"So what will it be, Seto Kaiba?" Pegasus asks. "Do you care enough about your brother's life to try and save his soul? Not that you really have a choice. Mokuba's soul belongs to me." Pegasus holds up the card that holds Mokuba's soul inside. "So lifelike. But you probably preferred him more lively and in the flesh, didn't you?"

"You're not human!" Kaiba says angrily.

"Quite human, actually." Pegasus responds as he puts Mokuba's soul card in his pocket. "Just extraordinarily gifted." Pegasus then tosses five star chips to Kaiba. "Here. You'll need these for your duel with Yugi."

"Why are you doing this?" Kaiba asks.

"My reasons are none of your concern." Pegasus answers as he undoes his tie. "Maybe I just enjoy the struggle, watching the constant tug of war between you and Yugi boy. Or maybe I want something you're incapable of comprehending...something you'll end up delivering to me all tied up in a bow." Pegasus proceeds to retie his tie as he talks.

"Talk straight. What do you want?" Kaiba asks, more furious than before.

"Want?" Pegasus asks. "I want to see if you're capable of defeating little Yugi in a duel. And only if you successfully crush him in a humiliating defeat, like Yugi did to you when he beat you, will you get the opportunity to duel me. Then, if you beat me, I promise to restore your brother's soul."

"For now, I have no choice but to play your game." Kaiba says. "But soon...as soon as I defeat Yugi, I'll be back. And you'd better make good on your promise to restore my brother, because if you don't, I'll take great pleasure in separating your soul and your Millennium Eye from your body in my own way!" Pegasus just chuckles. Meanwhile, the group finally escapes from the underground labyrinth.

"We're out! Fresh air at last!" Joey says.

"I'll never set foot in a cave again!" Rarity says as she lies down on the ground looking up at the sky. Suddenly, Bakura notices one of pointers on his Millennium Ring pointing up.

"What's this?" Bakura asks. "My Millennium Ring is pointing..."

"There...To Pegasus' castle." Applejack says as she points to the castle.

"Right where we're heading." Twilight says with determination.

"Right." Joey concurs. "Because Yugi and I both have enough star chips to get us inside. Right, Yuge?"

"Yeah." Yugi agrees.

"Finally!" Rainbow says. "Now the sooner we learn which other contestants got inside, or have the right amount of star chips to go in, the sooner Yugi and Joey can beat them and face off against Pegasus and save Yugi's grandpa's soul!"

"Say, Twilight?" Tea asks.

"Yes, Tea?" Twilight asks back.

"Can you believe it finally paid off for Yugi?" Tea asks Twilight. "More over, don't you notice that Yugi can change attitudes and personas on a dime?"

"I think I know what you mean." Twilight answers.

"After all, sometimes he seems so gentle, you wouldn't think he could even challenge another duelist, especially in a tournament like this one." Tea continues, thinking back to all the duels Yugi, or rather Yami Yugi, was involved in as she didn't notice the two personalities switched in those contests. "When he duels, it seems like he's someone else. Someone more confident and determined than the Yugi I've known for years. It's almost like there are two Yugis--our friend whom me and my friends have knows for years, and a more mysterious guy who shows up only when Yugi's about to duel against a strong opponent."

"You wouldn't be too far from the truth." Twilight says. "Or don't you remember the night Bakura joined us?" That's when Tea realized Twilight had a point.

"Wait. Maybe there are two Yugis, like you suggested!" Tea says in realization, remembering the duel between Yami Yugi and Yami Bakura. "Now I remember. There was that game in the Shadow Realm. The more confident, and much larger due to our sizes changing and our souls being trapped in the deck, Yugi was playing against that dark half of Bakura. What did he call himself?"

"He called himself Yami Bakura, but I don't think that was his true name as he said he was a thief and stealer of souls." Twilight said. "But Rainbow suggested that, to avoid confusion, we call the larger Yugi, Yami Yugi. And I think you know why, don't you?"

"I do!" Tea says in surprise. "The larger Yugi, Yami Yugi as you call him, was playing against Yami Bakura, but the smaller Yugi was in the game with the rest of us!"

