"Okay so apparently I'm going to have plenty of time to myself today. You'd better explain to me what the hell is going on and who that guy who looks like my cousin was, Ghost of Egypt's Past," Reika bitterly thought as Kemo entered her tower with a tray of food the next afternoon. It was an obvious sign that she was not going to be getting the "five start treatment" she'd gotten the day before.

"Very well," Azila replied softly. Reika couldn't see her, and God it felt strange that she was talking to a ghost that lived inside her bracelet, but seeing as she had a friend that was a human who became rubber and a talking reindeer, she supposed she didn't have any room to talk. "You could call me a guardian angel of the Pharaoh."

"Pharaoh? What pharaoh?" she asked, taking a bite of the rice she'd been given. It felt odd, yet relaxing, to be able to have a conversation while eating and not looking like a slob by talking with food in her mouth.

Azila was silent for a few moments, before her voice, quiet and unsure, returned. "I don't know his name."

"What do you mean you don't know his name?"

"It got erased from history. He sealed himself in the puzzle. When your cousin finished it, I was sent down to make sure he gets back to the afterlife. It bound me to the bracelet."

"How do we help him?" She wondered if Yugi even knew about all of this.

"I'm afraid I don't know that. It's something he has to figure out for himself."

"You Egyptians make the afterlife very complicated, you know that?"

"It worked for us," Azila's affronted voice said as Reika leaned against the window and looked out into the fresh air, feeling the light breeze blow against her pale skin. It wouldn't take much to climb down the wall and escape but… with Pegasus' threat hanging over her head, it wouldn't be worth it. "You're scared."

"Terrified. I haven't felt this helpless since my parents disappeared, and I've seen my friends be nearly murdered more times than I'd like to in the past year," she replied, closing her eyes and pressing her hands together and resting her chin against the in a sort of prayer. "I just hope Yugi knows I'm rooting for him."

The air rippled, and Reika liked to think it was Azila sitting down next to her, like a friend would. "I am certain your cousin knows. Perhaps, if your bond is strong enough, he senses the danger you're in too."

She sighed. "I'm not sure if we have a strong enough bond, Azila. It's been such a long time since we've been together that I don't know how the bond between us is."

"I may not have known you long, Reika, but I believe in the power of a bond. Even though you were gone, you still had a special connection, right?"

"I hope so…" Reika thought as the door opened and Croquet stepped into the room. "What's the deal with being locked up today, Croquet? Have I not been a model guest?"

"They were Master Pegasus' orders. And now I have new ones to escort you to the dining room," Croquet said sharply.

Joy.

She followed Croquet back to the dining room and took a seat. Her lips were pressed together, eyes slightly narrowed as she took in the creator of duel monsters sitting straight and tall in an obvious attempt to look intimidating to the eighteen-year-old.

"I hope you slept well last night, Reika-girl," the man said smoothly.

"I slept as well as anyone who's been held captive," came her sharp reply. She didn't have a mirror in her tower, but she knew she looked like shit. Hell, she could practically feel the bags that were under her eyes. Her hair was as tamed as it was going to get without a proper brush, having gotten strewn about in her fitful bid for sleep. "What do you want now?"

He clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "You and your temper. It's no wonder you and Kaiba-boy are dating. You're exactly alike! I merely thought you'd like to watch a duel between two of the men you love most."

Violet eyes flickered up to the screen and widened in horror and dread when she saw her cousin and boyfriend standing at opposite sides of the roof.

"Why is Seto here?" she snapped. Yugi, she understood, but she hadn't figured out Pegasus' game with Seto yet. With everything that had gone on the day before, she suspected Pegasus wanted something to do with Kaiba Corporation, but dueling her cousin on top of a castle had nothing to do with that. There was more going on.

"A business deal. He gets to play the hero instead of the villain, isn't that wonderful?"

"Let me guess, if he's the hero, that makes you the villain?" she asked dryly.

He laughed instead. "Yes, I suppose that would make me the villain in this little game."

Wait a second. Seto wouldn't be so easily manipulated like this. He would never go willingly into a blackmailer's territory. Unless…

"You kidnapped Mokuba, didn't you? Why are you treating us like we're just a bunch of pawns?" she asked, slamming a hand on her table.

"Oh now Reika, you are a bunch of pawns!" he laughed, turning his attention to the screen with a smile.

She noted that he didn't even answer the question about Mokuba, which said enough.

Her hands curled into fists as she watched Seto and Yugi dueling, wondering if either of them knew she was there. Who did she cheer for in this? If Yugi won, Seto would lose whatever business deal it was that was going down with Pegasus. If Seto won… she didn't know what would happen. So she sat in silence, not able to tear her eyes from it. Both of them had everything to lose.

A sense of dread filled her when she saw Seto begin to move backwards toward the edge of the castle. "What are you doing, Seto?"

"Go ahead and attack, Yugi. But be careful. If you do… the force might knock me off this castle and to my death."

