DISCLAIMER: If you recognise it from somewhere else, it isn't mine.

The Past is Present

Sharee Pertinicle stood off to the side with her father as the Egyptian woman disembarked from her plane. She was flanked by four men in suits as she was greeted by the curator of the local museum.

'Miss Ishtar, on behalf of the Domino Museum, welcome to Japan.'

'Thank you,' Ishizu said. 'But, please, let's get down to business.'

'Of course, I must say we were pleasantly surprised that you chose our town to host your Egyptian collection.'

'Will they be transported safely and discreetly?'

Sharee had to force back a snort of laughter at that one. As if she doesn't know!

'Don't worry,' the curator said. 'Since you warned us that thieves have been after your rare artefacts, we've taken extra precautions. I devised an ingenious plan to transport the items without a hint of detection. For security reasons, I can't tell you how.' He looked mighty pleased with himself.

Ishizu's Millennium Necklace glinted. 'You're loading them in six armoured vehicles disguised as ordinary garbage trucks. Am I not correct?'

The curator's eyes bugged. 'How'd you…?'

Ishizu smiled and lowered her head. 'Don't worry. Your security's fine. Let's just say that I have a sixth sense about these things.' She looked back up at him. 'Now, if you'll excuse me, I really must get over to the museum to set up the exhibition.' She turned.

'Of course.' He gestured to them. 'Dr. Pertinicle has offered to drive you down there.'

Ishizu came over to them. 'Dr. Pertinicle.'

Dennis smiled. 'Good to see you again, Ishizu.' He laid his hand on the teen's shoulder. 'I'm sure you remember my daughter, Sharee.'

'Of course,' Ishizu said. They began walking out of the airport. 'Shadi informed me that you have found the Pharaoh's vessel, Sharee.'

'Yeah.' Sharee grinned. 'His name is Yugi Moto. He's the grandson of a shop owner. You know about that skirmish a couple of days back?'

'Yes, of course.' Ishizu lifted her hand to her Item. 'My Millennium Necklace showed me the theft that was attempted. And I apologise for the trouble that my brother has caused. Had I thought that he had already located the boy, then I would have contacted you.'

'I thought as much,' Sharee said. 'But I don't blame you. I blame whoever came up with that stupid idea in the first place.'

'Of course. Sharee, may I make a request?'

'Sure.'

'At some point, in the next few days, could you direct the Pharaoh to the museum?' Ishizu asked. 'But not today. I'll use today's press conference to call Seto Kaiba there.'

'Kaiba?' Confused, Sharee stopped. 'Why?'

As the doors of the airport opened and their small group left, both Sharee and Dennis were chuckling.

'Ishizu,' Sharee said, 'if anyone ever says you're not devious I won't believe them.'

YGO

As Téa was heading home, she saw Yugi walking down the street across the road.

'Hey, it's me, Yugi!' Téa called waving. He didn't seem to hear her so she ran for the traffic lights. Unfortunately, the pedestrian lights turned red before she got there. She tried again. 'Yugi, wait up!'

Yugi still didn't hear her. Something was wrong. Something was bothering him. Otherwise he would have heard her and stopped. 'What's up with him?' Téa wondered if it had anything to do with what happened the other day. It still bothered her, she knew but he'd seemed all right afterwards in the hospital.

Behind her, she heard a news report about an Ancient Egyptian exhibit especially inviting game fans. Maybe that would cheer Yugi up. He always got in a really good mood when it came to games.

YGO

Seto Kaiba worked on his computer in his study. Across the room, his little brother, Mokuba, was watching the TV. He listened with half an ear, though he didn't know why he bothered. It was just some museum exhibit coming to the city.

'…I've unearthed artefacts that suggest the Pharaoh himself fought these games against a force that threatened to destroy the entire world,' she was saying. 'Of course, this is still speculation and further studying needs to be done.'

'We have to check out the exhibit, Seto,' Mokuba said. 'It sounds awesome!'

'I'm running a company, Mokuba. I don't have time for mummies and Pharaohs.'

'Oh. I thought you'd be into this kind of thing.' He turned back to the TV. 'Whatever.'

The phone on his desk suddenly rang. Kaiba picked it up. 'Kaiba.'