"Well, not all of us were in the game, as me and my friends someone managed to get out of the deck and return to our bodies." Twilight explained. "But you remember that each of you were dressed as your favorite Duel Monsters, right? And Yugi's favorite is the Dark Magician, just like it's my favorite, too."

"You're right. It was like the more experienced Yugi was coaching our Yugi." Tea concurred.

"Say, girls? Something wrong?" Yugi asks.

"No, I was just wondering...do you ever feel like..." Tea begins, but before she could finish, the rest of the gang were already heading up the stairs.

"Hey, you two!" Joey calls. "What's the holdup?"

"Hurry up, or we'll go inside without you." Tristan adds.

"You know, since none of us are even supposed to be here, maybe we should wait for Yugi." Bakura suggests.

"Good point." Tristan agrees.

"Grandpa, here I come." Yugi says with a smile as he turns to the stairs, but he ends up tripping on a rock.

"Is that how you're gonna rescue your grandpa?" Tea asks, jokingly.

"Well, I rescued you. Remember?" Yugi responds, causing Tea to think back while Twilight was confused.

"You rescued Tea?" Twilight asked. "When? And how?"

"I'll explain." Tea says as she thinks back to years before they met Twilight and her friends. It all started back when Tea barely knew Yugi at all. She was working at Burgerpalooza when Yugi and Joey came in for a bite to eat, which caused her to panic as she knows they know she's underage to work at Burgerpalooza, with the employment age being eighteen, and it was against Domino High rules to have a part-time job during the school season, meaning if they reveal her age she'd get fired or suspended from school, and she'd never be able to pay for what she wants most, taking dance lessons. Tea then approaches the boys once they're seated, but shows that she's plenty angry. Joey wonders if waiting tables at a fast food restaurant was what she wanted to do with her life, but she then reveals that she plans to save enough money to take up ballet dance lessons in New York after she graduates. To her surprise, the boys don't laugh at her, encouraging her to follow her dreams and led to her appreciating them. Sometime after that, she found a note in her locker that was apparently from Yugi saying that he and Joey found a space in an old warehouse on Spring Street that could be used as a makeshift dance studio. Tea couldn't believe it, but when she arrived, she found that there was a mugger waiting to rob her. However, Yugi jumped in to save her at the last possible minute, but the mugger knocked him into something and knocked him out. Tea tried to save him, but to no avail. Right then and there, Yugi's Millennium Puzzle activated and Yami Yugi emerged. Yami Yugi then challenged to mugger to a game, possibly a Shadow Game, claiming that the mugger would learn his fate after playing said game. Yami explained the rules, they'd each draw a single Duel Monsters card, and the monster with the highest attack points wins. If the mugger won, he'd go free, but if he lost Yami Yugi would decide his fate. Not willing to make himself look like a coward, the mugger decides to play and draws the Curse of Dragon, which has 2000 attack points. But when Yami Yugi draws, he draws the Dark Magician, which has 2500 attack points, thus making Yami Yugi the winner. However, the mugger decides to beat Yami Yugi his own way, but Yami Yugi proceeds to Mind Crush the mugger, knocking him unconscious and destroying the darkness within him. Soon, Tea woke up and saw Yami Yugi for the first time. "I may remember that day, but Yugi, what was it that you did to that guy?"

"I don't know. When I came to, that mugger was already on the ground." Yugi explained. "I don't remember anything about it."

"You're a mysterious guy, Yugi." Tea says. "Do you ever feel there's something weird going on? Sometimes you seem like you're a completely different person. Does what I'm saying make any sense to you?" Twilight, however, knew the truth as did the others because of what they were told by Celestia, Pegasus, and Yami Bakura.

"I know what you mean." Yugi says with a sigh, and I think Twilight knows, too. "She saw it herself, as did her friends. Sometimes I feel like there's someone else inside me, mainly inside my head. I just hope I'm not losing it."

"Well, whatever's going on with you, both halves of you are really great in my book." Twilight says with a smile. "Trust me."

