Chaos Effect

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"…and with these three cards on the field I can now synchro summon Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"

Seto folded his arms over his chest, smiling ever so slightly as his little brother sent his three Ice Barrier monsters to the graveyard in order to summon his three headed drake. Trishula was an impressive beast, nearly rivaling his own Blue-Eyes White Dragon, though Seto was already thinking how he himself would take down such a monster if he were to face off with his little brother. He was sure he would manage it well enough but up against the pathetic punk Mokuba had chosen as his first opponent in Battle City the Dragon of the Ice Barrier was a force that could not be slowed down, let alone defeated.

"And when he's summoned to the field I am able to banish one card from your hand, your grave, orthe field. And I choose first your Sanwitch!"

"No!" the older duelist cried out. "With that my lifepoints will be wide open for attack!"

Seto scoffed. 'Mokuba could have defeated him without bringing out Trishula… he just wanted to make a point.' He paused and his smile grew bigger. 'He's learning.' It was one thing to win… it was another to win with such domination that all your future opponents would already be trembling before you summoned your first monster.

With a blast of arctic wings Mokuba's opponent went down and Seto watch as his brother pumped his fist in the air. "Yes! I did it!"

"You sure did," Seto said, stepping forward and holding out his hand. "Your locator card and your rarest card… though considering your deck Mokuba should ask for your shoes instead… they might be worth a bit more." The teen grumbled as he tossed the locator card and a spell card at Mokuba, getting to his feet as the guy he'd been chatting with before the Kaiba brothers had shown up glared daggers at the two of them. "is there a problem?" Seto asked.

"This wasn't fair at all!" the second teen declared, pointing at Mokuba. "You had us thinking he was just some punk kid but it turns out you were giving him rare cards!"

"So it would have been fair for you to take advantage of a kid with no experience who stumbled into my tournament?" Seto asked, narrowing his eyes. "Do you know WHY I made Battle City invitational only? Because I didn't want losers like you two taking advantage of children who are just learning the game."

Everyone assumed Seto Kaiba was a cutthroat who would happily duel a baby if it let him net a win. But that was so far from the truth it was laughable. Seto had no problem with children learning to play Duel Monsters… in fact something he and Pegasus and Edwin all agreed on was that in order for the game to grow all people needed to enjoy it. So long as the kids didn't get it into their head that they were better than they actually were and acted like they could challenge him Seto was fine with them having duels and making mistakes. He'd made his own mistakes when he'd been learning how to play chess, after all. It was the ones that got arrogant that needed to get knocked down. Know your place and Seto Kaiba had no problem with you.

"And you think it just takes rare cards to win?" Seto asked, sliding his suitcase over to the loud mouth. "Let's see if that's true."

"Seto…" Mokuba said but quieted when Seto gave a slight shake of his head.

The second duelist had, at that point, cracked open Seto's suitcase and begun to drool at the sight of all the rare cards in it. Actually drool. Seto really hoped that he didn't slobber on the trading cards. "Whoa… look at all these!"

"Build a deck with those cards. Do whatever you want with them… then you and I will duel. If you win you can keep the entire briefcase."

The second duelist cackled at that. "Aw man… with this I'm going to win Battle City!"

"Will you?" Seto asked as he inserted his deck in his duel disc, waiting for the punk to build his deck. 'I've already tried out Obelisk against that Dueling Computer, but not a live opponent. This will be my real test, to see if I am truly the master of this Egyptian God Card!'

So focused were Seto and Mokuba on the duel that they missed the alert that Edwin, Yugi, and Renard had disappeared from the Battle City network.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Who are you?" The Pharaoh asked as I stared at the decidedly NOT Arkana duelist who was leering at us with manic glee. "And why have you brought us here?"

"Who am I?" the woman asked, tilting her head to the point that it looked like she'd snapped her own neck. "I am the illusionist Cabal and I am here to right so many wrongs. I will claim your Dark Magician Yugi Muto and destroy your Endymion, Edwin Chaos, so that there is only one true master of the Dark Magician: Me."

'Aw shitballs did I somehow break canon so much that it gender swapped Arkana?' I thought to myself. But as I looked at the woman I quickly dismissed that theory; Arkana had black hair and this woman had short blonde hair. I doubted, even with my new powers, that I'd taken Arkana's penis and changed his hair color. 'And what a wonderful day in Domino when I need to consider if that is possible!'

"Only a true master of illusion can understand the power the Dark Magician. You disgrace the card by merely looking at it, let alone using it in your deck!" Cabal sneered at Yugi in disgust. "You will never master his potential." Her gaze slid towards me. "And you… you claim Endymion is the Master of Magic but he isn't worthy to kiss the hem of the Dark Magician's robes!"

I rolled my eyes. "And if you talk about him a bit more maybe Magician Sempai will notice you."

"You won't be mocking me when I shred your Endymion in front of you, ensuring you never use him again!"

"That's enough, Cabal!" the Pharaoh declared.

