Skin

by Usagi Squared

Jonouchi Katsuya will always look out for his friends, no matter how weird things get. That means he will keep on fighting, whether facing maniacs with freaky powers, monsters from a childrens game, or the fact Kaiba's a girl. Wait, what? Warnings inside

103. Chapter 102

Anagnorisis

---

The fact was, they'd made it to the field long before the duel had ended. It only took a few minutes to run up those stairs with the speed they'd been running at, and while they were obviously exhausted by the end of it they still had time to watch the last few moves. To watch as the Dark Magician became the Dark Paladin, his armor smoking over his form and radiating an energy that even those accompanying him seemed to feel. To watch as Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon divided and became the trio of monsters he was so familiar with, the three elegant and white scaled dragons who now snarled and stood protectively before their master.

To watch their bodies fall to the floor, Katsuya visibly grimacing at the sight while the others momentarily paused to stare after having humored his words and watched the battle in silence. After briefly thinking back to all the things they'd noticed over the past number of months, all the little details they were so unsure about...

They were also there long enough to listen. To listen to Yugi's words to a friend and rival as he attempted to put fight on and put sense in his opponent's mind, to listen in distaste as Seto's words echoed across the field, as she pushed the past she so detested away while her brother stared at the ground almost in tears and thought...

"...There were other times weren't there," he whispered. "What about the happy times..?"

They didn't occur to Seto, not at this moment. Certainly not afterward either he noted, the smile he held in regards to Yugi's success fading as he looked to the woman's face. And as she stormed away from the field, cheers sounding around them and filling the air the blond bowed his head. Mokuba could do nothing more than give his friend a saddened look before running toward her, nothing more than that as the woman ignored all else around. He knew that would happen. It was something he only bitterly accepted, but he'd known... "N-Nee-sama," Mokuba cried, eyes wide as he ran toward his sister. None on the field hadn't heard her words, and none on the field didn't know who she was now. There was no need for a mask, no need for the facade... "Nee-sama, wait..! Katsuya-nii's awake, you have to see..! You have to..." But regardless, with such a loss, Seto would want nothing to do with them.

And he already knew that running after her wouldn't do anything right now. He already knew that she wouldn't talk to him, that she didn't want to talk to him, not right now.

And besides; Ishizu was already walking after the two with her own expression of set determination, and he wasn't in the mood to interrupt a conversation he was already catching the beginning of. A conversation of Priests and Queens and past lives that Seto was so trying to push from mind to simply calm down and breathe. So instead he ran toward his friend, unable to keep a grin from his face. Ran toward the friend he'd greeted from the 'opposite realm' while on the field, and the one who he'd come to watch fight to the end along side the dragon he'd left him with. "Haha... WHOOOO! YEA, YUGI," he shouted, stumbling somewhat on scratched soles as he ran forward. His feet still stung from the stones he'd stepped on, but what did that matter? This fight was over, and the next had yet to come. He and the others all ran with shouts and cheers as their friend stepped off from the arena, the boy turning with wide eyes and a smile of his own while they moved to greet him. "YUGI," he repeated loudly, laughing as he came to a stop before him. "Y' DID IT! HahaHA!"

"J-Jonouchi," the boy responded, quickly finding himself pulled over as his friend clapped a hand on his shoulder. "Y-You're..!"

"What," he laughed, pulling back to brush some hair from his eyes while the wind attempted to blow it right back. "Y' thought I died?" There was no answer to that, but despite this he continued to smirk, merely shaking his head. "Y' did a great job man," he said somewhat quieter, his friend not once looking down at the now visible scar on his chest. "I knew you'd do it..."

Yugi stared back to the blond for a moment, before a small smile came over his own face and that of his lighter counterpart's as well. "Hn... Well... What took you so long," he asked half-humorously, his friend shrugging in response as the 'light' Yugi laughed.

"Eh... You know me... I get distracted," he answered, briefly crossing his arms as he smirked. Of course, being distracted by voices in his head probably wasn't good but...

Well, the voice hadn't come back since he woke up he noticed, so that was all good right?

"We didn't 'just get here' as it is," Otogi added, hands stowed in his pockets as he shrugged and smiled himself. "In fact," the teen went on, "We got here just before Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon appeared... But Jonouchi told us not to interrupt," he continued, glancing at the blond as he again shrugged.

"Hey... 'S an important fight," he said with a small smile, unable to quite hold it as wide as he normally would in response to his friend's win. "Couldn' let them d'srupt you guys... But hey," he added, voice raising in an attempt to lighten the mood. "You all see tha'," Katsuya laughed. "My Red-Eyes, dukin' it out on th' field right t' th' end!"

The response from Honda was probably expected. "It's not your card idiot!"

At this he merely snorted, crossing his arms as the dragon in question misted around his friend's shoulder with a yawn. "Heh... Not now," he answered, glancing over at the monster as its tail flicked, "But he will be soon... Mark my words! I've jus' gotta face Yugi in one las' match b'fore I-"

"Is that even safe," 'Anzu' muttered darkly, gold eyes flashing as Malik came forward to speak as well. "What happened on the field... I've been watching for a while," 'he' continued, the others listening in uncomfortable curiosity as the disembodied Egyptian went on. "When I used the Millennium Rod to... Force you into that fight for one," he began uncomfortably, "I wondered a number of things; the apparent control that the item held over you, when you spouted insults across the field... And then the sudden loss as it shattered completely... Following that," Malik told him with a swallow, "Your awareness toward anyone else controlled..."

"Awareness," Honda cut in, shaking himself as he turned to the blond. "Hang on, you mean you knew she was still possessed..!" Gh- That was...

He bowed his head somewhat, keeping silent underneath the snarled retort. Eck... "Ah... I'm over it now," Anzu hurriedly added with a cough, nonetheless turning to face Katsuya again as the blond bit his lip. "There really wasn't anything he could have said. And in any case," the woman went on, "There's still more..." "I can't be the only one who noticed after all," Malik continued, crossing 'his' arms and legs as a cool wind blew past. "It's one thing when all you have is a tattered jacket to go by but-"

"But you were speaking in Egyptian," Otogi finished flatly, turning to Katsuya as the blond remained silent. "Your words mirrored the 'other Malik's completely while on that field," he added. "In addition..."

"Everything you did..." Honda shook his head, disbelief coming over his face as he recalled the duel's events and the small 'habits' he'd been passing off toward the back of his mind. "You never looked at your hand, never touched the buttons on the disk..."

"Never faltered, even under the shadows," Anzu continued, gaze dimming. "Moreover... With each hit... Each spell... Umi soaked you at the aquarium, not the whale's splashing. And when 'Dark Malik's monsters attacked you..." She cut her words short, turning away somewhat as the blond stared.

What she was hesitating to say... That was pretty obvious, wasn't it? "Rnnnn..." Katsuya blinked, turning as Red-Eyes floated over from Yugi's shoulder to rub against the taller's cheek and perch on his own. "Rrrnnnnn..." Red-Eyes...

The blond stared, watching as the dragon continued to rub itself along his cheek and neck, black scales rubbing against his skin almost like sandpaper. Huh. If he didn't think it was 'cat-like' before... "...Jonouchi," the other Yugi began, jarring his friend from his thoughts as he turned back. "What you said before on the airship... With the visions... And the 'shadow games'," he added, swallowing almost in unease as Katsuya looked back.

"I know that you told us at least that much," the 'real' Yugi continued, rubbing his arm. "About seeing those visions, and about what you could see during the shadow games... But... If it's alright with you," he whispered, not once turning from the blond's stare.

Silence fell over the air, and as Katsuya looked to the ground once again he found himself loosely clenching and un-clenching his fists. The others... They were looking to him, and waiting for an answer now. Despite best efforts however, they were not simply looking at their face.

And if there was one thing that their eyes were currently drawn to instead of that, it was the scar on his chest. It was messy, leathery, and raw, and the fact was that it hadn't been there when his now destroyed shirt was wet enough to see through somewhat. This was a scar he'd gained recently. They knew that. He knew that.

They just wanted him to tell them himself, rather than force it out of him, and with that in mind the blond gave a resigned sigh and brought his head back up to face the music.

"...You guys... Y' probably hate me righ' now, huh," he finally muttered, hands stowed in his pockets as his eyes grew somewhat shadowed. "Keepin' somethin' like tha' a secret..."

There was a snort from the group, Katsuya unable to even give a wry smile in response. "Hah! 'Something like that' doesn't even cut it," Honda responded, shaking his head as he frowned. "...But that sure as hell doesn't mean we 'hate' you, idiot."

As the scowl he was faced with softened his sister nodded, stepping forward and gripping her arm tight. "We... We're just worried," Shizuka whispered, shaking her head. "When you came in from the field... All the others could say was that somehow, you'd been impaled by something. None of them could even see what it was... They saw a sword come out of a mirror and strike you," she continued, the grip on her arm tightening as her fist clenched, "But it wasn't until after that you reacted..."

"And when that happened," Otogi continued, eyes dimming somewhat at the memory. "After you doubled over, grabbing at something in the air..."

A shudder seemed to pass over the crowd, as though each was waiting for another to speak first. "...It was bad enough that we could see blood suddenly flying through the air," whispered Anzu, an audible swallow following after. "But after you'd already been bleeding from your hands and head, with cards being ripped out of them by nothing at all..." She shook her head, expression fraught with as much worry and fear as all the others. "Jonouchi... This goes beyond an 'Oracle' and 'Seer'," 'Malik' stated, 'his' gaze becoming serious as Anzu's eyes again gleamed gold. "It's one thing to divine the future, even if slightly," the teen explained, having obviously shared a few facts with the others on the airship, "And another to see Shadow Games and other related matters concerning the Millennium Items... But 'Shadow' games only do so much. This..." The 'Egyptian' sighed, shaking 'his' head before continuing. "Even if you were actually tied to an item," he told him with a swallow, "It wouldn't be able to do that to you..."

