Seto adjusted his jacket as he surveyed out his office window. His coat looked like the famous white one he had worn at Battle City. This one, however, had a big difference, it's temperature control. His scientists had given him odd looks when he ordered this nearly thousand-dollar coat that could perfectly control his body temperature all those years ago. Yet, if they had learned anything working under him, it was not to question Seto Kaiba. It worked perfectly and kept that part of his curse at bay. All with only a small chip attached to his collar. As long as it was there it would work better than any AC or heater, and with the weather he saw outside, he would need it.

"Mr. Kaiba." Seto turned towards his office door. There stood his replacement Roland, Risa Kageyama. "Mr. Goodwin is here to speak to you."

'Again? Didn't that man have other things to do?'

"Let him in." Kaiba sat down at his desk and looked at his computer. He had many messages but only one stood out to him. It was from Bakura. Seto raised an eyebrow and clicked the message.

It was asking for more books from the vault, of course. That group didn't talk to him unless they wanted something. Seto was about to delete the message when he noticed that he wasn't asking for a whole book, just a page.

"Hello, Kaiba." Goodwin's voice took Seto's attention from the message.

"Greetings Goodwin. What can I do for you?" Kaiba greeted flatly.

"Cold day isn't it? It's only November and I'm already getting my winter wear out." Goodwin smiled as he took off his coat.

"I can get that for you, Mr. Goodwin," Mokuba said as he ran in. He quickly hung up his own coat and took Goodwin's. Mokuba then took off his glove and reached out for Goodwin's. He politely declined, keeping his gloves on. Seto noted that Goodwin, no matter the weather, never took his gloves off.

"Hello to you too younger Kaiba. How's your wife doing?" Goodwin asked.

"Oh, very well. We just got our first ultrasound back. The baby looks great and she couldn't be happier about it." Mokuba smiled. He then walked to his brother's side. Seto knew that Mokuba's smile was fake, he disliked Goodwin just as much as his older brother did. He was just better at hiding it.

"That's great! I won't keep you long then. I simply thought I should be the one to tell you the news. It's actually about my old work position."

Seto's hands balled into fists under the table. News from Goodwin was never good.

"Is it about the Ener-D reactor?" Mokuba asked.

"Yes, it is indeed about the reactor. Now I trust you two have it working perfectly and most importantly, safely. I think it's great that you were able to move past the disaster the first one caused and try again. Most people would have given up but because of your determination our city now has safe lasting energy."

"Get to the point, Goodwin," Seto growled.

"Yes please, our reactor wasn't even the main problem. It was an earthquake and tsunami that caused our last reactor to explode." Mokuba added. Seto internally flinched but outwardly he didn't move.

"I see. What I am trying to say is, while I completely trust KaibaCorp with it, the New Domino government does not. They want the whole energy facility turned over to the city, including the R.R.D department. They decided it in a council meeting this morning." Seto stood straight up as Mokuba gasped.

"The Ener-D tower is our private property! Why weren't we told about this meeting?!" Mokuba argued.

"I do not know. Maybe it's something you can sue them over later. Either way, the council all came together with a famous senator that had been working on the project for a while. They believe it is best for the public's safety that a reactor with a history for mass destruction to not be run by a gaming and virtual reality company."

"They can't do that! It's like saying we can't self-manufacture the batteries for our duel disks. Seto, you have to stop them!" Mokuba shouted. Seto was about to object when Goodwin cut in.

"Duel disk batteries don't destroy thousands of lives when they get hit with bad weather."

Seto fell back into his chair. His body's dull static made it hard to think. He had no argument. Anything he tried to fight this with would be countered with thousands of graves.

It's your fault. You can't fix this.

"I'll start to talk to my scientists down there." Kaiba sighed while he rubbed his forehead. Mokuba took a step back from Seto while shaking his head.

"Good, we'll be working with you too to try and make this as seamless as we can," Goodwin said as he stretched out his hand and shook both theirs. He walked through the door where his clown-like lackey was waiting for him. Seto waited for the door to close before he turned back to Bakura's message.

"What a creep. Why in the world did you make Atem's mother his half-sister?" Mokuba asked as he too looked over the email with Seto.

"She fit the role we needed and I already knew her living family. It was better to connect him with people I knew then take a chance on a stranger." Seto explained, but he knew there was more to it than that.

"So, he needs only a page from that book? Haven't we already told him no on this? Why does he keep asking? Even Atem's stopped asking at this point." Mokuba moaned. Seto remained silent. "You're not actually going to do it, are you? I mean, I dislike Goodwin too and would love to ruin one of his 'books,' but those books were given to us by their actual owners. It would be a breach of our contract to give it to him. And right now, a breach of contract is the last thing we need if we are going to fight this Ener-D takeover. You were just giving lip service to Goodwin, right? You're not actually going to give up the reactor?"