"I'm sorry Yugi. I know how hard it must be to imagine your favorite card in another duelist's deck. I feel the same thing when I think of you using the Dark Magician. But soon my pain will be over… and yours will just continue on!" She threw her arms out wide and suddenly the light came on, revealing that we'd sunken down into the arena Arkana had used to duel Yugi in the anime. "I challenge you and Edwin to a duel! The winner will claim the loser's Dark Magician!"

"And I'll just happily stand here with my hand on my dick?" I asked.

"If you win you may keep your pathetic Endymion."

"Uh huh," I said dryly.

"And what is to stop them from refusing you?" Renard asked sternly. "There are three of us… enough to overpower you."

"You can try," Cabal taunted. "But if you do it will only prove you are unworthy to call yourself a duelist."

'Oh for fuck's say,' I thought. 'That is enough to get the Pharaoh-'

"We accept, Cabal!" the Pharaoh declared.

"Thanks, that's just super special awesome," I grumped.

Renard glanced at me. "You're dueling?"

"I'm dueling. And I don't think she'll let you in since you aren't a spellcaster user. Get out of the ring and let me pummel this bitch."

"Aye, captain."

"The rules are simple," Cabal told us as she took out her deck. "You two will represent a single duelist. Each of you have 2000 life points and will alternate who plays. I will have 4000 life points and go after each of you. And I will prove that you do not deserve to be considered the Masters of Magic. There is only one Master… "

"Very well, Cabal, but if you think we will let you win you are sorely mistaken."

Cabal merely smirked. "I think not. I have special orders from my superiors to make this a true spectacle."

The Pharaoh's eyes went wide at that. "What do you mean you have special orders from your superior to make this a true spectacle?"

I just stared at the Pharaoh. "…it means what she just fucking said." I turned to Cabal. "I mean… it was pretty obvious, wasn't it? I got it."

"You don't matter, fake."

I huffed. "Oh sure, I be nice and you bitch. Way to make womankind look sane and rational." I gave a slow clap.

Cabal just glared at me before tapping her foot, a table rising from the platform we'd ridden down. "Now then, let's shuffle our decks!"

"Don't try anything funny, Cabal," the Pharaoh warned. "I'm watching you."

"But is what you see what is truly happening? That is the point of sleight of hand, after all. Though… am I the mistress of such skills? Or am I really magical?"

"Either way I'll cut your deck," the Pharaoh said, setting his cards on the table, Cabal doing the same. I, on the other hand, made no move to add my deck to the pile, choosing instead to continue shuffling; Arkana had cut his cards so the Dark Magician would always end up on top. But this wasn't Arkana… this was Cabal and I couldn't rely upon anything from the anime for this duel.

"You know there is an old saying among high rollers and card sharks: always trust your opponent but only AFTER you've cut their deck!"

"And if you each are using a deck to play poker then you both are idiots," I said.

"No one asked you, fraud," Cabal snapped. "But it doesn't matter because soon I will come out on top and you two… you two will pay far worse than losing your cards!"

The table retracted and the Pharaoh and I suddenly found ourselves pulled backwards by conveyor belts built into the platform. Renard let out a cry of protect as the Pharaoh and I came to the edge of the ring and manacles clamped down around our ankles and a box popped up from the platform under each of us. But more ominous was the whirling sound the filled the air as three buzz saws suddenly popped out of the sunken ring we were standing it.

"Edwin!" Renard declared, stepping forward only for Cabal to hold up her hand and a few laser beams to appear right in front of Renard.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. If you break the beam you will have interfered with the duel, causing the fake to lose. And if he loses the duel… he loses his legs!" Cabal held up her hand, covering her mouth and giggling.

"You're insane!" the Pharaoh declared.

"I am mad!" Cabal declared with manic eyes. "Mad that you two disgrace the name of the Dark Magician! And I will ensure you pay for your crimes! You will never forget what you've done once this duel is done!"

"Yeah… no," I said and flicked my leg, the shackles snapping open.

"H…how?!?" Cabal gasped.

"Magicians are great escape artists, right?" I asked with a smirk. "And the Devil is the greatest magician of them all."

"You are no such thing! There is only one great magician and it isn't you!" Cabal paused, taking a deep breath before she continued. "It doesn't matter. I will still defeat you. And Yugi Muto is still trapped!"

I shared a look with the Pharaoh who subtly shook his head; he knew that with the Millennium Key I'd be able to free him but he wanted to keep this duel going, mostly likely to try and figure out who was Cabal's employer. And I couldn't out and out reveal it was Marik without the Pharaoh claiming I had no evidence.

Meaning for now we were stuck playing Cabal's game.

She was so flustered by what I'd done that Cabal didn't even bother to explain how to get out of the trap… not that it mattered as I would just free the Pharaoh myself.

Instead Cabal drew her hand. "Now then the curtain has risen, the players are set, and it's time for the show to begin!"

~MC~MC~MC~

Tristan nodded his head as he deactivated his duel disc, his Machina Fortress fading away. Making sure his deck was secure he walked up to his opponent. "Great match man," he said, holding out his hand.

