Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Lethally Hot ❯ Release the Blood of the Fourth ( Chapter 9 )

//…// is Yami to Yugi; /…/ is Yugi to Yami; <<…>> is Bakura (the yami) to Ryou; <…> is Ryou to Bakura. [#] are footnotes.

Warning: Major Ebola symptoms in this chapter. If you thought the previous chapters were bad…heh heh heh…that was just the beginning. PG-13 for blood and gore. Queasy people beware. Have milk and cookies nearby. ^^

Disclaimer: Toboe LoneWolf does not own YGO, the Ravager (T.T), or the works cited:
Peters, C.J. and Mark Olshaker. Virus Hunter: thirty years of battling hot viruses around the world. New York: Doublesday, 1997.
Preston, Richard. The Hot Zone. New York: Anchor Books, 1994.
…or any other snippit of stuff I quote from.

Chapter Nine: Release the Blood of the Fourth

Dr. Seimei was taking one of many, many coffee breaks since the day had began. He cupped his hands around the cheap Styrofoam cups and sighed as the heat seeped into his bones, relaxing the pent-up tension. He sipped the hot coffee, giving the impression that all was well.

"Hey, Seimei!" Dr. Antei waved as he walked into the lounge. "You signing out soon?" He turned towards the tiny counter and poured himself a nice, big cup of caffeinated coffee. Always caffeinated.

Dr. Seimei sighed and placed his cup back down. "No, you young lucky person. I probably won't be leaving until this entire fiasco is over." He glanced over at the ever-watchful TV reporter lurking at the hospital doorway.

Dr. Antei grinned. "Eh, all we can do is cross our fingers, huh, Seimei?" He brushed a strand of floppy blonde hair out of his face. He was fairly new to the field of medicine and his manner showed it: his bright white, freshly pressed jacket, his cocky smile, his openness and innocence, his very clear-cut lines of Good and Evil.

"Pretty much." Dr. Seimei answered. If only things were that easy. He also had to somehow administer life support without exposing the nurses, somehow use the limited hospital equipment they had to keep things sterile, somehow study the virus while the teenager was alive and well, somehow decon the room when -- no, if -- the teenager died.

Dr. Antei flipped his cup into the trash. "Well, he'll come through tomorrow. Boys like him don't give up." He laughed. "After all, they call him the King of Games, don't they?" Antei waved, heading towards his office to close up. "See you tomorrow, Seimei!"

Dr. Seimei gave a half-nod. Young hubris, all of it. Antei had barely come into this job, and as thus, still had that naive knowledge that he could do anything; that everything would be all right. He didn't know the horrors of medicine yet, didn't know that he could not hold all the answers, didn't know how many families would be torn apart by his words, just didn't know the harsh brutality of the Grim Reaper. Dr. Semei knew, and had found his heart hardening against the very people he was supposed to love…

Dr. Seimei would have allowed a single tear fall down his cheek, expect that Nurse Kusuri appeared by his shoulder. She too was a veteran of the gauntlet of this hospital; gray hairs at the age of thirty signified it well enough.

"Sir, I gave the patient a dosage of fentanyl and took another sample of his blood. Is there anything else you want me to do regarding the patient in ICU 5?"

Good, at least the boy would not have to endure the pain the entire time. A mercy stroke, perhaps. Dr. Seimei cocked his head, thinking. "Send the blood sample and any others to intern Tsuikyu. I want him to study those and tell me anything new that comes up. And I want you to take hourly samples. Not always blood via needle per se, but sweat, vomit, secretions of blood -- whatever you can get your hands on. You know what I mean."

"Right. Sir, do you want me to administer another dose of fentanyl if it wears off?"

Dr. Seimei shook his head. "No. By that time, it will be too late to do any good." He tightened his hands around his cup.

Nurse Kusuri's eyes hardened in understanding, and nodded in agreement. "Then I shall be going now." She rubbed the back of her neck, attempting to get the nick out of it. "It appears that I shall be staying here longer than I expected…"

Dr. Seimei sighed. "We all are…"

* * * * *

Bakura put his hands in his pockets and strolled along the many hallways as if he owned them. Which he would, once he found the pharaoh's weakness and won the Millenium Puzzle. He laughed. All his…

He found himself back at the doorway of the Ring. Funny that he would end up back here. Bakura walked up to it, gazing that the old encryptions upon the iron door. It had been a long, long time since he had seen this code. Bakura craned up and brushed the dust off, reading the words written long ago.

Ah, those were the days. Old memories, and old friends, tugged at Bakura's memories. Well, perhaps not friend -- the King of Thieves did not leave targets for people to hit at -- but comrade, accomplice, at least. Each side completing his side of the bargain, and nothing beyond the contract. But if one of them encountered the other on the street and wanted to share a cup of beer, it would be an almost friendly discussion.

The Ring around his neck flared slightly, signifying that Ryou had come back to consciousness after his romp through the pharaoh's memories. Bakura growled, both to the annoyance of the pharaoh and to his short-lived freedom from his vessel, and then curled back into Ryou's Ring. Bakura would have to find that weakness later…

* * * * *

Yugi slowly opened his eyes, letting go of the mental hug Yami was giving him. /Yami, I have to go now./

Yami smiled. //Very well, aibou. Go and find the cure I cannot within my own mind.//

Yugi chuckled. /Go to sleep./

//Yes, of course.// Yami closed his eyes, savoring the feeling of no pain. Whatever that nurse did to him, Yami welcomed the blessing of the relief from pain. For that, he was at least able to talk to his hikari for perhaps the last coherent time…

Yugi shook his head, gathering his thoughts. He looked up to see everyone getting their heads back together. Well, almost everyone, save one.

Ryou was tracing the last mark inscribed in the door. One slash going down and two slashes cutting across it. It seemed so familiar…

<<You seem to have a very bad short-term memory.>> Bakura broke in Ryou's thoughts.

<What?>

Bakura gave Ryou a mental whack on the head. <<That is my mark, you dimwit!>>

Ryou's eyes widened in shock. <Your…mark?> Images of Bakura tearing up his room and gouging the wall with his knife came to mind. The gashes had seemed to mean something…

<<Yes, my mark!>> Bakura grabbed control of Ryou's body. He traced his right hand his cheekbone where his scar used to be. <<Do you forget so easily, vessel? Must I teach it to you another time?>>

Ryou shuddered. Lessons from Bakura were…not pleasant.

Bakura grinned. <<Remember your lessons, vessel. I teach them to you for a reason…>>

"Um, Ryou? You okay?"

Bakura vanished back into his own soulroom, leaving Ryou standing there tracing invisible lines along his face. Ryou stiffened, and his hand dropped down to his side. "I'm fine."

"You were doin' somthin' funky on your face." Joey bluntly pointed out.

Ryou's hand automatically reached up and clasped his face while the rest of him froze in fear. "Um…"

<<You're pathetic.>> Bakura wrenched control and slammed Ryou into his soulroom. <<Stay in there until I clean your mess up.>>

Yugi took a step back as Bakura took over Ryou. The change was fairly obvious to Yugi -- wild, spiking hair, feral grin, and an even leaner, thinner look than Ryou.

"My vessel finally realized the last carving on the door. It's the mark that people used to fear back in the old days." Bakura grinned, relishing in the fear his mark used to create. He slowly traced his scar along his face. Down through his right eye, and then cutting across his cheek. A mark of vengeance… "Scarred from childhood, I made sure that everyone would remember my scar and my pain. Then they would remember my destined revenge…"

Yugi held out his hands in peace. "Revenge? For what?"

