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Literature Text
"I'm just thankful you guys are okay," Yugi sighs, holding you in his arms as you sit together on his bed. You hold your bracelet tight in your hands as you nestle closer into his lap. Hikari and Yami are sitting side by side on the edge of the bed, the enigmas of their spirit visible as you two sit alone with them.
The finals of Battle City have been put off until tomorrow morning, seeing as the evening's events have left everyone too whooped to keep going. You remember checking in on Mai, Bakura, and wishing the others a good night, but not much before that. You had left your room, Marik pinned you to your door, and then there's a period of darkness. That is, until Hikari told you what happened. She had pulled your spirit from control of your body and pushed it far into the back of your mind. So far, in fact, that you couldn't even see what was happening through her eyes. Turns out Marik had wanted to see Hikari. Once she was in his presence, something in him snapped and attacked her, holding her up against the wall by her neck and choking her as his other hand... roamed. Thankfully, Yami was there just in time to save her, feeling her distress by the connection of their millennium items.
A cold, clammy shiver runs down your body as you slip your bracelet back onto your wrist, almost as if you can feel Marik's hands on you. You wrap one arm around your waist and use your other hand to reach up and touch your neck.
"I didn't want to tell you," Hikari admits, looking down as she folds her hands against her lap. "I didn't want you to feel even more afraid of him, to let him have so much power over you. But..." she trails off, feeling Yami's hand on her shoulder and pulling her against him. You look over at her and shake your head.
"No, I'm glad you did," you reply, offering a weak smile. "Even though it was my body, it was you he tormented, not me. I-I should be thanking you for protecting me--" You cut yourself off when Hikari shakes her head.
"It was still you," she retorts. "When I looked down, all I could see was Marik hurting you. It would have been different if I didn't see your rainbow stripes, or your duel disk... or your father's military tags. But, our appearance doesn't change when we switch, so it was all I could think about." You can't help but stare at Hikari as she sulks. You wish there was something you could say--anything--to make her stop beating herself up so much over this. But, before you can find the words to say, you see her joints tense as she takes a deep breath. "I won't forgive him for this. He'll pay for what he's done... to all of us." You smile, the desire to reach out and touch her, hug her, overwhelming. Yami nods and places a soft kiss to her temple, holding both of her hands in one of his as the other continues to rest on her shoulder.
"We promise to make that happen," Yugi reassures, making the two spirits turn around and smile at him. Then, they turn back to each other, staring into one another's eyes for a moment before turning back to you and Yugi.
"You two should get some rest," Yami offers. "You'll need all of your strength for what's to come." While he's right, you and Yugi look at one another, realizing the same thing. You're not going to be able to sleep a wink, not with the possible terrors that still lurk on the aircraft. The spirits notice your discontent.
"Please, you must," Hikari adds, a strong worry in her eyes. You slowly inhale and nod, lifting yourself from Yugi's lap to go and refresh a bit in the bathroom. You decide to take a scalding hot shower, the steam letting your blood flow hot and your muscles relax. By the time you're satisfied with how soaked your bones are with heat, you step out and dry off, dressing just in your shorts, thigh-highs and matching tank top. You emerge from the bathroom to see Yugi laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling with his arms crossed behind his head. When he hears the door open, he looks over at you with eyes that are both exhausted and restless. You quickly make your way to the mattress, crawling under the blankets and leeching onto Yugi's side before he even has time to pull them away for you.
"Feel better?" he asks, making you hum in approval against his shoulder. He makes quick work of collecting you in his arms, taking in your fresh warmth and slowly allowing himself to relax. You feel yourself do the same and, despite your raging nerves and twisting stomach, you fall asleep in the comfort of your love's embrace...
~
You wake up abruptly only minutes after you fall asleep. Well, at least, you think you're awake. But, when you take a look at your surroundings, you become very aware that this is far from reality. You're standing in a room held together by walls made of glass, a light shining in from the other side similar to that of a sunrise. By your feet, toys and face-down Duel Monster cards scatter the floor, also made of glass. You recognize the stuffed animals and coloring utensils as your own, recalling the memories they bring back from your youth. It's certainly nostalgic, to say the least. In front of you is a solid brick wall with a faded, metal door. You decide to follow your instinct and see what's outside.
When you grab the knob and push the heavy door open, it creaks loudly with age. When you peer out, you suddenly see a door across from yours a few paces to the left. On the top of it is an eye identical to the ones carved into the millennium items. When you hear a sound fill the air, you turn towards the source and see Yugi peeking out of a room next to yours. When he sees you, you both smile with surprise.
"We're either more in tune with each other's minds than we thought, or this is more than just a dream," Yugi chuckles, making you laugh too. You take a minute to gaze down both ends of the endless hallway you're standing in.
"I remember now," you gasp. "This is like when Shadi opened the door to our minds back during Duelist Kingdom. We were connected by holding hands, so our minds were merged together in one place." You turn back to the door across the way. "And, since we're connected, Hikari and Yami should be too."
"That must be their door, then," Yugi assumes, making you nod as he takes your hand in his. He reaches out with the other and pulls on the handle. "I guess there's only one way to find out." When he opens it completely, a familiar labyrinth is revealed to you, staircases and doors twist and turn against the walls, ceiling, and seemingly endless path leading further into the room. Silken ivory-white curtains hang across the tops of the doorframes, veiling the entrances as they flutter in the gentle breeze of the vast corridor. Where there aren't stairs or doors, the walls pulse with waves of flowing sand, making them look very soft. You could reach out and touch it, and your hand would disappear behind the fine grains. The door slams hard behind you.
"I wonder if there's anything we can find out about Yami and Hikari in here," Yugi offers, looking around intricately. You do the same with a nod, squeezing your fingers firmly against his hand.
"We better be careful," you warn. "It was really dangerous in here last time." Yugi agrees with a quiet hum. "We can't stray too far apart." As you begin walking in, however, a gentle voice stops you two dead in your tracks.
"Something wrong?" Yami asks, making you both turn around quickly to face him. Around his hooked arm is Hikari, smiling when she sees the two of you. You expected to find them during your exploration, not as soon as you walked in.
"S-Sorry if we disturbed you!" you blurt, making the other two smile with reassurance that you did nothing wrong.
"Your minds must have been restless to have brought you here," Yami chuckles.
"Well, there's no doubt about that," Yugi teases, making the four of you erupt into soft laughter. It sounds wonderful, especially in the midst of the emptiness of the chambers.
"Yes, of course," Hikari sighs once her titters subside. "But remember, we're always here for guidance. You can tell us anything." You feel Yugi sigh and turn to her, using your free hand to reach over and massage his shoulder.
"It's seems like things are getting out of hand, lately..." he murmurs, looking down at his feet. "And the danger is growing more and more as the tournament goes on."
"And the closer we get to reaching our destinies, it grows even still," Yami adds honestly. You crane your head up again to look around at the labyrinth, pieces of the puzzle starting to come together.
"I see," you whisper. "This place is starting to make more and more sense. I think I know why it's so complex in here, with all these pathways and dead-ends." The other three turn towards you as you continue to look around. "Every one of these represent a mystery about your past, and all the questions you two have about the future. Sure, it's big because you're sharing a chamber, but it wasn't this enormous the last time we were here."
"You're right..." Hikari gawks in agreement as you turn back to her and Yami. Yugi's thumb rubs against the side of your palm, realizing the same thing.
"We're going to figure all of this out," Yugi promises, making the spirits slowly begin to smile. "And no one is going to stand in our way of making that happen." You nod in excited agreement.
Soon, you four begin to wander around the maze, talking about all kinds of things. The conversation helps put your mind at an ease you haven't felt since before you met Marik. However, a jarring force begins pulling at you just as you and Yugi get comfortable in the discussion. You're not sure what it is, and before you have the chance to ask, you feel your eyes closing as your body feels light, almost floaty...
~
"This is your 8 AM wake up call!" a voice bellows from the other side of the door, making you stir against Yugi as you find yourself waking up a little less than peaceful. "All remaining duelists must make their way to the concourse for the next round of the Battle City duels!" You slowly sit up in your spot, watching Yugi do the same out of the corner of your eye. You turn to him, feeling groggy and cheated of sleep. But, the more you think on it, the more grateful you become that you even managed to get to sleep at all.
"I guess we'd better start getting ready," Yugi mumbles, his voice slightly hoarse from one parts exhaustion, and two parts anxiety. As you roll out of bed and start getting ready, you start feeling the butterflies in your stomach too. As if on cue, your bracelet begins to pulse and warm against your wrist.
