Chapter Text

Chapter 1 - New Enemies

I weighed my options, looking down at the cards in my hand. Baby Dragon, Thousand Eyes Idol, Alligator’s Sword, and for some reason Swordsman of Landstar. Not exactly a winning combo. My stomach twisted. Not a single heavy hitter in sight.

I gritted my teeth, doing my best not to let it show. This wasn’t going as planned. This wasn’t going as planned at all

I looked across the field toward my opponent.

Seto Kaiba. There he was, standing across from me like he owned the damn place, which he kinda did. Arms crossed, eyes sharp, and that stupid, smug grin spread across his face. Like he already won. Like it wasn’t even a contest.

Damn it. This was supposed to be my glorious victory. The day I’d finally knock that arrogant smirk off his face. My vindication. My moment to prove that, once and for all, I could beat him.

Instead, I was staring down the barrel of defeat, with nothing but a miracle—or a cheating card draw—to get me out of this.

"Stalling, Wheeler?" Kaiba’s voice cut through the air, sharp and smug, like nails on a chalkboard.

“Not at all,” I snapped back, even though I absolutely, one hundred percent was stalling. 

Kaiba’s smirk widened. “Of course you’re not. Take your time. I’m enjoying this.”

Jerk.

Finally, I slapped down Time Wizard in defense mode, more to buy myself some time than anything else. The hologram shimmered into place, the little wizard twirling his clock staff like he had any chance of doing something useful.

Kaiba let out this dramatic huff. “Seriously,” he said, his voice dripping with disdain. “That's what you're going with?”

I opened my mouth to retort—something sharp and not very nice was already locked and loaded—but then, the lights of the duel disks started to flicker. The holograms flickered, too, the brilliant images fading in and out like a bad connection.

And then, with a flash, they disappeared completely.

“What the—?” I muttered, my gaze snapping to Kaiba.

He looked just as stunned as I felt. His duel disk glitched, letting out a faint whine before shutting down entirely. “Impossible,” he growled, glaring at it like he could scare it into working again.

Then, right above the duel field, where the holograms had been, a massive shape materialized. My stomach dropped. It wasn’t a hologram—this thing was way too real. It hovered, shadowy and shifting, a hulking figure that barely had a shape. Its face—or what I guessed was its face—was pure nightmare fuel: a dark void where a face should’ve been, with two glowing holes for eyes, burning like twin suns.

“What the hell...?” I whispered, my words barely audible.

The thing hovered there, massive and silent for a moment, before it spoke. Its voice was a rumble, deep and echoing, like it came from everywhere at once.

“Seto Kaiba,” it boomed, the words heavy enough to make the floor beneath me vibrate. “I have come to destroy everything you love.”

Kaiba didn’t even flinch. He crossed his arms, glaring up at the thing like it was just another opponent. “Yeah?” he shot back, his tone as sharp as ever. “Pick a number.”

The thing let out a laugh—deep and hollow, like it’d been ripped straight from a horror movie. “You think you can stop me, boy? Pathetic.”

My gaze darted toward the audience. Yugi, Téa, and Tristan were standing near the edge of the arena, their faces pale and tense. Téa had a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. Yugi looked like he was already running through a hundred strategies, his brows furrowed in that determined way he got when things turned sideways. Tristan’s fists were clenched at his sides, his face twisted in concern.

Suddenly, the lights above the arena flickered again, and an eerie, dark smoke began to spill from one of the upper cabins—the VIP section where the staff were supposed to be. It crept out slowly at first, like it was testing the air, and then it poured in thick tendrils, curling downward like living shadows. My gut twisted at the sight of it. Something about that smoke felt wrong .

Kaiba raised a hand to his ear, his sharp voice cutting through the growing tension. “What the hell is—” he barked. I couldn’t hear what the response was—but whatever he heard, it made his eyes go wide. Before I could process what was happening, Kaiba was off, those impossibly long legs of his eating up the distance as he bolted toward the spectator stands.

I blinked. Hold up—Kaiba just left the arena. That’s not allowed, right? We were still in the middle of a duel. Which meant... he forfeited? Which meant... I won ?

I groaned, dragging a hand down my face. “Man, nah, not like this!” I muttered. Beating Kaiba was supposed to be this big, glorious victory, not whatever this mess was.

My eyes darted to the gang. Yugi was already halfway up the stands, hands gripping the Millennium Puzzle tight against his chest. His face was serious—more serious than I’d seen in a while. Téa and Tristan weren’t far behind him, their expressions matching his concern.

“Ugh, you’ve gotta be kidding me,” I muttered, and without wasting another second, I sprinted after them.

By the time I caught up to Kaiba, he was already in the VIP cabin. The door hung wide open, and inside was pure chaos. His staff was sprawled across the floor, most of them half-conscious, groaning softly. Smoke lingered in the air, stinging my eyes.

But Kaiba didn’t even glance at the wreckage. He had one poor guy by the collar, shaking him like a rag doll.

“Where is my brother?!” Kaiba bellowed, his voice sharp enough to cut steel.

The guy in his grip barely managed a whimper, his head lolling as his eyes rolled back.

“Useless,” Kaiba spat, shoving him aside and marching to the massive console in the center of the room. His hands flew over the keyboard with a kind of desperate precision, and within seconds, a monitor sprang to life, showing a grainy feed of security footage.

My eyes darted to the little camera in the corner of the room, piecing it together as I watched the playback.

The video showed the room just minutes earlier, filled with staff working at the consoles. Then the smoke began to creep in, thick and unnatural. Mokuba was at the console, shouting something to the others, his face pale. Panic spread through the room as the smoke grew thicker, swallowing everything in its path.

And then it happened.

A tendril of black smoke shot out, coiling around Mokuba like a snake. The air around it warped, rippling like heat off asphalt. Mokuba struggled, his mouth open in a silent shout, but then—just like that—they were gone. The smoke, Mokuba, everything.

Kaiba stared at the screen, his shoulders tense and his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

“I’m sorry,” Yugi said softly, his voice carrying the kind of empathy only he could muster. “It looks like he’s been taken.”

“Again?!” I blurted out before I could stop myself. As soon as I said it, Téa and Yugi snapped their heads toward me, daggers practically shooting from their eyes. I held up my hands in surrender, wincing.

But, come on. The kid gets kidnapped every other month. This was, what, the eighth time now? At this point, it was starting to feel like a lazy plot twist from some third-rate writer. 

Kaiba didn’t even look at me. He was too busy glaring at the monitor like he could will Mokuba back into existence through sheer force of rage.

Before I could dig myself into a deeper hole, the monitor flickered again, and we all froze. The static buzzed louder, and then the image snapped into focus. 

And there it was. The thing.

Void man. Nightmare guy. Whatever you wanted to call it, it had Mokuba in its grasp. The kid dangled in the air, struggling and twisting like a fish on a line. His arms flailed, and he kicked out, trying to free himself, but the shadowy tendrils coiled tighter around him.

“Let me go, you stupid fu**** ****** *** ****** motherfu—!” Mokuba shouted, his voice cracking but fierce. A tendril snapped up and wrapped around his mouth, cutting him off mid-insult. But, wow. Kid had a mouth on him. Not so small anymore—definitely more of a teenager now, and with a Kaiba temper to match.

“Mokuba!” Kaiba’s voice was sharp, almost frantic, though he tried to mask it. He took a step toward the monitor, fists clenched at his sides. “Where is he?! If you’ve harmed him, I swear—”

“Careful, Kaiba,” Void Man interrupted, his voice oozing dark amusement. “You wouldn’t want to provoke me, now, would you?”

Kaiba’s jaw clenched so tight I thought he might break his own teeth. “What do you want?” he spat.

Void Man tilted his head, almost like he was considering the question. “What do I want?” he repeated, a mocking lilt to his tone. “Ah, Seto Kaiba, always so direct. Fine, then. Let’s make it simple. A game. You and me.”

Kaiba’s eyes narrowed. “A game,” he repeated flatly.

Void Man’s laugh was slow and deliberate, like he was savoring this. “Oh, yes. A game. High stakes, of course. You come to me and play. If you win, the boy goes free. But if you lose... well, let’s just say you won’t be worrying about much of anything anymore.”

Kaiba’s fists clenched tighter, his knuckles going white. “Where?”

Void Man leaned closer to the screen, his hollow eyes glowing brighter. “A lovely little place. Abandoned, quiet, full of... history. You’ll know it. The old KaibaCorp research facility on the outskirts of the city. In an hour. Be there.”

Kaiba’s lip curled in disgust, but before he could say anything, Void Man’s voice cut through again.

“Tick tock, Kaiba. Time is ticking. Don’t keep me waiting.”

The screen flickered violently, the image distorting into static before going black.

To be continued....

Chapter Text

Chapter 2 - The Duel

Kaiba's icy gaze swept over us, his lips pulling into a thin line of barely contained irritation. "Stay out of my way," he snapped. "This is my problem, and I don’t have time to babysit.”

Yugi stepped forward, not backing down an inch. His serious gaze met Kaiba's head-on. "Kaiba, that was shadow magic." he said firmly, his hand resting on the Millennium Puzzle. “There’s no way we’re staying out of this."

For a moment, Kaiba just stared at him, his jaw clenched tight. Then he let out a low growl. "Do what you want.” he said curtly, spinning on his heel and storming toward the exit.

"Wait up!" I called, but he was already moving too fast. We scrambled to keep up with him, practically jogging to match his furious pace. Leaving the duel arena—and probably a whole stadium full of confused fans—behind us, we hurried after him as he made a beeline for the parking lot.

Kaiba stopped in front of his car, which looked like it had been plucked straight out of a racing movie. Sleek, black, and definitely faster than anything legal. Of course, it had only two seats.

Without hesitation, Yugi yanked open the passenger door. He shot us a quick look. "Get a cab!" he shouted, then jumped in beside Kaiba.

"Hey, wait—" I started, but it was too late. The engine roared to life, and they were gone, the car tearing out of the parking lot with a screech of tires. Kaiba clearly didn't give a rat's tail about traffic laws.

Téa was already in motion, waving down a taxi at the curb. "Come on, guys!"

One pulled up within seconds, and we piled in, the driver looking only mildly annoyed at our frantic energy.

“What’s the address?!” I asked, panic in my voice as I climbed in behind her. Tristan looked at me, his face mirroring my confusion.

Téa rolled her eyes, her phone in hand with KC Maps open. "256 Obsidian Ridge Road in the Domino City Outskirts." she said crisply, shoving the phone toward the driver. "The old research facility."

The driver nodded and took off, merging into traffic with a squeal of tires. I fidgeted in my seat, tapping my foot anxiously. "Man, this is so messed up," I muttered. "Why's it always gotta be shadow magic and kidnappings?"

Tristan shook his head, his expression mirroring my own frustration. "I know, right?"

Téa shot us both a look. "Guys, focus."

I took a deep breath, nodding. She was right. No point in complaining when Mokuba was in danger.

When we finally pulled up to the facility, Kaiba’s car was already there, parked at an angle like he’d just skidded to a stop and jumped out. The driver’s side door was wide open, the car still faintly humming.

The old KaibaCorp research facility loomed dark in front of us, a skeleton of twisted metal and cracked concrete. The building stood like a forgotten giant, windows shattered, walls tagged with graffiti, and vines crawling up its sides like nature was trying to swallow it whole. The wind whispered through the broken panes, creating an eerie whistling that sent a chill down my spine.

Why was it always places like this? Seriously, is there some rule that kidnappers have to pick the most haunted, run-down spots they can find? Would it kill them to stash their victims somewhere nice for a change? Like, I don't know, maybe a Burger World?

We pushed through the rusted front gate, its hinges squealing like a dying cat. Inside, the air was thick with dust and the scent of damp neglect. It wasn't hard to find Kaiba and Yugi—Kaiba's angry voice echoed through the empty halls, guiding us like a less-friendly GPS. We followed the sound to what looked like an old auditorium. Rows of decaying seats faced a massive, cracked screen. Exposed wires hung from the ceiling, and the flickering lights cast weird, twitchy shadows over everything.

Kaiba stood on the stage, facing off against Void Man, who loomed like a dark stain against the dim light. His form was like a big ol’ pit of shadows, no face, no shape—just those freaky glowing eyes, staring us down like headlights in the dark. Mokuba was hovering beside him, his small body limp and seemingly unconscious, suspended in the air by tendrils of that creepy black smoke.

“You!” Kaiba barked, his voice sharp and commanding. “Put him down and face me.”

