A/N: So I originally planned on having this done forever ago. But drama and stress really did a number on my creativity and desire to write. Plus I began to have serious doubts about where the story is going and blah blah blah. I had originally had this chapter half done before I realized that I had kind of veered way off track with a certain someone's reactions (looking at you there Atem). Also, the timeline for the Battle City tournament is kind of a fuster cluck, if you catch my drift. Deciphering that and laying out a game plan took quite a bit of time. Seriously if you have time to kill (HA) try mapping out that 24 hours of chaos.

Also, apparently Joey's duel took place on day two of the tournament. Ah… whoops? Too late for me to go back and re-edit the whole thing, so I'm just winging it to be honest. So if the timeline doesn't exactly match with the show… Eh, I'm exercising creative freedom.

I also want to take a moment to address a review left by a Guest: Yes, I agree wholeheartedly that keeping something as serious as a stalker from Reila is dangerous and shouldn't be done… In the real world. If you know someone who is in danger from a potentially mentally unbalanced person, the proper authorities should be brought into the picture and the person in question should be warned so that they can be on the lookout. However, for the purpose of this fic, I've chosen to have both Seto and Reila's uncle keep that knowledge from her for the time being. It'll become clear later-ish.

I know I normally give shoutouts to all the reviewers, but I'm feeling exceptionally lazy. So you know who you are, and I appreciate you so much!

WARNING: If you are uncomfortable or possibly could be triggered by reading about symptoms of panic attacks, please be warned that this chapter does contain them. Please do not force yourself into an uncomfortable situation, if it is something that causes discomfort please skip to the middle of the part that narrates the pharaoh's thoughts.

Chapter 22

I tried to form words to answer the pharaoh's question. But every single time I started to craft together a sentence my mind blanked, and no sounds could make their way past the lump in my throat. My mouth was dry and my hands began shaking, all from one overwhelming emotion.

Fear.

Unfiltered fear coursed through my veins, cold and icy. One of my greatest fears in this life had always been being discovered. To have someone realize that there was something different about me. That I wasn't just an everyday girl thrown into extraordinary circumstances. I had already pushed the envelope once, unintentionally using magic during my duel with Johnny Stepps. And now with one slip-up my entire life could come crumbling down, depending on how benevolent the pharaoh was feeling.

I'd painstakingly crafted an image of myself for others to see. A daughter, a friend, a niece, a cousin; who I was now as Reila was nothing like the person I had been before my death, but the masks were necessary to protect myself and now the people around me. None of those masks even hinted that there was anything more to me than some higher than average intelligence. I made sure to keep any hints of knowledge of the future hidden, to keep the magic within me hidden. And then in one split second all my hard work was suddenly undone.

There was a bitter taste in my mouth as adrenaline flooded my body, fight-or-flight instincts rushing over me so quickly that I took a step back from the sudden rush of vertigo. One little slip up, one little mistake and suddenly I was facing down with my greatest fear - someone finding out that I was different.

And the worst part was that I had brought this on myself. I'd taken too much time hanging around somewhere that I knew he would be making an appearance at. I had trusted that I could get away in time and had failed miserably.

The pharaoh stood silently, watching emotions flit across my face so fast that it felt like my face was twitching. His expression was stony and unreadable, and distantly I wondered at how he was able to keep his composure so well.

He didn't scream, didn't shout. But his expression made it clear that he was not going to be leaving, or allow me to leave, before he was satisfied with my answers. He crossed his arms slowly, leaning back against the door in a silent statement - he was prepared to wait for my answer.

Theoretically I could still escape, if I was willing to launch myself over the edge. But a basic understanding of how gravity works and the fact that I did have some self-preservation instincts kept me firmly on the roof.

As I struggled to remember how to breathe, my thoughts finally cleared enough to begin formulating something that resembled a plan. I could manage this, I could - I would just have to think fast on my feet and lie through my teeth. But the pharaoh should be relatively easy to manage.

I hoped.

Finally I managed to take a full breath only to freeze up again; Mokuba would be making an appearance as well. Glancing to the side, I felt a small trickle of relief that I could still see only the Roba brothers. The last thing I needed was for Mokuba to be questioning what I was doing on the rooftop with Yugi, because inevitably he would tell Seto. Given that Seto had already shown irritation at my being around Yugi before, I didn't want to deal with him questioning my loyalty today.

