Monachopsis

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not Own Yu-Gi-Oh or any characters created by Kazuki Takahashi. I only own my OCs, this fic is purely for entertainment.

Chapter 8

Seto growled beneath his breath as he surveyed the dueling field before him. He and Yugi stood atop the battlements of Pegasus's castle, and spread before them the hologram monsters of their respective decks stared one another down. His Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon was rotting away from Yugi's attack, combining his dragon with the Mammoth Graveyard. Yugi had managed to turn not only his dragon into a waste, but also to turn the weakest monster in Duel Monsters – Kuriboh – into a nearly impenetrable defense.

In another time, another place he would be applauding Yugi's ingenuity. But right now, it only served to force Seto into a corner.

He hated to lose under normal circumstances, a trait ingrained into him by Gozaburo Kaiba, his adoptive father. That man had taken great pleasure in making Seto suffer when he hadn't won, and eventually the need to win had become second nature. However, this time more than just his reputation was on the line; Mokuba's soul and Reila's well being were at stake. Pegasus had the upper hand so long as he had those two under his control, and the bastard knew it. Seto had to win this duel, to free the two of them and get them back where they would be safe from harm.

Briefly closing his eyes, the card that held Mokuba's soul flashed in his mind; the image on it showed that Mokuba had been terrified. His large eyes shone with fear, and the look of disbelief was almost too much to see. He saw Reila's face too, the look of horror and hatred as she glared at Pegasus while holding Mokuba close to her, tears staining her cheeks even as her eyes promised retribution. He couldn't let them down, he had to win no matter what.

As his dragon fired another Neutron Blast at the wall of Kuriboh, he felt a surge of emotion run through him; regret. He regretted leaving Mokuba alone and unprotected. He regretted not ensuring his company had loyal employees instead of the snakes who currently sat on his board of directors. He regretted that Reila had been dragged into this, all for trying to protect his brother; something that he hadn't done himself.

As his dragon continued to rot away, he realized something; he was the rotten one. He'd been thinking of only himself, his ego, his reputation. He'd allowed his brother and friend to be hurt because he hadn't been strong enough to overcome his defeat. He'd let them both down, but not only that; he'd broken his promise to Mokuba. He'd failed his little brother, but it wasn't too late to fix that.

As Yugi's Celtic Guardian destroyed one of the heads from his Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, Seto pushed aside his guilt and regrets. He still had 400 life points, and the duel wasn't over. His dragon may not be able to attack, but...

"Yugi, it can't end this way. If I don't defeat you in this duel, Pegasus will keep Mokuba and Reila prisoner - forever. I can't let that happen, and even though I don't have a card that can keep you from attacking I think I have a strategy that will stop you in your tracks." Seto was taking a huge risk with this next move, but if there was one thing he knew about his opponent, it was that Yugi genuinely is a 'nice guy'. He didn't have what it took to annihilate his opponents, to leave them broken at his feet. Seto had been taught well, that defeat was the equivalent of death. He might be an exemplary duelist yes, but Yugi was not capable of harming others to get what he needed.

Well, either way this move would either give him victory, or the ultimate defeat. But he was willing to bet everything that Yugi wouldn't follow through with his attacks when faced with this choice.

"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, his brow furrowed in confusion as his eyes darted across the field, trying to figure out Seto's plan.

"I'm going to force your hand Yugi." As Yugi's friends speculated on the sidelines, he steadily stepped backward, never stopping until he'd positioned himself atop the very edge of the battlement, the wind whipping his coat around him.