Shadows of the Past

by somnifery

The continuation of Scars of Love-

Shadows of the past

Ruby woke with a crashing headache. She slowly got to her feet, feeling along the floor in the pitch dark. A crack of light came from under a door on the far side of the room, and she quickly found her way outside. She slammed the door behind her, taking in her surroundings. Ruby drew a sharp breath as she realized where she was.

"Holy Mother of God. I'm home."

Ruby recognized each door, each carpet and portrait on the wall. She slowly opened the door that led to her room, holding her breath. It was just as she had left it four years ago, even the desk still had her mother's picture on it. As she looked out the window, Ruby saw that the landscape was not the green, rich forest of Duelist Kingdom. The ground was flat, as if feet had ceaselessly trod the grass into dull brown patches. The sky was an eerie orange-green color, and the water of the river lay dead still, as if holding its breath. No houses littered the landscape; no signs of life could be seen. Ruby bit her lip, sitting back on the bed. Her voice lilted with a slight British accent.

"Something's wrong here. Something's very wrong."

As she walked through the hallways of her childhood, Ruby heard a creak as a door opened. She ran down the hallway, praying to see someone else, anyone in this wasteland. A huge screen covered one wall of the theater, and an outdated projector showed black and white film onto the screen. Yugi stood watching the film. Ruby hit an invisible barrier, and she stopped dead as she saw the scenes running across the screen.

Ruby, five years old, sitting on her mother's lap. Her father swinging her around, laughing with her as she hugged him. Pegasus, handing her a small rosebud, kissing her forehead. "You'll always be my little rose." Five years later, father and daughter standing before a grave, Ruby looking up at Pegasus. "Daddy, mommy is coming back, isn't she?" Pegasus hugging her, crying. Ruby finally realizing that her mother will never be coming back. A cab, taking her away to the boarding school in Britain as she watched her father grow smaller and smaller. "Daddy! Daddy, don't make me leave!"

The film sputtered and stopped at the same instant that the barrier disappeared. Ruby threw herself at the projector, pushing it onto the floor. The table it was resting on fell, too, and Ruby fell into the broken glass and metal. She sobbed as the glass and metal sliced her hands and knees, pain and sorrow in her tears. Yugi pulled her from the wreckage of the projector, brushing glass from her clothes. He helped her to sit down and began to extract the shards from her skin. As blood ran down her shins and wrists, Yugi hugged her tightly. Ruby buried her face in his shoulder, letting four years of loss run out in her tears.

"Ruby! Oh God, I thought I'd never see you again!" Ruby embraced him, laughing through her tears.

"I'm not alone, you're really here. You're really here." Yugi smiled and looked her in the eyes.

"I'm not leaving you again, Ruby. I'll always be here."

The two wandered up to Ruby's 'room,' where they found new clothes for Ruby and a shirt that Yugi ripped up to bandage Ruby's hands and legs. Once they had found the front door and stepped outside, Ruby saw Joey and Tea coming up the path.

"Oh, damn, she came too-" Yugi nudged her sharply. "Hey, Tea! Omigod, I am like, so glad you're here too!" It was like someone had flipped a switch in her head. Tea paused.

"Why do you sound like Bakura?"

Ruby growled, annoyed. "Um, like, four years of boarding school in the UK will do that to you. Like when you were beat with an ugly stick as a child." She murmured the last bit under her breath. If Yugi heard, he didn't react to the comment. Joey smiled and held out a hand. Ruby high fived with him and punched his fist. "What's up, home boy?"

Joey laughed. "You sound weird when you say that with your new accent." Ruby shrugged, an odd look on her face.

"I dunno. I can't help it. I'd rather sound normal again, y'know?" A pained expression flashed across her face as she turned around to face the mansion, so fast that Yugi barely caught a glimpse of it before she had regained her cocky grin. "Never thought I'd see this place again, eh? Kind of ironic."

