Chapter Text
There was something about walking in the rain that was just so peaceful to him.
The cool water sprinkling on the ground and on him, a vast contrast from the vivid, dry heat in his memories. It was refreshing. So different to how his mind was when left to wander that he couldn’t bring himself to care if he was soaked through to the bone. Yugi looked up at the sky, a damp gray color from all the clouds. The rain wasn’t going to stop anytime soon.
Good. It gave his mind something else to focus on, something besides where it always ran off to, when he was left alone with his thoughts. It was his favorite time to take a walk really. To wander around Domino City- though he never went too far from the Game Shop. Though he and his Grandpa had help now, Yugi didn’t want to be too far away in case he was needed.
He had spent enough time doing nothing already, lost in his grief, he wanted to do something . He wouldn’t want Yugi to stay like that forever.
It had been a year and a half since he last saw him, saw Atem. When the other half of their soul returned after Yugi’s desperate plea to the Gods as he pieced together the Puzzle once more. He felt Atem before he saw him, in that duel against Diva. Their mental link sprang back to life so vibrantly. To Yugi, it felt like soaring. They had been complete once more, and Yugi couldn’t hide his love over their bond, just as Atem couldn’t either.
But it had to end. A short deal with the Gods to allow Atem to assist the world one more time. Just for a few fleeting moments, they had been reunited.
It didn't cost Yugi much.
Nothing that he would truly miss at least.
And with it, the Puzzle had seemingly vanished. And the Ring, like all the other Items, was gone as well. Scattered to the winds like the sands that had buried them before. Yugi was alone with his thoughts once more.
Sometimes he felt truly alone. Everyone was busy with life now. Tea was off in New York, becoming a dancer like she had always dreamed of. They stayed in touch, with weekly video calls and texts almost every day, even the change in time zones wouldn’t keep their friendship apart. He had even met the lovely lady who caught Tea’s eye a few months ago in one of her college courses. Tristan was closer to home, working security and thriving in the job. A lifetime job, if his boss had any say in it. Duke was in no hurry to let Tristan go.
Yugi had to admit, the two worked rather well together, and Tristan was both a good deterrent to anyone trying to start trouble at Duke’s shop and a welcoming presence for anyone going to check out the games Duke had there. He was great with anyone looking for a casual or competitive viewpoint on most of the games Duke sold.
Joey was busy as well. With him being old enough finally, he had convinced his mother to give custody of Serenity to him. Of course, Yugi knew he had some help. He smiled softly as he finally took refuge at a sheltered bus stop to get out of the rain. Mokuba may have asked Roland to help persuade Joey and Serenity’s mother. Mainly so he would have a familiar face in class with him. The two had become fast friends, much to Joey and Kaiba’s dismay.
Well, Yugi wasn’t sure how much of that was dismay now. The two seemed to settle into something between rivalry and acquaintanceship. He wouldn’t call them friends, not yet. But Joey’s duels in the recent tournaments were nothing to scoff at. Any he entered without Yugi or Kaiba, he won easily. And even an unofficial duel between Joey and Kaiba had ended in a tie. Yugi could see the begrudging neutrality Kaiba was beginning to feel towards him.
It was enough to snag Joey a job at Kaiba Corp too. As a beta tester for new duel disk technology and a few games. Including Yugi’s own game, one that Kaiba had sole rights to marketing as part of a business partnership between KC and the Game Shop. It hadn’t been too surprising to Yugi that it came up, he and Kaiba could actually work well together when they wanted to. Yugi had handled the partnership, not wanting to give his grandpa another heart attack at how many zeros Kaiba tried to add to make it a deal impossible for the Mutous to deny. Not that Yugi would reject it either way. It was a good deal, one that gave his grandpa a break from running the shop on his own so much while also bringing in more business. Not that anyone else knew what it said.
Contracts written in dead languages still held in Domino, so long as the parties they pertained to could read it. Who knew?
Well, Ryou knew. He worked at the museum, part-time guide, part-time translator. As one of three and a half people who could read and fully understand ancient Egyptian writing. Yugi had giggled when Kaiba brought a contract written in the same language to him. And hearing Joey try to decipher it had sent him into a full laughing fit. He knew some of the language, but still playfully mistranslated things just to get Yugi to laugh.