'This is Ishizu Ishtar. You should really pay closer attention to my press conference.'

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. 'How'd you know I was watching?' He looked at the TV. 'Hm?'

At that very moment the woman on the screen spoke again. 'I'm personally inviting Seto Kaiba to this evening's private exhibition. I promise what he will witness will change his life forever.'

The woman certainly knew how to get attention.

That night, Kaiba's driver stopped his limo out front of the Domino Museum. He stepped out and spoke to his employee. 'Keep the engine running. I won't be long.'

Kaiba went up the stairs and into the museum, empty but for Ishizu Ishtar and a few men. He approached her, because she was the one who invited him.

'Thank you for coming, Seto Kaiba,' Ishizu said.

'Where are the other guests?' Kaiba asked.

'I said this was a private exhibition. You were the only one invited because it makes conducting business so much easier.'

Two men suddenly came and stood at the doors he'd just come in.

'We've locked all the entrances.'

'Nobody's allowed in or out.'

Suspicion flared in Kaiba's mind. 'It's only been a minute but I'm already bored. If you don't tell me what this is all about…' He turned. 'I'm leaving now.'

Ishizu lowered her head. 'Excuse us. We've faced a string of thefts and we have to be careful.' She looked back at him. 'You may leave anytime you wish, Seto Kaiba. However, I believe it's in your best interests to see all that we have to offer.'

'Really now? Hm.' Kaiba turned back around with a smirk. 'And how do you know what's best for me?'

'Please, come this way.' Ishizu turned and led him down the hallways. There was a lot of Egyptian exhibits, but none seemed to be what she had him here for. 'Kaiba, do you believe in destiny?'

Dumbest question he ever heard. Well…nearly. Wheeler still asked some pretty dumb ones. 'Does it matter?'

'Ancient Egyptians thought that the true path of one's life was pre-determined because history repeats itself throughout the ages in a never-ending circle. They would say it was not your choice to come here, for it was destined that the two of us would meet.'

Kaiba stopped. 'Look, all that nonsense may interest you but I didn't come here for Egyptian History 101.'

Ishizu stopped and turned.

'I came here because you said it would be worth my while but it looks like you've wasted my time. If there's a point to all this, let's get to it already. I have a company to run.'

'Hm.'

'You said you had an exclusive offer for me.' He was silent for a moment. 'I know everything about duel monsters and nothing can stop Exodia. So quit the charade and tell me what's going on.'

'All in good time, Kaiba. Duel Monsters is based upon a five thousand year old game. It was played by Ancient Egyptians for power and was extremely dangerous.'

Kaiba's eyes narrowed. 'Who cares?'

'Maximillion Pegasus did,' Ishizu said. 'He fell in love with the game and decided to reinvent it for modern times.'

Well, that explained how a flamboyant billionaire painter suddenly decided to invent a card game. Ancient and dangerous? Kaiba inwardly shuddered as he remembered his time in the Shadow Realm. Despite that girl's assistance in calling the Blue Eyes White Dragon to help him, he hadn't been reunited with Mokuba until Yugi saved them. Come to think of it, hadn't that girl said the same thing? Yes, that was right.

'When I was alive, the game that you now call Duel Monsters we called the Shadow Games. It's what Pegasus based the card game on, but if we lost we ended up here. The thing was that we played with real monsters and real magic.'

But Kaiba wasn't letting Ishizu know anything about that. Besides, how did he even know it'd really happened? 'What's your point?'

'I'm getting to it. Unbeknownst to most duellists, Pegasus created a series of all-powerful cards that were never released to the public. It's no surprise that he kept the strongest monsters for himself.'

That was true. When he'd been duelling Pegasus, he kept pulling out cards Kaiba had never even heard of. And he was sure the same had been done to Yugi. But, that brought up the point. 'Hm.'

Ishizu turned back around. 'Follow me, Kaiba, and I'll reveal the reason I called you here today.' She continued walking down the hallway.

Kaiba took a moment before he followed her.

YGO

Yugi sat on his bed with his knees hugged to his chest. He stared at the Millennium Puzzle, which sat just in front of him. Seems like this Marik guy will do anything to get it. Or to make sure that no one else does. If he'd smashed it to pieces, like we thought he would, he could've destroyed it for good. We're just lucky Sharee was there. But I know this is just the beginning. We're in more danger now than ever.