"Reila." The pharaoh said my name firmly, pulling me out of my thoughts. His tone was commanding, but not cruel; otherwise I probably would have snapped in response. Ramped up anxiety had a way of making me - anyone really - rather waspish.

Turning my gaze to him, I swallowed as my plan began to reform in my mind. It wasn't that the pharaoh was gullible per se, but the fact that he believed in magic was a mark in my favor, and something that I could use to avoid telling him the whole truth. I could only hope that he would be willing to believe my half-truths, and wouldn't ask too many questions that I couldn't answer.

"I realize that this must look… Bad. But I want to state clearly, right from the beginning that I mean you no harm whatsoever, and I mean no harm to those you care about." I found the panicked feeling was lessening, but in no way disappearing. Having a general plan made it somewhat easier to think, even with the panicked thoughts still buzzing through my brain.

"It does indeed look bad." He murmured, saying no more as he continued to watch me with that fathomless gaze. I didn't miss that he hadn't commented on my promise that I meant no harm, but I decided to leave that alone for the time being. Either he would trust me after this conversation, or he wouldn't. But if he took things too badly...

Ydor, what are the chances you know how to wipe someone's memories?

I am a warrior first and foremost young one. Such magic is not unknown to me, but also not something that I have studied in depth. I could practically envision him shrugging his massive shoulders. Truthfully I would not recommend mixing my magic with his. Who knows what could happen, either to you or the Egyptian. I would also like to point out that this conversation is best had inside, away from possible prying ears.

What other options do I have? Not like I can ask him to go anywhere with me when he doesn't trust me, and I'm NOT going to bring him into my mind. Also not going into his if I can avoid it. I mentally sighed. Either way, let's get this over with.

Shaking myself out of my thoughts, I raised my gaze again to meet the pharaoh's unblinking gaze.

"I'm still waiting, Reila." He said, an eyebrow raising slightly. The overall effect made him look haughty, and finally my panic subsided enough for irritation to flash through me. Just because he was older - speaking in terms of how old souls are - does not mean that he gets a free pass to talk to me that way.

"Alright let's get one thing clear here - just because you're a former pharaoh doesn't mean you get to act like that with me. Take that attitude and stow it, mister." I said, feeling a little more like myself. Irritation was much easier to work with than anxiety, although I could still feel panic creeping up my spine.

"... And how is it you know this, even when I didn't know until recently?" He asked cautiously, but his eyebrow did return to its normal position. "And why have you hidden that knowledge from me, and my friends?"

"It's… Complicated." I said, almost wincing at how lame that line was. "Just give me a moment to try and figure out a way to explain it." I paused for a moment before continuing. "I can 'see', for lack of a better term, events that have happened in the past, that are happening now, and events that will take place in the future." I ran a hand through my hair, picking and choosing my words carefully. "I'm trying to use that knowledge to protect as many people as I can. But there's a limit to how much I can interfere without changing the potential future. Too much change would make my visions useless."

"So you're a seer?" The pharaoh asked, still leaning against the door. But he was keeping quiet for the most part, seemingly absorbing my words carefully.

I wobbled my hand in the air to indicate 'kind of'. "I wouldn't go that far. What I see are basically fragmented pictures, or maybe snippets of conversations. By piecing them together I can get a clearer picture, but it's not always one hundred percent accurate. It allows me to know some events, mostly connected with the Millennium Items, and those who are connected to them. For example, I know you were a pharaoh during ancient times, but I don't know who you were. I couldn't tell you a single thing about your reign or personal life, other than you ruled Egypt and your soul was sealed into the Millennium Puzzle at some point."

The pharaoh seemed to mull over my words for a moment before nodding. "If that's true, why not mention it earlier? You know that I had a past steeped in magic, that my friends and I were linked to the Millennium Items, so why not mention your visions before?"

I shrugged my shoulders, tugging on a lock of my hair. "Honestly? At first I didn't know what to make of what I was going through. And then by the time I realized what was going on, what I was seeing, I was firmly in the 'I want no part of this' camp." I said, without a hint of shame.

