A/N: Words cannot express how sorry I am for such a long absence. Detailed explanation will be in a secondary author's note after the chapter if you're curious. For now I won't bore you and keep you in suspense any longer because let's face it, waiting over a year is all sorts of ridiculous .
For now I just want to say a GIANT thank you to those who have favorited/followed the story so far, you've made it such a wonderful journey! And thank you so much! And also thanks to those who reviewed, C. S. Stars, tokyoghoul234, Drachegirl14, Calla, XxNimith531xX, The Otaku Lady Priya, Vertigo Venom, the two guests, ImJustHereToChill, and Viviene001. You guys rock!
And to the guest who had wanted an update before your birthday, sorry I couldn't make it in time, but here's a belated birthday present! Or in this case an early one since it's closer.
One more important note: From what I can gather from the anime, the entirety of Battle City took place over the course of two days, which seems like a lot of stuff going on in just 48 hours. That doesn't really work for the plans that I have for this tournament, so I'm adding in another day by breaking up the action a little - meaning that in Monachopsis land, the tournament takes place over the course of three days. Two for gathering the locator cards, the semi-finals taking place the night of the second day, and the finals taking place on the third. I normally strive to remain as true to the canon storyline as I can, but this little tweak had to be made for the purpose of this story. It will become clear why shortly.
Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or any characters created by Kazuki Takahashi. This fic is written purely for entertainment purposes only.
Chapter 21
I wish I could say that the Battle City tournament started easily for me. I really, really would have liked that. But no, even before the official start of the tournament my day started off roughly. That is to say, in the middle of my morning training session with Ydor, I was lucky enough - or unlucky, it depends on how you view the situation - to discover that if my physical body is disturbed while I'm inside my mind with him, I get slammed back into reality pretty harshly. This little discovery came from Mai barreling into my room and slamming into me in her excitement about the day. One minute I'm channeling magic on brilliant white sand, and the next…
"AH! Mai, what was that for?!" I sat up from where I'd landed on the floor and glowered at her, rubbing my elbow where it had slammed into the carpet. In her exuberance she'd managed to shove me off the side of the bed, and she peeked over the side with an apologetic grin.
"Sorry hun, I'm just so excited that it's finally here! I mean this past week has dragged on! I can finally get out there and kick some major duelist butt today, but I still have to wait until his royal pain-in-the-neck starts the thing." Mai said, sitting up and huffing. She was already dressed and ready to go, duel disc strapped onto her arm and deck snugly on her thigh in its case.
I sighed and looked at the clock - it was barely six in the morning, and the tournament would start at nine. "It's only a few more hours Mai, try to relax. I've got an hour with Mariko starting in just a few minutes and then I'll get ready. Why don't you come with me and observe? Who knows, maybe you'll pick up a thing or two. You can never be too careful nowadays." I stood and rubbed my elbow again, which thankfully had stopped hurting and moved to my closet to change into some gym clothes.
"I still don't see why you continue to train with Mariko - even she says that you're doing so well that it's less training at this point and more practice." Mai said, hopping off the bed and making her way to the bathroom, most likely to pilfer some perfume. As long as she wasn't dousing her cards anymore I didn't mind.
"That's exactly why I do it Mai. Just because Mariko says I'm doing well doesn't mean that I should let myself become complacent. I told you what happened with Pegasus and his goons, I don't want to be powerless like that again. Besides it doesn't hurt to stay in shape." I said, stepping out of my closet in some pants and a sports bra. No one outside of the staff - aside from Mai, but she's a friend - would be here so I didn't see the need for a shirt that would just get soaked in sweat.
"I guess that's true. Well you go have fun, I'm going to scrounge up some food. I hope there's still some barbecue left from last night…" Mai said, wandering out of the room. I shook my head with a smile and made my way to the workout room where Mariko was waiting. Truth be told, I was afraid to let myself get lazy for two reasons - Number one being Marik and number two being the rare hunters. I'm not going to take any chances this time around, not when Marik is so much more dangerous than Pegasus was. Between training with Ydor and training with Mariko, I felt that I was as ready as I could be. Although I would have preferred another year or ten for more training, if I was being honest with myself.
"Reila, right on time." Mariko said, stepping into the room. We both set towels and water bottles out before meeting in the middle of the mats and bowing. "Let's begin, shall we?"
Seto walked briskly down the hallway to Sota Sarota's home office, glancing at his watch. In just a few short hours his tournament would officially start, and with it his first step to regaining his title of World Champion. It was so close he could taste it, and he had set aside time this morning to go over his deck one last time and prepare himself mentally.