No... "No... Yer right," he said quietly, looking away somewhat as his gaze was drawn to the field at their side. "It wouldn'..."

"But... Then how," Shizuka finally 'shouted', voice picking up beyond the awkward and quieted tones the others held as they tried to answer that very question. "What's happening... What happened to you there, what's happening to you at all..? What's happening, nihan?" What was happening?

…

Who the fuck knew any more. "I don' know," he muttered, shaking his head as he sighed. "Hell... Y' don' think I'm scared myself," he laughed nervously, the smile on his face visibly strained as he looked back to the others. "Th' firs' thing I got t' tell me something was wrong... Was a giant rottin' dragon at th' Duelist Kingdom. An' ev'n though I had a dream b'fore," he continued, the others growing silent as suspicions were partially explained and proven correct, "It wasn' till later that I found out it was the god damn future! All this," he whispered, holding a hand out and pausing as the dragon clambered from his shoulder to his palm. "Everythin' tha's happenin', everythin' I've been seein' these past weeks an' months... How was I s'pposed t' say anything," he 'laughed', fingers closing in on his palm despite Red-Eyes' somewhat disgruntled cries. "With a duel waitin'," the blond continued to his friend. "With th' everyone goin' on abou' school an' classes an' everything goin' back t' normal while I'm sittin' there wishin' I could honestly say th' same... I mean... I can't control this," Katsuya snorted, shaking his head and opting not to gesture to the 'invisible' dragon on his hand as he continued to rant and release long bottled annoyance. "I'm seein' monsters talkin' t' each other on th' field, tablets comin' out 'f the ground, that ain't normal!" Hell that was never normal, and while the others were trading glances he still had to wonder if they believed a word he said. "So..." So with all of that... "When everything tha' happens turns out t' be real," he whispered, bowing his head once again like some shamed dog before a crowd, "How the hell can I bring tha' kinda thing up, when there's real life t' worry about?"

There was silence for a moment, if only that. Some of those around looked almost guilted by his words, still trading awkward looks of course. But for the most part, only a split second after he'd said those things he-

-CRACK!-

"OW! FUCK!" The blond stumbled back to the ground and on his back as a fist collided with his face, muffled curses and shouts coming from behind his hand as he hurriedly cupped a now bleeding nose. "Mnnh!" Shit- That hit probably broke his damn nose! He was lucky enough that Seto's hadn't already done that damn it! "What th' hell Honda..!"

The teen snorted, shaking his head as he shook his somewhat bloodied fist. "Moron..! After everything we've done together," he growled, looking directly into his friend's eyes, "You think this is something to clam up about?" As the others stared at Honda a moment the teen continued, face somewhat red with rage. "Come on... How long have we known each other," he continued in 'protest'. "How long have you known the others," he pressed, quite obviously not aiming at superiority so much as he was making a point. "If you can't tell us when something like this happens," Honda went on, narrowing his eyes, "Then do you think we're going to miss it, and pass it off as 'nothing'?" Before his friend could even answer to the accusation Honda held an arm out toward the blond, continuing. "Jonouchi. Even if you turned out to be some kind of weird... Reincarnated monster from another world," he told him seriously, "I won't care." He...

Katsuya blinked, bringing his hands back down and staring at his friend as the taller smirked. "H-Honda..."

"I think 'monsters' are a bit of a stretch," Otogi chuckled, before putting a hand out himself and moving to stand within closer reach. "But while I can't say I've known you that long," the teen went on, "And you being able to speak certain dead languages better than me does annoy me somewhat..." He cut himself short, shaking his head as a few of the others gave him a look. "Well," he admitted with a slight shrug. "I can still say that quite honestly, I'll easily push that aside to stay friends with you."

"Hn; if you think you feel bad about him knowing the language better," Malik muttered, before blue/brown eyes came forth with an outstretched arm and a more feminine voice. "Well... Even if they aren't necessarily his memories to use as basis," Anzu chuckled, shaking her head, "We both know you well enough to know you weren't trying to hurt us. If anything," she continued, her momentary possessor taking over as familiar doubled tones returned, "It feels more like you were trying to protect us at the time."

"Of course, that just makes you a bigger 'ahou'," his sister added dryly, wiping somewhat teary eyes and holding out her hand with the others despite a momentary scowl. "But... As long as you never do that again," she continued, teary smile replacing the expression, "Just as long as you promise that..!"

"And I'm sure that my monsters won't attack you, if they didn't in our last match," 'Yugi' continued, holding out his own hand as the others continued to hold firm despite another obvious mention of abilities beyond their understanding. "If that was what you were so afraid of..."

"Though... That'd be rather silly," Yugi chuckled, shaking his head and holding out his own hand for the blond to take. "After all..."

'We're friends aren't we?' They...

"...Heh..." Of course. What was he thinking..? "Y' guys really know how t' make a guy feel stupid, y' know tha'," he muttered, nonetheless smiling and bringing his arm forward as it was grabbed and pulled back by the others. It wasn't as though they all had to stick their hands out but in the end after one did it, it was hard not to follow really. "Sheesh..." He stumbled back onto his feet, resisting the urge to sniff despite the bloodied mess his nose was in at the moment. "Y' think I'm worried abou' losin' you guys? I know that isn' gonna happen..! I jus'..." The blond sighed, wide smile dimming somewhat. The wind around them was blowing now... He shook himself before he could get to distracted by the fact, looking back to his friends. "You guys... You really gonna be able t' figure out what I'm tryin' t' say... When I try an' explain what's goin' on," he asked, worry becoming more than evident in his expression.

There was a snort, Anzu almost laughing as she shook her head. "Hah! Of course not," she said matter-of-factly. "I don't think that's possible even with Malik's help," she added, eyes briefly flashing gold for the Egyptian to give his own nod as an affirmative.

"And in the end, only 'nihan' understands 'nihan'," his sister added with a slight shrug, still holding her brother's wrist despite the others having let go already. "That's how it is for everyone isn't it?"

"The tricky part," 'Yugi' continued with his own slight smile and wink, "Is understanding just enough to be there when you need it." Eh..?

The blond turned, staring as the 'ghost' on his friend's side also nodded. "Exactly; that's what it means to be a friend, wouldn't you think," he said with a smile, confusion further coming into place on Katsuya's face.

"G... Guys..."

There was a slight pause as the others stared at the empty space their friend was looking to, an awkward cough coming from one of the taller boys. "...Is... Is he talking to..."

"I think," Anzu offered, scratching her cheek while the others shrugged.

Erk- They didn't know about that part yet. "Ah-..." Hahaha, after all that... He sighed, a grin slowly coming over his face. Well, in the end, they got the gist right? So all there was left to do was 'easy', wasn't it? "Heh! I guess y' all win then," he laughed, scratching his head as he sighed. "But 'xactly how'm I s'pposed t' explain everythin' now..."

"Eh?" The others blinked, a few exasperated sighs and wry smiles answering the blond. "Hn! Moron," Anzu muttered in response, crossing her arms. "The point was you not having to explain..!"

"Eh! But there's no way you guys would-"

"We just finished going over this," Otogi sighed as Honda nodded.

"Do I need to punch you in the face again..?"

"AH-" What! "I'll be doin' that t' you first, Honda!"

"Ahhh... Nihan... Really..."

"At least they're alright," Yugi offered, his other half merely rubbing his head with a slight grimace.

"Hnnng..."

"Hnhnhnhnhn..."

Small time arguments instantly cut short as deep chuckling pierced the air, Anzu's eyes momentarily glowing golden as the 'woman' turned slowly to look at the source on opposite end of the arena. Just one sound and she was breaking into a sweat, clutching her arm like a safety blanket... Just one sound and her eyes widened, the doubled voice meeting the air one last time before it fled. "...Him," Malik forced out with a whisper, before the body shuddered and threw control back to Anzu. "Gh... The 'other' Malik," she added with a swallow, stepping back despite herself as she held her jacket closed around her. This...

"Tch..." This 'demon'... "So yer still here," Katsuya shouted, turning to face the Egyptian across from them with narrowed eyes. Briefly, just briefly the teen before them seemed to growl, eyes widening with something other than perverse and sadistic glee. "...Bastard," he hissed, watching as the expression renewed itself as the maddened grin it usually seemed to be now. Not an insult in the world to describe this piece of work...

"...Be careful," Anzu muttered from the side, eyes shadowed to the point none could tell who was speaking at the moment. Careful... That was right...

It went without saying that the finals were due to begin any moment, didn't it? And as the wind continued to blow over the field their enemy's glaswegian grin grew further. "Still alive are you, 'Oracle'..." 'Malik' stepped forward onto the field, the others merely narrowing their eyes as the 'monster' grinned. 'Oracle'... Not even the right term he thought in the back of his mind, not bothering with the specifics on hows and whys on knowing those things any more. Who the hell knew in the end; all he knew was that the next person who called him 'oracle' instead of at least bothering with seer would get a punch in the face. Provided calling him 'seer' didn't already do that he added idly, a low growl developing from both himself and the dragon that now sat on his shoulder as 'Malik' laughed. "Hnhnhnhn... You're made of strong stuff," he sneered. "I expected nothing less than one who speaks with Gods..."

Hn..! "I'll show you 'God'," the blond growled under his breath, fists clenching even tighter. "Hell... Y' look strong now, but you were sure as hell singin' a differen' tune when I attacked y' with Gearfried," he added with a shout, the caped blond tensing at the reminder of his previous match.

"Tch... A pity your attack never made contact then," he snarled, despite the constantly glowing eye on his brow revealing all to well the cut that Gearfried's blade left behind. "Because now you have the pleasure of watching while I inflict the same torment on your friend here..!" That-

"You-" Katsuya's fists tightened further as he leered to the teen across the field, biting his tongue as he turned to the others. If he attacked now it wouldn't end well, his mind warned him. Not at all... "Damn it..." Stay on the sidelines, he told himself. This wasn't his battle. "Tch... Yugi," he said quickly, looking to his friend while Red-Eyes again traded 'partners'. "I hate t' ask this of y' but... In this last match..."

