"Am I that strong
To carry on?
I might change your life
I might save your world
Could you save me?"
– "Falls on Me" by Fuel
Chapter 10
"Be careful, Samia!" Bakura called from the balcony.
"You too, Yugi!" said Tea. "And don't let that creep intimidate you!"
I really did not know what had gotten into me. I could not remember ever having this much courage. Yet, looking at Yugi and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, I couldn't not do something to help. And if I could find out information about my powers, it would be worth it.
Croquet suddenly took a step away from me, piquing my curiosity. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him talking into a radio. He spoke in a low tone, but I could still make out his words.
"What? What do you mean Mokuba's missing?" he said. "He is instrumental in the plan to take over Kaiba Corp. Find him immediately. Idiot! How hard could it be to recapture a soulless body? Do not make me come down there."
I did not let any surprise show on my face. How could Mokuba have escaped without his soul? Then I remembered Tristan was missing from the group. This must be his doing. I hoped he stayed out of trouble.
"Go ahead and make your move, Yugi boy," Pegasus said smugly, bringing my attention back to the duel.
Yugi played a card face down and Summoned Skull in defense mode. Then Pegasus switched Ryo-Ran to attack mode and attacked Summoned Skull. Yugi activated the trap card Spellbinding Circle, stopping the attack and reducing Ryo-Ran's attack points.
"Oh no!" Pegasus said dramatically.
"Alright!" Tea exclaimed.
"Looks like Pegasus is in big trouble!" said Joey.
I was not so sure. If Pegasus could read minds, he knew about Yugi's trap card. Did he really not have any cards to get around the trap? Was he sacrificing his monster so Yugi could not use the trap later on? From Pegasus' emotions, I suspected that he had something up his sleeve. This was no time for Yugi to be lowering his guard.
Yugi switched Summoned Skull to attack mode and ordered it to attack Ryo-Ran. However, Pegasus stopped the attack with Trap Displacement, which switched the effects of Spellbinding Circle from Ryo-Ran to Summoned Skull. I bit my lip. I was right.
"Why, it's almost as if I knew exactly what you were thinking, isn't it?" Pegasus taunted. He then had Ryo-Ran attack Summoned Skull, destroying it. Yugi's life points were now 1400 while Pegasus' remained at 2000.
"That mind-reading cheat!" Joey said. "What the heck's the use in going on?"
"Don't say that!" said Tea. "No matter how bad it looks, we can't give up, Joey."
"There has to be a way," I said, though I was unsure if anyone other than Yugi heard me. He had to think of a plan before he lost his confidence again. There had to be a way to counteract Pegasus' magic.
"Fat chance," Pegasus said, staring straight at Yugi. "Nothing you do can stop it. Face it, Yugi, you're at the mercy of my Millennium Eye. Don't you see? I already know every card you keep in your deck and have in my possession every card needed to stop them. I can see every strategy your feeble mind has concocted and have already designed my own counter tactics to render them completely useless. But even without my Millennium magic, you're no match for me. After all, who needs magic with this card? Perhaps you'll remember it." He held a card up. "That's right, Yugi. It's the magical Toon World." He played the card, and a book appeared on the field, opening to display a cartoonish popup of a castle.
"I thought as much," Yugi said.
I remembered the card from when Pegasus dueled Kaiba. Much of his strategy had depended on it. Even if Yugi did find a way around Pegasus' Millennium Eye, he now had a second problem. I clenched my teeth in frustration. Come on...
Pegasus' monsters, Red Archery Girl and Ryu-Ran were sucked into the book. "As you recall," said Pegasus, "Toon World protects my monsters beneath its impenetrable hard-back bindings. Bindings that they'll only vacate when they're about to attack you." The book opened, and his monsters appeared, transformed into toon monsters.
Manga Ryu-Ran attacked Yugi's face down monster, which was then destroyed. When e finished his attack, he returned to the book. Pegasus then switched Red Archery Girl into attack mode to finish his turn.
Yugi summoned Celtic Guardian and attacked Red Archery Girl. Their attack points were even and should have cancelled out, but the mermaid was somehow able to stop the attack with her shell. Red Archery Girl threw Celtic Guardian off of her and then destroyed him with her arrow.
Everyone was confused as to how this had occurred. Thinking back, I thought I could deduce the answer. "You need a toon monster to destroy another toon," I said. "Toon World protects them as long as it's in effect, and only other toons can penetrate it."
"Very clever," Pegasus said. "Perhaps you're not entirely useless after all."
Yugi looked at me in surprise. "But I don't have any toon monsters."
"Then find a way to make one or get rid of Toon World!" I said.
"I am afraid that will not be happening," Pegasus said. "Not as long as I can still read Yugi boy's mind."
