Chaos Effect

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Mai let out a sigh as the Ancient Flying Machine continued to cruise towards the Castle of Dark Illusion. "You'd think we'd be there by now," she muttered. They'd taken off an hour ago and despite the Castle appearing to be only a short flight away they were no closer to reaching the lair of the Mythic Dragon than when they'd started. In fact it seemed like no matter how far they flew the Castle got no closer. The Princess' castle was a different story and it was the fact that Mai could look down and see it only as a tiny spec on the horizon that told her they were moving at all. The Castle of Dark Illusion though? That just hung there, still the same size.

Yugi and Joey had been just as confused but Edwin had suggested that it might be like a loading screen on a game.

"We're fast traveling to a new location," he'd theorized, "so maybe this is the game loading up the new level. Or it could be we're about to get a cutscene. Who knows?"

They'd all accepted that and settled off to their own spots on the deck, waiting for the Castle to finally begin coming close to them again. The problem though was that waiting was making them all stir crazy and making their nerves all the worse. Mokuba had been taken, so they were all worried about the little guy, and then there was the fact that Edwin had let slip that he'd heard rumors of what they were going to be facing: the Mythic Dragon was the 5-Headed Dragon.

Mai shuddered at that even as she sat there on the deck going over her cards.

'The most powerful monster known in Duel Monsters,' she thought. 'More powerful than even the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.' Edwin had argued that there were stronger monsters in terms of attack but he couldn't actually NAME them; just assured her that there were. Joey had then asked him if he actually HAD any of those monsters in his deck and the silence had spoken volumes. 'We're flying on an air ship to take on the most powerful monster in the game… and it is in control of five men that had no problem teaming up with Pegasus to try and take out Seto Kaiba… who they've managed to already capture.' She bit her lip in worry. 'We're so underleveled and I wish we could have spent more time preparing but we can't. Mokuba is up there… and I won't let any kid become their prisoner. It's not just because Edwin cares for him either… I know what it is like to feel like you are at the mercy of someone more powerful than yourself. I can't sit by while any kid is put at risk. Especially Mokuba… poor boy can't catch a break.'

The battle to come was affecting the others as well. Yugi had grown quiet, moving off to go over his deck as well while Joey… Joey was just quiet. He was leaning against the rail, his earlier bravado gone, just looking at the castle like he could will it to come closer. Or to shatter and no longer pose a threat. As for Edwin he had taken out his lute and begun to quietly strum a few notes, the only sound to fill the air other than the wind around them.

'I hate this,' Mai though to herself. 'It feels too much like the final match of a tournament… expect there is no thrill at the victory that is to come. Just the dread of what will happen if we lose.'

Edwin looked over at her and she stared back, giving a weak smile and a shrug. But rather that bring him comfort Mai was startled to see him set his jaw and square his shoulders before standing up and moving to the center of the flying machine.

"Okay… I didn't want to do this but I have something that might help us."

"What's that?" Yugi asked, looking up from his deck.

"And why didn't you want ta do it?" Joey said, speaking for the first time since they'd gotten onto the Flying Machine.

"Because it is very risky… very dangerous. But I think for what we're about the face we must try it." He pulled up his inventory menu and retrieved, of all things, two sets of ear plugs. "There is a ritual I can perform, to ask for a blessing from the divines above. But it requires three people. Joey, Yugi, will you help me with it?"

"Of course!" Yugi said quickly, nodding his head.

"What do we have ta do, pal?" Joey asked.

Edwin nodded. "Mai will be The Listener. She must hear the Song of Ritual. I will play it on my lute and channel my power into the Ritual. You two will need to, on my signal, repeat the Movements of the People. First raise your hands to the sky, to praise all that is above us." Yugi and Joey nodded. "Next you much gesture towards your heads-" he showed them, keeping his arms up but bending his elbows so his fingertips could touch his skull, "-to remember that we have minds that can aid us. Then the symbol of the crescent moon-" he showed them this position as well, "-and finally the high prayer position. Understand?"

The two teens practiced a few times and finally nodded, Edwin passing them the earplugs.

"You can't hear the song… only the Listener and the Player can. But I will signal you with a wave of my finger, okay? When I do that shut your eyes and perform the ritual movements."

"Got it!" Joey said, giving him a thumbs up and putting the ear plugs in. Yugi did the same and Edwin led the two to stand behind him.

Mai though swallowed. "Are you sure about this, Edwin? You said it could be dangerous."

"Very dangerous… but it will be worth it." He checked his lute over. "Ready?"

She steadied her nerves. If Edwin was nervous about this then she had a good reason to be worried. But if it could work… "Ready."

"Good." He lowered his head and began to play, the music steady as, thanks to his powers in the game world, multiple lutes and a bass drum joined in with the pounding music…

…and then Edwin's serious face twisted into the doppiest open-mouthed smile one could have as he rocked back and forth with the music.

"Young lad, there's no need to feel down. I said, young lad, pick thyself off the ground. I said, young lad, 'cause thee be new to town. There aren't need to be un-joy-ful. Young lad, there's a place thou may stay. I said, young lad, when thou lack thy pay. Thee can stay there, and I'm sure thou will find many ways to have a good time."

Edwin raised his hand and gave the gesture, Yugi and Joey quickly performing the 'Ritual Moves'.

"It's fun to stay at the YMCA!"

Mai couldn't help it… she burst out laughing.

"It's fun to stay at the YMCA!" Edwin began to dance around her, making ridiculous faces as Yugi and Joey, oblivious, continued to perform the YMCA dance. "They have everything for you men to enjoy, you can hang out with all the boys! YMCA! It's fun to stay at the YMCA. It's fun to stay at the YMCA."

Her entire body hurt. Mai was clutching her sides, tears leaking down her cheeks as she screamed out her laughter, Edwin bouncing about like a loon.

"You can get yourself clean, you can have a good meal, you can do what ever you feel!"

"Stop… stop!" Mai begged, gasping for air, but Edwin kept singing.

"Oh Mai, are you listening to me? I said, oh Mai, what do you want to be? I said, oh Mai, you can make real your dreams! But you got to know this one thing! I am making a fool of myself! I said, oh Mai, laughter's good for your health! I just tricked Yugi, to do YMCA! That's where Pegasus spends his days!"

