Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh leave a review.

Code Thing
"Talking"
'Thinking'
--Flashback--

To avoid some confusion
Yugi, Ryou, Malik -Hikari
Yami, Bakura, Marik -Yami

Chapter 2 Reinforcements
Yami ran downstairs hoping to find the person who had screamed. It didn't sound nothing like Kaiba; could it be that Téa had entered the house after they did? He was still holding his walkie-talkie.

"Téa?" Yami tried to call out, but continued to receive static on the other end.

He didn't hope on hearing the scream, but it would have been helpful to know where it had come from. He came back to where he last saw the Hikari, "Yugi?" he said in an attempt to get him to show up but to no avail; there was no sign of him whatsoever.

Could it be that what he saw was really nothing more than a figment of his own imagination? No it couldn't be, he was sure that it was Yugi he saw; he had spoken to him and Yugi had answered back.

Yami returned to his search for the other individual by running back up the stairs. He turned left and continued to run through the narrow hall, his Millennium Puzzle provided enough light to guide him in the direction he was going. There was a room to the left and the right, and from the looks of it both doors were opened but there was no one inside either one of them.

Yami continued down the hall only to be lead into a dead end where a window was located. It was one of the few places that was not boarded up compared to other windows located on the first floor. However, as Yami approached it, he noticed that there was no light shining through at all.

He was puzzled because he couldn't even see Kaiba's car, Téa, or anything else for the matter. Instead Yami found himself staring into something that resembled the Shadow Realm on the other side. But what surprised him the most was finding these strange shadow-like wisps weaving in and out of the window.

As Yami inched closer, the shadows caught notice of the former pharaoh as they came to a stop only a few inches away from his face. He kept a straight face as the shadows "studied" him; the wisps then quivered and seemed to return back into the window for a moment, it looked as if Yami had nothing to worry about.

But not even a second later did these strange shadows return. Yami heard strange hissing noises coming from some unknown direction before something shot out from the window in an attempt to grab him. He suddenly felt something cold wrap itself around his neck, it was the shadows that were now trying to pull him into the window.

Yami gasped because he couldn't get himself free from the shadows clutches as he got pulled in closer. The Millennium Puzzle seemed to respond to the danger and began to glow even brighter. He noticed the smoke that was forming around him and the hissing noises he heard moments ago grow faint as the shadows' hold on the former pharaoh began to slip and loosen.

Finally after a short struggle, the shadows pulled back before resuming to waver rapidly in and out of the window no longer coming any closer to the former pharaoh. Yami was confused why the shadows were not coming at him anymore, as he rubbed his throat which was a bit sore from his ordeal.

Yami edged away and retraced his steps returning back to the stairs, this time he went straight to the other corridor running past a room that was once his own. Across from that, was Yugi's room. He came to a pause and retraced his steps back towards both doors.

'Maybe there's someone in there,' he thought as he grabbed the doorknob and turned it but it appeared to be locked. He went to his own room and got the same results. Yami couldn't help but pound his fists on the wooden door in frustration.

"Damn!" Yami said to no one in particular.

He suddenly felt something touch his shoulder; instinctively he turned around and saw that it was Kaiba who had caught up with him. The CEO was breathing a bit unevenly and didn't seem to be in a good mood considering that he was on his own for a while without any sense of direction or light.

"Where the hell you been?!" Kaiba yelled, Yami was about to open his mouth and reply when they heard the scream again.

"These doors are locked and I've already checked the other side. It must be coming from somewhere else," said Yami as Kaiba approached the door. "It could be coming from the attic," he said as an afterthought.

"Then what are we waiting for?" said Kaiba as he shoved the former pharaoh ahead, "lead the way!"

Yami growled at the way Kaiba had acted but shook it off before he took the lead towards the opposite direction. "This way," Yami said recalling where the attic was located it was back where he encountered the shadows. Yami warned Kaiba not to get close to the window, and resumed their search.

Yami wasn't tall enough to reach the latch and pointed above them instead, the millennium Puzzle continuing to illuminate their surroundings. Kaiba proceeded to pull the latch down as Yami kept watch in case the shadows decided to strike again.

Finally they made they made their way up the plight of stairs, Yami was the first to reach the top and immediately froze causing Kaiba to bump into him. Kaiba was about to ask what was going on, but saw for himself as he stared at the young brunette that was in the room.

She wasn't alone.

There was something else with her.

