Kaibaland Park was a desolate wasteland. Overturned sideshow attractions and shattered park benches were all that was left to hint at the existence of people. The air was heavy; it smothered the land like a fire blanket, desperate to contain the destructive energies underneath it. The sky still bore the discolorations left behind by the holographic barrier erected by the Ghouls and shattered by Kaiba’s dragons. No one ever expected to see the apocalypse at Kaibaland, yet it handled the look very well.

The sound of footsteps echoed in the distance. It was difficult to tell how many people there were. At first, there were a few random steps, but quickly the randomness turned into order. One footstep became two, and then four, eight, a dozen, a hundred, a thousand… too many to count. Yet they all moved in perfect time like an army of drones, unified towards one purpose. One will guided them all.

Joey Wheeler’s eyes burned holes through the mist covering the streets of Kaibaland. The army of duelists behind him stepped in time with their leader, the boy with a lion’s blonde mane. His normally calm and playful demeanor were replaced by the thuggish focus that allowed him to survive in the streets of Domino City, back when it was a haven for gangs and thieves. It allowed him to survive his own father’s abuse. It pulled him through every challenge he faced while at Yugi’s side all these years. Now, it was that determination that convinced so many to follow him.

His wife walked in step, her determination tempered by her beauty and cool detachment. She allowed herself a disported grin. She remembered how long ago it was when she first realized that Joseph had two sides to him just like the King of Games he so dutifully served. Joey was childish and excitable at times, and he often played the fool as well. However, when his friends were in danger, he wasn’t afraid to put aside his innocent nature and become the warrior who had defeated her and other duelists like her. Mai was always impressed by his strength, but even more impressed by his ability to balance that strength with innocence.

There were a thousand duelists at their back. Their footfalls were an earthquake now. They marched toward the Fortress on the Mountaintop, where the Ghouls headquartered and hid. At first, the fortress seemed impregnable, since no duelist could destroy it on his own. But now, with a thousand working together, nothing could stand in their way.

Only when Joey stopped did the legion halt. The fortress overlooked them. The behemoth was not impressed.

“READY!” he shouted at the top of his lungs. Behind him, a thousand Duel Disks activated. A thousand cards came to life. A thousand monsters hovered in place. “AIM!”

Mai and her Cyber Harpy waited patiently. On Joey’s opposite flank, Rebecca Hawkins and her Diamond Dragon did the same. The two women fought often in professional tournaments and lauded the other’s abilities. Rarely did they find the chance to work together like this. They shared a knowing smile. The King of Games had a way of bringing people together, even inadvertently.

The army shouted their order as one. “IKE!!” And a thousand monsters blotted out the sun.

--

An explosion shook the complex above Bastion and Cyrus. They stumbled to the ground, as did their guest, the lady Ghoul called Ikonnu. The woman recovered quickly and helped Cyrus to his feet. He thanked her silently. His words were strong enough to turn her, but his body lacked the strength that he had in his heart.

“I hope that’s not part of Jaden’s and Alexis’s duel,” Bastion said worriedly. “The last time an explosion like that happened in a duel, Mister Mutoh and Mister Kaiba were using the God cards.”

“Vio’s deck is powerful,” Ikonnu warned. “If he’s unleashed the dark force that he’s sought all this time, then it’s entirely possible for him to decimate this facility.”

“That’s not good.” Bastion navigated the last legs of the maze. “We must get Mister Mutoh and Vice President Kaiba out of here quickly.”

“Before one side loses,” Ikonnu said.

“Our friends won’t lose,” Bastion interjected.

“I never said they would.” Ikonnu pointed down the rightmost path in the hallway. “The Duel King and the younger Kaiba are down that way.” She tossed Bastion a key card. “That will open the door and the cage.”

Bastion raced ahead. Deep in the bowels of the facility, this dark room held the greatest duelist the world had ever known. Yugi rose to his feet when he saw the young Ra Yellow. Mokuba did the same, though he was visibly more relieved. Yugi remained calm.

