Tima and Atem

By: Tima, Yami's wife

I don't own YuGiOh. I just own the new characters.

Chapter 26: Conquering loneliness and darkness

Throughout the whole journey, Yami was very depressed for what he did. But he had no idea what was being done to Tima's soulless body. When Weevil and Rex arrived at Dartz's office to try to get the power of the Orichalcos, they saw the chair up front turn around and Dartz sitting there.

Raphael said that the mission was accomplished; that the Pharaoh's and the Queen's souls were taken. Dartz and Valon, coming out from behind a curtain, said that he was only half right; only Tima was taken, along with Tiki. Yami was still in the world; Yugi was taken instead. Trying to make up for his mistake, Raphael took Tima's body and set it on the table. "As an act of apology, I present to you the body of the queen."

Rex and Weevil were stunned that "Tiki" was soulless and was now being offered like a sacrifice. At first Dartz was going to tell Raphael to get rid of her body but then stopped. Thinking for a minute, he smiled and said, "Bring her to me."

Raphael picked up Tima again and presented her to him. Standing up and taking her in his arms, Dartz put an Orichalcos Stone necklace around her neck. She sort of lifted out of his arms and floated for a minute. She glowed bright green like the Seal of Orichalcos which made everyone shield their eyes.

When the light disappeared, she returned to Dartz's arms and he stood her up and let go. Surprisingly, she stood on her own and turned around. Her head hung low and there didn't seem to be anything different about her, except that all her visible cuts and red lines on her clothes were gone. But when she lifted her head and slowly opened her eyes, everyone but Dartz got a big surprise.

The Seal of Orichalcos was now on her forehead and her eyes were pure evil and like black holes. Dartz smiled evilly and put her arm around her. "This girl may be soulless at the moment but the power of the Orichalcos now runs through her, giving her life. As of this moment, she is no longer the girl I told you about. She is now our queen."

Tima said nothing but smiled very evilly. Then, seeing Rex and Weevil, she groaned. "What are those two losers doing here?" she asked in an evil voice that didn't sound anywhere near her own.

Dartz finally noticed them and wondered the same thing. Raphael explained that they just followed them here. Tima crossed her arms and growled, "Next time, be more aware of what's going around you! If you did, they wouldn't be here! Ugh…no wonder you got those two mixed up."

Raphael silently growled, not liking having her as a queen with her harsh tone and words. Dartz calmed her down by pulling her closer to him and allowed Rex and Weevil to explain themselves. While doing this, they sneak a peak at her. Noticing this, she scowled at them. That freaked them a little and they didn't look at her again.

When they finished, she said very harshly, "So you want the power of the Orichalcos so you can win duels? Please. You guys are the weakest duelists I've ever seen. Not even the Seal of Orichalcos can help you."

Weevil wasn't going to take any of her attitude. "Just give us a chance to prove it to you!"

Rex agreed. "One chance is all we ask for! When we succeed, we'll do whatever you want us to!"

Tima smirked evilly. "Even die?" she asked quietly but evilly.

They got really freaked out by her comment. They've never seen her like this. She got a wild look in her eyes and felt ready to perform that deed right then and there. But she slightly calmed down when Dartz held her tightly. Giving them the test, he let them decide if they were worthy. When they grabbed the stones, Tima wasn't impressed. "Wow. The losers can actually do something," she said very dryly.

---

Back at Death Valley on the train, Yami kept torturing himself for his two best friends and his wife getting trapped. He kept seeing Yugi and Tiki's smiling faces before they were taken. That alone would have made him feel bad enough. But he also kept seeing Tima's look of pain and sorrow. That in itself was torture. But there was one thing that kept ringing in his mind, what she shouted before the last attack by Guardian Eatos; "YOU ARE NOT MY HUSBAND!"

As he sat on the floor in his misery, he thought of something that he thought would take away the pain and was something he deserved. He was going to smash the Puzzle, thus killing himself. He took it off and was about to destroy it when he heard two females whisper in his ear, "Don't."

He looked around, trying to see for it was who told him not to. As he was looking, he remembered the promise that he made to Dark Magician Girl. Sighing, he put his Puzzle back on and rejoined Tea. What he didn't realize that it was the spirits of Dark Magician Girl and Tima who stopped him from making a grave mistake.

---

When Yami met up with Yugi and Tima with Iron Heart's help, he started to see the light. Surprisingly she didn't have her tattoo on her. He was confused at this but even more surprised at the fact that Tiki wasn't with them. Sensing his surprise and confusion, Tima said very coldly, "My tattoo doesn't appear in PURE spirit form. Pure, in the sense, that I'm not connected to you. And about Tiki; she's not about to go anywhere near you…not after what you did."

