Authors note: This is an older story of mine that I'm re editing. I had it up at another site that crashed so now I'm giving fanfictiondotnet another chance. I really hate the crappy editing and spacing features on this site so bear with me if it's hard to read. If there's anything you didn't like the first time or want to see more of, just let me know.

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The room was deathly still with only the palest light from a small arched window falling across the bare wooden floor. The dark mahogany of the bedposts reflected enough of the moon for Yugi to make out their thick sturdy outline against the heavy velvet curtains cascading down from the canopy in garnet shaded waves.

There was nothing in this dark stone walled room to suggest the modern world. That was in itself both comforting and disturbing. There were thick white candlesticks tearing over large gold encrusted candelabra placed around the midnight space. The candles were no longer lit.

It was such a contrast from the earlier times he had come before the Master. Those other rooms had been white and sterile and packed with the best technology money could buy. They shone with sunlight and chrome and the cheerful beeps of many little monitoring devices.

In a way those times had been happy and hopeful, seeming to reveal everything under the bright impersonal lights. Facts had been facts, but never the whole truth. The mask of civility and carefully groomed etiquette which the Master was born and bred to display had never wavered. Everything there had been so very reassuring, but at the same time so false and cold. The hidden weariness and despair was a bad taste in the back of Yugis mouth that had stayed for days afterwards.

Here in the darkness things seemed right. There was dignity here. The gentle quiet sort of sanctuary that resonated so well with the masters personality. Most people thought of overbearing egotism, sharp wit, evil manipulations and the like. But Yugi knew the master was more than that. More than the mask he wore.

This Master played with a love of life, dueled with a touch as light and subtle as a shadow so that one could never guess his next move or read his motives. He had played with his whole heart and his whole soul. And he had lost. Life had betrayed him much earlier than most and fate had proved exceedingly cruel.

The things the Master had done in his life, the choices he had made, were all because of love. He had lost the love of his life and everything he had done, all his business deals and amassed wealth, all the cruel taunts and insults to engage his opponents, everything was all part of a complex scheme to capture millennium items and restore his muse to life.

It was natural to assume that along the way he lost his humanity, he lost his path and became the man he pretended to be. In fact the mask had become a real part of him, he had admitted as much to Yugi. He didn't want forgiveness for the choices he had made. He could not have survived as long as he had if it was all only an act.

But the Master also knew when to draw the line. Inside he was still the same delicate and romantic soul he had been in the beginning and he was always so very careful not to loose sight of the things that were important in life. Things like friendship and love and the rare beauty of the world. That's what Yugi thought of as he stood by his friends bedside. The thing they had always talked about on Yugis visits, how important it is to be with the people you care for. It seemed a tragic portrait that Yugi was the only one who had come here now.

This man had taught him so much. Yugi knew he would never have been a duelist if it had not been for this master. His Grandpa had also taught him a lot about dueling, gotten him his first set of cards, but that was not enough. His friends had always supported him, but they would never understand why he had come here tonight.

Without this person he would never have realized his full potential or his true destiny. For Yugi, this was "The"duel master, the master of duel monsters, the master of his skills, the master of the heart of the cards and everything he wanted to learn about dueling. This was his real teacher, his real mentor.

There was no way Yugi could repay the opportunities he had been given. There was no way he could set things right. He had tried. He had prayed. He had searched. But now there was no time left. Yugi didn't know why he had come really. It was to show his respect certainly. But there was nothing else he could do or say. He felt useless. There was nothing anyone could do. He only wished that other people could know his master the way he did. But this moment, this fragile too fluid time belonged to Yugi alone.

The figure in the bed stirred slightly and Yugi stepped closer. He wanted so badly to reach out his hand to touch the stricken body. The gesture would not be accepted, even now. He knew this from experience. The world had been so very cruel to his master that even the simplest act of compassion, the barest touch of kindness would cause him to flinch away with remembered pain.

He gazed down upon the gaunt frame of this ruined man. Bones seemingly made of iron rods and muscles of whip cord, he had been so strong against such overwhelming despair. Now the chest barely rose with each breath under the dove white blouse spread wide from countless futile examinations. Cushions supported his open arms, wrists exposed and scarred from needles and intravenous tubes. The masters head was thrown back against more of the soft embracing pillows but again he stirred tossing from side to side, long elegant fingers flexed, as if he sensed Yugis presence.

