"Getting nervous, Panik?" Yami Yugi asks after capturing one of his best monsters. "I may have yet to launch an effective attack against you and your night creatures, but that will all change very soon."

"Ridiculous." Panik responds. "What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about. I made you a promise that in five turns I would teach you a lesson you would never forget, and I intend to make good." Yami Yugi answers. "You only have four turns left, Panik. Four more turns before I drag you from your shadows and show you up for the bully you truly are."

"You dolt! Have you forgotten who you face here? I am Panik the Eliminator!" Panik responds as he activates the flamethrowers again.

"Is that supposed to scare me? Or are you running scared?" Yami Yugi asks, not even flinching.

"I sure hope Yugi knows what he's doing, after all, this big bully plays with fire." Rarity says, worried.

"I agree, because when that nut-job plays Duel Monsters, he plays for keeps." Rainbow concurs.

"Oh, yeah." Mai says. "Panik enjoys breaking people's minds apart. Making them sweat, watching them squirm. For him, dueling is just an excuse to practice his cruelty."

"But I know, somehow, that Yugi is going to win this." Fluttershy responds.

"You can't stall forever. Sooner or later, you'll have to make your move." Yami Yugi says with a smile.

"Silence!" Panik says as he draws. He soon smiles at the card he drew and laughs with wicked glee. "This beast will win the entire match for me! King of Yamimakai! But don't take my word for it." Soon, the monster materializes as Panik plays said card.

"I remember that monster as well." Fluttershy says. "Another level five dark attribute monster, but this one would normally have 2000 attack and 1530 defense points, but thanks to the Field Power Bonus from the night, it's got 2600 attack and 1989 defense points."

"Powered up by the Field Power Bonus that all my monsters get from the night, my King of Yamimakai is far more powerful than your pitiful creature." Panik says. "King of Yamimakai, destroy his Curse of Dragon! Electro-shock Attack!" The attack is launched, but it soon veers away from the intended target, right to a light source.

"What? It's veering away!" Panik says in disbelief. "Instead of destroying Yugi's Curse of Dragon, it's attacking my Reaper of the Cards!" And in no time, said Reaper is destroyed.

"Your Reaper of the Cards is vanquished." Yami Yugi says with pride. Neither Panik nor the others on the sidelines can believe what just happened.

"Talk about a massive mess up!" Rainbow says with glee. "And since he didn't lose any life points before, that cost him 1504 of them!"

"No! My life points." Panik shouts in disbelief as his life points decrease from 2000 to 494. "Curse you and your Spell Binding Circle! Its light drew in my monster's attack and destroyed my precious Reaper!"

"They don't do well when they dare step out of the darkness." Yami Yugi says. "Now let's bring all your monsters into the light. I dispel all your darkness with the Swords of Revealing Light!" Yami Yugi activates the card and in not time, the shadows are dispelled.

"Stop! Stop it! I can't stand bright lights!" Panik shouts as the Swords of Revealing Light appear and illuminate the field.

"Your monsters are revealed!" Yami Yugi says triumphantly.

"What did I tell you?" Fluttershy asks. "No one can keep Yugi in the dark. Thanks to the Swords of Revealing Light, we and Yugi can finally see Panik's monsters and his life points."

"No more hiding, Panik." Yami Yugi says. "Your darkness will shield you no longer. Three turns left, and then you're finished. But I didn't use the swords just to illuminate your monsters, it also causes them all to be frozen for three turns, starting right now. That means you can't make any attack while I implement my strategy." Panik asks himself if an upstart thinks he can cause an eliminator, like himself, to panic. He knows that aside from a second facedown, the only card Yugi has is Curse of Dragon while he still has Barox, Dark Chimera and King of Yamimakai and despite the swords, all his monsters still keep their Field Power Bonus from the night, and after three turns, they'll be free to attack once more. "You're stalling Panik." Yami Yugi says at last. "Afraid to draw your next card?" Panik knows that around the current point in the duel, his opponents would usually be sobbing and broken, but not Yugi, though he admits he will enjoy crushing his spirit. Soon, Panik draws a card that will help him out greatly.