"I'll win," his friend responded flatly, already walking toward the arena to take his place once more. "Don't worry; you found your light," he said with a small smile, the blond swallowing as he nodded in response. "It's my turn to find mine; I'll defeat him... For Mai, for Ryuzaki... And for everyone," he continued determinedly. "And that's a promise..." A promise he would keep no matter what...

No matter what. "Khnhnhnhnhn... Strong words from the 'nameless King'," 'Malik' hissed, crossing his arms as the gale on the tower intensified and raged around them. "But it's nothing in the face of RA! Your friend might have spared himself through idle conversation," he cackled, Katsuya merely growling from the sides once more, "But I doubt you'll be so lucky..!" Tch...

Bastard... "Y' think tha' matters," Katsuya retorted, those on the arena briefly turning as the floor rose above the crowd. "I ain't th' one talkin' t' th' God cards, moron! Th' Gods c'n decide tha' for th'mselves don't y' think..?" As Yugi stared almost silently in response the others blinked, as though hesitating to ask a question.

"The god cards... Speaking," Shizuka repeated almost quietly, the others merely staring. He'd mentioned monsters speaking after all... But in the end, nothing made sense any more right? And...

"In the end," the real Malik whispered, Anzu's voice doubling as the Egyptian spoke, "He was talking to someone right..?" Yea... He was. But for now...

There were other things to deal with. "YUGI," the blond shouted, a dull cry of the count down to the finals coming from the side where Isono stood. "Show 'm what y'r made 'f..! For you an' me," he continued, expression almost grave as he looked forward, "These finals 're nothin' but a passin' point! SO LET'S SHOW 'M WHAT Y' GOT!"

"Right!"

---

Her Battle City was 'over'.

"Nee-sama," Mokuba was saying from behind, voice almost faded despite him being no more than half a foot from her side. "Nee-sama," he called out, having given up on convincing her to see the blond that she had until that point been keeping an oddly persistent eye upon. "Don't you want to watch the final match?" The final match? Hah.

Her battle was over and it was time to bring the last ashes of this tournament to rest. There was no time to bother with pointless battles she knew the result of. There was no time to corner those on the arena with questions of intent, with accusations that she could scarcely even bring to mind in an intelligent manner. There was no time, her tournament was over, and with that it was time to leave it in the dust. "It doesn't matter," she muttered almost flatly, already coming down the short flight of steps that would take them to the tower's own 'true' staircase down. "I already know what the results will be," she muttered, still making her way to the staircase down. "There's no point any more."

Mokuba of course, knew what she meant by that. "You... ...You think he'll lose," her brother shouted, the sound of his footsteps coming to a stop. Perhaps if things had gone differently he wouldn't have reacted as strongly. He'd simply question her and move on, stubbornly denying the loss she'd taken. However... Mokuba was Yugi's 'friend'. So in the end, he acknowledged his power... ...And believed in it. "You..." More than anything, he believed in it. "You think that he won't be able to beat him..?" Possibly more than he believed in her. But for that 'power' to defeat 'Him'... To defeat Malik...

No. She didn't think he would even come close to defeating Malik. Because the fact was, there was no chance of defeating Ra with the deck her 'rival' held now, with the cards he'd faced her with. Because at this moment, there was no hope to be rid of this threat that stood before them, this threat that destroyed all in its path... And had she dealt with it before... Had she simply forgone the pathetic hope that standing by her tournament which she'd so desired to continue on...

Perhaps the casualties formed would never have happened. "So this is what you plan to do now," a calm if not familiarly aggravating voice called out from behind them. The siblings turned, her brother muttering 'ishizu' under his breath as the woman came close with almost narrowed eyes. "...Malik's power has reached its zenith," she whispered almost warningly, eyes unblinking as she looked toward the taller woman that before her. "If he isn't stopped soon," the Egyptian continued, "It could potentially spell the deaths of millions." She knew that, she thought with a growl. She knew that..! But besides destroying this tower with him inside, there was nothing she could do about it..! She certainly couldn't face him in a 'duel' at this point- that would be both ridiculous given the maniac's goal and suicidal. And even challenging him physically would end in nothing but hell for those around it seemed... How she knew she wasn't sure but the fact was she would not be tempting these uneasy thoughts of hers. "...Seto," Ishizu asked quietly, her target remaining silent as the woman spoke. "Yugi now holds the power of the Obelisk and of Osiris in his hands... Life and Death, Heaven and Earth," she continued, coming closer and closer until she stood beside the woman's brother. "Do you not believe this power capable enough to defeat Malik's own?"

The answer came without thought. "No." While her brother looked up with an almost shocked frown she continued, eyes narrowed to match her already soured mood. "The probability is... Extremely low, to say the least of things," she continued almost bitterly. "Such is Ra's power..." Such was the power of 'God'. But... "But... As you probably heard me say," the teen growled, turning back to face Ishizu somewhat, "It's no longer my concern. Battle City has ended; win or lose, in two hours I will be setting off explosive charges planted within this tower and sinking it into the seas..."

"And the others then," the woman asked cautiously, despite her expression remaining as calm and composed as it had each time they met. "What of their fates?" Fates...

HN! They were 'lucky', she supposed. "I'm not a murderer," she hissed, looking back toward where she'd prepared to leave down the stairs. "The helicopter will be here within the hour; there will be plenty of room for everyone to escape, but not him..." Not the one they wanted dead. Not the one who caused all of this, who killed and almost killed and would do so again with pleasure. Not the one who had almost killed...

Damn it why did she CARE..!

Regardless of words it no longer mattered. It was over and done with, she'd given her answer, and she would have plenty of time to think about things that she even cared to bother thinking of when she was leaving this god-forsaken place in her jet. Yet as Ishizu nodded, the two siblings again making their leave, her words forced the taller woman to stop once more. "He needs you," she said plainly, Seto turning back with narrowed eyes. "Your friend; Yugi needs you."

Friend..? Hah! Her eyes narrowed even further, a low and rumbling growl pushed back in lieu of simply getting the destruction of the building over with. "Tch... I know that you aren't using your 'millennium item' to give you revelations any more," she hissed, the bare neck of the Egyptian before her making the fact all too obvious. "If I didn't take your words with a grain of salt before, you can expect no better from this..!" Not that the item cemented any beliefs as it were..! There was no response to the snarled comment however, and with another snort the woman opened the stairwell door in an attempt to continue with what she had planned once again. "Let's go Mokuba," she muttered shortly. "We're going to activate the timer on the bombs and then we're leaving." And that was all, that was-

...What language was this? "...'I sing this song to the God Osiris,'" Ishizu abruptly whispered, all footsteps coming to a halt as the words rang through Seto's ears. This ancient and dead language, sounding nothing like Japanese or English... What language was it, she found herself asking, despite her mind already knowing the answer. These words- "I sing this song that he might guide this soul to peace'..." Gh... " A prayer to the dead," the woman stated calmly, her target's hand slowly tightening around the stair's rail while Mokuba stared. "The carvings on that tablet I revealed to you... I don't suppose you translated it yet, did you?" That tablet..?

Despite herself the stone immediately came to mind, carvings coming into her vision and her tongue refusing to allow her to speak. Her eyes clouded over, etched words coming into her vision despite all the rage it left her with. Why should that stone, that accursed stone that only served to further irritate this competition more, matter now? The battle was over... The battle was over and done, but who carved that tablet in the first place, she found herself asking, bits and pieces of seemingly 'obvious' facts coming to mind as she shook were those on the stone equal, hands toward the other with their monsters at their side? If it was the pharaoh who carved it the enemy would be 'crushed', if it was the Priest it would be the reverse and yet...

And yet..! "The tablet of thousands of years before, discovered in a Mortuary Temple belonging not to the nameless King, but to the Queen who commissioned its construction," Ishizu began, "The Queen known as 'The Mourner', the 'Black One' and more importantly as 'Set'... Those researching this tablet," she explained, "Have often wondered whether it was a battle among equals that was depicted upon its stone, or even a battle at all. Indeed," she went on, "The top of this tablet has been lost to time for many years... Still others," Ishizu continued plainly, "Have wondered what the Queen who succeeded this Pharaoh would have to do with such a battle in the first place. Supposedly," the woman told her, tone almost drawling as Seto looked back with now widening eyes, "It is a dedication and prayer to the late King before her... Signed by the 'true friend' of the King, who never even appeared to be mentioned prior her reign..." Friends of the throne, King's with 'half' of her 'name'...

"And what does this matter," she finally spat, turning on Ishizu with rage while her brother flinched at the side. "So your tablet exists for no reason... What does it matter now, a stone relic from years long past? I have no interest in your stones, and I have no interest in your 'games'," she snarled, gripping the railing tight. "So if I were you I would drop the subject now and wait for your 'lifeboat' to arrive on shore..."

"Is that what you believe," Ishizu 'asked', somehow still holding her calm and certain tone. "Despite the words that prove a lifelong friendship to the world and those who see it? I did not realize the connection between those on the stone for many years," she continued gravely, eyes beginning to narrow as she spoke. "For though my family has passed these secrets down for generation upon generation it is a secret that has been guarded with as much care as the name of the King himself... A fact erased from time completely, never occurring to me... Yet with one 'vision'," the woman whispered, daring to take a step closer as she pointed toward her target. "With one word that I heard across the field... This song makes sense. The Queen carved that stone, but before the Queen there was but one other with her face; and it seems that history has indeed repeated itself... For the 'High Priest' who vanished from history to take up 'her' rival's throne to appear before me now."

