Chapter 54

With just over ten minutes of the game's final stage left, Joey found himself sat with his back leant against the empty crib and his arms wrapped lovingly around Mai. The others had split into their reflective pairs in order to sort out their individual identity crisis. Which was fine by him, because trying to keep up with who everyone was had started doing his head in.

'Feels weird, doesn't it,' Mai sighed as she leant her head back against him, 'I can remember thinking I was a pregnant you and everything which happened to me whilst that was the case and yet I have no idea what you got up to whilst you were thinking you were me.'

'It was a body swap without the actual body swap,' Joey tilted his head to one side in thought. 'What I find more interesting is the way this whole situation proved just how similar the two of us are.'

'Huh?'

'There were times when it was more like there were two mes, but there were never times where it was more like two yous. There's only two plausible explanations for that, either we're a lot more similar than either of us realise or I have a more dominating personality than you do. And, to be honest with you Mai, I really don't think the second versions true.'

'I think it was more to do with how our individual concerns were similar and you have a tendency to get more passionate than I do.'

'Speaking of similar concerns...'

'You're thinking about Tristan and Kaiba, aren't you?' Mai half turned her head towards him. 'You know we're both genuinely concerned about Tristan and the Pure here, right? As a Win part they're both as much my concern as they are yours. I think that's why we were both able to get so passionate about it.'

'Things would be different if I could be certain Kaiba's managed to sort out his own feelings from the Pure's, but I'm really not sure he has,' Joey shook his head. 'I need to have a serious talk with him.'

'We need to have a serious talk with him,' Mai's voice was firm, 'but you do realise no matter what we say to him, he'll go ahead and do whatever he wants anyway, right?'

'He can be such an arrogant bastard sometimes,' he rolled his eyes. 'You're right, he will go ahead and do whatever the hell he wants regardless, but at least this way he'll know we're keeping a close eye on him. If he makes one mistake...'

'I know. I know exactly how you feel about all this. That's why I told you what I know, remember? We need to go in armed and we need to go in together. There's still no guarantee he'll listen to either one of us, but...'

'At least we'll feel like we tried.'

Just as Joey was saying this, Catilin and Yugi made their way over to him.

'It was about me,' Yugi's face filled with a sheepish look. 'Crovell wants me to... at least start learning to forgive myself.'

'Really?' Joey shot him a sympathetic smile.

'Yeah,' Yugi sighed. 'I'm still not sure I deserve it, but... I think... I think I'm ready to start moving forward from this now. I mean... after seeing Téa so angry and scared and... whatever just now it made me realise, I don't... I don't want to be there for her just in body. I want to be there for her completely and the only way I can do that is if I learn to live with myself.'

'Yugi I'm proud of you,' Joey met and held his gaze, 'it can't have been easy for you to admit that to yourself, never mind anyone else.'

'Thanks.'

'So how are the others doing?'

'We didn't check,' Yugi shrugged. 'How long have they got left anyway?'

'About eight minutes.'

'That's cutting it fine,' his face creased with worry, 'what's taking them so long?'

'Well you weren't exactly quick yourself,' Ahna's voice sounded from behind him.

'Ahna are you Ahna again,' Catilin clapped as she spun round to face her.

'Yes I am,' she smiled for a moment before shifting her gaze away, 'although I do apparently now believe that my son is a Silkoneon Chaosen.'

'You what?' Joey's voice sounded too deadpan, even to him.

'Sorry Veronie, but it's what our son wanted I guess.'

'Whatever,' he rolled his eyes, 'just SK, Jay, Duke and Mokuba left now.'

'I wonder what it is Crovell wants from them,' Catilin placed her hands behind her back and stared out across the hall.

'I'm not sure, I'm just hoping it doesn't have anything to do with holes,' Joey pressed his lips together.

'Holes?' Catilin frowned at him. 'Wait, are you talking about that thing Win said about Duke?'

'What thing Win said about Duke?' Covo frowned.

