22 – Family Shenanigans Part 2

I lay on a couch in the front room of the Yamagata house regretting my life choices. Ishizu has allowed me to use her lap as a pillow while she fans me with a napkin, however, so it is not all bad. 

As for Kin? He has been in the bathroom for a while...I doubt he will be coming out anytime soon either if the loud sobs I can hear are any indication. 

"Are you feeling alright, Aki? Do you want me to drive you and Ishizu home? We can always reschedule or visit again next week." Kimiko, Kin's mom, offers with a concerned tone. She is standing in the living room next to her husband, Ryo, who sits relaxed in a recliner.  

"No, it's fine. I have been feeling much better for a while now, and it's all thanks to Zushi here." I answer as I smile up at my now flustered girlfriend. 

"I haven't done much..." Ishizu mumbles, but she smiles shyly at me all the same. 

"You two are totes adorbs~!" Ren squeals from a nearby couch. She is so short that her legs don't even reach the floor and she emphasizes this point by swinging them back and forth.

"Yes, I agree, you both look so lovely together," Kimiko says as well with a warm look towards the two of us. 

Ishizu thanks them both, then shoots me a radiant smile that nearly takes my breath away as I look up at her from her lap. Her long black hair falls around my face and acts almost like a curtain and her beautiful, loving expression is all I can see.

I cough and clear my throat. 

It was fine for us to be all lovey-dovey in private, or even sometimes in public, but in front of close friends and family, even I feel a bit embarrassed.

"Anyway," I start and sit up to face the rest, "I think I should do the grand reveal now, then we can eat the dessert we made!"

Ryo and Ren look at me with confusion clear in their expressions, while Kimiko has one of anticipation. 

Ishizu gives me a nod of encouragement as I stand up fully and walk over to the bag I brought that contained my Anubis costume. 

"Ah...Should I call Kin out?" Kimiko realizes suddenly.

I shoot her a devilish grin over my shoulder and say, "Nah. I will tell him next week. Maybe Ren can help me with pranking him into thinking he is going crazy. We could make it seem like-"

"Done," Ren says without hesitation. 

 "...I didn't even say what we would do yet..." I say in a monotone with a deadpan look at her. 

"Yup, and I agree. If it has to do with pranking Kin, I am always in. Besides, someone has to make sure the prank is well thought out and not just mean or abusive, and, no offense Aki, but you don't always stick the landing on those kinds of things." She explains with absolute conviction. 

*Gasp* I draw in my breath dramatically and bring my hand to my heart. "Madam, you wound me!"

Ren smirks and crosses her arms saying nothing more.

Ishizu giggles, but offers no comment to my defense. 

'Whatever. I will have to punish her later. Much tickles. Very Evil. Wow.'

Picking up what I need from my bag, I spin around dramatically and smile at the 4 people I trusted most in this world. It would normally be 5, but Kin was busy, so 4 would have to do. 

I had thought of many different ways to do this. Some were super fancy, and others were cautious and overly explanatory. I had planned out countless scenarios, what I would say, and how I would do the grand reveal...

But, in the end, I decided to implement none of these ideas.

'Seeing is believing, after all,' I think with a chuckle as I swing the midnight cloak around my neck and raise the white porcelain mask to my face in one fluid movement. 

In the next instant, and without any warning or hesitation, Anubis appears in the Yamagata living room. 

"Ta-da~!" I say in my deep Anubis voice, spreading my arms out wide and doing jazz hands. 

"Wait, what!?!" Ryo, usually calm and collected, shouts as his eyebrows try to take flight.

"Huh," Ren mumbles simply, her eyes narrowing and her head tilting to the side considering many things all at once. 

"Right! We have much to discuss. Thank you for showing us your outfit, but why don't you take that silly thing off so we can talk normally. Your voice when wearing that mask is creepy..." Kimiko says, shivering and making a shooing motion for me to change back.

"You already knew!?!" Kin's dad just can't keep up.