But you can't read mine. Maybe I had to be the one to come up with some solution. Pegasus was not the only person with a Millennium Item. Yet, how could the Millennium Puzzle help Yugi? Think...
My attention to the duel diminished as I tried to concentrate and figuring out this puzzle. I did notice that Pegasus played a permanent trap card that prevented Yugi from placing monsters in defense mode. All monsters placed in defense were turned to stone, and once they were destroyed, half of their defense points were taken from Yugi's life points. My sense of urgency quickened. If I did not think of something soon... this duel could be over within a few turns!
Pegasus used Doppelganger to mimic one of Yugi's cards. He chose Summoned Skull, and the monster jumped into Toon World to become Toon Skull. During Yugi's turn, he noted he had drawn the Dark Magician. Yugi grew silent, and I sensed that he was verging on hopelessness.
"It certainly does," Pegasus said seemingly out of the blue. "Oh, sorry. Were you having a private conversation with yourself? I really must learn to stop butting into other people's business. After all, accepting defeat is such a personal matter."
"Don't you listen to him, Yug," Joey said. "Remember everything at stake here: your grandpa, Mokuba, Kaiba."
"They're all counting on you, Yugi!" Tea added. "And we know that you're going to come through for all of them! You can do it! We believe in you!"
"Yeah!"
"How inspiring," Pegasus said with a smirk. "Why so silent, my dear?"
He looked straight at me with his normal eye, causing me to shiver. I wanted to show Yugi my support, but I felt like I needed to do something more than just use encouraging words. My powers should have allowed me to do something. Why would both Pegasus and the Spirit of the Millennium Ring want me on their sides if I were not a threat?
"Of course you've accepted the inevitable," said Pegasus. He turned back to his opponent. "Your turn, Yugi boy, but what's a poor duelist to do? If you show your monsters in defense mode, I'll fossilize them, and if you throw them in attack, I'll destroy them."
"I'll play the Dark Magician in attack mode," Yugi said.
"Ooo... the Dark Magician."
"And I also protect him with the Magical Hats." A giant magician's hat appeared and concealed the Dark Magician. Then the hat split into four hats so it was unknown where the monster stood.
"Ah, I see."
"See what?"
"With your feeble attempt to hide your Dark Magician, you're hoping to stall until you can find a way to overcome my Toon World, but it won't work. Don't get it? You're not capable of concealing your secrets from me, and those silly magic hats won't help you hide. All I need to do is probe your feeble mind to learn which hat hides your mage. Or have you forgotten the power of my Millennium Eye? You might as well surrender now and save yourself the embarrassment of a crushing defeat. Prepare yourself, Yugi boy. Here I come."
No! I was unsure if the fear I felt came from Yugi or me, and it did not really matter. I shut my eyes tightly. I was on the verge of something, but I could not come to the necessary conclusion. Still, something propelled me to speak anyway. Maybe Yugi could put together the pieces I had assembled. It was do or die time.
"Yugi!" I exclaimed, my eyes wide. "Pegasus isn't the only one with magic! I've seen you do incredible things with your Millennium Puzzle – things I would have never thought possible. I sense great power from your Puzzle. It's a power greater than even Pegasus'. You just have to tap into it." But how? It had always been the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle who had used the power. Now that I thought about it, the power was concentrated in him, not the Puzzle itself.
"Remember what we talked about last night?" My heartbeat quickened as I realized everyone had their eyes on me. Somehow, I urged myself to continue. "Remember what you had to overcome? I told you what I thought you needed to do to win. Now you have to use everything available to you!"
Yugi stared at me for a long time. At first, I did not know if I had gotten through to him. His emotions finally calmed, and he dipped his head, a small smile on his face. "Thank you, Samia. I understand what I need to do."
Silence enveloped the room. I felt Pegasus using his power on Yugi, and Yugi seemed to be dialoging with himself... no, the Spirit. Tension filled him. When it died down, I flinched with the sudden change I perceived. Yugi and the Spirit had split their minds apart. I could barely sense the Spirit at all now, and standing opposite of Pegasus was Yugi... all by himself.
"Toon Summoned Skull, emerge from the safety of Toon World and attack the magical hat on the far left!" Pegasus declared. The toon monster popped out from the book and decimated the hat. "The Dark Magician has performed his last trick!"
"Maybe, Pegasus," said Yugi, "or maybe you're losing your touch."
My spirits soared as I realized what had happened. Pegasus had picked the wrong hat! Yugi and the Spirit were keeping their minds separate, so if Pegasus read the wrong one, he would not have the correct information. Shock and confusion reverberated throughout the room.
"Maybe you probed the wrong mind, Pegasus," Yugi said, "one that doesn't know where the Dark Magician hides. Or maybe your mind-probing powers aren't as all-seeing as you think."
