I DON'T OWN YU-GI-OH!

Sakura: WOW! I've made it to Chapter 50

Yumi: Now on to find out what is wrong with Kuriboh…


Chapter 50

Yami walked through the Shadow Realm with Mana and Mahado following him. They were headed to a small circle of duel monsters. Kuriboh was in the middle with marshmallon. Once he reached the middle, Yami kneeled down next to Kuriboh and pulled him into his arms.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he petted the top of Kuriboh's head.

Kuriboh nuzzled Yami's hand and made weak purring sounds.

"What do you think?" Mahado asked.

Yami could not see anything physical wrong with Kuriboh. "I'm just guessing, but remember in the past when a Ka was attacked the master felt it also."

Mana kneeled down next to Yami. "You think Kuriboh's master is ill?"

"Seems that way," Yami replied. "I don't think duel monsters can get sick."

"Then who is Kuriboh's master?" Mahado questioned. While he may serve Yami, the Egyptian Gods were Yami's Ka while Yugi had the silent magician.

Yami had no idea who Kuriboh's master could be since Kuriboh was only a monster in his deck. "I know Atemu can summon Kuriboh, but that is only because he has shadow powers. Plus Atemu had been perfectly healthy."

"What about Amai?" Mana asked.

"He hasn't shown any signs of having shadow powers," Yami explained. "But he hasn't been feeling well lately. Yugi and I noticed he didn't eat much at supper."

They all seemed to think over this before Mahado spoke up again. "So you think the only reason Atemu can summon Kuriboh is because he is a lower level monster?"

"It could be that. I'm sure if Atemu tried he could summon a stronger monster now that he is slightly older." Yami pointed out "Although we are not going to try that until he is much older than he is now and he understands about his shadow powers."

"Amai's shadow powers haven't developed yet?" Mana was clearly surprised.

Yami nodded. "It doesn't look like it, even if he doesn't get shadow powers. Kuriboh could still be his soul monster." He handed Kuriboh over to Mana and stood up. "Let me know if he gets worst. I need to find out if Kuriboh and Amai are really connected." After that he disappeared back home.


At home, Yugi was sitting in bed reading a book waiting on Yami to return. His husband had been gone for over thirty minutes and it was starting to worry him. Time moved slower in the Shadow realm so Yami may have not realized how long he has been gone. Closing his book, he sat it on the nightstand and stared at the ceiling.

"I hope everything is okay..." He said to himself.

Just then Yami popped into the room and sadly fell flat on his face after tripping over a box. Yugi had to put a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing. They really should have moved the boxes to one side of the room.

The ex-pharaoh gracefully picked himself up and dusted himself off. "Miss me..." He said with a smile pretending nothing had happened.

Yugi chuckled. "Maybe..." Then his tone took on a hint of worry. "How's Kuriboh?"

Yami went over to him and gave Yugi a kiss. He decided not to worry Yugi until he knew the truth. "He just misses everyone. Mana is cheering him up so everything should be fine." He then headed toward their bedroom door. "Listen, I'm going to go check on the boys."

"They have been quiet." Yugi commented. "They are probably asleep now, so be careful not to wake them."

Yami nodded and left the room, walking across the hall to enter the twin's room. The twins had twin beds across from each other against the walls. A nightstand sat on the side of each bed with a lamp and one desk between the beds. A dresser and closet were by the door. Amai was in bed asleep with his lamp off, while Atemu was up in bed playing his game boy. The main light was off, but Atemu's lamp was on. Being careful walking across the room, he sat on the edge of Atemu's bed.

"What are you playing?" He asked quietly so as not to wake Amai.

"Mario..." Atemu replied just as quietly.

Yami looked across at the sleeping Amai. "I see your brother is asleep..."

"He said he didn't feel good." Atem explained as he looked up from his game. "He said he probably caught a cold or something."

Yami stood up and went to his sleeping son. He put his hand on Atemu's forehead and realized his son felt a bit warm. "It probably is just a cold..." He agreed as he headed to the door. "Let me know if anything changes, but don't stay up too late."