That is, until Sota Sarota called the previous night and asked for a short meeting. Seto's initial thought had been to say no, but he didn't want to cause problems for Reila. If Seto blew off her uncle, she might get upset and back out of coming to the finals - Seto wanted her there to see his return to glory, so he'd give her uncle a few minutes of his time. And it was imperative that she him regain the honor of the title World Champion. She'd witnessed his defeat and loss of the title, so she would be there to see him get it back.
"Ah Seto, there you are. Thank you again for coming to see me; I'll keep this brief since you have your tournament starting in just a few hours." Sota said, standing and shaking Seto's hand when Seto entered the office. Taking his spot behind his desk he motioned for Seto to sit in the chair opposite him. Glancing around the room, Seto could see Reila's influence in the decor, from the wall colors to the furniture itself. Although less intimidating than Seto's office, it still screamed power and control. A few pictures of Hojo and Reila were scattered around the room, ranging from Hojo as a baby to the cousins as teenagers in America, along with platinum album awards and a few other trophies. Sato only let his base linger on the pictures for a moment, taking in the montage of Reila growing into the confident young woman she was today.
"As I said, I'll be brief. I asked you here because I have some serious concerns about Reila's safety." Sota said, drawing Seto's attention back to him. "As I recall, the last time Reila attended a tournament with you she came back rather injured." Sota's voice was calm and his demeanor relaxed, but Seto wasn't fooled for one second - he was on the defensive already, because his niece meant the world to him. At least he wasn't blaming Seto outright for Reila's injuries as he had the first time.
"Those were different circumstances Sota, and you know it." Seto said, crossing his arms over his chest.
"I do know it, but I also know that it was the only time she has been near a Duel Monsters tournament. And given that Reila came back with a split lip, seriously sprained ankle and had been missing for days you'll have to forgive my unease in letting her near another one. At least the tournament is being held locally… That is, the main part of it. As Reila's guardian, I must press for the location of the finals itself. I need to know where she will be, in case I have to get her out quickly." Sota leaned forward, his gaze fixed on Seto's. "I have to insist, Seto. Reila's safety and wellbeing is not something I will risk."
Seto studied the man's face, looking for a hint of what was driving the man's actions. Sota had never willingly endangered Reila's life, that much was true, but there had to be a deeper reason for why Sota was pinning the blame on a tournament. Gaming tournaments themselves weren't known for being inherently dangerous, but the way Sota was acting was odd. The patriarch of the Sarota family was normally cool and composed, but there was a hint of fear deep in the man's eyes. Seto wouldn't call it a panicked look, but something more than just the tournament itself was making the man extra cautious, if Seto was reading his expression correctly.
"Tell me what the real concern is Sota, and I'll tell you where the finals are being held. If there's a threat to Reila I'll also need to know about it so I can protect her." Seto said, meeting the man's hard gaze with one of his own. The little staring contest kept going for another minute or so, before Sota sighed.
"Reila trusts you, and you've proven to be a true friend to her as well. As such, it's time that I told you about some letters we've been receiving." Sota said, standing and opening a drawer in his desk. "Despite her best intentions to stay out of the limelight, Reila has been garnering attention and fans for years now. She's built a small fan base, and that will only grow once she releases her own albums. She receives fan mail from time to time, mostly harmless - letters of people telling her she's an inspiration, a few negative comments to be sure but mostly just standard praise and admiration. That is, except for these letters over the past few months." Sota took out a bundle of letters, all still in their envelopes and bound together with a black band. He placed them on the desk and motioned for Seto to look at them.
Seto stood and took the bundle, unsnapping the band and glancing through the envelopes before opening one, scanning the page inside of it. While he read, Sota continued.
"At first we weren't too concerned, as the letters seemed harmless. Reila has had admirers before, although she's never given them any serious thought. But it wasn't until we came back to Japan and Reila reconnected with you and your brother that things escalated. I haven't told Reila about the situation, as I don't want her to be alarmed. The author of the letters is beginning to evolve, or devolve if you prefer, into stalker behavior - mostly fixated on her friendship with you."
"This isn't just a letter, it's a photo." Seto said, his eyes narrowing as he opened the newest letter. Inside was a picture that had been taken just a week ago, the very day that his tournament had been announced. It was Reila and Mai entering a card shop, the two of them laughing about something.
"Yes. As I said, his behavior is escalating. My security team is working on finding him, but so far he has given us very little to go off of. His letters have no return address, no indication where they are from, he never signs his real name and he types all his letters." Sota sighed, rubbing his neck with a look of worry. "Aside from the two of us and my security team, the only other one who knows is Mai. I asked her privately to keep an eye on Reila since she spends so much time with her. That and the rumors of a tournament in the future are the reasons why she's been staying with us as long as she has."