The pharaoh raised his eyebrow again at Reila's guileless statement. He had a feeling that this was the closest that anyone aside from her family had ever gotten to seeing the true Reila. There wasn't any malice in her, but there was definitely a point in which she would stop caring for those around her that weren't a part of her inner circle. Though she was fiercely protective, that protection only went to select people.

The pharaoh could almost respect that. Her friends and family came first, and her loyalty to them was definitely an admirable trait. Still, the fact that she had been withholding information that could have potentially been useful didn't sit well with him.

What do you think pharaoh? Yugi asked, his voice calling out from the Puzzle.

I'm… Not sure. His gaze never left Reila's face, and although she was starting to tell some of the truth, the pharaoh was fairly certain that she was still withholding information. He wasn't sure if he would consider that the same as lying, but he also sensed that what Reila wasn't saying was of much more importance than what she was saying. That, and he could practically feel the fear radiating off of her. It was disconcerting to see someone who was normally so confident acting afraid.

"That is a rather weak reason for not sharing your knowledge Reila." He watched as her eyes flickered away from his, but he was able to catch a glint of fear and guilt in them. She acted tough, but he was beginning to see through her mask. He didn't think that his behavior was particularly threatening, so her fear must be from some other source.

Pharaoh, go easy on her. She barely knows us and maybe doesn't fully trust us yet.

If she has knowledge that could help us defeat Marik, or help answer more questions about my past than she has no right to keep that knowledge to herself. That was perhaps a bit harsher than he had intended, but his frustration at the situation was getting the better of him. To know nothing about his past, and yet someone with seemingly no connection to him having more insight to his past than he did was aggravating.

I'm sure she has a good reason for keeping the information to herself. Yugi sounded only half-sure with that statement, but the pharaoh knew that his friend had a tendency to see people's positive qualities better than he himself did.

Let's find out then.

"Why not share your knowledge Reila? Surely two people moving towards a better future is better than one." The pharaoh finally said.

Reila flinched. "Yeah, no. Not happening. Ever heard of a self-defeating prophecy?" Reila shook her head vehemently, her wild curls flying around her face. "Too much information can be dangerous."

"A self-defeating prophecy?" The pharaoh asked, although he had a feeling it was self explanatory.

"The complementary opposite of a self-fulfilling prophecy; a prediction that prevents what it predicts from happening. This is also known as the prophet's dilemma. A self-defeating prophecy can be the result of rebellion to the prediction." Reila's voice was flat, almost as thought she was repeating from memory. She blinked and seemed to return to the present. "Giving too much information, especially to someone who is basically at the center of all the events that are to happen, could potentially lead to us being so far off track that nothing can set it right."

"You can't know that for certain." The pharaoh said, growing aggravated with the rather circular conversation.

"It's not a chance I'm willing to take." Reila said flatly, crossing her arms over her chest. Her brow furrowed as she looked over his shoulder, her eyes became unfocused as though she was lost in thought. "You have no idea how dangerous it could potentially be to share my knowledge. So many things to remember… So many little details that could change everything…" She continued to mumble under her breath as her eyes unfocused even more.

Pharaoh, be careful… Something's not right…

Yugi's plea made the pharaoh pause as he studied Reila more. She was shrinking in on herself, her shoulders hunched, her fingers gripping her upper arms so hard that they appeared white. Her eyes darted back and forth, following some unseen pattern as she continued to mutter under her breath.

"Reila…?" The pharaoh took a tentative step forward, but Reila flinched back so hard that she hit her back against the wall. For a split second he thought she might fall over, but she caught herself and hunched down further, pressing her back into the wall as she shut her eyes tightly, continuing with her incoherent mumbling.

It was unnerving, seeing someone normally so calm and collected suddenly acting like a caged animal. Her breaths began coming in fast pants, her body was trembling, her nails were beginning to dig into her arms…

"Reila, please. You're going to hurt yourself unless you calm down." The pharaoh moved closer, beginning to worry about her. If she gripped her arms any tighter she could potentially draw blood with her own nails. "If it's too much, perhaps I can help. If you'll just tell me what-"

"DAMMIT I CAN'T!" Reila's shriek caught him off guard, and he almost fell flat on his rear from being startled so badly. Reila's hands left her arms, her fingers threading into her hair and gripping tightly as she began shaking violently. "I can't tell anyone anything! I can't let anyone know I have this knowledge, I can't change anything too much! And everytime I try to protect someone, I just make it worse…" Her breathing picked up speed again, sounding more and more shallow and ragged by the second.

