Notes: Originally I thought the Game Shop was probably either destroyed or a mess from Zero Reverse, and probably on the Satellite piece of the city. Then I realized it likely depends on how far it is from the water, as it must have been the half of the city closest to the water that broke off. I kind of feel like the shop seems to be more inland.

Chapter Two

The Turtle Game Shop was indeed warm and inviting inside. Kalin looked around, taking in the glass cases filled with old and new cards and rare treasures from every release at this point in time. He didn't even recognize many, if not most, of them. In his time, Industrial Illusions mostly made new cards, although a few perennial favorites had stayed in print.

"Do you like to duel?" Yugi asked, breaking into his thoughts.

"Hmm? Oh. Yes." Kalin sounded far away as he studied the glass cases. "Dueling is all I have now. . . ."

Yugi exchanged a concerned look with Solomon. "Maybe we could have a duel while you warm up," he suggested.

"I'd like that," Kalin said. But he quickly realized the problem that might present. If he dueled . . . if Yugi saw his unfamiliar cards . . . that would already be turning time on its head, wouldn't it? "I really shouldn't stay long, though," he hurried to add.

"Do you have any family or friends we could call?" Solomon asked.

"No one." Kalin wouldn't meet his hosts' concerned eyes. Yusei would be concerned about him for some unfathomable reason, but even if Kalin was willing to contact him, he wasn't here. Not in this Domino City.

Yugi led him to the stairs at the back of the shop. "Do you live here?" he wondered.

"Yes," Kalin replied, as he had with Lector. It wasn't really an untruth, and yet it wasn't the full truth either.

They went up the stairs and into a cozy living room. Yugi hurried to move magazines and his Duel Disk off the couch. "You can sit here," he said. "I'll go tell Atem we have a guest and get some hot chocolate."

Kalin quirked an eyebrow. "Atem?"

"My . . . Egyptian cousin," Yugi explained haltingly. "I'll be right back!" He dashed off, leaving Kalin alone with Solomon.

"You know, I don't think we even got your name yet," Solomon remarked.

"Kalin Kessler," Kalin mumbled, staring blankly at the television set. Both a Blu-Ray/DVD combo player and a VCR were set up around the television. Apparently they liked to embrace both the old and the new. Of course, even Blu-Ray was old where he was from.

"I don't rightly think I've heard of any Kesslers in town," Solomon said. "Of course, it's grown up a lot! Where do you live?"

Kalin hesitated again, far too long. How could he answer without it sounding suspicious and strange? The Turtle Game Shop had stayed with the part of Domino City that had become New Domino City and he of course hadn't lived anywhere around there, although he had heard of the place due to it being the home of the legendary original King of Games.

". . . Not around here," he said at last. "Closer around the docks."

"Ahh, I see," Solomon nodded. "You traveled quite a way then!"

You don't know the half of it. I passed through some kind of portal that opened in space and now I'm in the past.

". . . I like to walk," Kalin said.

"Well, it's sure not a night made for walking," Solomon said. "They're promising snow all through the night! We could give you a lift back home, if you'd like."

"Thank you, but no," Kalin immediately replied. "I . . . can't go home."

"Oh?" Solomon frowned in kind but stern concern and sat on the other side of the couch. "Care to tell me why not?"

Kalin looked away. "I betrayed my oldest friend. I'm finally out of his life again; I can't go back."

"Are you sure he doesn't want you back anyway?" Solomon studied him with searching eyes.

Kalin got up abruptly and turned away. "If he does, he's a fool," he spat. "I only bring pain and heartache to everyone I come in contact with. He should be glad I'm out of his life."

"That's not the way friendship works," came a new and deep voice.

Kalin jumped a mile. As he turned, he found himself looking at someone who resembled Yugi more than a little bit. Yugi stood next to him, holding a tray with four mugs of hot chocolate.

"In a true friendship, the love and caring never ends, no matter what has happened," the Egyptian—Atem—said. "You will always be welcomed back."

Yugi set the tray on the coffee table in front of the couch. "That's right!" He looked at Kalin with a bittersweet smile. "Atem and I have been through some rough patches that have really hurt, but it's never destroyed our friendship."

