Chapter 15: Explanations

In the Palace:

Nobody had slept well that night and even Yugi, though tired as she was got up before noon.

Yugi looked around her when she got up and noticed the sun was up really high so it was close to noon. Yugi shook her head and realized she was clean and in night clothes. 'Isis must have cleaned me up. I don't even remember leaving the healing chambers.'

Yugi got up and went ahead and bathed again before tying her hair up and getting ready for the day.

It wasn't often Yugi wore shorts because of her status. But because of what she was going to do today a tasteful tank top and shorts would be for the best. She also found her glasses. She didn't wear them unless she was doing research because they helped her see the text in books better.

Yugi also went to the things she brought from home and scanned through all of her notes on Carbon Monoxide and grabbed them. She would need them. She felt like something wasn't right with Atemu and she had to figure out why and fast.

Yugi got to the healing chambers and didn't see Isis in there, but she saw Atemu and Heba. She smiled and put down her research material and went to check on them and checking the oxygen. Yugi looked over everything, "it seems they're fine. But Prince Atemu is still in worse condition."

Yugi frowned at this, "I guess I'll have to test the blood." She went and found a clean swab before taking a disinfected needle and picking Atemu's middle finger making it barely bleed so she could get a sample of his blood. She also did the same thing for Heba. She also pricked her own to test it against hers.

Yugi took the samples and started to work and refer to her notes watching over the two.

After a while Yugi got up, she needed to talk to Joey about this before she told the others what's going on.

Joey was in his room while the others were in their rooms. They figured if Yugi woke up she would find one of them and form there they could gather everyone.

Yugi got to Joey's room and knocked on the door. "Joey?"

Joey opened the door to his room surprised that Yugi was awake, "Yug, why are you awake? No offense but you should be sleeping."

He noticed Yugi's frown on her face, "Yugi?" He crotched down, "What's wrong?"

Yugi didn't notice tears started running down her face.

Joey's eyes widened and pulled Yugi into his room, closing the door and sitting her down, "What's wrong Yugi?"

Yugi looked at Joey, "I'm stupid. That's what."

Joey looked at Yugi, "Yugi you're not stupid."

Yugi started crying, "I shouldn't have let them go to that stupid cave to get the stupid crystal. Heba and Prince Atemu wouldn't be in this condition if I had told them not to go."

Joey pulled her into a hug and patted her head, "Shush, it's okay. They made that choice that they wanted to help you. Heba should have realized it sooner. Prince Atemu didn't know about the toxins."

Yugi just cried, "I don't know what to do. I'm so tired Joey. I'm so fucking tired, but I can't rest until I know they are alright."

Joey was surprised that Yugi admitted how tired she was, she never cursed, and she would always play it off.

Joey looked at Yugi, "Come on Yug, we need to explain everyone how they got sick, they don't know what happened like you do."

Yugi looked at Joey and smiled sadly, "I know but… my legs… it hurts."

Joey was surprised Yugi was admitting she was in pain and tired now. She never did it and would always push herself to far. Whatever happened while the others and himself were gone, was a good thing for Yugi.

Joey crouched down and Yugi put her arms around his neck so he could carry her.

Joey went to Seto's room first to knock on the door, Seto opened it surprised to see Yugi on Joey's back. "Puppy? She's awake."

Yugi looked at Seto, "Don't talk about me in third person."

Seto was surprised she responded, "Sorry about that."

Joey looked at Seto, "you mind gathering everyone. I only know where your room is."

Seto nodded and went to grab Yami and his aunt and uncle as well as Isis.

Seto gathered everyone and they were in the lounge and Yugi was in a chair frowning when they all got in there.

Yami went over to Yugi, "How do you feel Yugi?"

Yugi sighed, "I'm tired. But that's not important right now."

Yami, "Yugi?"

Yugi looked at Yami with tired eyes and shook her head.

Amara and Aknankanon looked at Yugi and could tell something was wrong.

Isis and Seto stayed quiet.

Yugi sighed and looked at everyone, "I guess your biggest question right now is what's Carbon Monoxide and why was it so deadly?"

Everyone except Joey nodded.