Pegasus, however, hadn’t been that amused by it when he stopped by to drop off a few secret projects to Kaiba. Duel disks that were the combined effort of both CEOs, ones that could work with high amounts of Shadow Magic. The one Yugi had used against Kaiba and Diva had been a beta design, Yugi had pouted about Kaiba using him as a test dummy when he was told. It gave them the data needed to make the duel disks for anyone who could use Shadow Magic safely though, so Yugi had a bit of revenge by gleefully listing off who all that was.
There were only five in total. A sad fact, only a handful of magic users were left- ones who could use it safely anyway. Ones who could call upon the Shadows and spirits of various realms. Yugi, of course. Kaiba, Ryou, and Malik. And the look of disdain on Kaiba’s face was worth it when Yugi told him Pegasus could as well. Of course, with just so few, it did make keeping the magic a secret a lot easier. Any slip-ups in control could be passed off as the hologram tech malfunctioning in a duel.
It was never a malfunction though. Or a test of the systems. It was oftentimes an accident, an overlaying of their dimension; a world that feared anything that could not be explained. And of the varying other worlds; ones of magic, wonder, good and evil, darkness and light, chaos and order, shadows, neutrality, balances. Full of memories, fear, happiness, pain, and love.
Sometimes it was a lot of fear. Yugi guessed having Dark Necrofear as a silent guardian would surprise anyone, Ryou had been a nervous wreck for a while before adjusting to her, eventually coming to summon her just for company at times. Malik had a rough time explaining giant scorpion sightings in Egypt, but people were adjusting to that. His magic was wild, even with Ishizu trying to help him.
And the Kaiba mansion had a new permanent resident, sometimes six of them. But the one to stand out was the pure white dragon with a diamond-studded collar, the name Kisara written on it in elegant script. She wore it proudly, spending most of her days lounging in the sunroom. Her brothers, Azure and Quartz, were more adventurous, traveling between the spirit realm and earth as they pleased. While the smaller Alternate dragons were still getting the hang of it. Yugi teased Kaiba about it often.
Not that he had any room to talk.
“There you are! You’re going to catch a cold out here!”
Yugi grinned sheepishly as someone familiar appeared next to him. Dressed in a white sundress with a gold and blue belt, her hands on her hips as she stared at Yugi. “Mana.” Yugi greeted. She wasn’t Atem’s Mana, not really. While Dark Magician Girl had been the manifestation of Mana’s Ka and Ba uniting, the two were separate now. But she had admitted Dark Magician Girl was quite the mouthful to say, taking on the name Mana to make it easier.
“I just wanted to take a walk. It wasn’t raining when I started.” Yugi admitted, ready for whatever scolding was going to come.
“Be glad it’s me and not Mahaad here.” Mana pointed out. Once again, a familiar name to Yugi. But so different from the spellcaster who was Atem’s loyal friend.
Much like Kaiba, Yugi liked to skirt around the rules the group had about summoning. Only to help out around the shop, that was what Yugi decided. Anyone who wanted to come help was free to, he wouldn’t force anyone. Mana and her sisters jumped at the chance, and Mahaad soon followed to help keep an eye on things. They were also good company, keeping the bleak thoughts in his mind away.
Kuriboh was a great help for that. While the Magician girls liked helping around the shop, Kuriboh preferred bouncing around and helping in the house more. Even if his help was limited.
And, much like Kaiba, Yugi had dragons of his own that wouldn’t leave him be. Unlike Kaiba, his dragons were far more volatile, to put it simply. Gandora couldn’t fit in the shop. He barely fit in the test rooms at Kaiba Corp at full size. And the readings off of just one of the three were nearly enough to explode the analyzing machines.
It was no wonder Bakrua had a healthy fear of them. Of the sharp teeth and gleaming gems. His dragons earned the Destruction titles they came with.
“I was going to head back soon.” Yugi promised with a sheepish grin as he gestured out into the rain. “However, as you can see…” It was a heavy downpour, the rain a soothing noise against the roof of the covered bus stop.
“Besides. The store is so dead today.” Yugi groaned. “Kiwi offered to stay so I could get out for a bit.”
Mana sighed, hanging her head. “That’s when you go play games, not walk in the rain!” She complained to him. “Solomon not back yet?”
“Not yet. Pegasus still can’t find the missing spirits. So Gramps wants to keep looking. And he’s… looking for the five still.”
Mana sobered at that, knowing what Yugi meant. While the Ring and Puzzle were possibly actually lost in the world now, there were five Millennium Items unaccounted for. Ones that had once been buried where the Ring and Puzzle were. Kaiba hadn’t grabbed them, and the Plana had no interest in any but the Puzzle. When Pegasus had grown concerned after hearing what happened, he had gone to check on the final resting place of the Items.