"Reila, calm-"

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Reila growled, and the pharaoh took a step back, his eyes widening. For the briefest moment her eyes glowed teal, her voice had sounded almost like a growl, and he had felt a surge of magic building within her. But it had stopped short, as though an invisible force had slammed it back within her.

Then her eyes became vacant again, and the pharaoh waited for her to show signs of returning to normal. Her harsh breathing was the only thing he could hear above the dull sounds coming from the street below them for a long while, but he worried about how she would react if he tried pushing her again. He may not fully trust her, but seeing her so obviously distressed upset him.

Slowly, very slowly, her breathing evened out. The harsh grip that she had on her hair loosened, and eventually her hands fell into her lap where they laid limply. Her eyelids slowly slid shut, and the shaking of her body quieted to a barely noticeable tremble.

The pharaoh cautiously moved towards her until he was sitting on the rooftop a little ways in front of her. He wanted to make sure she was alright, but he also didn't want to set her off again. He'd never seen such a violent reaction to being questioned, and although a cynical part of his mind called it an act, he could see the truth in her eyes when they again opened - she was dealing with more anxiety than anyone should be. He felt a pang of guilt flash through him at the bleakness he saw in her eyes - he had pushed her too hard.

In truth, Reila had never done anything that would make him suspicious of her. He remembered the first time that he had seen her, when he had first dueled Kaiba. He had thought it odd that she hadn't seemed phased by what happened to Kaiba afterwards, and had even nodded to him as though saying 'thank you', a small show of gratitude for helping her friend. If what she said was true, then she could have possibly known already that he was removing the darkness that had begun growing in his soul. If she hadn't, her reaction would have been more like Mokuba's had been.

It would also explain why she had behaved the way she did towards Pegasus during the Duelist Kingdom tournament. She would have known what would befall Mokuba and Kaiba, and she would have tried to stop it. In hindsight, Pegasus had seemed startled by something that had passed between the two of them, when the pharaoh had sensed Pegasus's magic being directed at Reila.

And her taking Joey's place in the virtual world… She could have known that Joey might possibly be defeated, and had still taken his role instead. Regardless of the dangers, for her friends she had knowingly entered a potential no win situation. But it hadn't just been the Kaiba brothers that she helped. Now that he knew she had magic…

He felt his jaw drop open as a thought hit him. "That really was you. In the dream that Yugi had before the finals in Duelist Kingdom."

Her gaze slid slowly to his. "Yes. I had to make sure that Yugi would put his trust in you. The fate of everyone involved in that damn tournament relied on his eventual trust in you. Something that you didn't help with that stunt you pulled on the rooftop with being willing to send Seto over the edge."

He felt a guilty flush grow on his cheeks. "I was-"

"I know pharaoh." Reila's voice sounded tired and weary, something that he understood all too well. It made her seem so much older than seventeen. "I don't blame you - I probably would have done the same thing. You're not to blame, neither is Seto. Pegasus is the real villain for placing both of you in that situation to begin with."

"Then why mislead Yugi? Why not tell him the truth?" The question was asked gently, but he still saw the way that her hand clenched into a fist slowly.

"Because I don't want the fact that I have some talent with magic to get out." Reila said firmly. "Pharaoh, look at it from where I stand - the more people who know that I can use magic, the more potential enemies I wrack up. The more enemies I have, the more danger those I care for will be in." She sighed as her hand unclenched, and she stretched her legs out before her. "Not to mention the small fact that those I'm closest to don't know."

"Not even your family?" The pharaoh asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"My uncle and cousin know nothing about magic, the Millennium Items, or my visions." Reila bit her lip, and he again saw a flash of guilt in her eyes. "And neither do Mokuba or Seto."

"But… They're your closest friends."

I sighed at that last comment. Now that my panic attack was over, it was easier to think and talk - thank the powers that be, because that was by far the worst one that I've ever had. I felt drained, and wanted nothing more than to go home and sleep. But there was also the chance that nightmares would spring up tonight, so going to sleep right away might not be the best idea. Hopefully some time between the attack and sleeping would lessen the chances.

