Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh.

The Butterfly Effect

Chapter CV

… Three weeks. Three. Weeks.

I didn't know whether to thank Yami for his consideration or Yuugi for the fact that he made it look like such a simple decision. I wasn't sure whether to lean against my brother with a smile at the fact that we were being given more than enough time to recover instead of being rushed into the next big thing because of the maniac running around or make my way to a smiling and nodding Mokuba who walked away with his own brother the moment it was announced. But whatever my immediate decision was, I knew that it had to include something that, I knew, I was due for way too long.

Take a bath. Take a shower that was more than a few minutes, and then settle into a warm bath to ease the muscles and be able to think without having to worry about answering any questions that would need to be answered.

Which, let's be honest, I took as soon as I get home, unable to be bothered with anything more.

Our welcome home was less than lukewarm. I expected dad to fly off the handle the moment I got my bearings and big brother was no longer able to stand between us just from the glare I received. I fully expected mom to try and find out how I'd been and if I was okay before gently pushing towards better behavior as she handed me the towels. And if there was any surprise as my older sister called and big brother got into an argument with her over me, I lacked the appropriate cues as I drowned out the sounds with the shower, letting the water run and clean whatever was left of the dust, sweat, and dried blood.

Before flinching as I got into the bath, the hot water doing nothing to help the nicks and bruises, and letting my head hit the edge once I was in as the insanity of the past two days washed over me.

… Yep, insanity was definitely the right word.

Jason Norwood felt like a faint memory, although I was sure he would remember me all too well with the way our meeting had ended. Lilith was a stain, a nightmare that stuck out way too much in the midst of everything that had happened, if only because of the way our match had gone and the way it had ended. And Mai… Mai felt more like an obstacle, a test to confirm that I was ready to face my fate, no matter what it involved.

… Malik had been the end goal. Didn't matter how I looked at it, he'd always, always been the end goal. And the Thief being there… not that surprising, really. He would want to see what the group was up to and assess where the Pharaoh was at in his discoveries. He would want to associate with someone who wanted us dead if just for the sheer entertainment it would bring. Hell, the only miscalculation he'd made was Bakura getting a chance to speak up when Osiris got offended and snuffed the Thief out temporarily, and that was something even we couldn't foresee.

… If that didn't speak to Yami's power, though, nothing would.

A card, god or not, powerful or not, should not have been capable to even touch the Thief. Something that was part of a game, certainly one that wasn't a game of darkness, should not have had the capacity to touch anything of our reality. And yet…

Yet Yami had managed to pull it off. Not once, but twice. Osiris had pushed the Thief away… and the Dark Magician had manifested well beyond the card's capabilities. He'd shown emotion, undying devotion to his owner, and while I wasn't quite aware of the events that had led to it, with the information that I'd gotten from the Ishtars…

The possibility that Mahaado's name had been sufficient to summon his soul from the depths it had been buried in was something I couldn't get out of my mind.

Yami had known about Mahaado before the start of the tournament. He'd known that I loosely found myself to be similar to the Priest, if only in our dedication when it came to our ideals. So all the Dark Magician would have to do is something similar to a sacrifice for Yami to recognize him as Mahaado, which, again, according to the Ishtars, would have been the equivalent of handing him a piece of his soul back. And if the personality and the energy matched and resonated… then there was every chance Mahaado had managed to manifest, at least as a spirit, if nothing else, through the Pharaoh's semi-recollection or recognition. He would return and devote himself again to his king, no matter what form he was in.

A truly amazing feat… and a terrifying one.

Because, if I was right, then what did that say about the Agents? What did that say about what they were trying to attempt and how I was involved in all of it? Were they also souls in between worlds? Was that why they'd wanted a champion? … Or was I wrong on that too?

… Leaving myself with nothing but the past and the equivalent of cryptic messages had not been a good plan. Even if there was no way I could have foreseen the fact that I would be in this situation months back, it had been a terrible plan not to write down the possibilities and everything I'd known.

… Then again…

… Ugh.

I honestly couldn't be sure if my placement had been on purpose or an accident. I couldn't even start saying if Ouranos had wanted me to know where and when I was, or it was all a happy accident. From the information I'd been left with, it sure seemed like he'd wanted to make me aware of it, if only because it would make finding out my resolve easier, but then…

… No. Nope. Not continuing that train of thought. I was happy where I was.

… However…

Drag me close enough to the action, but give me a way out. Put me in a position where my heart would want to act, but far enough away so I didn't feel forced. Anything so it looked like I was making the decision myself or took it myself despite knowing that I had a way to back out until I was fully invested.

Gaia had chosen the heart, and Ouranos had put it into action. Did that mean that their attempt was a success? And, if so, why would Jupiter be upset? I was on my way to the sun, so why look like I was a disappointment when Ouranos told me to follow the same steps that had led me to them? To him?

"Megumi? You okay in there?"

One thing was certain, though.

"I'm alive! Needed a minute."

"Figured. Mom's getting dinner ready."

"Coming!"

I needed to put this all down, even the cryptic stuff. Because the more I looked at the situation, the more I realized that I'd tried to hide something, that it was costing me, … and that there were some things I would need help on myself.

… I could only hope that Mokuba's word held.

The Sky Sage: ...I didn't realize that the previous chapter was the one that marked the end of Battle City. I didn't even think that I was getting to this point this fast. For those who have been following the story since its first appearance, I would like to thank you for sticking through the tough times and the massive silences that this story has been dealing with. Also, for all those who have gotten to this point in the story and hope it doesn't disappoint, I hope so too. This story has gone in such a different direction than the original writing of this, I can't stick to what I'd imagined in the beginning while, at the same time, being a massive improvement.

I'm going to be honest. This story has evolved past my own scope for it, has been both a nightmare and dream to write, and will stick with me through its success and its lessons. I might be far from done, but I know that, for the ones who need something like this in their lives, there might be a little relief here.

I hope you guys enjoy the last descent into hell, and I'll see you all on the other side.