Official King of Dragons Summary:
Kisara remembers bits and pieces. Games. Guardians. Golden items. Her life. The others' lives. And she's the only one. Seto Kaiba doesn't. Yugi Muto doesn't. Then the clock starts the day Yami Muto completes the Millennium Puzzle, drawing three thousand years worth of magic into the present time, and the ultimate shadow game begins. Everyone returns for the final showdown in modern Japan. Five years worth of journeys, disbelief, history, and loves that spanned lifetimes in the making... It all starts now. Duelist Kingdom through Millennium World retold. Blueshipping
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King of Dragons
Arc I: Duelist Kingdom
Chapter III
Found
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"The lost get found… So when you get the chance, are you gonna take it?
There's a really big world at your fingertips, and you know you have the chance to change it…"
-Britt Nicole
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Kisara was situated behind a suit of armor, breath quieted as she listened for any incoming footsteps. Guards patrolled the tower, and she'd been lucky to skulk around the stone corridors unsuspected. She'd had quite a number of close encounters, but never had they paid her any attention, or even a hint of acknowledgment of her being there. She'd hidden behind closed doors and various designs of armor in the last twenty minutes, aware that she could be caught at any moment. Albeit, she had to remind herself that she'd studied the guard changes and tower layouts enough to evade anyone within fifty feet of her at all times.
As it was, the corridor was deafeningly silent and Kisara counted the seconds until she should run. Ten seconds now, and the guard nearest me will be on the lower level. Two minutes to talk to Mokuba and give him directions, before I hike it back the way I came as quickly as possible. She waited, took a breath, then stepped into the light. The noticeable change in illumination brought a sense of relative ease to her limbs, calming the waters of her mind. This was her time, her abode, and she worked well in it.
She ran down the hall, her steps light and nimble and preternaturally quiet along the sullen stones beneath her feet. Then again, three thousand years ago, she'd learned from the best thief on their side of the Nile how to make her way through secured places undetected. A wry smile made its way onto her lips. She wondered if he'd made it into this time as well. The Thief King… It certainly would've been appropriate for him to be revived if the Triumvirate had returned. He'd hardly been without importance back then.
She stilled her footing at a locked door some fifty feet from her hiding spot, and started to pick at the lock. Another nifty addition to her increasing list of specialties. She'd only learned how to do this type of craft a few days ago when visiting Recollection Hall. Apparently, her incarnate had been very cunning when necessary.
Click.
It resounded in the air, an otherwise catastrophic boom amongst the gravely silent, and Kisara surveyed both left and right for any indication of being heard. None. Returning to her role, she removed the pick and twisted the door-handle. She couldn't help but grin a little. Thank you, Thief King… Someday, if I can, I will repay you.
Beyond the door, was Mokuba Kaiba. His ebony locks were disheveled and clouded his expression behind bushy bangs. He was sitting upon the stone flooring, back resting against the wall. The window was just beyond his petite frame, emitting the bright, almost blinding sunlight of normal Californian day, but because of it, the little Kaiba was contorted in a mesh of shadows. Almost a silhouette.
Then vivid violet eyes flashed in her direction, a beacon in the darkened light. It was an unordinary gaze. He seemed to radiate a natural haughtiness brought up by a regal rise in power, but not born. Never born. Even in the past, this little one had never been born of royal descent, but favored by a bloodless relation that had managed to transcend time. That minor detail had actually fashioned itself differently this time around however.
"Miss Pegasus." There was no hint of kindness in the formal title, and Kisara repressed a frown.
Instead, she smiled, a benevolent, heartwarming kind of greeting. "Master Kaiba."
"What do you want." It was a demand, and if Kisara hadn't known better, it might as well have been Seto himself speaking, but there was a sense of lesser accordance to the ways of command that could only be honed by years of practice. Nevertheless, Seto had taught him well.
"It's more of a question of what you want, actually," she said. She spared the corridor a glance, before latching the door shut. Time was of the essence.
He sneered, "What?"
Kisara knelt before him, and scattered tendrils of baby blue descended to the stone cold floor. The contrast was devastating, and she couldn't help but smile at Mokuba Kaiba. The light always burst through the darkest night. "I'm here to help you, Moku," she whispered.