Silence reigned over the air as she continued to stare, eyes still wide despite her desire to pass the moment off as nothing and walk away at that very moment. She did not believe in 'fortune telling'. She did not believe in myths and prophecies, in ghosts and dragons, in legendary objects of power, she did not believe in gods... She did not believe in 'reincarnation' and in spirits with promises of thousands of years, in fragmented souls with the power of shadows, she did. Not. BELIEVE..!

Yet have you ever denied the power in the card you once held, a voice seemed to ask in the back of her mind, Seto grinding her teeth in annoyance. Have you ever denied the power and terror inflicted upon you when...

When... "Exactly what do you think you're implying," she growled lowly, still holding the disguised voice and facade as her brother continued to pale behind her in silence. As nightmares from long ago thrashed in the back of her mind, the woman bringing a hand to her head momentarily despite herself. All of this... Ridiculous! "A 'priest' who became a 'Queen'," she snarled, the hand coming down to tighten into a fist once more. "There's a limit to accusation Ishizu; you've crossed that line."

"Have I," she asked, eyebrows raising somewhat suggestively. "Your body language, albeit hidden, says otherwise. I have not relied on the powers of the tauk all my life," she continued warningly, voice taking a dangerously severe tone while the very aura around her intensified. "Your brother is now looking to you with worried fear but not of your reaction," the woman began, Seto unable to glance down as she continued. "You yourself have already broken into a cold sweat, if the droplets I see on your face are any sign. I care not what gender of human lies before me," Ishizu warned, her gaze lightening with a sigh. "The fact is, simply hearing you shout to Yugi from the field was enough to shatter this facade; whether or not you decide to acknowledge that is up to you... Because whatever happens," the Egyptian continued, "I will still be required to refer to you as I always have once we reach the mainland of Japan. But regardless of whether you believe in this song, in those words, there is someone on that field who needs your help more than anything. The Gods guided you here. But they did not guide you to simply begin a battle; you started this," Ishizu told him. "Now finish it; because your battle with the Pharaoh is more than simply age old stones and-"

"THAT'S ENOUGH," she roared, the vocal shield dropped as she stared at the woman before her. As a headdress of gold came to her mind's eye, and as a face almost identical to Ishizu's own came to mind and as her rage merely continued to build in the face of hallucinations yet again. "Enough about Pharaoh's and Priests... I don't want to hear another word of it..! I..."

For a split second she thought she was hallucinating again; if anything, the only thing telling her otherwise amid the howl of sand and wind in her ears was the fact that Ishizu's lips were moving to speak. "In roaring winds the corpse sinks to the ground... The vessel becomes bone, becomes sand, becomes dust... And even the brightest gold and the sharpest sword is subject to the poison in the sheath of time. Woe be to the Pharaoh," Ishizu began almost coolly despite her words, Seto growing pale as the long dead language met the air and became acknowledged by memory rather than foresworn by it, "He who has sacrificed his name for the names of others on the battle field that is time, on the battlefield of souls. As I who hold a name cry this song of battle, as I who have been granted a name cry this song of a friend... And I cry out to the Gods to Guide me to this place once more," she finished, not taking her eyes away from the tall woman before her, "Where souls may meet on the field still again." This...

Those words... "N...Nee-sama," Mokuba whispered, his sister motionless as the words pealed about the room in a faded echo. "Nee-sama," he asked quietly, "What was she saying..? I..." Egyptian, her mind answered immediately, the woman herself remaining silent in a mix of shock and even detest. The language was Egyptian, from over three thousand years ago. She'd read it from Ra's card and she'd understood it as it met the air. The cursed language from a past that refused to abandon her, a past that refused to die, a past that...

"Face your heart," Ishizu told her, narrowing her eyes and holding her gaze with her target. "This tower you built, where 'souls meet'... Despite all that might have been put into it throughout its creation," she continued, "It is a sanctuary built by your spirit and your heart alone, a building that represents only as much as you believe it to. Reaching higher and higher into the air..."

"If only for another two hours," Seto countered with a snarl, face reddening somewhat even as her brother flinched behind her under tones he hadn't heard in a number of months. "You call this a sanctuary," she spat, gesturing to the cold steel hall around them. "Then I will sink this 'SANCTUARY' to the bottom of the seas, never to be seen again! Enough of this," the woman continued, turning as her coat flew behind her and pushing her way into the stair well. "I'm setting the timer for the explosion and leaving. Lets go, Mokuba!" The door to the stair well opened but as she took a few steps downward she found herself looking back. There was only the sound of her footsteps. Mokuba hadn't moved. There was the sound of quiet breathing, and if she listened carefully perhaps a sniff... "...What's wrong," she shouted, momentarily unaware of the tone she was now using toward the boy as the sounds briefly froze before continuing. "We don't have much time to deal with this, come on!"

And still he didn't move, the woman continuing to frown as she stared. "...What you said on the field... Do you really believe all of that," her brother whispered, not looking up from the ground as he held his arms close. He was shaking, he realized. But...

Why was he... "...What..?"

The boy slowly looked up, his sister's expression softening as she caught sight of the tears rolling down his face. "I know... I know you 'hate' them," he cried softly, trying as much as he could to keep the tears and chokes back. "That you 'hate' Yugi, whether a little or more than anything," Mokuba continued. "I know that you don't like his friends... But you know... They're my friends too," he cried, wiping his eyes. "They stand up for me, and I'll stand up for them..! And just because of what happened in our past... Just because of those bad times," Mokuba wept, "We don't have to make them suffer too..! And I know that they'll escape," he cried loudly. "And I know you won't let them die, because no matter what you say you wouldn't do that kind of thing... But Yugi is right," Mokuba wailed through the tears, shaking his head as he screamed. "All this hate, all this fighting... All you're doing is going back to those times you pushed away, to the old you... To the you that you were when Gozaburo was alive..."

This... "Mokuba," she began, trying to find something to say but finding nothing. "...I..."

"I made a wish," he sniffed, bowing his head again as his sister fell silent to listen. "On my birthday... I ran away with the others to go to a festival for Tanabata," he told her, "And I made a wish..." She knew that... She knew he'd left, she'd heard him plan it out, plan to leave for the day and return before his birthday but- "I... I wanted to make my wish come true on my own," Mokuba whispered, turning back to the woman above him with now red and puffy eyes as tears continued to pour. "I thought that no matter what, I'd be able to do it, but in the end I can't do it alone. The you that I've never forgotten... The you that held my hand and played with me in the park, and played chess with me... The you that you were before we met Gozaburo... I want you to promise me," he cried, shaking yet again and attempting to put up a more serious and 'courageous' expression. "Promise me that when this tower blows up," he shouted, "It won't be because you're pushing everything away again... I want you to promise me that when this tower is gone, so will your grudge..! That the hate, and the pain, it'll go away..!" Just like that, she almost asked in her mind. Just like- "Above everything... Nee-sama, more than anything," Mokuba wept, nails digging into his arms, "I just want to see you smile again... Like you did when we were watching those flowers on hanami... Like you did when we were kids... That's all I wished for," he whispered as his voice fell to barely audible ranges. "That's all... I..."

Mokuba... Seto's eyes grew somewhat shadowed, her expression softening as she moved close to the boy. She'd yelled at him... How could she have yelled at him, she... "Mokuba," she whispered, slowly stooping down to bring a hand to the boy's face. "...Stop crying," she said after a few moments, brushing some hair from his eyes. "There's no need to cry... You..."

"Snnf... Hng..." He was still crying... But he was at least trying to stop. Right? ...It certainly didn't make her feel any better in the end. "Just... Promise me," the boy repeated, wiping his eyes and attempting to regain a somewhat serious expression under his sister's gaze. "Nee-sama... Please, just promise me..." Promise...

He said that now, that was true... Yugi said that himself, and when she thought about it what were the chances that Katsuya agreed with that? This hate of hers...

It really did drag her down, didn't it she thought bitterly. As it had pulled her adoptive father to the grave in that virtual world... So was it seemingly doing the same to her now. 'You'll only hurt everyone around you!' She's shouted at her brother... Scared him... And yet even with that knowledge, she asked herself. Even with that...

Would she be able to let that go? Would she be able to keep this promise... Even if this tower sank?

"The battle begins in five more minutes," Ishizu muttered from behind them, the woman crossing her arms and waiting for a response. Five minutes... How did she know- Briefly as she stood again her eyebrows raised, Seto catching a glimpse of a watch gripped in Ishizu's hands. The Egyptian as well blinked somewhat owlishly in response, following the taller woman's stare. "...I borrowed this from Ryuzaki-san before he chased after my brother," she said plainly, fingering the somewhat worn watch somewhat. "I'd thought it would help to know how much time I have to prevent anyone's death." Well...

That explained it she supposed. She snorted lightly, shaking her head. Whatever then... The woman walked back toward the stairs, Ishizu and Mokuba both following behind despite the latter's momentary muttering of 'should you really follow'. "Hn... I don't have time to deal with this anyways," she muttered, quickly coming to a panel on the side of the stairs as the others stood behind her. From this point on there was nothing but an elevator to the jet hangar... And just slightly above that hangar, the room where the main computer sat. Nonetheless, to begin detonation was only a matter of activating one of the 'emergency' buttons, and the closest one was right here. With a calm and swift movement the small metal hammer beside the glass case was grabbed, slammed into the shield before being dropped. The button was pushed...

And beneath it, a timer that read 'Two Hours' began to speed downward, seconds ticking away while '1:59' sat beside those seconds. The detonator was activated... There was nothing more to do here. "Alright... Let's go," she said calmly, looking down to her brother. "We have a plane to catch..."

The boy nodded, pausing a moment as his sister moved toward the lift. "Nee-sama," Mokuba said with a swallow. "You're sure the helicopter will come on time right..?" Of course...

It was due any moment now after all. Give it just a minute or two and the staff would be taking the comatose on board in fact... "They'll be fine," she told him with that in mind, repeating it mentally to prevent the slightest thought of doubt entering it. "Two hours is plenty of time for them to escape after Yugi loses," Seto continued, "And provided someone warns them of this fact, all we'll deal with are the necessary casualties," the woman added, giving Ishizu one last look as the woman shook her head. Hn..?

