Kaiba woke with a pounding headache, as if he'd just spent two days straight on the computer, doing the numbers. He registers a pain in his arms and blinks as he looks up taking in where he is as he tries to remember what happened. The place he's in is a cave, different from the one that Pegasus had kept him in, and he's hanging from what appears to be a stone cross of some sort.

His memory comes back as he sees someone approach him, looking like he's doing his best to not be seen, and gives him a small smile. "Sorry, this might hurt a bit." There's a pause next to the stone, and Kaiba sees him typing or something before the holds on his wrists release, letting him land and stumble and wince at the pain that seemed more centered on his head than anywhere else.

"Let me guess...your arms are fine, it's your head that hurts."

Kaiba glared at the man, getting a better look at him before asking, "And you are?"

"Hinagata Kenshin," the man said, giving him a small smile, "but I doubt you've heard of me."

"And if I have?" Kaiba asked, getting the man to pause. "I heard you disappeared shortly after being commissioned to work some secret job. I heard that there were rumors it was because you'd figured something out about the project...and that it was Gozaburo that hired you."

Hinagata looked back at Kaiba, apparently impressed by his deductive skills. "I stand corrected. I'm glad I was able to find you, then." Kaiba got a good look at the man, noting his dark hair and light eyes, as well as his curious attire that made him appear like some sort of character that someone dressed haphazardly in a fantasy RPG. "This isn't good, though."

"That I know you, or that we're here...wherever 'here' is," Kaiba asked, looking around and frowning at the dark area and the semi-tacky stone walls. A bad fantasy RPG.

Hinagata stopped and looked around before saying, "More about where we are. This is what's called the Virtual World. It's kinda like the Matrix, only this one is an older version."

Kaiba frowned at that. "Why is there a...game system...in one of Gozaburo's old bases?"

"I didn't get the answer to that one before he threw me in here," Hinagata said, sounding bitter, "Only that this is one of the older ones. He tried building up around it but something happened to get him to move the main user, and instead went with another type of interaction."

Kaiba frowned. "Meaning what?"

"Meaning you're not really 'here'. This is reached via a mental interface. The Big Five came in here a bit ago and redid everything to some weird fantasy scenario." Hinagata gave him a smile, "AND I was able to mess with a few systems."

"Again, meaning?"

Hinagata pulled out a card with a flourish, Kaiba recognizing the picture inside of his Blue Eyes White Dragon. "Meaning I went with something with a few Duel Monsters in it. I could only put in a few, of course, but the thought is still there." He shifted and pulled out a wrist band with a counter on it. When Kaiba put it on, the counter displayed "4000" life points.

"I had to change a few things, make it like you're a summoner in some of the games." He hissed and pushed Kaiba back as some guards walked past, not noticing them as they passed. Hinagata let out a breath and then tilted his head. "Your brother's resourceful...I think he found some people to help him out."

Kaiba blinked, realizing who was coming in. "You're leaving to explain it to them, aren't you?"

Hinagata nodded, looking unhappy. "I'm stuck here and have been for a few years. It's gonna take a while before I'm comfortable in my real body again. Listen...I can help as much as I can, get your friends here and even get them their dragons, but-." He paused as the Blue Eyes disappeared and reappeared in front of Kaiba, blinking at the way it glowed a bit before Kaiba grabbed it, not wanting to attract anymore attention. "Huh…"

"What?"

Hinagata paused to consider before saying, "Something I noticed, the whole 'magic as technology' and like. Look, be careful. I could only get one Blue-Eyes in, the others are for your friends, and summoning a dragon isn't gonna get you out of here."

Kaiba considered that before saying, "You don't know where I am."

"You got caught and are pretty much the princess in the castle," Hinagata said, smiling a little at the joke. "Try not to get caught while you're making sure you're friends can get in...but this is the end-stage. The Five are here somewhere, and they're not playing nice."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning if you're not careful here, you'll go brain-dead...die in real life. So be very careful."

Kaiba nodded, then said, "We get out of this...I'll do what I can to get you back into the real world, or at least get you out of this world, and back to working."