Bakura growled. "You ask me what I seek vengeance for? Ask that pathetic pharaoh you hold so dear why. He should know." He hissed. "Yes, he should remember. And if he does not, I shall make him remember."

"What? Yami?" Yugi's eyes were full of confusion. "What did Yami ever do to you?"

Bakura spat in disgust. "Is that what he calls himself? 'Darkness?' Hah! It actually fits him; he had more dealings with darkness that you'll ever know." He glared at Yugi, palpable hate glowing from his eyes. "Learn to fear that mark, pathetic one. It is one you will see again." And with that, he relinquished control back to Ryou.

Ryou gave a shaky smile. "Sorry, guys. He- he didn't do anything, right?"

Joey shook his head. "Naw. Just said some funky stuff."

Yugi turned around and looked at the strange carvings on the iron door. "So Ryou, this was Bakura's own mark?" He pointed to the symbol of the three slashes.

Ryou nodded in confirmation. "That's right," he softly said.

"But does he know what the other ones mean?" Yugi swept his hands over the rest of the carvings. "How does he know about these?"

Bakura grunted out a reply. <<It's all in thieves cant.>>

<Thieves…cant?>

Bakura sighed in frustration. <<Fool. We thieves had code to threaten people, to tell where booty was held, who had the good stuff, and where the bully-gangs were. As the King of Thieves, I made most of these.>>

<Oh.>

Ryou shyly offered an explanation. "Bakura says that it's thieves code."

Yugi's eyebrows went up. He knew a little about the Spirit of the Ring, like that he used to be the King of Thieves. Apparently the thieves had some form of writing. "But what do these mean?"

Bakura practically screamed in Ryou's mental ear. <<What, does he think I answer to his beck and call? I'll tell you, I like having my privacy and don't like giving out favors. You and your cronies can puzzle out that code till the Nile runs dry for all I care. Maybe if you're repentant I might tell you what they mean, but in the meantime I'll stay out of your blasted mortal business.>>

Ryou winced. "Um, Bakura kind of likes his privacy. And he won't tell me what they mean."

Tristan shrugged. "Oh well. Great guy like him can't be expected to hand out too many favors."

Tea tentatively spoke up. "Um, can we move on?"

Joey sighed and looked down the hallway to where it branched out. "Whoop-de-do. Which way do we go? Left or right?"

Yugi turned towards Shadi. "Wait, aren't you also the Holder of the Scales?"

Shadi shook his head. "That I am not. I no longer carry the Scales; it is in its rightful place now." Shadi stared down at Yugi. "But do you not guard and hold the Tauk and the Rod today?"

Yugi awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, yeah. Kind of. I guard them of course, but I don't have them on me all the time." Yugi made a weak laugh as the faces around him fell in disappointment. "Sorry to get your hopes up. They're not exactly easy things to carry around, anyway."

Ryou slid his hands down his pockets. Maybe he had something…nope. Just a hole from where Bakura left the switchblade. Sometimes Bakura carried the Millenium Eye that he "won" from Pegasus around, just to look at it and gloat.

<<Hah. I don't carry valuables on me. That's a signal for pick pockets.>>

<But weren't you a pick pocket?>

<<Among other things. Besides, how can I concentrate on stealing other things if my mind is on protecting my own possessions? It's best to leave it in a cache, so that if someone does manage to get his dirty hands on it -- which he should not -- I have a legitimate reason to paint the floor with his blood.>>

Ryou shook his head. Now the Spirit of the Ring was using the "law" on his side. Would wonders never cease? Ryou looked around. Apparently no one else had Millenium Items either. "So do we just wander about like before?"

There were some dejected nods of confirmation. Joey stood up and marched down the hallway confidently. "Here we go!"

Kaiba sighed, and the rest of the group followed the never down Joey Wheeler.

* * * * *

Yugi was walking behind, thinking about the memory they had just unlocked. It was hard, because the memory had become a part of him, and Yugi had to distance himself in order to understand it.

So Ebola had been in the past…as the Ravager. And somehow Yami had faced it and won, because he had survived to remember it. Yugi slowly pieced things together. The prophecy Isis had made churned in his mind, teasing at the border of his mind. There was something in there that had to tell him of what was to come…

Suddenly Yugi gasped. That face! He remembered it! The face of the thief in the last memory was Bakura! Yugi closed his eyes and pictured the memory again. Yes, there it was! That tell-tale white mane of hair, the white scar on his face! It was true!

Mind in a whirl, Yugi flashed to the others. How had he not recognized them? They had been there! Isis was Ishizu, the priest Seto really was Kaiba, and Shadi--

"Is something the matter, Chosen One?"

Yugi jumped, turning around to see Shadi's calm eyes. "You! You-- were there! In the memories!" Yugi exclaimed. "But-- how?"

Shadi smiled, his eyes slightly amused. "There are many things that you do not know, nor will you know, until the time has come." He held himself aloft, distant.

"But-- why are you even alive? Why are you here?" Yugi cried out. The memories told him that the names were the same, while the other two had gone through slight changes. Reincarnation, perhaps -- but how could Shadi have the same name, even the same skin tone? He didn't even age, Yugi thought wildly. The paintings of Shadi in Pegasus' castle done ten years ago were an exact replica of the man standing before him!

"Patience, young one." Shadi held out a hand, palm out. "I am merely the servant of the Pharaoh. Much can be done with the will if one wants it enough."

"But -- how -- even Kaiba--"

"What about me?" The harsh voice of Kaiba's cut through Yugi's whirlwind. He had decided to hang back, away from the brash Joey and his annoying ways. Besides, it had been relatively quiet, until Yugi had a shock in his head.

Yugi turned his eyes towards Kaiba. "Kaiba! You should know! You're in the memories!"

"What?" Kaiba's eyes clouded darkly. "I already told you, I don't believe in these Egyptian fairy tales."

"Come, Seto Kaiba. Surely you cannot disprove what your very heart saw?" Shadi looked amused at Kaiba's discomfort.

Kaiba didn't want to hear about it. Those memories were disturbing, tugging at his mind and whispering that it was true. They felt familiar, somehow. He was the High Priest, right-hand man to the Pharaoh. But how could that be? Kaiba had no magic, and quite frankly, he wanted it to stay that way. Everything turned upside-down when it dealt with magic. Just look where he was now! Trapped within a vast maze of a spirit he didn't even (whole-heartedly) believe in! Kaiba didn't want his life messed up; he liked it just the way it was, the way he, and no other, made it.

Kaiba hardened his jaw. "I won't believe it."

Yugi stared in total disbelief in Kaiba's blatant denial. How much would it take for Kaiba to even bend even a little?

Shadi smiled, with the kind of air of The One Who Knows. "Deny it all you want, Kaiba, but you cannot change the past."

Kaiba growled and stalked off.

* * * * *

Tristan half-heartedly tagged along while Joey and Tea peeked around various nooks and crannies and Ryou studied the brick floor. Predictably, they had gotten pretty much nowhere. Tristan sighed, kicking a stray half-brick. What was he doing here? He felt so out of place.

"Hey Tea, look at this!" Joey yelled, leaning over a stair.

Tea trotted over and peered down. "Whoa. That's steep." She shook her head. "But there's no door."

