Amor Vincit Omnia

Notes: Apologies for the late update. Excuses include exams, double-employment and lots of coursework.

That said, welcome to chapter 5 of Amor Vincit Omnia, where there is angst galore. Not too much happening in this one, but I do need to set up for the big unveiling next chapter.XD
Thank everyone so much for your reviews!

Cody_Thomas- I'm glad you like the prize. As I said, it was fun getting it done. :)And high-five for being yaoi-converted. I admit I used to be one of those 'teh ghey is so weird!' sort until I realized, guy-romance can be quite super special awesome. And as for ineptitude of younger days, we have all been there. But you're here now and it's all that matters. ^__^

ImmuneSys: Thank you for your comment! I admit that liberally sprinkling a little mystery is a weakness of mine and I'm glad it's going the story good.

read_right_time: Sorry for the epic lateness, but the update is here! Enjoy!

Yaminisu: This was an odd riddle, sorry, I can't say that enough, but it is. The answer is that he is a priest and thus married the men and women to each other or other men and women. I know, I'm lame at these. ^_^;

Naomie: Thank you very much! This was a very encouraging comment because I do tend to agonize over word-choice, amount of detail and such. So yeah, I'm happy you like how I write and hope you enjoy this one as well!

-II-

Amor Vincit Omnia

Chapter 5: Penumbra

Monday morning dawned over Domino University, beautiful, glorious and contrary to Yugi’s mood. Listlessly buttoning his uniform jacket, the violet-eyed boy gave a heavy sigh that disappeared into the pristine emptiness of his apartment. He shouldn’t be this tired, he reasoned, considering Yami hadn’t insisted on anything physical when he came on Sunday, citing it a ‘school night’. But the utterly ridiculous comment reminded him a bit too strongly of the ridiculousness of their not-quite-adult relationship. Still, if he were completely honest with himself, this particular exhaustion had nothing to do with his late night rendezvous. It had to do with thinking too much about something he shouldn’t, in all practicality, be paying a lot of mind to. Yami was right; his former friends had made their own choice and it was nothing for him to lose any sleep over. Also yes, he did have new friends and while he had a ways to go when it came to age or academics, he was a perfect social fit with Seth and his colleagues. And in time, when they too fell under his spell like everyone else, they would be inclined to agree.

But why did his heart ache so much whenever he thought he heard Jou’s voice or smelled Anzu’s perfume? And why did he always hesitate to call on his new friends when he ran into a difficulty?

‘Because dazzling someone doesn’t make them your friend.’ Yugi shook his head and set about lacing up his shoes to quiet his mental voice. It was right, but it wasn’t a healthy sign if his anxieties were gaining a life of their own. It was time for a distraction.
Dusting his hands, Yugi picked up his backpack and checked a compartment to confirm the presence of his Duel Monsters deck. He was meeting Seth at his apartment in five minutes to have breakfast and familiarize himself with the Complex before heading off to class; maybe the Battle City co-host could give him something more fun to concentrate on than the fragile fidelity of human beings.

At precisely 9 am, Yugi knocked on door of Seth’s apartment and waited, nervously picking at the cuff of his jacket. There was no immediate answer, but just as he was about to knock again, the door opened to reveal a tall, tanned figure who was decidedly not the one he was looking for.

“Ishizu-san!” Yugi’s eyes widened. Had he come to the wrong place? He was sure he had the number right… “I’m so sorry to disturb you, I thought Seth lived here…”

Ishizu looked at him with slight amusement. “Sometimes.” She said, her husky feminine voice forming the word deliberately. “Seth sometimes stays here. Otherwise, it’s just me and Karim.”

“Oh.” Yugi blinked. He really didn’t know what to say, but fortunately, he didn’t have to come up with something because Ishizu moved back and gracefully gestured for him to enter. Yugi politely removed his shoes and stepped into the living room, which was artfully decorated like his own, with the addition of some personal touches that made it decidedly more homey. His eyes came to rest on a large picture frame on the mantle. “Oh! Do you know Marik?”

“My little brother.” Ishizu replied and gave a small smile at the photograph where she stood in a white veiled robe between her husband and her brother. “I’m sure you’ve never seen him so formal. He obliged me only on my wedding day.”

“You look beautiful.” Yugi offered. She wasn’t smiling in the picture, but her eyes told a thousand more truths than her body. That was enough to convey her happiness.