“It’s about time you got here,” Mokuba said, breathing a sigh of relief. “I was starting to worry. My brother sent you to retrieve us.”

Bastion disabled the Nightmare Steel Cage holding the two men. “Actually, Alexis did. Sort of. It’s a long story.”

“My brother didn’t send you? Then how did you get past the security without his access?”

Bastion pointed to his head. “I’m rather studious.”

The facility shook again. Yugi looked up to listen for signs of collapse, but thankfully the facility remained intact. “Vio.”

“Jaden and Alexis are fighting him.”

“No,” Yugi said somberly. “Only one of them is fighting him. The other…” He closed his eyes to contain his feelings. “He’s fallen. I heard his soul cry out as it was taken into the shadows.”

Bastion gasped. “Jaden’s gone!? That can’t be.”

“We have to hurry. It won’t be long before this duel’s outcome is decided. We have to clear the facility before that happens.”

Bastion followed Yugi and Mokuba into the hall where Syrus and Ikonnu were waiting for them. As the party raced through the maze they just completed, Bastion quelled his own fears as best he could. When Yugi said that the “outcome would be decided”, he could only think of one possible outcome. There was no way that Alexis could defeat a man who could best Jaden Yuki. It was mathematically impossible for her to win.

Alexis was going to die.

--

(Vio – 650 LP)
- D.D. God, Diablos (Deals 800 damage to the opponent during the Battle Phase.)
- Shadow of Diablos (Trap-Monster. ATK 4000.)
- Chaos Emperor Dragon (ATK 3000. Frozen.)
- Bronze Idol (Increase your LP by 500 during the opponent’s turn.)
- Spirit Barrier (Damage is reduced to 0 while you control a Monster.)
- Final Assault Order (All monsters must be in Attack position.)

(Alexis – 1400 LP)
- Silent Kaien LV 5 (ATK 2200. DEF 2400.)

It was in Alexis’ nature to try as hard as she could at whatever she was doing. When Duel Academy held its cosplay contest for Spirit Day, she made the best outfit she could because she had pride in her work. When she dueled, she studied the game from every angle so that she could understand every aspect of her and her opponent’s plays. She learned to see the game as more than that. Dueling was her life.

When her idol defeated her in a duel, it broke her heart. She felt like she’d failed to live up to her expectations. Worse than that, she felt like she failed to live up to her idol’s expectations. She wanted to show Yugi Mutoh that she was a great duelist. She wanted to be like him. She wanted him to think of her as a True Duelist.

Now that she stood on the brink of destruction, she found herself wondering if she would ever meet his expectations. If none of this ever happened, would she even have made an impression on him? Would he have remembered her? Would he remember her years from now?

If she lost here, none of that would matter at all. Standing on the edge of Oblivion, things became much clearer to her. Pride was important, but not if it meant losing everything for the sake of that pride. Sometimes you had to accept that you had limits.

And sometimes, like now, you had to realize that limits were not immutable. You could break your limits if you tried. That was the essence of dueling. That was what growing up was all about.

Vio chuckled malevolently. “It seems you have realized your predicament. Have you accepted your fate?”

Alexis shook her head calmly. “…No. I’m not ready to die.”

Vio didn’t like what he saw in the girl’s eyes. “It’s hopeless. Next turn, I will destroy you. That is a fact. It’s destiny.”

Alexis snatched a card from her deck. “I’ll decide what my destiny is!!” A fire trail followed her hand as the shadows around her reacted to the passion in her heart. Alexis glanced at the card out of the corner of her eye, and gasped gently.

Legend of Steel
- Ritual Spell. Pay half your LP to activate this card.

“Come, child!” Vio yelled. “Show me your anger!!”

