The executives sat around the large conference table in the room, leaning back with identical, satisfied looks on their faces. Master Pegasus' plan was going just as expected, and it would all be over soon, with Yugi Mutou's defeat. None of them had any personal vendettas against the sixteen-year-old of course, but he had unseated Seto Kaiba as a champion, and that simply couldn't stand for that.

Even if they did have plans to destroy their young boss and restore Kaiba Corporation to its former military glory with the help of Pegasus. No longer would they be laughingstocks, ordered around by an eighteen-year-old and a thirteen-year-old. Finally, the Big Five would once again be in control of things they were good at instead of stupid card games. Pegasus would handle that side of the takeover.

The camera showing the duel panned back slightly, allowing a view of the entire arena, and Crump's deep voice rumbled through the room.

"Leichter, isn't that Miaka's daughter standing there?" he asked as the camera focused in on the tri-colored haired woman who was observing the duel.

The American's eyes lifted to the screen. "Hm? Oh, so it is. Master Pegasus did say something about her being needed for part of his plan." He supposed at one time, he'd looked at her like she was his own daughter, especially after Miaka and Genji disappeared, but the novelty had worn off, especially once Mr. Kaiba had reportedly started dating her… but there was no confirmation of that just yet – not that it mattered considering he was going to be out of the way.

"She looks tired and anxious, doesn't she? I suppose Master Pegasus' tournament has been draining on her," Johnson's monotone voice added with a small smirk.

"Life has not dealt her a fair hand. And neither have we," Leichter said with a chuckle as he took a sip of his drink, watching the duel with a smile.

Yes, Leichter thought, soon everything would be as it should be.

"Wait – she's gone!" Crump exclaimed after the duel was covered by that strange purple fog that they couldn't see through and the camera panned back to the spectators. "Reika's gone!"

Leichter's eyes widened. "She's probably looking for those boys. Give me the phone."

Johnson slid the phone over to him, and he frowned as he dialed Kemo's number. "Kemo, find the girl. She's escaped our eyes." When there was no response from their guard, he frowned. "Kemo?"

"I'm sorry. Kemo's a little tied up at the moment," came the voice of Reika Mutou on the other end of the line.

With Yugi dueling a man who could read his mind, Reika was a bundle of nervous energy, so she'd decided to take off into the castle to find where Pegasus had hidden the Kaiba brothers once Pegasus had summoned a shadow game, which, according to Azila, not even she could break even though she too had a Millennium item. Tristan and Bakura had disappeared some time ago trying to find him.

"Reika? What are you doing here?" a voice suddenly asked.

She turned faster than she meant to, putting up a defensive stance before relaxing when she noticed it was simply Mai Valentine.

"Mai. I was just looking for Tristan and Bakura. Have you seen them?"

The blonde woman blinked in surprise before her lips curled into a concerned frown. "No, I haven't seen them, but I'll help you look."

"Thank you," she replied with a smile as the two continued to sneak through the castle.

"You're not supposed to be out here, are you?" Mai suddenly asked as Reika kept herself pressed against the wall. "In fact, your behavior suggests you're not exactly… willing to be here. You've seemed tense since I met you yesterday."

She hummed slightly and ignored the questions, ducking down a hallway when she heard a rumbling sound, putting her arm out so Mai was concealed too.

Kemo appeared out of the wall, looking around with the smug grin on his face that Reika just wanted to punch.

"That's got to be where he's keeping Kaiba and Mokuba," Mai whispered.

She nodded slowly in agreement, violet eyes searching for something she could use to distract Kemo before Mai suddenly bolted out from their hiding spot with a wide smile. Reika gaped as she ran up to Kemo.

"Miss Valentine? You should be on your way back to Domino…" she heard the man say as she remained hidden in the shadows.

"Well, I was too engrossed in Yugi's duel that I missed it. I was hoping you could help a girl out…"

"Sure Miss Valentine, I'll be more than happy to call you another ship," Kemo replied just as a cell phone began to ring.

The voices began fading as Mai led him down the hallway – oh… now she understood.

With a smirk, Reika moved carefully, grabbing a small statue off a nearby table and snuck up behind Kemo, whacking him over the head with it hard enough to knock the man out and grab the gun that was on his hip.

