Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Hey," said Tristan, as we staggered up the stairs. "Care to lend a hand?"

"Tristan! Olive!" Tea exclaimed, rushing forward. "Where have you been? What's happened?"

"You wouldn't believe it," I said, shaking my head.

"We've had an adventure and a half today," Tristan added.

Joey helped me get Mokuba off my back and we laid him on the floor. Tristan propped Bakura up against the wall.

"What happened to those two?" asked Tea.

"That evil spirit took over Bakura again," said Tristan. "But don't worry. I got rid of it. What's going on here?"

We both stood up and looked down at the dueling arena. It was covered by shadows.

"Wait, wait, wait," said Joey. "You first. What happened?"

"We freed Mokuba," I said.

"But then Bakura tried to grab him," Tristan finished.

"What did he want with Mokuba?" asked Joey. "Details, guys. Come on."

"He wanted Mokuba for his new host body," I said, quietly.

"Don't worry, I handled it," said Tristan.

"We handled it," I corrected him.

"Olive was brave," said Tristan. He smiled. "I think the spirit of the millennium ring had a thing for her though."
"That is so not even funny," I said.

"What's the deal here?" asked Tristan.

"We aren't sure," said Tea. "Pegasus was losing and he started ranting about a shadow game. Then this stuff came out of nowhere. I think they're still inside."

We made our way down to the dueling arena to see if we could figure out what had happened. As we stood and tried to peer through the darkness, Tea gasped and stumbled, holding her heart.

"You felt it too?" asked Joey.

Tea nodded. "A jolt," she said, "right in my heart, along with the strangest feeling that something bad has happened to Yugi."

"I think our friend is in trouble," said Joey.

"I agree," said Tristan.

"You felt it too?" asked Joey.

Tristan nodded. "Maybe it's because we've all become so tight, but it's like we've developed some sort of weird link with him," he said.

They all looked at me. "Hey," I said, holding my hands up. "I love Yugi as much as the next gal, but I'm just not as close to him as the rest of you are."

"If we're feeling what he's feeling, it must be really bad in there," said Tea.

"If only there was some way we could help him," said Joey.

"Hey, Olive, those mind reading powers would come in handy right about now," Tristan teased.

"Ha, ha," I said, dryly. "Very funny." I reached out and touched the darkness. My hand went through as easily as if it were air. "I think I could go through," I said. "I can walk into the shadow realm and into this shadow game, but I don't think I should."

"I don't think you should either, Olive," said Tea. "It's too dangerous. If Yugi is being hurt, you might be hurt really badly as well."

I sighed. "This really sucks," I said.

Minutes passed.

Soon it had been a half hour.

Tea, Joey, and Tristan all gasped at once. At the exact same moment, I cried out in pain as my headache flared.

"I thought you had no connection," said Joey.

"Headache," I said through clenched teeth. "Whenever millennium items are used, I feel it. When they're used for bad, I get a headache. Something's not right."

"Something bad happened to Yugi just now," said Tea.

"I know," said Joey, "but what?"

"Whatever it was, it felt devastating," said Tristan.

"He…he's hurt," said Tea, sounding desperate. "Or worse."

"He's not dead," I said, quietly. "And his soul is fine." I put an arm around Tea. "It'll be okay. It has to be."

"This is too freaky," said Joey. "Suddenly, it's like I can't feel Yugi at all. It's like he's vanished off the face of the planet."

"I know," said Tea. "What could have happened to him? We have to get to him!" she ran forward, but the second she disappeared in the shadow stuff, she was walking back out to us.

"What happened?" asked Joey.

"I…I don't know," said Tea. "Try it, Olive."

I walked forward and tried to step inside. I disappeared into the darkness, but I could feel it smothering me on all sides. Electricity ran through my body and I couldn't breath. I stumbled backwards, back into the real world, coughing. I shook my head.

"Stand back, there's gotta be some way in," said Tristan, charging through the darkness. "Somehow I just passed through it," we heard him call from the other side of the arena. He ran back and reappeared. "Whatever this dome bubble thing is its clear Pegasus designed it to keep Yugi in and us out."

"There must be something we can do," said Tea. "We can't lose him." She thought for a moment. "Hey, I have an idea," she said. "Yugi reached out to us, so we have to try reaching out to him in the same way. Remember the friendship pact we made right before he dueled Kaiba the first time? Well, I think if we concentrate our energies and try to reach him with all our might…"

"Then maybe our bond of friendship can get through to him even in the shadow realm," Joey interrupted. "Let's give it a try."

