Chaos Effect

Chapter 56

"Hey Edwin!" Yugi called out, waving his hand to get my attention. "Over here!"

I walked over to the table that the gang had stacked as their own. It was one of those really long banquet tables, the kind you'd see at wedding or the like. Yugi was currently dueling Joey... not with a duel disc or anything like that. Just a standard duel, like in the very first episode. Yuri and Tea were chatting about something as Joey selected his card while Tristan sat with Serenity, describing what was going on since she had bandages covering her eyes. Duke with the Pharaoh, playing Dungeon Dice Monsters, while Bakura was Dungeon Master for a D&D game he was doing with Mako, Yami Bakura, and Marik-

My brow furrowed at that.

"Something's... not quite right," I said.

"You okay?" Mai asked, getting up from her seat; she had been watching Mokuba and Seto play Shogi.

"Yeah, just... pretend I'm an idiot-"

"Not that hard," she teased.

"-and tell me what we are all doing here."

Mai stared at him, a bit befuddled (which was nice because I was feeling VERY befuddled) before shrugging her shoulders. "Just decided to spend the day playing games."

"Huh," I said, wondering what the catch was. "I'm... gonna stretch my legs a bit first."

Mai nodded and I ambled off through the sea of tables, glancing at everyone sitting there. And it was EVERYONE. Ishizu dueling Weevil who despite losing wasn't grumbling up a storm. Bandit Keith laughing as he managed to draw the right card in one of those 'Build a Settlement' Games people love, Gozaburo Kaiba merely letting out a huff. Pegasus standing behind Cecelia as she considered her hand before summoning a Toon monster, Solomon shaking his head and complimenting her on the move.

Everyone.

"I think I broke Yggdrasil," I whispered as I noticed one other person beyond me who wasn't playing any games. He noticed me and waved me over and I moved to stand next to him. "So... are you the Big Bad I have to fight."

"Not at all," the japanese man said with a smile. "I'm just here to enjoy the day."

"Yeah, that's how it starts. But then there is running... and screaming."

"Not today," he assured me. "Today... it's all about the games." He paused, glancing at me before he returned his attention to everyone having fun. "Have you enjoyed it?"

"The games?"

"Yu-Gi-Oh!," he said. "Have you enjoyed it?"

"...I have," I said so startled by his comment that I couldn't think of anything to say other than the truth. "Despite my jokes about it or making fun of everyone being focused on the game... I have enjoyed playing it. It... and getting to live in this world."

"I'm glad." He turned and gave me a bow and I found myself returning it. "Now... go have fun for me."

"Sure," I said, still a bit thrown off by everything. "Can I ask... who are you?"

The man smiled humbly. "Someone who just wanted the world to have fun."

"Edwin!" Mai called out, causing me to turn towards her. "Come on!"

I turned to look at the man only to find him gone.

"Hmm. Will do, sir," I whispered before heading to join the rest of the gang, Yugi and the Pharaoh smiling as I slid in between them, taking out my deck. "So... it's time to duel."

"The gift of kindness that you've given and the courage I've given you will remain with us, and that will forever bind us"

In Memory of

Kazuki Takahashi