Star Chips: Yugi: 3/Joey: 2/Sarah: 3

I froze, unable to move even a muscle against the weapon that was held against me. Its cold metal surface pressed on my chest like a weight, and it took everything I had to force myself not to shake - I was well aware of the finger that was on the trigger.

"Sarah!"

I hadn't seen Téa look so worried, but then again, I've only been with her and the others for just over a week. Was she scared for my life?

Joey, on the other hand, looked as though he could punch a hole right through a brick wall. His golden eyes were blazing with anger as he stepped forward to stop the man.

"Make one wrong move and I'll blow a hole straight through the girl's lungs," said the man. His voice was cruel, as if he did not fear the consequences of killing someone. His hair was short and dark, and behind his sunglasses I could see malicious blue eyes staring right back at me.

Joey gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Tristan was doing the same. The both of them wanted to step forward and help, but they couldn't.

I would have said to them that I could handle it, but I've never faced a gun before. Back in Ancient Egypt, no one had any such weapons. Based on my knowledge from Modern Sarah, guns were frightening. All one needed to do was pull the trigger and the person that the gun was aimed at would crumple to the ground with a gaping hole on their body.

That sense of fright made my knees go weak. I could not move carelessly around the threatening man. If I was to attempt to disarm him, I would need to move expertly so that not even a moment was wasted, because a moment was all that was needed to discharge the weapon, and I had no such skill to begin with.

In such cases, I would willingly accept help. As fearless as I thought of myself, I knew there were limits to what I could do.

"You... you've brought a gun to a Duel Monsters Tournament?"Téa was utterly petrified. She could not believe her eyes, and when she spoke, her voice shook. "Don't hurt her, please!"

"Damn it, Clive, you weren't supposed to take something like that out in front of a bunch of kids," said the man holding Mokuba. The young Kaiba brother stared, wide-eyed, at the gun.

"You won't do it... right...?" Mokuba asked in a small voice. No one was moving, or willing to say anything out of line, in fear of causing the man to shoot.

The man, named Clive, clicked his tongue at his partner's comment. "Of course not," he said smoothly, replying to Mokuba's question with a dangerous smirk on his face. He moved the gun up from my collarbone and rested it in the hollow of my neck. His eyes were crazed, and I realized that he should not be holding a gun. He was enjoying this too much, and too much of this craze could make him even more willing to shoot.

"Bruce, we've got the kid now, right? Let's just go."

"You will not be going anywhere." It was the Pharaoh's voice that I heard, and before I knew it, I was being pulled away from the gun.

"What the - and what makes you say that? I have the upper hand here!"

I looked at the Pharaoh who was now holding me by the shoulders. His eyes were narrowed, and the crimson colour in them had darkened. I didn't understand why he moved me away. What could he have been thinking? It was then I noticed that he had angled himself in such a way where the gun was pointing at his shoulder instead of at my neck.

He put himself in front of the gun for my sake.

What was he doing...

"I challenge you to a duel," he said suddenly. "If I win, you have to let Mokuba go."

"What! You think we'll let him go with a duel?" Clive laughed, clearly amused at the idea.

"Clive." The other man - Bruce - shook his head. Reluctantly, Clive pulled back, and as he did, he moved the gun down as well.

"What are you thinking?" he asked.

"If this guy wants a duel, then we should give him one," replied Bruce.

Clive held his glance with Bruce's. Then his lips began to curl up. "Ah... I see," he said. The sinister smirk returned to his face. "Alright then - a duel it is!"

"But... who will Yugi duel..." asked Mokuba, a little relieved that he wasn't going to be dragged away.

"Why, that's easy. It should be a man who's been waiting for a rematch all this time."

"A rematch?" The Pharaoh looked concerned. Just what were these men planning?

"Sir, your chance for a duel has arrived!" Bruce called, turning towards the trees while keeping his grip firm on Mokuba's arm. There was a figure hiding in the shadows behind them, and as it was called, it slowly walked into the light. From the the darkness in the trees emerged a taller man with styled brown hair and blue eyes, but there were bags underneath them, and his face was sunken. He was wearing Domino High School's uniform, with the blazer buttoned up properly and his collar fixed appropriately, but he also had a Duelist's Glove on his right hand. He looked frightening - because his blue eyes were dark, and there were black lines under them. He smiled cruelly as he approached.

"Kaiba...?" The Pharaoh's eyes widened.

Mokuba stepped forward. "Big Brother...!"

However, the approaching man didn't pay attention to his brother's call, and his cold eyes were fixed on the Pharaoh. Both grew confused at his lack of emotional response.

"As you can see, he's not feeling like himself," said Clive darkly. "There was an... accident earlier today, and he happened to meet his end. But, his soul was craving for a rematch with you, Yugi, so he came back to life!"

Nothing this man was saying made any sense. What did he mean "came back to life?" Had Kaiba...?

Wait... by "accident"... did he mean...?

Mokuba's eyes widened, and I saw panic in his violet orbs from coming up with the same realization. "What are you saying...!" he cried.

"I'm saying, you little brat, that this is your brother's ghost."

"His... ghost...?" The Pharaoh's eyes widened.

"That is impossible," I said quietly, but my eyes were wide. As soon as the man approached the Pharaoh, my Locket had begun to glow and I could sense something. It was magic of some kind - and it was related to the Millennium Items. This man could not have been normal, but he wasn't a dead version of anybody. Certainly, the dead didn't come back to life.

The person chuckled darkly. "It is quite possible," he said, and his voice was cold.

"Yeah, and in this duel, you won't stand a ghost of a chance in defeating him," said Clive. "Because this time, he really is a ghost!"

"Stop it!" cried out Mokuba in desperation.

"But it's true, little Kaiba!" said Clive with a smirk. "Two witnesses watched him jump to his doom!"

The gang collectively gasped as they heard this. My stomach twisted, and I almost felt sick trying to figure out if what the men were saying was true. My Locket was telling me a different story, but the way Kaiba looked seemed as though it really was his ghost.

"Liar..." Mokuba's voice was shaking now, and his eyes began to water. "Take back what you said! My brother... he couldn't have...!"