Alexis dexterously moved her fingers across the card resting in her duel disk. “Ike!” The spirit launched across the field in response to her duelist’s order and attacked Vio harshly. The damage was deflected by the Spirit Barrier, but the attack gave Kaien the experience she needed to grow to Level 7 (ATK 3200). “And I’ll set one card face-down, ending my turn!” Alexis slipped her drawn card into her hand, while simultaneously picking another card to set face-down in keeping with her declaration. “Turn End-oh!”

“It matters not. With your defeat, Kaien and the Winged Kuriboh will be mine, and the keys to bringing my spirit into this world will be in my hands.” Vio drew and began his turn quickly. “Diablos!! Destroy that insignificant bug!”

The towering god brought down its fist on Kaien, blanketing her side of the field in smoke and shattering the ground beneath them. At the same time, the effect of Diablos activated and sent a burst of hellfire straight for Alexis. The fire embraced her completely. The Shadow Realm made the pain of the fire real, so Vio waited expectantly for the girl to scream in pain. But the awaited screams didn’t come.

The smoke cleared, and even though Alexis burned, she didn’t scream. She gritted her teeth and bore the pain silently. Nearby, Kaien remained alive, despite taking the brunt of the dark god’s attack.

“Impossible. How did you…?”

Master Shield
- Equipment Trap. The equipped monster cannot attack or be attacked. Destroy this equipment card after two turns.

Kaien sported a blue and silver shield covered in a variety of heraldic runes and images. Even though Kaien survived the attack unharmed, Alexis was not so lucky. (LP: 600)

“You would stall your own defeat? I thought you had more pride than that.”

“This isn’t stalling,” Alexis said. “It’s tactics. Wait for the opportune moment before you strike.”

“Such nonsense. I’m going to enjoy the moment when your life finally fades. At least the boy had the sense to die quickly.”

Alexis resisted the urge to look at Jaden’s prone figure. She glared intensely. “His name is Jaden Yuki. He’s one of my best friends. He’s a better man than you.”

“If that’s so… then why is he lying there?”

Alexis drew her next card. Even before she saw it, she knew it was the card she needed. This must’ve been what it felt like for Jaden when he dueled. The cards were no longer lifeless instruments in her hands. She could feel them as if they were a part of her. She and the cards were one.

“I’m activating a magic card!” Alexis declared. A blue light swept around Kaien’s feet, and the same light circled Alexis. The two experienced a rush of heat in their bodies, signaling the presence of a deep and powerful magic.

Cyber Link
- Equipment Spell. Damage to you instead reduces the ATK and DEF of the equipped monster. Tribute Cyber Link to gain 500 LP.

“With this card, Kaien and I are bound not only in mind, but in body and soul!!” Alexis pointed angrily to Vio, and Kaien made exactly the same movements. “Your god’s not going to defeat us!”

Vio’s Bronze Idol increased his life points further. (LP 1150) “Your tricks are meaningless. You may have ways to stave off death, but my god will decimate your spirit and you along with it.”

Vio drew his new card and declared Diablos’ attack. The dark god slammed Kaien as hard as it could, sending the tiny spirit falling backwards. The Master Shield took the attack again, but much of it was dented and broken. Diablos’ second attack struck Alexis dead-on, sweeping her into a tower of flame. The duelist fell to one knee as her heart threatened to give out. Still she fought on, even as the shadows clawed at her soul. (Kaien’s ATK: 2400.)

The only thing that kept her going was her determination. Her body had no energy left. She could barely stand. Kaien was exhausted, but she too pulled herself upright.

“Give up!!” Vio demanded.

“… No,” Alexis hissed. She gazed at him through the hair covering her face. “I don’t need to give up. The battle’s already over. You just haven’t accepted it yet.”

“What are you talking about? I’ve clearly won!”

“You lost when you started to hammer me with insults.” Alexis put a hand to her deck, readying her final draw. “You’re as scared to lose as I was. And that terrifies you.”

