Yu-Gi-Oh! Fan Fiction ❯ University Daze ❯ Balance - Light vs. Dark ( Chapter 10 )

*Warning* A little bit of angst, but not that much.

Caitlin: Hey guys! How's it going?

Yu-Gi Oh! Gang: Hey!

Kali: Where the hell have you been?

Caitlin: Me? I've been here diligently working on this fic. Where the hell have you been?

Kali: Ah...you know I've been writing other fics.

Caitlin: *yells* What?!

Kali: Yeah. Um, Beyblade fics. *blushes*

Caitlin: Well no wonder I've gotten so few reviews on this fic. Everyone's reading yours! *sniffles*

Yugi: Aww. Don't fight! Doesn't it all work out so that you get more done?

Yami: Quite right, aibou.

Bakura: Ah! Yugi you're starting to sound like Tea! *oh the horror*

*everyone shudders*

Kali: Oh, no! Don't start crying! Hey, come on Cat! I'll make you a deal. I'll give you a shameless plug in my next chapters ok?

Caitlin: *blows nose in tissue* Really?

Kali: Yeah! Of course. *hugs her hikari*

Ryou: Another happy ending. *sighs*

Marik: It's so sweet, my teeth hurt.

*Malik laughs hysterically*

Bakura: All right. Who gave him sugar? *looks accusingly at Yugi*

Yugi: Hey! Don't look at me!

Yami: Where'd Kaiba and Joey go?

Ryou: Joey's gone to Serenity's and Kaiba's working.

Kali: Anyway, I think its time for Caitlin to get on with the story.

Caitlin: Alright! Here I go!

Kali: Same disclaimers!

Pairs: Yugi/Yami, Ryou/Bakura, Marik/Malik, Joey/Mai, Tristan/Serenity, Kaiba/OC?, Ishizu/Isis

Chapter 10

Balance - Light vs. Dark

The night was clear, not a cloud in the sky. The moon hung huge in the sky and shone its soft light on the face of the young man standing out on the balcony, leaning on the rail high above Cairo's city streets. The stars sparkled and danced happily, and the air was still warm from the day's heat.

Yugi smiled. He loved this time of night. It was rare that he stayed awake long enough to see this beautiful view - even back home. Especially since he'd been having a hard time sleeping for several months. He'd finish his homework, spend time with Yami, then he'd fall asleep, only to wake in the middle of the night and be unable to go back to sleep. He assumed that it was because he was worrying about classes, or Grandpa living alone. And that's what he told his Darkness, too.

But tonight he'd woken again. And this time he knew it wasn't school, or Grandpa, or even his friends.

Something inside him had been struggling to make itself known, to make Yugi take notice of its existence. And Yugi now knew what it was.

Power. Light.

'Must have been the Ritual that finally freed it.' Yugi mused. 'And it made its presence known today when I confronted Malik and Ishizu's father.' (A/N: Remember he started glowing?)

He smiled again as Yami's strong arms encircled him from behind and drew him back against his chest.

Yami nuzzled his hikari's neck. "Awake again, aibou?"

"Yes." Yugi laid his arms over Yami's, hugging him. "You should have stayed in bed, Yami."

"You know I can't sleep with you wide awake like this." Yami sighed. "What troubles you, Yugi? It's not classes, since you're done for this semester."

"I know. And I don't think that's what it's been all this time after all." He turned to face Yami.

The Pharaoh looked at him curiously. "Really? Then what is it?"

"This." Yugi said simply. He held out his hand, palm up, and it started to glow.

Yami stared in shock. "What are you doing? And how?"

Yugi gave him one of his patented gentle smiles. "Its Power, Yami. Like yours, only mine is of Light. Your Power is Dark - Shadow magic." He closed his eyes briefly and his hand stopped glowing. "I think the Power has been trying to come out for a long time, but couldn't for some reason. I also think it was the Ritual today that set it free."

Yami took his hand and looked it over, stunned. "It's amazing, aibou. I had heard of such a Power once, but it was so rare that few had ever witnessed it. We had a healer in the Palace, and she could heal nearly every sort of physical affliction short of true death. When she was asked how she did it, she said the Power came from a Realm of Light, and she'd just known how to use it since she was fifteen."

Yugi nodded. "It makes perfect sense, Yami. There is a Shadow Realm, after all. Why not a Light Realm?"

Yami slowly nodded in agreement as he thought about it. "Indeed. And I think you're right about the Ritual. It was probably the last thing needed to unlock it for you."