"I'm gonna pee!" Mai whined.

"It's fun to stay at the YMCA! It's fun to stay at the YMCA! They have everything for Joey to enjoy! He does hang out with all the boys! YMCA! It's fun to stay at the YMCA! It's fun to stay at the YMCA! I hear Seto goes there, without a single care, and shakes his derriere!"

Finally Mai launched herself forward, grabbing Edwin's hand to stop him from playing, before collapsing with him, shaking so hard from laughter she made him tremble as well. It took several minutes for her to finally catch her breath, with a few times seeing her almost succeed only to break down again when she saw Joey and Yugi still doing the YMCA. But she finally did settle her nerves and when she did so she looked down at him, the grinning jerk just staring right back at her.

"That calm you down?" he asked softly.

"Yeah," Mai said with a sigh, resting her head on his shoulder. "Thanks. Not tell those idiots to stop dancing."

"Right." Mai rolled off of him and Edwin got up, brushing off his outfit before walking over to Joey and Yugi, tapping them both on the shoulder. "Ritual performed. Hopefully it will work."

"Man, I hope so," Joey said, rubbing his arms. "All those movements really gave my muscles a workout!"

Yugi though turned away from them and stared out at the Castle of Dark Illusion. "I think it worked a bit… the Castle is getting closer. I can now see it better." He frowned, taking a step closer to the rail. "See… there is the cloud that surrounds it." He pointed towards a dark misty mass that huge around the Castle of Dark Illusion, swaying and shifting as they drew in closer.

"That's no cloud," Edwin whispered and Mai instantly saw what he meant as the 'mist' suddenly began to race towards them, breaking up not into smoke or fog but into dark bodies. "Looks like the Big 5 don't want us to land! Everyone get ready!"

Mai instantly leapt to her feet and began to summon Harpie monsters while Joey sent out a few smaller dragons and Yugi his Gaia the Dragon Champion. Edwin, for his part, began to throw out trap cards to try and thin the ranks while also summoning a fiend named Lilith to help in the attack that was to come.

It didn't take long for the horde of winged beasts to descend upon the Flying Machine, as well as their air mines that began to strike the ship, causing it to tremble. Edwin's traps, including things like Mirror Force, were helping to drive back most of the blasts that were coming at them but still enough of the horde was able to sneak in and give them problems. Joey leapt and grabbed the wheel, desperately trying to steer them out of danger, while Mai and Yugi focused on the beasts that were out to end their journey.

"Earu!" Yugi cried out and Mai turned to see him clutching Princess Adena's fairy companion, who was lying in Yugi's cupped palms, gasping faintly before shattering into pieces. "No…"

"We have more coming!" Edwin called out. "And I can't throw anything else at them without risking the Flying Machine!"

"Yugi!" Mai called out, "get your head in the game-"

"It is, Mai," Yugi said, suddenly far more determined and focused. He strode past her, jaw set as his Puzzle faintly glowed. Remembering what Edwin had told her about the Millennium Items Mai realized this wasn't little Yugi Moto anymore but the Spirit that dwelled within the puzzle. The confident, determined duelist who never backed down from facing a foe. "Joey… take us straight ahead. Edwin… the moment you sense we can't wait anymore… unleash all you have."

"Right," Edwin said, snapping his mask in place and drawing two cards from his deck, arms held out away from him as he tensed.

"We're hitting the barrier!" Joey said and a second latter the entire ship shuddered. "I'm trying to break us through-"

"EDWIN! NOW!"

"Right," the older duelist declared, the two cards he'd drawn flashing. "Brace yourselves! SOLEMN WARNING AND SOLEMN JUDGEMENT!"

Twin bolts of holy lightning rocketed from the storm clouds above them, crashing into the barrier and the ship. The forcefield around the Castle became visible and shuddered violently before finally collapsing in a rain of mystical shards falling to the ground below as well as the deck of the Flying Machine. Around them the next wave of Castle defenders were caught in the blast and were destroyed and Mai dimly realized that they were getting massive amounts of EXP as Edwin's traps mopped up dozens of monsters.

Then the Flying Machine lurched violently to its left.

"We just lost the left enginge!" Joey cried out, fighting with the wheel. "I'm trying to keep it steady… I think we're goin' down!"

"WINGED DRAGON OF THE FORTRESS!" The Spirit roared out, throwing out a card. Joey and him leapt onto the dragon while Mai's Harpies darted over to her and lifted her up while Edwin was grabbed by Lilith who yanked him from the deck just as the Flying Machine began to go into a tailspin, fires breaking out all over its surface and sending smoke billowing into the clouds.

"Don't think we're getting our deposit back," Edwin joked as their monster flew them the rest of the way into the castle.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Wake up, Kaiba."

Seto groaned as he looked up at his jailer. The monster knew he was awake as there was nothing he could do to wake Seto otherwise. The elf had been trying to break his spirit for months now but Seto hadn't been giving him the pleasure, choosing to quickly use the Sleep Option to rapidly skip forward, checking to see if rescue had come for a few seconds before leaping forward another 24 hours. While the game world had gone on for over a year (the Witty Phantom had used the passage of time to try and make him despair, to claim everyone had abandoned him, forgetting that Seto remembered how time moved in the virtual world and thus knew only hours had actually go by for those outside the game) for Seto it felt like it had only been an hour at most. Wake up, see if anything had changed, close his eyes and try it again. Sometimes he stuck around for a few minutes so the Phantom could taunt him, if only to see if the elf would drop any information, but otherwise Seto was willing, at the moment, to merely wait for his chance for freedom.

People would have been shocked by that, expecting Seto to instantly leap into trying to escape, but he understood how useless that was with him being unable to access his deck.

'But once I can…' he thought to himself darkly.

"Come now Kaiba, you'll like this… I brought you a friend." The Witty Phantom pointed at the ground and with a shimmer of light Princess Adena appeared… only to leap to her feet and toss off her dress to reveal-

"Mokuba!"

