Title: Across Lives
Characters/Pairing: Seto Kaiba, Pegasus J. Crawford, hints of mizushipping and gx!soulshipping
Rating: K
Words: 1,895
Summary: One does not require an Eye to see beyond the present, or to perceive the bonds that transcend time. Entry for Round 1 of the YGO Fanfiction Contest S1.
Warnings: GX spoilers (this is more for fellow contestants who haven't seen GX)
A/N: I really blocked hard on this pairing, and had to rewrite what little I had at almost the last minute. Definitely still needs editing, but I'm tired now and I don't think I've met the deadline but might as well put this out.

Normally, this would be a job that he could just give a simple affirmation to, but experience from past events held him back, almost a kind of tangible, yet invisible force that told him, no, there presents an anomaly, and this matter should be investigated. It's long past working hours when he finally turns his eyes away from the code on his laptop screen and focuses his attention on the glass case set in the corner of his desk, sitting atop a clear folder of drawings.

Kaiba recalls that the art itself was mediocre, having been done by a child barely in elementary school; he had met the young artist, his mass of brown hair kept down by a cap, looking somewhat subdued despite having just been proclaimed the winner of a contest organized by Kaiba Corporation. The judging panel, artists and designers of Industrial Illusions, had reported an adventurous imagination, an ability to express his mindscape beyond his youth. Seto places his chin on laced fingers. Nothing out of the ordinary, but a background check affirmed his suspicions—at first glance, Yuuki Juudai was the average neighbourhood boy who loved duelling, hailing from a normal, middle-income family, won a few kids tournaments, but many who have duelled him fell into unexpected illnesses with seemingly no determinable cause. A situation Seto's had first-hand experience in the past, and didn't something similar happen with Bakura Ryou? Another case of a malevolent spirit, perhaps?

He had watched as the secretary he had ordered to retrieve the items from the safe hold them from her chest at arm's length, and only with her fingertips, as much as was needed so they didn't fall, and then scamper out of his office once having dropped them on his desk instead of the collectedness expected of her. That convinced Seto that as trivial as this matter may be at first glance, this situation should not be left alone, at least, not yet. This could concern the safety of duelists all around, and as one of two leading companies of the industry, he would prefer to resolve molehills before letting them have the chance to morph into mountains.

A hand reaches out to the glass case, and he lets it rest on the palm of his hand. He glances at the card within.

Yubel.

The simple name exudes strength, yet it prefers to serve as defence in battle, and reacts harshly to assault. The card itself gives off a powerful aura, restless and biting, almost to the point of thrashing, angry at being separated from their owner. Seto couldn't claim to be an expert at reading cards, especially one not his own—someone, most likely Yuugi, mentioned that his tendency to believe in more pragmatic sciences further suppresses his link to the spirits. Well, not as if he didn't have contacts who could provide their knowledge, and one who happens to be still in town.

He places the case down, holds down a finger on one of the phone's buttons.

"Arrange an appointment with Pegasus tomorrow, at the earliest convenient time. Tell him he is not to refuse."

Pegasus J. Crawford makes it a point to announce his arrival into Seto's office with grandeur, greeting him with a boisterous hug (that Seto responds with all his rigidness) and a, "Long time no see, Kaiba-boy!" even though they had only met a few days prior, for the announcement of the contest's winner. I2 will be responsible in transforming Yuuki's doodle art into actual illustrations worthy to be printed on the cards, after all, thus the president made it a point to be present.

"I'll make this quick, Pegasus," Seto swivels back to his desk and takes the Yubel card in its case; he feels its power creeping at his fingers again. "I'm sure you remember the winner of the contest."

"Ah yes, a lovely young boy, was it not? To have emerged top amongst hundreds of submissions—Yuuki Juudai, if my memory serves right. I had a pleasant chat with his parents actually, said—"

"You had a chat, with his parents," he glares at the other person who had seated himself comfortably in his couch. There could be vital, personal information in there that may not be recorded in the city's database, and of relevance to the current matter. "And you didn't say anything about it."

"Well, it seemed there wasn't much ado to be had with our conversation. It was just idle chatter about the boy and his future potential as a duelist."

"Hn. I don't have all the time in the world, and neither do you, I would imagine—take a look at this card."

The case is tossed to Pegasus, who catches it in deft fingers with a smug grin. "A present for me, Kaiba-boy? How generous of—" his expression changes in an instant, morphing into one serious and contemplative. "This card… the boy asked to send it up to space as well?"

"I'm sure you were present then as well," Seto leans against his desk, crossing his arms. "What do you feel from it?"

