Things had been… off with Seto since the duel with Yugi. They'd managed to get him home in one piece, but he'd fallen asleep the moment they entered the manor, and had managed to sleep all night, which was, frankly, a miracle in itself. Noah hadn't thought anything of it - in fact, he was happy that Seto had managed to get ten hours of sleep, but the morning after, when Seto had woken up, he'd been rather… stoic.

Not that Seto being stoic was super strange, but something just seemed… off, in a way that Seto had never seen before.

Whatever Yugi had done to him had been… something, that was for sure. He hadn't doubted Reika when she'd told him the Shadow Games were real, but seeing it and not knowing what it had done to his brother was another matter completely.

Things at KaibaCorp were going smoothly though. Despite Seto's loss to a complete unknown, sales for their duel tech were up, as was their partnership with Pegasus. Noah had also just closed an agreement with an American manufacturer to create new magnifying glasses for surgeons to complete more delicate procedures without worry.

Still… he couldn't help but be a little concerned about Seto.

"I'll be going out of town for a bit," Seto remarked suddenly, standing in the doorway of Noah's office. "I think I'll get some fresh air up in Niigata."

Noah blinked in surprise. "You? Get out of the city? Are you sure you're feeling alright?"

Seto nodded. "Of course. I just want to work on my duel disk system on my own with no other distractions. You understand that, right?"

In theory, yes, it made sense to want to get crisp mountain air or whatever, but all of that coming from Seto of all people might as well have been a completely alien language.

Still, Noah gave him a slight nod.

"Excellent. Then I assume you have no issue watching Mokuba until I return then?"

"Of course not." Once upon a time he would have, but if it kept Mokuba from asking too many questions, he was happy to do so.

"Thank you. I should be back in a few weeks," Seto replied, grabbing his briefcase and walking out of the office.

With a baffled scoff, all Noah could do was rub his forehead.

Brothers.

Still, he wasn't content just letting Seto go off on his own without knowing what exactly had put him in this state, so he dialed Reika's number and put his phone to his ear - no need to make this a public call after all.

"Reika, can we meet up tonight? At the manor? I have some questions for you."

"I'll be there at seven."

She was, as always, prompt, and was at his front door precisely at seven o'clock. Hobson showed her into his office, and left with a bow.

Noah wasted zero time in speaking as she took a seat on the sofa. "What the hell was that thing the Other Yugi did to Seto?"

A ghost suddenly appeared next to Reika, and Noah realized with horror that she resembled her somewhat. "The Mind Crush Penalty Game. There was darkness in Seto's heart. The Spirit of the Puzzle exercised it from him, and now it is up to him to pick up the pieces. He has apparently chosen to do that by going into the countryside."

Noah blinked in confusion and glanced at Reika.

"I talked to him too, Noah. I had a feeling that's what this was about, so I thought I'd let Azila take the lead on this."

"There was a darkness in your brother. I could sense it from the screen we were watching the duel on. If I could sense it without being in the room, I cannot imagine how strong it felt to the Other Yugi," Azila continued. "I do apologize if it frightened you. I know the Shadow Games can be a bit much to take in. But I promise, this one meant no harm."

"Implying there are ones that do mean harm."

Azila shrugged. "Well, yes. Shadow Magic is Dark Magic."

Noah shuddered. "But he'll be okay otherwise?"

"All the Mind Crush did was expel the darkness from your brother's heart. Reika mentioned the day of the duel was the same day that your father died."

Noah's lips pressed together, and he sighed warily. "That is… a fair and excellent point. Seto has always tried to distance himself from our father but that week always seems to put him on edge."

"It's only been two years, Noah," Reika reminded him. "After all the shit your dad did to him, I'm not surprised he's still affected by it."

"Nor am I. I guess I just didn't expect he'd have this sort of reaction to the Mind Crush game."

Azila gave him a gentle, almost motherly type of smile. "I believe he is just worried about you and your brother. I am sure he has a lot to work through in regards to your father and might not want you two to see it."

Noah drummed his fingers against his desk. It made sense, he supposed. It didn't sound like Seto though, not the confident, put together, stoic man he had always known him to be… but if the shadow game had messed with Seto's head, did Noah even know who his brother was anymore?

"If it helps, while we were on the phone he went on and on about some duel disk system and how it's going to revolutionize dueling. He sounded fine to me other than wanting to get away from the city for a bit," Reika added.