Slightly taller than Téa, this creature seemed made of some sort of substance much like the shadows that tried to grab hold of him. Black tendrils weaved around its form yet at the same time they were snaking out intermittently all over the attic, causing the whole room to darken, there was a larger window nearby but it too was not allowing any light to pass through.

The "human" shaped creature stood its ground not noticing the new intruders. Yami could sensed the dark energy emanating from the creature as it held Téa closely.

The creature had one "hand" over Téa's mouth preventing her from calling out to them, the other around her waist to keep her from escaping. The creature seemed to have its eyes closed, its face pressing against her ear as if whispering something to Téa.

"Téa!" Yami cried out to her, and stared at the being in front of him.

The creature's eyes snapped open in response to hearing Yami's voice calling out to his friend. The shadows' blood red eyes appeared mismatched and began to look around catching a glimpse of both Yami and Kaiba. The creature stared blankly at the two as its red eyes slowly trailed away from Kaiba and then Yami.

Eventually the creature focused its gaze on the Millennium Puzzle that was around Yami's neck. Red orbs grew wide in surprise, before it took a few steps back. Despite the shadow's reaction to Yami it made sure that it didn't let go of the brunette.

"Let her go Fiend!" Yami commanded as he took a step forward. The creature didn't respond and continued to whisper to Téa.

The former pharaoh charged forward ignoring the possible danger he could be putting himself in and got close enough to throw a punch right in the creature's face, narrowly missing Téa in the process. The shadow reacted instantly and staggered back, hissing in response to the pain it was dealt with.

Yet in continued to tightened its hold on Téa not wanting to let go, as it returned only to shove Yami back with great force. Yami growled as the Millennium Symbol appeared on his forehead, his puzzle glowed immensely just as it did before. The whole room became illuminated but more than it did when he was attacked earlier.

The creature tried to shield its eyes letting go of Téa in the process. Kaiba immediately pulled her away from the creature's grasp. The creature noticed this but was too distracted as it cried out in pain and agony; its voice sounded like a mixture of echoes coming from all directions that seemed so close yet at the same time so far away.

Suddenly the Millennium Puzzle's bright light receded to a dull glow.

"What's going on?" Kaiba yelled.

"I don't understand..." said Yami as he tapped the puzzle in confusion, wondering why it did that. The creature regained composure, shook its head and began to advance on them; its red eyes glowing brightly throughout the darkness.

It was coming towards Yami.

Yami braced himself for the upcoming attack, but was surprised when the creature sidestepped and avoided the pharaoh at the last minute. It came to a stop by the entrance stared at the pharaoh with a piercing look on its face before it jumped down the attic and vanished.

"What the... It's gone," said Yami.

Kaiba looked down to Téa who was currently trembling in his arms as she muttered incomprehensibly to herself. "What were you doing in here?" The CEO said as he shook her slightly trying to get her to snap out of it.

"That's enough Kaiba," Yami said as he grabbed Kaiba's arm, "we need to get out of here now." Yami came back to them and tried to help Téa out.

"No!" The brunette began to cry out hysterically when she saw Yami. Yami stepped back at first unsure of what was going on.

"Téa it's me," he said.

"No-no-no Yugi don't go...please...don't let them hurt me...please..." she said between sobs, Kaiba couldn't help but let go of her as she slumped to her knees. Yami looked at him displease, Kaiba merely shrugged.

"Téa calm down, no one is going to hurt you. I'm here for you, see? Everything is going to be okay now." He got on his knees and tried to comfort her as best as he could until Téa began to calm down.

She blinked a few times, "Yami?" She said softly as she looked at him, tears still streaming down her cheeks. Yami looked to Kaiba then back to Téa and gave a slight nod of reassurance; Téa cried in relief and wrapped her arms around the former pharaoh.

"Lets go home," he said as he helped her get up. He looked around and realized that the room seemed less dark than it was before the window was now clear providing a view of the outside. There was no eerie feeling of dread that hung over that area as if whatever plagued this place had left.

They reached the stairs once more and Yami couldn't help but think of Yugi. Could he have really been there, or was it possible that the shadow creature he had just encountered was responsible and had created an illusion of the Hikari just to trick him?

Finally they reached the front door, Téa was the first to go out then Kaiba. Yami took one last glance at his former home before he too left and closed the door.

Yugi slowly opened the door to what used to be his room and peaked through enough to see him standing by the window as if looking out for something.

"I almost had her," the figure said as he turned around knowing that he was being watched. His red eyes stared into Yugi's violet ones, the boy gulped and quickly looked down to avoid eye contact with the other man as he entered.