"Well, you can say that, considering you won," the other duelist said though there was no bite to his words, taking Tristan's hand and giving it a hearty shake. Tristan was really glad for that little miracle because he honestly wasn't in the mood to deal with some arrogant brat like Weevil who pitched a fit just because he'd lost. It had been a close fought match but in the end Tristan had been able to win with a few well played spell cards. "Well, this sucks," his opponent finally said, handing Tristan a locator card and his rarest card, Snake Rain. "Out of Battle City and a Rare Card. I'd been hoping I'd last a bit longer!"

Tristan frowned as he looked down at the spell card. While he understood that not everyone was going to make it far in Battle City he really didn't like ruining the guy's deck just because he'd won. His opponent had been really good and some of the combos he came up with... "Listen… I'll make you a deal." He held up the card. "I'll trade you Snake Rain for some lunch."

That startled his opponent. "S…seriously?"

"Yeah. Snake Rain doesn't work in my deck anyway and I'm really hungry."

"I… sure! Sure!" The other duelist grinned. "Thanks man!"

"No problem," Tristan said. "And I promise not to go overboard!"

The opponent laughed. "Hell, I eat for three people half the time so you won't put a dent in my wallet on your own!"

As the two walked off Tristan didn't notice Joey watching from the other side of the street, the blond letting out a sigh before he turned and began to head off in the other direction.

'Man, Tristan actually did really good in that duel,' Joey thought as he kicked at an empty can. 'And instead of bein' there for him and cheerin' him on I had to watch from the distance. I don't even know how he'd have handled me showin' up!' He sighed. 'How'd it get this bad? Yugi's my best friend but Tristan is my oldest. And I just treated him like trash.' He sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. 'Well, it don't matter now. I can't focus on makin' things right with him, not when I'm dealin' with this tournament. I've already lost nearly two hours and I still need ta get a whole lot more locator cards!' Joey lifted his head, a determined look on his face. 'But once this is done Tristan and I'll sit down and get this all straightened out!'

He hoped.

~MC~MC~MC~

"Do you understand how a true magician begins their shows?" Cabal asked, holding up a card. "It all starts with something simple. The weak and inferior will try and be showy and make some grand scene to cover up their failures. But a true magician, one who knows they are a master of the craft? Oh, they don't need such dramatics." She set one monster in defense mode. "That comes later."

"That might be, Cabal," the Pharaoh said, looking over his hand, "but this isn't a magic show. It is a duel and one must understand when to start small and when to begin big." He set his own monster in defense mode before holding up a card. "I activate the spell card Soul Servant. This allows me to place one Dark Magician or one spell or trap card that mentions the Dark Magician on top of my deck." He looked over his deck before moving his Dark Magician to the top. "And I end my turn."

"Copying me already, Yugi?" Cabal taunted. "Magicians always hate those that can't come up with their own tricks." She set another monster of the field and ended her turn.

'Cabal must be getting ready to summon her Dark Magician!' Yugi thought.

'Indeed. Our best hope is that Edwin is able to stop her.'

"My turn," Edwin said, looking over his hand. "I'll start by setting one card facedown on the field and summoning Breaker the Magic Warrior on the field!" The armored mystical knight appeared, swinging his sword.

Cabal scoffed at that though. "He isn't even a magician. He's a glorified warrior that learned a few spells!"

"You know, gatekeeping really isn't a nice thing to do," Edwin taunted. "It says more about you and your fragile ego than anything else."

"Fragile? I am not fragile. And I have a right to declare just who is a true master of the dark arts and who is a fake!"

Edwin gestured at the useless manacles that still hung wide open. "Did you miss me getting out of your death trap?" He turned to Renard. "Everyone saw that, right?"

"I did at least. She might have had her view blocked, captain. That mask might obscure her vision."

"Point," Edwin said before turning his attention back on Cabal. "Now then… Breaker, attack her first facedown!" The swordsman leapt forward, swinging his sword and cleaving the card in half, revealing the Mystic Tomato."

"By destroying my Mystic Tomato I can now summon another one directly from my deck to the field to replace it." Another of the leering tomatoes appeared on the field.

"That isn't good," the Pharaoh muttered. "With her controlling two monsters still that means she will be able to summon her Dark Magician once she draws it!"

"And I do believe it is time to move to the second act!" Cabal declared.

"Mixing your metaphors!" Edwin called out.

"I activate the Dark Magic Circle, which allows me to look at the top three cards of my deck and if one of them is a Dark Magician or directly mentions the Dark Magician I can add it to my hand." She drew the top three cards… and began to giggle in delight.

"I'm assuming that isn't happy laughter," Edwin groused.

"Behold your doom! I sacrifice my Mystic Tomato and my downface Doll of Demise to summon forth my DARK MAGICIAN!"

The two monsters disappeared from the field and in their place formed the sneering Red Dark Magician. He looked at first the Pharaoh and then Edwin, before giving an annoyed huff, as if he were disgusted with the mere fact that he had to face these two.

'Her Dark Magician… he doesn't feel like ours,' Yugi thought.

'I agree. Where our Dark Magician might be playful with our foes this one… there is a darkness to him that doesn't come merely from his typing. I fear what a monster like this could do in the hands of one such as Cabal.'

