Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Club 0013 ❯ Strategy and Combinations ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh or Sailor Moon. Maybe in
another dimension and another possibility, but not this one, sadly.


~ this represents a dream sequence ~ 'nuff said…

**********************************

"We are the hollow men…"

*********************************

Chapter 5: Strategy and Combinations (Yami: What strategy? All
you need is Exodia and you're pretty much set! Zoo: *shoves
Yami away* I didn't ask you!)

He was running as fast as his legs could carry him, tall form
a blur against the night. Every so often, between gasping breaths, he
would clench his chest, gripping the fabric of his deep green jacket
with icy cold hands. The hands of one whom had seen and touched
death.

The boy turned a corner around the isolated street,
moonlight reflecting a stern face contorted in a million emotions.
From anger, to sorrow, to grief, and even to fear. Yes, he feared.
Because he knew, it would be soon.

~ "I choose the Black Magician and I combine him with the
magic card 'Magical hats'."

Kaiba watched as the Game King set down his cards in play.
He glanced down at the cards in his hand and then his own monster
protecting the field. Keeping his face dead serious, Kaiba couldn't
help but mentally laugh at the Game King's predicament. He drew
another card from the deck, hiding his triumphant smile. The game
would be over in a matter of minutes.

"Blue Eyes White Dragon." Kaiba called to his attacking
monster, voice cold and commanding. He looked at the four hats on
the field, one of them hiding the Game King's actual card while the
others stood as decoys. "I don't care which hat you attack. Either
way, its over."

Blue Eyes White Dragon, a magnificent beast plastered with
a white-plated hide, roared, outstretching its claws as if to grasp the
opponent. Silvery wings expanded to their fullest, making the
already-large beast more menacing in size. The dragon opened its
jaw, creating a gigantic orb of brilliant electric energy, pulsating and
expanding until, no longer able to contain its awesome power, the
orb exploded in a brilliant beam of light shattering the boundaries of
sight.

As the attack faded away, Kaiba hid his mild
disappointment in only striking a decoy. He looked at his opponent's
part of the field, with a single monster card on the field and several
others face down, possibly trap cards.

Again, the Game King set a card face down before finishing
his turn with a rather satisfied smirk. Secretly, Kaiba wished to wipe
the smirk right off his opponent's face. And so, he set his plan in
motion.

He put his trump card onto the field, beside another card
laid face down behind the towering figure of his Blue Eyes White
Dragon.

"It's been a nice match, Game King." Kaiba felt the sides of
his mouth curving into a sadistic smile. "But even the best game
must end."

Having said that, the brown-haired boy flipped over his two
face down cards, revealing twin images of the same dragon currently
in play. With a twist of techno-Magic - fed to him by a single disk on
his arm which he had invented in anticipation to such games - the
two dormant cards burst into database-enhanced life, each one as
menacing as the other. All three dragons shrieked a shrill, piercing
cry, echoing with primal rage as they restrained their terrible power.
Three sets of beady blue eyes stared fiercely into the diminished
figure of their opponent.

"Now, I use this card." Having said that, Kaiba threw a
single card from his hand into the field, watching as the Magic of his
infused data and technology warped the card into a red chain,
manacling his three dragons by the neck so that they were only a
hair's breath away from each other. Kaiba chuckled briefly, savoring
the look of surprise on his opponent's face. "Its called a 'Demon
Chain' and it combines the attack powers of my three Blue Eyes
White Dragons together. Face it, Yu-Gi-Oh, even you can't win."

At first, the look of surprise on the Game King turned into a
grim expression of defeat. Until now, both opponents had been
equally matched, each attack inflicting as much damage as the other.
Even as the Game King searched for a last, desperate strategy, Kaiba
could feel his own blood trickling down one leg, rubbing the same
liquid away from his brow as if it was only perspiration.

The Game King licked his bloodied lips in a nervous
gesture, revealing to Kaiba a pair of glistening eyeteeth, hidden at
first glance. The tall boy's eyes widened at the sight, although his
attention was still fixed to the game being played.

"I guess I have no choice." Yu-Gi-Oh stated in a loud, clear
voice, sending a fifth card into the pile of face-down cards on the
field. To Kaiba's chagrin, the Game King grinned, confident and
somewhat leering. "You're right. It's over."