"Kemo?" came a voice from the dropped cell phone.

Reika felt her heart stop at the voice. Though it was over the phone, she could tell the southern American accent anywhere.

"I'm sorry," she said as she picked it up, "Kemo's a little tied up at the moment."

"Miss Mutou? Miss Mutou, what are you doing?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with, Leichter. Now if you'll excuse me I have some things I need to take care of."

"Reika!"

She ended the call and threw the phone down the hallway in disgust as she stalked back toward the false wall Kemo had appeared from, shaken at the revelation that Leichter was involved in all of this.

"Friend of yours?" Mai asked, her voice less curious and more cautious now as she followed her down the dark pathway.

"My mother's old boss. He kept an eye on me when I was a kid after my parents went missing, but he stopped communication with me when I left for school. I should have known something was suspicious with him when he showed up at my grandfather's hospital room," she said with a sigh as she ran a hand through her long hair.

"Reika, where did your mother work?"

"Kaiba Corp," she said with an exhale. "As a secretary."

Mai frowned as they made their way through the damp, cold dungeon. "So… your mother worked for Kaiba Corp, you have one of those objects that Pegasus wants, and that man at Kaiba Corp is currently working for Pegasus. If this wasn't real life, I'd say this would make a good plot for a movie."

"I really wish this was a movie," she sighed as they approached a fork in the path. "Which way should we go?"

"My gut says left," Mai said from behind her.

"Left it is."

A chill ran through her as they moved carefully through the dungeon, Reika keeping careful tabs on where they were going and how to get back to the main entryway. She didn't want to be suspicious, but it was odd that Mai had decided to help her with this. Not that she was going to turn down help – Seto was tall, and she swore that most of his weight was in his trench coats and not actual body weight, and she didn't think she could move him all the way back to the dueling arena by herself, especially with the guards lurking around the area.

She clutched the gun a bit harder at the sound of a thump from down the hall, their footsteps quickening until they came to a stop in front of an unconscious Bakura and Mokuba. Tristan was hovering over an unconscious guard with a suit of armor's helmet in his hands.

"Hey Mai, Reika. What are you guys doing here?"

"Probably the same thing you are. Give me the key, I'll get Seto out of there."

Tristan gave her a curious look, but handed her the key with a shrug, going to pick up Mokuba and Bakura as Reika knelt in front of Seto and sighed.

"It'll be over soon. I promise," she whispered to him as she uncuffed him from the wall and carefully hoisted him over her shoulder. "Mai, a little help, please?"

Together, she and Mai dragged Seto from the cell before their trio rushed as fast as they could back to the dueling hall, where the purple dome still blocked their view of Yugi and the duel.

"Tristan, what happened to Bakura?" she finally asked as they situated their fallen companions against the wall.

"It's his Millennium Ring. It – I don't know, it's got another person in it, like Yugi's puzzle. And that person wanted Mokuba's body. So I knocked him out and threw the ring off a cliff. It won't hurt anyone again," Tristan explained.

"Hm…" Azila hummed. "The Millennium Ring is not like the other items. I'm not so sure it's gone for good…"

"Comforting," she replied.

"It wasn't supposed to be."

"I kn – ow!" Reika's thought was cut off by a sharp pain in her chest, and looking around, it was obvious Tristan, Téa and Joey had felt it too. "Yugi…" she whispered. "You'll be alright. We're here."

She wasn't sure how much longer they stood there, but eventually, the dome faded, the life points counter on Yugi's side of the arena suggesting that he'd won the game. Pegasus' head was in his hands, cards scattered around him.

"You did it Yugi! You really did it! I knew you could!" she said with a laugh as she pulled her cousin in for a hug. "Pegasus is going to free everyone!"

"Thanks, Reika… it was hard but I'm glad I had everyone by my side."

She stepped back to allow his friends to congratulate him, looking over as she saw Croquet beginning to approach.

"Master Pegasus has requested a private meeting with you, Miss Mutou. Immediately."

"Excuse me? After everything he's put people I care about through? Forget it. He's letting everyone go and we're getting the hell off this island," Reika said, crossing her arms over her chest and narrowing her eyes.