"Thanks, Twilight." Yugi responds. Soon, everyone starts calling down to the three.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Twilight asks.

"She's right, so come on. Let's go." Tea adds as she extends her hand to help Yugi up. Soon, everyone is on their way up, though Joey and Rainbow wished that Pegasus, as rich as he is, would install an elevator. Suddenly, they see someone waiting at the top of the steps.

"Hey, guys, look. You're not gonna believe who's blocking our way into the castle." Tristan says as everyone looks up to see Seto Kaiba blocking the door.

"I knew that Kaiba was on the island looking to save his brother, but what's he doing at the top of the stairs leading to the castle?" Fluttershy asks.

"I can't let you pass, Yugi." Kaiba says.

"I've won the ten star chips needed, so stand aside." Yugi retorts.

"You may have won enough star chips to qualify for the Duelist Kingdom playoffs, Yugi, but I can't allow you to face Pegasus. He's mine." Kaiba says. "You and I are going to have one final duel. This time, you will lose, and I will win. The winds of change are blowing, Yugi Muto."

"He's so smug up there." Rarity says with annoyance. Kaiba knows that Pegasus might be forcing him to duel Yugi, but it's a rematch that he wanted all along.

"Please, Kaiba. Step aside." Applejack protests. "You made it clear you wanted nothing to do with the tournament last night."

"That may be, but I won't step aside until Yugi agrees to duel me." Kaiba responds.

"I'm not dueling you. I don't have to." Yugi retorts.

"So...no longer confident that your belief in the Heart of the Cards can help you win?" Kaiba asks smugly. "Or are you afraid you can't beat me without Exodia?"

"I don't know how you learned that Yugi lost Exodia on the boat here, but he proved he could beat three Blue-Eyes White Dragons without Exodia when he dueled that imposter who was posing as you!" Rainbow retorts.

"Is that so?" Kaiba asks. "Well, he may have beaten all three Blue-Eyes White Dragons individually, but not all at once. Now he's just afraid he can't beat me a second time, let alone beat all three of those dragons at once. What a coward."

"Back off, Kaiba! He doesn't have to prove anything to you!" Applejack snaps.

"If it's a duel you want, me or Joey can take you on!" Rainbow shouts.

"Why would I waste my time beating someone as amateurish as you?" Kaiba asks.

"Why, I oughta!" Joey says angrily as Tristan and Bakura hold him back.

"Don't forget, the last time you dueled Kaiba, he slaughtered you." Bakura says.

"Like either of you could do any better?" Rainbow asks as Kaiba looks at Joey's duel gauntlet.

"I can't believe the most ambitious duelist I know of with the attitude of an angry chihuahua already has ten star chips." Kaiba says smugly. "You earn them yourself or did Yugi throw you a few bones?"

"Back off and away from my friend, Kaiba!" Rainbow said, more furious than before.

"I'd watch your temper, too, if I were you, Rainbow. After all, there's no challenge in beating either you or humiliating Joey again." Kaiba responds. "There's only one player whose ever beaten me at Duel Monsters, and that's Yugi." Kaiba then thinks back to when he and Yugi first dueled. "But how he did it is a mystery that still eats away at me. I was winning our battle. My Blue-Eyes White Dragon was devastating his forces. His monsters couldn't stand up to its withering attacks. And then I drew my second Blue-Eyes. I was invincible! Yugi thought the attack strength of his Dark Magician could stop me...but he never dreamed I'd draw my third Blue-Eyes, which blew his magician away, obliterating his life points at the same time. But then...just as he was on the verge of defeat, Yugi somehow achieved the unachievable! He assembled all five pieces of Exodia! Before that, no one had ever been able to summon him before, but somehow, Yugi had. Yugi, you said you won by tapping into the Heart of the Cards and for a long time I didn't know what that meant, but now I think I do. And it took Pegasus to show me." Kaiba proceeds to look at his picture of Mokuba from the orphanage. "He gave me a reason to put my heart in the cards." Kaiba knows that not Yugi nor Pegasus will stop him from saving Mokuba. "For the first time, Yugi, I can duel with fire and passion in my heart."