"I'm not entirely sure what I'm supposed to do with it." Yugi frowned a little. "I was just getting used to using the magic of the Puzzle."

"Give it time, aibou. Even I needed time to adjust and learn to use my Power."

A sudden loud knock at their door made them jump.

Yami strode to the door, Yugi following, and opened it.

Ryou stood there, looking rumpled and distressed.

"I'm sorry to disturb you, Yami."

"Ryou? What's wrong? You should be asleep."

"I was. But Marik called Bakura and asked us to come over. Something's wrong with Malik."

"Let us get dressed and we'll come immediately." Yami left the door open and went back inside. Yugi was already dressed and handed him his Puzzle. In a flash, Yami was dressed and they hurried to Malik and Marik's room with Ryou.

Ishizu and Isis were there, too. And, surprisingly, so was Kaiba. Bakura was trying to keep Marik calm, as Malik lay on the bed, panting and moaning in pain. It seemed to Yami and Yugi that he was still asleep.

Yami pulled Kaiba aside. "What's happened?"

Kaiba ran a hand through his rumpled hair in annoyance and confusion. "I think it's a nightmare. But for some reason, we can't wake him up. I came down because I could feel the Rod, Ring, and Necklace being used. Turns out Isis, Marik, and Bakura were trying to wake up Malik with their Items."

"If their Items didn't work, then I don't think I'll be able to either." Yami glanced at Malik with concern. "But why can't the wake him?"

Yugi took Yami's hand and squeezed. "May I try? Perhaps I can wake him up?"

Kaiba looked back and forth between them. Something was going on with Yugi. He seemed...different somehow.

"You can try." Yami led him to the bed.

Yugi crawled onto the bed and laid a hand to Malik's forehead. "Did anyone manage to see what he's dreaming about?"

Marik nodded, eyes frantic. "The tomb. His father. He's so afraid of being locked in the dark again."

"It must have been our encounter with Father." Ishizu said, softly. She knelt on the other side of the bed, holding one of Malik's hands.

"We used our Items, hoping to be able to pull his mind back from the dream to reality, but it didn't work." Bakura added.

Yugi thought about it for a moment, then nodded. "I think I understand. You couldn't free him because he fears the dark so much that the power of the Millennium Items only made his fears worse."

Yami's eyes widened. He understood, too. "Because they use Shadow magic."

"Yes."

"So what do we do?" Marik cried. He felt so totally helpless.

"I think I can help." Yugi slipped his Puzzle off and handed it to Yami. "I think it would be best if the Millennium Items stayed as far away as possible while I do this." Yami nodded. He looked at the other three Yamis and they backed away, Bakura pulling Marik, who was reluctant to leave his Light's side.

"Take off your Items and hand them to your Yamis Ishizu, Ryou. Then come here."

Yami nodded at their questioning looks. "Do whatever he tells you."

"What exactly is he doing?" Kaiba wanted to know.

"Yugi came to a startling discovery today, Kaiba. Just watch, and perhaps you'll understand."

Yugi crawled behind Malik and with Ryou's help, lifted him enough that Yugi could sit behind the moaning Egyptian and cradle Malik's head in his lap. "Ok. Now, Ryou and Ishizu, I want you to each take one of Malik's hands, close your eyes, and focus on Malik's mind. Don't do anything else, though. Just leave it to me." He rested his palms on either side of Malik's head, over his temples, as they obeyed. Satisfied they were ready, Yugi closed his own eyes and drew on his new Power.

He concentrated, opening up to the Light and let it flow through him. He directed the Light to his hands and dove into Malik's unconscious mind.

To the Yamis and Kaiba, he had begun to glow. And that glow was slowly spreading to the other three hikaris. But on Malik it was gathering at Yugi's hands and Malik's blond head.

Yugi frowned. He was in Malik's mind and he couldn't see anything. The darkness was complete. He felt Ishizu and Ryou at his sides and took their hands.

"Yugi? What's going on?" Ryou asked.

"We're inside Malik's mind. It's working because we have our own Power - aside from the Millennium Items. We really are the Light to our Yamis' Darkness."

"How do you know this?" Ishizu asked.

"I think it was the Ritual today that made it all clear. But we'll talk about it later. Right now, I'm going to do something about this Darkness." He concentrated and immediately there was light - pure golden light.

Ishizu gasped. "This is Malik's old room!"