“Thank you. Come, I made some extra breakfast.” Ishizu gestured to a small dining table, where some covered dishes were resting. “Karim had an early lecture today, so I’m afraid it isn’t anything fancy.”

”Oh, no!” Yugi bowed gratefully. “Really, it was generous of you to invite me in the first place.”

“Actually, Yugi-kun,” Ishizu smirked a little while she placed toast and fruit on his plate. “It was more of a safety measure.”

Yugi blushed, embarrassment creeping up to his face. “Sorry, Ishizu-san, I’ve never used a convection oven before." He admitted. “I didn’t know wax paper could catch fire. I mean, it was –wax- paper…”

There was a short and awkward pause as he trailed off, and then Ishizu laughed in genuine amusement. “My god, you make me feel so old, telling me about such beginner’s antics. Nevertheless, please sit down.” She gestured to a chair opposite her own at the table.

Yugi smiled graciously and took a seat, confidence returning fast under Ishizu’s amiable tone. It was amazing how much she loosened up once she laughed. She looked years younger and more vibrant than he’d ever seen her, but then again, he’d only known her for two days. Helping himself to some coffee, he looked around. “Speaking of old, where is Seth-san?”

Ishizu looked up in mild shock and then laughed again, looking at the boy before her in appreciation. “He’s in the shower. About ten minutes in, so he should be out in a half hour—or whenever the hot water runs out.”

Yugi giggled and nodded, imagining Seth as the Duke Devlin of his circle. “Oh, I hear you.” He munched delicately on a piece of toast in the pause that followed. Talking to Ishizu was easier than he thought, and if his goal was to fit in, he might as well start laying some foundation. “So, what do you and Karim-san do?”

“We’re on the verge of completing a research project, along with Seth.” The lady tapped her spoon against her teacup. “That’s why he was here last night, finalizing our data.”

“Let me guess,” Yugi stated. “It’s long and terribly complicated?”

“But we enjoy the subject, Yugi-kun.” Ishizu smiled again. “I, for one, could never be bored researching the origins of games and strategy.”

“Games?” Yugi perked, and smiled his most sparkling smile.

“Indeed.” Her kohl-rimmed eyes glimmered with excitement. Or with as much excitement as Ishizu would outwardly allow. “Did you know games were actually most popular during times of great hardship? When famines struck in the ancient world, people would eat only every other day. The remaining days would be spent playing games to distract themselves from their hunger.”

“That’s intense.” Yugi breathed, but he could certainly believe it. After all, didn’t puzzles and board games faithfully distract him when he hungered for the one kind of companionship he couldn’t have? Even now, his Duel Deck contained the only set of creatures that hadn’t let him down.

“It’s unfair that they get dismissed as brutal or frivolous, Ishizu-san, but games are seriously the best part of life.” The violet-eyed boy stated matter-of-factly, pushing a last bite of toast around with his fork. “You learn to think for yourself, have fun, and your opponents—they’re more honest than your friends…or anyone else who keeps saying they like you.”

He added the last part almost reluctantly and Ishizu looked up from folding her napkin just in time to see him hastily turn away. It struck her as an odd thing for Yugi to say, even if she’d known him for only two days. Seth had informed her about the fiasco with his friends, but Yugi looked like he should be more forgiving. He had to be, if he survived Domino University under Mai’s overwhelming dominion all this time without breaking into pieces. But then again, nobody was without their limits and even Yugi could only take so much cold treatment before he began to freeze himself. Still, that didn’t mean it wasn’t tragic, it only meant he was human.

“Oh, Atem…” The elder woman’s whisper became a sigh. What had he done? Suddenly, she saw why Seth intervened when he did; he had to. His cousin was trying to solve a dangerous conundrum by the worst means possible. He cited his sister, but it seemed that Atem was first serving his pride. Having a relationship with Yugi would be committing treason against closest blood relative, but not having him would mean unbearable heartache. Any logical man would have come to the conclusion that asking for Mai’s acceptance was easier than asking his heart’s forgiveness, but that was where pride came in. Atem would never admit to deliberately going against his sister’s interests and that meant Yugi had to be a secret until Mai’s discontent passed, if it ever did.

Seth summed it all up quite nicely, in Ishizu’s opinion, when he told her and Karim about it. “The idiot is trying to solve a puzzle by pulling the pieces apart.”
Seriously, the King of Games of all people should know that nothing came without a sacrifice. But then again, if Mai’s discontent didn’t pass, it was more likely that Yugi would be the one to burn on the altar.