Sota walked around to the front of the desk and leaned against it, glancing at the pile of letters."Please understand the position I'm in Seto. I can't tell Reila because I don't want to frighten her. I can't rely on Mai alone to be on the lookout, and I can't send my own security because it will raise suspicions. This man hasn't made any attempts to become a physical threat, but any show of force could push him down that path. I'm trying to protect Reila from a complete unknown, and now I have to rely on your security force to protect her instead of my own. You should be able to understand my frustration and hesitation in letting Reila go somewhere unknown, given that you are Mokuba's guardian."
Seto scanned another letter before placing it back in the envelope, watching as Sota gathered them up and placed them back in his desk. Seto didn't know Sota very well, but he knew the man well enough and trusted him enough to allow Mokuba to be around him. And Sota was placing a lot of trust in Seto's abilities by relying on him and his security force to protect Reila. Seto couldn't fathom how much faith and trust it was taking for Sota to willingly let Reila out of sight at any given time, especially with everything that had happened to her recently. And that was just the parts that Reila was allowing him to know. It was a show of faith in Seto's abilities as well - one that Seto wouldn't let go unnoticed. Sota was a good man, and Seto counted him as an ally.
"The finals are being held at a location called Kaiba Corp Island, better known as Alcatraz. Before I took Kaiba Corp from Gozaburo, he used it as a military base and testing grounds for his weapons. I shut it down as soon as I took over the company, andI built a tower on the island that will serve as the arena for the finals. We'll be transported there by blimp, one that Reila oversaw the hiring of the crew for." Seto said, watching the creases of worry ease just the tiniest bit on Sota's face.
"Alright, and before that you will be here in Domino City." Sota nodded to himself and held out his hand, which Seto grasped and shook. "Thank you Seto. It's still hard for me to let her out of my sight, but this will help ease my worry. I'm sure if the situation were reversed and it was Mokuba in Reila's place, you would require the same assurances."
Seto nodded, not letting himself even think about Mokuba being in the same situation. "No harm will come to Reila while she's with me. I'll protect her."
"Thank you again. Now I think I've taken enough of your time - I know you must be anxious to finish preparing. And I wish you the best during the tournament." Sota said, leading Seto out of the office and towards the main door where Hojo was waiting.
"Are you sure this is a good idea dad? Letting her go off to another tournament when there's a threat out there?" Hojo stood leaning against the wall near the front door, a scowl on his face.
"Seto has given me his word that he will protect her." Sota said, and Seto caught the very edge of the warning look that Sota was sending towards his son.
"Tch. Fine, but don't forget, Kaiba, that Reila has prior commitments. She won't be able to spend all day with you tomorrow, she has the video shoot for Alunecare tomorrow, and that appointment was made long before you asked her to be a part of this thing." Hojo said, his mouth still tugged down into a frown.
Seto scowled in response, but didn't have the time to get into an argument at the moment. He had noticed over the past few months that Hojo had been acting increasingly hostile. Anytime that Seto was around the man had a seemingly permanent scowl on his face. But he couldn't worry about that now, so he filed it away for later review.
"Seto? I didn't expect to see you until later."
Seto turned with his hand still on the doorknob and glanced up the staircase where Reila was just walking down. Her hair was still wet from a recent shower, and she was dressed in jeans, a plain white tank and a black vest. She had even done the sensible thing and worn flat heeled boots, versus the death traps she normally wore. As she walked up, he suppressed a grin at the sudden height drop. Because she wore heels all the time it was easy to forget that the top of her head barely reached his shoulder without her usual shoes. Her petite frame didn't detract from how large her presence felt, however.
"Finally wearing sensible shoes I see." Seto said, glancing at her black boots.
Reila rolled her eyes. "Even I'm willing to give up my heels when I know that I'll most likely be walking all day. Besides, if I have to hurry to a location I'd rather not run the risk of another ankle injury." Her eyes narrowed as she looked between her uncle, cousin, and then back to Seto.
"Seto, why are you here?"
Seto just barely kept his spine from stiffening as he saw Sota tense up out of the corner of his eye. The temptation to tell Reila the truth was there, however he also agreed with Sota that her knowing wouldn't be a help at this point. If anything, it would make her worry more. For all her bluster and ability to hide her emotions when needed, it was plainly obvious to those who knew her that she could worry too much at times. And letting her worry over nothing wouldn't do anyone any good.
"I came to give you something. Your uncle said you were still busy, so I was going to leave it with him." Seto reached into his pocket and pulled out a bracelet that he had made. He actually had meant to give it to her, but the conversation with her uncle had distracted him. He also handed her a lanyard with her photo and his company emblem, printed on it was also her title for the tournament - Head of Public Relations.
