Chapter 9
Yugi and Joey's emotions were intense as they stood on opposite sides of the dueling platform. They were both fighting for family they loved, but only one of them could win. Their friends up in the balcony were almost as tense.
"Who would have guessed that, out of all the duelists who started in this tournament, two best friends would wind up in the final match?" Bakura said.
"Yeah," said Tristan. "This is definitely harsh, but at least one of them's going to get a chance to take on Pegasus."
"I guess you're right," Tea said, "but don't you think it'd be easier if they just flipped a coin or something? Then we could get our match with Pegasus now."
"I don't think that it works that way, Tea."
"Well, why doesn't it? Yugi and Joey are like brothers. They shouldn't be forced to fight each other like this." Her distress and frustration flowed through her words.
"I totally hear what you're saying, but it's just how this tournament works."
"Well, I don't like it!"
I agreed with Tea. However, the strength of her emotions magnified my own, so I forced myself to focus on the duelists on the field. Yugi appeared torn, but Joey actually seemed confident and determined. After sharing some words, Joey managed to ease the burden from his friend. Yugi merged with the Spirit of the Puzzle, and they were ready to duel.
Surely the stakes were not as high as the two of them made them out to be. Whoever won could easily obtain what they both wanted by defeating Pegasus. Why did I sense they wanted to duel hard against each other?
"Your gracious host will now make a few opening remarks," Croquet said.
"Congratulations, duelists," Pegasus said as he stood from his chair, "you're the finest in the world. And for that reason, I'll look forward to a match that's sure to consist of your dueling best. After all, should you give me anything less, I will know."
I shivered as I felt power from the Millennium Eye. I hated he was amused that two friends were now pitted against each other. I trusted that they would show him that their friendship was stronger than this!
"Yugi, before we start, I just want to say thanks, man," Joey said. "Just look at me. I'm in the final match of the niftiest Duel Monsters tournament that's ever been thrown. And it's all 'cause of you, bud. You got me here. You looked out for me."
"You're wrong, Joey," Yugi said. "You earned your place here."
"Thanks, pal. Just know that, no matter what happens here, you're my friend and you always will be, Yug. But, uh, don't think that means I'm gonna go easy on you in this match... or that I expect you to go easy on me. I'm ready for your best. So let's do this!"
Yugi nodded.
"I don't think Pegasus has to worry much about these two not dueling their very hardest," Bakura said, quickly glancing at me.
"Yeah," I said, "for some reason, they both want to duel." Maybe it was a male respect thing that Tea and I did not understand.
The duel commenced. It did not take long for it to heat up. Yugi and Joey dueled without holding anything back. They constantly stopped each other and overcame the other. Yugi seemed to have a slight advantage, though, because of the way he was able to remain calm and think through his strategy.
"Oh my," Tea said in worry after Yugi destroyed one of Joey's best monsters.
"This is what I meant," Bakura said, referring to something he had mentioned earlier in the duel. "No matter what happens, Yugi keeps a laser-like focus and makes the big plays when they really count. And now I guess we'll see if Joey can do the same."
"How can Joey make a big play with that Dragon Champion out there?" Tristan asked.
"It's not about what's out. You see, just as Yugi was able to keep his cool while facing that Flame Swordsman, now Joey needs to maintain his focus even while he's being attacked by his best friend. He's being forced to think on his feet."
I gazed at the duelists, gripping the railing to hold in their strong emotions. "Why are they battling so hard?" I said. "They're fighting each other without anger. It feels like they're trying to do something... positive."
"I'm sure you can figure it out." Bakura placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a gentle smile. "Don't focus entirely on the emotions themselves. Try to really think about it."
He wanted me to exert more control over my powers. I had failed in the past, but I wanted to try now. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I felt the boys' emotions. With that I added everything I knew about them and their friendship. From there, I felt my intuition rise, attempting to guide me to the answer.
I opened my eyes and gasped. "They're pushing each other to duel their best so that whoever wins will have the best chance of beating Pegasus!"
