Yugi's eyes remained wide as he stared at the great Blue-Eyes White dragon. She looked just as majestic as the three dragon spirits that followed Seto around. Still, there was something undeniably different about this one's aura. Yugi felt completely safe and at peace around her.
"Y-You saved us? Why?" Yugi gasped.
"Why?" The dragon laughed. "Do you not remember? I suppose you were only a child. I swore to protect your family. Even in my currently limited state, I will always protect you with everything I have." She said as she stretched out her wings in pride.
As Yugi looked on in awe, he couldn't help but notice a horrendous scar that traveled the length of her body. It cut a jagged path right across her chest and ended near her tail. It wasn't like his father's scars. His had healed rather well, and other than the deep ones by his eye, they could be hidden. Blue-Eyes's scar looked like a fire had blazed across her, leaving smoldering and puffy embers behind. It didn't seem right on such a pure and beautiful dragon; it made her look like a shattered mirror. Yugi's shoulders fell as he realized the scar followed the path the rip in her duel monster card would have.
Blue-Eyes noticed Yugi looking at the scar and merely shook her head. "That is the past, child. Let us move from that. You need to rest. After picking you up from that mountain top, I brought you back to the Domain leader's castle. You have been out for a while."
"But how?" Yugi asked as he sat up and tried to get out of the bed. Blue-Eyes seemed confused by his question. Before Yugi could better explain himself, Mystic Elf gave him a stern shake of her head. Yugi closed his mouth and laid back in his bed.
"Please do not stress yourself, Yugi. With how much healing you have left, we will have all the time to explain." Blue-Eyes said as she settled down with her legs tucked underneath her. Yugi couldn't help but smile at the image in front of him. The proud Blue-Eyes White Dragons rested like cats.
"How did you know where we were? Or even knew to find us? Were you locked in this domain too?" Yugi asked.
Blue-Eyes's confusion did not go away. "You were the one that called me." She said. It was Yugi that then grew confused. Blue-Eyes looked over him in worry for a few seconds. She then nodded in understanding. She reached behind Yugi's bed and pulled out the Millennium Puzzle, it still being miraculously together. Yugi immediately grabbed it, and Blue-Eyes let him hold it close to his chest.
"You must not know. I thought you would have figured it out by now with Kuriboh making themself one of your spirit partners in my absence. Nonetheless, it is because of the Millennium Puzzle that I knew you required help." Blue-Eyes said as Yugi looked back up to her, confusion was still apparent on his face. "Do you know of spirit partners?"
"Uh… is it like ace monsters? Like Joey and his Red-Eyes?" Yugi tried.
"Sort of. Ace monsters are simply the focal point of a duel deck. A spirit partner goes much deeper. It is a card spirit that has chosen to remain with a human, either magically or through a deep bond growing between the two. They become connected, each growing stronger in the process. How they are connected is different for each partnership. I am one of your spirit partners and a partner to your entire family, even to those that do not want me." Blue-Eyes then pushed the Millennium Puzzle slightly with her snout. "Each partnership gets a little bonus between human and spirit. Ours has always been sharing thoughts between us. And because of your Millennium item and our bond, I was able to hear you despite being in a different domain."
"How did you get past the lockdown?"
"Special creatures that once worked with, or replaced, the Legendary Knights," Blue-Eye growled the word 'replaced.' "can travel through this dimensions internal borders at any time."
Yugi looked in awe at the small upside-down pyramid. Then he turned back to the dragon. "Is that how the Silent soldiers got here too?"
Blue-Eyes once again growled. "Do not give those mercenaries the honor of soldier! Originally, they may have been a worthy replacement for the Knights, but those Silents have grown corrupt in the thousands of years since. If the other Blue-Eyes hadn't been so selfish, we would have worked together to dethrone them a long time ago." She snarled. Yugi sunk deeper under his covers as the dragon ranted.