Atemu nodded and returned to his game. "Sure thing dad..."

After that Yami left the room and returned back to his room. Yugi was already lying in bed, so Yami quickly changed and turned off all the lights, before crawling into bed. Yugi was quick to snuggle up to his side falling asleep while Yami lay awake for a few minutes, before he forced himself to sleep.


A yell rang throughout the house causing Yami and Yugi to shoot up in bed. Yami looked at the clock and saw it was one thirty in the morning.

Yugi let out a yawn. "What was that?"

"I'm not sure..." Yami spoke as he slowly got out of bed. He wasn't sure if they had thought they heard something or the twins were in trouble. Either way he was going to check on his sons.

"Mommy! Daddy!" They heard Amai yelled and that proved something was wrong.

Yami hurried to the door and opened it to find Atemu about to knock.

"Daddy!" He shouted in surprise, before explaining "Amai doesn't feel good."

The worried father did not need to be told twice as he hurried to the twins room. Yugi took his time as he was not fully awake yet. Once at the door he grabbed Atemu's hand and headed to the twins room.

As Yami entered the room, he found Amai sitting in bed doubled over in pain. He sat on the bed beside his son and rubbed his back. "What's wrong?"

"My stomach!" Amai cried as he wrapped his arms tighter around his waist.

"Son where does your stomach hurt?" Yami asked. He need to know if it was just a normal stomach ache or something serious.

Tears started to roll down Amai's face as he lean against his father. "It hurts all over..."

Yugi appeared in the doorway with cell phone in hand. "How is he?"

"He's in pain..." Yami explained before resting a hand on his son's forehead. "I think he might have a fever too."

"I'll call the hospital, maybe Dr. Ragland is working tonight and can give us some advice on what to do." Yugi said as he started to dial the hospital's number.

Yami carefully picked up Amai. "We'll go to the hospital anyway."

"You think it's bad?"

"He shouldn't be in so much pain," Yami told him as he headed out of the room. He placed Amai on the couch with Atemu watching over him, before hurrying back upstairs to get on a shirt and shoes and than returning to his son.

Yugi held off calling the hospital, so he could get dressed and pack a small bag for his sons encase they had to stay over night. He made sure that he had Yami's wallet and keys and that Charlie would be fine, before they all left the house. Once in the car, Yugi made the phone call so a doctor would be ready to see them when they got there.


The drive was quick since the streets were empty so they made it to the hospital in good time. When they walked into the ER they found Dr. Ragland at the front desk waiting on them with a nurse.

"What happened?" The doctor asked as Yami place Amai on the stretcher the nurse had with her.

"He woke up with terrible stomach pains." Yami explained. As he watched Dr. Ragland begin to examine Amai.

It wasn't but a minute later, the doctor turned to the nurse. "Get a room ready for surgery."

This sent Yugi into panic mode. "What's wrong with him?"

"His having an appendicitis." Dr. Ragland explained trying to keep Yugi from panicking too much. "He will be fine as soon as we operate. It's a good thing you bought him in when you did."

Yugi was given some papers as Amai was wheeled away. Yami ran his fingers through his hair as he sat down in the waiting room with Atemu. Atemu curled up with his blanket beside his father still sleepy, but fighting sleep because he wanted to make sure his brother was okay first. It was a few minutes later before Yugi joined them and sat on Yami's other side.

"The nurse said the surgery shouldn't take too long." Yugi explained as he grabbed Yami's hand and squeezed it.

Yami sighed as he ran his fingers through his hair. "I should have seen something like this coming."

Yugi hated to see Yami blaming himself. "You couldn't have known this would happen."

Yami checked to see Atemu asleep, before he started to quietly tell Yugi about what happened in the Shadow Realm with Kuriboh.

"You think they really are connected?" Yugi asked not even thinking his children could be connected to Duel monsters.

Yami hugged Yugi close to him. "We'll find out after Amai gets better."