"Hold still, Seto! General Wayne!" Mokuba threw out a card and his Ice Barrier Warrior appeared. "Cut my brother free!"

"Wait!" the Witty Phantom called out in horror but it was too late and the chains that had been holding Seto in place shattered, allowing him to rub his wrists before he waved his hand in the area, summoning his inventory menu. Sure enough all the gear he'd gotten at the start of the campaign had merely been locked away, not taken, and with a few gestures Seto was wearing the white wizard robes that gave buffs to all his Spell Cards. "No… you can't do this."

"Oh, I can," Seto said darkly, drawing a card from his just returned deck. "Let's go with this… Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

The screams of the Witty Phantom as he tried to flee the White Lightning attack were music to Seto's ears.

"How did you get here?" Seto asked as they fled the dungeon. He knew Mokuba would come and rescue him but he wondered just who else had joined him.

"Yugi and Joey and Mai! The four of us came to rescue you and Edwin, Seto!"

"Edwin? He got taken by the Big 5 too? Why am I not surprised that fool fell for such an easily spotted trap?"

Mokuba though shook his head. "Edwin was attacked by Tea's dad. He stabbed him and we put him in the VR machine to save his life."

"Tea's father STABBED Edwin?" Seto said in surprise.

"Uh huh. He was going to pin it on you, Seto!"

"Of course he was. That man must be in league with the Big 5 too. I'll add him to the list of people that will suffer for this. Where are Yugi and the rest of the dweeb brigade?"

"Keep that up and I'll think you should be in Team Rocket!" Edwin called out as they rounded a corner and nearly collided with the other group, pulling off the strange carved mask he was wearing.

"Chaos," Seto said with a scoff. "Took you long enough."

"I actually was leveling up while you were tied up, Seto," Edwin said tauntingly. "So why don't you pick on Joey instead."

"Yeah!" Joey declared. "Why don't ya pick on Joey-HEY!" Wheeler whipped around and shook his fist at Edwin. "Thanks for throwin' me under the train there, pal!"

"Seeing the setting shouldn't it be throwing you under the carriage?" Mai asked with a smirk.

"I did change the lyrics to YMCA to fit this world," Edwin said, rubbing his chin.

Seto just stared at Edwin in utter annoyance. "I was held captive for months and you were dancing around to fruity disco music the entire time."

"Not the entire time. Most of it was spent NOT getting captured like a newb."

"Please," Kaiba said with a wave of his hands, "the Big 5 wanted me, not you, so they left you alone. If given the chance I'd have already slain the Mythic Dragon and freed us both before you figured out how to get out the tutorial."

"Uh huh. I'm sure the Big 5 totally weren't interested in me. That's why Tea's father STABBED ME IN THE FRIGGIN' STOMACH!"

"Whoa man!" Joey exclaimed, grabbing Edwin before he could launch himself at Seto. "I'd like ta clean the jerk's clock too but we need ta focus on gettin' out of here!"

"Joey's right," Yugi said firmly, looking between the two of them. "We can settle any feuds outside of this world. We need to get out of here now."

Mai smirked. "Hear that, Edwin, Yugi gave you permission to punch Seto in the real world."

"Let him try. As for getting out of here," Seto said with a cocky smile, jerking his thumb back towards the torture chambers. "The conditions for the summoning of the Mythic Dragon are that the sacrifices must be sent into the lava pools by a certain time. Because Mokuba and I have already escaped that means there won't be enough sacrifices and as such the dragon can't be defeated. The game is beaten!"

"Alright!" Joey declared, letting go of Edwin who straightened his clothes.

"Well done, Kaiba," Yugi told him.

"That works out nicely," Mai added.

Mokuba was all grins. "Uh huh, me and my big bro have this-Edwin?" He stopped as Edwin moved forward, once more putting on his mask. "What's wrong?"

"Get ready," he said cooly.

"I told you, Chaos, I stopped the ritual."

Edwin though drew a card. "Two problems with that. First… have you EVER heard of a video game where you can just stop the final boss from appearing?"

"No… but I programmed this game!"

"Which leads to point two: you aren't the one controlling it right now."

"Well said, Mr. Chaos, well said," a familiar voice called out, booming all about them. "It is so pleasing when there is at least one competent person in the room."

"Leichter," Seto hissed, tensing as he turned and tried to find where the disgraced Kaibacorp Board Member was. "Come out of the hole you were hiding in? I thought you were gone forever."

"Because of you, Mr. Kaiba, we did have to leave," Nezbitt stated. "Forced into this childish game, our only escape."

Edwin scoffed. "Yeah, being punished for your crimes sure is a kick in the teeth ain't it?"

Johnson spoke up next. "Everything we did was above the board, I assure you. Perfectly legal."

"Kidnappin' kids is legal?" Joey asked. "Keep tellin' yourself that, bud."

"It doesn't matter what any of you think!" Crump declared harshly. "What matters is that you are here now!"

Yugi stepped forward. "And what does that mean, exactly?"

"We sacrificed our bodies in order to come to this world, to make those that wished to imprison us believe we were gone forever," Gansley told them, finally joining in on the conversation. "We lost everything… at the very least we can ensure that we wipe you six out from both the real world and the digital world!"

"Digimon, digital monsters, digimon are the champions," Edwin sang, strumming on his lute. Everyone turned to stare at him and he sighed. "You are all so very uncultured." Putting his instrument back on his back he tilted his head and made a 'come on' gesture with his hand. "Well? Hurry it up and get with summoning the 5-Headed Dragon."

"I told you," Seto snapped, "they can't do that even if they wanted to! The ritual was stopped-"

"They control the friggin' code, Seto!" Edwin exclaimed in exasperation. "We're lucky they haven't… wait, no, not giving them any ideas."

"Mr. Chaos is quite correct though, Mr. Kaiba," Leichter said with a laugh, the entire Castle of Dark Illusions being ripped away, leaving them in a void that looked like the circuitry of a computer system. "We do control the code and with it we are able to bypass the ritual and summon forth our perfect new form: the 5-Headed Dragon!"

