Sorry to those who really enjoy reading this. I've been going through some heavy periods of writers block, and other issues that will not be disgusted xD Anyway, sorry to keep you waiting so long. I don't want to abandoned this. It's a personal goal of mine to actually finish this story. Please, enjoy this latest chapter.

As the rain continued to pour Yu let out a shriek as a electricity began to crackle from his chest. Slowly he was brought down to his knees as the attendant smiled contently at him as a black lump began to emerge from his chest. "Perhaps it was foolish of me to place parts of myself into others as I have, but it seemed the best way to grant power to you people without loosing you to your own shadows." The black lump fell to the ground with a clunk and the street became silent. "Hmm... what's this?" The attendant glared down at Yu who was holding his chest with a pained grimace.

"What is it now you psychotic..." Yu mumbled as he weakly looked up at her. Her eyes glowing red behind her dripping wet strands of hair. The attendant bent down and grabbed the lump which became absorbed into her hand, disappearing completely. Yu's eye twitched and he let out a soft gag 'Oh God, that was just gross...' Yu looked over to Saki who was slowly reaching towards the knife that had been tossed to the side, her eyes still quivering.

"You still have something in you... but I..." The attendant's hand grabbed at Yu's face and made him bend backward with a pained groan. "This can't be right! But this explains so much..." with a wicked snarl she thrusted her hand at Yu's chest leading him to let out a pained shriek again. "How could you have obtained the Wild Card?!" Thrusting her hand at Yu's chest again he let out another shriek. "Why can't I take it!" Slowly the attendant grew quiet and looked over to the Velvet room door. "Wait... she..." With farrowed brows she pounded on the door. Upon releasing Yu he collapsed to the ground "You gave it to him didn't you?!" Scoffing she stood back and glared at the door. "Of course..." Glaring over at Yu she grabbed at the back of his head and slammed his face into the ground. "How did she give it to you! Give it back to me now!"

Yu let out a weak cough and as the attendant released him he fell to the ground, but his arms kept him from hitting the road with his face again. "I don't know how I got it... all I remember is a blur of blue and I had the power of the Wild Card... who is sh... Marie..." Yu looked up to the door, his eyes widening.

"Is that what she calls herself?" The attendant scoffed and ran a hand through her hair, making the hat fall off. "I suppose it doesn't matter..." Glaring down at Yu the attendant knelt down and grabbed at his hair and made him look her in the face. " Seems things may be easier for you when you have to face yourself then I hoped... not a good test of your worth if you have the Wild Card's help." She rested her hand on Yu's chest and electricity began to spark from it again leading Yu to scream again. "I'll just have to try harder to take it out."

A dark shadow loomed behind the attendant and in an instant the attendant let out a soft grunt. "Let him go..." Saki forced the knife deeper into the attendant's shoulder. "Let him go, or I swear..."

Glaring over at Saki the attendant let Yu go, leaving him to fall face first in the watery road. "You seem stronger willed then I initially thought. Quite a worthy individual to take part in this test." Looking back down to Yu she smiled and gently stroked his hair, as she did Saki began to twist the knife which caused the attendant to stop. "Defensive of him aren't you... fine. I'll leave him be. I already got The Fool anyway." Standing up the knife snapped apart, leave Saki with the handle. The blade then was spat out of the wound Saki had made and revealed itself to be completely clean of blood or any other vital fluid. "Do with yourselves as you wish. Just be prepared for the trial to come. The attendant undid her gas station coat and let it fall into the street, revealing underneath a strange garment that looked like gauze.

Saki scooted over to Yu and lifted his head out of the water. Looking up at Saki he smiled weakly, "Thank you..." She smiled weakly at Yu then looked up to watch as the gas station attendant disappeared down the street. Once she finally disappeared the blacksmith's door opened up to reveal Daidara looking warily out at the two teenagers.

"How long were you standing there?" Saki growled as Teddie began to move of his own accord again.

"Uh... well..." Daidara blushed and looked away from Saki's death glare. "It's not like I could have done much to help while she was here... and... what is he doing?" Teddie had walked up to Daidara and was sniffing him all over. Daidara backed up a bit and pushed Teddie away a bit. "Your freaking me out."

"You smell familiar... grr... but I can't quite place the scent..." Teddie kept trying to walk closer to Daidara, who kept Teddie away at arms length.

Saki scoffed and ran a hand over her wet hair. Carefully she helped Yu up and began to walk him over to Daidara. "So tell me... are you going to do anything to help us now?"

Daidara nodded and opened his door widely, leaving Teddie to go back to sniffing him. Glaring down at the bear he kicked Teddie's legs leaving him sprawled on the wet ground wailing. "No! You monster! How could you?"

Rolling his eyes Daidara went on to help Saki get Yu in. "I'm truly sorry, but there isn't exactly much I can really directly help with you when she is around like that... I can't risk it."

"Coward." Saki murmured as Daidara and she placed Yu on a chair. Daidara just stayed quiet and walked away into another room in the smithy. Sighing Saki opened up Yu's shirt to reveal burn marks all over it. "Damn..." Saki looked down with a pained grimace, Teddie walking up from behind her.

"Don't worry Ms. Saki... sensei will be fine. I can tell." Teddie rested his hands upon Saki's shoulders and smiled at her. "He'll be better in no time. He's sensei!"

Saki looked back at Teddie and grinned at him. "You know... you usually get on my nerves but... thank you Teddie." Saki leaned over to him and hugged the little bear.

"Uh, oh~! Miss Saki! Is this really the time for this?"

Saki's eye brows farrowed. "Shut up, don't ruin the moment."