It was a simple bracelet, a flat, rectangular silver panel secured on both ends with a silver chain. Inside the panel was a tracking beacon, which he would be able to monitor at all times with his satellite system. Mokuba had a similar tracking beacon on him, but his was embedded in the card locket that he always wore. Seto had installed it after Duelist Kingdom, as a precaution.
"It's lovely Seto, but I don't know what the occasion is. You're not the gift giving type normally." Reila said, securing it on her wrist and looking it over. She rarely wore jewelry, so he had made it as nondescript as possible. He did notice that within the past week or so she had started wearing a necklace all the time though, one he'd never seen before. It too was nondescript so the two went well together, or at least he thought they did.
"It's a tracker, linked to my satellite system. I made your uncle a promise to keep you safe. With this, I'll be able to keep tabs on your location at all times."
"So, lovely yet creepy. I'm assuming after the tournament you'll deactivate it, yes?" Reila asked, raising an eyebrow in his direction as she pulled the lanyard over her head, pulling her long hair out from underneath the strap.
"Maybe." Seto said, smirking and opening the front door. "I'll see you in a few hours Reila." Turning he left Reila with a facial expression that was a strange mixture of horror and amusement, but he also saw Sota relax even further, now that there was another layer of protection for his niece and ward.
So the boy is now intent on knowing where you are at all times? That seems…. Excessive.
Seto is a control freak, and the fact that I refused to bring along a security detail with me makes my uncle nervous. This is probably a way to make both Seto and my uncle feel better.
Ydor had asked a million questions about satellites and tracking devices, and I'd answered them as best as I could. But it was still confusing to my dragon friend, and he also seemed to take offense that Seto didn't trust me to take care of myself.
Besides, it makes me feel just the tiniest bit better that Seto will be able to find me if I run into problems.
Is that not why we have been practicing magic? So that you can defend yourself and those whom you care about?
Yes it is Ydor, but I can't exactly go around wielding magic in public. This is an age of technology where everyone is convinced magic doesn't exist. Ignorance is bliss, and I'd rather not broadcast that I have a magical being in my soul who lets me channel his magic.
I gave Ydor a little mental nudge to let him know the conversation was done for the moment as Shuuichi pulled up to a curb downtown. Mai and I exited, and I glanced at my watch - just under 10 minutes until the tournament started. Already fireworks were going off over a courtyard in between some office buildings, and I inwardly sighed remembering how much grief I had taken over that particular negotiation.
"You okay hun?" Mai asked, stepping onto the curb and checking her duel disc.
"Yeah, just remembering the negotiations it took to get the fireworks cleared - the businesses around here were not happy with that request. But I assured them it wouldn't be long and as soon as the tournament officially starts, I'm sure everyone will wander off out of the business district. From what Seto told me, the holograms look better when the projectors are able to spread out more."
"Thanks for the tip on spreading out. This is going to be a fast tournament, I'd say three days max. I don't know why the local shops are making such a big deal out of it." Mai said, stretching her arms. "I mean you'd think they'd appreciate the boost in foot traffic."
"You're right, they do appreciate the boost in foot traffic. In fact a lot of the locally owned shops were very excited to hear about the tournament, especially food vendors and convenience store owners." As I talked, the two of us began heading into the crowd. "It's the bigger corporations that were the toughest to get agreements out of. They didn't want the noise and excitement so close to their offices where meetings are being held and 'serious business is being conducted'. Their words, not mine."
"So the suits were being uptight and stuffy. Why not just pay them off or something?" Mai asked, glancing around to gauge up her competition.
"That was an option yes, but I found it more beneficial to remind them that it would only last about ten, fifteen minutes tops. Once I made it clear that we were asking for such a small time frame they took their grumbling elsewhere." I said, shrugging. "Really, complaining to Kaiba Corp. over something as childish as 'we don't like the noise' isn't going to go over very well. So I just reminded them who I was representing and they caved."
"Using Kaiba's reputation like that is just plain devious." Mai said, a smirk on her face.
"When you got it, flaunt it." I said, and the two of us laughed together before her head perked up. And like that, she was off running over to say hi to Yugi.
I started to step with her, but stopped when my phone went off. Making my way to stand near a cafe, I pulled it out of my pocket and scanned the caller ID. "Hey Jillian, what's up?"
"I found it Reila. That other computer network you were talking about, with the data about Gozaburo and his son Noah."
Everything around me faded to the background as my hand clenched tighter around the phone - I had been right, Noah was alive. And if he was alive, then he was already planning on kidnapping everyone and trying to take Seto's body. The details were still fuzzy, but I remember the gist of it well enough - sabotage the flight plan and get everyone dumped into another virtual hell. Although now that I thought about it, how on earth had he managed to get everyone into the pods without a physical body? Shaking my head I filed that thought away.