"This is the card to crush your spirit for good. Yugi, you can forget your foolish delusion of defeating me in just three turns, because I've just drawn a Yellow Luster Shield card!" Panik says with wicked glee.

"A Yellow Luster Shield?!" Spike says in shock. "But that can put Panik's monsters into defense mode and raise their defense points by 300!"

"You're thinking too small, down there, you fool!" Panik responds. "Or don't any of you realize that I can combine my Yellow Luster Shield with my Castle of Dark Illusions?"

"This is bad!" Mai says.

"How bad?" Pinkie asks.

"My guess, really bad." Twilight answers.

"With this combination, I can project a defensive shield over my entire half of the field." Panik says aloud as the Yellow Luster Shield envelops all of Panik's monsters.

"Great! Now Yugi can't get anywhere near Panik's monsters!" Rainbow says in annoyance.

"Worse yet. It means Panik's untouchable while Yugi's a sitting duck!" Mai says in worry.

"As long as my Yellow Luster Shield is in place, your monsters can't touch me." Panik says. "Do you still think you can defeat me in three turns, you impudent shrimp? Admit defeat, now. You can see how the shield raises the defense points of my monsters." Yugi knows he's right, as the Yellow Luster Shield can protect Panik's creatures from even his strongest monsters.

"I'd hate to say it, but at this point, Yugi doesn't really stand a chance." Mai says bluntly. "Breaking duelists is what Panik does for a living. He's brutal, ruthless, everything the ultimate needs to be."

"Mai, you've become so cynical about Duel Monsters." Bakura says. "And you don't understand Yugi at all, really. There's much more to him than meets the eye."

"Joey, please tell me there's a way Yugi can beat Panik." Tristan says.

"I wish I could tell you, but after Panik beat Mai, I got no idea what Yugi's chances are." Joey responds.

"That's why it's best that we let Yugi duel and finish the game his way." Fluttershy says.

"Give up!" Panik shouts. "Admit defeat! I'm going to crack you like an egg!" Yami Yugi just chuckles.

"You'd like me to crack, wouldn't you, Panik?" Yami Yugi asks. "Because it's worked for you before. Winning through intimidation, not through skill."

"You mock my skill?" Panik asks. "My skill is what's defeating you!"

"Don't be so sure." Yami Yugi responds.

"What do you mean by that?" Panik asks.

"You think you're winning, that your tactics are taking me by surprise, but I saw your strategy the minute I saw what kind of man you are." Yami Yugi responds.

"You're talking nonsense." Panik says.

"I knew you would use Yellow Luster Shield, cowardly bullies like you always try to hide behind something." Yami Yugi retorts.

"Shut your mouth!" Panik snaps. "I'm in no way a coward and I never try to hide behind anything or anyone!"

"Your whole strategy is nothing but hiding and cowering." Yami Yugi retorts.

"You dare to call me a coward?" Panik asks as he preps his flamethrowers. "You insignificant little worm. Nobody talks to me that way! I am Panik the Eliminator!" The flamethrowers fire, but Yugi dodges both shots.

"Are you finished?" Yami Yugi asks. "Or are you going to continue to hide behind your bluster and battlements, like a big coward?" Panik growls in anger. "The truth hurts. Doesn't it, Panik? Facing up to your true self is usually more than big bullies like you can bare, so you hide in the shadows." Yami Yugi taunts.

"You will taunt me no longer!" Panik says.

"Yugi, Panik's dangerous as long as his flamethrowers are active! So stop stirring him up or you'll get hurt!" Tea shouts.

"Don't interfere." Mai says.

"Mai's right. Yugi's just using Panik's own tactics against him." Fluttershy concurs.

"It's basically psyche-out warfare." Finishes Mai.

"I will burn you to a cinder!" Panik threatens.

"That would prove you're a coward." Yami Yugi retorts. "If you're not afraid, then you should stop hiding and play this game with honor. Or I will rip your pathetic, fearsome façade away."