"Sweetheart, it'll be okay," Hikari reassures. "We've been in tighter spots before when it was just the two of us. Now we have friends who make us even stronger. We'll pull through, I promise." You nod and smile, lifting your arm to place a gentle kiss against the millennium item.
"Thank you, Hikari," you whisper aloud, grabbing your duel disk and sliding it onto your arm. You're still terrified of what's to come, but instead of weakening your spirit, you funnel the fear into your ambition to make it burn hotter. "No matter what, we won't let Marik win the God cards."
~
Once everyone is ready, and you take a moment to stop in and see your injured friends, you begin walking with Yugi and the others towards the concourse. On your way, you notice Marik slowly catching up to you and your group as he approaches from behind. You instinctively curl against Yami, who has now taken control of Yugi's body, and he protectively holds you close. Tristan and Joey notice it too, and stand on either side of you two to put more space between you and the possessed duelist.
Upon arriving, you expected to see the usual lottery machine with one of Kaiba's officiators ready to pull the handle and pair off the next two duelists. However, you're surprised when you see the gigantic Blue Eyes-themed contraption nowhere in sight. Instead, you find Kaiba standing in its place, along with his brother and two other officiators.
"I trust everyone slept well," Kaiba scoffs. "You have a big day ahead of you."
"Where's that big ol' lottery contraption, Kaiba?" Joey asks, crossing his arms as he turns his head curiously. Kaiba swiftly turns his back to the small crowd, and chuckles.
"Oh, we're not leaving this up to chance, anymore," he sneers. "This time around, we're letting true skill speak for itself."
"True skill?" Yami repeats, making you suddenly remember what Kaiba said the night before.
"That's right!" you squeak. "Kaiba mentioned something about having a "surprise" for us this time." The tall brunette nods and begins walking through one of the concourse's open doors without a word. Mokuba follows him to the doorway, and turns around to motion for everyone to follow. You do as you're told, and soon, you're walking through a long terminal with high ceilings and airport-like lighting. You're not on the blimp anymore, but it's definitely something that's still attached to it. You walk for a long time before arriving in a dimly-lit, very spacious room. One of the officiators walks over to the other side of it and opens a control panel. When he flips on the lights, you're suddenly overcome by the sheer size you couldn't perceive with the lights off.
Well, maybe it's not so much the size as it is... the height.
The room's ceiling is so high up, you can't even see where it ends. Even with the bright bulbs lining the walls, you squint to see if you can somehow find it. But, as you feel yourself being swallowed by vertigo, you slowly lower your gaze back to eye level. But, on the way down, you notice four pod-like contraptions connected to each of the walls, facing one another. Above each pod, there are counters lowering in quantity the higher they go on the wall. The one closest to the pod reads "4000". About 100 feet above that is a counter that reads "3000". You assume it keeps going until it reaches "0" at the very top, and suddenly you become aware of what this set-up is supposed to entail.
"Welcome to your new "lottery", finalists," Kaiba announces, his voice carrying against the metal walls. "Here, we get to watch as the four of you pick your own opponent for the semi-finals." Your eyes widen as you turn to look at the boys. Their expressions hold the same confusion as yours does. Kaiba laughs again. "Confused? I thought so. Allow me to explain the set-up in simple terms: Each finalist will stand in one of the dueling mechanisms you see on the walls. Once the duel begins, you will all be dueling at the same time in a one on one on one on one battle royale match. Up on the walls, you see the basic life point markers counting down from 4000 to zero by 1000. The more you lose life points, the higher you'll travel. The first two competitors to make it to the top will be paired off in the semi-finals. The remaining two with life points will also be paired off." Kaiba's expression twists into a masochistic grin. "If you're strong enough, you'll get to decide your partner, and whether or not you'll make it on to the final round. This way, we'll discover who is truly the hunters, and who is the prey." You swallow the lump forming in your throat, slightly intimidated by this new dueling method.
"Would each duelist please pick a pod and step up to the platform beneath it," an officiator calls, crossing his arms behind his back as his voice rings loud with an echo. You turn to Yami, who looks straight into your eyes. His gaze is soothing, and helps quell your aching nerves. He gently brushes your bangs to the side before kissing your forehead. You instinctively reach out and clutch onto each side of his jacket.
"We'll be okay, I promise," he whispers, his deep voice hitting you at the base of your spine. You sigh and nod, letting your shoulders relax before stepping back and looking him in the eye again. You exchange smiles before turning to Joey, who pats your back and ruffles your hair.
"Best of luck to ya, guys," Joey grins. "May the best duelist kick Marik right outta this tournament!" You giggle and Yami nods proudly.
You turn around and make your way to the platform closest to you. Joey takes the platform across from you, while Yami takes the one to your left. With the one remaining pod open, Marik steps into the one on your right. As you look at him out of the corner of your eye, you notice him do the same, his long, slick tongue flicking out of his mouth and licking his lips. You feel your knees weaken with the weight of his presence.
Suddenly, as if to take your mind off of it, you feel something clasp tightly around your ankles. You look down to see two metal rings locked in place, making you nearly jump out of your skin. After a quick breath to even out your heart rate, you figure out it's probably a safety measure Kaiba took to ensure that no one was going to fall out of these things.
"We'll start with Miss Thompson and go clockwise," the officiator dictates, lifting his right arm high into the air.
"You can do it, guys!" Tea cries out.
"Show that Marik what it means to be a real duelist!" Tristan adds, cupping his hands around his mouth.
You take another deep breath and ready yourself for what's to come. The officiator cuts his arm downward through the air, signaling the start of the match.
"Ready... DUEL!" Your life point counter on your duel disk appears at a full "4000", and you draw your first hand. Once you have it, you look to see what you can do for your first move. You have "Toon World", "Ancient Elf", "Parrot Dragon", "Dark Rabbit", and two "Ultimate Offerings" in your hand. Seeing the pair of cards in your hand gives you an idea. You turn to look at Yami, then to Joey, before back to your hand.
'I know Joey can hold his own for the rest of this tournament, and Yami is strong enough to take down a dozen duelists on his own, if he wanted to,' you think to yourself. 'But, I at this very moment, there is a possibility Marik could duel either one of them, and I couldn't live with myself knowing that both are in danger. I can bait Marik and at least put one of them out of harm's way. I'm a protector, a guardian. I must make sure I do my job.' You clear your mind as you begin your first move.
"First, I summon my very special card to the field: Toon World!" Once you lay it down on your duel disk, a familiar puff of purple smoke engulfs the field. Once it clears, a thick, hardbound book floats right in front of your pod. You smile and place both Ultimate Offerings face-down on the field without announcing it. You'll be using them in a moment. "Next, I summon my Dark Rabbit to the field and into Toon World!" Once you lay your first monster down, he materializes with a nasally chuckle and knocks on the outside of Toon World's cover. Once it opens up, his ears turn into propellers and lift him high into the air. Once above the book, he grabs his ears with one hand, pinches his nose with another, and cannonballs straight into the pages before it slams shut.
"Way to go, Rei! Building up a good defense right from the start!" Joey cheers, making you smile.
"Now, I activate my two face-down cards, which are both "Ultimate Offerings". By taking 1000 of my life points, I can special summon two more monsters onto the field, which will be my Parrot Dragon and Ancient Elf!" Once you put all of your cards into play, Toon World opens up once more. Parrot Dragon, with a shrill squawk, appears to nosedive straight into the pages, while Ancient Elf appears right outside the book, standing by it protectively. As your Ultimate Offerings use their effect, you feel your platform begin to rise at a slow, yet surprising, pace. Once you reach the "3000" marker, your platform clicks to a stop, forcing you to look down at everyone else. You can still hear their voices clearly, but being this high up makes you incredibly unsettled. You fight the urge to collapse.
"I-I end my turn," you announce, glancing down at the duelist to your right briefly. 'And I hope you take my bait, Marik.'
You watch Yami follow suit in building a defense by placing three cards face down and summoning Celtic Guardian to the field. Joey does the same by placing two face down and summoning the Flame Swordsman. You're awfully thankful for their smart moves. Despite not knowing your plan, you know they're ready, should this backfire on you. You turn to Marik, who draws a card and chuckles.
