Pepper listens. Quietly. Unmoving except in her expression, which shifts slowly to reveal the sadness she's feeling. She's silent for a moment after he stops speaking, watching him. No tears this time.

"You died, back home," she says almost tonelessly. "Didn't you? I wondered... some of the things you said..." Just like she thought, she hates the idea of him being less than solid. But it's worse, because he'll be something less than a spirit, should he be snatched back to his reality. "At least you know it's different. Maybe that'll keep you here longer."

Pepper caught the comment about Bakura's family, but she decides not to say anything. Bakura's past needs to be taken in small doses.

"And... all this Shadow magic, Duel Monsters... all of that is tied to what happened to you?"