Now what was that about? "You believe Yugi will fail," Ishizu said flatly, Mokuba as well giving his sister a reproachful look. Believe..?

Hn! It was far more than that! "I know he'll lose," Seto muttered darkly, narrowing her eyes. "With his deck I would say his chances of a win are 3%; provided Ra is never summoned for its one-turn kill," she added, turning away from Ishizu and continuing. "Ra's power... Is fathoms above that of the other Gods; there's one way to stop it one card," the woman explained, expression darkening despite her thoughts, "But while I have it with me now the chances rise by a mere 20%. There is no hope," Seto repeated, eyes still narrowed in their usual 'glare'. "So stop trying to find it. You yourself know your so called 'fate' after all," she continued. "Entering this tournament to 'save' your brother from himself... You wanted to defeat him with your own hands didn't you," she went on, "To the point where you tried to use your occult toys to bring my own defeat... We're not so different," the woman hissed. "But now that he's out of both our hands, with your 'hope' a mere 3% possibility of a win, just what do you plan to do now?"

"...I never entered this tournament with the 100% belief I would succeed," Ishizu whispered, bowing her head. As Seto's frown deepened somewhat with confusion the woman continued, expression never once betraying her words. "My visions never traveled further than perhaps an hour or so ahead in time after all... And in the very end, even as the Pharaoh fights, I am prepared for the absolute worst. If my brother cannot be saved," she continued stonily, "Then I will make sure that our 'curse' dies with us. Rishid will be able to aid the Pharaoh in his goals... As will his friends," the Egyptian added cryptically. "So while they escape I have given myself no other choice than to stay on this island until it sinks, as you eloquently put it, to the depths of the seas..." She-

Narrowed eyes softened as a half-year old memory came to mind, Seto shaking her head just slightly. "How... How can you do that," she found herself muttering, staring almost in disbelief. If her brother could not be saved... If her brother did not break from this second persona he had created for his own protection... Then...

Just as she herself had on the walls of the Duelist Kingdom...

'I have nothing more to lose,' she remembered herself whispering. 'If you hit me again... You win this game.

And I die.'

Silence. More silence. Time was ticking away but with a sudden storm of footsteps and renewed energy the woman charged back up the stairs, coat billowing behind her as the others followed behind.

"A-Ah... Nee-sama," Mokuba called out with wide eyes, stumbling somewhat as both he and Ishizu ran up behind the woman. "What about-"

"Just over 1/5 of a chance to win the match with this card," Seto called out somewhat loudly, pulling the card she'd set aside out from her pocket with an odd and almost non-existent smirk on her face despite all attempts to hide the expression. "A duel like this... How could I think of missing it," she continued stiffly, gripping the card tightly in her fingers. Calls to evacuate were already dully sounding through the halls below, sirens blaring while red lights flashed... Ishizu's eyes widened with surprise but nonetheless her expression calmed, as though in the end she'd expected this reaction from the start.

What was it that Yugi had said she thought to herself as she ran up those stairs. 'I won using his power. I won through our power...' The power of 'friendship', a ridiculous concept that only worked in children's anime. A power that was never meant to exist anywhere but fictional realms and would always fail in the real world, always shatter naïve hopes of those who dared to trust in it.

And yet that same power in the end, had defeated her hadn't it? That power... The door to the staircase opened and with wide eyes the others on the field turned, some bearing frowns and others simply staring in confusion. This card she held in her hand... This one card that merely raised the chances by a fraction... The card that had to win this fight...

Could he perform a 'miracle', she asked herself, expression naught but impersonal stone as she looked to the now raised arena and stepped toward it. Could he take those chances and, as he had in her fight, turn them in his favor? The boy on the field looked down with wide eyes, and there was nothing but silence over the air as she made her decision. Fine she decided, taking the card in her hand and taking aim. Let his defeat prove him wrong! Let this 'power' she lent him prove that there were no miracles, she thought to herself bitterly, let it prove that there was no 'power' in the bonds between 'men'! "YUGI," she snarled, tossing the card up to the arena with precision as the boy continued to stare. "TAKE THIS!"

Her rival's reaction was more than apparent as he caught the slip of card; why was she doing this? What did it do? What was the point, was it good or was it bad? He hadn't even looked at it properly yet; he was simply staring, unblinking at the woman below as she returned the gaze.

Hn... The only spell card that would save him in this match. Something that Yugi likely didn't know; a test then. A test of 'powers'; this was her power to give now... A 22% chance of a win, provided he could find out how to use it. If he used it. "It's up to you," she announced clearly. "Use that card in your deck, or leave it out completely... It could help," she continued with a slight shrug and sneer, "Or it could sabotage you completely... This is 'me' after all," she added with a smirk. "I would well just be teaching you not to be so trusting..." Hnhnhnhn...

But then again, it wouldn't be 'Yugi' if he wasn't, now would it? "...Thank you," he responded plainly, slipping the card in the deck as it shuffled without even looking at it. That quick..? Didn't it just figure she spat in her mind, smirk falling somewhat as incredulity came to mind regardless. "I'll believe you," the boy continued determinedly, giving his 'friend' a nod. "More importantly, I'll defeat Malik; understand, Kaiba?"

With those words a gale passed over the arena, and from the other end of the tower the crowd stared. Katsuya with a slight smile that became a confident smirk, her eyes briefly narrowing in annoyance. Besides him, the others were staring with suspicion, surprise... Not that she cared. As for the blond... The idiot wasn't even wearing shoes, he'd managed to get his nose broken somehow, and while he had an excuse for the shirt he could borrow a jacket, or..! ...Or...

…

This was the first time she saw that scar she noted, her face twitching only slightly in response. ...She'd rather not see it, if she didn't have to.

As dim eyes looked across the field Ishizu and Mokuba both came to her side, the silent question of 'why' never meeting the air in the end. The duel would begin in just a minute now... Any minute... "Ishizu," she murmured, arms crossed as she leaned back against the tall railing wall and turned her attention back to the field. "I'll say it again; that stone tablet means nothing to me. Civilizations are built from time and the ashes of countless people," Seto explained, "Remembered by artifacts formed only by the millions of the forgotten dead. Even then," she went on, "They're lost to time, leaving mere guesses at the lives they held. I have no connection," the woman went on, "To someone who lived over three thousand years ago. None."

"Is that so," Ishizu responded quietly. "...I believe you're wrong." Wrong? "Kingdom's rise and fall... Civilizations come and go, that is very true," she continued, the wind blowing her shawl back from her hair as she looked back to the taller woman beside her. "But the human spirit is eternal; it lasts even through this."

Oh really now? "Hn!" Bullshit, she told herself. Complete bullshit. 'Reincarnation'... Just something used in romantic series as a plot twist with immortal love interests. None of this was real... And none of it ever would be. "Shadow games and ancient prophecies... Religion and superstitions are built from people wishing that things like eternal spirits were real, with a 'darkness' and a 'light' formed to bring order in that mess. And yet science in all its forms proves time and time again that these things do not exist. Miracles, do not exist. I might have lent him this card," Seto continued, looking back to the woman from the corner of her eye, "But all this will prove in the end is that 68% against 22% needs no time to calculate. One will win, and the other will not. If Yugi loses," she continued, not bothering to think on the fact that she had said 'if' rather than 'when', "If your brother cannot be 'saved'," the woman went on, "What will happen then? You said you would remain behind... So then you realize that your 'hope' is baseless?"

"No," the Egyptian answered plainly, her response coming almost the instant her 'friend' finished speaking. "It's not baseless in anyway. You may doubt any hope that you gain in this battle," she continued almost sympathetically, "But I believe in Yugi completely. I believe that his power will be able to destroy the evil persona controlling his body now." And that was that. Believing that the so-called 'power of friendship' would overcome her brother's 'DID' and complete and obvious insanity...

Ridiculous, she told herself. Completely ridiculous.

And yet as the call for battle to begin occurred, she did nothing but remain silent...

And watch...

Waiting for the moron to prove her wrong as he always did.

---

"So..." Sooo...

Here came the interrogation for real this time.

"So," came the repeated statement, Katsuya holding back a sigh in response. "You can really see whatever happens on the field in those shadow games," Honda asked as their friend prepared for his next match, the crowd evidently choosing not to address the long stare he'd aimed toward Seto when the woman arrived.

"Feel too actually," he muttered, before turning with a sigh. The blond bit his lip as he looked over the somewhat expectant expressions his friends had as a result, before shrugging and continuing to explain. "Or somethin' like tha' at least; truth be told," he admitted somewhat darkly, "Feels more like every game's a shadow game from my end..." As the others continued to stare in response he again sighed, scratching his head in a show of exaggerated exasperation while he frowned. "I mean... Th' shadow game I had w's hell," Katsuya muttered admittedly, "But th' only thing tha' happened outside th' ordinary was th' monsters not talkin' or anythin', an' as it was-"

"The monsters can talk," Anzu cut in incredulously, the others briefly looking to her as she frowned. "Hey," Malik cut in, the movement of an accusing point nonetheless coming quite fluidly. "You can't tell me you were just going to take that one."

Shizuka nodded, scratching her cheek somewhat nervously before giving her brother a shrugging respons. "You're right... But even the question alone sounds ridiculous..."

O-Oiii... What was with these faces... "I thought y' guys were gonna hang in an' not think I was insane," he muttered. Seriously, come on...

"We aren't," Otogi quickly told him, the statement feeling a little too swiftly put as he held his hands out in defense. "I mean... The fact is," he added with an uneasy laugh, "The monsters were inspired by carved tablets so..."

The group more or less turned to Anzu, the woman jumping as the stares were suddenly turned on her. "E-Eh..? You want to ask me..!"

"That or Malik," Honda said with a dry shrug, "Doesn't really matter much if you both have the same memory..."