"Seto!" she thought as if he could hear her, but with his move, she knew it was over. There was no way her cousin would allow it to happen.

Although… her cousin wasn't in charge of the duel, was he? Or was he? This Ancient Egypt thing was giving her a headache.

Watching as her cousin was finally – finally – back to his normal appearance on the screen and his life points drop to nothing, Reika gripped the golden bracelet on her wrist as if it were a life line, violet eyes closing tight in thought.

She supposed she should be angry at Seto for going so far with his threat, but she couldn't, because like Yugi, he was a desperate boy fighting for someone he loved.

"Well," Pegasus said, setting the book he'd been looking at down with a small smile. "I think it's about time you're reunited with your boyfriend, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Did you think I wouldn't give you the chance to say hello?" Pegasus asked with a contained chuckle. "He could use some extra encouragement before he duels me, after all."

There was something about his face as he spoke those words that made her stomach twist in an uncomfortable knot, but of course she wouldn't turn down the opportunity to see Seto, so she wordlessly stood and followed him out of the room.

"Kaiba-boy! What a match! I knew that what happened between you and Yugi-boy had just been a fluke!" Pegasus said with a dramatic gesture and grin.

"Let's finish this already Pegasus," Seto said, not noticing Reika standing nearby.

"Oh come now, Mr. Kaiba, I need some time before the match starts! There are things that I need to finish setting up in the arena, and then we do have to wait for Yugi-boy and the others. Our match will be an exhibition match before the finals!"

Unsurprisingly, Seto didn't seem as enthused at the prospect of waiting, his blue eyes narrowing at the creator of duel monsters.

"Now, I won't waste any more of your time. Toodles!" Pegasus said, stepping out of Reika's way and turning down another hallway.

"Reika? What the hell are you doing here?"

She didn't waste a second, going over to him and wrapping her arms tight around him as his stunned arms dropped his briefcase and moved more slowly around her waist. "I'm his hostage. I've been here since the night I called you. If I try to escape or do anything against him… Seto, he knows about us and he'll use it if I don't follow along with his game… and I'm afraid he'll do something to my grandfather too," her voice was hushed against his ear as their embrace continued.

"He has Mokuba," came his hushed reply. "That's why I'm here. And if I win I'll demand your release too."

"God. I knew he'd done something to him. Don't worry about me. Just make sure you get Mokuba out of here," she whispered, pulling back slightly and smiling.

Looking at him now, she could see the battle-weary, frightened eighteen year old instead of the frigid CEO as his azure eyes bore into her violet ones. "I – I don't want to lose you like I've lost Mokuba."

"You won't. And Mokuba is not going to be lost forever. You'll get him back. I know it," she told him. "And then once this nightmare is over we'll be able to have some time to ourselves." After all, she didn't know how long she had left here before she went back to work.

He looked down at her and nodded. "It's going to be a nightmare trying to get the company's reputation back on track," he sighed. "But I promise to make time for you."

She smiled softly. That wasn't a promise he made often. "I know," she breathed.

Seto stared down at her and pulled her close again, pressing his lips against hers in a searing, desperate kiss. The kiss of two people who were afraid for their lives, both knowing that there was a chance that they might not see each other again.

It was Reika who pulled away first. "I believe in you," she whispered against his lips.

"How sweet. Young love is such a beautiful thing, isn't it?" came Pegasus' voice from behind them. "Shall we then, Kaiba-boy? Croquet, lead Miss Mutou to the arena so she can watch with her cousin."

When she and Croquet were alone, she froze when she felt a gun press into her back. She wished she could say it was the first time she'd felt this sensation, but it wasn't, but it was not something she was going to be used to.

"You are to tell your cousin that you are a guest of Master Pegasus'. Do you understand?" the man hissed.

"Certainly. I wouldn't want to ruin Pegasus' pristine reputation," she said, rolling her eyes slightly.

The gun clicked menacingly against her back. "I wouldn't play games if I were you."

She forced herself not to scoff. The irony that a card game tournament was causing her to be blackmailed and kidnapped was not lost on her.

The stopped in front of a door, and Croquet put the gun back in its holster. "Your friends are in there."

"Reika!" Yugi said when she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Yugi," she said with a small smile as she hugged her cousin. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you before you left. Pegasus invited me to watch the tournament with him." She forced herself to keep a calm façade, but her stomach was twisting with discomfort at the thought of Seto dueling Pegasus.

"The exhibition match between Maximillion Pegasus and Seto Kaiba will now commence," Croquet's gravelly voice cut through.

"Very well Kaiba-boy, we'll do things your way… but I think I want someone else to hold this disk for me, if that's okay…" Pegasus said, waving his hand as Mokuba Kaiba was brought in, held with chains. "It'll be just like you dueling your little brother!"

"That's sick…" she whispered, watching as Yugi nodded grimly, his friends looking just as disturbed as she felt.