All of the duelists took a step back as the utterly massive dragon formed before them. Golden in color the beast was so tall that even Seto and Edwin, the largest of the group, barely could see over one of its taloned toes. Shimmering scales covered it all the way up to its shoulders where the metallic hide gave way to five vastly different necks and heads. First there was one covered in metallic scales of silver. Then one of gears and machinery covered in a wind-flesh. Twin heads of Fire and Water. And finally one pitch black with the power of darkness. The great creature laughed with the voices of the Big Five before their amusement morphed into a roar that shook the entire arena.

"I really hate being right all the time," Edwin moaned.

"Well, we just have ta take this jerk down!" Joey exclaimed, holding out a card. "Gearfried!"

"Harpie Lady Sisters!"

"Wait!" Edwin called out.

"Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier!" Mokuba called out.

The three duelists though cried out as one, "Attack the Mythic Dragon!"

Joey's Knight leapt at the dark dragon's head, slashing at it only for the Fire Dragon to suddenly catch him in its jaws and shatter him to pieces. The Harpies tried to go at the Earth Head but the Wind Dragon unleashed a whirlwind that caused their flight to become erratic, allowing the Earth Head to easily defeat them. As for Mokuba he'd been going for the Wind Head only for the Fire Head to bathe his Tiger King in flames, reducing him to cinders.

"That won't work!" Edwin snapped. "Its both one monster and five monsters at the same time. One head can defend the others and each one as the same 5000 attack!"

"Aw man, now ya tell me," Joey groaned, looking at his lifepoint meter. "That blast knocked me back so much… another strike will doom me!"

"You are already doomed!" Johnson declared. "And let's make it more interesting, shall we?" The ground below them shimmered and looking at their feet they saw that the ghostly image of a giant Lord of D. card had appeared. "This is the Mythic Dragon Seal. It makes this chamber a sacred place where only dragons might battle!"

"Let's see if we can't deal with that, shall we? Lair of Darkness!" Edwin threw the Field Spell at the chamber only for it to fizzle and spark. "Oh, now that truly is cheating!"

"Only one field is allowed in this chamber," Crump informed him. "And its not yours!"

"Yeah I got that," Edwin growled. "So much for using the Lair to sacrifice their dragon to help us. Guess we have to do this the old fashion way."

"Right," Yugi said. "Summon your dragons and then find a way to strengthen them enough to defeat these villains."

"Then let me save you all the trouble and handle it myself!" Seto declared. "Dragons? That was a foolish mistake when it comes to taking on me! Behold my Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" The card glowed bright white and with a roar the mighty white dragon appeared on the field.

"Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" Joey's card went black and the shadows twisted then burst into flames to form his Red-Eyes.

"Harpie's Pet Dragon!" Mai said as her dragon flew in on wild whipping winds.

"Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!" Mokuba shouted, a wall of ice appearing behind him only to explode and reveal his multiheaded beast.

"Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair!" Edwin roared and from the ground came a clawed hand, dragging up the master of the Lair of Darkness.

"And Curse of Dragon!" Yugi exclaimed, summoning his bone-like beast.

"Our best bet it Seto's Blue-Eyes!" Edwin called out. "Dialabos, restrain that beast!" Edwin's dark dragon roared and summoned forth the souls of the Lair, having them twist and wrap around the 5-Headed Dragon, holding him in place. "The Ultimate Dragon is nearly as powerful as the Five-Headed Dragon… we just need to buy Seto the time to fusion summon his dragon and then increase its attack. Distract the heads and stay out of its firing range… remember, one hit and you are in trouble."

"Agreed," Yugi said with a nod. "Kaiba, begin the process of summoning the Ultimate Dragon!" Mai and Joey began to call out for their own dragons to pepper blast the Big 5's monster, to keep it unable to focus.

"There's no need for that," Seto said, stepping forward. "Blue Eyes, attack the Red-Eyes and the Harpie's Pet Dragon if they get in my way!"

"HEY!" Mai yelled as her Harpie's Pet Dragon was destroyed.

"What gives, ya mook!" Joey declared as his monster shattered too.

Seto sneered. "I'm not going to honor these fools with facing my greatest monster. They'll go down now!"

"You idiot!" Edwin roared. "You're not strong enough-"

"I am more than strong enough!" Seto bellowed, his dragon flapping its wings and kicking up a windstorm, destroying the Curse of Dragon while Dialabos and Trishula managed to evade in time. "You'd have me stand by and do nothing? You stole my victory against Pegasus! My defeat of Yugi is forever tainted! You took Mokuba before I could save him and gained control of Kaibacorp! I'm not going to let you interfere again! I am Seto Kaiba and I do not let others fight my battles! I fight them… and win! Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack with White Lightning!"

The ivory-colored dragon let out a roar and fired off a blast of blue-white energy that crackled and burned as it shot through the air. The 5-Headed Dragon, in response, fired off its own blast from its Dark Head, a beam of pure malice and hate that collided with Seto's strike and sought to drive it back.

"Did he miss where I told him he needed to making the Ultimate Dragon so he could defeat them?!?" Edwin shouted over the clash of the beams, shielding his eyes.

Yugi shook his head. "This is something Kaiba must do on his own."

"…no, no its not!" Edwin complained. "Do you just like disagreeing with me for no reason?!?"

The King of Games though nodded towards where Seto stood, the rich duelist's jaw clenched and eyes narrowed as if he thought that he could will his victory into existence by sheer determination alone. "I do not know if this is the best course of action. You very well could be right, Edwin. But for Kaiba to listen he must first attempt to do this himself. Victory or failure… they must first come from his own hand so he might listen."

"Uh huh, great. That's neat. You do get that if he fails and the Blue-Eyes is destroyed then all his lifepoints drop to zero and he's gone!"

"WHAT?!?" Joey exclaimed. "What did ya just say?"

"Five dragons against one! That isn't 5000 points… its 25,000! The Blue Eyes falls and the other four heads attack!"

Mai's eyes widened at that. "We have to stop him! He's the only one with a dragon strong enough to defeat the Big Five!"

"Big brother, stop!" Mokuba cried out.

"This is your end, Leichter! You and Crump and Nezbitt and all the rest! You'll pay for trying to take my company from me! For kidnapping Mokuba! For trapping me here! This is where you fall!"