"Hn!" The boys tensed at the snort they received in response, Shizuka more or less just staring blankly as Anzu's eyes flashed gold once again. "It matters plenty," Malik growled, looking away with narrowed eyes. "It isn't as though we can just pull each other's memories at will... We have to focus." "And what's that supposed to mean," Anzu muttered dryly, before the spirit she shared her body with answered. "It means they're better off asking me." Great they were arguing. "Heh?" Of all the times, they picked now to argue. "Well it's true isn't it?"

"Awwwwwh... C'mon guys," Katsuya groaned, pulling somewhat at his hair as he rubbed his head. "Every time Malik' switches t' talk I get a double voice comin' over, jus'... Jus' figure out who's talkin' already," he grumbled, continuing to rub his somewhat aching head.

There was a brief pause, before the body coughed and nodded with a response from both 'halves'. "Right... The fact is," Malik began somewhat awkwardly, "We don't know much about 'living' monsters..." "Regardless however," Anzu continued, evidently taking her friend's wince in response to the doubled voice as a cue to take over in the Egyptian's stead, "There's always been a certain power tied to this game... To say that the monsters themselves are alive isn't at all a stretch, and Yugi's said that from the start after all..." Yea! There was that wasn't there?

"If you say so," Honda muttered, before looking up to the field. "Hn... They're about to start," he noted. So they were...

"Two God cards against Ra. ...And you spoke with that one," Otogi added questioningly, the blond at the side nodding seriously. There was a time and place for clamming up in embarrassment regarding things that sounded and felt completely insane... But the fact was, this wasn't it.

Although the topic in itself was a little... Strange. "That's right," his sister was muttering. "The others said you were chanting the same summoning ritual that 'Dark Malik' was..." Er... Yea, he didn't really know where he got-

"Probably a 'locked memory'," said Malik, ignoring the wince that came from Katsuya in response to another doubled voice. "The fact is, from what I got watching Kaiba-san and my sister's match, Kaiba-san has been dealing with the same thing." Ah... Really?

"Seto-chan is-"

"You know," Honda cut in with a groan, "I don't think any of us are going to get over you calling her 'chan'..."

"I don't think I can get over her being a 'her'," Otogi added dryly, only to receive a slight warning glare from Shizuka in response.

"Not now."

Malik merely nodded as the others continued arguing, crossing 'his' arms and explaining further. "Well... Think about it," the Egyptian told him. "The tablet has the High Priest and the Pharaoh both; and I know for a fact that you saw it," he added, gesturing to Katsuya as he nodded.

"Er... Y-Yea," he muttered, eyebrows raised. It did but... "But I didn' think..." He shook his head, looking back to the field. "Whatever..." The tablet didn't matter right now after all; and even if Seto was having weird flashbacks, she sure as hell wouldn't tell him. So. "Th' fact is," he decided flatly, "If there's anythin' Seto-chan's right abou' it's tha' Ra's one tough guy t' take on. Tha' card... It'll help," Katsuya admitted, "But it ain't gonna be easy..."

The others turned, Otogi in particular seeming to latch onto the comment. "You know what the card is..?"

"Gh-!" C-Come on, were they seriously going to ask about every little thing he said now! "Y... You guys were s'pposed t' make th's weird crap easier on me, not make me think about it more," Katsuya groaned.

They merely shrugged, a number of them shaking their heads in response. "It's not like we can really help it..." Hnnnnggg...

Like hell that was really the point..! On the field the two finalists were caught in banter, challenges and insults called throughout the air. Decks were shuffling within the duel disks and challenges were being issued. The duel was about to begin. "THE FINAL MATCH WILL NOW COMMENCE," Isono announced, raising a hand high from the sidelines. "MUTOU YUGI, VS ISHTAR MALIK... BEGIN!"

With those words cheers hit the air in an instant, leaving little room for the competitors themselves to speak. "KICK HIS ASS," Katsuya roared, throwing a fist into the air. "DON' LET RA INTIMIDATE YAH!"

"GO FOR IT YUGI!"

"FOR MAI-HAN," Shizuka cried out, "AND FOR KEICHI!"

"FOR EVERYONE!"

"YOU CAN DO IT!"

Those on the field nodded, and drew the cards of their hand...

"DUEL!"

And the match began.

And the shadows hit the air.

And just like before... Hell began coming down to earth. "The sky's going black," Shizuka whispered, pulling back from the arena with a swallow. "This feeling..." According to the others it was a dark, suffocating feeling, crushing their lungs, putting pressure on their entire being...

"Shadow game," muttered Otogi, as though that would explain each and every symptom completely. The teen gave a slight shudder, attempting to shake the feeling off before looking back as Katsuya grit his teeth. "Hey... I thought this didn't affect you," he stated with a frown. "Why are you..."

"It doesn'," he answered stiffly, jaw clenching as his headache began to worsen. "But..." But the screams...

'The Pharaoh... THE PHARAOH,' they wailed, shades of faceless beings swarming the air and misting in and out of the shadows as they screamed. 'ACCURSED PRINCE,' the spirits sneered, 'LOOK WHAT YOUR ANCESTORS WROUGHT!' 'Save us... SAVE US,' the 'nicer' ones cried, fogged hands clawing at their faces as they wept. 'DELIVER US FROM THIS HELL!' In the end however, it wasn't as though Yugi could hear them and answer their cries. And so, they continued to scream... 'WHY...'

'WHY!'

As the others stared he shook it off, instead looking toward the field. He couldn't pay attention to these voices; not when he didn't know who they were, and not when he didn't know how to 'help'. "Game hasn' set up yet," he said with a swallow, watching as the shadows continued to furl through the air. If it had, the screams would have silenced to some extent, allowing them to watch... As it was, there were limits to sharing this secret; the voices affected little more than his nightmares, and he'd rather keep those to himself. There was enough he'd shared already without confusing the hell out of his friends. And turning his attentions across from them the millennium items now gleamed with a golden light, and the 'other' Malik chuckled darkly.

"Hnhnhnhnhn... This will be the greatest game to ever come to the world of mortals," 'Malik' sneered, the real one seemingly locked within Anzu's body and giving no response to the cold that filled the air. "Darkness will cover the earth, the gates to hell will open, and our battle rests in its mouth... Hnhnhnhnhn..." The crowd and Yugi both gave a shudder, watching as the 'monster' continued to chuckle. "Can you see it," he hissed, lightning cracking through the air as the clouds converged in the sky. "The sacrificial offering..?" Sacrifice..?

At that moment Yugi's eyes widened considerably, and in the center of the field came a pyramid of glass. An hourglass, he realized soon enough... Two pyramids stacked upon each other, the top half emptied and the other... "Mai," Katsuya whispered as the shadows cleared from around the device, the others frowning as they looked from Yugi to the field to their friend. "M... MAI!"

"No," the boy cried, his own eyes widening with fear as well.

They could both see it. Those a part of the game and Katsuya himself. They both saw it... The insects that had eaten their way into Mai's body from the moment she was entrapped in her penalty, the insects that were now devouring her flesh... Bits of her bone could be seen through the somehow stainless glass, and between skirt and corset was a mess of half eaten organs as the bugs flew in and out of the holes of what was still a living body. The flesh eating insects, each with the accursed eye on their back, scuttled across the bones and muscles eating as they saw fit...

And by this point it was evident that Mai had given up on screaming through the pain. She'd given up hope completely, laborious breathing the only sign of life in her otherwise still and 'sleeping' body as tearstains dried across her face. "Ghn..." Of all that he'd seen on the field... Of all he'd seen up until this point...

Maybe it was because he knew the monsters would come back at the end of the battle. Because he knew that when the duel finished, they'd be healed, and prepared for whatever would come next. Though the pain of what occurred on the field was harsh, he could push through to the end of the duel. Even when it was inflicted upon himself... Whatever happened within the duel would heal in the end, and if not with the end of the fight itself then soon after. But Mai was no monster. She was no being of 'shadows', and more importantly Mai was a friend. And this penalty that Malik's darker half had inflicted...

Whatever 'Malik' had said about the woman as her life faded before his eyes they did not hear; for at that moment, another scream tore through the air. "Oh no..." It didn't start that way of course. "Oh no no no no no..." It was gradual, and simply had them frowning as they slowly looked back to Anzu, the woman slowly pushing back against the walls as her eyes flew across the field, seemingly searching for something that they could not see. And finally, as the mutters reached a half insane and feverish mantra the woman wailed, eyes returning to their original colour as she stared at empty space. "No... NO, He's GONE," she screeched, holding her head with wide and horrified eyes as she shook. "Malik... Malik's gone," Anzu screamed hysterically, the sudden 'tear' leaving far more than just worry in its place. "He... He-"

"Oh hell," Katsuya hissed, swallowing as he looked back to the field. He didn't need a flash to tell him what was going on now, and he sure as hell didn't need 'Malik's words as he proudly announced the presence of another sacrifice...

The screams were more than enough to deal with that. "A-AIBOU," the other Yugi abruptly screamed. "AIBOU!"

"W... What is this," his partner asked in response, voice high with fear and confusion both as the shadows themselves pinned 'light' Yugi against the sky itself. "What's going on," he shouted hurriedly, pulling at the shadows but receiving not even a small bit of freedom in response.

"A-AIBOU..!" Shit...

"Yugi..!" Shit. SHIT.

The others looked from Anzu and back to the field as the woman's screams slowly calmed, following Katsuya's gaze only to see nothing in the air. Between panicked screams and wide eyes however it was obvious something was wrong...

And that 'something' was a something that he and those dueling were the only ones privy to. "What's going on," Honda pressed, grabbing his friend's shoulder and shaking him roughly as Katsuya was pulled from his petrified state. "You can see can't you," he continued fearfully. "You can see what's going on up there right!"

