Ahhh... back to fighting with FFN formatting again. Sure don't miss that. For the record, this story is actually complete. It's eleven chapters total, with thoughts of a sequel. Established relationship between Yami no Malik and Katsuya Jounouchi. With sort of a one-sided darkshipping of Yami no Bakura and Yami no Yuugi towards the later chapters. "It's complicated." Haha. There are some parts of this story overall that I just hate. But even rewrites couldn't save (one dumb scene, sigh) it.

I'll probably load up a few chapters tonight, then let it simmer for a few days. I do need to revise them before I load 'em up, so be patient.

I do hate figuring out categories. There is some angst, as well as some romance. The rating aims towards language and later violence. I think that's about it.

...still can't believe I'm loading something to this site after years. The hell is wrong with me? Certainly need to glower some at the formatting. FFN hates whitespace, I guess. Sigh.

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Road Blocks
Chapter One

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Lights along the dank road flickered on and off, drawing in insects each time the glow covered its small distance. Few cars grazed the tar, turning up small wisps of water from puddles of late rainfall. The road was mostly unpopulated, only a house or two scattered on either side of it; however, various construction signs lay in waiting in the thick grass coating the ground. They beckoned for someone to buy their land just so building could start. One of the houses took up a good deal of room, a barn along with it, a fenced off area within the thick grass fields; a farm of some sort.

He remembered his mother taking him out there before with his sister and father before things became rougher. He remembered there being more houses too, a bigger population. But now, he realized as he walked down the road, most of the population had moved into the city and away from this place. It was a place of solitude; he still saw it that way.

The grass may have been unkempt, probably not even the best place for him to wade through, but he couldn't help but have a peak of curiosity. He was searching for a memory. He was searching for something to bring back to the city that would maybe, just maybe make the others understand him.

He wanted them to see what he saw.

He wanted them to look back and realize what they took from him.

It wasn't something he chose to think about much. Well, ever, actually. He just remembered bits and pieces of this place, and hoped that maybe it could even end up helping him. Really hoped. He stumbled over a small circle, engraved in the ground made out of some kind of dark tinted metal, oily looking; more metal branched out away from it, like a spider web, thankfully lacking an actual spider. His sister ran through the center of it one day and screamed and he couldn't get to her, but when she finally came out she said she saw magnificent (using the word "pretty" at the time) things. He tried himself and he saw a few glowing lights, speckling the sky and painting it differently all around him. It was a weird feeling…he never really understood it, at that age anyway.

"Jounouchi-kun! What are you looking for? Maybe I can help!"

He turned his head back towards the road, blond streaks moving in front of his eyes from the motion. He blinked, coming out of his trance just enough to focus on the car on the side. His ride. He did have his license…just…well, it was a long story.

"Anzu, you wouldn't know where to look," he called back, "or understand, for that matter," he whispered lowly to himself, glaring at the ground. So she waited for him as he continued through the grass. She may actually know what he was looking for – understand what it was more than him, anyway. She watched from a distance as the pharaoh himself experienced that same kind of thing…

Anzu sighed and shook her head, keeping back by her car and suddenly snapping her gaze up as Jounouchi disappeared into the grass. "Jounouchi-kun?" when she heard no response, she straightened and ran into the depths 

of the grass, pushing through to find her fallen friend.

"It's still here! I found it!"

"Jounouchi?"

She blinked and took a step back after finally coming upon him. It's not every day he could be found kissing the ground joyfully. He stood up, a smile crossing his face and he nearly gave Anzu a hug – he was so excited. "I don't understand…"

"You should. You've seen this sort of thing before, I think," he started stomping down the grass, but was careful not to step in the center circle. She only shook her head at him. "It's one of those ways to get in touch with spirits that you lost… sort of thing."

"But Jounouchi…we got Mai back…she's even, well, Mai again…"

He shook his head, "What makes you think this is about Mai?"

"What else would this be about?"

"I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

Jounouchi smirked, "You would probably hit me." He took a step back into the circle and turned away from Anzu, taking a deep breath and calling out. "I know you're here. And I know you realize I'm searching for your soul… not some of these other twisted freak shows. Get it? Come on out."