"I can feel it." Yugi says as he feels Kaiba's red hot passion and sees fire in his rival's eyes. Meaning that Kaiba had changed, and he knows he's fighting for something more than just himself, as explained when Kaiba clearly reveals he's putting his faith in the Heart of the Cards.

"Yugi, think this over. You can't accept this duel." Twilight says. "You already have enough star chips to get into the castle, so there's no need for this."

"I've changed. I deserve a rematch. Give me a chance to play against you now, Yugi. Let me play against you for the right reasons." Kaiba says. Yugi knows that he couldn't deny the Heart of the Cards after everything his grandpa taught him over the years. And so, Yami Yugi appears, and Tea quickly notices the switch.

"Kaiba, I accept your challenge!" Yami Yugi says. "We'll see what you've really learned about the Heart of the Cards. You just name the place."

"Our dueling field has been prepared. Follow me." Kaiba says as he picks up his briefcase. Soon, both players are up on the roof, ready to rumble with Duel Discs attached.

"Alright, Kaiba. It's time to duel." Yami Yugi says. Down on the ground, at the door, Bandit Keith shows his star chips to the guard.

"I'm here to qualify for the playoffs." Keith says. "I need ten star chips, right? Well, I got them."

"You qualify." Kemo says. "But the real fun's about to begin on the annex roof. You gotta check it out."

"Some action on the roof?" Keith asks. "Thanks, dude. Maybe I will." Keith heads up to the roof, wondering what's going on. Up on the roof, the duelists are about to begin.

"Yugi, here's the deal: We'll each wager five star chips on this duel, and the winner will be the only one who earns the right to enter the main castle." Kaiba explains with star chips in hand.

"Done. Five chips." Yami Yugi agrees, though Rainbow doesn't see the point in Yugi having fifteen star chips should he win, as both players toss their star chips to the other side.

"As you can see, we'll use my Duel Disc system prototype." Kaiba says, which intrigues Twilight because she was amazed when Kaiba first unveiled them. "Insert your shuffled deck into the card recognition slot. Life points automatically set to 2000." Both players insert their decks, bringing up their life points.

"You beat him once, you beat his dragons twice, you can win against him a second time and against his dragons a third and final time, Yugi!" Rainbow says confidently. Up and away from where anyone can see him, Bandit Keith arrives.

"Looks like it'll take a while for the other finalists to catch up playing by the rules, if there are any duelists left, that is, so I might as well kill some time watching whatever's going on. Maybe it's a duel." Keith says. Soon, he spots the duel and is in shock when he finds the gang out of the caves he and his former cronies trapped them in. "It's those punks I trapped underground! How'd they get out? I thought I trapped them in that underground cave forever! Wait. Who's that?" Keith soon spots Kaiba. "Is that Seto Kaiba? So, Kaiba's in a rematch with Yugi. This I gotta see. For the duel of the century, I need a ringside seat." So Keith heads somewhere close to the action where no one can see him. Meanwhiel, the two players are set and ready.

"Alright. Are you ready to duel, Kaiba?" Yami Yugi asks.

"This is it, Yugi. Whoever wins faces Pegasus and whoever loses will be left a broken man." Kaiba says.

"We'll see who gets broken, Kaiba." Yami Yugi retorts. "I will defeat you once and for all!" And so, with a confident 'Let's duel!' from both competitors, the game is on.

"Stand back and prepare for battle." Kaiba says as he spins his Duel Disc to summon his first monster. "I play Ryu-Kishin Powered in attack mode!" In moments, the more powerful version of Ryu-Kishin appears. At the same time, the holographic hand feature kicks in on Kaiba's side of the field, fascinating Twilight.

"I can't believe it! The Duel Discs can generate holograms of the cards in each player's hand!" Twilight says in amazement.

"On your guard." Yami Yugi says as he spins his disc and summons his first monster. "I play Curse of Dragon in attack mode!" Soon, the holographic hand feature kicks in on Yugi's side of the field, as well.

"Well done. A formidable card, Yugi, and a play I would expect from a duelist of your caliber." Kaiba says.