'Wait…' Yugi said, eyes going wide. 'The Dark Magic Circle…'

The Pharaoh gasped as he realized just WHAT Yugi was getting at. 'With that card, when a Dark Magician is summoned to the field…'

Cabal was already speaking. "And with the arrival of my Dark Magician my Dark Magic Circle is able to unleash a wave of magic to banish one monster from the field. And I do believe I will start with you, Yugi Muto!" The circle pulsed with energy. "And with your card gone your fate will be sealed when my Dark Magician takes your lifepoints and the saw takes your legs!"

~MC~MC~MC~

'Battle City,' The Spirit of the Millennium Ring thought in disgust, hiding in the shadows of the alley. 'How utterly pathetic. A mockery of the dark arts used for a children's card game. A tournament designed around a single man's ego.'

There weren't many things that the Spirit liked in the world. How easy it was to get food? Maybe… except far too much gluttonous garbage was served rather than meals that would help one survive. The ease one could obtain a knife? Better. There seemed to be knives everywhere, being used for everything but cutting into the soft flesh of the weak. Of course that merely meant there was more flesh for him…

But other than that? No, there wasn't really anything else he liked in this world.

'Weaklings, all of them,' he thought to himself, eyes narrowed as he looked out of the dark and rather filthy alley way. 'Living in their comfort and thinking they suffer. Not understanding how they are kings who act like they are peons…'

It wasn't often that he called upon the memories of the Thief King Bakura. He had been a good tool, nothing more, and had allowed the Spirit to survive within the Millennium Ring. Had the piece of Zorc been the only part to remain in the Ring he would never have been able to truly function and see to bringing the plans of his greater self to fruition. It was much like it was with the sliver of his soul he'd left in the Millennium Puzzle, searching for the seal of his greater sell; that tiny slip might think itself important but it was not. Same would have been true for him had he not merged with the Thief King's soul.

The problem with that though was that it gave the Spirit the memories of the soul. The rage at the Pharaoh, which the shard of Zorc could completely understand and use, but it was the other memories that made him now loathe those in Domino City rather than simply ignore than as being nothing more than meaningless insects that would soon be crushed. The fear that the Pharaoh would find him and finish the job. The hunger as he starved, having to steal to survive. The heat of the desert that made him pitch and sway. The screams of the villagers as they were rounded up and the Greek who had bellowed at him to run before he launched himself at the soldiers in a suicide run…

"I activate my trap card: Lost Sanctuary!"

The Spirit pulled himself from his thoughts and turned his attention once more to Tea Gardner and her duel. He hadn't thought much about her when he'd first met her but as time had gone on he'd found his opinion on her changing. While spying at her dueling with Joey Wheeler at their school she'd been little more than background scenery, like a shrub or a tree. Meaningless. Then he'd seen how much the Pharaoh's host cared for her and she'd become a potential weapon to use against him. Someone to kidnap. Someone to break. That was little Yugi's weakness, his love for his friends. Apply just the right pressure and he could make the Pharaoh and Little Yugi feud and fight, much as they had when the Pharaoh had done the correct thing and moved to defeat Kaiba.

"And now I'll synchro summon my The Executor of Hades – Pluto!"

But watching her duel now he knew… something had changed. Tea Gardner had been altered. Brittle iron had been placed into the fires and instead of shattering had been transformed into solid steel. Somehow between Duelist Kingdom and Battle City the silly little girl had gained a spine and a deadly deck. Her utter destruction of her current opponent proved that. Oh, she was walking over to the duelist that she'd just embarrassed and was offering them kind words and a smile… but when she'd actually been dueling him she'd been like one of the ancient priests of the Pharaoh's court, coldly commanding her monsters to destroy her foes.

'And there is something else…' he thought to himself before focusing the Millennium Ring upon her…

…and the entire thing vibrated.

'She's been touched by the Millennium Items,' he thought to himself. He focused the magic a bit harder, wanting to make sure it wasn't just the residual energies of the Millennium Puzzle… no. 'The Key. Chaos.' The grinning mocking bastard had used the Millennium Key on Gardner. But to what end? The Key could enter the minds of other, to see their Soul Room… but that was it. What use did that have for a man that called himself the Guardian Devil? Why-

The Ring trembled.

'Something else… the Millennium Rod?' He frowned. 'But it is… wrong. Twisted. Nothing like it should be.'

He narrowed his eyes.

There were few things the Spirit of the Millennium Ring liked. Many things he hated.

And most of all… he hated not understanding what was going on.

~MC~MC~MC~

The Pharaoh had been rendered utterly stunned and speechless as the Dark Magic Circle powered up. With no cards in his spell and trap zone he was a sitting duck, left utterly defenseless. Cabal was clearly fantasizing about the screams Yugi would make as his legs were cut off at the ankles by her buzz saw trap.

Which is why I so enjoyed thrusting out my hand and bellowing, "Breaker! Destroy the Circle!"

