Chapter 8
Everyone turned to see a strange man step from a shadowed hallway. His sand-colored robe brushed the floors, and a white head wrap left only his deeply-tanned face visible. Yugi noticed that he held an old-fashioned golden scale in his hands, and emblazoned on it was the same eye as his Puzzle. "Another Millennium Item?"
"Yes Yugi Mutou, there are the Millennium Scales." The stranger then turned and bowed slightly to Amber. "Forgive me for arriving late, my Lady."
"Actually, you're right on time. Shadi, these are Yugi's friends. Everyone, I would like to introduce Shadi, emissary of the Tombkeeper Clan."
"Whose tomb are they keeping?" Joey questioned.
"They have tended the Pharaoh Amun-Yami's tomb for the past 5,000 years."
"Isn't that you?" Kaiba asked, turning to Yami, who had moved behind the taller man. The blonde looked up and gave a wry smile.
"I suppose it would be," the Game King replied with a sigh. All he wanted to do now was get Yugi home and relax a little.
"Pharaoh Yami? By Ra, it is you!" Shadi exclaimed, immediately dropping to one knee and lowering his gaze to the floor.
"There is no need for that, so please get up. You mentioned something about Pegasus being judged?"
"Yes, my Pharaoh, he is to be judged by the Law. The Millennium Items were not meant to be used in such dishonorable ways. And then there is the offense of restarting the Shadow Games. As the keeper of the Millennium Scales, it is my duty to judge his guilt and determine punishment."
"What sort of punishment?" Tristan wondered.
"Traditionally, those found attempting to break the Pharaoh's Laws were sealed into the Scales."
"That would kill him."
"Not really, Tea. His soul would simply be imprisoned in the Shadow Realm," Yami explained, going over the possibility of ridding them permanently of the man.
"No!" Yugi screamed. "No more suffering!" He sank to his knees and began to cry. "Haven't we all been through enough?" Yami was about to move to comfort his light side, when suddenly the Ankh lit up like a beacon. Amber dropped to her knees and screamed, wings flaring out as she fought the spirit who wished to control her. The Millennium Items were connections to the world of spirits, and that meant that ill-intentioned beings could attempt to control the wielders. But as she continued to struggle against the will of the spirit, Amber felt a familiar presence within it, like she had encountered it before. And then the connection was made, and she understood its intentions. Meanwhile, Bakura crawled over to her and touched the Ankh, wrapping his hand around it as if to pull if off.
"Leave it!" Amber gasped, placing her hand over his.
"Something's hurting you."
"No, it's all right. She just wants to speak her mind."
"She?"
"You'll see." Though he didn't understand, Bakura let go and moved against the wall. Amber's wings folded around her and she seemed to relax for a moment. Then she stood up and began speaking, but in a voice that wasn't hers. It was softer, higher-pitched, and slightly musical.
"Do not be afraid, children," the voice began. "I did not mean my arrival to cause so much trouble." She looked up at everyone, and instead of red and purple, both eyes were now sky-blue.
"The creepy factor just jumped off the scale," Joey whispered.
"My name is Cecilia Pegasus, and I have come to plead for my husband's life."
"Husband?" Tea and Mai asked in shock.
"Do not mock me, Hunter," Pegasus whispered. He was on his knees, head down as he contemplated the irony of the situation. As he'd trapped people, so now would he be trapped in the Shadow Realm. He felt the Hunter step in front of him, and she ran a hand through his shoulder-length hair.
"Maximillion, please look at me," she said in his wife's voice.
"You aren't Cecilia. You can't be. She-" A gentle hand raised his face, and what he saw stopped any further protests. Standing before him, as if she'd never left, was Cecilia, his beautiful, fragile Cecilia. "But how-"
"It doesn't matter how. All that matters is being with you. Come with me, Maximillion. We can be together forever."
"But I've don't such horrible things-"
"I know, but you have a good heart, my husband." She turned to Shadi, who appeared stunned. He had not thought that the wife of Pegasus would still be roaming his castle. Even after making sure Pegasus was given the Millennium Eye, he had not thought it would come to this. "Let my husband join me, please. I simply could not bear eternity without him."
"Very well, Lady Pegasus. He may cross over to you."