Bakura smiled and nodded. "Very good."
"That's amazing," Tea said.
"Even though they're being forced to fight against each other, they've actually found a way to help each other. It's quite impressive."
This new revelation eased my concerns and lifted some of the burden off of me. Now that I knew the reasons behind the emotions I felt, it was much easier to handle them. I let go of the railing as I looked down at the duel.
Sure enough, Joey came back hard. The duel grew in intensity as it progressed. I found myself getting into it. I could not tell who was winning anymore. My intuition told me Yugi had to win, but... could he?
Joey now took more time to make his moves, and his choices seemed to be better for it. The hot-headed guy was finally thinking through his moves and using strategy to overcome his opponent. This battle must be so fierce because the two of them knew each other well. They could both come up with great plans of attack and defense!
Finally, Yugi gained the upper-hand when he defeated Black Skull Dragon, Joey's strongest monster, with a powered up Dark Magician. Joey tensed as he struggled with what to do.
"Poor Joey," Tristan said. "He really got slammed there. You think this duel's over for him?"
"Well, it depends on what he does next," said Bakura. "
I glanced at him. "Huh?"
"What do you mean?" Tea asked.
"Losing that Black Skull Dragon was a heavy loss but not a critical one," Bakura said. "If Joey can just pull himself together, he can still win this duel."
"But should he?" I said.
Tea frowned. "Why does it matter?"
I bit my lip and looked away. Bakura understood my question, but I knew the other two could not. They still did not understand. Joey was an amazing duelist, but could he really stand up to the power of the Millennium Eye? And what would Pegasus do if he missed his chance to obtain the Millennium Puzzle by defeating Yugi? I shivered at the thought.
Joey finally drew a card. He summoned Baby Dragon in attack mode and played a card face down. Yugi responded by attacking Baby Dragon with Dark Magician. However, Joey's face down card was a trap that stopped Yugi's attack.
"Well, Yug," Joey said, his confidence back, "I'd say that last move brings us to the home stretch, wouldn't you?"
"I would," Yugi said. "And now, Joey, let's finish this match and find out which one of us will duel against Pegasus!"
I let out a breath, my body tense. This was hit.
"Hey, Yug?" Joey said.
"Joey?"
"Just know it's been a real honor dueling you."
"Likewise."
"How cool," Tea said. "Even now, in the midst of battle, they're friends first."
"They have strong wills," I said. "Pegasus didn't count on that." I bet he hoped to have an advantage over the victor's emotions because of this duel.
"I know neither of us want to lose this match," Joey went on, "but if I do, I'm glad it was to you, buddy. Now let's duel like you said, Yugi, and finish this duel!"
Yugi inclined his head in acknowledgement.
"And maybe this draw will do just that. Guess there's just one way to find out. Here goes." He drew a card, and the next second he lit up in excitement. "Unreal! I pulled the one card in my whole deck that really can finish this duel and decide a winner!"
My heart pounded in my chest. What did he mean by that? The next moment, I found out. Joey played Time Wizard, a card that could bring victory to either duelist depending on chance.
"Kind of strange that this is all coming down to a card that you gave me," Joey said. "You were right, Yugi. That card you gave me saved my kiester quite a few times in this tournament. And now, with my Baby Dragon on the field and both of us just life points away from winning or losing this duel, I'm gonna give it one last spin and hope it saves me again. So cross your fingers and get set to adjust your clock because here it comes! Go, Time Roulette!"
The giant clock on the field started to spin its arrow. I held my breath. Finally, the arrow landed on a Time Machine spot, which meant that everything on the field aged by 1,000 years. Baby Dragon turned into the Strong Thousand Dragon while Dark Magician aged into a weak old man.
"Look at the Dark Magician!" Tea exclaimed.
"He's aged, like, a thousand years," Tristan said. "He's no match for Joey's dragon."
"I'm not so sure about that," I said.