"I thought you said you couldn't find it. And I also thought you had stopped looking." I said, keeping my voice low. Glancing around it didn't seem like anyone was paying attention to me, but still I was being cautious.
Jillian made a disgruntled noise. "I took a breather after Kaiba's program almost fried my system, but I never really stopped looking. As for not being able to find it, I was looking in the wrong places. Gozaburo was all about military weapons, so it would make sense that he spread his information over various networks that aren't linked in the conventional sense to keep hackers out of all of his plans and schemes. Once I reminded myself that I needed to think like him and not the current CEO, I was able to trace it down easier. You still want me to dump all the data?"
I froze for a moment as an inner battle began between my common sense and my conscience.
It's easy to say you'd be willing to take someone out and end their life, it's another thing to actually go through with it. That was the dilemma I was now staring down; do I let Noah and the Big 5 live, or do I take them out now to protect Seto and Mokuba from further pain? Yes they would experience a kind of growth through the experience, but hadn't they grown already in ways that they hadn't in the show?
Young one, think carefully about your decision. If you do this, you will have the weight of seven souls that you condemned to death weighing on your own soul. You cannot begin to comprehend the damage this could do to your mind and spirit. Once you start down this path, there will be no turning back from it. You will forever carry a stain on your soul that marks you as someone who has taken lives.
Ydor's words gave me a moment's pause as I tried to think about who the seventh soul was, when it hit me - Gozaburo himself would appear in that virtual world as well. In the show it had been a plot device to let Noah redeem himself, and perhaps further explore Seto's past, but only after Noah had taken control of Mokuba's body. And remembering that made me even more sure that doing this was the right thing to do, because I could not and would not let either of them be around that man's particular brand of evil. Ever. Again.
I'll gladly take on the weight for this Ydor. I won't risk Seto and Mokuba's minds being left behind in that virtual world, and I won't allow them to have to relive traumatic memories. Not when there's something I can do about it.
"Reila? What do you want me to do?" Jillian asked, oblivious to my internal struggle.
There was just the barest hesitation in my voice when I answered.
"Destroy all the data Jillian. None of it can ever see the light of day, or be recoverable in any way."
I heard her typing in commands on her keyboard, and each keystroke sounded like another door to that damn temple in my mind slamming shut. But I pushed aside the feelings of remorse and horror, even pushing Ydor's protests back to the furthest corners of my mind.
"Done. No one will be able to recover the data now."
I sighed, a mixture of relief and apprehension for the future. I'd toyed with the canon plot already by getting Joey directly to the hospital last night, but this was a major plot point that I was completely bypassing. "Thanks Jillian, I owe you."
"No, you already paid me. And more than enough too. If you need anything else, just give me a ring." And with that she hung up, leaving me looking at my phone.
Part of me felt hollow, almost in disbelief over what I'd just done. But the other part kept reminding me that it had to be done. This was one time that I could protect Seto and Mokuba, even though they would never know what I had done. Some wounds should never be reopened, and the two of them were already miles ahead of letting go of their past.
Young one, I hope you are prepared for the consequences of your actions.
Consequences be damned, Ydor. I won't condemn Seto and Mokuba to reliving those memories, and having to remember the pain they experienced could set them back so far emotionally and mentally. No one else can see it, but I can - those two are more open now then they had been at this point in the show. By being around me and my family, they've been shown that there are people they can trust. People who won't harm them or use them for personal gain.
I hope for your sake that is true young one. For if it is not, you will have to live with the weight of seven souls on your conscience for no reason. And that is a burden I hoped you would never have to feel.
Is it truly a burden when a majority of the souls are inherently evil and harbor ill will? Noah may have redeemed himself in the end but it's not a chance I'm willing to take. If the gods or whatever want to punish him for his plans, but not something he actually did then that's on him. He may have been a child but his mind has matured past that point - what he was planning was equivalent to murder. So let his soul take the repercussions, he means nothing to me. Seto and Mokuba are the only Kaibas I care about.
I felt another wave of concern from Ydor before he settled back into the recesses of my mind, leaving me alone to ponder the possible consequences of my actions. Maybe I was being harsh, maybe I was being unsympathetic but dammit toying with someone's life and emotions isn't something I can allow to happen. Especially not to people so close to my heart.
Noah was a character in a story, a faceless villain to me. The Big 5 were a brand of evil I'd already faced once, and they had almost killed me when I had gone to help rescue Seto. If not for Seto's computer program Sabine, Mokuba, Mai and I would have been killed by them. Those five put their greed and selfish desires above everything else, so as far as I was concerned the world was a better place without them.