The Big 5 though merely laughed… and that was when the other four dragons opened their mouths, different types of energy gathering within their maws.

"Aw crap," Edwin groaned.

"SETO!" Mokuba yelled and time slowed as Mokuba ran forward, Trishula racing along with its duelist. The Ice Barrier Dragon slammed into the 5-Headed Dragon just as he moved to fire. The beams spun about wildly, ripping into the floor and across the vast expanse of the arena, making everyone duck for cover. Dialabos cried out as it shattered and with it the spirits that were holding the 5 Headed Dragon in place were sucked back into the underworld, allowing the 5-Headed Dragon to turn… and fire right on Mokuba and his dragon. "SETO!"

"MOKUBA!" Seto cried out, his determination and drive to win suddenly falling away as he could only stare at his brother as he was engulfed in a blast of the Earth Head's energy strike, leaving only a smoldering spot once the dragon stopped. "Mokuba…" Yugi was calling out something about Joey but Seto didn't hear him, only able to step forward, reaching out where Mokuba had been standing moments before.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Ed…Edwin?"

I forced myself to turn away from where Mokuba had been standing, tears burning my eyes, body trembling at the pain and horror of what I'd just seen. He was just… gone. Completely and utterly gone. I wanted to believe that it would be alright, that Mokuba would come back, that this anime world wouldn't kill a child… but I hadn't expected to be stabbed in the stomach either and that had happened. The rules were changing, altering… and with them the guarantee that people would be fine was gone-

I looked at Mai before dropping to my knees, staring at her as her body began to crumble away into particles.

"I… I don't feel so good," Mai admitted.

"Hold on," I got out, blinking rapidly. "I'll transfer my lifepoints to you… or a spell, there must be a spell…" I dimly saw the Pharaoh holding Joey's hand as he too disappeared but I couldn't focus on that new blow. Couldn't think about it. Not as Mai-

"I… wish we'd had more time," she whispered as the disintegration reached her face. She managed to give me one last smile before even that was taken away, leaving me holding nothing at all. No sign that she'd even existed in the first place. I stared at Mai's body as it dissolved in my hands, the laughter of the Big Five the soundtrack to the horror of that moment. Mokuba was gone. Joey was gone. Mai…

'My fault.'

I had caused this. By being worried about history, about trying to play it safe. Mai was dead because I had held the power to do the right thing and chosen to step aside, holding faith that others would save the day. The entire plan here, to let Seto and Yugi summon the Dragon Master Knight, when there were so many other ways I could have gone about it. Taken the lead myself, used my deck. All to preserve the history I knew. And what had that gotten me? The Pharaoh thinking me to be a monster, everyone thinking I was some kind of opportunist, and now the blood of the innocent on my hands.

"And that is what you get for thinking you could stand against us!" one of the Big 5 taunted.

The Pharaoh was saying something. Probably some grand speech about how they would stop them and correct all this and avenge our fallen. I didn't care. Instead I focused deep within myself, taking my guilt and my sorrow and throwing them within the furnace that was my heart and using that heat to warm up the gold that hung around my neck even now. The Millennium Key felt my desire and unlike in Duelist Kingdom where I'd grasped its strength out of desperation now my soul whispered that I would bear it in full and use its power to bring justice to the world. And I could feel the Key radiated joy before pulsing in my chest, pulling out of my body and proudly hanging around my neck.

My eyes burned as I snapped my head up.

"Fuck canon."

~MC~MC~MC~

"Kaiba," Yami Yugi said, moving to stand next to the other duelist. His heart was heavy with the loss of Joey… the senseless, needless loss. None of this should have ever happened. Not even this attack on the 5-Headed Dragon. The entire journey into the virtual world. The Big 5… their greed and avarice had caused everything that had happened of late. They had worked with pegasus, they had threatened Kaiba… he could even argue that the pressure they put on Kaiba, the fear that they would see him as weak, was what had led him to so viciously seek out Yugi's Grandpa and his Blue-Eyes. No more though.

No more.

"We have to work together, like Edwin said. Only by combining our power can we hope to defeat the 5-Headed Dragon."

"…fine," Seto said, his voice soft yet thunderous, all the intent he had in destroying the men who had ruined his life packed into that single word. "We do it your way-"

"Move."

Yami and Seto turned… and started at the sight of Edwin.

His clothing had changed. Gone was the outlandish bard's clothing he'd been wearing earlier, replaced with just a pair of black tights that kept him decent. But there wasn't any other clothing on him and he walked towards them, bare feet pressing down on the circuit-like floor with no showing that he felt any pain when a spark would shoot through his flesh. Also missing was his smile and Yami was reminded of the rage from their duel at Duelist Kingdom, when Edwin had put away the jests and glib remakes and been consumed only by dark determination. This wasn't helped by his eyes.

They were solid black with small golden rings instead of irises and pupils.

But what truly caused Yami to stop was what Edwin was wearing around his neck, the glint of metal shining in the arena.

"A Millennium Item."

"What is this?!?" Seto demanded, regaining his sense of self and moving to block Edwin's path. "You told us we had to work together and now you are here to cast us aside? Who do you think you are, Chaos?"

Edwin merely brushed past him. And that was when Yami saw why he wasn't wearing a top. For hovering behind him were Duel Monster cards, a deck far bigger than anything Edwin might have held at the start of this battle. And each and every one of them was shooting into his flesh, absorbed by him and powering him. One, the equip Draconic Attack stabbed into his skin and Edwin jerked before two great wounds ripped open on his back, sending out a shower of golden energy before two ebony wings burst from the damaged flesh, flapping even as he held up his hand, watching as his nails turned to claws. He turned finally to look at them from the corner of his eye, just as the horns of Dialabos ripped through his forehead.

"The Devil," Edwin answered simply before raising his hand, causing a Hallowed Life Barrier to form around Yami and Seto as well as their monsters, sealing them off… and protecting them from what was about to happen next.

"Edwin!" the Pharaoh called out. "You don't have to do this! Let us help you!"

But his answer was clear with his silence. They'd had their chance, Seto hadn't taken it… and now Edwin Chaos would take his.