It was around six in the morning, before Amai was moved out of the ICU and into his own room. Yami stretched and tried to fix his hurting back, but sleeping in a chair still hurt. Yugi was asleep laid out on a spare stretcher in front of him. A nurse had given it to him since he was pregnant, it was much softer than a chair, and it was hard sleeping on his back. Yawning Yami gently woke Atemu, who's head was on his lap. Atemu got up and joined his mother on the stretcher.

Once they were settled, Yami stood up and stretched one more time before heading to the nurses' station. The nurses had changed since last night, but he found the one who gave Yugi the stretcher. "My son had surgery four hours ago. I wanted to know if he had been moved to a room yet. Name is Amai Mutou."

The nurse quickly checked the computer. "He was just moved from ICU into room 118 five minutes ago."

Yami was surprise Dr. Ragland hadn't come and told them. "Where is Dr. Ragland?"

The nurse checked the computer again. "Five minutes ago he got pulled into an emergency surgery. Once he is out I will let him know you wanted to see him."

Yami thanked her before going back to Yugi and gently waking him up. He told Yugi the good news and picked up the sleeping Atemu. Yugi got off the stretcher and grabbed the bags, before they all headed to Amai's room.

In room 118 Amai laid in a hospital gown with a oxygen mask on and an IV hooked to his left arm. Yami laid Atemu on the couch in the room, while Yugi sat on the bed and moved some bangs out of Amai's face.

"I'm so glad he is okay."

Yami joined him and placed a hand on Yugi's shoulder. "I'm glad it wasn't something more serious."

The two waited an hour just watching their sons sleep, before they were joined by Dr. Ragland.

Dr. Ragland checked over Amai, before addressing the parents. "The surgery went well with no problems. He should feel better when he wakes up."

"Thank you..." Yugi thanked him, glad to have his son still with him.

"It's my job, but how are you feeling?" Dr. Ragland asked, since that scare could have hurt the baby.

Yugi placed a hand on his stomach. "I kept as calm as I could, so we are both doing well now."

"So nothing like this should happen again?" Yami questioned hoping this was over and done with.

Dr. Ragland nodded. "His appendix was removed so it will not happen again."

Yami looked over at the still sleeping Atemu. "What about Atemu?"

"When he wakes up, I can do a quick check-up, but I think he will be fine. It's not uncommon for twins to go through the same thing, but I don't think Atemu will go through it or he might have already been feeling ill." Dr. Ragland explained, before writing some things down on Amai's chart then leaving them to be with their recovering son.

Once the doctor was gone, Yugi pulled out his phone and started to dial a number. "I better call Seto and let him know we can't make it today."

"Why?"

"He called when you went to the Shadow Realm yesterday. The house is ready and I thought we would be able to see it today." Yugi explained, before the phone was taken from him by Yami.

"I'll call him, you stay with Amai." Yami told him before leaving the room to make the call.


Two days later, Yami entered the Shadow Realm to meet up with Mana, Mahado, and Kuriboh. All three were there to greet him and Kuriboh was his normal happy self again. Kuriboh bounced over to him and nuzzled the side of his face.

Yami laughed and petted the little fur ball. "I take it you feel better."

"Seems Amai and Kuriboh are connected, they got better at the same time." Mahado pointed out.

Yami agreed. "At least I have someone to turn to if something is wrong with Amai."

Kuriboh purred and continued to bounce around. He had a lot of energy to burn off.

"So how are things?" Mana asked.

"Good," Yami was glad things were turning for the better. "After lunch we are going to see the new house."

"Yugi must be excited." Mana giggled, knowing that Yugi had been waiting for this for a while.

Yami chuckled. "Like you will never believe."

They talked a little more before Yami had to leave before Yugi started to worry.


Sakura: Wow! I wrote 5 pages this time… I hope no one flames me for what I did to Amai, but I know what he went through from having it happen to me, so I thought I would give it to him. It's a nasty thing to have. I do promise that nothing else bad will happen for a good couple chapters.

Yumi: Review!