"I had heard the Silent soldiers… that the Silents turned corrupt, but Silent Magician isn't like that. She even protected Gandora and me from the other Silents." Yugi quickly pointed out, now worried about his friend being judged before they knew her.
Blue-Eyes quickly stopped her growling and turned back to Yugi. "Silent Magician? Oh, the one from this domain. Yes, she is an honorable guardian. I did not mean to refer to her." Blue-Eyes backtracked. "To answer your earlier question before I distracted myself, yes, that is how they got in. The Silents may have been fired from their guardian role once the Legendary Knights came back. However, they have always been able to change their levels and still possess the magic from their border guarding days. Thus, they can enter anywhere, even in a lockdown."
After hearing that, Yugi took in a deep breath and looked out the nearby window. Outside, the sun's rays hit the beautiful green forest, well, perfectly. He could even see the occasional small monster strolling by. All the beasts seemed a little jumpy but otherwise seemed to be safe.
"Where are the Silent creatures now?" Yugi asked, not seeing anyone preparing for battle.
"They were not interested in fighting a legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon when they were equipped only for Gandora." Blue-Eyes smiled a toothy grin. "Their spellcasters came together to create a great barrier even I couldn't get through. I believe they tried to trap your group inside, but the Domain of the Beasts's Silent Magician managed to wake up enough to cast a counter-spell. I pulled your group out, and the barrier trapped only the Silents inside. You were in critical condition, so we headed straight for Dark Magician Girl's castle. You've been healing ever since," Blue-Eyes explained. "As far as we can tell, the Silents have not left the mountain top."
Yugi then took account of his wounds. For how damaged he seemed on top of the mountain, he didn't seem that bad. He only felt sore. Even that soreness disappeared for a few moments as Mystic Elf used her healing magic on him. She only did it in small, second-long bursts before resting for a few minutes, but Yugi felt a little better every time.
"How are the others doing?" Yugi asked, concern returning to his voice.
"Silent Magician was almost in worse condition than you. Using magic when she was clearly at her limit, add on leveling up." Blue-Eyes shook her head. "She did permanent damage to her body. She is currently healing too, but I believe she will not let a little thing like that hold her back. She woke up a few days ago, and she immediately jumped back into planning with Dark Magician Girl on the new monsters threatening this land."
Yugi sighed, relieved to hear that Silent was ok. Then he stiffened as another thought froze his very blood.
"A few days ago?! How long was I out?!" Yugi yelped, only to be then scolded by Mystic Elf.
"I already told you that you were out for a while," Blue-Eyes said, a bit of an edge to her voice.
"I know, but… Oh, my family has to be freaking out. And what if the Pharaoh didn't go to Egypt as we planned?!" Yugi felt as all his fears for his ghostly friend started crashing down around him. Was he going to be the reason the Pharaoh never got his memories back?
"If you are worried about the human world moving on without you. Do not fret. Time is different in our two worlds." Blue-Eyes said.
Yugi paused in his apocalyptic imaginings."It is?"
"Yes, did you not come here once before? Did you notice that when you went back to your world, things seemingly did not move?" Blue-Eyes asked.
Yugi thought back to when Dark Magician Girl had summoned the Pharaoh and himself to wake Timaeus. When they returned, even though they had been in the duel monsters world for many minutes, the clock hadn't moved forward at all.
"I do not know the exact conversions, but time moves faster here. What are a few years for us is more like months to you and so forth." Blue-Eyes explained. "For the length you have been here, it would be about a day for the humans."
Yugi took a deep breath and released all his worries for the moment. He hadn't messed with the Pharaoh's journey yet. "Ok, thank you for explaining that. I feel better now." Yugi said as he gave an apologetic smile to Mystic Elf. The healer put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot. Yugi could only rub the back of his head and promise himself to remain calmer from now on. He then turned back to Blue-Eyes. "How are the rest of my spirit friends?"
