Rated PG for slight swearing and cartoon violence.

Marik: Oh yeah, and we don’t own anything.  So if you fools sue us, you will be in the shadow realm quicker than I can say “The Ultimate Blue Eyes White Dragon.”

Yamiko: Right…

~UPDATE~ June 1, 2003   I have redone this chapter, because I noticed that stuff in my further chapters didn’t quite add up to the first.  Also, I felt less pride for this chapter, and therefore I have changed it.  Thank you everyone for your encouragement, and happy writings (or readings).

-Yamiko Tsukarnai

~UPDATE~ September 5, 2003  More revisions.  I want to get this chapter on Michael’s Yu-Gi-Oh website, and I want it to be in top condition.  Have a nice day…  ^__^

chapter 1

*~*~*

The sun was setting over duelist kingdom.  It was a spectacular red sun-set, that spread upon the crystal blue waters.  The sun was half way bellow the sea, creating a dazzling effect of what looked like rubies along a royal purple blanket.  Pegasus watched it with little interest, while shifting his wine glass so it reflected light against the wall.

When Pegasus wasn’t watching the sun set out of his remaining eye, he watched the status of the duel monster’s tournament.  Yugi had already won three more lousy star chips from the Game Killer earlier.  Pegasus was now drinking his second glass of wine (A/N Yes, wine.  I am sick and tired of people calling it, “The world’s finest fruit juice,” because that is just complete b-ll sh-t!), because the other one was broken by Yugi’s steadily growing power.  He also had to change the shirt underneath it as well (because the wine needed to be washed out immediately).  Yugi’s power was indeed growing massively—and once Pegasus had it within his grasp, his power would increase dramatically.

He looked at the wall behind him.  It pictured the man who changed his life.  He wore a green robe with a white cloak and turban.  The man was an Egyptian sorcerer, a descendent of the sorcerer’s who followed the will of Anubis.  His name was Shadi.  Shadi was the most mysterious person Pegasus had ever met.   He had given Pegasus his Millennium Eye, led him to the secret of the Egyptian God Cards, and he always appeared in the most amazing ways.  Pegasus lifted up his glass and replied, “My good man, you are truly a blessing!  I feel almost awful that I have to take away your millennium key—in time, of course, but let us let bygones be bygones, shall we?”

He laughed.  Once Pegasus had two millennium items, Shadi would come next on his list.  Pegasus knew that as powerful as Shadi was, he would soon fall underneath him.

He opened his lips and sipped in some more wine.  He looked towards the left and Shadi, and sighed.  It featured a young elegant and beautiful woman with blonde hair and blue eyes.  She wore a blue dress with a criss-cross bodice with four pink bows and had a sort of gay expression on her face. 

‘Cecelia.  My darling, Cecilia.  We shall meet again—our life we had planned will be revived.  That I promise you’ 

He went back to the duelist tournament and watched in surprise as Yugi’s pathetic mutt of a friend had triumphed over another duelist.  And not just any duelist, the Regional Champion runner up…  Pegasus smirked.  The two regional champions were complete failures in the tournament.  He had hoped that Weevil would beat Yugi, or at least the runner up, but by the looks of things, that wasn’t going to happen—any time soon—at least.   He watched as the poor sap let go of his most valuable and rare card: The Red Eyes Black Dragon.  Yugi’s golden haired friend started to crow with success as he held it up in the air.

Croquette walked in and stated, “Master Pegasus, ten more duelists are eliminated, shall I send out the second ship?”

Pegasus muttered, “By the looks of this young lad, (he motioned his wine glass towards Rex), I would give him fifteen more minutes before doomsday.”

“Yes Master Pegasus, and—“

Pegasus rolled his eye in annoyance and turned to his servant.  “What Croquette?  I have business to attend to here!  In case you haven’t noticed, I am running a tournament…”

“Sorry Master, I am aware of you laws, but I have this…”

He held out a golden chest, and opened it before Pegasus.  There was a simple video tape in it.  Pegasus stared at it, obviously annoyed and asked, “How does this concern me?”