"I'm going out Mokuba, you're in charge," Seto said as he stood up and walked to the door.

"Ok, but where are you going?"

"Do not tell anyone that I am out-?" As Seto opened the door he found Goodwin and his lackey right outside it.

"What are you guys still doing here?" Mokuba asked as he squeezed past Seto so he could stand in front of the two and block their escape. The only thing Seto liked about Mokuba's growth spurt was that he could threaten almost anyone with his sheer height alone.

"I got an important call as soon as I came out of your office and answered it here. We will get out of your way now that I've finished it." Goodwin said. Seto didn't know if they were close enough to the door to hear what he and Mokuba were talking about. He had to hope they weren't.

"Of course, you first." Mokuba moved aside so the two could walk. The next movements Seto did not see clearly. It looked like the rug around clown's feet has bunched up or maybe Mokuba had purposefully stuck his foot out. Either way, the lackey stumbled forward. In his surprise, he grabbed Seto's collar and pulled him forward too. Seto's weak body was not ready for the sudden motion and he fell to the ground.

"Are you ok?" Goodwin asked. He put out a hand for Seto but the CEO refused to use it.

"Fine, just get out of here," Kaiba growled. The clown apologized and the two walked away, Kaiba made sure this time that they were gone before he continued to the elevator.

Seto left Mokuba in his office and went to the building's underground safes. He put in the combination and opened a small steel door to find stacks and stacks of books. He looked through them until he found the one called "Magic of Ancient South American Civilizations." It was a history book disguised as an occult book so kids would read it. Yet, Bakura wanted it and more importantly, Goodwin didn't want him to have it. Seto flipped through until he found the page: How to Contact the Afterlife.

He was crazy for doing this. He and his company would be in big trouble if someone found out. KaibaCorp had promised the owners of these materials to keep them safe in their vaults where no one but the owners could touch them. It had part of KaibaCorp's community service after the Zero Reverse to give away free vault security to the public. Seto didn't care. It really wasn't his company anymore, was it? If they could take away his reactor then what else could they take from him? Seto ripped out the page and closed the vault. He tucked the page into his coat pocket and got back into the elevator.

As Seto waited he felt the page in his pocket. The public's trust… The public really didn't know how much KaibaCorp was at fault for the Zero Reverse. They only knew a natural disaster caused the city's destruction. Those in higher power did know that the reactor caused most the damage (thus the community service work) but they still thought it wasn't KaibaCorp's fault and instead an earthquake's. Which is why there wasn't much of a fight to rebuild the reactor. That is also why no one blamed Seto, not even Mokuba knew the truth.

Before the first Ener-D exploded its lead scientist, Dr. Fudo had tried to stop to project, calling it too dangerous. Kaiba had replaced him with someone more willing. Now Fudo was dead, he had a family. They all had families.

It's your fault.

Seto's elevator arrived at the floor for the garage.

"Get my limo. I have to leave now!" Seto ordered.

"I'm sorry sir. There's been a crash at the garage entrance. No one was hurt but the whole place is blocked." A sniveling worker said.

Seto cursed under his breath and traveled to the ground floor of the building. What had been a light dusting earlier now was a true snowstorm. He was trying to be discreet so he couldn't use his helicopter or his jet. No cab would work in weather like this either. Seto felt his coat. It could keep his temperature constant in anything, he had tested it himself. He buttoned his coat and headed out. What he didn't realize was that the chip to make the coat work was currently in the hands of a human Crass Clown.


Yugi parked his car. It had become a true snowstorm but he didn't care. He looked out over the now grey park. Gandora's crash here during her tour of the city still hadn't quite been fixed. Only one tree stood where there used to be a dozen.

"You really are the dragon of destruction sometimes." Yugi sighed as Gandora landed beside him. "Let's find Joey."

Gandora let out a huff as her response. Yugi ran through the park hoping that there was some sign of his friend. He was almost tempted to hop on Gandora for a better look around, but if there was anyone else here, they would have a lot of questions concerning a levitating King of Games.

Gandora let out a roar, stopping Yugi in his tracks. She was laying on top of a gazebo Yugi swore he already checked. Nonetheless, inside was a blonde-haired man sitting on a bench.

"Joey!" Yugi yelled as he ran to the structure. As he got inside the gazebo Joey looked up from the floor and gave a weak smile to Yugi, avoiding looking at his black eye.

"I can't believe you actually came out here Yuge. Have you've seen the weather?" Joey chuckled. Yugi slowed his pace as he got closer to Joey, almost expecting him to bolt. Joey remained sitting, so Yugi took the seat next to him.

"While this weather is strange what I find strangest is you, Joey. What happened?" Yugi asked. Joey turned his gaze back to the floor. He was twisting a promise ring on his finger. While he and Mai had never gotten officially married, they had been together like they were. That ring had been the representation of their promise to each other.