"Your Kuriboh is more than fine. I'm surprised they're not bouncing around your room right now. They must be enjoying their new celebrity status."
"Celebrity?" Yugi asked with a tilt of his head. That was one word he never thought he'd hear in the same sentence as Kuriboh.
Blue-Eyes chuckled. "Yes, They are a regular superstar around this domain. Dark Magician Girl and I collected the story of your group's adventure from everyone a few days ago. It spread fast how many times that Kuriboh saved you three. Every monster here has been showering the puffball with praise for saving the great pharaoh and their Silent guardian."
Yugi found another big smile coming to his face. "That's great. Kuriboh deserves it for how much they had to put up with. How is Gandora?"
Blue-Eyes stiffened at the dragon's name, even turning from Yugi briefly. Yugi's smile faded.
"Once it spread that Silents were out to capture Gandora and were camped on top of the mountain, the wild Gandora mob went into hiding. Well, as hidden as they can be. I believe they are holed up in a gorge near the border by the fact that ravine is growing every day."
Yugi was quiet for a few moments. He found himself gripping his blankets. Eventually, Yugi decided to ask it straight. "How is the Gandora that was with me?" He asked in a low voice. He didn't miss Blue-Eyes's flinch.
"She is… Well, she has not been making friends. Like all Gandora, she healed fast. Originally the monsters here wanted to kick her out once she could stand. But Silent Magician vouched so passionately for the dragon, she was allowed to stay. She… has not made a good impression since."
Just then, another great roar shook the walls of the castle.
"I tell you, I have a right to see him! He is my hatchling!" Yugi recognized that voice and groaned.
"Yes, she has wanted nothing but to stay by your side." Blue-Eyes sighed. "To the point of getting in the way of the healers. She has also attempted to scare everyone, even me, away from you. I believe that even though her physical wounds have healed, she must have sustained deep mental scars. She is convinced you are her last hatchling, somehow brought back to life by the wishing well."
"Oh, no." Yugi exhaled as he slapped his forehead. "I was afraid that's what she was talking about." He then looked out the large door to the hallway. He could still hear Gandora arguing with whatever guards they had stationed out there. 'At least she's not destroying anything.' Yugi thought.
"Yes, she has been excellent about asking permission before she blows something up," Blue-Eyes answered.
"That's good… Wait! Did you read my mind?" Yugi yelped, sitting up again, much to Mystic Elf's dismay.
Blue-Eyes once again pointed at the Millennium Puzzle. "I did say my partnership with you Mutos allowed us to share thoughts. Your Millennium Puzzle made this ability stronger in our specific connection, to the point we can read each other's surface-level thoughts. Kuriboh's partnership might even share that ability with you."
Yugi felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He didn't know how to feel about someone reading his mind that was not the Pharaoh. Somehow with the Pharaoh, it seemed natural. Even if the spirit got too nosy (which was rare), Yugi knew how to shut him out. With this giant dragon, it felt almost like an invasion of privacy. How could he control what a surface-level thought was?
"I will keep it to a minimum then," Blue-Eyes said.
"Please do. It's creepy!" Yugi said as he raised his blankets over his head in an attempt to hide from the protests of Gandora and Blue-Eyes's searching gaze.
As Mystic Elf cast another round of healing magic on Yugi, he couldn't help but peek out of his blankets and study the great dragon his family apparently had a magical connection with. Other than the scar, she was just how he remembered her. She had a regal, kind air about her with a tint of pride — kind of like a grandma that still put on makeup and jewelry every day despite not planning to leave the house. Then, Yugi's earlier, dream-like memories came creeping back into his thoughts — the memories of how he and his father reacted to her when they were young.
'She had such a deep connection with us, and we threw her out.' he frowned.
Yugi tentatively poked his head out of the covers. "I should apologize. For my dad and I pretending like you didn't exist back then," he said with an embarrassed sigh.
