A/N: Here we are guys, last update!
In regards to the cards used in the last chapter, Cyber Jar (though Yami E mentioned that it might seem out of place for him to rely on a chance card in his own deck) is actually a card in his deck at some points throughout the series. The unlikelihood for him to rely on such a card (backed by the evidence that he does put it in his deck) is why I wanted to include it as a turnaround for him. That, and it's another close favorite of mine. :)
So, here we are with the ending of Shift!
Slowly, very slowly, Kaiba came back to awareness. Blinding yellow light faded and he could gradually make out the shape of the arena he had previously been standing in, across from Ishizu Ishtar. He looked down at the endgame cards in his hand, and the dead life point counter.
"So, I really was playing this game all along," Kaiba said mentally. The pharaoh didn't answer, and Kaiba began picking up his cards.
"Wait, so…" Jounouchi spoke from one side, "That out-of-it look on his face is gone. Does that mean he's back in the land of the living?" Kaiba's attention was pulled to where the voice had come from, surprised to find anyone there at all.
"It appears so," Ishizu announced. Both players were lowered from the arena.
"Seto!" Mokuba ran up to his brother and attacked him with a set of arms around his neck. Kaiba caught the boy with an 'oomph'.
"Mokuba? What on earth are you doing, here?"
"I was getting kind of worried about you…"
"How did you even get here?" He set the child gently back down on his feet.
"Took the jet. Yugi said you might be in danger."
"Hmph. I guess it turns out your lame little friends did have my brother in custody. You're lucky he seems to be safe." Kaiba spoke to the pharaoh, glancing off to the side he usually spotted the spirit. However, strangely, he wasn't present. "Pharaoh?" No answer. He looked to his other side. Still nothing.
"What was all this?" Mokuba interrupted.
"It's a long story, Mokuba. If I try to tell you, I might need a shrink by the end of it," he muttered. He had a strong, protective urge to tell the boy he should've stayed home, that he hadn't needed to be rescued by him, but thought better of it before he opened his mouth again, choosing instead to remain silent on the matter.
"You look a bit disoriented, Kaiba," Ishizu commented. "Why don't you open your briefcase and we can sort this out?" Ishizu gestured to where Kaiba had left the silver case and he followed her instructions, extracting the puzzle from its place. Kaiba noted the eager expression that crossed Yugi's face when he saw it. While he didn't appear to have any particular fondness for the item, he no longer looked at it as though it had come from a back alley dumpster while he held it in one hand.
"He's gone," Kaiba murmured, inaudible to most of the group.
"Gone?" Mokuba, just close enough to have heard the whisper, asked. "Who?" But he didn't answer. All he knew now was that the item he'd been in possession of for weeks now felt… spectacularly empty.
"I trust you have come to the understanding, Kaiba, that the millennium puzzle no longer responds to you." Kaiba did not confirm verbally, but the way his eyes met those of the Egyptian woman's told her he did understand. He handed the golden pyramid back to its rightful owner who accepted it, gratefully and with longing, and immediately placed the chain around his neck.
"The power of the pharaoh's puzzle has served its purpose for you, and now that your trial has ended, it is no longer available for your use. I don't know exactly what happened to you during your vision, but whatever it was that you went through seemed to have been exactly what you needed." This time Kaiba nodded.
"It was." He said quietly, to himself. "Ishizu. You seem to often have some sort of explanation - logical or not - for these sort of fairy tale affairs. So I might as well inquire…"
"I would be happy to clarify anything you wish to ask, so long as I have an answer to give."
"That… hallucination, or whatever it was - it seemed completely random. I don't see what brought it on. And if you try to call it magic-"
"I presume," she held up a hand top pacify him so she could give an answer, "it was the card I played, Sacrifice's Blast. Examine the nature of its effect. Not only is it capable of doing a significant amount of damage to a player's life points, but in the case of our duel, the card was used to infect a creature most precious to you, and destroy it from the inside while you stood helpless. The biggest reason for pain is that you had no idea what was rotting inside your own monster since the moment you summoned it. Think about that concept for a moment. Does it remind you of… anything else?"
Kaiba did think about it, and realized it did remind him of something… of someone.
"It sounds remarkably similar to my stepfather's strategy."