As for Gozaburo… In this life and my first I'd heard stories of child abuse. I was blessed in both lives with parents who never abused me. But Seto and Mokuba had suffered under Gozaburo. I remembered the darkness that had been forming in Mokuba, and the darkness that had formed in Seto. Between our friendship and the pharaoh banishing the darkness from Seto's heart, they had been saved. Others wouldn't be able to see it, at least not as easily as I could. But the bright innocence in Mokuba's eyes and the small grins and light teasing that I got out of Seto showed me that they were in a much better place mentally than they had been in the show.
Granted Seto was still singularly fixed on winning, but that was a larger monster to tackle. Gozaburo had drilled the need for success and to be number one into him for years. It would take time to get him to see that not being number one wasn't a failure, but as long as we could get through this tournament unharmed there was plenty of time to help him overcome that last major obstacle from his past.
Tucking my phone into my pocket, I rubbed the back of my neck and scanned the area - I had the distinct feeling that I was being watched closely. But no one around me seemed to be paying me much attention. There were a few people I could tell recognized me, but they weren't staring at me. Shaking off the feeling, I made my way over to where Mai and Yugi were.
"There you are Reila! Everything alright?" Mai asked, reaching out and giving my arm a light squeeze.
"Yes everything's fine. Just wrapping up a few loose ends on a business deal." I said, smiling. Mai's sharp gaze lingered for a moment before she shrugged and turned her attention back to the other three that were gathered with them.
I recognized them immediately - Rex Raptor, Weevil Underwood, and Mako Tsunami. As the three bickered over who had improved their decks more, I turned to Yugi and Mai. The sheer amount of puns being thrown around was kind of mind boggling. "Are these three always like this, or is it a duelist thing?"
"Some duelists just never change." Mai said, rubbing the back of her head with an exasperated look.
"Who's this, a rookie duelist? Better watch out, or I'll make dino chow out of you!" Rex said, a determined look on his face as he turned to me.
"Do you see a duel disk on my arm? Nice observational skills. Bet it works wonders for you on the playing field." I said with a bored look on my face.
Mako and Mai doubled over laughing at my dry tone, and Rex turned red in the face as he tried to come up with a comeback. Even Yugi was holding back snickers, and a grin tugged at my own lips. "Relax Raptor, don't get worked up. I'm one of the board members for the committee and am not actively participating. I'm just wandering around as a casual observer."
Determining that I wasn't a threat, the three walking pun machines promptly ignored me and went back to trash talking while I looked around the area. Glancing at the clock, I realized we had just a minute or two before the official start of the tournament, and still that nagging feeling of being watched was there. Shaking it off again I turned back to Mai and Yugi.
"Reila, Yugi, I think I'll head off. And remember Yugi, the next time we meet we're rivals." Mai said, giving me a quick side hug before turning to Yugi.
"Right." Yugi said, nodding with a cheerful smile.
After she wandered off I turned to Yugi as well. "Good luck to you Yugi."
"Thanks Reila. And be careful - we may be in Domino City, but this tournament has brought out some strange people." Yugi said, holding out his hand.
I shook his hand, ignoring the jolt of magic I could feel from him. But he must have felt it too because his eyes widened a little, and I quickly took my hand back. "I can handle myself Yugi. But you be careful as well." I walked away, hoping that he wasn't reading too much into my words while also hoping that he hadn't noticed the jolt that I had.
Did you feel that? Yugi asked the spirit, watching as Reila walked away. She didn't hurry, but there was a tension in her shoulders that even he could see.
Yes Yugi. Reila has magical abilities, and powerful ones at that. But her magic is strange, and unlike anything I have felt before.
Yugi started making his way out of the square as well, thinking. Could she be in league with Marik and his rare hunters?
I sincerely doubt it. Reila has never acted maliciously, and the other night when we felt Marik's presence I saw her stiffen out of the corner of my eye. She seemed repelled by it, hating the feeling just as we did.
Yugi shuddered as he remembered the oppressive feeling of Marik's presence. But if she's not working with Marik, and she doesn't have a Millenium Item, then is she a friend or an enemy?
I don't know Yugi. But I don't think she means us or any of our friends harm. Perhaps we can ask her later, but for now we need to focus on the tournament. Our destiny awaits.
You're right. Yugi said, making his way up to a rooftop courtyard, thinking that he might be better able to spot Joey in the crowd if he had a higher vantage point. But still, the more we learn about Reila the more questions we have.
She is a mystery. But from the devotion she's shown to her friends, and the kindness she's shown to ours I don't think she means harm.
Yugi nodded in agreement before his attention was diverted to the blimp slowly flying over the city, Kaiba's face on the screen making the official announcement - Battle City had begun.