I slump my shoulders and pout. "I thought I sounded cool..." I grumble as I choose my natural appearance to show via the cloak and mask.

My Anubis persona melts away and only the real me remains. 

"Okay, that's so cool. I want one." Ren comments with a wide smile.

"Right!? I can't wait to get mine. Toshi promised to buy me one the next time he opens his shop...Ah! But I am getting ahead of myself. I didn't mean to steal your thunder, babe." Ishizu says excitedly to Ren, then looks up to where I am standing sheepishly.

I wave her concerns away, sit down next to her, put my arm around her shoulder, and pull her in close. "Not a problem, love. But you are right, I should explain everything properly..."

The next 20 minutes were spent with me going over the change that happened to me 3 weeks ago. I talk about my "Awakening," how the system works, the shop I now have access to, what I can buy from there, as well as my short-term and long-term goals. 

The only things I hold back are my transmigration and merging with Toshiaki, the fact that I know the future (somewhat), and the necklace I wear as well as its significance to the world. The first and second things I was not sure I would ever tell anyone, and the third I agreed with Ishizu on keeping a secret for everyone's safety. 

Zushi made a great point about hiding secrets within secrets within secrets on our way here in my car. If people find out I am Anubis, they will immediately assume that is my biggest and most closely guarded secret. Most would not expect more hidden layers past my outward one, at least at first, and especially if I pretend to freak out once my identity is eventually revealed. It would work as a great cover and keep the really important things, like my Transmigrator Shop and the fact I am The Guardian of the Forbidden One, a secret for much longer. 

Plus, many will assume the easiest solution is correct rather than diving deeper into who I am. By the time I either let the truth out myself or am inevitably found out, I will have been a mysterious figure who appeared out of nowhere and gained international fame. People will question where I got such great cards and why my deck always seems to be improving, - At least that will be the case as the months go by and I buy more cards from the shop - but as soon as my relationship with Ishizu is discovered, people will just assume I am nothing more than a very successful gold digger. 

The Ishtar family and their Tomb Keeper secrets were well guarded, obviously, but Ishizu being the heiress of an Oil and trade empire in Egypt is common and easily searchable knowledge. 

It was the perfect smoke screen, and Ishizu, my lovely and brilliant girlfriend, was the one to come up with the whole idea.

'She is too good for me...' I think as I wipe imaginary tears from my eyes. 

After I finish my explanation, the room descends into contemplative silence for several minutes. The only sound that can be heard is the occasional groans from Kin in a bathroom further into the house. 

Ren is the first to break the silence...and she proves that my smoke screen won't work on geniuses...

"I see...You seem to have a lot of plans, but this leads me to a question: Why? Why do you want to become the best duelist? Why do you need a disguise? Why are you so set on being a hidden powerhouse and not just earning fame for your normal self?" Ren asks me rapidly, her usual air of ditziness is gone and a serious, inquisitive one replaces it. "Surely there are other ways to hide your shop than completely masking who you are, right? What drives you to this decision above all the other available options?"

"Well...um...Because it's cool...and I want to?" I half say, half question. "Does there need to be any grander reason?"

Ren sighs and facepalms, but then she raises her head and smiles warmly at me. "Never change, Aki. I forget that not everyone has hidden motives and masks their true intentions behind their forward-facing ones. It is really refreshing dealing with someone as straightforward as you are."

"Thanks, but...why do I feel like I was just insulted...?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at her.

Everyone laughs at my expense, and I tickle Ishizu a bit to get my revenge. After a couple of seconds of content silence, Kimiko speaks up with conviction and seriousness.

"You will have a tough road ahead, Aki, especially against World Champions. You now face "The Climb." That is the name for newbies working to become pros and, eventually, World Champions. It is often compared to climbing difficult mountains because of the different spikes in difficulty from the newbie level, to the professional, and finally to World Champion level. It usually takes several years and a lot of luck, especially because of the gifted cards World Champions are given, but I think you have a good chance, I really do. You are very smart in your deck construction and you look beyond the big numbers and lots of stars; The traps that many new duelists fall into on their way to Duel Monster greatness. This game is much more complicated and nuanced than you can possibly imagine..." She trails off before a darker look takes over her face.