I was going to reach out towards him, but I stopped when I felt the Pharaoh's arm shaking. His fingers were clenched into his fist, so tightly that I thought he would puncture his hand. When I looked up into his face, I noticed his narrow eyes glaring at the person before him, as though he was an evil being he'd never seen before. From seeing his various expressions back in Ancient Egypt, I could tell that he was fighting against his thoughts. He wanted to believe that it wasn't Kaiba, but at the same time, he thought that it was.

"Don't worry, Mokuba," he said, finally. He made sure to keep a level voice. He must have come up with a choice. "I am certain that this is not your brother. He is nothing but a trick from Pegasus."

He would always trust what his heart would say, no matter what. Now that the Pharaoh was also sure it wasn't Kaiba, I put more trust into what my Millennium Locket had told me: this person was not who he appeared to be. I could only imagine what Pegasus must have done with his Shadow Powers to conduct such a façade.

The Kaiba figure merely smirked and held his cold glare, not fazed in the slightest from the Pharaoh's words.

The Pharaoh's eyes then met Mokuba's, and softened. "I will win back your freedom," he said. "And we will get to the bottom of this and find your brother." Mokuba slowly nodded, trying to be strong the entire time. His eyes were still wet with tears, but he held them back. I was surprised at his strength, but I was glad for it too. Both he and the Pharaoh walked to their respective platforms on the arena and started it up.

"What's the matter, Yugi?" Ghost Kaiba smirked wickedly. "You look as though you've seen a ghost."

The Pharaoh was shuffling his deck of cards while watching his opponent do the same. He stopped midway at Ghost Kaiba's words and glared at him, his crimson eyes dark. "That's enough," he said.

I've been with the Pharaoh long enough to notice the emotions he may or may not display. His opponent's presence clearly agitated him, but there was guilt underlying that, and I was not entirely sure why that might have been. Did he, perhaps, feel responsible for what had happened during his previous duel against Kaiba? What could have possibly occurred for such extremes to be reached?

"This is the person Yugi dueled before coming to this island?" I asked.

Joey was still visibly disturbed by the appearance of a ghost. "Yeah..." he said steadily. "Or... um..."

This whole situation was unsettling. Nobody wanted to believe that someone they knew died and came back as a revenge-seeking ghost, especially that person's younger brother. Speaking of Mokuba, he was still held captive in Bruce's grasp. I would have already fought the two men off myself in order to get him back, but the fact that one of them had a gun was what stopped me. I didn't want to risk it. I couldn't.

All we could do was wait for the Pharaoh to win this duel.

"You know, Yugi." Ghost Kaiba's voice broke through the tense air like a knife. "I've been waiting for this since the moment I jumped from the window."

The Pharaoh's eyes widened slightly, but he tried his hardest not to give his opponent any satisfaction. He didn't say anything either, even though I knew that he wanted to. He kept his focus on drawing the first hand of the game. His brows had now furrowed forward.

"There's nothing more I wish for now than the sweet victory of revenge. I had everything, but when you beat me, I had nothing! Even my life left me."

The last few words seemed to trigger something in the Pharaoh. The guilt he was bearing disappeared almost completely, and his crimson eyes blazed with anger. "Stop your pretentious lies!" he cried out. "You are an imposter, one who has nothing but words to lend!"

"You think I won't win in my own duel? Please." The dark Kaiba figure chortled. "Clive! Tell Pegasus that once I win this duel, he can have all of Kaiba Corp.! All I want is payback."

Clive smirked. "It'd be my pleasure, sir," he said snidely. Then he looked over to me, where he could conceitedly display his triumphant gaze. I glared back at him.

"Beat this faker, Yugi!" said Mokuba. The young Kaiba seemed to have thrown away any doubts that he had about his older brother over his shoulder.

"I am Kaiba!" shouted the imposter grandiosely. "And I will show you! I have my cards to duel with, after all!"

"If this crazy look-alike is saying what I think he's saying..." started Joey. "... Then he's got three Blue-Eyes White Dragons in his deck too!"

"That's impossible, man," said Tristan. "Only four Blue-Eyes White Dragon cards were ever made in the whole game. Kaiba had all of them. Well... three of them in his deck, anyways."

I wanted to ask about the fourth card, but Tristan's suddenly grave expression made me hold back.

"There's no way this guy has Kaiba's cards," Téa said confidently. "If he did... that would mean... that he really..."

At this point, it really could go either way. But then another thought poked its way through our discussion.

"The imposter could have stolen Kaiba's deck," I suggested. I didn't know the whole story just yet, but I still wished to provide input. After all, there were still many questions that needed to be answered, so why not consider all possibilities?

The others looked a little more relieved with what I had thought. "Yeah, that could have happened too," said Joey. "Gosh, I... really hope so..."

"Don't worry, Yugi will win. He defeated all three Blue-Eyes White Dragons once before, so he can do it again," said Tristan.

I blinked. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon was a strong monster, and having three in one's possession would make one unstoppable. How in Ra's name was Yugi able to defeat all three? What did he and the Pharaoh do?

Suddenly, the Kaiba look-alike laughed. "But this time, he doesn't have Exodia the Forbidden One," he stated cold-heartedly.

Tristan paled. My eyes widened. Of course... Exodia! But... thanks to Weevil, its pieces are scattered in the ocean!

The Pharaoh didn't seem fazed. Knowing him, he would come up with another strategy to defeat the beasts - if he was even forced to confront them during the match.

"Let us start the duel," he said straightforwardly.

"I wager three Star Chips that I'll win," said Ghost Kaiba. The Pharaoh glared.

"Fine then!" he said. "That means I'll have a total of six when the duel is done!"

Both duelists held up their five cards, and the Life Point counters were set, ringing in the automatic hologram projectors.

I looked up at the Pharaoh. "Please, be careful," I whispered hopefully. I wished with all my heart that the man my Pharaoh was facing truly was a fake, and just a trick made by Pegasus. For Mokuba's sake, for the Pharaoh's sake, and for Kaiba's own sake. I hoped that the man everyone knew was still alive.

LP: Yugi: 2000/Ghost Kaiba: 2000

"I'll start things off," said Ghost Kaiba. "You may remember him from our last encounter - Hitotsu-Me Giant!"

A towering green giant materialized onto the field, its one eye bulging in the middle of its forehead. It produced a deafening roar, showing us its two rows of razor sharp teeth. I thought that the frightening beast would be powerful, but it only had 1200 Attack Points. I thought that the Pharaoh could easily defeat it.