My magical warrior leapt forward, overcharging the spell counter in his sword as he slammed it into the circle, causing a surge of power. Cabal shielded her eyes as the spell exploded before glaring at me with utter hate.

"How is that for a fake spellcaster, hmm?"

"You usurping bastard," she hissed before taking a calming breath, gathering herself. "No matter… I'll just destroy your Breaker. And with your spell counter used up his attack drops, making my attack do even more damage!"

'Worth it,' I thought to myself as Breaker was destroyed thanks to her Red Dark Magician's Dark Magic Attack. The saw blade whirled and moved halfway towards me but I didn't even bat an eye, choosing to simply take two steps forward so that even if it swung fully at my manacles it wouldn't even have a hope of touching me. It was a reminder to Cabal that her little trap was meaningless to me. (Edwin-1100)

"Thank you Edwin," the Pharaoh said before turning his attention on Cabal. "Now then, I believe that was the end of your turn?" He drew. "And the beginning of mine."

"Are you okay, Captain?" Renard asked me.

"Fine and dandy. Sawette here isn't that big of a deal." I frowned as the demented magician twitched at my mockery. "Okay, her TRAPS aren't that big of a deal. Her deck is a different matter."

"She does seem skilled," Renard said. "And she will be trouble for the Pharaoh. Her deck seems rather similar to his own."

"Yeah. But that's an advantage too."

The Pharaoh held out a card. "I summon the Magician's Rod in defense mode." The rod of the Dark Magician appeared on the field. "You do know of this card, don't you? Every magician must have a focus. A rod. A wand. A staff. It allows them to better wield their power but, if used enough, it can gain power all of its own. The same with the Magician's Rod. When this card is summoned to the field I am able to add one spell or trap connected to the Rod's master to my hand." The Pharaoh began to go through his deck before selecting a card. "And now I will set these two cards and end my turn." Two downface cards appeared on the field.

"Good," I muttered to myself. 'With two cards that means we are protected at least this turn from whatever Cabal might throw on the field. Now I just need a good draw to begin building up my field.'

Cabal reached up and adjusted her mask before drawing. "I activate a second Dark Magic Circle!"

"A second one?!" The Pharaoh asked in surprise.

"At least she only has one Dark Magician," Renard pointed out.

"Don't be so sure," I muttered as Cabal selected her own copy of Soul Servant, activating it so she could set one card on top of her deck. 'If that is another Dark Magician we are in trouble.'

"And for my next trick," she said with a flourish, "I'll make your Magician's Rod disapper! Dark Magician, Dark Magic Attack!"

The Red Dark Magician smirked as he held up his hand and fired a blast of dark magic at the Rod, causing a great explosion… only for the smoke to clear to reveal the smirking face of the Pharaoh and his flipped up Trap Card.

"I activate Magical Navigation," he said calmly. "First I am able to summon one Dark Magician from my hand!" A portal similar to the Devil's Vagina that had sucked me, Tea, Tristan, and Yuri into Opposite Land appeared and from it emerged Yugi's Dark Magician, who looked up and down the Red Dark Magician and clearly found him wanting. That caused the Red Dark Magician to glower, clearly disgusted that the purple counterpart was judging him. "And then I am able to summon one Spellcaster from my deck… and I select my Magician of Dark Illusion!" The smoky form of another Dark Magician, one that I remembered vaguely from the Memory Arc as being the premerged form of the Dark Magician, appeared on the field in defense mode. "I would think that you, of all people Cabal, would know the strength that comes with working with a partner. All the best magicians had aides to help them… so too does my Dark Magician while yours works alone."

"I understand the bond of magician and assistant far better than you ever will, Yugi Muto! It is because of that bond that I fight for Master Marik."

"So it's true," the Pharaoh declared, "you are a member of the Rare Hunters!"

"Oh, did I ruin the surprise?" Cabal asked with a giggle. "I'm terribly sorry, I thought you knew!"

I shrugged. "I'd already figured it out but I tend to be a bit quicker on the uptick than Yugi here." I leaned forward and in a mock whisper said, "All the fumes from the hair spray." The Pharaoh glowered at me and I shrugged before focusing once more on Cabal, who had smirked at my comment only to glower at me when she realized what she'd been doing. 'Good… you're brain is all over the place. Not focused. I can use that.' Out loud I said, "The only thing I haven't figured out is why. What's your origin story?"

"Oh, wouldn't you like to know?" she taunted. "Maybe I'll-"

I cut her right off. "Boring and bland and you're embarrassed, got it. So it's my turn, right?" I drew my next card. "So-"

"It is NOT boring!" Cabal yelled in frustration.

"Okay, yeah, sorry," I said, making it clear with my tone that I didn't believe the words I was saying for a second. "Forget I said anything. Alright, so first-"

"My tale is pure tragedy and woe!" Cabal declared.

"Okay, okay!" I said in annoyance (or faked annoyance to be honest), rolling my eyes. "Sorry I said a word. Now let me just-"

"It began several years ago," Cabal said dramatically and I forced myself not to smirk. "I met a man… a brilliant, amazing man. One who took the world of magic by storm. With me by his side he was going to be world famous."

