Notes: Thanks to Azalea542, Mega Man, and Crystal Rose of Pollux for plot help!
Chapter Five
Johnson's parents both welcomed the group back and pie was offered, as promised. While the Big Five knew they shouldn't stay long, they knew Mokuba and Crump especially had been looking forward to the dessert and opted to stay for a little bit.
Noa in particular seemed awed as they started to eat. "Every time I eat something, it always feels so incredible," he said, "like it can't really be real."
"That's how it felt for us too, when we were finally restored to our bodies," Gansley mused.
Noa looked to Mokuba. "And you can tell your brother he doesn't have to worry, Mokuba," he said. "I'm just going to be here, living with my mom. I won't try to get KaibaCorp or the mansion away from you two."
"I didn't think so," Mokuba smiled. "But we can play together, can't we?"
"I hope so," Noa said. "I know technically I'm around Seto's age, but my childhood was taken from me. I want to just be a kid again."
"And you should be," Nesbitt grunted.
"And it looks like the Powers That Be or Whoever felt the same way, since you've been brought back in a kid's body, like you would've had if you'd lived back then," Crump said.
Johnson paused, giving Crump an odd look. "You think God had the final say in what a magical object would do?"
Crump shrugged. "Eh. Who knows. Makes sense, though, especially since it sounded like Noa had a good afterlife. I mean, you wouldn't think somebody could just vamoose back to Earth without God havin' a say in it, you know?" He shuddered. "Or maybe I don't wanna think some trinket actually has more power than God."
"No, I'm sure you're right, Crump," Lector said. "We know God is real, so He must have been alright with this. I don't believe an object could have more power than Him either. That said, we need to find the fox whip before somebody else does, since free will is also a thing and I don't know that God would stop that item from being used any more than He usually stops people from using any other method of death."
"I'm still worried that man may have given it to someone else," Johnson said.
"I texted Mr. Bakura and he's going to look through the house in case we overlooked it," Gansley said.
"It's handy he has a key, since the guy worked at the museum and all," Crump said.
Noa sighed. "I wish he wasn't responsible for so much heartache, since he was Mom's friend. . . ."
"Hey, maybe he really was being controlled through the dragon object, like I wondered," Crump said. "Which is awful to think about too, but maybe it's better than thinking he tried to kill Lector of his own free will."
"Although either way, he still took possession of all the objects knowing they were stolen, if not having outright stolen them himself," Johnson said. "If he didn't want ultimate power, then why did he do that?"
"I wonder if he could have stolen all the items just to get the tiara for Mom," Noa said.
"Would he really do that?" Gansley looked skeptical. "Why not just steal the tiara?"
"I don't know," Noa sighed.
Lector sighed too and looked to Nesbitt, who had mostly been silent save for a comment or two. In one way that wasn't unusual, but in another way Lector was still somewhat surprised that Nesbitt had backed down from yelling at Mrs. Anderson about the blizzard. He was sure Nesbitt was still upset about that revelation, and that he probably had a lot more to say.
"Are you alright?" Lector said at last.
Nesbitt growled a bit. "I know you've always tried to stand up for that woman, but surely you're upset that she was responsible for that Hell you went through! And it wasn't so peachy keen for any of the rest of us either!"
"I'm not happy about it," Lector admitted. "But when I can understand how she'd feel to have the chance to get her son back, I don't know how much I can really fault her for what she did." He looked away. "I'd do it in a heartbeat to save you."
Nesbitt didn't know what to say to that, either. He certainly felt likewise, and he would have also tried to pick the least dangerous-seeming option the tiara offered. But he was still angry. All those hours Lector had suffered, struggling through the snow and already freezing and badly hurt from being pulled into a waterfall . . . ! And all the time everyone else had suffered, trying so hard to get him back and fearing he was lost to them . . . ! He gripped the fork tightly in his hand.
Mokuba stared down at his plate, uncomfortable with this argument starting up while Noa was right here. He knew he also would have used the tiara to get Seto back, or Marik, or Lector. Really, he wondered if anyone he knew wouldn't have used it to recover a loved one, even despite the high costs.
". . . I wonder how Duke didn't find out about the crane tiara," he said at last. "When he was looking all over to find a way to get David back. . . ."
"China probably kept it a well-guarded secret, and understandably so," Gansley said.
"That makes sense," Johnson agreed.