“Ah, Seto Kaiba. So impatient. So predictable." A sinister chuckle echoed from Void Man. "All in good time. But first, a challenge. Let us play your favorite game."

Yugi stepped forward, his expression serious. "Careful, Kaiba. It's going to be a Shadow Duel."

Kaiba flicked a sharp glance at him, like he was about to argue, but then his gaze snapped back to Void Man. For a split second, he hesitated. Maybe his time with the Pharaoh had taught him something after all.

"Fine," Kaiba said sharply. “You release my brother if I beat you!”

“Release him?” Void Man said, his voice a dark, echoing rasp. “You are correct, Seto Kaiba. But let us raise the stakes. A simple victory is far too... mundane. The loser will be banished to the Shadow Realm for all eternity.”

His words hung in the air like poison, cold and heavy.

Kaiba didn’t flinch. Instead, a smirk crept across his face, sharp and full of that arrogant confidence only he could pull off. “Deal.”

The moment the word left his lips, a glowing circle materialized around Kaiba and Void Man, symbols and shadows swirling together like some messed-up light show. The air grew heavier, colder. I swallowed hard.

Void Man’s grin widened, and for the first time, my stomach twisted with a really bad feeling. “Of course,” Void Man said, his voice carrying a sinister edge. “I’ll need a proper vessel for this.”

Before anyone could react, the tendrils of smoke coiled tighter around Mokuba, pulling him in like a black hole devouring its prey. The smoke twisted and surged, funneling into Mokuba’s body as if it were being sucked inside. The kid’s form convulsed, his limbs twitching as the darkness poured into him.

Then, suddenly, Mokuba’s eyes snapped open. They glowed a bright, unearthly light, and his face twisted into a smirk that wasn’t his own.

“Shall we begin?” Mokuba’s voice said, but it wasn’t his voice at all. It was deeper, layered with the unmistakable malice of Void Man.

Kaiba’s smirk froze, his expression turning to something that almost looked like panic. “No,” he said sharply. “Leave him out of this!”

Void Man—Mokuba—let out a low, mocking laugh. “Tsk, tsk, Kaiba. A deal is a deal. You already agreed.” He gestured toward the glowing circle around them, his smirk widening.

Kaiba’s fists clenched, but there was nothing he could do. Evil Mokuba drew his first card with a flourish, the duel officially beginning.

And I? I stood there frozen, watching as Kaiba faced off against his own brother, possessed by something straight out of a nightmare.

The duel was intense from the start, the air practically crackling with tension. Kaiba’s moves were sharp and calculated, as always. He summoned Vorse Raider and launched an attack against Void Man—well, Mokuba, but not Mokuba. The blow landed, and Void Man’s life points ticked down.

But instead of looking worried, Void Man—through Mokuba—just laughed. The sound was wrong. Hollow. Twisted.

“You’re hurting him, Kaiba,” Void Man taunted, Mokuba’s lips curling into a cruel smile. “Every attack, every move you make, it’s all for nothing.”

Kaiba didn’t respond. He just grit his teeth and set another card, his face locked in that cold, determined mask he always wore. But then it was Void Man’s turn, and things took a nasty turn.

Void Man played Shadow Tendrils, an eerie, writhing mass of a monster that slithered out of the hologram with a life of its own. When it attacked, Kaiba flinched, looking like he’d actually been hit. His life points dropped, and he staggered slightly, one hand gripping his chest.

“Kaiba!” Yugi called out, stepping forward as if he was about to jump into the circle.

Kaiba snapped his head around, glaring at him. “Stay out of it!” he barked, his voice sharp.

Yugi stopped in his tracks, his face tight with worry.

On his next turn, Kaiba shifted gears. He summoned his Blue-Eyes White Dragon, but instead of attacking, he placed it in defense mode. The majestic beast let out a thunderous roar, then coiled protectively in front of him.

“What’s he doing?” Tristan muttered beside me. “Why isn’t he attacking?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted, my gut twisting. Kaiba wasn’t the defensive type. He didn’t play safe—he played to crush his opponent.

I frowned, trying to figure out his angle. Kaiba wasn’t the type to play defensively unless he was setting up for something big. Was he holding back? Gathering his strength for a final strike?

Despite his defenses, Kaiba's life points were dwindling fast. Only his Blue-Eyes White Dragon remained on the field, and even that was in defense mode. My heart pounded. Come on, Kaiba. You always have a plan. Don't you?

Kaiba's eyes flickered with something—fear? Anger? I couldn't tell.

"Let him go," Kaiba demanded, his voice low but firm.

Void Man let out another laugh, this one colder and more sinister. “But we're just getting started.”

As he spoke, the black smoke began to leak from Mokuba’s body, swirling upward like a storm cloud. Void Man formed above Mokuba, hovering around him, like some nightmarish ghost. He wasn’t inside Mokuba anymore, but he was close—too close.

The kid dangled beneath, limbs slack, hanging a few inches above the ground like a lifeless marionette. His eyes were closed—unconscious. It was eerie and wrong, seeing him like that, and a cold knot tightened in my stomach.

"You're running out of time, Kaiba," Void Man sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "Soon, both you and your brother will be lost to the shadows."

Kaiba's eyes flickered—just for a second—from the duel disk to Mokuba. His usual steely gaze had a crack, something almost... desperate. Then he locked eyes with me.

"Wheeler!" he barked, his voice sharp but edged with something I couldn't place. "Grab Mokuba and run!"

For a second, I froze, his words not registering. But then something clicked. I don’t know how I didn’t see it before—what Kaiba was planning. My chest tightened. “Kaiba, no!” I yelled, panic surging through me.

“WHEELER, NOW! RUN!" he roared, leaving no room for argument.

Everything blurred into motion. I lunged forward, sprinting toward Mokuba with my heart pounding in my ears. The smoky tendrils clinging to him seemed to writhe and hiss as I approached.

Behind me, Kaiba's voice rang out, firm and resolute. "Blue-Eyes White Dragon," he commanded, a note of finality in his tone. "Attack my life points directly!"

A searing light flared behind me, the familiar roar of the Blue-Eyes filling the chamber. The sheer force of it sent a rush of heat against my back.

"Hang on, kid!" I muttered, reaching Mokuba. I grabbed him, yanking him free from the smoky tendrils. They resisted, almost alive, but I pulled harder, adrenaline giving me strength. He collapsed into my arms, heavier than he looked—a dead weight like a sack of bricks.

Clutching Mokuba, I turned just in time to see the blast from Kaiba's attack hit him square in the chest. The force knocked him off his feet, sending him crashing to the ground. Void Man's manic laughter echoed, chilling me to the bone.

"Move, Joey!" Yugi's voice sliced through the chaos, urgent and strained.

I didn’t think—I just ran, Mokuba’s limp body heavy in my arms. The circle around the duel began to glow brighter, the light pulsing and growing as I dragged him out.

“Such a noble sacrifice, Kaiba,” Void Man taunted, his voice dripping with mockery as he hovered above the circle. His glowing eyes bore into Kaiba. “But ultimately futile.”

I turned, my legs still moving, just in time to see Kaiba’s life points hit zero.

The circle on the floor began to pulse and shimmer, tendrils of dark energy spiraling upward. Glowing vines shot out, wrapping around Kaiba like chains. He struggled, teeth gritted, but they tightened, pulling him down.

"Kaiba!" I screamed, trying to step forward, but Mokuba's weight and Yugi's grip held me back.

Kaiba looked up, meeting my eyes. For a moment, all the walls he put up were gone. There was a grim acceptance there. "Go," he said firmly.

And then, the light swallowed him. It was like watching him get pulled into a vortex, the swirling energy dragging him down until there was nothing left but empty air.

“No!” Desperation tearing at my throat. I tried to lunge forward again, but Yugi and Tristan pulled me back.

"We have to get out of here!" Yugi urged, his voice tight with urgency. "Now!"

I looked back one last time, my eyes burning as I stared at the spot where Kaiba had disappeared. The image seared itself into my memory: the swirling light, the chains, the determined set of his jaw, and then... nothing.

"Come on!" Téa yelled, already moving toward the exit.

With Mokuba unconscious in my arms, we turned and ran. The walls around us began to shake, cracks snaking their way up like the building itself was coming apart.

We didn’t stop. Not until we were out of that damned place.

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Chapter 3 - Old Friends

It was already past midnight by the time we dragged ourselves into the Kame Game Shop. The place was quiet, the kind of quiet that only comes when the rest of the world is asleep. We figured it was as safe a place as any, and it was the closest spot to the research facility. None of us wanted to risk being out in the open any longer.

Tristan and I carried Mokuba inside, laying him down on the couch. He was still out cold, his chest rising and falling in slow, steady breaths. His black hair was puffed up around his head like a storm cloud, wild and messy. The older he got, the more he started looking like his brother.

I slumped to the ground next to the couch, leaning my head back against it. My body felt heavy, like someone had taken all my strength and left me with just the weight of my thoughts.

Kaiba was just... gone.

The memory of what happened played on a loop in my head, over and over. Him yelling at me to take Mokuba. The way he called the attack on himself, the Blue-Eyes roaring as it struck. His face, set with that damn Kaiba determination. The swirling light pulling him down, his final look, and then—nothing.

A few hours ago, the only thing on my mind was finally beating Kaiba in a duel. It felt stupid now. Funny how perspective works. 

Téa’s voice broke the silence. “Should we... bring Mokuba to a hospital?” she asked softly, her hands wringing nervously.

Yugi shook his head, standing near the counter with his arms crossed. His gaze was heavy, focused on Mokuba. “I don’t think there’s anything they can do for him.”

“I can’t believe Kaiba... that he just did that,” Tristan said, pacing the room like he didn’t know what to do with himself. “Why the heck would he attack himself like that?!”

Yugi’s face was serious, his brows drawn tight. “Kaiba knew that whoever lost would be banished to the Shadow Realm,” he said, his voice grim. “And he had to make sure it wasn’t Mokuba…”

Téa’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. “Is he really... gone?”

Yugi didn’t answer right away. His gaze was fixed on the floor like he was searching for some kind of answer there. “I don’t know...” he admitted, voice trailing off. “The Shadow Realm is... unpredictable. A place of chaos. Time doesn’t work the same way there, and neither does reality. He might still be alive, but...”

“But what?” I snapped, sharper than I meant to.

Yugi looked at me, his gaze heavy, and for once, he didn’t have an answer. “I don't know how to get him back…”

I let out a breath and leaned my head back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. My brain was going a mile a minute, trying to make sense of everything. Kaiba was gone. Just like that. And none of us had a clue how to fix it.

We sat there until late into the night, weighed down by our own thoughts. The question of what now? circled endlessly in my head, each time coming up blank. There wasn’t an answer, not one I could see, anyway.

Eventually, Téa nudged us toward bed, her voice soft but firm. “Come on, guys. There’s nothing else we can do tonight.”

She was right, of course, but it still felt pointless. What was supposed to look different in the morning? Kaiba would still be gone. And we’d still have no clue what to do next. But I got up anyway, dragging my feet to the spare mattresses Yugi had dragged out.

Sleep didn’t come easy. I tossed and turned. My dreams were chaotic and heavy—flashes of Kaiba’s piercing gaze, flames licking at the edges of my vision, and that twisted, evil laughter echoing through it all. When I woke up, the sun was just starting to rise, casting a dim orange glow across the room. I felt worse than before—like I hadn’t slept at all.

The others were already up, rummaging quietly. Téa was setting out cups for tea, and Tristan was flipping through a stack of old Duel Monsters cards, his movements restless. Yugi sat by Mokuba’s side, watching over him like a hawk.

The sun was fully up when Mokuba began to stir. He opened his eyes with a groan, looking pale and worn out. He tried to sit up but slumped back onto the pillow.

"Hey there, buddy," I said, hovering over him. "Take it slow."

Mokuba squinted up at us, one hand pressing against his head like it was pounding. “What... happened?” he asked, his voice groggy.

“Careful,” Yugi said, moving to his side to help him sit up. “You’ve been through a lot. Take your time.”

Mokuba blinked, his gaze darting around the room uncertainly. “What happened?” he repeated, more insistent this time. “I remember the smoke... and that thing grabbing me... messing with my brother. And then—nothing.”

The words hit like a punch. We all winced, exchanging uneasy glances.

Mokuba’s expression shifted, concern creasing his brow as his eyes darted from one of us to the next. “Where’s... my brother?”

I opened my mouth, but the words got stuck in my throat. How the hell was I supposed to say this?

“Your brother...” Yugi stepped in, his voice calm. “He did something very brave.”

