II.
My notes: You mean.people actually like my stories???? I think I'm going into shock..
The two sat in silence staring at the sunset. Yami was trying to understand all that had been put in front of him.
Joey's father abused him and Joey let him, out of love. He had saved his sisters eyes and had stood by Yugi in the tournament. He had learned to duel to protect those he loved and still managed to go about day to day life while hiding this secret.
Looking at that and all he knew about Joey, all the taunting he endured, he was amazed with the person whose mind he temporarily shared.
//Joey, earlier you had said you were afraid of losing my respect. I tell you know that my respect for you has grown considerably.//
Joey's head shot up and his tears stopped falling.
"What do you mean, Yami? I'm pathetic and weak." He whispered and Yami's heart hurt to hear this tone in what he knew to be a strong soul.
//Joey, there are not many people I know who would risk everything, including their own dignity to save their sister's sight. There are even less who would stay by an abusive father and be there because of the love they still had for him. There are even fewer who would hide this from friends and let them get on with their own lives.//
He let Joey understand that before he continued.
//But you do all this and you still go to school, be with your friends and take care of a household that would have fallen apart by now. You are one of the strongest I know.//
Joey stared into the distance and seemed to think on this.
"But Yugi is stronger." No resentment, just fact. That made him even stronger in Yami's opinion.
//Yugi has a completely different situation and a different set of hardships. You are both strong, but in different ways. Yugi is strong in his pure innocence. You are innocence tempered with steel.//
"Yami. I understand what your saying and I want to show you something. I want to show you why I fight." He got up and moved over to a small TV and VCR. He pushed a tape in and pressed play. Yami watched as a beautiful young lady showed up on the screen.
-"Hey big Brother, I was hoping to see you one last time-"-
Yami watched the tape of Serenity. He saw the innocence and the trust and marveled at the love the glowed within their depths. The tape ended and Yami felt Joey grow strong again. He got up and in silence walked over to an old chest and opened it. Yami felt the hesitation.
//You don't have to do any more, Joey.//
"Yes I do, Yami. Yes I do." He reached into the chest and brought out an old picture. He held it up so that Yami could see. It was his family, together. Both Joey and his sister were very young and they were all happy. Including his father.
"I don't know or understand why they split up and I probably won't. For a long time I blamed myself and then I got over it and moved on. It took a long time and Tristan helped a lot, but Yami, I don't understand how you can think of me as strong. It was your help that got me through the tournament. It was you who won and got me the money."
//Joey// Yami stopped his rant. //Listen to me. Look down at your picture and see your family. It may be two parts but it is still a whole. Do you remember your favourite card?//
"Yeah. The Flame Swordsman."
Yami smiled.
//A mighty warrior, for a warrior, but also a Fusion card. A card that naturally requires two pieces to become it's strong and powerful whole. Just as you do. Will you do me a favor?//
"Anything, you know that."
//Call Serenity and invite her down.//
"But Yami, that will cost a lot of money!"
//Ask your friends for help. It isn't a sign of weakness to ask for help, rather it's a sign of love, a strength and a trust. Besides, don't you want to show her the beach again, wasn't that a promise of yours and don't you keep your promises?//
"You'd go back to the beach, even after what happened to you and Yugi?"
//It made us whole and although it was hard, it had to be done. But you dodged my question.//
He felt Joey slouch and knew he had won.
"Alright, who do I call first?"
//Your friends.//
After a lot of phone calls Joey was down to the last call. He was left feeling overwhelmed and he could feel Yami, smug, within him. He looked down at the puzzle and wondered how Yugi could put up with him sometimes.
//We don't always see eye to eye.//
Joey just smiled and picked up the phone once more to make the last call. As the phone rang he thought back at all the positive response he had received. They had all agreed to pitch in and help. Even Seto, after coaxing from Mokuba of course.
Now Serenity would be able to stay at Yugi's and they could see each other, if the surgery had gone okay. At last the phone picked up.
"Hello?"
Joey nearly dropped the phone.
"Mom?"
"Joey? My son? Oh my.I thought I would never here from you! We got the money and had heard about your victory on the news. I'm so proud, and before you ask, your sister can see perfectly. She's outside. What can I do for you?"
"I, I, mom, I'm so glad to hear your voice and well." he steeled himself and blurted it out. "I love you mom and I don't blame you for anything. I love you very much and miss you."
He heard crying and hoped he hadn't said anything wrong.
//You didn't. She's happy. Listen to her.//
"I'm so glad you understand Joey. I didn't want to leave you, but I knew you would be the one to survive."
"Mom, my friends are going to help me pay for a ticket for Serenity to come over here and be here for a week. We won't be staying at home but at the home of a really good friend. Please Mom, I want to take her to the beach again."
He heard her laugh.
"I remember that day well, both of you gone and me and your father all worried. Of course she can go. She's been waiting for something like this for a long time. I'll tell her."
Joey was crying again but this time it was in happiness.
//See, I told you, you could do it.//
Joey smiled at the puzzle.
"You know Yami, you're becoming more and more human every day." He sighed. "I suppose you want to go back to Yugi now."
He felt Yami smile.
//Not yet. You have my respect and you also have my friendship and friends don't leave friends alone when their needed.//
Joey was smiling even more. Just to think, the week had only begun. Tomorrow his friends would meet the person he had been fighting for. Before he went to sleep he did one last thing. He went to his bag and grabbed a picture of him and the gang. It was fairly big and had been taken at Kaiba Land. On the back he wrote who everyone was and a quick note before putting it in an envelope and mailing it.
-Mom, even if you don't see me again, remember how I am in this picture and know that I have a family that loves me as much as you do. -Joey
He kept the puzzle beside him and went to sleep smiling for the first time in ages.
My notes: Don't worry, this part isn't over yet..