His mother shook her head. "Well, be that as it may, it's still a shock that there really is something like that." She smiled at Noa. "But I'm glad your mother got you back, Noa. She's lived next-door to us for years and she never got over the grief of losing you."
"I know," Noa said quietly. "I'm glad I was able to come back too, only . . ." He looked to Lector. "I'm really sorry about the blizzard. . . ."
"It wasn't your fault," Lector wearily replied.
They soon finished the pie and the visit with Johnson's parents. Then it was back to the limousine and heading for downtown. They needed to hand the tiara over to the Paradox Brothers and meet with everyone else to show them that Noa was back and try to figure out where to look for the fox whip.
Through text messages, the group had mutually agreed to meet at the Black Crown Game Emporium. It wasn't long and they were there, pulling into the parking lot along with others, including Mai.
"Hi, guys," she greeted. "Lector, I should warn you that Vivian dropped by my place for love advice. I don't think she's ready to give up with you just yet."
Lector scowled. "I might have known."
"Vivian?" Noa said in surprise. "Vivian Wong the Duelist?"
"Yes," Lector said. "She's a very . . . unusual person, and not in a good way."
Nesbitt growled. "That's putting it mildly."
Lector just shook his head. He would rather not discuss Vivian's base desires around Noa, even if the boy was technically Seto's age. He had not really grown up properly and he was still really a child, whether or not he had learned about such things. Lector wouldn't have let Mokuba know either, but he had already found out from other sources.
Still, Noa's eyes flickered with understanding and recognition. "I know about her," he said. "She uses sex as a weapon and tries to ensnare any guy who comes along that she's interested in, even if she has to hurt their loved ones to do so."
"That's about the size of it, alright," Crump said. "She's a real piece of work."
They all headed inside, where most of the group had already gathered. They looked up, staring at Noa in stunned amazement. It was one thing to hear that he was back. It was quite another to actually see him for themselves.
Yugi broke the silence. "Noa!" He beamed. "Hi. We're glad you're here!"
Many of the others chorused in agreement.
Noa smiled shyly. "I'm glad you can feel that way, even after everything I did. . . ."
"Well, you've changed," Joey said.
"And we have far more concerning things to think about right now," Yami Bakura grunted. "Where is this other item?"
"Father didn't find it in that man's house," Bakura worried.
The Paradox Brothers arrived in their rental car and got out, heading into the store.
"You said you have the tiara for us," Para said.
"We'll take it now, without a fuss," Dox added.
Gansley held it out to them. "Unfortunately, we have no leads on the fox whip."
"I think we'll have to consider that he either hid it extremely well or gave it to someone, maybe for safe-keeping," Johnson said. "Or maybe he'd even try to destroy it."
"The items cannot be destroyed," Para insisted.
"They will always reform and the attempts will be void," Dox said.
"Well, that's super creepy," Téa said, making a face.
"Nothing can get rid of them?!" Crump exclaimed. "Not even a Mt. Doom or wherever they were made?!"
"There is a secret way," Para said.
"But we will save that for another day," Dox said.
"Father is trying to look up all of the man's contacts in the hopes of locating whoever might have been given the whip," Bakura said.
"I wonder if Mrs. Anderson could help with that," Lector mused.
"I don't think Mom knew any of his other friends," Noa said. "But it wouldn't hurt to ask."
The doors opened and Seto came in, still moving slowly, yet trying to hide that he was anything under the weather. As he took in the scene and saw Noa, he stiffened. It was still hard for him to accept Noa was back, or to forgive all that he had done. Still, he knew logically that Noa was trying to improve himself and that he had helped on more than one occasion, so he wanted to be civil.
"Seto!" Mokuba exclaimed. He hurried to the older boy's side. "Should you really be up?!"
"I'm fine, Mokuba," Seto said.
Téa and Yugi looked concerned too, but they didn't want to say anything and worry Mokuba more. Téa knew, however, that the moment Seto looked like he couldn't handle it, she wouldn't stay quiet about him needing to rest.
"I'm really glad to see you up," she said instead.
Not sure what to say to that, Seto finally settled on, "It was about time I did."
"Hey, Kaiba," Joey greeted, hesitant yet hopeful that Seto really wasn't hurt badly anymore.
Seto nodded to him. "Wheeler. Everyone."
Noa hesitated. "Seto, I . . ." He looked away. "I keep saying how sorry I am for all I've done, and it always feels so inadequate. . . ."
"Words are cheap," Seto grunted. "I'd rather be shown in actions how someone feels. And . . ." He drew a shaking breath. "You've shown that you've changed, Noa, so I'll try to be alright with you being back. I know Mokuba will want to play with you."