The name seemed to strike a chord in him. "How do you know that name?" he hissed. "Only my brother calls me that."
She winked. "Secrets aren't always meant to be told right away. Otherwise the surprise goes to waste."
"But what are you doing here?" His voice was hard, but brittle, and easily transparent. It didn't scare her in the least. She'd been struck with far worse in the past.
"I'm breaking you out," she told him, handing him a small map of the island. At his incredulous look, she hastily continued, "There are going to be people looking for you, but I would suggest finding Yami Muto. If there's anyone who can help you stay safe until your brother comes to get you, it's him and his friends."
"Yami?" He was furious. "If you think I'll even consider accepting his help then you're—"
"Extremely cunning. Yes, yes, I know. Now, I know you have a lot of bad blood recently between one another, but Moku." She grasped at his shoulders, her conviction evident. "He will help you. He's more caring than you can imagine, and trust me when I tell you, beating your brother was the best thing he could've done. You may not realize it now, but you will, in time."
Mokuba was stilled into silence, his apprehension clear, but there were hints of understanding that had begun to appear. Quietly, he asked, "How do I know I can trust you, Miss Pegasus?"
At that, Kisara grinned. "For one, you can call me Kisara, and another…" She plucked at the deck box on her waist, and fanned out her cards before him. "Pick one," she entreated.
He frowned. "Why?"
"Consider it a token of my honesty, and one day, when you know you're safe again, I'll be happy to take it back. Until that day comes, I swear upon the souls of my cards to protect you." She took a breath. "That's the most sincere oath I can ever give you, Moku."
"You sound like Yami Muto and his grandfather," Mokuba muttered. "Now you're going to tell me there's a Heart of the Cards too."
She started a bit at the mention of the Heart of the Cards, then smiled. "Of course there's a Heart. There's a heart in all things, Moku, even in the greatest darkness. It's what brings us in the right direction; what guides us. The Heart. It's our most powerful source of light."
Sapphire and violet orbs were locked in an embrace that spanned the distance of thousands of years of life and trust, and in that moment, Mokuba chose to act upon a force beyond himself, but a single question gnawed him whole.
"Why are you doing this?" he asked then, quietly. "You have to know that your father is taking over KaibaCorp—you're the heir of Industrial Illusions. Why… Why would you throw all that away?"
Her smile became terribly sad. "Because it's my job, my right, and my duty to ensure the protection of those I care about."
His eyes widened, startled. "I—I don't understand… What?"
Time was running out, and that question required an explanation far more in depth than she was capable of giving at the moment. She also needed to put her sentiment of the past on the sidelines for a second, otherwise she would get nowhere. "But either way, Moku, I need you decide right here, right now, if you trust me. My cards are my word and my soul. Where they are, I am. So." She smiled. "What's the verdict?"
There was a split second of indecision before he relented. "Alright," he sighed, then added, "Kisara."
Her expression softened to a loving one, and memories prospered. She swallowed the lump in her throat, knowing that she still needed to get him out of the tower. "Thank you, Young One," she whispered. And to seal the deal, Mokuba chose a single card from her deck. It ended up being her trademark. She took that as a sign sent down from the Gods themselves. Immortal powers were definitely at work here.
"Th—This—!" Opalescent light radiated from the hand painted portrait, as if casting out warmth where she took breath.
"Is my most precious card," Kisara continued for him, grinning like a cat. "I want you to have it for awhile. I trust you with it."
The Blue Eyes Shining Dragon, so rare, so valuable, she rivaled the Blue Eyes White Dragons in Seto Kaiba's deck, but this one was special. She was graced with the ability to defeat the mythical God Cards, and as such, there was only one in existence. But three thousand years ago, this fearsome dragon had been the most loyal beast at her disposal. Back then, many had said the Shining Dragon was a reflection of her innermost strength. A few had even whispered that it represented her heart and soul from ages long since forgotten by history, bred to combat darker forces… But those were tales from Recollection Hall that she had yet to fully discern, or even locate completely.