"You dare mock the awesome powers of my Millennium Eye?" Pegasus said, terror seeping through his calm demeanor. "You go too far, Yugi boy."
"Way to go, Yugi!" I exclaimed. "I knew you'd figure it out!"
Yugi nodded at me, looking and feeling positively determined. "Thanks for the hint, Samia."
I shook my head. "You put it all together. I couldn't have thought of something this brilliant."
"No, I think you've helped more than you think." He smiled at me like he was sharing a secret, but even his emotions gave me no clue as to the meaning of his words. He looked at Pegasus, and his expression hardened. "You gained nothing from your attack, Pegasus. Even with your magic, you won't be able to win because, as Samia said, you're not the only duelist with a Millennium Item." He held up his Millennium Puzzle. "Now let's see how well your Millennium Eye measures up to my Millennium Puzzle."
"The Puzzle is greater," I said, glaring at Pegasus. "I can feel it." For once, the creator of Duel Monsters had no retort.
Yugi drew a card and glanced at it. "I lay this card face down on the field and end my turn. Pegasus, do you know what the card is that I just pulled and laid on the field? Just use your Millennium Eye to read my mind. That is, if you think you can."
Pegasus struggled to control his frustration. "No problem. You can hide nothing from me."
He seemed to be stubbornly using his power despite the setback. I felt a surge of power, but it did not come from the Millennium Eye. I no longer felt Yugi on the dueling arena. Instead, there stood the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle.
My heart nearly leapt out of my throat form the force of the emotions and power that crashed down on me. I wanted to say something, to call out to him like I had Yugi, but my throat had dried and no words would come. He looked right at me, gluing me to the spot.
"What?!" Pegasus exclaimed. "I can't tell what that hidden card is that you just played!"
The Spirit looked at him with a smirk. "Sorry, Pegasus, but I don't know what this facedown card is either. Reading my mind will tell you absolutely nothing. You see, Pegasus, I don't know what that card is because I am no longer Yugi Muto but someone else altogether. Through the magic of the Millennium Puzzle, two minds inhabit this body. Now each time you try to read one of our minds, we'll use the mind shuffle."
My body decided to allow me to move again. The intensity I felt did not lessen, but I could feel it transforming into joy and pride. "Good!" I said. "I knew you could do it."
The Spirit looked at me with a softened gaze. He said nothing but nodded slightly. I felt his thanks and smiled back at him.
I did not look away from him, but I felt Pegasus' eyes on me, and he was not pleased. I sensed it had something to do with my communication with the Spirit. Pegasus was surprised by the dueling strategy, but he was not surprised about the existence of the Spirit himself. Was it possible that those with Millennium Items could sense spirits as well? I wondered exactly what he would tell me if Yugi won.
"So, still trying to read my mind, Pegasus?" said the Spirit, returning his attention to his opponent. "Go right ahead."
Pegasus shook his head. "No thanks, Yugi boy. My mind scanning abilities are only one of many skills that I possess and that you need to worry about. Or have you forgotten who invented this game? Besides, I can sense that you're prepared to switch minds. Yes, you're ready to switch again the moment I begin to probe your mind. So rather than waste both our time, let's move on, shall we? You've still no defense against my toon monsters, and it's only a matter of time 'til I find which hat hides your Dark Magician."
"Then pick a hat," the Spirit said with confidence, "and we'll see just how impressive your master of Duel Monsters really is. But I suspect that you've relied on the magic of your Millennium Eye for so long your dueling skills have diminished."
"Even if your little theory was true, I'm still far and away a superior duelist to you."
"We shall see, Pegasus. Make your next move."
Pegasus was only trying to convince himself that he still had the duel under control, for I sensed his fear hidden deep down desperately trying to break free. He attacked another hat that did not contain the Dark Magician. Yugi took over his body for his turn. He played a card face down before switching with the Spirit again.
Annoyed, Pegasus drew a card, and his emotions took an upturn. He played Magical Neutralizing Force, a card that destroyed any magical effects on his opponent's side of the field. The Hats were destroyed and the Dark Magician revealed.
"It's all over for him and your life points," said Pegasus. "You can only watch as I savor my final victory. Does your heart grow cold knowing that your demise is only moments away?"
"You're wrong," I said under my breath. I did not know why I felt that way. The Spirit was anxious, after all. Still, something told me this was not over yet.
Pegasus ordered Toon Summoned Skull to attack the Dark Magician. The Spirit quickly switched with Yugi, who then played his facedown cad: Living Arrow. Pegasus stood there stunned.
"Since you're the creator of Duel Monsters, you must know all about the Living Arrow card," Yugi said, "and how it can fuse with any card an opponent might put into play, and it doesn't matter whether that card is a monster card or a magic card."