Noa nodded. "Thank you. . . ." He looked up with sincerity in his eyes. "I won't make you sorry."
"You'd better not," Seto grunted.
Mokuba relaxed and smiled. Everything would be alright now, he was sure.
A heartless laugh echoed through the store and everyone jumped a mile. Lumis, who was unpacking boxes with Umbra, nearly dropped one.
"What was that?!" he cried.
Marik went stiff, as did many of the others. "I know that voice," he said in horror.
"I'm afraid we all do," Téa moaned.
"No!" Mokuba exclaimed.
"Yami Marik," Lector hissed in displeasure. The last time they had encountered him, it had been the one from the alternate world. Their own demon hadn't been heard from in quite some time, but they had known he would more than likely be back.
Nesbitt snarled. "Where are you?!" he barked. He clenched a fist. "We've all got a score to settle with you now that we remember you altered our memories about what happened in Kaiba's augmented reality game!" The laughter continued and he took several steps forward in mounting rage. "You made everyone believe I tried to burn down that warehouse with Mokuba and others in it! I believed it too!"
"It's not something he'd ever feel sorry for," Marik said darkly.
"You're right." Suddenly Yami Marik was standing at the top of the stairs leading to Duke's and David's offices. He sneered as he looked down at the group, sadism and murder flashing through his eyes. Without any warning, a whip cracked and flew through the air, connecting with Umbra's back. He froze. For one moment he looked surprised and stunned and in pain as he met Lumis's shocked gaze. Then his eyes darkened and he collapsed to the floor at a horrified Lumis's feet.
"Umbra?!" Lumis crashed next to him, shaking him on the shoulders with no response. "Umbra, what's wrong?! Get up!"
Everyone stood around, stunned and in horror, their minds blank. It was just one strike with a whip. That wouldn't cause such an extreme reaction, not unless . . . unless . . .
It was Yugi who snapped out of his shock first. "That's the fox whip, isn't it?!" he cried. "You just killed him like he was nothing!"
Serenity gasped. "No!"
Lumis went stiff. "No! No, that's not true! He's not dead! UMBRA!" He pushed Umbra onto his back and bent over his friend, shaking as he desperately sought life that wasn't there. Undaunted, he struggled to perform CPR. In a moment, Marik hurried over to help him.
Yami Marik watched in sick delight. "That won't work!" he exclaimed. "There's nothing that can bring him back, except the crane tiara!"
The Paradox Brothers both frowned, looking down at their prize.
"You may use it, of course," Para said to Lumis. "But what would stop this demon from killing again once the one space is used?"
"He must be defeated before the whip's powers can be further abused," Dox added.
Téa looked up at Yami Marik with tears in her eyes. "How could you?!" she spat. "Why would you just kill someone who never did anything to you?!"
"Well, that's not quite true," Yami Marik sneered. "He failed my weaker self when he was employed as a Rare Hunter."
Marik looked up with a jerk. "You've maintained for some time that you're complete without me," he snarled. "Don't try to say you're taking revenge for a failed mission in Battle City! We all know you just did this because you felt like it, because you love killing!"
"That's true," Yami Marik admitted. "What more appropriate weapon is there for me to wield than the fox whip, bringer of death? And since I don't have a soul, it can't extract its price!" His eyes gleamed. "Although if it tries to, it will more than likely take Marik's soul, since he created me!"
Mokuba ran to Marik. "No!"
Marik tried to give him an encouraging smile. "I feel fine, my friend. Except for being completely enraged at the evil being I created." He clenched a fist.
Lumis gripped a handful of Umbra's shirt. "How is anyone going to beat him when he has that whip?!" he wailed. "He could kill everyone here before we could do anything!"
"Well, unfortunately there is a limit to the amount of destruction I can cause," Yami Marik said. "Otherwise, it could have been wielded during countless battles to kill off the entire enemy!" He paused. "But I don't think I'll tell you what that limit is. I'll let all of you worry about how many I can get rid of!" He cracked the whip again, this time harmlessly on the stairs.
"You're sick!" Mokuba spat.
Atem and Yami Bakura looked at each other and nodded. Maybe, while everyone kept Yami Marik distracted, they could sneak around and launch an attack with both of their Infinity Items. All they had to do was get the whip out of Yami Marik's hands and everyone would be safe from this latest evil.