Croquette stated, “Well sir, ever since you decided to take residence at Duelist Kingdom, and move out of your father’s house, we have been working very hard to furnish it and perfect it for the last three years.  While we were moving some of your possessions, we found this.’”

“Does this have a point to it?”

“Yes sir.  On the video tape, it says “Cecilia Pegasus” on it.  I think it might be her will.”

This caught Pegasus’s attention right away.  No, he didn’t care about what Cecilia had left him, but the name of his wife that he had for only a few months was more crucial than any tournament in his life.  He stared at the tape.  He then snatched it out of Croquette’s hands for a closer look at it.  It seemed to be in order.  He turned to Croquette and growled, “HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THIS?!”

Croquette shifted his weight, “About a year.”

The really ticked Pegasus off.  He threw his glass at the wall, staining it’s beautiful and elegant appearance.  Croquette was frightened.  He had never seen his master like this.  It was as if the sweet and cunning little boy personality, had become an aggressive and ticked off devil.  That fit Pegasus perfectly, but he was never particularly good at showing it.

Croquette cried, “A thousand apologies, Master Pegasus and—“

Pegasus muttered, “Quit the bickering and start the tape!”  Croquette obeyed immediately and went over to a VCR.  He injected the tape, and on Pegasus’s computer screen, and Cecilia appeared.  She looked gravely ill.  Her arm in an IV, her light disappearing from her beautiful sapphire eyes which fluttered constantly from weakness, and she looked in pain.  Her lips were a pale rose color, and her skin looked like pale snow.

It hurt Pegasus to watch this.  Yet, it was Cecilia.  She was alive at the time, and when she looked at the camera, she smiled and opened her mouth.

<Maximillian.  If you are watching this, I have probably already been taken by this strange disease.>  She coughed paused a moment to take a breath, and then continued on.

<I never had the chance to tell you this, and it may come as a culture shock.  Once, when you were about to inherit your father’s company, industrial illusions, you were gone for about seven and a half months.  I remember, that it pained both of us when you were away.  We of course wrote to each other, but I never told you something.  Something that I am going to tell you know.  When you were gone, I gave birth to a child. >

Pegasus (who had this third glass) spat the wine out across the room.  He stared.  Cecilia would have never betrayed him—but if that was the case, then…

<That is right. You have a daughter Maximillian.>

Pegasus just stared open mouthed.  The wine remaining in the class dripped off the edge, and the glass fell to the ground.  ‘Why didn’t Cecilia tell me.’

<I never told you this, because we weren’t married then, and I knew your father wouldn’t be pleased.  I hid her for four years, she grew older, and more powerful, yet so kind and gentle.  She has my beauty, while she had your kindness, and purity.  Her name is Elizabeth Maxwell Pegasus.  Elizabeth after my mother, and Maxwell after you.>

Croquette was about to state something, when Pegasus glared at him, telling him to be quiet.  Croquette immediately caught himself, and the tape continued.

<In case my time does come, I have left her at a private orphanage/school in Kyoto, Japan.  I refused to send her to an orphanage, and you had too much to worry about with my sickness, so that is where she is.  Please go and get her, and I shall be happy in heaven.  I am so sorry that I never told you this.  Know this, I will always love you, Max.>

With that, the screen turned into static.  Pegasus stared for about two minutes, jaw dropping every now and then.  He suddenly turned to Croquette, who injected the tape, than looked at Pegasus.  He said, “Croquette, call up that orphanage.”

“Yes sir.”  With that, he began to dial.”

<Kyoto Private Orphanage, how may I help you?>

<Yeah, I am a servant of Maximillian Pegasus at Duelist Kingdom.>

<Really!?  How wonderful,  is he planning to adopt out of charity?>

<Um, no.  Not exactly.>

<Then what can we do?>

Croquette turned to Pegasus, to flipped his bangs up revealing his millennium eye. Croquette immediately went back to the phone. “Not exactly.  Is there a young girl named Elizabeth Pegasus there?”

<Oh her!  I see, but…>

Pegasus read Croquette’s mind, and narrowed his eyes.  Croquette gulped and asked, “But what?”