"Yes, Seto and Mokuba are my closest friends. But Seto refuses to acknowledge the existence of magic." I tilted my head back, letting my head rest against the bricks of the wall. "Seto can't admit that there is something in the world that he cannot protect Mokuba from. He is so deeply in denial about the events of Duelist Kingdom that he won't even talk about it anymore."

The pharaoh looked puzzled. "But we all saw what happened - how his soul was taken by Pegasus! Surely he isn't that blind that he would willingly ignore what happened to him and Mokuba."

I nodded. "Oh yes, he would; let me reiterate, he cannot admit that there is something in the world that he cannot protect Mokuba from." I sounded like a broken record at this point, but I needed him to understand. "It has to do with the type of childhood he had, so forgive me if I don't go into details. That's Seto's story to tell, should he ever choose to share it."

I shook out my hair with one hand as he mulled over my words. "Look, at the end of the day I want as few people as possible to know for one reason - temptation. If you know the future, you're tempted to try and alter it. I have tried three times now to alter the future; once with trying to keep Mokuba from being taken, another time with trying to keep Joey safe and not at risk of being digitized, and again last night by trying to keep Joey from losing his Red Eyes."

The pharaoh's brow furrowed in thought. "What significance does Joey's card have?"

"It's nothing major, but Marik not getting his hands on that card could have potentially thrown a wrench into his plans, if even only a little. That attempt at weakening him was a knee jerk reaction, hence why it wasn't well planned out."

Silence fell over the two of us, mine because I was exhausted, his most likely from digesting my words. This had to be one of the most uncomfortable conversations I'd had at any point in my two lives. The only thing that could top it would have to be the time that my first father had decided to give me the 'birds and the bees talk'. At this point I honestly didn't care if he believed me or not, and I couldn't muster up the energy to care if he thought of me as an enemy or not.

After a few more moments of silence, the pharaoh spoke again. "I have just one more question for you Reila."

"Geez, really? As if this conversation hasn't been painful enough?" I felt bad at how bitter I sounded, but I was seriously done. It was bad enough that I was still feeling on edge, but the fact that I had almost unleashed magic on the pharaoh in anger… Only Ydor had prevented it, by ripping the magic out of my grasp and slamming me into my mindspace to help me calm down.

You are welcome.

I sighed as I saw the hurt look on the pharaoh's face. Despite my irritation, I wasn't really mad at the guy. "I'm sorry. After a panic attack I'm kind of on edge. I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"Don't apologize Reila. But I have to ask, what is it you were doing with that necklace? What is its importance?"

I thought for a moment, pulling it out of my pocket. "It's called a sfora. It's supposed to be able to hold magic in it in case I need to use it in the future. I can't produce magic on my own, not like you can. But I can channel magic, direct and focus it." I bit my lip in thought, debating about how much I could tell him.

"In a sense, I'm similar to Yugi." I started, choosing my words carefully. "You and he share a body, but you have two seperate minds. I am the host to a being named Ydor, supposedly placed within me by the gods. He's the one who taught me to use magic, to reach Yugi in his dreams. I don't know why, but I'm tasked with keeping him safe, and he in turn keeps me safe. He says that eventually I will know the reason, but for now that particular part of my destiny is unknown to me,"

"Supposedly? And you trust this Ydor?"

Remind him that he has no room to talk.

I made a face, both at the pharaoh and mentally at Ydor. "You have no room to talk there buddy boy. And I'll remind you that you and Yugi have no idea how you came to be in the puzzle, yet he trusts you and you trust him."

The pharaoh looked properly chastised before a slight grin formed on his face. "Point taken."

I nodded before standing up, glancing to the other rooftop - Mokuba still hadn't shown up, miraculously. Better to get off the roof now before he did show up.

"There is one more thing that's been puzzling me." The pharaoh said, standing as well. I sighed, but waved a hand in his direction to signal that he could continue. "How is it that you knew I was the pharaoh, and not Yugi?"

I thought for a moment. "Although you two inhabit the same body, there is a distinct difference between the two of you, if you're paying attention. Yugi is more innocent and young, and it reflects in his aura; yours feels more weighty, mysterious and ancient. Your aura is also infused with more magic than Yugi's."