"You bluff!" Panik says aloud.

"There's only one way you'll know for sure, play out this game." Yami Yugi responds. "After all, we'll know in two turns. Can you last just two turns? Do you have the courage?"

"Do I have the courage?" Panik asks, angrily. "Panik fears no duelist. I will crush your spirit and wipe out your life points!"

"Boy, Yugi really shook Panik up." Mai says as Joey wipes the sweat from his brow. "Psychology is half the game."

"And it looks to me like Yugi's using that to his advantage, much better than Panik." Twilight adds.

"And now, it's my turn." Yami Yugi says as he draws. "And my card is Gaia the Fierce Knight!" In no time, Gaia appears.

"Idiot! Do you really think a monster with attack power that weak can break through my Yellow Luster Shield?" Panik asks.

"Maybe not by himself, but I also have a magic card." Yami Yugi answers as he reveals his second facedown. "Read it and weep."

"A Polymerization card?!" Panik asks in shock.

"And with this card, I combine Curse of Dragon and Gaia together to create Gaia the Dragon Champion!" Yami Yugi responds as he brings out his fusion monster. "Now my fusion monster's attack power is raised to 2600!"

"Gaia the Dragon Champion?" Panik asks.

"My turn's over, you're finished as well." Yami Yugi responds. Panik wonders what Yugi means, considering that even though Gaia the Dragon Champion has 2600 attack points, it's still not strong enough to break through the Yellow Luster Shield, meaning that there's likely more to it than Yugi just summoning a fusion monster with incredible attack power, otherwise he wouldn't be so confident. Therefore, he can't risk attacking, but if he waits one more turn, the Swords of Revealing Light will fade away, allowing him to deactivate the Yellow Luster Shield and sic his monsters on the Dragon Champion and the remainder of Yugi's life points. Panik draws, and gets just the card to help him out.

"Perfect. Metal Guardian in defense mode." Panik says as he plays said card. "He will further shield my creatures, and the Field Power Bonus raises his defense power to 2795. With him on guard, any attack against my monsters is totally impossible."

"It figures. You're cowering again." Yami Yugi says.

"Insolent dog!" Panik snaps.

"Your strategy is nothing but putting up defenses." Yami Yugi retorts. "You're showing how weak you are."

"Silence!" Panik shouts. "In the next turn, the Swords of Revealing Light will be extinguished, then I'll hit you with everything at once!"

"It'll be too late." Yami Yugi responds. "I've already led you deep into my trap." Panik is puzzled by this. "The stronger you make your defenses, the more you lock yourself into defeat.

"That's a joke. You're nothing but talk." Panik says.

"The time for talk is over." Yami Yugi replies. "That was your last turn." Yugi reveals his next card, the card that he believes will end the match for him. "The end is now! I summon the Catapult Turtle!" Soon, the monster appears.

"Did he say 'Catapult' Turtle?" Applejack asks.

"Alright! Now we're talking!" Rainbow says, remembering her turtle, Tank, back home.

"Slow and steady wins the duel, Panik. For I can use the turtle's catapult to launch Gaia the Dragon Champion and shatter your defenses." Yami Yugi explains. "The Catapult Launch will raise Gaia the Dragon Champion's attack power all the way up to 3200. You weren't expecting that, were you?"

"My monsters' defense power combined is still much too strong for you." Panik says with a laugh. "Protected as they are by the Yellow Luster Shield, you still can't touch them. You can only watch helplessly as they prepare to assault you next turn!"

"Who said anything about attacking your monsters?" Yami Yugi asks. "What I'm attacking is...the castle." Yami points to the Castle of Dark Illusions, and everyone is shocked by Yugi's plan.

"You fool! My castle is still unassailable. Its walls are still invincible to any of your attacks, so I won't take any damage at all!" Panik says.

"We'll see about that." Yami Yugi says with a smile. "Turtle, Catapult Launch my Dragon Champion!" In no time, Gaia the Dragon Champion is launched straight at the Castle of Dark Illusions, and the light of the impact illuminates the entire field.