"I-I'm so sorry for last night Yugi. I just don't know what came over me." Joey said. "You know I'd never mean to hurt you, it was just… You started talkin' about the afterlife so casually and how you met everyone and didn't tell me…" Joey went silent. "…I was just so alone dose ten months… Serenity…Mai…Tristan…

"I'm pathetic Yugi. I couldn't even get the courage up to face everyone dis morning. Seeing Atem's eyes in the kitchen made it real. Dat's why I sent the video only to you. I knew Rebecca could track it and you would want to be the only one to meet me... Dis sounds crazier with every followin' sentence. What's wrong with me?"

Yugi looked around for an idea of what to say. The only thing he could do was look helplessly at Gandora who was sticking her head in from the roof.

She shrugged, her species thought emotions other than rage and hunger were a sign of weakness. She was different and accepted those emotions, (The whole reason she chose Yugi as her master) but that didn't mean she was any better at understanding what to do about them.

"He's one of your beloveds, right? Make sure he knows he's beloved?" Gandora mentally guessed. Yugi took in a deep breath, maybe that is what he had to do.

"Joey… I think it's time I apologize." Yugi eventually said. This made Joey jerk his head towards Yugi.

"For what?! You're the one with a black eye!" Joey said. This made Yugi chuckle.

"You are one of my closest friends, in fact, you're my second oldest friend behind Téa. I know you always have my back. Lately, though, I haven't been returning the favor.

"I don't know what came over you either, in fact, I haven't had a clue on what's wrong with you since I was gone. You still smile and say you're ok, but I know it's acting. I decided to leave you alone about it, thinking I already had too much to worry about. Now I see I was being too passive. I knew you were unhappy and did nothing about it. I apologize for that." Joey's eyes were wide and his jaw slightly slack as he looked to Yugi.

"Are ya serious?" Joey asked.

"Very, I am not letting you do this alone anymore. Whatever is bothering you, I am going to be there. We all are in fact. We've all been reeling from the Zero Reverse and that has let a lot of things fall to the wayside. But now we are together. We are not letting you do this alone anymore." Yugi said with a kind smile. Even with Yugi's gentleness, there was still that ever-present determination of his. Joey couldn't help but feel at peace knowing that his best friend meant what he said. This was enough to get a true smile out of him.

"Thank you, Yugi."

"Now kiissssss." Gandora mental said.

"No! Joey is not a beloved I kiss!" Yugi quickly shot back.

"What now?" Joey laughed. He could guess who Yugi was talking to but it didn't make him yelling at the ceiling after another friendship speech any less funny.

"It's just Gandora. The Gandora species only know mating partners, hatchlings, and enemies. She's… slowly getting this idea friendship down." Yugi sighed. A strong wind then blew in causing both Joey and Yugi to shiver.

"Let's get somewhere warm Yuge. I still don't know why I brought you all the way out here. It just felt right at the time." Joey said as he got up.

"Hey as I said, I'll have your back no matter where you are. Even if it's in the middle of a whiteout." The wind blew by again. "But I would prefer it if we were somewhere warm. Let's continue this conversation elsewhere. Do you mind coming back to my house? Everyone is there and will be worried about you." Yugi asked. Joey didn't answer immediately. Yugi was about to suggest maybe going to Joey's house when he heard a dragon's roar. Gandora heard it too and she immediately perked up.

"That sounds like a Blue-Eyes!" She gasped.

"Aren't there only two Blue-Eye spirits that can still come to this dimension?" Yugi asked.

"Correct, that means it's your beloved-enemy's dragon. That roar sounds like a call for help." Gandora said as she looked towards the city.

"What's going on Yuge?" Joey asked eyeing around for danger.

"One of Seto's Blue-Eyes called for help. By the fact you couldn't hear the roar means he hasn't been summoned in a duel. We have to see what's wrong." Yugi said as he raced to his car. Joey got into the passager seat and Yugi started the car. They followed Gandora the best they could through the city streets. She would roar every once in a while, and the Blue-Eyes would respond. Using that the group found themselves in a back alley by the docks that hadn't quite been fixed from the Zero Reverse. The car couldn't drive farther so the two jumped out and followed Gandora.

"The car looks like it's stuck. Do you have any idea where you are goin' Yuge?"

"No, but Gandora knows."

"Great, followin' invisible creatures in the middle of the weirdest snowstorm of the century. Just a normal day with Yugi Muto." Joey joked.

Once they were in a warmer place Yugi would have a much longer talk with Joey but now they had to focus. Seto's Blue-Eyes White Dragons were just as proud as their master. There used to be a third female Blue-Eyes that would reign in the other two males but she disappeared when Atem went back to the afterlife. The remaining two became much haughtier with her spirit gone. Meaning if they were calling for help, it was bad.