"Anyway," Kisara said, reverting back to her original train of thought, and Mokuba snapped his attention to her. "Here's what you need to do…"
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After having scraped back up that forsaken spit of rock beneath his house, Seto Kaiba watched from the shadows of a tree for an opening. The guards were stationed everywhere along the perimeter, and there were dozens of them. There was no way he would get access through the front, there were too many for him to engage directly. I'll need to take a more discreet route.
Quickly as possible, he grabbed at the ledge of a stone fence before hurling himself over, landing with a grace he'd always had, before throwing open a secret latch beneath the grass at his feet. This place had been built in the days of his adolescence, when a certain father-figure had still been around. Back then, it had been utilized has as his own personal operations room to observe corporate standings and build patens. It hadn't been used in years, but it was about to be resurrected.
Having skulked down the stairs, it lead him into a dimly lit library filled to the brim with dust and old tomes. The place was a relic, but it housed a plethora of knowledge he'd stashed away over the years. Among his effects was a identification scanner, hidden behind a bookcase. When admitting in the seldom number he allowed access to these walls, it lead him to an even smaller subchamber inside his home basement. There, he would be able to get the information he desired. Back-entrance infiltrations and system hacks were some of his specialties, after all.
Flipping a switch at his side, the tri-screen computer thrummed to life. The computer was awake, flashing several 'Seto Kaiba's on the screen before him, and he sat down. "Running identity verification protocol. Please state your name."
"Seto Kaiba."
Finally, it allowed him access.
"I thought I'd seen it all," the computer greeted, her automated voice that of a woman's, and not one he particularly cared for. "But breaking into your own house?"
"It's too long a story for right now," he told the computer, slowly. Drained was another word for what he felt, but his physical limitations were hardly going to stop him. Not with the wretched chaos running amok because of some corrupted take over. Some 'handling' needed to be done.
"Too long a story?!" it exclaimed, the audio suddenly erupting through the speakers. His head echoed thunderously, and he nearly slammed the shut down key, but refrained. Time was not on his side, and he required the resources. Instead, he encoded a lock on the volume, suppressing his steadily boiling rage with hasty, lethal fingertips. "Well, maybe I'm not in such a talkative mood myself, right now!"
He eyed the screen with a glare. "I'd find that hard to believe."
"Such a smart guy…" He narrowed his eyes. This computer program was far more cheeky than he would've liked, and he often wondered why his adolescence mind had gone down a path to create this simulation-personality in the first place. He certainly could've made it more… Practical. Never mind him being twelve back then.
"And while you were off galavanting, a hostile takeover of KaibaCorpations has begun!"
Galavanting, was it?
His lips thinned. "I know."
"At the same time, Maximillion Pegasus kicked off his Duel Monster's championship at the Duelist Kingdom. If Yami Muto can be defeated by Pegasus or a competitor that represents him, then the new KaibaCorperations' board promised him control of the company!"
"He won't win." It was an obvious fact. The probabilities were not in Pegasus' favor; add in Yami's intellect, and it was damn well near impossible for Pegasus to defeat him. "Yami is unbeatable, his deck has Exodia." The shattering of infallible light bypassed his vision, before he blinked. The world around him was lit violet, no longer an infinite expanse of white. In a way, it unnerved him.
"Yeah, well," the computer sounded far from impressed. "Sometime after you lost to Yami, he lost Exodia."
That woke him up. "No way..!"
"When it rains, it pours." It paused, the screen displaying a three-dimensional map of the Duelist Kingdom Island, along with profiles of his brother and Pegasus himself. "Pegasus knows all about the corporation bylaws that require a living Kaiba heir to make any change in control legal. Mokuba is his prisoner! And with you out of the way, it's likely that Pegasus will exert all kinds of pressure to make your brother do what he wants, one way or another."
The threat of Pegasus was real then. There was no questioning it now, but kidnapping his little brother and trying to kill Seto Kaiba himself was beyond any type of compromise. It was time for a war, and he was going to kill the conniving bastard if it was the last thing he ever did.
"So," the computer said. "Now, you know... What are we going to do?!"
They'll keep my brother safe, at least until the takeover is complete, so I've got to make sure Pegasus doesn't defeat Yami in a duel. No matter what.