A few moments later Daidara returned with some leaves he carried in a box. Saki and Teddie looked down at it as the blacksmith took out one of the leaves and began to rub it across Yu's chest. As soon as the leaf made contact he cringed and let out a yelp. Saki quickly grabbed Yu's hand and found he quickly gave her hard squeeze. Daidara's eyes drifted over to Saki who was gently rubbing Yu's hand with her thumb. "I'm truly sorry this happened, but I really couldn't have done anything to help. I would have just made things worse..." Daidara sighed and leaned back, he began to crumple up the leaf and then spat into his hands.

Lathering them about he watched Saki glare at him, her face making him stop for a moment. Shaking his head he continued to lather his hands and proceeded to rub the created concoction on Yu's chest, this time the gray haired boy didn't yelp. Yu's eyes slowly opened up and he found himself sitting before Daidara who was still rubbing the crumpled up and spat upon leaves on his burns. Yu began to blush and looked away from the blacksmith. 'I... this feels really weird.' Looking down Yu bit his lip and looked over to Saki who was still holding his hand while glaring at Daidara. "Saki..."

"Yu?" Saki's head quickly turned to him, her eyes watering with a smile forming over her mouth. "Oh, you're all right." She then grew silent and looked over Yu's chest which was painted with little fragments of crumpled leaves. "What are those?"

"Sensei!" Teddie jumped out Yu and hung off of him. "Oh sensei! I was so worried. I don't know what came over me! I just couldn't move! I didn't mean to leave you hanging like that."

Daidara grinned and backed away as Yu found himself trying to calm the bear down. "The leaves are something special I've learned to grow long ago... this was a one time thing however. If you want more, you'll have to pay." He grinned and picked up his box and left giving Saki a smarmy grin.

Saki scoffed and rolled her eyes. After Daidara disappeared she looked back to Yu and smiled gently. "I was so scared that monster killed you. I'm happy your fine Yu... but what about the Velvet Room thing?"

Yu slowly got up and rubbed his chest, which was completely healed of the burn. "I... I need to go out and check with them." Yu quickly began to run off leaving Saki and Teddie shocked at his sudden and quick movements. As he ran out into the rain the two he left behind went running after him. Looking over his shoulder he waved at them. "It'll be okay, the Velvet room is safe!" Yu smiled and grabbed at the door handles.

Saki stood out in the rain and sighed. "All right... but... I'll be waiting for you to come back."

Teddie grinned and wrapped an arm around Saki's waist. "Me too! We'll stand guard as your personal bodyguards!"

Saki slowly looked down to Teddie's arm and slowly raised it off her waist. "Yeah... what he said." Saki smirked up at Yu and saluted him. "See ya around."

Yu nodded his head and opened the door, and with a loud creak it revealed inside Igor sitting by himself in the strange interdimensional room. Looking up the large nosed man's eyes opened up like the creaking door, slowly and ominously. A smile creeped over his face, crinkling his skin. "Welcome to the Velvet Room. I've been expecting you. Please, sit." Igor swayed his hand over by the seat where Margret usually sat. Yu grimaced and looked back at Teddie and Saki. "Do either of you see the inside of the Velvet Room?"

Saki shook her head and shrugged, but Teddie began nodding his head. "Who's the old guy with the nose?" Teddie cocked his head and walked up to the door, Saki grabbed Teddie's hand and shook her head again. "Wha? What is it Ms. Saki?"

"Yu needs to do this alone I suspect." Saki looked up at Yu and gave him a thumbs up.

"How right your friend is. Now come, sit." Igor smiled as he watched Yu enter all the way into the room. As Yu plopped upon the seat he nervously looked up to Igor who was still smiling at him. "This is simply wonderful, well... not entirely, but how wonderful!" Igor began laughing again and his spidery hands locked together as he leaned back with glee.

'I know he's probably not a pedophile... or whatever it is for teenagers but... God this man is creepy!' Yu scooted away a little bit and crossed his arms over his chest. "So... you gonna keep laughing like that or are you going to tell me what the deal is?"

Igor nodded and sat back up in his normal position. "Fate is such a strange thing... I've seen so many versions enter here in this room but you are the first that has really broken the usually cycles." Igor's eyes eerily looked over at Yu, the smile still on his face. "You will have to face yourself soon boy." Igor raised his hand, and with a bony finger poked Yu in the chest. "You are now baring a much larger burden then you are aware now. If only you didn't break the cycle so wonderfully~" Igor brought his hand back and began clapping. "Oh how delightful! A new twist to fate! I wonder where it will lead?" Igor began cackling and looked forward, Yu still sitting by his side.

'Versions... like other people have been here? Not too hard to believe... wait... change in fate? Is he saying that I've done this before or... or... get your freakish nose out of my face.' Yu leaned back as Igor had turn to face Yu closely. A knowing grin came over Igor's face which made Yu's spine tingle with a certain realization. "Are you able to-"

"You are quite right. I've seen you before, many times, but each time you are a different person it seems." Igor leaned back and began to grabbed at his chin with his thin fingers. "What to say, what to do? You still have the Wild Card. So things should be fine... but I wonder..." Igor began to cackle again.

Yu grimaced and leaned away from him. 'I was hoping for something a bit more helpful then for this guy to act so freaky.' Yu sighed and tilted his head. "Do I want to know what your thinking of?"

Igor gave Yu a small smiled and began to snatch his chin. "If fate dictates, you will find out. Now, how may I be of service?" Igor leaned against the table before him and summoned for some cards. "Shall I give you a reading again?" Igor drew forth one card and simply flashed it into Yu's face. "Oh my, The Tower~" Igor grinned and leered over at Yu who had gone white in the face. "Now what could that mean about you?"