And then… the music began to play.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Now I've heard there was a secret chord, that David played, and it pleased the Lord. But you don't really care for music, do ya?"

"Are we supposed to be frightened of this?" Johnson said as the 5-Headed Dragon stared down Edwin, the man slowly walking towards them with an unblinking stare, the song that had suddenly begun playing slow and steady, the determined male voice singing from everywhere and nowhere. "We are used to dramatics and fanfare and you will find they do little to sway us. But if you wish to join your friends then we won't be held accountable or liable for what happens next." With that the Fire Head of the Mythic Dragon charged up its attack, a blaze hotter than the center of the earth forming in its mouth.

"It goes like this, the fourth, the fifth. The minor fall, the major lift. The baffled king composing "Hallelujah"."

Edwin held up his hand in response, head tilting slightly in a gesture that might have seemed bemused if it weren't for the fact that he never began to smile. Johnson looked out through the eyes of the dragon's head he was controlling and for a brief moment felt a cold shiver run down his spine. He was reminded of a lawyer he'd once worked for, years and years ago before he'd gotten into corporate law. The man had taken on charity cases, like a fool, and one of them had been a little girl who had been crippled in a car accident. The lawyer had handled the case normally… until the defendant had begun to chuckle at the mother on the witness stand telling of how her daughter had suffered. After that moment everything had changed and his mentor had gone after the man with no passion, no amusement… just cold rage. Torn him apart and left his existence in tatters.

"Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah"

Edwin Chaos had the same look in his eyes as he caught the fireball, absorbing it with a Blazing Mirror Force and sending it rocketing right back at the 5-Headed Dragon, forcing them to fire off a blast of water to protect themselves.

"Your faith was strong but you needed proof, you saw her bathing on the roof. Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew ya."

"Heh, that was impressive," Crump said with a laugh. "But only just barely. One attack is hardly anything at all… and we have plenty more!" The Earth and Wind Heads charged their attacks. "Let's see how you hand this! We've been watching you. Did you know that? It's been entertaining seeing you bumble about, thinking that you had a chance if you did your little tasks and completed missions to get experience points. But we never really were scared because it was clear you weren't ever going to face us. You're just lazy, Edwin. The only time you showed determination is now… maybe if we'd wiped out Mai Valentine sooner you could have given us more of a challenge all the sooner!"

"She tied you to a kitchen chair, she broke your throne, and she cut your hair. And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah."

"But now this is the end," Gansley said as he and Crump prepared their attacks. "You've been a distraction and cost us greatly when it came to Pegasus but in the end you, young man, were nothing in the grand scheme of things. Just a detour before we arrived at our grand revenge against Seto Kaiba! So it is time for naughty children like you to be given the rod!"

Edwin merely stared them down.

"Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah"

The two heads fired as one, the rage of the earth and the power of the hurricane heading right towards Edwin, engulfing him completely. The Big 5 laughed, taunting him that for all his grand displays he'd fallen all the same. That in the end nothing he'd done had mattered and that he'd merely postponed the inevitable.

And then the smoke cleared, revealing Edwin holding two Magic Cylinders, propped up on his shoulders like bazookas, the glow of the twin attacks still visible in their barrels.

"What?!" Nezbit exclaimed. "He caught our attacks!"

"Find the other Cylinders!" Leichter cried out. "We have to stop them!" The five heads swiveled about, trying to find where the trap cards had been set… only at the last minute to look DOWN and see the floor below them glowing.

They had only a second to realize what was about to happen before the Magic Cylinders fired and blasted the dragon into the air.

"You say I took the name in vain. I don't even know the name. But if I did, well really, what's it to ya?"

Edwin continued to march towards them, his face as still and stony as the mask he'd been wearing not even a moment ago. Cards were still merging with him, giving him new powers, new options. A Shadow Chain appeared and he almost lazily tossed it at the dragon, causing the Big 5 to cry out as they were wrapped up and yanked back to the ground. The arena trembled under the impact, the Lord of D's Seal shattering, but Edwin made no move to summon any other monsters.

He would do this the old way.

"There's a blaze of light in every word, it doesn't matter which you heard. The holy or the broken Hallelujah."

He suddenly snapped his arms out and two swords appeared, one the Sword of Revealing Light, the other the Sword of Concealing Darkness. Throwing them overhand the twin blades rocketed at the Big 5 and their dragon like the very same missiles they'd once sold to every warlord and despot that had enough money to purchase quick death. The bound 5-Headed Dragon roared, its bellows joined by that of the Big 5 as the blades pierced their wings, driving them further into the floor and leaving them trapped like a butterfly on a board.

They'd… felt the pain.

"Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah"

"What do you want?!?" Leichter cried out as the dragon turns its heads in the direction of the Guardian Devil and his relentless march. They'd felt the blow he'd delivered… actually felt it! That shouldn't have happened! "Why do you even care? Why did you get involved in any of this?! Mokuba was a boy you'd never even met! Wheeler a punk that's going to be in prison by the time he's 20! Valentine is just a pretty face who uses people to get her own way… why do you care about them? Why did you get involved!" His voice trembled in rage. "This is all your fault!"

Edwin stopped walked.

For a moment… the smallest of moments… Leichter and the rest of the Big 5 thought that perhaps they'd gotten through to him. Shaken him. Made him think twice about what he was doing.

They each secretly began to charge an attack.

And then Edwin held up the spell card Big Pill of Evolution and slammed it into his chest.

"I did my best, it wasn't much"

The businessmen cringed as Edwin began to grow, his entire form swelling up as he doubled in height… then tripled. The changed done to him by the cards became more radical as scales formed along his shoulders and neck, the horns growing larger, and his eyes BLAZING with rage. He soon was the same size as the mighty Mythic Dragon and he cracked his neck and rotated his shoulders before balling his hand into a fist.

"I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch"

And that's when they realized the significance of the song that was playing. It wasn't a tale of the man's regret and woe, of what he had lost and how he had failed.

"I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool ya"

It had never been about Edwin at all.

"And even though it all went wrong"

It was for them.

"I'll stand before the Lord of Song."

Their funeral dirge.