"You set yourself up to fall pretty hard, my dear," Marik coos, making your skin crawl and hands feel clammy. Still, you hold your poker face steady, hoping he doesn't sense your fear. "And I'll be the lucky one to make you fall on your face." He draws his first card and puts it into play. "First, I summon my Dark Jeroid to the field. Then, I place one card face down and activate my spell card, Mystical Space Typhoon. This allows me to target one spell card on the field and destroy it... and I think you know which one I want." Suddenly, he thrusts his finger out and points to the book floating right beside you. "I want Toon World out of here!" On his command, his card sweeps up Toon World and crushes it, sending Dark Rabbit to the grave with it. You flinch and whimper, feeling so guilty for his short life in this duel.
"Oh no, Rei!" Yami cries, becoming worried for your safety. You don't look over at him just yet. You see that you hooked Marik in, now you're just waiting for the final blow you need.
"Next, I activate my face-down card: Ring of Destruction!" Once it flips over, a giant, metal ring appears from the image and opens up, attaching itself to your Ancient Elf. "This trap allows me to destroy an opponent's monster, and inflict damage to both me and the opponent equal to the monster's attack points." Marik reaches out his hand, which he slowly curls into a fist. As he does, the ring electrocutes your Ancient Elf, making her cry out in pain before being destroyed. You whimper again and watch as your life points go from 3000 to 1550. Again, your pod begins to rise, but now so does Marik's.
"Why did you make that sacrifice to yourself so early in the game, Marik?" Joey asks, grinning. "You only gave us a chance to take you down even faster." Marik's laughter rumbles deep in his chest.
"No matter. It was worth it to see little Rei's points be reduced to less than half," he sneers. However, when you feel a smile stretch against your lips, his expression melts into one of confusion.
"Thank you, Marik," you grin, standing tall. "You did exactly what I wanted you to do." All of a sudden, your Parrot Dragon flies down from the incredibly tall ceiling. The boys all gasp, as does the peanut gallery on the ground below. "My Parrot Dragon didn't need Toon World to survive, and I made sure he stayed outside the pages of the book so that he wouldn't be destroyed with your spell card."
"You little brat--" Marik growls, but you cut him off.
"But, I think you'll find some joy in what I'm about to do next," you continue, stretching your arms out to your sides and making yourself look vulnerable. The boys all sound out in a chorus of confused noises while you take a deep breath. "Parrot Dragon, attack me directly!"
"Wh-Wh-WHAT!?" Joey stumbles, drawing back in shock. Yami grabs the side of his pod and cranes his neck to look directly up at you.
"REI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" he cries, making you look down at him. You smile sweetly.
"Something that needs to be done," you reply simply, turning back to your monster. You don't look down at Marik, but you know he's just as surprised as everyone else. You relish in it, if only for a moment. Who knows when you're going to get this chance ever again? "Please, my monster, attack me! Take the rest of my life points." Your Parrot Dragon, who looks distraught at the thought of having to hurt you, finally nods after a brief pause. Your heart warms at the gesture, and does even more so when the creature puts in the bare minimum amount of force needed to take away the rest of your points. When your counter falls to "0", you feel your pod begin to vibrate with the new knowledge. It takes a few seconds to start up, so you decide to use them.
"I wanted to make sure at least one of you stayed safe for the next rounds," you smile down at your companions before turning to Marik. "I know you'll follow me. I'm still a threat that you need to take out of this competition, and you need me gone before you get your perfect final match." You're lying through your teeth, but your sudden burst of confidence makes it sound real. "If you're smart, you'll sacrifice yourself and make me your semi-finals partner with your next turn." Marik clicks his tongue.
"Foolish girl," he grunts, rolling his eyes as he watches your pod begin to ascend.
"REI! REEEI!" Yami cries, and you lock eyes with him.
"I'll be okay. I promise! Just do your best... both of you!" you hear your friends' voices growing fainter and fainter as you rise to the very top of the seemingly limitless ceiling. You close your eyes tight, clutching each side of the pod until your knuckles turn white. When you slow to a stop, you open your eyes to see yourself waiting at the very top of the tower. You can't see or hear anyone at the bottom, so you must be at least a mile high. A door opens behind you and your pod clicks onto the track running along the bottom of the new path. You begin moving again, only backwards this time. You feel the motion sickness setting in, and you screw your eyes shut once more as you will your stomach to stay together. You begin moving in all kinds of directions, sliding on all kinds of tracks until you feel warm sun on your face and fresh air on your lips, which is enough to settle your stomach instantly. You open your eyes to see your pod now popping out of the ground of a gigantic dueling arena atop of the tower's rooftop. In the center of the arena stands a black-suited Battle City officiator. The shackles around your ankles open up, and you decide to step out of the pod and onto the roof.
"So, you're the first contestant of the semi-finals, Miss Rei?" the man asks, and you nod in response.
"Yes sir, I am," you reply, walking to the furthest side of the arena from your pod. You notice, right next to yours, are three closed holes in a line where, you assume, the other pods will appear.
"Well, I wish you nothing but the best in your duel with whomever is next to arrive," the man adds, bowing his head politely. You do the same and thank him, turning back to the holes and watching for your opponent.
"That was very risky, Rei, baiting Marik like that," a soothing voice beckons to you, breaking your concentrated gaze. Though Hikari doesn't sound angry, you still hang your head with slight embarrassment. "He could have just left you with slim life points and taken out one of the others."
"I just... did what I felt in my gut was right," you reply with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to... to live up to the name of being a protector."
"Of course you are," Hikari's voice is thick with her smile. The silhouette of her image appears in front of you, and you look up to meet her warm gaze. "And I'm very proud of you for sticking to your instincts. You have learned so much in such a short time." You return the smile and gently wrap your fingers around your wrist, feeling the heat of the bracelet soothe you.
"All we have to do now is wait, and hope for the best," you reply. "If Marik shows up, we do all we can to stave him off. I don't know if I'll beat him, but I have to do my best. If he defeats me, at least I've given either Yami or Joey the chance to prepare for the last match of the competition."
"...And if Yugi or Joey is your opponent?" Hikari asks hesitantly, making you flinch. You know she had to say it. You didn't want to think about it. Neither of you did. But, it could happen. In fact, there is a better chance you'll see one of them there than seeing Marik.
"If it's one of them, then it'll be my duty to defeat him for the sake of protecting him. I'm not going to let both suffer at the hands of Marik. We already have Mai and Bakura at risk, should Marik prevail. That's two too many, and it's going to stay that way--" Suddenly, you hear a low, mechanical hum rising in volume underneath the rooftop's surface. You curl your fingers tightly into fists, praying for the first time in your life that you don't see one of your friends. Time slows to a creep as one of the holes next to your pod begins to open. You close your eyes tight yet again, every single nerve in your body swallowed by an anxious burn.
Once the sounds slow to a stop, the air falls silent. You don't even hear the officiator say anything, which scares you even more. You hear soft footsteps approaching you, and it's when you feel strong arms hug you close that you feel the most painful bout of disappointment. Of course Yami would sacrifice himself to make sure one of you didn't have to duel Marik. However, when you lift your arms to try and hug him in return, you realize that you don't recognize the scent of the person holding you. It's then that you feel claws digging into your back, and it makes you cry out.
"Hello, my dear," Marik growls against the shell of your ear. "I hope you didn't miss me too much, but I just couldn't resist taking you up on that offer to make me your opponent for the semi-finals." Your blood suddenly runs cold at how close you two are, and you feel an overwhelming burst of energy course through your arms as you find it in yourself to push the possessed man away. You also feel Hikari lending you spiritual strength, and it's enough to send Marik back a few more feet. He stumbles back until he nearly falls over, but catches himself with a surprised chuckle.
"Don't you dare touch me," you hiss, trying to will away the throbbing pain in your back. Marik continues to laugh and stands up straight, opening his arms in a pseudo-kind way.
"Aww, that's a shame," Marik sarcastically sighs. "I thought you'd had a change of heart, that you wanted to see me. You've hurt my feelings."
"Enough with the act, Marik!" you snap, shutting him up and making him look you dead in the eye. Your knees are starting to feel like jelly. "You've done horrible things, and if you think I'm showing you a lick of kindness, you've got another thing coming. You're my opponent, and I'm going to destroy you and all hopes you have of taking over the world."
"You really are foolish," Marik reiterates. "Fine then, if you're so high and mighty about your abilities, then we'll settle this once the others arrive. You've dug your grave, little Rei, and I'll be happy to put you in it. Time to meet your maker."