"That… Makes more sense than I thought it would." There was a small smile on his face when he said it. "I may not agree with your decision to keep these visions to yourself, but for now I will give to you what you gave Yugi and I; trust. If you truly believe it to be for the best, I will not push anymore. But know that if you do need help, I would be honored to assist you."

I gave him a measuring look, mostly to pacify him. I was still adamant in my stance that I wouldn't be dishing any information, but that could change, depending on how things played out. "Thank you for trusting me. At the end of the day, everything that I'm trying to do is to keep as many people as possible safe." He stepped aside, and I took that opening gladly, heading towards the door. Being back on street level and the call of losing myself in a crowd was sounding really good right about now. But before I had gone too far, another thought popped into my head.

The Seal of Orichalcos. Eventually he would be locked into a fight with… Raphael? Yeah that was the guy. And the pharaoh, out of ignorance or arrogance, would assume that he could use the Seal and defeat him. And all it would cost is Yugi's soul.

I remember being unbelievably angry, not only at the pharaoh but also at the show's writers for even including that nasty little tidbit into the plot. It went against everything that the two of them stood for, but I suppose it did make the character more human, flawed even. Still, it was no excuse in my book. But how to warn him about it?

I decided to file it away for future consideration. If I brought it up now it could potentially cause him to overthink and to be looking for something in the here and now that wasn't there. One enemy at a time, just like in chess. First we would deal with Marik, and then I would try to piece together a plan against Dartz.

After saying goodbye and leaving the rooftop, I purposefully avoided Joey's duel and made my way down some of the random streets. The tournament had a set boundary of course, staying out of the residential areas to give the residents of Domino City some amount of freedom from being overrun. But given that the city wasn't exactly small, it still made it pretty annoying that I was walking around so much. If I had something more concrete to do, perhaps it wouldn't be-

"Nngh!" I jolted to a stop, an avalanche of undirected anger flooding my magical sense. The almost painful bolts of electricity raced down my spine as I staggered, head whipping around to peer down a seemingly random alleyway.

Obelisk the Tormentor loomed out of the shadows, jagged bolts of red magic bleeding off of him and into the surrounding air.

Ydor! Help! I didn't want to pass out again, but that presence was too much for me to take for too long.

Ydor sent a thread of his magic out to surround me, a calm deep blue that lessened the worst of the effect. I was able to breathe a little easier, and thankfully Obelisk didn't stick around for long. The duel ended abruptly, and as soon as I had cancelled the magic shield that Ydor had provided Seto and Mokuba came strolling out onto the street.

"Reila!" Mokuba ran forward and latched onto my waist, after dropping the briefcase he was carrying. "Big bro just creamed some loser for being a bully!"

"I'm sure he did." I said, smiling and hugging him back. "Already throwing around the god card, huh? Isn't that a little overkill?" I directed the last part to Seto, who had walked up at a much more sedate pace.

"I dislike bullies." Seto said simply, but there was the tiniest bit of a smile on his face.

I rolled my eyes but smiled all the same. Some things were just so Seto that you really couldn't get mad at him for it. Wordlessly, we fell in step with Seto as he continued walking, Mokuba stooping down to collect the briefcase again. I offered to carry it, but Mokuba declined, a look of pride on his face. I think that it made him feel important to help Seto, even in the smallest ways.

I suspected that Seto already had the majority, if not all, of the locator cards that he needed already. I didn't come outright and ask, because I was trying to maintain the image of impartiality, not only for me personally but also given that I was an official part of the tournament. That image might be a little tarnished by my walking around with them, but honestly it wasn't that important to me at the moment. Just being around them… It helped make the panic from before fade away even more. Because at the end of the day, this is what I was fighting for. These brothers that had burrowed so deeply into my heart that I would face down the biggest, baddest things out there just to keep them smiling.

You know what Marik? Bring it.

A/N 2.0: Kind of a short chapter, but I wanted to get something put out because it's been way too long since I've updated. Please forgive me!

On a personal note, given the current state of the world… I hope that you and your families are safe. And keep your chins up, because this will all be over soon. I'm going to start working on the next chapter either tom- err, later today, or tomorrow. Since I've got nothing but spare time on my hands at the moment, what with my current place of employment (a casino) shut down and all. Thanks for those of you who have stuck with me even given such a long hiatus!

~Panda-chan