"Hey Reila!"
Hearing a distinct voice calling my name, I turned my gaze away from the blimp over the square and turned to see Joey walking over, a wide grin on his face. "Ah Joey. You made it just in time. How's your sister?"
"Serenity's doing great! She was really scared about the surgery at first, but she sounds like she's doing fine." Joey said, rubbing his nose while his smile turned to one of pride. "She won't be able to remove the bandages for a bit, but the docs say that the surgery was a success."
"I'm glad to hear it." I said genuinely, a soft smile on my face. Joey noticed and a little blush crossed his cheeks, which I ignored - but my smile turned to a frown as I saw the bruise on Joey's cheek. My hand darted out and I gripped his chin slightly, turning his head so I could see it better. "Joey, where did you get that bruise?"
"Oh, uh… I ran into a couple of goons last night when I was on my way home from the hospital. They challenged me to a duel and even took my Red Eyes afterwards." Joey said, jerking his chin out of my grasp and scowling. "But I'm gonna find them and get my Red Eyes back, just you watch!"
My stomach dropped at Joey's words - I'd driven him to the hospital last night to avoid that whole scenario. By keeping Joey away from the rare hunters last night, I had hoped to avoid him being used as Marik's pawn…
Sometimes fate will not be denied, young one. If Joey is fated to fall under the control of Marik, then there is nothing you can do to avoid it.
Dammit, there has to be something I can - My thoughts were cut off as Joey's eyes lit up with recognition and anger, and then he was stalking away from me towards the cafe that I had stopped near to speak with Jillian. Following his gaze, I saw a man with beady eyes and white hair sitting at a small table, drinking out of a cup and tapping away on a laptop while wearing a freaking cape. A smarmy grin was on his face, and I recognized him after a moment.
A rare hunter.
More specifically, the one that had taken Joey's Red Eyes. I thought about stopping the confrontation, but I stepped back as Yugi ran up to Joey. Even as I felt the flare of magic from the Millennium Puzzle as the spirit of the pharaoh came to the forefront. I delved deeply into my memories, trying to sift through the haziness about this particular moment and how I could keep Joey from Marik's evil.
I remembered that Marik would eventually capture Joey, but there was also… Mokuba and Tea. Those were the other two. I couldn't remember exactly how they were captured, but I did remember that Tea would help Mokuba escape, and Mokuba would tell Seto and Yugi what had happened. Then Tea would be used as a hostage to keep the duel going…
Mokuba was safe with Seto for the moment. Glancing at my phone I noted the time - Seto wouldn't start battling until after this duel. Watching as Yugi's duel unfurled, I braced myself and began harmonizing with the monsters that were summoned. So far, the hardest one had been Chimera, the Flying Mythical Beast. But even then it hadn't taken much to grasp onto the magic that the spirit was using when summoning his monsters.
The spirit has forgotten much about using magic, for it is rough and unused. He does not use his magic knowingly, it is an automatic response.
Is that why it's so easy to harmonize with?
That, and the fact that you and the spirit both have strong desires to protect. For you, emotions centered around friends and family are strongest.
Ydor gave me a moment to think about what I should or should not do for the immediate threat. Keep Joey or Tea safe and strike a pre-emptive strike against Marik, or try and find Mokuba to keep him safe? My heart was screaming at me to keep Mokuba safe, but my head…
Ydor, if Marik were to make me a mind slave, would he find out about you? Would he be able to see my memories?
From your memories, I believe that Marik creates his mind slaves by placing a part of himself in the mind of whomever it is he is targeting. I, and the memories of your past life, are housed within your soul. In theory they and I should be safe.
A theory isn't good enough Ydor… I trailed off as Yugi's duel came to an end, and heard him cry out that the rare hunter had been using marked cards.
I started to walk forward, but then the rare hunter started crying out in pain and I was hit with the presence of Marik's magic - that oily, sick feeling rushed out from the rare hunter as I saw the glow of a Millennium symbol appear on the rare hunter's forehead. As the man started spazzing and flopping about, I cringed - it reminded me of how blood bending had looked in the show Avatar: The Last Airbender. It was creepy and made my skin crawl.
Young one, are you truly contemplating involving yourself even further?
I don't know yet Ydor. I'm weighing options.
After ensuring that the downed rate hunter got medical help, I quietly left the square, wandering for a bit and looking in on a few duels. I had tried one time to sit quietly, but a group of people recognized me and interrupted my inner musings. After taking pictures and signing a few autographs, I made my way to a rooftop overlooking a busy street where Rex Raptor was currently getting thrashed by a kid with some pretty bright mint green hair. Ah right, the Roba kid or whatever his name was. Although they couldn't see me where I was standing, I could see his brothers on the next rooftop over. That meant that Yugi and Mokuba would eventually show up, but I still had some time to myself for the moment.
