Epilogue
Mako sat with Marik in the hospital room, watching silently as the Egyptian boy tended to his dear friend and brother.
"Rishid will be alright," Mako spoke up kindly. "The doctor said that your being with him has given him the strength to keep fighting for his life."
Marik nodded solemnly, tears glistening in his eyes. "Poor Rishid," he said softly. Slowly he sat down in the other chair by the bed and took the man's limp, cold hand. He searched his mind for any possible subject they could talk about that might get his concentration off what had happened. "Mako," he said at last, "do you know who it was that told you I might be able to help you find your father?"
Mako looked surprised, but then slowly nodded in understanding, realizing what Marik was trying to do. "I didn't know his name, but he said that if I ever found you, I should mention the name 'Martin Collsworth' and that you would take it from there."
Now Marik was the surprised one. "Yes, I knew a Martin Collsworth," he said at last, still holding Rishid's hand. "He was an archaeologist . . . from Boston, I believe. But I can't imagine why he would know anything about your father."
Mako narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should go pay a visit to this Martin Collsworth," he mused. "Thank you, my friend, for this clue!"
"Don't thank me just yet," Marik said with a weak smile. He looked down at Rishid again and noticed that his friend was starting to stir. "Rishid?" he whispered.
To his immense relief and joy the man opened his golden eyes and gazed up at him. "Master Marik," he said hoarsely. "Brother . . ."
Marik instantly brightened and gently embraced him. "You're going to be alright, my brother," he declared. "You're going to be alright!"
****
It was several days later when the group met with their local allies to tie up the loose ends in the case.
"Vivalene was Eliza the whole time," Yugi explained as they all sat around on the roof of Uncle's shop. "And Seth posed as the archaeologist son who went to Egypt with Jackie. He wanted to get over there so he could see what the artifacts were that were being excavated."
Uncle nodded. "That is correct! And when he found that they were the ones he had been searching for, he followed Jackie back here and plotted to steal them!"
Jackie shook his head. "I cannot believe I was duped by an ancient high priest from five thousand years ago!" he cried.
"So goes life," Jade shrugged. "But hey, what about the cats?!" She watched as the felines cuddled all over Yami Bakura and then she ran over to pet their soft fur. "Where did they come from?"
"Vivalene stole them from all over town," Seto grunted. "She confessed to that and told the police where to find their owners. She used them as part of the Eliza disguise because she figured it would help make things more authentic."
"They're all just having a last cuddle with Yami before we take them to their real homes," Bakura smiled weakly.
"They're so cuuuute!" Jade cooed. "Do they all have owners?"
"All but one," Tea replied. "That black-and-white one there was a stray." She pointed to a long cat perched on Yami Bakura's shoulder.
"Aww," Jade smiled, "she looks like an Oreo cookie! Hey! Maybe that should be her name—Oreo!"
Yami Bakura grunted, obviously not enjoying the cats snuggling against him any more than he had before.
"Maybe we could keep her!" Jade said hopefully. "Ruby's been wanting a playmate!"
"One cat is quite enough, Jade," Jackie sighed.
"Bakura, do you think your Yami would let you have a cat?" Joey asked with a grin.
Bakura chuckled. "I don't know. Yami?" He glanced over at the thief hopefully.
"Don't be absurd!!" Yami Bakura screamed. "And have this creature using me for a pillow every day?!"
Oreo purred loudly and settled down into Yami Bakura's arms.
"Like it or not, I think she's here to stay," Tristan smirked.
Yami Bakura growled in frustration.
Their thoughts turned back to the case.
"So why did all those villains form a partnership?" Joey wanted to know.
"Greed, mostly," Marik replied from where he was sitting with Ishizu and Rishid. "Vivalene, Daolon Wong, and Seth and his cronies all figured they had something to gain from the partnership. Then they were all planning to betray each other, as you all witnessed the other night."
"Oh, Uncle," Jackie exclaimed finally, "what about the missing Talisman?!"
Uncle whacked him sharply. "Patience!! Uncle is concocting another locator spell in order to find it!!" he replied.
"Most likely Khu took it into the Shadow Realm," Yami Yugi spoke up.
Shadi nodded. "I suspect that he has found a way to pass freely between the dimensions," he said.
"Well, that's just great," Mai muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Hey," Jade said suddenly, "where're you guys off to now? Are you going back up to Domino City?"
"Actually . . ." Yugi smiled and looked at Mako, then back at Jade. "I think we're all going off to Boston to find Martin Collsworth."
Mako smiled as well, hopeful that he would at last be brought closer to his father after all these years.
"I wish I could come," Jade said wistfully.
"So Yug," Joey said now, "how long do you think we'll be solving mysteries?"
Yugi sighed and shook his head. "I don't know, Joey," he said at last. "I'm just worried that one of these times we won't all make it out . . ." He trailed off, not caring to finish the sentence.
Shadi stood now, looking out at the city of San Francisco thoughtfully. "I will be staying here for a while longer in order to assist in finding the Horse Talisman," he declared.
