-1/3-

"There's no way I'm going out dressed like this." Seto stood with knees locked, arms pinned to his sides, refusing to meet his reflection in the mirror that Pegasus was dangling in front of his nose.

"But why not?"

"Do I really need to explain it." When Pegasus replied with only a tilt of his head and a small frown, Seto dug his heels into the carpet and ground his voice into iron spikes.

"I look ridiculous."

"Hm, really?" Pegasus' gaze flickered across his slick leather pants, brilliant white trench coat jutting out from his hips and shoulders like lightning, colossal pectoral and abdominal muscles and bulging biceps that seemed to swell out of his skin like the lost city of Atlantis breeching its watery grave, the gleaming silver helmet that captured and captivated every color as it sliced through empty space—leaving behind a kind of daring, electric silence that roared across the room, and the long sheet of hair that blazed down his back like wild, dazzling flames. "To be honest, I can't say that I noticed much a difference."

"Very funny. What do you know anyway you're half blind."

Pegasus chuckled, set his mirror back down on Kaiba's desk, and began polishing the gears that wrapped around his arm. "Trust me, Kaiba, every time I see one of your forays into fashion I wish that they had taken both eyes." He looked up and paused. "You're not actually embarrassed, are you? I think the whole idea is delightful!"

"You would." Seto slumped into his chair. "You love making a spectacle out of yourself."

"Well, we can't all be as modest and demure as you, you know! Honestly, it's nothing—we welcome the guests, shake a few hands and pose for some pictures. It will be over before you know it and no one will even know it's you!"

"Then why is it me?! I could have hired someone else to wear this stupid costume! I—"

"Seto, are you honestly trying to convince me that you don't find even the slightest modicum of—dare I say something resembling joy—in the donning of the persona of the glorious KaibaMan? Renouncer of chains? Fearless conqueror of the unknown? Leader of the legions mankind into a cosmic battle beyond all imaging? Honestly I thought you would enjoy borrowing his visage for a few hours."

"I find no pleasure in running around my Academy dressed up in a costume like a child."

Pegasus shrugged. "KaibaMan is only as childish as you want him to be." He stood up and finished locking his palette attachments in place.

"KaibaMan is an idiotic concept."

Pegasus smiled, but a shadow passed over his face. He nudged his mirror slightly closer to Seto's hand. "Why don't you take another look, Seto? I think you might see something that will change your mind."

-2/3-

"This is all kind of amazing, huh?"

Isis nodded and gazed at the crowds milling around them. Walking side by side with Mai, they seemed to float above the colorful chatter of the children who dashed around them, duel disks brandished high, as they poured across the Duel Academy grounds and merged in the central arena. "They've managed to do so much in such a short amount of time. I never would have imagined that the Academy would attract so many talented students so soon."

Mai threw back her shoulders and turned to face the stadium head-on. "Personally, I'm surprised they managed to get it off the ground at all. I hope that Kaiba and Pegasus know what they're doing. If this all turns out to be nothing but a bunch of bratty little children blowing hot air for an hour then I am definitely not going to be happy."

"Miss Kujaku?! Do you mean to imply that you doubt the comprehensive nature of my instruction?" A voice interjected from behind. "Because I can assure you, here at the Duel Academy we hold all of our students to the highest possible standards of integrity and dedication. They first pass through our doors bubbling with untapped potential, but they leave class each day one step closer to becoming true artists—the most refined practitioners of the craft of Duel Monsters that the world has ever seen!"

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of, Pegasus. I know how insufferable these child prodigies can be. I used to be one once, too." Mai nudged Isis and continued in an undertone. "That is Pegasus, right? What is he wearing?"

"I'm glad you asked! Allow me to demonstrate the astounding abilities of my new card designing technology—created especially for the occasion." He revealed the pallet attached to his forearm with a flourish. "All it takes is a few strokes and I can transform you into a new Duel Monster yourself!"

"Really?" Mai leaned forward slightly, eyes large but edged with skepticism. "Anything I want?"

"Absolutely."

Mai brushed a fingertip over the rows of brilliantly colored buttons. Her other hand slid up her collarbone, under the curve of her chin, and began to spin a strand of her hair. She pursed her lips. "Alright. Try it on me."

"I would be honored." Pegasus gave her a small bow and then walked around her in a slow circle, rubbing his chin. "Alright…" He replied after a moment. "Close your eyes. This will only take a moment."

"We got your tickets." Malik appeared at Isis' shoulder with Rishid and Jounouchi closely behind. "What's going on?"

Isis shook her head. "Mai seems to be undergoing some kind of transformation."