It's your fault

Seto felt to coldness slowly creep in. Unlike before his curse, temperature change for him started at the core. It felt like his very heart was becoming ice as the chill crept to his extremities. It was too late. He was already closer to the Mutos then his company. He was surrounded by warehouses with not a soul in sight. Seto reached into his pocket. Of course, he forgot his cell phone back on his desk.

It's your fault. You deserve this.

Seto shook his head and kept one foot moving in front of the other. He was good at focusing on one objective and letting everything else fall to the wayside. He was going to get this page to them if it killed him. Everything around him was quickly becoming indistinguishable from the storm. Seto knew it was bad when he started to see bright blue in the white. What looked like two Blue-Eyes White Dragons floated above him. They seemed almost… worried.

You're falling again, Seto. You're falling back into insanity. When will you start kidnapping again for a simple card? You've already killed almost everyone in Domino city and got away with it scot-free.

Maybe Atem will have to fight you again.

Maybe this time he'll kill you

You deserve it.

Seto hurt leg could no longer hold his weight and he fell into the snow. He did not try to get up. The dragons landed beside him and looked like they were trying to lift him. Their claws went right through him.

It's your fault. It's your fault. It's your fault. It's your fault. It's your fault. It's your fault. It's your fault. It's your fault. It's your fault. It's your fault. It's your fault.

"Seto!" Kaiba slowly lifted his head and squinted through the storm. Two figures ran towards him.

"Seto! What are you doing out here?!" Yugi gasped as he bent down to Seto.

"He doesn't look good. We have to get him somewhere warm now!" Joey then reached down and pulled Seto's arm around his shoulder. Yugi did the same and they slowly lifted him up. Seto didn't fight them. Instead, he kept his eyes on the two Blue-Eyes. They stayed as close to him as they could. They never left.

"Please stay with us master. You are stronger than this storm." Seto thought he heard in his head. He really was going crazy.

It's your fau- "Stay with us, Master."


Yugi and Joey soon found an open warehouse and just about threw themselves inside it. It wasn't exactly warm but it was better than being in a full out blizzard and it was closer than the car.

"The owners won't mind if we borrow dis place, right?" Joey said as he re-closed the door.

"I don't think anyone's been in here for a while," Yugi said as he looked around the abandoned space. The two then moved Kaiba to a corner and placed both their coats around him. He was violently shivering and not responding to anything they tried.

"Any idea where we are right now?" Joey asked as he looked through nailed wood boards on the window into the complete whiteness.

"No, I really don't. Gandora! Find us a street sign or something so we can tell the paramedic where we are." Yugi ordered through the window. Gandora nodded and flew out into the storm. It didn't affect her other than her ability to see. She almost wanted one of the Blue-Eyes to come with her but they were too focused on Seto. They had managed to fit into the warehouse and curled around the CEO. If only Seto could see them, then maybe they could have shared body temperature.

"What were ya doin' out dere Kaiba?!" Joey eventually yelled. He had been pacing trying to reach emergency services and finally got too frustrated with his old cell phone.

"Did you crash? I've never seen you travel the city in anything less than a limo." Yugi tried. He was kneeling next to Seto. He wanted to get closer to him but every time he tried the Blue-Eyes would snap at him.

Seto eyes briefly glanced at Yugi. Slowly, with shaky hands, Seto pulled something out of his pocket. He didn't have the strength to hand it to Yugi. One Blue-Eyes grabbed the paper with the tip of his tail and pushed it into Yugi's hand.

"Did the wind blow that or...?" Joey asked after seeing a flying paper come out of Kaiba's pocket.

"It's the page we need." Yugi breathed as he unfolded it. Joey ran over and looked over Yugi's shoulder.

"Kaiba you idiot! You came all the way out here for this?! You could have just sent a text!" Joey snapped. A small smile spread across Seto's face but it quickly disappeared in his shivering.

"S-s."

"What is it? Seto!?" Yugi asked. Seto pulled farther into his pile of coats.

"Ok, dis is not the time to panic. We'll keep Kaiba warm in here until Gandora gets back with a street sign. Den we'll try the phone again. She's still out, right? What I would give to actually see dese things." Joey said as he walked over to Seto. The Blue-Eyes tried to snap at him but they passed harmlessly through him. He sat next to Kaiba and pulled him close. Yugi remained still. A combination of the angry dragons and seeing Joey hug Seto stopped him.

"Get over here Yugi. We have to keep him warm." Joey said, trying to hide his own uncomfortableness. "No need to panic."

"I-I'm sorry," Seto mumbled. This froze both men in place. "I'm so-so sorry Joey. I'm the re-reason you don't have a family anymore. I-I am the reason f-for everything. It's all my fault."

"…"

"Did… Did Seto just honestly apologize to me? No sarcasm or backhanded remarks?"

"…He called you Joey instead of Wheeler…"

"…"

Everyone proceeded to panic.