"I'm afraid he's not going to take no for an answer, Miss Mutou."

"Fine. But the gun comes with me," she said as she followed Croquet, hearing vocal protests from her cousin and his friends. She was tired of these games with Pegasus, and for once, she wanted to have the upper hand. Though Yugi had won the duel, there was no telling whether or not Pegasus actually would hold up his end of the bargain.

She was led to a tower and paused, gripping the gun as she looked at the man who was leading her upstairs. "This had better not be a joke, Croquet." Frankly, she never wanted to see a tower again after everything the weekend had taken from her.

"It's not a joke. Master Pegasus is waiting for you upstairs."

Exhaling through her nose, Reika followed the staircase, where she indeed saw the disgraced man standing in front of a table, his head drooped.

"What do you want, Pegasus?" she asked, not daring to move away from the staircase.

Pegasus took what sounded like a shaky breath and turned to face her. "I wanted to give you back your things, Miss Mutou," he told her, handing her the purse she'd had the night she'd been taken hostage. "And I wanted to apologize for what I did. I let the darkness of my Millennium Eye cloud my judgment and the lines between right and wrong got blurred. I know I can't make up for it, but I did need to get it off my chest."

Reika studied him for a moment, trying to see how genuine the apology and the pretty words were. She sighed before pressing her lips together, formulating words in her mind before she spoke.

"Forgiveness isn't my strong suit, so you won't be forgiven so easily. However… I do have compassion and an understanding. You were desperate to do more than control a company and steal two items, weren't you?" she questioned as she looked around the tower once again, seeing a painting of a blond woman hanging on one of the walls. "That woman. Who is she?"

"She was my wife. I lost her when we were still newlyweds."

"A desperate attempt to see her again. That's why you were so interested in T.A.I.D.R. You were hoping that we could find her for you. I'm sorry Pegasus, but there's no way to bring back the dead. That's one dimension we don't have access to," she told him. "If we did, I'd ask if my parents were there."

"You lost them?"

"In a way. They've been missing since I was ten. It would be nice to know if they were dead, then I could move on with my life," she told him bitterly, looking through the purse absently and finding everything was in place. "If you are still interested in the agency, Pegasus, someone will be in contact with you once I get back to Domino."

Pegasus had money, and money was never something an undercover, off-the-books organization was going to turn down.

She turned to leave, stopping when Pegasus called her again.

"Take these," the white-haired man said, handing her three cards. "As proof that I always keep my word. Everyone has been set free. Your cousin and his friend shall get their winnings in a few moments."

She looked down at the three empty cards and let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. "Thank you, Pegasus." She turned to go again, hearing Pegasus speak once more as she descended down the stone steps.

"You know, you and Kaiba-boy do make a lovely couple. I wish you the same happiness Cynthia and I had."

She went scarlet, running the rest of the way until she reached the duel arena again.

"Reika! You're okay!" Joey said. "But your face is all red. What happened?"

Putting a hand on her cheek, Reika felt the warmth radiating off of it. "I'm fine, don't worry. Pegasus was just returning some lost objects to me," she told them with a relieved smile as she saw Seto and Mokuba beginning to stir. She couldn't contain herself as she moved over to them as another guard went over to Yugi and Joey.

"Hey," she breathed to them with a soft smile. "You guys okay?"

Seto nodded, rubbing his head as he gave her a small smile.

"Reika! When did you get home?" Mokuba asked, hugging her tight. "We haven't seen you in forever!"

A laugh escaped her as she returned the hug. "I got home a few days ago when I heard my grandpa was in a coma… and I think I'll be home for a little while yet," she explained, beginning to feel tiredness trying to draw her in. "I missed you guys."

She looked up at her secret boyfriend, giving him a look that signified there was much to come in terms of their reunion. He only smirked in reply, and for a moment, the rest of the world slipped away, a mutual understanding between them.

The journey back to Domino was a long one, but it was worth it as she and Yugi burst into the game shop and found their grandfather awake and alert as if nothing had happened.

"Grandpa!" she cheered, practically diving into the familiar security of his arms.

"Why Reika! Did they drag you all the way home just because of me?" the old man chuckled, his arms embracing her. "They didn't have to do that!"

