Thank you for these characters and their stories, Kazuki Takahashi. Requiescat in pace.

Chapter Fifty-One

Yugi

This couldn't be right; the Pharaoh and I had already defeated Marik and his puppet Strings. Why were we here again? We weren't in the real world yet. I closed my eyes for one moment, and in the next, we were no longer on the pier next to the ocean, but in the middle of a park with the others.

"Noah must have tricked us."

Glancing around, I realized our group was missing 3 necessary people: Seto, Mokuba, and…

A cold sweat ran down my back, and my heart began to beat in an uncomfortable rhythm. Where was Dria? She had been right beside me when the doors opened, but the light had been unbelievably intense, and I had been forced to close my eyes. I should have taken hold of her hand before the door opened. The Pharaoh was surprisingly calm, at least to the untrained eye. As if sitting on an upper throne, he surveyed the area around us. His jaw tightened as his eyes darted across the park, seeking his beautiful lady. Tension ran across the back of his shoulders, causing him to sit a little taller than he normally would. His head knew she would be safe, but his heart was probably pacing with worry.

"We're running out of time. Pretty soon, the whole world will be trapped."

I sighed quietly, frustrated that I had trusted Noah once again. He had already attempted to hurt my friends many times and had broken the little trust that the others had in him. I felt like a foolish child for believing him, but I couldn't help it. My friends had no trouble expressing their anger with Noah, despite my attempts to reason with them.

Give them time. After everything he's done, it's hard to believe he could change. Noah's acts of rage are fueled by an anger deep inside.

Whether it was his innate wisdom or overflowing kindness, the Pharaoh's words surrounded my wounded ego in warmth. Dria must have realized the same thing, which explained why she had never gotten truly upset with Noah and his actions. Rather, she had accepted them and responded with kindness. As I thought this, another insight made itself known. If Dria understood why Noah was behaving as he was, had she experienced something like his isolation? Was that why she able to empathize with him?

I didn't have time to ponder these questions before our next problem. Duel monsters suddenly appeared around us in large groups, trapping us in the park. We had no choice but to fight our way out.

"Come forth, Curse of Dragon!"

One monster down, many more to go. I continued to scan the area for any sign of Dria but had no luck whatsoever. Where could she have gone? We had to escape from this virtual place and return to the real world. All of us would leave together. I refused to leave anyone behind.

Noah

I had been liberated from my prison and was in a real body once again. Mokuba made for a perfect host, especially since he had been foolish enough to trust me and drop his guard. I would finally get what I deserved and take back what had been stolen from me. No one, not even my father, would ever stop me again.

There were 24 minutes until the satellite would decimate the central computer, destroying every inch of the virtual world, including those whose minds were trapped inside. Then, I would truly be free of my past and be able to look forward to my future. Memories of Gozaburo's reappearance and subsequent betrayal flashed through my mind as I made my way out of the laboratory. He had promised me everything, but those promises were only empty words. He never meant to help me. He only meant to help himself.

I thought back to the last moments I'd had in the virtual world. I remembered how Mokuba had reached out to me, trying to bring back the remaining shreds of my humanity. I sneered at the face in my mind, the stupid little boy who thought he could change my mind, the one who had called himself my brother. I opened the door of the helicopter and sat inside, shaking those memories away from my eyes.

"Brotherhood. Family. Who needs it? Soon, my so-called family will be gone for good."

Then, another memory appeared. A faint warmth enveloped my body as gentle arms held me close. I couldn't see her face, but I knew it was Miss Pegasus. This affection was familiar, like I had experienced it long ago and had forgotten it. She had spoken no words, but it felt as if she saw directly into my heart, as if she understood. What was that feeling, the empathy that offered neither advice nor judgment? Was it just the presence of another person? Or was that family?

I wanted to know that feeling more, but at the time, I couldn't even think or react. How was I supposed to respond to such an action? I could barely remember my mother, and I was certain my father had never done such a thing in my life. Even my teachers and tutors kept me at arms-length, never wanting to get too close. But Alexandria had broken through the boundaries and had given me a connection I had never known before. Suddenly, Mokuba's comment about family became clear to me.

"21 minutes to satellite attack."

What had I done? Regret cascaded upon me like never before. I had allowed my anger and jealousy take over and rule my actions. I had let my father manipulate those emotions even further, turning them into hatred for anyone who tried to reach out to me. Even though I thought it made me powerful and respectable, I only felt miserable inside.