Blue-Eyes chuckled. "It is all in the past. Your father is strong but unstable. I knew my and other spirits' presence would only make him worse. I should apologize for not being able to protect you when it mattered. Stories of your great adventures these last few years have spread through this world." She sighed, lifting her wing to look down at her large scar. "I wish I could have been with you through them. It's my greatest failing as a spirit partner. Once Kaiba ripped my card, I lost my connection to the human world. I can never go back." Her usually controlled voice cracked as she looked at her scar. Her vibrant eyes becoming dull.
Yugi's heart fell as he looked at the proud dragon brought so low by one selfish action. One selfish act from someone he considered a friend. "You never failed me! But… I am sorry you can't be with us either. If it makes you feel any better, the Pharaoh and I beat the man that ripped you and got your card back. Grandpa has it displayed in the shop with all the honor of a family photo. He even taped it back together to the best of his abilities." Yugi said. The dragon grinned, her tail flicking back and forth. However, once she noticed her tail unconsciously moving, she stopped it. She then sat up fully, probably in an attempt to get back her regal image.
"Thank you. It does make me smile to know I was not forgotten. I can only hope your other spirit partners are doing as good of a job as I would have. You and your family need all the protection you can get."
Yugi grinned. "I have how many other spirit partners-?"
"LET ME SEE HIM!" A great crash could be heard down the hall. It was then followed by orders to force Gandora away. Yugi sighed and looked up into the high ceilings.
"Poor Gandora," Yugi whispered.
"She is so set on believing that you were her child. While we healed you, we even checked to make sure your body and soul were fully human, just to try and placate her. We knew the negative results even before they came back. The great Pharaoh's spirit cannot reside in a human-duel monster body." Blue-Eyes sighed.
"There are half-human, half-duel monsters!?" Yugi asked, throwing off his covers in surprise. Mystic Elf gave up at this point and floated away.
"Oh, no, no, no! You misunderstand me. Only the prophesized Supreme King can combine a human and a duel spirit without losing the physical body." Blue-Eyes quickly corrected.
"The supreme who now?"
"Erm, do not worry about it," Blue-Eyes said with an embarrassed smile. "That prophecy will not come to past for another human generation. Even then, it will not be your problem. Let us focus on the now." Blue-Eyes reiterated before she continued.
"The closest thing to a hybrid like you are talking about is when a human and duel spirit with a partnership combine souls at death. It is a desperate move only done when both human and duel spirit have a burning need to stay in the living world. They become a creature that is not either spirit or human. A beast that cannot exist fully in either world. It is quite a torturous life, having the agelessness of duel monsters and the intelligence of humans, but not able to enjoy either."
Yugi wrapped his blanket around himself more tightly as he thought about such a life. "It's really that bad?"
"To be in the human world but unable to interact with it as if he or she were a spirit, yes it would be 'bad.'" Blue-Eyes shook her head. "Anyway, you are a complete and utter human. There is no way you can be a Gandora hatchling." Blue-Eyes said, ending it with a dismissive flick of her tail.
Yugi was quiet for a few moments, letting what this meant for Gandora sink in. "Ok, I understand." Yugi tried to smile. His smile didn't stay long. He kept thinking of how to break that fact to Gandora.
"You are free to try and explain it to her. She won't listen to me." Blue-Eyes huffed, showing more hurt than she wanted to let on that someone didn't listen to her authority.
Yugi began to think of that future conversation, but it only made his heart sink lower and lower. So many of Gandora's weird quirks were starting to make sense to him now. Why she so suddenly changed from hostile to over-protective, why she questioned if he was human; she was trying to prove to herself that he was her child. There were still many other questions Yugi had about Gandora, like why she didn't tell him her species had been enslaved? That would have gone a long way to explain why the other Gandora had been so, to put it nicely, rude. Yugi could only shake his head as he tried to put everything together. Gandora was so damaged already. What would it do to her to know she truly lost her child?
