I know it's taking a long time for me to get to the point with this project. Pretty soon, I'll have enough of a buffer to start posting multiple times per week. Trust me; if you're anything like me, the buildup will be worth it. I have big, far-reaching plans for this project, and I'm confident that it will be a lot of fun.

This chapter begins to explain just where Yami came back from; and why he's acting so strangely.


The whole gang of the world's Eternal Saviors (all three of them) sat in Yugi Mutou's living room waiting for whatever meeting had been called to begin. Joey had already warned the others that Yami didn't feel right, that he wasn't the same, that something about him was just plain creepy, but he knew that they wouldn't understand what he was talking about until they saw him firsthand. Until they looked into the spirit's burgundy eyes and saw that gleam of almost malicious amusement, they wouldn't get it at all.

In spite of the fact that Joey would have figured Téa to be the most adamant about seeing the ancient king again, he'd found that it took some convincing to get her to show up, and he started to get the same feeling that Yugi had had when he'd first mentioned the Millennium Puzzle: she didn't feel like she deserved to be here.

She was sitting on the couch right now, watching the television in front of her but not really seeing it, and Joey wondered how long it would take her to remember where she was. Joey shared a look with Tristan, who seemed content with the silence. While they all waited for Yugi, Joey's thoughts spun around what Yami had told him.

Joey wondered what kind of ritual Yami planned to conduct; he wondered what debt Yami was paying. He wondered why the spirit of the Puzzle seemed so enamored of Kaiba. Joey couldn't remember Yami ever feeling anything toward the CEO of Kaiba-Corp besides grudging respect, but this guy seemed positively fascinated by the man. Joey wondered why Yami hadn't asked for the young executive to be here, then thought maybe he knew better; Kaiba wouldn't show. On checking his watch, Joey was positive that Mokuba would be out of school by now, and considered calling the younger Kaiba and inviting him over, but then caught a glimpse of Téa and nixed the idea immediately. Mokuba wouldn't show, either.

Yugi stepped into the room.

They all watched as he sauntered over, and Joey immediately recognized the predatory look on his friend's face; Yami was in control. There was an inkling of a smirk on his face. His hands were in his pockets. He wore the same uniform they'd all—save Téa—worn to Domino High School, even though Yugi had stopped attending Domino High School over a year ago. Joey wondered if it'd been Yugi or Yami who'd been feeling nostalgic.

"Welcome," the spirit said, his velvet voice washing over them. Téa went stiff, and Tristan blinked. It didn't even sound like the Yami they remembered. The voice was deep, and commanding; and yes, that was the same. But that slick sound was still there, and it made all the difference in the world. "Gods be blessed and beneficent, but I never thought to see you all again."

How much more of a liar could this guy be?

This was not Yami.

Tristan and Téa both seemed to know this as well, because they were sharing concerned, superstitious looks. They glanced at Joey next, who simply shrugged; What're ya gonna do?

"You must be wondering who I am," Yami said with a knowing grin. "I know that Yugi has been quite perplexed as to the nature of my existence." He sounded more and more amused with each word. "The truth of the matter is, you are right. I am most assuredly not the man you know. I am, however, Yami. Atemhotep, if you like."

"So…wait." Tristan stared. "You're Yami…but you're not Yami."

"Paradoxical as it sounds, yes." He smirked and looked away for a moment. He seemed to be searching for something. "I could explain it, but I doubt you would believe me. Suffice it to say that my memories of the past few years more than likely do not match up with yours."

"So what, you're here from another corner of the multi-verse?" Tristan asked.

Yami shrugged. "More or less."

"…Why here?" Téa wondered. "Why us?"

Yami winked. "Curiosity. Pragmatism. Results. What small glimpses I've had of the most recent months tells me that my specific plans will be better carried out here, rather than home. You'll understand in time, I daresay. For now…let us say that I am simply interested in you all, and how your experiences differ from my own. Trust me…they do." He sat down next to Téa, crossed one leg over the other. "Why not start with the event that has our dear Miss Gardner so thoroughly uncomfortable?" he asked, almost innocently. "I'm curious as to the nature of your relationship with the Kaiba family."

Joey raised an eyebrow. Téa flinched violently.

Tristan cleared his throat. "That's…prob'ly gonna take a while."

"We have plenty of time. Tell me."

So, they told him. And with just about every revelation he received, Yami grew more and more engaged in the conversation, until it seemed like he would actually explode for sheer excitement. They told him about the day they'd met Kaiba, right after Solomon Mutou had shown them his ultra-rare Blue-Eyes White Dragon. The teenage CEO had stormed into the shop like a walking hurricane, throwing a briefcase full of cards onto the front counter and offering a trade.

"Gramps said no, 'course," Joey said.

"I am sure, then, that Kaiba offered to buy it outright," Yami guessed.

"Yup. Carte blanche. Naturally, Gramps said no to that, too. Said he'd gotten the card from a friend o' his. Professor Hawkins, from back in the ol' days when they were archaeologists. Dunno where Hawkins got it, but…well, he told Kaiba there wasn't a damn thing he'd give it up for."

"But then, Kaiba isn't the kind of guy who takes too kindly to the word 'no,'" Tristan put in.

Yami smirked. He seemed to have been anticipating this leg of the story. He made a gesture with his hand as if to say, "Go on, please." So they told him about one of Kaiba's guys—his butler, probably—coming to the shop and "insisting" that Solomon play against Kaiba in a game of Magic & Wizards for the card. At this point, Yami asked: "A private game?"

"Yeah."

He seemed surprised, but said nothing more.

"So when Yugi gets home, Kaiba calls." Joey glanced over to the phone on one wall of the living room, next to the stairs. "Said Gramps wasn't 'feeling very well.' Yugi should come on over and pick him up. Well, we show up at KC's main building, and turns out the old guy had a frickin' heart attack."