He growled low to himself, his fits clenched tight enough to draw blood. The very idea of helping Yami Muto was enough to make him scoff in disbelief. Of all the damn people out there… But there was nothing to be done. The rules had changed, and he couldn't bend them without shattering them to pieces, and letting Pegasus win.
There wasn't a chance in Hell he was going to let that happen.
He slammed his fists down on the keys. "I'm not going to give up KaibaCorp without a real fight. It's takeover time. By me." Seto Kaiba didn't smirk, nor did he find any satisfaction when he declared, "We're going to hack right into Pegasus' computer mainframe."
His eyes were concentrated and hard and focused.
Found.
"Next stop, Duelist Kingdom."
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There was a truth to the idea that Kisara dreamed of an escape as much as Mokuba did, if not more so, considering she'd been standing her ground within Duelist Kingdom for several months without ever leaving the confines of the castle walls. It was drawing on her nerves, and transforming her into a glittery wreck, but she had work that needed to be done. The outside world would have to wait.
Until Seto Kaiba arrived.
Her heart clenched at the mere thought of him. Knowing what she did now, what could she ever possibly say to him? She was Pegasus' daughter, the enemy. If only he knew that her loyalty lied solely with him. He held sway on her actions, on her decisions, but she also knew that in a day not too far from now, she would have the same effect on him.
She couldn't call it love. Not now, not so soon. She didn't know Seto Kaiba that way, but her heart told her that it would come. Time didn't lie, and neither did the memories. It was the way history had designed the past, and she had no doubt it would repeat. Fact was fact, no matter how illogical it sounded… Seto, he was her soulmate. The fragmented pieces played their story all too well, and she knew, oh, she knew all too well what laid beyond the horizon of their rising sun. The simplicity of it all was final.
She was going to fall, irrevocably, undeniably, infallibly, forever more… In love with him.
Kisara released a shuddering breath, helpless to combat the rising emotions that swelled in her heart. Everyday they became stronger…
She was his Queen.
That wasn't going to change.
"Now entering into the Industrial Illusion's mainframe."
Kisara jumped, throttled back into the present. "Ah, yes," she muttered, speaking to her computer. "Locate Duelist 001 Yami Muto, please."
"Now searching for Duelist 'Yami Muto'." The screen went from a basic map of the island to a specific forest on the eastern side. "Located Duelist 001 Yami Muto. How would you like to proceed?"
"Access video feed of Yami's duel, please."
"Now accessing…"
While her computer loaded the video feed, Kisara took a mental sigh of relief, but her relief only went so far. She needed to see if Mokuba had found him, and if he had, if he was as safe as she hoped he would be. With her father as her main adversary in this power struggle, her assistance could only work for so long. Yami or Seto would have to defeat him, and with the latter of the two champions out of the picture, she could only rely on Yami…
Kisara had debated the chances of her own dueling prowess versus her father's own in the passing weeks, but she knew that her help from the sidelines would be far more valuable. If her father didn't know who scheduled the arrangements and secret hints from behind the scenes, the Millennium Court would be better off. But if she confronted him now… All of her work would go down the drain. Without Seto here, she couldn't act against him. Until he arrived, she would buy him and Yami as much time as possible to complete their separate tasks.
She believed in both of them, and would gladly risk her own life to ensure their safety, even if they didn't know it.
But that was just who she was.
"Yami, you don't have a ghost of a chance beating Kaiba, because this time, he is a ghost!"
She'd just gotten into Yami's dueling feed, and upon hearing such a statement, Kisara immediately raised a brow. What on Earth…
"A ghost?" She recognized that baritone echo anywhere. The memories didn't lie. It really was… It was the Pharaoh! And beside him… Yugi, Joseph, Teana, and Tristion. Fate really had reincarnated all who'd once lived in ancient Egypt!
"Stop it, Kemo!" Mokuba snapped, who was trapped in an unrelenting grip of her father's most burly guard. She'd always hated that brute. So Mokuba had been captured before Yami had been able to save him. She bit her lip.
"It's a fact!" Kemo stated, sounding far too amused for her liking. "Two witnesses saw him fall to his doom."