"Sir!" Croquet yelled, running in from the hallway. He had been chasing the strange, robed intruder for the past hour, and now that he'd finally caught him, it seemed almost surreal. He saw Cecilia standing beside his boss, looking as radiant as the last day she was alive. But he knew that Pegasus had been defeated, and that now his boss would be leaving as well.
"It's all right, Croquet," Pegasus said as he stood. He was smiling a little, a true, genuine sign of happiness instead of his usual smirk. He knew what was to happen, and as long as he could be with Cecilia, it would all be all right in the end. "My will is in the safe. Please make sure to follow it to the letter."
"Y-yes, Sir." Croquet turned to go, then looked back and nodded. "Goodbye Sir."
"Goodbye." Cecilia held the Ankh in front of him, standing on tiptoe to place its point in the Millennium Eye. There was a soft click, and then Pegasus collapsed, the Eye rolling across the floor to rest at Yugi's feet. He picked it up and stared at the spirit.
"That is yours now, Yugi," Cecilia said. "It will be safe in your hands."
"Thank you." And then the Ankh began glowing again, and Cecilia faded from view. Amber swayed on her feet before her legs gave out, but Shadi and Yami sprang forward and caught her.
"I'm all right," she whispered, regaining her balance. Glancing over at Pegasus' body, she sighed. "Such a wasteful life."
"Serves him right," Kaiba argued. "He wanted too much power and that became his downfall."
"Sounds like someone else I know," Mai said.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It means you're a je-"
"Joey!" Tea yelled, clapping a hand over his mouth. "There's been enough fighting. Let's find Mokuba and go home."
"He was in the dungeons last I saw," the millionaire told them, turning down one of the hallways.
"Seto!" came a familiar voice. "Seto, where are you?"
"Mokuba!" Kaiba took off running, most of the rest of the group close behind. Mokuba came racing around a corner, and the next instant he was in his brother's arms.
"Big brother! I knew you'd rescue me."
"Amazing. He actually does have a heart," Mai mused.
"Yeah, too bad it's the size of a grape," Joey teased.
"Why don't we leave them to their reunion," Yami suggested. "Besides, I want to ask a few questions of-" But as the group turned around, they all realized Shadi was nowhere to be seen.
"Shadi comes and goes as he pleases," Amber explained as she and Bakura walked up. "You'll get used to it."
"Well I for one have had enough hocus-pocus to last me a lifetime. Let's get out of here," Tristan said.
"I am all for that plan," Joey agreed as he and Mai followed the other boy down a hallway, looking for the nearest exit.
"You guys coming?" Tea asked.
"In a minute," Yugi replied as she left to catch up with the others.
"I suppose this is goodbye then?" Yami asked.
"It seems so," Amber answered.
"Goodbye?" Bakura seemed confused, and the winged girl smiled at him.
"I can't come with you back to Domino. The people would never accept a monster like me."
"But you aren't a monster. If anything, you saved us from one. You can't leave now, Amber."
"Bakura's right. We'll figure something out," Yugi added.
"The most potent magic of our time couldn't help me."
"Then maybe you could try the technology of this time," Kaiba offered as he and Mokuba walked over.
"What did you have in mind?"
"Amber, I owe you and your brother a favor for defeating Pegasus and returning Mokuba to me. Kaiba Corp. has been working on portable holographic projectors to use in Duel Monsters. However, it wouldn't be too difficult to adjust one to make you look "normal". Would that even out our debt?" Amber's eyes widened at the thought of seeing her old self in the mirror and walking down a street again.
"I-That-I-Thank you," she finally said, shaking his hand and smiling brightly.
"See Yugi, my big brother isn't so bad once you get to know him."
"Enough Mokuba." The brothers Kaiba began walking away, when Seto turned around. "As for you, Pharaoh, don't think our rivalry is over. I still owe you a debt, but it will not be paid back on the playing field."
"I understand, Kaiba," Yami replied. After they rounded the corner, he turned to Amber. "It looks like fate has granted us a second chance."
"And I don't intend to waste it. Let's go home."
The trip back to Domino had been done via Kaiba's helicopters, which had been radioed in once everything was straightened out with Pegasus' men. Before the group even landed back home, newspapers were running the story of the game tycoon's untimely and unforeseen death due to a heart condition he'd kept secret. After a short funeral, both Pegasus and Cecilia were finally laid to rest beside each other on the island he'd called home. "I feel bad for Pegasus," Yugi said as they waited outside Kaiba Corp. "I mean, all he really wanted was his wife back, even if he did horrible things to see that end."