Kalin slowly took one of the mugs. "It couldn't have been anything like what I did," he objected.

"And just what did you do?" Atem asked. He, Yugi, and Solomon each took one of the other mugs.

Kalin stared into his before slowly sipping the beverage. "I became twisted by hatred and bitterness. I thought my oldest friend had betrayed me and I accepted an evil magical force to get back at him." He gripped the mug. "But I wasn't seeing things clearly at all! He never betrayed me. I turned against him and everything good and righteous that I had once fought for!"

Atem and Yugi exchanged a grim look.

". . . So did I," Atem said at last.

Kalin looked up with a jerk. "What?!"

Atem heaved a sigh. "Yugi and I have been very close for years and we have fought against many enemies together. But then came the Orichalcos. It was an evil force that preyed on people's weaknesses and twisted their minds and hearts. I still don't fully know how it happened . . . how I could have let it happen . . . but I . . . I gave into it."

"It must have been that the stone you were wearing reacted to the Seal of Orichalcos card when Raphael gave it to you and it started to poison your mind," Yugi said. "That's the only thing I can think of."

"I suppose it's the only thing that makes sense," Atem said. "It preyed on my desire to win and I became bent on the idea that I could not lose the duel I was playing against one of the Orichalcos Swordsmen. The thing was that if the card called the Seal of Orichalcos was in play, whoever lost the duel would lose his soul. But the card wasn't in play; nothing would have happened had I lost! And yet I . . . I was obsessed with the idea that I could not lose. Raphael had given the card to me to tempt me, to see if I would give in to my darkness and play it . . . and I did." His hands shook and he set the mug back on the tray. "I let my darkness consume me and I refused to listen when Yugi tried to stop me. Then, when I ended up losing, Yugi forced the Seal to take his soul instead of mine, to save me." His voice cracked.

Solomon looked down at his mug. He had heard the story before, but it was still sobering and sickening.

Kalin just stared at them. "How did you ever live with yourself?!" he exclaimed to Atem. He turned to Yugi. "And how did you ever forgive him?!"

"It was impossible for me to forgive myself," Atem said. "I still haven't. But all I could do was pull myself together and try to go on. I had to do everything possible to rescue Yugi as well as to save the entire world from the destruction the leader of the Doma organization wanted to bring about."

Yugi nodded. "And of course I was angry and hurt," he said quietly. "That's probably why the Orichalcos was able to take me; it reacted to dark feelings and could only be repelled by light and love. But I had a lot of time to think when I was trapped. I realized he never would have done it if he'd been fully in control of himself." He looked at Kalin. "And evil magic forces aren't the only way people lose control of themselves. If you were filled with bitterness and hate, that could also make you do things you'd never do in your right mind."

Kalin sighed and leaned back into the couch. This was the second time tonight that someone had tried to tell him that he had not been the only person to give in to such feelings and hurt their loved ones. Somehow it always felt different when it was someone else as opposed to him personally. Even Atem's story, as horrifying as it was, didn't seem to compare. Kalin had agreed to accept the Dark Signers' power before it had corrupted him; Atem had apparently started to become corrupted before he had accepted the Orichalcos and therefore couldn't fully be held responsible.

"If you don't mind my asking, when did you accept the evil force you encountered?" Atem broke into his thoughts.

". . . When I was in prison," Kalin said. "I thought my friend had betrayed me so I would get arrested."

"That would be awful to get arrested for something you didn't do," Yugi said in horror.

"Oh, I did it, alright," Kalin said dryly. "It was a very complex situation." But he trailed off again. How could he explain in more detail? What had happened was that he had wanted to bring down the corrupt Sector Security totalitarian police. But if he said the police department was corrupt, no one here would understand what he meant. Sector Security didn't exist yet. And if he explained more and revealed the full truth . . .

"Well, if you want to talk about it, we're here for you," Solomon spoke.

"Thanks," Kalin said, but didn't say more.