Yami felt guiltier by the minute but tried his best to put aside his feelings. When he tried to apologize to them, he could tell by their tone and harsh words that they were really mad at him. Yugi said that the only way to be sure that he was sorry was to face him in a duel. Yami, dreading it, agreed.

Before they started, he turned to Tima, who was standing next to Yugi and glaring at him coldly. "Tima…forgive me…please. My rage took over. I never meant to hurt you. I'm sorry."

Tima growled, "Why? Why should I forgive you? After all, I tried to stop you from using that card and you pushed me away. When you activated the Seal, you hurt me even more than the pushing. I have to live with the injuries every single day."

Yami was confused. Tima looked fine; there wasn't a single cut on her. She saw his look and scoffed. "I'm hiding them right now…but if you want, I'll show you them."

Raising her left hand next to her eyes, her form started to change. When she was done, Yami felt sick with even more guilt. Her left arm was the only part of her that wasn't badly damaged and it had a very bad scrape on it. The rest of her body, especially her face, was covered with cuts that looked extremely painful. There was even a cut going down her left eye, blinding it. Her dress was covered with blood red lines where cuts on the rest of her body were. Lowering her arm sharply, she said, "My soul was and is too pure for that evil magic. It rejected it and these cuts appeared. Thanks a lot…demon."

Yugi, having waited long enough, stepped in and started the duel. When he held up the Seal of Orichalcos, Tima reacted in surprise and fear. She tried to stop him but Yugi just roughly pushed her down, making her wince in pain of her cuts. Yami was shocked that Yugi did that. "Yugi, what are you doing? Can't you see she's in pain?"

Yugi just smirked evilly. "So what? I'm just acting the way you did when she tried to stop you. Or don't you remember?"

Yami thought for a minute and remembered that she did try to stop him and that he did push her down. Tima got up again, still in pain, and was about to try again when Yugi played the Seal. When the Seal appeared on the field, she groaned loudly and held herself in pain. Yami was getting sicker as he watched her react to the evil Seal's magic. Yugi just smiled evilly. "Do you know what she went through when you play the Seal of Orichalcos? Watch and you'll see!"

Finally Tima threw her head back and screamed in pain. This time, her cuts opened up more and blood came out of each of them this time. She collapsed to her knees, still hugging her body in immense pain. Seeing Yami's shocked face, she merely moaned quietly before she collapsed completely. Yami would have gone to her if Yugi hadn't stopped him. "Don't move! We're still in the middle of a duel, don't forget."

Finally, after seeing his aibou do what he did and having enough, Yami won the duel. He went to Yugi to apologize but Yugi merely smiled weakly and said that it was just a test. After telling Yami that he conquered his darkness, he told him, "Don't give up this fight. Remember, I am always with you.

When Yugi left, Yami went to Tima, who was still laying unconscious next to where Yugi was. Picking her up gently, he saw close up how painful the cuts looked. He felt her blood on his hands and his heart ripped apart. He hugged her tightly and started to cry. He got her blood all over him but he didn't notice or even care. "Tima…forgive me…I never meant…for you…to get hurt. I am so sorry…"

"Ai…?" a familiar voice whispered in his ear. He looked and Tima's eyes were about half open. She smiled sadly and whispered very weakly, "I know…you're sorry. It was…your rage…that did it…not you. I am so sorry…for calling you…a demon. I didn't…mean it."

Yami let his tears fall as he shook his head. "I don't care about what you said! All I care about…is you. You are my world. I miss you…every single day. But I promise you…I'm going to get you back…no matter what it takes. But there's something I must know…why did you let them take your soul?"

Tima winced in pain of her injuries and remembering that day. "I had to…make you realize…that you didn't…need me…all the time. It was meant…to make you…stronger. This fight…is something…you have to do…alone. I have to…go now…but remember…I am always…with you. Even if…my soul's not…here…I am always…in your heart."

Yami pinched his eyes close, releasing more tears. Suddenly Tima, with all her remaining strength, reached up and hugged him. He was surprised that she was doing this but hugged her back gently. To show her that he still cared, he pulled her back a little and leaned forward to kiss her. But just before he could, she disappeared. The blood on his face and body disappeared with her but, for some reason, the blood on his hands remained. Seeing and feeling the blood, he clenched his hands tightly in regret. He felt more alone than ever. But he knew she was still with him…living within his heart.

Will Yami be able to defeat this evil…without his wife by his side? Find out next time!