"He's right. He's been tinkering with the Duel Disk idea since we made the agreement with Industrial Illusions about holograms. He thinks it's going to be the next stage in getting Duel Monsters to the masses."

Reika rolled her eyes. "Like it isn't already, with the holograms and arenas being built around the world?"

He laced his fingers together and rested his elbows on the desk. "The idea of having to move on to the next big thing once you have something successful was one of Gozaburo's founding principals. Seto does it with gaming technology, I do it with medical technology."

"You're both going to work yourselves into an early grave, I swear."

"At least we would die with better reputations than Gozaburo."

"That's not a good thing," Reika replied flatly, before the sound of vibrations filled the room. "Oh - hang on, my dad's calling. Hey did, what's - what?" She lost color in her face, eyes widening in alarm. "I - okay, yeah, I'll be right there. I'm leaving the manor now."

Noah rose to his feet the instant she did. "Reika?"

"I have to go. Gramps is in the hospital - I don't know what happened but dad said he just suddenly went unconscious," she replied, fingers shaking as she struggled with the button of her coat. "I'm sorry. I wish I could stay and tell you everything about the Games."

"Don't worry about that. Keep us updated on Solomon," he waved her out of the office and pressed a button on his desk phone. "Kemo, open the gates. Miss Mutou has an emergency she needs to tend to."

When he lifted his head, Reika was gone, and Noah frowned in concern as he turned to face the window instead, watching the gates open and Reika's car speeding out of them.

Seto's odd behavior, now Solomon's sudden medical emergency… they couldn't possibly be related… could they?

Reika's chest was tight, her breathing shallow as she sped down the street, breaking what she knew had to be several traffic laws in the process. The radio was on, but the only throbbing beat she heard was her own heart in her ears.

How? How could this have happened? Gramps didn't have any medical issues aside from a bad back and arthritis in his hands. He shouldn't have just been able to fall unconscious out of nowhere like this.

She didn't know how she maneuvered her car into a parking spot, and only barely remembered the sprint through the parking garage into the emergency room where her family (and Yugi's friends) were waiting.

"Mom… what happened?" she whispered. "Where's dad?"

"We still don't know. They just took grandpa back to run some tests. All Yugi told us was that there was a duel and suddenly he passed out and couldn't be woken," her mother explained. "Your father is speaking with the doctors now. There might be some… tough decisions to make if they can't figure this out, and as the older of the two…"

"The decision falls to dad. Got it." She just hoped it wouldn't lead to that.

"Takeo is on his way, but you know how long it takes to get here from Tokyo."

She did - it was one of the reasons why she hadn't seriously considered going to school there. "I'm glad I was in Domino when it happened. I can't imagine having to wait a whole train ride to get here." She didn't envy Uncle Takeo at all.

"What are you even in Domino for, Reika? Our family dinner isn't until Friday."

"Noah called and asked if I wanted to hang out. I had some time, so I agreed," she said with a shrug. It wasn't a complete lie, anyway. "No big deal. But I… can probably take a couple of days off school and just do online coursework, at least until we know for sure what's wrong with gramps. The professors won't mind."

Her mother nodded. "Yes, I think that would be a good idea. I think it's best at this point that everyone stay close." Her mother always stepped up to take charge when her father was stressed, so Reika was not going to argue with her. "Go take a seat with Yugi, little star."

Reika nodded and did so, taking the empty seat next to Yugi while her mother and aunt stood anxiously near the doors. It seemed like there would be enough privacy for her to speak, so…

"What really happened, Yugi?" she whispered.

"Your mom told you what happened. There was a duel and grandpa passed out."

"You're a terrible liar and we know magical objects with untold magical powers exist. Try again."

Yugi sighed and rubbed at his temples. "It was Pegasus. He sent a cursed USB. I plugged it in and he appeared on the TV. He challenged me to a timed duel and… I think he started a Shadow Game because the room got all dark and cloudy. He read every play I tried to make. I couldn't do anything to him and the time ran out. When the duel ended he… took Gramps' soul. I saw Gramps in the TV for a second, but then he was gone. We didn't know what else to do, so we called an ambulance."