But he wasn't thinking about the attack power at the moment. Something else had taken his attention.

"Kaiba played the same card at the beginning of our last duel," I heard him say. His eyes were focused on the monster, dissecting it, as if wondering where it could have possibly come from.

Mokuba's eyes widened. "My brother... has the same card in his deck..." he said.

"Don't worry 'bout it!" said Joey, trying to be more positive about the situation. "Any old deck could have that card - it's a well known monster!"

"Besides, I have defeated it once before. I can do it again." The Pharaoh summoned a monster. "Dark Magician! Use Dark Magic Attack!"

From within a storm of pixels, the majestic Dark Magician appeared on the field. With the order of attack given, he pointed his shining staff at the green giant and blasted him with a large ball of black energy. The giant dispersed.

LP: Yugi: 2000/Ghost Kaiba: 0700

"Yugi just blew away a huge chunk of this imposter's Life Points!" said Tristan, his face lighting up as he watched.

"You're as strong as ever, Yugi," said Ghost Kaiba. Then he laughed, as though losing so many points didn't faze him. It didn't bode well for the Pharaoh, and I felt my heart sink.

"You may think you have the same chances of winning as last time, but you don't. In our last duel, you barely made it out in the first place; you somehow pulled your trump card - orcards, I should say - at the last second and destroyed me. This time, you don't even have that. This time... you have no chances of winning!"

"I will find a way to defeat you!" said the Pharaoh with determination in his eyes. "Although Exodia is no longer in my deck, there are plenty of other ways to win!"

"Then I hope you've thought of some strategies." Ghost Kaiba's voice turned maliciously cold, it sent shivers up my spine. Even the Pharaoh seemed to sense that something was wrong. The smirk on his face was devilish. "Because this monster is a blast from the past! Emphasis on the "blast"!

"I summon the Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

Over everyone's shocked gasps, the distant roar of a dragon deafened our ears. From within a hurricane of pixels materialized a towering white dragon with huge wings and intense, blue eyes. I felt my heart race at the familiar sight of it, possibly from having seen it before somewhere like the other monsters that I know, but I was aware that I didn't feel tense just from its recollection. With the Blue-Eyes White Dragon in this man's possession, it could mean one of two things: either he stole Kaiba's deck to impersonate him... or... somehow, Kaiba really did come back as a ghost. I've heard stories about souls remaining on this earth if they died with emotional trauma, but I wasn't sure if it could have happened here.

"No... only my brother has that card!" cried Mokuba. "Does... does that mean that... he really...?"

"Mokuba!" I called, unable to contain my own feelings. I couldn't let him think this... it could be too much for him!

"Sarah, it's alright," said the ghost. I watched his soulless eyes wander my face, trying to intimidate me, but I stood my ground. "I realize that at the beginning it may have been difficult to comprehend, but now that the evidence is before you, even you must be thinking it to be true now."

"No..." I heard Téa say softly, hoping that what she was seeing was just a trick. Everyone's hopes were falling. They were beginning to think that Kaiba really did die.

"If you apologize now, I might accept it." Ghost Kaiba laughed.

Tears fell from Mokuba's eyes. "Please... stop this..." he begged. "Please, Yugi... make him go away...!"

"Aw, almost breaks my heart," said Ghost Kaiba mockingly. "If I had one."

My heart wrenched. I wanted to comfort Mokuba more than anything, but that idiot Clive was right next to him with his gun still in hand. I couldn't jeopardize his safety.

"Bastard..." The Pharaoh seethed. "Enough of you careless banter! Do not hurt Mokuba anymore. I will make you pay for what you have done!"

Ghost Kaiba laughed once more, showing us just how much he didn't care for our concerns.

I watched him look at his cards, anxiously searching for a way to defend himself against the great beast before him while still trying to remain composed. My fists clenched. His Dark Magician won't be able to hold up against the dragon.

Please... come up with something soon...

Suddenly, Ghost Kaiba's next words threw us off.

"I'm not going to attack right away," he said. Then he slipped a card onto his dueling mat. "I'll play this card faced down and end my turn."

We exchanged glances with one another, dumbfounded as to why such a revenge-driven person would give up the chance to take a portion out of his target's life points.

"Why would he do that..." wondered Joey.

"There's something wrong," I said, thinking of ideas that Ghost Kaiba could possibly have. "There's no way he wouldn't attack unless..."

The Pharaoh drew his next card. "I see," he said simply. "Then I switch Dark Magician to Defence Mode. I also summon Curse of Dragon in Defence Mode." I could tell by the look in his eye that he wasn't too comfortable with this situation either. It just seemed off. His eyes moved from his monsters, to the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, to the face down card Ghost Kaiba placed. He was trying to think of possible plays as well.

Ghost Kaiba must have known that this was what the Pharaoh would do if he didn't attack. The Pharaoh would have wanted to save his Life Points from any damage, so it was only natural that he switch his monsters to Defence Mode.

If he knew this, then that could only mean that he has something planned against it.

My eyes widened. I could think of a couple of things that Ghost Kaiba could play to win the round. Memories of strategies that I had thought about from my time back in the States surfaced before my eyes.

"Yugi! It's a trap!"

"Too little, too late!" Ghost Kaiba activated the face down card that he had, and just as I thought, it was a magic card that stopped monsters from defending.

"I activate Stop Defence! This card forces your monsters into Attack Mode! Ahaha! You played right into my hands!"

Both the Dark Magician and Curse of Dragon moved into attack position on their own. The Pharaoh clenched his teeth. I heard him curse under his breath.

"Damn it..."

"As you may be aware, as long as this card is on the field, your monsters cannot go into Defence Mode." Ghost Kaiba clapped, amused at how things worked out in his favour. "I cannot believe you fell for that one. It seems you really did have beginner's luck during our last duel!"

"You're wrong!" I said, stepping forward. Everyone's eyes fell on me. "Yugi will win this duel! He is not lucky, he is talented! And fearless!"

"I will show him the true meaning of fear," said Ghost Kaiba. "I will force him to face all three of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons until he crumbles! Blue-Eyes, attack Curse of Dragon!"

The beautiful dragon produced a ball of light within its jaws, and then blasted a bright beam at the Pharaoh's dragon monster. It shattered upon impact, and dented the Pharaoh's Life Points.