Yes, Yugi. Yami was suddenly beside him. But now that you've reclaimed the Puzzle and our bond is back, we can face him together.

'But we have no idea who this guy is. We don't even know what he looks like.'

Perhaps not, but Sharee and Shamee do. Yami looked at him. Besides, haven't we been in some tough spots before?

'Yeah.'

So, we'll get through this one too.

'I guess you're right.'

YGO

Ishizu led him into the basement.

'I've secured the most precious artefacts here.' She stopped in the doorway. 'We've recovered stone carvings that depict the earliest known game played in Egypt. I'm sure you will find it most familiar.' She turned. 'Kaiba, behold the origin of duel monsters.'

Kaiba walked forward to the exhibit straight ahead. When the lights came on, he was shocked by what he saw. 'It…can't be!' There was a stone tablet in front of him, and it clearly depicted the Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics he'd been expecting. But the pictures accompanying them really threw him. 'These carvings look like Duel Monster cards. Then that means your story is true!'

Even he wouldn't deny that. Of course, he vaguely registered, that meant Pegasus was lying. He wasn't the inventor of Duel Monsters. He recreated an ancient game into the one they played today. He'd adapted it, not invented.

Ishizu approached from behind. 'I see you've come to your senses. Furthermore, there's a theory that in ancient times these monsters were real. Egyptian sorcerers summoned monsters to earth to do their bidding. But they soon realised that the monsters could not be controlled. They destroyed countless villages and brought earth to the brink of destruction. The citizens turned to the Pharaoh for help. Though he could not permanently defeat the monsters, he managed to use his magic to seal them away in stone tablets and brought peace to the world. However, over time, evil sorcerers learned how to control the monsters and released them from the tablets. With their army of powerful monsters the sorcerers were confident that no one could stand in their way. They betrayed the Pharaoh and waged an all-out war against him.' Ishizu came forward again and stood in front of the other stone tablet in the room. 'This is the one you must look at.'

Kaiba looked over at her. 'Hm?'

'This carving is the reason I've called you here tonight.'

Kaiba crossed over and looked up at the second tablet.

'It depicts one of the main conflicts in the war between the Pharaoh and his greatest opponent. Closely examine this artefact. After this moment, Kaiba, your life will never be the same.'

When he looked up at this one, he realised he hadn't been shocked before. He'd only been surprised. Because the carvings on this tablet…they almost paralysed him. 'That's the Pharaoh? But that's Yugi, and the monster carved above him is the Dark Magician!'

'On the left is the sorcerer fighting against him. That's you, Kaiba. If you still have any doubt, look at his monster. It's the Blue Eyes White Dragon.'

Yes, it was. Kaiba would recognise his favourite monster anywhere. If all this was true and real, that would explain why the girl in the Shadow Realm had known to call that particular monster to help him. If it wasn't all just an illusion, it was because she'd known of his bond to the Blue Eyes.

Ishizu went on, unaware of his thoughts. 'The hieroglyphics read that the mighty sorcerer marched into the Pharaoh's chamber and challenged him and his legion of noble magicians to a legendary duel, with the fate of the world at stake. The Pharaoh accepted the sorcerer's challenge and their epic battle began. Both opponents unleashed their most powerful monsters against each other: the sorcerer fighting to control the world, and the Pharaoh and his loyal followers fighting to save it. Today, five thousand years later, this ancient battle is being played out once again. Do you see? Now, do you believe in destiny, Kaiba?'

Kaiba fought to recover himself. 'This can't be real.' He did it quite well if he did say so himself. His hand tightened around his briefcase. 'There's no way. This piece of rock has got to be a fake.'

'If you won't trust my words, then you must look back in time and experience a part of the battle firsthand,' Ishizu said. 'Which I can help you do with my Millennium Necklace.' Kaiba looked over as he saw a glow in the corner of his eye.

Memories of Pegasus's Millennium Eye came back to him and he backed away. However, it was soon apparent that Ishizu had no such intentions. The glow got bright and brighter until Kaiba had to jam his eyes shut.

'Now.' He heard her speak again. 'Open your mind and see into the past.'