I rushed back inside the laboratory, praying I would make it in time to stop the attack. Mokuba had believed in me, Dria had pushed away my anger with a simple hug. I couldn't let them down. I had to rescue them and everyone else.

But I was too late. The controls were completely destroyed. There wasn't a single key remaining that I could use to stop the attack. The intruder must have ruined this, not understanding what he had done. Panic gripped me as I desperately searched for something I could use to stop the satellite, something that would save the others.

Mokuba and Dria and everyone else. They were doomed, and it was all my fault.

I shook my head and pushed away the lingering regret and anger. Dria had already shown me that kindness and love could see and understand more than other emotions ever could. I wouldn't give up. I began sprinting again, this time back to the simulation pods I had trapped the others in. There was another computer system I could use there to contact the others and guide them out of the virtual world. If I could reach it fast enough, I could save them. I might even be able to stop Gozaburo if luck was on my side. But stopping my father meant nothing if I couldn't save Yugi and his friends, if I couldn't save the little family I had left.

Thankfully, the intruder had not found the simulation room, so the computer was still functioning. I immediately accessed the system and began searching for the necessary components to address those who were still inside the computer. I was almost ready when I heard a strange sound. Was it the intruder? Had he come to destroy this computer panel too? I had nothing I could use as a weapon to defend the computer, but I knew I had to try.

I turned to face the intruder, only to come face to face with Dria again. The simulation pod holding her had opened and she sat there, cradling the sides of her head. I had heard from the Kaiba Corp research team that returning to the real world after being in a virtual world for a long period of time could cause headaches. I was about to call out to her when I realized that she wouldn't hear Mokuba's voice, but my own. She would know what I had done; I didn't want to fail one of the two people who had ever shown me what family was supposed to be like.

I turned back to the computer to resume accessing the virtual world's mainframe. I was too terrified of seeing her disappointment in my actions. I wanted her to look at me like she did Mokuba, as her brother, as another person worthy of affection and love. Perhaps, if I could save everyone, then I would earn that right. Though it would reveal the truth, I began speaking into the microphone so everyone could hear.

"Attention! Can all of you hear me? This is extremely important! The virtual world that you're in is about to be destroyed. You must escape or your minds will be lost forever."

A shiver ran down my spine as I felt Dria's eyes on me. She must have already figured out I was Noah, not Mokuba. I took a deep breath before turning to face her. If I just explained everything to her, maybe she would forgive me.

"I'm so relieved you're alright, Noah. I was worried when your doorway blinded me."

I froze as her arms encircled my neck once more. I tried to think of something to say, a way to apologize to her, but instead, tears blurred my vision. I bit my lip and tried to force them back before it was too late. I didn't understand how she wasn't angry with me for anything. I needed time to process the emotions flooding my chest, but time wasn't on my side. She soon released me, and I turned back to the microphone to continue giving instructions to the others.

"The only exit is in the Domino Arcade. Hurry, time is running out."

Dark thoughts entered my mind as I finished talking: What if they didn't believe me? What if they thought I was tricking them again? If I couldn't convince them that I was honest in my final actions, I would have to bear the weight of their deaths for the rest of my life. I already carried the burden of my father's expectations, his disappointment, and his betrayals. I didn't think I had the strength to carry anything more. Just when I thought I had caused too much pain for them to believe me, Dria leaned forward and spoke into the microphone.

"Yugi, everyone, please believe him. I'm already back, and Noah is doing everything he can to save us."

The tears I thought I had pushed back returned in eagerness. Surely her words would encourage them to follow my directions and escape, if for no other reason than because she was the one who said them. She placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled.

"We'll get them out, Noah. Even Seto and Mokuba. You don't have to carry this burden alone anymore."

As the calculations ran through my head, my logical side didn't believe we stood a chance of rescuing everyone, and I would have to live with that guilt the rest of my life. Every day, I would look in the mirror and see the brother I failed to save. I would think about the love he had shown me, a family member he had never known, and I would regret the times we couldn't spend together.

But, contrary to logic, something told me that if I trusted in Dria's words, she wouldn't fail me. Even when I had separated her from the others, she didn't show anger or disgust. Annoyance, perhaps, but nothing beyond that. The smile she gave me now was the smile of someone who not only understood my loneliness but had also experienced it as well. While I couldn't imagine how Alexandria Pegasus could have ever been lonely, I was also immensely grateful for the support she was giving me.

