Looking Back and Moving Ahead

Sharee had just finished getting dressed when her cell phone rang. Upon picking it up, she looked at the caller ID and then answered it. 'Yugi? Hey, what's up?'

'Sharee,' he said. 'We're meeting Téa later today, but I was wondering if I could borrow some books on Ancient Egyptian Society.'

Sharee smiled. 'Ah. Finally ready to learn about the world the Pharaoh and Mayet came from then? Yeah, I think we've got a few you can borrow.'

'Thanks.'

YGO

Serenity was spending her last day in Domino City with Téa.

'We're almost there, Serenity,' Téa told her.

'Thanks, Téa,' Serenity said. 'I have to see this place before I go home. I mean, this is the place where the entire Battle City tournament began. You gotta make sure we hit every single spot.'

'You're getting the complete tour,' Téa told her. She grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the museum. 'Now, for stop number one: Domino Museum!'

Serenity laughed as they ran in.

Téa took her in and down to the room where the tablet was. 'Notice anything familiar?'

Serenity was stunned. 'I do! That looks like Yugi! Is this the stone tablet everyone was talking about?'

'Yup. This is where it all started.'

YGO

Mai found Sharee waiting for her in the café where they'd agreed to meet.

'Hey.' Sharee flicked her newspaper shut and put it aside. 'Glad you could make it.'

'Sure,' Mai said. 'So, what did you want to talk about?'

'Well, did you want something to eat or drink first?' Sharee asked.

YGO

Téa told her the whole story as they left the museum.

'So that's why Yugi joined the Battle City Tournament?' Serenity asked.

'That's right,' Téa agreed. 'And when Joey found out, he joined to help Yugi save the world.' They stopped walking. 'This is where Joey fought his first duel of the Tournament, against that lame-o, Espa Roba.'

'That's right!' Serenity exclaimed. 'I remember everything about this duel! I was in the hospital after by eye operation and Tristan was giving me the play-by-play.'

YGO

Mai followed Sharee through the museum. It didn't surprise her that the American knew her way around a place like this. But she also wondered what was here that Sharee would possibly want to show her. They walked downstairs into a basement of some description. Mai was surprised there was display down there.

'Look at this,' Sharee pointed to one of the stone tablets on display.

Mai started off looking at the top. 'Are those the three Egyptian God Cards?'

'Yeah,' Sharee said. 'Pegasus designed Duel Monsters based on an Ancient Egyptian game – well, more of a war tactic really. The Shadow Game you were forced into was pretty brutal, but it was also par for the course back then. Which why my father turned him down when Pegasus tried to hire him to find the God Monsters.'

'What happened to the guys he did hire?' Mai was a little afraid to ask, but felt like she should.

Sharee frowned. 'It's enough to say they're no longer with us.'

Mai winced and lowered her gaze. 'Wait a minute…is that Yugi?'

'Yes,' Sharee said, 'and no.'

Mai looked at her. For a long moment, she said nothing then she asked, 'Is that why he could intervene?'

'Yes,' Sharee said.

'Okay. Start explaining.'

Sharee smiled. 'Okay, but bear in mind what I do know is limited.'

YGO

Téa and Serenity found their way to the pier.

'Wait a sec,' Serenity said. 'This is where I saw Joey duelling for the first time. Isn't it?'

'Yeah, this is the spot,' Téa agreed.

At the time, Téa had thought Sharee was being harsh in telling her to shut up, and even striking her when she didn't. But, in hindsight, she could see why Sharee's patience had been worn thin. These people had been fully willing to crush her under a crate and Téa had not absorbed the full danger she was in. However, Sharee had long been taught how dangerous people could be. What Téa had been doing was very risky, and Sharee's worry had manifested as anger.

'To tell you the truth, Serenity,' Téa said, 'it was one of the worst days of my life!' She sighed. 'It's a good thing your brother has such a strong head or he never would have broken Marik's mind control. But it's not like I have to tell you that. You were there to see it all yourself.'

'Mm-hm,' Serenity agreed. 'I know. It was Joey's bravery that gave me the confidence I needed to take my bandages off. Of course, I never could have imagined what happened next.'

Téa nodded. 'I thought the insanity was over after that.' She looked at Serenity. 'Boy, was I wrong!'

Serenity chuckled.

'It was off to the Battle City Finals for more madness!' Téa shuddered. 'Boy, it's getting kinda chilly.'

Serenity nodded. 'We should get going.'

'Yeah. There's still plenty left to see.'

YGO

They sat in the museum cafeteria as Sharee explained everything to Mai.

As she finished, Mai sat in silence. 'And you're not…unnerved sharing your body with an ancient spirit?'

'I was at first,' Sharee admitted. 'But they respect our bodily autonomy and they don't do anything that we ourselves wouldn't do. Also, given that we talk to them every day and there is a division in our minds…it lowers the weirdness.' She took a drink. 'At any rate, what Marik's evil side did was actually punishable by law back in Ancient Egypt.'

'And the interfering in a Shadow Game he complained about?'

'No rules against that,' Sharee told her. 'Shadow Games were an affair of life or death, nine times out of ten, so allies were fully permitted to intervene if need be.'

Mai nodded. 'How come Joey could fight his way back and I couldn't?'

'Joey had previous exposure to the Shadow Realm, and to Shadow Games,' Sharee answered. 'It's like anything: exposure breeds resistance.'

'Hm…' Mai turned all this new information over in her head.