Hinagata smiled a bit at that. "Somehow, that actually sounds worth it." With that and a nod, he disappeared from their hiding spot.

Mokuba got them in easily, though he seemed a bit wary of how Honda's sister and brother-in-law carried themselves with the bits of the equipment that was now being used for defense. Daisuke and Junko Tanaka had both been delinquents, but both had managed to overcome their past and become good parents and good partners. That didn't, of course, mean that they wouldn't use their old and still-honed skills to take down anyone that messed with Hiroto or with his friends.

The small place was mostly deserted, which contrasted with the number of cars that had been outside when they arrived, and all but one of the doors was locked, getting everyone to shift and do their best to be prepared for anything and everything. Inside the room were five human-size pods, one of which was already in use with a familiar figure trapped inside.

"Nii-sama!" Mokuba yelled, racing up to bang on the glass but getting no response. Katsuye went up to check as well as Yugi, Honda, and Mai looked around at the other items. Honda was the one who found the system, showing a few areas and castle, a dot indicating Kaiba's location in the world as inside the big castle, but not where the castle was in relation to what appeared to be the starting point.

"Mokuba-kun," Junko said, getting the younger Kaiba's attention, "Can you override this?"

Mokuba raced over, followed by Katsuye, and frowned as he sat and typed in a few things. "No...it's not recognizing my commands for some reason," Mokuba answered finally, sounding sad. "It will only give me information."

A small box, like one for texting, popped up with a simple line. Hello.

Everyone paused and looked at it then Mokuba, as he quickly typed in, Nii-sama?

Sorry, nope. I'm Hinagata Kenshin. I can get you to him, though.

How?

Sadly, by using the pods. They're the only interface into this world.

Katsuye shifted and went to type, glaring at the screen as she did. How do we know this isn't a trap?

It IS a trap, but this is the least trap-like. I know that's not much to go on, but try to trust me. You have to be careful in this place - the Big Five are playing with something that's buggy and a bit broken. We have a short window to exploit those bugs, and it's running out.

The group looked at each other before a final line appeared. I set it up so there are some Duel Monsters in there, and anyone here will have the same rules as summoners for some games. Get in here and save Kaiba, ok?

"Well?" Mai asked, looking at the lines and then at the pods. "Should we trust him?"

"We don't have any other choice," Yugi pointed out, looking upset. "We have to just hope he's telling the truth."

Mokuba shifted in the seat and glanced up at Katsuye before nodding. "We have to save Nii-sama, and anyone else. We have to try."

Junko sighed and nodded, looking at her brother and husband before saying, "Alright, we'll stay here and guard everything, in case anyone tries to make a move. You four be careful, or else."

Katsuye smiled a bit at that as Mai chuckled.

"We'll be as careful as we can be. I'm not about to die in some weird virtual-world."

With a nod, the group went into the pods, all waiting as the helmets covered their heads and they world went dark…

...Mokuba gasped as he sat up, looking around and frowning at the strange band on his wrist. It read "4000", and he guessed it was life points or something. He shivered a bit as he looked around the fog that covered the area, starting to get scared right before he hears, "Mokuba," near him, and he turns to see Katusye slowly standing up, smiling and with a similar band around her wrist.

He doesn't realize just how scared he was until he's up and goes to hug her, Katsuye putting an arm around him and chuckling. "It's ok. I got ya...and this." She holds up an odd card, dark with a dragon on it that looks dangerous, and smiles as it disappears. "My Red-Eyes. I'm a bit amazed how quickly I found it."

"Maybe its part of those bugs that Hinagata mentioned," Mai said, standing up and showing off her own card before it disappeared. "I found my Harpie Lady and a few spell and trap cards I like."

Mokuba slowly pulled away from Katsuye, though he stayed pretty close to her as he looked around. He didn't play Duel Monsters, but he hoped there was something he could pick up and use to help them out. The group paused when there were two moans from nearby, Mai shifting and ready to call up a spell or one of her cards when two figures sat up, getting Mokuba to blink in surprise. Katsuye also looked quite surprised as well, finally saying, "Yugi?"