She saw the look on Seto's face, and it was obvious that he was close to jumping over the chasm and strangling Pegasus.

"You're a coward, Pegasus. But fine. We'll do it your way," Seto growled, watching as a duel arena dropped from the ceiling and each competitor stepped into position.

But just as she feared, Pegasus knew exactly what to do in order to rattle Seto and tear down any strategy he had planned.

"That's right, Kaiba-boy. You've lost. And now your mind belongs to me!" Pegasus laughed as Seto's life points dropped to zero, Millennium Eye glowing.

Seto chanced a quick glance up at her, the light in his blue eyes fading as his soul was captured by the eye.

For a long moment, everything went still. Reika couldn't hear anything except the roaring of her pulse pounding in her ears, beginning to race as her nails dug into the railing, teeth clenching together, anger threatening to boil over. All it would take was one good jump and she could reach Pegasus and then she could –

She felt herself come back to her unfortunate reality when Yugi rested his hand against hers, and she jumped as she looked over at him, thoughts broken, ears once again accepting the sounds surrounding them, her heart rate slowly beginning to come back down.

"I don't like what Kaiba did to me earlier…" Yugi said softly, "but I know he was your friend, and I'm sorry."

"Thank you Yugi…" she whispered, watching as that gold enveloped him again, and the other Yugi – the Pharaoh – stood before her.

"I'll get them back. All of them. Pegasus will pay for what he's done."

She nodded slowly. "I know. And I forgive you for nearly attacking him when he was on the edge of the castle."

He seemed surprised by her declaration as they were led into the now-familiar dining hall for dinner, and afterwards, instead of being trapped in her tower, she was led to a normal room, there was no guard posted outside, and she wasn't locked in.

"Azila… do you happen to know if there's a rule about wearing more than one item at a time?" she thought, looking into the small mirror that was hanging in the room, Azila visible over her shoulder.

"I don't think so. Why?"

She looked down at her bracelet and smirked. "Because if Yugi wears the bracelet… it'll block Pegasus' eye and he can have a normal duel with him!"

"Reika, that's brilliant, but what about that tattoo you're hiding under it?"

"Honestly that's the farthest thing from my worries. As long as Pegasus can't read his mind that's all I care about."

"I understand."

A knock on the door broke their conversation, and she smiled when she pulled it open to reveal her cousin standing on the other side.

"I don't think I've ever been more happy to see you. I have an idea," she said as she pulled him into the room and shut the door behind him.

"Wait – what? Slow down," Yugi said, eyes wide as he took a seat on one of the spare chairs.

"Pegasus can't read my mind when I have my bracelet on," she told him. "So if you win tomorrow and you're the one that's facing him then he won't be able to read yours if you borrow it!"

Yugi shook his head. "I couldn't do that to you. What if I lose and he – "

She looked down at her hands and sighed softly. "He's already threatened that Yugi. You lose and he gets both of our items," she told him. "I wasn't going to tell you… but I know you're going to win tomorrow. You'll get Grandpa back."

"You think so?"

"I know it. You're a Mutou. We were born to fight. The way we fight just happen to be different," she said with a smile. "But if you don't want the bracelet, I trust you to fight your way."

"Thanks Reika… I guess I should get some sleep, huh?"

She nodded. "Yeah, you've got a big day tomorrow. Let me know if you and the man in the puzzle change your minds about the bracelet."

"How did you know about – "

"Yugi, I saw the duels you played here, and he talked to me after Seto lost his duel. It wasn't that hard to figure out."

"What did he say to you?" Yugi asked, looking a little concerned.

She frowned slightly. "He promised you'd get everyone back that Pegasus cursed. Why the look of fear, Yugi?"

"He almost killed Kaiba with no hesitation. What if he's not a good person? It scared me, Reika."

She ignored Azila's sharp inhale as she took Yugi's hands in her own. "Look… I don't know what's going on when it comes to all of these Millennium Items, Yugi, but what I do know is that you and I got them for a reason. You are going to be an influence on him. After all, you're sharing a body. Talk to him. Make sure he understands you and you need to understand him."

"But no matter how loudly I yell, he never seems to hear me. I only was able to stop the duel by force," Yugi said, biting his lip worriedly.

Reika frowned. "Have you tried a mirror? That's how I can see the woman that's in my bracelet."

"I'm not in the bracelet. I'm tethered to it when I come to this realm!" Azila protested.

Yugi blinked in surprise at the revelation. "I – no, I've never tried that but I think I will."

"Just remember you've got people behind you all the way in this. You've got me and all of your friends here… and your puzzle spirit has Azila. Neither of you are alone," she told him as he stood and went over to the door.

Yugi smiled up at her and hugged her. "Thank you. Reika. See you in the morning."

"Night Yugi."

As Reika fell asleep that night, she felt hope for the first time since she woke up on this damned island. Yugi would win the tournament, and they'd all be home by the next night.