Only to find it in worse shape than Kaiba and Diva had left it.
There was nothing to do about it but wait, however. Pegasus reassured that he had people out searching. Yugi wasn’t sure who he meant, but a few messages from Mai and Diva both about a week ago gave him a good idea on who Pegasus found. And grandpa had volunteered himself and a few colleagues to search around as well. People who knew what to look for, and who knew to handle the Items with careful hands .
Yugi hummed, looking up at the sky. The rain was still coming down hard, but it didn’t seem as if a thunderstorm would start up. He heard Mana whisper a few words next to him, smiling as the air around them both warmed up. “Thanks.” Yugi said gratefully.
“Come on, we should head back.” Mana replied, looking at Yugi. “I don’t think the rain’s going to let up any time soon.”
She had a point. Even though it wouldn’t storm, the sky was as gray as gray could get, and not a sign of blue sky in any direction. No matter what, they’d be walking home in the rain. Best to get it over with before it became too late in the day. “Lead the way.”
The two walked in a far more companionable silence than what Yugi had been in before. It was peaceful, warm, like a friendly duel. Mana began to talk about her sisters, Yugi teasing her about any trouble the group had gotten into with Mahaad. He also promised to bring the two Kuriboh to him for the night, if only to give Celtic Guardian a break. Winged Kuriboh was a new spirit, and Yugi’s own Kuriboh took to being an “older brother” again like a fish to water. Including showing him just how to get into trouble with most other spirits.
Yugi smiled, feeling much lighter with Mana there. Yet there was something charged in the air that made the two walk a bit more warily. “It’s not supposed to storm.” Yugi’s smile turned into a frown. The feeling in the air was familiar, a charged feeling that brought on goosebumps, like lightning could strike close to them.
“My Moon, that’s Shadow Magic.” Mana paused, speaking in a hushed, rushed tone to Yugi. “ New Shadow Magic.”
New?
That wasn’t meant to be possible.
“The magic’s sealed, Atem made certain.” And yet, Yugi could feel it too. There was Shadow Magic in the air, and it wasn’t any that Yugi knew. Malik was in Egypt, Pegasus and Kaiba at Kaiba Corp speaking of a new deal for Duel Monsters, and Ryou was at the museum for at least another three hours.
Out of the corner of his eye, down one of the alleyways, Yugi caught a flash of bright light. It was slow, not a camera flash, but one of a duel summon. “That way!” His legs were moving before Yugi even thought about what he was doing.
If there was a new sign of Shadow Magic, it could only mean trouble. And Yugi wasn’t one to leave trouble alone. He hurried to the alleyway, stopping with his eyes widening in shock at what he saw.
In front of him was a large segmented serpent- no, it was a dragon. Covered in metal plating, with two plated tubes connected to its neck and head. Yellow eyes glinted dangerously, illuminating with the lightning suddenly striking overhead. It glared further down the alleyway, its body curled around something with its tail rattling dangerously.
It was one of the missing cards Pegasus had told him about. Yugi had found one of the Cyber Dragons. It matched the image of the card Pegasus had shown him. He brought up his duel disk, pulling out a card to summon as he realized what the dragon was facing. There was a man in the alleyway. Had he summoned it?
No, Yugi realized as he silently summoned Dark Magician. Mahaad appeared next to Mana, frowning at the scene Yugi had brought him to. Yugi’s eyes widened as he took in exactly what was going on.
The Cyber Dragon was curled around something. Two small children! And the man ahead of the dragon raised his arm, something silver in his hands. “Mahaad, stop him!” Yugi ordered before he could fire the gun.
It went off just as Mahaad used a magic attack to break it, the bullet bouncing off of the Cyber Dragon harmlessly as Mahaad’s staff pinned the man to a nearby building, holding it sideways against the man’s throat to keep him there as Mana and Yugi rushed towards the dragon.
It hissed in warning, lowering its head as the plating seemed to expand. The two children it was curled around didn’t react to that, both looking fearfully towards the man instead. “Peace, we aren’t here to harm them.” Mana said soothingly, raising one hand. A magic circle appeared in front of her palm, flashing purple before going back to a soft yellow color. “Cyber, what’s happened here?”
Yugi slipped past the dragon, letting Mana handle it as he looked at the man Mahaad had pinned. “What’s a bunch of freaks like you doing here?” The man spat, gripping the staff to try and shove Mahaad away, but the magician stood firm. “Move that blasted dragon so I can finally be rid of those brats for good! We got no use for ‘em!”