One, shorter and dressed more in blues and blacks, stood up, rubbing the back of his head and finally nodding. "Yeah? What…" he paused and looked down, touching his chest where the Puzzle normally was. Mokuba blinked as the other one stood up, a few inches taller than Yugi and with the golden Puzzle hanging from his neck.

"Why are there two of you!?" Mai asked, blinking in surprise as Yugi turned and stared at the other side of him. Side-by-side, it was obvious how different the two were - Yugi was shorter, more innocent, and his hair was a bit darker. The other side had what looked like gold and maroon highlights in his hair, darker eyes that were red instead of purple, and his skin was a bit darker as well, like he'd gotten a tan or something. He also wore darker colors, blacks and golds and purples, against Yugi's blues, whites, and blacks. He blinked upon seeing Yugi, and looked around before saying, his voice a bit deeper and tinged with an odd accent that Mokuba couldn't place, "It's a mental-space...we're only here mentally, thus we are both here."

"Wait, what?" Mai asked, looking between the two and finally at Katsuye.

"Why are you looking at me for an answer?" Katsuye grumbled before saying, "The two are different, ok? One's Yugi, the other's Yami. It's complicated, and I doubt we have all day to talk about it."

Yami nodded, Yugi shifting and nodding as well. Mokuba looked at them worriedly before Yugi gave him a small smile. "This will give us a better chance of defeating them and saving Kaiba-kun. We'll be ok, don't worry."

Mokuba smiled with him. He was still grateful to Yugi for having saved him, especially after he saw what it had cost him. He kept his distance from Yami, though...the darker half of Yugi still freaked him out, and he didn't know how well he could trust him. He was still dangerous, and he wasn't sure how far he'd go to get a win, and how many he'd sacrifice to do it.

Yami seemed to get his worry, but was silent, instead looking around as if assessing a battlefield before frowning at a few markings on a rock, with an arrow pointing away from where they'd arrived that said, "Town, 5 minutes".

"Hinagata appears to be doing his best to help. We should see what we can find."

The town was indeed five minutes away, and seemed to only have a few people that you could talk to, many of which said that the 'evil dog' on the edge of town needed to be killed before you could go any further. Yugi felt this was like a game RPG or something similar, and frowned as he noticed the odd distractions, how some areas looked like they'd once been a town and others looked rebuilt or part of a medieval story, others like they were from a dystopia. Yami frowned when he mentioned it, as if trying to figure out what it meant.

"Whatever this once was, it's abandoned now. It's obvious the Big Five only intended it for a way to hurt us, as opposed to actually making a game out of it."

Yugi nodded, shifting a bit and looking around before spotting something that he recalled from one of the decks he'd tried out. He mostly used level-up and strategy decks, but recently his Deck was more and more cards to Yami's liking. His own was still underway, and so far he hasn't had the chance to use it.

He races over, Yami following him close behind before Yugi grabs it, looking at the Armored Dragon that he got. It's a low level, but he knows it gets stronger with each turn you keep it on the field. He glances at Yami, who looks happy to see it and see Yugi with a monster now. He apparently already found the Curse of Dragon card, so he has something to use in a fight. He pauses and frowns as he turns to see another card, apparently hidden in a darker part of the alley they're in.

"Dark Magician?" he mutters, the two looking at the card before the Dark Magician himself appears, bowing briefly to Yami before disappearing again. Yugi looks at his other self, trying hard to not blush as he realizes how handsome his other side is. Compared to him, Yami is older and obviously shows more confidence and ability. It'd be no wonder that Anzu or Jounouchi like him more, or see him in a more romantic light, than the child-looking Yugi.

"Yugi…" Yugi blinked out of his thoughts, looking over at Yami and blushing again at the serious look he gave him. "Even if here, we have different bodies, we are still connected."

Yugi frowned at the idea, and then felt himself go pale. Did that mean that Yami could hear his thoughts?

"I'm saying that because this will be dangerous. I don't know what will happen if one of us is badly hurt...I only know how I reacted last time you were badly hurt, that you were…" he stopped, looking away. "I don't want anything bad to happen to you. You're far too important to me, aibou."