'Wait a minute…'

Cabal clenched her hands into fists. "But then… I made a mistake. He had performed that escape a thousand times and I just knew if we made it a bit more dramatic, a bit more spectacular, he would be able to cement his name amongst the greatest of history. Except…" she shut her eyes. "I was over eager. I made a mistake with prepping the tank."

'Oh god.'

"He was caught in the explosion. Scarred horribly. He learned what I had done and cast me away and I didn't blame him. I knew it was my fault. But… I wished to prove to him that I loved him, even with his injuries."

'Catherine,' I realized. 'Arkana's lost love. Cabal is Catherine.'

Cabal reached up and removed her mask.

The Pharaoh gasped, Renard cursed, and I sucked in a sharp breath. Cabal's face was a mass of scar tissue. Around her eyes was puckered skin, red and purple. Her cheek was a twisted mess, with a hole burned right through so I could see her teeth through her skin. When she smiled it pulled at the wounds, twisting them and making them somehow all the worse. She calmly put her mask back on and stared at us once more.

"I went to show my love what I had done. I knew when he saw me he would understand that we were meant to be together. But when I arrived at the hospital I found he was in a coma. I spent all the money I could to help him but nothing could be done…" She leered at us, manic glee filling her eyes, "until Master Marik came to me."

"He's lying," I told her. "Whatever he promised, whatever he said he'd give to you… he's lying."

Cabal glared at me. "How dare you! Master Marik gave me Arkana's duel monsters deck. He told me that if I used it and proved that his deck was the greatest in the world it would give my love the strength to awaken!"

"Edwin is right, Cabal," the Pharaoh said softly. "I understand how desperate you are to reunite with Arkana… but this is not the way. Not with Marik. I have seen him already use men for his own twisted desires and toss them away when they fail-"

"Of course he did!" Cabal declared and if she wasn't still shackled she would have rushed us… and most likely clawed our eyes out. "Because they were weak! Master Marik…" I swore I could actually see stars in her fucking eyes, twinkling merrily as a dopey grin spread across her face, bigger and bigger until the only way her mouth could get bigger was if she was in Hellsing Ultimate and had twenty thousand teeth in her mouth. "Master Marik… he is so powerful. So mighty. He can do… anything!" The smile snapped away and she glared at us. "He has no time for those that waste his time. That is why I will defeat you both and earn my reward!"

She waved her hand to her right and a light behind a curtain lit up, revealing the silhouette of a man (Scaramouch, Scaramouch, will you do the Fandango!) lying in a bed. Cabal turned towards the shadow, staring at it and a tender, soft expression crossed her face.

"Arkana will awaken and we'll be able to be together."

I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath, before sighing and steeling myself to break the poor woman's heart.

"No… you won't. Not with Marik." I shook my head. "Cabal, he's using you."

"Like I would listen to the words of a fraud."

"That isn't Arkana!" I waved my hand towards the shadow. "See the heart monitor there? It isn't beeping! It isn't making a sound. It's all staged! It's… a mannequin or a puppet or something! Marik is just using your love to get you to do his dirty work-"

"ENOUGH!" Cabal roared, trembling with rage. "Make your move Edwin Chaos so I can take your legs and watch you bleed out right in front of me!"

I let out a sigh. 'Well, so much for hoping Catherine was the sane and rational once in the relationship.' I drew my next card and looked over my hand. 'Alright, so with her gunned up as much as she is two things are going to happen: she'll either come swinging at me hard for insulting Arkana or she'll be still focused on trying to prove that Arkana's Dark Magician is mightier than Yugi's. Either way something and someone is getting attack the moment my turn ends so I can't be too lax. Better to play defense a bit til I determine if it's Yugi or me that's the bigger target for her ire.' With that decided I declared, "I will set my Frequency Magician in defense mode. And when he is summoned he automatically gains a Spell Counter." The mage smirked as a crystalline orb of magic appeared before him and he quietly slipped it into his pocket. "And I will set in my left-most spell zone my Servant of Endymion." The dark cloaked assistant to Endymion appeared, a pile of scrolls all around her with one held in her hand, ready for her to take notes. "I end my turn."

Cabal drew her next card and locked eyes with me. "Do you know why the Dark Magician is the true Master of Magic? Because he understands how to use deceit and trickery in order to win the day. He doesn't just blast his foes wildly without a thought… he deludes his enemies into thinking they have a chance before trapping them and destroying them." She smirked. "Allow me to show you."

But before she could say a word the Pharaoh let out a little chuckle.

"What… was that?" Cabal said, slowly turning her eyes towards him.

"If that is how you think of the Dark Magician then you know nothing at all about him." The Pharaoh shut his eyes and shook his head, pity dripping from his words. "The Dark Magician has no need for deceit and trickery. He instead uses sleight of hand, cunning, and his many years of study in order to accomplish his wonders. He sets out not to defeat his foes because of some misplaced sense of weakness… he does so to defend those he cares for and who need him. I don't know what caused you to forget that… or if you never understood that to begin with." His eyes snapped open. "But when this duel is over you will know the true might of the Dark Magician!"