"Even your old man played Duel Monsters, Kaiba?" Jounouchi chimed in, astonishment creeping into his voice.
"Not quite. I was referring more broadly to his strategy in life. One of Gozaburo's greatest joys was to destroy anything his enemies deemed as valued. And he made it quite clear to me while I grew up in his household that he and I were enemies ourselves."
"You understand, then, where your vision came from. The idea was already in your mind once I activated that card, and the millennium puzzle made it tangible."
"Mhm," Kaiba said dismissively. He'd gotten some sort of conclusion, and though he didn't stand convicted of the existence of magic and souls like everyone around him seemed to be, he could see the connection between the card used against him and the behavior of the man he struggled to overcome. There had to be some psychological connection. It was enough for him.
Kaiba observed Yugi, who was now standing off to one side, with his eyes closed. A small bead of yellow light was glowing from the center of the eye on the face of the artifact.
"Pharaoh. You've finally returned!" The teenager exclaimed gleefully.
"Yes, Yugi. And I am glad to be back with you."
"Are you alright? We've all been so worried about you.
"I'm fine, my dear friend. You came to my aide just in time."
"But we didn't really do anything at all… it was all Ishizu."
"And who sent her to me, Yugi? And I believe Mokuba may have had a part in this as well. Furthermore, what might Kaiba have done with the puzzle if you hadn't come out here to receive it from him?"
"I-I guess I can see it that way," he stammered, unconvinced.
"But it doesn't matter. You and I are reunited, aibou."
"Yeah!"
The two stood in silence for a moment, each basking in the company of the other.
Bakura flashed his sinister eyes over the group as he watched from a distance, out of sight. A snarl escaped his lips while he watched the ancient item change hands, but his expression slowly morphed into a smirk and he threw his head back in laughter.
"This trial may be over, pharaoh, but I still hold the cards. I will have you yet." His smirk remained plastered to his face as he turned to leave.
"Yugi…" Kaiba started apprehensively, catching the teen's attention, not exactly sure what he wanted to say. But Yugi seemed to understand without him even having to ask. He smiled, and the small glowing light grew a little brighter, while Yugi's form grew a little taller. The man who now stood before Kaiba sighed contentedly and flashed him a grin. He turned to his friends before regarding Kaiba further.
"Jounouchi… everyone, could we have a moment? I'll meet back with you shortly." The group looked put out, but only Jou showed any protest.
"Only if you're sure he ain't gonna try any funny business."
The pharaoh chuckled lightheartedly. "I'm sure, Jou. I'll be fine."
"You got five minutes, rich boy, and we're comin' back to make sure you ain't pulling any tricks," Jounouchi promised, but turned to follow his friends. Kaiba didn't respond to him. He turned to the pharaoh instead.
"It would seem, in the end, all you needed to do was battle your demons. You fought well, Kaiba." Kaiba's face betrayed that he was struggling with which words to choose. Finally, he sighed and threw his hands up.
"This would actually be easier to convey if you were still in my head. I'm not exactly certain of the best way to word this." The pharaoh stood patiently, giving Kaiba time to pick his words. "I'm relieved I had your advice. It hardly even registered to me that I was holding that card. If I threw down that throwaway monster I already had a hand on just to try continuing with my own strategy…" Kaiba trailed off, assuming the other man knew where he was going.
"You played very well. You won that duel on your own." Kaiba caught his eye, but didn't respond.
"I'm… almost a little disappointed I won't have a chance to see the effect this game had."
"You mean your mind's room? You shouldn't need to anymore, my friend. You know what was there. You are now equipped with an understanding of what needs to be done to mold it into what you desire. You've already proven that you know Mokuba comes first to you. You put somebody else before yourself, a concept I don't believe your stepfather even knew of." Kaiba smirked dryly at the remark. "As long as you continue along the path you've set out for yourself, Kaiba, I believe you and Mokuba will be fine. You've completed two objectives with one swift motion. You've both dismissed your stepfather by disregarding the way he has tried to control you, and proven to yourself that your family is your priority. Now all that's left for you to do," the pharaoh looked back in the direction of their waiting companions, "is prove it to him."