Yugi closed her eyes to think of the correct wording, "Carbon Monoxide is a natural toxin we discovered in Rome 3 maybe 4 years ago."

Yami, "It's a natural toxin?"

Yugi nodded, "You can't see it, you can't taste it, and you defiantly can't smell it. That's why it's very dangerous."

Isis, "If you can't see it with your senses how do you know it's around you."

Yugi looked at Isis, "You don't. Prince Atemu and Heba could have been worse off if Heba hadn't been poisoned by it before."

Yugi sighed looking at everyone, "The best way for me to explain this is to ask you a question. do you know what carbon dioxide is?"

Everyone shook their heads in a no.

Yugi sighed she needed to explain this first, "Carbon dioxide is natural, every time we speak or even breathe we release carbon dioxide. While we inhale, we take in oxygen. Plants take in carbon dioxide and create oxygen. This is the circle for life."

Seto, "if Carbon dioxide is natural why is carbon monoxide deadly?"

Yugi, "Let me continue. Carbon dioxide is deadly as well even though its natural. On average around 0.03% of the air is carbon dioxide. That's not even a 20th of a percent. However, if it's concentrated and lacking Oxygen and becomes over 10 percent of carbon, that's when it becomes fatal."

Everyone was still confused.

Yugi looked at everyone's confused faces, "Carbon Dioxide is CO2 while Carbon Monoxide is CO."

Seto realized what Yugi was saying, "Oh I see. Oxygen is present in both, however more is present in Carbon dioxide while less in Carbon monoxide."

Yugi nodded. "I called it Monoxide because there is only one oxygen present. Mono means one."

Seto looked at everyone, "If I understand this properly, you saying something natural got trapped in the cave and because there's a lack of air flow, ventilation the bad air remained trapped focusing at the bottom of the cave which became deadly because it can't escape. And because we don't have anything in a cave that can cleanse the air it remained only getting worse?"

Yugi nodded, "That's exactly it."

Joey saw Yugi was still tired and that's when everyone realized Yugi had bags under her eyes.

Aknankanon and Amara, "Yugi dear, are you alright?"

Yugi shook her head and looked at Isis, "I took my notes about it and left it in the healing chambers. I also pricked their fingers to get blood samples along with my own for comparison. The toxic levels of Carbon Monoxide are out. But I left everything so you could look over it. They should wake up soon."

Isis nodded, "Yugi why don't you rest." Yugi nodded, "I will. I just wanted to make sure of everything and get everything explained."

Amara looked at Aknankanon and he walked over to Yugi, "Thank you for everything Princess Yugi."

Yugi shook her head in a no, "Don't thank me. Please don't." She had tears in her eyes, "Please don't."

Amara looked at Yami, "Yami why don't you help the Princess back to her room so she can rest."

Yami nodded slowly and went to Yugi worried, "Do you want a piggy back or to be carried?" Yugi smiled sadly at Yami, "Back please."

Yami nodded and let Yugi onto his back and carried her out of the room.

When Yugi was out of the room everyone turned to Joey, "Is she alright?"

Joey sighed, "No. She's blaming herself for what happened to Heba and Prince Atemu."

Isis, "But why is the princess blaming herself."

Joey, "Yugi has done enough research after Heba and I nearly died before because of Carbon Monoxide and she didn't think to stop them from going to the cave. She assumed Heba would know better. And she didn't even think that Prince Atemu didn't know of the dangers."

Amara, "Oh…"

Joey looked at the door, "She was crying to me about it before we came here."

Aknankanon, "But she was able to help them."

Joey shook his head, "Doesn't matter, she'll still blame herself."

Seto looked at Joey, "Well we don't blame her. Atemu made the decision."

Joey nodded.

Isis looked at everyone, "Well I better go watch over our princes. I'll let you know when they wake up."

Everyone nodded as Isis excused herself from the room.

Aknankanon and Amara, "We have official business to work on so we'll be going."

Joey and Seto nodded as the King and queen left.

Joey and Seto just stayed in the lounge and talked.

Yami was caring Yugi back to the room and she had started to cry softly into his back. It broke Yami's heart.