The Spirit took over and smirked at Pegasus. "We've thwarted your mind reading magic, and now we're going to use your very own magic card against you."
"Great work, guys!" I said, feeling ecstatic. It was strange; usually negative emotions overpowered me, but the positive emotions I now experience filled me and gave me energy and strength to believe anything was possible.
The Spirit fused Living Arrow with Magical Neutralizing Force, which he then used to destroy Toon World once and for all.
"It doesn't matter," Pegasus said, "because it's already too late for you to stop my Summoned Skull attack." The toon's attack struck the Dark Magician straight on. Your Dark Magician is vanquished."
"Sorry, Pegasus," Yugi said as he took over. "You've forgotten my other down card." He picked up the card. "It's a trap card, and it's one of my favorites: Mirror Force. It reflects back Summoned Skull's attack, and since the other card neutralized the magic that made your toons untouchable, your toon monsters return to your original form appear on the field just in time to catch the blast!"
I watched in awe as a series of monsters formed in front of Pegasus. Summoned Skull's attack bounced off of the invisible shield surrounding Dark Magician and struck every single former toon monsters, destroying them all.
"Yes!" I exclaimed, pumping my fist in the air. They had done it. They had actually found a way to overcome Pegasus' strategy and strike a blow to his confidence as well. The two of them were truly a remarkable team.
"The score stands at Yugi 900, Pegasus 600," Croquet said from beside me. "Eh, sorry, sir."
I was so focused on the combined emotions of Yugi and the Spirit that I nearly missed the change in Pegasus. Something dark overcame him, and I shivered when he spoke next.
"Yugi, I'm impressed," he said. "When I first met you, you were just another boy who showed some faint dueling promise, but with my gentle guidance... well, just look at you now! You're one step away from becoming World Champion."
"It had nothing to do with you!" I said, glaring at him. "The only guidance he had was from his friends – including the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle."
When Pegasus looked at me, any joy I had vanished like his sinister gaze were a burst of cold air. "But of course, and who inspired him to finally use the power of his Millennium Puzzle?" he sneered.
This was a different Pegasus. This Pegasus did not love toons and enjoy playing with his opponent. No, compared to the other Pegasus, I knew this Pegasus was downright dangerous, which was saying a lot. I wanted to warn Yugi, but my words caught in my throat.
Pegasus smirked, knowing he had me, before returning his attention to his opponent. "You see, Yugi boy, from the beginning, that's what this whole tournament has been about, for I plan to take possession of your Puzzle!"
"My Puzzle?" Yugi said in surprise.
"I will defeat you in one realm or another, Yugi."
Darkness creeped up from the floor and spread across the dueling platform. I remembered this magic, and the feeling sent my heart into a panic. I abandoned reason and reacted on my intuition by taking a running leap from the floor I was standing on to the platform. I managed to clear the space, but I nearly lost my balance upon landing.
We were soon surrounded in a purple cloud of darkness, and I knew we were in the Shadow Realm. My first instinct was to run to Yugi, but my brain told me that might cause problems for him. I spun around to face Pegasus, who looked at me in amusement.
"Nice of you to join us, Samia," he said. "Yugi deserves at least one person to witness his defeat. Go ahead and stand by his side if you would like. There is absolutely nothing you can do to help him win." He laughed wickedly, his Millennium eye gleaming.
My heart pounding, I jogged to Yugi's side of the field. The darkness appeared to suppress my positive emotions, but Yugi was more drained. I stood on his right and gave him a weak smile. "Hey."
Yugi looked at me with wide yes. "Samia? Why are you here? This place is dangerous."
"I – I couldn't leave you alone." I did not understand it myself. Yet, in the face of everything, my fear of evil and danger did not seem important. All I wanted to do was help Yugi and the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle... if that was even possible.
Yugi gave me a tired smile. "Thank you."
"This will be interesting," Pegasus said. "You'll find your experience in the Shadow Realm this time around will be a lot harder than your last, Yugi boy. The strain of maintaining your mind shuffle will make it more difficult for you to mentally conjure up your monsters."
Just as I listed my arm to touch Yugi and support him, the Spirit took over. I hesitated before lowering my arm.
"I think I'm strong enough," the Spirit said, "so let's finish our duel now."
Pegasus drew and played Dark Eyes Illusionist in attack mode. The monster's attack and defense were both zero, which I found highly suspicious. On his turn, the Spirit played Curse of Dragon and then let Yugi take over.
"I don't think you have it in your, Yugi boy," Pegasus said. "You now have two creatures to maintain: your Curse of Dragon and your Dark Magician."
I let out a small gasp. "Yugi!" I clung to his right arm with both of mine, clenching my teeth when I felt the weight of the burden he was carrying. It truly appeared that his monsters on the field sucked the strength out of him along with inflicting pain. An internal pressure caused him to work hard to keep standing.