Joey looked inquisitively from Yugi to Ruby. "Wait- she- Pegasus-"

Yugi cut him off. "No, Joey-"

Ruby raised a hand. "He has a right to know, Yugi." She turned to Joey, a far away look in her eyes. "Yes, Joey. I am the only daughter of Maximillion Pegasus."

"I was born on the twentieth of February, nineteen ninety. My mom and dad couldn't quite figure out where I got my red hair, but they didn't care. They loved me. Daddy called me his little rose. Life was great. That is, until I turned ten. Mom got sick, and the doctors couldn't help her. She just kept getting weaker and weaker until one day- One day I woke up and Daddy told me that Mom had gone to sleep and that she wasn't going to wake up. It wasn't until the next day, when we buried her, that I realized she wasn't coming back."

Yugi remembered the movie in the mansion but remained silent. Pegasus had loved Ruby, he could see that much. Was the drive to bring his wife back for more than just his lost love? Was it for the daughter who could not understand what had happened to her mother, who had cried when her father had told her?

"Dad kept sinking deeper and deeper into depression. One day he just sent me off to Westchester School for Young Ladies. I stayed there until I ran away to America, when I turned thirteen." Yugi looked away. The story was missing parts, and he had thought that Ruby trusted them enough to finally tell the truth. Ruby looked down when she saw his reaction.

She wanted to tell him, she did. But he would never understand. He could never understand.

The small group walked across the dead landscape, silently thinking their own thoughts. Ruby cringed inwardly with each step, not only from the multiple incisions on her legs. Yugi's expression was dark with anger and disapproval, and he walked as though each piece of ground beneath him was an insect to be smashed. Joey and Tea seemed blissfully unaware of the tension, chatting and giggling with each other as though they were the best of friends. Ruby's patience grew shorter and shorter with each passing minute. As her watch hand hit 3:00, she turned on her heel to face the two.

"All right, that's it. It may be happy-happy time in Tea's Sunshine Land, but in case you haven't looked around recently, let me fill you in. We are in a digital world, where food is yet to be seen, there are no malls, and there is no one else here. That means that I am stuck with you, Little Miss Let's Have A Tea Party, and these two. We have been here a grand total of five hours, three of which have been spent with you. I may pretend to like you anywhere else; I may even be courteous to you at times. But now we're all alone, and no one will notice you missing when we go back. Do I make myself clear?" Ruby seethed, her mouth open in a menacing snarl.

Tea stared dumbly at her, opening her mouth as if to reply. After a few moments she nodded. Ruby smiled, turning to the boys.

"All right, who wants lunch?"

A new attitude settled over the group as they traveled. Tea was now sullen and quiet, while Ruby had a new bounce in her step. As she was skipping ahead of the group, a sudden lurch sent her flying into a cave. The others ran up to find her cursing and rubbing her butt with a hand. Joey reached a hand out to help her but froze.

"Did you hear that? It sounds like Serenity!" He jumped down and ran past Ruby into the cave.

Ruby crossed her arms, pouting. "A gentleman would have helped me up!" She shouted after him.

"And you're a spoiled brat!" Yugi and Tea ran past her, following Joey. Ruby pulled herself to her feet.

"Well, I'm not staying here by myself." She ran after the receding figures.

A menacing door was the last obstacle standing in Ruby's way. She heaved it open in time to see a giant robot attacking Tristan's monster. She raced to the railing, watching Serenity cry out as Tristan fell into a gaping hole.

Ruby slammed her hand against the railing. "So near, yet so far! The one to my left! On your right! To the RIGHT!" She shouted across the field. Joey, Serenity, and Tea shot her dirty looks. "What?" Yugi pointed to the door. "Fine." With a slam, she stormed outside. A white light flashed, accompanied by the scream of fright as Ruby fell into space.

Ruby landed with a thump on a hard carpet. She sat up, rubbing her nose.

"Face plant," She moaned. As she saw the scene occurring across the room, she froze. A kid with green hair and shorts was hugging Mokuba Kaiba, one leg positioned suggestively.