"No one dragged me, I got the first flight I could!" she protested. "I wasn't going to stay in America knowing what happened to you. And then when Pegasus invited me to watch the tournament how could I turn it down?"

The old man smiled and kissed her forehead like did when she was a little girl. "Well, I'm glad to see you safe and home. Now how about we have some dinner, hm? Being trapped in a coma works up an appetite!"

She didn't want to think about what he went through while he was there, but she forced her tone to remain lighthearted. "I'll cook, grandpa, just to prove to you I won't burn down the kitchen anymore," she said with a grin.

"Very well, but we'll help you, just in case," the older man replied, clapping Yugi on the shoulder and grinning as everyone made their way into the small kitchen. "Tell me all about Duelist Kingdom, my boy!"

"I wish you could have been there, Gramps. It was amazing! I beat Weevil Underwood in my first duel, and Joey beat Rex Raptor!" Yugi said, "but the most important part is that Joey got enough money for Serenity's operation."

Joey nodded eagerly. "Yeah! She was so excited when I called her from the helicopter! I heard mom crying in the background, but when I called dad, he didn't seem to care much."

"Yeah well… who cares what your dad thinks? Serenity is going to be able to see again, and it's all because of you, Joey," Téa said with a wide smile.

"She's right Joey. Family isn't always blood. Sometimes it's those we choose to allow into our lives. And if my family doesn't mind me speaking for them, you have a family here that cares about you, and we'll all be here to support Serenity and her operation."

"Y-yeah? Really?" Joey asked, eyes wide. "Thanks, guys. It means a lot to me."

That night, Kame Game was filled with laughter and light, and as Reika leaned against the counter to watch the scene before her, she couldn't help but be reminded of the pirate crew she'd left behind.

Kame Game was dark. The doors were locked up tight and its inhabitants slept in their beds.

Reika Mutou never looked to be completely settled, although Azila supposed that was because of her time as a pirate. It seemed odd that a pirate would be the one to inherit the bracelet, but the objects were fickle, and it had clearly sensed something within the young woman that bonded them together.

Azila wasn't sure what had brought her to this realm, knowing that Reika would be asleep and especially knowing what she had gone through over the last couple of days, but there was a great sense of unease she had, and she'd wanted to be here, just in case it was more than an odd feeling.

Taking what at one point would have been a seat at Reika's desk, Azila's violet eyes scanned the room before stopping as the Millennium Symbol formed on the door, a man in a white cloak stepping into the room, looking startled when he took in Azila's presence.

"A ghost from the ancient past. That was not what I was expecting when I entered this room," he said smoothly, looking from Azila to the sleeping Reika. "Why are you here?"

"I could ask you the same question. At least this bedroom belongs to the woman that wields an object that formally belonged to me, while you just broke in," Azila said, keeping her low even as Reika shifted slightly in her sleep. "Who are you?"

"I am Shadi. I was a tombkeeper who looked after the Millennium Items… and one was nearly stolen."

"Which one?" came Reika's tired voice from the bed. Azila turned to find her human companion sitting up on one arm, looking at the ghostly figure with a frown.

Shadi stepped over to the bed. "The Millennium Eye that belongs to Maximillion Pegasus. I have heard that you were on the island yesterday."

Reika nodded slowly. "But I didn't try to steal anything."

"Then you have nothing to fear," Shadi said, pulling out the Millennium Key and pressing it against her forehead. He was back what seemed like only a second later, and shook his head. "My apologies for believing that you had tried to steal it. I suppose I'll have to keep looking. Good evening, your majesty."

He vanished before either of them could speak, but once he was gone, Azila felt the burn of Reika's stare boring into her. A strange feeling since she'd been dead for thousands of years.

"Your majesty?" Reika whispered.

Azila opened her mouth to explain before Reika held up her hand.

"Actually you know what? I'm too tired to comprehend all of this right now." Reika's face dropped back into her pillow.

"Very well," Azila whispered as Reika's breathing deepened, indicating sleep.

"The boy the prophecy spoke of is just next door, Great Royal Consort Azila. You know what is to come…" Shadi's voice whispered in the darkness.

A cold streak of fear went down her spine, and with a nod, Azila vanished back to the spirit realm.