For once, Bakura was the one who appeared surprised. "What do you mean, Samia?"
"I – I don't know." I swallowed a lump in my throat. "I don't know as much about Duel Monsters as you do, but I can feel Yugi's emotions, and he does not seem like someone in shock or despair because of an impending defeat." It was hard to explain, but my intuition told me there was more going on than met the eye.
"Let's just wait and see what happens."
I nodded.
Joey's excitement bounced off the walls as he ordered his dragon to attack Yugi's monster. However, Yugi countered with Makiu the Magical Mist, stopping the attack. Everyone except me expressed shock. I knew Yugi and the Spirit had something up their sleeves.
"How did you play Makiu when it was still my turn?" Joey asked in bewilderment.
"With magic," Yugi said. "A magic so powerful it took my magician a thousand years to learn it."
"Say what?"
"That Time Warp did age my Dark Magician, but it made him stronger, not weaker. And with age comes great wisdom. A thousand years of wisdom that have transformed him into... the Dark Sage!" The Magician suddenly turned into a wise, powerful-looking wizard. "An ultimate magician whose new powers let me play one magic card during every one of your turns and every one of mine. And the magic card I chose to counter your attack: Makiu the Magical Mist. With its enchanted rainfall upon the field, your dragon's smokescreen was neutralized before it reached my mage. Now I invoke his powers for my turn... and draw this magic card."
Emotion welled up inside of Yugi as he glanced at the card he had drawn. I knew he had won the duel. Yet, I could tell it was difficult for him to defeat his best friend. I reached out to him with my own feelings of understanding and compassion. It has to be done.
"You've fought a valiant duel, my friend," said Yugi, "and this is the hardest move I've ever had to make... but this ends now. I play Monster Reborn and call the Black Skull Dragon back from the graveyard!" The powerful monster appeared on the field once more.
Frustration and disappointment coursed through Joey. Remarkably, he soon gained control over his emotions, and they were replaced by... acceptance. "Yugi, go for it!" he exclaimed. "It's cool."
"All right. Black Skull Dragon, Molten Fireball Attack!"
Yugi's dragon destroyed Joey's, bringing his life points to zero. Yugi had won. The two friends stared at each other from across the platform.
"I tell you, that was really tough to watch," Tristan said.
"Yeah," Bakura said. "Just imagine what those two must be feeling." He looked at me.
I nodded. "It was tough, but... they're still friends, and that's what counts." I admired how they were able to retain their maturity and values even in the heat of battle. Both of them had the spirit of a hero in my eyes.
"I'm just glad it's over," Tea said as tears trickled down her face. "I'm so proud of them both. They dueled their hardest and never once forgot their friendship."
"Let's go see them" Tristan said.
The rest of us nodded and followed him down the stairs into the anteroom. We arrived just as Yugi and Joey entered. They faced each other and shook hands, causing me to smile. This particular struggle was over.
"Well, Yugi," Joey said, "we knew one of us had to lose. The good news is that one of us got to win too. Congratulations, man." He held out his entrance card. "Here, this is yours now." Yugi only stared at the card. "Come on, it's all yours. You show Croquet this card and he'll give you three million bucks in prize money."
Yugi pushed the card back towards Joey, his mind made up. "No, Joey, you should keep it. Your sister needs that money."
"Yug..."
"I didn't enter into this tournament to get rich, Joey. I'm just here to save my grandpa and the Kaiba brothers. Please, use this money for Serenity's operation."
"Really?" Joey started shaking from relief, joy, and gratefulness.
"What do you say, Joey?"
It took a minute for him to calm down and speak, though tears flowed freely. "Yugi, when I lost the duel, I lost all hope of saving my sister, but now, Yugi... thank you. Now go and take down Pegasus!"
Their friendship created warmth inside me. In the past I would have been jealous, but now I was inspired. They were my friends too, and I was glad to have them with me. Once Yugi won the final duel, this whole adventure would be at an end. I was looking forward to returning home, but I promised myself I would not lose sight of all the good that I had gained.