"Your help is much appreciated," Jackie smiled.
****
Later that evening the group had finished taking the cats to their homes and were walking through Golden Gate Park. Oreo bounced along happily alongside Yami Bakura and rubbed up against his legs whenever she had the chance.
Abruptly a large German Shepherd dog leaped out of the nearby bushes and growled threateningly, baring his teeth. Oreo gave a yowl of panic and scrambled up Yami Bakura's clothes to stand on his head.
The thief cried out in protest and then glared angrily at the dog. "Get out of here, you mangy mongrel!!" he said in irritation. "Go on!!"
The dog stood and glared back for a moment and then disappeared back into the brush.
Bakura had to chuckle at the sight of Oreo perched atop all of Yami Bakura's spiky, silvery hair. "Oh Yami, listen to her purring," he remarked.
"She thinks you rescued her from the dog," Joey smirked.
Yami Bakura hissed in reply and then yelled something loudly in Egyptian. Oreo only leaped down into his arms and snuggled close in contentment.
"Man, I never knew a cat would take such a shine to ol' Yami B," Joey laughed now. "Hey!" he exclaimed then. "What about my double?! And Yami Yugi's?! Was that Seth just foolin' around?!"
Seto sighed. "Seth was your double, Wheeler—at least some of the time." He smirked now. "I've heard that you actually have a lookalike here in the city who's some sort of private investigator."
"Really?" Joey exclaimed. "No way!"
"And what about mine?" Yami Yugi wanted to know.
Seto shrugged.
"Maybe the mystery isn't solved yet," Mokuba exclaimed, his eyes wide.
Ishizu closed her eyes briefly, then opened them once more. "No," she said, "I sense that it is over—but that the Pharaoh's counterpart will play some future part in our lives."
"Intriguing," Yami Yugi said thoughtfully.
"I have been cleared of all criminal charges, haven't I?" Marik asked worriedly, suddenly remembering what had happened with the robberies. Amidst all the other excitement, he had forgotten until now.
Rishid smiled. "Yes, Master," he assured the boy, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Everything has been taken care of."
"Alright, then," Joey grinned. "What're we waitin' for?! Let's catch that plane to Boston!" He threw his fist into the air in emphasis and then started off in the general direction of the airport.
"Wait for us, Joey!" Yugi called as they all hurried after him. "Wait for us!!!"
Joey stopped and waited for them to catch up. "Mystery number nine, here we come!!" he crowed.
Mako sat with Marik in the hospital room, watching silently as the Egyptian boy tended to his dear friend and brother.
"Rishid will be alright," Mako spoke up kindly. "The doctor said that your being with him has given him the strength to keep fighting for his life."
Marik nodded solemnly, tears glistening in his eyes. "Poor Rishid," he said softly. Slowly he sat down in the other chair by the bed and took the man's limp, cold hand. He searched his mind for any possible subject they could talk about that might get his concentration off what had happened. "Mako," he said at last, "do you know who it was that told you I might be able to help you find your father?"
Mako looked surprised, but then slowly nodded in understanding, realizing what Marik was trying to do. "I didn't know his name, but he said that if I ever found you, I should mention the name 'Martin Collsworth' and that you would take it from there."
Now Marik was the surprised one. "Yes, I knew a Martin Collsworth," he said at last, still holding Rishid's hand. "He was an archaeologist . . . from Boston, I believe. But I can't imagine why he would know anything about your father."
Mako narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Perhaps I should go pay a visit to this Martin Collsworth," he mused. "Thank you, my friend, for this clue!"
"Don't thank me just yet," Marik said with a weak smile. He looked down at Rishid again and noticed that his friend was starting to stir. "Rishid?" he whispered.
To his immense relief and joy the man opened his golden eyes and gazed up at him. "Master Marik," he said hoarsely. "Brother . . ."
Marik instantly brightened and gently embraced him. "You're going to be alright, my brother," he declared. "You're going to be alright!"
****
It was several days later when the group met with their local allies to tie up the loose ends in the case.
"Vivalene was Eliza the whole time," Yugi explained as they all sat around on the roof of Uncle's shop. "And Seth posed as the archaeologist son who went to Egypt with Jackie. He wanted to get over there so he could see what the artifacts were that were being excavated."
Uncle nodded. "That is correct! And when he found that they were the ones he had been searching for, he followed Jackie back here and plotted to steal them!"
Jackie shook his head. "I cannot believe I was duped by an ancient high priest from five thousand years ago!" he cried.
"So goes life," Jade shrugged. "But hey, what about the cats?!" She watched as the felines cuddled all over Yami Bakura and then she ran over to pet their soft fur. "Where did they come from?"
"Vivalene stole them from all over town," Seto grunted. "She confessed to that and told the police where to find their owners. She used them as part of the Eliza disguise because she figured it would help make things more authentic."
"They're all just having a last cuddle with Yami before we take them to their real homes," Bakura smiled weakly.
