Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Lullaby ❯ Lullabies Go On and On ( Chapter 3 )

AN: Ok, this would have been up yesterday, but my son (almost 2) got into the dishwasher and handed my daughter (9 months) a steak knife while I was writing this. My daughter then proceeded to bleed over everything. She didn't cry. I did, it's a little scary seeing that much blood come from your little one. Anyhow, the fire department came, looked at her hand, said I needed to keep pressure on it until it stopped bleeding. Easier said than done! She wanted to be crawling everywhere, not sitting in my lap while I held her hand still. Neither child wanted to take a nap yesterday after the excitement of it all. So we went to my father's house. My stepmother got the blood out of everything.

My husband somehow or another managed to sleep through this entire adventure! *rolls eyes* MEN!

Oh, and as I was looking up pictures for this fic, my son kept pointing at the computer and saying "GI-OH!" So cute! Also, he sits on the floor with his own keyboard and types while I do. It's funny!

Anyhow, review responses:

Towairaito Zoon: I think we all have at times. It's supposed to be a little freaky and odd. I'm glad you like it.

Crimson-Eyed-Angel99: Well, it wasn't my decision to have her like Yami, it's in the Manga. I am being a little mean to him aren't I? Oh well... He acts like a little brother at times. A cool little brother, but that's how I see him. Thanks for the review

Senshichan14: YIKES! Thanks for the review. No more sugar for either of you.

zeynel: Thanks!

NoZoMi aNd HoTaRu: Thanks, and here ya go!

Dagger5: Thanks again! Camping gear, angel, what's the difference? I think some of the spell checkers have a sense of humor.

Mai Valentine: Thanks for the review!

silmarillion the anonymous bunny: Thank you.

Darkchao1663: I'm sorry if it was confusing. It is a fever dream, and in my experience, they tend not make much sense. Maybe this chapter will make more sense for you. Thanks for reviewing.

Yugi-Chan: thanks for the review!

Amora Laflour: 10/10? WOW! I'm glad you like it! Thanks

InsaneAuthoress: Spellcheckers are weird. Thanks for the review.

*******

Yami paced in his soul room. Last night had not been easy on him, or Yugi. Yugi had fits of chills, sweats, and nightmares. The nightmares were the worst. All Yami wanted to do was save his young host from the pain. Try as he might, he couldn't reach his hikari.

******

Yugi sat up in the boat. The sun was beating down on him, and it was really hot. His hand went to his chest. The puzzle hadn't decided to return during the night. He shrugged; he hadn't really expected it to.

Wiping the sweat from his eyes, he looked out at the horizon. He was surrounded on all sides by water, but in the distance, he could faintly make out a dark shape. Land, he thought. Land, anything other than this endless sea.

The next thing he knew the boat had stopped moving with a jolt. He looked down, shook his head, and looked again. The boat had hit the shore. Oh, right, dreaming...

He stepped onto the shore, and started walking along the beach, hoping he would find some shade.

He stopped by a rock. He needed to rest. He leaned against the pale surface.

"Pardon me!" The rock spoke.

"What the? Bakura! You too!?."

"Why, yes. I'm here too. You should have expected it."

"I guess...Bakura, my puzzle is missing, can you help me find it?" He pointed to the ring hanging at the white-haired boy's chest.

"I suppose I can try. But I really don't know how to work it. But I do."

Yugi blinked. Bakura's yami must have taken over, but it made for a very confusing statement.

"Why should I help you? You and that pharaoh have caused me nothing but trouble ever since I met you."

"But...I...we didn't do it on purpose. If you had stopped trying to take the other items, and had played for fun instead of control of the world, none of that trouble would have ever happened! You were the one who joined up with Malik! You were the one who hurt Bakura!"

"I was the one who put all of your souls into cards. Yes, yes, I know. But you were the one who asked for all of this trouble in the first place."

"What do you mean?"

"You went out of your way to find the puzzle, then spent how much time putting it together? You asked for friends, you got them. With friends come enemies. You should have known better."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why does having friends bring enemies? That doesn't follow logic. Besides, I was a target for bullies before I had friends."

"But you weren't a target for homicidal maniacs."

"I guess..."

"He didn't choose his fate, tomb robber."

Yugi turned around to find Isis behind him.

"His fate was pre-ordained, he had to find the puzzle, he had to solve it. You, on the other hand, sealed your fate when you first decided that thieving was a good way to live." She turned to Yugi. "You are on the correct path. You, and only you have the fate of the world in your hands. You, and only you know how long this game will last."

Yugi nodded solemnly. "I understand," he said softly. Isis had disappeared though, and Yugi turned back to Bakura.

"Whatever my other half said to you, don't take it to heart Yugi. You have friends on your side."

