Well, here it is. The End! ...Of my fic, I mean. But you guys still have to read this last chapter first.

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Many thanks to my reviewers! All...lets see, one, two...all four or so of you. Hope to see you again in the future!

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Disclaimer: Yugioh and Black&White are not mine

Claimer: This plot is the sole property of the Authoress (aka yours truly)


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"There we are," Kazul said, sounding very cheerful, "How's this? Head hurt less now?"

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"…Maybe a little," Yuugioh admitted, looking around in curiosity.

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The place they were in now was filled with a gray fog of apparent nothingness. Compared to the brightness and noise of the HighTemple, this was actually a soothing change.

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"Kazul, why did you bring us here?" Yuugioh asked after another moment.

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"…In order to fulfill curiosity," Kazul answered, "Right now, I imagine you're full of questions."

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And he was, but Yuugioh figured it would be best to start with the simpler ones first.

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"What does it mean, this 'HighGod' stuff?"

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"That?" Kazul looked briefly surprised at the interest, "Well, you might have noticed this already, but having too many gods and goddesses in the same place leads to some serious trouble, most of the time. There needs to be someone in charge. That's where the HighGod comes in."

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"So, humans serve their gods, and their gods serve you…" Yuugioh ventured.

"And I, as the HighGod, must serve in the best interest of the humans - make certain they live their lives as they should, with as few outrageous problems as can be helped," Kazul added.

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"…It seems Creatures could do that without any godly assistance," Yuugioh suggested, putting words to the vague idea that had been brewing in his brain.

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"Yes, well," Kazul sighed, "Many humans are scared of Creatures and other great beasts such as them. But when a human prays, the energy of that prayer fuels the birth of a god. So in a way, we must take care of them because they take care of us.

"But that can't be all you're curious about," Kazul added, "Come on! You're getting a private conversation with the effective master of the world! In my younger days, gods would sell their Temples for a chance to get all their questions answered by a HighGod."

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"In your younger…Kazul, exactly how old are you anyway?" Yuugioh blinked.

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"Several millions of years old, give or take a millennia or two," Kazul replied, "Anything else?"

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"Uh…how about…what about what happened to Wrartz?"

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"Ah, my poor cousin," Kazul said, looking very sad about the matter.

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"When a god or goddess gets to be that immersed in wickedness…when they lust for rivers of flowing mortal and immortal blood and dream of turning a thriving world into a smoking ember…in short, when a god ceases to act in the manner of a god," Kazul explained, "Then they are no longer a god, but a demon. I didn't do anything more than reveal those parts of his nature that Wrartz had tried to conceal from his followers - gods will follow the orders of one more powerful than they are, but demons do only harm and benefit no one."

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"...And the green fire was from -"

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"Actually, that merely was a portal directly into an ancient device," the HighGod rushed to clarify, "The device itself is quite famous, actually - have you ever heard of the Gateway of Dimensions? It leads everywhere."

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"The Gateway…"

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Yuugioh's head was throbbing now -

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"I don't remember, but why do I know about this?" he grimaced.

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"You really don't know?"

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Kazul looked honestly astonished.

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"No, I suppose you wouldn't, not even by this time…" the silver god mused.

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"Know what?" Yuugioh ground out.

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"This may be hard to hear, but you must understand this," Kazul said, going into Serious HighGod mode.

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"Yuugioh, you are not a god."

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"I'm…not a god?"

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Something in the back of his mind was cracking, something weird and strange was leaking out from those cracks -

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"Listen carefully," Kazul said, pressing a cold hand to Yuugioh's forehead, "I will remove that which keeps you from remembering what you really are, from understanding why this life pains you. But unfortunately, it will cost you something."

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"What cost?" Yuugioh asked, not certain if he wanted to know.

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"Nothing utterly terrible," Kazul reassured him, "Specifically, you will need to give up the spirits named Lupine and Luster, who reside within your conscious mind. And despite this loss, you shall remain otherwise a god of Eden. Or…"

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"Or?"

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"Or," Kazul said, "I will erase your memory of this conversation, block that difference which pains you so, and you will live the full life of a mighty god, beloved by many worshipers and gifted with a Creature of grace and skill. It is up to you."

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Did he want to remember? Would this explain the weird dreams? His own strangeness? Or maybe it would be better just to block this strangeness away for good…

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"No," Yuugioh said, shaking his head.

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"No…what?" asked Kazul.

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"No…," Yuugioh said carefully, so there would be no misunderstandings, "I will not accept the loss of this memory. I want - nay, I need to know who and what this true self of mine is."

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The crimson god hesitated.

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"As for my consciousnesses…" Yuugioh began, not certain what to say.

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"Ah, you fear for their safety. No worries - I was actually thinking that I would keep them with myself," Kazul mentioned, "I am also somewhat of a 'freak', as you have previously considered yourself…some companionship would lessen the toil of this position."

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Knowing how his little Light Side and Dark Side advisors were prone to act, Yuugioh wondered if he wasn't going to be getting Luster and Lupine back sometime soon after this conversation.

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"I need to know, Kazul," Yuugioh said.

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"Then know, my young friend," Kazul replied.

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Kazul did something, and the buzzing touch of Luster and Lupine's presences, normally brushing against his mind at all times, vanished.

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There was no time to wonder at this, though, because that strange feeling that had been hovering in the back of his conscious mind surged to fill Luster and Lupine's former place…

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…There were memories here! Jumbling and rushing together, stampeding around and around inside his brain until they found their correct positions and anchored themselves where they belonged -

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Names.

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Places.

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Faces.

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The battle, and then the Gateway -!

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"…I…I remember…" Yami Yugi groaned, "He…and then I, but then…and - and we fell, but where…?"

The reassuringly familiar weight of the Millennium Puzzle was back on his neck, the Item dangling from its proper chain. Or had it been there this whole time, with him somehow unable to see it…?

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"You must have fallen into the ether itself," Kazul said, supporting the very confused spirit/god, "I think I understand it now - your mind would have been lost, destroyed utterly, if it had not been for the miraculous timing of the prayer which summoned you to Eden."

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"But…then how do I return home?" Yami asked, standing on his own as the pain of this terrible shock subsided, "Aibou…the others…they must think I'm dead!"

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"Do they?"

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"Of course! Why wouldn't…they…oh. The visions!" Yami exclaimed, "I was seeing them for real…"

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"I can tell, now that I've had a good look at you," Kazul said, "That the dimension you originate from seems to be somewhat slower than we are. Years pass here as hours pass there."

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"You can tell?" Yami asked, a bit skeptical.

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"I am the HighGod," Kazul stated, "The instant I received the position, I was granted with the innate powers of a HighGod…but unfortunately, your dimension feels a bit tricky. I'm having a hard time pinpointing it from just you alone."

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"What…? What do you mean?" Yami demanded, a numb feeling of panic rising inside him, "Kazul, I can't stay here. You KNOW that. Isn't there anything you can do?"

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The silver-colored HighGod closed his eyes, focusing. For a long while - it was hard to judge time in this strange place - Kazul concentrated his powers and sought the answer.

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When he finally opened his eyes again, he looked upon Yami with a sorrowful expression and placed a hand on the other's shoulder.

"I cannot find the way to send you home, my friend," Kazul said solemnly, "Unless…"

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Yes, this is the real ending. Fic's over. Bye-bye!