"With nothing on my tongue but hallelujah."

"We never stood a chance," Leichter whispered.

Edwin cocked back his fist.

"Hallelujah"

He leapt forward, the Dark Head trying to blast him but the giant duelist merely took the blow, not even slowing as his wings flared out and his fist slammed into the 5-Headed Dragon's belly.

"Hallelujah"

The Water Head tried to wrap around his throat but lightning sparked around Edwin's horns and with a jolt he called down the judgment of the heavens, the Big 5 all screaming as their nerves were fried.

"Hallelujah"

They tried to leave the 5-Headed Dragon, to abandon it and retreat to cyberspace, but Edwin, as if sensing that, drove his clawed hands into the beast's shoulders, his palms branding them and searing their souls to that of the beast, preventing them for their escape. They could tear themselves free, if given time, but he wouldn't let them.

"Hallelujah"

He smashed his knee into the dragon's stomach and the old men gagged and coughed as they felt their insides twist and spasm. Knowing they didn't have any time left, that they had to do something NOW, they whipped their heads around and fired on Edwin point blank range.

"Hallelujah"

They were silent, the giant duelist not moving. Even the song stopped.

Had they done it?

Then golden light burst from Edwin's eyes and he let out a primal roar.

"Hallelujah"

A punch to the Earth Dragon's head, shattering its jaw clear off.

"Hallelujah"

The devices that made up the Wind Dragon's bones were crushed in his grip.

"Hallelujah"

The Water Dragon was reduced to mist under the intense heat of his strikes.

"Hallelujah"

The Fire Dragon cried out as he dug in right under its neck, into the golden body, and ripped out the source of its flame and cast it aside.

"Hallelujah"

The Dark Dragon could only howl as he wrapped his hand around its throat and tore it from the body before using the severed head as a cord to tie up the other appendages.

"Hallelujah"

The ground cracked and broke but Edwin instead reached UP so he might drive his hands into the roof of the Castle of Dark Illusions, tearing free a massive chunk of stone that he brought down on the Big 5.

"Hallelujah"

Again.

"Hallelujah"

And again

"Hallelujah"

And again.

And finally, as the form stopped twitched and everything went quiet Edwin released all the power he'd taken in, his form shrinking back to normal as he slowly slide off the mangled body of his foe.

"Hallelujah," he whispered through cracked and bloodied lips before passing out, the Castle of Dark Illusions crumbling around him.

~MC~MC~MC~

If you ever find yourself in an anime and have a chance to let out all your bottled rage and heartache by giving a giant dragon a beat down know that while it is rather stress-releasing when it is happening… but the come-down is a Florida bitch.

The first sense to begin kicking back on as I awoke from my rather lovely blackout was touch. I was lying on something both hard and soft ('that's what she said, heh… ow, hurts to feel joy'), still mostly stripped down, someone pressing their hands to my face but I was too drained to shove their grubby hands away, and still trapped in the Virtual World because all those sensations were utterly muted. It was more like my brain was telling me, "Hey dipshit, you're lying on a padded floor" than me actually sensing that I was lying on one.

Smell and taste never kicked in but I'd expected that as I hadn't really smelled or tasted anything since I'd been shoved into this world. So hearing only made sense and I decided to just lie there and try desperate to reorient myself.

And I heard… singing.

Which, considering my phone had turned this world into something James Gunn would probably direct, wasn't that much of a surprise. Except for the fact that it wasn't some pop song but rather ethereal chanting.

"Please tell me no one is summoning Mothra," I moaned.

"I don't know who that is but if she's something you've been seeing behind my back I'm going to be rather upset."

I turned my head in the direction of that sound, trying to open my eyes but finding that the light was far too bright and it was easier just to keep them shut.

"Mai?" I groaned out.

"One and the same," she said as the hands on my face were suddenly yanked away. "Thanks for bringing me back and for healing him up, elf, but kindly remove your hands from him, okay? Okay." I was suddenly yanked up and forward and felt Mai pulling my head onto her lap. "Hey, you alright?"

"Insert a joke about a truck hitting me," I muttered.

The Pharaoh chose that moment to speak up. "Edwin has been through a great deal. He fought the 5 Headed Dragon on his own, slaying it and saving this world. And all of us."

"I could have managed without him easily enough," Seto protested somewhere to my left.

Finally opening my eyes I glanced around, smiling in relief as I saw Joey and Mokuba also standing by us. "Well, next time I'll let you get everything drained out of you by hacking into the video game."

"What did ya do, anyway? Yug here tried ta explain it but I got a bit lost."

"Yeah!" Mokuba said, excited. "Is it why your eyes are all funny?"

"Huh?" I said, blinking. "What about my eyes?"

"They're… oh!" Mokuba's brow furrowed. "They're back to normal."

"From what?" I said slowly, getting annoyed that no one was bothering to actually answer my fucking question. "My eyes? Like to know what the hell happened to them?"

"Then went black and had gold rings, who cares?" Seto said because of course he wouldn't care in the slightest that my friggin' eyeballs had apparently decided to pull a Gambit! "The Big 5 are done and I'd like to get back to the real world." As he said that a massive black void opened up behind all of us. "The exit portal."

"Did… did you honestly make the way out of here Satan's asshole?" I asked.

"You certainly have a potty mouth today," Mai teased me and I blinked as I realized that I had just managed to swear.

"Hey, hold on Kaiba!" Joey called out. "You forgetting something?"

"What?" Seto asked in annoyance.

"Edwin here is injured… in the real world. We go back through there and he could wake up in the middle of surgery!"

"Let's NOT do that!" I exclaimed in a panic, Mai holding me down before I bolted like a bunny rabbit.

Seto scoffed. "He'll be fine."

Mokuba turned to us. "The moment I'm up I'll tell them to make sure you are out cold, Edwin!" And before I could point out that time moved differently in the real world and here and that would mean possibly waiting weeks by the butthole Mokuba and his brother walked right into Lucifer's Anus and disappeared.

"Well, ain't that just typical!" Joey complained.

I grunted and began to shove myself up. "It's fine Joey, its fine. Let's just get the hell out of here."