And then, the Game King flipped all five face-down cards
over. ~

Kaiba gritted his teeth, forcing himself to run faster to forget
the memory. It had been so simple - such a humiliating defeat. And
yet, even worse was the sting of punishment and the awful truth of
the power within the Game King. Or perhaps, was it luck, that the
card Yu-Gi-Oh drew on that final turn just happened to be the last
piece of Exodia?

Exodia. Cards made out of legends, powerful in a simple
match, and even more powerful when played by Magic. It was said
that when all the pieces of Exodia appeared, the game would end.
More formidable than all the Blue Eyes White Dragons in the world,
the card became a living taboo in itself.
Kaiba shuddered as another scene played in his mind.

~ It was over.

Vaguely, through the horrendous screech of his dragons and
the crackling power of Exodia's attack, Kaiba could hear a voice,
deep and foreboding.

"Your Punishment is the Shadow Realm!"

As fast as the pain had left, it begun, searing like a gigantic
hand tearing his flesh out of his skin. The deep jagged cut across his
head began to throb, a darkness burrowing into the cut, diving into
the recesses of his mind.

Kaiba screamed in utmost fear as his pupils dilated and his
face turned an ashen white. Something was gnawing at his soul,
breaking it into scattered fragments and rebuilding it only to shatter it
again. Burdened vessels of blood bulged from his skin, strained
under the pressure of a foreign Magic, a Magic attempting to push
and pull him, kill and revive him.

A dark gate began to form behind him, sucking with a
hellish energy, demanding his body. Chaotic winds blew and
beckoned the prone form of Kaiba, leering at the frail figure
struggling against the storm. The darkness behind him seemed to
take life and chuckle, whispering to Kaiba his futile attempts.

And then, oblivion.

The pressure collapsed with a noiseless whisper, the
shadowy gate returning to wherever it came from. Exhausted and
finally released, Kaiba fell onto his knees, face hugging the ground.
His eyes were glazed with tears, face ghostly white and paralyzed.

Vaguely, he heard someone walking towards him, footsteps
clattering deliberately against the ground. Something prodded his
body, the touch firm and hard.

Eyes still half-focused and stinging, the tall brown-haired
boy looked around, careful not to move his searing body. His eyes
caught the flash of blue fabric, and the slight glow of a something
triangular and golden. The Millennium Puzzle.

"You're lucky that I changed my mind." Were the only
words the Game King said as he disappeared into the shadows,
leaving Kaiba lying against the darkness to recover. ~

That was then and this is now.

At least, that's how Kaiba reasoned to himself. Yet, if the
past was simply just a memory, why did it always haunt him? His
hands rummaged and found a wrinkled piece of paper, scrawled in
thick print somewhat smeared now with a mixture of blood and
sweat. Although the paper itself was invaluable, the clues it provided
were priceless.

The tall boy came to a halt in the middle of a strange
abandoned area, the pine scent of the trees evident even in the murky
darkness. Adjusting his night-sight goggles, Kaiba walked closer to
the grove of trees, scanning the area for any clues. He looked at the
coordinates scrawled on the piece of paper again, double-checking to
make sure he had the right place. The tall boy frowned. This was it.
Yet, where was it?

After an hour of fruitless searching, a defeated Kaiba finally
turned to leave. And without warning, he was suddenly shoved
against a tree, breath knocked away for the second time that day as a
tall figure held him by his shirt.

"What are you doing here?" The figure snarled, revealing a
face with cropped dirty-blonde hair and glowing green-blue eyes.
The figure had a very beautiful face, almost too beautiful to be
masculine, although his approach told Kaiba otherwise. But what
struck Kaiba the most were the twin points of ivory flashing out from
underneath the upper lip, unnaturally long. And, he began to make
connections.

"I'm sorry." Kaiba said, in a smooth, guile tone. "I was
looking for a place, and got a bit lost."

The figure released his grip, letting go of Kaiba and setting
him on the ground with an abrupt thump. "Well, you chose a hell of a
place to get lost." This person was even taller than Kaiba, reaching a
good height of six foot plus, body a lithe and muscular frame. "May I
ask where you were looking for?" Although the speech was formal,
there was an underlying tone of suspicion in the words.