He had really been a hypocrite to try to bring down Sector Security anyway. By that point he had become as drunk on power as they were and had tried to implement the same methods of total control that they did. Yusei had seen that. So had Crow and Jack. That was why the two of them had left. But Yusei had always stood by him. How had he allowed himself to believe that Yusei would really turn against him?

Suddenly two phones dinged. Yugi quickly pulled his out. "Oh, Lector's looking for you," he said in amazement and concern to Kalin. "So are the rest of the Big Five and Mokuba!"

"He says he was talking to you and you ran off into the storm after you saw Mokuba," Atem frowned.

"I'd better let them know you're here, and safe," Yugi said. He started to type.

Kalin didn't try to stop him. He just sighed.

"What would prompt you to run after you saw Mokuba?" Atem asked. "You don't have any history with the Kaiba Corporation, do you?"

"Not in the least," Kalin grunted. "I told Lector it wasn't really about Mokuba. It's . . . complicated. I just didn't feel like he should be burdened with looking out for me. I'm not worth it."

"Well, he sure thinks you are," Yugi said. "He's really worried!"

"I . . ." Kalin looked away, his eyes flickering with confusion and guilt. "I didn't want to cause him to worry. . . . I didn't think he'd keep looking, really. . . ."

"Why wouldn't he?" Yugi frowned.

"Because adults have never cared about me before," Kalin said. "I was always on my own."

"That's awful," Yugi gasped.

The phones dinged again with an incoming message. Atem was the first to look. "Lector says you are still welcome to come to his house tonight," he said. "He and some of his friends are in a car and can come pick you up."

"Of course, you're welcome to stay here too," Solomon said, "but I'm afraid we don't have much room. We would only be able to offer you the couch."

Kalin was silent as he considered his options. Taking the couch didn't bother him; it was paradise compared to many of the places he had slept. Staying either place could result in these people learning of the bleak future of Domino City, and he still didn't know whether it was right or wrong to tell them. But, incredibly, none of them would be willing to let him go out in the snowstorm on his own. He would have to choose one place or the other. Maybe in Lector's mansion, he would have a room to himself and be less likely to possibly reveal anything in his sleep where he'd be overheard. He had been having nightmares ever since his revival.

"Thank you," he said to Solomon. "I don't like to impose on you any further. I'll accept Lector's offer."

Atem nodded and quickly texted that information to Lector. "They'll be by for you in a few minutes," he said.

"Maybe we can duel tomorrow," Yugi said. "If you still want to, I mean."

"Maybe," Kalin agreed. He would definitely want to . . . if it wasn't for that problem of most, if not all, of his cards being from another place and time.

"And just think about what we've said," Yugi encouraged. "I'm sure your friend would like to see you again, no matter what happened between you."

Atem nodded. "You are clearly sorry for what you did."

"Yes, but saying that won't take away all the pain I inflicted." Kalin stood when he heard the sound of a car downstairs. "Thanks for the hot chocolate."

The limousine parked at the front door was certainly something new for Kalin. He had never ridden in anything like it before. One of the doors opened and Lector stepped out, his eyes filled with relief. "Hello again, Mr. Kessler," he greeted.

"Hello," Kalin said. "I'm sorry I put you to so much trouble." He walked over and climbed inside.

A brunet sitting across from where Lector had been grunted. "You wouldn't have had to if you hadn't run off like that."

Kalin averted his gaze. "I thought it was best."

"Yeah, but I still don't get that," Mokuba exclaimed. "Why?! It must've had something to do with me!"

Before Kalin could reply, Yugi and Atem appeared at the door of the game shop. "Hi, guys," Yugi said with a smile. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes," Lector nodded. "Thank you, Yugi. We'll take it from here."

"Be careful driving in this storm," Atem said.

"We have a good driver," Lector assured him. He climbed back into the limousine and pulled the door shut.

"So, are you gonna give us an explanation?" a broad, stocky man with a mustache spoke up, looking to Kalin. "We've been all over the city looking for you!"

"I still think it's better if you don't know much about me," Kalin said.

"Better for who?" The brunet was scrutinizing him now.