Yugi stopped walking when he heard that. “Excuse me?” He asked softly.
“What’s it to you, kid? I’ll kill you too! Just like her worthless spawn, I can’t even claim them as my own, it’s too disgusting, for what they can do!”
The air in the alleyway seemed to grow colder as Yugi took another step forward, eyes narrowed in a glare that Mahaad looked worriedly at. The shadows in the alley seemed to grow darker, beginning to shake around their edges. “Is that so?” Yugi whispered.
The Cyber Dragon seemed to calm at the feeling in the air. It stopped hissing, lowering its head down to the two children it protected as Mana moved in front of it, blocking their view of Yugi for the moment.
Yugi had never seen the appeal of Penalty Games. They were a darker version of Shadow Game, one that Atem seemed to abandon after a while, once Yugi began to be aware of the times when he would take control. Yugi wasn’t blind to what they were. He heard about the things Atem- Yami then- would do to anyone who dared to try and face him or harm Yugi.
He had to admit, Atem was rather creative when he wanted to be. But Yugi wasn’t looking for creativity.
Mahaad backed off as one of the shadows lashed out, curling around the man’s neck. So many possibilities on how to punish the man, each one darker than the last. The temptation of the Shadows was great. But Yugi wasn’t worried about that.
He had already been tempted, and it was that temptation that Osiris had accepted as half the price for Atem to help him against Diva.
For his return, even for just a moment, you must accept something more, Pharaoh’s Queen. The golden eye appeared on Yugi’s forehead, so similar to how it would for Atem. The shadows lifted the man off of the ground, tightening as he fought against them, clawing at his own neck to try and release himself.
“What are you doing?!” The man screamed. “Let me go!”
“For the crimes you’ve admitted to?” Yugi raised an eyebrow. Tristan had said there were a few missing persons cases going around. And the man had mentioned ‘us’, it was possible they were connected. And the way the man paled told Yugi he was on the right track. “No. I think it’s best you face more judgement for this. Given you were trying to kill innocent children.”
The shadows moved around the man, seeming to swallow him whole. The man screamed again, and the Cyber Dragon hissed loudly to cover the noise. Yugi frowned, he hadn’t expected the man to be so loud, he didn’t want the children to hear the screaming. As quick as it began, it was over. The shadows retreated, Yugi blinking as they did. He didn’t think it would be that easy to use the power…
The snapping of the dragon’s jaws drew his attention back to the matter at hand. “Mana, Mahaad. Let me handle this.” Yugi turned around, smiling softly at the two magicians.
“My Moon.” Mana began hesitantly. “They’re so small…”
Yugi walked forward, holding out his hand to the dragon as it snapped again. If Mana was worried, then something was wrong. “Easy now. I’m not here to hurt them.” He let his control of his magic loosen, the feel of it coating the alleyway.
Once it reached the Cyber Dragon, it began to calm, looking curious yet wary at the same time. My hatchlings… Its voice echoed, the magic translating it as Cyber lowered its head back to cover the two.
“They’re okay now.” Yugi soothed. “You know this magic, yes? I swear on my own life and magic that I mean no harm to your hatchlings. It’s going to rain harder though, I’m worried for them.”
It didn’t take long for the dragon to move, pressing its cool, metallic muzzle against Yugi’s hand. A sign of trust, Yugi knew from his own three. I know this magic. By the Four, Queen of the Moon, do not harm them. And with that, the dragon uncurled.
“Cyber wh-what’s going on? W-what did you do?!” An immediate response came from one of the children.
Yugi looked at the two in shock, finally able to see them in full. He hadn’t realized just how young they were! The older boy, with dark blue hair and glaring eyes that matched moved in front of the younger. He couldn’t be any older than seven, if Yugi had to guess. While the younger one was only four, maybe five? With light teal hair and tearful gray eyes. Yugi’s look softened as he moved a bit closer.
“It’s alright. I meant what I said to Cyber, I’m not here to hurt you.” He soothed, crouching down to be more level with them.
It was amusing to him, having to crouch down to speak to someone. Usually it was people having to do that with him.
“My Moon, the Shadow Magic we felt, it’s coming from both of them.” Mana whispered to him, moving closer to Yugi while staying relaxed. She gave the two children a reassuring smile, only to be met with a glare from the older again.
“Why do you call him that? And what are you?” The boy demanded.