Joey moaned. "Man, we're never going to find anything! There's too much to look at!"

"Too bad we don't have any more Millenium Items to show us the way." Tea regretfully said.

Tristan wandered down a small side hallway. Maybe there would be something here…nope. Tristan sighed. Nothing new. It's not like he ever did anything monumentally important anyway. Tristan backed out, walking a bit faster to catch up to the other two.

If only he had a Millenium Item. Tristan quickly suppressed that thought. He definitely did not want all the problems that Yugi had to deal with protecting his Puzzle! Tristan was perfectly fine being the Average Joe. Just blend in with the background, and root for the team. That was the idea.

But well, Tristan admitted, it'd be nice to do something once in a while. Not just stand in the sidelines, back his buddies up, and occasionally step in once in a while to substitute, but do something no one else could do. It'd be nice to duel as well as Joey or Yugi, or be as good a dancer as Tea. And of course it'd be nice to pull in the big money that Kaiba earned each day as CEO of KaibaCorp.

He randomly walked along, half-consciously staying within hearing distance of Joey and Tea's voices. Tristan wasn't even really paying attention to where he was going, which was the reason why he stubbed his foot on the very hard brick stairway.

"Ow!" Tristan exclaimed, rubbing his toe on the floor. "That hurt!" He grumbled at himself for making such a stupid mistake. What would Serenity think of that?

He looked down at the offending stair step. Stupid thing, just appearing like that. What did it think it was doing anyway? Making him go in circles. Growling, he looked up to where the stairs headed.

And up, and up, and up.

Man, those were a lot of stairs. Tristan couldn't even see the end, but he did see the ceiling. Waaaayyy up there. What the heck was up there anyway? Must be something pretty important, if it were stuck in some super remote place. Hey, maybe there would be the door that they needed!

Tristan turned around to call for the others. He turned around to see nothing.

Utter blackness.

"What the…?"

Tristan walked up to the, well, blackness. It was just that -- black. There was a distinct line between what Tristan could see and what he could not. It was as if the hallway had been swallowed up into nothingness. Tristan stretched out his hand into it, and it felt cold and dark, like the night air. Except this had no light. It didn't hurt his hand or anything, it just felt very weird. Tristan took a deep breath and stuck his head into the darkness and opened his eyes, leaving one hand firmly against the brick wall. He saw absolutely nothing. Waving his other hand in front of his face registered nothing. Shuddering, he pulled back. Now what was he going to do? Tristan was stuck here, in between nothingness and a very tall place.

He took a deep breath. "JOEY! TEA! YOU GUYS!!! ANYONE HEAR ME?"

* * * * *

Yugi, Kaiba, and Shadi eventually caught up to Ryou, Joey and Tea, and they were just beginning to wonder where Tristan was when they heard Tristan's call.

"ANYONE OUT THERE?" Tristan's voice echoed and vibrated.

"That's Tristan!" Joey yelled. "TRISTAN! WHERE THE HECK ARE YOU?"

Tea winced and covered her ears. She now knew for certainty that Joey had very, very healthy lungs.

Tristan yelled back a reply. "DUNNO! WASN'T PAYING ATTENTION!!"

Yugi raised an eyebrow. "That's not good." He placed a finger on his cheek. "So, do we find him or he finds us?"

Joey fixed that. Kind of. "TRISTAN, YOU COMING OR WHAT?"

"CAN'T! I'M STUCK!"

"What the…? Stuck?" Joey shook his head, shaking his hair out of the way. "Dang. That means we have to look for him." He took a deep breath and everyone stiffened a little. "HOLD ON! WE'RE COMING!!!"

And with that, Joey ran off, following his ear. Everyone groaned and attempted to keep up. It wasn't an easy task; Joey kept stopping to yell something and then burst off in a different direction. But eventually Joey did stop, because he discovered the same barrier that Tristan did. Everyone slid to a stop, gaping at the strange phenomenon before them.

"What in the world is this?" Tea said. She poked a finger in it and quickly pulled it back at the wintry feeling that was in it.

"HEY, YOU GUYS! YOU THERE?" Tristan yelled through the darkness.

Everyone jumped. They were very close, if the volume had to say anything about it. The only thing in the way was the strange darkness in between them.

"Tristan, what happened?" Joey called. He didn't think he needed to shout.

Tristan almost shook with relief. They found him. Now all they had to do was get to him. "I have no clue. I was just wandering along, and I found this huge set of stairs. It's gigantic! I think the door we need is up there. I turned around to call for you guys, but this stuff blocked my way."

Tea frowned. "You mean it wasn't there before?"

"Nope."

Yugi cocked his head. This stuff didn't make any sense. How could it even exist? Darkness was just the absence of light, but that meant there was light in the first place. But the darkness just seemed to "stay" in one place, and didn't move beyond a certain point. How could that even happened? And where was the light coming from anyway, and why did it just…stop?

"Guys, this makes no sense. Why is this black stuff even here?" Yugi waved at the thing. If it could be called that -- "thing" implies the object can be touched, which this stuff was not.

Joey shrugged. "Dunno."

Ryou got Yugi's point. "But how can it even exist? For that matter, how can we even see it? To see things, our eyes have to take in the light that is bounced off the objects. But where is the light coming from in the first place, so that we can see this stuff?"

"Soulrooms can be seen without the need for physical light. Because of the presence of its owner or their consent, certain parts of the soulroom emit an internal light."

That was Shadi, local expert on soulrooms, past and present.

"Okay, so we know how we can see it." Joey kicked at the floor. "But how do we get through it?"

Shadi gave a rare smile. "It is simple." He held his hands around his Ankh. "We use our Items to light the way to get to your friend."

Yugi's eyes lit up. "Oh! That's easy!" He closed his eyes, concentrating on the power of his Puzzle. He'd done it once before, and it wasn't too hard. He just had to reach right there…got it! Yugi grinned as the Puzzle began to glow with a steady, golden light. He looked around to see Ryou's Ring carefully emitting a greenish tinted light and Shadi's Ankh shining with a bluish hue.

Ryou, being the closest to the darkness (how ironic), timidly moved towards it. Squeezing his eyes shut, knowing that it was only the feeling of Yugi and the stranger behind him also moving, he stepped forward into the darkness. Ryou squeaked as he felt the cold, whispery feel of nothingness touch his bare skin. After noticing the absence of pain and no immediate death or chaos, he peeked one eye open, and then the other.

Yugi gasped in surprise. Only his Puzzle was shining any light. The other two Items might as well as been blocks of wood for all of the light they were giving off. In the faint illumination within the darkness, Yugi could see Shadi's apparent confusion. Yugi didn't have time to ask any questions, because Joey and Tea soon followed behind them. Yugi carefully took one step at a time in the darkness, making sure he wasn't going to hit anything.

Joey looked down at Ryou. "Hey, why isn't your Ring and that guy's Ankh lit up?" He jabbed a finger at Ryou's Ring around his neck.

Ryou held the Ring up. "I don't have a clue. It just doesn't light up this darkness."

They didn't have much time to wonder what happened, because they emerged from the darkness a few moments later, revealing a very much-relieved Tristan.

"Hey man!" Joey leapt over and began to pound his buddy's back. "Thought you almost got eaten up by the boogie man!"

Yugi was looking down at his Puzzle in confusion. The light from the Puzzle was dimming out, but that didn't explain why his worked and not the others.