We monitored the group's movements with care, opening pathways where we could to shorten their journey. At last, Tea, Serenity, and Tristan made it to the arcade and stood on the dance platform. Three down, five to go.

Dria hurried over to her friends to check on them while we waited for the next group to arrive at the arcade. She must have said something funny to them because they all started smiling and laughing together. Ugly jealously bubbled up in me once more, and I struggled to control it. If only my accident had never happened, would I have made friends like this? I refocused on my task once more, uploading two more of them from the virtual world. Now, only Yugi was left, and though it might have made Dria finally show her anger towards me, I needed his help.

"Yugi, wait, I have a favor to ask. Seto is trapped in a duel with Gozaburo. You have to find him."

"Ok! I won't come back without him!"

I could feel Dria return to her position behind me, the tension growing even more fiercely. I thought at first it was because she was upset with me for asking Yugi to stay back, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that she was just worried for one of the men she held dear. I had to wonder if she cared for Yugi more than Seto, or if perhaps that was simply how she felt towards anyone she considered a friend.

"Why are you trying to rescue Kaiba? Last time I checked, you hated him."

"I was wrong Tea," I said as I clutched the necklace around Mokuba's neck, "I was jealous and angry. I'm sorry."

Identifying and exposing those emotions felt surprisingly good. I was afraid at first to admit my weaknesses, but now I realized it was strength I felt coursing through my body. The chains that had shackled my heart for so long finally fell away, and my shoulders suddenly rejoiced in their new weightlessness. The burden was finally gone; only now did I realize that I was truly free of my confinement. The virtual world had provided me a place to live and grow when my physical body was lost. I was the one who had made it a prison by enduring my jealousy and anger in silence.

"4 minutes to satellite attack. Evacuate now."

The others had to leave because it wasn't safe here anymore. They needed to be prepared to leave at a moment's notice once Yugi, Kaiba, and Mokuba were out of the virtual world. The others took off immediately, heading back toward Kaiba's blimp. Dria had stayed behind me, encouraging the others to go first. She stared at the screen for a few moments before looking at me once more.

"Thank you, Noah, for everything you've done. I truly hope we'll meet again someday."

She leaned down and kissed my forehead again. Then, she was gone, running after her friends. Tears streamed down my cheeks before I even registered what had happened. I touched my forehead where she had kissed me, surprised at how warm it felt. Regret of a different kind made itself known; if only I had been her brother, how much better my life would have been. I thought I had desired my life as the son of Gozaburo Kaiba and the heir to the Kaiba corporation. Now, I understood what it meant to long for something: a life I was never meant to have and never supposed to know. Now, I would fight until the end for the family I had always wanted.

Dria

I raced out of the laboratory behind my friends, leaving Noah to finish the job. Though my eyes stung with unshed tears, I was happy that Noah had finally found peace. When he admitted that he had been jealous and angry about his lot in life, I could see the burden he had carried for so long fall off his shoulders. I could only hope that he also understood that he was truly free now, and that not even Gozaburo could change that.

"Satellite attack in three, two, one. Targeting central computer network."

I had made it to the deck when the missile was released from the satellite. I looked behind me, checking for any sign of Yugi, Seto, and Mokuba. I believed that Noah would get them out and rescue them from Gozaburo, and if I had to buy some time to make that happen, I would. Glancing at my hands, I began to summon the magic around me. Pain briefly surged through my fingers; I could only imagine it was because I had been cut off from the current for an extended period of time. If only I had him.

A sudden surge in the current alerted me that he had heard me. I called out to him in joy, though I was surprised at his arrival. Normally, he was off on his own, accomplishing tasks he refused to expand upon. It had been his duty at one point to maintain the gates between the human and monster worlds, so perhaps he was still completing that duty when he vanished from my presence.

"Aristokles!"

He stood about six and a half feet tall, much taller than my five-foot frame. Although the name no longer existed, his body was made of a metal that was stronger than any steel alloy but lighter than graphene. He was as immortal as I; the silver color I had forged, refined, cleaned, and polished still shone as brightly as the day I had completed his construction.

His head was of my own design. Three concentric circles surrounding three circular blue-violet gemstones. These stones, when not in use, floated back and forth as if being pushed by the waves of the sea. When Aristokles activated their magic, they twisted at high speed, somehow remaining in one place, and a bright light emanated from within. These natural blue-violet stones could channel and redirect any magical current. Though their origin was unknown to me, I had received them as a gift upon my initiation as a magician to be used towards the later completion of my training.