"I could say the same to you, Marik," you grunt. As you look down at your duel disk, willing your nerves to cooperate, you hear the sound of heavy footsteps bounding up stairs. You turn to the doorway behind you, and watch as Mokuba, Tea, Tristan, Duke, and Serenity make it to the top floor, Mokuba's brother following a few seconds later. Then, once you turn back to face Marik, you see Joey and Yami appearing in their pod spaces. You run over to Yami, who jumps from his ride and collects you into his arms. You hold him as close as you can, relishing in his warmth and presence.
"Rei, are you okay?" he asks, and you nod frantically. He pulls away to look at you, feeling you tremble in his arms. "You're shaking. You... You didn't have to do this, you know. Joey or I could have been his opponent." You nod your head again and provide a gentle smile, despite your fear.
"I-I know... but this is something that... just feels right. It's important to me, and I wanted to be the one to take it on first. Even if I don't beat him, I know that I've guaranteed yours or Joey's safety, at least. I didn't want the possibility of both of you being hurt."
"But you've already taken so much..."
"And I'd take it for the rest of my life, if it meant keeping you, Yugi, and the others safe."
"Rei..." Yami gasps under his breath. His eyes gleam with a sense of pride in you. It feels good, and it gives you immeasurable strength, and you're thankful for it. You know you'll need it for sure.
"Would Marik Ishtar and Rei Thompson please step onto the dueling arena to begin the first match of the semi-finals!" the new officiator announces, taking the place of the one that had greeted you before. You hug Yami one more time before slipping away from him. You make your way to the platform, looking at all of your friends, who reassure you with strong glances. Once you're up on the arena, the mechanisms inside begin slowly pushing it up, elevating you above everyone's heads.
"Prepare to lose, Marik," you growl. He laughs.
"That's cute."
"May the second round of the semi-finals..." the officiator begins, raising his arm high into the air before throwing it back down again. "...BEGIN!" You draw your first hand and see what you can use. "Fake Trap", "De-Spell", "Negative Energy", "Gemini Elf" and "Toon Goblin Attack Force" sit in your hand, and you curse that you didn't get lucky this time with Toon World. Still, you place Negative Energy and De-Spell on the field face-down, and leave two spots open for a potentially lucky draw next turn.
"I place two cards face-down, and that's it for now," you announce.
"Not so ambitious to throw them all out onto the field this time, are we little Rei?" Marik cackles, only placing one card face-down on the field. "There we go... now we can really have some fun."
"What do you mean, Marik!?" You don't realize what he's talking about until he pulls his millennium rod from his belt. Your legs stiffen up and threaten to crumble under your weight as your eyes widen at the sight. From the eye on the sphere bleeds a familiar black and purple substance, which quickly swallows the sunlight and shields the arena from anything on the outside. A heavy pressure hangs on your heart once the field is completely surrounded, but the soul of the millennium bracelet makes herself known and staves off the pressure. It grants you instant relief, though the weight around you is still troublesome.
"You wanted me as your opponent, well now you're getting it," Marik grins. "Let's see what you can really handle, little Rei!"
"Rei!" Yami beckons, trying to penetrate the secondary barrier around you and Marik with his millennium spirit.
"You stay out of this, Pharaoh," Marik commands, strengthening the shadows' presence around you and keeping him out. You hear him grunt and draw back a bit, and it makes you whimper with sympathy.
"'EY, BLACK SUIT, CALL OFF THE MATCH!" Joey barks, turning to the officiator. "MARIK'S PLAYIN' DIRTY!"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Wheeler," the man replies. "But, since both duelists have cards in play, we cannot interfere."
"WHY YOU LITTLE--"
"KAIBA!" Yami turns to the young CEO. "Please, you MUST do something!!"
"Didn't you hear the man, Yugi?" Kaiba sneers. "Even if I wanted to stop it, I'd be breaking my own rules. I'm not even in my own tournament anymore, so I'm not bending the rules for anyone or anything. That's final."
"Th-This was your plan all along, wasn't it?" you ask, trying to focus on Hikari's warmth rather than the icy cold breath of the shadows down your spine. "To duel me in a battle... of spiritual strength?"
"I know, without a doubt, my Winged Dragon of Ra could crush the little toys you call cards," Marik licks his lips. "But doing it this way makes it so much more fun. Now, let's see what we have hiding in those memories." With his words, you suddenly feel a pressure in the base of your skull and the center of your forehead coming together, as if pushing through your head at both ends to touch. You cry out in pain once the force sinks in deeper, and you suddenly feel all of your memories being penetrated.
Being young and reading books with your mom before bedtime.
Watching her leave on the day she was killed.
Her funeral.
"S-STOP IT PLEASE!" you begin to weep immediately while reliving the memories, reaching up to take your head into your hands and clutch it with all your might.
"R-Rei, I'm sorry... I-I can't stop him! He's too strong!" Hikari admits, whimpering as she continues to fight it. It's at this moment that you realize Marik is projecting your memories on the surface of the Shadow Realm's presence, showing them off like a drive-in movie.
You and your father moving into Pegasus's mansion.
Watching him leave on his last mission, kissing your cheek and slipping his dog tags over your head.
Being told he's not coming home.
"I SAID LEAVE HER ALONE, MARIK!" Yami howls, trying to break through the barrier with his spirit again. He manages to crack it before Marik pushes him away once more. This time, Yami is sent stumbling back into the arms of his friends, grunting in pain.
Being raised by Pegasus, building your deck, and learning every element to the game Duel Monsters.
Overhearing Pegasus's conference with his businessmen about your father.
Running away from home.
"Marik please, you must stop this at once!" you suddenly hear Ishizu trying to call out to her brother, which proves to be in vain. There's no stopping him... not now. Not when he's having this much fun.
Living on your own in Domino.
Meeting Yugi and the others.
Entering Duelist Kingdom.
Your first kiss on the edge of the cliff.
"Looks like we're getting into some sweet memories now..." Marik coos gently, reaching out his hand. "I wonder what would happen if... little Rei had fallen off that cliff." Suddenly, the memory becomes manipulated into something new. The rock crumbles underneath you, and you're falling. Your memory wants to scream out, but your voice isn't there. As you hit the ground, your memory instantly fades to black, and you feel the pain of the impact. You lurch as it feels like bones are snapping in your body as you stand there.
"M-Marik... p-please..." you beg again, feeling weak from the shooting pain.
Dueling Pegasus and being saved by Yami.
Jumping to Yugi during his duel with Pegasus, his arms outstretched to catch you.
"Ah, this could be fun," Marik chuckles. He snaps his fingers, and in a flash, Yugi isn't there to catch you. He vanishes, and you keep falling until you can't be seen anymore. Again, the memory fades and you feel the impact. You fall to your knees, vicious tremors wracking your body from the sudden, constant abuse.
Watching Yugi win Duelist Kingdom.
Being kidnapped by Marik.
Being tied to the ceiling of the burning warehouse.
"NO! DON'T YOU DARE--" Yami threatens Marik, but it only drives him more. His eyes snap wide open, and suddenly the cord holding you up breaks away from the ceiling, sending you falling into a bed of hot flames and debris. The sound of breaking wood resonates when you make impact, the memory fades, and you feel a searing pain everywhere.
"NOW do you feel it? The power of the Shadow Realm!? It's relentless, it's torturous, and it's all mine to control!" You feel yourself lurch forward again, the pain from the twisted memories enough to make you cough and sputter. You don't notice the blood at first, but when you do, you can taste it on your teeth and lips as it soaks in. You clutch your stomach, tears soaking your face and sweat caking your hair to your skin. You heave with every inhale, breathing becoming a task that requires your full effort. You cough up more blood, and as it begins pooling by your knees, your vision starts to blur. You can faintly feel Hikari still trying to push the evil from your heart, and it's not until a second presence is suddenly with you that the force is strong enough to do so. You know Yami is the one to finally break through and help her, but it's too late. Marik has already done his damage, and you feel yourself fading into a bottomless black pit of nothing. The world falls silent around you, despite the chaos still ensuing. You faintly see Mokuba shaking the officiator, and your friends climbing up onto the dueling arena. The last thing you see is Marik, with a twisted smile from ear-to-ear, replaying the rewritten memories of you being hurt, before your body falls to the ground with a dead weight...
END OF CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
The finals of Battle City have been put off until tomorrow morning, seeing as the evening's events have left everyone too whooped to keep going. You remember checking in on Mai, Bakura, and wishing the others a good night, but not much before that. You had left your room, Marik pinned you to your door, and then there's a period of darkness. That is, until Hikari told you what happened. She had pulled your spirit from control of your body and pushed it far into the back of your mind. So far, in fact, that you couldn't even see what was happening through her eyes. Turns out Marik had wanted to see Hikari. Once she was in his presence, something in him snapped and attacked her, holding her up against the wall by her neck and choking her as his other hand... roamed. Thankfully, Yami was there just in time to save her, feeling her distress by the connection of their millennium items.