"Now that I have you here, I have a few questions to ask you." The kid stood up and approached her.

"Kid, you can ask anything you want. I'm not answering."
"My name is Noah."

"Like the ark? Like the dude with a big, wooden, floating ark? Who named you, a parson?" Ruby laughed meanly.

"You aren't even supposed to be here. I have every urge to get rid of you." Ruby stood up, towering over Noah.

"Kid, I could pick you up and toss you across the room. By the way, Mokuba, since when have you been going with guys?" Mokuba stared blankly ahead, not responding. Ruby pushed by Noah roughly, grabbing Mokuba by the shoulders. "Kid. Hey, kid, what's wrong with you? Kid!" She whirled around to face Noah. "What have you done to Mokuba? I swear, if he's hurt-"

Noah cut her off sharply. "He's not hurt, he's just had a change of loyalties." Ruby shook Mokuba, desperate.

"Come on, kid! What's with you? Talk to me, just talk to me! Kid!" She rested her forehead on his shoulder, silently blinking back tears. A hand placed on her shoulder caused her to jump and snarl at Noah. "Don't touch me!" She pulled Mokuba close to her.

"You have been betrayed many times, Ruby. By Yugi, by Joey, by Tea, by Marik. Vengeance could be yours." Noah sat on the couch nearby.

"No. No, never. I could never turn against my friends."

"Could you not?" He locked eyes with Ruby. "Mokuba turned against his brother."

Ruby glared straight back into his eyes, rage burning in her scarlet eyes.

"I will never do anything to betray my friends, and I will never, I repeat, never, do what you tell me to. Whatever you did to Mokuba, I will stop it. If you ever try to harm any of us, I will kill you like the dog you are."

"I would never hurt you or Mokuba, Ruby. Do I seem that untrustworthy to you? No, don't answer that. Here, you must be exhausted. Have some juice." He held out a glass of burgundy liquid to Ruby, holding another for himself. She accepted it, but cautiously sniffed it. Discreetly, she took a tiny sip. Surprised to detect nothing odd about it, she took a second sip. It had been longer than she had realized since she had last had something to drink, and it was a matter of seconds before she had downed the glass.

"I haven't had cranberry juice since I was in fourth grade," she commented before setting the glass down. "It wasn't drugged, so what's your game?"

Noah smiled kindly and patted her shoulder. Ruby flinched as his ring pinched her skin. "Sorry. There is no game, Ruby. Just trust me. Lie down, dear, you look exhausted. There now, a pillow too…" The last thing she heard before drifting to sleep was cruel laughter echoing in her mind.

With a curse, Ruby pulled herself from her drugged sleep. Fumbling for her watch in the pitch-blackness, she saw that twelve hours had passed since her encounter with Bible Boy. Feeling the walls that were trapping her, she found a door and emerged into the room where she had been only hours before. She was shocked to see that Noah was no longer there, but Mokuba sat on the couch, still as he had been before. Ruby cursed, swiping a lamp off a table to see it shatter against the wall. Noah had drugged her!

"You bastard!" She screamed, banging her fist against the wall with enough force for the drywall to give way, leaving her trapped with her hand in the wall. She pulled, placing a foot against the wall for leverage. With a final yank, Ruby staggered back with her hand free. A sound behind her made her blood run cold, and she smiled coldly.

"Noah. Are you enjoying playing games with me?"

"You are not important in this game, Ruby. You are just a pawn."

Ruby whirled to face the boy, her face still in a dangerous smile. "Every game needs a queen, Noah."

Noah grinned menacingly as he grabbed Ruby's wrists in a strong grip. Shocked, Ruby tried to pull away, but Noah used her momentum to yank her to her knees. In an instant, Noah was inside her head, digging into her mind and soul for control.

"You see, Ruby, when I saw into Yami's past I found his most treasured possession, the one way to truly hurt him. Do you know what that is?"

Ruby grabbed her head, screaming as she fought for her mind. "Get out! What are you, what are you, GET OUT!" A long forgotten memory strained to find its way out. "Oh God, somebody help me!"