The nickname made Yugi look down, feeling like he should say something, but he can't think of anything right now, still confused as to what was going on and how he was able to see his other self, see how he looked when he was Yami instead of Yugi. It made him wonder at those who could never tell the difference.

Yami smiled and the two headed back to the main square, where the group had decided to meet after looking around the town for clues. "I look more different then I normally do."

"Really?" Yugi asked, shifting a bit so he could look at Yami while they walked.

His other self nodded. "I'm normally not this dark-skinned, the colors are normally what you wear versus the different colors between us. The height is only a small difference - I cannot force your body to change too much, and I have few memories of who I was. This is probably the shadow of a memory of who I was, a mix of what I look like while in charge, along with what I once looked like."

Yugi considered before saying, "So...you were Egyptian?"

"It's very likely, from what we know. It would answer the question of skin-tone, at least. I suppose I would have a better idea of who I was if I was able to see it visually, or have some trigger or reminder." Yami looked annoyed. "That it might be so easy but that I cannot find that anywhere…"

Yugi wanted to ask more, but Mai had returned, looking both triumphant and annoyed. "I found a few more cards, but Hinagata was right, the programming here is atrocious."

"I'm worried about how you know that," Katsuye muttered, walking up with Mokuba. Mokuba had stayed close to Katsuye, and Yugi guessed he was just more comfortable with her. For whatever reason, Mokuba seemed to trust Katsuye above all others besides Kaiba himself. "We found a card or two for Mokuba, at least, but apparently the psychotic dog-thing is the only thing between us and some big underground area."

Yugi doesn't like what that means, let alone the idea of facing something like whatever monster is guarding the exit out of town. Yami also looks annoyed with the way things are going before saying, "Any idea what it is, besides a dangerous dog of some sort?"

Mai shook her head, Katsuye also shaking her head and looking a bit upset over the lack of information. If what the person calling himself Hinagata was true, then they had to deal with a few bugs…the game was incomplete, so their information was incomplete. That meant they had to hope for the best, and that the monsters and spells they had managed to find would protect them.

As they passed by one of the random venders, a woman who seemed to have a perpetual smile on her face and was waiting for someone, she suddenly said, "Sunny's outside of town."

The group stopped and looked back at her as she said again, "Sunny's outside of town."

"Sunny?" Mokuba asked, confused, but the woman only said that, no matter what the question. The group looked at each other before heading out of town, hoping for the best and for a way to Kaiba's location.

The way outside of town has a big desert-type setting outside, and they manage to get only a little ways away before they spot the dog.

It looks, at least at first, like a puppy or something small. It's only as they get closer that they notice the odd mask over it, one that reminds Yugi of a mask he once saw in a movie that frightened him, with spikes and hiding the face, the muzzle covered by some strange hood that Yugi shrank away from as Katsuye held out her hand, calling out, "Red Eyes!" With that, the huge black dragon appeared, roaring at the dog as it began to grow, trying to equal the dragon that went after it. Mai, after a moment, yelled, "Harpie Lady!" When the monster appeared, Mai also yelled out "Elegant Egotist" before three more appeared, flanking the Red Eyes as the hood burst off the growing dog, showing it to be not only feral, but monstrous, drooling and barking loudly at them.

Yami stepped forward regally, saying, "Dark Magician!" before his own monster appeared, the grouping of them attacking the dog as it grew bigger, the Red Eyes facing off and holding it as the Dark Magician and Harpie Ladies attacked it before the thing disappeared, disintegrating like most games after the monster had been defeated.

Yugi shifted, looking at Mokuba as he seemed to contemplate something before Yami looked back at the two. "Yugi, Mokuba, are you alright?"

"The girl…said the monster's name was Sunny," Mokuba muttered, as if thinking. "What if…I mean, what if it wasn't always like that?"

Katsuye sighed before saying, "Hinagata said that this place was full of bugs…and trying to rewrite anything or fix anything could cause problems in other areas."

Yugi glanced at Yami before adding in, "But then the question is…who created a puppy for whatever was in this place before the Big Five came in?"