"Don't think that will help, little girl. You're only delaying the inevitable and dragging yourself down with him."
I glared at him but did not have the energy to protest. I held Yugi up, my knees buckling, when he started to bend over, gasping for breath. I did not have the strength to conjure up positive emotions to assist him. All I could do was offer some of my own energy. I could only hope it would be enough.
"You're looking a little pale, Yugi," Pegasus said as he placed a card facedown.
Maybe you should give up your mind shuffle strategy. Take a breather. I can send you back to your world anytime you're ready to surrender."
"Hang in there," I murmured. As much as the stress was getting to him, Yugi was terrified of letting Pegasus use his Millennium Eye again. Why did that man have to go through such great lengths to win?
The agonies of Yugi's emotions dwindle when the Spirit took over. Heart hammering, I wanted to back away from him at first, but then I realized that just because the Shadow Realm did not affect him as much as it did Yugi did not mean I could not offer him some relief as well. I merely let go of his arm so he could draw a card and kept my left hand on his back.
The Spirit attacked with Curse of Dragon, but this activated Dark Eyes Illusionist's special ability, stopping the attack. Pegasus used his magic card, Black Illusion Ritual, to sacrifice his monster to summon Relinquished. He activated the monster's special ability, enabling it to suck in Curse of Dragon into its mouth, swallowing it. The Spirit tried to attack with Dark Magician, but Curse of Dragon suddenly popped out, taking the force of the attack and destroying it. Yugi's life points dwindled to 400.
"Your own attack reduced your life points!" Pegasus taunted. "As long as I have Relinquished in play, you're your own worst enemy! Ooo... how frustrating it must be to be you... to know you have all these great monsters in your deck, and if you dare play any of them, they will be used against you."
"This game is not over yet, Pegasus!" the Spirit said.
"No, but it might as well be. My monster's unstoppable. Watch! I activate Relinquished's hypnotic attraction." "Try as he might to resist, your Dark Magician will find my spellcaster as irresistible as your dragon did. Like your dragon, he will soon be mine." Dark Magician was sucked into Relinquished and became a shield stuck on the monster.
"No, my Dark Magician!" the Spirit cried. "It captured him too! And now it's turned him into another defense shield."
"That's right, Yugi. You're beginning to catch on, and this time I've got one of your most powerful monsters to use against you... not to mention your personal favorite, but in an attack he'll take your life points all the same. Guess you're not his favorite. Not anymore."
The Spirit did not seem to mind my presence, so I pressed against his side in response to his anger and frustration. This was all I knew I could do to help him, though it did not seem to be helping much. Yugi then took control, and I took in a sharp breath at the rush of emotions. He was trembling as he drew a card, and I willed what little strength I had onto him.
"Pegasus, I play one card facedown," Yugi said. "For my last move, I throw Feral Imp into defense mode."
I instantly understood the meaning of his worse. "Switch now!" I said in terror, my eyes wide.
"Relinquished, prepare to attack!" Pegasus declared. "Use the Dark Magician's power! Pilfered power attack! Destroy the Feral Imp!" The monster used the energy from the Dark Magician to attack and destroy Feral Imp.
"Yugi!" I held onto him as the force of the attack scourged through him like fire. I heard the Spirit echo my warning, but it was no use. The teen's body became limp in my arms, and it was a struggle to keep standing.
"You've got to beat Pegasus," Yugi whispered before losing consciousness.
"No... no..." I turned him so he was facing me and shook him. "Come on... You've got to wake up! Yugi..." My vision blurred as tears started to fall. My own pain took precedent of everything else I could faintly feel: the shock and sorrow from the Spirit, the smugness of Pegasus, and something else very distant that I could not grasp.
What I could not sense at all was Yugi's spirit. It felt like I was a child again being told the fate of my parents by adults who did not know how to break the news with tact. I was drowning in my sea of emotions, suffocating...
I shut my eyes. I wanted to be closed off from the world and everyone in it. I could not lose someone I cared about again. Not when I had just found him. I was back at my parents' funeral, helpless and alone, wishing for one person to turn to who would make it all right. Anyone...
"Forget him." Pegasus' condescending voice caused me to snap my eyes open. "The boy was weak. It takes a person of true fortitude to cope with the harsh unrealities of the Shadow Realm. Face it: Yugi is gone and it's just you two and me now."
"No!" I lowered Yugi onto the ground and then turned and glared at Pegasus. Anger was a rare emotion for me because of my ability to feel the emotions of my enemies and emphasize with them, but right now my body shook with it. "You're the weak one! Yugi is one of the strongest people I know. He follows the path of love, not hatred."
