A/N: Be proud of me. I've stayed up till 1am to write and post this chapter even though I have an 8am Italian test tomorrow morning. I'm so dead tired.

The Balance and Vanishing Act

"What the hell?" Jounouchi growled, stopping abruptly. It was as if Kaiba just vanished from his senses. He may not have been all that powerful when it came to Shadow magic, he still needed a Duel Disk to summon properly most of the time, but he and his Triad were known for their unusual ability to sense when their friends were in trouble. It was a gift he valued deeply as it had saved their little group's lives more often then not. He would not trade it in for the world.

"Can someone fill me in over here?" Marik snapped. "Like why by Ra's name are you all freaking out? What happened?"

Jounouchi stared at the Egyptian in disbelief. "You can't feel that?"

Dark violet eyes burned. "The Pharaoh sealed my Shadows from me for the time being."

The Japanese-America blushed awkwardly. "Right. Um, yeah see, Kaiba's gone."

"Gone?" J'onn asked, catching up with the group. His currently nondescript brown eyes watched Yami and Yuugi talking emphatically in their own private language at speeds he did not think he would understand had he spoken the language himself.

Jounouchi nodded, eyes dark in confusion. "I felt..." The blonde turned the his monarchs disconcertingly. "I felt the balance tip then Kaiba just..." He spread his hands in confusion. "He just vanished."

"Where did he go?" Marik demanded.

"That's just it," Jounouchi said, turning to meet his counterpart's eyes. "He hasn't gone anywhere. He's here, I just can't feel him."

"You're saying he's cut himself off?" Marik hissed, dumbstruck. "Of his own volition? Why?"

The blonde shrugged, obviously disturbed by the idea. "Your guess is as good as mine."

"J'onn!"

The three looked up to see Yuugi race up to them eyes wild with fear. "Can you tell your friends to keep a look out for Kaiba?"

The Martian was silent for a moment before nodding. "I can." He pulled out a small communicator from his pocket and placed it up to his ear. When he heard a familiar voice answer, he spoke. "Hawkgirl, something's happened. I need you to find Kaiba."

"Kaiba? Is it another Game?" the winged woman asked, hefting her mace threateningly as she glided through the air above Starling City.

"No, I do not think so. The others are not sure either," he glanced up at the Pharaoh who was pacing restlessly. "They only know he is gone. They cannot feel his presence."

Hawkgirl narrowed her eyes and swooped lower to the buildings. "Understood. I'll pass the word along."

"Thank you," J'onn said simply before cutting off the connection. "Shayera will keep watch from above and alert us if she finds him. She will also tell the others to do the same."

"Thank you J'onn," Yami said, managing a strained smile.

J'onn watched the powerful figure pace nervously. Yuugi placed a soothing hand on the dark monarch's arm, halting his movement and forcing crimson eyes to meet soft violet. After a moment, Yami sighed, shoulders drooping and said something that J'onn took to be an apology. Yuugi replied in the same language.

Watching the two interact now, J'onn was again struck by the pair's closeness. It just felt like he was missing something that was glaringly obvious to the others. Curious, he opened his mind and allowed his telepathy to pick up on the people close to him. He could sense Marik's aggravated fear at being unable to touch the Shadows and do anything to help. Jounouchi was practically glowing in his mind. The blonde young man was reaching out with a type of telepathy that felt like a softer version of the Shadows he had experienced up until now. He must be trying to find his friend in his own unique way.

However, on his other side, Yuugi also glowed but not with the same type of brilliance as Jounouchi. Where Jounouchi felt like a nightlight, holding back the more dangerous Shadows, Yuugi felt like a torch. His flame burned brightly, but only because the Pharaoh was nearby. The Pharaoh exuded a darkness that was so absolute that even J'onn fear to tread too far into it. Again, Yuugi's and the Pharaoh's essences merged and swirled around each other in a way only one person's presence should.

"I'll be waiting then," Yuugi said, breaking the Martian out of his concentration.

Brown eyes opened and watched as Yami literally melted into the shadows of the dark aquarium corner. He felt a spike of fear when the shadows coalesced into a semblance of Yami's form, empty golden eyes flared open where the face would be. A Shadowy hand reached out and brushed Yuugi's face with surprising tenderness before vanishing entirely.

"Where's the Pharaoh goin'?" Jounouchi asked.

"He's joining the city's native Shadows to search for Kaiba," Yuugi said gazing at the blank wall a moment longer before turning. "You felt it too," he said.