Kaiba smiled persuasively, trying to ignore the fact that this
… person… could easily snap his neck apart - or bite it - and leave
him there to die. He was about to make up a magnificent lie, when
something else caught his attention. This person was wearing a
simple necklace, the bottom of the necklace revealing an intricate
ornament, hanging loosely at chest level, where it embedded itself in
his loose shirt. The ornament was of the same colour as the
Millenium Puzzle, glowing the identical shape, only different in
structure and, Kaiba assumed, specific power. And then, any nerve of
not telling the truth abandoned itself from Kaiba's mind, leaving him
in a state of naïve stupor.

"I- uh - I was looking for an association called 'Club
0013'." Kaiba heard himself respond, although he immeidately
wanted to take back his words.

The person did a double take, although he tried hard to
conceal his shock. "Why are you looking for them?"

"Well…" Kaiba began, and then stopped again. What was
the point of fooling around the topic? Might as well be blunt and
suffer the consequences later. "I'm want to know the intentions of
this association, and why they are rebelling against the Authority."

The person's face stayed neutral. "Why? Are you afraid that
the Authority is losing its power?"

Kaiba shook his head vehemently, truth evident in his eyes.
"I have no link to either the Authority or anything else." He
shrugged, not quite understanding why he was telling this stranger
everything. "You can call me a kind of free-lance person, working
with whichever force I see a future for."

"Then why do you come to seek this Club?" The other
persisted, eyes searching dangerously for any lie.

Kaiba sighed, biting the bullet. "I might just be interested in
what this Club has to offer."

There was a moment of silence, as the strange ornament,
which Kaiba now took for a golden hilt of a sword embedded with
jewels, shone a dark amber.

The figure opened his mouth to speak, but then shut it again.
As if internally debating with himself, he finally opened his mouth
again. "Come with me." Was all he said before abruptly pivoting and
walking away.

Hastily, Kaiba followed, wondering slightly what he had
just said.

****************************************

~ This time, it was a majestic open garden filled with a
rainbow of flowers, some in colours Yuugi could only imagine. Even
every petal quivered with life, filling the air with a rich aroma,
slightly sweet and fragrant. As Yuugi walked in the meadow of
flowers, he felt his heart lift, the brilliance of the sky and earth
beckoning his mind to laughter and eternal happiness.

"_Come_" The flowers sang, leaves rustling and stems
swaying gently under a spring breeze. "_Let us guide you. Let us
give you rest._"

Everything took a surreal quality as the flowers blended and
shifted together, their hue becoming a gigantic pool of iridescence,
sparkling like the touch of a rainbow after it has shimmered and
faded into a million drops of light. Each flower sang their own song,
wove their own tale, and yet, was part of a whole.

And in the middle of the garden stood a single flower, more
majestic and brilliant than all the others combined.

Or so, Yuugi had thought it was a flower. But upon second
inspection, realized that it was actually quite real and living, the
white that he had mistaken for petals the trim of an elegant dress.

As the small boy got closer to the source, he recognized the
mistaken flower as his angel, sitting daintily on the ground while
choosing a careful selection of flowers. He heard her mutter to
herself as she spoke, rather absently.

"Yes, casablancas were her favourite, and oh! Lillies! How
could I forget lilies? And there, a violet. They were always a bit shy."
The angel stooped to pick up the mentioned flowers, fondling each
one gently. On one spherical bun of hair lay a single red rose.

Yuugi hesitated, wondering if he was interrupting some
sacrimonious ceremony at hand. He waited patiently at the side,
watching as his angel picked exactly nine flowers from the ground,
each one a different species in colour and name. The tenth one
remained in her hair.

Suddenly, she turned, her long white dress rustling at the
sudden abrupt motion, wings swaying to one side and snapping
politely closed in a burst of loose feathers.

"Oh. Hello." The angel nodded politely. "I forgot that you
were watching. I was rather absorbed in these flowers, you see." She
pointed to her makeshift bouquet, smiling rather enigmatically.
"Sorry to have ignored you like that."

Feeling rather awkward, Yuugi shook his head. "Uhm. No,
its fine." He looked around, as if trying to find words from the
scenery to fill the awkward gap of silence. "Its not like I can do
anything else here." He finished, rather lamely.

"You can do anything you want, as long as you put your
heart to it." The angel quoted in an absently minded fashion, looking
around for more flowers. She then hesitated, large sapphire eyes
glancing back at Yuugi again, as her long golden pigtails fluttered
behind her. "By the way, what flower do you prefer?"