"Whoa! Yugi lost a lot of points with that maneuver!" Spike says as Yugi's life points decrease to 300.

"About 1303 of them!" Rarity adds.

"And on top of that, due to the effect of Catapult Turtle, he sacrificed his Dragon Champion!" put in Twilight.

"Losing both a monster and life points like that is a pretty hefty loss." Rainbow says. "And if that move doesn't work, Panik will wipe out the rest of Yugi's life points!" Soon, the smoke clears, and the ring surrounding the castle starts the crack and eventually falls off.

"No! It's still floating!" Tea says in shock while Panik laughs.

"Fool! For all your threats, my castle is unharmed!" Panik says with glee. "Your worthless attack simply knocked its flotation ring off! And now that your attack has failed, I'll eliminate you once and for all! It's been five turns, and I'm still standing, Yugi. My monsters are still contained and protected within the Yellow Luster Shield. When this turn is over, the paralyzing effects of your Swords of Revealing Light will vanish. Then, on my turn, I'll attack you with all of my monsters, and wipe you out forever!"

"There is no next turn for you." Yami Yugi replies. "This duel has already ended."

"It's not over." Panik retorts.

"Doesn't it seem strange to you that a castle that's lost it's flotation ring is somehow still floating?" Yami Yugi asks. "What if the Swords of Revealing Light had locked in place, not only your monsters, but your castle as well? Then what would happen next?" Right on cue, the Swords of Revealing Light begin to flicker, showing their about to fade away, and Panik knows what will happen when they do according to Yugi.

"It can't be!" Panik says in shock.

"Can it?" Mai asks lowly.

"I think so." Spike says. "He had this all planned out, just like Fluttershy eluded to!"

"That's right, Spike." Fluttershy answers. "Now all that's left is for Yugi to end his turn."

"Right now, the only thing holding up your castle are the Swords of Revealing Light." Yami Yugi says. "And when this turn ends, each and every sword will vanish."

"But...that means..." Panik says in shock and worry.

"It's over!" Yami Yugi says, cutting Panik off before he can finish. "And now your world's about to come tumbling down!" Panik is in complete disbelief.

"No! No one defeats Panik!" Panik shouts.

"Until now! Five turns have passed, and now, you're done!" Fluttershy says with confidence.

"My turn, is over." Yami Yugi says as he points his thumb down. At the same time, the Castle of Dark Illusion begins to crumble and fall as soon as the Swords of Revealing Light disappear.

"Run, monsters! Get out of the way!" Panik shouts to his creatures.

"It's not good." Yami Yugi says. "The Yellow Luster Shield is keeping them from running anywhere. You've trapped them all inside." Right before Panik's eyes, his entire dark empire comes tumbling to the ground and his life points hit zero.

"I knew he could do it!" Fluttershy says with beaming pride.

"And Panik's not taking it well." Joey adds.

"I'll say, from here, he looks like he's having panic attack!" put in Rainbow.

"Nobody beats Panik. Nobody!" Panik says as he looks down at this side of the field in disbelief until he turns to Yugi. "Look at him. That smug little worm, still he mocks me! I may not have defeated you, Yugi Muto, but I can still eliminate you! PERMANETLEY!!!" Panik slams on his flamethrower controls in rage, destroying them, and causing the flamethrowers to reach maximum output, causing Yugi's friends to worry as the fire surrounds him.

"Oh no! Yugi's trapped by all those flames!" Twilight says in fright and worry. "And with those shackles, he can't escape!"

"We'll see who's the coward, now! Fire!" Panik says as he activates two front flamethrowers on his player box. However, as the flames rush towards him, Yugi's Millennium Puzzle activates, indicating Yami tapping into its magic, as the eye of Anubis appears on his head. At the same time, Twilight and her friends' cutie marks appear and glow, too, as does Spike's hair.

"Yugi! He's gonna be fried to a crisp!" Tea says in shock and worry. Everyone jumps out of the way, save for Twilight and her friends, who somehow manage to create a shield around them to protect themselves. Within the swirling vortex of fire surrounding the entire arena, Panik is shocked to see that Yugi is still alive.