Jounouchi nodded, eyes dark. "Yeah, I did. Whatever happened knocked Kaiba out 'a sync. Then he just," he snapped his fingers, "poof."

"However fascinating this is," Marik growled, "it would be nice if one of you Lights could fill me in."

Yuugi had the grace to blush. "Ah, I'm sorry," he said, bowing slightly. "We weren't able to get much. All we know for certain is that something scared Seth."

Both Jounouchi and Marik stiffened. "Then we're dealing with something old," Marik muttered, mind rushing through the list of potential enemies from the ancient days.

"Seth?" J'onn asked.

"A friend," Yuugi said before Jounouchi could speak. "He and and the Pharaoh have a history."

"All four of you have a history," Marik said. "But Seth is very rarely rattled. It had to be significant."

"I agree," Yuugi said, lowering his eyes in worry.

"So, our trip's ruined by a freaked out ancient guy," Jounouchi said, crossing his arms and leaning on one hip. "Ideas for what we do now?"

Yuugi hugged himself, rubbing his arms absently, missing Yami's comforting presence. "We stay together. Mai should be here soon and we need to tell the other's what's going on."

"Yeah, I bet Kaiba's Triad's not doin' so hot right now," Jounouchi said, nodding.

"I'm actually surprised no one's called us yet," Marik said thoughtfully.

"The phone signal could be blocked," J'onn said quietly. The group turned to him in surprise as if they had entirely forgotten he was there. "We are deep inside a building."

Jounouchi blinked and pulled out his phone. No signal. "Huh, what d'ya know? Let's head outside and see what happens."

Sometime during the drive, it had started raining. Kaiba only noticed it when he stepped out of the car still holding Mokuba's hand tightly. He vaguely heard Fuguta apologizing for the lack of an umbrella. He shook his head, not minding the rain. It shocked his system enough to drag him out of his darker thoughts and bring him back to the present. He used the quick walk to the huge mansion's front door to compose his face, concealing his emotionS. Fuguta knocked while Roland remained standing behind the brothers, a steady comforting presence.

The door opened revealing a middle aged woman with hair and makeup perfectly coifed. She studied the group cautiously, a hesitant smile on her face.

"Can I help you?" she asked, browed furrowed.

"I'm here to see Oliver," Kaiba said, face blank and voice offering no negotiations. He was not in the mood to be polite.

"Well, I'm sorry but-"

"Kaiba," a familiar voice called from inside. The woman turned when the door she held pulled wider revealing Oliver standing there with a welcoming smile on his face. "I thought you weren't coming for another hour or so," he said, waving the sopping wet group in. "Don't worry, Mother. I invited him over."

Stepping into the warm, dry foyer, Kaiba brushed his dripping bangs from his face with his free hand. "Plans changed," he said simply, causing Oliver's smile To waver uncertainly.

"You didn't tell me you were friends with Seto Kaiba," the woman, Moira Queen, said gazing at Kaiba's currently unimpressive form suspiciously.

"I see," the vigilante said in answer to both his mother and Kaiba. He held out a hand for the soaked trench coat. Kaiba hesitated before shrugging out of the coat and handing it over, quickly taking hold of Mokuba's hand once more. The move did not go unnoticed by the vigilante.

"What's this?" Walter asked, coming down the staircase.

"I invited Kaiba and his brother over to visit the other day at the press conference," Oliver replied, hanging up the Japanese CEO's wet clothes. He noticed Kaiba had not said much of anything since arriving, which unnerved him. "He was at the the ribbon cutting ceremony today for the new restaurant downtown when the attack happened. I suggested he head back here for the time being when he got a chance."

Walter smiled genially and reached out to shake Kaiba's hand. "I see. It's good to finally meet you, Mr. Kaiba. I'm Walter Steele."

Sharp blue eyes met dark brown curiously. "Not Queen?" he asked, shaking the man's offered hand firmly.

Walter had the grace to blush, glancing at Moira with a shy smile. "Not yet, but soon if things go well." Moira smiled back at him and Kaiba withdrew his hand, stuffing it in his pocket to avoid touching anyone else. "And this must be Mokuba Kaiba," Walter said, looking down at the young brother.

Mokuba stepped closer to his older brother in both a protective and defensive position. Kaiba tightened his hand on Mokuba's hand and answered in his brother's place. "Yes, he does not speak English as well as I do, however."

"I see," Walter said, folding his hands. "I'm sorry if I scared him." Kaiba shook his head negatively, feeling Mokuba press against his leg. "And the two men behind you?" Walter asked.

"Fuguta and Roland Isono," Kaiba said. "My bodyguards."