<She was visiting Domino city with her money she earned from work duty, but she never came back.  I am very sorry…>

Croquette said, “Yes, I understand.  Thanks anyway…”

With that, he hung up the cell phone, and stared into the eyes of Pegasus.  He said, “She isn’t there…”

Pegasus sighed, and walked up to the window.  He stared out at the duelists.  He stared at what appeared to be a brother and sister with dueling gloves strapped on.  They hugged each other and laughed together.  It was quite touching.  It was twelve years since Cecelia passed on, and he had never been so lonely.

Even with this glitter of hope left, it seemed to have blown away in rose petals.  Out of his hands, and then obliterating into as many pieces as possible.  He sighed.

‘It is just not fair.’

 Something caught his attention.  He looked outside, and saw a figure, that looked like it was staring at him.  He closed his eye, and when he opened it, the person was gone.  He looked at his fourth wine glass that Croquette just handed to him.  He pushed it back towards Croquette and muttered, “I think I have had enough for today…”

*~*~*

…about thirteen hours later…

*~*~*

Bandit Keith eyed Bones angrily.  He was so pathetic, loosing to that pathetic mutt Joey.  How could this have happened?  Joey was suppose to be led into a trap.  A situation where he could not win.  But it had failed, and now the wonderful graveyard arena was closed off, and they were out in the open where everyone could see.

He then narrowed his eyes and turned towards Bonz’s new opponent.  She was a young girl, who had silvery/white hair, flowing behind her in a pony tail.   She had forest green eyes, and tan/gold skin.  She was wearing what appeared to be a brown leather jacket, held together with a chain.  She also wore a shirt that featured a Chinese dragon coming out of a skull.   She also wore jeans with straps and buckles down the legs, with a leather belt holding it around her waste, and had simple white tennis shoes.

The score was 2000 to 50, the girl in the lead. Bonz was trembling.  He cried, “Bandit Keith!  I haven’t gotten the card yet!”

Bandit Keith growled, “Shove it you little runt!  You have one start chip left that I graciously handed over to you, and if you mess this up, your on the next boat out of here!”

Bonz trembled and turned to the girl.  She had a blank look upon her face.  Bones couldn’t keep wondering, ‘She seems to know every move I make.  How does she know?’

The girl  drew another card, and said, “I will add the sword of dark destruction, to increase my Black Luster’s Soldier’s attack points by 500 points.”

She smiled almost sweetly, “And I summon the Red Eye Black Dragon in attack mode.”  With that, she laid the card on the arena, and the Red Eyes Black Dragon sprouted out, and spread out his magnificent wings.

She chuckled, then smiled, “Do you believe in heaven, Bonz?  I hope you do, because you aren’t going to last much longer.  Perhaps Purgatory will be a better home for you once I am done with you, and I assure you; that won’t be long from now…”

Bonz opened his mouth when he turned over his faced down card. 

With that, the Red Eyes Black Dragon completely totaled the newly revealed Dragon Zombie.

She grinned, “Since your monster is in defense mode, you don’t loose life points.  But don’t worry, I will light my fire works soon, I promise you that.”

Bonz squeaked, “I summon Sagi the Dark Clown in defensive mode.”  With that, the weak clown appeared and the girl narrowed her eyes.  She muttered, “Come on, if you had attacked with the Medusa woman, you could have at least have a power boost.  Its not like that Crush card is going to do you any good.”

Bonz kept wondering how she knew.  The girl looked like an ordinary girl, she had no power around her at all.   Her silver bangs covered up her left eye.  Perhaps there was something there that gave her the advantage.

Bones screamed, “HOW DO YOU KNOW!”

The girl narrowed her eyes and said, “Well, everyone wants to know everything about the world around them, but that is just impossible.” 

She sighed, “Since you have no other monster to attack except the virus infected monster, I really have nothing to do but to attack, but since it is in defensive mode, I can’t attack it without suffering great damage.  However, if it was in attack mode, that would clench the rest of your life points and I would be declared the winner.

Bonz narrowed his eyes, thanking himself that he had put up a great defense, “And how do you plan to do that?”

