"What?!" "That's right Yugi." Keiba's lips curled into a sinister smile, his body not betraying to fear he felt for his brother. "You destroy my monster, you knock me off this tower." "That's crazy!" Joey yelled, his face turning red. "You can't do that!" "I am, aren't I?" Keiba's voice was as cold as it had ever been, showing no trace of any emotion. Yugi stood rock solid, his two selves warring on the decision. He bit his lip, running all options over in his head again and again, never seeing a solution. His eyes narrowed to slits. "What, afraid, Yugi? Afraid to kill me?" He planted his feet, making it clear he was not moving from his death-defying position. "That's cheating, you know." The soft voice made them all jump. Only Yugi kept his stance, and glanced over to the source of the voice. A tall figure, covered completely in a brown, hooded cloak stood beside the battle field. His face was invisible, completely lost in the shadow of his hood. "What?!" Keiba's cool seemed to be slipping from his grasp. "Cheating, your plan. That's what it is." The stranger shifted, not as if afraid, just trying to get comfortable. "It's considered unfair to threaten one of the players with death while they're dueling. That includes threatening yourself. So get down before I make you." No one moved, but all continued staring at the myserious stranger. Bandit Keith smirked, seeing the whole event clearly from his position high in a tower of Pegasus's castle. "Looks like someone is interfereing, that can't be good can it now." He jerked a bit as the stranger shiften his head, so Keith could tell he was being stared at, though he couldn't see the gazer's face. Two slits of light appeared in the stranger's hood, illuminating the face for a few seconds. In those seconds, Keith saw the stranger mouth two words, Get out. Somehow, all his will power vanished in a flash. Knees shaking, he bolted out of the area as fast as his legs would carry him. Unseen, the stranger smiled grimly. "Who are you to say what's cheating and what's not?!" Keiba asked crossly. Unconciously, he stepped down from his position. "Speaking of which, who are you at all?" "Yes, I believe I would like to know as well." Yugi's voice displayed no sign of his inward struggle, though his eyes did. "I?" A gauntled hand emerged from the stranger's cloak. "I am a traveler who goes by the name Sage." The hand drew the hood back slighly, letting light fall onto the stranger's face. "You're a... a girl!" Joey exclaimed, not noticing how rude he sounded. Tea did, and elbowed him in the ribs, hard. "Yes. Your point?" Joey remained silent. "I thought as much." Sage glanced over at Keiba. "Good, you were smart enough to get down before you angered me further." "Got... down?" Keiba glanced at his feet, now back on safe ground. "What?!" "Yes, got down. My you ARE clever, aren't you." Tristan snickered softly, and also got elbowed by Tea. Keiba growled, and stepped back onto the ledge. A dark look crossed Sage's face, and she quickly strode across the distance seperating her and Keiba. "Get down, now." she hissed, her voice barely audible. "Why should I." Keiba's voice was filled with arrogant smugness, but it had no affect. Sage's eyes flashed, and she grabbed him by the collar, yanking him down. "Stupid. You're stupid. You may have thought that was nice and valiant, but what if your plan had backfired, hm? Tell me what you would do then. You sure wouldn't help Mokuba any dead. Even if you lost, there would be some way to get him back." "What... how do you know.... about Mokuba?" "I know many things." Keiba didn't respond for a second, not sure of what to say. Then his former cockiness returned. "It was a perfect plan, Yugi wouldn't have killed me." "But what if he had." "He wouldn't have." "BUT WHAT IF HE HAD?!" Keiba was silenced by the rage in Sage's voice. "He is entirely capable of doing anything and everything, you don't seem to notice that. If I hadn't stopped this idiocy, you just might be on those pointy rocks below us now. Then what? All your work down the pit. Stupid." She released his collar. "Yugi over there is going through the EXACT same thing as you. No, don't argue with me. The EXACT same thing. That sick, twisted monster Pegasus has his grandfather's soul captured to. Could you live with yourself if you won? Sentencing his grandfather to exactly what you fear for your brother? Or is there not enough human in you left to care anymore?" Keiba didn't respond, his eyes bright with unshed tears. Sage slowly shook her head, her eyes sympathetic. "Don't do this to yourself, don't cut yourself off from everyone. I know from experience it isn't the way to be. At least you can still connect. Use