“Ishizu-san?” Across the table, Yugi looked concerned. “I’m sorry, did I upset--?”

“No, you didn’t,” Ishizu shook her head and fixed her gaze on him. He looked lovely even in his misery, but what good was he frozen on the inside? “You’re wrong about one thing Yugi. An opponent is indifferent, a mere shadow of a friend, because the light of devotion leaves them untouched. Honesty, on the other hand, must come from the heart. Who else but your friends go to make that effort?”

“If it really took effort, how could it be so easy to let go?” Yugi countered, albeit softly.

And Ishizu found she had no answer. “Life is not without its difficult moments.” She said evenly. “And unfortunately, it’s when you have the most questions that there are not enough answers to go around.”

“Yeah.” Yugi mumbled, but then he hurriedly looked up and summoned a smile. “Then, I guess we’ll seek an answer every other day. In the remaining time, how about a game?”

The dark-haired lady set down her teacup, and a mischievous smile played on her lips. “What did you have in mind?”

“Do you play Duel Monsters?”

“Sometimes, but my deck isn’t much, I’m afraid.”

Yugi inclined his head and smirked, slipping into his game mode, which was admittedly kinder than most others’. “Ah, I’ve heard that before.”

“I’ll bet you have, Yugi-kun.” Ishizu said amusedly. “But I’m telling the truth.”

“It’s not just about the monsters in your deck, Ishizu-san. The real question is: are you any good?”

“Is that a challenge?”

-II-

Atem tapped his fingers on the secretary’s desk, and the shadows danced with every movement of his slim digits. It was still relatively early in the morning for the office to be too busy, and since Mai’s day didn’t begin for least one more hour, he’d found the perfect time for a quick nap. He was little more tired than usual today, considering he’d burned all last night, charming his lovely light and convincing him not to pay heed to traitorous friends, but his crimson eyes had barely closed when the door to the office crashed open to reveal a very disgruntled blond.

Atem raised a sardonic eyebrow at the newcomer who, either very boldly or very foolishly, went as far as to slam his fist on the desk. Strands of bright hair fell across expressive amber eyes that would have been quite attractive if they weren’t boiling over with barely suppressed rage.

“Whatever you need, Mai is in at ten o’clock.” Atem said dismissively. He didn’t have the energy for this.

“Tell your sister to quit pickin’ on Yugi!”

Atem looked up, all thoughts of sleep driven from his mind. “Yugi?” He asked, letting some incredulity color his tone.

“She knows who he is.” The blond sneered. “She’s been making him miserable since day one, so you tell her Jonouchi said knock it off!”

“First of all, you have no right to tell me or Mai what to do.” Atem replied coldly. “And secondly, somehow I doubt the President is taking time from her schedule just to make Yugi miserable. You might want to talk to his -friends- in that respect.”

He smirked when Jonouchi visibly started. But to his irritation, the blond recovered his defensive composure. “Yeah, so we got our problems.” He said brusquely. “But we took care of him, alright? Treated him like a person when—“

“Don’t kid yourself.” Atem cut him off sharply. “You put up with him as long as he depended on you, despite his true nature being far superior to yours.”

Jonouchi’s eyes narrowed and his features were suddenly etched with dislike for the man before him. Whoever this guy thought he was, he had no right horning in on matters that didn’t concern him. “I don’t care what you think, we never ‘put up with him’. We took care of him because that’s what friends do, not because of his looks.”

“Then why did his –friends- abandon him as soon as he moved into a bigger place?” Atem retorted coolly and didn’t bat an eyelash when Jonouchi all but shattered. In fact, he was inwardly elated at the chance to put these cowardly pests in their place. No piece of scum hurt Yugi and got away with it, not as long as he was there.

“He said the same thing, didn’t he?” The crimson-eyed man pushed relentlessly, watching the blond back up toward the proverbial cliff. “He tried to reason with you, asked you to help him stay with you, but you pushed him away like so much trash.”

Jonouchi tensed, eyes stormy with a hundred emotions churning behind them. His body flinched, trapped mercilessly by each brick of truth, cemented by his own guilt. Finally, he swallowed and asked softly. “How would you even know that?”

He chose to face his shame rather than walk away; usually, he admired that in anyone, but now, Atem resisted the urge to break his composure and strike the blond. What kind of an idiot stuck around asking stupid questions after a checkmate? Didn’t Jonouchi know he was supposed to slink away and do his penance? Didn’t he know that only worthy opponents got a rematch?