"Don't patronize me." Yami Yugi retorts.

"Yugi, I know from playing against you once before you're a talented duelist, but you're just not as good as I am." Kaiba says. "Listen up. Only one duelist is gonna challenge Pegasus and that's me!"

"Wrong." Yami Yugi responds.

"Then attack and find out." Kaiba says. "What's the matter, Yugi? No faith in your monster?"

"You'll see. He's mightier than yours." Yami Yugi responds. "Go, Cures of Dragon! Attack Ryu-Kishin Powered! Dragon Flame!" In moments, Curse of Dragon takes flight and the monster is destroyed, dropping Kaiba's life points down to 1600. "There. Ryu-Kishin Powered is no more."

"You're good, but oh, so predictable." Kaiba says as he disc retracts. "Don't you think I expected that attack? And once again you've played right into my hands, Yugi."

"That's a bluff if I ever heard one." Rainbow says. "You took away 400 life points, so the advantage is all yours, Yugi!"

"It's not a bluff, as you will all soon see." Kaiba says as he draws his next card and puts it on the disc. "I play Swordstalker!" The monster appears, and even spooks Rainbow. "The Swordstalker gathers the life-force of a fallen monster, raising his own attack power by 20%. Watch."

"He's not kidding. Swordstalker's attack power just jumped from 2000 to 2400, making it stronger than Curse of Dragon!" Spike says in worry. Yugi then realizes that Kaiba let his Ryu-Kishin Powered to go up in flames so easily so he could power up Swordstalker.

"Attack now, Swordstalker! Vengeance Strike!" Kaiba commands. However, Curse of Dragon disappears before the blow is landed. "What?! The Curse of Dragon disappeared!"

"That's because I activated a Shift trap card on the field." Yami Yugi reveals. "This card can switch the monster on the field with a monster in my hand that has the highest attack power, and you know what that means. The creature with the greatest attack power in my hand is the Dark Magician. Dark Magic Attack!" In no time, the Dark Magician appears and destroys the Swordstalker, lowering Kaiba's life points to 1500. "The Dark Magician vanquishes your Swordstalker."

"Hey, Kaiba. Nervous yet?" Rainbow asks. "Yugi pulled another fast one on you!"

"Clueless." Kaiba retorts. "If those fools only knew what I have in store."

"Now I can replay my Curse of Dragon in attack mode." Yami Yugi says as said monster reappears. "Your move. Kaiba." Kaiba retracts his disc to play his next card.

"I'll take on your magic with a magician of my own." Kaiba says as he plays his next card. "I summon La Jinn the Mystical Genie of the Lamp!" Soon, said genie appears. "My every wish is his command."

"Dark Magician, attack La Jinn! Dark Magic Attack!" Yami Yugi commands.

"Your attack activates my trap--the Ancient Lamp!" Kaiba retorts as his trap activates, saving La Jinn from destruction. "First, it protects my genie by drawing him in. Then the lamp deflects your attack turning it back on one of your monsters." Right on cue, the Curse of Dragon is destroyed, bringing Yugi's life points to 1500, tying his with Kaiba's. "Reflect upon the incredible defensive powers of my Ancient Lamp!" Yami Yugi then sets a new card.

"My deflected attack may have destroyed my Curse of Dragon, but I still have the Dark Magician." Yami Yugi retorts. "Kaiba, for all your bragging, the score is tied. We're evenly matched." However, Kaiba knows that Yugi doesn't suspect that so far, his maneuvers, clever as they are, are all just ploys to distract him from his plan. Which is to assemble all three Blue-Eyes in his deck in order to create a monster more powerful than any he or anyone else has ever seen. For combined, they create the ultimate creature of destruction. A monster known as the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

Author's Note

Even though Swordstalker is a normal monster and it doesn't have the ability to gain 20% more power from a fallen monster before it was played, I kinda wish it had that effect in the game. And, once again, the anime messes with cards and their effects. Not just with Swordstalker, but with the Ancient Lamp as it's a monster in the actual game, not a trap card.