Marik stood in a hallway, Millennium Rod in hand. A tug on his mind made him jump, startled. Ruby? He ran in the direction of the silent call for help.

Ruby was exhausted, her mind was weak, but she still fought and screamed, praying for help, praying for strength.

Noah sneered at her mentally. "Pray all you wish, Ruby. No one is coming to save you."

No one coming, no one coming, all alone, GET OUT, it hurts, he's ripping apart my mind, help please help just help me please! Ruby heard a door open in the distance and Noah was gone, flying across the room on his back as Marik cast him out with the Millennium Rod. Ruby backed against the wall, screaming and grabbing her head, mental pain. Marik hugged her tightly from behind, holding her arms to her sides. She struggled momentarily but relaxed slowly, feeling a creeping numbness in her mind. Marik used the Rod to reach into her mind and calm her down, whispering mentally to her.

It's okay now, shh, shh, come on, Rubes. Calm down, deep breaths. Ruby obeyed, leaning her head back against his shoulder as she allowed the mind control to take effect. Marik waited as her pulse slowed to a normal pace and her breathing steadied before he began to block the memory of Noah's attack, manipulating denial into remembrance. As he began to release her from his control, Ruby shook her head.

No? What do you mean, Ruby?

Just don't go. Marik sighed before helping Ruby to her feet.

"Come on, Ruby. Let's find the others." With an arm wrapped around her waist, Marik guided Ruby out of the room, carefully avoiding the still unconscious form of Noah. Marik had a few words to say to Yami.

They found the group on a grassy hill, and as the others greeted Ruby with hugs and chatter Marik pulled Yugi aside.

"I want to talk to Yami. Right now." Yugi's stance changed and his height seemed to increase.

"I'm here, Marik." Without a word Marik grabbed the front of Yami's shirt, pulling him up.

"You bastard! Do you have any idea how close you were to losing her? If I hadn't showed up-"

Yami pushed him away, glowering. "Don't you dare patronize me, Marik. What are you talking about?"

Marik told him hurriedly. "It wasn't like the power of the Rod, or anything I've ever seen before. He was literally ripping apart her mind, shredding her memories and thoughts. And her screams- It was like she was being killed from the inside. She just kept screaming, even after he was gone. I couldn't tell, but the pain must have been terrifying. Ruby never screams like that, even when she hurts herself badly enough to make most people cry. And to see her like that was more frightening than any end I can think of."

Yami looked deeply perturbed, watching Ruby sit and talk with the others. "Is she alright now?"

"He only did a little damage, but a second later and anything could have happened. She gets dizzy spells, and lightheadedness, but nothing else yet. If he gets to her again…" He trailed off, thinking. "Don't let her out of your sight, Pharaoh. If anything happens to her, I will kill you. I swear it upon Re himself, strike me down if I lie." He turned and began to walk away. Yami watched him until he was only a figure in the distance before turning back to the group. He would allow nothing to happen to Ruby.

"God, please someone help me!" Ruby woke up with a start, awakened by her own screams and soaked with cold sweat. The others were still, undisturbed by her nightmares. Lying back down, Ruby closed her eyes and fell into an uneasy slumber.

Ruby found herself in a dream of her old home, the mansion in Duelist Kingdom. She was running toward her father, who waited with arms outspread. Before she could reach him, Yami appeared before her. She stopped, puzzled. Yami stretched out a hand to her, smiling. Hesitantly she placed a hand in his, surprised to feel warmth. The specters of her dreams were usually cold. "Come with me, Ruby." Suddenly they were outside a door of metal set in a wall of stone. As he led her through, she saw a maze of staircases. Yami seated her upon a step before sitting beside her. "Your mind must have been troubled to allow me into your dream, Ruby. I heard you scream."

"Not much not to hear, if you know what I mean. What is this place? I mean, it's like a labyrinth." Yami nodded.