LP: Yugi: 1000/Ghost Kaiba: 0700

"Yugi!" cried Tristan. "Damn it, he can't lose!"

"He won't... he can't," said Téa, her voice shaking a bit. "If he loses this duel, he's out of the tournament, and he needs to save his grandpa!"

"Don't worry, you guys," said Joey. "He can get through this. Yugi's smart! He'll come up with a way to beat Kaiba's Blue-Eyes White Dragon."

"You mean my Blue-Eyes White Dragon." Ghost Kaiba laughed maniacally at his own repetitive joke.

"Stop it!" Tears fell down Mokuba's cheeks. "You're not my brother! I know that everyone thinks he's a mean guy, but I know who he really is! He would never do this! That isn't him! You just have to believe me, please...!"

"... I believe you, Mokuba," said the Pharaoh. "I had a feeling that this person wasn't your brother, and I still believe so. Even now, when you are so much more sure."

I see... so perhaps the Pharaoh sensed something too. Ghost Kaiba was not the real Kaiba.

The person before us, who was dueling the Pharaoh, was not a real person. He may not be a ghost, because if it was, my Locket would not have glowed. This man was definitely an apparition produced by a Millennium Item, and the only person that came to mind who would benefit from Yugi's loss would be Pegasus. He must have put this person together. Somehow.

The Pharaoh turned towards his opponent. "This duel is not over just yet," he said. "I play Magical Hats!"

Four large top hats dropped from the roof of the projection field. One concealed the Dark Magician, and then shuffled within the other three. Now only the Pharaoh knows where his monster was hiding.

"Hah! You plan to hide?" mocked the Kaiba lookalike.

"It's just a simple spell, nothing more and nothing less," said the Pharaoh, crossing his arms. "My magician is hiding underneath one of these hats, so you have a twenty-five-percent chance of finding him. But choose wisely - you never know what else could be under them."

I blinked.

"Hmph, your little parlour trick doesn't scare me," said Ghost Kaiba. "I will destroy your Dark Magician. Blue-Eyes! Attack the hat on the far left!"

The giant dragon blasted the top hat to shreds, and when the smoke cleared, there was nothing inside.

"Damn it!" Ghost Kaiba slammed his fist against the dueling mat while the rest of the gang and I cheered.

"Way to go, Yugi!" yelled Joey with a wide grin on his face. It was a much better look than the sad frown he had on earlier.

The Pharaoh drew a new card for his next turn. "You guessed wrong this time," he said with a small smirk. "Guess wrong again, and it will cost you."

We watched him play a face down card.

The Pharaoh has played a trap card and hidden it within one of the hats on his field.

"Yugi's taking a huge chance here," said Tristan.

"Yeah, but there's more of a chance that the freaky ghost will attack a hat other than the one that's hiding the Dark Magician," said Téa. "And it'll be empty or the one with a trap."

The more I thought about it, the more brilliant the idea seemed, but something was now bothering me. If Kaiba's deck was really stolen, then all three Blue-Eyes White Dragons will be in it. If the Pharaoh defeats the one on the field, he will still have two more to deal with.

I hope he doesn't have them in his hand right now, I thought anxiously. If Ghost Kaiba did have them both in his hand, then he could play another one right after the Pharaoh defeats the one on the field.

I held my breath when it became the ghost's turn once more.

"How about you try again?" asked the Pharaoh. His ghostly opponent did not seem pleased with how things were being drawn out.

"I will defeat you eventually," said Ghost Kaiba with a small shrug. The smug look on his face didn't falter at all. "Blue-Eyes, attack the middle hat!"

Once more, the great dragon opened its jaws and blasted one of the Pharaoh's hats away. Once the smoke began to lift, a faint spark could be seen from within it.

The Pharaoh smirked.

"You've activated... my trap!"

"No! I chose the wrong one again!"

"Choosing the wrong hat will be the least of your worries! You're caught within my Spellbinding Circle! This trap card reduces the attacking monster's total attack power by 700 points!"

The Spellbinding Circle disappeared from the Pharaoh's field and reappeared around the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, trapping it within its magic. The great beast reared its head back as the circle crackled, and its Attack Points dropped to 2300. It was now within range of the Dark Magician.

"If I do not have a monster strong enough to defeat your Blue-Eyes, then reducing its overall attack strength will give me the upper hand." The Pharaoh revealed his Dark Magician from within the hat on the right. "He's no match for my magician now.

"Dark Magic Attack!"

The Dark Magician flew towards the weakened dragon and blasted it with an attack of its own. Blue-Eyes shattered upon impact, as easily as though it were made of glass.

LP: Yugi: 1000/Ghost Kaiba: 0500

"Yes! Way to go, Yugi!" cheered Mokuba. The others beside me also hooted with enthusiasm. Defeating a dragon of that strength was quite difficult, and the Pharaoh managed to do it without Exodia.

Even though he knew that he had the advantage this round, the Pharaoh did not seem all too convinced. He did show the others his confident smile, but I could see beneath it. He was worried, probably because of the same reason as I was worried. His opponent could summon another dragon any moment.

"That's our man!" said Joey, pumping his fist.

"I was so anxious..." said Téa, who sighed with relief.

Tristan smiled. "If he can beat one, he can beat them all!"

"You wish." Ghost Kaiba's voice stopped us. The troubled feeling in my chest burned. I turned towards the Pharaoh, whose smile was now gone like the wind.

Suddenly, a Blue-Eyes White Dragon materialized onto the field, and with one blast of its lightning, the Dark Magician fractured into pixels, and the Pharaoh's Life Points fell once more. Everyone looked on with despair and grew quite, the shock of the reality we're facing hit us like a ton of bricks. It was understood that the Pharaoh would have to deal with the other Blue-Eyes White Dragons, but it didn't occur to them that he would have to face them so soon. I had grown up being quite wary of the things around me, so I was always careful, and since the Pharaoh was the one dueling, he was already on standing on his toes.

But knowing that more of the dragons could be summoned quickly didn't help.

