update

update this you lazy bastard.

And to think, this all might've been avoided if Kaiba had not forgotten his keys. Womp womp.

Another awesome chapter! I'm sad to have reached the end, but it was a fantastic and fun read! Great job on worldbuilding, ideas, EVERYTHING. I'm going to point out some of what I loved about it:

Characters
Even though there were times I voiced the odd and minor concern in the reviews, I only did so because those brief moments stuck out to me. Why? Because the story was amazingly in character! And the funny thing was that every single time I had a concern, you threw it back at me in the next chapter. It was like you knew how the fans would react and were just keeping us on our toes. I absolutely loved that! Seto and Mokuba were particularly good. I think a lot of people have the tendency to shift Seto far too quickly. He is an adaptable person, but that doesn't mean he'll change drastically when his situation changes. It's kind of the opposite. You really did a good job of capturing that here. The moments I worried about Mokuba were truly good examples of Stockholm Syndrome, which were perfectly understandable in this context. The others, too, were incredibly well portrayed overall. I really enjoyed the dragons, though I wish I could have seen more of Kara and Krin's thoughts. Kara's chapter was a very interesting one to me, and I enjoyed that a lot. Kisara's chapter was nice too because we got to see that her love for Seto and desire to do things right for him (albeit misguided and pretty naive) were genuine. Kray's later concerns for her really struck true after reading that chapter. I loved those interactions a lot and the fissure you created amongst the siblings. It was especially cool that you used the card ripping as part of that.

Story
This story was winding and long, but it didn't take place over a long period of time, really. I LOVE that you started it a year after all of this happened, throwing us into this terrible dystopia. It was also cool that since Domino was the "ground zero" of the portal, so to speak, it was far worse off than the rest of the world. That doesn't mean it wasn't bad elsewhere. Pegasus's comments were really neat (oh, I LOVED him and that scene too), and they made me think about our other characters who bonded closely with their strong monsters when he brought up Mai. One of the cool things about the story was that it was very character-driven. I have always felt and will probably always feel that the best stories are character-driven ones. Yes, we can have deus ex machinas with events randomly happening to drive the plot, but they usually aren't as engaging or meaningful (for example, the hunters coming across Seto and Kisara on the date would be more plot-driven, but the Slaver deciding he honestly enjoyed Mokuba was used to create a far more interesting and full plot - him having such a unique and "negotiation-driven" character was especially cool - and that was 100% character driven. Very, very cool writing). The plot was so full of this and it twisted and turned in so many neat directions. That brings me to my next point.

Unpredictability
This fic was unpredictable to me. Maybe someone more genre-savvy could have predicted events better, but the way you had so many cool ideas start and then abruptly change based on the character reactions or other issues cropping up, it was just so cool. One example was when Kisara offered to go retrieve Mokuba, but that ended up getting dropped because the Slaver nabbed both of them cleverly. Another example was when Mokuba got upset about Seto's plan to kill the dragons, then was completely swayed in the other direction by what he experienced. Following that, Seto's resolve was pitched in the opposite direction when he actually killed Red and kept imagining poor Kisara in the same situation. This all ties into being character-driven, but it's not JUST that. You also guided some of the events or portrayed them in just the right way to steer away from where we thought they were going. It was just so neat to read that. I almost forgot to add this so I actually scrolled back up. A MAJOR thing you did was withhold information from us at the beginning. We had NO idea what to think of the monsters at first. Seto and the people he communicated with knew very little because the monsters who chose humans would whisk them away into hiding and keep them all to themselves. It was so cool to think at first that they were kind of mindless (as Kuriboh was) or just a bit more smart (like Zoa). Then we got to see more. Seto saw them transforming, saw them speaking. He met the dragons, and EVERYTHING changed. Suddenly they were so much like humans that I, as a reader, started to sympathize and empathize with them and even see them as people rather than monsters. It really changed so much about the world. This also fits into worldbuilding, but I felt it had more to do with this unpredictability/turning corners concept.