"This is my mind. The staircases are answered questions, beginning to lead to my destiny." He kissed her swiftly. "Sleep well."

"I'm sorry? Like you didn't invite me here for a make out session."

Ruby placed a hand on his shoulder, and leaned on his chest. Yami returned the passionate kiss, and Ruby slid his jacket off, letting it fall to the floor. Yami hesitated.

"Ruby..."

Ruby placed a finger on his lips, gentle. "Don't think about tomorrow now, today is all we have." Yami felt a chill run down his spine, remembering a figure of his past with the same face saying those words. She hadn't known how true-

"You seem a little distracted." Ruby kissed him, giggling. "Maybe I can help that."

Yami wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. "How can I be distracted from such a wonderful girl? With deepest regrets I must point out that the others will wake up soon. You need to go back."

Ruby kissed him, one final time, as the stone around them faded. Ruby felt a lingering smile as she woke up to the stirring of Tristan and Joey.

In the Puzzle, Yami sat on a step, resting his head in his hands. He cried out, distressed. "Gods, let it not happen again! Don't take her from me again! If not from me, then Marik. He can truly love her without leaving her. Just don't do it to us. We can't survive without her again."

"I- I can't survive without her again." The high-strung pharaoh began to sob into the silence of the stone room, with no one to hear him except for a single breeze. With a sigh, it floated away into the realms of time.

Ruby and the others had already prepared breakfast by the time Yugi woke up. He stretched, yawning widely. His sleep had been haunted by the sound of crying, but in the dream he could not find the source. Once he had found himself in the Puzzle, but the door to Yami's mind would not open for him. Finally, he had lost himself in a dream he could not quite remember now, though flashes of scarlet hair and echoing giggles resonated in his head. Yugi pulled on his coat and the puzzle before grabbing a piece of sausage.

"Ruby, where did you learn to cook like this? It's amazing!" Joey snarfed down his third sausage. Ruby waved a box in the air.

"These instructions give you nothing on campfires, so I used the basic theory of all pyros: A stick and some matches make for a good meal."

The others laughed, and Ruby grinned gamely. Yugi paused, looking to the left. A humming noise emitted from the ground, and as it grew louder everybody stood and turned. Joey freaked out when he saw the mansion that was there once again. The hair on the back of Ruby's neck stood on end.

"Creepy. It's like it's following us." She said softly. Shaking her head, she turned to the others. "I'm all for ignoring it and moving on. Who's with me?" She froze, staring behind Yugi. Suddenly she laughed, nervously. Behind her stood Noah. Ruby turned to him, kneeling with her hands on his shoulders.

"Kid, we need to talk. You see, I'm fourteen and you're eleven. I'm old, and it's just really gross that you try to get up my shirt when our age difference is so drastic. Do you see the problem here?" Noah grabbed her wrist, holding a knife to her arm. Ruby froze. "Yugi, the kid's a sadistic dater."

"Shut up." Noah snarled. Ruby complied, flinching as a thin line of blood surfaced. Kaiba and Mokuba stepped forward.

"Noah, what do you want with her?"

"I can't get you through your brother now, can I? Well, if I bring someone totally innocent into the game it might change your mind."

"Ha ha ha, how about no." Ruby grumbled. Noah shoved the knife into Ruby's upper arm. Ruby and Seto cried out at the same time, one in pain, the other in distress.

"You're sick!" Seto yelled. He pulled Mokuba against himself, hiding the boy's eyes from the blood pouring down Ruby's arm. Ruby gritted her teeth.

"This goes past the sadistic dater." She grinded out. Noah sliced another jagged gash into her arm, this one a little farther down. Ruby bit her lip.

"Stop this insanity now, Noah. No one else needs to suffer." Seto hugged Mokuba tightly, but the boy saw Noah continue slicing until finally he reached the base of Ruby's wrist. He held the knife steady for a long moment, grinning at Seto.

"Mokuba, come here." The boy obeyed, hesitant. Noah wrapped Mokuba's fingers around the knife.

