Anzu nearly choked on her coffee. "He did what?"
"Cut his hair. Undyed it, too."
"He's had that hairstyle for ages-"
"He's been shopping for new clothes as well. Now he has actual outdoor outfits."
"Wait, is that why he always went around in his school uniform? Because he didn't have go-out clothes?"
"A lot of the clothes he used to have looked worn-out, so he avoided them." Atem explained. "Remember, it's only been a year since
he became friends with Jonouchi and Honda, and you two haven't played with each other since you were both little children, so he
didn't really have any occasion to spend time outside the house, aside from school."
"I see..." Anzu felt a little guilty for the time she left Yugi alone, but she and Yugi hadn't been close for years, until the time he saved
her from an escaped convict. Although, that hadn't really been Yugi. "But that doesn't explain his hair."
"It's not really surprising is it? If he's had it for so long, he's bound to tire of it sooner or later." Atem knew the real reason; the hair,
and the tough-guy accessories were Yugi's way of self-therapy, hoping that his personality would toughen up as well. After all, that was
why students were made to wear uniforms-to make them more orderly and better behaved. And it was a good sign, that Yugi no longer
wanted those shells. But Atem wasn't about to admit that to anyone, not even to Anzu.
He took another sip of his 'cold-brew'. "Are you sure this is their best?"
"Don't you like it?"
"It's fine, but I don't see why people like it." He looked around. "I'm actually surprised you chose this place. I thought you would
pick someplace more traditonal. It's Kyoto."
They had arrived the night before, and checked into a hotel in the middle of rather crowded shopping district called Sanjo Kawaramachi.
And now, after a 40 minute walk they were having breakfast at Cafe Blue Bottle.
"I picked out a tea shop for the afternoon-Saryou Housen. You'll get plenty of traditional there."
"Where else are we going today?"
"Nanjenji first, then the Road of Philosophy maybe, if Nanjenji is alright. Then Saryou Housen, and down to Heian Shrine. Then we'll
come back to Myakomesse and follow the river to Gion Sirakawa."
"What do you mean, if Nanjenji is alright?"
Anzu got a glum look. "It's been raining. The cherry blossoms are why I picked Nanjenji and the Road of Philosophy, and with the rains
the blossoms might have all fallen off. We'll see when we get to Nanjenji. And I'm not sure about walking alongside the river to Gion, either.
The length we walked past this morning smelled like wet moss."
"Cherry blossoms, huh? I can see you picked the places the others would never go."
"Of course. It's no fun if there's a couple of grouchers you have to drag along with you."
They had let Anzu pick the destination, to make up for all the times the boys had dragged her to the arcade. But when she chose Kyoto for the
Hollyhock Festival, a chorus of whines had risen from the others. But they wouldn't be here until the next day, so she was going to go through the places
she liked before the other boys arrived-she knew Atem wouldn't grouch. And cherry blossoms were romantic.
"I never thought you'd be interested in Japan's traditions."
"I'm going to live here," Atem answered. "I should know more about it."
Anzu looked at Atem carefully. "Can I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"Why did you decide to stay here? I mean, we're happy you're with us, but I thought you would want to live in your homecountry, especially now
that you have your memories back. You could have kept dueling in Egypt."
Atem was quiet for a moment. "It's because I have my memories back."
"Huh?"
"The desert used to be much smaller," he said, softly. "The land was more lush, the Nile was still graced by the Heavens and the Earth, the people
were more alive."
"It's...different?" She asked tentatively.
"After I saw the tablet at the museum, I made an effort to know more about the country... When I died, I never expected my kingdom to be once
more what it used to be, not after such destruction," said Atem. "My father named the Millenium Items so because even with the grace of Gods,
a thousand years was the limit of his wildest dreams."
"But I never expected that Egypt, as I knew it, would die so thoroughly. All of its grandeur lies in ruins, even the recent ones. The gods, the old culture
is forgotten..." Atem seemed to shudder. "And I think, that I could have accepted even all that, if only the people had tried to remember."
A distant look came into his eyes. "Kyoto must be an amazing city, with its past preserved and cherished..." He smiled. "This is my only home, now."
Anzu stared at him. That time, when Yugi's soul had been taken by Doma, what she saw in Atem was despair more than anything else. This was the
first time that she saw in him something like heartbreak.
Before she could say anything, a computer pad was thrust between them.
"Ah, then perhaps you'll be pleased by this."
Pegasus was standing before them, his 19th-century suit so completely out of place that for a moment Anzu wondered if she was hallucinating.
"What are you doing here?" Atem asked, just as surprised.
"Getting ideas for the next card pack. And some of them are in your honor."
Anzu read the titles above the images; Floating Ghost of Cherry Blossoms, Spring Cheerful, Child in the Mansion...
"Zombies?" Atem looked more amused than offended.
"Closest thing I could think of to a resurrected spirit. I did consider Spellcaster, but that type is already too powerful."
"Well, you're the creator of the game."
"And since I ran into you, I might as well ask-would you mind terribly if the stock dividends were lowered?"
"Not at all-is something wrong?"
"Not really. You know that the game is getting more popular every second, and now's a great time for some projects."
"Take all you want, I don't need it." The Tombkeeper clan had, along with their duties, been given the charge of assets of considerable
size, enabling them to stay hidden and maintain themselves for 4000 years. The Ishtars had wanted none of it, wanting a clean break with the past.