Mokuba’s eyes widened slightly, fear flickering in them as he caught on. Yugi continued, his words gentle but steady. “He sacrificed himself so we could escape.”

Mokuba stared at us for a moment, his lips moving soundlessly before he managed, “Sacrificed? No. He wouldn’t—” His voice trailed off, cracking on the last word.

“He gave us a chance to save you,” Yugi said softly. “To get you out of there.”

“No. No,” Mokuba said, his voice rising as panic set in. “Seto wouldn’t—he— what happened?! ” he snapped, his tone high and desperate.

“He lost a Shadow Duel,” I said, the words coming out rougher than I intended.

For a moment, Mokuba just stared at us, his brain clearly trying to process it all. Then his face crumpled, and he clenched his fists so tightly his knuckles turned white. “No. No... That idiot,” he muttered, his voice breaking. “That stupid, stupid idiot! Why does he always have to—”

Téa moved closer and wrapped her arms around him. "I know," she whispered. "I'm sorry..."

Mokuba didn’t fight her. He just sat there, shoulders shaking slightly as he struggled to keep it together.

I leaned back against the wall, feeling utterly useless. I wanted to say something to make it better, to fix it somehow, but no words came.

After a long moment, Mokuba finally let out a shaky breath and pulled away from Téa, wiping at his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

"We're gonna get him back, right?" he looked at us with a mix of hope and desperation. "It's the Shadow Realm. People have lost Shadow Duels before and come back! You came back!" His gaze landed squarely on me.

I flinched. Yeah, I came back after my duel with Marik, but Kaiba... he hadn’t just lost. He’d completely vanished. There wasn’t even a body he could come back to.

Just as I was about to say something, Yugi spoke up. "I've been thinking about this..." he said, his eyes shifting between all of us. We all turned to look at him, waiting.

"Kaiba could be anywhere in the Shadow Realm," Yugi continued, "and we don't even have a way to get there."

Assuming Kaiba was still... well, alive. I understood why Yugi didn't finish that thought. No one wanted to say it out loud.

"Yeah, that about sums it up..." I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck.

Yugi hesitated, and for a second, he looked like he wasn’t sure he wanted to say what he was about to say. “Well…” He paused, his voice uncertain. “There might be someone who could help us.”

“Who?” I asked, frowning. Who the hell knew anything about the Shadow Realm except—no way.

"Bakura," Yugi said quietly.

The name hung in the air like a curse. Tristan let out a choke. "Bakura? Are you kidding me?"

Téa’s jaw dropped. “Yugi, you can’t be serious,” she said, shaking her head. “After everything he’s done—”

“I know," Yugi admitted, his expression grim. “I know. But he knows more about the Shadow Realm than anyone else. If anyone knows how to get there and back, it's him."

“Yug’, do ya hear yourself?” I cut in, standing up and pacing. “This is Bakura we’re talkin’ about! The guy who tried to kill all of us more times than I can count! And you wanna ask him for help?”

Yugi’s gaze didn’t waver. “If it’s the only way to save Kaiba, then yes.”

I threw my hands up in frustration. “And what if he decides to help himself to Mokuba or, I don’t know, our souls while he’s at it?”

Téa finally spoke, her voice concerned. “Joey’s right. This is dangerous. Bakura doesn’t do anything unless there’s something in it for him.”

“And we’ll deal with that if it happens,” Yugi said, his tone growing more resolute. “Right now, Kaiba is trapped in the Shadow Realm. If Bakura can get us there or tell us how to find him, we have to try.”

Mokuba’s voice cut through the argument. “If there’s even a chance he can help us save Seto, we have to take it.”

I stopped pacing, turning to look at him. His face was pale, his eyes tired, but there was no mistaking the determination in them.

I let out a long sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Fine,” I muttered. “But when this goes sideways, don’t say I didn’t warn ya.”

Yugi nodded, his expression serious. “It’s a risk, but it’s one we have to take.”

Tristan finally found his voice, though it was shaky. “So… what’s the plan? We just call him and hope he’s in a good mood?”

Well, that was exactly what we did.

It wasn’t even an hour later when the doorbell rang. The sound cut through the uneasy silence like a knife. We all froze for a second before Téa, the bravest of the bunch, got up to answer it. And there he was—Bakura, sauntering in like he owned the place, the Millennium Ring glinting ominously around his neck.

Seeing that cursed ring again sent a chill down my spine. Yugi clutched his Millennium Puzzle a little tighter, his eyes never leaving Bakura.

"Thank you for coming, Bakura," Yugi said cautiously.

Bakura nodded, a thin, knowing smile playing on his lips. “Yugi,” he said smoothly. “Always a pleasure, though I suspect this isn’t a social call. What’s so urgent that you’d invite me here of all places?”

Yugi took a deep breath. “We need your help, Bakura. It’s about the Shadow Realm.”

At that, Bakura’s smile widened just slightly. “The Shadow Realm, you say? My, that is a serious matter indeed. What exactly do you need from me?”

Yugi didn’t waste any time. “Kaiba lost a Shadow Duel,” he said, his words slow and deliberate. “We managed to escape, but he... he sacrificed himself so we could get out.”

“He didn’t just lose the duel,” I cut in, unable to keep my mouth shut. “He completely vanished. Sucked into some kind of... I dunno, vortex thing.”

Bakura’s eyes narrowed, and his gaze flicked to me. It was like he was sizing me up, though for what, I had no clue. “Vanished, you say?” he murmured. “That’s quite the tale. And you believe I can assist in retrieving him?”

Yugi nodded earnestly. “You’ve been in and out of the Shadow Realm before. You know it better than anyone.”

Before Bakura could respond, Mokuba stepped forward, his voice determined. "Please, I need to save my brother. I'll do anything—"

I shot Mokuba a sharp look, but it was too late. A sly smile was already creeping across Bakura's face.

“Anything?” he echoed, his tone cool and measured. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp as a knife. The tension in the room thickened like a fog, and I swallowed hard, my anxiety spiking.

“Very well,” Bakura said after a long, weighted pause. “I’m inclined to assist you. But naturally, my help comes with a price.”

Of course it did. I felt my jaw clench. Nothing with Bakura was ever for free.

Before he could start listing his twisted terms, Yugi cut him off. "The Millennium Puzzle is off the table, Bakura. If that’s what you’re after, you can forget it."

Bakura let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head like he was amused by Yugi’s boldness. "Relax, Yugi," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "I’m not interested in the Millennium Puzzle today." His smirk deepened, and his eyes gleamed with something calculating. "My sights are set on something... let’s say, a bit more fiery."

An uneasy feeling twisted in my gut. "What do you mean?" I asked warily, not liking the way Bakura’s eyes shifted toward the display of Duel Monster cards on a shelf nearby. His gaze lingered there for a moment, calculating, before sliding back to Yugi.

“I wonder, Yugi,” Bakura began, his voice almost casual, “what is Kaiba’s life worth to you? Is it worth more than, let’s say... your most powerful card?”

The room went dead silent. Yugi’s eyes widened slightly as realization dawned on him. “The Winged Dragon of Ra...” he murmured.

“The very same,” Bakura confirmed, his smile widening just a fraction. “One of the Egyptian God cards, Yugi. A fair trade, wouldn’t you say? The life of Seto Kaiba for the power of a god.”

My jaw hit the floor. Ra? He wanted Ra ? “Yugi, you can’t—” I started, my voice louder than I meant it to be.

“Bakura,” Yugi cut me off softly, his gaze steady. “The Winged Dragon of Ra isn’t just a powerful card. It’s dangerous. You know what it’s capable of.”

“Indeed, I do,” Bakura said, his eyes gleaming with excitement. “Which is precisely why it’s a fitting price for my cooperation.”

I looked between Yugi and Bakura, my stomach doing flips. Yugi’s expression was tight, and I could practically see the gears in his head spinning. “Bakura, isn’t there another way? Another price?” Yugi asked, his tone almost pleading.

“I’m afraid not, Yugi,” Bakura replied smoothly. “This is my price. Take it or leave it.”

Yugi’s gaze flicked back to us. His hands clenched at his sides, the weight of the decision pressing down on him. After a long pause, he sighed, and my heart sank like a rock.

“Alright, Bakura,” Yugi said at last, his voice heavy with reluctance. “You have a deal.”

Bakura’s smile was triumphant, his satisfaction almost oozing out of him. "Wise choice—" he began, but Yugi cut him off sharply.

"But here’s how it’s going to work," Yugi interrupted, his voice hardening. "You’ll get the card, Bakura, but only after we’ve all safely returned from the Shadow Realm. This way, you have every incentive to ensure our success."

Bakura paused, his expression unreadable, the moment stretching out uncomfortably. Finally, he nodded slowly, though his reluctance was clear. "So be it," he said. "A wise precaution, Yugi. You drive a hard bargain."

I exhaled, the breath leaving me in a rush. Praise Yugi and his strategic thinking. At least he wasn’t letting Bakura walk all over us.

Bakura turned his gaze back to the group, his predatory smile returning. "Very well," he said smoothly, the words rolling off his tongue like oil. "Now, let’s discuss how we proceed. Time, after all, is of the essence."

Bakura stood at the center of the room, the Millennium Ring glinting ominously as it spun slightly, like it was alive. His voice was low, almost bored, as he explained, “I’ll open a portal to the Shadow Realm—a  small one. Just enough for you to slip through without attracting the attention of... less-than-friendly entities on the other side."

He gestured to himself. "The Millennium Ring will serve as an anchor, keeping the portal stable on this side. But it will also require another Millennium Item," his eyes flicked to Yugi, "to stabilize the passage on the other side and ensure you return.”

Yugi nodded, his hand brushing the Millennium Puzzle hanging around his neck. 

"The energy required to sustain a portal—even a small one—is immense," Bakura continued, his tone matter-of-fact. "There's only enough power for three people to cross through. That's Kaiba, Yugi, and one more."

"I'm going!" Mokuba declared, stepping forward with a determined look in his eyes. "He's my brother."

Yugi sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose like he was already imagining Kaiba’s reaction. "You know Kaiba is going to kill us all if we drag you into the Shadow Realm after he sacrificed himself, right?"

Mokuba’s jaw tightened. "I don’t care. He’s always pulling these stupid stunts because of me. I have to—"

I placed a hand on his shoulder, cutting him off gently. "I'll go," I said firmly. "After Yugi here, I'm the strongest duelist around. We might have to duel our way out of there."

Mokuba turned to me, eyes flashing with frustration. "Hell no! He's my brother. I'm not staying back!"

Yugi chimed in, his voice calm but firm. “Mokuba, I know you want to save your brother. But Joey’s right. We need all the strength we can get in there. And he is the strongest duelist here.”

Mokuba opened his mouth to argue, but Yugi cut him off with a pointed question. “Do you even have your deck with you?”

Mokuba froze, his jaw working like he was trying to form an answer. Then, with a defeated sigh, he slumped back, shaking his head. “No... I don’t.”

I ruffled his hair, trying to offer some comfort. "Don't worry, kid. Together with your brother, we’re an unbeatable trio. We’ll be back in no time.”

Mokuba sighed again, his stubbornness melting away. "Okay," he said finally.

"That's the spirit," I said with a grin, trying to lighten the mood even though my insides were still knotted with anxiety. Turning to Bakura I crossed my arms. "So, how do we find Kaiba in there?"

Bakura smirked, the kind of smirk that made my skin crawl. "The Shadow Realm isn’t a straightforward place, Wheeler," he said, his voice laced with smug superiority. "It’s fluid, ever-shifting. To find Kaiba, you’ll need to follow the threads of his essence—his soul , if you will."

I frowned. Threads? Essence? Soul? What does that even mean?

Bakura smiled and he was clearly enjoying the confusion in our faces. "You need something personal," he continued, as if explaining to a slow student. "Something with great personal value to him. Bound with the power of a Millennium Item, it will act as your guide."

I glanced at Yugi and the others, trying to think of anything we might have that fit the bill. I sure didn’t. “Anybody got somethin’?” I asked, already feeling like we were outta luck.

Mokuba stepped forward, his hand going to his neck. From under his shirt, he pulled out a small medallion, shaped like a Duel Monsters card, encased in a sleek metal frame on a leather cord. “Seto gave it to me,” he said quietly. “He has the same one.”

Bakura nodded. "Perfect," he said, extending a hand. Mokuba hesitated for a moment before handing it over.

Bakura held his hand over the medallion, his Millennium Ring beginning to glow with an eerie light. The medallion glimmered faintly in response, the light twisting and pulsing like it had a heartbeat. After a moment, the glow faded.