“I know plenty!” Atem snapped. He walked around the desk and stood before Jonouchi. Despite the difference in their heights, it was the latter that shrank back before his opponent’s severe gaze. “I know you don’t take well to us—to authority in general, however, I don’t take well to traitors. The moment you deserted Yugi, he became mine!”

Jonouchi’s eyebrow shot up in astonishment. “Yours?” He asked, his incredulous tone laced with a nice hint of skepticism, and Atem felt a sharp stab of anger rent his self-possession.

“Mine because you left him there!” He snarled, baring his teeth. He imagined he looked like a wild animal right now, but he couldn’t be bothered to care. He was too livid, at the idiot before him and at the unfairness of it all. Why, just when he’d gotten Yugi alone to a safe place, did the whole bloody world wantto be involved with his light?

“Woah, hold it!” Jonouchi pointed at him warningly, his previously ashamed countenance turning back to dangerous. “Yugi doesn’t belong to anyone, you –pervert-! I swear, if you touch him…”

“Fuck you!” Crimson eyes further darkening in rage was the only warning before Atem clenched his fist and punched the other right on the mouth. Jonouchi’s hand flew to the offending spot as he staggered and came away with pale streaks of red from a cut lip.

But Atem didn’t look satisfied; he was still furious. –He- was the one who loved Yugi, the one who took him in and the one who cared for him above all others. Where the –fuck- did the likes of this stupid mongrel get off calling him a pervert? He raised his fist to strike again, aiming straight for the other man’s jaw, but Jonouchi was faster this time. The blond caught his arm and twisted, causing him to stumble forward, but didn’t do anything else. Whatever his personal feelings were, he knew better than to physically lash out at Mai’s brother.

“Listen, you bastard—“ The taller of the two growled once he had Atem safely restrained. His voice was harsh between ragged breaths, mostly because Atem was not a calm prisoner. The slighter body in his arms twisted violently like an agitated snake, dealing damage wherever it turned. “Aah!” Jonouchi grunted as three sharp nails swiped across his face, leaving a slight burning sensation that confirmed broken skin.

Alright, that’s it. School official or not, Jonouchi Katsuya wasn’t going to stand for his abuse, not when he was more than capable of defending himself. Grabbing a handful of Atem’s shirt, he lifted the man clear off the ground. But amazingly enough, the latter didn’t flinch even as Jou pulled his own fist back, eyes blazing with the promise of vengeance. But the blow didn’t land, thanks to the two figures that entered the office and then stopped in silent shock.

“Atem!”

”Katsuya!”

Mai and Anzu’s voices came in stunned unison and the two men broke apart as if the other burned. Jonouchi didn’t take his eyes off his opponent, even as Anzu rushed to his side to gingerly examine his injuries.

“What the hell is going on?” Mai demanded sharply, glaring at the two males. “What do you two have to say for yourselves?”

“Self defense.” Jonouchi replied tersely, without sparing her a glance. Protocol was the last thing on his mind at the moment, realizing the implications of Atem’s outburst was among the first.

“Atem, is it true?” Mai’s features shifted faintly in surprise when her brother scoffed without denying it. Since when did Atem, who was barely on campus during the year, get into fights with practical strangers in her office? But personal questions came later; she had to handle the situation professionally for now. “Well then, please apologize to Jonouchi—“

“No!”

Mai frowned at the obstinacy, at the childishly unrepentant tone her brother often took up when he was feeling petty. “Atem, either you apologize now, or you both will be tried for your misconduct by the administration. How far do you want this to go?”

“I will apologize,” The shorter male began after a tense pause. “if Jonouchi honestly believes he deserves it.”

It was Anzu’s turn to be surprised. “Katsuya, what is he talking about?” She turned to her boyfriend with a look of trepidation. By now, she knew him well enough not to put completely insane behavior past him. Jonouchi’s gaze softened, but it certainly wasn’t because of her. He pulled away and distanced himself like he did whenever he felt too guilty to accept compassion.

“Keep your apologies.” He muttered savagely, and looked at Mai for the first time. “If it’s all the same to you, I won’t press any charges if you let me go now.”

The blonde looked as if she might hesitate, but she inclined her head. “Very well, you’re free to go, Jonouchi.” Turning slightly, she addressed her kin. “Atem, you will stay until I dismiss you.”