Pegasus smirked. "How has that worked out for him? And for you, dear Samia? You see, love alone is not enough to get what you want – and keep what you have. If you continue this way, you'll lose not only your parents and Yugi but everyone else who means something to you."
My hart nearly stopped while a chill swept through me. "No..." It wasn't true. It couldn't be true. How could I continue to live like this? I did not want my life to be a waste. I was tired of feeling worthless. I wanted something more.
"Samia."
I wiped my eyes and then looked at the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, who had taken control of Yugi's body. His grief and anger matched my own, and I knew he had come to view Yugi as a partner and friend. "You have to win. Please..."
The Spirit's eyes bore with anger and determination as they bore into mine. "I will. You can count on it." His expression hardened as he looked across the field at Pegasus. "You used your underhanded tactics to overwhelm Yugi's mind. You will pay for what you did."
Pegasus' confidence had grown exponentially, and he seemed even more sinister now. "So I take it from this emotional outburst that you're having a difficult time acknowledging the fact that you've failed in your self-appointed duty to protect your little dueling protégé. Whoever you are, perhaps Yugi would have been better off without your interference."
"Don't listen to him!" I said. "That's a lie!" Pegasus knew the correct tactic to take to get to the Spirit, but I was determined to not let him get very far.
Pegasus looked at me, bemused. "How can you be so certain? You don't know very much about him."
I glanced at the Spirit. He normally had excellent control over his emotions, but right now he was not even trying to conceal them. "I know enough." I still had my share of doubts, and my fear was hidden deep down. But I knew I could trust him. I knew he was good. I felt a strong desire to stand with him and defend him. I had not used my intuition as often as my empathy, yet I could not ignore it now. I did not understand any of this, but it did not matter. "He's my friend." I took hold of his hand and gently squeezed it.
The Spirit's anger softened slightly. He was grateful for and protective of me. He let go of my hand and then used his arm to pull me close to him. I instinctively leaned into him, my hands on his back and chest.
Pegasus smirked. "How cute."
"Be silent!" said the Spirit. "For what you have done, I will show you no mercy."
"Then let the game continue. It's your turn. You no longer have Yugi to help you. Once more, your mind is an open book to me." The Millennium Eye surged with power. "The card you drew is Winged Dragon Guardian of the Fortress, a weak monster."
"I play Winged Dragon in defense mode. It's your move."
Pegasus used Relinquished to destroy Winged Dragon. Then he played Jigen Bakudan. The monster was immune from attacks and would self-destruct in two turns, destroying Relinquished and any monsters it had absorbed. The attack points the Spirit would lose would be enough to end the game, giving Pegasus the victory.
"Face it," the man said smugly, "the clock is ticking down on your demise, and there's nothing you can do to stop it! I just can't remember the last occasion I had so much fun. Remember, only two turns left 'till kaboom, and you don't have a single card in your hand that can help you. Trust me, I know."
My own emotions plus the Spirit's suddenly became too much to handle. I backed away from the platform and clutched my head. For the first time ever, I sensed despair and hopelessness from the Spirit. The reality of the situation was too painful for me to handle. Clenching my teeth, I fell to my knees.
"That's right!" Pegasus bellowed. "Neither of you can do anything to stop me! You should have stayed home where you belong, little girl."
"No..." I moaned.
"Yes! Your hero has already given up."
I lifted my head and looked at the Spirit, who felt worn and defeated. I had never seen him give up. I thought he was invincible... but that was never true, was it? He might have been an ancient spirit with no body of his own, but in the moment, I absolutely knew he was human. Just like Yugi. Just like me.
Then a strange thing happened. The negative emotions of others always overpowered me, making it impossible to feel anything else, but now I felt strength entering form deep inside me. It was not strength despite the Spirit's emotions, it was because of them. It was almost like something inside of me felt the need to make up for what he lacked. Determination swept over me as I stood up, firm in resolve. This was not over yet.
I ignored my quivering legs as I took a step closer to the Spirit. I did not know what to say to give him courage or hope. However, one question did enter my mind. A question so obvious I could not believe I had never thought to ask it yet. "What is your name?"
The Spirit's head snapped up, and he looked at me, startled. "What?"
"Your name. I never got your name." A strange peace surrounded me, making me calm and relaxed as if we were not in the Shadow Realm in the middle of a dangerous battle.
"I – I don't remember. I don't remember anything."
"Then just say the first thing that comes to mind. I need something to call you. Use your intuition."
The Spirit closed his eyes as if deep in thought. Then he opened them and said: "Yami."
The name sparked something inside me, and I smiled. "Nice to meet you, Yami. I'm Samia." I held my hand out to him. When he shook it, we felt a flicker of power pass between us.
"This is no time for introductions!" Pegasus growled.