“There,” Bakura said, handing the medallion to me. “This will guide you to Kaiba—and, more importantly, back to the portal. Do not lose it.”

I stared at the medallion for a moment. It was strange, holding something that clearly meant a lot to Kaiba. Then, with a shrug, I tucked it under my own shirt. “No worries,” I said, trying to sound casual.

Bakura stepped back, his expression turning serious. “Now, the portal. This won’t be pleasant, I’m afraid.”

He raised his hand, and the Millennium Ring flared again, the triangular points glowing with an intense golden light. A swirling vortex began to form in the air before us, twisting and expanding until it was large enough for us to step through. The edges shimmered with dark energy, and the inside was an endless swirl of black and violet, like a storm that had been trapped in a bottle and was ready to explode.

“The portal is unstable,” Bakura warned, his tone sharp. “Once you step through, it will remain open for a limited time. If you do not return before it collapses...” He didn’t finish the sentence, but the implication hung heavy in the air.

Yugi, ever the optimist, nodded firmly. “We’ll make it back. Let’s go.”

I took a deep breath, trying to ignore the way my stomach churned just looking at the thing. “Alright, no turning back now,” I sighed, stepping toward it with Yugi at my side.

The moment we entered, it felt like being yanked off my feet by a tornado. My stomach lurched as the world twisted and stretched around us. The air was cold and sharp, biting at my skin, and my ears filled with a strange, distorted hum. Colors I couldn’t name swirled past. It felt as if I were on the world’s wildest roller coaster.

And then, just as suddenly as it began, it stopped. My feet hit solid ground—or at least, what felt like it. I stumbled, barely catching myself. Around us was a landscape like nothing I’d ever seen. The ground was dark and uneven, stretching into a horizon that didn’t seem to end. Jagged rocks jutted out like teeth, and the sky was a swirling mass of shadows, broken only by the occasional flash of light that looked more like cracks than stars.

I looked around, trying to steady my breathing. "Toto," I muttered, my voice shaky. "We’re not in Kansas anymore."

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Chapter 4 - Into the Shadows

The Shadow Realm was worse than I expected. Scratch that—it was a nightmare wrapped in a bad acid trip.

The medallion around my neck gave a steady, insistent tug, like an invisible hand yanking me forward. It wasn’t forceful, but it wasn’t subtle either—like it knew where it wanted to go, and I just had to keep up. That part was helpful. Everything else? Absolute garbage.

The ground wasn’t right. It wasn’t solid or liquid. It shifted under my feet, like walking on a trampoline made of jelly. Every other step had me cursing under my breath as my ankles twisted on the uneven surface. Yugi handled it better—of course he did—but even he looked like he was concentrating hard.

The air smelled off too—damp and metallic, like a storm was brewing, except the sky wasn’t a sky at all. It was this swirling mess of dark purples and blacks, streaked with veins of red lightning that flashed every now and then.

A low rumble echoed somewhere far off, and I froze mid-step. “What was that?”

Yugi tensed beside me, his grip tightening on the Millennium Puzzle. “I don’t know. Keep moving.”

“Yeah, no problem,” I muttered, forcing my feet forward. “Just gotta not think about whatever giant shadow beast might be lurking out there, ready to eat us.”

“Joey...” Yugi’s tone was calm but sharp. It was his polite way of saying, Focus .

“Yeah, yeah, I’m moving,” I grumbled, tightening my grip on the medallion as we trudged on.

The path—if you could call it that—started to ripple under us like waves on a choppy sea. I flailed my arms, trying to stay upright. “Oh, come on! What now?!”

Yugi reached out and grabbed my arm, steadying me. “Careful!”

“I am being careful!” I snapped, even though I wasn’t. I planted my feet wider, trying to keep my balance. It kinda worked until the ground rippled the other way, and I went down with a solid thunk .

Yugi winced, bending down to help me up. “You okay?”

“Just peachy,” I muttered, brushing off this weird, powdery stuff clinging to me. “This place is trying to kill me, I swear.”

We moved on, the landscape around us shifted constantly, never staying the same for long. Sometimes, there were jagged pillars shooting out of the ground, reaching up into the swirling sky like skeletal fingers. Other times, everything melted into this eerie, empty mist. And then there were the whispers—soft, just at the edge of hearing, like they were coming from right behind us. Except, every time I turned around, there was nothing.

The ground sloped upward suddenly, and Yugi pointed ahead. “We need to climb.”

“Of course, we do,” I groaned, looking up at the incline. It was slick, like wet obsidian, and dotted with sharp formations that looked more likely to slice you open than give you a handhold. “Where’s Kaiba, anyway? We’ve been at this for hours. No signs, no nothing!”

“The medallion’s still pulling, right?” Yugi said, already scrambling up ahead of me. “That means we’re going the right way.”

“Yeah, well, maybe it could pull us a damn staircase !” I muttered, grabbing at a jagged outcrop and hauling myself up. My foot slipped, and I barely caught myself before face-planting into the slope. “I’m too old for this.”

Yugi actually laughed—a short, breathy sound. “You’re nineteen.”

“Exactly. Practically ancient.”

When we finally reached the top, I collapsed onto the flat—well, flat-ish—ground, staring up at the swirling mess of a sky. It was hypnotic in a bad way, the colors bleeding into each other like paint someone spilled and forgot to clean up.

“You good?” Yugi asked, leaning over me.

“Define ‘good,’” I said, waving a hand. “But yeah, I’ll live.”

Something caught Yugi’s eye, and he turned sharply to look at it. His sudden movement put me on edge. “What now?” I grumbled, sitting up to follow his gaze.

“What the hell is that ?” I whispered.

In the not-so-far distance, a massive mirror loomed ahead of us. From where we first spotted it, it already looked big, but as we got closer, it just kept growing. By the time we stood in front of it, I realized it was at least four meters tall, towering over us like some ominous monument.

The frame was jagged and black, like it had been chiseled out of some unearthly stone that drank in the dim light around it. The "glass" wasn’t glass at all—it shifted and churned like a swirling vortex of smoky mist, opaque in some places, translucent in others. It seemed alive, pulsing faintly as if it had its own heartbeat.

“What the hell is that?” I muttered again, staring up at the thing.

Yugi stepped beside me, his expression tense as he studied the mirror. The faint pull of the medallion under my shirt got stronger, tugging like a magnet toward the swirling surface. I pulled it out and held it up. It jerked sharply in my grip, like it was trying to drag me forward.

“Yug,” I said, holding the medallion tighter. “It’s pointing straight at this thing. You think Kaiba could be in there?”

Yugi frowned, his grip tightening on the Millennium Puzzle. “I don’t know. Maybe. Or maybe it’s a trap.”

I squinted at the surface of the mirror. My reflection was there, warped and distorted, like I was looking into a funhouse mirror - just worse. But there was something else. Just behind the twisted version of me, the swirling blackness shifted. A shape—no, a figure—moved within the glass. My heart kicked up a notch.

“Yugi,” I said, barely above a whisper. “There’s someone in there.”

“Joey, wait—” Yugi started, but I barely heard him. My hand was already moving toward the surface of the mirror. The figure looked familiar—too familiar. It had to be him. It had to be Kaiba.

“Wait!” Yugi yelled behind me, grabbing my arm. But it was too late. My fingers brushed the surface, and everything changed.

The glass—or mist, or whatever it was—was ice-cold against my skin, but it didn’t feel solid. It felt like my hand was sinking into water, except it didn’t stop. The pull was immediate, like something on the other side had grabbed hold of me. Before I could yank back, the force intensified, dragging me forward.

“Joey!” Yugi shouted, trying to pull me away, but the mirror wasn’t having it. The swirling mist expanded, stretching outward like liquid tendrils. They wrapped around my arm and shoulder, pulling me in like quicksand.

“Yugi!” I yelled, my voice high-pitched with panic as the tendrils latched onto him, too. The light from the Millennium Puzzle flared, but it wasn’t enough to stop the pull. We both stumbled forward as the mirror sucked us in, the world around us spinning wildly.

Colors blurred—black, white, purple, and red streaked past in a dizzying vortex. My stomach twisted, and it felt like we were falling, tumbling through some endless void. The air around us was thick and heavy, pressing down on my chest, making it hard to breathe. I clutched the medallion like a lifeline, its glow dimming and brightening erratically as we hurtled forward.

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Chapter 5 - Echoes (Pt.1)

I stumbled as my feet hit solid ground again, almost pitching forward onto my face. One second we were in that swirling nightmare of the Shadow Realm, the next... we were here.

Blinking against the dull glow of a summer’s day, I turned in a slow circle, trying to piece together what I was seeing. We were in a small village, or something like it. The kind of place you’d see in a postcard: old brick buildings, a few narrow lanes, a neat little row of flowerbeds. It all looked so normal it made my head spin. 

“Yug, where the heck are we?” I muttered, squinting at the house right in front of us. It was old but well-maintained, the paint slightly faded but clearly cared for. Beside the door hung a sign: “Meadows Home for Children.”

Yugi stepped up beside me, his eyes narrowing as he read the sign. “I don’t know…” he said slowly, like he was trying to piece together a puzzle we didn’t have all the pieces for yet.

Before we could wonder about it, a child’s cry cut through the quiet like a knife. We both snapped our heads toward the noise, exchanging confused glances. Without a word, we followed it to the side of the house.

Two little kids—both boys, as far as I could tell—stood next to a worn-out car. One boy was tiny, no more than two or three years old, and was wailing his eyes out. Tears streaked his chubby cheeks as he clung to the hand of the other boy, who couldn’t have been older than seven. The older kid’s face wasn’t crying, but it might as well have been. It was... I don’t know. Stoic, I guess. Resigned. Like he’d seen too much of life way too early.

The two of them had tiny bags at their feet, barely big enough to carry a change of clothes and a toothbrush. They looked like they’d been packed for a one-way trip.

An older woman hovered over them, her face set in a sour scowl that practically screamed “don’t mess with me.” She was talking to the kids, her tone harsh and clipped. We were too far away to make out the words, but whatever she was saying, it wasn’t nice. The older boy didn’t flinch—he just nodded, stiff and silent, his little shoulders squared. Then he hoisted the small bags, and the two kids followed the woman inside. The car they’d been standing by started up and drove away, kicking up dust on the gravel road.

“What the hell was that?” I muttered, more to myself than to Yugi.

Yugi, though, wasn’t looking at me. He was staring at the house, his frown deep and thoughtful, like he was turning something big over in his mind. “I think…” He hesitated for a second before continuing, his voice soft. “I think that was Kaiba.”

I blinked, then whipped my head around like I expected to see Kaiba stepping out from behind a tree or something. “What? Where?”

Yugi turned to me, his gaze serious. “The boy,” he said, nodding toward the house. “I think that older one was Kaiba.”

For a moment, I just stared, my mind racing to connect the dots. Then I glanced back at the spot where the kids had been. Kaiba as a little boy? In some children’s home?

“What the heck is goin’ on?” I muttered, my stomach churning. But even as I said it, part of me knew Yugi was right. The look on that kid’s face—the determination, the resignation—it sure looked like our resident rich boy.

We hurried after the two boys, racing through the creaky gate of the old orphanage. But just as we stepped inside, everything warped again. The bright, summery day we’d been standing in faded like a bad dream, and suddenly we were in a long, dimly lit corridor. Snowflakes drifted past the windows.

A “What the f—?!” flew out of my mouth before I could stop it.

Yugi didn’t even get a chance to respond because a commotion at the far end of the hallway caught our attention. A young Mokuba—older than the toddler we saw outside but still just a little kid—came sprinting into view, eyes wide with pure terror. He was drowning in an oversized sweater, like someone had thrown a blanket on him and called it clothing.

On his heels was a pack of older kids, their faces twisted with that mean, mocking look bullies get when they smell blood in the water. One of ’em yelled, “Come back, ya little rat!”

That was all I needed to hear. Instinct took over, and I dashed forward. “Hey! Leave him alone!” I shouted, ready to body-check those jerks into next week. But when I tried to intercept them—nothing. They ran straight through me, like I was a ghost. A tingly, stomach-turning sensation shot through my body, and I spun around in total confusion.

“They didn’t even see us,” Yugi said confused, stepping up next to me. “It’s like we’re not even here.”

Sure enough, the bullies kept on chasing Mokuba down the corridor, oblivious to us. My heart twisted as I watched them back him into a corner. The little guy spun around, his eyes flicking between the older kids and any possible escape route. None to be found.

