The next chapter is ready. Giving a heads up, but because of work, I may have to post new chapters every other week rather than every week. I'll have to see how things go, but just in case. ^^
Chapter 46
The rest of the weekend passed by in the blink of an eye, and now it was Monday afternoon. Alex, Kaiba, and Mokuba had left the ski resort and returned to Domino City on Sunday evening, and now Alex was at work along with Yugi. The two of them were making great progress with the duel disk project, and now it was about time for them to wrap things up for the day.
The other employees who were working on the project had already left, so it was just Alex and Yugi. Alex turned to Yugi and said,
"I'm happy this project is going great, and you've been a huge help."
Yugi smiled and replied, "Thanks, Alex. I never thought I'd get to be part of something like this."
Alex replied, "Same here. I mean, back home, duel disks are already highly advanced and anyone can easily purchase one."
Yugi replied, "The future is really advanced, isn't it?"
Alex smiled and replied, "In some ways, but in other ways, it isn't different from things here."
Yugi nodded and then remembering something, he fished around in his backpack and took out the small gift-wrapped box that Joey had meant to give to Alex. Handing it to Alex, Yugi said,
"Joey wanted you to have this. He wanted to give it to you last Friday, but you and Kaiba weren't in school and Joey couldn't find an opportunity to give this to you without Kaiba around. But he knew that I'd see you, so he asked me."
Alex looked surprised and replied, "That's sweet of him, but I can't accept it."
Yugi smiled and replied, "I told Joey that you might say that, but he insists that you have it. It doesn't matter if you'd rather remain friends with him. He just wanted to get you something."
Alex nodded and after taking the gift, she unwrapped and opened the box. Inside was a small cat-shaped pendant. She smiled and said,
"This is beautiful. If I don't get a chance to thank Joey myself, please thank him for me."
Yugi nodded and replied, "Of course."
Alex carefully put the pendant into her bag, and then Yugi continued,
"I didn't have a chance to say this since there were others around, but it looks like that getaway did you some good."
Alex blushed a bit and replied, "Seto told you his actual plans?"
Yugi nodded and replied, "He did, but he told me that if anyone asked, to say that it was work-related."
Alex smiled and replied, "I can see that. But you are right. I needed a couple of days not to think about work or time agency stuff. But I have to get back to it."
Alex sighed a bit and not going unnoticed, Yugi asked, "Is everything ok?"
Alex replied, "I have a lot to think about, and it doesn't help that I got bombarded by so much information. I may be a genius, but even there's only so much I can process and figure out on my own."
Yugi looked thoughtful and replied, "Perhaps you need another set of ears or an opinion?"
Alex nodded and replied, "That might help. I'd go to Seto first, but I know he isn't totally invested in the whole changing timelines theory and whatnot. Not that I blame him. I'd go to Max since he knows about it, but he and Seto are still at odds."
Yugi smiled awkwardly and replied, "Yeah, I can see that. It would have been nice if those two could have made peace, but at best, they seem to tolerate each other because of you."
Alex replied, "Yeah, I figured as much."
She paused and then continued, "Since I can't go to either of them, I'd like your help with it. You already know what I told you before about this and all, and I'd like to get both of your opinions about what I learned."
Yugi nodded and replied, "Sure. We'll try to help if we can."
Alex nodded and she took out her tablet along with the USB that Max had given her. As she plugged the USB into a port on her tablet, Alex commented,
"Max gave this to me when he and I were alone, and I haven't shared this with anyone."
She then showed Yugi her tablet, which showed the info that Cas sent her. It was in regards to the timeline theory and how it seemed that there was now additional information that Alex had been lacking before. Yugi looked at the information although he didn't know what to make of it. Seeing his confusion, Alex commented,
"I understand. It's pretty confusing. But assuming that this info is accurate, it explains the time anomalies I've witnessed."
Yugi nodded and was silent for a minute, as though deep in thought. Alex observed him, taking a guess as to what was about to happen. Before she could say anything, she saw that Yami had now taken Yugi's place. Alex smiled at him and said,
"I figured as much."
Yami smiled back and replied, "Yugi thought that perhaps I might be of more help. May I take another look at your tablet?"
Alex nodded and she showed Yami her tablet. Yami took a couple of minutes to scroll through the info and then said,
"If I'm understanding this correctly, it does seem like Kaiba isn't responsible. At least, not 100%."