the ability. Learn how to care about people." Keiba sank to his knees, his whole life rushing through his mind. Never, never had he cared about more than one person. Never had he considered the consequence of his actions on others as something of importance. Never.... Never.... So many nevers ran through his head. Never.... Never..... Never... Sage walked away, leaving him to his own thoughts. Her strides carried her to Yugi, whose own mind was being rampaged by an argument between his selves. The Celtic Guardian on the field watched with sad eyes, as if sorry for his master. Sage placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder, turning to look into his eyes. "Yugi. Yugi, listen to me." He blinked a few times, clearing his thoughts and staring into the blue eyes that gazed into his own. They were knowing eyes, eyes who had seen much suffering, most of it within herself. A single tear rolled down his cheek, somehow realizing that here was a person who knew what he was going through. "Yes," she whispered, her voice kind. "I do know what you are going through. But you need to overcome it. Have your two selves combine, make them one. Apart, you shall fall to defeat, but together, you shall rise to the top and be able to acheive anything. Yami, Yugi, don't fight each other. Yami, you are now within this boy. You have been a great asset. Continue to be. Yugi, you have a great spirit in you. Don't fight it." Yugi nodded slowly, both his selves agreeing. Sage smiled, the first real smile in a long while, unbeknownst to the rest. "Listen, both of you." She stepped back, directing her voice to Keiba as well as Yugi. "Don't you realize that dueling is not the right way to do this? Sure, whoever wins gets a chance to bring back a loved one, but what about the loser? What right does one have above the other to win? Both of you are here for a reason. A reason of dire importance. Think about it. Even if you won, how could you live with yourselves? How?" Keiba did not stand, this echo of his own talking-to reaching it's mark. "You see? You CAN'T do this. I won't let you." She held out both hands, to which both of Keiba's dueling computers flew to. Everyone noticed, no one said anything. "Then.." Keiba's voice was low and scratchy. "How... how can we get in, without dueling?" The same question rained from everyone watching the duel, though not spoken. Sage smiled grimly again. "We break in." "We?" Bakura sputtered. "Why are you coming?" Sage's gaze was transfered to him, and he wished he hadn't said anything. "Because." Her voice was low. "I am going to make sure that twisted villian in there is taken down. It disgusts me that he would steal someone's relation just to get them to play his sick little game. These cards, this game.... it is much more than everyone thinks it is. Much more. it should not be used as evil. No magic should." She turned on her heel and stood, waiting for the rest to follow. Yugi gathered his cards and walked over, standing beside Sage. Joey followed, his brash nature winning over. Tristan, Tea, and Bakura came in Joey's wake. "Well, aren't you coming?" Sage's words rang through Keiba's skull, finally registering. He slowly picked up his cards and breifcase, packing up his portable duel computer, which had fallen to the ground. Slowly, ever so slowly, he got to his feet, and began to trudge over to the small group. Never..... Never...... Never.... Sage in front, the seven made their way to the front gates of Pegasus's castle. Upon reaching them, an automated computer screen emerged from a door in the wall. <Please enter your star chips.> it said in it's computerized voice. Sage held out a hand, into which Yugi placed all ten of his star chips. She placed them in their respective slots. <Thank you. Star chips are official. Please enter your name.> Sage glanced at the group. Yugi would not be allowed to enter, nor would Keiba, seeing as how there was no data from their duel. She turned back to the computer. J-O-E-Y she typed in the small keyboard. <I am sorry, this does not compute.> The computer chattered. <You will not be permitted to enter. Security will escort you to the nearest dock. Please remain where you are.> "Argh..." Sage placed a hand on the computer. Without warning, the console blew up. Turning to the gates, she repeated the procedure, clearing the way. They ran in, Sage in the lead, closely followed by Keiba and Yugi. Though fully focused on defeating Pegasus, a small corner of Keiba's mind kept on running his life past. Never.... Never..... Never.... Grim determination settled itself into Yugi's heart. He would defeat Pegasus. And he would do it working with the spirit inside him, working together as one.