"You dare question me and my Dark Magician?" Cabal demanded.

"But is he truly yours?" the Pharaoh clapped back. "That deck… it belonged to Arkana. And while you didn't steal it from him you still don't fully understand how it works. Because you didn't build it yourself. Every card in my deck has been examined by my own eyes, allowed its place because I understand fully how it will help me win a duel. Just as the Dark Magician knows where every spell book is in his sanctum so too do I understand my own deck. How can you claim to be the master of all Dark Magicians when you can't even master that deck you use?"

"How… how dare you!" Cabal roared. "How dare you insult Arkana's deck. Dark Magician!" Her red robed mage nodded. "Destroy his Illusion Magician… eliminate that pale imitator! Dark Magic Attack!" The Pharaoh's mage waivered like fog on a cool morning as the blast of energy struck, shattering him completely. "And now all you have is your Dark Magician," Cabal said, setting two cards on the field. "But soon you will have nothing at all."

The Pharaoh though merely shook his head. "Dueling with the purpose of revenge will never allow you to truly win, Cabal. Your cards can sense that you do not respect them and see them as only a means to an end and when you truly need them they won't be there for you." He set two cards of his own on the field.

Cabal merely countered by setting another card and I realized we were about to enter my absolutely favorite moment of any duel: the Magician's Duel. Multiple spells, all throwing at each other in an attempt to outwit and outlast. This was going to be chaotic and messy.

And something I could use.

"And if my cards thirst for revenge?" Cabal asked as I activated Terraforming and brought forth my Citadel of Endymion. The stage and circus feel of the dueling arena disappeared and now the two Dark Magicians were standing in the middle of a street within my magician's great city-state, ready to collide at a moment's notice.

"Duel Monster cards are beyond such things," the Pharaoh declared and I couldn't help but wonder if he practiced those sanctimonious speeches in the mirror while shoving a stick up his own ass.

"Or maybe you don't understand this game at all," Cabal said, setting two more cards and ending her turn, so focused on the Pharaoh that she forgot I had my Frequency Magician just sitting on the field.

"I understand it well enough," the Pharaoh said.

"I activate my Twin Headed Guillotine!" Cabal cried out and the Pharaoh's Dark Magician and his downface monster, flipped up to reveal it to be an Apprentice Magician, suddenly found themselves wrapped in ropes and dragged onto the guillotine that had appeared on Cabal's side of the field. "By sending the top four cards on my deck to the graveyard I can destroy two monsters on your side of the field!"

"My Dark Magician!" the Pharaoh declared, his two spellcasters struggling.

"Gone… from the field and soon from your deck!" Cabal declared as the blade dropped and the two shattered. "And next turn my Red Dark Magician can attack you directly, ending this duel, your control of your Dark Magician, and the last few moments you have left with your legs!"

"Not so fast!" the Pharaoh declared. "Reveal my trap card: Eternal Soul!" The ancient tablet, depicting the Dark Magician, appeared on the field. "Once per turn this card allows me to summon my Dark Magician from my hand or graveyard, and thus I return my faithful mage back to the field!" The Dark Magician reformed, wagging his finger at the Red Dark Magician who glowered at him.

"Then I will simply activate my facedown spell card Dark Magic Expanded! This card will create a field of dark magic that will power up my Dark Magician so that he is stronger than your's!" Cabal let out a laugh as the Red Dark Magician began to grow larger. "It's over!"

"Check the weather report again, Cabal," I said with a smirk. "Because there is a wind storm a-comin'. Activate Twin Twister!" Two funnel clouds appeared on the field. "And I choose to destroy your Dark Magic Expanded and your Dark Magic Circle, just in case!"

"No!" Cabal cried out. "That means my Dark Magician and Yugi's are at equal strength!"

The Dark Magician and the Red Dark Magician clashed, throwing up blasts of magic as they struggled against one another, trying their hardest to overpower the other. But they were reflections of one another, unable to overwhelm the other, and with a final burst of magic the two shattered.

"Activate Monster Reborn!" the Pharaoh and Cabal both cried out. "Return Dark Magician!"

The two monsters appeared once more, looking none the worse for wear though they both glared at their counterpart.

"And we return right back where we started," the Pharaoh said. "All those resources wasted to simply remain where we are. Much like this duel, Cabal! Time, effort, and lives are being thrown away out of your misguided need to defeat me." He stared at her, clearly trying to reach her through her madness and grief. "Haven't enough been hurt already, Cabal? End this madness! Turn off the blades and duel with honor."

"Such a coward's request," Cabal said. "Beg for me to show mercy just as I have you where I want you."

"Did you not see what happened? We are evenly matched. If you attack again you will simply cost us both our Dark Magicians."

"But we aren't evenly matched!" Cabal declared. "Or have you forgotten my final downface card? Reveal Mystical Space Typhoon, which I use to destroy your Eternal Soul!" The tablet shattered, leaving the Pharaoh only with the Dark Magician. "And now I use this!" She held up a card. "Sphere Kuriboh!"