Seto fell to his doom? That… That's not possible. I can feel him. He's most certainly not dead. Kisara was a bit more dumbfound than fearful of the possibility, mainly because, since the first Echo, she was literally able to sense his presence from across the Pacific. The same went for Yami and Yugi, as well as several others whom she felt but could not name yet. It was an odd feeling, almost as if a string connected them throughout time and space itself, and Kisara was certain. Seto Kaiba was very much alive. Whomever stood on that dueling platform was either an impersonator, or her father had used an ability from the Millennium Eye to resurrect a spirit of sorts.
"It's not him!" Yami retorted. If he was as certain as she was, then was it possible that he felt the connection too?
"Alert," her computer announced, snatching her attention away. "Another user has just accessed same feed. How would you like to proceed?"
When asked who it was, her computer answered, "User identified as Maximillion Pegasus."
Of course, it is. "Hack into the video feed from my father's current location within the castle, please," Kisara said. "I want to see just what he thinks about his dastardly plan going so well."
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What Seto found wasn't all that surprising. All of the information regarding Yami was what happened to be the most secure in the Industrial Illusion's mainframe. As it was, Seto's fingertips typed along the keys of his home computer, ravenous for the intel he desired. The computer was barely keeping up with him, the mathematics and code scrambling in his mind as he scarcely discerned what his fingertips were actually doing. He'd leapt into a world he immersed himself in daily, and because of that, there wasn't a computer system in the world he couldn't hack into. The president of Industrial Illusions had met his match.
The information regarding the duels were being routed from a satellite to the Industrial Illusion's Headquarters in California, but the software was highly encrypted. Whoever had constructed the system had to have been relatively intelligent. There was only one solution that would unlock the Yami's dueling information now, and that was to crash the Industrial Illusions' computer itself. His own computer questioned the possibility, rather incredulous at the notion. How could they possibly? The answer was simple, but destructive.
"A computer crash is exactly what I had in mind," Seto admitted, the idea forging in his head. "The biggest computer crash ever, and I'm going to use Pegasus' own satellite to do it."
Indignantly, his computer said, "But I've already tried to hack into their systems!"
Seto smirked. This idea would be entirely like him. "My idea's different. Once the security is down, we should be free to access the data. Be ready with a search for the Dark Magician." If there was any card that would be used by Yami, that was the one. It would help locate the spiky-haired pipsqueak when the time came.
With the Dark Magician inquiry loaded and standing by, his computer continued to barrage him with its insatiable curiosity. "So spill it already!" it exclaimed. "How the hell are we going to use Industrial Illusions' own satellite to bring down their computer?"
"By bringing down the satellite itself." He'd already decimated one corporate monarch, he could certainly do it again. "Down all the way."
With that, he dived headfirst back into his decryption codes. Hacking into the satellite proved easier than originally thought. All it took were a few strokes of the keys and a number of algorithms he could answer within seconds. In total, it was practically unprotected. How sloppy. Apparently, the same designer as the mainframe hadn't done the same work here. That was just stupid.
"You are now the proud owner of an Industrial Illusions satellite," his computer announced, sounding rather proud of itself. All it had done was load the page.
"Now plot a crash course for the computer mainframe."
"Uploading new coordinates now… We are locked on target for the computer. Location: Industrial Illusions Headquarters in California. Are you ready to proceed?"
"Virus software won't stop this. Proceed." Alone there and in the dark of his isolated home, he called out into the void. "Pegasus! You didn't notice KaibaCorp's still mine!" No one was taking what he'd already stolen. This was his company, and with what Pegasus had done to his family-to him-it was high time the man paid his dues.
And impact was in less than ten seconds.
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Kisara was sick with worry, her gut twisting around in circles. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all! Yami might be the Pharaoh, but with the way the duel had been going, she wasn't sure if the Heart of the Cards was actually working for him. What the hell was going on?! He was the King of Games, blessed by the Egyptian Gods themselves with abilities beyond any mortal! What had transpired in Ancient Egypt proved that!
Why wasn't it working?
The copy of Seto had already summoned the Blue Eyes White Dragon. The sight itself pained her, for she knew the souls of his cards were most certainly not on their master's side. That wasn't Seto! That wasn't the Seto Kaiba she knew! Her father had definitely stolen his deck, but she knew for a fact that he was alive. It was impossible to believe otherwise, but apprehension gnawed her senseless. What had happened to the real Seto? Was he… Was he hurt?