Ruby knew what he was going to do, and drew a sharp intake of breath. "No. You wouldn't."

Noah laughed, pushing the boy away. "You're right. I want all the credit for myself."

Time seemed to slow indefinitely as the knife lowered. Yugi lunged forward, screaming in rage. Ruby pulled away from Noah, but too late. As the knife sliced deeply into her neck, blood sprayed onto Mokuba. The boy screamed, and Ruby gasped with pain and horror.

"Ruby!" Yugi screamed as she fell to the ground, eyes closing. Mokuba clawed at the blood on his clothing, screaming. Kaiba grabbed his brother; eyes wide in horror as he watched the life slowly drain from Ruby. Yugi gripped her shoulders, shaking her and screaming. "Wake up! Wake up!"

Yami threw himself after Ruby's spirit, crossing the River to stand on a hill. A small pool of water shifted continually in front of a redheaded girl. The girl had her arms wrapped tightly around a slightly younger version of herself that appeared to be unconscious, eyes closed. The girl looked up at the pharaoh, eyes glowing.

"You come for her, Pharaoh, yet you knew I would not give her to you. My descendant, dying so young and with your love, just as I did a millennia ago."

"Ruby, please. She does not deserve to die yet." Yami pleaded.

Ruby snarled. "And I deserved my fate? Thoughts are confused in my mind after life, crying fifty thousand tears. Blurring the truth in my head."

Young Ruby, though still unconscious, whispered along with her ancestor. "I don't know what's real and what's not."

"Ruby, I am sorry for what happened, but this girl does not deserve to die. Her only crime was to be a victim of circumstance. You must understand."

Ruby laughed, holding tightly to her descendant. "You take me for a fool, Pharaoh. I will not let her return to the realm of the living with you. And she does not wish to."

Young Ruby spoke softly, though it was the elder who controlled her words. "Eternal rest in the land between life and earth is all any could desire."

Yami shakily inhaled, preparing himself. "Please, I beg of you Ruby. She is an innocent child."

"Never, Pharaoh. She is mine, and shall be for eternity. Blood of my blood in the Nile."

Yami sighed. "I really don't have time for your games now, Ruby. Give me the girl."

"Never-" She was cut off as a fist sent her flying. Marik stood grinning, carrying Ruby in his arms.

"Imagine seeing you here, Pharaoh. I would have thought-"

"We need to get her back to her body! Even then, how will we get her soul to stay with her." The two began to run across the sand toward the river.

"Remember how Bakura was banished to the Shadow Realm, pharaoh? Before he left, I had the pleasure of swiping a small token from our friend." Yami's eyes widened.

"You mean-"

"Yes, I know, no need to compliment me on my genius now. Of course her body won't reject it, her father wore it for years before her. Ruby is twice what her father is, mind and spirit. Her soul, once bound to the Eye, would live on eternally as its guardian. At the same time, I get the small bonus of maintaining this dear love triangle we all share." Marik sneered.

"Ruby- She would never agree to it!"

"It doesn't seem she's complaining."

"When she wakes up, she might not be able to handle the power."

"We covered this already. If she's mad, well, that's why I'm letting you do the honors."

Yami replied dryly. "Thanks ever so."

Ruby stormed into her father's office, steaming with rage. "You had a tournament here!"

"I do believe that I own this island, therefore I have the right to do as I wish without my daughter's permission." Pegasus turned, glaring disapprovingly at her.

"It's my home, too! I could say I grew up here, but half that time was spent in a boarding school."

"For your education and a good college, yes."

"College? As if you cared. All you care about is mom, mom, and mom. She's not coming back, dad! Mom's dead!"

Pegasus slammed his wine glass onto the desk. "Get out! Get off my island!"

"Make me!" She challenged. In an instant she realized her error.

"Guards, get her off my island!" The guards attempted to escort her out.

"You bastard! I hate you! I hate you! I wish you would have died instead of Mom!" Ruby screamed, kicking as the guards dragged her out of the office.