"I think I need more rest before I am strong enough to do that." Yugi sighed as he threw himself back into his pillow.
"Then please, sleep. We have much more in front of us." Blue-Eyes said as she laid beside Yugi, letting her head rest on the foot of his bed. She didn't try to keep up a conversation with him anymore. And at that moment, that was what Yugi wanted.
The white dragon's breathing became slow as the two laid in silence. Yugi felt as the sun's rays perfectly warmed his bed. It was the most comfortable he had felt in days. Even the unnerving perfectness of everything was starting to become standard in Yugi's eyes. All his worries for Gandora and the Pharaoh seemed to disappear as his body mended. Yugi closed his eyes and fell asleep. No nightmares crossbred with memories to bother him this time.
…
Yugi felt sticky, like he had accidentally splashed a shake on himself. He then heard a distant voice, his father's? If it was his father, why was he yelling, and what about? Why was he so mad... at Yugi? Then a gunshot jolted Yugi awake.
Yugi's eyes popped open to see he was still in Dark Magician Girl's castle. His room was empty, Mystic Elf and Blue-Eyes both gone. He couldn't tell how long he had been sleeping since the sun was still in the same place in the sky. But by his growing headache, he guessed a while. He then felt his shirt. The sticky feeling was gone. As Yugi felt for the stain that he swore was there a few seconds ago, he suddenly forgot what he was even looking for. All those thoughts slipped away along with the last of his dream.
"So, he's woken up and talked?"
"Yes, and he still has control of his body. But we don't know what else..."
Yugi turned his head to the doorway to see Blue-Eyes and Dark Magician Girl as they walked in. The two were so interested in each other that they didn't notice that Yugi was awake. Yugi couldn't help but smile when he saw that Dark Magician Girl's injured side looked leagues better than when he last saw her.
"Hey, guys. Good to hear my prognoses is so optimistic." Yugi said as he sat up, rubbing his head.
"Oh, Yugi!" Dark Magician Girl yelped as she leaped to his side. She looked like she wanted to hug him but reframed. She instead reached out and held his hand tight. Yugi grinned at her, happy to see another familiar face. Then she burst into tears.
"I'm so sorry! I should have never put you in such danger!" She bawled.
"Woah, Woah! It's fine, Dark Magician Girl!" Yugi tried, but Dark Magician Girl just kept crying. She held tighter to his hand, to the point Yugi started to lose feeling in it.
"I should have gone with you or sent more help!" She cried.
"We're all fine. You had no choice but to send only Silent and me up. You had to deal with the Gandoras' destruction, the monsters they hurt, plus your own injuries. How else were you going to get up the mountain to get your wish?" Yugi tried patting her on her good shoulder. She only sobbed harder at Yugi's words.
"I failed you! I didn't just send you to your deaths. I explained things so horribly I nearly cursed you!" She sobbed.
Yugi tried looking to Blue-Eyes for some backup, but the dragon merely nodded.
"She did blunder that part." Blue-Eyes dryly stated.
"What part?" Yugi began to say before deciding calming Dark Magician Girl was more important. "I'm fine. I really am, in both body and mind. If you remember back, it was me that wanted to help you guys in the first place. You didn't force me to do anything."
Dark Magician Girl slowly got control of herself as Yugi continued to console her. She eventually took a deep breath and pulled away from Yugi. While she didn't sniffle anymore, her cheeks remained bright red as she talked.
"Sorry about this. That wasn't what a great domain leader should act like." She said more to herself than the two in the room. She then turned back to Yugi, standing tall with hands behind her back.
"Let me start again. I apologize for my lack of explanation before you and Silent Magician went out. It caused you to confuse your objective and put yourself in unneeded danger." She said in a stern voice that didn't fit her personality. Her attempts at professionalism seemed a little too cartoonish coming from a pink and blue magic girl. Yugi could only tilt his head.