"Well…" Yuugi had never had the time or patience to
examine flowers, and only knew a few names, most of them ones he
didn't like in the first place. "I don't really know any flowers by
name." He finally stated, apologizing right afterwards.

The angel laughed. "Flowers don't need a name. You do not
choose the prettiest flower by its name, no?" She asked, smiling
wisely.

Yuugi shrugged. "I guess not." He finally admitted.

The angel beamed, outstretching her arms to the field
around her. "Well then, what are you waiting for? Choose a flower!"

Not wanting to disappoint his angel, Yuugi looked around,
eyes scanning each pealed beauty in front of him. They came in all
shapes and colours, each one prettier than the next, only made
beautiful by complimenting the other. In fact, they were all pretty; he
really couldn't choose. As Yuugi looked up, he saw the face of the
angel still smiling serenely at him, face expectant. The boy quickly
darted his gaze downwards, plucking on instinct any flower that
came to sight. He blinked as he realized his choice, taking a better
look.

It was one of the simpler flowers, bearing petals of soft
lavender that grew to a fierce crimson in the center. The middle of
the flower was the uniform yellow hue, almost glowing. Somewhat
abashed, Yuugi handed it to the angel, feeling awkward for choosing
such a single, plain flower.

The angel smiled, accepting the gift. "It's hard choosing one
from a crowd, isn't it?" She asked, fondling the newly taken flower
with a gentle hand. "But it's even harder standing out from the
crowd, or accepting that one can be just as unique and different as the
others." Here, she waggled her other selected flowers, shaking a few
stray petals off their delicate faces. "After all, choose for yourself,
not for the others." Having said that, the blond-haired angel
took a good look at the flower, smelling it slightly. "Hmm.. I would
have expected a sunflower or something, coming from you, but this
is a nice choice. A nice change, I should say."

Yuugi didn't know if that was meant to be a compliment or
criticism, although he couldn't have cared less. "What's the flower's
name?" He asked, suddenly curious.

The angel shook the flower that Yuugi had chosen at his
face, winking slightly. "The best flower is one that doesn't need a
name."~

*************************************

"Sir. There's been another body found on the streets.
Luckily the man was still alive, although he couldn't remember his
name or anything. We think he's another victim of those vampires."

The person reporting smartly saluted, waiting for an answer
from his superior. Sometimes, working as a secret member of the
Authority wasn't as cut out as it seemed to be, for with this
prestigious title came a series of promised secrecies and newly
revealed truths.

The "sir" being addressed to responded by sipping his wine
glass, flicking on hand over his long silvery hair to reveal in a short
flash a strange golden eye in the place of a real one.

"That's fine. Bring the body for cross examination, and
check the neck to see which bite pattern it has." The superior finally
responded, setting his wineglass down. He already knew who it was,
although it didn't hurt for the others to know. "Oh, and by the way,
can you bring me something to eat for my mistress and I?"

The messenger bowed, muttering an "of course" before
leaving.

After the door clicked shut, the silver-haired man,
commonly referred to as simply "Pegasus", slid out of his table and
towards a small cage by one face of the wall. Within the ornately
decorated cage lay a figure sprawled in a hooded cloak, the dull
material hiding the face and body.

"Hello, my lovely." Pegasus smiled, his strange golden eye
reacting slightly to the presence of this figure by fading into a deep
bronze shade. "Things are getting tough now, aren't they? But don't
worry - we'll smooth things out. Its all a matter of cleaning out all
the nasty smudges." He spoke to the figure like an adult to a child,
voice containing a hidden layer of eagerness as he crooned to his
"mistress".

He then pulled the fabric of her hood off, letting the material
slide and fall harmlessly to the ground. In its place stood an exquisite
woman, face carved with the beauty of an angel. Her hair was a
warm golden sheen, glowing like a million summers, wrought in twin
buns that cascaded into long pigtails below them. Her eyes were the
most brilliant of blue, although strangely dull and unseeing, much to
the respect of blindness. On her forehead glittered a single crescent
moon shape, glowing with its golden tips facing the sky.

She whimpered, the noise dying in her throat as Pegasus
brought one hand to her cheek, rubbing her soft skin with rough,
caressing fingers. He then stooped over to gently slide a kiss onto her
fragile lips before stroking her one last time before covering her
elegant figure once more in the hooded cloak. Dark circular stains
dripped into the rough brown of the cloak as the woman cried silently
with her blank, blind eyes. The cage closed ruthlessly in front her,
again masking any freedom she had sought.