"What will you have us do with her, sir?" The head of security asked.

Pegasus quivered in rage, clenching his glass in white knuckled fingers. "Throw her into the ocean. She is no longer my daughter."

Far out to sea, the shore of the island grew more distant as the tide pulled Ruby farther and farther away from her home. The salt of the ocean mixed with her tears of anger. Staying afloat took all her strength, and soon she grew weary and thirsty as the heat of the sun pounded down. The waves began to swell larger as the tide began to head in, and Ruby kept being pushed under despite her efforts. Her muscles and lungs burned with exertion, and for one final time she fought to the surface. For a moment she stayed, breathing the air before she was pushed down again. She felt the water around, and the pain as her lungs ran out of air. Her mind told her to keep swimming, but when she tried her arms and legs hung useless in the water. Ruby felt the water enter her lungs. Suddenly she felt a burst of adrenaline in her body. She burst to the surface, shouting as the air hit her lungs. She hacked as her body tried to expel the water, and as she coughed a shadow covered her. She slowly turned to see a giant ship made of wood, ominously looming. A voice shouted on the deck.

"Master, there is another in the ocean!" A hooded boy stood at the railing, looking down.

"Bring them onboard, Odeon." A rope was thrown down to the water, and Ruby grabbed on as it was pulled onto the deck. Two more men in hoods pulled her up by her arms, and Ruby fell as her legs gave out. She was having trouble breathing, and one man with a tattoo on his face pushed on her ribcage. She coughed, vomiting the salt water from her stomach and lungs onto the deck. Ruby was exhausted, and didn't even try to get up from the deck. Every bit of her body ached, her head, her limbs, her stomach. As the ocean breeze brushed over her soaking wet hair and clothes, she shivered.

"It isn't often you find a girl just floating in the ocean, Odeon. I wonder where she came from."

Ruby gave in to the exhaustion, sinking into the blanket of sleep.

Ruby woke with a scream, pain pulsing through her body as heat seemed to consume her eyes. The moments of pain were short in actual time, but each parsec seemed to last an eternity as she writhed, crying out. Someone pulled her up to them, hugging her tightly.

"You're alive. You're alive again." As her mind cleared, she inhaled the musty scent of Marik's vest.

"I- think so. I'm not quite sure if I'm still alive or if I've officially reached hell." Marik laughed, hugging her even more tightly. "Um, Marik, I won't be alive much longer if you don't loosen your grip."

Yugi ran over and threw his arms around her midriff, doing his best attempt to hug the taller girl. Joey, Duke, and Tea followed, hugging the resurrected girl. Ruby laughed, surrounded by her friends. With a start, she realized that something was different about her left eye. She pulled away from the group, taking a step back. "What's in my eye?" Yugi looked to Marik, who stood behind Ruby.

"To bring you back to life we had to give you the Millennium Eye, Ruby."

Ruby was silent, trying to take in what she had just heard. "Ruby? It's really not that bad, you know. It's-" She cut Yugi off sharply.

"I want to be alone for a while." She walked away, leaving the others standing in Kaiba's blimp. Yugi began to follow her, but Marik stopped him.

"I'll go."

He found her on top of the blimp, sitting and looking out into the clouds. As he sat beside her, he lay on his back looking up.

"Why do you hate your father, Ruby? What did he do to make you reject anything to do with him?" Marik pulled Ruby down beside him. "Just so I know what not to do."

Ruby smiled slightly, putting her hands beneath her head. "Well, I hope you never do. You found me in the ocean, way back then, after my dad had me thrown off the island."

"But why?"

"Would you listen? As I was saying, we got into another argument about my Mom. I told him she wasn't coming back, or something like that, because I knew that it ticked him off. But that time- I don't know. He had just lost the tournament, so I guess he was just over the edge when I arrived. I just didn't see it."

Marik pulled himself up, playfully scooping her onto his lap. "Tsk, tsk, Ruby. You should have come to live with me then. I would never throw you off my island."