"What do you mean? You seemed pretty clear when you sent Silent and me to the wishing well. Our job was to find and talk to the wishing well's guardian. Then see if he knows anything about these Gandora and if he would help." Yugi said.
"Yes, that is what she asked you two to do," Blue-Eyes said as she stepped forward. "But did you not find it strange that she was sending you to a magical wishing well to only talk to its guardian? Is it not odd that she didn't, say, ask you to make a wish to get rid of the Gandora?"
Yugi paused. He looked down at his bandaged hands then back to the monsters. "I did wonder that near the beginning. I thought since everyone got only one wish from the well, Dark Magician Girl didn't feel right asking me to use my only wish." Yugi shrugged. "I guess Silent Magician told you our plan to use our two wishes to bring back the Knights and send the Gandora away. We were happy to do it before the Silents came along."
Dark Magician Girl's face went slightly pale as Yugi spoke, but she kept her determined expression. "Yes, Silent Magician explained it to me a few days ago. I'm almost glad the other Silent creatures got in your way. I wish I had the forethought to explain this to you before you left. Still, I was so busy with healing and getting everyone evacuated I thought Silent would explain the rest of the well's properties to you. Apparently, she didn't know about the specifics of the wishing well either." Dark Magician Girl sighed. "It was wrong of me to put so much to chance."
Dark Magician Girl then bent down to look Yugi in the eyes, her mouth in a stern frown. "That wishing well is powered by the greed in monsters hearts. That's why we have so many riddles, traps, and even a full-on dragon guarding it."
"W-what?" Yugi gasped. "But…it just grants wishes. Wouldn't the well guardian have warned Gandora if it meant her harm?"
Blue-Eyes chuckled in the corner. "The well guardian? Ol' Red-Eyes? He has probably forgotten by now how dangerous that wishing well could be. He is a very simple dragon, not wanting much in life. He seldom used his extra wishes in the thousands of years since he took the job. If you want an example of how vindictive that well can be, think of the well guardian's wish. He only wished that the Gandora would be let in the Domain of the Beasts. While the well could have simply teleported the Gandora inside, it instead banished the Knights to fulfill that request."
Yugi could only stare at the dragon as she explained, goosebumps slowly growing across his skin.
"That wishing well wants nothing more than to make you regret wishing on it! It has so many arbitrary rules for wishing to try and trip you up. Even if you word your wish perfectly, the well will happily break its own rules to mess with you." Dark Magician Girl explained. "It can't even do that much, only teleport. Why do you think I never used it before for things like the Great Leviathan or your past villains?"
"Or I for fixing my ripped card?" Blue-Eyes asked.
Yugi could only turn away. How had he not thought of that? His head lowered as he looked away from the two monsters' gazes.
"Hey, Yugi." Dark Magician Girl said in a gentle voice as she floated to meet Yugi's eyes again. "Don't you go blaming yourself too. It was my fault for not explaining that bit of crucial information before you left."
Yugi couldn't help but give her a small smile. "I'm just happy that we are all safe and not cursed," Yugi said.
Dark Magician Girl's award-winning grin came back with a vengeance. "I can agree with that! We have many other things to focus on anyway, like the Gandora and the rogue band of Silent mercenaries. I would still like your help regarding that. You currently have the most contact with the two groups so I would like your report on-"
"HE'S AWAKE?! WHY DID NO ONE TELL ME?!" Gandora's roars could be heard coming closer and closer to the room. Both Dark Magician Girl's and Blue-Eye's faces fell into annoyed scowls.
"Not her again." Dark Magician Girl murmured under her breath as she turned from Yugi. She lifted her scepter and shot a small ball of pink energy out. This energy went zooming out the door and down the hall, slowly growing in size.
"YUGI! MOM'S COMING-! OW! …Dark Magician Girl! If you are the one making these barriers, you know I can break through them! Dark Magician Girl? DARK MAGICIAN GIRL!?"
"May the stars watch over us." Blue-Eyes sighed, her eyes rolling to the sky.