"A moment," the Pharaoh said, kneeling down and reaching out to me… and fingering the Millennium Key that was still hanging around my neck.

"Fuck," I muttered. "So… mind crush?" I said weakly, Mai quickly wrapping her arms even tighter around me, protectively. I didn't need to look up to know she was glaring right at the Pharaoh, daring him to try something.

"Where did you get this?" he asked and I took it as a good sign that he wasn't snarling at me or thrusting out his hand to try and banish me to the Shadow Realm.

Seeing as I had no idea if the Pharaoh had encountered out ghostly friend yet I decided to play this 100% straight. "A tomb keeper named Shadi approached me before I made my way into Pegasus' castle. I'd just gotten Mokuba on the boat when he took this-" I held up the key, "-shoved it against my forehead and the next thing I knew we were in my mind."

"Inside your mind?" Joey asked, clearly dubious.

"We're in a virtual world right now Joey and THAT is the part you have trouble believing?" Mai asked.

"Well… this makes sense," Joey argued and I had to admit he did have a bit of a point. Not much of one… but a point all the same.

Before Mai could dig into Joey's little comment I decided to continue on with my tale. "After rooting around in my mind, visiting the best and worst moments of my life-"

"You're mom?" Mai whispered, low enough for only me to hear.

"Yeah," I murmured back before saying in a voice loud enough for the others to hear, "he asked me if I wanted a Millennium Item, I told him fuck no, and he still gave me this damn thing. I can't get rid of it… even in digital world." I wiggled the key before dropped it down against my chest. "And that is that."

"…so does it give you laser eyes or anything sweet like that?" Joey asked. The Pharaoh shot him a look and Joey shrugged. "Hey, come on, it's a legit question ta ask! And maybe the Key will do cool things, unlike you're puzzle, Yug."

"We have more important-my puzzle is a powerful mystical artifact, Joey."

"That does jack squat," Joey complained. "Okay, you can 'mind crush' people, Yug, but that ain't much. Pegasus could read minds! And summon the Shadow Realm!"

"I think all the items can summon the Shadow Realm," I told Joey. "Granted, I haven't had the urge to try…"

"So what does the key do, Ed?" Joey said excitedly.

I shrugged. "So far? I was able to lock my mind up so Pegasus couldn't read it-"

"Clever," Mai muttered.

"-and any door open to any other doorway I can think of. So basically I can teleport."

Joey beamed at that. "So like… a bank vault?"

"We aren't using Edwin's key to rob a bank, Joey," the Pharaoh told him sternly.

"Well… okay, ya, that wouldn't be great but… just think about all that money." He rubbed his hands together. "Maybe Kaiba's bank vault? That's all I' m suggesting. He'll never notice if we help ourselves…" He looked up to see me, the Pharaoh, and Mai shooting him dirty looks and grimaced. "I'm, uh, gonna go make sure Kaiba and Mokuba made it back okay."

"And then there were three," I said dryly as Joey run right into The Devil's Poop Shoot. "Feel free to follow after him," I told the Pharaoh who only stared at me. "Or not."

"I encountered Shadi as well in Duelist Kingdom. Originally he was checking to confirm that Yugi was worthy to house my spirit. I weighed his soul against a feather… the feather dropped like a stone, meaning that Yugi has a pure heart."

"I could have saved him some time and told him that," Mai said with a roll of her eyes.

The Pharaoh nodded at that but didn't smile. "Then he weighed my own soul. He was… startled by what he found. So was I." Atem looked down, clearly still stricken by the encounter. "The feather and my soul weighed the same."

"…and?" Mai asked.

I spoke up. "In Ancient Egypt it was believed that a soul was lighter than a feather so long as it was unburdened by evil. But the more darkness you placed within a soul the heavier it grew. For a soul to weigh as much as a feather…" I shrugged, not quite knowing what that meant.

The Pharaoh provided the answer, however. "It means that I sit at a crossroads. My soul is burdened by darkness but not so much to doom myself."

"Everyone has sinned," Mai stated.

The Pharaoh shook his head though. "This isn't sin. The scales do not weigh what you have done but what you are, deep down. Good men sin, evil men show kindness. But that does not change who they are deep down. I… could fall either way. Rise up like Yugi… and sink." He shook his head. "Shadi did not expect that."

"I wouldn't worry too much," I told him. "Shadi seemed to be flying by the seat of his pants. I don't think I was ever a candidate for the Key… he just had grown too desperate to wait a second more so he tossed it to me and called it a day."

"Perhaps… and perhaps you have a role to play still." The Pharaoh stood up. "I do know that I am willing to give you a chance Edwin, to prove that Yugi was right to call you his friend." And with that he stepped into the Lord of Hell's Stink Eye and disappeared.

"That… almost sounded like a compliment," I muttered. "Or at least a nice thing to say."

Mai chuckled at that before helping me to my feet. "Well, right to head back to the real world?"

"So long as I don't wake up with some doctor digging through my guts." I swallowed nervously. "Of course with how this is going to go I'm most likely going to step through and black out. So… uh… see ya when I get out of the hospital?"

"You'll see me when you wake up," Mai promised, kissing my check. "You owe me dinner and I' m not letting you weasel out."

And with that the two of us stepped through the portal, leaving the Virtual World behind.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Where… where are we?" Nezbitt said with a groan. The last thing he remembered was looking up through the eyes of the dragon head he controlled and seeing Edwin Chaos about to crush him… "Are we dead?"

"That depends on your definition of 'dead'," a voice called out.

It was Leichter who spoke up. "Noah Kaiba?"

"The very same." The world rippled and from the darkness there formed the green haired son of Gozaburo Kaiba, a smirk on his lips. "I saw what the usurper and his friends did to you and I decided to bring you here. Don't bother getting up… I haven't given you bodies."

The Big 5 suddenly realized that all they were… were thoughts. No body. No form. Nothing. They began to scream and yell and Noah listened on before slamming his fist into his open palm. "ENOUGH!"

The businessmen quieted.

"Now then… you failed because you played Seto's game. I intend to not do the same. We have centuries to prepare for their return, gentlemen." Noah grinned. "And I intend to be ready."

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