Ruby laughed. "I wish I had, too. But then I never would have met Yugi or Yami or any of the others. I love you all."

Marik sighed, and without warning swung Ruby up to her feet. "Well, you are not like your father, I assure you."

"How do you know?"

Marik nuzzled the top of her head, grinning. "Your father would never kiss me as good as you do."

Ruby laughed, smacking him playfully. "You're right, he wouldn't. Lucky for you."

Yami watched from the top of the elevator, jealous rage showing in his eyes. He pressed the button to close the doors, going back to the main levels of the blimp.

Later that night, Yugi was on the deck of the blimp looking up at the night sky flying slowly by. Ruby came up behind him silently, sitting down with a sigh.

"How's it going, kiddo?" She spoke softly, as though afraid to break the fragile silence.

Yugi looked up at her, watching the moonlight play over her hair. "Fine. I can't wait to get home again. It seems like it's been forever."

Ruby smiled slightly. "I guess you never get used to being homesick, huh?"

Yugi realized his mistake. "I'm sorry, I forgot, I didn't mean-"

"No, it's okay, Yugi. It doesn't matter." She rested her head on her hands, lying down. "Sometimes I wonder, though. I want to go back again, someday. Be daddy's girl again, the daughter he wants me to be. But he doesn't love me."

Yugi looked up at her in shock. "Of course he loves you, Ruby! How can you think that? The reason he wanted to bring your mom back was for both of you."

Ruby stared at the sky, expression indeterminable. "What do you mean?"

Yugi continued. "Even if he's not my favorite person, in fact I used to think he was evil incarnate, but he is just like my grandpa in at least one way! Maximillion Pegasus loves his daughter just as much as any other father does, even more. Pegasus loves you, Ruby. I know he does." He stopped as a glistening tear ran down Ruby's cheek, shining in the moonlight. "Oh, Ruby- I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything."

She shook her head, laughing. "No, Yugi, no. You're right. He does love me, in his own way. I feel so stupid now." Yugi hugged her awkwardly, an arm over her shoulder. "I can go home now, I think. I can finally go home."

A month later, Duelist Kingdom

Ruby set her suitcase down at the edge of the dock, looking up at the castle looming on the hill above. She stepped determinedly over the walkway up to the huge doors, boot heels clacking as she walked. Her hands were shaking visibly, but she stilled them as she put her hand up sharply to her waist as the security guards stepped forward to stop her.

"Halt! Nobody enters the castle without appointment!" Ruby smiled at the command, turning the charm up.

"You must be new here, boys." She grabbed the walkie-talkie off of one guard's belt, pressing the speaker button. "Roland, darling, would you be a dear and come down to the main door?" She handed the device back to its owner, beaming.

Roland, her father's head of security, was there in a space of five minutes. He stared at her through his dark sunglasses, aghast.

"Miss- Miss Ruby, I had no idea- Let her past immediately!" She shrugged smartly to the guards as she walked by into the lushly adorned main hall of the palace. Ruby saw her father coming down the stairs to see who was causing the disturbance. He stopped as he saw her, and she froze as well for a moment before beginning to walk toward him. Halfway there she broke into a run, tears streaming down her face as she threw her arms around her father. He stood there in shock, staring down at her.

"I'm so sorry, Daddy! Can you ever forgive me? I was so terrible to you-" She sobbed. Pegasus put his hands on her shoulders, stepping back and looking at her face.

"Ruby- it's really you!" He pulled her into a tight embrace, laughing. The reunion was caught by one of the many security cameras in the front hall, and the guards monitoring the screens appraisingly "awed". Pegasus pulled away.

"Are you staying here?" He asked. Ruby nodded at the door. Duke came in, four suitcases in tow and more were held by the guards behind him.

"My room is still in the East wing?" Ruby inquired. Pegasus nodded. As she was heading up the stairs to her room, she stopped as he spoke.

"I'm so happy you came back." His voice was formal once again.

Ruby turned, smiling. "I am too, Dad. I am too."