YGO

'Wow!' Serenity looked around the park. 'Check out all these kids duelling. I bet they all wanna grow up to be champion duellists.'

'And thanks to KaibaCorp, they can get all the practice that they need,' Téa said. 'Cause now these virtual duels can happen anywhere.'

'It's so cute to see kids duelling,' Serenity remarked.

Téa frowned. 'Not quite.'

'Huh?' Serenity looked at her.

'Uh…' Téa forced a smile. 'Sorry. You just reminded me of the kid, Noah, and he was anything but cute.' She sat down on a nearby seat. 'Well, it wasn't his fault. Noah was just lonely, that's all. He had no friends.'

'Yeah,' Serenity agreed. 'He was just bitter because he had no one to play with for so long.' She sat next to Téa. 'But, in the end, Noah realised he was wrong.'

'Yeah.' Téa thought it might be a bit more accurate to say that Shauna, on the outside, simply hadn't let Noah win. She had stopped him from leaving the virtual world in Mokuba's body and Noah and Gozaboro had been trapped in that world and then destroyed.

There was some truth to the idea that when a person died, it was better to leave them to rest in peace.

They grew bitter towards the living if you didn't.

And that could cause all sorts of trouble.

…But there was no need to tell Serenity that.

'At least Noah got to feel what it's like to have friends,' Serenity said.

'Good point,' Téa agreed.

They watched the kids for a moment longer.

'These kids are kinda cute,' Téa admitted. But they're only duelling for fun. When Yugi duelled in Battle City, a lot more was at stake.

YGO

After a while, Téa knew it was time to leave. Showing Serenity around town brought back so many memories about my friends and the Battle City Tournament. Now everyone's going their separate ways. Speaking of which…Tea stood up. 'I guess it's time to go.'

Serenity nodded. 'Yup.' Serenity stood up too.

I'm just glad that everything turned out okay in the end, Téa thought.

The two girls walked towards the train station.

Now that the Pharaoh has everything he needs to finish his journey, Téa thought, I wonder if I'll ever see him again.

'Hey, Téa,' Serenity said. 'Uh…Téa?'

Téa was startled out of her thoughts. 'What?'

Serenity fiddled with her hair. 'Thank you. I knew you went out of your way to show me around the city today. You didn't have to, and it meant so much to me!'

Téa smiled…but only for a moment, when she caught sight of the nearby public clock.

'Hold on,' Téa said. 'Is it two o'clock already?' She checked her watch. 'I'm totally late!'

'Oh, no!' Serenity gasped. 'Did you have something important to do, Tea?'

Téa sheepishly scratched the side of her face. 'Well, sort of.'

'I'm sorry,' Serenity said. 'I mean, I didn't realise I was gonna mess up your plans. I wish you had told me. I never would have dragged you around town.'

'Oh, don't worry, Serenity,' Téa assured her. 'I'm not that late.' But I have to hurry. Before long, the Pharaoh might be gone forever. I mean, who knows where fate's gonna take him next?

'Oh, well,' Serenity said. 'I have a train to catch.'

'Oh, right.' Téa smiled. 'I can't believe you're gonna be so far away!'

'I won't.' Serenity offered her hand. 'I'll be close, Téa. It's true. It's like Joey always tell me: he's connected to you guys with a special bond of friendship that can never break.'

'Joey said that to you?' Téa asked. She smiled and chuckled fondly. She reached out and shook Serenity's hand. 'I knew he was a big softie.'

'Now I feel like I'm one of your guys, Téa!' Serenity declared.

'But you've always been one of us, Serenity,' Téa pointed out. 'Ever since we first met you.'

'That means we'll never be far apart,' Serenity said.

'That's right,' Téa agreed.

Serenity smiled. 'Bye, Téa. For now.'

'See you later, Serenity.'

Serenity headed off to catch her train.

Meanwhile, Téa had somewhere else to be.

She ran to the town square. She's right. No matter how far apart I am from my friends, they're always right here in my heart. She found him waiting. I know the Pharaoh and I will always be friends, no matter what happens next. She closed her eyes. But I'm not ready for him to go away yet. She opened her eyes again and smiled. I guess all I can do is enjoy the time we have together.

With that, Téa ran forward. 'Yoo-hoo! Yugi! Over here!'

The Pharaoh turned, and he smiled.

YGO

Sharee had a long day.

But she'd committed to telling Mai the whole truth of what she'd suffered in the Shadow Realm and she had gone through with it. And, she had a feeling, it was the right thing to do. So, even though she was emotionally exhausted, she came home deeply satisfied with how the day went.

'You've got a parcel,' her dad immediately told her.

'I do?' Sharee stopped short.

'From KaibaCorp,' he said.

Curious, Sharee came into the dining room. As her father said, there was a parcel from KaibaCorp on the table. Sharee picked up the penknife her father had left on top of it and opened it up. As she lifted the lid of the box, she was surprised at what she found inside said box.

'What is it?' her father asked, walking into the room.

'It's a duel disk,' Sharee said. 'But it's different from the one Yugi and Joey have.'

For starters…it had a yellow colour scheme.

YGO

In a cheap motel room, a girl sat at a small table.

The girl was so pale, she might have been albino.

In the palm of her hand, hissing and sparking, there was a ball of white electricity.

AN: Due to the fact that I am being bombarded with requests by aspiring artists, despite multiple statements that I am not taking such requests, this is the last thing I will be posting on this website.

However, my stories are also posted on Archive of Our Own, so if you wish to continue reading these stories, you can find them there.

At this point, I am not deleting my account.