…+…+…

Epilogue - Child, Transformed

Pegasus sat reading on a couch reading the newspaper. The children were upstairs. Though "children" wasn't quite right. They were nearly teenagers and Pegasus constantly had to remind himself of that fact. They were growing up so quickly that it was almost shocking.

Mokuba had long since lost all of his baby teeth. He had solidified himself as the big brother. He defended his two siblings and made sure that they knew that they were undeniably family. Even when they had discovered that Yuugi and Anzu were actually older than him.

Anzu had blossomed into a young woman. She had set aside her warrior-like savagery but she had kept her fire. She used it now to help those around her. She had transformed from the terrifying creature who scared the students and teachers, into the person who was known as everyone's friend.

Yuugi had become an intelligent young man who's grades were only matched by his radiant smile. He was gentle, kind, and loving. He had a smile for everyone and a hug for most. He had left behind all of the darkness.

The three had brought immeasurable joy to everyone around them. They had filled the house with love and light, transforming it into a happy home. Together, they had brought together Seto, Pegasus, and Bakura and made all six of them into a loving and pure family. Pegasus saw it in Seto's smile, all of the darkness which had haunted him had not been able to continue to torment him in the face of their overwhelming love. He had seen it in Bakura, who had spent these years worrying over his children, now a smile was spread across his face at all times. He felt it within himself, no more did he feel the sad and frantic thump of that raw heart. No more did he see, in himself, that sad boy, always offering up his naked heart. No more did he hear the hissing whispers of his self doubt. These children-

"What is THAT?"

Pegasus' ears perked up as he heard Mokuba's voice. He smiled and wondered what was going on. The three had long since left behind any of the desperate problems of the darkness which had covered their early lives. Now they were free to have petty little squabbles, like normal children. Normal pre-teens.

Stomping feet raced down the stairs. Pegasus listened as they came closer.

"Uncle Max! Look at what Yuugi did! He's been in the bathroom for like half the afternoon and then he came out like THIS!"

Pegasus smirked and turned his face from the newspaper.

For a terrible moment. For one horrible and gut shredding moment. The world stopped.

A face with large purple eyes stared at Pegasus. The warmth fled the room. Pegasus felt his chest tighten, like a bear trap suddenly sprung around him.

Yellow, red, and black hair framed the face. A face from nightmares. A face from the dark depths of foul memories.

Pegasus stared into the eyes. Everything in him wanted to flee. Everything in him sat frozen.

"Uncle Max…?" Mokuba's words broke through.

Pegasus blinked and shook his head.

"Oh it's not THAT bad! You guys are ridiculous!" Yuugi protested, his face flushed with a crimson blush and he pried his hand free of his brother's.

Pegasus blinked again. "N-no…It's not bad. It's just-"

A scream tore through the room and everyone turned to see Bakura, standing in an opposite doorway. He shook so much that he was threatening to topple over. His eyes were wide. His hand spasmodically tried to clutch at his chest, his head, and the doorway.

Pegasus jumped up and ran to him. "Yuugi, it's a lovely hairstyle! Interesting choice! I have to take care of Bakura, now! Why don't you two go back upstairs and play a game or something!"

Pegasus half carried and half dragged Bakura out of the living room. He only spared a glance at the shocked boys as he pulled Bakura down a hallway.

"He- he- Ya-Yam-" Bakura stammered as he thrashed against Pegasus' grip. "He- Ya-"

"No. No. Sssh. No, Bakura, Yami is dead. That's Yuugi."

"N- NO! He-" Bakura's wild eyes darted in all directions as bloody tears welled up and fell down his cheeks, unheeded.

"No. No, it's Yuugi. It's Yuugi."

Pegasus held Bakura as he babbled and rocked. Seto would be home soon and they would all address the issue then. For now, all he could do was keep Bakura away from Yuugi.

I thought he had forgotten…I was sure that the Traveller and the Painter had sealed up that last tree… It had been the one last kindness they had seen fit to do. The last nighttime excursion into the boy's mind. It had been so log ago… Their work had been so complete…

He became himself. You helped with that. But he also took with him a souvenir from the monster who tried to make him theirs.

That's Yuugi Kaiba now, the boy who accepted himself and took something from the monster.

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Author's Notes:

Wow! I think that this is the longest story in the series! I hope all of the words have been used well. I hope that I haven't just been verbose for no reason.

"Champion, Reflected" was in many ways the most difficult of all the stories to write. The story which I had in mind had a very different focus. So there was a lot of adjusting and readjusting as I watched it come into being. It was originally supposed to only focus on the relationship between Yuugi and Pegasus. I quickly realized, however, that I had not laid out Pegasus' story. Then I had to trek back through Anzu's story to be able to tell Yuugi's. This bit was very interesting and a bit difficult because it meant that I had to go back into "Champion, Quieted," so that I could make sure that the timeline, circumstances, and quotes were all correct.

I say it at the end of all of the stories, but I keep marveling at it. When I started this project, it was just a rewrite of the original story, "Champion," but I suddenly found myself with a family and a world crying out for more. I wrote the sequel, "Champion, Another," and that was supposed to be a one-off addition- which was part of why it was so short. This family and their stories, however, were not done with me. When I started considering the possibility of adding more stories, I went back through the stories in my mind. Thinking of what the stories were about and how they could possibly ever fit together. I honestly thought that I would have a hard time of it- because a series had not been my intention.

Unexpectedly, I found that I had left myself openings. It was like putting together a puzzle and then flipping it up onto its side and finding that there are holes which allow you to connect another puzzle. Then finishing that puzzle and flipping it up and finding more. Suddenly, I found myself with this big three dimensional structure which I have assembled without entirely meaning to.

The original story was dark, darker in the 'Director's Cut.' The second was a fairly light story about a day in the life of one of the Kaiba siblings. The third plunged headfirst into darkness and dread. Now at the end of the fourth (and I'm still shocked that this is the FOURTH story) I think we took a medium to dark trip through their lives, with stops in the darkness. I'm hoping that maybe we can get back to the light.

I realized while writing this, that that is what these stories are actually about. They aren't about the darkness, the horrors and abuse. They are about the survival and growth after leaving the darkness behind.

Once again,

Thank you for reading!