"We'll let you get ready for your big duel," Joey said.
With that, all of us except for Yugi returned to the dueling arena. This time, we stayed on the main level so we could wait for our friend. Silence spread over the room. Anxiety filled me, and I was unsure if it was from me or someone else. Something big was about to happen, and I felt a need to do something to help.
I was helpless. Yugi and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle were always the ones to save me and everyone else. What could I possibly do for them?
I brushed the thoughts away when I heard the doors opening, revealing Yugi. I offered him a small smile while everyone else cheered him on. My intuition tugged at my mind. There was something I needed to do...
"The time has come," Croquet said. He stood across from us on the other side of the dueling platform in front of the chair where Pegasus was now absent. "Would Yugi Muto, the challenger please enter the duel ring? Mr. Pegasus awaits you."
"Go get him, Yug," said Joey.
Determination swept through Yugi. He merged with the Spirit, letting him have most of the control. I breathed slowly in an attempt to gain control of my emotions. If those two were working together, then they would win this battle. They had to.
"He looks so determined," Tea said as Yugi walked onto the dueling platform.
"Yugi, take him down!" Tristan shouted.
"We know you can!"
"Put that slime ball in his place once and for all!" Joey said enthusiastically.
Somehow, I could not join in my friends' cheering. I still felt that there was something else I needed to do. Why did I not have a better understanding of my powers?
"The challenger has entered the stadium," said Croquet. While he spoke Pegasus entered the room flanked by two guards. "And now, for your dueling pleasure, Castle Pegasus is proud to present the creator of Duel Monsters and all of its wondrous cards, the undefeated, undisputed ruler of Duelist Kingdom, Maximillion Pegasus!"
A shiver ran all the way through my body. This was it. The fate of all of us rested on the outcome of this one duel.
"And now," said Croquet, "let the duel begin."
Pegasus took his deck from the guard on his right. He then whispered something to him. The guard nodded and turned, walking out of the room, while Pegasus took his place on the dueling platform opposite of Yugi.
"So, Yugi boy," he said, "you've turned out to be quite the young duelist, battling your way past all the other challengers, winning your way into the castle just to face me."
"Pegasus!" Yugi exclaimed in rage, pointing at him. "Before we begin this duel, I want you to agree to keep your promise that, if I defeat you, you'll release my grandfather's soul to me."
"But of course. I'm a man of my word."
"And that's not all. You must also free the souls of Seto and Mokuba Kaiba."
"What a strange demand. I thought you hated Kaiba as much as you hate me, Yugi."
"Maybe I need to keep a vow of my own, Pegasus." Yugi grew silent while emotions stirred inside him. I remembered when I ran into him on the island and thought I knew what was going through his mind.
"Ah, I see," Pegasus said. "A vow to Mokuba." Power emanated from the Millennium Eye. "Okay, Yugi boy, if it will put your mind at ease, I agree to your terms." He held up three cards – the cards that held three souls. An uneasy feeling formed in the pit of my stomach. "If you win your battle with me, I shall free these three from their lonesome prison of souls."
"Pegasus is up to something," Tristan said.
"I know," said Joey. "I think he planned to take on Yugi in the final match all along."
"He forced him to enter after all," I said, remember the story of how Pegasus snatched the soul of Yugi's grandfather. "He wants something from him." The Millennium Puzzle. The spirit of the Millennium Ring had wanted it too. Exactly what kind of powers did it hold that made it worth all this death and destruction?
"I hope that Yugi can handle him," Bakura said. "Throughout the entire tournament, Pegasus stacked the deck in his own favor every step of the way."
"Are you kidding me?" Joey said. "Yugi's gonna kick his keister! When this is all over, Yugi's gonna be the undisputed champion. Pegasus won't even have a clue what hit him."
"He's right," said Tea. "I know it."
Bakura and I exchanged a look. The others still did not comprehend the situation. This duel would be about more than who had the greater skill. Tristan said nothing, and I felt his uncertainty.