"Bodyguards?" Walter asked, surprised. "Is the world of technology and games really so dangerous?"

Kaiba met Walter's eyes seriously. "You have no idea."

Oliver decided now would be the best time to step in. "Come on, let's get you four some coffee," he said, sure to include the two trailing bodyguards. He guided the Japanese quartet away from the foyer and into the living room, gesturing to the couch and chairs by the gas fire. "Have any preferences?"

"Black," Kaiba said. "Three sugars, two cream," he added pointing to Mokuba, "two sugars," he pointed to Fuguta, "and one cream," he added pointing to Roland.

Oliver could not help but feel impressed that Kaiba cared enough to remember the way his own bodyguards took their coffee as he walked over to the coffee pot sitting on the bar in the corner. "Coming right up," he said.

As the coffee brewed, Oliver glanced back to see Mokuba clamor up into his brother's lap and press himself close, speaking in soft Japanese all the while. Kaiba never lifted his head but wrapped his arms around his brother tightly. Something happened while he was gone, Oliver thought. And if it was enough to shake the same Seto Kaiba who faced the Shadow Thief despite being violently sick to his stomach, then it was definitely noteworthy.

When the coffee pot beeped, he poured four cups full and fixed them to his guests' preferences before caring them back to the coffee table in front of the couch. He sat in the armchair next to the couch, leaning his forearms on his thighs. "Hey, want to tell me what happened?" he asked softly.

Mokuba looked at him with gray eyes that felt a lot older than their owner appeared before turning back to Kaiba and whispering in Japanese. Kaiba took a deep breath and sat up, composing himself while Mokuba slid off his big brother's lap bit never let go of Kaiba's torso.

"Did... Do you feel anything right now, kohai?" Kaiba asked softly, his Japanese accent thickening making it somewhat more difficult to understand his words.

Oliver took a moment to figure out how to feel for his Shadows, then hesitantly reached out with them beyond his own body as best he could. It took some concentration now that he was not in the middle of the action, acting on instinct. He tilted his head as he began feeling around the room. "What am I feeling for exactly?" he asked.

"Me," Kaiba said. "Can you feel me?"

Oliver blinked and stared at his, what was Kaiba exactly? They did not know each other long enough or well enough to be a friend. But they were definitely to involved with each other to be acquaintances. Master seemed to much but trainer was just too weird. Shrugging away the question, Oliver focused his senses on Kaiba and felt...

Nothing.

He flinched back, eyes wide. If he was not seeing Kaiba sitting right in front of him, he would never know Kaiba was there. There was a void where the glowing horizon of power should have been. It disturbed Oliver in more ways than he could easily explain.

"What happened?" he asked again, this time with more emotions than could be conveyed in those two words.

Kaiba lowered his eyes prompting Mokuba to snuggle closer, pushing one of Kaiba's arms over his shoulders. "I...know who the culprit is," Kaiba said softly, raising his eyes with obvious effort.

Oliver stilled. A part of him was thrilled he could finally bring someone to justice for harming his people in his city; but another part was aware of Kaiba's current state of mind and worried. "You know the person's name?" he said.

Kaiba shook his head. "Yes and no." He met the vigilante's eyes evenly, causing Oliver to straighten in his seat. "I know who he was, not what he currently goes by."

"That...you mean he changed names?" Oliver pressed.

"Probably," Kaiba said, looking down at Mokuba. "He's probably in the same situation I am. The same person but with a different name."

"You mean like adoption?" the vigilante asked, leaning back in thought.

"In a way, I suppose. Though not really."

"Now that doesn't make sense. And," Oliver hesitated before asking, "what's wrong with you? Why can't I feel you?"

Kaiba sighed. "I've cut myself off from the Shadows for the time being," he said avoiding Oliver's gaze. "I'm unbalanced. If I remained open to them, I could tip the balance too far to one side or leave it chaos, oscillating between Dark and Light with no guidance or control."

"I thought you were Neutrality. What does that have to do with balance?"

"Neutrality is how we refer to it because it's less of a mouthful and is easily understandable," Kaiba said. "Slang, as you say. My Triad is actually called the Triad of the Balance. It's our job to maintain a safe balance between the Dark and Light. There can never be too much of one or the other at a time or things can go wrong."

"How wrong?"

Kaiba glanced at his kohai sternly. "Your ship sank five years ago in a freak storm that coincided with Yuugi's solving the Millennium Puzzle, unleashing the Shadow Games on the world again." Oliver felt the floor drop out from under him at those words. "That's what happens when there is nothing to keep the Shadows in balance. In that case, the Dark reigned unchecked for a good year or so before Yuugi realized what was happening and began to tame it with his Light. After the Pharaoh cast a Penalty Game on me-"

"He cast a Penalty Game on you?" Oliver gasped.