“We gotta do something, Yug!” I said, my voice edging on panic. I tried grabbing one of the bullies by the arm, but my hand went right through him. Again. Nothing.

One of them was brandishing a stick like a maniac, waving it in Mokuba’s face. “Think ya can steal from us and get away with it? Give it back!” the jerk snarled. Then he swung, and I flinched at the crack as it landed across Mokuba’s shoulders. Mokuba cried out, and my stomach lurched.

Suddenly, footsteps thundered down the hallway. A young Seto Kaiba came charging in with the speed of an angry bull, fury practically radiating off him. He barreled right into me—though it was more like I got shoved by an invisible force—and I stumbled aside. Kaiba didn’t even glance my way. His whole focus was on one thing: saving Mokuba

He slammed into the kid with the stick, knocking him to the ground with a viciousness I wouldn’t have guessed from a kid that size. Honestly, I felt a little impressed (and a little scared). Mini Kaiba had some moves.

“I didn’t steal nothin’!” Mokuba yelled, joining in the scuffle. His tiny fists flew, kicking and punching like his life depended on it. “It’s my mom’s!”

Kaiba landed a few more solid punches, and the bullies—clearly overwhelmed by the Kaiba Brothers Tag Team—scrambled to their feet. Spitting insults and wiping blood off split lips, they ran right through me again on their way out. I shuddered.

For a moment, as they fled, Kaiba’s gaze flicked in my direction—like he almost saw me. Just for a second. But then his attention snapped back to Mokuba, who was crouched on the floor, clutching something in his hands.

“They broke it!” Mokuba sobbed, holding out what looked like pieces of a shattered necklace. “Mom’s necklace. They stepped on it!”

Kaiba’s eyes blazed. “Bastards!” he muttered, his voice already carrying that sharp Kaiba edge. But when he looked down at his kid brother, his expression softened in a way I’d only ever seen when it came to his little brother.

“Don’t worry,” he said quietly, pulling Mokuba into a fierce hug. “Someday... someday I’ll get you a new one. One that nobody can ever break.”

Mokuba sniffled, looking up at him with big, teary eyes. “Promise?”

Kaiba nodded, his voice firm. “Promise.”

I stood there, watching them with a weird lump in my throat. It felt like I was seeing something I wasn’t supposed to. Something too private.

I almost toppled over when the world twisted beneath my feet again. One second, I was staring at Kaiba and Mokuba in that grim orphanage hallway, the next I was standing in a massive office—a far cry from the barren corridors we’d just been in.

It was the kind of room that screamed money and power, straight out of an old gangster movie. Dark wood paneling covered the walls, soaking up the light and making the space feel smaller. One side was lined with heavy bookshelves, crammed with thick, intimidating volumes. And at the center of it all sat a massive desk—one that practically announced, I'm in charge, and you better remember it .

Across the desk sat Kaiba—teenage Kaiba now—his back rigid, his expression carefully neutral. Standing on the other side of the desk was a man I immediately hated on sight: Gozaburo Kaiba. The guy had this stern, cold look about him, like he could cut steel with a glare. He was the kind of dude you wouldn’t even wanna bump into on the street, let alone cross.

“You have disappointed me, Seto. Again.” Gozaburo’s voice was icy and calm—too calm. “You do know what happens if I am disappointed?”

Kaiba’s face was stoic, his jaw clenched tight. But I saw a flicker in his eyes before he shoved it down, masking it behind that impassive Kaiba stare. “I do, sir. I will do better.”

“Will you?” Gozaburo sneered. “You are a disgrace. A stain on the Kaiba name—a name you seem unworthy to bear. To merely ‘do better’ is not enough. You must excel. You must surpass . Anything less is a failure not only to me, but to the very legacy you wish to inherit.”

Kaiba’s voice turned mechanical. “I understand, sir.”

But Gozaburo wasn’t done. Not by a long shot. “I don’t think you do, Seto. I think you need some focus.” His lips curled into a calculated smile, and I felt my stomach twist. Whatever was coming wasn’t good.

“I think you’ve been distracted lately,” he continued, crossing his arms like he was savoring the moment. “I wondered what could possibly pull your focus. Could it be frivolous hobbies? No. A budding social life? Highly unlikely. There’s only one explanation remaining—Your brother.”

Kaiba’s mask cracked. His eyes went wide for a split second before he forced them back to neutral, but Gozaburo caught it. Of course he did.

“Perhaps a new environment,” Gozaburo said, his words slow and deliberate, like he was twisting a knife. “Away from each other, would benefit you both.”

“No.” The word came out sharp and furious, Kaiba’s composure snapping. “You can’t. You can’t send him away!”

Gozaburo’s hand slammed onto the desk with a thunderous crack, making me jump. “Do not talk back to me, boy!” His voice boomed, bouncing off the high ceilings and making the room feel even smaller. “You will excel. Or you will indeed find yourself alone, without the burden of your brother to distract you from your obligations.”

Kaiba’s jaw clenched, and his voice dropped back into that dead, flat tone. “Yes, sir.”

I clenched my fists, anger bubbling in my chest. My old man was no saint, but at least he didn’t play these kinds of twisted mind games.

Gozaburo leaned closer to Kaiba, his cold eyes narrowing. "I will not tolerate further mistakes, Seto. You will excel, or you will learn the hard way. I accept nothing less."

And with that, Gozaburo turned and strode out of the room. The door shut behind him with a loud clunk, leaving Kaiba alone in the suffocating silence.

I exhaled, shaking with anger. “This guy can go screw himself." I muttered, my temper bubbling over. “Kaiba—” I leaned forward, shouting at the teenage version of him. “Ya gotta fight back! Don’t let that bastard own you!”

But, of course, he couldn’t hear me. 

Kaiba’s focus stayed locked on the desk for a moment, his hands gripping the edge. Then, in a voice so soft it was barely there, he muttered, “I can’t.”

I froze, blinking. “What?!” I whipped around to Yugi, who looked just as stunned as I felt.

“Kaiba!” I yelled again, leaning over the desk. “Ya hear me?!”

This time, Kaiba’s head tilted slightly, like he’d caught the faintest sound. But just as quickly, his focus shifted back to the papers on his desk. His expression hardened again, like a door slamming shut.

“He did!” I turned back to Yugi, my heart pounding. “He heard me, right?!”

Yugi nodded slowly, his wide eyes locked on Kaiba. “I think... I think he did.”

Before we could figure out what that meant, everything blurred. The world shifted—again—the fancy office dissolving like a smear of wet paint. I was getting pretty sick of hopping around Kaiba’s screwed-up past like a ghostly spectator, but it looked like we didn’t have much choice. These glimpses—memories, whatever—kept coming.

This time, we were in a huge, modern office high above the city. Floor-to-ceiling windows stretched out behind a massive desk, the skyline of Domino City glittering in the night. In the center of it all, I spotted Gozaburo and Kaiba, mid-shouting match. Kaiba looked around sixteen now, taller, leaner, and furious.

“You can’t control me forever, Gozaburo!” Kaiba roared, his voice cracking with equal parts rage and determination. “You’re an old man, clinging to your power. Your threats mean nothing.”

Gozaburo’s face twisted in rage, his expression practically demonic. “You think you can outsmart me?! You ungrateful brat! You’re nothing but a child playing at business!” His voice thundered, rattling the room.

Kaiba didn’t even flinch. His voice dropped low, cold and sharp. “I’ll do more than outsmart you. I will surpass you. And when I do, this company will be mine. You’ll be nothing.”

For a moment, it was like the whole room froze. Gozaburo stared at him, his face contorted with rage. Then, without warning, he lunged at Kaiba, his arms outstretched.

Kaiba moved, quick as lightning, sidestepping the attack with ease. Gozaburo’s momentum carried him forward, straight toward the massive glass window behind Kaiba. The sound of shattering glass was deafening, like a bomb going off.

I watched, horrified, as Gozaburo’s body plummeted through the broken window, his scream fading into the cold, grey city below. Yugi, standing next to me, looked just as shocked, his eyes wide in horror.

I stood there, stunned, my stomach twisting. “Oh hell…” I muttered. Had we seriously just seen that?

Kaiba—young Kaiba—stood there, frozen in place. His face was unreadable, a mask of ice. He didn’t look at the shattered window or the empty space where Gozaburo had been. He didn’t move at all.

“God...” Yugi’s voice pulled me out of my daze, but before either of us could say anything else, the office around us started to dissolve. The world blurred, fading away into a swirl of light and shadow.

And just like that, we were yanked into another memory.

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Chapter 6 - Echoes (Pt.2)

"I'm really gettin' sick of this shit show," I groaned, throwing my hands in the air. Kaiba’s life was like a never-ending episode of some twisted soap opera. 

The world had shifted again, dumping us smack in the middle of Duelist Kingdom. The castle, the ocean in the distance, and the creepy-ass vibe Pegasus always carried with him. And, of course, Mokuba had been kidnapped. Again. Because what else was new?

Kaiba stood a few feet away, his face a mix of fury and desperation, yelling at Pegasus. "Let him go!" His voice echoed through the air, sharp and commanding. "This is between you and me! Don’t drag my brother into this!"

Pegasus waved his hand like he was swatting away a fly. "Oh, but what better way to ensure your participation? After all, what’s a little family drama in the grand scheme of things?"

"Argh, I cannot with this guy!" I growled, turning to Yugi. "We gotta do somethin’! Why are we seein’ all this messed-up crap?!"

I tried to grab Kaiba, yank him out of there or shake him or something, but it was no use. My hand went straight through him, like I was trying to grab a ghost. The sensation was weird—cold and tingly, like static electricity—but mostly just useless.

Yugi stood next to me, quiet and concentrated. He had that look—the one he got when he was analyzing a tough opponent or trying to figure out the next ten moves on the field. It was like you could see the gears turning in his head.

Before he could say anything, though, the scene started to blur and shift again. The castle walls twisted and melted away, replaced by swirling shadows. My stomach lurched as the ground seemed to drop out from under us.

"Aw, come on!" I shouted, bracing myself for whatever new nightmare was about to hit us next. "Can we just stay in one place for five seconds?!"

This time, we landed in a setting I recognized right away—the damn airship, flying high above Domino City. It didn’t take long for it to click: this was my duel against Marik. The one where I lost so spectacularly it nearly cost me my soul. Not trying to sound dramatic or anything, but yeah, it was that bad.

I saw my past self across the field, hunched over the duel disk, my face set in grim determination. I was laying down cards, fighting like hell. Across from me, Marik had that smug, twisted look on his face, like he was drinking in every second. He looked like a cat playing with a mouse, and I was the damn mouse.

My stomach churned as I watched. “What a mess, huh?” I muttered, scratching the back of my head. “I almost didn’t make it back from that one.”

Yugi, right beside me, gave my shoulder a light pat. “No. You fought bravely, Joey,” he said gently. “Marik didn’t fight fair.”

I sighed, my eyes glued to the scene playing out in front of us. "Yeah, well, that’s Marik for ya." Watching myself struggle was like watching a train wreck—you couldn’t look away even though you wanted to.

As the duel dragged on, something else caught my eye—Kaiba. He was off to the side, leaning against the railing, watching the whole thing like it was just another Tuesday. His face was blank, completely unreadable. The guy didn’t flinch, didn’t move, just stood there like a statue.

Except...before the duel reached its peak, Kaiba turned and walked away. Just like that. He didn’t wait to see if I made it out alive, didn’t bother sticking around to see if Marik would actually suck my soul into the Shadow Realm or whatever. He just left. Like he couldn’t care less.

“That sucker didn’t even wait to see if I made it,” I muttered under my breath, glancing at Yugi. He gave me that look—the one he always had when he wanted to say something reassuring but wasn’t sure it’d help.

Before Yugi could get a word out, the world around us started to shift again. The airship faded into swirling shadows, the duel field dissolving into nothing. My stomach flipped as the weightless feeling hit me again.

“Here we go again,” I groaned, bracing myself for whatever Kaiba’s messed-up memory lane was gonna throw at us next.

The next scene hit like a punch to the gut.

I recognized it instantly: Kaiba’s last duel before everything went to hell. Before he got sucked into the Shadow Realm. We were standing at the sidelines, like ghosts watching a memory play out in front of us. It was eerie, seeing it all again—the fury in Kaiba’s eyes, the determination etched into every line of his face. Across the field, Mokuba hovered helplessly, wrapped in that swirling black smoke, and Void Man’s dark laughter echoed like nails on a chalkboard.

And there I was—my past self—standing with Yugi and the gang at the sidelines, panic written all over my face. I watched myself flinch when Kaiba turned and barked, “Grab Mokuba and run!”  