"I don't know..." Bakura said.
"You can't have such a negative attitude, guys," Joey said. "Yugi's counting on us too."
"But Pegasus has never played fair," said Tristan. "He started by kidnapping Yugi's grandpa. And going into this final match, we don't know what kind of tricks he'll pull."
"Whatever tricks he tries, whatever cards he plays, Yugi will overcome them!" Tea said. "Yugi hasn't come all this way to lose in the final match."
I wished I shared her confidence. While I knew Yugi and the Spirit were powerful, I could feel that Pegasus was just as powerful. This was going to be close. I turned my gaze to Yugi as I waited for the start o the duel, when suddenly, I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders.
"You're coming with me," a deep voice said.
I nearly jumped out of my skin from the shock. It was not often that someone snuck up on my due to my powers. I needed to focus more! I craned my neck to see one of Pegasus' guards looming over me.
Bakura glared at him. "Get away from her!" He ran at the guard, but the guard held out is hand and pushed him to the ground.
"That's not cool!" Joey said.
"It will be easier if you don't struggle," the guard said as he started to pull me to the right.
"Where are you taking her?" Bakura said as he got to his feet.
"She's done nothing wrong!" said Tea.
"Samia!" Yugi and the Spirit exclaimed together.
Ironically, the concern of my friends affected me more than my own distress. The guard had a good grip on me, and I stumbled backwards as he pulled me away.
"Don't worry, Yugi boy," Pegasus said smoothly. "I'm simply inviting her to watch the duel from the best location." I could not discern his motivations, but I knew they were not pure.
"No, she's staying with us!" Bakura declared.
"It's fine," I said, smiling weakly. I looked up at my guard. "Where do you want me to go? I can walk." I sensed that there was no harm in complying, and if it made everything easier, I would play along.
"You better not try anything," Tristan said.
The guard let go of my shoulders and walked with me instead. He led me to the opposite side of the room where Croquet stood in front of Pegasus' chair. My guard motioned to him.
"I will be watching over you now," Croquet said coolly.
"What is the meaning of this?" Yugi said, glaring at Pegasus.
"She seems to think her powers can help you, so I'm making sure she has that chance," said Pegasus. "And when she ultimately fails, I want her to be here to experience your pain."
My eyes widened in horror. He wanted to break me! Croquet was guarding me so I did not run off, not that I planned to...
"Leave her out of this!" Yugi said.
"Don't worry about me, Yugi," I said.
Yugi flicked his eyes to me in surprise. "But, Samia-"
"I can handle it. Focus on your duel."
He stared at me for a long moment. No, they stared at me. Finally, Yugi dipped his head. "As you wish." He returned to glaring at his opponent. "Let's begin this duel."
I knew I should not feel anything positive due to the circumstances, but I was glad I had made friends who cared about me. This was my chance to do something for them back. I still did not know how I could help Yugi, but something told me there was a way. I would save my energy for the battle that was to come.
"Challenger Yugi Muto, as per the rules of the Duelist Kingdom Tournament, present the card that entitles you to participate," said Croquet.
"As per your rules, here it is," Yugi said, holding up a blank card. "Glory of the King's Opposite Hand."
"So it is. And so the stage is set for the final and deciding duel of the Duelist Kingdom Competition. Just as the card you hold is a blank slate, there are no limits to the prize you may request of your opponent if you are victor. You can decide if you wish to take over his company as your reward for winning. You can ask for this entire island or to have Mr. Pegasus' Millennium Eye as your prize."
"Any request will be honored?" Pegasus said in mock astonishment. "Wow, that's what I call a prize. Do I know how to throw a tournament or do I know how to throw a Duelist Kingdom Tournament?"
He doesn't believe he can lose, I thought. And with the powers he held, it was no wonder. Come on, Yugi. You can do it.
"Promise me that you'll free the souls of my grandfather and all the others," Yugi said.