LP: Yugi: 0500/Ghost Kaiba: 0500

"And there goes your Dark Magician," said the Kaiba lookalike coldly. He harboured a look of triumph on his face, and his steely blue eyes were darker than before. My nails dug into the palms of my hands from frustration. Even the Pharaoh would have a hard time winning against such strong beasts, because they were just downright powerful. At 3000 Attack Points each, one would need a rare monster card to even match their strength. For the Pharaoh to be able to defeat even one on his current circumstances was incredible.

Now he needed more time to come up with another brilliant strategy, but he wasn't going to get it, because he was forced to face a second dragon almost instantly.

"All the Blue-Eyes White Dragons ever created in the game are all in my deck," said Ghost Kaiba, laughing maniacally at the Pharaoh's discouraged expression. "You're faced with three times the trouble, Yugi, as you should remember since you've faced off against them before, of course. Ah, but if I had the fourth one that I ripped apart, then it would have been fourtimes the trouble. But how could I have possibly known that if I wasn't Kaiba?"

Everyone was quiet for a moment, and all we could hear was the hum of the arena. Then Mokuba spoke out.

"Everyone heard about your duel with my brother; it's not a secret anymore!" He struggled to take a determined step forward with Bruce manhandling him roughly. I felt like ripping his hand off of Mokuba's arm. "That's how he knows about it! He's not my brother, Yugi! I'm sure of it!"

Mokuba's bond with his older brother was incredibly strong. For a young child to believe in his sibling so strongly was the result of years of being close to one another. Mokaba loved his brother with all his heart, and he tried his best to convince us that he wasn't how he used to be.

"He's not... he's not like that... anymore..."

The Pharaoh listened intently to Mokuba's words. "Trust me, Mokuba," he said again, and when the young boy looked up to him with his tear streaked face, he smiled warmly. Mokuba's eyes widened.

"Yugi really doesn't think that this guy is Kaiba," said Joey gently. The lines of distraught I had seen on his face at the beginning of the duel were all gone now. He believed his friend's intuition.

"No matter what he said in persuading us that he is the real Kaiba, Yugi hasn't faltered," added Téa.

"It really doesn't matter at this point," said Tristan, speaking the truth that we all couldn't deny. "Yugi's gotta face two more of those dragons now. If he doesn't come up with something soon, he's done for!"

"With Stop Defence in play, Yugi, unfortunately, has only one thing he can do with his newly summoned monster," I said. "He must summon it to the field in Attack Mode."

"Gosh... I hope he can come up with some sort of magic card or trap card in his next round that can do what his last card did..." whispered Joey.

We held our breaths as the Pharaoh drew his next card, but our hearts fell at the sight of his darkened eyes. He did not draw something similar to the Spellbinding Circle. I could feel the burning in my chest increase, and everyone growing weary at the overall realization. The Pharaoh searched through the cards in his hands, choosing something that he could still play instead of admitting defeat right away.

"I summon Feral Imp in Attack Mode!" said the Pharaoh, and as he did, a green fiend-type monster appeared onto the field. I forced myself to swallow the lump in my throat when I saw the strength of the Pharaoh's monster.

Feral Imp had 13oo Attack Points.

With one attack from Blue-Eyes White Dragon, the Pharaoh will lose.

He wasn't able to do anything else.

And I couldn't do anything to help him.

Ghost Kaiba first chuckled, hiding his mouth behind his hand. Then he burst into mad laughter, sending our hearts further into anguish. The Pharaoh's eyebrows furrowed forward. He didn't wish to accept defeat, but he couldn't play anything else.

We felt so disconcerted that we couldn't say anything.

"Absolutely brilliant!" said the ghost, his wicked smirk now plastered onto his face. "So this is your last attempt? How futile. It looks like this is the end of the duel!"

"Yugi!" cried Téa, but nothing we could have said would help. I didn't wish to believe it, but the possibility was weighing down on me like a block of limestone:

The Pharaoh might lose.

I suddenly couldn't help but wonder how absolutely unfair this whole situation had become. The reason why the Pharaoh was stuck playing in this duel against a ghost was because Pegasus wanted him in the palm of his hand. He wanted Kaiba Corp. given to him on a silver platter by the executive committee once Yugi was defeated. All Yugi wished to do was get his grandfather back. Now he may lose before he even got the chance to.

This wasn't fair.

No... My nails dug into my hands so hard, I thought they would start to bleed. I mustn't give up on him!

The Pharaoh didn't admit defeat just yet, so I had no right to.

Please, gods... don't let Yugi lose his grandfather...!

"Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Attack Yugi's monster, and finish him!"

Kaiba's prized dragon opened its wide jaws and began gathering white lightning between its sharp teeth. It reeled back, increasing the force it could use during its attack. The light grew blinding, until the others needed to hide their eyes from its intensity. Their voices rang out for their friend.

When I looked towards the Pharaoh, his eyes were no longer squinting at the light from between his arms. Instead they were wide, looking down at the dueling screen, and his lips moved to say one word: a name.

I heard it as clearly as though he was speaking right next to us.

"Kaiba...!"

Suddenly, the light died down, and was followed by the flickering of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon hologram. A counter showed up above its head, and we watched with utter confusion as the great beast's Attack Points began to rapidly decrease.

"What the..." Joey's mouth fell wide open, voicing everyone's thoughts.

"Why isn't my Blue-Eyes attacking?" yelled the ghost, outraged. As if the flickering hologram wasn't strange enough, the dragon began to melt. Its scales slowly liquefied and dripped onto the dueling field in thick pools of grey and white sludge. Téa made a gagging noise beside me.

"What..." She covered her mouth, confused and shocked about what was going on.

I shook my head, just as bewildered. "I have never seen something like this before..." I said. "It... it looks like something's wrong with the computer system..."

"That's impossible..." said Mokuba. His violet eyes were wide. "My brother perfected his system! This is not an accident!"

"That's right," said the Pharaoh, catching everyone's attention. He stood confidently on his platform, and he was smirking. It was finally Ghost Kaiba's turn to glare back at his opponent.

"This is the real Kaiba's doing."

"The real Kaiba is dead!" shouted the ghost, slamming his fist against the dueling console. "And I am his ghost!"

"No." The Pharaoh crossed his arms, refusing to back down. "The real Seto Kaiba has taken his stance, and that is how your monster has been reduced to this."

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon was now completely unrecognizable. Its flesh plopped onto the field in great chunks, leaving nothing but the bones behind. Its skeleton rattled dangerously before snapping apart into pieces and falling into a dusty heap.