"He..." The blond swallowed shaking his head and continuing to stare at the field as he swallowed. "Th' other Yugi... He's not th' only one there righ' now," he muttered swiftly, "He-"

"We got that," Otogi cut in, "His shouts are telling us as much... But what's going on," he continued.

"Let me get to it," he roared back, those across the tower looking over as their friend turned to face the others with wide and almost rage filled eyes. The gaze calmed and again he shook his head, absently rubbing the shoulder Honda had released before explaining. "Yugi... Th' normal Yugi," Katsuya began. "He... He's bein' held as some kinda tribute he..."

"It's MY turn," 'Malik' cackled, mad laughter filling the air as he spoke. "You know what kind of game this is," asked the Egyptian as he laughed. "You're about to find out! I summon the Vampiric Leech," he snarled with a wide grin, baring almost feral teeth to his opponent. The smoke rose through the air the instant the card was set, and as the tablet rose from the dust a tentacled and bloodied 'slug' made its way from the stone. The monster's tentacles flailed as numbers and abilities came to Katsuya's mind, and with the summoning complete its master continued. "Moreover... Allow me to demonstrate by making the first attack!" The first attack..!

With a cold shudder he realized just what was going on, his thoughts in the last match and the words of his monsters during his battle against Yugi on the pier coming to mind. The rules of play existed true...

But that didn't mean they couldn't be broken."That's illegal," Shizuka was whispering in protest, shaking her head as the order to attack was made. "It's the first move," she continued almost with a shout, "He can't-"

"Normal rules don' apply in th's kinda game," her brother responded, swallowing as the leech squealed in anticipation. "They don-"

As tentacles shot through the air his words were cut drastically short, a scream replacing it. "G-GHHAAAAAAGGHHHH!"

The blond averted his eyes with grit teeth, those beside him continuing to stare at the field in distaste as the monster attacked their friend. They couldn't see what he could, he thought with a nauseated swallow, slowly opening his eyes to stare at the ground. They couldn't see... While it appeared the hologram merely passed through their friend's face, the tentacles bored through flesh as though it were nothing. And though the wounds did not bleed as they would have in reality the shadow game allowed them to exist nonetheless, smearing what little blood was brought to the field across the victim's face. The two tentacles from the ordinarily weak monster had ripped through Yugi's cheeks with almost disgusting ease, and as the tentacles retreated back to the slug's side of the field the boy doubled over to hold his now bloodied and pain filled face. But his screams, Katsuya realized with horror, turning back to the field as an image flashed in his mind.

His screams were not the only ones now filling the air, particularly not when the 'other Yugi's shouts were already coming to a stop. 'Do you like that,' 'Malik' had taunted, a maddening grin on his face. 'The pain you feel when they attack... You'll notice your wounds are healing,' he continued almost with a shrug, Yugi's cheeks seeming to repair in a mess of re-growing vessels and flesh while the boy stared. 'But take a look...

At your sacrifice.'

'Yugi's screams were not the only ones, but it was certainly Yugi that was shouting. "H-Hhahhhh... HHAAAAAAHHHHHH! HAAAAHHHHHHH!" Again screams filled the air but this time it was shadowed and hidden from most of the field, the only sign of cries in the air the shouts given in response, and the look upon the Katsuya and 'Yugi's faces as the crowd stared 'What's happening,' the others were asking him, blood draining from their friend's face as greedy souls pulled and pried at vulnerable flesh. 'What's happening..!'

"AIBOU," 'Yugi' screamed.

"What's going on," his friends cried in response.

And 'Malik' continued laughing madly, "NHNHAHAHAHAHA!"

"What do you see," they continued to press.

And the screams continued to fill the air... 'Free us, free us..! GIVE US SOMETHING, ANYTHING..!'

Nggh... Ngggh... Just... "Stop ASKIN'!" The shouts cut short as the blond held his head, staring at the ground and attempting in vain to calm his breathing. Attempting to do more than just stare at the ground with wide eyes as the screams slowly died, replaced by weak breathing as the shadows around them feasted on whatever fragments of soul they'd managed to steal away. "He... His leg 's gone," he finally said quietly, choking on his words and slowly looking back to the field. "Alrigh'? Th' sacrifices are tied t' their life points an-" And because of that...

"Hold on," one of the others cut in. "If Yugi is his other self's sacrifice," Otogi said with a swallow, "Doesn't that mean... That the other sacrifice is..."

It was only then that he could hear his weakened breathing, Katsuya realized stiffly. "Gh... Nnnhhhaaa-hahhhhhhhh..." The sound of slow and pained breaths as they came through the air, and while the others continued to stare at him in confusion Katsuya bit his lip. The force of ripping an already fragmented soul from Anzu's body had rendered Malik almost dead... In fact until now he'd wondered if he was. He was already weak enough as it was, using Anzu's body as a mouthpiece, but now that he was back in his own body and overshadowed by his second persona...

"Tha's righ'," he muttered with a swallow. "That's where he went... That's where Malik is," the blond whispered, still holding his head as he ground his teeth and forced himself to ignore dull screams floating around the air. "Yugi's th' 'other Yugi's sacrifice... But th' 'other Malik doesn' need t' care abou' his..."

"So then... If Yugi attacks," his sister said with a swallow, putting the pieces together just as quickly as she paled. "And hits Malik..."

"We already figured that the 'other Malik' was a masochist," Otogi growled, clenching his fists in a quickly growing rage. "If the players feel pain while the 'sacrifices' suffer the actual loss," he continued bitterly, "Then this only works further in his favor..!"

"Gh... This isn't right," Anzu muttered, clutching her head as the others looked back. The woman was still recovering from the sudden shock to her system... Nonetheless, she was recovering much quicker than Katsuya thought most would. "In Malik's memories," she explained, grimacing as she attempted to find what the Egyptian couldn't simply tell her now, "In his memories, the shadow games are supposed to be on equal footing... But when you come down to it this isn't equal at all," the woman continued, "This is just-!"

There was a short bit of silence as their friend cut her words short, those visible to the audience leering at the other in mixed emotion. One with a grin spread across his face far wider than humanly possible, and the other with an obviously fear filled scowl, their friend's opponent laughing as he spoke. "The moment the player's life points hit zero the sacrifice's body will be consumed," he sneered, all too pleased about the 'cost' of the game. "And so too will the player be swallowed in darkness to suffer ultimate pain... Hnhnhahahahaha... Victory or defeat," 'Malik' cackled, tongue running along his teeth as the audience involuntarily shuddered, "Pleasure or pain... We now walk the razor thin line between them..."

"Gh... MALIK," 'Yugi' spat, fists clenched as he looked up to his partner in worry. This fight... If he didn't play his moves properly it would be far more than just half of a leg that was missing...

The others grit their teeth with that in mind, trading glances from the field to Katsuya. "...If... Yugi can't attack," one of them began, the blond among them still biting his lip as he looked to the field. "If he can't attack without hurting Yugi-"

"Don't worry about me," Yugi called down, speaking to both his partner and his friends as he heard those words. "I'll be fine, trust me," he continued, barely forcing the words out through the residual pain he was in. "...Gh... Other me... Fight him," the boy told him, turning to the field with a determined scowl. "No matter what, we need to save Malik..!"

"Yes... That's the spirit," 'Malik' taunted, Katsuya suppressing a shudder as his face seemed to stretch and distort with the words. As the other Yugi, having not yet given his response looked to the Egyptian with feelings far surpassing distaste and loathing, almost pulling back at the expression his opponent held. "Writhe in PAIN," the Egyptian howled, "Shout... SCREAM! Every time you do pleasure runs through my entire being..! KhahaHAHAHAAAA!" Gh... That laugh...

Rules were simple Katsuya repeated within his mind; the loser died. That was it. But watching from the side as flashes came to mind... As he swallowed back wave after wave of fear and unease... "Trust me," the other Yugi shouted to his partner, the words nonetheless seeming to apply to all those watching from the sides. "I won't lose..!" No... He wouldn't lose... But the fact still remained.

In the battle of the mind... Anything could happen.

---

AN: DUEL! The next two chapters are super chapters!

Because Malik VS Yugi was REALLY LONG. In fact, it's because of the duel that this chapter is so short. I could not, for the life of me, find any other point in the duel that would properly be cut off to join with this chapter. Oh well. Although...

I can't actually say that both are super chapters, as the length for the finale will largely be added material required to wrap things up... Or at least wrap them up enough to move onto the next arc. Hurp-durp.

Either way, only two chapters left unless, for some reason, I decide to split the duel in two. (Even then though, I would probably just cut off the end and make it slide into the finale sooooo...)

So! We have some notes for you below, some music... Very few pictures. I've kinda been distracting myself by re-editing the first chunk of chapters, soooo... Not much time to draw. That's okay though; I probably shouldn't be trying to draw anyone shirtless any ways. (Hehehe, Jou...)

Well, now that that's out of the way...

The Contest (Make a new summary for the fanfic within 255 characters) is still on for taking in entries; remember! The winner gets a flat coloured request with up to two characters, no background. (Though I will probably put a flat colour in the background depending on the colour of the characters.)

Moving right along...

Anonymous Review Responses

Well hey there Imadork! And nope; no kiss. You're quite right about the dream world too. While I did have entire plans for what happened in that world, the fact is that this is a fanfic that needs to focus on its own world. So I can't spend too much time there.

Pity; Noa actually bothered searching around for a way to build himself a body in that world. (Mostly because it became quite apparent that he was never ever going to get a hold of the kid that 'replaced' him. Pity that.)

Any ways. Glad you liked the chapter so much; hope this one was enjoyable as well!

Iona~

The ride will never be over! NEVER! Or something. It does look a little like Kaiba's jealous doesn't it... She isn't grant you (just confused as hell), but it still looks a little like that looking back.

Don't even get me started on the past life story though. That thing is going to be huge; there's a reason why I offered to write it out alongside this fanfic. (A vote that won 'dream sequences' by a landslide, which ironically makes it more fun) And yes~ The turtles and onions are explained! But it's a tearjerking explanation... Being given those subtle memories right after losing all the other ones.