The addressee didn’t look the least bit chastised as he shrugged and leaned back against the desk. Mai resisted the urge to roll her eyes and instead ushered the other two out of the office. Moments later, after the door locked and footsteps retreated, she turned back to her sulking relative. With all her authority as President and as his elder sister, she spoke.

“Explain. All of it.”

“He’s an idiot.” Came the terse reply. “I just informed him of the fact.”

Mai sighed in exasperation. It irritated her when he got like this, when he downplayed the gravity of a situation and treated it like nothing more than a simple maze to traverse. No doubt, he would lead her in circles until he found an opening to escape through.

Fine, she would just have to be clever enough to lead him. “Today, his girlfriend wanted to speak to me about Yugi. Does this have anything to do with the little twerp?”

“No!” Atem retorted, a little more forcefully than he intended. If Mai was affected by the sudden vehemence, she didn’t show it.

“Then what?” She pressed on determinedly, her violet eyes growing sharp.

“I don’t like hypocrites.” He stated firmly and deliberately. He knew it wasn’t an answer, but that was all she would get from him without an outright lie. The look on her face told him that she realized it too.

“Alright.” She said mildly, but her tone belied her actions. “If you won’t tell me your side, I have no choice but to assume that you instigated the fight out of malice.” She opened a file cabinet to pull a form. “Therefore, I am revoking your official’s privileges for a month.”

“What?!” Atem shot to his feet and asked in disbelief. She was already filling a notice of reprimand. “Mai, come on…”

“You will give up all your usual exemptions, including the privilege to stay at the Millennium Complex.”

“Mai!” Words choked his throat. He tried to imagine a month without going to see his light, and it wasn’t a pleasant picture. How long before the pain and craving broke him? He wasn’t a pleasant creature when he got angry, so how long before he snapped and lost control of his carefully constructed plans?

“Well, then who would keep an eye on Yugi? Isn’t that why you asked me to come back in the first place?” He meant to speak in the detached voice of reason, but the words came out in a bit of a rush.

Mai gave him a look, tossed her hair and turned back. “You separating him from the main part of campus seems to be working. I think I can handle it from here on.”

“But—“ Atem shifted desperately, hands itching to tear the form out of her hands. This had just gone from bad to worse; once she knew the truth of Yugi’s whereabouts, there was no doubt she would guess what was really going on and then she would be hard pressed to trust him again. He absolutely couldn’t have that; especially considering his detestation of traitors and hypocrites, he couldn’t admit to joining their loathsome ranks.

He took a deep shuddering breath and planted his hands on the desk, concentrating on the smooth feel of polished wood to keep from shaking too much. “Sister, please…”

“Then, tell me!” Mai snapped at him. “What is going on with you? I’ve barely seen you lately, you’re becoming more stubborn than usual…Atem, your fucking cousin is trying to make us a family again and you are just--”

Atem sucked in a sharp breath. This was veering off into a worse direction than before. “Mai, I can’t. Just drop it.”

Mai pursed her lips, eyes narrowing sharply for an instant. Then, she shrugged with a nonchalance she didn’t feel. “Then, turn in your keycard and you’re dismissed.”

-II-

“I guess I was a little suspicious when Ishizu-san started sending some good monsters to the graveyard...still, I wasn’t expecting her to break out Exchange of Spirit.”

Yugi was vaguely aware of the appropriately shocked and envious stares coming from all directions as he skipped down the main walkway of the campus beside Seth, all while chatting animatedly with the other. They had left Ishizu’s apartment together after Yugi had narrowly defeated her in a duel and once they’d gone over the main points of the Millennium Complex, Seth offered to walk him to his first class. Now, there was a soft murmur of acknowledgement, and the violet-eyed boy smiled beatifically. “I was lucky that I had already used Monster Reborn, wasn’t it, Seth-san?”

Nearly every passing student had stopped to stare at him by now, no doubt wondering where he’d been for the past few days and who his newest escort was. Yugi, however, cared less about all the eyes on him than he did about the ones which were not. Seth maintained his purposeful stride, but his PDA was getting more attention than his companion at the moment. Yugi fell silent and picked at the fingers of his gloves out of nervous habit. It was odd; he never expected he would mind being ignored so much—even his old friends hadn’t been around him 24/7—but right now, he needed reassurance that he was not alone again. He saw Seth’s eyes flicker toward him briefly and his inner voice pushed; make an effort!