Shadi saw Yugi's bewilderment. "Perhaps the reason why the other Items were unable to penetrate the darkness is because this is your other self's soulroom."

"Huh?"

"It is possible that this was another mental defense against intruders. The darkness could only be tamed by its creator or one bonded to him."

Yugi shook his head. "But why was Tristan able to walk through the first time and not the second?"

"Ah…" Shadi had no answer for that.

Joey looked up at the very long set of stairs. "Oh, boy."

Tristan saw Joey's amazement. "My thoughts exactly."

Tea moaned. "And we have to go up all those stairs?" Her legs were going to kill…

Ryou shrugged. "Oh well, at least we'll be going somewhere. Why would there be such a barrier if there wasn't something up there?"

Kaiba wanted to groan. Why didn't this place have elevators? This was going to be like the annual fire drill at KaibaCorp. It always made him regret his choice of having his office at the highest floor…

Yugi took a deep breath. "So here we go…" He took the first few steps and for once, looked down at everyone else. Yugi giggled. "Come on!"

And so they began their very long ascent up the stairs. It became unnerving to go so high, and Tea blanched when she looked down. She didn't do it again. Everyone wished that there were handrails, because one misstep and well, it would be very unpleasant trip down. Ryou was wishing he could crawl his way up the stairs, except he knew that if he did, Bakura would yell from here to tomorrow.

<<Dang right you are. At least you admit it though, coward.>>

As long as he stayed alive to get to the top, Ryou didn't care what the Spirit said. His legs burned from exertion and he was sweating from both fear and from fatigue. Yugi wasn't much better; he was beginning to believe Yami's insistence for more exercise. This had to be enough exercise for a week…

Joey, being the adventurous person he was, took two steps at a time, until he got tired. Then he hopped from one stair to the next. Tristan was climbing the stairs in stride, being an amateur rock climber. Tea was not having too much fun, since stairs seem to have an affinity for her. Kaiba was grumbling the entire way, saying stuff about out-of-date spirits and attempts to create stress. Shadi simply strolled up the stairs, although a bead of sweat trailed down his cheek.

Well, eventually they made it to the top. Everyone collapsed in exhaustion, except for Shadi and Kaiba. They caught their breath and wearily looked around.

And saw exactly the same setting as it was on the bottom -- a labyrinth of a maze, poles that went nowhere, double crossed hallways, and stairs everywhere.

Joey stood up. "So, where's the door?" He looked around, as if expecting the door to just pop up in front of him

Yugi wearily said from the floor, "Joey, haven't you figured it out that it's never that easy?"

"Naw, you just gotta look!" Joey scanned the nearby area. "Hey, there it is!" He trotted over to a nearby staircase, where the door of the Eye was there for all to see. "Told you it'd be around here somewhere!"

Everyone looked at Joey in surprise and then followed Joey. They stopped at the door. It had the same format as the others -- sturdy iron, the golden Millenium Eye shaped on the front, and those funny markings beneath it, which they now knew to be thieves cant; of which one of them was Bakura's symbol.

Yugi tugged at the door. He raised an eyebrow. "It's locked."

"What?" Joey exclaimed.

Yugi pulled a bit harder, putting a foot against the door. "It's not budging." He should have known it wasn't going to be easy…

"Lemme try." Yugi stepped over and Joey yanked on the handle. No go. "It's stuck."

"Now what?" Ryou said in the silence.

Tristan stared at the door closely. His eyes blurred and refocused, and they itched all of a sudden. Rubbing them fiercely, he saw something else on the door between glances. After getting rid of the irritation, he peered a bit closer. He couldn't quite make it out; it was covered in dust and stuff. He walked over and began to brush it away. Beneath his hand emerged more markings -- except these held meaning for the group.

"Hey! There's writin' on the door!" Joey exclaimed. "Where'd that come from?"

Everyone crowded around, marveling over Tristan's find. It was just single line, not much, really. It was a very strange discovery however, since the words were in Japanese…for most.

"This is so weird…why would Yami have Japanese characters on a door in his soulroom?" Tea wondered as she looked at the writing on the door.

Shadi smiled inwardly. Yes, Japanese…for those that knew only that language. For him, he saw ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs, and below it, the modern language he used today: Arabic. Shadi glanced over at Kaiba, who was having a barely covered mental breakdown.

Kaiba was shaking visibly and rubbing his eyes. What was wrong with his head? He was seeing things that shouldn't be there! Where everyone else was seeing only one line of text, he saw two! The second line was understandable; it was in Japanese, like what everyone else saw. But the other was in a language that he'd never seen before -- that same Egyptian script inscribed on the card of Winged Dragon of Ra. And he knew what it meant, just like the card! But that couldn't be possible, and besides, how could he see it when the others did not? Those Egyptian myths must be messing with his head…

Bakura was having a small heart attack within his own soulroom. Through Ryou's eyes, he could see what the group was peering at. They all saw Japanese, but he saw something else -- something that simply wasn't possible! There were two lines of text upon that door, not one, which was what the others and even his own vessel saw. Bakura saw ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs on one line and the other saying the same thing -- but in thieves cant! How could the pharaoh have known the secret code that thieves carved in the most unlikely of places?

Tristan, oblivious to the shock to certain people around him, read the single, tiny line on the door.

"Those Who Ask, Receive."

Yugi cocked his head. "What in the world could that mean?"

Tea nodded absently. "It kind of makes sense though…when you usually ask for stuff, you get it most of the time. But ask what?"

Joey laughed. "Please and thank you's, perhaps?"

Yugi tapped a finger on his cheek. "Hey, maybe it's like that story, you know, the one with Ali Baba and the forty thieves?" Yugi grinned. "Just say 'Open Sesame!' "

Joey marched up to the door and pointed a finger. "Hey door! Open Sesame!"

The door, as expected, did not magically open. Ryou shook his head. He highly doubted the forty thieves even used such a simple phrase; it was most likely as twisted and convoluted as Bakura's enter phrases at home, so why should this door be any different?

<<Those thieves were pathetic. Practically every thief in Thebes laughed at them for a month after that Ali Baba stripped them dry. They were so predictable.>>

Tristan frowned. Something was just at the edge of his mind… "Wait a sec, I think Joey had a point there."

"What, 'Open Sesame?' Didn't work." Joey jabbed a finger at the door. "Still stuck."

Tristan shook his head. "No, I meant the 'please and thank you' stuff. I think we have to ask the door to open up."

Everyone looked at Tristan incredulously. Ask…a door? An inanimate object with no mind?

Yugi shrugged. "Oh well. It's the only idea we've got. Try it, Tristan."

Tristan nervously cleared his throat. Here goes…"Um, door of the um, Eye? Please open for us?"

And with a creak and a groan, the old iron door complied. Everyone's mouth dropped open in surprise as they felt an ice-cold chill creep down their backs and were whisked away into the memory of the Pharaoh.

~ ~ ~ ~

The Ravager surrounded us, creating a force of unseeing eyes upon us. In such close proximity, I could feel Isis shiver as more and more of them circled around us.

Seto turned his head around. "What are we going to do?"

"Do?" I faintly smiled. "We are going to get out of here."

Seto's eyes widened slightly as I called on the powers of the Millenium Puzzle. The raw magic that resided within the Puzzle flared and rushed through me, threatening to overwhelm those that could not handle its power. But I was its holder, and I commanded its magic. I frowned as I shaped the magic to my will. This was going to take a lot of concentration, not to mention a tough stomach.