Pegasus looked at his mistress. "Don't give me that face."
He murmured, again speaking in a soft tone. "Remember? This is
what you wanted and wished for. You wished for a place with no
problems, no more hatred, no more isolation. So, this is what I
promise to achieve for you." He leaned closer to the side of the cage,
so that his voice only traveled to her ear. "And for you only, my
Queen."

**************************************

It is after one has two dreams in a night, and where the
dreams actually make sense, that one begins to suspect that there was
a very significant meaning to all the alluring images and grossly
contorted faces.

But now, Yuugi slept peacefully, falling into yet another
vivid mask of reality, which his conscious mind had yet to grasp.

~ The air was slightly cold, dry and arid like the nights of an
Arabian Desert. On the ground lay a shallow pool of water ankle
deep, carrying with the slightest disturbance ripples of pure white.
The pool itself was an ebony black, and the sky a vast midnight blue,
glorious with billions of twinkling stars and even a vague arc of a
fading aurora. Oddly enough, the pool reflected not the face of the
sky, but a single shadow, slouched as if meditating.

Curious, Yuugi drew closer to the sitting figure, although a
sense of deep foreboding overwhelmed him, as if he was trodding in
a forbidden sanctuary. A nagging voice in his head persisted him to
turn back, to be released back to the light and away from the strange,
dark world. It wasn't an evil world, but held within it a power rare in
solitude.

As the small boy approached the shadowy figure, the face of
the figure looked up, revealing large doleful brown eyes, staring into
an unimaginable space. The face was gentle, sparkling white hair a
mirror image of the ripples colouring the dark pool.

And yet, because this Yuugi belonged only to the mind of
his unconscious, the boy was not afraid to take a step closer.

Silvery locks glistened as the figure locked eyes with Yuugi,
eyes widening slightly and body jerking like a frightened deer. The
figure's mouth was locked in a silent gasp, almost a plea, as he
shrank away from Yuugi's advancing form.

Yuugi looked at the person, and recognized it as a name he
had forgotten in place of bad memories and terrible nightmares.

"Oh, hello Bakura." Yuugi acknowledged vaguely,
wondering with the absence of truly conscious thought.

The figure - a tall, slim Bakura, jumped timidly in
recognition of his name. His gaze traveled downwards; afraid to meet
Yuugi's own.

"Hi." Bakura finally stated, not daring to look up, although
his face reflected off the surface of the black pool.

Yuugi glanced at Bakura, curious. "Why are you looking
down?" He asked, slightly bemused.

The silvery-white haired boy opened his mouth to speak, but
then closed it again after his first attempt at words failed. "Ar-aren't
you angry at me?" Bakura finally asked, voice hushing to a barely
audible whisper.

"Why should I be?" Yuugi was confused. This Bakura -
there was something about him that Yuugi refused to believe, that
Yuugi absolutely refused to associate with the Bakura of his
conscious nightmares. Something about this Bakura… something
_real_. "You're my friend aren't you?"

Bakura closed his eyes, swallowing the word painfully,
summoning a strangled regret. "Y-Yuugi." He stuttered, looking
away from the smaller boy. "Please. I'm sorry." The white-haired
boy looked absolutely miserable, a pitiful figure easily swallowed by
the darkness around him.

"Sorry for _what_?" Yuugi came closer to the taller boy,
clasping one of the white-haired boy's cold hands with his own.
"There's nothing for you to be sorry about."

The taller boy shook the gesture of friendship away. "Stop it
Yuugi. I'll only hurt you." He shuddered, hands suddenly tugging
against a golden amulet tied around his neck. Only managing to
choke himself, Bakura collapsed to the ground, the pool expanding
with ripples of newly-disturbed water. Managing a feeble whimper,
the silver-haired boy looked back at Yuugi, eyes still pleading. He
was curled in a tight ball now, as if fending his own body from
something apparent only to himself, face ashen and haunted. "Leave.
Please." He managed to beg, voice falling short to small gasps as the
strange ring around his neck glowed softly in the dark.

Despite this, Yuugi sought to comfort the pitiful figure,
drawing closer. "Please, Bakura. Tell me what's wrong." He pleaded,
eyes compassionate.

"You."

