Disclaimer: I don’t own them.

Okay, this is the final Chapter. I tried to keep things as close to the actual story line as possible. Problem was, I haven’t seen that part of the series. Some things were directly conflicting with the way the story was planed like Yugi passing out immediately after the shadow game began and Yami pulling out the Magician of Black Chaos. At the point where he was supposed to use the Dark Magician I just had him use the DM girl instead. Also, it’s partially like the manga since in this Yugi doesn’t duel Joey, Joey instead forfeits. Once again things in this story didn’t go quite as planned so please forgive me if they don’t run smoothly with some of the other chapters. The rating goes up for slight language.

Yugi blinked up at his blonde friend trying to comprehend what he’d just been told.

“You’re… … Forfeiting?” He nearly choked on the word. Joey had just defeated Bandit Keith and now they were scheduled to face each other to decide who would face Pegasus. He didn’t even care at the moment if his mouth was hanging open. He still couldn’t believe the words that had just come out of Joey’s mouth. Not once in the entire time that Yugi had known him had Katsuya Jounouchi ever given up on anything. Especially something as important as this. To say that he was stunned was somewhat of an understatement.

A quick glance around proved that no one else could believe it either.

Yugi met his friend’s gaze and Joey gave him a steady look and a small smile.

“You’re going to beat me anyway.” He said. When Yugi was about to protest his lack of confidence he shook his head.

“No, I’m not talking about skill. Though in all honesty, I’m sure you’ve got me beat there. You simply want this more than I do.” He explained. “You have more at stake.”

Yugi’s eyes went wide and he could think of a thing to say.

“Thank you, Joey.” He murmured softly.

His blonde friend gave him a beaming smile and leaned down to whisper to him.

“If you wanna thank me, then save that jerk Kaiba. You don’t look right when you’re not smiling.”

Yugi felt the heat rise in his cheeks and looked up at his friend, startled. Determination filled him and he nodded fiercely.

With a glare he turned to look up at Pegasus who was watching them from his own balcony. Yugi’s gaze narrowed further ant the older man met it for a moment before turning towards the hallway. When he was out of sight Yugi felt himself relax slightly though there were little tremors rushing through him. The anger that had been filling him since the previous day had yet to dissipate and it was making him edgy. He nearly jumped when Yami set a hand down on his shoulder.

His dark half was looking down at him with a concerned expression and he smiled up at him softly.

“Yugi, are you certain that you want to do this alone? The shadow games are far different from the normal game. Are you sure you can handle it.” Yugi scowled up at his dark half though there was a thoughtful glint to his eyes.

“I have to do this by myself Yami. This is my fight.” He then lowered his voice so that the others wouldn’t hear him. “I love him too much to stand by and do nothing.”

That said he turned and headed back towards the arena. Once Yugi was out of earshot Yami shook his head sullenly. “Silly Yugi,” he whispered. “I love him too.”

Yugi clenched his fists tightly as he approached his consol, his nails biting into his palms. It seemed that with every step he took closer to the older man who stood waiting to duel him, the more his anger seemed to increase. By the time that he got up to the dueling field he was nearly shaking.

The tension in the air was stifling and Yugi heard some gasps from the others as light came from Pegasus’ Millennium Eye but then there was only darkness surrounding the two of them.

Yugi gasped deeply as the effect of the world of darkness hit him and he nearly lost consciousness right then and there.

Pegasus seemed pleased by the effect.

“Well Yugi-boy, it doesn’t as though the atmosphere here suits you too well, does it?” He taunted. Yugi gritted his teeth and bit back an acidic retort. He didn’t trust his voice too much at the moment and didn’t want to give the older man the satisfaction of hearing him stutter.

“Maybe this will make you feel better though. As a little added incentive for you, should you, by some chance defeat me, you will be given my share of Industrial Illusions. Something that will make you quite rich.”

Yugi grimaced at his friendly tone and glared at him.

‘Bastard. As if I need added incentive.’

Reading his thoughts, Pegasus smiled at him curiously.

“Before we start though, let me ask you a question, Yugi-boy.” Yugi blinked for a moment then motioned for the older man to continue.

“Out of the three souls that I have in my possession, if you could only save one, which would it be?”

Yugi’s eyes widened at the man’s audacity and he wanted to throttle him desperately but he managed to hold his anger in check. He closed his eyes a bit as he recalled his promise to Seto the other night and a small, sad quirk formed at the corner of his lips.