Worldbuilding
One thing I don't think I'm great at yet is worldbuilding. The way you started the fic really showed off your skill in that, and then you kept building upon it in smaller ways later on as the story continued, never quite letting us forget just how bad things were or just how much little things were changing or occurring in the world around them. Mokuba meeting Mrs. Nale, grabbing a book from an old library drop-off, nabbing a Seto Kaiba coat from a costume store (lol brilliant and very cute). Seto sneaking in the darkness, then later noticing more people walking in droves, going to night meetings, digging through the empty Kaiba Corporation, running into Bakura and D. D. Warrior Lady... Even just finding out what the suburbs were like or the hospital's current state. Starting it with Bandit Keith was cool because we weren't sure what to think of the monsters at that point yet.

Writing style
Loved it. I really had no complaints at all, which is kind of huge for me. Usually that's the first thing that bugs me in a fic, still bothers me toward the middle (if I stick with it) and continues to irk me a little till the end if it's off. Your writing style flows easily, making it bite-sized and easy to move quickly through the material. It's not too high level and "purple prose" style, but it's also not so simple that it becomes boring at any point. You describe imagery well, you guide us through events, you illustrate character emotions very, very well, and you give us different points of view which occasionally altered in style to follow the different characters' personalities. Very cool writing. I loved it!

Overall
It was a fantastic read. I'm sad that it's not finished, but I had so much fun in the journey that I'm not even disappointed! I know life gets in the way, things change, and surely I get that sometimes it's just... hard to write. I am experiencing that right now myself. If you ever feel like you want to continue, know that I for one will excitedly welcome even just one more chapter. If not? Totally fine too. I loved reading this and will probably re-read it at some point. I love re-reading a good fic, even if it's not quite done! Great, great job. I hope you are proud of this. I would be if I had worked on it! You're a fantastic writer with a brilliant storytelling mind, and I hope you have fun writing in the future!

Thanks for the great time!

Sigh. Kara. I was hoping she might have some revelation this chapter that Seto was right about the pain being her only real motive to have him in her life. Sadly, it did not turn out that way. The end of this chapter kind of hurt to read, lmao. I loved the interactions between her and Kray, that was fantastic, but it's so ridiculous and painful to see not just Kisara but also Mokuba and now Kara pushing Seto into someone's arms that he doesn't love. On top of everything else, it's just one thing he really doesn't need. SO FRUSTRATING. But believe me, when a story frustrates me like this, it means it is evoking solid emotions. Love it!

Ahhhhh poor poor Seto! I knew some form of retaliation would come, but I wasn't sure what. This was so intense to read. I'm shocked Seto was still conscious at all after that, but I suppose he was wavering in and out of consciousness the whole time. You're such a magnificent writer! Great job on this intense and harrowing chapter!

Yikes. This was a painful chapter to read. If Seto is feeling that badly about it, I wonder how - actually, no. Jounouchi was forced into it. Atem is an ancient king who is not unfamiliar with killing, and he already lost Yugi, the most important person to him. Seto is definitely feeling the worst of the three right now. He knew Red's motives, knew they were not really bad persay. And he found out that they only had to keep the cards on them to keep the monsters from feeling the painful draw. Dang. This is so intense and beautiful. Fantastic, haunting, beautiful, and very well paced chapter. This was very well done.

Huh. Kray is very interested in taking Kisara from her siblings. That's odd to me. I wonder if that's their biggest beef with him at this point. Just wondering. Also, sick Seto is very cute. I would love to see more of Kara and Krin fretting over him a little more openly. I know that's weird, but even just Kisara saying "they love him" made me go "awww." I like the fact that they love them. Even if I actually don't see an issue with him wanting to kill them at this point. I think that makes me a bad person. Nice job!

OH MY GOSH this chapter was SO INTENSE. Poor Mokuba! I'm actually REALLY GLAD you went in this direction and wasn't expecting it at all. This was AWESOME and made me feel like you zipped to the future, read my reviews of the last few chapters, laughed maniacally, and proceeded to write this chapter with a gleam in your eye. LOL. I'm just amazed. So amazed. It was hard to read, and I felt so, so bad for Mokuba, and I'm even more interested in Kray and his "group" now, AND poor Seto is sick! but I loved it. What an oddly refreshing read.

