Chapter12

Yugi resurfaced a distance away on dry land in a small privet cove, and watched the small dot on the horizon that was the ship sail away and felt the sadness that came with it. He had liked the Navy Captain, and was immensely attracted to him even though falling for a Senna was pretty much Taboo for him. Yugi sighed he had people to take care of and an evil plot to stop, with a heavy heart he began making his way up the cove to the town that was his Purgatory.

Yugi walked in on something unexpected, well maybe unexpected wasn't the word for it but still wasn't the first sight he expected to see. Joey and Tristen along with the others were all gathered in his study watching the two hotheads ague.

"I'm telling you we need to go get him, he's been gone to long, for all we know that dog could have killed him." Tristen argued.

"We can't he gave us our orders, and have more faith in him, Yug's is just fine." Joey shot back.

"Well I wouldn't say fine he is rather tired." Yugi said nonchalantly from the doorway. Those sitting shot to there feet and they all gave a happy chores of his name before Tristen and his first mate came running up to him to tackle him in a crushing hug.

"What the hell took you so long?" Duke asked twirling a piece of hair around his finger.

"I found some rather interesting information, as well as possibly gained a knew and powerful ally." He answered vaguely mostly he just wanted everyone to leave so he could rest, it seemed Mia caught that and began to usher everyone out of his office. Except Joey who came back a second later.

"She's been freaking out every since we came home without you, you should go see her before you sleep." He stated before leaving again, Joey didn't need to clarify the 'she' he spoke about, it was pretty obvious he was talking about Serine. With a sigh and a hand ran threw his hair Yugi went to find the small girl. He found her sitting on the ground in the garden he watched her back for the moment feeling love bloom in his chest she was another huge reason he needed to stay focused on his goal. After all there were things she needed never to face in this world and her fate was one of them. He approached her and saw her weaving water threw the flowers while a cheetah cub lay by her side purring and rubbing it's head against her leg, Yugi spotted the cub's mother a few feet away and gave the weary parent a respectful bow.

After Serine was born it seemed as if all the animals on the island had taken there daughter as there own child, and the female felines only got more protective of the girl once Serenity died. Quietly he sat beside the girl and hugged her she gripped him tightly and sobbed for a moment before looking up at him with her purple blue eyes.

"You can't leave again uncle Yugi." She said sniffling. Yugi sighed this was why he was never good with children, he couldn't find a way to explain easily the why he needed to do what he did. "I've already lost papa and then mama I don't want to loose you or uncle Joey, or aunt Mie or any of the others."

Yugi petted her hair softly, "I understand Serine, but I can't do that. There are children just like you out there that have no aunt Mie or Uncle Joey, don't they deserve to have someone to lean on as well. If we don't then who will in this world?"

She sniffled again and looked up at him, "Then promise you will always be careful and I'll be strong, so that you won't have to worry about me anymore."

Yugi laughed and hugged the girl, "I'll always be worried about you no matter what, living of dead I'll worry about you. But I know you are strong and smart and kind and that makes me happy." She whipped her nose on her sleeve and Yugi gave her a disapproving look to which she smiled sheepishly at before grinning hugely and jumping to her feet pulling him up as well.

"I made a knew picture come see come see." She said excitedly.

"Oh, and what is this one about?" he asked following her willingly even though he was exhausted. She only smiled widely at him. She tugged him along until they came to her room before she let him go and went to pull out her newest painting. It was small only about a foot big either direction but when she turned it around what that small canvas predicted made him go cold.

"Where did you see this?" He asked forcing himself to say the words.

She looked hesitantly at him then at the picture, "I dreamt it, while you were away, is- is it not good?" she asked in a small voice.

"No, no. It is a wonderful painting I was merely curious. If you have any more of these paintings or dreams come tell me right away alright." She nodded her head vigorously happy once again at his praise at the artwork.

"Here it's for you take it take it!" she nearly shoved it into his hands. He took it with a forced smile and rubbed her head before heading to his own room. He set it on a chest from across a padded chair as he flopped heavily onto his bed and stared at it. The picture was of him and a red eyed man surrounded by waves of blue and green a beautiful sunset making the picture look serine. But he saw the other side of this picture, most likely one even it's creator didn't know was there. Mixed within the beautiful sunset was shades of foreboding grey and black, and among the beautiful waves were shifting scales and glinting green eyes that watched them hungrily.

Serine had painted a picture of Septan and of the two keys, worry slithered threw him maybe he shouldn't have stayed so long with Atem maybe he should have left immediately or maybe he shouldn't have left but have brought him with him. With as little as Atem knew about his own heritage Yugi was positive that he had no idea of the danger he was in. He groaned and let his head fall into his hands as he fell sideways on his bed, he needed sleep and then some quiet to recover and heal then maybe he could find a solution to this mess. And before he could even command himself to sleep he was already consumed by it's peaceful embrace.