She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood.
"ALERT! ALERT! INDUSTRIAL ILLUSIONS MAINFRAME DOWN! INDUSTRIAL ILLUSIONS MAINFRAME DOWN…"
"Huh?!"
Jolted from her woes, Kisara jumped from the sudden announcement. How could her software be down? She'd designed it! Who could've possibly…? Her heart plummeted in her throat, falling to her feet. Seto. Sapphire orbs widened in realization. How had he? Searching through broken data, she realized just what exactly he'd done to crash their computer. Oh... By the Gods!
"SETO KAIBA!" she exclaimed, absolutely appalled by this display of sheer destruction. A number of television channels roared with the news that the Industrial Illusion's Headquarters had been recently destroyed, impacted by its own satellite no less. Her brow twitched with pent up rage. He was so damn lucky there hadn't been anyone there today because of the tournament! "You—You—You, gah! If you'd wanted to access the system so badly, ask next time, damn it!" The system was gone, the only thing left secured in another branch personally overseen by her father. Yami's dueling data. And she couldn't access the same information without alerting her father. Seto was on his own. And that was probably what he'd been looking for too.
"Gah!" She crossed her arms and settled back into her seat, shimmering with hot rage. "You are so in for it when I see you again…" she hissed.
But then, that rageous heat cooled into a soft understanding. She visibly sagged. "You're alive…" she whispered, assured. That contented her for the time being, but that didn't mean he was forgiven. She'd spent years designing that mainframe, and in one day, he'd completely decimated her work. Really, Seto, really? If only to save her sanity, she let out a laugh. How positively ridiculous. Of all the ways to go… I suppose it's only natural. We're both pretty destructive when we want to be. The past wasn't much better, it's probably meant to be.
Kisara sighed, rubbing her forehead. She really shouldn't have expected any less. Anyways, back to the duel.
With Impostor Kaiba having summoned the Blue Eyes White Dragon, Yami was at an extreme disadvantage. There wasn't a monster in his deck that could rival the might of a single one, let alone three if he managed to get them on the field. The Pharaoh was only lucky he'd managed to summon his favorite monster, but with Impostor Kaiba having destroyed his Curse of Dragon, his life points were dropping significantly…
Seto… Yami... What are you going to do? Mokuba's life could depend on this duel! And from where Kisara was, there was nothing she could do to help them.
Then he played Magical Hats.
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"Huh? What the hell is that?" Having crashed the Industrial Illusions' mainframe, Seto had gained access into the computer, but problems continued to rise. He'd overseen every duel on the island, but the search for the Dark Magician had proved fruitless. As it turned out, a variety of viruses arose whenever Yami's cards were searched for, leading him to where he was now.
"Its a… Virtual fortress," his computer answered, sounding rather unnerved. "Sensors indicate that all of the data from Yami's duels are processed here." It locked onto to the main doors of the fortress, an ominous pair of steel metal without a doorknob. Whatever was in there was meant to stay inside, apparently. "You won't blow your way through this thing," it said. "It's the ultimate defense, and it's impossible to penetrate without the password!"
Seto merely took it in stride. A passcode, was it? "If I know Pegasus, that egomaniac would never think that anyone would outsmart him and get this far. We're going in."
His computer was dubious. "... The passcode?"
"Heh," he grunted. "'Pegasus'."
Within seconds, the doors swung open. "You were right about the password!" his computer exclaimed. "The virtual fortress has been unlocked! We now have access to Yugi's data, and it was just his turn!"
Despite the win, Seto knew that this was only the start. He had entire war to battle yet. "Pegasus thinks he can make up all the rules in this game, but he never could have imagined this brand new twist." His eyes hardened. "I'm back."
.
"What?" Seto hissed, slamming his hands down in retribution. "Is this your idea of a joke?"
"I never joke," his computer stated. An ironic statement, but a true one. "Sensors indicate that the opponent opposite Yami, is registered as 'Seto Kaiba'. And he's using your deck!"