The Blue-Eyes White Dragon roared, its attack aimed straight at Kaiba. The light from its blast lit up the entire field, and for a second, I couldn’t even breathe. It was surreal. Like watching some nightmare on repeat. I saw myself sprinting across the field, my arms pumping like mad as I reached for Mokuba. The panic in my eyes, the desperation.

And there was Kaiba, standing tall and defiant, even as the swirling vortex opened beneath him. I heard myself—or maybe it was me now—shouting his name. “Kaiba!” The sound cracked, raw and helpless.

Kaiba locked eyes with me for one fleeting second, his expression calm in the face of chaos. And then... he was gone. Swallowed by that vortex.

I stood frozen, watching the memory play out like it had the first time: us—me, Yugi, Téa, Tristan—grabbing the unconscious Mokuba and running for our lives as the arena crumbled around us. Dust and smoke filled the air, and Void Man’s laughter was like nails driving into my brain.

My breathing was heavy, my chest tight. It felt too real, like I was living it all over again. I felt a hand on my shoulder. Yugi stood next to me, his expression firm, his eyes filled with quiet determination.

“We’re gonna get him back,” he said, his voice cutting through the chaos.

I nodded, swallowing hard. My breaths were still shaky, but I managed to pull myself together. "Yeah," I muttered, my voice hoarse. "Yeah, we will."

The world started to shift again, the edges of the scene dissolving into darkness. But this time, I didn’t fight it. I clenched my fists and stood tall, waiting for whatever memory was coming next. 

I blinked against the sudden sunlight, squinting as I took in the small village around us. It was unnervingly quiet, like one of those old photos where time just stops. And the house in front of me? Weird. It looked exactly like the one from before. The same peeling paint, the same crooked shutters, and even that same dumb sign: Meadows Home for Children.

“Uh, Yug?” I muttered, rubbing my eyes. “Déjà vu much?”

Before Yugi could answer, the sound of a child crying cut through the silence. We turned to each other, equally confused, and headed toward the sound.

Sure enough, it was the same scene as before. Two boys stood next to a beat-up car. Mokuba, tiny and tear-streaked, was clutching the older boy’s arm like a lifeline. Kaiba, stiff and stoic, stared straight ahead, his jaw tight. The old woman was talking to them again, her tone sharp and no-nonsense. It was all exactly as I remembered it from the first time we saw it—down to the way Kaiba barely blinked as he nodded.

“What the hell’s goin’ on?” I muttered, rubbing the back of my neck. “A rerun?”

Yugi’s face hardened with concentration, like he was connecting dots. “Joey,” he said slowly, turning to me, “I don’t think these are random memories.”

I tried to follow his train of thought. “So... what are they, then?”

“All of them are bad,” Yugi said, sounding grim. “ Really bad. Joey, I think Kaiba’s stuck in his worst memories—like he’s forced to relive them over and over.”

My stomach twisted. “What?!”

Yugi exhaled, his expression tight. “I think that’s how they’re keeping him here. Trapping him in his own pain.”

I stared at him, the pieces clicking together in my brain. “Like... a prison? For his mind?” I glanced back toward the kids heading into the orphanage. “Man, that’s messed up.”

“Yeah...” Yugi’s face was tense as he followed the two boys into the orphanage. “But maybe we can help,” he said softly. “Maybe we can do something about this.”

I shot him a skeptical look, jogging to catch up. “Like what? We can’t just tell ‘im ta snap outta it—he doesn’t even know we’re here.” 

Yugi didn’t answer right away, and before I could press him, the world shifted again. We were back in that dingy hallway, where Mokuba was cornered by a gang of bullies. The same awful scene played out—Mokuba crying, the older kids jeering, Kaiba rushing in. My stomach churned.

“So, what can we do?” I asked frustrated, watching the bullies rough up Mokuba. “I can’t exactly punch those memories.”

Yugi pursed his lips, thinking hard. “Maybe... we need to remind Kaiba of the good stuff. He did hear you earlier, right? Maybe if we can show him some good memories, he’ll wake up?”

I blinked at him. “Good ones? Like what ?"

I turned to Kaiba, his fists flying and feet kicking as he tore into those bullies like a whirlwind. 

A good memory for Kaiba, huh? Maybe the time he blew up an island with us still on it—maybe that’s his idea of fun.

The bullies scrambled away, leaving Mokuba behind, tears streaking his face. He was clutching the broken pieces of a necklace in his tiny hands, sobbing. “They broke it!” he cried. “Mom’s necklace. They stepped on it!”

Kaiba knelt down beside him, pulling his little brother into a hug. “Don’t worry,” he said quietly. “Someday... someday I’ll get you a new one. One that nobody can ever break.”

A spark lit up in my head right then, like a puzzle piece snapping into place. The necklace. Mokuba’s necklace. The one he gave us to help find Kaiba. I dropped down next to them, yanking it out from under my shirt. The little card-like frame glinted faintly in the dim light.

“And you did, Kaiba!” I blurted, my voice rising as I grabbed his arm. I pushed the necklace into his hand. “Look, Kaiba! You did get him a new one! Look !”

For a second, Kaiba froze. His eyes flickered with confusion, locking onto the necklace in his hand. He stared at it, like he was trying to process what he was seeing. “Kaiba!” I pushed harder, my grip tightening. “Mokuba’s waiting for you! You can’t just leave him hangin’!”

Everything seemed to pause. Kaiba’s eyes stayed glued to the necklace, his fingers curling around it. For a moment, I thought we’d gotten through to him. His expression shifted, just slightly—like he was here . But then, his focus drifted back to Mokuba. The necklace slipped from his hand, falling through his fingers like smoke.

I caught it before it hit the ground, shoving it back under my shirt with a frustrated sigh. And then, just like the time before, the world began to shift again. The orphanage walls faded, the broken necklace, the dim hallway—all of it washed away.

But this time felt… different. Kaiba had seen us. He’d heard me—if only for a second. Even if he didn’t fully understand—we’d broken through.

“He saw us,” I muttered, glancing at Yugi. My heart was still pounding, but I couldn’t stop the grin creeping onto my face. “Did ya see that? He freakin’ saw us!"

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Chapter 7 - Echoes (Pt. 3)

Before I could catch my breath, we were yanked into another memory—back to that same damned office. Everything about it felt too big: the desk, the chair, the empty space. And of course, Gozaburo stood there, towering over teenage Kaiba, barking the same harsh words as before.

“You have disappointed me, Seto. Again. You do know what happens if I am disappointed?” Gozaburo’s words cut through the air like a whip. Kaiba sat there, stone-faced, his hands folded over some documents. 

“Kaiba!” I rushed forward, grabbing for his shoulders, but my hands went straight through him—just like before. Still, I leaned in close and yelled, “Don’t ya listen to him! Don’t take his crap! Fight back, damn it!”

Nothing. Kaiba didn’t even blink. “I understand, sir,” he said in that dead, mechanical tone of his. Like he was on autopilot. He didn’t hear me.

Frustrated, I whipped around to Yugi. “This ain’t workin’—what now?”

“Let me try something,” Yugi said, gripping the Millennium Puzzle around his neck. He shut his eyes, and the Puzzle started to glow, a faint, eerie gold that flickered across the room. I could feel a low hum in the air around us.

“Try again,” Yugi muttered, concentrating hard.

I hesitated for a second, then took a deep breath. “KAI—” My own voice startled me, booming like I was shouting through a megaphone in a stadium. It echoed weirdly, bouncing off the walls of the room, louder than it had any right to be. I blinked, glancing at Yugi, who nodded encouragingly.

"KAIBA!” I continued. “LISTEN TO ME, MAN! Don’t just sit there and take it! You’re worth more than this crap!”

Yugi stood tense, sweat beading at his temples—clearly using the Puzzle’s power was taking it out of him. “Kaiba, listen to Joey!” he called, voice still amplified. “You are not alone!”

Gozaburo finished his tirade, storming out of the room like a hurricane. As the door slammed shut behind him, I turned to Kaiba again. “You don’t have to take this! Fight back! ”

For a split second, Kaiba’s eyes flicked upward, something changing in his expression. But before I could push further, everything around us blurred, and the floor dropped out from under my feet.

My stomach did a sick flip, and when the world snapped back into focus, we were at that confrontation again: Kaiba and Gozaburo, screaming at each other in that huge office with the skyscraper window behind them.  I felt my heart clench, knowing how this one ended.

"I will surpass you. And when I do, this company will be mine.” Kaiba snarled, eyes blazing. “You’ll be nothing!”

Gozaburo lunged forward, all blind rage, missing Kaiba and crashing right through the massive glass window. Shards went flying, and I cringed when Gozaburo disappeared from sight. No matter how many times I saw it, it was still brutal.

Kaiba just stood frozen, his chest heaving, his face locked into an unreadable expression. 

I stepped closer, my voice urgent, practically begging at this point. "I know this was messed up," I said and tried to grip Kaiba’s shoulders, to shake some sense into him, but my hands still went straight through. It was like trying to hold onto a ghost. "But it gets better! It really does!"

Kaiba wasn’t looking at me. He was staring blankly, still stuck in the past. Frustration burned in my chest.

Yugi tightened his grip on the Millennium Puzzle, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. The air around us shimmered, and suddenly, glowing images flickered to life.

Scenes of Kaiba and Mokuba appeared, suspended in the air like projections—Kaiba ruffling Mokuba’s hair, the two of them working side by side, planning Battle City, arguing over details but still together. Future moments. Better times.

“See?” I turned to Kaiba, urging him. "Good times with Mokuba! That’s what’s real! That’s what’s waiting for you on the other side!”

Yugi exhaled sharply, still channeling the Puzzle’s power, and the memories shifted again. The glow warped and twisted, then reformed into a different set of memories—Kaiba dueling. Battle City, his victories. That fierce, laser-focused look in his eyes as he played his Blue-Eyes with the kind of confidence only he could pull off. And then, us. The gang. Me, Yugi, Téa, Tristan—all of us standing nearby, watching, cheering.

“And look!” I pointed, my voice rising. “Look at us! You’ve even got friends now, whether you like it or not!”

Kaiba’s gaze flicked toward the images, his expression unreadable. But then—suddenly, the glow shifted again. The memory of our first duel flickered to life. The one where he crushed me.

I groaned. "Yug, really ?! Ya had to show him that one?!"

But—there. A flicker. Barely more than a twitch of his lips, but it was there. Kaiba smirked. My heart pounded. A reaction. It was small, but it meant he was seeing this.

"And it’s not just duels, man!" I pressed on, refusing to let that flicker of hope die. "Think about Kaiba Land! Your park! You built that place from nothin’, and now it’s huge! Kids love it! People love it! Hell, even I gotta admit, it’s pretty damn cool.”

Yugi, visibly straining now, kept pushing the magic of the Puzzle. 

The golden glow pulsed brighter, forming a new image—a vision of Kaiba Land, vibrant and alive. Rides towering in the distance, roller coasters twisting through the sky, holographic duel arenas packed with excited fans, lights flashing. The place buzzed with energy, filled with kids running around, shouting in excitement, the sounds of duels echoing in the air.

“See?! It does get better!” I practically begged. “You gotta snap out of it and see for yourself!”

Kaiba’s fingers twitched, his expression shifting ever so slightly. We were getting through to him—I knew it. But just as I opened my mouth to push him further, the world around us twisted again.

I gritted my teeth. “No! Not now !” My voice came out raw, my throat tight with frustration. We were so close. Kaiba was right there— right there —and now the world was shifting again, dragging us back into another memory.

When everything snapped back into focus, I groaned. We were back in Duel Kingdom with Pegasus. The moment he had kidnapped Mokuba, taunting Kaiba like he was some kind of puppet on strings. Pegasus' smug, infuriating face was the same as last time—too relaxed, too entertained by his own cruelty.

Kaiba was shouting, his voice sharp with anger. "Let him go! This is between you and me!"

I ran up to him, stepping right in front of him, blocking his view. “Kaiba, you saved him! You always save him! Your bro’s all grown up now, but he still needs ya!”

Kaiba didn't react. His eyes were locked on Pegasus like I wasn’t even there.

Yugi, panting hard behind me, lifted a trembling hand. The Millennium Puzzle pulsed weakly, and a flickering image appeared—a vision of Mokuba, his face filled with desperation, his voice ringing out clear and strong. "Please, I need to save my brother. I'll do anything—"

Still, Kaiba didn’t move.