Yugi chuckled. “That’s a long story. But Mana here is Dark Magician Girl, a duel spirit like Cyber is.” He introduced, pulling out Mana’s card from the holder on his shoulder to show the boys, not missing the way the younger peeked out from behind who Yugi assumed was his brother at that. He looked curious, clinging to the back of the older’s shirt. What surprised Yugi about him was how he turned to hiss at Cyber, the same way Cyber had hissed when Yugi heard his voice.
They could speak to the Cyber Dragon? Yugi looked them over again, finally noticing that the younger boy held cards in his hand. They had nearly a full deck of cards! And what Mana had said, the magic had come from them… He reached out quietly, feeling magic lash out at his own while some of it recoiled away from his. She was right. “You’ll exhaust yourself, keeping Cyber here though. Where did you get the cards from?”
“Cyber gave them to us when I found his card.” The boy muttered, shaking his head. “I’m not sending him away!” He said, glaring over Yugi’s shoulder.
Yugi looked back, amusement filling him when he realized the boy was glaring at Mahaad. Understandable, his magician did look quite intimidating standing there in full magician robes, hat and staff included.
Do you want to head back? You might want to warn your sisters we’re having company. Yugi sent silently. Mahaad raised an eyebrow at that, but nodded in agreement, disappearing in a flash of light. “It isn’t safe to keep him out for long periods. I promise, that man isn’t coming back ever . You’re safe now.”
“Safe?” The younger boy spoke up for once, looking at Yugi in slight awe. “You can speak to Cyber?”
“I can. I swore I’d protect the Shadows a while ago, and that includes anyone who can use the magic.” Yugi nodded. “Since you summoned Cyber, that means I’ll protect you too.”
“Like a superhero?” The younger whispered.
“Syrus.” The older boy hissed, switching to the same hissing the younger- Syrus- had done before.
Just how long had they been around the Cyber Dragon, to be able to copy a dragon language so easily? Not even Kaiba could, and he spent the majority of his time around the Blue-Eyes, even at work. Mana didn’t seem too surprised at the way the two spoke. “Cyber Dragons must hoard cards, and it’s understandable if they’ve been protecting these two from everyone, even their so-called family.” Mana mused. “It explains why they have a nearly full deck.”
Yugi knew dragons liked to hoard things. Kisara and her brothers hoarded any stray technology, and Joey’s Red-Eyes seemed to have quite the rock collection. Cyber Dragons hoarded cards, and their chosen humans it seemed. Yugi put away his cards, deactivating his duel disk as thunder rumbled overhead again. “What’s your name?” Yugi asked the older boy.
He seemed hesitant to say it, looking up at Cyber at first. Cyber had calmed down, recognition in his eyes as he looked at Yugi. He gave a low hiss, as if he had realized just what he called Yugi before as well. The dragon uncurled fully, nudging the boys closer to Yugi. “...Zane.” The boy finally murmured, as if Cyber had given him the answers he was looking for. “And my brother is Syrus.”
Yugi nodded, standing up fully with a smile. “Well Zane, Syrus. It seems like you’re both hurt, and staying in a cold dirty alley won’t help, especially with this rain.” He said, holding his hands out to the boys. “Will you come with me and Mana? We can get you out of the weather. And Cyber can come with as well of course!”
Syrus didn’t have to think about the answer. It was somewhat alarming how quick he was to hurry over to Yugi. Even Zane looked startled at him. Yugi didn’t move, not wanting to upset Zane by taking Syrus any further away from him. “...why? Why would you really help us?” Zane whispered.
“Because. It’s my duty to help.” Yugi said gently. “But I’m not doing this just out of duty. You two are just kids, and what that man said… it isn’t right. So I want to help make things right for you two.” He wasn’t sure how he could do it, but getting them out of the rain was a start. Going back home, getting the boys dried off and warm, then probably contacting Kaiba to see what could be done seemed like a good game plan.
“And why did Cyber call you Queen of the Moon?” Zane added to his question.
“That’s a long story tied into why Mana calls me ‘My Moon’.” Yugi chuckled. Zane certainly was curious, but that was a good thing. “It’s my title. Though if you two are duelists… you might know me better as the King of Games.”
That made Zane’s eyes widen. Bingo , Yugi had found the right thing to say for the boy. He huffed as Syrus chose then to cling to him, not expecting the sudden weight against his legs, though it was a lot less weight than Yugi had expected. At least the title seemed to made Zane’s mind up for him.
“...Okay. We’ll come with then.”