Chapter 9: Reconciling

Tick tock, tick tock…

The clock above the counter seemed to echo as Natsuki paced up and down the shop, wringing her hands, looking outside worriedly.

"Please, please…"

What am I gonna do, what am I gonna do? Daddy's gonna be so mad…

And… is he okay? What if that…

… What have I done?

Natsuki ran her fingers through her hair, taking a shaky breath.

Oh Yugi I've been such a-!

"Natsuki?"

Natsuki jumped, whirling around to see her brother at the entrance of the shop. His hair was drooping a bit, having been soaked through with rain, his clothes plastered to him with water. He gave a gentle smile, closing the door behind him.

"I'm home."

Natsuki stared at him, not moving… not even making a sound for a whole moment before running right up to him, hugging him tightly.

"You dummy! You should've taken an umbrella! If you get a cold that's on you!"

Yugi chuckled, hugging her back.

"I know, I know…" He stroked her hair. "Though I think the soak is what I needed." He pulled back gently, locking eyes with her. "Nat, there's something I need to talk to you about in regards to the puzzle. I'm gonna get dried off first then we can meet in my room. Okay?"

"Hot chocolate too."

"You can make that up then. Can I trust you with the kettle?"

Natsuki shook her head, pulling away.

"You sound like Grandpa. I'm a big girl. I can handle a knife too."

Up for debate.

Yugi left her to her devices, heading straight upstairs. He dried off in the bathroom before making his way to his room, trading in his current attire for his pajamas. He made himself comfortable on his bed, bringing a blanket around him.

Much better…

Yami appeared before him, arms crossed.

"So, you talk first then I appear when you give a signal?"

"Yeah. For now, just… hang out I guess. My room is your room."

Yami hummed in thought, looking around him. He hadn't really taken a proper look in here since that first night. A large shelf filled with books and figurines of creatures he noted were similar to the shadow monsters… A binder full of trading cards on his desk…

A photograph of a family of four. Yugi, huddled up to Akira's leg, barely making it past his knee, a woman with long wavy black hair, gazing down at a bundle in her arms.

"That's Mom." Yugi said softly.

Yami turned to him with a gentle look.

"She's beautiful."

"She is… and Nat's turning out just like her."

"I fear for future suitors."

Yugi's eyes narrowed.

"Rightfully so."

"Won't argue."

Yami looked at another photo that was next to it. There were quite a few more people present. He recognized Yugi and Natsuki but the others he wasn't sure.

"That's our Mutou family photo we took last year." Yugi explained. "My dad has two siblings and when they visit we take a picture. The lady with the long red hair is his sister Mira and the guy who looks a lot like him but has his hair tied in a ponytail is his brother, Kaito."

"Ah, I see. Then the other children would be your cousins?"

"Yep. Yuma, Akari, Asashi and Amaya. They're all fun. Little weird but… kind of runs in the family."

Yami chuckled, crossing his arms, looking closely at the photo.

"They appear very kind… Just like you."

Yugi chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Heh… We may be crazy but that's us... " He smiled. "We look out for each other."

"Then I will look out for them."

Knock, knock!

"Come in!"

Yami disappeared from view.

Good luck.

The door was nudged open as Natsuki poked her head inside. She was now in her own PJ's, consisting of a Black Magician Girl T-shirt and pajama pants with little card patterns.

"... Didn't you swipe those from me?"

"They're comfy and they don't fit you anymore." She huffed, setting down the cups she was carrying. "... Extra marshmallows?"

"Sure."

She smiled, sitting with him on the bed, handing it over. She took a small sip of hers.

"Also, for your information I totally did not need to ask Dad to plug it in cause I was too short. No."

"No, you handled it all by yourself because you're a big girl now." Yugi chuckled, taking a sip of his own drink. "Right?"

"Totally right."

"Good, very good. Now." Yugi's look turned serious. "Let's talk."

He set down his mug, taking off the puzzle around his neck, setting it between them.

"I'll… be blunt. It is enchanted but it is not cursed."