When I had crafted Aristokles, I wanted him to be more than just a magical tool; I wanted him to have his own thoughts and ideas. To achieve this, I supplemented the stones' magical current with elements of my own magic. While this could have undoubtedly backfired and made him a formidable foe, once he had awoken, he was surprisingly kindhearted and docile. We did have our disagreements, and many times in the past we had actually fought one another over those differences, but not once had he ever betrayed my trust. Bending at what I assumed was his waist, he formally bowed upon his arrival.

Having problems, Fragolina? This seems like a bad situation. There's a missile headed this way. Typically, explosives, electricity, and water don't get along. I decided that you needed my help now.

I tried to hide my reaction to his objective statements, as well as the fact he called me "little strawberry," by glancing back towards the sky to find the weapon. I had less than a minute remaining, but there had not been any sign of Yugi, Seto, or Mokuba. I could see the blimp beginning to lift off; they had to flee the area, even if some passengers were missing.

"I need you to amplify my barrier. It won't be enough to stop the missile entirely, but I just need to buy a little more time. There are still some who are in danger."

Bowing once again, the gemstones began to spin, slowly at first but soon gaining speed. As his magical current increased in power, I returned my focus to my own magic. Praying I would make it in time, a white barrier began to expand between my fingers, developing beyond my palm and above the platform. I only needed to block the path the missile was on, rather than attempt to extend the barrier over the entire facility. If I could create a powerful enough wall, I could stop the missile for a few extra moments.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Yugi, Seto, and Mokuba finally sprinting out of the lower rooms. The blimp had lifted from the surface of the facility and was now hovering in the air. Shifting my eyes back to Aristokles, he was almost ready. His additional strength would ensure the missile wouldn't strike until I released it. I wasn't confident my magic alone would be able to hold it for the time I needed.

Pushing the barrier as far above the platform as I could, a couple hundred feet above, I shifted my stance to prepare for the impact. The other three rushed past me, though I could sense that at least one considered stopping to yell at me to run to the blimp. Thankfully, they all seemed to trust my decision this one time. Slightly moving my right foot back, I bent both knees and flexed the muscles in my arms and legs. I would have one chance to catch the missile; if I missed, we would probably die. I looked back to Aristokles, who was now floating 10 feet above me, his gemstones spinning like thin discs.

For the first time in my life, I was grateful for Shimon and Nassor's strict instruction involving foot and hand positions for strong stances. The missile struck with such force that I felt my arms vibrate, just like when I had accidentally angered a snake and it struck the stick I was holding. My arms were shaking for the next few hours he had snapped so hard. Risking a glance to make sure they were getting away, my eyes shifted towards the blimp. Seto had taken hold of the back of Mokuba's shirt and thrown him onto the blimp's stairs. Well, it'd be more accurate to say he threw Mokuba onto Duke, who wasn't prepared enough and received a kick in the face for his troubles. Seto himself simply leapt up onto the blimp with his long legs.

Joey stretched his hand as far down as he could, reaching for Yugi and pulling him off the platform. The missile continued to press against me, the pressure from its speed and gravity making quick work of my barrier. My hands began to burn as I strained to hold off the weapon for a few more seconds.

Release it, Fragolina! We only needed time for your friends to escape. Now we must leave as well.

Aristokles cancelled his side of the spell, streaking towards me like the missile soon would. Leaving one hand pressed towards the barrier, I extended the other to grab hold of his form. The moment he began to pull me upwards, I released the spell and the missile went straight for the heart of the computer. The explosion upon impact was so devastating that the resulting outward pressure caused the blimp to sway in the air. Holding Aristokles as tightly as I could, I extended my hand once more to recall the previous barrier. The blimp was moving too slowly. They wouldn't escape from the resulting explosion.

My eyes widened as the fireball began to take on a violent and furious human face; it had to be Gozaburo. This was his only way out of the virtual world, and he was using it to attempt to kill Seto and the others one final time. He had to be stopped, but my previous barrier wouldn't be sufficient. Summoning my remaining strength, I activated the Millennium Pendant and released Aristokles.

Yugi

As the blimp shook from the force of the explosion, I held on as tightly as I could. Carefully opening my eyes, I scanned the immediate area looking for Dria. She had been conjuring some kind of barrier as we ran past her on the platform below, and though I felt the Pharaoh desperately wishing for me to stop and stay beside her, I trusted she knew what she was doing and that stopping would have only distracted her. But now, I was beginning to regret my decision because she wasn't on the blimp with us. Where could she have gone?