"I have always been intrigued by the transformation of the butterfly…" Mai was now lost in a column of iridescent light. Pegasus spoke as he continued to trace circles around her, beams of color flying off his fingertips. "Interrupt the process too soon and you'll find nothing but a structureless mass of cells. Within the chrysalis there is nothing that resembles a caterpillar at all, much less anything that even hints at the majesty of its final form, and yet…" He paused, and the torrent of light steadied then slowed. Mai emerged from the dissipating light, a pair of dewy, violet butterfly wings erupting between her shoulder blades. "Even at that moment when it is most unfamiliar to us, the butterfly is already laying the foundations of its own reinvention."

Jounouchi rushed forward. "Wow, Mai—you're incredible!"

Mai kept her eyes closed a moment longer, feeling her blood rush through new veins. "Thank you. It's amazing."

Pegasus beamed. "All I have done is call out to your inner spirit and ask it to make an appearance on the surface."

"Well, I've got to admit I'm pretty impressed. How long does it last?"

"The wings are detachable at any time, but the memory of the experience will last a lifetime."

"Oh great."

Isis felt his voice, and his presence, before she saw him. Like an icy gasp sealed deep in her ribcage. A spark ran across her shoulders.

"Is that…Seto Kaiba?"

"Whoa, what happened to you?" Jounouchi snickered. "Did you stuff your shirt or something?" Jounouchi made to poke at KaibaMan's thickly padded chest, but Seto snatched his hand and twisted it away. "Still more substantial than whatever it is you've got stuffing your skull, moron."

"Oh ha ha yeah, I'm real threatened by you and your shoulder pads right now. Are you wearing a wig?!"

"That's none of your business."

"Hey, I hate to be the one to tell you this, KaibaMan, but if I can see it then it is my business."

"And if I can hear you, then—"

"I think you look quite dashing, Seto." Seto's gaze jolted over to her and Isis suddenly felt as if her chest had lit up and expanded. It stung.

Seto's neck and shoulders, already tightly locked together, seemed to become even more rigid as Isis continued to look at him, focused and unflinching. He coughed. "Um. Thanks. Well—bye." He spun away to stomp back into the crowd.

"I'm very excited to be here. I can't remember the last time I was surrounded by so many people so excited to be dueling. It really is quite wonderful—everything that you've accomplished here."

Seto stopped mid-stride, suspended in her voice.

"Sure."

He turned back to her, only halfway, and behind the flutter of his hair and the armor plating of his helmet, Isis thought that she could catch the first rays of KaibaMan's rueful grin. He looked away.

"I better get going."

"Of course."

He paused. "Thank you for coming."

The crowd pushed between them and they drifted apart. Isis watched the sun reflect off the top of his helmet as he weaved his way through them. He did not make it far before a series of shrill cries broke over their heads.

"Look—look!"

"There he is!"

"It's KaibaMan!"

There was nowhere to hide as a herd of small children converged at his feet, gazing up with wide eyes and open mouths.

"You think it's really him?" One of them asked.

"Of course! Just look! It has to be him!"

"Look, I'm really not—"

"Excuse me, KaibaMan," one of the children pressed forward, tugging on the tail of his jacket. "W-would you sign my Blade Knight card? You're my favorite and…"

Seto stared down at the children encircling him, gazing up at his face, nearly close enough to wrap their arms around his waist. "I'm not—" He sighed and snatched the card and a pen from the child's hand. "Fine. Only if you promise that you'll continue to play it."

"I will! Thank you so much!" The child beamed, holding the card up for everyone else to see. Soon the entire small mob was clamoring for his attention–racking their pockets for things to Seto to sign, fanning their decks out under his nose.

"Will you sign this for me?"

"I have to go! I have work to do. I can't just sit around—"

"Kaibaman, what do you think of this card combo? I thought it was really great but I was talking my friend yesterday and…"

"Replace your Lighting Vortex with Raigeki. You don't have to discard a card from your deck to play it."

"KaibaMan, Can I take a photo with you?"

"…Just one."

Isis watched as the joints in Seto's spine began to relax and flow into something soft and sinuous. His chest and shoulders opened up. His fists unfurled. And, for perhaps only a moment, she was certain she could see him smile.

Pegasus stepped up to her side. He followed her gaze and placed a hand on her shoulder. "A favorite aphorism of mine: Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth."

Isis laughed. "There certainly seems to be some truth to that."

He gestured back to where Mai and Jounouchi were laughing together. They watched Mai shiver as Jounouchi ran a fingertip over the ridges of her wing.

"I could do the same for you too, you know." Pegasus lifted his arm, watched the color reflect and dance across her face.

Isis smiled and gently pushed his arm away. "Thank you for the offer, but—" she shook her head. "It won't be necessary."