Seto and the Big Five were thinking similar thoughts. Some went with Atem while the rest went with Yami Bakura. Maybe their Rings wouldn't work, if the entire world wasn't in danger, but considering some of the times they had forced the Rings to work in seemingly other circumstances by sheer will, maybe it could happen again. And in any case, it was hard for them to believe the whole world wouldn't be in danger with such a horrific power under Yami Marik's control.
Yugi was in tears as well. "Every time I think you can't get any lower, you always find a way!" he exclaimed.
"It's so pathetic how you keep welcoming more and more of your former enemies into the fold," Yami Marik mocked.
"Well, we never do it without good reason!" Joey spat. "Umbra saved Serenity's life a while back!"
"Yeah!" Tristan chimed in. "We'd sure never have a reason to welcome you into the fold!" He clenched a fist.
Lumis snarled. As the initial shock passed and it sank in more and more what had happened and why, he was fairly boiling over and shaking with rage. He started to get to his feet.
"Don't do something stupid!" Duke exclaimed. "You don't have any way to beat him! He'll just kill you too!"
Yami Marik watched, entertained. "I could," he agreed. "That would give all of you quite a dilemma! Which one to save? Or would it be kinder to leave them both dead, so they could still be with each other? However . . ." He suddenly turned, sending the whip flying towards Lector. "I think I'll give you a dilemma of a different sort!"
Before Lector could even jump out of the way, Nesbitt was there, tackling him to the floor. "NO!" he screamed.
"Nesbitt!" Lector screamed too. "You'll be killed!" He tried to pull Nesbitt farther down, all the while bracing himself for the horrible feeling of Nesbitt's body falling lifelessly against his. But the feeling didn't come.
"Leave them alone!" Yugi bellowed with all the force he could muster. He ran out, firmly planting himself in front of Lector and Nesbitt. "You've done more than enough to them already!"
Atem went pale in horror. "YUGI!" There was nothing he could do; the whip was already falling.
Time seemed to grow still. For a split-second after the whip fell, Yugi still stood there, defiant, desperate to protect Yami Marik's current targets. Then his eyes deadened, as Umbra's had, and he fell forward to the floor.
Time started up again. Téa screamed until her throat was raw, all the while running over to her fallen childhood friend. Joey and Tristan were already there, followed closely by Atem.
Joey grabbed Yugi by his shirt and hauled him up. "Get up!" he yelled, much as Lumis had done with Umbra. "You can't do this to us, Yugi! GET UP!"
Atem tore over and took the lifeless form from Joey, shaking, frantic to be proven wrong that Yugi was now dead. He couldn't be! Atem had already lost him once. He couldn't bear to go through it again!
"Yugi," he choked out. He could see the whip had done its work. He sobbed, clutching the boy close to him.
Téa, arriving now too, fell to her knees and also cried. Joey and Tristan punched the floor in helpless grief.
Yami Marik had also been in shock. But now he threw back his head and laughed. "Well, well, isn't that special?" he mocked. "Little Yugi's final act was to save two unfortunate souls."
Lector and Nesbitt were both rising up and staring at the scene in absolute alarm.
"And there's only one slot left on the tiara," Yami Marik continued. "You're going to have to choose who gets it!"
Lumis went completely pale. Until now, he had had hope that Umbra could be saved. Now he knew that there wouldn't be any chance; everyone would vote to use the tiara on Yugi. He fell back to his knees, his shoulders hunched in his despair.
Lector got to his feet. "You monster!" he spat.
"I wish you did have a soul so it could be sent to Hell where it belongs!" Nesbitt raged. He was completely shaken. The whip would have struck him if Yugi hadn't interceded. He would never want to leave Lector in such anguish, but this . . . this wasn't any better. None of them should have been struck!
Yami Marik started to laugh again, but it choked in his throat. He stumbled, his eyes widening in his shock. The whip fell from his grasp and to the floor.
Mokuba stared. "What's happening to him?!"
No one could answer that. They all stared in shock as the wretch finally found his voice and let out a bone-chilling scream as the shadows engulfed him. When the fog faded, he was gone.
Marik drew a shaking breath. "The whip took its price," he realized. "It claimed whatever he had for a soul."
Mokuba hugged Marik close. He had feared it really might take Marik instead. But he was safe.
Marik embraced his friend as he looked back to the heartbreaking scene around him. Yami Marik was gone, but he had left a horrible catastrophe in his wake. Now . . . what were they ever going to do to set it all right?