Warning: in this chapter, Ishizu will provide cryptic, and possibly spoilerific clues for the future.


-Akihabara train station-

Johann arrived at Akihabara the next day feeling good about himself. He had purchased some pepper spray, which he kept in his pocket, so he felt a little bit safer. He hoped that he didn't have to use it right away, though considering that Shadow Games were turning into a daily occurrence…

"Johann Bocks." An unfamiliar voice spoke.

He turned his head to the speaker. It was a woman with bronze skin wearing a white outfit and hood that looked like it came from Egypt. She had a Duel Disk and a gold necklace with an eye on it, similar to Yugi's Puzzle and Bakura's Ring.

"And you are?" Johann asked.

"My name is Ishizu Ishtar," the woman said, "and I can see the future. Well, I can also see into the past, but the future's of more concern."

"Really?"

"After participating in five Shadow Games and seeing the power of the Pharaoh's Millennium Puzzle, you actually doubt that I can see into the future?"

"Huh? How do you—?"

"I just told you: I can see into the past and future."

"So…what do you want?"

"According to the warning at the top of this page, I am to provide cryptic, and possibly spoilerific, clues about the future."

"Top of the page? What are you talking about?"

"That's another power of my Millennium Necklace: I can see and break the Fourth Wall."

"Fourth Wall? There's nothing meta going on here!"

"Strange. Unlike the Pharaoh and the rest of the main characters, you don't seem to be aware of the Fourth Wall. That explains your future…"

"By 'Pharaoh', you mean Yugi, right? He said something similar to me, but he's just crazy."

"Crazy? Johann, if many people knew one thing and one knew different, which party is the crazy one?"

"I…uh…" Johann hated philosophical questions, so he changed the topic and said, "You want to duel me or not?"

"You're avoiding my question," Ishizu said, "but since we were destined to duel, we might as well get on with it."

"Duel!"

Absolute Pwnage vs. Shut Up

"Why is your deck called—?"

"Because shut up. I'll place three cards facedown and place a monster facedown. I end my turn."

"Um, if you can see the future, then don't you already know who's going to win?"

"Yes, but I need to pass some time before I get my haircut; you have no idea how long it's gotten under this hood."

"So, who's going to win?"

"You are."


-Several turns later-

"See, I told you so."

"Ishizu," Johann said, "are you even trying to win?"

"I am, but your 'Royal Decree' makes things harder for me. Now, I'm off to get my haircut. After that, we'll meet and duel again, and I'll give you more cryptic clues about the future."

"Sounds like you have a busy schedule."

"I know that was sarcasm, but yes, I do have a busy schedule."

Ishizu turned around and left. Johann rubbed his head and thought about the mysterious woman he had just dueled. She obviously knew things from the past few days that she shouldn't have, so were her claims about the future also true?

She's right about all these magic things happening, like the Shadow Games, but…that 'many people know something while one knows different' thing…is she implying that Yugi's right about the whole story idea, and that I'm the crazy one? No way. There's no way that's true.

To get his mind off those things, he looked around for more duelists to challenge. He had met Mako and Espa Roba again, and though they had improved their decks, he still managed to beat them. Afterwards, in the middle of the city, he met Ishizu again.

"And so we meet again, Johann Bocks." She said.

"Yeah. So, what clues did you want to give me?"

"Unfortunately, the plot says that I have to duel you and lose again before I can give them to you."

"Then why not surrender and tell me already?"

"Because shut up."

"No, seriously, why?"

"Fine, I'll tell you: if you try to screw with destiny, it screws you back."

"Uh…"

"Let's just duel already."

As it came to pass, Ishizu lost again. The crowd that had gathered to watch left disappointed at the unexciting outcome. Johann asked, "So, what are the clues about the future?"

Ishizu put her hand over her necklace and said, "I see…darkness, frustration, and a bunch of canon plotlines thrown in haphazardly…your unlucky color is white."

"Can't you be more specific than that?"

"I can't because that would be spoiling things for this fanfiction's readers. I can tell you more, but that will have to wait until this evening. I have to go buy some presents for my date tonight."

Once again, she turned around and left. Johann was getting frustrated over having to wait for Ishizu again. In addition to passing the time with more duels, he also played some games at the arcade. He stopped once he was starting to run low on pocket change.

When he left the arcade, she was waiting for him outside with a plastic bag in her hand.

"So…"

"This will be the last time we duel for today."

"Sounds good to me.