"Thanks, Bakura. You are one of them too, you know."

"Not with the other half of my soul the way he is. I don't trust myself to be around you. I will always be on your side though."

A single tear fell from Yugi's eye. "That, Bakura, is why you are my friend."

When the tear dropped from his cheek to the sand, Bakura disappeared.

*******

Yami looked at Yugi's face. He wiped the tear from his hikari's face. At least it didn't seem like a bad nightmare anymore. *Goodnight my angel, now it's time to dream. And dream how wonderful your life will be.*

Yugi's breathing slowed and was regular again. Yami stared at him, and sent up a silent prayer that this would be over soon.

*******

"Come on Yugi! There's a feast up here for you! It's in your honor. Hurry up!"

Yugi rolled his eyes, he couldn't believe that this wasn't over yet. He followed the sound of Honda's voice until he saw the brown point of hair.

"Honda, wait up." He was moving as fast as his shorter legs could carry him, but Honda was out of sight again.

Yugi cried out in despair, "Don't leave me here alone! Please come back." He collapsed to his knees. "Come back...come back..." He cried until he fell asleep on the hard ground.

*******

Yami felt a tug at his heart. The pink clam shell was gone from his pocket. He went back to Yugi's soul room. He ran to the bed, which once again held his hikari. *Aibou, you're back.* He said it through the mind link, but got no response.

Looking closer, he saw that Yugi was in a fitful sleep. *Oh, Aibou, please come out of this soon.*

*******

"Yugi...it's time to wake up."

Yugi opened his fever-dulled eyes. "Grandpa?"

"Yugi, you're late for school. Get up!"

His bed was warm and cozy, he didn't want to move. "Grandpa, just a few more minutes." He tried to work out the dream he had in his mind.

Instinctively, he reached over to the nightstand to pick up his puzzle. He sat up. His puzzle wasn't there. He jumped out of bed, and ran down the stairs. His grandfather stared at him. "You aren't planning on going to school in that, are you?"

Yugi looked down, blushing furiously. He was wearing a black tank top and nothing else. "Grandpa, my puzzle...have you seen it?"

"Yugi, you really should be worried about putting pants on before jewelry."

"But...my puzzle..."

"Upstairs. March. The puzzle can wait until you have clothes on, and a decent meal in your stomach."

Yugi, resigned, went upstairs and hastily put on his pants and coat. Running back downstairs and into the kitchen, he grabbed some toast.

"Grandpa. Please, do you know where my puzzle is?" His large eyes pleaded with him.

His grandfather started laughing maniacally. His gray hair slowly changed to platinum blond, his violet eyes paled to light lavender. He leaned against the counter and tossed a golden pyramid in the air, catching it without thought.

"This puzzle?"

"Malik? Please, give it back."

"No. I don't think so. Try again."

Tears rolled down Yugi's cheeks. "Yami" he whispered.

"The pharaoh is here, all you have to do is come and get the puzzle." Malik threw the puzzle into the air again, letting it fall almost to the ground before catching it.

"Malik, please don't do this..."

"Fine. I have a riddle for you. If you can answer it, you can have your precious puzzle back. If you can't..." He threw the puzzle into the air again, where it hung without falling, "I'll let it drop."

Yugi gulped. "O-Ok."

Malik disappeared from in front of him. A voice surrounded Yugi.

"I come in darkness, but fill the mind with light.
I bring enlightenment to some, while gripping others in the hand of fear.
With me, it can be a journey of inexplicable joy and sorrow.
What I will show you will often be unreachable.
Journey with me, and what you see may haunt you.
Journey with me, and you may never want to return home.
Journey with me, and you will never know when it will end.
What am I?"

Yugi looked up at the puzzle. I am the king of games. Yami needs me. I need Yami...I can do this.

"My dreams. You are my dreams."

The puzzle floated down to Yugi, who quickly placed it in its rightful spot around his neck.

*Yami, I'm coming back to you now.*

*Aibou, I'm here, waiting for you.*

*******

Yugi opened his eyes and saw Yami's worried expression. "Aibou, are you ok?"

Yugi nodded slowly. His head was still fuzzy, but he felt remarkably better.

Yami felt Yugi's head, it was normal. "Thank you."

"Whatever for?"

"For being there for me. Even when I couldn't return the favor."

Yami smiled, "You should rest now, I don't want you to get sick again."

"Don't leave me."

*Rest. In your heart, there will always be a part of me. Someday we'll all be gone, but lullabies go on and on. That's how you and I will be.*

*******

Shadi looked at the spiky-haired pair. He smiled. Things were going to work out.

*******

Phew! Done. The riddle was a random one that appeared when I was visiting riddlenut.c om. I saw it and it just fit perfectly into this story.