My entire body shook as I attempted to stand and catch a glimpse of what was happening outside. A fireball with harsh eyes and monstrous teeth was chasing us and was preparing to swallow the blimp entirely. Just as mouth descended upon us, I saw a figure floating nearby, standing in the air as if walking through a park. Both hands were outstretched as a blue shield covered us, guarding the blimp from the heat of the flames. The jaws of the fireball shut themselves tight, intending on preventing our escape and sending us to our doom.

Suddenly, the outer covering of the blimp fell away and it transformed into a jet plane. I could only imagine the heat coming from the explosion of the missile. The shelter that had briefly enveloped the blimp had barely protected it from the heat, which probably would have caused severe damage to the plane beneath. The additional shield had provided the necessary boost to protect us. As we sped away from the explosion, the flames dissipated and vanished from sight, along with the supercomputer and the virtual world inside.

"Do you think Noah's mind was deleted when the computer was destroyed?"

"Knowing him, he saved his mind on a backup file."

For being a spoiled, but lonely child, I hoped for Noah's sake that he survived and that we would see him again someday. Perhaps there was a way for him to rejoin the real world and have a somewhat normal life again. Maybe there was something Dria could do.

As that thought entered my mind, I realized who the figure in the air had been. Whirling around, I scanned the control room of the new plane, only to realize that Dria was not there. Quickly excusing myself from the others, I hastened down the halls towards her room, panic rising as I got closer to the door. I could feel the Pharaoh's heart hammering alongside mine, his mind in just as much terror. Sliding to a stop, I struck her door multiple times with my fist, impatient that she hadn't opened it yet and frightened that she wouldn't.

The door slid open, but Dria wasn't standing on the other side of the threshold. Shock and wonder held my feet still as my eyes and mind tried to process what they were seeing. It was some sort of staff, made of a glossy metal and beautiful gemstones. Resisting the urge I felt to touch the stones, I quickly realized that it was simply standing there alone, no hands or wires keeping it upright. The Pharaoh echoed my confusion, his normally careful but confident mind silent as he also attempted to understand the scene. Suddenly, it bowed as its waist and a voice entered my mind.

We've been expecting you. She is here, though please refrain from panicking. She is merely resting.

The staff bowed once again and moved aside, allowing me to enter the room. Though I felt uncomfortable with the knowledge that an inanimate object had just communicated with me telepathically, it was certainly not the most unusual thing I had experienced in my life in the recent months; if I'd been thinking more clearly, I might have realized sooner that Dria had already introduced me to her staff when I first discovered her magic. I treaded softly into the room, taking the staff's request into consideration.

Dria was laying across the couch, one arm covering her eyes and the other hanging motionless off the couch. At first, relief at seeing her safely on board was all I could feel. But as I moved closer, I realized with horror why the staff had asked me not to panic. Dria's hands, wrists, and forearms were red, swollen, slightly burnt, and bleeding. I looked towards the Pharaoh, whose form was standing beside me with worry enveloping his eyes. Without moving, Dria addressed our unasked question.

"It's just second-degree burns. They will be healed and normal again in a day or so; I've healed worse injuries before. Aristokles was about to bandage them after applying a salve to help with the pain."

I turned back towards the staff, which she had called Aristokles. It, or I suppose he, had gathered a bowl of water, bandages, and a small jar containing a pale green, paste-like substance. I began to wonder how he gathered all the materials without having the limbs to do so, but quickly cut that thought off. How silly of me to wonder at how a magical object accomplishes tasks.

As Aristokles placed the objects on the floor next to Dria, I turned back towards the Pharaoh.

Now is your chance, Pharaoh. Offer to help bandage her hands and show her how much you care for her. I'm sure she won't try to stop you.

Again, he hesitated to agree with my idea, afraid of further harming their relationship and causing her to feel as if he no longer loved her. So, again, I forced him to trade places with me and closed off the link back to the Puzzle. I did warn him that I would make this heart-to-heart conversation happen when we came back. He sat frozen for a few moments, clearly out of his comfort-zone of unflappable confidence bordering on arrogance. I watched for a few moments, hoping to see him initiate something, but soon decided it would be better to give them privacy. So, I withdrew entirely into the Puzzle.