Chapter 8: Revelation
A year passed after the Minister's body started to ache. Yugi now turned twenty-three, which is around the age when one normally finishes college; but due to his intense training, he probably surpassed that kind of academic level.
When he first arrived in prison, he had his trademark multi-colored spiky hair. But, as his hair grew longer, his temporary hair dyes gradually faded away... revealing his true hair color: black.
Nowadays, Yugi and his mentor continued to dig fervently, taking breaks to perfect the former's talents, or other daily necessities. The minister's demeanor, once foreboding at times, disappeared as he taught Yugi all he knew. Perhaps, his lust for vengeance somehow waned?
Sometimes, his young friend would beg for him to find out the real reason for his incarceration. Because the hole that both men were digging would soon reach the sea... the young man decided he might as well discover more about his incarceration.
He would beg Pa Li Ah to help uncover the mystery behind his arrest, the letter, and his imprisonment. But the fifty-one year old man would not budge. 'If I help him, his thirst for vengeance might deepen even more...' thought the old minister.
That is until one day, that Pa Li Ah felt that his days would soon be gone. 'Alright, I shall give him clues and advice, but nothing more.'
"Yugi, tell me your story of how you came to be here," said the old man while he and Yugi were digging at night.
The young man told his 'father' the entire story: the tournament, the email, the local bar, the party, and his arrest. Li Ah then went into deep thought, calculating about how to give his 'son' clues.
"Hmm... the guilty ones are usually those who will benefit the most from your arrest & imprisonment. Now think, my boy. Who would benefit from your sudden absence?"
Yugi replied, "I don't know, maybe my rival, Kaiba?"
'No, that would be too easy to solve, Yugi. Something this big doesn't involve just one perpetrator.' thought the old man.
"It can't be just him, there must be more than just one person. Now, you were about to receive a notable & honorary award for your charitable works, no?" said Pa Li Ah.
"Yes, I probably would have won The Most Charitable Gamer Award."
"And you had a pretty lover?"
"My girlfriend, Téa, yes."
"Was it in anyone's benefit that you wouldn't win the award? Was it anyone's benefit that you wouldn't be in a relationship with Téa? Remember, answer my first question, as order is needed to solve this. Who would want to win the award other than you? Or perhaps, who wants the prize money coming from it?"
"Probably... (gasps) my best friend, Joey. I did notice some irregularities in his bank account. I thought that he did something illegal to acquire tens of thousands of yen."
"And did he learn of the letter's existence?"
"Which one? The one that accused me, or the one that I was supposed to send?"
"The second one, my boy," replied Pa Li Ah.
"Ah, yes... he did. I fear that he might have read it about seven years ago when I wasn't looking."
The old man, anxious about helping his young friend, immediately forgets about his personal oath. He then asks.
"Okay, now listen to me carefully. Can you remember exactly what the denunciation accused you of?"
Using his photographic memory, Yugi remembers every detail of the accusation letter. Although it was several years ago, he vividly recalls it.
"Here's the denunciation in verbatim:
The local judge is advised by a loyal patriot that a certain Yugi Muto, the King of Games, arrived this afternoon in Japan, and was entrusted by a supposed dying acquaintance to deliver a letter that threatens the very existence of the Japanese government.
Evidence of the traitor's guilt can be found during his arrest, as the letter should be either with him, or at the Kame Game Shop."
"Ah, it is obvious that you are still naïve, my boy... despite your oath for vengeance."
Surprised, Yugi replied, "I am?"
"Yes, now tell me... how did Joseph usually write like?"
"He usually wrote by omitting honorifics, but it was readable."
"Ah, I see. And how was the writing of the denunciation?" asked the minister.
"The writing was slanted backwards."
"Probably disguised."
Yugi said, "You think so?"
"Yes, you see... because of my experience with espionage and assassination missions, I have learned that most right-handed people disguise their writing style by... using their left hands."
"Sounds reasonable, continue."
"What some or most people don't know is that... while right-handed writing differs from the next person, all left-handed writings are practically the same. But I digress. Let's continue this digging first."
About an hour later, the two cellmates went back into their cell quietly around 3 o'clock in the morning.
Once back to their bunk bed, the minister whispered, "Would someone gain something should you not be in a relationship with Téa?"
"Let me see... well, there was this rival of mine, Seto Kaiba."
"I've heard of him... one of my peer's sons had one of those holo-devices."
"Duel discs, you mean."
"Yes, of course. I was never one for games, my boy. But... do you think that he was the one who wrote the accusation?"
"I doubt it, as he didn't learn of its existence."
"So, the only person who knew of the existence was Pegasus and Joseph?"
"Yes, well, that and the shady criminals that tricked me."
"Then Joseph must've been the one who wrote the denunciation."
"No! It can't be! I don't believe that Joey would betray me!" cried Yugi.
"Be quiet! We don't want anyone to be awake!" shushed Pa Li Ah.
"Sorry, Father."
"Wait, did Joseph know Kaiba? Of course he did... what I mean is... did he ever meet up with him before your arrest?"
"No, I don't... wait, yes, he did. The day before my arrest, I saw the two of them at a local bar that was a couple of blocks away from my girlfriend's place. And... there was also Weevil, but he looked a bit drunk, though."
"And?"
"And... I saw... on the table... a pen and... (voice starts to crack) paper! Oh, my God! The bastards! Those sons of bitches! And I defended Joey from Pegasus too! Shit!"
"Now, now... keep your voice down, please, Yugi. I know what you're experiencing, but you must control your feelings, but we must continue, no matter what."
Yugi quickly calms down by using advanced breathing techniques. A minute later, his friend asks,"You once said that Pegasus detained you longer as soon as he cleared you of all charges."
"Yes, that is true."
"And his manner to you was mostly friendly, yes?"
"Yeah, as I said before, he treated me as a friend, rather than a prisoner."
"Then why did his manner toward you change all of a sudden, unless he had a reason to change his mind by letting you go? Now think about it, Yugi."
"Ha! I'm trying my best."
"What happened?" continued Li Ah.
"He asked me who was the addressee of the anarchist letter, as there were several pieces of papers and letters cluttered on his desk... which was a certain P. Crawford."
"And nothing else?"
"No! He burned the letter and said I was free."
"Which letter? The denunciation or the one for Crawford?"
"Crawford... the one for Crawford!" cried Yugi.
"That name is foreign to you?"
"Even though I traveled to America a couple of times, I never went to New York... but I went to California & Florida though. So, no, I'm afraid that the name P. Crawford is unknown to me."
"Then, I guess you do not know of politics outside Japan? You see, P. Crawford is just an nickname, my son. The real name is Maximillion Crawford Pegasus, the father of Maximillion Pegasus. He's the strange American politician who dreams of controlling a powerful nation outside of the United States."
"P. Crawford is Pegasus' father?!"
"Control your feelings, Yugi. Control them. What you're feeling now is probably the same as I felt before: Grief, Fervent desire, Acquiescence, Anger, Anxiety, Despair, and finally, Hate. I now regret that I've helped you in your desire to seek the truth. At first, your oath of vengeance was out of countless beatings, but now... I've made you feel inhuman hatred towards your friends. Forgive me."
Yugi hesitatingly said, "I... forgive you."
'But, now... instead of just killing the people who betrayed me... I swear to make them suffer, and to turn their lives apart, as they did me...' thought the young man.
Likewise, Pa Li Ah thought, 'Perhaps I should tell him my secret later instead... he's in no condition to learn of it now...'