'I am pretty sure you have no idea how complicated this game will get in the future.' I think with an internal sigh. Kimiko, unaware of my internal plight, continues in a grave tone.

"And you must be careful, Aki. There are...forces at work that you must respect and be wary of...But you don't need to worry about that for now. Just focus on winning tournaments and trying to win a round or two in Regionals. To that end..." Here, she turns to her husband next to her and pats his hand. He seems to understand what she wants immediately and nods with a smile. 

"To that end, I believe we have something for you that should help. Consider it a gift from your adoptive parents who are supporting you towards your goal. We will give it to you before you leave."

"Thank you," I answer them sincerely with a small bow from my seated position. 

That was...a lot to unpack. Working my way up to defeating World Champions and secretive "Forces" that I need to be wary of...Didn't I already beat a World Champion? Are they really that special? 

What she said also pretty much confirms that there is something shady going on in the background with the world leaders...I should probably be concerned about that...

But, hey, free stuff! So it can't be all bad, right? Right. 

As long as I had this, my family, I felt I could take on anything.

We discuss the Anubis topic for a couple more minutes and then we decide to continue while eating dessert. Ishizu's dish is a big hit and there is nothing left for Kin to try by the end.

Poor, poor Kin. 

'He gets what he deserves!' I think with savage glee as I eat the last of the bread pudding dish.

By the time Kin joins us once again, looking pale and shakey, the topic of Anubis was long over and we had moved on to playing board games. 

The rest of the evening was spent with my family, Ishizu now included, having fun, and being together.

* | * | *

Late that same night, I sit at my own dining room table staring intently at a metal box with a 5 digit spinning locking mechanism.

Kimiko had pulled me aside just before I left and hugged me tightly, she then wordlessly passed me this box with a slip of paper having the lock combination written down. 

Ishizu was practically a walking zombie due to how late it was, so I didn't have time to investigate the box when we left. She always fell asleep early, so being up until 11 pm must have been rough for her.

When I arrived home, I carried Ishizu up to our bed, unloaded the non-ghost-pepper leftover pasta we were given into our fridge, and grabbed the strange metal box to inspect it.

I was not an idiot. There were only a couple of things that could be in here, and any of the options available would be monumental for my Anubis persona. 

Kimiko Yamagata had been a Duel Monsters World Champion and Ryo Yamagata was a very successful lawyer with his own law firm. 

I knew for a fact that they had some insanely rare cards laying around...but would they really give some of them to me? Just like that?

With shaky hands, I used the combination to unlock the box and, when the lock popped and let me know it was open, I practically ripped the top off of it. 

Inside was a note and 4 cards surrounded by sealed plexiglass card sleeves.

I looked at the note first:

Happy tears stream down my face as I read and reread the letter multiple times. I held it close to my chest and had to take several deep breaths to steady my chaotic emotions. 

'Damn those onion chopping ninjas...Making me cry manly tears...'

Once I was back in control, I looked down at the cards I was given...

"N-No Way!" I whisper in disbelief. "This changes things...With these and better common cards...I might have a real shot at winning a few rounds of the regional tournament!"

I smile at the cards and the letter once more, before taking them upstairs with me. 

I had to get to bed, but...maybe a quick deck-building session first?

...Nah. I can do that tomorrow. Kimiko and Ryo...My Adoptive Mom and Dad were right, I need to make sure Anubis doesn't take over and become my life. It was a means to an end...and a chance to have a lot of fun messing with people, but still, it is not truly me. And it is nowhere near as important as spending time with my lovely girlfriend is.

I cuddle into bed with Ishizu and kiss her goodnight. She promptly clings to me like a koala before falling back into a deep sleep. 

'Yup. Much better than deck building.' I think as I try not to laugh at her adorable soft snores and the small bit of drool that leaks out the corner of her mouth.