"Yes... But if I'm the one who defeats you instead, you have to fulfill your end of the bargain as well. Take a close look at the card you hold in your hand, Yugi boy. There's a reason that it's blank, you know... For if I win, I claim your soul... forever! So, you see, you have much to gain but much to risk as well."
"It's a risk I'm willing to take to free the souls of my grandpa and the others, but I don't plan to lose."
"We shall see."
"We will indeed, Pegasus."
"So courageous! So defiant."
Suddenly, the weight of it all came crashing down on me. If Yugi lost here, he would lose everything. The souls of Yugi and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle would be lost. Pegasus would gain control of the Puzzle, and he would likely go after Bakura next. What would happen to the others? They would likely be let go, but I had a feeling that Pegasus would find a way to 'convince' me to become his student.
How could Yugi be so confident? Is friends feared for him, and so did I. Though I had only met them recently, I could not bear the thought of losing him and the Spirit. Images flooded my mind of the days that followed my parents' death. I could not go through that again!
"Do not even think about running," Croquet said in a low voice.
I realized I had took several steps backwards, my hands splayed by my sides. I felt trapped. There was nowhere for me to run to. I would surely be caught if I even tried. Maybe I could hide behind Pegasus' 'throne'...
No.
A small voice inside me broke through my fear. It would not end like this. I had to be strong. My own emotions were too unstable, so I reached out and clung to Yugi's. His courage gave me what I needed to calm down. I stepped forward and relaxed my hands. Maybe I would be useless in this fight, but I knew Yugi could win regardless.
"I hate to disappoint you, Pegasus," Yugi said, "but I have no intention of ever becoming part of your soul card collection.
"The final duelist contest will now begin," said Croquet. "The winner will be declared King of Games. Two men holding silk covered trays were lowered onto the field by some sort of platform from the ceiling. "Now both of you cut and shuffle each other's cards.
Yugi and Pegasus placed their decks on the trays. Then the men walked to the opposite side of the field and held the decks out to the competitors. Yugi shuffled Pegasus' deck, but Pegasus nearly touched Yugi's.
"Now the cards will be returned," said Croquet, "the scores reset, and..."
"Duel!" said Yugi and Pegasus. They drew their cards.
I looked across the room, freezing when I did not see my friends. My senses told me to look up, and I relaxed upon seeing that they had returned to the balcony – probably to get a better view o the duel. Tristan was missing, though. Had he gone to the bathroom? I had no time to worry. I refocused my gaze on Yugi.
Yugi started the duel by playing a card face down and placing a monster in defense mode.
"Ooo... sneaky play," Pegasus said mockingly. "That wouldn't be a Beaver Warrior, would it?"
From Yugi's reaction, I could tell that the guess was correct. It seemed that Pegasus really could use his Millennium Eye to read minds. Don't let him get to you...
On his turn, Pegasus also played a cad face down and set Archery Girl, a weak monster, in defense mode. Yugi seemed to waver before two options, but he finally decided to attack Pegasus' monster by switching Beaver Warrior to attack mode and powering him up with his face down card, Horn of the Unicorn.
However, Pegasus activated a trap card, Tears of a Mermaid, effectively nullifying the attack and stripping Beaver Warrior of Horn of the Unicorn. Next, Pegasus switched Red Archery Girl to attack mode and destroyed Yugi's monster. Frustration seeped from Yugi.
"How indeed?" Pegasus said after a moment of silence. "I think – oh, wait – I know you're just beginning to comprehend my power. Do you now realize the magnitude of the jeopardy you've put yourself in by accepting this duel? How can you defeat not only the creator of Duel Monsters but a duelist who can read your every thought? I can see everything in your mind: your hopes, your dreams, even your fears. And what you fear most right now is me! And with good reason. You know my mind reading abilities give me an unbeatable advantage!"
I felt the emotions Pegasus described. Fear gripped my own heart as I realized that this terror was rare for Yugi – and rarer still for his Spirit companion. If those two felt this way, was there really any way to win? I closed my eyes and hugged myself.