A cold, clammy shiver runs down your body as you slip your bracelet back onto your wrist, almost as if you can feel Marik's hands on you. You wrap one arm around your waist and use your other hand to reach up and touch your neck.
"I didn't want to tell you," Hikari admits, looking down as she folds her hands against her lap. "I didn't want you to feel even more afraid of him, to let him have so much power over you. But..." she trails off, feeling Yami's hand on her shoulder and pulling her against him. You look over at her and shake your head.
"No, I'm glad you did," you reply, offering a weak smile. "Even though it was my body, it was you he tormented, not me. I-I should be thanking you for protecting me--" You cut yourself off when Hikari shakes her head.
"It was still you," she retorts. "When I looked down, all I could see was Marik hurting you. It would have been different if I didn't see your rainbow stripes, or your duel disk... or your father's military tags. But, our appearance doesn't change when we switch, so it was all I could think about." You can't help but stare at Hikari as she sulks. You wish there was something you could say--anything--to make her stop beating herself up so much over this. But, before you can find the words to say, you see her joints tense as she takes a deep breath. "I won't forgive him for this. He'll pay for what he's done... to all of us." You smile, the desire to reach out and touch her, hug her, overwhelming. Yami nods and places a soft kiss to her temple, holding both of her hands in one of his as the other continues to rest on her shoulder.
"We promise to make that happen," Yugi reassures, making the two spirits turn around and smile at him. Then, they turn back to each other, staring into one another's eyes for a moment before turning back to you and Yugi.
"You two should get some rest," Yami offers. "You'll need all of your strength for what's to come." While he's right, you and Yugi look at one another, realizing the same thing. You're not going to be able to sleep a wink, not with the possible terrors that still lurk on the aircraft. The spirits notice your discontent.
"Please, you must," Hikari adds, a strong worry in her eyes. You slowly inhale and nod, lifting yourself from Yugi's lap to go and refresh a bit in the bathroom. You decide to take a scalding hot shower, the steam letting your blood flow hot and your muscles relax. By the time you're satisfied with how soaked your bones are with heat, you step out and dry off, dressing just in your shorts, thigh-highs and matching tank top. You emerge from the bathroom to see Yugi laying in bed, staring up at the ceiling with his arms crossed behind his head. When he hears the door open, he looks over at you with eyes that are both exhausted and restless. You quickly make your way to the mattress, crawling under the blankets and leeching onto Yugi's side before he even has time to pull them away for you.
"Feel better?" he asks, making you hum in approval against his shoulder. He makes quick work of collecting you in his arms, taking in your fresh warmth and slowly allowing himself to relax. You feel yourself do the same and, despite your raging nerves and twisting stomach, you fall asleep in the comfort of your love's embrace...
~
You wake up abruptly only minutes after you fall asleep. Well, at least, you think you're awake. But, when you take a look at your surroundings, you become very aware that this is far from reality. You're standing in a room held together by walls made of glass, a light shining in from the other side similar to that of a sunrise. By your feet, toys and face-down Duel Monster cards scatter the floor, also made of glass. You recognize the stuffed animals and coloring utensils as your own, recalling the memories they bring back from your youth. It's certainly nostalgic, to say the least. In front of you is a solid brick wall with a faded, metal door. You decide to follow your instinct and see what's outside.
When you grab the knob and push the heavy door open, it creaks loudly with age. When you peer out, you suddenly see a door across from yours a few paces to the left. On the top of it is an eye identical to the ones carved into the millennium items. When you hear a sound fill the air, you turn towards the source and see Yugi peeking out of a room next to yours. When he sees you, you both smile with surprise.
"We're either more in tune with each other's minds than we thought, or this is more than just a dream," Yugi chuckles, making you laugh too. You take a minute to gaze down both ends of the endless hallway you're standing in.
"I remember now," you gasp. "This is like when Shadi opened the door to our minds back during Duelist Kingdom. We were connected by holding hands, so our minds were merged together in one place." You turn back to the door across the way. "And, since we're connected, Hikari and Yami should be too."
"That must be their door, then," Yugi assumes, making you nod as he takes your hand in his. He reaches out with the other and pulls on the handle. "I guess there's only one way to find out." When he opens it completely, a familiar labyrinth is revealed to you, staircases and doors twist and turn against the walls, ceiling, and seemingly endless path leading further into the room. Silken ivory-white curtains hang across the tops of the doorframes, veiling the entrances as they flutter in the gentle breeze of the vast corridor. Where there aren't stairs or doors, the walls pulse with waves of flowing sand, making them look very soft. You could reach out and touch it, and your hand would disappear behind the fine grains. The door slams hard behind you.
"I wonder if there's anything we can find out about Yami and Hikari in here," Yugi offers, looking around intricately. You do the same with a nod, squeezing your fingers firmly against his hand.
"We better be careful," you warn. "It was really dangerous in here last time." Yugi agrees with a quiet hum. "We can't stray too far apart." As you begin walking in, however, a gentle voice stops you two dead in your tracks.
"Something wrong?" Yami asks, making you both turn around quickly to face him. Around his hooked arm is Hikari, smiling when she sees the two of you. You expected to find them during your exploration, not as soon as you walked in.
"S-Sorry if we disturbed you!" you blurt, making the other two smile with reassurance that you did nothing wrong.
"Your minds must have been restless to have brought you here," Yami chuckles.
"Well, there's no doubt about that," Yugi teases, making the four of you erupt into soft laughter. It sounds wonderful, especially in the midst of the emptiness of the chambers.
"Yes, of course," Hikari sighs once her titters subside. "But remember, we're always here for guidance. You can tell us anything." You feel Yugi sigh and turn to her, using your free hand to reach over and massage his shoulder.
"It's seems like things are getting out of hand, lately..." he murmurs, looking down at his feet. "And the danger is growing more and more as the tournament goes on."
"And the closer we get to reaching our destinies, it grows even still," Yami adds honestly. You crane your head up again to look around at the labyrinth, pieces of the puzzle starting to come together.
"I see," you whisper. "This place is starting to make more and more sense. I think I know why it's so complex in here, with all these pathways and dead-ends." The other three turn towards you as you continue to look around. "Every one of these represent a mystery about your past, and all the questions you two have about the future. Sure, it's big because you're sharing a chamber, but it wasn't this enormous the last time we were here."
"You're right..." Hikari gawks in agreement as you turn back to her and Yami. Yugi's thumb rubs against the side of your palm, realizing the same thing.
"We're going to figure all of this out," Yugi promises, making the spirits slowly begin to smile. "And no one is going to stand in our way of making that happen." You nod in excited agreement.
Soon, you four begin to wander around the maze, talking about all kinds of things. The conversation helps put your mind at an ease you haven't felt since before you met Marik. However, a jarring force begins pulling at you just as you and Yugi get comfortable in the discussion. You're not sure what it is, and before you have the chance to ask, you feel your eyes closing as your body feels light, almost floaty...
~
"This is your 8 AM wake up call!" a voice bellows from the other side of the door, making you stir against Yugi as you find yourself waking up a little less than peaceful. "All remaining duelists must make their way to the concourse for the next round of the Battle City duels!" You slowly sit up in your spot, watching Yugi do the same out of the corner of your eye. You turn to him, feeling groggy and cheated of sleep. But, the more you think on it, the more grateful you become that you even managed to get to sleep at all.
"I guess we'd better start getting ready," Yugi mumbles, his voice slightly hoarse from one parts exhaustion, and two parts anxiety. As you roll out of bed and start getting ready, you start feeling the butterflies in your stomach too. As if on cue, your bracelet begins to pulse and warm against your wrist.
"Sweetheart, it'll be okay," Hikari reassures. "We've been in tighter spots before when it was just the two of us. Now we have friends who make us even stronger. We'll pull through, I promise." You nod and smile, lifting your arm to place a gentle kiss against the millennium item.
"Thank you, Hikari," you whisper aloud, grabbing your duel disk and sliding it onto your arm. You're still terrified of what's to come, but instead of weakening your spirit, you funnel the fear into your ambition to make it burn hotter. "No matter what, we won't let Marik win the God cards."