Alex nodded and replied, "It looks like it. I mean, certain actions that Seto might do in the future don't help in general, but he doesn't appear to be the reason that my time gets messed up."
She sighed and added, "I'm relieved that I didn't go through with hurting him. I really would have made a terrible mistake."
Alex looked sad, and Yami gently replied, "You're a good person, Alex, so you would have made the right decision, regardless."
Alex smiled at Yami, silently thanking him, and Yami continued, "It looks like this Z-ARC and Ray are the ones responsible."
Alex turned her attention back to the topic at hand and nodding, she replied, "Yeah. Z-ARC goes crazy, and Ray feels like she has no choice but to do what she ends up doing. But in doing so, she splits a singular timeline into four separate ones that happen at the same time. Also…"
She looked sadly at Yami, not having the courage to say that those actions ended up making Yugi and the other heroes disappear from their respective times. Understanding, Yami replied,
"You don't have to say it. I'm sure Ray didn't – or doesn't? - mean any harm in her actions, but it ends up causing problems. I feel sorry for Z-ARC, though."
Alex replied, "Yeah. He is the result of what happens if you go though life without any family or friends to support you or keep you grounded."
Yami nodded and taking another look at Alex's tablet, he pointed to something and asked,
"What is that?"
Alex looked at where Yami was pointing, and understanding, she replied, "Ahh that. This is going to be major spoilers, but I trust that you aren't going to say anything, even to Seto."
Yami nodded, and then Alex said, "This is a timeline where that Kaiba isn't present when a certain important event happens, and because of that, he gets unresolved issues. Like, you know how he's determined to prove that he's a better duelist than you?"
Again, Yami nodded, and Alex continued, "It's not completely certain, but there's a high chance that because of that, that Kaiba stops at nothing to challenge that version of you to one final duel. But he goes to a place that he can't return from. So because of that, future summonings don't get invented and Jaden, Yusei, and everyone else can have normal lives."
Yami looked troubled and replied, "I see. I never thought that any version of Kaiba would take things that far. I would ask why you weren't sent to that Kaiba since it seems like he would need more help, but I think I already know the answer."
Alex smiled a bit and replied, "Yeah. Cas looked into this way back and thought that the Seto we know was the one causing problems. I wish there was a way to help that Kaiba, but even Cas has looked into it and hasn't found anything."
She took a breath and then continued, "Anyway, getting back on topic, since the other summonings aren't invented, there's a huge quiet period of time and then a new summoning is invented, based on ritual summoning."
Alex looked at Yami and added, "You are kind of the king of ritual summoning."
Yami laughed and replied, "I don't know about that, but I'm flattered that you think so."
Alex replied, "But yeah, I hope my explanation somewhat made sense? I know it can be confusing to keep up with all this."
Yami replied, "It is, but I'm glad you shared this with me."
Alex nodded and then said, "I wonder if there's a way to fix this. I mean, in Yuya's time, things do eventually get fixed, but if this is correct, you and the others don't return."
Yami thought of something and asked, "If that's the case, then how are we actually here now? This time shouldn't even exist anymore."
Alex tilted her head and replied, "It's complicated to explain, but certain things in time have to remain the way they are, even if future events end up changing them. Ok, I know that didn't make sense, but that was the simplest way I could put it."
Yami smiled and replied, "It's ok."
Alex took a breath and said, "There's still more to figure out, but it helped to talk this out with you. You know, if I can figure out the rest of this as well as the deal with this bracelet, I'll have finally solved this mystery."
Yami replied, "You'll figure it out. We have total faith in you."
Alex smiled gratefully and replied, "Thanks."
She then thought of something and said, "Since it's just us, there's something I have been wanting to ask you."
Yami looked curiously at Alex and replied, "What is it?"
Alex replied, "I know all about that duel you, Jaden, and Yusei had with Paradox. I read all about it, but I'd love to hear a firsthand account of it. Would you mind telling me?"
Yami was about to reply when a familiar person suddenly stood in the doorway to the lab and shouted,
"That's it! I want in."
Surprised, Alex and Yami turned towards the direction of the voice, and they were even more surprised by who was there. Alex looked worried and muttered,
"Oh no."