It felt like I was surrounded by my dying friends and family, but I could not run out to help because I was drowning. No, not again. Scenes flashed through my mind: my parents leaving for Egypt; learning of my parents' death, the wake and funeral; soothing a young boy I met many years ago?
My grandmother came to mind. She was the only person who had encouraged me in my powers and helped me to believe in myself. "There's always a way," she said once. "When others say it's impossible, that's when you know you have your chance."
My eyes snapped open. "No!" I shouted.
Stunned silence filled the room. I was the last person any of them expected to have an angry outburst. Normally I would be way too self-conscious to continue, but this was important.
Pegasus fixed his gaze on me, and I found relief in the fact that he cannot read my mind. "Oh? Surely you of all people know the reality of the situation, Miss Samia," he said, relaxed once again.
"I know you have a huge advantage, but it does not matter. You are not unbeatable; you only want us to believe you are. That's how you have so much control. You started this whole thing by kidnapping Yugi's grandfather. And we're trapped on an island with nowhere to go. You use fear and intimidation to push us into submission. I know a thing or two about fear, and I discovered it only has power over you if you let it." My surging emotions gave me strength and power as I glared at him defiantly.
"Samia..." Yugi said softly.
"And you don't give up!" I said, turning to him. "Don't believe what he says. You can do this."
Yugi stared right at me for a long moment. I felt both of them stare at me. Finally, Yugi nodded. "Thank you, Samia." He glowered at Pegasus. "No matter what the odds, I will never surrender to you, Pegasus! I play one monster in defense mode and end my turn. Now, do your worst."
"I always do," Pegasus said with a laugh.
The sound of a phone ringing caught my attention. I looked to my left to see Croquet taking out a cell phone. He took a step away from my and held up his hand to muffle his voice, making it hard to hear what he was saying. I could sense something was wrong. If it made the bad guys upset, it was surely nothing that could harm us.
"Could it be? My turn?" Pegasus said. He drew a card without even looking at it. He was still trying to use his tricks to win! "It's the moment you've all been waiting for. Watch closely, Miss Samia. First, Ryu-Ran in defense mode." An egg appeared on the field, and arms and legs popped out of it. "Not eggsactly what you were expecting, is it? And I switch the Archery Girl to defense mode too. Your move, Yugi."
"I'll scramble your egg!" Yugi declared. "If that's the best you've got, I'll still defeat you."
"Could the card you just drew be Summon Skull?"
"Curse you, Pegasus."
"I think the Summoned Skull will go very nicely with your Celtic Guardian, Spellbinding Circle, Magical Hats, and Horn Imp."
"Don't let him psych you out, buddy!" Joey yelled from the balcony.
"That's right!" Tea shouted. "You can still beat him!"
"She's right!" I said. Yugi's confidence waned again as fear threatened to take over. "Have faith! There's always a way."
"Are you so confident, Miss Samia, that you would become my pupil if Yugi lost?" Pegasus stared at me, his Millennium Eye glittering.
"No!" said Yugi. "She has nothing to do with this!"
"But she does, Yugi boy. You just have not figured it out yet."
What did he mean by that? He seemed to know a lot about me and the Millennium Puzzle. Did he know about the Spirit? "If Yugi wins, you need to give me one piece of information about me or my powers."
Pegasus smirked, amused. "Deal."
"No, Samia!" Bakura cried.
"You don't need to do this," Yugi said.
For some reason, I felt no fear. "It will be fine. You're not going to lose." Instead of letting Yugi's emotions overwhelm me, I attempted to send my positive feelings over to him.
"If that is what you want," he said slowly, his own emotions calming.
"This just got very interesting," Pegasus said with a laugh. "Let the duel resume!"
***
A/N: Writing that cliffhanger was funny. Don't worry, the rest of the duel will be in the next chapter. I have also decided to split the story up by season. Duelist Kingdom is almost over!