~
Once everyone is ready, and you take a moment to stop in and see your injured friends, you begin walking with Yugi and the others towards the concourse. On your way, you notice Marik slowly catching up to you and your group as he approaches from behind. You instinctively curl against Yami, who has now taken control of Yugi's body, and he protectively holds you close. Tristan and Joey notice it too, and stand on either side of you two to put more space between you and the possessed duelist.
Upon arriving, you expected to see the usual lottery machine with one of Kaiba's officiators ready to pull the handle and pair off the next two duelists. However, you're surprised when you see the gigantic Blue Eyes-themed contraption nowhere in sight. Instead, you find Kaiba standing in its place, along with his brother and two other officiators.
"I trust everyone slept well," Kaiba scoffs. "You have a big day ahead of you."
"Where's that big ol' lottery contraption, Kaiba?" Joey asks, crossing his arms as he turns his head curiously. Kaiba swiftly turns his back to the small crowd, and chuckles.
"Oh, we're not leaving this up to chance, anymore," he sneers. "This time around, we're letting true skill speak for itself."
"True skill?" Yami repeats, making you suddenly remember what Kaiba said the night before.
"That's right!" you squeak. "Kaiba mentioned something about having a "surprise" for us this time." The tall brunette nods and begins walking through one of the concourse's open doors without a word. Mokuba follows him to the doorway, and turns around to motion for everyone to follow. You do as you're told, and soon, you're walking through a long terminal with high ceilings and airport-like lighting. You're not on the blimp anymore, but it's definitely something that's still attached to it. You walk for a long time before arriving in a dimly-lit, very spacious room. One of the officiators walks over to the other side of it and opens a control panel. When he flips on the lights, you're suddenly overcome by the sheer size you couldn't perceive with the lights off.
Well, maybe it's not so much the size as it is... the height.
The room's ceiling is so high up, you can't even see where it ends. Even with the bright bulbs lining the walls, you squint to see if you can somehow find it. But, as you feel yourself being swallowed by vertigo, you slowly lower your gaze back to eye level. But, on the way down, you notice four pod-like contraptions connected to each of the walls, facing one another. Above each pod, there are counters lowering in quantity the higher they go on the wall. The one closest to the pod reads "4000". About 100 feet above that is a counter that reads "3000". You assume it keeps going until it reaches "0" at the very top, and suddenly you become aware of what this set-up is supposed to entail.
"Welcome to your new "lottery", finalists," Kaiba announces, his voice carrying against the metal walls. "Here, we get to watch as the four of you pick your own opponent for the semi-finals." Your eyes widen as you turn to look at the boys. Their expressions hold the same confusion as yours does. Kaiba laughs again. "Confused? I thought so. Allow me to explain the set-up in simple terms: Each finalist will stand in one of the dueling mechanisms you see on the walls. Once the duel begins, you will all be dueling at the same time in a one on one on one on one battle royale match. Up on the walls, you see the basic life point markers counting down from 4000 to zero by 1000. The more you lose life points, the higher you'll travel. The first two competitors to make it to the top will be paired off in the semi-finals. The remaining two with life points will also be paired off." Kaiba's expression twists into a masochistic grin. "If you're strong enough, you'll get to decide your partner, and whether or not you'll make it on to the final round. This way, we'll discover who is truly the hunters, and who is the prey." You swallow the lump forming in your throat, slightly intimidated by this new dueling method.
"Would each duelist please pick a pod and step up to the platform beneath it," an officiator calls, crossing his arms behind his back as his voice rings loud with an echo. You turn to Yami, who looks straight into your eyes. His gaze is soothing, and helps quell your aching nerves. He gently brushes your bangs to the side before kissing your forehead. You instinctively reach out and clutch onto each side of his jacket.
"We'll be okay, I promise," he whispers, his deep voice hitting you at the base of your spine. You sigh and nod, letting your shoulders relax before stepping back and looking him in the eye again. You exchange smiles before turning to Joey, who pats your back and ruffles your hair.
"Best of luck to ya, guys," Joey grins. "May the best duelist kick Marik right outta this tournament!" You giggle and Yami nods proudly.
You turn around and make your way to the platform closest to you. Joey takes the platform across from you, while Yami takes the one to your left. With the one remaining pod open, Marik steps into the one on your right. As you look at him out of the corner of your eye, you notice him do the same, his long, slick tongue flicking out of his mouth and licking his lips. You feel your knees weaken with the weight of his presence.
Suddenly, as if to take your mind off of it, you feel something clasp tightly around your ankles. You look down to see two metal rings locked in place, making you nearly jump out of your skin. After a quick breath to even out your heart rate, you figure out it's probably a safety measure Kaiba took to ensure that no one was going to fall out of these things.
"We'll start with Miss Thompson and go clockwise," the officiator dictates, lifting his right arm high into the air.
"You can do it, guys!" Tea cries out.
"Show that Marik what it means to be a real duelist!" Tristan adds, cupping his hands around his mouth.
You take another deep breath and ready yourself for what's to come. The officiator cuts his arm downward through the air, signaling the start of the match.
"Ready... DUEL!" Your life point counter on your duel disk appears at a full "4000", and you draw your first hand. Once you have it, you look to see what you can do for your first move. You have "Toon World", "Ancient Elf", "Parrot Dragon", "Dark Rabbit", and two "Ultimate Offerings" in your hand. Seeing the pair of cards in your hand gives you an idea. You turn to look at Yami, then to Joey, before back to your hand.
'I know Joey can hold his own for the rest of this tournament, and Yami is strong enough to take down a dozen duelists on his own, if he wanted to,' you think to yourself. 'But, I at this very moment, there is a possibility Marik could duel either one of them, and I couldn't live with myself knowing that both are in danger. I can bait Marik and at least put one of them out of harm's way. I'm a protector, a guardian. I must make sure I do my job.' You clear your mind as you begin your first move.
"First, I summon my very special card to the field: Toon World!" Once you lay it down on your duel disk, a familiar puff of purple smoke engulfs the field. Once it clears, a thick, hardbound book floats right in front of your pod. You smile and place both Ultimate Offerings face-down on the field without announcing it. You'll be using them in a moment. "Next, I summon my Dark Rabbit to the field and into Toon World!" Once you lay your first monster down, he materializes with a nasally chuckle and knocks on the outside of Toon World's cover. Once it opens up, his ears turn into propellers and lift him high into the air. Once above the book, he grabs his ears with one hand, pinches his nose with another, and cannonballs straight into the pages before it slams shut.
"Way to go, Rei! Building up a good defense right from the start!" Joey cheers, making you smile.
"Now, I activate my two face-down cards, which are both "Ultimate Offerings". By taking 1000 of my life points, I can special summon two more monsters onto the field, which will be my Parrot Dragon and Ancient Elf!" Once you put all of your cards into play, Toon World opens up once more. Parrot Dragon, with a shrill squawk, appears to nosedive straight into the pages, while Ancient Elf appears right outside the book, standing by it protectively. As your Ultimate Offerings use their effect, you feel your platform begin to rise at a slow, yet surprising, pace. Once you reach the "3000" marker, your platform clicks to a stop, forcing you to look down at everyone else. You can still hear their voices clearly, but being this high up makes you incredibly unsettled. You fight the urge to collapse.
"I-I end my turn," you announce, glancing down at the duelist to your right briefly. 'And I hope you take my bait, Marik.'
You watch Yami follow suit in building a defense by placing three cards face down and summoning Celtic Guardian to the field. Joey does the same by placing two face down and summoning the Flame Swordsman. You're awfully thankful for their smart moves. Despite not knowing your plan, you know they're ready, should this backfire on you. You turn to Marik, who draws a card and chuckles.
"You set yourself up to fall pretty hard, my dear," Marik coos, making your skin crawl and hands feel clammy. Still, you hold your poker face steady, hoping he doesn't sense your fear. "And I'll be the lucky one to make you fall on your face." He draws his first card and puts it into play. "First, I summon my Dark Jeroid to the field. Then, I place one card face down and activate my spell card, Mystical Space Typhoon. This allows me to target one spell card on the field and destroy it... and I think you know which one I want." Suddenly, he thrusts his finger out and points to the book floating right beside you. "I want Toon World out of here!" On his command, his card sweeps up Toon World and crushes it, sending Dark Rabbit to the grave with it. You flinch and whimper, feeling so guilty for his short life in this duel.
"Oh no, Rei!" Yami cries, becoming worried for your safety. You don't look over at him just yet. You see that you hooked Marik in, now you're just waiting for the final blow you need.