The tension was thick in the air. Lector quickly came to the rescue to diffuse it. "Mr. Kessler, this is Robert Nesbitt," he said. "Over there is Adrian Randolph Crump III." He indicated the stocky man. "And these two are Thomas Johnson and our leader, Charles Gansley."

A thin man with glasses and a heavyset elderly man both nodded to Kalin.

"All of you came out?" Kalin said in disbelief.

"Lector was worried about you," Johnson replied. "That was good enough for us."

"We need to drop Mokuba off at home on our way back," Lector said. "I hope that's alright with you."

"That's . . . fine," Kalin said slowly.

Mokuba frowned. "You don't have to be worried to meet Seto," he said. "Not unless he has some reason to be mad at you."

"He's never even met me," Kalin said. Or hardly anyone else. Seto didn't duel anymore where Kalin was from, and he barely came out anywhere at all. KaibaCorp still had a large presence in New Domino City, but Seto himself was a recluse.

"You're a very mysterious person, Mr. Kessler," Johnson remarked. "Lector has taken a liking to you and we trust his judgment, but still, I would like to have more knowledge of who you are when you're going to be staying with us for the night."

"I can't say much more than I already have," Kalin insisted.

"That almost makes it sound like you're some kinda secret agent," Crump chortled.

Kalin looked away. "I'm just a wandering soul in search of a way to atone for my crimes." He paused. "What have all of you done to make good?"

"We have apologized and we try to sincerely live our lives in the right way," Lector said. "We help Yugi and the others whenever we can, and others too."

"I know Nesbitt has been very protective of one of his former victims," Kalin said.

Nesbitt stiffened. "Where would you have heard that?! It's not even public knowledge what happened!"

Kalin stiffened too. But before he could try to think of a save, they pulled up at the Kaiba Manor. Lector started to undo his seatbelt to walk Mokuba up the walkway to the door, but the gates opened and Seto was standing there.

Mokuba hurried to unbuckle his seatbelt. "I'll see you tomorrow, Lector," he said. "Bye, everyone! Bye, Mr. Kessler." He gave Kalin a searching frown before getting out of the limousine and hurrying over to his brother. "Hey, Seto!"

Seto looked down at the kid, his expression mostly unreadable until his eyes flickered slightly. "Did that nonsense with the stranger get sorted out?"

"Yeah, he was found okay," Mokuba said. "He's in the car with Lector and the others."

Lector nodded to Seto. "Mr. Kaiba."

Seto nodded back and turned away. "Let's go inside, Mokuba."

Mokuba waved to Lector and the other occupants before scurrying after Seto. "Wait up, big brother!"

Seto slowed, waiting for Mokuba to catch up. Then they walked together to the porch and inside. The light overhead caught a faint smile on Seto's features as they disappeared into the entryway.

It was Gansley who noticed how Kalin was staring after the brothers. "You're most certainly occupied."

Kalin just kept staring. Seto was close to his age in this time, and happy. It was so strange to see him like this. . . .

"You star-struck or somethin'?" Crump leaned forward, peering at him.

Kalin jumped. "No," he retorted. "Just thinking."

"Well, you sure act like you've got some kinda past with the Kaiba brothers," Crump said. "You really don't?"

"I don't," Kalin said firmly.

He stayed silent on the drive to Lector's house. The Big Five, not quite sure of what to say to each other when he was there, stayed quiet for the most part as well. It wasn't a long drive and the limousine was soon rolling up the driveway and stopping near the garage. Everyone started to get out.

Kalin looked at the group in some surprise. "I hope you're not all being inconvenienced because of me," he said. "I won't do anything to hurt Lector."

"Huh? Oh, nah, we were all comin' here anyway," Crump said. "We all live together and just rotate whose house we're at each day. We're not hangin' out here to protect Lector from you or anything like that."

"Really." Kalin quirked an eyebrow.

Lector nodded. "That's right. They were all here earlier, when I was taking the walk and found you. I called Nesbitt here at the house."

". . . Well, just as long as I'm not causing any inconvenience," Kalin said. So, they started doing that this far back.