-Another win later-

"Okay," Ishizu said as he put her hand to her necklace again, "the moment everyone's been waiting for…hmm…this is not good."

"Not good?" Johann asked. "Am I going to lose a Shadow Game?"

"This information is actually a secret that Kaiba's waiting to reveal in the finals, but I will go ahead and whisper it in your ear." She walked up to him and whispered, "The winner of this tournament will actually be crowned the New King of Games, and that winner will be you."

Johann's eyes widened, but he frowned when she said, "However, you will be plagued with paranoia and more Shadow Games, and you will pay a horrible price."

"Wait," he said slowly, "so I'll win the tournament, but more Shadow Games and bad things will happen to me…and what's the horrible price?"

"If I tell you any more, you'll try to change your destiny, and that falls under the category of trying to screw with it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a date to attend, and I don't want to make myself more like one of those witches from Macbeth if I can help it."

For the last time that day, she left. Johann felt overwhelmed with what she had told him. He would win this tournament, and actually be crowned the New King of Games! It would be fantastic, but would it be worth the horrible things that would happen afterwards?

I guess we'll just have to see.

The sun was starting to set, so Johann put his guard up as he made his way back to the train station. As he was turning a corner, he bumped into someone. Panic set in and he took out his pepper spray and pointed it away from him. He was about to press down on the nozzle when he recognized the person.

"Kaiba?"

Kaiba glared at Johann and said, "Spray me, I dare you."

Johann sheepishly put away the pepper spray. "Sorry, I thought you were someone trying to challenge me to a Shadow Game."

"I'm not one of those cowardly creeps."

He now noticed that Kaiba had a Duel Disk. He asked, "Are you up for a duel?"

Kaiba laughed. "Are you kidding me? You're actually challenging me, Seto Kaiba, to a duel? Fine, it'll be a nice change of pace to beat a loser other than Wheeler."

"Duel!"

Absolute Pwnage vs. The Billionaire

"'Absolute Pwnage'? Prepare to be disappointed, kid, because I do all the pwning around here."

"I know you're strong, Kaiba, but I've always wanted to duel against you. I place a monster facedown and end my turn."

"What a weak start. I place two cards facedown and summon 'X-Head Cannon' to attack your monster."

[X-Head Cannon (1800/1500) is summoned and attacks Johann's monster. It's revealed to be 'Aqua Matador' (1200/2000). Kaiba loses 200 LP.]

"'Weak start', huh?"

"You were lucky that time, but believe me when I say this: you're gonna have a bad time."


-Several turns later-

[Johann has 2600 LP and the monsters Man-Eater Bug (450/600) and Neo the Magic Swordsman (1700/1000). Kaiba has 5100 LP, two cards facedown, and no monsters.]

Damn, he was right about me having a bad time, but it looks like I can still do this.

"Okay," Johann said, "I sacrifice both of my monsters to summon 'Sanga of the Thunder'.

[Both monsters are sacrificed to make way for Sanga (2600/2200).]

"I now attack you directly!"

"I activate my Trap Card: 'Ring of Destruction'! This destroys your monster and we both lose Life Points equal to its ATK. Johann, you just got pwned!"

[Sanga is destroyed. Kaiba's LP drops to 2500 while Johann's drops to 0.]

"Wow. You're as good as they say, Kaiba."

"That because I'm Seto freakin'—wait, you're not despairing over your defeat. Why are you not crying and running away in shame?"

"I've learned to be a good sport about these things."

Though I would be crying if this was a Shadow Game.

"Good sport?! Get the hell out of my sight, you freak!"

To Johann's surprise, Kaiba turned and ran like he was a zombie.

Man, why does everyone think that being a good sport is a bad thing?


So, nobody talk about the potential spoilers in your reviews, or it'll spoil the readers who read the reviews first before reading the actual story. If you want to talk about spoilers, send me a private message.

Shortly after the museum in Domino closed for the night, Ishizu snuck in using a spare key. She quietly made her way to the Ancient Egyptian Artifacts room with the plastic bag in her hand. She stopped in front of two giant stone slabs with hieroglyphics on them. She carefully unlocked the glass case of one of the slabs.

"I've missed you, Giant Rock." Ishizu whispered to it. "I got some things for you."

She took out some bottles of water, soap, a washrag, a Dremel, sandpaper, and mineral oil.

"By tomorrow morning, you'll look shinier and prettier than the day you were chiseled."