The next thing Kaiba knew, he was hovering in the air, looking down at a massive chamber. It was ancient in design and made entirely of stone. On one end, there was a man that looked just like him. On the other, there was a different man. Both were backed by cloaked people who were chanting in a really creepy way. Between the two, but off to the side, sitting on an elevated throne was a man. He was shrouded in shadows but he was still clearly Yugi. Standing on the right side of the throne, hands clasped behind her back, and wearing a long pale linen dress, there was a woman. There was enough light being thrown onto her for Kaiba to recognise her.

It was Sharee Pertinicle.

'What is this place?' Kaiba asked no one in particular.

The one who looked like him raised a staff above his head. 'I hereby declare a challenge to the Pharaoh. By the rights of tradition, duel me if you are not a coward.'

The men behind him made a clear chant. 'Magic powers, heed my cry. Release the monster trapped inside.' One of the stone tablets in front of him rose up and a dragon was released. It straightened up and roared.

The other man called out across the chamber. 'As the Pharaoh's loyal servant, I will stand against you, traitor!' And a stone tablet in front of him rose up. The Winged Dragon and Guardian of the Fortress was released. Kaiba already knew who would win. The two monsters roared at each other.

The Pharaoh's servant called out again. 'I banish you all to the Shadow Realm!' That said, the Winged Dragon attacked. The Molten Fireball shot out of its mouth and into the other monster, destroying it. The stone tablet fell back and lightning shot out of the ceiling, hitting some of the chanters behind the sorcerer that looked like Kaiba.

'Oh, no,' Kaiba said. 'What is this?'

Suddenly, he was back at the museum.

YGO

Yami looked across at Yugi. The boy moved up to his knees as he spoke. They'd finally gotten down to what had really been bothering him the whole time: letting Marik get away with the Puzzle, even if he did get it back.

'I feel like a total loser. I almost lost you and the Puzzle forever. There's no way I can face this enemy. What if I mess up again?'

You didn't fail. Yami knew how he felt. He was, after all, still just a boy. He needed these reassurances and such.

'Only cause my friends came.' He looked back down at the Puzzle. 'In particular Sharee saved me. Otherwise, I'd never have escaped.'

Yami closed his eyes. You're wrong, Yugi. He waited a moment for Yugi to look back up at him. He opened his eyes again. You need to believe in yourself like I believe in you. In all my years, I have never encountered a soul as brave as yours, Yugi. There is a reason why fate handed you the Millennium Puzzle and brought us together. You have the heart of a true champion and a soul that is courageous and true. In another time, you could have been revered as a great hero.

'Huh?'

YGO

Kaiba had fallen onto his hands and knees.

Ishizu went on with her story. 'The duel raged on with neither side showing any mercy. They summoned monsters that were increasingly more powerful and vicious. The winner of the duel was written here but, as you can see, the hieroglyphics have been worn away.'

Kaiba pushed himself up so he could look. She was right. There was a spot at the bottom of the carving that was completely gone. But he thought it looked more like it'd been chipped away, not worn. Then again, he was a Duel Monsters expert not an archaeology one. 'I see.'

'Yes, but though we don't know the outcome, there's still much that we can learn. Let us take a glance into the past again, using the powers of my Millennium Necklace.'

Before Kaiba could protest the world flashed again. He looked down again and saw the man who looked like him flip up another stone tablet. La-Jinn emerged this time, with a dark chuckle.

The Pharaoh's loyal follower was unintimidated. 'Your La-Jinn maybe strong, but did you think I would not come prepared? It is no match for the combined fury of my dragons.' Another stone tablet on his side flipped up.

This time, it was the Pharaoh's chanters going on. 'Let two be one. Let two be one. Let two be one.'

'Unite, my dragons,' the Pharaoh's follower ordered. 'You shall be unstoppable!' The two of them crackled with electrical energy and moved together, fusing together with a polymerisation move and a new monster was created: a brown winged serpentine dragon. 'Attack! Bombard the traitor with your blazing inferno!'

The beast opened its mouth and obeyed the commands. The energy blast shot across and destroyed La-Jinn. More of the chanters were destroyed. The man who looked like Kaiba turned, glaring up at the Pharaoh.