And then dying. (-cries-) Well, time to continue the mayhem... Onto the next chapter!

Ooooh, 'badly' doesn't even cut it Maggiemay... Doesn't even come close.

Her stubborn streak makes her both incredibly fun and incredibly difficult to work with you know. And...

Yea, I don't think Jou's going to be going there if he values his life.

You want to enter the contest! Great! But... While your summary is great, it's over 100 characters (letters) over the limit.

See... Fanfiction has a limit of 255 characters for the fanfic summary. So I can't use this one unless I chop it up, and I don't really think that'd be polite, if I just did that without saying anything...

Any ways, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Don't worry about Seto; she really does get better... It's just that we won't see the beginning of that until the finale. (Though I suppose with her at least acknowledging the fact that she's causing herself some INCREDIBLE problems is still something that can be considered a 'beginning'...)

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Usagi's Manga & Japan Guide/Corner

The section that's almost half way there, half way there..! ...In terms of arc division at least. (Still a long ways until this is over folks!)

---

Today's title more or less concerns Jou if you haven't guessed; there's a lot to say about this reveal really, but that's in a note further down. Ohohoh~

In any case, 'Anagnorisis' is what Aristotle used to refer to what is basically 'the reveal' in his poetics. It translates to 'Discovery' or 'Recognition'.

Of course, to you readers this isn't so much a reveal as 'OH LOOK, he FINALLY said something!', but come on, his friends have been worried sick!

Specifically however, anagorisis is the term used for the moment in a play where a critical discovery is made. In its Greek context, it originally meant recognition not only of a person... But of what that person stood for. The Hero's realization and sudden awareness of the situation, of things as they stood, and their relationship with what was often an antagonistic character.

---

Oh my, reveal time! Right now it's not so much Jou doesn't want to say anything, it's a matter of how. After all... They saw him bleeding and screaming on the field, but how the hell do you explain that without looking crazy anyways? They certainly can't see it!

---

When it's implied Malik explained something, it's not far off the mark though. Malik and Anzu both would have explained what 'oracle' and 'seer' means. From there it's likely they'd have connected the dots... Particularly with Ishizu there.

And you would be very right to believe that Ishizu would have come clean about that at the very least. The shadow games would have also been explained...

But that doesn't mean they still don't want to know what's going on!

---

As for mentionings of actual duel monsters floating around he'll get to that... Eventually. Right now he's a liiiiiittle overwhelmed.

---

Oh! Seto's calmed down! Or has she? While her rage seems to have quieted, you can tell by her out burst that it really hasn't; more like there isn't anything to focus it on and it therefore dyes down somewhat. Like adding fuel to a fire. Of course, overall, a lot of the energy going toward this has also moved to more depressive moods; particularly since she's confused as hell. I mean...

Here's where we enter fanfic territory; she's slowly been treating Jonouchi with care that's far beyond what she would normally extend. Her possessive streak is also showing, and quite clearly. However... Much like most people act without thinking... She obviously wasn't aware that she was treating him any differently than she normally would. Obviously she was aware that she didn't necessarily hate him... But thanks to a combination of that kiss and a fairly large shock to her system VIA Jonouchi almost dying, she's extremely conscious of the fact. (Particularly since she's only able to partially tell herself she hates him... As you have all likely guessed.)

In addition... Well... I'm fairly certain that Kaiba, in either incarnation, knows dick all about romance and romantic feelings. So combining this with an already intense rage over her loss and 'inability' to prevent all this crap, not to mention that relapse in general...

Well, while she's warming up to that whole 'abandoning hate thing' (at least to the point where she's wondering if she CAN, which is a HUGE step by the way), she's not so much warming up to the fact that she cares about a certain blond 'mutt's existence.

In fact, while not mentioned above, she's questioning the insult as well; part of the reason she hasn't thought of anything more than 'mutt' is a result of habit. It's a pet name, but the kind you use as an insult. Like when you call someone you're in a relationship a moron really.

(This is actually why Jou doesn't bother getting too ticked about it when she calls him this; he doesn't care any more, because half the time, she's not using it in an insulting situation.)

In the end, they're both idiots. Really, we need a matchmaker or something.

---

'Hey Usagi, what happened to 'Pret Keru' or however my manga and anime subbed/pronounced it?' Well... I couldn't find the words in Egyptian anywhere. Which makes me wonder about their accuracy. So I just cut them. The song however, is more or less the same as the manga; it's just a little more refined into song, since... I'm kinda reading a translation here.

I mean... I'm almost certain that it sounds much better in Japanese... But hey, as with poor Mokuba in that scene, who knows what the heck they're saying right?

(Poor Mokuba though; he really doesn't have a clue what's going on during this chapter, and everything else isn't really making it easy for him to not get upset. Seto briefly shouting at him just made things worse poor guy, though at least it helped open her eyes...)

---

So this was Mokuba's wish then! And it's true too; this is what he more or less told Kaiba in canon; I left the dialogue intact here, anything different was added rather than taken or replaced. And the fact is, we never did find out what Mokuba's wish from the Tanabata chapter...

---

The 'black queen'? The 'mourning queen'? Now what's up with that..? Well... As you might have guessed from the tail end of Noa's arc, we'll be getting a few flashes of what happened after the entire Millennium World business as well. Fun stuff!

In any case, there's a damn good reason why Priest Set's reign as Queen, despite being a really prosperous one, gave her the title 'the mourning queen'. A DAMN good reason, which will be revealed in due time.

A pity that it's not helping Kaiba's mood any...

---

What's with Kaiba's hidden smirk? She's not actually aware of it. She's trying to still be angry, but her subconscious kinda wants Yugi to win. More than anything. In other words, this is a battle between what she wants and what she believes; and Seto isn't the most optimistic person.

Though it does help that these kind of stakes get her in the mood for a battle by the end; it's like watching a sudden turn around in a sports game. (Of course... This is only fun when she's either watching Yugi win, or she's winning herself, because as she so eloquently puts it '[she is] the only one allowed to defeat him'.

I suppose she might get this way about Jonouchi as well though.

---

Awww, look she does believe in Yug- Now hang on here, this isn't Prideshipping! (Though pretty much every fight she has with him begs to differ...) Seriously though, this woman's pride gets in the way of everything. Not to mention that wall of fat, ugly denial. STOP BEING SO HEAVILY IN DENIAL KAIBA, IT'S NOT GOOD FOR YOU.

...

(She'll get better?)

---

Kaiba-san? Kaiba-SAN? 'But Malik doesn't use honorifics Usagi-' Normally, I would agree... But he's using them with Kaiba, at least for now. This is because he's actually feeling a little awkward about calling a woman by last name only, thanks to all the 'rules' of the language that Anzu's added life experience has slammed in his head...

Which are mixing with the fact that Kaiba herself was previously both the High Priest and the freaking Queen that followed after.

---

Glares from Shizuka? This is actually a good sign; means she's more familiar with everyone. Or at least with the fanfic's characterization I suppose. (Something tells me that getting a glare from the real one wouldn't be good, but who knows really.)

---

And in other news concerning Jonouchi's 'reveal'... It's still a little rocky between himself and the others on that note. They know some things, but they don't know the specifics. Not only that, but with all the screams and their own worry, they can't help but try and get the answer out, it's only natural.

The problem is however, those screams aren't the only thing Jou is dealing with, and saying you have a horde of other screaming things in your head isn't the best way to put the water under the bridge about all of this. It's hard enough for them to take the fact that the Duel Monsters can speak.

---

Anzu's hysteric reaction has to do with not only how long Malik's been sitting around in her body (Which is approaching 24 hours now if you count slight possession before the preliminary matches on the airship), but also because of... Well, the fact that he's been sitting around in her body.

It's similar to what happened in the D-D-D arc, when the puzzle was shattered; a connection that had been made was suddenly just 'gone'. Another thing that would be similar would actually be when Kaiba woke up after the Legendary Heroes, and her arm suddenly regained all its feeling; the sudden absence of an entire presence in her mind is just that jarring.

Of course, Malik was also the only thing helping her to keep track of all the additional things in her head, or at least reminding herself what was hers and what wasn't without having a total meltdown. While she's got a grasp on it now, it's hard for Anzu not to mix her thoughts up at the moment, so the rush of emotions from every little thing is obviously not something that's giving her any more to feel calm about. She gets through this by the time Battle City ends thankfully, so don't worry too much about her...

Think of it as the worst headache possible for now.

---

Any ways. A hectic chapter despite the short length, that's for sure! And while the note is long, there actually isn't much to put here this week! The last note I can leave you with is on the specifics of the shadow game now under way. As with canon, the duelists feel every lick of pain inflicted, be it on themselves or their monsters. And, as with canon... This makes it completely uneven given that one of them is a sadomasochist. Derp.

In any case, interesting thing; in the manga, the flesh eating slug attacks... But Malik took the first turn. Yugi never got his turn, and yet they aren't called on this. Clearly there was a bit of 'screw the rules of play' going on, but seriously, shadow games operate under the idea that the only thing making the match uneven is the opponent's biggest vice and desire to cheat.

Well, not art for today... But keep your eyes peeled, as either during the next chapter or the following there should be a bit of concept for you!

Until then... Enjoy the chapter! And Kaiba's seriously broken head. (Er... She'll get better?)

---

Musical Notes

Time for more shameless music!

The music I listened to this time... REALLY doesn't match the scene. More or less it's the same as last chapter, with the added songs being Sweet Sweet Cendrillon Drug, Melt (Both of which are originally from Miku I believe) and... Luka Luka Night Fever.

I'm serious. That is what I'm listening to as leech tentacles stab Yami Yugi's face.

No word yet on if that's a bad thing...

But in any case, that's all for now! I hope you enjoy the chapter, and with luck the next one will be coming your way in a week's time!

Until then!