Vio laughed. “You’re starting to sound like a Ghoul. It’s a shame you won’t be around much longer. You would make an excellent servant.”

Alexis drew as gently as possible, yet the draw carried more power than any other she’d made. “Yes. Such a shame.” Without looking, she held the card up high. “Cyber Matrix, hatsudo!”

Cyber Matrix
- Field Spell. Select up to five monsters in your graveyard and place them in your Spell/Trap Zone.

Four gigantic pods appeared behind Alexis, and inside each of them appeared one of her key monsters. The Ice Master slept peacefully in the first pod. The Ice Queen rested in the second pod. Cyber Angel Dakini, stripped of most of her considerable armament, floated in the third pod. The fourth pod carried Jaden’s contribution – the Elemental Hero Elixier.

Vio looked concerned. “What is this…?”

“At this time, the Master Shield is destroyed!” Kaien tossed the spent item aside. “So I can attack! This is the end, Vio!”

“The end of what? You have no way to hurt me! My dragon and my god are both stronger than Kaien, and my Spirit Barrier will deflect any damage she deals to me!”

“Maybe one attack won’t be enough.” Alexis selected a card from her hand. It crackled with electricity that sent shivers down her arm and through her entire body. “But Kaien and I aren’t attacking alone!” Alexis gave up half her remaining life points to unleash the final assault of the duel. (LP 300)

Legend of Steel
- Ritual Spell. Pay half your LP to activate this card. The monster on your field with the lowest ATK gains an additional attack for every other monster you control. None of your other monsters can attack this turn.

“But… but you only have one monster!”

“Count again.” Ice Master (ATK 2500), Ice Queen (ATK 2900), Cyber Angel Dakini (ATK 2700), Elemental Hero Elixier (ATK 2900), and Silent Kaien (ATK 2400)

Four weapons fell from the sky and stabbed into the ground. One was a sword composed of ice and crystal. Another was a crystal rod carrying the power of a comet inside it. The third was a jagged, Persian scimitar with angelic runes dangling from yarns on the hilt. The fourth was a blade with six elemental runes carved along its two faces. The last blade was Kaien’s weapon, a hell-forged claymore.

“This can’t be!”

“HERE WE COME, VIO!” Alexis roared. “Kaien, ike!!” Kaien took the ice sword first and rushed across the field – a flash of black and silver – to strike Vio with all her might. The sword shattered on his Spirit Barrier, sending showers of ice in all directions. Kaien teleported to Alexis’ side, ready to snatch another blade.

“Although her attack dealt no damage, she grows stronger for performing a Direct Attack,” Alexis declared. “Kaien’s level increases!” (ATK 3400) “Which means her second attack will take something very precious to you!”

Vio cried out as Kaien took Dakini’s scimitar and sliced Chaos Emperor Dragon to ribbons. The mighty spirit roared in pain before fading into the shadows.

“You little bitch!” Vio snarled. “How dare you-!” Kaien silenced the man with her third attack using the crystal rod borrowed from the Ice Queen. The frigid strike sprayed harmlessly across the Spirit Barrier, but again the direct attack gave Kaien more experience, catapulting her to an incredible 4400 points. With this power, she could use her hell-forged sword to slice and dice Diablos, completely reducing the mighty god to ash.

Vio’s field was empty. He gazed in horror as Alexis stood defiantly.

“Kaien’s fifth and final strike,” said the girl from Obelisk Blue, “will be the last. This one is for Jaden.” Kaien took up Elixier’s six-runed sword and started the final charge. Vio screamed as Kaien cleaved into him. The Shadow Realm made the pain as real as if he’d actually been struck. He felt his body split in half, even as he looked down and saw it whole. The pain was immeasurable.

Vio collapsed. His life was gone. The shadows swarmed around him, like piranhas in a feeding frenzy, and devoured him as one giant horde. When the swarm retreated to the shadows, there was nothing left but a few scattered Duel Monster cards.