Kaiba glared, annoyed with being interrupted. "I was able to rebuild everything from scratch. Even then, I was not entirely balanced. I wavered between sanity and insanity, searching for a balance. Long story short, one of my Triad, Marik's sister Ishizu, helped me take the first step to actually becoming the balance I was looking for. A lot happened before I was finally able to accept my position."

He glanced around before finding a pencil laying by a stack of books on the coffee table. He grabbed an eraser and set it down so it balanced on the long, narrow side. Then he carefully placed the pencil on the eraser, watching it wobble before settling into a steady balance.

"This," he pointed to the sharpened graphite tip, "is the Light. And this," he pointed to the eraser surrounded by metal on the other end of the pencil, "is the Dark. The two are constantly connected to one another, relying on the other to maintain themselves. Light can't shine without darkness and darkness can't exist with light. But they are not the same thing." He removed his arm from Mokuba to lean forward and tap the eraser end of the pencil. "If the Dark becomes too powerful, then the Shadows become more dangerous, exacting penalties too steep and drawing out the darkness in people's hearts. If left unmonitored, this can leak into the world around us causing drought, dangerous weather, the list goes on."

He lifted his finger and touched the sharpened tip of the pencil instead. "If the Light gains too much influence, the Dark becomes unsteady. This can also affect the natural world in strange ways. Unnaturally long growth seasons, clear skies, leaps in reproduction for species currently endangered."

"Aren't those good things?" Oliver asked.

Kaiba tilted his head in a nod that had a 'but' hidden in it. "Theoretically yes. But if the growth season is too long, the earth can't recover the required nutrients fast enough for the next growth season. Clear skies can mean too much sun, not enough rain, depriving the planet of fresh water. Animals rebounding too fast can endanger their own prey until they go extinct thus negating their rebound. Too much Light can also drive people insane: they begin to think themselves invincible, throwing away fear and common sense."

Oliver sat back, taking in the information with an open mind. "So you're the eraser holding the pencil up?" he asked.

"No," Kaiba said, removing his finger from the pencil's eraser end and placing two fingers at equal distances from the balanced center of the pencil. "I am this area here. I move back and forth between the two orientations to maintain a safe balance. If the Dark begins to gain an advantage, I move towards the light, adding my influence there until the sides even out again. I do the same in reverse if the Light becomes too strong. I can freely move within a set buffer zone between the two sides, but can never stay on either side for long before I become too intrenched."

"So," Oliver said after a moment of thought, "you have the hardest job, then." It was not a question and Kaiba refused to treat it as such, so the vigilante continued. "But what about the eraser holding the pencil up? Every level has a folcrum to balance on in the first place."

Kaiba leaned back into the cushions, absently messing Mokuba's hair. "That would be the Keeper, someone who has no preference towards either orientation. His job is to keep me balanced, to prevent me from leaning too far one way or the other."

Oliver's eye glanced to Mokuba in dawning understanding. "I see." His green eyes studied dark gray in renewed respect. He nodded to the younger Kaiba who pressed closer to his brother and watched him carefully. "So you've cut yourself off to prevent tipping the scales too far."

Kaiba nodded. After a moment, Oliver asked, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because you need to be aware of what you're going to be dealing with from now on," Kaiba replied. "Normally, I wouldn't be telling you this until your powers matured, but under the circumstances I thought it best you know now."

Oliver nodded again. "You never answered my question earlier," he said. "You know the man's name. What is it?"

Kaiba hesitated. "I don't know what he goes by now," he said slowly, leaning forward again, glancing at the door to the living room, assuring himself that they were alone. "But as for his old name, I swore I would never speak it again. Besides, his old name hardly matters right now. It has no meaning to anyone but those who knew him, which you didn't. and even if you did, you wouldn't be able to find him under that name."

"But you would know him on sight?" Oliver asked.

Kaiba nodded, eyes hard. "I would. By sight, sound, touch, everything. He's not a man I could forget. I despise him too much."

"You have a past." It was not a question.

Mokuba settled closer to his brother's side momentarily distracting Kaiba. The two spoke in low Japanese briefly before the younger brother closed his eyes and nuzzled Kaiba's side. Satisfied, Kaiba returned his attention to the vigilante.

"Not me, per-say, but yes." Blue eyes hardened, turning to stare at the fire. "We have a past."