He was still staring ahead, locked in his own past, oblivious to us. It was like yelling at a wall.

No. No . We were not giving up now!

Desperate, I reached out—expecting my hands to pass right through him like before—but this time, they didn’t. My fingers gripped onto the stiff fabric of his coat. My breath caught.

I had him.

I curled my fists into the fabric, grabbing hold like my life depended on it. "Kaiba! You have to wake up! We’re never gonna hear the end of it if we don’t bring ya back!" I shook him hard. "Mokuba's waiting for ya, man!"

Yugi let out a choked gasp beside me, his whole body trembling. “I… I can’t… keep this up much longer,” he managed, his voice strained.

The golden glow of the Millennium Puzzle flickered wildly. The images he was conjuring—Kaiba Land, the stupid Blue-Eyes jet, us, Mokuba—they all started to stutter and blur, like a TV signal cutting in and out.

No. No. No !

I turned back to Kaiba, gripping him harder. “ Kaiba! You gotta wake up! I don’t know what else I can do! ” My voice echoed strangely, bouncing off invisible walls, rattling in the air like thunder.

Yugi let out a pained sound and dropped to one knee, his face slick with sweat. The Puzzle’s glow was flickering like a candle in the wind. The images grew more erratic, flashing faster—Kaiba Land, Mokuba, his past victories, his duels—until they were just a chaotic blur of light.

No. No, no, no. Not yet! We were too damn close!

I dug my heels in. No way in hell was I letting this bastard slip away now!

I clung to Kaiba’s coat, shaking him with everything I had, shouting each word like I could knock some sense back into his thick skull. “SNAP. OUT. OF. IT!”

The images surged—wild, frantic. Too much at once. Faces and memories flashing in rapid bursts. Duel Monsters. The company. Mokuba. Us.

Yugi let out a choked breath and collapsed, the Millennium Puzzle around his neck going dark.

The golden light sputtered out.

The images vanished.

I just stood there.

No.

No .

We had him. He was right there. We were so close.

I heard it before I fully registered it.

"....Wheeler...?"

To be continued...

Chapter Text

Chapter 8 - The Return

"....Wheeler...?"

My head snapped up so fast I nearly gave myself whiplash. I froze, every muscle locking in place as I stared, wide-eyed, breath caught somewhere in my throat.

Kaiba was looking at me.

Not through me. Not past me. Not stuck in whatever hellhole of memories he’d been drowning in.

Straight. At. Me.

His brows furrowed, deep irritation settling into his features, like he wasn’t sure what the hell just happened or how I was involved, but he was already blaming me.

"Kaiba...?" I managed, my voice dumb and breathless.

Did we—?

Holy shit.

We really did it.

We actually got through to Kaiba.

"Wheeler." He said my name again, slower this time, like it physically pained him. Then he added, just as dry, "Let go of me."

I blinked. What?

Oh. Oh!

I was still clutching his coat like a lifeline. My fingers were curled so tightly into the fabric that it took me a second to force them to move. I let go slowly—awkwardly—my arms dropping to my sides. But I kept staring at him, watching, waiting, like if I looked away for even a second, he’d disappear again.

Kaiba took a step back, shaking me off like he was shedding an inconvenience, then glanced around. His expression darkened. "What happened? Where are we?"

That’s when I finally noticed—we weren’t in the Duelist Kingdom memory anymore. The castle walls, the duel arena, Pegasus—all gone. Instead, we stood before that massive mirror—the one with the swirling vortex, the same one that had sucked Yugi and me inside. 

Or, well... what was left of it.

The damn thing was shattered.

Dark shards lay scattered around us, jagged and gleaming, and beyond them, the Shadow Realm stretched out like a twisted nightmare—just like when we first got here.

"Shadow Realm," I said, shaking myself outta my daze. "Ya got sucked into that freaky portal after ya lost that Shadow Duel against Void Guy. And we jumped in to rescue ya."

Kaiba narrowed his eyes. "Void Guy?" He looked concentrated, like he was trying to piece it all together. Then, suddenly, his expression shifted—his eyes went wide. “Mokuba! Is he—”

"Mokuba’s fine!" I cut him off before he could spiral. "Dragged him outta there like ya told us to. He’s waiting at home." I managed a grin.

Kaiba’s shoulders didn’t exactly relax , but some of the tension left his face.

Yugi, who had finally pushed himself up onto his feet, dusted off his jacket and eyed the shards at our feet. "I think you were trapped inside the mirror," he said, voice still a little breathless. "Some kind of memory loop, keeping you stuck in your worst moments."

Kaiba stared at the broken pieces for a long moment. Maybe piecing things together. Maybe just trying to process what the hell he just went through.

Finally, he looked from Yugi to me and gave a single sharp nod. "I see."

I scratched the back of my neck, feeling an odd, restless energy in my chest. Something about the whole thing made me wanna say something. "Man, ya had to go through some pretty messed-up stuff. Sorry about—"

"Spare me the pity party," Kaiba cut in coldly.

I let out an exasperated groan, rolling my eyes. Yep. Kaiba was definitely back.

Yugi sighed, still looking a little pale but standing firm. "We should get going. Not sure how long Bakura can keep the portal open for us."

I muttered under my breath. "Or how long ‘til he betrays us..."

Then, like clockwork, I felt it again—the familiar pull of the medallion under my shirt. Didn’t even need to check. It had guided us to Kaiba, and now, hopefully, it’d lead us out.

"This way," I said, turning on my heel and starting forward.

Kaiba followed a few steps behind, but his voice cut through the air, sharp and incredulous.

"Bakura?" He scoffed. "You’re relying on him?"

I groaned. Here we go.

Yugi, still looking kinda drained from all that Millennium Puzzle mojo, let out a long, tired breath as he walked beside me. "He was the only one who knew how to get you back."

Kaiba snorted. "Trusting Bakura... What could possibly go wrong?"

I felt my eye twitch. The nerve! “Yeah, well—” I spun around and muttered before I could shut myself up. “Yugi promised him Ra if we made it back. I think we can trust that!"

Kaiba stopped dead in his tracks. His head snapped toward Yugi so fast I thought he might break his damn neck. His voice dropped to a sharp, disbelieving growl. "You promised him Ra ? Tell me he's joking."

Yugi took in a deep breath and kept walking, his patience apparently as bottomless as ever. "It was the only way he would help us."

Kaiba’s fists clenched, his coat billowing as he stormed after us. "That’s insane!" he snapped. "You handed one of the God Cards over to him ?! Have you lost your—” Before he could finish whatever condescending insult he was about to throw at us—or before I could tell him to shut it—something slammed into him from the side, knocking him clean off his feet.

"What the—?!" My head snapped to the side as Kaiba hit the ground hard, a shadowy mass pinning him down.

"Kaiba!" Yugi shouted beside me.

I froze, staring at the thing hovering over Kaiba like a goddamn nightmare stitched together from a junkyard. It looked like a thrift store doll from hell—a cracked porcelain face, except the eyes didn’t match, one too big, the other shriveled and barely there. And its limbs—too many, way too many—jutting out from weird angles. Something about it... felt weirdly familiar.

It twitched its massive head, the eyes rolling in opposite directions.

Kaiba, to his credit, didn’t waste time screaming. He shoved hard against it, rolling to the side just as one of its jagged limbs stabbed into the ground where his chest had been. He was already pushing himself up when the thing twitched its grotesque head toward me. And then—it clicked.

That face. That ugly, unsettling face.

I knew it.

I’d seen it across a duel table before. "Oh, hell no—NECROFACE?!" I practically yelped, my stomach lurching. This was some twisted, nightmare version of an already ugly duel card!

"It’s cards !" I yelled, barely ducking a wild swing of its too-long arm. "Some freaky, messed-up versions of Duel Monsters!”

"Oh, really ?" Kaiba muttered darkly, brushing dust off his coat as he straightened up beside me. "Thank you, Wheeler." He didn’t sound remotely thankful.

I didn’t have time to snap back at him. The thing cocked its ugly head at me again, its mouth twitching like it was trying to smile. Then it lunged.

I barely threw myself outta the way in time, hitting the ground hard and skidding over the jagged, rocky surface. My hands scraped against the stone, pain burning up my palms as I stumbled to my feet—and then the mist swirled.

Another shadow twisted and stretched from the fog. A second monster took shape. 

"Oh, come on!" I groaned as the thing stepped into view. It had a crocodile snout, its body hunched and wrong, extra limbs sprouting from its sides at jagged angles. Its once-sleek armor was cracked, rusted, and fused to its twisted form like it had been melted onto its skin. I swallowed hard. Alligator’s Sword.

And just as I was dodging outta the way before the massive, rusted weapon came crashing down—

Another one appeared.

This one was bigger. A hulking beast. Twisted horns curling from its head, its normally broad, muscular frame warped and stretched unnaturally, its fur matted and dark, its eyes glowing. 

Behemoth.

It let out a deep, bone-rattling growl, its eyes locking onto Yugi like he was its next meal.

This was bad. Really bad.

My mind raced. We couldn’t fight these things—not like this. We weren’t dueling, and I sure as hell wasn’t about to try fist-fighting some mutated duel monsters.

Then—an idea hit me.

“Hold on!” I shouted, heart pounding as I fumbled into my pocket, fingers shaking as I grabbed my deck. More monsters were closing in, their shapes growing clearer, more twisted with every passing second. “C’mon, c’mon,” I muttered, rifling through my deck so fast my fingers barely worked. My hands were slick with sweat, cards slipping slightly between my fingertips. There had to be something in here—

Then—yes.

I felt a grin spread across my face.

“Ha!” I held up the card, grip tight, my pulse racing with stupid determination.

This had to work.

I straightened my back and threw my arm out, card aloft. “I summon—Red-Eyes Black Dragon!”

I waited. Kaiba and Yugi both turned to stare at me. I stood there, waiting for the great summoning—

And nothing happened.

No fiery burst of light. No screeching dragon swooping in to save the day. The world remained unimpressed. 

"Aw, man..." I mumbled, shoulders slumping.

Kaiba let out a sharp noise behind me. "Seriously?!"

Well. Okay. So no dueling, then. “Was worth a shot,” I muttered, stuffing my deck back into my pocket with a grumble.

"Was it, though?" Kaiba said flatly, dodging another lumbering swing from Behemoth. I barely had time to glare at him—more monsters were closing in. Fast. That nightmare version of Alligator's Sword led the charge, its massive, rusted blade catching the dim, eerie glow of the Shadow Realm. Right behind it, some even nastier things slithered and skulked forward, shadows twisting like they were hungry for us.

I tensed, already knowing there was nowhere to dodge. Too many of them. Too fast.

"Aw, hell," I breathed, bracing myself. I expected to be torn to shreds—when suddenly, Yugi stepped forward, arm raised and the Millennium Puzzle blazing in his hand as a burst of blinding golden light shattered the darkness.

It was like the freakin’ sun itself exploded right in front of us. Heat pulsed against my skin, and I had to throw up an arm to shield my eyes as a wave of golden energy sliced through the air. It was everywhere, a burning glow so bright it made my head spin.

When the light faded, I blinked through the dizziness, squinting at what was left of the battlefield— Nothing. No monsters. No twisted duel cards. Just... gone. Vaporized into whatever Shadow Realm dust was left behind.

Holy shit.

I exhaled, running a shaky hand through my hair. “Alright, remind me never to piss you off, Yug.”

No response.

I turned, and my stomach dropped. Yugi was on the ground, swaying as he tried—and failed—to push himself up. "Yug!" I lunged toward him.

“I’m okay,” Yugi rasped, sitting up, but he was breathing hard. His hands trembled against the ground, his whole body slumped like someone had just pulled the plug on him. “Just... burned out.”

Kaiba was at his side in a second, looking way too alert for someone who almost got flattened by a haunted doll from hell. “We need to keep moving,” he said, clipped and impatient, eyes darting around like he was expecting more of those freaks to crawl out of the mist.

"Yugi's exhausted!" I spat, turning to Kaiba with all the anger I could muster. “He just saved our butts, how ‘bout a little gratitude, huh?!"

"I'll save my gratitude for later." Kaiba's eyes narrowed, the edge in his voice sharper than usual. "If more of those things show up, we're screwed."

I opened my mouth to say something really not nice, but Yugi spoke up first, trying to hold himself steady. “Kaiba’s right,” he wheezed. “Just…just give me a second.” He inhaled shakily and looked at me. “Which way?”

I sighed, reaching for the necklace under my shirt—the one that had been leading us through this mess—and my fingers met... nothing.  

My chest went cold.