"You're not," Lector promised.

They all headed inside and Lector summoned his maid. "We're having a guest stay over tonight," he told her. "Please prepare a room upstairs."

The girl bowed and nodded. "Of course, Sir."

Kalin followed the Big Five up the stairs, staring at the spacious rooms and large, hanging chandeliers. He had been filled with anger so many times at how the rich had so much while the poor had so little. There was still a divide even in this Domino City, but not as great a one. If they prevented the reactor explosion, so much would be different in positive ways. If not for the worry of possibly causing his friends' personalities and relationships to change, it would be a much easier decision to make.

Really, if he was thinking of the greater good, it would be a no-brainer, wouldn't it? . . . But on the other hand, if Yusei and the others changed . . . maybe they wouldn't even be worthy Signers. Things like the Dark Signers would still be out there and still attack. If there weren't Signers to combat that evil, the entire world might fall.

"Mr. Kessler?!"

"Hey, are you okay?!"

He started back to the present. He had stopped walking and now was gripping his forehead, trembling as he stared off at nothing, lost in his troubled thoughts. He straightened, drawing a shaking breath. "Yes."

Crump didn't look convinced. "You look about the farthest thing from okay."

Something flickered in Nesbitt's eyes. From what he knew about Kalin, he thought he understood. Judging by Lector's expression, he felt similarly.

"Here, Sir," came the maid's voice from up the hall.

Lector perked up. "Thank you, Helena. Here's your room, Mr. Kessler." He walked over to the room Helena was standing in front of.

Kalin came over as well. The room was enormous, bigger than some of the small homes in Satellite. Never in his wildest dreams had he ever thought he would have a chance to stay somewhere like this. "Thank you," he said. He slowly went inside.

"We're just up the hall," Lector said. "Please let us know if you need anything."

"I will," Kalin said as he shut the door.

For a moment he just stood and stared at the room. This was pure luxury, from the thick purple carpet to the expensive purple comforter quilts. (Apparently Lector's favorite color was purple.) This was the sort of thing he had wanted all Satellites to be able to enjoy . . . before he had completely lost his way and had only cared about hatred and revenge.

He ran his hand over the finished wood of the dresser. How had he had that happen to himself? He had been starving to death in The Facility, beaten and alone and left without his most prized possession—his deck—but to give in to hate, to abandon everything he had fought for and let the evil of the Dark Signers take him . . . there could be no forgiveness. He clenched a fist and turned away.

He was just slipping out of his coat and setting it on a chair when he heard a knock at the door. Opening it, he found Nesbitt standing there with a strange mixture of understanding and lingering suspicion written across his face.

"I know what it's like to feel like the scum of the earth," he said abruptly. "I've struggled with that for years and I completely sympathize. But I still want to know how you know about my looking after Serenity Wheeler. It's not public knowledge. No one even knows we have an unpleasant past together." He leaned on the doorframe with one arm, his thick eyebrows knitting as he glared searchingly at Kalin.

Kalin held the gaze for a long moment before turning away. A lot of things came out after the reactor explosion. And you became like a father to her after her mother was lost.

"I can't tell you," he said at last.

Nesbitt snarled. "Look, you . . . !" He grabbed a handful of Kalin's shirt and pulled the boy towards him. "There's something very strange about you. Maybe Lector's willing to overlook it for now because he's so worried about your mental state, but I'm not so willing. There's something you're holding back from us. No, a lot of somethings. And I don't know whether you're dangerous to us or not, no matter what you say!" His voice lowered. "And I won't tolerate any danger to the others. Is that clear?"

"Perfectly," Kalin replied.

"And if you stick around past tonight, I'm going to keep demanding answers," Nesbitt continued. "I'll be well within my rights."

"Yes, you will," Kalin said. "But don't worry. I'll be gone by morning." The storm would be over and he could quietly disappear back through the portal to his own Domino City. . . . If he decided that was indeed the best thing to do.

Nesbitt stepped back, giving him another searching look. Then he turned, heading back up the hall. "Goodnight."

Kalin shut the door. "Goodnight."