They put their hands together and concentrated, while I stood awkwardly to the side.

"Olive," said Tea. She held out her free hand. "Come join us," she said. "You're as much a part of this as any of us. You're our friend too."

Slowly, I walked to them and placed my hand on top. Warmth flooded my body.

"Come on, Yugi," said Tristan.

"All of us are here for you," said Joey.

"Remember what I told you," I said. "Stay strong."

"Yugi, we believe in you," said Tea. "And even though we might not be able to see just what's going on in there, we'll help you stop Pegasus's cheating and get you back here safely. Keep it up, guys. We have to stay strong for Yugi."

"We're not letting up," Tristan reassured her. "Not til he's home safe."

"Come on, Yugi," said Joey. "I know you can do this. We're with you, pal."

"We won't give up on you, Yugi," said Tristan. "We're in this together."

"I haven't known you for long," I said. "But you are the kindest hearted, strongest person I know. And you have us here helping you."

"Yugi, we believe in you, like we always have," said Tea. "We believe in you with all our hearts."

There were minutes at a time where we stood like that in silence, each thinking our own thoughts. We were all trying to send Yugi the good energy and the help he needed. After nearly thirty minutes, Tea, Tristan, Joey, and to my surprise, I gasped. I felt like a jolt had entered my body through theirs.

"Do you guys feel what I feel?" asked Joey.

"Totally," said Tristan. "It feels like Yugi. Like he's okay."

"I feel it too!" said Tea. "I think he's back." She turned to me, smiling. "You felt it too, didn't you, Olive? Something in your heart has come to really love us."

I smiled. "Yes," I said. "I'm surprised, but I felt it too."

The darkness began to fade.

"Hey," said Joey. "It's clearing up!"

"Yea, and I think I can see somebody," said Tristan.

"Me too," I agreed.

"Do you think it's…" Joey began.

"It is!" said Tristan, as Yugi came into sight.

"Yugi!" the three of them said as one. They rushed forward, but I held back.

He turned to look at us. "You guys, thanks," he said.

"Oh, man," said Joey. "You did it! You really did it! You really, finally, did it."

Tea pushed Joey aside. "What Joey is trying to say is that it's really great that you and your grandpa are going to be reunited," she said.

"Yea, for sure," said Joey. "But, also, Yugi…"

"Also," Tristan interrupted. "We wanted to say how impressed we are with you for being so brave an all."

"Yea, impressed, and…" Joey tried again.

"And we're proud of you too," said Tea.

"Ah! You guys are stealing everything I was gonna say!" Joey complained loudly.

"So then talk," said Tea.

"Eh, forget it," said Joey. "Who cares? He won. Yugi won!"

"We all won," said Yugi. "Thanks, guys."

"Wait," I said, stepping forward. "Let's not forget, this isn't over until Pegasus releases everyone's soul like he promised."

"Olive's right," said Joey.

"So then let's go grab the creep," said Tristan.

We all turned to look, but Pegasus was gone.

"He's gone!" Yugi exclaimed.

"Why am I not surprised by this?" asked Joey.

"That slippery double-crossing snake!" Tristan said. "Let's go find him."
"But we can't just leave Mokuba and Bakura here all alone," Tea pointed out.

"Hey, up here!" We heard a voice and we looked up. Bakura was waving to us from the balcony. "Hello! Hey!" He was smiling and I'd never realized how beautiful his eyes were when they weren't filled with evil until this moment.

"Hey there," said Tristan. "Feeling back to normal?"

"What?" asked Bakura. "Have I not been normal, Tristan?"

Tristan looked at me. "He must not be able to remember anything," he said.

"Maybe it's for the best," I said.

"That weird ring you wear around your neck was making you act like a real freak again," said Tristan.

"Oh, no," said Bakura.

"His millennium ring?" asked Yugi. "Where is it now?"

"Gone," I said. "Tristan chucked it as far away as he could."

"Oh well," said Bakura. "If it was making me act weird, then I guess it was for the best, but I feel fine now."

"Well, if you're okay, could you watch Mokuba for us?" asked Tea.

"Sure," said Bakura. "I suppose."

"Thanks," said Yugi.

"Good, now let's go and find that creep, Pegasus," said Joey. "After all, he made a promise to free those souls and he's gonna keep it."

We turned to leave. I followed. I turned back to wave goodbye to Bakura. By some terrible trick of light, I could have sworn I saw the evil Bakura standing there. When I looked again, it was just Bakura. He smiled and waved goodbye.