The chill faded. Alexis saw the steel floor of the Kaibaland facility once again. She was back in the real world. Her first reaction was to faint, but she resisted. She crawled to Jaden’s side and cradled his head in her lap. Kaien stood over her protectively, and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

--

Joey and his army watched the Fortress on the Mountaintop shatter and disappear. The hologram was no more. A cheer rose from the crowd as they saw several familiar faces walking from the wrecked facility. Yugi and Mokuba rushed to their friends. Tea pushed her way past all the duelists to leap into Yugi’s arms, kissing him passionately.

Syrus and Ikonnu explained why the Ghoul was with them. Bastion turned to face the desiccated shell behind him. The facility could barely stand after all that had happened inside it. He wanted to get back in there and find Alexis and Jaden. Yugi assured him that Alexis would be alright, but he wouldn’t be certain of it unless he was at her side. He spent far too much time at her back already.

“We’re sorry for sneaking out,” Syrus said to Joey, who was already on the verge of throttling someone. Syrus bowed repeatedly. “It’s just, there’s no convincing them when they decide to do something like this!”

“I understand,” Joey said. “I guess kids will be kids.” Mai shook her head nearby. Joey Wheeler criticizing someone else for childish behavior was surely a sign of The End Times.

The sound of approaching helicopters and ground vehicles grew louder than the crowd. The lead helicopter dangled a rope ladder from the bottom, and upon it was President Kaiba himself, still wearing his Duel Disk and looking battle-ready. He jumped to street level when he saw Mokuba waving below. The president betrayed a rare smile when he saw that his brother was safe. Even though Mokuba was an adult himself by now, Seto still saw Mokuba as his little brother, and always would.

“You’re late, Kaiba,” Yugi said. “The battle has already been decided.”

“How can you be so sure that-?” Kaiba asked. Quickly, he discarded the question. He knew by now that Yugi would always have a sixth sense about such things, whether or not he was wearing a Millennium Puzzle around his neck. “I suppose next time I’ll have to hire more competent help.” Nearby, the acting commander of the military accompaniment cleared his throat.

“What about Alexis and Aniki?” Syrus asked.

“Everything will be taken care of,” Yugi said cryptically. “All we can do now is wait.”

--

Alexis was a cheerful person at heart, despite her cool, detached demeanor. She didn’t like to frown. The last few days had taken their toll on her. She felt like she wouldn’t smile ever again after getting such a rough introduction to what it was like to lose someone you loved. Her face was devoid of emotion and energy. She felt empty. Her eyes didn’t shine anymore. She felt cold. The room’s vast emptiness echoed even the faintest noises, reminding her of how alone she was.

Alexis felt like crying. Yet she couldn’t do it. Every part of her body cried for release, but nothing happened. Her heart was just… empty.

Kaien’s armor clanked as she stepped carefully across the room to scoop up what remained of Vio’s deck. She brought the cards to Alexis, who didn’t look up at first. She didn’t care about cards right now. One of her best friends laid motionless in her lap – how could anything else matter?

Alexis saw that the cards were Vio’s rarest – Diablos and the spirit-bearing Chaos Emperor Dragon. She could see the remnants of the spirit’s face reflected in the card. Kaien slew it in the battle, so she imagined the spirit was weak. More than that, Vio’s entire mission had been to bring the dragon to this world. It seemed it was fading away bit by bit, until it was back in the shadows where it belonged.

Alexis took the cards. She suspected that Yugi would want them, to make sure they didn’t fall into the wrong hands. If Bastion and Syrus managed to rescue him, that is.

Bastion… Syrus… they would be worried. Alexis had to go and tell them what happened. She had to do it at some point. Maybe now, when her heart was too broken to feel anything, would be the best time.

As Alexis got ready to stand, she heard a faint but familiar chirp. Kuri... She looked up slightly and saw the faint image of Winged Kuriboh. Was he faint because of Jaden?

