Chapter Text
~*~*~*~
[Yugi]
Dear Grandpa and Yugi,
How have the two of been? Are you well? It's been so long since I've written to the both of you-I'm sorry. My work here has kept me occupied. I swear my boss can be....
Anyhow, my contract will end soon and you know what that means. I can finally come home, to good old Domino City! I've missed you both.
Are the two of you doing okay? Grandpa have you been taking care of yourself? I hope you are not overdoing it at the shop. Also, have you been taking your medication? And how is the game shop doing, still going strong?
And Yugi, how are you? Been eating well? Have you taken any hobbies other than games? Have you made any friends? If so I would love to meet them. Words cannot express how much I missed you both.
Unfortunately I have to end this letter short. I still have some work left that's need to be finished. Programming for your boss is hard work. Especially when said boss is quite flamboyant.
I'll see both of you soon.
Love always,
Iris
~*~*~*~
I finished reading the latest letter I received from my cousin aloud to my friends; Jonouchi, Honda, Anzu and Miho.
"Wow Yugi, this cousin of yours is really interesting." Jonouchi commented from his seat next to mine.
"Yeah and a programmer, too. She must be really smart. How old is she?" Honda asked from his spot by the window.
I smiled sheepishly and let out a chuckle. "You'd really be surprised. She's seventeen but her height is 5'3."
"What?!" was their reaction.
I giggled nervously. I was sure that they would react like that.
"Seriously?" Jou leaned forward with disbelief on his face.
I nodded. "I'm serious, Jou. Here see for yourself." I pulled out my cellular phone, typed in my password on the large screen and opened the image app.
"Here." I showed them the latest picture of my cousin.
"Ooh, she's pretty!" Miho complemented. Her bubbly personality added more volume to her reaction.
"Wait a second. Is this even her real hair and eye color?" Anzu asked as she took my phone to get a better look.
I nodded. "Yes Anzu, her hair and eyes are all natural." My cousins midnight color hair and golden amber eyes really makes everyone question if they were even natural to begin with.
"Hold on. Her eyes...is this a type of makeup she uses or is this a kind of hobby thing?" Honda spoke up when he grabbed my phone from Anzu.
I blinked. "Oh that. Iris is part Egyptian not Arab if anyone was concerned. She got it from her late father's side. That's why her skin tone is a healthy sun kissed tan rather than the native olive skin tone, since her late mother, my aunt, was Japanese."
"She's so exotic!" Miho squealed with stars in her eyes.
I then saw Anzu made a face. "I'm not sure about this."
Honda had a teasing expression on his face. "What, jealous Anzu?"
"W-What?! I am not!" Anzu sputtered, looking away with crossed arms.
"Oh yeah, you're so not jealous." Jou kept egging her, which earned him a hard slap on his shoulder.
I looked back down on my phone's screen when it was handed back to me. A melancholic smile on my fa as I stared at my cousin's picture.
"Hope to see you soon, Iris."
~*~*~*~
[Iris] (Nevadan desert)
"Lumine, attack with Holy Arrow Barrage!" I commanded and my Duel Monster obeyed, destroying the remaining Shadow monsters that escaped from the Shadow Realm. Their piercing howls echoed in the desert space as they disappeared back to where they came from.
I thanked Lumine before calling him back in his card and let out a sigh.
"Well, I guess we're done here." I turned to my partner with a wry smile.
"I believe so. Did you sell the tablet yet?" I asked as I put away my cards back in my deck holder.
"Yup. Made sure it's buried, too. Making sure no one can find it." He replied as I nodded.
Shajid has been my partner for two years now. His olive skin blended well with his dark clothes in Nevada's evening scenery. The only thing that stood out is his red hair, combed down despite some of his locks were pointing in different directions. He's also three ears older than I am.
I sighed. "That's good. At least the seal won't be bothered in the next couple hundred years."
"Give or take." Shajid added and I gave him an annoyed galre behind my honey yellow rimmed glasses.
He raised his hands in surrender. "Kidding."
"C'mon. Best we get back to the city." I said as we walked towards the car we rented.
"Yeah, you still have a plane to catch, right? Where was it again?" Shajid asked as he got in the driver's seat and started the convertible.
"Domino. It's where I grew up until Pegasus found my apt talent in programming and character designing for new card ideas." I answered as I watched the desert scenery pass by. My bangs and forelocks pushed back by the wind.
"Mr. Creator of Duel Monster himself, huh?" Shajid hummed before he added, "He has the Eye, correct?"
I nodded. "Yes. Pegasus Crawford is the current owner of The Millennium Eye. And Isis Ishtar is the current holder of the Millennium Torque. The others... I don't know where they are. Especially the Puzzle."
We were quiet the whole time after that. Shajid kept driving Las Vegas. We were nearly there, the bright city was hard to ignore.
"This is your hundred and fiftieth resurrection, right?" He asked.
I merely shrugged. "Give or take. I've lost count in the last thirty-five hundred years."
I turned my attention to him. "Why?"
He swallowed. "What will you when... Once you find the Millennium Puzzle?"
I raised a brow but answered. "If I find the Puzzle I will hide it to where no one will find it." This is the truth I speak. But it does not hurt any less. The wound still bleeds Eve after all this time and I will never make myself forget I've done. What my sins have cost him.
"What if-" Shajid paused to swallow. "What if you know... hypothetically. Someone solved the Puzzle?"
"Shajid, the chances of someone solving it is a million to one. It's far too complicated. Not to mention the the cursed placed upon it will kill anyone with dark intentions." I answered him as we arrived in the city.
Shajid sighed. "That's very true. But Iris, what will you do if someone does solve the Puzzle?"
I was quite until we reached the hotel we stayed at. "Then whoever that person is will be the vessel of the Pharaoh. And I will guard them with the best of my abilities until destiny is fulfilled."
"And...if you were to meet him face to face? What will do?" Shajid quietly asked me. "What will you do, Lady Neph-"
"That is no longer my title, Shajid." I cut him off with a glare once he parked the car under the hotels garage space.
He flinched back. "F-Forgive me."
I sighed as I pinched the bridge of my nose. "No, I'm sorry Shajid. U shouldn't have snapped at you like that."
"Hey." His hand rested on my left shoulder. "You have every right to be. I overstepped the line since we all know what you went through. I should be the one saying sorry."
"No Shajid. It's just... It's still a sensitive subject for me to dwell on." I admitted. Even after three thousand years. The Pharaoh. My best friend, my.....
I shook my head and decided to answer my partners question. "If and when I face him, Shajid, I... I will do what I am tasked to do and guide him into the Afterlife. But until that happens,"
I paused as I got out of the car. "I will have this life to live and continue my search for the Puzzle. If I am unsuccessful I will go through another resurrection cycle to find it and the other Items."
"Well," Shajid started as he too, got out of the car. "If it comes to that, then be assured that my family and everyone else in Uruk will aid you."
I smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Shajid Al-Nour."
He smiled but them it slowly turned into a grin. "Now, isn't there a program you need to finish?"
I blanched as my voice betrayed me as I made a squawking sound that I'm sure that sounds like a dying goose. "Shoot!"
I barely paid attention to Shajid's guffawed laughter as I ran towards my assigned hotel room. I can't believe I forgot! Ugh, I'm such an idiot!
TBC