Yami got to her room and placed her down on the bed before sitting down next to her and holding onto her.

"Hey it's okay." Yami said.

Yugi looked at Yami before covering her face and crying some more. "It's my fault."

Yami eyes widened, "how can it be your fault?"

Yugi shook her head, "If I never let them go. This wouldn't have happened."

Yami realized what Yugi was talking about, "They made that decision. They should be lucky that you're so smart and could help them."

Yugi didn't feel any better about the situation.

Yami just held onto Yugi, "It's okay. I'm not mad about it and I doubt my parents will be either. They made that decision not you."

Yugi nodded.

Yami looked at Yugi, "It's okay. Try to rest. You look exhausted."

Yugi sighed softly, "I am. I'm so tired Yami."

Yami smiled softly, "Want me to lay next to you?"

Yugi nodded. Yami took of his shoes and laid next to Yugi holding her as they rested.

Yami was worried about Atemu. But he knew his stubborn brother would be alright.

Yugi looked at Yami in the eyes, "I guess I have no choice but to do the ritual now."

Yami frowned, "What do you mean?"

Yugi smiled sadly, "I'm not going to let your brother get poisoned for no reason."

Yami frowned more, "Don't let what happened force you to do anything. If you don't want to do the ritual that's fine. If you do, I want to choose it."

Yugi nodded.

Yami smiled softly, "Now rest. I'll stay in here until you wake up."

Yugi nodded and yawned, "You can leave if Atemu and Heba wake up."

Yami nodded, "I might, but I'll come back in here afterwards."

Yugi nodded, yawning softly before closing her eyes returning back to peaceful sleep.

It was close to nightfall when Atemu opened his eyes first and groaned. "Fuck that hurts." he cursed trying to sit up and realizing he still had a mask on his face.

Isis looked over, "Oh your awake Prince Atemu, that's good. Leave that mask on your face though."

Atemu nodded not understanding what's going on. He looked over and saw Heba was still asleep. Then he turned back to Isis, "Why do I feel like I got hit into a fight and lost."

Isis smiled slightly, "Yugi said you would feel the effects. Hold on, let me go make the drink she wanted you to take."

Atemu watched Isis get up and mix a bunch of herbs and stuff into a tea and 10 later she came over, helped him sit up and handed him the drink. Isis, "Only keep the mask off if your getting a drink."

Atemu nodded. "Can you explain what happened?"

Isis nodded as Atemu was taking slow slips of the drink. "Princess Yugi forced the toxic air out of your blood and internal organs. So, that the pure oxygen your breathing in right now can go in and replace it."

Atemu put the mask back on, "So that's why I feel like I got into a fight and lost?"

Isis nodded, "You did take longer so you may be more sore."

Atemu nodded. That's when they looked over and saw Heba coming to, "fuck that hurts." Isis laughed, "Prince Atemu said the same thing."

Heba looked over to see Atemu sitting up and drinking something. "I want what he's got."

Isis smiled softly, "Don't worry I have more prepared." Isis got up to grab Heba some before helping him sit up.

Isis, "Well since you both are awake I better go tell the king and Queen."

The two nodded. Heba stopped Isis before she left though, "I don't want anyone to come in here yet. I'm positive Atemu feels like I do and we were hit by a bus."

Atemu had to agree with that. Isis, "Are you sure?"

Atemu, "I agree with Heba. We know they're worried but we'll be fine."

Isis nodded, "Okay then." Isis left the room.

Heba turned to Atemu after Isis left, "Feel like shit?"

Atemu took his mask of again to get a drink, "Totally."

Heba frowned, "Yugi's going to be feeling worse then us."

Atemu, "What do you mean?"

Heba smiled sadly, "She used her magic on both of us. So that drained her. Plus she's going to feel guilty."

Atemu looked at Heba, "Why would she feel guilty?"

Heba, "Because we got like this because we were trying to help her."

Atemu, "Oh."

Heba nodded.

Atemu looked at Heba, "Well it was our own fault."

Heba nodded and finished his drink. "I'm going back to sleep. I hurt." Atemu nodded following the same thing, "Same."

Both boys went back to sleep feeling sore. But at least they were alright now.