Mastering The Game

Here is another piece of the story. I find myself frustrated that I can’t yet get to the good stuff, but it’s coming… It's hard to believe that last week I was frezzing and had the heaters going and tonight it's so hot I'm not sure I'll be able to sleep. But then maybe I'll get a bit more of my new stpry written, "In the End" is being written finally, the fourth story in the "Breaking" series.

SUMMARY: Yugi meets up with his Master’s brother, and some secrets are revealed.

Chapter 6: Magical Hats

How could he have lost? How could he have lost to that boy? A boy, who looked very much like his very own slave, yet was different. He had tried to hack into the complex where he had bought his slave, trying to find out what his full name had been, he had only ever been supplied with his first name, and it was all the boy had responded to. He was a slave; whatever had happened in the past should not matter anymore. But the records were too well protected; he could not break into them. There was no way to know for certain. The one he had battled looked different; he had more blonde spikes in his hair, even if it were the same style and colors. He could not have dueled his slave. He had ordered Fuguta to let Yugi become familiar with the game he loved so much. But the opponent he had dueled was experienced, whereas his slave could not have learned that fast… It all made no sense, just like the heart of the cards…

There was no way he could compete in the upcoming Duelist Kingdom Tournament. He could not face Yugi yet. In fact he could not deal with much else at the moment. He just had to get away. He had a place he could go and get some peace. He still had his duel disk to work on, that alone was the thing to give him some hope. When Mokuba had come in, it had given him the excuse he needed to get away. He knew he could trust his brother; in fact, his brother was the only person he did trust completely. He gave him the key to their safe and left everything in his hands, little knowing that other things were going behind his back.

Mokuba had been left confused and angry over what had happened to his brother. But he would do as his brother asked and watch over the company in his brother’s absence. He heard the story of his brother’s defeat had gotten out into the public domain and it was damaging the company’s and Seto’s reputations, driving away investors and business declining. However, he came across the meeting of the big five and Pegasus. He heard about the deal to give the company to Pegasus if he defeated Yugi who was responsible for the destruction of the company’s reputation, and they wanted the key Seto had given him. The bad part was that he was caught listening in on their plans and taken captive by Pegasus who was sure he would get the key from him. He took Mokuba to the island, where he managed to escape and go in pursuit of his revenge for his brother.

Continuing on their way Yugi and friends came across a boy being tackled by one of Pegasus’ goons, the one with the spiked hair called Kemo. They were told that he was being deported from the island because he had lost his star chips and could no longer participate. But they wanted to help the boy because he said he had been robbed, so Yugi led them back to the scene of the crime in hopes of finding the thief. Of course he did turn up and he knew who Yugi was, and challenged him to a duel. Once on the podium, Yugi felt that the change come over him again and that he knew who it was that he was facing. His opponent wanted revenge against Yugi so that he could save his brother’s company and reputation. He believed that cards were power like his brother did, his brother Seto Kaiba, Yugi’s Master, though Mokuba did not and hopefully would not, know that.

Mokuba explained to him about Pegasus trying to take over the company, and that he was close to achieving that. He had to find a way to stop Yugi, to make sure he could not go on to battle Pegasus; he would have to get him disqualified somehow. But he was not in Yugi’s league, and as a last resort tried to steal his star chips. Yugi however, was able to convince him that he could help him and his brother that he would defeat Pegasus, and they ran to rescue the boy who he had stolen from. Their rescue is for naught as the boat was gone when they got there and Kemo once again grabbed Mokuba as hostage. Kemo answers Yugi’s challenge to a duel but will not duel himself; he will have someone duel in his place in an hour later.

Kaiba was no closer to understanding the heart of the cards in his exile. But he worked on his duel disk system, perhaps it would give him an advantage against Yugi, he could duel anywhere at any time. Of course he wasn’t expecting to be hunted by Pegasus. Or that his enemy might want him dead. Two goons broke into his workshop; he knew they were not the kind to be taken lightly, as they were armed. So seeing he had no other choice, he grabbed his duel disk system and jumped out the window, accidentally leaving his deck behind.

Back on the island Yugi was introduced to his new opponent. While the name came out in his voice, his mind said another word, ‘Master.’

Kemo tried to convince them that Seto Kaiba was dead and that Yugi’s opponent was his ghost. Yugi of course was not convinced, nor was Mokuba. Though the boy would never want to have his brother gone from him. Then even the ghost tried to convince him as well. He was an eliminator, sent to take Yugi out, though they hoped he would break Yugi’s spirit and force him to give up. Yugi was surprised when one of Kaiba’s cards was drawn, how could he even get a hold of Kaiba’s deck? Unless… The ghost further revealed that he knew Yugi had lost Exodia, and taunts him to see if he could beat Kaiba’s deck without it.

Running was not a thing that Seto Kaiba liked to do. But he had the money to be able to do it successfully, and hopefully his pursuers would believe that he was dead and had stopped looking for him. Of course, making his way back to his home, he could not be sure of that once he saw all of the men guarding the place. Still the only way to find out why he was suddenly being hunted by Pegasus, who he knew was just as rich as he was and had invented the game he loved to play, he had to get to his main computer. And he had a secret one in the basement of his home; he knew the value of keeping some things hidden from others.

He got inside with ease and was able to boot up his computer and learn what was going on. The fact that his board of directors, the Big Five were dealing with Pegasus did not surprise him, nor that they had used his defeat in a duel against him to try and drive him out of his position. What did surprise him, in fact shock him, was the picture that came up on his computer of Yugi Mutou. It was not the Yugi Mutou he faced in his duel, it was his… slave! How could that be...? And further to that, how could his slave be competing in the Tournament? Pegasus knew – shit! Pegasus had been his rival bidder for Yugi at the auction! Of course he knew who he was. What game was that man playing! Was this all some weird plot to get his slave away from him and destroy him at the same time?