'You have not won yet, Pharaoh,' he said. 'It is far from over. Do you think one of your pathetic minions have the magic to defeat me? I will shatter them from existence right before your very eyes.'

The Pharaoh merely turned and looked at him. It was a look that Kaiba recognised. That was the look Yugi gave to people he was duelling when they started gloating at him, yet he knew they would fall to his superior monsters or strategy. If Kaiba didn't know better, he'd say that this man, sitting enthroned and wearing gold, was truly Yugi Moto. He was the King of Games.

But that was impossible.

This time, when he found himself back in the museum, Kaiba managed to catch himself on the wall. 'That sorcerer's a big-mouth losing chump. You can't compare him to me.'

Ishizu smiled. 'Well, then.' She turned to him. 'Maybe the final vision will convince you.'

'No!'

But the Millennium Necklace glowed brightly yet again and Kaiba found himself overlooking the chamber once more. The one who looked like him was pointing to the Pharaoh's servant. He was also back to gloating. 'You should have finished me off when you had the chance, for I will now call forth the ultimate beast of destruction! Now, Pharaoh, this is the end.'

The Pharaoh seemed to detect a truth in the threat. He leaned forward. 'Hm?' Again, the look on his face was one Kaiba had seen on Yugi's. It was the look he got on his face when he had the upper hand in a duel and the opponent had just truthfully stated that he was about to turn the match around.

Even if Yugi's friends couldn't tell the difference between when someone was bluffing and when they weren't, he could.

The man who looked like Kaiba raised his arms. 'My faithful monsters, you have all served me well. Wake from your eternal slumber and obey me one last time. The remaining stone tablets rose up and the monsters emerged from within. 'Behold. I will offer them and fuse their life forces into the legendary dragon.' Their life forces glowed bright and expanded until they covered his entire side of the chamber. Then, as the light faded, a very familiar beast arose with a mighty roar. 'Now…the Blue Eyes White Dragon!'

'Blue Eyes White Dragon?' Kaiba demanded. He couldn't believe this? Had this really happened once? It couldn't have…!

The Pharaoh was on his feet instantly. The woman who looked like Sharee moved with him, looking like she sought to protect him from harm.

'Dragon, destroy them all with your White Lightning!' The man who looked like Kaiba commanded and he was obeyed. The blast shot across the chamber and destroyed the Pharaoh's servant's fused dragon with no trouble at all. Then it swept across and destroyed all of the stone tablets. This time, it was the servant and the Pharaoh's chanters that were killed.

Their side of the field caught fire and burned.

The man who looked like Kaiba laughed and raised his staff above his head. 'Victory is mine!'

But the Pharaoh still stood there.

For the third time, Kaiba found himself back in the museum and he was back on his hands and knees, shocked at what he'd just seen. Something gave him the feeling that the Pharaoh had actually won that battle. Ishizu spoke up again.

'Now are you convinced, Kaiba? As I said before, history is destined to repeat itself. It's not just coincidence that Yugi is your greatest opponent. You two have battled in the ancient past! It was destiny that you and Yugi duelled and it's destined that you will battle again.'

Kaiba was not saying he believed this. He stood up and grabbed his briefcase. 'Thanks for the lecture.' He turned away to leave. 'But I make my own destiny. And I do what I want to do.' He began to walk away but Ishizu's next words stopped him.

'Kaiba, what I thought you wanted were powerful monsters.'

Kaiba turned his head.

'The Duel Monsters cards that surpass the power of Exodia. What if I told you they were in front of your eyes the whole time?'

'What?' Kaiba turned around.

Ishizu turned back to the carving. 'Take a look at the top.' Kaiba did and he was surprised to see that there were three carvings up there of Duel Monsters. Ishizu went on. 'They were the strongest and most feared creatures of annihilation. Obelisk the Tormentor, Slifer the Sky Dragon, the Winged Dragon of Ra. Control one and you can destroy a million armies. Wield all three and the planet itself will quake in fear.'

'And Pegasus turned them into cards?' Kaiba asked.

'Yes.'

'You lie! If he had them, why didn't he use them against me at Duellist Kingdom?'

Ishizu turned around. 'Because Pegasus feared the power of these Egyptian God Cards. You cannot fathom the magical energy contained within. Pegasus could not control the power of the cards he created. They threatened to overwhelm and destroy him.'