Alexis looked towards Kaien. She was faint too. Was her vision failing?

Kuri! Again the creature chirped. Alexis looked to him, her expression full of pain.

“I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do. Jaden… he’s…”

Kuriboh floated down to Jaden’s face and massaged it with a furry paw. Jaden’s cheek grew rosy where the fairy touched it. Alexis touched the spot as well. It was warmer. Before she realized what she was doing, Alexis cradled Jaden’s cheek and held his face. She watched every contour of his skin move in response to her touch. He looked like he was sleeping. His face was so beautiful as he slept, in stark contrast to the often impish expressions he had while he was awake.

Alexis felt a twitch underneath her hand. Was that her hand moving, or was that his face? For a moment, her breath caught in her throat. Alexis dared not breathe, lest the tiny spark of life she thought she saw be blown away like a flickering candle. Alexis watched and waited.

Time grew slower. Alexis couldn’t tell how long she waited, but she knew when the wait was over. Slowly, like a flower blossoming with the first light of spring, Jaden’s eyes began to open. His chestnut eyes wavered in her direction, just before clarity returned to his expression. “… Hey ‘Lex. What’d I miss?”

Alexis couldn’t believe it. She just couldn’t believe it. The happiness she felt was all too much. Her heart erupted with joy, and she burst into tears as she gripped Jaden as tightly as she could.

--

When they stepped out of the facility together, Alexis and Jaden were greeted by a horde of cheering duelists. Alexis didn’t know what to make of it, so she was unsure of how to react, but Jaden, as always, went with his gut and simply waved back to the crowd, cheering in return. Bastion and Syrus rushed up to greet them and express their relief. Jaden eagerly described the “sweet duel” they had, while Alexis confirmed that Yugi and Mokuba were indeed rescued. She was unwilling to face Yugi at first, but Joey and Jaden corralled her into it by dragging her towards the crowd so they could shower her with praise. As far as they were concerned, she single-handedly defeated the man responsible for this catastrophe.

“I never doubted you guys for a minute!” Joey cheered, slapping Jaden on the shoulder. Again, Mai tsked nearby. This time, Joey replied, “I didn’t!”

“Good work,” Yugi said to them. Alexis thought his words were mostly for Jaden, since she still didn’t think-.

“Alexis is the one you should thank,” Jaden said, giving her a gentle shove forward. “She took care of Vio when I messed up.”

Yugi looked her square in the eye and smiled. “Well done, Alexis Rhodes. I knew you could do it.”

Alexis bowed instinctively. “Thank you.” She remembered the cards in her pocket and quickly reached for them. She unfanned three of them and offered them to Yugi. “Th-these are for you. I mean, these are yours.”

Yugi took them in hand. D.D. God Diablos and Chaos Emperor Dragon were the first two, while the last was Silent Kaien, the card he placed in her deck during their tag battle, so that she might have a chance against the Ghouls. Kaien was a spirit he was meant to protect and raise. It surprised him how Fate worked sometimes.

“Thank you,” Yugi said simply as he pocketed the cards. Alexis watched Kaien go with regret. She may never get to see another spirit again, but she was glad to have fought beside one so strong and brave. A spirit like that definitely belonged with the King of Games.

Seto Kaiba shoved past the adult, beer-gutted versions of Rex Raptor and Weevil Underwood. “If you’re done coddling the children now, Yugi, I’d like to discuss the matter of who is going to pay for the damages to my amusement park.”

Joey grimaced. “I think he’s actually grown meaner over the years. Not a shred of gratitude for saving his brother!”

Jaden, always the quick thinker, cut in. “Our school will cover the cost!”

The vein in Kaiba’s forehead bulged to critical mass. “I own your school!”

“Oh… well then, uh… will an I.O.U. be okay?”

The laughter from the gathered friends was welcomed after such a tension-filled day. Alexis managed to smile. For someone who, a few minutes ago, would never smile again, that was truly something to be proud of.