"This is him reclaiming his rightful name as Kaiba!"

"No!" The ghost - or should I now say "imposter" - grabbed at his hair. "This can't be happening!"

"My brother really is alive..." Mokuba's eyes welled up with tears once more, but this time, they were tears of joy. This was an added layer to his belief, knowing more than just from his heart that his brother was alright. The others' stood with gaping expressions.

"You mean he was hiding behind his computer the whole time?" cried Joey. He might have wanted to show that he was angry at Kaiba for hiding, but he seemed more relieved than upset. The others were just as glad that Kaiba might really be alive after all.

"Hey, he came back and helped Yugi after everything that happened!" said Tristan.

"He's realized what Yugi was trying to tell him that time..." said Téa. She was smiling up at the Pharaoh, happy that he was safe for another round of the duel. Maybe this is the round he could make a comeback.

I realized that I did not know the specifics of Yugi's duel against Kaiba before the tournament, but I got the feeling that something bad must have happened between them. The ghost mentioned something about ripping the fourth Blue-Eyes in half, which surprised me at the time as I wondered why someone would rip a rare card in the first place and not just use it in his own arsenal of monsters. Mokuba also continued to stand by his brother's side, always saying that he wasn't the same anymore, that he's changed since then. It sounded like Yugi was the one who changed Kaiba by telling him something important.

It wasn't my place to know, but I was definitely curious. Perhaps I could ask about what happened after this was all over. The Pharaoh still had one more Blue-Eyes to deal with, even after the miraculous destruction of the second one. Thanks to the programming Kaiba must have done, this dragon was now out of commission and would be sent to the Graveyard. Feral Imp remained unharmed, as well as the Pharaoh's Life Points.

Speaking of the Pharaoh, he seemed more confident after knowing that the person before him really did turn out to be an imposter, and that the real Seto Kaiba was alive and well. He must have sensed his presence somehow, but I wondered how. This person must have been important for the Pharaoh to have such a strong bond, for only a strong bond could develop the ability to sense one another.

Could... it be him...? But lots of people could have the same name... I won't know until I see his face...

I didn't recognize the ghost pretending to be Kaiba, because his facial features were dark and dreary, but if what I was thinking was true... then I would be able to confirm what I thought once I saw the real Kaiba.

For now, all I could hope for was for Kaiba to remain on our side. He seemed to be a formidable asset, and could very well tangle with us again.

The Pharaoh's voice broke through the confusion.

"Now that we know for sure that you are not Kaiba, it's time to drop your charade. Show us who you really are!"

The ghost seemed to have lost his composure. His wide eyes darted back and forth between Bruce and Clive, who were just as troubled about the whole situation. The gun in Clive's hand was now pointing towards the ground instead of at Mokuba. That could only mean that his hand had gone slack at the shock of what happened. Maybe I could knock it out of his hand and save Mokuba. He was still far away, it'd be tough to catch him off-guard.

The ghost began to sweat nervously when he didn't get an answer he expected from the two suits. He ran his fingers through his hair to keep it from sticking to his face, but he ended up grabbing it. "I am Kaiba..." he fumed, gritting his teeth together. Then his face broke into an impish grin, and he bent backwards, yelling to the skies.

"I am Kaiba! At least... the darkest part of his soul, that is...!"

Suddenly, his uniform burst at the seams, first his arms and then his torso. From within the mess of torn cloth emerged a dark cloak, heavy and refined. It draped the now-heavy ghost like Dracula's cloak from the 19th century, but it was more purple than black, and it pointed up at the shoulders. The ghost's head bubbled and bulged, until it morphed into a clown's with pink hair spiking out above its ears. His wide grin was mischievous.

The ghost look-alike had turned into a dark clown.

"Oh, god..." said Joey, grossed out.

"What is it..." Téa scrunched up her nose.

"I have already told you, my dear." The clown's voice was squeaky when he spoke. "I am a part of Kaiba - a dark part. One could also say that because of this, I was banished to the Shadow Realm..."

"You..." The Pharaoh narrowed his eyes. He seemed to know what this clown was talking about. The others were confused.

"What does he mean?" asked Tristan.

"Well... now that I think about it... during his duel against Kaiba I felt something weird happen, but I thought it was just my imagination." Joey scratched his head, now thinking back to the first duel where this all started. "There was this weird... force and suddenly Kaiba looked different. He looked less angry and more... aware. I just thought he finally understood what Yugi was trying to tell him, about the Heart of the Cards..."

I stared at the blond.

Did... the Pharaoh unknowingly use his power? Perhaps it came as an instinct to him and he cleansed Kaiba of the darkness in his heart...

The clown said that he was sent to the Shadow Realm... My eyes fell onto the mischievous troublemaker who was now making faces at the Pharaoh, while the stoic man himself did not look impressed. A troubled feeling began to boil in my chest again.

Pegasus must have brought him back somehow, to defeat Yugi in a duel... but how in the world could he have done such a thing...?

"So you're saying that the dark side of Kaiba was banished and now he's back?" said Téa, simplifying it. I wanted to add the details, but then they would wonder how I would have come to know about it.

"It... certainly looks like that's what happened..." Tristan shook his head and looked away from the clown. "It looks ugly enough to be the dark side of something..."

"And thanks to Pegasus, I'm back!" said the clown, chortling as he held his belly. "It's like I never left, no?"

"I agree with my friend," said the Pharaoh. "You are the ugliest thing I have ever seen. I'm tempted to call you "monster", but that would insult the cards."

The clown's eye began to twitch.

"That's it, Yugi! Make a comeback!" cheered Téa.

"He's got another chance!" said Tristan, pumping his fist.

Hope was restored with Kaiba's help.

Wherever you are... Seto Kaiba... thank you for helping the Pharaoh and Yugi...

The Pharaoh drew the next card from his deck, and left his turn with Feral Imp in Attack Mode. He must not have drawn something he could use again, but there was less pressure on his shoulders from his last turn.

"It's your move!" he said to the clown. "Unless you have the third Blue-Eyes in your hand - which I highly doubt because there is such a slim chance of that happening - you have a whole deck to go through before you can draw it. So let's see what you can do now!"