Kaiba nodded. He decided then and there that he would walk the earth over to find a way to repair the cracks he had inflicted upon his little brother. He was determined to fix the damage he'd done. A smile threatening to tug it his lips, but he shook it away and faced the other directly. "I suppose, Pharaoh, I owe you a 'thank you'… and perhaps a bit of an apology as well. I may have acted like a bit of an ass." The Egyptian's eyebrows raised in slight shock at hearing the admission. But he knew he might not be likely to ever hear it again, so he didn't want to press the issue.
"Only this time?" He poked. It didn't mean he couldn't still play with the other.
"Pardon me, but I know quite well how regularly I act like an ass. Most often, I believe it's justified." The pharaoh smirked.
"If you say so." He would accept the CEO's hidden admission. He turned an appeased gaze back toward his friends, who were occupied chatting amongst themselves in the distance.
"Oh, and…" Kaiba caught the pharaoh's attention again, just in time to land a punch to his shoulder, emitting a cry of disgruntled pain as he rubbed the spot. "That's for taking over my body."
"Hey! I'm not the only one who uses this vessel, you know! Yugi's going to feel that too." The pharaoh lowered his hand from the injury.
"Then I suppose that's what he gets for losing to me. And…" Now that the man had left his shoulder unguarded again, Kaiba hit him a second time in the same spot, harder this time, clearly angering him. "That's for doing it again."
"Alright, Kaiba! I get it. Now enough - that hurts!" The Game King pulled his jacket off one shoulder to examine the now reddened area. "It's certain to bruise," he muttered with a frown.
"You should be thankful. I could have hit much harder." He turned to retrieve his briefcase. "By rights, I should have." The pharaoh considered that, remembering that the powerful CEO had threatened to do much worse. He decided to let it go.
After shutting off the stadium's power lever and grabbing his briefcase, Kaiba and the pharaoh regrouped with the rest of the party together.
"Hey, Kaiba." Jou called when they approached. "What are we gonna do about Bakura?"
"Is that menace still on the premises?" Kaiba grimaced, then called to attention the employee who drove the limo he came in on. "Kick up security on the property, and show no mercy to any unwelcome guests," he demanded with threatening authority. The man nodded and spoke the command into a radio that hung from his belt.
"I don't think we'll have to worry about him," Kaiba resolved, eying the pharaoh beside him. "He had nothing to offer me anyhow." The pharaoh closed his eyes, trying not to let his gritting teeth be heard by the others. In the end, he had to laugh it off. The ordeal had, after all, been concluded with far more grace than he had anticipated.
Mokuba determined he would not bring up his run-in with the man his brother had just called a menace. He had managed to handle his adversary on his own this time, and Seto ought not worry about it. "Seto, do you have to get back to work by now?" He asked. "I know it's early, but I'm sure you were already busy cracking heads together, right?" Kaiba lifted a hand to his coat pocket to dig out his phone and check the time, but stopped himself.
"No, Mokuba. You're right, it is still early. Let's get breakfast instead." Mokuba grinned at his brother as they climbed into the limo together. On the sidelines, Jounouchi was drooling.
"Dude… we've been on that plane for so long! And you know moneybags, we came all the way out here for you 'cause we thought you were in trouble, so uh… whadya say? Does that 'let's' include us too?" Kaiba had already closed the door to the limousine he and Izhizu had taken from the hotel, but he rolled down the tinted window.
"I don't care," he said dismissively. "But if it does, we're riding separately." The billionaire gestured to the other black limo that the rest of the group had arrived in, and everybody piled in. "And I'm not sitting with you," he said under his breath.
"You're not coming back with us, Mokuba?" Anzu questioned while the rest of the group stood alongside the KaibaCorp jet they'd flown in on.
"Nope. Nii-sama said I can stay until it's time for him to go back home too." The group, the pharaoh especially, stole questioning glances at Kaiba.
"I agreed to it," he explained aloud, though apparently directing his comment toward his younger sibling, "under the pretense that you've already packed your textbooks and assignments. You can continue your lessons as scheduled, long distance over video chat."
"Sure thing, Seto! And hey, maybe in my spare time I can find a few ways to help you out so you can catch up. You know, in case this set you back any time." The elder Kaiba nodded.
"Just so we're clear…" Kaiba stated in a voice loud enough to catch everyone's attention, although when they looked back at him, he was idly examining his fingernails. "This still doesn't make us 'friends'." He heard the expected exasperated groans from the majority of the Yugitachi, but glanced up at the pharaoh just in time to catch him rolling his eyes and grinning.