--

Alexis didn’t think she would be so excited to go home. After everything that happened, she wanted nothing more than to go to bed and get a good eight hours of sleep. She spent so much time talking to duelists eager to hear about her “exploits”, interviewers for Duelist Weekly, and members of the police asking for information on what happened. Suddenly, Mindy’s chattering seemed inviting.

Her friends waited at the airport, ready to head back to Duel Academy Island in the Pacific. It was a long flight and they had to leave America early. She couldn’t imagine how Jaden managed to have as much energy as he did at five in the morning. He said goodbye to everyone who was sending them off.

“I want my rematch when we meet next,” Jaden promised Joey. “And I’ll be the winner!”

“Keep telling yourself that.” Joey shook the boy’s hand. “See you ‘round, Kid.” As Jaden moved down the line to Tea and Yugi, Mai whispered in Joey’s ear, “Want me to sign you up as a guest professor for the Academy this semester?” She meant it as a joke, but she was disturbed by how thoughtful Joey’s face became.

“Goodbye, Jaden-kun,” Tea said pleasantly. “Please keep in touch.”

“I will.” Jaden shook Yugi’s hand wordlessly. The two shared everything that needed to be shared in that handshake. They knew they would see each other again someday. It was destiny.

Finally, it was Alexis’s turn to say goodbye. She faced Yugi as best she could. “It has been a pleasure, Mutoh-san. I’m sorry for all the trouble we’ve caused.” She wasn’t referring to the ‘trouble’ that the Ghouls brought with them to Kaibaland. She meant her friends’ intrusion on the pro duelist’s time. It was a farewell she prepared long before she and her friends ever came to Kaibaland. She said now as a matter of habit, although it sounded silly. It was too late to take her words back.

“Goodbye, Rhodes-san,” he replied. Again, she wished he would call her Alexis-kun like he did during their duel against the Ghouls. It made her feel like she was a True Duelist, and not just a student of the game. Maybe she still had to prove herself. She felt pained by the thought, but she reminded herself to remain cool. She would have to redouble her efforts as a student.

The gang said their final goodbyes and boarded the airplane provided for them by Kaibaland. They took their seats and waved to their new friends through the windows. The assembled professional duelists – the legends from Domino City – waved one last time before turning to head home themselves. It might be a long time before they saw each other again.

Alexis watched them go sadly. She regretted everything she said to the Duel King. No matter how she looked at it, she always felt like she failed to express her true feelings to him. She always bumbled her way through conversations with him. She always obsessed with the game instead of enjoying it with him, like Jaden did. She wished she could do it all over again. But, of course, life didn’t work that way. She had to accept the past as it was, and move on.

The plane began to take off. As it did, Alexis got ready to nap, as it was still quite early in the morning and they were in for a long flight. She was surprised when Syrus took a seat beside her. He always sat beside Jaden if he could help it.

“Syrus?”

The boy reached into his jacket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. “Mister Mutoh said you dropped this.” He quickly scurried back to his seat so that he could buckle up before takeoff.

Alexis stared at the folded paper for a long time before slowly unwrapping it. She carefully pulled open the top half and saw, in utter shock, the name of a Duel Monsters card. A familiar face greeted her from underneath the folds. She unwrapped the paper and held Silent Kaien in her palm with disbelief.

Scribbles on the inside of the paper caught her attention. Alexis held the paper so as to catch the sunlight coming through the window at her side. The message was eloquently simple. A True Duelist doesn’t see cards. She sees friends. Take care of her, Alexis-kun. – Y

Alexis’ thumb caressed the ‘Y’ thoughtfully. Elsewhere, a man with a red and gold crown of hair smiled.

“What are you thinking?” Tea asked, gently poking him.

Yugi wrapped an arm around his wife. “Some people are meant for each other.”

Tea smiled and hugged him tightly. “I couldn’t agree more.”