The maze was a hassle, if only because of how hard it was to find their way out. Mostly what surprised the group was running into the young girl who looked a lot like Mokuba.

"The Big Five are having some fun with that, aren't they?" Katsuye teased as Mokuba blushed and fumed, Yugi looking out as Yami smiled a bit at how relaxed everyone was. He was glad that they'd been able to save Meyari, and even happier to see that the small sprite they'd encountered, Iru, seemed to have taken a shine to Yugi.

He's glad that everyone is able to have something to do, and that the earlier worry of how he and Yugi were separate is now not something they speak of, as they get closer to where Kaiba is being held. That doesn't stop him from being worried about the others, though – if the Big Five wanted to make it so this world would be fatal to Mokuba and Kaiba, then they probably ensured it was fatal to anyone else that arrived here. They had to be careful, and tread lightly when it came to how high or low their life points were.

Yugi glanced over at him as Mai, Katsuye, and Mokuba looked out at the castle. Despite being separate now, the two still had a connection, one that at least allowed them to speak outside of their own minds, and Yami found he enjoyed the fact that he could interact with and speak more freely with Yugi. Though Katsuye and Mokuba didn't fully trust him, Katsuye seemed to see him as simply an extension of Yugi, and no longer a harmful force, while Mokuba was more interested in how Yami might help him with Kaiba.

Yami found himself studying Yugi as they sat down to 'eat' with Queen Meyari, Yugi giving some of his food to Iru as they asked about Kaiba and where he might be located. Yugi looked young, and though Yami had no fully formed memories of his past, he knew he was older than Yugi and that his ties to the past are in Egypt. What he doesn't know is who he was or what his original name was, both of which feel important to understanding the Dark Magician's reaction to them when they were here, as well as to his connection to the Millennium Items.

But being able to interact with everyone, even if it wasn't fully, had only made him realize how different he and Yugi truly were. He knew that he originally had planned to take Yugi's body, to mold it to his own image, but even seeing himself as he was here, he realized that would be impossible. Yugi was his own person, a bright light to help balance out Yami's darkness and pride, and it made Yami feel ashamed that he'd ever thought such a thing could be possible.

One day, he will make someone a good husband, and I was thinking of taking that away.

"The Dark Castle?" Mokuba had asked as Queen Meyari explained about the Five-Headed Dragon, who demanded sacrifices of the kingdoms. Thus far, only two were still giving them, and the other one had apparently given over a 'foreign prince', while Meyari was considering herself to give over when the time came.

"You shouldn't," Yami said, some part of him railing against such an act, "Even if it is a noble act for the king or queen to give up their life for the betterment of the kingdom, you shouldn't do so when there is no clear successor to the throne, or when it might lead to war. After your death, who will lead your people? Who will rule? You cannot be sure that your kingdom will be safe."

Yugi looked over at him, as if surprised at how he was speaking, and then back to Meyari, who looked down before saying, "There is a possible way to save us. A legend of a great warrior who slew the Dragon and reigned over this place in peace for centuries...but something happened to him, causing him to leave and for the Dragon to reawaken. But the airship he used to reach the Dark Castle and defeat the Dragon still remains here, though no one has figured out how to use it."

She showed them where the remains of it was, mentioning that it had been left behind centuries ago. Mokuba and Katsuye both went to the control area, looking at it as both argued over what might make it fly and how to fix it, while Yugi looked over at Yami, showing a great deal of concern.

"Yes?"

"You...just, the way you told Meyari to not give herself up," Yugi said, standing next to him as Iru flew a bit between the two, settling in Yugi's hair after a moment. "I think you're remembering more of yourself...not just your memories, but who you were as a person."