Having escaped by the nape of his neck, he hadn't had the time to grab his deck. Those stupid buffoons must've taken them with them on the way out. Probably as a type of assurance for his death. "Pegasus must have taken it," he growled. To think of that bastard having some amateur wielding his deck made his blood boil. And to use his name was even more revolting. Impersonating Seto Kaiba wasn't something easily forgiven.
Ignoring his woes, it explained, "The duelists are tied and the Impostor has his second Blue Eyes White Dragon on the field. Yami defeated the first one using a combination of the Dark Magician and Magical Hats. He currently has five-hundred life points left and no cards in play. It's his move."
This wasn't good. "Without Exodia, he can't win. He doesn't have any cards in his deck that can defeat the Blue Eyes White Dragon, let alone two of them…" What could he do now? Then it dawned on him.
"Well, then, I hope you have a plan!"
"Yes, but we've got to work fast. Yami will lose when the Blue Eyes White Dragon attacks on the next move unless we decrease his power from here." His. He'd just referred to the Blue Eyes as a male. As if he—it were alive. Dari… Darius…? Echoes resonated, and he nearly keeled over from the sudden explosion in his head. "Gah!" he cried out. He clutched at his forehead, helpless to combat whatever collided inside him. Then all at once, it was gone.
"Sir?" his computer called, almost worried. Almost. Impossible. These machines, these holograms of game cards were fake. They were toys to be utilized, but never real. Never would they be real again. What?
"Sir!" it tried again, this time adamant. It snapped him out of his delusions. They meant nothing. "It's still Yami's move! What are we going to do?"
He shook his head. "We're going to upload a virus into that dragon's holo-computer." His voice returned, and along with it, his apathy. "That dragon's about to get sick. Real sick." He didn't care. He didn't care. That dragon didn't matter. It wasn't real, but his brother was.
"Standing by." All the data surrounding the Blue Eyes' hologram was displayed on the screen, along with its three-thousand attack point advantage. "But shouldn't we wait to see Yami's next move?"
"We can't afford risking Yami losing the duel," Seto practically spat out. There was no time, no risk he would dare in a situation like this. "Upload!" he commanded.
"Viral injection underway…" A pause, the release of baited breath, then Yami made his move. All too quickly. Damn it!
"I wish Yami had waited a few more seconds before moving!" Alarm coursed its way through his veins. If Yami lost, everything was over. Pegasus will have won, and KaibaCorp—Enough! "Isn't there anything you can do to get that computer virus uploaded faster?"
"We're already halfway there, this is as fast as it goes!" A single percent took too much time. Why was it taking so long? Tinted blue from the lights, Seto Kaiba felt a shot of fear run free through his blood, a cold, dreadful needle of ice that chilled him to the bone.
"Viral implant at sixty percent," his computer informed him. He barely heard it. "But it doesn't seem to be working! The Blue Eyes White Dragon is still showing no signs of weakness!"
Seto stared frantically at the screen, restless, yet terrified to move. "Something is wrong!"
.
Kisara's grin was positively wicked at the sight before her eyes. She shot up from her seat, joyous. He'd done it! The Blue Eyes White Dragon's attack power was decreasing—slowly—but decreasing nevertheless.
"What are you waiting for?" Impostor Kaiba demanded. "ATTACK!" The hologram's definition was paling, random holes forming through its metallic scales and throttling up to the sky. White light. Then it began to melt, his mighty roar a call to his real owner, as if to thank him for the job. To take him back, even if it meant his defeat.
"Ah!" Yami awed, watching the attack power drop. "I don't believe it!"
The Impostor was far from happy. "What's going on? My Blue Eyes..!"
"Not your dragon, I'm afraid," Kisara said, beaming. "Darius belongs to Seto Kaiba these days."
.
"The virus is taking effect. The Blue Eyes White Dragon's attack power is beginning to drop!"
It's not enough! "But it's still too strong!" he answered, knowing that this was his most treasured card. He'd done everything in his power to obtain it. Now he was doing everything to destroy it. It doesn't matter! "It has to get weaker, or it'll still beat Yami!"
"The attack power is dropping rapidly. The virus implant is successfully disabling the monster completely!"
"Alright." He breathed a calming breath, forcing himself to draw on anything other than anxiety. "Now let's work on dragon number three—" Suddenly the screen blurred, random pink rabbits popping out of nowhere. The wretched little creatures, he'd always loathed those things. They were everywhere!