Gimme an S, gimme a T, gimme an O-C-K, Gimme an H, gimme an O, gimme an L-M-SYNDROME! Mokuba has it bad. I get that we don't want murder. That's terrible. I get why he'd be upset about this, also terrible. It's not even the "I don't want to think about killing them" issue. It's about the fact that he's trying to set his brother up with a fricking DRAGON. Against his will. It's sad, but Mokuba is definitely getting a little warped by all of this. You can't really blame him, idk if most people would fare any better after being forced into a life like this. He's clearly come to a point where he's accepting the current status quo as "the best it'll be" if he's willing to compromise and start rooting for the dragons' goals over his own (at least Kisara's). I'm worried about what this will mean for him and Seto, but their bond is stronger than any of the damage he's gotten so far, right? RIGHT? I HOPE?

Yet again, great chapter! A lot of good description and imagery here. I'm not a fan of pushing the ship, so I'm really hoping this is a temporary thing. I love Seto/Kisara, but... this is not a healthy relationship on any level, and it would probably take years of getting to know one another before it ever could even begin to be. And it would have to be outside of this captor/pet situation, too. I just worry about their mental states if something like that starts now. It really amps up the pressure on them to get the heck out of this situation, and I don't think Mokuba even realizes just how bad it's getting if he's in this state. Aaahhhh! Poor poor damaged babies!

...considering Mokuba's abandonment complex and clinginess traits, it actually makes sense that he'd be highly susceptible to something like this. Poor kid.

Woah, I love your portrayal of Pegasus. Him being a gray character is my absolute favorite. I was actually considering making a comment about Kray imprinting on Sugoroku, and I'm glad I waited because this chapter explained things a little better. It really did have to do with the cards (in some cases). But the real question now is why there are four Blue-Eyes souls when there was only one Blue-Eyes in the past. Very interesting and odd. Maybe Pegasus split the soul up somehow? In any case, I LOVE that you went there with the Millennium Eye. What a cool headcanon, that he used it to place monster souls in cards much the way he put human souls into them later on. So, what does Krin's time look like? I have to wonder. Great chapter!

When Mokuba started to talk, I was REALLY hesitant. Once again, I had that feeling of "is Mokuba doing something that feels like it's putting the dragons before Seto again?" But then you played it SO well. It was beautiful, honestly. He did such a good job of explaining Seto and the situation. Of helping her understand. Mokuba agreeing to help her though, that's a bit odd. I hope it goes in a direction that puts Seto first. Anyway, I really really loved this chapter. Great job!

Poor babies. It was extremely cathartic to see Seto getting so angry at the dragons. I'm glad to see that side of him come out. It's not like he can do much, but that is one thing he can, and would, do. Awesome job on this chapter as well. Kray seeking out Grandpa was interesting, and I LOVED the torn card scar concept. I still find it odd that he imprinted on Sugoroku just because he was in the man's possession for a short period of time. It seems to me that the Blue-Eyes all would imprint on Seto. Maybe tearing the card broke any bond Kray would have had with him. RIP Sugoroku, though. ;-; Great chapter with a lot of good info and solid emotion!

This chapter was an absolute JOY to read. I loved it so much. All that tension, poor Seto suffering (and not by his creepy dragon stalkers), Mokuba fearing for his life and his brother's life, Kray taking part in the action, a huge fight, and mysterious leads about what's going on at night. I love it. I absolutely love it. Fantastic chapter with great writing! Great job!

Good chapter! I really enjoyed the mundane, infuriating tone of the meeting. Yami and Seto being buds is pretty great in this context. Now that there is a more peaceful status quo between humans and monsters, I was hoping to see and hear more from Anzu, Honda, Jounouchi, and Bakura. I wonder what they are all up to. That ending was... a little weird. In all honesty, I have a hard time believing that Mokuba would take pleasure in seeing his brother humiliated and used like that. I know things have changed a lot, but idk about thaaaaat much, haha. In any case, it was yet another good read that helped with buildup!