Natsuki took a deep breath, her grip on her mug tightening.

"Alright… That… actually makes a lot of sense." She took another sip of her hot chocolate, trying to hide the nervous look in her eyes. "So, um… Explain "The Other Yugi" then?"

"Well… he's not exactly an "other me." He looks like me but he's not me. He's someone else entirely… But… I don't know who he is… and neither does he. The most we know is he was a king once. A pharaoh to be precise. Who, thanks to fate, is bound to fight against an evil being." Yugi winced, thinking back to the incident at Burger World. "A being known as Zorc Necrophades."

Natsuki set down her mug beside Yugi's, grabbing up her cat pillow.

"That thing that kidnapped me and Anzu… He said not to forget it." She swallowed hard. "What does it want with us then?"

"Well… we're the masters of the puzzle since we put it back together. Thus… we're the ones who have the power of the pharaoh. He doesn't like that."

Natsuki narrowed her eyes.

"Great…" She put her face in her hands, letting out a small noise. "Oh my Ra and Anubis, you're a freakin magical boy…"

Yugi nearly choked on his drink.

"N-Natsuki!"

"Your eyes and hair changes, you get taller and you cast spells with gold energy."

"... Okay, point taken… but yeah… so we're kind of involved with a huge thing that I don't think either of us could expect or be prepared for… With that out of the way, I want you to meet someone."

Yami took this as his cue to reappear, waiting at the other end of the room.

Hopefully she can see me like this.

Yugi looked at him, motioning for him to come over with his head.

Yami made his way over, Natsuki quickly catching sight of him, her irises shrinking.

She backed up more on the bed, shaking her head.

"No way…!"

"E-Easy Little One…"

Natsuki looked him over. She was trying to be open but her heart was about ready to beat its way out of her chest.

"I'd like to see you fire your gun."

"I…"

Yugi held one of her hands.

"It's okay, Natsuki. He's not here to bring harm. Anything he's done before he was just protecting us."

Yami nodded, lowering himself so he and Natsuki were on a similar level.

"I'm sorry I caused so much distress. Fear is not my intention. Especially for the innocent."

Natsuki squeezed her brother's hand tightly.

"You… You really never meant any of that?" Her voice shook. "What would you have done if that guy… actually called your bluff?"

So that's what's on her mind… Poor thing…

"I would've found a way to avoid the blow. All that talk was just how I had to deal with Zorc. He's… well… amused with pain and loves it when he sees a chance to cause suffering. That comment was me luring him into playing a certain way."

Natsuki inhaled slowly… before she moved closer, getting up in Yami's face. She looked up at him with a glare that sent chills down his spine.

"Don't, you EVER do that with a FIREARM again you IDIOT! THEY RICOCHET!"

"Shhh! Nat, Dad might hear-"

"Oh no, mister, I'm just gettin STARTED!"

Yami placed a hand on top of Natsuki's head, instantly silencing her.

"At ease, Jackal Pup."

She looked up at him, bewildered. This was familiar somehow.

"At ease, Little One."

Where…?

"Just be more careful. That body's not yours, it belongs to my brother." Her gaze softened into a pleading look. "Please…"

"I will, I promise." Yami stroked her hair, a small smile coming to his face. "You two brought me back into this world. I owe it to you both to look after your lives till Zorc is defeated."

She relaxed, looking over him with a newfound curiosity.

It was still shocking seeing him and Yugi side by side.

So similar… yet so different.

"Alright, alright. I'll deal… I'm a magical girl.."

Yugi bit his lip, looking away trying not to laugh.

"N-Natsuki…"

"Oh yeah? You're a magical boy!"

"Settle down." Yami rested a hand atop her head once more… and same with Yugi's. "Let's get back on track, yes?"

"... Ah great, he's as bad as Dad."

Do I LOOK that old!?

"Yes." Yugi nodded. "So, long story short, Yami here needs to defeat Zorc and we're gonna try and help him. The rest is… fuzzy."

"Yami?"