"Gandora..." Yugi whispered, unable to keep his guilt away. Despite him knowing none of this was his fault, he couldn't help feeling responsible for both Gandora and what she did to everyone else.
'I am not Gandora's hatchling. I am simply her friend.' Yugi thought to himself in an attempt to stop his spiraling guilt. As he thought about hiding under the covers again, he suddenly remembered his dream. Specifically, the laughing Gandora as it stood over him. Once that flashed through his mind's eye, the rest of his memories of his younger days came flying in. He then picked up his pillow and hugged it.
'The wishing well likes to break its own rules….' Yugi thought. He was silent for many minutes before Blue-Eyes jumped and turned to him with wide eyes.
"No… That… You think?"
"I said stop reading my mind!" Yugi groaned as he dropped the pillow and pulled his knees to his chest. He thought intently about his next words before he finally sighed.
"Can Gandora come in?" He asked.
Dark Magician Girl looked absolutely horrified. She turned to Blue-Eyes, who only nodded at her. Dark Magician Girl seemed worried for both their sanities, but eventually, she gave a defeated sigh. She snapped her fingers, pink sparks flying from them.
"YUGI!" Before a second had passed, Gandora came charging in. She would have thrown herself at Yugi if it wasn't for Blue-Eyes and Dark Magician Girl in her way. The two managed to hold the desperate mother back long enough for her to realize what a bear hug would do to the fragile Yugi. Gandora then stood straight, holding her hands together in an attempt to calm herself down.
"I'm glad to see you, Gandora," Yugi said as he looked down at the Millennium Puzzle, knowing what he was about to say would crush all the hope she had built up. "I'm so happy to see my dear friend wasn't taken."
"Yugi!" Gandora breathed, her eyes getting misty as she looked at him. "Oh, little one. I can't believe I let this happen to you. I'm so sorry, but I promise after this they are never going to steal you away from me-"
"Again. You were about to say again." Yugi said in a nearly monotone voice. "Yet, I've never been stolen from you before.
"Well… Yes… You see…" Gandora fidgeted. "I've wanted to tell you this ever since I realized it under that rubble pile you freed me from. I originally tried to convince myself that I was wrong. But from our travels together, I found there is no denying it. I wished that the well would 'bring me the last Gandora hatchling born, alive.' Do you see what I was getting at? My child never had an official name other than Gandora, and I knew the wishing well would try to use that against me. I also knew asking for all my children back would be too much for the well. But since I'm the only brood mother, I would at least have one hatchling back." She explained all in one gasp, clearly too excited to even take a breath.
"Gandora, wait-"
"And the wishing well answered with you! I don't understand how, but you are my hatchling. You have the same determined kindness as my last child, the same humor. You even share a love of boring riddles! I don't know how you ended up in a human body, most of all the great Pharaoh's host body, but I will love you all the same!"
Yugi flinched at those words, those desperate words. "Gandora… I am not your hatchling."
"Yes, you are! I knew the wishing well fulfilled my wish, even after that well guardian jumped into it. The well guardian doing that must have somehow sent you off course from appearing in front of me. It all clicked in my head when you got down that fruit without hurting anything! Yugi, please-!"
"I did come here by the wishing well's power!" Yugi cut in. Gandora paused when Yugi screamed, her mouth starting to turn down in a frown. "It's the only explanation I have for me being here unless some hidden teleporter comes forward." Yugi then took another deep breath. He couldn't seem to get enough air for what he was about to say. "The wishing well did bring you a Gandora hatchling, but I am not your hatchling. I am the only child of, Gandora, Dragon of Destruction. My father's old identity and completely human man."
The room fell dead silent as Gandora and Dark Magician Girl looked on in mixed confusion. Blue-Eyes solemnly nodded.
"…What? How is that… You must still be hurt, little one. You're making no sense." Gandora stuttered. "Come now. We can finally be a real family together, no war or fighting. Like we always dreamed." She begged, taking a step closer to the bed. Yugi could only turn away.