He had sought Pegasus out, because the contest was a joint organisation between their companies after all; thinking of the Millennium Eye had resurfaced bitter memories of Duelist Kingdom for a brief moment, but old grudges were to be set aside in lieu of an amicable business relationship. And as a previous owner of a Millennium Item of the present times, Pegasus, he was reluctant to admit, had proven to be more in-tune to the card spirits. Seto himself had only managed to communicate to his dragons in recent months, and only in short bursts of dialogue. He had laughed, then, when he had refused Yuugi's suggestion to attempt communication with his cards—if it were not for the vividness of his dream that night.

"In some six or seven more years, I wouldn't be surprised if Yuuki-boy becomes a star in that Duel Academia of yours. To own such a monster…"

"Pegasus."

"Right, right, Kaiba-boy…" Pegasus gets to his feet, starts pacing the parameter of the office as he weighs the case in his palm. "Yubel's anger is understandable. Yuuki-boy takes care of his cards very well, treats them as his precious friends, and possibly even as family, since his parents are seldom home. Sounds like someone you know?" Pegasus directs a sly smile at Seto. "And not surprisingly, the spirits, in turn, would manifest strong attachments to him."

"Spirits? Implying that these cards harbour more than basic intelligence."

"Oh, Kaiba-boy, there is always much more than meets the eye. Underestimating your opponent has always been your downfall. Yubel here is getting increasingly violent by the minute; they're quite aware of our conversation. I think it wouldn't be too far-fetched to assume more to them and Yuuki-boy. They're quite overprotective of him, see."

Seto considers the possibility of Yubel being responsible for the fates of Yuuki's opponents. "How do you know all this? Lingering abilities of the Eye?"

"Ah, Seto, one thing you have to learn is that an Eye isn't necessary to look into the future, just a very adept perception," Pegasus taps two fingers to his temple, "and of course, I did say I had a pleasant chat with his parents…"

"However, you're implying that a child, as young as nine, is able to interact with powerful spirits."

"A gift. Innate. Possibly… acquired from a time, long ago…"

"Your romanticism isn't appreciated," Seto starts to regret his decision of consulting Pegasus, but they had gotten some leeway to the situation, thus he stays silent on that. However, Pegasus does bring up a possible lead. "… You're talking about reincarnation."

"Who knows, who knows… but it looks like Yubel's feelings for Yuuki-boy run deep, almost as if the boy was… is a beloved."

"Nonsense."

"Oh, but Kaiba-boy, you as well, regard your Blue-Eyes as your beloved, do you not?"

Seto doesn't deign to entertain the triumphant grin Pegasus sports on his face. "This is not the issue at hand. Yuuki desires to send Yubel up to space, along with his other cards, in hopes that it will receive the same energy and be rid of its malicious intent. An appropriate course of action, I would think; my concern is that for a card who already harnesses such power, it may attract a different sort of energy."

"Ever the pessimist, but I do understand your reservations. Yuuki-boy, however, only seeks the best for his friend. That kind of consideration should be applauded."

"Not if the end result is undesirable," Seto moves over to where Pegasus had paused, facing the window and holding the glass case up to the late morning sun. The glint of the light reflects off the case, and somehow manages to make the Yubel card appear more sinister. Pegasus seems back in deep thought once again, both eyes shaded.

Seto considers his Blue-Eyes White Dragons, the doodle Mokuba gave him that once upon a time, the card he had torn apart, and the trio of proud fighters that have been by his side through each duel and victory, never having failed him; he considers his past, the girl named Kisara, whom he still doesn't recollect much of, but when he dreams, it is of her, the one link he does believe in, and she is swathed in light, thin arms outstretched with her hair bellowing behind her, akin to wings. The unmistakable cry of a Blue-Eyes in the distance… his Blue-Eyes.

And the fact that his dragons had been receptive to his attempts at talking to them; he wonders if this is the reason he has been so up in arms about a card, and why he hasn't felt the tick of annoyance at being personally preoccupied of a matter that's taking up time he could have spent on the code for the next version of the Duel Disk.

"Yuuki-boy will have to be kept an eye on," Pegasus states, drawing Kaiba from his reverie. "When he enters the ranks of Duel Academia, no doubt he will find himself involved in some strange happenings."

"Perhaps we should start keeping tabs on him now."

"Perhaps Yubel parting with him for some time would benefit the both of them. Come now, he is a nine-year-old with the best of intentions. Further actions can be considered in future."

"Then I guess our business here is done," Seto concludes that this conversation isn't going anywhere else, and calls for his secretary to prepare to see his guest out of the premises, not interested in spending more time than necessary around him. He retrieves Yubel from Pegasus, feels the raw intent lashing at his fingers, just as the other had said. Yubel will have to be kept separate from the other cards on its journey to outer space.

Pegasus, however, decides he has more to say.

"Since we got on the topic… I'm sure it's occurred to you, Kaiba-boy, but you and Yuuki-boy have quite a few similarities. I'm sure Yuugi-boy would think the same way."