And if Yugi, a rookie at Duel Monsters had defeated him in a duel, what chance did Pegasus have in a duel against him. He had Exodia the most powerful card combination.

“Recent reports indicate that Yugi Mutou has lost Exodia,” his computer answered that question.

“What!” he shouted getting to his feet angrily, before sitting down again. What more could go wrong?

The Computer went on. “Any further questions?”

“Has Mokuba been seen anywhere? Where is he?”

“Servants of Pegasus are currently holding him in the Duelist Kingdom.”

Yet another shock on top of the other one. Pegasus was covering all bases. Mokuba had the key he needed to get the papers he required for the takeover, he was sure his brother would never give it up willingly. He had to help his brother escape and guard against Pegasus’ planned takeover. He had to help Yugi win at all costs. And he knew it would not be long before they realized where he was.

At the duel ring, Yugi had a shock of his own coming when the ghost did on fact draw a Blue Eyes, no one else in the world had that card in his deck, no one but Seto Kaiba, he had made sure of that. How could his Master be dead, that would have even worse consequences on his future. The ghost taunted him, inviting him to come to hell with him. A part of Yugi wondered if maybe he would be better off there…

Meanwhile Kaiba fought to find out where Yugi was dueling, learning quickly that Pegasus was protecting all of Yugi’s duel data, not allowing any access to it. But he was determined to find a way in by hacking into the Industrial Illusions central computer named Millennium, a very well protected computer. However, with their systems based on the virtual system which he had designed himself, he knew he’d be able to get in especially if he linked all the search information to Yugi’s favored card, the Dark Magician. And by breaking into an Industrial Illusions satellite, he gained a chance at hacking into the Millennium computer.

At the duel, the ghost planned to block all Yugi’s escape routes and then laid a card face down, meaning trouble for Yugi and sending him into defense mode only to be forced back to attack mode when the card turns out to be a Defense Paralysis card.

Kaiba also found himself running into trouble, when his hacking started to make an effect once he found the booth where Yugi was dueling, but he saw through the attacks and reached the virtual fortress holding Yugi’s data, an island of prison, Alcatraz.

Ghost Kaiba had Yugi rattled.

Kemo laughed, “Ha Yugi, Kaiba’s rejoicing for you defeat too from the other world.”

Mokuba cried out that he did not believe his brother could be dead. This boy the brother of his Master convinced Yugi to go on and he used Magical Hats with his Dark Magician. Yugi invited the ghost to take him out and he obligingly attacked. It seemed that things were going Yugi’s way for once as he destroyed the Blue Eyes, but Ghost Kaiba fought back with another, destroying the Dark Magician and gloating about it.

Kaiba soon learned that he was supposed to be Yugi’s opponent, and that the deck he was up against was the one he had left behind. He knew Yugi could not beat it without Exodia and he did not want to risk Yugi losing, he planned to upload a virus to destroy the Blue Eyes.

Yugi knew he had nothing left to fight against the Blue Eyes, but he would not give up. Ghost Kaiba attacked, but luckily the virus began to affect the dragon.

Watching the duel Pegasus knew that Yugi was getting outside help from Kaiba, and fought back himself, back-hacking him and locking him out. His goons stormed the mansion, but the dragon was still active.

In frustration Kaiba screamed out, “Yugi!”

“Master,” said Yugi hearing him. The dragon stopped, even though it should not have.

Even Kaiba’s computer said the virus was not responsible. But it was too late for him, he had to get away. When the goons reached his computer room he was gone. Pegasus didn’t foresee Kaiba helping Yugi. The Master helping his slave, he’d have to know the true by now of who had defeated him in that duel. He would have to adjust his plans accordingly if he was to get what he wanted.

Ghost Kaiba cannot believe that the dragon was destroyed. Yugi reinforced the fact that Kaiba was alive, he sensed him. The Ghost was an imposter and he demanded to know who he was. The Ghost does so revealing himself to be the evil part of Kaiba that was sent to the Shadow Realm in his duel with Yugi. Part of Yugi understood that, the part that is confident enough to continue the duel, even if there is still another Blue Eyes in the deck. Which of course evil Kaiba drew, the others thought they had nothing to worry about, Kaiba will save Yugi. But Kemo told them that Kaiba cannot help them as his hideout had been found and he was on the run again.

But against all the odds Yugi was able to withstand what the Evil Kaiba threw at him, eventually gaining his own Blue Eyes and used Kaiba’s trick to give it more power instead of taking from it, with the Mystical Elf card he had drawn. Fully confident he attacked and destroyed, and the evil one was sent back to the Shadow Realm where he belonged.

Something strange happened; Yugi felt power overwhelm him, swamping him. He knew that something had happened and it had something to do with Pegasus, but he could not be sure afterwards.

“Master,” whispered Yugi as he picked up his Master’s deck from the duel control panel. He was still a little surprised that his Master had helped him, and he had to know the truth now. He had to know that Yugi was the slave bought by him. The one who had beaten him in the duel that had sent him off in confusion. Yugi took Kaiba’s deck into safe keeping, but they all realized that Mokuba had been taken by Kemo again. He had lost his Master’s brother, something else he would have to fight Pegasus for.

----------------------------------------------------

Pegasus was surprised by the strength of Yugi’s shadow power; he had been able to send the evil side of Kaiba to the shadow realm, but threatening him? Still he was confident of his power; he would defeat the slave and take from him all that he wanted.

TBC: Harpie Lady.