Yuugi whirled around, looking for the source of this new
voice, eyes wide as he suddenly realized there was another figure
behind him. This person appeared almost in thin air behind him, his
dark and menacing as he sneered, face contorted into a mocking
laugh.

Yuugi stepped back. That person… it was….

The real Bakura, the one still fallen on his knees, looked up,
a sudden frightful cry escaping from his nerveless lips.

And the strange _other_ Bakura, one with glistening fangs
and an elegant eager smile recognized the whimper as prey, dark
eyes falling on the source.

Yuugi was shoved to one side as suddenly, both Bakuras
were face to face with each other, the strangely dark Bakura grasping
the other one by the collar of his sweatshirt, laughing in glee at the
fear of the innocent Bakura's face.

Dark-Bakura laughed. "Running, are we?" He purred,
sliding the other hand under his double's shirt, sharp nails creating a
dark red pattern under his double's soft flesh.

The normal, shy, quivering Bakura stared mutely back,
letting his other's nails cut shallowly through his skin without even a
murmur of protest.

Yuugi stared in revolt at the scene, his own mind flashing
back to a very familiar memory, playing like a double in his mind.
He wanted to cry out and help the _real_ Bakura, and yet, felt
powerless to do anything but watch with disbelieving eyes.

Suddenly, Dark-Bakura tore off his double's shirt with a
single careless flex of his arm, revealing the exposed stomach and
chest, which now rose and fell in sharp, unnatural pants. The blood
trickled from the soft skin, falling downwards and creating small
ripples in the dark waters below. Dark-Bakura only grinned as he
saw his other's pain, throwing his head back in a mocking laughter.

Part of Yuugi wondered why the real Bakura didn't do
anything as Dark-Bakura ran his tongue along his other's bare chest,
hot breath creating trickles of steam on the smooth, exposed skin,
licking up all the offending streaks of crimson.

Then, without warning, Dark-Bakura took his crudely
sharpened fingernails, piecing them straight into the flesh of the
stomach, watching with frenzied glee as five points of dark crimson
began seeping, eddying and pooling around his embedded nails.

Bakura cried out in pain, writhing weakly as the Dark-
Bakura took his hand away, examining the blood that soaked his
nails with amusement, tasting them slightly. With a quiver a slight
restraint, Dark-Bakura shivered, laughing with his low, mocking
laughter. He laughed even harder as his other lay paralyzed in fear,
enjoying every moment with ecstasy.

For a single moment, Dark-Bakura's eyes turned to Yuugi,
whom the small boy thought he had been long forgotten. Dark-
Bakura grinned, leering. "What's the matter, kid? Too rich for your
tastes?"

Yuugi closed his eyes as he heard the Real Bakura scream, a
scream reflecting fathoms of pain and dying emotions as drops of a
liquid fell like rain into the water around them, echoing with harsh
"plunks" every few seconds. There was the tearing of tissue, ripping
with a strangled muffled tone while the cracking of bones could be
heard, breaking the silence with dull clicks, oddly musical. The last
thing Yuugi heard was a constant thumping, like the drumbeat of a
heart, suddenly emitting a loud squelching sound, oozing with liquid
as it was squeezed it into silence. ~

With a sudden tweak of his conscious, Yuugi woke to the
echoing of dripping water, wondering again where he was as his eyes
tried to adjust to the night. That was, wondering until a sudden
involuntary jolt of his body snapped him back into reality. It was the
strangest sensation, feeling yourself do an action with someone else's
control. Yuugi watched dumfoundedly as "he" gave a discontented
sigh and wrapped his jacket tightly over himself, shoving a few
strands of golden hair away from his eyes.

All of this, Yuugi experienced concealed in a small hollow
world while his "real-life" body acted in a larger world. In _the_
world to be precise. Yuugi's spiritual self gave a slight mental yawn,
giggling as he realized that his "real self" gave a sudden yawn not a
split second afterwards.

//Something funny?// Yami-Yuugi grumbled, folding his
physical body's arms over his hands, since he was the one who had
control at the moment.

Yuugi shook his head, and then realizing that he couldn't
actually do that, spoke up. /N-no./ His smile brightened, expression
radiant. /You just look so cute huddled up like that./

//Hnn.// His Yami muttered. //Well, if you tried sleeping
here, you'd end up being huddled in this position too.//

Yuugi sent out a mental pulse of gratefulness. /Thanks,
Yami./ He smiled in amusement as he felt his other blush, his real
cheeks tingling, although an odd sensation void of feeling.