Reika blinked in surprise and horror. "Wait - Pegasus did this? Oh no… Seto mentioned something about setting up a meeting with him to discuss his new invention. If Pegasus can read minds - "

If she warned the Kaibas, Pegasus would likely find out, and if Pegasus found out… who knew what else he might do to her grandfather. "Why would Pegasus do this? What could he possibly want with you?"

"He invited me to Duelist Kingdom, his tournament? If I go there and win against him, he'll give Gramps his soul back."

"Oh, that's all you have to do? Beat the mind reading creator at his own game?" she scoffed.

"It sounds impossible, I know, but I have to have faith that I can do this," Yugi sighed. "I believe in the heart of the cards, like grandpa taught us."

"I know, I know. I remember," she replied, glancing at the older Mutou women still standing near the door. "Have you told them about the invite yet?"

Yugi shook his head. "I don't know how to even start that conversation."

"However you do it, do it quick before your dad gets here and tried to talk you mom out of letting you go."

"Fair point. I'll be right back."

Reika sighed and put her head in her hands when Yugi had gone. Fuck. What the hell was she supposed to do?

"Yugi's dad is a hard-ass huh?" Joey suddenly remarked.

Reika let out a little laugh and lifted her head to look at Joey. "That's an understatement. He thinks Duel Monsters is only for kids. He never believed a word of grandpa's stories about the objects, he thinks it's ridiculous that I'm still involved with KaibaCorp now that it's a gaming company."

"Really? Even though they make other stuff?"

She nodded. "He thinks Yugi and I should be bringing pride to the Mutou name by going into shit like politics."

"Wow. It sucks that you weren't just in a magazine article about being the future of businesses and Yugi didn't just beat Japan's reigning Duel Monsters champion and has his name plastered all over the place."

She snorted. "Right? I just don't get it."

"Are you guys gonna tell your family about the magic?" Anzu asked.

"I don't know. That's something Yugi and I will have to discuss together… when we're not in a hospital." They probably should say something - it wasn't like it would be easy to hide the power of the Items, not when she had Azila and Yugi had the… Other Yugi. There wouldn't be a way for Takeo to deny what was happening. On the other hand, knowing their parents, there would be a lot of fear and concern for them, and now that Reika had had a taste of freedom by going away to school, she wasn't sure if she wanted her parents to be constantly checking in on her.

The door to the department opened, and her father stepped through, his normally sparkling violet eyes dulled, and his hair, which he normally kept tied back in a ponytail or braid, was messy and sticking up in random places.

"Dad…"

"Reika, Yugi. They just brought him back from radiology. They'll be transferring him upstairs soon but… you guys can go back and see him, if you want."

Yugi nodded once, and that was all Reika needed to nod as well.

They were ushered back among the chaotic beeping, yelling, and frantic doctors and nurses, until they came to a stop in front of Solomon's cubicle.

Reika felt her heart stop, Solomon's warm laughter echoing in her ears as she approached his still form with too many wires coming out of it.

If this was the result of a Shadow Game, she wanted nothing to do with them.

.

It was a delicate balance, doing online classes, keeping up with her friends, and making time to visit grandpa in the hospital, and Reika was barely managing. Getting a call from Lector asking for her to attend a Young Five meeting had not been something she wanted to do, but ultimately, knowing that her mother would be working just down the hall was a little comforting.

Still, when she entered the meeting room, the air felt… off, and she had to repress the urge to shudder as she took a seat at the table.

"Will Noah be joining us, sirs?" Katsuo asked.

"What? No. Master Noah is… out of town conducting some meeting about his new medical project. We have some news for you all," Gansley said, rising to his feet and balancing himself carefully with his cane. "Ma - Mister Pegasus has given you all permission to attend the Duelist Kingdom Tournament in Master Seto's absence."

Her eyes widened in surprise. "That is… quite the honor, sir. Thank you."

"How are we getting there? Reika said something about Yugi having to take a ship with the other participants. Will we be on the same one?" Mei asked.

"Of course not. Mister Pegasus has arranged a private helicopter for you instead," Lector said. "He has been most accommodating with us throughout Master Seto's absence."

Hideo grinned and pumped his fist in the air. "I'm so excited to see some of the world's best players compete on an international stage!"

"You are to conduct yourselves like adults, Hideo, and bring pride to the company," Crump glowered, and Hideo lowered his arm to the table. "That means no doing… whatever you just did."

Hideo rolled his eyes. Crump pretended not to notice.