Cards that make even Pegasus quake in his boots. Now those had to be some awesome cards. If I can obtain the three legendary monsters, I'll be unstoppable in any duel. Yugi won't stand a chance. But how do I get them? I can't ask Pegasus. Not that he would. He's dropped off the face of the earth. They have to exist somewhere. 'Ishizu, what did Pegasus do with the cards?'

'He gave them to me for safekeeping,' she said. 'Pegasus realised that if these cards fell into the wrong hands, they could bring about the end of the world. He had me bury them in secret locations but the cards were discovered. I must find them and hide them once again.'

'You mean someone already found the cards?' Kaiba demanded.

'Yes.'

'Tell me who.'

This time Ishizu's eyes narrowed. 'The Rare Hunters.'

'Rare Hunters.' Kaiba's eyes widened. He vaguely recalled hearing of them, but he most likely hadn't been paying much attention at the time.

'They're a ruthless underground sect of elite duellists.' Ishizu clearly saw that. 'They rob and steal rare cards worldwide to sell on the Black Market for enormous profits. However, they keep the strongest cards for themselves to create powerful decks that destroy all opposition. They operate in shadows so they are nearly impossible to find. That is why I need your help to draw them out into the open. Kaiba, if you were to start a Duel Monsters tournament your reputation would attract the greatest Duellists in the world. This would be the greatest concentration of precious cards ever assembled in one location.'

Kaiba smirked. He knew she'd had an ulterior motive for calling him here. 'I see. It's a trap. The Rare Hunters won't be able to resist such tempting bait. They'll come by the droves, like vultures to a carcass. And they'll bring the Egyptian God Cards.'

Ishizu crossed over to him. 'One last thing. Take this card.'

Kaiba did. He was surprised at what he saw. 'Hm? Can it be?' He took the card from her and stared at it. 'It's Obelisk the Tormentor! I thought the cards were stolen.'

'I never said they were all stolen. I managed to retrieve one in time. You may borrow it during the tournament, but I expect it back.'

Yeah, right! 'It's not everyday a card this rare is handed to me.' He lowered the card. 'What if I chose to keep it forever? What makes you think I can be trusted? I could walk out and you'd never see it again.'

'You will return the card to me.'

Kaiba smirked and turned away, tucking the card in with his deck. 'Hmph.' Well, this had been worth his while after all. He headed for the door again.

'I have foreseen it.'

Kaiba stopped and looked back at her. 'I'll bet.'

'You may not yet believe in destiny, but before the tournament is done you will have to face your past.' Her eyes narrowed.

'You know, I read that once in a fortune cookie.' He frowned again. 'I'll organise this tournament.'

'I thank you,' Ishizu said.

Kaiba looked away from her. 'But I'm not going to set it up because of your fairytales and your hocus-pocus mind tricks. I want to reclaim my title as the number one duellist.' He walked out.

YGO

Yami leaned against the desk.

Yugi was sitting on the edge of his bed. 'I wish we knew more about this Marik guy. He said he was…familiar with the power of a Millennium Item.'

Yes, and Sharee said he had the Millennium Rod. That is doubtlessly how he controls peoples' minds. It also seems he has knowledge of the ancient customs. Our foe is somehow connected to the past.

'But who is he? All we've got is his name.'

I don't know.

Yugi abruptly stood up, startling him. 'Then how can we stop him?' The look on his face was one of helpless fear.

Yami gave him a reassuring smile. Hm. Don't worry. We can defeat this evil together. And, remember, while we don't know who he is, Sharee does.

That seemed to calm Yugi.

As long as we stay connected, you and I can face anything.

Yugi stepped closer to him. 'Maybe, but what if I…fail again?' He closed his eyes and dropped his head. There were tears going down his cheeks. 'How do I know that I won't lose you?'

Feeling like a father, or an elder brother, coaching his son or younger brother, Yami smiled and covered the boy's hands around the Puzzle. I believe in you, Yugi.

YGO

Kaiba sat in his limo again, looking at his newly acquired God Card. He chuckled to himself. 'One card down and two more to go.'

Feeling in an absurdly good mood, Kaiba threw his head back and laughed.