I heard Seto whisper, "Oh no." He knew what was coming up, and did not like it.

I smiled. "Oh, yes." And with that, I let the magic loose.

The magic yanked us out of the circle of the Ravager, literally pulling us up and away. We flowed past over them and followed the pathways of the bloodstream, becoming like water as we were swept away, as if we were the floodwaters of the Nile.

Although this was a very good evasive maneuver, it also made those with weak stomachs churn and feel very nauseous. Thankfully, the nightly "exploits" in the city Seto and I went on periodically let us withstand the turbulence. The, shall I say, "practice of mingling with the commoners" gave us high tolerance to gut wrenching, sweat-pounding moments, not to mention the terrible beer served in the lower parts of town. Although those that were more accustomed to eating the finery of the palace were having some…difficulties.

Shadi and Karim, who were used to the fineries of high-class life with fine foods, fresh spring water, and stable conditions, were looking a bit nauseous. Isis wasn't faring as well either, although she attempted to hide it, ladylike. Mahado was as stiff as the staff he clasped in his hands, eyes widened in shock. And poor elderly Akunadin was positively green, shutting his eyes tight and clutching his hands together. Most likely praying to Ra for safety…

"Yami, you had better say this is going to end soon." Seto threatened, raising the Rod.

I put my hands around the Puzzle. "Will do."

For a brief moment, the Puzzle glowed. The fluids around us rushed faster, guiding us to the destination I desired.

"Oh, Ra…"

Well, we reached the destination I desired without any permanent physical damage. We fell down in a lump, piled on top of each other. Unfortunately, since I was previously at the forefront, I ended up on the bottom of the stack.

On top of me, I could hear Mahado groaning. "If I never travel that way again, it will be too soon."

Seto, whose Rod was digging into my shoulder blade, moaned along with him. "I think, given the choice, I shall walk next time."

I grunted, pushing up with my arms. "I was not aware that there was even a different choice available. Now would you please get off of me?"

Everyone practically jumped off after noticing they were sitting on the son of Ra. After an overdose of apologies, I finally managed to turn their attention to the more important manner.

I crossed my arms, discreetly rubbing them to relieve some of the bruises. "Well, what do you six propose we do?"

Silence. Just deep breaths and mental calculations that their body was intact.

"What, nothing at all? This is certainly new."

Mahado wrenched himself upright, using his staff for support. "Pharaoh, why hasn't the body mounted its own defense against the Ravager?"

"Because perhaps it can't, Mahado!" Seto retorted. "Didn't you see its ferocity? The Ravager destroys faster than it is destroyed!"

Isis narrowed her eyes. "Then perhaps we should find out why, Seto."

Shadi placed a finger on his chin. "To do that, we must go to the center for the body's defense."

I nodded. "Which is precisely where we are."

Everyone's eyes widened in shock as they gazed around. They saw swarms of the white soldiers that were the body's defenders swimming around us. We stood within a thick, yellowish-clear liquid, which contained clumps of grayish fibers here and there. The place was like a command center, with a knot of white orbs centered in one spot, and other, smaller orbs leaving and returning, like common soldiers and fleet-footed messengers carrying out their duty.

"By Ra…" Mahado whispered. "Look at them. They're organized…"

"Very nice." Seto crossed his arms. "But they're not doing a very good job, are they?"

I raised an eyebrow. Very supportive, Seto was. "Well then, shall we approach and see their strategy? Perhaps then we can find out what is wrong."

The rest of the priests nodded, and we walked up to the generals of the body's defenses. However, like a true army, there were bodyguards to get past through. Two smaller white orbs closed in on us. They seemed to wiggle, demanding some sort of answer.

"Ah…we come in peace?" Karim offered, holding out his Scale.

More insistent wiggling. They began to loom over us, threatening some sort of consequence for whatever they demanded.

"Great. Does anyone speak blob body language?" Seto remarked.

I sighed. "We'll have to use our Millenium Items." Placing hand on my Puzzle, I attempted to convey in simplistic terms that we wanted to pass.

Show your identification badge, the left one ordered. Or else we'll consume you.

I sighed. Apparently the lower level bodyguards consisted of brawns instead of brains. I stood a bit taller, letting the symbol of the Millenium Puzzle flash before them.

I am Pharaoh Yami, son of Ra, Wielder of Shadows, Guardian of Light, and I say that you shall let us pass!

The two orbs cringed, if such a thing were possible. Behind them, one of the larger orbs seemed to sense their discomfort. It moved out of the circle, and brushed against one of the shrinking white orbs. What seems to be the trouble?, it asked.

One orb fled behind their "rescuer." We didn't do anything!, it cried. It's going to eat us!

The larger orb looked down at us, and saw my Puzzle glowing. It jerked back, in shock. The Great Leader!, it exclaimed. Why have you come here?

Seto raised an eyebrow. By now the rest of the priests had invoked their Items as well and understood what the larger orb had just said. "It appears that even blobs know of your fame, O Great Pharaoh."

I rolled my eyes and turned back towards to one of the "generals." He (if it were possible to give it a gender) seemed to be weary. His body was tinged with gray, and he took slow, careful "steps." Slowly, he curved his body into something resembling a bow.

You come at a dire time, he said. We are in the midist of a war. But we must obey the commands of the Great Leader. What do you ask of us?

Behind me, Mahado muttered into my ear. "Pharaoh, present your requests quickly. My magics outside the boy are telling me he will not last very long."

I nodded. I kneeled down and touched its quivering body. Do not fear, I told him. My priests and I have come to wage war against your foe. Can you tell me how you defend against the Ravager?

He rose, nodding what he used as a head. We cannot do a great deal, only to slow. I am the high Commander of the army. Come, and I shall introduce you to my generals.

He led us to the small group within. There were seven in all, including the commander. Some were large, ominous types of leaders, while others were smaller and had the air of cunning. All were restless and edgy, flicking back and forth as if searching for the incoming enemy.

The commander nodded towards each one, turning towards us to explain their position. This is the leader of the Small Eaters, those that protect the smaller streams. Here is the leader of the Big Eaters, those that guard the larger rivers. This is our Armsmaster, trainer of our weaponry and the little ones that guide it. To his left is our representative of the Little Ones, who seek and destroy any invader. On my right is the strongest and wiliest of our Killers, who obliterate the enemy. And this is our chief Elder, our guide, who calms the hotheads among us.

A small red cell brushed against the Commander. Another message for you, Commander.

The Commander slouched. Report.

The cell gathered itself together. All defenses down. All main stations falling. Communications down. Power down. Transportation down, jammed, and broken. Waste facilities down. Require assistance immediately.

The Chief Elder swam forward. He, as was implied, older than the rest, spotted with age. He wiggled a flange, admonishing the young Commander, saying, And that is why we must retreat! Retreat and fall back, to regain our strength!

Strength from where? The two that led the Eaters said. Our troops are weary and morale is down to its last dregs. We cannot fight on nor retreat back, to leave their families and homes behind. You keep calling for strength, but from where?

The Armsmaster spoke up. Yes, we need strength, and time. We have no time to train the Little Ones, and less time to study the Ravager and devise a weapon against it. We have nothing. Right now we are simply throwing things out and hoping they work by chance.