Mokuba was smiling at the group while he waved them farewell, but Kaiba focused soft eyes on his brother. As the last of the small group boarded the aircraft, Kaiba placed a hand on the top of Mokuba's head - not ruffling playfully as he might in one of his rare cheerful streaks - but simply reveling in the pleasant contact.
Ishizu, accompanied now by her adoptive brother Rishid, approached the brothers before boarding their ride back to Egypt. Kaiba's hand dropped to his brother's shoulder, content to show a little affection to the child for once.
"Ishizu." Kaiba nodded to the woman.
"I am pleased with this turn of events. I hope that someday you and the pharaoh will get along as well as you once-" Kaiba cut her off.
"If you're about to go into some spiel about ancient Egypt or whatever-"
It was her turn to cut him off. She smiled.
"I'll spare you. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to show you another side of the coin, Kaiba. I wish you an enjoyable and fruitful remainder to your business trip." She and Rishid bowed to the Kaiba brothers, and they were off. Kaiba had to assume she knew he'd have nothing direct to reply with anyhow.
Productive as his trip had been by the end, Kaiba was quick to fall asleep once he lay his head down in his own bed, at home in Domino City. As he drifted into deeper sleep, his mind began to dream. He opened his eyes to the interior of a room. It was a familiar setting, though it had changed since the last time he had seen it.
The room was emanating white-blue light. In the center was a low table, on which sat a picture frame. He approached it, expecting to see the same painting of his little brother he'd seen there many times before. The subject was the same, but Kaiba was confused. It was the same image in the same pose, same lighting, same background. But something was a little off. He had to closely examine the contents of this frame in detail, and suddenly it clicked. Instead of a painting of his little brother, it seemed to have been replaced with a photograph. The cracks were gone. He allowed himself a grin. Kaiba went on to examine the rest of his surroundings, expecting everything to be in order after that point.
But they weren't. It took but a moment to notice that the large crack across the walls and floor still remained. But upon approaching the deepest, widest part of the fissure, it became quite clear that, like the doorway that had become bricked over in the maze game he had once played with the pharaoh, this large crack had been somewhat filled with material not unlike the bricks used to create the pyramids themselves. Kaiba flicked a finger at the substance, testing it, and nodded in approval. The fractures were not gone, but their impact had been severely lessened. Where there was once a seeping open wound, now only a scar remained. His fingers instinctually brushed across the scars on his neck, under his collar. Someday, they too would fade.
Next to be addressed was the door to his left. He opened it once more, finding the same wall paintings and the same small table. Once again, there was a subtle difference. Kaiba didn't need to peek in the drawer to look for the miniature millennium puzzle replica - a life-sized model, with a leather cord, sat upon the tabletop. Kaiba picked the item up and held it for a while. He contemplated testing the head chair around the coffee table again, this time while holding the item to see what it might show him, but when he peeked out of the small room to seek out the seat, it wasn't there. He had nothing left to do but assume he'd missed that change upon entering. He replaced the puzzle and closed the white door behind him, and continued out into the hallway.
"Entwined by fate, hmm? Well, let's see just how far into my head you've crawled, pharaoh." Kaiba opened the door to the pharaoh's chamber, which he understood - were this true reality - shouldn't have existed any longer if the King of Games and his puzzle were gone.
He peered into the brightly lit chamber and was met with the smile of a familiar face.
"Hello, Kaiba." The brunet nodded toward him upon entering. "I propose we play a game. Could you be persuaded to join me in a duel?" Kaiba flashed his signature smirk, and his deck of cards appeared before him.
A/N: Well, there we have it! I do believe this would be my longest completed work to date. I thank you all, my loyal reviewers, anyone who's shown their support, encouraging me to finish this project, and everyone who took the time out of their life to read this from start to finish. You have my perpetual gratitude for helping to make this thing happen.
I know I missed the mark in a few places getting this story to be what it ought, but I hope I've gotten enough of it right to please my readers to some extent. I've had a great time writing and posting this, getting to know the community here better. It's been a trip, and I've certainly enjoyed the ride. I bid you farewell. Perhaps I'll see you next time.
Happy fanfictioning!
~ohmygodagiantrock