“That’s easy.” He said softly, his tone taking the silver-haired man by surprise. “I’d save Mokuba.”

The older man didn’t bother to hide his surprise at Yugi’s answer and when Yugi looked back up he saw some of the glimmer fade from the other man’s eye.

When Pegasus spoke it wasn’t with his normal singsong manner or his usual politeness.

“You really do love him.” It wasn’t a question.

Yugi growled softly.

“What would someone like you know of love?!” He demanded. He was seeing red and he barely missed the pained look in the older man’s expression. He thought back to the painting he’d seen in the dining hall the night before of a beautiful young girl with light brown hair and a sadistic smirk touched his lips.

“She’s lucky she’s dead, you know.” He said darkly. Pegasus’ eye widened and he stared at him startled. “She never got to see just what kind of a person you really are.”

The older man’s expression turned fierce He pulled out a card and Yugi paled when he saw just what it was.

“I wouldn’t say such things, little Yugi.” Pegasus chided. “You’re beloved’s fate rests, quite literally in my hand. It would be a shame if something were to happen to him.”

Yugi wanted to fight back the anger that consumed him, wanted to keep it at bay, if nothing else than for Seto’s sake but it was too much for him.

“Fuck you!” He spat. The silver-haired man wagged a finger in front of him tauntingly.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk Yugi-boy.” He said, his usual manner returning. “You really should mind your language.”

Yugi slammed his hand down on the dueling field.

“I’m tired of watching my language. I’m tired of being the nice one. I’m tired of standing by and watching the people I love be hurt because I’m too damn scared to fight for them myself!!” He yelled, his voice rising with every sentence.

And, just like that, his anger vanished. The tension fled from his body in a wave and he was breathing deeply from his outburst. Once again he fought against passing out but he held on.

“Enough of this.” He said. “Lets duel.”

Yugi drew his cards, keeping his expression blank as he did so.

The battle started out normal enough, Yugi using some of his usual cards and strategies and even some new ones but it quickly became apparent that Pegasus was indeed reading his mind. With every monster that was destroyed Yugi felt the blow physically and the only thing that kept him hanging on was knowing that if he lost then the pain that he was feeling now would be nothing compared to the hell that he would be in.

He cursed mentally and some part of him hoped that the older man heard a few of his choice words.

Hoping for the best Yugi played his Demon Summon with the Hexagram Curse. His spirit lifted when Pegasus attacked it but then dropped when at the last moment he played the Trap Transfer card, sending the trap back on to Yugi’s own monster then destroying it.

Yugi winced as his demon was destroyed and began to panic slightly. How could he possibly win when Pegasus knew every move that he was going to make? What if he lost, what if he couldn’t save Seto or his grandfather or Mokuba. He didn’t think he could survive it if he failed them. He suddenly wished that his Yami were with him but quickly dispersed the thought. Yami had faith in him. That’s why he wasn’t there. No matter what he’d said to convince him, Yami wouldn’t have let Yugi fight Pegasus alone if he didn’t fully believe that he would win. Seto believed in him too and he knew that he wouldn’t, couldn’t let them down.

He held his breath as Pegasus drew his card and cursed the man for keeping his expression neutral. Yugi swallowed deeply when Pegasus played a magic card.

Toon World.

Yugi began putting his monsters in defense mode, knowing that none of them would be able to touch the older man’s toon monsters. He dug his fingers into the edge of the dueling field, trying not to lose his wavering hope as the silver-haired man played the Gorgon Stare trap card, destroying one of his defending monsters and damaging his life points for half that monster’s defending power. Pegasus followed up his attack by playing the copycat card and mimicking Yugi’s Demon Summon, creating the Toon Demon Summon.

Things had just gone from bad to worse.

Yami ignored Anzu’s startled protests when Yugi and Pegasus were enveloped by the world of darkness, beginning the shadow game. He felt his connection from Yugi cut off and he felt depressingly bereft. He silently prayed to Ra that Yugi would be okay. He knew that Yugi could handle himself in a normal duel but the shadow games were grueling and they took their toll on you quickly. Especially someone as lighthearted as Yugi. His mind registered when Honda said that he was going to go look for Mokuba and Kaiba, just incase Yugi lost and saw Bakura go after him. He knew that he should have gone with them but he couldn’t draw himself away from the railing, despite the fact that he couldn’t see what was happening.