The Little One replied grimly. And that is hardly good tactics. Never throw out anything to the enemy, or else he will use it against you. My comrades are failing in their attempt to hold the Ravager. We cannot even destroy it like we used to…our arms are obsolete to this Ravager.

The Killer, the large, dangerous-looking one, put in the last words of doom. Even the forces under my control are losing ground against the Ravager at every turn. We now lack even the numbers to defeat the Ravager. The enemy seems to take great joy in torturing my troops; killing each one with relish and overpowering rage.

…they seem to target the immune system for special attack. In this they are like HIV, which also destroys the immune system, but unlike the creeping onset of HIV, the attack made by Ebola is explosive. As Ebola sweeps though you, your immune system fails, and you seem to lose your ability to respond to viral attack. Your body becomes a city under siege, with its gates thrown open and hostile armies pouring in, making camp in the public squares and setting everything on fire; and from the moment Ebola enters your bloodstream, the war is already lost; you are almost certainly doomed. You can't fight off Ebola the way you fight off a cold. Ebola does in ten days what it takes AIDS ten years to accomplish.

The Commander turned toward me, wearing a face of mourning even though it had no head. And that is our predicament, Great Leader. The Ravager wages total war, attacking everything in its path, leaving nothing in its wake. We have the will, but no ability to use it, as our strength is burned away in the brutal onslaught. We have soldiers that are rapidly decreasing, and no strength nor will to carry on. The enemy is fast approaching, and we have no defenses left. What are we going to do?

I shook my head. I do not know yet, I told them. But with the information you have given me, I shall stop the Ravager before it destroys anymore.

I turned around from them, leaving the last remaining generals of a losing army to discuss what to do in the last moments.

"Okay, you've got information. They're as weak as puppies. So what are we going to do?" Seto waved his Rod at the surroundings. "Go out and finish the job for them?"

Isis shook her head. "No, that would not work. We cannot use our Millenium Items alone against the Ravager. The Items do not have enough power to wage war against the entire foe."

Shadi cocked his head. "They have the capabilities of winning this war. They only lack the strength, and time enough to act upon it."

"The latter we cannot fight against. Time goes at its own pace, and not even the Millenium Items can bend it. We will have to act quickly. But strength…" My eyes widened. "That is it! They have the manpower, but lack strength. Our Items hold the strength needed, but lack reach. Combine the two, and the Ravager will be defeated!"

Seto snapped his fingers. "By Ra, you've got it, Pharaoh! We've found a way to crush the Ravager!"

Karim raised an eyebrow. "Yes, but first we must actually do it, Seto. And how are we going to do that? The exchanging of power is a delicate one."

I shook my head. "To give this kind of power of the Millenium Items to a physical, living being, all we need physical contact and a strong will. And I can attest that we all have the second requirement, or else how could you be my priests?"

"And as for physical contact, all we have to do is to know the general location and my Ankh will find them." Shadi said, cupping his hands around the Millenium Ankh.

Suddenly, the world around us heaved and jerked. Orbs swam in distress, shying away from the walls and quivering in fear. The fluid that surrounded us created eddies and whirlpools, to gush out of minute holes that appeared out of nowhere. Then the Ravager burst through the walls, punching through to feed upon the last remaining few in greed. They hunted anything that moved, slaying all in their path. They no longer took the time to actually infect the cells, but rather killing in sheer numbers and terror. Everything fell into chaos.

Seto whirled around in confusion. "What is it? What is happening?"

The commander jolted away. No! It is over! The end times have come upon us!

Mahado closed his eyes and clutched his staff. "Pharaoh, the time comes soon. We must leave, or perish with them!"

I nodded, and reached for the power of Puzzle once again. We had to leave the battlefield, retreating from a lost war. Silent screams of terror and pain echoed within our minds. The golden glow surrounded us and took us away, fleeing the cries of the doomed.

+ + + + +

We returned to the real world, back into stiffened bodies and a harsh reality. Within our circle, Jkatha convulsed and choked, gasping for breath. Karal was staring in shock, seeing his son being torn apart by an invisible enemy. His mouth opened in a mute scream.

Suddenly he goes into the last phase -- the human virus bomb explodes. Military biohazard specialists have ways of describing this occurrence. They say that the victim has "crashed and bled out." Or more politely they say that the victim has "gone down."

Pools of blood gushed out of Jkatha's body, to stain our cloaks and sandals. The blood flowed out, as if hungrily searching for another victim. The reek of fresh blood spilled filled the air. Isis shuddered and called on the power of the Tauk, containing the Ravager within the bounds of its dying host. Karim closed his eyes and cleansed the outside area with the Scale, burning away the taint of the Ravager with magical fire. Karal scooted away, watching his son scream within the white dome Isis had erected over the dying boy.

He becomes dizzy and utterly weak, and his spine goes limp and nerveless and he loses all sense of balance. The room is turning around and around. He is going into shock. He leans over, head on his knees, and brings up an incredible quantity of blood from his stomach and spills it onto the floor with a gasping groan.

Jkatha jerked and fell rigid, though his body was becoming a mass of mush. I wanted to turn my eyes away from this horror, but I could not turn away from the face of the enemy, nor leave the boy to die unseen. Jkatha's eyes rolled backwards into his head, gasping as he saw things that should not be seen by mortals.

It was not a vision of heaven.

Blood streamed from every hole in his body -- his nose, his eyes, his ears, his mouth -- anything that let the waters of his body flow out. Spews of blood arched and splattered on the dome, on his twitching body, on the stone floor. The life that it once contained seeped in and stained it, marking the Ravager's victim. The Ravager sang a blood-song of death, hate and suffering, exhilarating in the dying boy's death throes.

He loses consciousness and pitches forward into the floor. The only sound is a choking in his throat as he continues to vomit blood and black matter while unconscious. Then comes a sound like a bedsheet being torn in half, which is the sound of his bowels opening and venting blood from the anus. The blood is mixed with intestinal lining. He has sloughed his gut. The linings of his intestines have come off and are being expelled with large amounts of blood.

The Ravager pushed against the barriers of the dome of magic around the body, seeking to reach, and touch, and Eat. It thirsted for more, reaching out for another one to burn into bloody ashes, to attack another body in hate, anger and vengeance that I did not know of.

Pools of blood spread out around him, enlarging rapidly. Having destroyed its host, the hot agent is now coming out of every orifice, and is "trying" to find a new host.

Within moments, Jkatha's body became limp and still, dead within that unforgiving dome. His spirit fled his lifeless body, to wander about the earth, for his body was no longer a part of this earth. The body that remained was a sunken mass, covered in the innards of his once young body. There would be no chance of Jkatha of returning back to his body, for it was beyond preservation. How can embalmers preserve a mess of red and black fluid and little mushy bits?

After death, the cadaver suddenly deteriorates: the internal organs, having been dead or partially dead for days, have already begun to dissolve; and a sort of shock-related meltdown occurs. The corpse's connective tissues, skins and organs, already peppered with dead spots, heated by fever, and damaged by shock, begin to liquefy, and the fluids that leak from the cadaver are saturated with Ebola-virus particles.

In the end, there had been no chance of survival. The Ravager made sure of that.

"You explode, man. You get it, and that's it -- pfft! -- end of story. You can kiss your arse good-bye."