"I never thought that he would show up after so long and...and..." He said to himself before he growled and in a fit of rage threw the nearest object he could get his hands on at Yugi but missed as it hit the door instead.

"Good thing he did," said Yugi as he entered and left the door open in case something happened and he needed to make a quick getaway, "If it wasn't for Yami, Téa would have been a goner because of you."

The man laughed, "Oh right, the all-mighty pharaoh comes to the rescue," he said sarcastically. "Bastard."

"I won't have you talking about Yami like that!" Said Yugi suddenly, his fists clenched in anger after having heard the other man speak that way towards Yami.

"Oh what are you going to do about it?"

"I'll..."

"Kill me?" the man said with a hint of amusement, "stop wasting your breath Yugi, you know better that you can't get rid of me; you and I are the same. What we need to do is stop fighting each other and start working together, maybe then we can stop them from meddling in our business, especially that idiot Yami."

"But Shadow...I told you that Yami can hel-"

"Fuck Yami!!!" The man named Shadow hissed, "have you forgotten that he was the one who left you here in the first place? He did this to you remember?" He said as he pointed to Yugi's left leg.

"It was an accident," Yugi responded firmly.

"Sure it was Yugi, sure it was. I remember it clearly as if it were yesterday and I know well enough to say otherwise," he said as he approached Yugi. "Yami abandoned you when you needed him the most, when you were hurting, suffering all alone. I'm the only one who's been there for you. I've always been."

"But he came, that has to mean something," said Yugi.

"The only thing that brought Yami here was Death. Their deaths," Shadow said as he winced for no apparent reason before he rubbed his temples in frustration; Shadow muttered to himself something that Yugi couldn't hear before he resumed speaking.

"He didn't come looking for you... and he never will, but if he does one thing is for sure that he will hurt you."

'Just as he hurt me.'

"What?! Yami would never do that!"

Shadow suddenly howled with laughter as he watched Yugi shake his head vigorously in response. "Look at the facts: Yami took your Millennium Puzzle, stole your friends, your family, your very life. Face it Yugi, you're nothing more than an unwanted piece to a puzzle."

"Stop!"

Shadow smiled, "but it's true isn't it? Though then again if you want to see him so badly then maybe another death should do the trick eh?" he said as he suddenly grabbed Yugi by the neck.

"Yours..."

"No... Stop!... Shadow... you need me," Yugi chocked and gasped for air.

Shadow realizing that what Yugi said was true, stopped and threw the boy against the wall. Yugi grimaced slightly at the pain.

"Yeah I guess I do, but soon our bond will be broken and I will be free."

"We'll see about that," Yugi responded. Shadow ready to strike again froze at the sound of Yugi's words and shook his head as he took a few steps back; it would be a waste of time to take his anger out on Yugi when it would do no good for him. He turned his attention away from the boy and back to the window where he continued to watch.

"You may think that I know nothing, but you're wrong. I'm not stupid and I do know everything there is to know about you Shadow. About what you are and your little Mind Games, I know what you did to Téa."

"Mind Games?" said Shadow with an accusing stare.

"You enjoy it don't you? Them suffering just a you did so long ago, do they see the same things you make me see?" Yugi said as he shuddered momentarily, Shadow remained silent and simply closed the curtain.

"..." Yugi stood there and watched as Shadow walked past him towards the door.

"You're the one who's supposed to be the Hikari, the good one; yet you do nothing to help them. You just stand by and let me deal with them." He said finally with a smile on his face as he walked out before Yugi could say anything else.

"What's wrong?" said Kaiba as he looked to Yami who was about to enter the vehicle. Yami was still looking at one of the windows; the curtain had suddenly been drawn back.

He looked to Kaiba, "We'll need to come back soon."

"What? Why?" he said with uncertainty.

"There's something in there. I just know it," he looked to Téa who still trembled with fear slightly. "We must put an end to all those killings. There must be a way to stop it before..."

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, the fate of the world depends on it?" he said sarcastically.

"This is no time to joke Kaiba... Matter of fact, do you think you can arrange a meeting with Ryou or Malik anytime soon?" Yami asked as he got into the car after Téa did.

"Huh? Oh sure whatever," said Kaiba not really sure what Yami was thinking while he sat down on the passenger seat.

"Good because I'm going to need help," said Yami as he got in and closed the door. After that the car started and drove away.

To Be Continued