Yami smiles as Yugi, considering what he said. "I am, in a way. The contrast between our souls had meant I remember much of who I was and how I carried myself, but I cannot recall any of my memories, or my name. It's left me wondering much about myself - how I came to be in the puzzle, what it means that I saw myself as a keeper of tombs when it's obvious I am more than that, how this is connected to the Millennium Items." He can sense Yugi watching him, waiting, and he finally says, "Whatever my past, my present is here. I am responsible for the Big Five gaining an advantage and using Mokuba and Kaiba in such a way. I will help fix this. I can't simply turn a blind eye to it because it was 'justice' for something done to you or me. I must take responsibility for those actions." Yami turned to look at Yugi, who blushed a bit and looked away. Yami hated that, when Yugi got so shy he couldn't look someone in the face. He was a bright and wonderful boy, there was no reason for him to act in such a way. "You've helped me to learn restraint, Yugi. I am forever grateful for that. We can talk more of this after we save Kaiba."

Yugi looked up at him, smiling and finally nodding. "Ok. And...I'm glad, that we were able to see each other like this, and talk."

Katsuye and Mokuba came back as Mai let out a huff, apparently not liking the way things were going, before the group headed back to the castle, Meyari saying that they should get into battle gear more befitting the warriors of old. Mai and Katsuye headed to one changing room, Yami, Yugi, and Mokuba to the other as they dressed up.

The outfit was standard armor, with a cape, shoulder pads, and all the normal outfit. Like their clothing, his was much darker, but oddly seemed to shift to something more like an Egyptian or Ancient style of dress, with a dark, scaled armor with leather leggings, a quiver of arrows and a good bow, and a khopesh that he tried out a few moves in, marveling at how quickly he recalled the moves…

"You shouldn't be learning this, it's not-"

"...will have as many chances of getting hurt as a priest, sorcerer, or archer. You brought me here to teach him, and I will, for I am-"

"Yami!? Are you ok?" Yugi asked, quickly heading up and looking at him.

"Fine. A stray memory of my past, but they never are concrete." He looks back at the khopesh and then to Yugi, a thought coming to him as he hands it to Yugi. "Try this."

Yugi takes it, looking a bit awkward with it and obviously not certain of how to handle it. Yami is quiet, Yugi looking embarrassed before Yami said, "I think we're more separate than connected. I knew how to handle it, you didn't. I think, if we're back in your body, I might be able to do it or direct you."

Yugi blinked and looked over at him as Mokuba came out, dressed in the armor that is more light grays and blues, with a KaibaCorp logo on it that gets Yami to frown. Mokuba shrugs and looks at it, as he finally says, "I think some of it is based on what you prefer or think. It's really advanced."

"And the flying machine?"

"Katsyue thinks she can fly it, but the problem is getting it restored. She said she might have something for it, but she's not sure." He looked at Yami and then Yugi, who was dressed in lighter clothing and looked like the Beast Tamer he'd chosen to be during Yami Bakura's twisted game. "What other weapons do they have?"

"I found something to protect myself with, but mostly I have the Dual Monsters," Yugi said, getting Yami to frown as Yugi gave him a small smile. "I was able to get a bunch, remember? And so long as they last a turn, they'll evolve to a stronger monster. " He looked at Mokuba, who seemed to be uncertain of what his role was, and Yami considered before saying, "You want to be captured."

"If I don't have weapons, they won't take them," Mokuba said, "and plus we're meeting up there, aren't we? That way, I can get to Nii-sama and he'll know to expect you."

"It's dangerous," Yami pointed out, but let out a sigh. "Be careful in this, Mokuba. You've already been through far too much."

Mokuba seems to see this new side of Yami as a bit contradictory, but finally nods, the three heading out and spotting Mai, who is sitting dressed like that woman from a show that Yugi had liked, her mail stopped just past her chest and dark leather covering the rest of her, a pair of chakram on her hip. It was far too short and he saw Yugi blushing upon seeing it, while Mokuba shifted a bit and finally asked, concerned, "Where's Katsuye?"

"Here," Katsuye said, looking annoyed as she handed Mai a long cape. She wore one herself, a dark brown color, and seemed determined to not reveal whatever outfit they had put her in. Yami didn't blame her, if Mai's outfit was to go by, it was obvious they didn't get the same choices that they had.

"Are you ok?" Yugi asked, looking upset.

"Whoever made this game is a pervert of the highest order," Katsuye finally said, but wouldn't elaborate as there was a sudden uproar outside.

The beings of the Dark Castle were attacking.