Slowly the air around him was closing up; breathing normally was becoming harder. A light flickered alive, almost like a large, white firefly. More followed it, surrounding him. He could hear low moans of other souls that were trying to reach out for him, pull him down with him or beg to be freed, but an energy was holding them back. He could feel it. He could feel his presence here – no matter how faint.

"Katsuya."

Jounouchi smiled at the voice, watching as a form began to faintly grow off of the firefly-lights. But he didn't get to see much for long, not before a hand reached for the back of his jacket and he was forced out of the circle. He flailed his arms around, but that didn't stop him from being dragged away.

"Anzu! Anzu stop! No, no! What are you doing?!" he broke free and started back for the circle where he could still make out the trapped lights. Anzu snagged a fist into his jacket again.

"Are you insane?! It's not safe there! There's bad spirits! You could probably get killed or something! Did you realize just what you were facing?! You should know better! You should –"

" – Well maybe I wanted to see that! You don't understand, Anzu!"

"I don't care. I need to get back to Domino anyway. I didn't help you come here just to see you killed in some deserted town!"

"Anzu, please – I want to see…"

"Hush," she forced him into the passenger seat and locked his door before moving around her car and getting in. He couldn't see the lights from the circle anymore. She sunk into the driver's seat, closing her door as she got ready to leave, mumbling. "I don't understand you, Jounouchi. Not at all! Mai's soul isn't lost. It isn't. So stop trying to look for loose strands or whatever!"

"I told you it's not about Mai!" Jounouchi snapped in return, hands fumbling against his door. What a messed up car! Where's the lock on it? He glared powerfully at Anzu when she began to drive him away, back towards the city. "You just don't understand," he hissed in a voice that began to worry her. He could see her falter; see her hands circling against the wheel oddly.

"Let's just go see Yuugi, ok? And Honda. Honda too. And Otogi. Whoever. We can all go see a movie! Ok? How's that sound?" she knew what she saw. They both saw the dark shadowed figure, the faint locks sticking up, some brushed past lavender eyes. Oh yes, she knew what soul was taking shape in that circle and she had to save Jounouchi before he was taken by it, or by whatever else may strike out from the darkness and towards him. But Anzu was struggling, hard, to keep sane about it. She was trying to find something to fumble with and hold onto her friend.

Jounouchi finally sunk down into his seat, arms crossed.

"T-There's this new one out… with vampires!"

"Shut up, Anzu."

"I'll just call Yuugi. We'll all meet up at his house…" she sent a glance at him nervously from the corner of her eyes. She was worried if he had a weapon that he would thrash out at her. But then part of her mind reckoned that he would never be able to actually wield anything. That kept her satisfied. Long enough to talk on the phone and long enough for her to drive.

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He willingly let Anzu force him into the house section of the game shop. He made it difficult by not moving his feet… but he didn't struggle and run like he wanted to.

The trip back into Domino was painful. Mentally, it weighed down on him. So when he saw Yuugi there, smiling and greeting them, the stress bubbled within him. He stared at Yuugi with his scary new face as Anzu tried to explain that he was acting under the weather. Jounouchi's eyes were sharply focused, arms still crossed. He was looking through Yuugi as he spoke for the first time in two hours.

"It's all your fault."

"…Huh? Jou? What's my fault…?" Yuugi forced himself not to take a step back.

"You should have saved both of them. But no. You murdered half. And it's all your fault!" he bit back on his yell. 

Anzu turned away, throwing her arms up lightly. She couldn't control him anymore. And Yuugi didn't know what to do, but someone else did. Someone understood where Jounouchi was looking.

The Sennen Puzzle shook, glazing over with an aura as Yami no Yuugi took charge, saving Yuugi from Jounouchi's vocal attacks on them. The pharaoh couldn't help but look a bit dark faced as he stared over his friend. Anzu stayed off to the side quietly. She couldn't put up with Jounouchi any longer, not for a couple of minutes anyway.

