went feral on them when you nearly got hurt! He has to know you!"
"I'm not denying it. It's not as if I don't feel it as well, but we don't know what that connection is, and considering how he acts in Shadow Games, it might not be what I hope."
"Hope?" Rain repeated with a smile.
"(Y/N)."
She looked up in shock, not noticing they were back on the ground. The male spirit had his hand out with a smile. (Y/N) felt a warmth inside her. She wasn't used to people besides Rain saying her name, but it felt right coming from this stranger's mouth. She took his hand as he helped her down. They made sure to collect the star chips which had been left behind. The others quickly swarmed them before they could discuss things further. Tea immediately gave her a hard look, hand outstretched.
"Rain. Arm. Now."
(Y/N) blinked before remembering the graze. "Tea, it only managed to singe off my jacket."
"I'll be the judge of that!"
With a sigh, (Y/N) relinquished. As Tea scanned for burns, Joey congratulated them.
"Man, you two were incredible!"
"Those Millennium Items of yours are way more powerful than we thought." Tristan noted. "Not only did they protect you, but they saved us too!"
Tea, satisfied her female friend was okay, gave (Y/N) back her arm. Seeing Mai hanging back, both spirits approached her.
"Yugi, Rain, I don't know what to say."
Other Yugi held out the star chips to her. "These are yours."
Mai hesitated.
"They're yours." (Y/N) insisted. "Take them."
"I'm sorry, but I can't accept them." Mai admitted. "I fight my own battles."
"Mai!" Tea interrupted. "Yugi and Rain battled for you. They risked their lives in this duel for you."
"I know, but-,"
"Hehe!" Joey chuckled. "There's no point in arguing. She's way too thick-headed." He then took the star chips from the male spirit. "But if she'd rather be booted off the island, I'll take 'em!"
Sensing what was about to happen, (Y/N) pushed her fellow spirit as Mai started yelling in Joey's face.
"You think me losing all my star chips is funny Joey Wheeler!?"
"I thought you didn't want 'em, Mai?"
She reached to snatch them back, but Joey held them over his head.
"Give 'em back!"
"Of course you can have 'em." He then pushed them back into her reaching hand. "They're yours."
Mai pulled back in shock. "Uh...really, Joey?"
"Didn't you learn anything from this duel? You can't always keep your defenses up because it'll just get between you and other people who are trying to be your friends. You don't have to do everything on your own, Mai. Yugi and Rain won because they worked as a team, they trusted each other, so can you let your shield down, just this one time?"
Both spirits gave approving nods. That was very articulate of Joey. Of course, he had to ruin it.
"Hehe! I'm such a sensitive guy!"
"Yeah, when you're not being a pain." Tristan jabbed.
"Which is most of the time." Tea added in.
Everyone else laughed as Joey took it in stride.
"Ah, my adoring fans."
As everyone began to head out, Mai called out.
"Yugi! Rain! I'll repay you for what you did today! You're the ones who won these, so far as I'm concerned, I still owe you, especially you Rain, for losing Mokuba. When we finally do face each other, it'll be honorable ones."
(Y/N) smiled. "I look forward to it. And don't guilt yourself about Mokuba. It was my fault for letting him go off. I intend to find him and teach Pegasus a lesson."
"Take care, Mai." Other Yugi said as they parted ways, the two spirits allowing their vessels to take back control.
I probably messed this up, but I wanted the spirits to duel with each other and I figured this would be the best place. Also, fun fact, Swords of Revealing Light in this duel ended a turn early. Also, I named Daemos after Deimos, the other half of daimones, who represents dread, since Phobos represents panic.