'It's not important,' Joey waved his hand dismissively, 'or at least I hope not. Besides, it's not like he could possibly be aware something's wrong. I mean, he was so out of it when Win was talking.'

'Are you sure there's no way of fixing it?' Mai half turned towards him. 'I mean, as Crovell's Daiosen he could really do with having some power of his own, no matter how limited it is compared to the rest of us.'

'I guess I could look into it again, but... it would mean telling him.'

'And that's a bad thing?' Covo's face was filled with a look of complete and utter confusion. 'I mean, I'm not completely sure what you're talking about here, but... wouldn't Crovell's Daiosen having his own powers be beneficial to us?'

'It's complicated,' Joey gave a heavy sigh, 'let's just leave it at that.'

'I told you it wasn't something to do with me,' Mokuba folded his arms as the situation remained unchanged. 'It doesn't matter how much we talk through my issues, that's not what Crovell wants us to be focused on. This has to have something to do with you and those feelings of resentment I know you're having.'

'But I told you I'd rather we didn't talk about them now,' Duke turned away from him. 'Maybe it's something else.'

'Something like what, exactly? Just how many issues do you have?'

'Err... not many,' Duke shifted uncomfortably, 'but I still don't think you've been as honest about yours as you could have been.'

'I don't know how much more honest I can be about it. Or, to put it more correctly, how much more honest you can be about it. This doesn't have anything to do with me.'

'And yet at the same time it has everything to do with you,' he rolled his eyes. 'This whole situation is doing my head in.'

Well if we don't hurry up and figure this out whichever one of us it really is Duke is not going to remain Crovell's Daiosen much longer,' Mokuba gave an exasperated sigh. 'And that's what this has all come down to now, whether or not Crovell gets to keep his Daiosen, so tell me, how do you feel about just the thought of losing him?

'I couldn't stand it; Crovell's like family to me. I really love the little guy; he's kind of like my nephew.' Duke gave a strange little half laugh. 'My really powerful nephew who makes me dance to the beat of his own drum. I envy Joey for Crovell. It's the only thing I envy him for. He can keep his title, his power, his messed up little family, if I can have his son.'

'You did you know.'

'Huh?' Duke frowned.

'In the hell future, I think you were more like his dad,' Mokuba lowered his gaze. 'Do you ever wish Joey had died?'

'Never,' he shook his head, 'Joey is Crovell's father; I've always been happy to accept that.'

'Even though you wish things were different?'

'I thought... I thought we weren't going to talk about this.'

'I'm sorry, it's just... this is what my instincts are telling me I need to hear right now.'

'Okay,' Duke lowered his gaze, 'yeah, you're right, I do wish things could be different. Hell, the more craziness which happens because of that kid the more I wish there was more I could do to protect him or help him or... whatever. I mean, after what happened with the Reganna last time... that small taste of power I got... that's when my envy for Joey turned into resentment. Because Joey has the power to protect his son and I... I really don't.' He lifted his gaze to meet with Mokuba's. 'But that doesn't mean Crovell doesn't belongs with his family,' as he was talking he found himself becoming light headed. 'I know, better than anyone, he belongs with Mai, Joey, Ahna and Covo. Not just because they have the power to look after him, but because they love him.'

'But you love him too.'

'I know, but I'm not his father and I never will be, no matter how much I might want it.'

'You're still his Daiosen though.'

'I know, but what am I compared to them,' he flicked his gaze towards the others.

'You're his choice of protector.'

'Maybe,' his head was starting to feel really strange now, 'but I am nothing if I can't break this spell. This is my test and if I fail then I am not worthy of him.'

'Does that scare you?'

'When he first went missing I'd have given anything to be able to sense him. To be there for him. So yes, I guess that thought does scare me. It scares me more than anything else in the world.'

Looking up, for a brief moment he found himself staring at his own reflection. Only it wasn't his reflection. At least not anymore. For a second he felt confused, but then a slow smile began to spread across his face; a smile shared by his counterpart.

'We did it Mokuba,' Duke grinned at him, 'we broke the spell.'