My eyes shot down, and sure enough, my shirt was torn wide open, probably during that attack from Necroface or Alligator’s Sword. “The necklace!” I yelped, panic shooting through me.

Yugi’s eyes snapped to me, his face draining of what little color was left. “What?”

Kaiba’s whole posture went rigid. “What necklace?”

“It’s how we find our way back,” Yugi said, his voice laced with panic. He tried to stand up again but barely got an inch off the ground before collapsing back down.

Kaiba looked between us, a line creasing his brow like he was piecing something together. “You—back at the orphanage…” He glanced at the palm of his hand, then back at me. “Mokuba’s necklace— and you lost it?!”

“I didn’t lose it!” I barked, gesturing angrily at my shredded shirt. “I was attacked!”

Kaiba let out a guttural sound of pure frustration, running a hand through his hair like he was about five seconds from strangling me. "You should have given it back to me!"

Oh, oh , the audacity of this guy.

I felt something snap in my chest. “Oh, yeah, real sorry I forgot about ya precious necklace while saving ya ungrateful ass!” I threw an arm into the air. “You’re welcome, by the way!”

"Guys..." Yugi groaned from the ground, rubbing his temples. "It doesn't matter now. We need to find the necklace." He tried to get up again and failed spectacularly.

I exhaled hard, rubbing my face. "You hang in there, Yug. Just rest and get your mojo back. Grumpy-Pants here and I’ll look for the necklace. It can’t be far.”

Kaiba shot me a glare.

I ignored it.

I glanced around, trying to make sense of the twisted, half-lit landscape. The ground was uneven, half-formed shapes of rock and shadow everywhere. "I think... this way?" I gestured vaguely into the shadows ahead.

Kaiba groaned. “You think?"

I turned back with a flat look. "Unless you got a built-in GPS, princess, we're going with my best guess."

Kaiba pinched the bridge of his nose like I was giving him a migraine, but he didn’t argue.

I glanced back at Yugi one more time. "Stay put, alright? We got this."

Yugi nodded weakly, and with that, Kaiba and I took off into the swirling mess that was the Shadow Realm—searching for the one thing that could actually get us home.

To be continued…

Chapter Text

Chapter 9 - Lost and Found

Losing something in the Shadow Realm sucks. A lot.

Every step we took seemed to warp the landscape around us. The ground shifted in ways that didn't make sense, stretching out when I thought we were getting somewhere and folding back in on itself when I turned around. The mist thickened, rolling in like some eerie tide, swallowing up everything more than a few feet away. It made it impossible to tell if we were retracing our steps or wandering deeper into who-knows-where.

I kept my head down, scanning the ground as I walked. The shifting air felt thick, almost syrupy, making every movement harder than it should've been. It was getting harder to see Yugi through the fog, and when I glanced back, Kaiba was still a few steps behind me, looking as grim as ever. He wasn't talking, which was probably for the best. The last thing I needed was him whining while we searched for his dumb necklace.

I rubbed a hand through my hair, frustrated. Where the hell did I lose it?!

I scanned the jagged ground, my eyes darting over every dark crevice, every flicker of light. And then—I saw something. A glimmer, wedged between two sharp-looking rocks, barely catching the dim glow of whatever passed for light in this place. My breath hitched, and I rushed toward it.

Yes! There it was!

I practically slid to my knees, grabbing the necklace and dusting it off. No scratches, no cracks. Thank freaking Ra. Kaiba would've had a meltdown otherwise.

"Kaiba!" I called over my shoulder, grinning. "I got it!"

I was just about to push myself up when—

" Wheeler! "

I barely had time to turn before something slammed into me, hard. The air whooshed out of my lungs, and the ground rushed up to meet me like a freight train. My skull cracked against the dirt, stars exploding in my vision.

A groan slipped from my lips as I clutched the back of my head. "What the—?"

I blinked the dizziness away and spotted Kaiba on the ground next to me, his face twisted in pain. He was gripping his arm, and between his fingers, I could see a nasty gash staining his ridiculous white coat with red.

My stomach dropped. "Kaiba—"

I barely had time to process what just happened before my eyes flicked upward. A few meters away, a hulking, deformed monster loomed over us, its grotesque form shifting unnaturally. Its body was hunched, its limbs unnervingly long, claws twitching with anticipation. Its face—if you could call it that—was a jagged mess of sharp, uneven teeth.

Oh. Shit.

Had Kaiba—? No way. Had he pushed me out of the way?

Kaiba was already struggling to his feet, one hand still clutching his bleeding arm. "Don't just lie there like an idiot," he snapped.

I scrambled up, barely dodging as one of those massive claws swiped at me. It cut through the air where I had just been, close enough that I could feel the rush of wind against my face. The thing growled, a deep, rattling noise that made my spine crawl.

It crouched lower, preparing to lunge—when suddenly the ground beneath us shuddered. A deep rumble, low and heavy, like something massive was shifting beneath the surface.

The monster froze, its head snapping toward the source of the sound. It stayed perfectly still, almost like it was listening.

Then, without warning, it was gone.

Vanished into the mist, like it had never been there in the first place.

I stood there panting, my hands still half-raised, adrenaline thrumming through my veins. “What the hell?” I breathed.

Kaiba stepped up beside me, still gripping his arm. “We shouldn’t stick around to find out,” he said through gritted teeth.

I glanced at his arm. The bleeding wasn’t slowing, and though he was doing his best to play it cool, I caught the way his jaw clenched, the second of tight pain flashing across his face before he buried it.

I frowned. "Lemme see."

"No." Kaiba squared his shoulders, shaking his head. "We don’t have time."

I let out an exasperated sigh but didn’t back off. "Kaiba, last time we walked for hours to find you. What, you plannin’ to bleed out on the way back?" I gestured at the growing red stain.

Kaiba hesitated. He glanced at his arm, then back at me. Without another word, he shrugged off his coat and rolled up his sleeve. I leaned in, but he shot me a glare. "I don’t need your help," he snapped, as if saying it made it true.

The gash was bad. Not life-threatening—at least, in my very unprofessional medical opinion—but deep, angry-looking, and still bleeding more than it should. Had to hurt like hell.

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, well, I ain’t askin’ for permission.”

“I said I don’t—” he tried again, twisting his arm to look at the wound himself, but it was on the back of his upper arm. No way he could properly see it.

I groaned, patience running real thin. "Look, Kaiba," I huffed, shoving his hand aside, "the sooner we patch you up, the sooner we can get the hell outta this place. Now hold still."

Kaiba tensed but, surprisingly, didn’t argue. Probably ‘cause he knew I was right.

I grabbed his arm before he could change his mind and swat me off. "You should probably get stitches when we’re outta here, but for now, a makeshift bandage will do."

Kaiba gave me a look like he was debating whether letting me help was worse than the actual injury, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he just muttered, “Who made you a doctor, Wheeler?”

I smirked. “Experience. You don’t grow up in my neighborhood without learnin’ how to deal with cuts and bruises.” I glanced down at my own tattered shirt. It was cotton, right? That was good for bandages, right? That’s what they always did in the movies.

I gripped the hem of my shirt and yanked. Nothing.

Frowning, I pulled harder. Still nothing.

Annoyed, I let out an irritated growl, twisting the fabric in my hands, trying to rip it. Why was this so easy on TV?!

I caught Kaiba staring at me, one eyebrow raised, unimpressed.

"What?!" I snapped. "I'm makin’ a damn bandage for ya!"

Kaiba let out a slow, incredulous breath, closing his eyes like he was asking the universe why it had cursed him with my presence. “Sure is going well.”

"Argh, shut up!" I snarled, mostly at my shirt, yanking harder until—"HA!"—the fabric finally tore. Holding it up like some kind of trophy, I grinned. "See? Now hold still."

Kaiba rolled his eyes but didn’t pull away as I started wrapping the makeshift bandage around his arm. I tried to be careful, but— 

"Ah—damn it, Wheeler!" Kaiba hissed as I tightened the fabric.

"Hold still, I said!" I shot back, gripping his arm as he instinctively tried to jerk away. I pulled the bandage snug and tied it off in a not-so-pretty but functional knot. Without thinking, I patted his arm when I was done. "There. All good."

Kaiba winced but didn’t say anything, just glanced down at the bandage like he was judging my work.

I hesitated, then took a deep breath. “Thanks, by the way,” I muttered. The words felt weird comin’ out of my mouth, but I forced them through. “For, y’know… pushin’ me outta the way.”

Kaiba made a dismissive sound, not looking at me. “It’s nothing. I just didn’t want to owe you anything.”

I scoffed, but yeah—can’t say I was surprised. “Sure,” I said, trying to ignore the weird sting in my chest. “That’s what I thought.”

Kaiba didn’t say anything, just sat there, staring off into the shifting darkness of the Shadow Realm. I was about to get up when he suddenly held out his hand.

I blinked. Confused.

Was he… going for a handshake? That was new. I hesitated, my brain scrambling to catch up, and awkwardly lifted my own hand, just about to actually take his when—

“My necklace,” he said flatly.

Oh. Right. The necklace.

I coughed, feeling real stupid, and looked down at the thing hanging around my neck. "Oh. Yeah. Here." I let out an awkward chuckle, pressing it into his palm. His fingers were cold.

For a second, he just sat there, staring at it. His expression softened—just a fraction, just enough to make me shut up and not say anything dumb.

I caught myself gawking and quickly looked away, following his gaze to the now-open locket in his hands. Inside, a small, worn photograph of a much younger Kaiba and Mokuba smiled back at us. Must’ve been from a happier day.

I swallowed and rubbed the back of my neck. “Your bro’s real tough, ya know.”

Kaiba didn’t respond.

I shifted, trying to fill the weird silence. “Man, you guys really went through a lotta crap, huh…” I paused, then, before I could stop myself, added, “If ya ever—”

“Save it, Wheeler,” Kaiba cut me off sharply, snapping the locket shut with a finality that stung more than I wanted to admit.

I stared at him for a second before letting out a breath. “Yeah. Whatever.”

I watched as he stood up, stiff and careful with his arm, slipping the necklace back over his head. Without another word, he started walking.

I let out a sigh and scrambled to my feet, hurrying after him. Kaiba was already holding the necklace out, trying to find the way forward.

"You gotta concentrate on Mokuba," I said, trying to be helpful. "It’s his locket, right?"

"I figured," he snapped, not bothering to look back. "I’m not stupid, Wheeler."

I rolled my eyes, stuffing my hands in my pockets as I walked beside him. "Yeah, yeah. Just makin’ sure."

Keeping up with Kaiba’s ridiculously long legs was a struggle. The guy moved fast even when he was bleeding. I had to take two steps for every one of his, and it was annoying as hell. But at least we weren’t completely lost anymore.

Luckily, we found Yugi after a while. He had pushed himself off the ground and was leaning against a jagged stone formation, still looking worn out but a hell of a lot better than when we left him.

“We found it!” I managed a grin.

He gave a tired but relieved smile. "Good. Then let’s get out of here."

I nodded, shifting under his weight as I helped him stand. “You good to walk?”

“Yeah,” he said, though his voice was still a little breathless.

The rest of the walk was quiet. Eerily quiet.

Too quiet.

I kept expecting something freaky to lunge at us from the mist—maybe another one of those twisted duel monsters, or some new horror straight outta a nightmare. But nothing happened. The silence gnawed at my nerves worse than if something had actually attacked.

Kaiba was striding ahead, walking like he was completely fine despite the bloody bandage wrapped around his arm. I could tell it was still bothering him, but he was stubborn enough to act like it wasn’t.

I had one of Yugi’s arms slung over my shoulder, supporting him as we followed behind. He was doing better, but still moving slow. And Kaiba, being Kaiba, didn’t even try to match our pace. I half-wondered if he’d ditch us if we were too slow for his liking.

"Slow down, rich boy," I called. "We ain’t all got built-in stilts like you."

Kaiba ignored me. Shocking.

But then, in the distance, something flickered—just barely visible through the thick mist. It was faint at first, just a speck of soft light, but it grew brighter with every step we took. My heart skipped a beat.

The portal.

We made it.

“We did it,” I breathed, feeling the tension in my chest loosen for the first time since we’d stepped into this nightmare. Kaiba didn’t say anything, just kept walking. But his grip on the locket tightened, like he was making damn sure he wasn’t dreaming.

I took one last glance back at the twisted, fog-filled landscape—the shifting shadows, the weird, half-there shapes lurking just beyond my vision. Yeah, I wouldn’t be missing this place. Not for a second.

And without further ado, we stepped through the portal.

To be continued...