"With pleasure. I would love to defeat you, Yugi!" The clown drew his next card. He had a nasty grin on his face, like he was up to no good and was always scheming something. "Hmm, but I think for now I will play Grappler in Defence Mode, because I can play this card in Defence Mode, of course. That's all."

How arrogant! I seethed. He is just waiting for the third Blue-Eyes!

An indigo snake with buff arms and legs, wearing orange elbow and shoulder pads emerged onto the clown's side of the field. It had 1200 Defence Points, less than the number of Attack Points Feral Imp has. The Pharaoh could easily order an attack on the clown's monster because his own monster was already stuck in Attack Mode.

"Running now, are you?" said the Pharaoh as he drew his newest card. The clown didn't say anything, but simply regarded the Pharaoh with that sly smirk still on his face. "For my turn, I place one card facedown and summon Celtic Guardian."

A warrior elf monster appeared onto the field, wielding a double-edged sword. He had 1400 Attack Points, and could also defeat the clown's Grappler. In fact, the Pharaoh did just that.

"Attack!"

With one grand swipe of his sword, Celtic Guardian slashed Grappler in half, dissipating it back into its pixelated components. Of course, the clown's Life Points remained untouched. He just sacrificed the monster.

"I was rather fond of that monster," said the clown. He wasn't even trying to hide his overconfidence. "Oh well, time for another turn."

The Pharaoh did not comment, knowing that that was what the clown wanted - he was trying to make the Pharaoh lose his composure, but it would take a lot more than a troubling duel to make this man agitated. Afterall, he was the strongest man in Ancient Egypt during the time of his rule, so this duel with its twists and turns was nothing.

Even though each turn was still risky for the Pharaoh, he continued to press on, making the best possible decisions that he could. He needed a solid play - something that would completely rattle the clown, and I got the feeling he was building up a strategy with the facedown card.

"I will place a card facedown too, but I will also summon Mystic Horseman in Defence Mode. Try and get past him!"

A half man, half horse hybrid - a centaur - materialized onto the field wielding a small scythe with a wooden handle and a silver blade. He had 1550 Defence Points, more than what both of the Pharaoh's monsters have as Attack Points. He may need to summon another monster if he wished to destroy this beast.

The card that was placed facedown was of worry; it could be a magic card or a trap.

"Come ooooon, Yugi, you can do this," said Joey as he watched the duel intently.

The Pharaoh drew his next card. He didn't seem as worried about the face down card as I thought he would have been. Perhaps he has come up with a plan after all?

"I summon Mystical Elf in Attack Mode," he said. A beautiful elf rose up from the field on his left. She wore a long, green dress that went well with her long, blonde hair. Her eyes were closed and her hands were held together, as if in prayer. Her lips moved almost silently, singing a song in elvish tongue.

"Using the spell card called Book of Secret Arts, her Attack and Defence Points will be raised by 300 points!"

A hologram of the leather-bound book appeared above the elf's pointy ears. It opened up to reveal old and dusty pages, filled with knowledge and wisdom of ancient past. A shower of rainbow-coloured pixels rained down upon the Mystical Elf, and her Attack Points increased to 1100 while her Defence Points increased to 2300.

"I will place one more facedown card and then end my turn." He couldn't attack, which means the clown will have his Mystic Horseman on his field for another turn.

"Brace yourself, for this duel will be ending soon as well!" The clown cackled and drew his next card.

"This guy is just insane," said Tristan. "I hope Yugi can win this duel soon."

"Don't even worry about it," said Joey with a wide grin on his face. "Kaiba helped Yugi out before, and if that creep summons a third Blue-Eyes, then he'll help him out again - I just know it."

"How ironic would it be, then, if I summoned the third Blue-Eyes White Dragon right now but your dear friend Kaiba would be unable to help you?" said the clown.

I felt the blood drain from my face.

The Pharaoh's eyes widened. "You couldn't have..."

"Oh, but I did! I have drawn the third Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

The clown's maniacal laughter rang through the clearing as he summoned the third beast in his collection. A new Blue-Eyes White Dragon, fresh and ready to go, appeared onto his field, roaring magnificently as it stretched its wings. It stared down all three of the Pharaoh's monsters.

"As it turns out, Kaiba was just fished from his little hideout!" said Clive, twirling the gun in his hand while he removed his other hand from his earpiece. He must have just spoken with someone. Mokuba's eyes widened. "It looks like he got away, but he won't be helping you lot anytime soon!"

"Big brother..."

"No, if his attack goes through, Yugi will lose the duel!" cried Téa.

We were in the same situation again, but this time, the Pharaoh didn't have just his monsters on the field. I felt more confident than the last time the Pharaoh had to face off against the dragon, because he had his own tricks up his sleeves now.

Kaiba has helped pull the Pharaoh and Yugi out of trouble, and now they are able to make their own comeback.

"Stare into the eyes of defeat, Yugi!" said the clown. "I will win, once and for all! Attack, Blue-Eyes, and end this!"

The giant dragon readied his attack, but the Pharaoh activated his surprise.

"Your dragon's attack has triggered my trap card!" One of the facedown cards flipped up and a transparent mirror shielded the Pharaoh's monsters.

"Hey... you guys know what that is, right?" asked Joey with a wide smile on his face.

"His strongest trap," said Tristan, also grinning.

Téa's ocean blue eyes emptied of worry and filled with excitement.

"Mirror Force!" said the Pharaoh.

"No!" The clown cried with dismay as he watched his dragon attack the shield. The white beam of light bounced back and hurtled towards the Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"I'm done for!"

The clown activated his face down card and the white beam disintegrated before it even reached the dragon.

I stared at the dragon standing there unharmed. The others were just as speechless as I was.

The clown smirked, and it was then we realized that he was acting this whole time. "I just played Negate Attack," he said. "This handy card negates any attack thrown at me, even if it's one of my own."

"So you were prepared, just in case," said the Pharaoh, crossing his arms. I was surprised to see that he wasn't the least bit fazed about his attack being neutralized. The clown faltered, but not enough to give in.

"Facedown cards are tricks, after all," he said.

"Indeed," said the Pharaoh. "They can be tricks or they can be strategies. I made you use the facedown card that you placed."

"You... what?"

"This way, I can play this face down card without any worries."

The Pharaoh activated his second card.

"I play Monster Reborn!"

The clown suddenly seemed concerned, and we all knew why.