//Hmph.// Yami-Yuugi responded, although it was obvious
that the Darkness felt more than a simple "hmph".

/You're so sweet./ Yuugi murmured, envisioning his
frowning Yami. /You pretend to be tough and all, but I know that
you care./

//Easy for you to say.// Yami-Yuugi muttered, although the
tingling blush seemed to have spread furiously.

Suddenly, a strange clankling sound interrupted the two
from their mental conversation, jerking the Yami back into the reality
where he protected his Aibou with, well, himself.

The Yami's eyes peered out from the strange, hollow tube in
which he had slept in for the second consecutive night, vampiric
night-vision allowing him to pierce the darkness effortlessly. Dark
crimson eyes fell on the shape of a fleeting figure disappearing over a
fence.

Although Yami-Yuugi saw the figure forever nameless,
Yuugi immediately recognized this disappearing figure for whom he
was.

/That's Jounochi!/ Yuugi cried, suddenly remembering with
a startling jolt the dying figure of Bakura, much like this fleeting
shadow. He bit back the nightmare with a slight gulp. /I wonder what
he's doing here?/

//You know him?// Yami-Yuugi questioned, eyes never
leaving the spot where Jounochi was last seen before he disappeared
out of sight completely.

Yuugi nodded. /Yeah. I wanna go see him./

And yet, Yami-Yuugi was distrustful of this "Jounochi"
person, the Darkness labeling Yuugi's friend as part of the Authority.
// He might be dangerous.//

/Yami!/ Yuugi protested. /Jounochi's my _friend_/

//Bakura was too// Yami-Yuugi quipped back.

/He still is!/ Yuugi replied, not missing a beat.

Yami-Yuugi blinked. //But you… never mind. I'll follow
him first and questioning will have to come later.//

/'kay/ Yuuig replied, waiting patiently in his Soul Room.

In reality, Yami-Yuugi crawled slowly out of the cemented
shelter, careful not to hit his head on the shallow top. Once outside,
he unfurled his slim body, steadying and familiarizing himself on
both feet before taking to the skies with a powerful leap.

Three other similar leaps was all it took to reach the
pinpointed position, and then Yami-Yuugi began scanning the night,
knowing that Yuugi's friend couldn't have gone far in such darkness.
Of course, he was right. Only half a block away was the form of the
Jounochi boy, blonde hair rougher than ever, shoulders hunched
almost fearfully. The blonde-haired boy now walked with a slight
limp to one leg. Occasionally, Yami-Yuugi (and Yuugi) could hear
snatches of curses and other mutterings, although they eventually
faded away due to distance.

/Please./ Yuugi pleaded his Yami. /Let me speak to him./

Reluctantly, Yami-Yuugi complied, letting the smaller boy
slide back into his body. Yuugi stood there for a few seconds as he
readjusted to his physical body, letting the material world slide back
into his mind once more. Then, he began running, footsteps pounding
noisily against the pavement as he ran towards his friend.

Upon hearing the footsteps, Jounochi turned around, gazing
with blank eyes at the darkness around him. "Who's there?" He
asked, voice haunted and slightly scared.

Yuugi paused, walking a few more steps forward until his
small face shone under the soft moonlight. The small boy was a few
steps away from his friend, panting slightly as he stood to regain his
breath. "Don't you remember me, Jounochi-kun?" Yuugi asked, eyes
searching and desperately pleading.

Jounochi gave a sigh of relief, rushing over to the smaller
boy with barely contained glee. The blonde-haired boy took Yuugi
by the shoulders, giving him a small shake to ensure that Yuugi was
indeed real. Then, Jounochi laughed, hugging his friend tightly.
"Thank Kami-sama [A/N: God]."

Yuugi endured the hug with a light heart, smiling at the
actions of his friend. "Sorry, Jounochi." He began apologizing. "I- I
was sick for along time." Yuugi half-lied, not sure if even his friend
would believe the truth.

Jounochi's expression became suddenly stern. "Yuugi. Stop
playing around with me. There's something up, an'…" The blonde-
haired boy paused, as if trying to restrain the anger flashing in his
eyes. "Look. Everything's really wrong now. You were right, you
know - _they_ were pulling the wool over our eyes the whole time."