Pegasus raised an eyebrow. "Oh really, now? I wish I knew what you were planning."

Isis' eyes slipped back to Seto. She had to stifle a laugh at the sight—Seto sitting cross-legged on the ground as children nearly crawled over him, thrusting out cards for his inspection.

"No, you can activate Metalmorph any time during your opponent's attack phase. It works during the damage step as well. That's true of all trap cards—if they don't surprise your opponent they can't be considered much a trap. And about that Snipe Hunter—"

Her smile was faint, but it reached down into her stomach and dyed in scarlet.

"You'll see."

-3/3-

"A lot of talent on display tonight, wouldn't you agree?"

"Hn." Seto continued watching the ice melt in his glass "The Slifer Red students performed better than I anticipated."

"Oh, I didn't mean the students, Seto!" Pegasus leaned over the balcony railing and looked down at the dance floor. "Look there! See how they move like stars, each charting their own brilliant course through the massive abyss of the unknown!"

Seto barely glanced in his direction. "You're out of your mind."

"Come look. Don't pass judgement until you've seen it for yourself."

Seto stood and half-followed the line of Pegasus' arm as it pointed to figures in the dazzling semi-darkness, the edges of their arms and faces electrified and shining. Roving spotlights roamed around the floor and splashed his face.

"Why don't you go down there? It looks like fun."

"I have work to do. And it doesn't."

"Hm. Not even right there?" Pegasus pointed to a corner near the bar, just off the dance floor.

It looked like Jounouchi was telling a story. He was flinging his arms out to his sides and making a series of exaggerated facial expressions that Malik seemed to find funny but left Rishid looking confused. Mai was grinning, and leaned forward to whisper something in Isis' ear.

It was as if a spotlight had been fixed directly on her face. A light that only he could see. So far removed from the icy blues and blacks that blasted everyone else, from the jarring bass beat of the cobalt blue and midnight dance music. Their eyes met in a prism of crystalline silence.

Isis smiled and Seto turned away.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Not in the slightest. You should go down and talk to her."

"Don't tell me what to do!" Seto stalked away from the balcony and threw himself back down in their booth. He snapped open his laptop and began typing.

Pegasus sat across from him. "What would you do instead?"

"Nothing."

"It's not like you to leave a situation unresolved."

"There is no situation to resolve."

"Really." Pegasus slowly sipped his wine. "You could have had me fooled." He paused, swirling his drink. "She likes negronis, you know, and frankincense perfume. She wants another necklace—she misses having the weight of one around her neck. She doesn't like to admit that though. She loves to travel but she hates flying, so you would have to find a way around that I suppose. She keeps personalized stationary and leather-bound planners. And—"

"Just stop talking!" Seto scowled at his monitor. "How do you know all that stuff anyway?"

"We work together! I enjoy learning these small details about my colleagues so that I can give them pleasant surprises."

"That's creepy."

"Some might say considerate, but I suppose that works, too."

"Well whatever! I'm not—I wouldn't—" Seto glared at his hands. "I can't just buy her something." He glanced at Pegasus, who leaned back and continued sipping his drink.

"Go on…"

"I could buy anything for anyone. It doesn't matter."

"So your solution is to do nothing at all?"

"I didn't say that! Just—just forget it."

Pegasus raised an eyebrow. "Well then, consider it forgotten." He slipped out of the booth and stretched. "I'm going to go downstairs. Perhaps at some point you'll decide your work can wait."

"Yeah sure." Seto growled at the clack of Pegasus' footsteps going down the stairs. "Good riddance."

He continued pounding at his keyboard until it drowned out the dance music. And yet, it didn't seem to be enough to disguise the distinctive beat of Pegasus' footsteps coming back up the stairs.

"Giving up so soon? I'm surprised you couldn't make it even five minutes."

"…I'm not a stranger to patience, but I must admit that there are some calls which I cannot resist."

Seto bolted upright. "I-I thought you were someone else."

"Were you expecting someone?" Isis took a small step closer to the table. Her fingers skimmed the air where Pegasus had been sitting. "Can I join you?"

Seto's face darted between her eyes, her smile, her slightly flushed cheeks and delicate hands and the empty seat directly in front of him.

"No one's sitting there."

"Are you sure I won't be disturbing you?"

Seto glanced around the table and shut his computer. "I was done."

They sat down, and the booth that had felt so cavernous and cold when Seto has been sitting there alone now seemed to fill up and glow.

"You kept it on." Isis smiled, pointing to his outfit. "Why?"

Seto shrugged. "I got used to it."

"Is that all?" She chuckled. "I saw you talking with those children."

Seto shook his head. "That was a waste of time."

"It wasn't! It was nice. It was…different."

"They asked for help."