Ryou frowned. "You mean inside the Pharaoh's tomb?"

She nodded. "Yes."

Suddenly, Malik was there. He stumbled through the door and began to sob.

"No! He promised! Yugi promised I wouldn't have to come back here. Ra! Why?" He fell to the knees and curled up into a ball on the floor as he wept, rocking back and forth.

Yugi strode forward. He could feel Malik's despair and pain and it hurt. He felt his heart clench and knelt next to Malik on the floor.

"Malik? Please, look at me. It's a dream, Malik. Nothing but a nightmare."

Malik raised reddened eyes to Yugi's gentle violet ones. "A dream? But if it's a dream then why are you here?"

Ishizu knelt and laid a gentle hand to his head, stroking her little brother's hair in comfort. "Our Yamis tried to use the Items to bring you out of it, but they only made it worse. So we tried. See? Ryou's here too."

Ryou knelt down so Malik could see him. "Yugi says we can help because we have our own Powers that don't involve the Items. He promises to explain when we get you awake again."

Malik looked back to Yugi. "I thought it was real. I thought you'd broken your promise."

Yugi held out his hands. "I would never do that Malik. Now, if you're ready to wake up, take my hands, close your eyes, and let me do the rest."

Malik did as he was told, and Yugi gathered the Light once again. He felt Ishizu and Ryou's hands over his and Malik's and Yugi drew them all out of Malik's mind.

Yugi opened his eyes and looked down into Malik's lavender orbs. He smiled gently.

"Welcome back. Are you alright?"

Malik sighed and sat up. "I think so. I can't believe I was only dreaming."

"Malik!" Marik was across the room in seconds drawing his Light into his arms. "I was so worried! I couldn't reach you at all. I'm sorry, hikari. I'm sorry."

"Hey, Marik. It's ok. It's not your fault." Malik awkwardly tried to reassure him, a little embarrassed.

Yami was grinning. "Very impressive, aibou. Truly impressive."

"Ok. Now I'm lost. What the hell did he do?" Bakura handed Ryou back his Ring. Ishizu let Isis clasp the Necklace back around her neck.

Yami just continued to grin.

Kaiba, however, had figured it out and was gaping wide-eyed at Yugi. "Oh that's just great!" He exclaimed in exasperation. "One all-powerful being is bad enough." He glanced at Yami. "But two?"

Yugi blushed. "I'm not 'all-powerful' Seto. Besides, my Power is completely different from Yami's." He went on to explain about the Light Realm and the Power he'd discovered in himself.

"It's a balance - light vs. dark, Kaiba." Yami said. "I imagine that Ishizu, Malik, and Ryou would have discovered it on their own, eventually. But now they know it's there and can learn alongside Yugi how to use it."

"Thank you, Yugi." Malik smiled gratefully at the Puzzle Keeper from around his Yami's protective arms.

"Sure. Will you be alright now?"

Malik nodded. "I think so."

"Well, if it happens again, just remember that you are the Light and the Darkness can not harm you."

"I will."

They all trooped out, wearily. Yugi only got as far as Malik and Marik's door when the room spun and he stumbled.

Yami caught him just before he hit his head on the doorframe. "Yugi! Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I think I just used a little too much energy, that's all." He leaned on Yami in exhaustion.

Kaiba nodded. "It's the power rush. Kind of like an adrenaline rush, the way it works. When you come down off the high, you crash big time. You need to rest, Yugi."

Yami easily scooped his hikari into his arms and Yugi snuggled in, yawning widely. "I might actually get a decent night's sleep this time."

Kaiba stifled a yawn and went for the elevator. "Go to bed. Early morning, remember?"

Yami carried Yugi to their room and closed the door. Then he pulled his and Yugi's clothes off before curling up with his soul mate and drifting off to sleep.

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

Kali: Well that's interesting. Who'd have thunk it?

Caitlin: 'Thunk?'

Kali: I heard it somewhere.

Caitlin: Oh.

Yami: Very interesting concept. Light vs. Dark.

Yugi: I liked it.

Bakura: So what's next?

Ryou: I wonder?

Caitlin: How about a trip down memory lane? *looks around* Where'd Marik and Malik go?

Kali: *snorts* They're over there pouting because they didn't get a lemon.

Caitlin: Oh, come on you two! I just did one! Give me a break!

Malik: It's not fair! Why are we last?

Marik: Yeah?!

Kali: *sighs* Whatever. R/R!