When the blood slowed down to a trickle, Isis clenched her jaw tight. Then the magic of the Millenium Tauk flared within the dome that contained the Ravager. It scoured the stone blocks clean of the Ravager's bloody mark, burning away the watery blood that pooled around the dead son. Tears ran down Isis's cheeks as she also burned the body away. There would be a long, treacherous time ahead of Jkatha in the afterlife -- if he had one. Eventually all that was left was blackened ashes. Only then did Isis lift up her protective veil of magic.

Karal cried out, running to where his son's body once lay. "Jkatha! Noooooooooo!" He fell down to the stone floor, knocking his head against its unfeeling stone. "You're gone. You're gone forever…and not even the gods can save you…"

Everyone else respectfully took a few steps back, giving some space for the once-father to mourn. I walked up to the grief-stricken man. "Karal, the past is behind us."

Mad, tear-stained eyes locked onto mine. "You promised! You'd said he would live!"

I looked down at him. In a grave voice I said, "That I did not. I vowed that I would find the cure that was locked within. And although we have found a way to defend against the Ravager, who has slew hundreds of my people, I regret to say I was unable to save your son."

~ ~ ~ ~

Deep within the human body, an old, grizzled cell emerged into being. It was pinched and white, caution drilled deep within its body. The symbol of the Eye was imprinted on its body. This was an Elder, whose role in this war was vigilance and counsel, to cool those young-headed fools of glory.

War is not a magnificent adventure. It is blood and guts, gore and death. There is nothing glorious about war. War is of soldiers screaming for mercy, for their homes far away, of fear of dying for no true cause. Of fires and pain, lost souls and lost dreams.

The Elder knew, and warned those of what was to come.

For the war is approaching.

~ * * * * * ~

Everyone fell back; scrambling to get away from the door that had shown them death.

Joey jerked away, gagging. "ACK! That's just gross!" His hands shook. "That kid, just dying -- like that…"

Ryou curled on the floor, covering his ears and shutting his eyes closed. He didn't want to see more blood or hear more screams of pain. But he couldn't close his mind…

Bakura was laughing maniacally, thrilling in approval. <<Now that's what I call a bloodbath. By Ra, he did it right…>>

<You're just sick…>

Bakura crowed, feral grin even more pronounced. <<You'd better believe it. May the gods grant that I may spill blood that like one.>>

Kaiba took two steps away and leaned against the solid brick walls. That was just sick. He shouldn't see things like that; businessmen of his stature didn't deal with the touchy, primitive issue of death. Kaiba concentrated on cold, hard cash -- business -- not hot blood spilled…

Shadi turned his head away, hiding the single tear that ran down his cheek. His left hand clutched his Ankh. Shadi took deep breaths, calming down his fear. It is over, he told himself. That is the past, and unchangeable. I cannot change it, but I can change the future…

Tristan and Tea were slumped on the ground, backs to the closed cold iron door. It had been so real, the smell of blood lingering within their minds. They used to be just some common teenagers, doing common teenager things. Then Yugi solved the Puzzle, and everything changed. They had gone through falling buildings, fires, and exploding islands, and now memories of a long-dead pharaoh. The price of friendship was indeed, deeper than blood…

Yugi clutched his head. How could he deal with this? It was too much -- he shouldn't see things like that. Images of little red raindrops falling onto the stone floor flashed through his mind, and he couldn't keep them out. A little horror filmstrip played within his mind, seeing the boy die again and again, until what Yugi saw was Yami arching in pain and dying in pools of blood…

Instinctively, Yugi reached out to Yami through their bond. A slew of feelings washed over Yugi and he cried out in surprise. Yugi was pulled deeper into the bond, called by a terrible need from his other self. Suddenly Yugi was released, and he gasped in surprise to see Yami's deteriorating condition before him. Yes, Yami was still alive, but…the Ravager had returned.

Yami tossed and turned, trying to cool himself off in his rising fever. The small time of relief given to him by the pain relievers was eroding, and the pain had come back to haunt him.

Pain is a simple concept. On the most basic level, it is simply molecules hitting pain cells, which then send signals to the brain, which then registers the feeling of "pain" and acts accordingly. Pain is nothing more than a sense of warning, telling the body that something is wrong. Unfortunately, too much pain is not really beneficial, as then the person can do nothing to stop it. Pain relievers block the transmission of the signals, or block the brain from registering "pain." However, whatever causes pain still attacks and hurts the person; the person is simply no longer aware. It continues to pound away, to batter itself against the barrier. Consider pain relievers to be a barrier of a large fluffy blanket protecting a little baby from the scary outside world. However, if the pain is simply overwhelming, the "blanket" is quickly torn and ripped into shreds, and the pain is released once more…

The Ravager is certainly overwhelming.

Yami was powerless against the relentless onslaught of the Ravager. The pain plowed through him, and he had nothing to fight against it. His temperature was rising steadily. It wasn't as bad as before, but he knew it would eventually escalate into unbearable… //Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop!//

Yugi's eyes widened. Yami didn't know he was here?

The radio was still playing its songs. Strange how they were so appropriate…

"You think you're alone there in your silent storm
But I've seen the tears you've cried falling down and trying to drown
The flame of hope inside
Let me tell you now, tell you now…"

Yugi clenched his fist. Yami was not alone; he still had Yugi, and all of his friends. They weren't going to desert Yami now, not ever.

Yugi shouted through their bond. /Yami!/

Yami's eyes shot open. //Aibou?// Was this a vision of his imagination, brought by the pain again, or was this for real? Oh Ra, let this be true…

Yugi smiled. /Yeah, I'm here. And I'm not going to leave you. You're not going to face this on your own./

Yami felt a tear fall out of his right eye. Still there… //Thank you. Through my pain, I had almost forgotten.// Yami closed his eyes. //I kept dreaming I had lost you…thank you for coming back.//

"When you're walking in the dead of night
And your soul is churning
When your hope seems out of sight
Keep the candle burning
All it takes is one steady heart in a world that's turning…"

Yugi cocked his head. /Don't forget it, Yami. We're all here, and we're all going to get out of this./

//I know.// Yami answered. //Just…aibou?//

/Hmm?/

//Don't ever let your light burn out. Or else I won't be able to find my way back.//

"Shine a light and pierce the dark
Keep the candle burning
Keep the candle burning…"

Yugi smiled. /I won't, mou hitori no boku. Just make sure yours won't either./

//As long as I can see your light, that will be enough, hikari.// Yami closed his eyes, falling back asleep, the pain pushed away because of his hikari's presence…

* * * * *

Yugi's mother sobbed into a drenched, useless tissue, rocking on the squishy sofa. He was going to die! Her son was going to die! And there was nothing she could do!

Grandpa found Yugi's mother crying in the corner of a practically empty lounge. He cautiously walked up to her. Emotional women always made him uneasy…

"Mary, Yugi'll pull through. He's not going to give up so easily."

Mary scrubbed away her tears with the sodden tissue. "I- I know, but do you think he…can?"

Grandpa plopped down on the sofa. "I know he can. Besides," Grandpa winked, "He's the King of Games, right? Now wipe those tears away and think about something else."

"Like what?"

"Well for starters, dinner. I'm hungry!" Grandpa joked, rubbing his belly.

Mary smiled, pushing Grandpa lightly. "Silly old fool."

Grandpa beamed. "That's me!"

Mary sighed. "But I really don't feel like cooking anything, since Yugi--" Mary choked.

Shoot. Grandpa scanned the area for some other quick distraction. Anything to keep her mind off Yugi before she had a mental breakdown. His eyes caught a TV remote. Ah, television. That should work fairly well. Grandpa grabbed the remote and settled into the sofa. "Hey, how about we watch some TV to pass the time?"