"A Kuriboh?!" the Pharaoh declared in shock.

"A special Kuriboh," Cabal confirmed. "When I send this Kuriboh to the graveyard it forces one monster on your side of the field into defense mode." She did just that and the Dark Magician on the Pharaoh's side of the field lowered to one knee even as he fought against the power of the Sphere Kuriboh. "I think that is rather nice… your Dark Magician kneeling to his better. It feels as if the world has finally been put back to right."

"You can believe whatever you wish, Cabal, but my Dark Magician has never failed me and he will not fail me now."

The deranged woman merely shook her head though at that. "You believe yourself to be the only one worthy to command the Dark Magician, don't you? That you and you alone hold that right."

"No," the Pharaoh told her coolly. "I do not believe that. I believe there are many that can wield his power. But only if they show him respect. You do not respect your Dark Magician at all. You see him as a tool, little else. If you truly wished to honor him and the duelist that originally had him you would fight with honor and respect. Not…" he gestured at the saw blade, "…force your opponents into these kind of mad games."

"I force thieves and usurpers to suffer for their sins."

"Oh, that song and dance," I replied with a roll of my eyes. "What is with you delusional maniacs and believing that you have the right to judge? Just once I'd like the skies to open up, the sun to shine down, and God himself to look down and just as you think He's about to praise you and all your work have him go, 'Courtney'?" I shifted my tone to a a whiny shrill pitch. "But my names Cabal-" I went back to normal. "IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT YOUR NAME IS!"

"That is a reference, isn't it?" Renard said.

"Most of what I say is a reference, Renard. Its part of my charm."

"ENOUGH!" Cabal screamed and I knew if she weren't shackled she'd be stomping her feet like a petulant child. "You will respect me and respect my Arkana's deck!" She held up a card. "And I will force you to do some with this."

"And what new witchcraft and sorcery do you intend to unleash on us now?" The Pharaoh asked.

"The most deadliest of them all," Cabal warned. "You believe you understand the Dark Magician, Yugi Muto… but if you did you'd know that what you see before you isn't his ultimate form but rather the first step towards his ascension." She flipped the card over. "Allow me to reveal it to you. I activate Secrets of Dark Magic!"

On the field two burning braziers appeared, smoke wisping from them as a circle of magical runes appeared on the field. The Red Dark Magician smirked and stepped into the circle and closed his eyes.

"This card allows me to elevate my Dark Magician to a higher form, either through Fusion… or Ritual. As such I sacrifice my Dark Magician and my Sphere Kuriboh, banishing them both from the game in order to complete the pact with the dark magics of the world and summon forth the Dark Magician's mighty and terrible final form: The Magician of Black Chaos MAX!"

The Red Dark Magician threw back his head as he was engulfed in magic and the Pharaoh and I shielded our eyes as the ritual circle exploded in negative light that burned the eyes if one tried to stare into its depths. The winds picked up, swirling about the field as dark magic thrummed all about us. The braziers exploded and the shards of gold burnt and blackened before rushing towards the glowing figure in the middle of the ritual circle, merging with the energy burning around him before there was a final blast of power.

And then the lights went down, allowing us to see what Cabal had summoned forth through a veil of shadows.

The first thing to appear was the moon, though it was far different than we were all used to. Black and purple in hung in the sky above the Citadel of Endymion casting a sinister light all around us, twisting every shadow into a grasping claw. Then from its shadow the Magician of Black Chaos MAX stepped into view. He wore armor similar to that of Yugi's original Magician of Black Chaos, only the reds of his armor were far deeper. His skin was a pale purple, much like the light of the moon that heralded his arrival, and he had extremely long violet hair that seemed to be made of negative light, for itmoved and twisted like a writhing mass of tendrils sent forth from some shapeless thing that couldn't decide on a solid form. His headpiece was far sharper than the original ritual monster that had been summoned by Yugi during Duelist Kingdom and rather than a staff he held a large purple ritual blade meant for cutting down sacrifices.

Renard muttered a mixture of French and Russian curses and I didn't blame him… Cabal's new monster truly was a sight to behold.

"This… is your end," Cabal declared. "My Magician of Black Chaos MAX. The final form of the Dark Magician. Infused with powers terrible and great. Behold! Magician of Black Chaos MAX, destroy that false Dark Magician that stands before you! Chaos Spear Strike!"

The Magician of Black Chaos MAX sneered before rushing forward, driving his blade into the belly of the Dark Magician, the Pharaoh's mage letting out a strangled cry as he was lifted off his feet before he shattered.

"My Dark Magician!" the Pharaoh cried in shock.

"Gone… from your field and used to power my mage!" Cabal declared. "Thanks to the effect of my Magician of Black Chaos MAX when he destroys a monster he uses their power to return one spell card from my graveyard to my hand." She smirked as she selected a card. "He is gone now… cast off to rot in the card graveyard… and soon he won't even be there. Soon he will be in my deck and you will be able to do nothing but watch, bleeding out here in what will be your tomb, as I walk away as the true master of all magicians!" The dark moon hung above her, making Cabal seem gigantic. "It is over!"

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