I glanced at him. "You said you do not care if I try to help him. Just give me a minute." My fear of him had vanished. At this point, I would lose everything anyway, so why not go all out?
Pegasus narrowed his eyes. "Just hurry up." He was not pleased, but his pride prevented him from interfering.
I turned back to Yami. He really remembered nothing of his past? How lonely it must have been to be alone inside the Millennium Puzzle for thousands of years with nothing to occupy his thoughts, no memory of the past or hope for the future. And yet, here he was risking everything for people he had only recently met. And the only people who understood his existence were Yugi and me. But now it was just me.
"I'm sorry," I said. I could not articulate everything I was sorry for, and I did not see the need. My heart overflowed with compassion, and I held onto his hand to let him feel it. "You're not alone now. I'm here. I won't let you be alone ever again."
Yami may have been speechless as he stared at me, but his emotions revealed everything. I knew this was the last thing he expected me to say, but it was also what he needed. "Thank you," he finally said, dipping his head. The gratitude I felt form him made me smile. "You believe I can still win?"
I nodded. "I don't know how, but I know you will win." I paused. Now I realized what I had sensed earlier. "And I'm not the only one. Yugi's friends still believe in him – and you. Can you feel them?"
I stretched my powers past the Shadow Realm to reach Yugi's friends. I had no idea how it was possible, but I sensed them. They were purposefully sending their positive emotions to their friend. I did my best to pass this onto Yami.
"I do," he said. "Faintly. Stay close to me." His emotions calmed, and I sensed the beginning of hope.
I dropped his hand and moved to stand behind him. I wrapped my arms around him from behind, keeping our bodies pressed together. A deep emotion shuddered through us, but I had no time to reflect on it. I focused my powers on the wonderful teenagers standing outside of this dark place.
"I feel them now. They are with us. Thank you. We'll finish this together."
His warmth spread through me, and I smiled. He was back in the game. "Let's do this." I moved my head so I could see Pegasus, who was watching us with narrowed eyes.
"Are you quite through?" he scowled.
"Yes," Yami said, full of confidence once again. "I draw." He swiftly swiped a card and looked at it intensely. I focused on my connection between Yami and our friends, praying for a miracle.
"Now let's take a look!" Pegasus exclaimed. I grit my teeth as I felt the strength of his magic. The power intensified until... it was blocked. "Oh no! Impossible! Inconceivable! My Millennium Eye; it's being blocked! This can't be! My Millennium powers are totally unstoppable. I should be able to scan your every thought and strategy. I should be able to see each and every card in your deck."
His horror was so strong that I almost missed what he was reacting to. I glanced around and saw faint outlines of Joey, Tea, and Tristan standing around Yami and me – and Yugi was with them! He was unconscious, but he was still there. He was still alive! I did not know how this was happening, and I did not care. Joy bubbled up from my chest, threatening to spill out. I managed to contain it and funnel it into something that could help Yami.
"Not anymore, Pegasus," Joey said. "Not so long as we're here helping our buddy out. Get out of his mind and stay out!"
Pegasus let out a large gasp and nearly fell backward. He was absolutely stunned.
"Thank you," Yami said to the group.
"Pegasus!" Tea said. "You just don't get it!"
"You think your Eye makes all the difference," said Joey.
"But you're wrong," said Tristan. "Friends do."
"That's right," Yami said. "And thanks to them, I can save my Magician from the blast of your Bakudan detonator."
"You cannot," Pegasus said, his normal eye twitching. He seemed to be grasping at the last wisps of power. My detonator will win this duel for me despite your pathetic little friends."
"Wrong! Because now that these friends are working with me on a whole new level, this is a whole new game. Now, prepare yourself Pegasus, because Yugi's friends prevented you from seeing the cards I pull, you'll just have to take them as they come. And for this turn, they don't come any better than this!" Yami slapped down a card. Go, Mystic Box!" Three boxes stacked on top of each appeared on the field. They caused Jigen-Bakudan and the Dark Magician to switch places, freeing Yami's monster from Relinquished.
Fear began to grip Pegasus. "No! Now it's blast will only destroy Relinquished!" He glared at Yami. "No fair!" He drew a card and then ended his turn. Then Yami played Brain Control and used it to take control of Relinquished for one turn.
Pegasus was not fazed. "Go ahead and take Relinquished, you fool," he taunted. "That detonator you attached to him is set to go off this turn. It will blast your magician and deplete your life points!"
"You're wrong, Pegasus," Yami said. "Remember, I still have one more card out: the card that took the last bit of Yugi's courage to play. And now it's time to find out what it is." He flipped over the facedown card Yugi had played earlier.
"It's a ritual card!"