"I know. You take it very seriously, don't you? Your mission here, and—" she gestured to his helmet. "And this."

"I take everything seriously."

"I know." She paused. "So do I." She let the silence linger a moment longer, biting the bottom of her lip. "Do you mind if I…" She crossed the table and sat at his side. "I'm curious about something…"

Her hand skimmed his upper arm, and she gently sank her finger into the thickest part of the foam layer lining his arm. Her fingers trailed up his shoulder and along his collarbone. As her hand was about to rest on his chest, Isis glanced up at his face. She saw her own reflection in the pointed steel plate that wrapped around his face. His jaw was set and his lips were drawn and pale. Somewhere underneath the inches of armor and glass, his eyes were following her, and their focused attention made her smolder as if she had been placed under a magnifying glass and set to burn.

Isis pulled away. "I'm sorry. I'm making you uncomfortable, aren't I?"

"Yes—but!…um—it's not entirely—you can continue."

"Are you sure?"

Seto opened his mouth, but he didn't speak. He nodded.

"It's very impressive," Isis murmured, sliding her finger along his bare wrist and down to his knuckles. "But this is nice, too."

"It's not real." Seto's voice stammered and suddenly stilled as he felt her hand wrap around his fingers, melt open his fist. He watched it happen, wide-eyed, as if he had never seen his hand bend this way before.

"What's not real?"

"All of this." With his other hand he gestured towards his chest and his helmet. "It's fake. It's made up."

Isis leaned in closer, leaned into his chest, and they only felt the places where their shoulders and hips and thighs were touching. She tilted her chin up and burned back. "Does that really mean that it's not real, Seto? I saw you. You were smiling then. Was that all made up to you?" When he didn't reply she leaned in closer until her chin was resting on his shoulder. "Don't tell me, that after all this time you still don't believe in magic? You can't try to convince me now, because I've seen it. And I've felt it." She ran her fingertip along the creases in his palm, whispering into the nape of his neck. "I can feel it now, and that's how I know that it's real."

Seto watched the path of her finger along his palm. He closed his eyes and gently stretched his hand, letting his blood flow warm and lithe. "Are you going to tell me my future?"

Isis shook her head and smiled. "I don't think I have to. Do you?"

Seto paused and wet his lips. "What does it feel like to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Long, white dress. Serene but enigmatic presence. Transcendent beauty…"

"I don't understand what you're saying."

"You transformed too. Did you become some kind of new spellcaster?"

Isis smiled and shook her head. "Pegasus didn't do anything to me. I didn't want him to."

Seto nodded and smirked. "I know. That doesn't make me wrong."

She laughed. "I'm no spellcaster, Seto. I was…tempted to undergo that process, but—" she shook her head. "I'm content to be just this."

"Just."

She smiled. "No, you're right. There is no just, is there?" She traced the veins in his wrist and slipped her fingertip underneath his sleeve. "I used to think there was a firm distinction. Do you know what I've been doing since the Pharaoh's return to the afterlife? Malik, Rishid, and I—we've been trying to find each other again." There was a small tremor in her hand. She bit her lip. "We packed all our things and moved onto the ship. We sailed along the Mediterranean, then went up to the North Sea. We stopped all along the coast, but there were some days when we couldn't even see the land. And at night we would just drift on the darkness. It was winter. The nights were so long and so cold, very quiet and clear. Everything surrounding me felt—incredibly immense. It frightened me. But I went back below deck. It was just the three of us there, but we were the whole world. We were all of creation. And we would all go up together when the sun rose, there was just a thin fiber of it, but it was just for us." She looked up at him and smiled. "That's all there is. All of the magic is right here, in us. I don't believe in the distinction anymore. When we first met we said you wanted to defeat God. Do you still feel that way, even when you're dressed like this?" She laughed. "Where did this come from?"

"I designed it." Seto released a sound that was half-way between a laugh and a sigh. "I didn't think he'd make me wear it."

"Well, I like it. But…" She reached up. "May I?" Seto bowed his head and Isis lifted the helmet away. "I also like being able to see your face."

Seto's hair was damp and pressed against his forehead.

"How is that?"

"Much lighter." His hand surged forward then fell between the strands of her hair. "I'm glad you came."

"So am I."

The room lit up. Somewhere down below they were playing floral-scented pop music. Isis stood up.

"Are you leaving."

"I was hoping that you would follow me."

Seto raised an eyebrow. "And what makes you think that I would follow anyone?"

Isis smirked. "Because I know you. And I know myself." Her fingers drifted up his arm. "I may be no stranger to patience, but if there's something that I want then I go and I get it."

"Something that you want."

"Or someone." They smiled. "Stand up. Come dance with me."