My notes: You mean.people actually like my stories???? I think I'm going into shock..
The two sat in silence staring at the sunset. Yami was trying to understand all that had been put in front of him.
Joey's father abused him and Joey let him, out of love. He had saved his sisters eyes and had stood by Yugi in the tournament. He had learned to duel to protect those he loved and still managed to go about day to day life while hiding this secret.
Looking at that and all he knew about Joey, all the taunting he endured, he was amazed with the person whose mind he temporarily shared.
//Joey, earlier you had said you were afraid of losing my respect. I tell you know that my respect for you has grown considerably.//
Joey's head shot up and his tears stopped falling.
"What do you mean, Yami? I'm pathetic and weak." He whispered and Yami's heart hurt to hear this tone in what he knew to be a strong soul.
//Joey, there are not many people I know who would risk everything, including their own dignity to save their sister's sight. There are even less who would stay by an abusive father and be there because of the love they still had for him. There are even fewer who would hide this from friends and let them get on with their own lives.//
He let Joey understand that before he continued.
//But you do all this and you still go to school, be with your friends and take care of a household that would have fallen apart by now. You are one of the strongest I know.//
Joey stared into the distance and seemed to think on this.
"But Yugi is stronger." No resentment, just fact. That made him even stronger in Yami's opinion.
//Yugi has a completely different situation and a different set of hardships. You are both strong, but in different ways. Yugi is strong in his pure innocence. You are innocence tempered with steel.//
"Yami. I understand what your saying and I want to show you something. I want to show you why I fight." He got up and moved over to a small TV and VCR. He pushed a tape in and pressed play. Yami watched as a beautiful young lady showed up on the screen.
-"Hey big Brother, I was hoping to see you one last time-"-
Yami watched the tape of Serenity. He saw the innocence and the trust and marveled at the love the glowed within their depths. The tape ended and Yami felt Joey grow strong again. He got up and in silence walked over to an old chest and opened it. Yami felt the hesitation.
//You don't have to do any more, Joey.//
"Yes I do, Yami. Yes I do." He reached into the chest and brought out an old picture. He held it up so that Yami could see. It was his family, together. Both Joey and his sister were very young and they were all happy. Including his father.
"I don't know or understand why they split up and I probably won't. For a long time I blamed myself and then I got over it and moved on. It took a long time and Tristan helped a lot, but Yami, I don't understand how you can think of me as strong. It was your help that got me through the tournament. It was you who won and got me the money."
//Joey// Yami stopped his rant. //Listen to me. Look down at your picture and see your family. It may be two parts but it is still a whole. Do you remember your favourite card?//
"Yeah. The Flame Swordsman."
Yami smiled.
//A mighty warrior, for a warrior, but also a Fusion card. A card that naturally requires two pieces to become it's strong and powerful whole. Just as you do. Will you do me a favor?//
"Anything, you know that."
//Call Serenity and invite her down.//
"But Yami, that will cost a lot of money!"
//Ask your friends for help. It isn't a sign of weakness to ask for help, rather it's a sign of love, a strength and a trust. Besides, don't you want to show her the beach again, wasn't that a promise of yours and don't you keep your promises?//
"You'd go back to the beach, even after what happened to you and Yugi?"
//It made us whole and although it was hard, it had to be done. But you dodged my question.//
He felt Joey slouch and knew he had won.
"Alright, who do I call first?"
//Your friends.//
After a lot of phone calls Joey was down to the last call. He was left feeling overwhelmed and he could feel Yami, smug, within him. He looked down at the puzzle and wondered how Yugi could put up with him sometimes.
//We don't always see eye to eye.//
Joey just smiled and picked up the phone once more to make the last call. As the phone rang he thought back at all the positive response he had received. They had all agreed to pitch in and help. Even Seto, after coaxing from Mokuba of course.
Now Serenity would be able to stay at Yugi's and they could see each other, if the surgery had gone okay. At last the phone picked up.
"Hello?"
Joey nearly dropped the phone.
"Mom?"
"Joey? My son? Oh my.I thought I would never here from you! We got the money and had heard about your victory on the news. I'm so proud, and before you ask, your sister can see perfectly. She's outside. What can I do for you?"
"I, I, mom, I'm so glad to hear your voice and well." he steeled himself and blurted it out. "I love you mom and I don't blame you for anything. I love you very much and miss you."
He heard crying and hoped he hadn't said anything wrong.
//You didn't. She's happy. Listen to her.//
"I'm so glad you understand Joey. I didn't want to leave you, but I knew you would be the one to survive."
"Mom, my friends are going to help me pay for a ticket for Serenity to come over here and be here for a week. We won't be staying at home but at the home of a really good friend. Please Mom, I want to take her to the beach again."
He heard her laugh.
"I remember that day well, both of you gone and me and your father all worried. Of course she can go. She's been waiting for something like this for a long time. I'll tell her."
Joey was crying again but this time it was in happiness.
//See, I told you, you could do it.//
Joey smiled at the puzzle.
"You know Yami, you're becoming more and more human every day." He sighed. "I suppose you want to go back to Yugi now."
He felt Yami smile.
//Not yet. You have my respect and you also have my friendship and friends don't leave friends alone when their needed.//
Joey was smiling even more. Just to think, the week had only begun. Tomorrow his friends would meet the person he had been fighting for. Before he went to sleep he did one last thing. He went to his bag and grabbed a picture of him and the gang. It was fairly big and had been taken at Kaiba Land. On the back he wrote who everyone was and a quick note before putting it in an envelope and mailing it.
-Mom, even if you don't see me again, remember how I am in this picture and know that I have a family that loves me as much as you do. -Joey
He kept the puzzle beside him and went to sleep smiling for the first time in ages.
My notes: Don't worry, this part isn't over yet..