"You are to report here at four o'clock tomorrow. The helicopter will be waiting for you. If you don't make it, we have instructed the pilots to leave without you. Do you all understand?" Nezbitt asked, eyes scanning the room robotically, and received five nods in return. "Good. We expect to hear nothing but praise from Ma- Mister Pegasus about your behavior."

That was twice now that one of them stumbled over Pegasus' name.

"You have nothing to worry about, sirs," Sora said, the mother hen among a chaotic group of chicks. "It isn't every day an opportunity like this comes up."

Something sparked in Lector's gaze, and Reika couldn't stop the streak of worry that shot down her spine.

What was going on with them?

.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please return to your seats, we will be landing in Duelist Kingdom shortly."

"Okay, does anyone else think it's super weird that Pegasus named this island Duelist Kingdom before he even announced the tournament?" Hideo asked.

"He has more money than anyone would ever know what to do with. Makes sense that he'd come up with a wacky name for the place he lives," Mei said with a shrug. "Maybe this is some sort of deep-seated dream of his come to life."

Katsuo laughed. "I can't blame the guy. I can't imagine there's too much to do when you have your own private island. Having a tournament here's a smart idea."

Or it was a good place to lure someone there to steal from them.

Reika forced herself to uncross her legs and arms and sit in a more relaxed position as they began to land. It was exhausting, having to play the role of someone who was excited about coming to Duelist Kingdom when all she'd wanted to do was curl up and cry, and the idea of being in front of Pegasus had her stomach twisting in knots.

And Pegasus was waiting for them as the helicopter landed carefully on the pad.

"Ah welcome Young Five! I am so happy that you all made it safe and sound," Pegasus greeted, a wide smile on his face. "Come, I'll show you all to your rooms so you can freshen up for dinner. It will be served at six-thirty."

One by one, Pegasus guided them to their rooms, and once Reika was alone, she heaved out a heavy breath, allowing her body to begin the shaking it had desperately been repressing throughout the flight.

All of this felt like a trap. But why? What would Pegasus want with them?

Quietly, Reika unpacked her suitcase and tried not to think about the potential consequences. If she was going to survive a few days of this, she needed to be calm, cool, and collected.

A knock on her door very quickly ruined that plan, and she tensed once again when she discovered Pegasus on the other side.

"Miss Mutou, I am delighted to see that your cousin is participating. I've been very curious about him since he defeated Kaiba-boy. Though I have to admit, I am rather surprised you both agreed to come to the island knowing your grandfather is having a sudden medical issue," Pegasus said, taking a seat on the room's sofa.

Her nails dug into her palms and sat across from him. "Our grandfather is a huge fan of the game, Mister Pegasus. We knew this is where he would want us to be, not crying over a hospital bed."

"But what do you think?"

Reika forced herself to keep eye contact with him. "About what, sir?"

"About your grandfather's sudden illness and being away from home. You were… so easy to read when we first met."

A laugh escaped her. "Well that's not great. I've always been told I have an excellent poker face. Or… dueling face."

Pegasus hummed, intrigued. "I wasn't aware you were a duelist."

"Of course. Yugi and I learned together."

Pegasus grinned, causing her to repress a shudder. "How interesting. How about we play a game?" he asked, pulling his deck out of an interior pocket of his jacket.

She rose to her feet and moved to her bag, where she kept her deck. "Can I set a ground rule, Mister Pegasus?"

"You may! I want you to feel comfortable while you're here."

Well, that was a lie. "May I request that this not be a Shadow Game?"

Pegasus seemed to stiffen. "A Shadow Game? I must say I don't know what you mean."

"Yes, you do. My grandfather didn't just happen to fall into a coma. I know it was you. You sent Yugi the cursed USB and started all of this. What I don't understand is why."

She felt the shadows in the room ripple, and raised her arm in defense, the way Azila had shown her as both of their foreheads lit up with the Eye of Anubis. Shadows clashed against each other, Pegasus grinning like a loon and Reika desperately trying to stop her wrist from shaking and trying to push her shadows forward to counter his.

But her inexperience with the Shadows was clear, and Reika was thrown against the wall, breath ripped from her longs and pain blooming between her shoulders. When her ears stopped ringing, she could hear Pegasus laughing as he approached her, and he grabbed her chin before she could duck out of the way.

"Remember, Miss Mutou, dinner is at six-thirty. I expect you to be present."