"No... that lets you...!"

Tha Pharaoh could summon any monster from the Graveyard. Any monster from either graveyard.

Everyone's eyes lit up once more.

"He's gonna win," said Joey. He didn't even seem worried anymore. Other than the sudden shock of seeing Mirror Force negated, Yugi's friends knew that from his newest play, and the fact that their friend was so confident, he was going to win. The worst was over - and now with Monster Reborn, the Pharaoh was finally going to put an end to this, once and for all.

He beat all three Blue-Eyes White Dragons without Exodia, but with the help of Kaiba.

"Go, Yugi!" cheered Mokuba.

"You know what monster I'm going to summon," said the Pharaoh. When the clown scowled in response, the Pharaoh continued.

"I summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

A second Blue-Eyes appeared on the field, but this time, on the Pharaoh's side. It mirrored its twin in a staring contest, the both of them growling under their breaths. They matched in everything: colour, height, and size.

Even attack strength.

"How do you have the advantage when both our dragons have the same number of Attack Points?" asked the clown, not ready to completely give up just yet, although he was beginning to sweat now under the pressure. He also knew, that the Pharaoh would not have summoned the Blue-Eyes from the Graveyard without knowing that the attack strength of both would be the same.

"Haven't you noticed my Mystical Elf casting a spell this entire time?" asked the Pharaoh. It was then the clown's face finally fell, for he realized what she had been murmuring this entire time. "Her effect allows me transfer her attack power to another monster on my field - and of course, I choose to lend her power to my Blue-Eyes."

The Mystical Elf spread her arms and opened her eyes, revealing beautiful blue orbs, like Téa's, but more animated. A soft glow embraced her, and then it moved over to the Blue-Eyes White Dragon. The beast's Attack Points soared to an incredible 4100.

He has definitely won.

"Instead of lowering the attack power of your Blue-Eyes, as Kaiba did, I will be increasing the attack power of my Blue-Eyes."

"No! That means... that means...!" The clown slowly backed up into the railing on his platform.

"Consider this a message from the real Seto Kaiba," said the Pharaoh. "You lose.

"Blue-Eyes! White Lightning Attack!"

"Noooo!"

The Pharaoh's Blue-Eyes charged up and blasted the clown's version of himself with a spectacular beam of light that shattered the dragon upon impact and whittled away the last bit of the clown's Life Points. Finally, after everything that had happened in this duel, the Pharaoh won.

He was now more than halfway through the tournament, and he has shown Pegasus what he was made of.

LP: Yugi: 0500/Ghost Kaiba: 0000

The light emitting from the field turned blinding, and suddenly, everyone reverted back to shielding their eyes. I managed to peek through my arms and see what was going on within it. The holographic projectors had darkened and the blinding light had turned into a fiery blaze, extending from one side of the field to the other.

The Pharaoh thrust his arm forward and sent the clown back to the Shadow Realm, causing my Locket to glow in response to him using his power. I wondered again if it was because of instinct. When the ghost disappeared, back into the realm of darkness where it belonged, the Pharaoh turned towards a camera that was flying above him.

... Huh? When did that get there?

"Pegasus! I reckon that you've witnessed everything, so consider this as a warning." The Pharaoh's voice rang, loud and true. I almost couldn't take the pressure I was feeling from his overwhelming surge of power. "I have come this far, and no matter what you do to try and defeat me, you will not prevail! I will win back my grandfather's soul, and I will make sure that you can never harm anyone else ever again! I'm coming for you, Pegasus!"

Wind ripped through the Pharaoh's hair and school blazer. My eyes widened when I saw the Millennium Eye glowing in the centre of his forehead, and the Millennium Puzzle shimmering in the blaze against his chest.

The being before me was the Pharaoh in all of his power. How could he have summoned so much? It must have been because of the roller coaster of emotions he felt during the duel. Not only did he feel guilty for what might have happened to Kaiba, but he was also troubled when he was about to lose the duel. And now, after finally winning, all of the energy within him has been released into this blaze. His powers were unimaginably great, but if only he was fully aware of it.

The light began to die down, and we were allowed to finally put our arms down. Yugi's friends looked at each other, each of them expecting the others to speak first, but then they found themselves smiling towards each other instead.

"Wow..." I said, watching the Pharaoh step off his platform once it touched the ground. The opposite platform was empty now, of course with the clown in the Shadow Realm again. Hopefully, he will not come again.

"Dude... that was... incredible!" Joey jumped into the air, pumping his fist up in excitement. "Our pal just kicked that ghost's ass!"

"That was a great duel, Yugi," said Téa. "You really showed them!"

"I could not have done it without Kaiba's help," said the Pharaoh. "At least we know that he's alive now. Mokuba, we can search for your brother and then finally - huh?"

The Pharaoh looked to where Mokuba should have been with the two men in suits, but they were nowhere to be found.

"Oh no..." said Joey, looking around.

"They've taken him...!" I ran towards the end of the clearing and held my breath. "Mokuba!"

I didn't hear a reply. He was gone.

"Damn it... they must have taken him off during the last attack," said Tristan.

No... but I was going to knock the gun out of Clive's hand... it should have been safe to help Mokuba then... The honest truth may be that I still didn't wish to take the chance. All it would take for someone to get hurt was the trigger to be pulled and the gun pointing in the right direction.

I couldn't risk it.

Frustrated, I clenched my fists and looked towards the sky.

"Mokuba! We'll find you! Just wait for us!"

I wished for a reply, but nothing came. Tristan placed his hand onto my shoulder, and I turned to meet his eyes.

"We have to help them..." I said. "We... we can't just leave things the way they are..."

"You're right, Sarah," said the Pharaoh. He was now on the other platform, picking up the deck of cards left behind by the ghost. "Kaiba may not admit it, but he will need help. What do you say, Joey? Shall we work together and free everyone that Pegasus has trapped within his castle walls?"

Joey sighed and scratched the back of his neck. "I don't really like that rich boy..." he said, but there was no harshness to his words. "But his little brother is waiting for him, and we can't put all the pressure on him, I suppose..."

The Pharaoh nodded. "Then let's win this tournament," he said, holding Kaiba's deck of cards close to his chest. "For our family and our friends."

Star Chips: Yugi: 6/Joey: 2/Sarah: 3

⬛