There's something soothing and relaxing about seeing someone as annoying as Rex Raptor get pounded into the ground. But as the duel ended and Joey took up the challenge, I sighed and turned away, still musing over what I should do.
I wanted to find a solution to the Marik-making-mind-slaves-of-people-I-actually-know thing quickly, but kept drawing blanks.
Unfortunately my memories of the show and Ydor were too much of a wild card factor to truly let me strategize, because I couldn't risk anyone finding out about either. Melaina's warning about protecting Ydor still rang in my mind, so I couldn't see myself willingly taking someone's place unless I knew for sure that he would be safe.
Ydor, question: Melaina mentioned something about being able to transfer you to someone else? Is that true? Or are you permanently attached to me?
Much like the pharaoh, I am housed within you but also separate. Instead of a cheap piece of jewelry however, your body is the vessel that houses me. When you were born I had already been placed within you, very deeply so that you would not be in danger from my presence.
But how did you get there to begin with? I mean, I don't remember anything about you until you emerged - with all the subtlety of a train - from my subconscious in Duelist Kingdom.
You are not ready to hear the full truth.
I sighed and rubbed my forehead. Fine fine keep your secrets, but still I can't risk you or someone finding out about you… I fingered the sfora around my neck as I mused some more. The smooth beads of the necklace felt reassuring, and as I thought a moment more a thought popped into my mind.
Wait, Ydor… If the sfora can house magic, could it house you for a time? Like for a couple of hours?
It… Should hold, yes, A sfora was created to house large amounts of magic for a long period of time, although it is a temporary solution. And by placing me in it, you leave yourself more vulnerable than you can imagine. Without my soul to draw magic from you'll be at the mercy of using the magic of others, magic that you may not be able to harmonize with. Not to mention if the sfora were lost, it could be disastrous for you and me as well.
But if it came down to it, I could protect you. I gave Ydor a mental nudge as I took off the sfora and cupped it in my hands, feeding magic into it which Ydor passed up to me. Normally the magic I fed into it was colorless, no intent woven into it. This time a faint aqua light shimmered in my magical vision, as I wove the intent to protect - both Ydor and myself - into it.
"What are you doing?"
I froze at the deep voice, the shimmering light flashed brighter before sputtering out as my concentration broke. Taking a deep breath I turned to see Yugi - no not Yugi, this was definitely the pharaoh, I could feel his presence strongly. His eyes narrowed suspiciously as he stared me down. His gaze was far too calculating, and I mentally berated myself for not being more careful. Of course he and Yugi would be able to see magic, so how to explain this away without giving anything away?
"What on earth are you doing up here? Shouldn't you be down on the streets participating in duels?" Trying to deflect attention off of me. But my stomach sank as the intense gaze I was currently pinned by narrowed even more.
"I asked you a question first. And I'm waiting for an answer Reila."
I sighed and tucked the sfora into my pocket. "Look pharaoh, I just came up here to -"
Oh God. No way. NO FREAKING WAY.
I froze in place before slowly, slowly raising my eyes up, watching as a stony expression fell over the face before me.
"... What did you just call me?"
Second A/N: Cliffie! I'm terrible I know but I couldn't resist.
So. Yes it has been over a year since I have updated Monachopsis. And I am sorry that I've been away so long. But suffice to say… It's been a long, stress filled year. And nothing kills a muse quite as good as stress does.
I'll sum it up as quickly as I can: moved to another city in search of a better paying job, dad got laid off from his after buying a brand new house, kept getting laid off from other jobs for the stupidest reasons (living in a 'Right to Work' means they can literally fire you for the most bogus reasons. Case in point, one job let him go after not even a month because he was 'trying too hard to fit in with his coworkers'.) so we eventually made the decision to come back to Las Vegas. In the meantime I had my worst battle with depression since I was in high school and had to quit a job for the first time in my life. The job was literally so stressful and so not a good fit for me that it was starting to worsen my depression very quickly. Following that was constant stress from the move, trying to find a job, and having absolutely no income and having to beg family to help me stay afloat. Oh and also I had to send my furbaby to love with my best friend for almost two months and can FINALLY get her back today, which hasn't helped my depression or mood at all.
Good news is I now have a job I really like, my parents aren't struggling anymore, and things are looking better than ever! Which in turn means no more muse-killing-stress!
I want to say again thank you, thank you, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for your patience and support. I'm feeling really optimistic about the future and have tons of ideas for future chapters. Thank you all so much again, give yourselves a giant hug from me!
~Panda