Yugi shuffled his deck, letting the cards carefully slide through his hands. It would never be quite the same to duel, without his other self, but he was coping as best he could. And he'd already proven he could stand on his own. Learning to let go was part of growing up, part of life, as his grandfather would say. Knowing that didn't make it hurt any less, but it did help in its own ways.
Yugi came to one card in particular and smiled. The Dark Magician would always have a place in his deck, and now there was more than one reason it was his favorite card. Yugi had initially been drawn to it for its versatility. It wasn't overwhelmingly strong like Kaiba's Blue-Eyes, but it could work together with other cards and do well on its own. The Magician's true power was easy to underestimate—a costly mistake for an enemy.
And, Yugi noted, it had been the Pharaoh's favorite card as well. Every time he looked at it, now, he would be reminded of his other self. It was just another reason to do his best in duels—he couldn't let his friend down, after all. If he ever did relinquish the title of King of Games one day, the battle would be fought with all he had.
The thought reminded Yugi of Joey, and how he lived every day to the fullest. Even before he'd made the wish, Joey had apologized for stealing one of the Puzzle's pieces and gotten himself beaten up in the process. It was an odd way to begin a friendship, but Joey had proved countless times that he meant it when he'd said they were friends. And if it weren't for the Puzzle, Yugi thought, he'd have never known Joey at all.
If he'd never known Joey, then he'd have never known Tristan, either. Tristan was always there when it counted, and his down-to-earth personality helped the entire group of friends deal with the strangeness they'd been locked into. His capacity to think rationally, even in times of crisis, had saved them all more times than Yugi would care to admit.
Yugi idly wondered how Tea was holding up, but felt it would be too soon to ask her. They had all known, by the end, how she'd looked at the Pharaoh. As strong as she was, Tea wore her heart on her sleeve, and that included romantic feelings as well as platonic. She probably needed more time than he did to cope, he thought ruefully, though she'd hide it in concern for her friends. Tea's first priority tended to be others, especially if they were hurting.
They all needed time, he thought, and probably none more so than Ryou Bakura. Out of everyone, the group knew him the least, but that wasn't his fault—it was the Spirit of the Ring's. He had an affinity for games like Yugi did, though, and an interest in the macabre that severely freaked Joey out. Ryou had helped them when he could, even saving their lives when the Spirit first appeared, and for that Yugi was forever grateful.
Speaking of lives saved, Yugi thought, he was very relieved that his habit of making friends even extended to former enemies. Duke Devlin hadn't gotten off to the best of starts with them, but there was hidden pain behind his eyes that Yugi recognized because he saw it in himself, too. When you dedicated your life to one thing, in the end you just felt lonely, even if you completed your goal. Yugi knew that all too well, and was more than happy to welcome the Black Clown owner into his circle of friends, even if he wasn't quite as close as the rest.
He wanted to talk to them, to let him know how he was holding up. He did. They'd shared everything together, from adventures to just hanging out.
But without a Puzzle and a wish to bind them together, something in Yugi felt empty at the thought. He could look at his friends' favorite cards but not work up the nerve to talk to his friends.
They had shared so many adventures with the Pharaoh. His other self had helped them grow, and they'd helped him grow.
Even the wish itself had instantly catapulted the Pharaoh into their lives, even with friends he hadn't met yet.
Did they still have room for Yugi, just Yugi, without his other self?
Weeks came and went, and one day a package came in the mail from Industrial Illusions. It was addressed to Yugi. There was a single letter enclosed, but the cards said more than words ever could.
The first card was of the Pharaoh himself, sternly pointing into the distance. While not quite at the level of a Penalty Game, it showed off his status and power quite well, Yugi thought. If he looked closer he could almost see the smile behind the proud face, the determination to protect in the steely eyes. He had come a long way since the days of the Shadow Games. (Even so, Yugi found it hard to believe that he alone had helped him so much—they'd all had a hand in helping the Pharaoh, as much as they had each other.)
The second was of the Pharaoh and Joey, clasping hands in friendship. At first Yugi had wondered why it wasn't him there, but seeing them together, looking ready to take on the world, brought back welcome if bittersweet memories. The Pharaoh and Joey got along as well as he and Joey did, and now he had a permanent reminder of the bonds they'd forged. He wondered if Joey felt the same, then immediately felt foolish—of course Joey did. They had been a team.
Yugi was so stunned at the third and final card he nearly dropped it. It showed himself, Tea, Tristan, Joey, and Duke, all clasping hands in a show of friendship. (The letter explained that Ryou Bakura was self-conscious about being on a card, but Duke held no such compunctions.) They supported one another no matter what came their way, in good times and in bad.
Together they looked as if they could take on the world, and the sight of his friends beside him made Yugi realize something.
His wish had brought them all together, but the fulfillment of the Pharaoh's wish didn't mean they had to drift apart.
Yugi set down the cards, picked up the phone and dialed his friends' numbers.
There was no time like the present to come together again.