He just wished that there was something that he could do to help Yugi.

Holding his breath once again, Yugi played the Dark Magician Girl and the Magical Silk Hats encasing them. Pegasus attacked the hats, knowing which one it was in but, to both of their surprise, the hat he hit was empty.

Yugi felt Yami’s presence wash over him and was about to say something to him when his dark half’s voice filled his mind.

*Please Yugi, let me help you. I can’t hold out like this very long but let me do this little bit. I can’t sit to the side doing nothing any more than you can.* He pleaded. Yugi relented to the assistance, realizing how selfish he’d been.

‘Thank you Yami.’

 Pegasus attacked the hats but with Yami’s consciousness shielding Yugi’s mind he missed again but then played the Ward of Magic Dispelling, destroying the hats. Feeling his confidence rise Yugi activated two cards. The Magic Effect Arrow to send the ward at Pegasus as well, destroying Toon World and then Mirror Force to destroy the toons.

Pegasus swallows a curse as he realizes that he underestimated Yugi. The older man placed a card that took Yugi by surprise. The Dark Eyes Illusionist. The monster itself had an attack power of 0 but it had a special ability to immobilize all of Yugi’s monsters.

Yugi’s eyes widened painfully and he felt a chunk of ice sink into his stomach when the older man followed it up with the Ritual of Illusions offering up Dark Eyes as a tribute to summon Sacrifice. Again the monster had no attack or defense power but that didn’t make Yugi any less worried. Sacrifice uses it’s ability and, much to Yugi’s dismay, absorbed the Curse Of Dragon that Yugi had on the field along with his Dark Magician Girl.

Yugi used his magician girl to attack the monstrosity but, using the absorbed dragon, he shielded himself and the damage was instead done to his own life points.

‘Oh god,’ Yugi thought to himself. ‘What can I do?’ He felt Yami’s calming presence wash over him and allowed his other half to draw and place a card, trusting in what he was doing. As soon as the card was placed however, Yami’s consciousness disappeared from his mind completely and he realized that the other had passed out. His panic rose knowing that Pegasus would now be able to freely read his mind and he couldn’t think of how the situation could possibly get worse.

He found out.

Pegasus played the Time Bomber card which would explode in two turns, destroying all the monsters on the field and damaging their owner’s life points for equal to their attack strength. Powered up by the darkness around them, his Magician Girl’s attack strength would be enough to finish off his life points. Pegasus however wouldn’t lose and life points because Sacrifice had no attack strength of it’s own.

Yugi could feel the despair lapping at him again but, somewhere in the back of his mind, he could hear Seto and Yami calling to him telling him not to give up. He had so many things that he was fighting for. Seto, his grandfather, Mokuba. He couldn’t let them down again. Not now.

His Sennen Puzzle began to grow brightly and Pegasus was startled to find that Yugi’s mind was completely blocked from view by the people that he loved. An image of Jowy scowled at the older man as he used his Millennium Eye.

“Get the hell out of Yugi’s mind, asshole!”

Yugi could feel the tears welling in his eyes, knowing that his friends were protecting him.

‘Arigatou, Minna.’ He silently thanked and turned his attention back towards the duel.

With a surge of confidence Yugi reached for the monster card that Yami had played earlier and when he touched it he felt a small jolt run through him. Startled, he picked the card up and stared at it in shock.

Holy Dragon Mage.

Attack: 5000

Defense: 5000

Effect: Voids all monster effects, magic and trap cards currently in play

He thought back as far as he could, trying to remember where he had gotten such a powerful card but he was positive that he’d never seen it before in his life.

Then it hit him.

‘They should be together, don’t you think?’ The Blue Eyes card that Seto had given him and his own Dark Magician had fused in his hand but at the time he’d been too out of it to notice. This card must have been what they created. He thought, awed.

He held the card close to his chest for a moment and thanked them for their help. Wordlessly, he placed the card face up on the field.

Pegasus’ eye went wide when a lone boy appeared on the field. He stood tall, his inky black hair falling to the ground. His narrow blue eyes peered listlessly through his long bangs. He had large, dragon-like wings and held a summoning staff, similar to that of the Dark Magician’s. He wore a pristine white cloak that enveloped him and a small gold circlet crowned his head.

Pegasus sputtered indignantly at the sight of him.

“What is that? I never made that card!”

Yugi laughed softly.