“Hey, Seth-san,” He began slowly and looked up to meet questioning blue eyes that was startlingly clear and deep in the crisp winter air. “Uh, I…would you like to go to the arcade sometime this weekend?” Yugi summoned his most winning smile. “They’ve got this huge Duel Monsters virtual reality adventure game.”

“Arcade?” Yugi was unsure if Seth was unfamiliar or disgusted with the idea. The taller man pronounced the word deliberately and turned back to his PDA. “Sorry, Yugi, but I promised this weekend to Seto. Not to mention, I have a few places I need to be, you understand?”

“Oh, that’s no problem.” Yugi replied, casual indifference masking despondence. Of course, what the hell was he thinking, suggesting such juvenile entertainment to Seth of all people when the latter clearly had a life outside babysitting adolescents? “I was just trying to get out of doing homework, anyway.”

Seth chuckled absently while he toyed with the stylus on his device. “If you must procrastinate, I suppose Duel Monsters is the best way to do it. Anyway, I believe this is where I leave you.”

Yugi looked up to see his classroom building bustling with people. “Yeah, thank you for walking me here.”

Seth graciously acknowledged his bow. “Be careful, Yugi-kun.”

“Bye.” Seth was already walking away in another direction and Yugi blew a section of his fringe out of his eyes before trudging up the stairs. Yeah, this was stupid; fitting in was like a doomed venture no matter who he tried it with. It appeared as if he was doomed to be a demigod whom nobody cared about and everyone loved.

‘I love you.’ Even Yami’s voice came to him like a hazy memory, but it was all he had right now. Beggars couldn’t be choosers, and he was starved for companionship like a once well-fed creature now denied the tiniest morsel. Pathetic as it was, he was pretty sure at this point that all it would take for a mental breakdown was Yami to leave him.

“Yugi!”

He turned sharply, body torn between the urge to run toward and away from the voice. But Anzu seemed to have sensed this because she came running up to him before he could react.

“Yugi, are you ok?” There was vehemence in her voice that caused him to wonder if he really shouldn’t be ok.

“Fine.” He managed to reply, fighting to keep his voice flat and emotionless.

“Oh good.” Her eyes closed in a sigh of relief and then opened to a rather stricken expression. She hesitated before taking his hand. “Yugi, could you please meet us down in the study room?”

It was Yugi’s turn to stare at her. The study room had been his old gang’s usual meeting place away from the dorms. Why would they want him there now? “Why should I?”

Anzu sighed, but it wasn’t resigned. “You have no reason to trust us anymore, but can’t you give me the benefit of the doubt?”

“I never had anything against you, Anzu.” Yugi withdrew his hand from hers, putting a polite distance between them. “But I don’t want some half-apology from the guys just because you talked them into it.”

Here, the brunette looked slightly ashamed. “I didn’t say anything to them, Yugi. It was Jou who wanted to meet.”

“Jou?” Yugi squelched the tiny bubble of hope rising in his chest. No, he had to be rational about this or he was setting himself up to get hurt again.

The girl nodded hurriedly and took his hand again. “He said—and this sounds weird, but I think I believe him—he said, you might be in danger.”

-tbc-

Comments are welcome, as always.

Notes: Right, well. As you may have noticed, Yugi's friends here play the part of Psyche's sisters. While most versions of "Eros and Psyche" depict the sisters as greedy and jealous, there are some that offer a more complex (and maybe more realistic) view. If Psyche is so beautiful and everyone falls in love with her, why not the sisters? Maybe they just express it in a different way, since they are related to her by blood. There is one story that talks about the eldest sister wanting to kill Eros because she truly believes he kidnapped Psyche from them. Their Psyche. No one touches their Psyche! Creepy as this notion is, it is easy to see that grief and separation (especially from divine Psyche) makes people do crazy things and crazy things can be over simplified into evil deeds. Because I decided to give this story some shades of gray and because I enjoy it, there will be lots of instances where the bad guys seem good and the good guys seem bad and everyone is doing their own thing until the truth comes out.

Another thing I had fun with in this chapter was writing bratty Atem. In the anime, Yami is so mature and cool, but he didn't really start out that way. Once he came out from the puzzle, he had more issues than Kaiba and National Geographic put together. Either way, he wasn't a pleasant person until Yugi taught him, and that is still what needs to happen here.
As for Yugi, he was a bit of an emo punching bag before he solved the puzzle, and it is emphasized how games were his ultimate distraction. Now, this is an old ass concept, but I wanted to explore it especially since it will become more important as 'Psyche' gets to the tasks.