"Oh, right!" Yugi smiled. "That's the nickname I've given him till we can figure out his real name. I thought it was fitting."

Natsuki gave him a puzzled look.

"... What's that look for?" Yami crossed his arms.

"... Magical Boy Yami Yugi-kun." She deadpanned.

"... Come again?"

"I think the serious part of the conversation has flown out the window." Yugi sighed.

Yami looked around.

"I don't see any words flying out the window."

Natsuki bit her lip.

"It's a turn of phrase, Yami. It means "no getting back on track"."

"Oh…" Yami looked back at them. "That makes sense."

"He has a lot to learn." Yugi rubbed the back of his neck. "About himself, this whole thing and… society I guess."

"Then we'll teach him." Natsuki smiled, nudging him. "Sorry for the goofing around but you know how I cope. I can handle this though." She smirked. "Though, you know what this means?"

"Hm?"

"I get to help teach him and show him around town too!"

The boys exchanged a mild look of fear at that statement.

She's certainly adjusting fast…

"Uh, Natsuki… I thought-"

"Ms. Ishizu said I had to open my mind more, so there. It's open."

"... Well, that makes this easy then." Yugi shrugged, sipping his drink. "Now to just… figure out the rest."

Yami nodded, eying the drink.

"What are you two drinking anyway?"

Yep, all talk about the weird stuff gone. That's fine. I need a break too anyway.

Yugi smiled, showing it to him.

"Hot chocolate. It's good for cold days and to warm someone up if they've been chilled to the bone."

Yami peered into the cup, reaching forward as he pointed to the few marshmallows left.

"What are those?"

"Marshmallows."

Mallows…

Natsuki nudged Yugi, gesturing to him.

"Let him try it."

"Um… you can try it if you like." Yugi gestured to himself. "Don't know how you do the whole… soul swap but just do that."

"I'm not sure if I should. I'm supposed to only appear when Zorc does."

"I think we can make an exception." Yugi smiled. "I don't think there are any rules saying you can't."

"... Good point. Alright."

Yami closed his eyes, the puzzle between the siblings glowing. Yugi's eyes slid shut as the golden energy came about him, altering his appearance once more. When his eyes opened, they were red instead of violet, the boy now much taller than Natsuki.

"Okay, that was kind of cool to watch without a panic." Natsuki chuckled.

Yugi appeared in Yami's place, the boy looking around the room.

"Well… this is new."

Yami chuckled.

"Welcome to being a spirit." He looked down at the mug in his hands, taking in the warmth… the scent.

All of this is so new…

"Well, go on." Natsuki clinked her mug against his. "Drink it before it gets cold."

"A-Alright."

He took a sip… Taking another right after. It was rich, creamy… yet sweet.

Something else too…

Spice?

"You taste my secret ingredient?" Natsuki grinned.

"What is it?"

"Cinnamon. We always have a bit in the cabinet so… it's good in chocolate."

"I see… It's quite wonderful."

"Glad you like it, Yami." Yugi smiled, the boy leaning back, enjoying the ability to float. "Guess you did get a drink after all. Though honestly, I think we're better than Zorc."

"Oh, you are definitely better company." Yami chuckled. "Thank you both. I'll be counting on you."

Natsuki brought an arm around him, stunning him.

"Welcome to the family. We're weird, I hope you know this."

Huh…?

"It's gonna take time to get used to this… but I'm… I'm glad you saved us."

Yami's gaze softened, bringing an arm around her shoulders.

"Natsuki…"

She smiled up at him.

"Thank you."

"... You're welcome, Natsuki."

I promise, I'll keep you both safe.

"So…" Yugi hummed in thought. "What do we do for the rest of the night?"

Yami eyed the card binder on the desk.

Natsuki's face fell.

"Yay… A children's card game."

"Don't you dare diss Duel Monsters!"

"Duel Monsters…?"

Natsuki sighed, smiling, as Yugi started to explain it to Yami.

Now that's a smile I haven't seen in awhile… he's got someone just like him.

Natsuki giggled, enjoying her drink.

I guess I got my wish too.