Oliver sighed. "I wish you knew how often you answer questions without answering the question."

Kaiba's lips twitched in a hint of a grim smile. "I am aware." Eyes flickered back to green. "But telling you more would involve information that isn't mine to tell."

They fell silent, drinking their coffee in companionable silence for several minutes before Oliver spoke. "You didn't come here to tell me all that, did you?"

For a moment, Kaiba said nothing. Then he shook his head. "You're a lot sharper than your peers, Oliver."

"I like to think so," Oliver said, grinning jovially. Kaiba's hinted grin became a sly smirk and Oliver stored that small victory away in his mind. "Feel better?" he asked.

His Regent snorted. "Obviously."

Oliver reached for his Shadows again and felt for Kaiba's Shadows. This time he felt them, the horizon caught between dawn and dusk, never getting brighter or darker. It simply was. But there was something else there; it belonged there as much as Kaiba did, but it felt...older. He focused harder on the addition and got thedistinct impression he was looking at Kaiba but...not.

Before he could get a better look, he was flooded by an intense darkness the filled him with terror even though he felt no immediate threat from it. He retreated back to reality taking his Shadow senses with him and was surprised to see none other than a living Shadow with stylized golden eyes standing in front of Kaiba. He stood instinctively, noticing Kaiba's bodyguards reaching for their weapons. Even Mokuba shrank back in surprise. Only Kaiba himself remained unmoved. He even sent a glare at the shade.

"Control yourself, Pharaoh," Kaiba said. "You're frightening our host."

Immediately, the Shadows melted away revealing a furious Yami. Crimson eyes burned with barely restrained power. "What the hell was that?" Yami demanded in hieratic.

"You'll have to be more specific," Kaiba said in English.

Yami growled but switched to English. "You cut yourself off. Yuugi and I thought you were dead. For a minute there. Even Jounouchi-kun couldn't feel you. What the hell were you thinking doing that? "

"Leave my Ni-sama alone, Pharaoh," Mokuba snapped, coming to his brother's defense.

"You scared us," Yami said, fisting his hands as if fighting to urge to strike his Regent. "Next time, at least give us a warning. We thought you were attacked or worse."

"Obviously you thought worse," Kaiba said, a dark smirk curling his lips. "You did aay you thought I was dead."

Yami's flinched. "We did. You vanished without warning and I couldn't find you, even when I joined the city's Shadows. You were gone." The hard edge left the crimson eyes, replaced with worry. "What happened?"

"He found out who's starting the Shadow Games here," Oliver answered.

"What?" The Pharaoh gasped, turning to Oliver in shock. "Who is it?"

"The traitor," Kaiba said. Blue eyes staring firmly at his Pharaoh. "The one who turned Seth against you."

It was as if Yami deflated. His intimidating presence faded, leaving behind a frightened boy. "But how... He's dead. You killed him."

"I didn't," Kaiba countered. "Seth did and only because Kisara weakened him."

"And you didn't think to tell us this earlier?" the Pharaoh demanded. "A text would have worked fine. Much better than almost scaring us to death."

Yami lowered his hands, brushing the holster he wore at his hip, a holster that looked suspiciously like the one Kaiba wore at his hip. It looked like a card holster. Were those playing cards in there? How old were these monarchs anyway? Kaiba was only...

"How old are you?" Oliver found himself asking.

Yami blinked, thrown by the random question. Even Kaiba seemed surprised. "Why?" the CEO asked.

Oliver shrugged. "Curious, I guess."

Kaiba stared at him incredulously. "I'll be twenty in a month or so."

"I'm," Yami hesitated, "nineteen."

"And I'm fourteen," Mokuba chimed in, waving with a cheeky grin.

Something cold and hard settled in Oliver's stomach. He knew Seto Kaiba was young and Mokuba was obviously so, but to hear their ages said no nonchalantly was disconcerting. He never would have guessed from the way these boys held themselves. They acted like aged warriors. Then it dawned on him what these young boys were and he suddenly felt sick. His Regent as well as the other Shadow users he had met, directly and indirectly, were all young and seasoned warriors, child warriors.

"Oh god," he muttered, falling back in his seat.

"My thoughts exactly," a new voice said.

Yami whirled around as Oliver bolted to his feet his hands twitching for his bow and arrows. He could hear Kaiba's bodyguards drawing their guns and aiming at the newcomer. The dark man met Oliver's gaze and shifted his stance.

"Walter," he said, recognizing the man. Well, at least Diggle and Felicity vouched for the man.