Yami's eyes narrowed. "Is that so…?"

"So Kaiba shows up," Tristan took over, "lookin' all superior, and he shows off the Blue-Eyes. Says he won it off Solomon, and so he's got the right to do this, and he up and rips the card in half. Says now, nobody's gonna use it against him."

Keen interest returned. "And what happened next?"

"Mister Mutou gave Yugi his deck," Téa said, "and Yugi challenged Kaiba next. He summoned Exodia. It was the first time anybody had ever beaten Kaiba. Ever. And it was…well, I guess it was you."

Yami leaned back and mulled this over. "And this was our first match?" he asked after a while. "The first time Kaiba and I faced each other in the arena, Exodia was the deciding move."

"Well, yes. That's how you beat him."

"Mokuba'd just about shoot my ass if I didn't mention," Joey said, "Kaiba paid for the hospital visit. For Gramps, I mean. Kid says Kaiba was in a 'bad place' back then. Don't think I wanna know what that means. When Kaiba's in a good place, he's still pretty pissy."

"Did he, now?" Yami's eyes widened slightly. "And what about little Mokuba? Where was he, during this match?"

"Watchin' from the sidelines, same as us," Joey said. "Didn't really notice 'im at the time, but I'm guessin' the kid was pretty messed up, watchin' his brother lose. Prob'ly woulda looked the same if we'd killed his puppy." The blond blinked. "Don't know if he's ever had any pets, actually. Huh. He should get a puppy. A big one." He grinned at Tristan. "Back up for when Kernsy gets too cocky."

Tristan chuckled. "That'd be pretty funny, actually. Watching him get chased around the block by a golden retriever or something."

"You all seem rather fond of the youngling," Yami noted.

"Mokuba?" Téa asked. "He's a sweetheart."

"Born charmer, that kid," Tristan said. "Makes ya wonder where Kaiba got his prick gene from. Never really had anything against Mokuba, really. Once he opened up a bit, started actually talkin' to us…he's cool."

Yami looked at Joey. "And you, Joey? What would be your opinion?"

"Good kid," Joey said, and there was more to his voice than readily noticeable. "He'll go places. Like that's a shock."

"He…socializes with you?" Yami asked.

"Uh…yeah?" Joey raised an eyebrow. "What, he don't where you come from?"

"Not particularly, no. Not with us." The spirit frowned, rubbing his chin. "So…he's never been angry with you?" Téa flinched at this. "Never tried to manipulate you? Never challenged you to a competition of any kind?"

"Well, once," Tristan said, "out at Duelist Kingdom, he challenged you to a duel. Trying t' keep Pegasus from takin' over KC. Other'n that, no."

"If by manipulate, ya mean guilt-trippin' us into doing anything he damn well wants, sure," Joey offered. "That kid could get anything outta anybody."

"And you see this as…a good thing?"

"Well, it ain't bad." Joey looked surprised by the question. "Sometimes he can get kinda weird. Y'know, when the subject's his brother. Gets real protective. But that's no frickin' surprise. Hell, Serenity was like that, when we were little. Kid's pretty much golden. No complaints from me."

Yami stood up, walked over to the other side of the room, and he said, "…Fascinating."

"He's the opposite of his brother," Téa said, haunted. "You have to earn Kaiba's trust. You have to earn his respect. Like you did. But Mokuba…Mokuba trusts everybody. He respects everybody. Until they betray him."

Yami turned.

"He'll calm down," Joey said, placating. "Don't beat yourself up so much about it. Truth be told, I'm bettin' Kaiba's gonna want him t' apologize. Guy don't care what people think about 'im. Hell, he prob'ly thinks that article's kinda funny. He won't like hearin' how Mokuba blew up atcha."

"…He won't?" Yami echoed.

Joey looked at the ancient king and smirked knowingly. "Nah. I don't think so. Kaiba's big on the social image deal. I don't mean like, he puts on a show. But he keeps a poker face on, y'know? He don't make a big deal outta public opinion. Not anymore, anyways."

A surprised kind of smile rose on Yami's lips. "I think…I've made the right choice, after all. This is enthralling. Tell me, then…did Mokuba ever have a gang? A group of children who followed his commands?"

Joey flinched as if affronted by the question. "What? No. I know gang people; Mokuba ain't gang people. Last gang tried to recruit him, he spit 'n their faces. Kid's got two friends, maybe five if we count."

"And Kaiba did not steal the Blue-Eyes? He won it fairly?"

"Fairly? I dunno 'bout fairly."

"But he did not steal it."

"No. Kaiba's a lotta things, but he ain't a thief."

Yami's eyes were falling out of their sockets. His grin threatened to split his face. "I must meet this creature and its progeny of whom you speak so highly."

"Don't get us wrong, man. Kaiba's a dick."

Yami chuckled. Foreign, forbidden knowledge shone in his wine-colored eyes. "From what you've told me…I have a hard time believing that."


I'm sure that I've mentioned before that the "Paved with Good Intentions" series is based on the Duel Monsters anime. I take certain things from the original manga, like the title for the card game (just because I like "Magic & Wizards" so much better), but the characters and their personal histories and psychologies are taken from the second-series anime.

So why, you might have been wondering, is Yami so off-the-wall creepy?

Because he comes from the manga's universe. I originally based this characterization on a few things. His general personality came from volumes 1 and 2 of the original story (the black volumes, let's call them; they had black spines); his rivalry with Seto has quite a bit of a Death Note vibe to it, at least for me. A few other things have since become defining, but he's fundamentally built from the manga. So for this story, I decided to lift him directly from there.

As Tristan mentioned…think of it like the alternate universe scenarios from various DC and Marvel comics series. It's something very similar to that.