"Next, I activate my face-down card: Ring of Destruction!" Once it flips over, a giant, metal ring appears from the image and opens up, attaching itself to your Ancient Elf. "This trap allows me to destroy an opponent's monster, and inflict damage to both me and the opponent equal to the monster's attack points." Marik reaches out his hand, which he slowly curls into a fist. As he does, the ring electrocutes your Ancient Elf, making her cry out in pain before being destroyed. You whimper again and watch as your life points go from 3000 to 1550. Again, your pod begins to rise, but now so does Marik's.
"Why did you make that sacrifice to yourself so early in the game, Marik?" Joey asks, grinning. "You only gave us a chance to take you down even faster." Marik's laughter rumbles deep in his chest.
"No matter. It was worth it to see little Rei's points be reduced to less than half," he sneers. However, when you feel a smile stretch against your lips, his expression melts into one of confusion.
"Thank you, Marik," you grin, standing tall. "You did exactly what I wanted you to do." All of a sudden, your Parrot Dragon flies down from the incredibly tall ceiling. The boys all gasp, as does the peanut gallery on the ground below. "My Parrot Dragon didn't need Toon World to survive, and I made sure he stayed outside the pages of the book so that he wouldn't be destroyed with your spell card."
"You little brat--" Marik growls, but you cut him off.
"But, I think you'll find some joy in what I'm about to do next," you continue, stretching your arms out to your sides and making yourself look vulnerable. The boys all sound out in a chorus of confused noises while you take a deep breath. "Parrot Dragon, attack me directly!"
"Wh-Wh-WHAT!?" Joey stumbles, drawing back in shock. Yami grabs the side of his pod and cranes his neck to look directly up at you.
"REI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" he cries, making you look down at him. You smile sweetly.
"Something that needs to be done," you reply simply, turning back to your monster. You don't look down at Marik, but you know he's just as surprised as everyone else. You relish in it, if only for a moment. Who knows when you're going to get this chance ever again? "Please, my monster, attack me! Take the rest of my life points." Your Parrot Dragon, who looks distraught at the thought of having to hurt you, finally nods after a brief pause. Your heart warms at the gesture, and does even more so when the creature puts in the bare minimum amount of force needed to take away the rest of your points. When your counter falls to "0", you feel your pod begin to vibrate with the new knowledge. It takes a few seconds to start up, so you decide to use them.
"I wanted to make sure at least one of you stayed safe for the next rounds," you smile down at your companions before turning to Marik. "I know you'll follow me. I'm still a threat that you need to take out of this competition, and you need me gone before you get your perfect final match." You're lying through your teeth, but your sudden burst of confidence makes it sound real. "If you're smart, you'll sacrifice yourself and make me your semi-finals partner with your next turn." Marik clicks his tongue.
"Foolish girl," he grunts, rolling his eyes as he watches your pod begin to ascend.
"REI! REEEI!" Yami cries, and you lock eyes with him.
"I'll be okay. I promise! Just do your best... both of you!" you hear your friends' voices growing fainter and fainter as you rise to the very top of the seemingly limitless ceiling. You close your eyes tight, clutching each side of the pod until your knuckles turn white. When you slow to a stop, you open your eyes to see yourself waiting at the very top of the tower. You can't see or hear anyone at the bottom, so you must be at least a mile high. A door opens behind you and your pod clicks onto the track running along the bottom of the new path. You begin moving again, only backwards this time. You feel the motion sickness setting in, and you screw your eyes shut once more as you will your stomach to stay together. You begin moving in all kinds of directions, sliding on all kinds of tracks until you feel warm sun on your face and fresh air on your lips, which is enough to settle your stomach instantly. You open your eyes to see your pod now popping out of the ground of a gigantic dueling arena atop of the tower's rooftop. In the center of the arena stands a black-suited Battle City officiator. The shackles around your ankles open up, and you decide to step out of the pod and onto the roof.
"So, you're the first contestant of the semi-finals, Miss Rei?" the man asks, and you nod in response.
"Yes sir, I am," you reply, walking to the furthest side of the arena from your pod. You notice, right next to yours, are three closed holes in a line where, you assume, the other pods will appear.
"Well, I wish you nothing but the best in your duel with whomever is next to arrive," the man adds, bowing his head politely. You do the same and thank him, turning back to the holes and watching for your opponent.
"That was very risky, Rei, baiting Marik like that," a soothing voice beckons to you, breaking your concentrated gaze. Though Hikari doesn't sound angry, you still hang your head with slight embarrassment. "He could have just left you with slim life points and taken out one of the others."
"I just... did what I felt in my gut was right," you reply with a sigh. "I'm sorry. I'm just trying to... to live up to the name of being a protector."
"Of course you are," Hikari's voice is thick with her smile. The silhouette of her image appears in front of you, and you look up to meet her warm gaze. "And I'm very proud of you for sticking to your instincts. You have learned so much in such a short time." You return the smile and gently wrap your fingers around your wrist, feeling the heat of the bracelet soothe you.
"All we have to do now is wait, and hope for the best," you reply. "If Marik shows up, we do all we can to stave him off. I don't know if I'll beat him, but I have to do my best. If he defeats me, at least I've given either Yami or Joey the chance to prepare for the last match of the competition."
"...And if Yugi or Joey is your opponent?" Hikari asks hesitantly, making you flinch. You know she had to say it. You didn't want to think about it. Neither of you did. But, it could happen. In fact, there is a better chance you'll see one of them there than seeing Marik.
"If it's one of them, then it'll be my duty to defeat him for the sake of protecting him. I'm not going to let both suffer at the hands of Marik. We already have Mai and Bakura at risk, should Marik prevail. That's two too many, and it's going to stay that way--" Suddenly, you hear a low, mechanical hum rising in volume underneath the rooftop's surface. You curl your fingers tightly into fists, praying for the first time in your life that you don't see one of your friends. Time slows to a creep as one of the holes next to your pod begins to open. You close your eyes tight yet again, every single nerve in your body swallowed by an anxious burn.
Once the sounds slow to a stop, the air falls silent. You don't even hear the officiator say anything, which scares you even more. You hear soft footsteps approaching you, and it's when you feel strong arms hug you close that you feel the most painful bout of disappointment. Of course Yami would sacrifice himself to make sure one of you didn't have to duel Marik. However, when you lift your arms to try and hug him in return, you realize that you don't recognize the scent of the person holding you. It's then that you feel claws digging into your back, and it makes you cry out.
"Hello, my dear," Marik growls against the shell of your ear. "I hope you didn't miss me too much, but I just couldn't resist taking you up on that offer to make me your opponent for the semi-finals." Your blood suddenly runs cold at how close you two are, and you feel an overwhelming burst of energy course through your arms as you find it in yourself to push the possessed man away. You also feel Hikari lending you spiritual strength, and it's enough to send Marik back a few more feet. He stumbles back until he nearly falls over, but catches himself with a surprised chuckle.
"Don't you dare touch me," you hiss, trying to will away the throbbing pain in your back. Marik continues to laugh and stands up straight, opening his arms in a pseudo-kind way.
"Aww, that's a shame," Marik sarcastically sighs. "I thought you'd had a change of heart, that you wanted to see me. You've hurt my feelings."
"Enough with the act, Marik!" you snap, shutting him up and making him look you dead in the eye. Your knees are starting to feel like jelly. "You've done horrible things, and if you think I'm showing you a lick of kindness, you've got another thing coming. You're my opponent, and I'm going to destroy you and all hopes you have of taking over the world."
"You really are foolish," Marik reiterates. "Fine then, if you're so high and mighty about your abilities, then we'll settle this once the others arrive. You've dug your grave, little Rei, and I'll be happy to put you in it. Time to meet your maker."
"I could say the same to you, Marik," you grunt. As you look down at your duel disk, willing your nerves to cooperate, you hear the sound of heavy footsteps bounding up stairs. You turn to the doorway behind you, and watch as Mokuba, Tea, Tristan, Duke, and Serenity make it to the top floor, Mokuba's brother following a few seconds later. Then, once you turn back to face Marik, you see Joey and Yami appearing in their pod spaces. You run over to Yami, who jumps from his ride and collects you into his arms. You hold him as close as you can, relishing in his warmth and presence.
"Rei, are you okay?" he asks, and you nod frantically. He pulls away to look at you, feeling you tremble in his arms. "You're shaking. You... You didn't have to do this, you know. Joey or I could have been his opponent." You nod your head again and provide a gentle smile, despite your fear.