Seto ground his teeth in frustration. "It's Pegasus."
They knew he was still alive, still in his house. He only had minutes, if even.
"Attack power is holding at two-thousand," his computer informed him.
His eyes widened. "But this should've worked!"
He wasn't given any time to think of a solution because the next thing he knew, it said, "The Blue Eyes White Dragon is now launching its attack." He slammed his fists down onto the keys, numb to the pain. Apathetic to himself in that moment. All he cared about was Yami.
NO!
NO.
No!
No.
"YAMI!" he called, a piercing shattering type of cry.
Then… From across a blank void, an immortal power ascended from a broken bond thought forgotten by the universe itself.
And it awakened for the first time in three millennia.
.
YAMI!
Yami gasped, "Kaiba?"
White, hot light thrashed in his direction before it shattered completely. Wind roared in his ears, awakening some forgotten force, and a burning fire emerged in his heart.
Yami's shock was evident, feeling a new warmth in his chest. "It stopped… The dragon!" The Blue Eyes continued to fall, seemingly melting from some virtual heat. But Yami didn't think it was something so simple. Not after what he'd felt.
.
"The Blue Eyes White Dragon is destroyed, but the virus was not responsible!"
Seto was taken aback. "But how?" he whispered. "Did Yami Muto somehow do this?"
"How could he?" his computer asked, as if it were obvious. "It's your deck."
Maybe from exhaustion, maybe from being in an hysterical shock by seeing his dragon defeated by seemingly nothing, he considered the possibility. No, he realized. He saw it as the only possibility. "It's the… Heart of the Cards." His breathing was labored. "Yami he… He was right."
Then the door opened.
.
"Be reborn! Blue Eyes White Dragon!"
The Impostor cringed at the sight of his former dragon, but managed not to squirm under Yami's heavy gaze. "Not a lotta good that's gonna do you! Both of these monsters are evenly matched!"
Yami's eyes narrowed. "Their powers are not the same." That was when the Impostor paled, or perhaps, greened. "You forgot about my Mystical Elf. She's been chanting a spell since I put her on the field. It allows for her to transfer her own attack power to any other monster I choose!"
"NO! This can't be!"
Yami leaned back, a signature pose that ascertained his confidence. "This move was inspired by Seto Kaiba himself," he continued. "He showed me you can alter a Blue Eyes White Dragon's attack power, but this time I'm going to raise it, unlike what Kaiba did to his own."
"NO!" the Monster shrieked.
"Consider this a message from the real Seto Kaiba!" Yami said. "Now Blue Eyes… OBLITERATE!" White light thrashed against his opponent, and Yami knew it was real. The power, the light, the meaning. Everything. It was all real. He'd theorized, but now he believed in it. The Millennium Items held a power long forgotten by humanity, but a power he would someday learn.
The ancient seal of Horus blazed on his forehead, gleaming with sacred magic. "Pegasus!" he called into the void, honing a mythical power thought lost. "I sense that you are watching. Consider this a warning: Nothing you send against me will stop me! And when we finally duel, believe me, victory will me mine! I'll win back my grandfather's soul and you will pay consequence for all the people you've hurt. In the name of your sick, little game, I'm coming for you, Pegasus!"
.
Kisara couldn't help but smile a bit. Though Mokuba had been snatched away, she could still break him out again. It wouldn't be too much trouble. But what she smiled for was for the awakening of a bond set aside for three millennia. And the Pharaoh was really back. What power… His father would've been so proud to see him like this today. A tear of pure pride and gratitude flowed freely down her cheek.
"Oh, my Pharaoh, may you defeat my father and gain your rightful title once again… May you forever be… The King of Games."
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.
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King of Dragons
Author's Note:
And there's chapter four. It was going to end up with Seto and Kisara finally meeting, but that'll take longer, and this is late enough as it is. Perhaps next week we shall have them meet. Trust me when I say, It's hard to write them not being together. It's rather dull, but I hope you enjoyed this chapter though! Until then.
And review, lovely readers! Constructive criticism is happily read by yours truly.
Have a lovely day~!
-CassandraRoyal