"Jounouchi? What exactly are you blaming me for?" Yami no Yuugi questioned as evenly as possible.

"Murder," Jounouchi hissed in response. His arms dropped to his sides. He was trying to even restrain himself, but could feel it not working. His own control wavered, fists clenching and unclenching. "You killed him!"

"I don't understand – who?"

"Who? What the hell do you mean WHO?!" Snap. Jounouchi's own restraints came off. Two hours bottled up in a car pushed out and overflowed from his body. He was at Yami no Yuugi, hands thrusting against his collarbone and pushing him against the nearest wall, eyes on fire. Anzu started to move forward and pull him away, but her arms stopped short, shaking while she tried to figure a way to help. The spirit's breath had caught, his eyes wide as he stared at Jounouchi. He didn't understand. This wasn't even fair! Why was Jounouchi doing this to him? Why couldn't Jounouchi explain this to him?

They were friends!

This was all wrong!

Jounouchi leant in so that when he spoke, Anzu couldn't hear him. "You killed Malik's other half."

Yami no Yuugi's eyes now narrowed, sharp like Jounouchi's. "He was dark, he was evil, he deserved what he received!"

"No he didn't!" Jounouchi yelled, weaker. "Who are you to decide that?! So what, how about this! You're Yuugi's dark half so therefore you are evil! That means you deserve exactly what he did!"

"Jounouchi –" he cringed, feeling pressure around his collarbone. Jounouchi started to slam his body into the wall. Anzu cried for him to stop, desperately.

"You saved Malik! And yet you wouldn't help his other, but you didn't even move a finger for it!"

"It's his own fault, Jounouchi! It was his shadow game and his penalties for being the loser. I was protecting my own other half and if you even expected me to try and save a spirit that wanted my power – then what the hell are you thinking?!"

"You're merciless! You should have…you should have… dammit, Yuugi!" he seemed more satisfied when Yami no Yuugi twisted back in pain. A glow followed by a whisper of 'no' from the pharaoh took him back and Yuugi was back. Jounouchi pulled back quickly as if burnt. "He's a coward. What? He won't face me?! Is that how it is now?!"

"You were hurting him, Jou," Yuugi answered in a strained voice. He glanced to the side as Honda began to enter, but Anzu ushered him back out, eying Yuugi to be alright. She would talk to Honda about this… and keep him out. It wasn't safe. Two hours. Two long feeling hours is enough to get to someone. "I forced him to switch."

Jounouchi frowned, curling his fists and staring down at the ground. "You should have let me at him."

"Why, Jou? There's no point to it. I know you feel the same way we do. Even you were victorious when he was banished. Why are you acting like this? …Have you been possessed…?"

The blonde glared at the boy, mouth a thin line. "Never mind. Just… never mind. Go…see your movie," he growled, turning away for the door. Neither Anzu nor Yuugi moved to stop him. They were afraid if they neared him, he would tweak out on them.

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When night came around, streetlights poured their glow through window shades, lying long streams of light against floors throughout the city. Jounouchi slept, not too peacefully, in his bed, blankets pulled over his head to block out the unusual bright streetlamps. He groaned, shifted, and curled, trying to get comfortable after such a long day.

And a day that didn't go at all how he wanted it to, at that.

He felt so deprived, and no one would be on his side. Not for what he wanted.

But…

It wasn't as bad as they thought; they just didn't realize… No one saw what he saw. Everyone thought that Malik was the shadow of his other half, but it really was just the other way around. No one cared to notice. They just assumed. They just followed Yami no Yuugi's lead, as always.

"I know you feel the same way we do. Even you were victorious when he was banished."

That wasn't true. He wouldn't even be able to begin to explain to them how he felt… and it wasn't the same as them. He was certain that even Yami no Yuugi knew that, now at least. Jounouchi was not possessed, not by anyone else at least, though maybe by his own heart. He was driven on to find what he wanted, or more like who he wanted, but he just…

…Was it even possible?

The streetlamp outside his room flickered and went out, yet the light on his floor still remained. It was as if a ghost watched the sleeping form, saddened, and unable to do a thing.

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