The girl smiled as she drew a card.  She grinned, “Oh Golly, this is too good.” 

Bandit Keith narrowed his eyes. ‘This girl’s style of combat reminds me of someone.  Someone I really despise.  But who?’

Bandit Keith’s thoughts disappeared, as her eyes narrowed  to a more cunning state, and her innocence vanished in a flame of evil.  “Your finished Bones.  Give a warm welcome to my magic card, Black Pendant.”

Bonz asked, “What does that do?”

The girl smiled, “Why don’t I show you.” With that, she tossed the magic card on the field, her Red Eyes Black Dragon had a necklace appear over his chest.  She smiled, “Attack!”  Bonz chuckled and said, “You are marching into a suicidal attack.  Once my virus infects your monster, you won’t be able to attack with any monster with over 1500 offense points, and you pathetic monster will be destroyed.

The girl smiled sickly, “That is exactly what I want…” Bonz asked, “What?”

She called, “Red Eyes Black Dragon!  INFERNO FLAME BREATH!”  With that, the dragon seemed to smile, and he launched a fire ball from his mouth and hit Sagi the Dark Clown, the virus did its job and destroyed the girl’s Black Luster Solider and Red Eyes Black Dragon.

Bonz chuckled with satisfaction and asked, “And how exactly did that work to your advantage?”

The girl grinned, “It did work to my advantage, look at your life points.” 

Bonz looked down, and watched as his life points dropped to zero.
She

 smiled, “Remember, I promised you some fireworks?”

“What!  How is that possible!?” 

Bandit Keith growled, “You idiot!  Don’t you know the rules of Black Pendant?!  When the her monster equipped with that card is sent to the graveyard, and inflicts 500 direct damage to your life points!  How could you make such an idiot mistake?!”

Bonz turned more white than he already was, “I… uh, that is… I…”

Bandit Keith turned away from him and muttered, “No matter. You failed me again, Bonz.  You are out of here!”

Bonz through down his glove and remaining star chip, and ran away.  The looked at Bandit Keith, and he growled, “All right boys, let’s go…”  With that, he rose up and walked with his cronies to another part of the island.

The girl smirked and picked up the star chip and fit it into her dueling gauntlet.  Since she had landed here, she had earned five.  She carefully chose her opponents when she dueled, to make sure she had a challenge, but an automatic win.  With an instinct like that, you had to have awesome and incredible talent.  She walked away from the arena, and smiled as she fit in her new star chip and twisted her wrist to see all six of them sparkle before her.

She walked out into an open field, and stared up at Pegasus’s castle.  She brushed her bangs out of the way for a better look.  There was nothing in-ordinary on her face, just two sparkling green eyes.  They stared intently at the lair above.  She asked aloud, “Can this really be my destiny?”

Her ring around her finger began to glow, and a soothing spirit appeared beside her.  She spoke soothingly, as if her voice was a trail of slowly dripping water.

-Time will tell, Elizabeth.  Just rise to meet your challenge.-

She sighed.  She then thought inside of her, ‘You sure Mizu?’

The spirit chuckled and replied, -Even if everything doesn’t work out as we intend it to, we are the spirit of water.  We can flow anywhere with ease, and we will go through anything.  Together.-

Elizabeth closed her eyes, and smiled, ‘Yes.  I was wrong to loose faith in myself.’  She looked at her wrist and said, “That faith is all I need to conquer this tournament, and face the fears of my lonely life once and for all…”

TO BE CONTINUED…

Yamiko: Okeedokie!  My first Yu-gi-oh Fiction!  I never thought I would actually write one. 

Pegasus: Screw Cecelia, (grabs her hand and holds it to his heart) You are my true love…

Yamiko: -_-‘  right…

(Suddenly, Marik, Yami-Bakura, Seto Kaiba, Yami-Yugi and Duke come in and start beating up on Pegasus)

Everyone Else: OH NO SHE’S NOT!  MR. HOTSHOT!!!

Yamiko: (to her audience) This is why you should never allow yourself to get muses who are eternally bound to respect their authors.  It never really works out…