"I-I know... but this is something that... just feels right. It's important to me, and I wanted to be the one to take it on first. Even if I don't beat him, I know that I've guaranteed yours or Joey's safety, at least. I didn't want the possibility of both of you being hurt."
"But you've already taken so much..."
"And I'd take it for the rest of my life, if it meant keeping you, Yugi, and the others safe."
"Rei..." Yami gasps under his breath. His eyes gleam with a sense of pride in you. It feels good, and it gives you immeasurable strength, and you're thankful for it. You know you'll need it for sure.
"Would Marik Ishtar and Rei Thompson please step onto the dueling arena to begin the first match of the semi-finals!" the new officiator announces, taking the place of the one that had greeted you before. You hug Yami one more time before slipping away from him. You make your way to the platform, looking at all of your friends, who reassure you with strong glances. Once you're up on the arena, the mechanisms inside begin slowly pushing it up, elevating you above everyone's heads.
"Prepare to lose, Marik," you growl. He laughs.
"That's cute."
"May the second round of the semi-finals..." the officiator begins, raising his arm high into the air before throwing it back down again. "...BEGIN!" You draw your first hand and see what you can use. "Fake Trap", "De-Spell", "Negative Energy", "Gemini Elf" and "Toon Goblin Attack Force" sit in your hand, and you curse that you didn't get lucky this time with Toon World. Still, you place Negative Energy and De-Spell on the field face-down, and leave two spots open for a potentially lucky draw next turn.
"I place two cards face-down, and that's it for now," you announce.
"Not so ambitious to throw them all out onto the field this time, are we little Rei?" Marik cackles, only placing one card face-down on the field. "There we go... now we can really have some fun."
"What do you mean, Marik!?" You don't realize what he's talking about until he pulls his millennium rod from his belt. Your legs stiffen up and threaten to crumble under your weight as your eyes widen at the sight. From the eye on the sphere bleeds a familiar black and purple substance, which quickly swallows the sunlight and shields the arena from anything on the outside. A heavy pressure hangs on your heart once the field is completely surrounded, but the soul of the millennium bracelet makes herself known and staves off the pressure. It grants you instant relief, though the weight around you is still troublesome.
"You wanted me as your opponent, well now you're getting it," Marik grins. "Let's see what you can really handle, little Rei!"
"Rei!" Yami beckons, trying to penetrate the secondary barrier around you and Marik with his millennium spirit.
"You stay out of this, Pharaoh," Marik commands, strengthening the shadows' presence around you and keeping him out. You hear him grunt and draw back a bit, and it makes you whimper with sympathy.
"'EY, BLACK SUIT, CALL OFF THE MATCH!" Joey barks, turning to the officiator. "MARIK'S PLAYIN' DIRTY!"
"I'm sorry, Mr. Wheeler," the man replies. "But, since both duelists have cards in play, we cannot interfere."
"WHY YOU LITTLE--"
"KAIBA!" Yami turns to the young CEO. "Please, you MUST do something!!"
"Didn't you hear the man, Yugi?" Kaiba sneers. "Even if I wanted to stop it, I'd be breaking my own rules. I'm not even in my own tournament anymore, so I'm not bending the rules for anyone or anything. That's final."
"Th-This was your plan all along, wasn't it?" you ask, trying to focus on Hikari's warmth rather than the icy cold breath of the shadows down your spine. "To duel me in a battle... of spiritual strength?"
"I know, without a doubt, my Winged Dragon of Ra could crush the little toys you call cards," Marik licks his lips. "But doing it this way makes it so much more fun. Now, let's see what we have hiding in those memories." With his words, you suddenly feel a pressure in the base of your skull and the center of your forehead coming together, as if pushing through your head at both ends to touch. You cry out in pain once the force sinks in deeper, and you suddenly feel all of your memories being penetrated.
Being young and reading books with your mom before bedtime.
Watching her leave on the day she was killed.
Her funeral.
"S-STOP IT PLEASE!" you begin to weep immediately while reliving the memories, reaching up to take your head into your hands and clutch it with all your might.
"R-Rei, I'm sorry... I-I can't stop him! He's too strong!" Hikari admits, whimpering as she continues to fight it. It's at this moment that you realize Marik is projecting your memories on the surface of the Shadow Realm's presence, showing them off like a drive-in movie.
You and your father moving into Pegasus's mansion.
Watching him leave on his last mission, kissing your cheek and slipping his dog tags over your head.
Being told he's not coming home.
"I SAID LEAVE HER ALONE, MARIK!" Yami howls, trying to break through the barrier with his spirit again. He manages to crack it before Marik pushes him away once more. This time, Yami is sent stumbling back into the arms of his friends, grunting in pain.
Being raised by Pegasus, building your deck, and learning every element to the game Duel Monsters.
Overhearing Pegasus's conference with his businessmen about your father.
Running away from home.
"Marik please, you must stop this at once!" you suddenly hear Ishizu trying to call out to her brother, which proves to be in vain. There's no stopping him... not now. Not when he's having this much fun.
Living on your own in Domino.
Meeting Yugi and the others.
Entering Duelist Kingdom.
Your first kiss on the edge of the cliff.
"Looks like we're getting into some sweet memories now..." Marik coos gently, reaching out his hand. "I wonder what would happen if... little Rei had fallen off that cliff." Suddenly, the memory becomes manipulated into something new. The rock crumbles underneath you, and you're falling. Your memory wants to scream out, but your voice isn't there. As you hit the ground, your memory instantly fades to black, and you feel the pain of the impact. You lurch as it feels like bones are snapping in your body as you stand there.
"M-Marik... p-please..." you beg again, feeling weak from the shooting pain.
Dueling Pegasus and being saved by Yami.
Jumping to Yugi during his duel with Pegasus, his arms outstretched to catch you.
"Ah, this could be fun," Marik chuckles. He snaps his fingers, and in a flash, Yugi isn't there to catch you. He vanishes, and you keep falling until you can't be seen anymore. Again, the memory fades and you feel the impact. You fall to your knees, vicious tremors wracking your body from the sudden, constant abuse.
Watching Yugi win Duelist Kingdom.
Being kidnapped by Marik.
Being tied to the ceiling of the burning warehouse.
"NO! DON'T YOU DARE--" Yami threatens Marik, but it only drives him more. His eyes snap wide open, and suddenly the cord holding you up breaks away from the ceiling, sending you falling into a bed of hot flames and debris. The sound of breaking wood resonates when you make impact, the memory fades, and you feel a searing pain everywhere.
"NOW do you feel it? The power of the Shadow Realm!? It's relentless, it's torturous, and it's all mine to control!" You feel yourself lurch forward again, the pain from the twisted memories enough to make you cough and sputter. You don't notice the blood at first, but when you do, you can taste it on your teeth and lips as it soaks in. You clutch your stomach, tears soaking your face and sweat caking your hair to your skin. You heave with every inhale, breathing becoming a task that requires your full effort. You cough up more blood, and as it begins pooling by your knees, your vision starts to blur. You can faintly feel Hikari still trying to push the evil from your heart, and it's not until a second presence is suddenly with you that the force is strong enough to do so. You know Yami is the one to finally break through and help her, but it's too late. Marik has already done his damage, and you feel yourself fading into a bottomless black pit of nothing. The world falls silent around you, despite the chaos still ensuing. You faintly see Mokuba shaking the officiator, and your friends climbing up onto the dueling arena. The last thing you see is Marik, with a twisted smile from ear-to-ear, replaying the rewritten memories of you being hurt, before your body falls to the ground with a dead weight...
END OF CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
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Holy shit guys, long time no see! I am so sorry about making you all wait. A lot of good stuff has been happening in my life, but it's keeping me from being able to write or anything.
I promise I haven't stopped thinking about this since the last chapter. Chapters won't be as frequent as they used to be, but I can reassure you I'll try to make them more frequent than this last break. A happy medium will be found, I swear on it!
Also, I'd really like to try writing more self-insert stuff with different series. So, that might be happening soon too! See you guys soon, and I hope you like this chapter! <3
I promise I haven't stopped thinking about this since the last chapter. Chapters won't be as frequent as they used to be, but I can reassure you I'll try to make them more frequent than this last break. A happy medium will be found, I swear on it!
Also, I'd really like to try writing more self-insert stuff with different series. So, that might be happening soon too! See you guys soon, and I hope you like this chapter! <3
© 2015 - 2024 JunkerJunkie
Comments5
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Dude what? That's intense.