"They're so cuuuute!" Jade cooed. "Do they all have owners?"
"All but one," Tea replied. "That black-and-white one there was a stray." She pointed to a long cat perched on Yami Bakura's shoulder.
"Aww," Jade smiled, "she looks like an Oreo cookie! Hey! Maybe that should be her name—Oreo!"
Yami Bakura grunted, obviously not enjoying the cats snuggling against him any more than he had before.
"Maybe we could keep her!" Jade said hopefully. "Ruby's been wanting a playmate!"
"One cat is quite enough, Jade," Jackie sighed.
"Bakura, do you think your Yami would let you have a cat?" Joey asked with a grin.
Bakura chuckled. "I don't know. Yami?" He glanced over at the thief hopefully.
"Don't be absurd!!" Yami Bakura screamed. "And have this creature using me for a pillow every day?!"
Oreo purred loudly and settled down into Yami Bakura's arms.
"Like it or not, I think she's here to stay," Tristan smirked.
Yami Bakura growled in frustration.
Their thoughts turned back to the case.
"So why did all those villains form a partnership?" Joey wanted to know.
"Greed, mostly," Marik replied from where he was sitting with Ishizu and Rishid. "Vivalene, Daolon Wong, and Seth and his cronies all figured they had something to gain from the partnership. Then they were all planning to betray each other, as you all witnessed the other night."
"Oh, Uncle," Jackie exclaimed finally, "what about the missing Talisman?!"
Uncle whacked him sharply. "Patience!! Uncle is concocting another locator spell in order to find it!!" he replied.
"Most likely Khu took it into the Shadow Realm," Yami Yugi spoke up.
Shadi nodded. "I suspect that he has found a way to pass freely between the dimensions," he said.
"Well, that's just great," Mai muttered, rolling her eyes.
"Hey," Jade said suddenly, "where're you guys off to now? Are you going back up to Domino City?"
"Actually . . ." Yugi smiled and looked at Mako, then back at Jade. "I think we're all going off to Boston to find Martin Collsworth."
Mako smiled as well, hopeful that he would at last be brought closer to his father after all these years.
"I wish I could come," Jade said wistfully.
"So Yug," Joey said now, "how long do you think we'll be solving mysteries?"
Yugi sighed and shook his head. "I don't know, Joey," he said at last. "I'm just worried that one of these times we won't all make it out . . ." He trailed off, not caring to finish the sentence.
Shadi stood now, looking out at the city of San Francisco thoughtfully. "I will be staying here for a while longer in order to assist in finding the Horse Talisman," he declared.
"Your help is much appreciated," Jackie smiled.
****
Later that evening the group had finished taking the cats to their homes and were walking through Golden Gate Park. Oreo bounced along happily alongside Yami Bakura and rubbed up against his legs whenever she had the chance.
Abruptly a large German Shepherd dog leaped out of the nearby bushes and growled threateningly, baring his teeth. Oreo gave a yowl of panic and scrambled up Yami Bakura's clothes to stand on his head.
The thief cried out in protest and then glared angrily at the dog. "Get out of here, you mangy mongrel!!" he said in irritation. "Go on!!"
The dog stood and glared back for a moment and then disappeared back into the brush.
Bakura had to chuckle at the sight of Oreo perched atop all of Yami Bakura's spiky, silvery hair. "Oh Yami, listen to her purring," he remarked.
"She thinks you rescued her from the dog," Joey smirked.
Yami Bakura hissed in reply and then yelled something loudly in Egyptian. Oreo only leaped down into his arms and snuggled close in contentment.
"Man, I never knew a cat would take such a shine to ol' Yami B," Joey laughed now. "Hey!" he exclaimed then. "What about my double?! And Yami Yugi's?! Was that Seth just foolin' around?!"
Seto sighed. "Seth was your double, Wheeler—at least some of the time." He smirked now. "I've heard that you actually have a lookalike here in the city who's some sort of private investigator."
"Really?" Joey exclaimed. "No way!"
"And what about mine?" Yami Yugi wanted to know.
Seto shrugged.
"Maybe the mystery isn't solved yet," Mokuba exclaimed, his eyes wide.
Ishizu closed her eyes briefly, then opened them once more. "No," she said, "I sense that it is over—but that the Pharaoh's counterpart will play some future part in our lives."
"Intriguing," Yami Yugi said thoughtfully.
"I have been cleared of all criminal charges, haven't I?" Marik asked worriedly, suddenly remembering what had happened with the robberies. Amidst all the other excitement, he had forgotten until now.
Rishid smiled. "Yes, Master," he assured the boy, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Everything has been taken care of."
"Alright, then," Joey grinned. "What're we waitin' for?! Let's catch that plane to Boston!" He threw his fist into the air in emphasis and then started off in the general direction of the airport.
"Wait for us, Joey!" Yugi called as they all hurried after him. "Wait for us!!!"
Joey stopped and waited for them to catch up. "Mystery number nine, here we come!!" he crowed.