Atem checked the time. "We should get going." Before they both ran out of topics to discuss.
"Good day to you then, I hope you enjoy the festival too."
When Atem rose and made for the counter, Pegasus held Anzu back.
"Look after him, my dear," he whispered. "You are not his closest friends; they're dead."
S
S
S
"Oh, come on, Jonouchi." Honda said. "After everything you're scared of foxes and raccons?"
"Just tell me when you're done." Jonouchi's muffled voice came from behind the couch.
It was the night before they left for Kyoto. They had wanted to leave the day before, but after Honda had flunked the last test, his parents
had grounded him with a load of chores in the family business, and Honda had dragged Jonouchi into it. In fact, the only reason he was being
allowed to leave tomorrow, was because Yugi was going, and his parents knew Yugi was the one that had gotten his son out of juvenile delinquency.
Too bad Yugi had been grounded as well. He hadn't finished on time his homework from his brother, who had told Yugi that if he aimed to be
anything in his life other than a couch potato, he needed to get his grades out of the graveyard.
"Maybe I should take a picture of you." Honda said, musingly. "Send it to Kaiba."
"Don't you dare!"
"Seriously-"
"After everything we've done, I should know something dangerous could really come!"
"Guys, I'm ready." Yugi announced.
When Honda and Jonouchi had finished packing, they had gone over to Yugi's house to check on him. Yugi had let the house com greet them,
and they had entered to find him sprawled out on the floor, making marks on a large sheet of paper, the plate next to him holding a piece of rice
cake, a coin and a small, make-shift torii. Jonouchi had taken one look and dived behind the couch.
"Let's just go without him," Honda said, placing a finger on the coin. "Ready?"
"OK. Kokkurisan, kokkurisan, " Yugi said. "Please come to us. If you are here-"
"Why not just say Kriboh-"
S
S
S
He was looking down at the palace grounds, feeling the wind tussel his hair, when he heard the footsteps. A moment later, Aknadin had joined
him. The elder priest gave him a long sideways glance before speaking.
"I see the king has taught you a lesson."
"He beat me with a little furball," he said, still in a bit of a shock.
Aknadin chuckled. "The only reason he hasn't beaten you or Mahad before, is because you both have years of experience on him. It's about time
he caught up."
"Yes."
His mentor sighed. "I don't mean this badly," Aknadin began. "But... Seto, he's the king now. You need to stop thinking of him as your little brother."
"I never thought of him as my brother-"
"But your heart feels it, does it not?"
"I would not be so presumptuous as to-"
"If that came from anyone other than the holder of the Rod, I might actually have believed it."
He fell silent. An overbearing personality was one of the qualities that the bearer of the Rod needed, to crush the wills of those under its control, and
all the priests knew it. It was the reason his colleagues put up with him, in addition to him being their senior.
"He's the king," Aknadin continued. "And while it is still your job to defend him, it is no longer your place to protect him."
"I fail to see the difference, my lord."
"I am sure you do, sir." Aknadin countered.
"He's only 14."
"All the more reason not to add to his burden." The old priest seemed to sag a little. "Really, don't, Seto."
Something in Aknadin's voice caught his attention.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
"You know what troubles we're having."
"Aside from greedy idiots trying to shove their paws in everywhere."
Aknadin snorted. "I swear I don't know how you manage diplomacy missions." A worn hand rose up to finger the Millenium Key. "His spirit worries me."
"The furball?"
"It shatters itself into a hundred pieces to protect," said Aknadin. "It's the first spirit he created, and I can't help but wonder what he was thinking at the time-"
S
They could create those things? was the first thought in Kaiba's mind as he came back to reality. He pushed it away to focus on the speaker. It looked like
he had been out for only a few moments.
"-and that will be all. Thank you."
Probably not. He would have to watch the records later.
Soft clapping came from the various people in the room. Kaiba announced the meeting closed and stood up to leave.
On the way back to his office, Mokuba caught up. "What do you think?"
"There's nothing really new, is there?" Kaiba said. "It all comes down to the same problems-the game's too complicated for the masses, and there aren't
enough good duelists for it to be turned into a sport."
"But what about the thing at the end? An online network for people to duel. It would get them experience."
That was the part he had missed. "We'll see. If it's a question of improving their skills, it's probably more effective to set up an educational program."
"Or a school," Mokuba said, excitedly. "A school just for duelists-" The rest was cut off as Kaiba grabbed the scruff of the boy's neck and yanked towards
himself, having felt the twinge before the actual explosion.
NOTE:
-The card names are translations of the Japanese names. English names are: Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries, Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring, Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion
-The festival is 葵祭. It takes place in May and is one of the 3 major festivals of Kyoto.t
-If you didn't recognize the scene, Yugi had set up a ritual called Kokkuri-san, which is supposed to call low level, animal ghosts. The word Kokkuri represents
'dog, fox and raccon'. Ghosts seem to be one of the few things that get a terror response out of Jonouchi in the anime.
-Atem's choice: This is, by the way, the main reason he didn't want to stay in Egypt. Not dueling.
-Stock dividends: Remember, in Duelist Kingdom Pegasus promised 60% of the company's stocks to the person that could defeat him.
-The vision: I'm sure you remember that the memory world isn't what really happened. So I made Atem 14 years old at that point.
P.S. I'm not kidding about the wet moss smell. It's not a totally bad smell, but it takes a lot out of a walk.