Yuugi didn't need to be a genius to know who _they_ were.

//This Jounochi seems to know something.// Yami-Yuugi
remarked genially in Yuugi's mind.

Yuugi gave a mental nod. /I'm _positive_ we can trust him/

//Ask him why he thinks that there's something wrong
first.// Yami-Yuugi persisted, obviously still cautious.

Yuugi complied. "What do you mean by 'there's something
up', Jounochi-kun?"

The haunted look returned back to Jounochi's face, the taller
boy's face turning ashen-white. Jounochi looked around the darkness
several times, as if checking for spies. Eventually, he deemed it safe
enough to whisper to Yuugi in a tight, choked voice. "Th-they
_took_ Anzu…" The tall boy slammed his fist against the side fence
in frustration, voice an agonized tone Yuugi had never heard in the
blonde-haired boy before. "Damn them. Now they're after me, but it
was only friggin' blind luck that Honda warned me in time. And…
Honda's gone too. The whole lot, Yuugi. They're all gone. Vanished.
Disappeared."

Yuugi listened as Jounochi continued in the same strain for
some time, babbling as if the secrets of yesterday with disappear
upon the face of tomorrow.

Yuugi listened to the directions of his Yami before choosing
his words carefully. "Jounochi. I want to help them as much as you
do, but we have to first analyze the scenario without panicking."

However, Jounochi continued babbling. "They're after
_you_, you know. At first, I thought it was just some stupid
examination they always run, but it became obvious after the others
didn't come back. And then… Bakura. Oh geez, I've never been
scared so shitless as I was with Bakura. He- he…" The blonde-haired
boy continued in the same strain, oblivious to the small boy beside
him, or maybe simply needing someone to blurt all his pains to.

"Are you sure it was Bakura?" Yuugi suddenly asked, the
sad brown eyes of the silver-haired boy re-playing in his mind. "Not..
not a fake?"

"I thought it was." Jounochi confessed. "But it _had_ to be
Bakura. I mean, I was just talking to him, and then…" The blonde-
haired boy stopped talking, talking a few gasps as he again began
restraining himself. "Oh jeez. I've _never_ seen Bakura like this."

//Hmmm…// Yami-Yuugi observed. //Interesting.//

/What?/ Yuugi asked, wondering if his Yami knew
something valuable.

//I believe that there are more Millennium items than just
this Puzzle you wear.// Yami-Yuugi observed. //That means that
there are lots more people with "Yami's". One of them most likely
Bakura.//

And then, it all made sense. /I knew it!/ Yuugi stated.
/Bakura _isn't_ evil - it was his Yami all along!/

//But we're making a big assumption here// Yami-Yuugi
interrupted. //Assuming that he wasn't evil to start off with. //

"I know Bakura isn't evil." Yuugi stated, both mentally and
out loud. "Just like how everything isn't as it seems to be. But, at
least, we can try to discover as much as we can, and get as much help
as we need. Then, at least when they come, we'll be prepared."

Jounochi nodded, scratching his head slightly. "Yeah. I
guess." The blonde-haired boy seemed to have recovered from his
slightly catatonic state. "Then I guess we better start brainstorming
some ideas."

Yuugi nodded. "Right. First, let's find a way to rescue Anzu
and Honda."

//Which means we pay the Authority headquarters a nice
visit.// Yami-Yuugi concluded, tone both eager and dismal.

*******************************

Pegasus smiled, as he held his glass of wine up to his caged
"Queen" in a mocking salute. "They're coming." He stated before
laughing a rich, derisive laugh. "Why don't we pay them a visit?
After all, its not every day that the Game King comes to your
backyard."

And here, long, silver-haired man laughed again, his voice
echoing among the empty and silent hallways like the whisper of a
million banshees.

A muffled sob came from the cage, lapsing into
nothingness. And under the dull folds of fabric, clutched in one pale
hand was a single flower, slightly lavender and crimson, though
forever golden.

****************************

End notes:

I was listening to the ending theme song for the first season of Yu-
Gi-Oh - ahhh ~ =^.^= I love that song! * Zoo listens to her MD
while singing off tune*

Kaiba: Shut up! *throws a stereo system at Zoo*

*CLUNK*

Advice of the week: Always aim before you kick. Especially in
martial arts. *Zoo hops on one foot, while uttering a whole bunch of
colourful language*