Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ Probationis Vitae ❯ Options ( Chapter 17 )

Options

Thank you to all my loyal reviewers, you have no idea how much you mean to me.

K Yami Yugi29

Nekostar 2

Curtis Zidane Ziraa

Yugi Mutou

And I managed to get this out so soon because the whole chapter just seemed to hit me. I think you'll like it. If I don't update within the next few weeks, it's because my family and I have headed to the Grand Canyon. Be reassured though, I will be writing. If I do get another chapter out before then, well, all the better for you.

Here're the symbols you'll need this chapter:

/.../ Yugi to Yami

//...// Yami to Yugi

~*~*~*~Last time~*~*~*~

Sighing, Yugi got up and headed toward the door. When he opened it, though, there was no one there. He stepped out the door and looked around the yard, which was empty and silent except for the normal sounds of the night. Finally, he looked down and saw that at his feet was a white envelope. Written in a curvy script he'd recognize anywhere, despite the fact that it had been years since he'd seen it, was his name. It was a letter addressed to him from his father.

~*~*~*~On with the story~*~*~*~

Yugi picked up the envelope and closed the door behind him. He leaned against it, his thoughts running circles in his head. Why would his father send him a letter? Didn't he already beat Gekido, and then Gekido managed to trap himself in the Realm of Nightmares.

//Yugi, tenshi, are you okay?// came Yami's worried voice from their mind link.

/I'm okay/ Yugi said /but there was something outside that I think you all need to see./

Yugi stepped into the living room when he said this to Yami and held up the note to show everyone. Then Yugi sat down on the couch, opened the letter, and read it to himself before reading it aloud.

`Dear Yugi,

`You never expected to hear from me again, right? Well, think again. Right now you're probably wondering about your friend's condition. Well, she was poisoned the night after she was brought into Gekido's lair. It was an original poison that, when specially tailored to a person, didn't show up for a week, and then they only had a week left to live. They would fall unconscious for the week left. They'd be plagued by nightmares every night. And if they aren't given the antidote by the morning of the seventh day, they would die.

`Why am I telling you this? Well Yugi, it just so happens that I have the only antidote available. Don't even think about making your own batch, not only would it take too long for you to make it, but you'd also have to have the recipe in the first place.

`What do I want in return for the antidote? Simple Yugi, I want you to come with me. You will come and live with me, but you must leave your yami behind. You agree to stay with me until I say otherwise. If you agree, then I'll send the antidote to your friends. If you don't then you friend will die. It's up to you Yugi. I will come to get your answer at 10 o'clock the day after tomorrow. Make your choice. And don't try to send a clone or fake, I will know if you do.

`~Adam Mutou'

They sat in silence after Yugi finished reading the letter aloud. This was a very unexpected development.

"Damn," Jake said, shaking his head. That pretty much summed up everyone's thoughts as they thought over what this letter meant.

"I have to go," Yugi said, knowing that it was the only way to save Selene. His `father' had made sure to eliminate the other option, a.k.a. making their own antidote.

"You can't," Yami said. He knew what his hikari was thinking, but he couldn't just let him walk into that deathtrap alone.

"I have to, it's the only way to save Selene," Yugi said, turning amethyst eyes on his lover.

"No it's not," said Jason quietly, interruption Yugi and Yami and getting everyone's attention. Jake's eyes widened with comprehension and he got a mischievous glint in his eyes. Derek and Damien followed soon after. James just looked amused at Jake, Jason, Derek, and Damien's expressions, having a good idea of what they were talking about.

"What do you mean, it's not the only option?" Yugi asked, knowing when his friends were up to something.

"It's simple, you need to think of the options that he's eliminated and see what's left," Jason said.

"He eliminated sending in a fake, stealing the recipe and making our own antidote, and you running away afterwards, and that leaves us with one option," Derek said, adding to Jason's explanation.

"We bring our other skills into play," Damien said, looking at Yugi whose eyes were widening with understanding.

"We bring little Yugi here out of retirement," Jake said, grinning broadly at the now fully understanding yami and hikari.

"And we steal the antidote, Venator style," Yugi said, completing the idea that had formed between his former teammates.

"Exactly," Jason said, amber eyes mirroring the mischievousness found in the eyes of his lovers, Damien, and Yugi.

"Well," James said, reminding everyone that he was still there, "since you have this all planned out, I'll leave you on your own for now. If you need me just try and contact me through Selene's pendant. Otherwise, I have to head back to my headquarters and check in before helping to beat off the remainder of Gekido's minions that are trapping the other Watchmen in there."

"Good luck, and I do hope we'll see you again," Yugi said, and his comments were echoed by his friends. Then, with only a single flash of light, James was gone.

"Now," Jake said, "time to get down to the research. Yugi, can you find the blueprints for where your father is probably staying?"

"Of course, I was trained by the best hacker, and I can use Seto's computer because he left it here," Yugi said, gesturing first toward Selene when he mentioned the best hacker and then toward a briefcase when he mentioned Seto's computer. "No matter how secure they try to make it, someone pretty much always leaves a small trail. I'll find it."

"Good," Jason said, taking control from Jake, "Jake and I will work on the major items we'll need, and Derek and Damien can help prepare Yami who is, of course, coming with us should he so wish." Jason directed the last part to the ruby-eyed teen beside Yugi. Yami nodded in agreement.

"And between times, we'll try and keep whatever symptoms from the poison that might show up and bay. We may not be able to do anything about the nightmares, but we can make Selene as comfortable as humanly possible," Derek said, knowing what else was also on everyone's minds.

"Right then, it's time to show that asshole who's boss!" Jake said, punching his right fist into the air. Everyone else shouted their agreement and set about the task that they were assigned.

First, Damien and Yugi took Selene upstairs where Damien changed her into a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt before putting her into the guest bedroom and tucking the covers around her.

While Yugi went to research the blueprints, Damien and Derek briefed Yami on the basics of thieving or, as Jake liked to call it, `borrowing without permission for an undefined amount of time.' Jake and Jason went searching around the house for anything useful to make tools out of. By the next morning, Yugi had managed to find the house, having pulled an all-nighter, and printed out the blueprints before taking a couple hours to nap. Damien and Derek continued to help Yami after checking up on Selene. Jake and Jason managed to find several things to make what they would need and what they would find amusing to use. By late afternoon, everything was ready and the Venators and two of their friends were preparing to set off on their most important mission yet.

AN: So, what do you think? I was up until nearly two in the morning so that I wouldn't lose the idea for the chapter when inspiration decided to hit me with its frying pan. Anyway, please read and review.