"He chose the wrong path, Yugi," Yami said, smiling down at the smaller boy. "He became so obsessed with bringing Cecilia back that he lost sight of everything else. In my world, that was like being dead yourself."
"Well, I'm just glad it's all over," Joey told him. "Pegasus was seriously creepy."
"And wealthy. I hear Kaiba's company did a takeover of Pegasus', and now our little Yugi's rival is twice as rich as before," Mai spoke up.
"Great, even more reason for him to get a swell head," Tristan quipped. Suddenly the doors to the testing room opened, and Mokuba and Seto both walked out.
"Is everything all right?" Tea asked, not seeing Amber.
"Everything worked perfectly!" Mokuba exclaimed, a large smile on his face.
"Your sister is back to her old self so long as she wears the projector," Seto clarified for the Pharaoh. "And as I said before, my debt to her is paid."
"Kaiba, by giving my sister another chance at life, I would almost consider our debt paid." The two exchanged nods, and Yami saw the smirk on his rival's face. "Almost, I said."
"Oh, I know. However, you still owe me a duel. I want to see exactly how you play without hiding behind Yugi."
"He doesn't hide behind me-" Yugi started, when a figure in the door caught his attention. It was a young woman with shoulder-length, blonde-streaked black hair and eyes that matched Yami's. She wore the same black ensemble, but with no wings her figure looked smaller, more fragile. Her face was tan, and she still wore a circlet that was slightly hidden beneath her thick bangs.
"Do you boys ever stop fighting?" Amber asked, walking over and smiling at her brother and his counterpart. Joey whistled softly, and nudged Bakura gently in the ribs.
"You look lovely," the white-haired boy finally said in a soft voice. Amber smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder, meeting his eyes.
"What matters most to me is that you saw my true form and accepted it. This is still just an illusion."
"Illusion or not, I'd say you'll have no problem fitting in," Mai noted.
"I do want to fit in here. But I'm afraid it'll take some getting used to."
"Well, we've got time. Plenty of time now that we don't have to worry about Pegasus coming after us," Tristan explained.
"There's still the Spirit of the Ring though," Yugi reminded him. Kaiba laughed and patted his deck, which he now wore in a case on his belt.
"Let him come. The next time I see him, my Blue-Eyes will crush him."
"Sure you will, Seto," Mokuba agreed.
"Hey, is anyone else hungry, because I am starving," Joey said. Everyone else seemed to agree, but Kaiba shook his head and walked back into the testing facility.
"Well, guess I'll see you guys later," the younger Kaiba told the others.
"Bye Mokuba," Tea said as he ran back to join Seto. Bakura turned to Amber, noting the smile on her face that didn't seem to want to stop
"Are you happy here? I know this isn't the place you're used to and all, but our world has so much to offer." he said. She looked around at her brother and Yugi, then at Yugi's friends, who were slowly becoming hers as well. Even Kaiba, with his stubborn attitude, was starting to be a familiar thing. And Bakura was a reminder of her life before, and of the happy times she'd spent with his counterpart. And though she knew they were two different people, she relished the thought of being able to get to know Te'Os' lighter side. This was where she was needed, and where she finally belonged.
"Yes. I'm happy here."
"Good, because you're stuck with us," Mai told her with a smile.
"We'll learn about this world together," Yami added, taking Yugi's hand.
"Then come on, we've got lots to show you," Yugi said as he took Amber's hand with his free one. She reached out for Bakura, and soon everyone was linked up. Together the group guided the twins out to see the city they would soon be calling home.
Deep in the Shadow Realm, Te'Os was following his Ring to find a Millennium Item. He knew there would be a concentration of energy around the Ankh, Puzzle, and actual Ring, but this energy trail seemed to faint for three Items. Suddenly he paused, drawing in the feel of the energy and its bearer through years of practice. An evil grin crossed his face and he took out his deck and stared at it for a moment. "It seems the Rod has found a new owner. What say we go find out who it is?" The Man Eater Bug appeared next to him, walking on all fours and hissing. "Yes, it's time to meet my new opponent."