"Yugi, little Yugi, are you here?"

The soft velvet voice, never pausing and never uncertain even when posing a question, still floated effortlessly from the moon pale lips.

"Yes, I'm here. I came because they said...they said you were dying."

Yugis own voice sounded small and cracked in the wrong places. He didn't realize how scared he was until he heard himself speak.

"Yugi. You know they've been saying that for months now."

He turned his cheek towards Yugi, resting it on a wave of long soft silver hair. Even though Yugi knew there was no sight behind those bandages across his mentors eyes he fought back a desperate urge to rip them away. He wanted to look into that cinnamon chasm and see the amber sparks he had seen when they last dueled together. He wanted to see the power and the passion for life that meant everything was going to be alright.

"I know. I didn't want to listen, I didn't think they could be right. No one else believes it. Just the other day Joey was saying it was only another scheme of yours, you know, to get us all back for the way things turned out. When it was on the news they laughed. They said that if it was true...I'm sorry, I'm rambling. Is there anything you want to talk about?"

Yugi looked down at his hands.

"They said I deserved what I got, yes?"

Pegasus almost smiled. Almost, as if the effort to reach Yugi with such a gesture was too much for him.

"I, well...You know noone could ever mean something like that!"

Yugi blurted out impulsively.

"They could, and they do."

The Master drew in a shuddery breath.

"But Yugi, you can never think like that. Little Yugi, that's why I chose you."

He raised his angel white hand and gestured towards the bedside table. On it was placed a small red stained box with elaborate gold tracery in a compass rose design. Yugi slowly reached for the box, holding his breath.

In his heart Yugi knew what would be inside. He had often seen this box on the table in the other bright sick room when he had come for his secret visits. It was always there when they played duel monsters. His Master always seemed to know which card he had drawn even without his sight.

Yugi also knew what it meant and he dreaded what he would find when he opened its lid. He held his breath. Slowly he slid his fingers over the smooth inlay of the lid and lifted it open. It was the right box, the one that held Pegasus most treasured cards. These were the cards that he kept separate from his professional deck, these cards were the ones he had painted by hand himself and featured all his own original monsters. Yugi lifted the deck reverently out of the box and held them in the moonlight.

"But Pegasus! These are your special cards! I can't take these!"

Yugi put the cards back in the rose box and snapped the lid shut.

"You will take them, and you will use them when they are needed."

Pegasus tried to gesture again with his hand but his languid movements fell short and his hand dropped back onto the folds of the bed.

"You made these, they're your own special cards, how will you duel without them?"

"Yugi, we both know that since my Millennium eye was taken I don't have the strength to keep fighting. I can't duel the way you need me to, but these cards may help you and your friends."

"Then I'll just be keeping them for you until we find a way to recover your Millennium item? Then you'll duel again with us? On our side?"

Yugi again wished he could see Pegasus eyes. He wanted to be reassured so badly. Pegasus was a very powerful man but over the last few months Yugi had also learned that he could be caring and sensitive. They had become better friends on each visit and the more he learned about Pegasus the more he learned about all the kind things the man had done for others. Yugi wished there was a way he could help, if only there was more time.

"Yugi, I'm sorry..."

Pegasus voice became a soft whisper and faded into the moonbeams. Yugi took his hand at last and received a warm squeeze. A dozen crazy schemes went swirling through Yugis head. He didn't want to give up. He could reverse time with his time wizard card, or he could go back to Egypt and find another millennium item to save Pegasus. He could even give him his own millennium puzzle to keep him alive until they returned his eye.

"Yugi, I'm tired. I want you to go."

"But Pegasus..."

"Cecelia is waiting for me. Goodbye, little Yugi."

Pegasus let go of Yugis hand and turned his face away towards the darkness.

The words were like a blow to Yugi. He staggered back, eyes tearing and wide, hand over his heart. He looked down at the box of cards he was still clutching desperately and then back at the closing shadows. His time with Pegasus was up.

"Goodbye, Master Pegasus."