"Dark Magic Ritual! And to invoke it's great powers, I must make a double offering, so I offer your Jigen-Bakudan and the Dark Magician." By sacrificing Bakudan, the monster could not detonate and destroy any monster. A swirling cloud of smoke appeared as a new monster was born. "The offering has been accepted, a new power is brought forth. Now, Pegasus, behold: the Magician of Black Chaos."
Pegasus was horrorstricken, but this did not affect me. Hope and joy flowed through my body. They were going to do it. Yami and Yugi were going to win together.
"You may have succeeded in putting Yugi out of commission," said Yami, "but not before his final courageous act set the stage for the greatest magician in all of Duel Monsters. And with the Magician of Black Chaos, I will avenge my fallen friend. Face it, Pegasus, you're through. No card in your deck can save you now. Yugi's last act of courage will finish you."
Suddenly, Pegasus' emotions changed into a crazy sort of confidence. "You know, I think you're right about that Chaos Mage. I think he will bring about the end of this match, and a lot sooner than you may think."
"We'll see." Yami played a card facedown and a monster in defense.
"Be careful," I whispered. It was Pegasus' turn now, and I did not know what kind of psychotic scheme he would come up with.
Relinquished returned to Pegasus' side of the field, much to the man's delight. Pegasus then used Polymerization to fuse Relinquished and the Thousand Eyes Idol to create the Thousand Eyes Restrict. "He's quite the looker, eh?" he said with a smirk. The ugly monster was covered in many closed eyes. "If you think he's a real stunner now, we'll just wait until all one thousand of his eyes open up. Then I think that you'll find he's much more than just a pretty face. The end is truly in sight, wouldn't you say?"
"Not with my Chaos Mage protecting me," said Yami.
And us, I thought. I focused on channeling the support of Yugi's friends – and mine.
Pegasus chuckled. "Oh, I think you'll find that, once all eyes are on your Magician of Black Chaos, he won't even be able to protect himself. Oh, trust me, you'll see what I mean very shortly."
Yami remained silent as the monster's eyes slowly opened one at a time. He was cautious yet confidence. "Pegasus, you can do your worst, but this duel will be won by the card Yugi played in his final act of courage!" he declared.
"We'll see about that. Thousand Eyes Restrict, time to open your peepers!" Once all of the monster's eyes were open, it paralyzed Yami's Chaos Mage and defense monster. Instead of feeling despair, I worked even harder on my powers.
"You haven't won yet," Yami said.
"Don't be a fool. In just a matter of moments, my Thousand Eyes Restrict will assimilate your Chaos Mage, absorb his magical powers, and finish you off with one thunderous blast! There's nothing you can do. Accept it: it's all over. Yugi's last card has failed you both. His Millennium Puzzle will soon be mine."
I opened my eyes and gazed at Pegasus. "You're going to lose. I feel it." I was not as calm as before, yet I still had the sense that everything would work out for the best.
Pegasus looked at me in amusement. "Oh, really? I think your emotions are blinding your vision, little girl."
My eyes narrowed. "You're the one who can't see what's in front of you."
"I'm afraid she's right," Yami said. Just as Thousand Eyes Restrict began to pull Chaos Mage to it, the Spirit flipped over his facedown cards: Kuriboh and Multiply, a magic card. Hundreds of Kuriboh suddenly appeared, increasing by the second. "Because it's too late to call back the absorption force spell that you just cast, your Thousand Eyes Restrict has no choice but to assimilate them all... if it can."
"Take that!" I said triumphantly, smiling.
The Kuribohs covered every single one of Thousand Eyes Restrict's eyes, reducing his attack points to 300. Then the fuzz balls exploded, much to Pegasus' horror and Yami's triumph. I closed my eyes to protect them from the blast.
"Curse you, Yugi Muto!" Pegasus growled. "You and your Kuribohs!"
"Of course, Kuriboh was my monster, so I do lose 300 life points," said Yami, "but, still, that's a small price to pay for crippling that giant eyesore."
"No!"
I opened my eyes and smirked at him. "Yes! I told you!"
"And now that your monster's transfixing gaze has been broken, my Chaos Mage is free!" Yami declared. "And you, Pegasus, are through. Attack, Magician with Chaos Scepter Blast!" The Magician of Black Chaos attacked and destroyed Pegasus' monster in one final blow. "Your Thousand Eyes Restrict has been destroyed!"
"Oh no!" Pegasus cried, clutching his head in agony.
I could hardly feel his pain, however, for my focus was on Yami's surging emotions. He had done it! Pegasus' life points dwindled to zero, and now everyone whose soul had been trapped would be set free. Best of all, I could feel Yugi's spirit coming back. It was only a matter of time now. It was then I knew my grandmother had been right.
There is always a way around the impossible.
***
A/N: Whew, that was a long one. I enjoyed working on it. I hope you now understand more about Samia and what motivates her. :)