"Blue-Eyes can attest to what I'm saying. She was with my family as this happened." Yugi said as he looked to Blue-Eyes for any sort of support. While Blue-Eyes didn't say anything, she gave more than enough by standing by his side and slightly nuzzling him. Gandora let out a snarl at the nuzzle that Blue-Eyes readily answered.
"Remember how I said my dad liked your name after my grandfather found it in Egyptian ruins? Well, my dad…." Yugi petered off here. Past this point, he wasn't supposed to know what happened. But he had been able to put together a picture of his dad's past. No matter how much his family tried to hide it. "My dad was about to do awful things. To protect himself and his family, he took on the name Gandora, Dragon of Destruction. His real name might have been Solomon Jr., but, in those years, the Dragon was his own person. I'm also sure during that time, he really did act like a wild Gandora." Yugi said, his voice lowering as he clutched the Millenium Puzzle closer to him.
"I was born at that time, technically making me his hatchling," Yugi said, taking all his strength to turn back to Gandora. It made his heart shatter to see the pain in her eyes. He found he couldn't say anymore.
"That actually makes a lot of sense." Dark Magician Girl added, noticing Yugi's failing words. "I don't know if someone told you this, Gandora, but that wishing well is very mean. It wants to hurt you with your own wish. Even if it was a nice wishing well, it can't bring back the dead."
Gandora's arms fell limply to her side, her eyes growing wide in betrayal. She then shook her head and tried to save face by snarling at the other monsters in the room. "No, you're wrong. You're all wrong!" She shouted. Yugi pulled his blankets closer to him. "Yugi is my hatchling! I wished him back! I didn't fail my child!" Her eyes landed on the curled-up Yugi as he refused to make eye contact with her. Dark Magician Girl and Blue-Eyes then stepped forward to block her path to him. "I didn't fail you… I brought you back…" she croaked.
"The wishing well had no intentions to bring your hatchling back," Blue-Eyes stated. "Stop trying to pull this boy down with you."
Gandora stood stunned, her mouth opening to say some cutting retort, but nothing came.
"I'm sorry, Gandora. You are in no way, my mother." Yugi murmured into his blankets, deciding to leave no doubt in her mind. They needed to be able to move past this together.
It was like lightning had struck Gandora. She stiffened as pure agony seemed to consume every one of her cells. She completely withered before the group, somehow growing smaller as the last of her hopes shattered.
"Gandora, that doesn't mean we can't be-" Yugi began to say
"STOP IT!" Gandora cried, putting her hands to her head and shaking as if she could somehow make everyone disappear. "WHY CAN'T YOU-! WHY CAN'T I-!" Gandora then briefly made eye contact with Yugi, both their hearts shattering at that moment. "Why… why can't… Why do I fail everyone?"
Yugi wanted to leap from the bed then and run to her side. He couldn't stand to see her so hurt. But as he tried, he found a sudden weight on every one of his limbs. He noticed a faint pink glow about him. Dark Magician Girl was magically holding him down. Yugi then lost sight of Gandora as Blue-Eyes took another protective step in front of the bed. Yugi could only hear the anguished roar of Gandora as it shook the room. She then turned and ran.
"Gandora, wait!" Yugi shouted as he fought. "Let me out!" His wiggling only made the magic stronger as he was forced into a stiff laying position.
"You can't leave in your condition." Dark Magician Girl said, all while she tried to hide her tears.
"But Gandora needs-"
"She needs to be alone." Blue-Eyes cut in before Yugi could argue. "You'd only hurt her more at the moment. When you two are both better, that is the time to reconnect."
Yugi glared at Blue-Eyes but finally sighed. While he didn't agree with anyone in this room, he couldn't fight them. He could only stare at the ceiling as he heard the anguished, growing distant roars of a heartbroken mother.