“These are the shadow games, Pegasus. We aren’t playing by your rules anymore. Just because you didn’t make the card doesn’t mean it’s any less real. That’s for the cards themselves to decide. Now, attack, Holy Dragon Mage.”

Pegasus could only stare in horror as the Dragon Mage effortlessly destroyed Sacrifice, who no longer had its effect to shield it, with an attack that looked remarkably like Blue Eyes’ Burst Stream.

Pegasus’ life points were obliterated and the battle ended. The older man look considerably distraught and Yugi gave him a small, sympathetic smile.

“You’ve lost, Pegasus. And there are consequences for losing in the Shadow Games” Yugi grasped his Sennen Puzzle and it shone brightly, sealing the older man’s soul in the dark world.

‘Please,’ Yugi prayed softly to his puzzle. ‘Grant him his wish.’

The darkness shifted all around Pegasus and his mind grew muddled. He blinked his eyes rapidly, trying to remember where he was and why. When everything cleared he found himself standing in the garden of a large manor house. The house looked familiar to him but with his mind as hazy as it was he couldn’t place it.

“Pegasus! There you are.” He heard a sweet voice call out to him and, though he couldn’t remember whose voice it was, it made his heart beat faster and a smile tinge his lips.

The voice, it seemed, belonged to a young girl, about seventeen with long, golden brown hair that was tied with a blue ribbon. The skirt of her matching dress swirled around her as she ran towards him a bright smile on her face.

“Cyndia…” He murmured softly, the name falling easily from his lips as some of his memories began to clear. He was at Cyndia’s house, in the garden where they so often spent their time together.

The young girl threw her arms around him and beamed up at him.

“I’ve been looking for you.” She pouted, mischief sparkling in her amber colored eyes. “We still have so much planning to do. I still can’t believe that the wedding is only three weeks away. Cyndia Crawford. It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?”

Pegasus smiled down at her and nodded, holding her close. If felt like it had been years since he’d last seen her and he didn’t want to let her go. As she pulled him through the garden, leading him back towards the house she paused to look at him.

“What were you doing out here anyway?” She asked. Confusion touched his brow for a moment and then he just smiled at her.

“I don’t even know.”

As the world of darkness faded from around Yugi the toll it took on him and the emotional fatigue he’d been put through made themselves apparent. Pushed beyond his limits he felt consciousness slipping from him and just before everything went black he could have sworn that he saw two of Pegasus’ guards being chased by a large Man Eater Bug.

Epilogue

After what felt like years of rest he was drawn back to awareness by voices around him and a comforting warmth.

“He look, he’s waking up.” Came a voice that was most certainly Joey. He blinked his eyes open. Around him were Joey, Honda, Anzu, Mai, Yami and a restored Mokuba. That meant that the person who was apparently holding him was…

He looked up and lost himself into shimmering blue eyes. Tears slid welcome down his cheeks as he stared up at Seto whom he feared he might never see again. Not caring the slightest about the people watching him he threw his arms around the older boy and kissed him soundly. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could have sworn he heard Anzu scream but he didn’t really care at the moment. The embrace was met eagerly and Seto’s lips moved easily over his own before deepening the kiss, slipping his tongue past Yugi’s parted lips to fully taste him. Yugi felt as though he’d been deprived of something wonderful for years and only now had been given it back.

When they finally pulled apart, everyone was watching them startled, with the exception of Joey and Yami. Finally Mokuba was the one who broke the tenuous silence when he approached them, shaking his head.

“Man, it just figures you’d fall for a weird one.” He said. Seto frowned at him, still holding Yugi close.

“Yugi’s not weird.” He reprimanded. A large, mischievous grin broke out on the smaller boy’s face.

“Well, duh. It’s Yugi I was talking to.” Seto’s frown deepened but he wasn’t really upset because the comment had made Yugi laugh brightly.

Wiping the tears of mirth from his eyes he settled back into Seto’s arms. Finally he felt whole again and feeling Seto’s arms around him and lips on his, he knew that everything was going to be alright.

    ~~Owari~~

Okay, okay, I know it’s a little weird but I couldn’t help it. It just seemed to have a mind of it’s own. Also, the thing about the Man Eater Bug chasing the guards did happen. Bakura used the power of his ring to animate some of his cards. I just couldn’t resist throwing that in.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this story, despite the oddness of it. I liked it.

Please review.