"You survived!" Panik says in disbelief. "How can this be? It's impossible!"

"Not quite, Panik!" boomed Twilight's voice as a mental projection of her and her friends appear alongside Yugi, shocking and spooking Panik. "There's more to Yugi and us than meets the eye!"

"We have a bond that not even the likes of you can sever!" Fluttershy says.

"A bond of friendship!" Rarity says.

"And that bond got bigger and stronger when we met Yugi!" Applejack adds.

"It's over for you, Panik! You trapped yourself in here with us!" Rainbow says.

"The party's over for you!" Pinkie says.

"The only place you'll be going, is down!" put in Spike.

"Like their magical marks, and the bond of friendship they share, my Millennium Puzzle protects me from your cowardly assault." Yami Yugi says as Panik tries to back away and leave, but can't. "But nothing will protect you from...OBLIVION!!!!" In mere seconds, Yami Yugi's mystical powers shatters Panik's mind and takes him down once and for all. When the fire vortex disappears, Panik is nowhere to be seen.

"Say, where'd Panik go?" Rainbow asks.

"My guess, Yugi, or Yami Yugi, I should say, sent him to the Shadow Realm." Twilight answered as Yugi is lowered to the ground. "Just like the Mimic of Doom."

"Yugi, you were incredible!" Tea says with a smile.

"Guess your Millennium Puzzle has more magical power than we thought." Tristan adds. "Same for you girls and those marks on your hands, and of course, that hair of yours, Spike."

"Not only did they protect them, but it also protected us from the flames, too." Joey says. Yami Yugi then walks up to Mai to return her star chips.

"Yugi, I don't know what to say." Mai says.

"Here." Yami Yugi says as he hands the chips over. "These star chips are yours. Take them." But Mai is hesitant.

"I'm sorry, but I can't except them." Mai says at last. "I fight my own battles."

"Mai, Yugi battled for you. He risked his life in that duel for you." Fluttershy says.

"I know, but--" Mai starts to say, but Joey cuts her off.

"Guess there's no point in arguing." Joey says as he steps forward. "She's way too set in her ways. But if she'd rather be booted off the island, I'll take them." Joey begins to laugh as he takes the chips, infuriating Mai.

"You think me losing all my star chips is funny, Joey Wheeler?" Mai snaps.

"I thought you didn't want them, Mai." Joey says as he holds the chips out of Mai's reach.

"Give them back!" Mai demands.

"Of course you can have them. They're yours." Joey says as he hands the chips back to her.

"Really, Joey?" Mai asks in surprise.

"Didn't you learn anything from this duel?" Twilight asks. "You can't always keep your defenses up, because they'll just get between you and the other people who are trying to be your friends. I learned that myself when I first met my friends."

"Twilight's got a point. So, can't you let your shield down, just this one time?" Joey asks.

"Who would've thought that Joey could be such a sensitive guy?" Rainbow asks as the group walks away.

"Only when he's not being a real pain." Tristan answers.

"Which is most of the time." Tea adds.

"My adoring public." Joey says.

"I think it's nice that Joey is sensitive towards Mai." Fluttershy says. "It makes him that much better of a friend."

"Yugi, wait!" Mai shouts, prompting Yugi to stop. "I'll repay you for what you did today. You're the one who won these, so as far as I'm concerned I still owe you. More than I've ever owed anyone. And when we finally do face each other in a duel, it'll be an honorable one."

"Sounds good to us." Twilight says.

"Yes, an honorable one indeed." Yami Yugi concurs as the gang walks away. As they do, he tells himself that an honorable duel with Mai is one he's looking forward to.

Author's Note

Anime messing with card effects again. This time, with the effect of the Catapult Turtle. In the game, once per turn, you can tribute 1 monster to inflict damage to your opponent equal to half the tributed monster's attack points on the field. Meaning that Panik would've lost. Whereas what it did in the anime would be incalculable in the actual game.