Hearing no objection, Grandpa pointed the remote and turned on the TV hanging in the corner of the lounge. After surfing a few channels, they ended up watching commercials and commenting on how weird or funny they were, and also making mental notes to check certain things out a bit later…

They laughed at the latest one, a car commercial with a young guy in love with his car. He was trailing the thing with a rose and chasing the advertised car across the city, and then some.

"That's Joey, all right." Grandpa laughed. He then pointed the remote to change the channels again to watch something else, as the main show was appearing again.

Mary's eyes widened. "No! Wait!" She clutched onto Grandpa's arm, grabbing it so hard he winced. "Don't change it!"

Grandpa flipped back. "Fine, but…why?"

On the television screen, an anchorwoman was talking about the latest topic. A picture of a tangled curved thing was shown in the upper right-hand corner. Beneath it, the caption read, "Deadly Ebola Virus Found In Japan."

"One of the deadliest known human viruses has turned up for the first time in Japan in the city of Domino. Two days ago, a resident living there by the name of Yugi Motou was bitten by a runaway monkey and consequentially contracted the lethal virus."

Mary cried out, her face twisting in fear and pain for her son. Grandpa's focus was totally upon the TV screen, absorbing the news.

"The Ebola virus, which originated in Africa, has a mortality rate of fifty to ninety percent. Health officials and researchers at the Domino Hospital have identified this virus to be a new strain of Ebola, currently called Ebola Domino.

"Ebola causes hemorrhagic fever and is a severe, often-fatal disease in humans that has appeared sporadically since its initial recognition in 1976. The exact origin, locations, and natural habitat of the Ebola virus remain unknown. Symptoms are abrupt and are characterized by fever, red eyes, headache, joint and muscle aches, sore throat, and weakness, followed by diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain. The signature sign of Ebola is massive external and internal bleeding. This is usually followed by multi-organ failure, shock and then death."

Grandpa stiffened. So that was what was going to happen to his grandson. He shuddered. It certainly didn't sound very pleasant, and he had suspicions the anchorwoman was softening it already…

I remember thinking to myself, Oh shit, at the effects of this horrific disease.

Mary was rigid, eyes locked upon the television screen. She was taking quick, sharp breaths, imaging the horrors that awaited her son. Each symptom that the anchorwoman described multiplied within her mind, escalating her fear. With a cry she fell back, fainting from the stress. Grandpa grabbed her arm and heaved her back upright. When she did not respond, he yelled for the nurse.

Ms. Motou was placed in a stretcher and pushed to the Emergency Room. As they ran towards ER, Grandpa couldn't help but notice that everyone was watching the news. Nearly every television screen was on and showing pictures of the Ebola virus, or of Ebola victims, or of Yugi Motou, his only grandson…

"Residents of Domino should watch out for the runaway monkey. This is a dangerous animal carrying a dangerous virus. The government is moving to catch the monkey and track its location. If anyone sees a small, brown monkey such as the one pictured above, please call the police immediately."

A small picture of a monkey appeared on the screen. It looked as if it had been procured from the local zoo; a fuzzy cutesy thing that looked like it was simply an adorable stuffed animal and not a dangerous beast carrying a lethal weapon.

These monkeys had their canine teeth. … The canines on these hummers were as big as the canines on any guard dog you'll ever see, and that was a rude awakening. A monkey can run amazingly fast, it can jump long distances, and it uses its tail as a gripper or a hook. It also has a mind.

"There is no need for mass evacuation nor mass panic. Watchers must be aware that although the virus is lethal, the government is taking action to keep things under control. People are advised to stay indoors. All roads and airline flights from or into Domino have been canceled."

All we know is that once this thing climbs aboard an airplane, it could be anywhere in the world within twenty-four hours.

"The virus is not airborne, and an experimental vaccine for Ebola is being tested in the United States. I repeat, there is cause for alarm but not for panic…"

Maybe no deadly pandemic will occur. But I wouldn't bet my life on it.

* * * * *

Halfway around the world and then some, another small television screen was displaying the news story. A single man within that cold, dark room watched the television screen, a slow grin creeping across his face. He clutched his fist. It was stained with fresh blood.

"That's right, my little pets. Kill him, and wreck my revenge…"

* * * * *

Hark, the Shadow of Doom approaches.

The darkness has begun.

There will be no dawn.

Tick. Tock. Tick

Footnotes:

[1] Fentanyl -- it works like the body's body’s own natural endorphins to dampen the sensation of pain. It is commonly used during anesthesia. Anesthesia makes you fall asleep; the fentanyl is to make sure the pain doesn't wake you up. Fentanyl is under the category of opiates, which include morphine, codeine, and opium. ^^ Funfun…

[2] Basic science. You need light to see things, right? No light, everything's dark. The light bounces off stuff and returns to your eyes, which then sends signals to your brain, which then perceives color and shape and stuff. So question: how, how, how can anyone see anything in a soulroom?!? I don't see lightbulbs or anything in Yami's soul room. Do you? O.o The light seems to just…appear. >.< I have a theory, but still, it doesn't make sense…

[3] Explanation here: There are no quotation marks (" ") or anything to denote cells speaking because, to put it bluntly, cells are simple-minded lifeforms. To have some funky symbols implies (to me) some special status or special speaking, like a yami or some super powerful being. Cells are neither; it is the concept of what they mean to say.

[4] T.T Yes, the United States has an experimental Ebola vaccine. As of November 18, 2003, they began human trials. T.T The trials, however, are not testing whether the vaccine works on humans, but rather if it is safe for humans. *wails* Nooo! Ebola is not meant to be stopped like this! It has to destroy the world! … ^^;;;; Heh heh, but I'll fix that in this fic… *cocks head* On one hand, I like the idea that they have a vaccine. On the other hand, I kinda like the idea of Ebola on the loose… *punches fist* AND I WANNA VOLUNTEER FOR THE VACCINE!!! (Everyone: O.O) >.< But you have to be 18 or older…*wails* I'm just ONE year away! *crosses fingers* Let them still accept me in one year…

[5] Pandemic -- a small scale epidemic, concentrated over a small geographical area. Say Japan, for instance. ^^ Just kidding.

(6) The song excerpt is called Keep the Candle Burning by Point of Grace. I don't own it.

Author's End Notes:

Toboe LoneWolf: ^_^ Funfunfunfun!!! Lotsa fun!! Eeeeee!!

Djanil: *shakes head* Oh no.

Toboe LoneWolf: *bursts* HE EXPLODED!!! Funfunfunfun!!! *dances* Hahahaha!!!! *makes explosion noises* KA-PLEWIE!!!

Djanil: Readers, this is Toboe LoneWolf on a sugar-high, except there is no sugar involved. -_- She's high on Ebola.

Toboe LoneWolf: ^^ More fun next chappie! We get to see more blood, more pain, and more Ravager beauty!! We take a look into science, there are some deep thoughts, *nodnod* and Yami falls deeper into the Ravager pit!!! ^^ Yea!

Yami: -_- You are cruel.

Toboe LoneWolf: ^_^ Funfunfun!! *bounces* Review, please -- hey, and if you liked the explosion, say so! *thinks* Or for some of you, perhaps not… *waves* A grand red explosion for a very happy happy new year! ^_^ See you later! The Ravager shall strike again!