. . . = Yugi's thoughts
~ . . . ~ = Yami's thoughts
"Ow! Ow!" screamed Bakura. "My neck!"
"I'm sorry, young man," Grampa said. "What did you say your name was again?"
"Bakura, sir," answered Bakura.
"When you said 'secret weapon,' I thought it was a little more . . . advanced than this!" Yugi yelled.
After five minutes of trying, Grampa stopped pulling. "I'm sorry, boys. I thought that a little old-fashioned wisdom pull would help. It worked when my shoe was stuck to the ground one time . . ."
"What do we do now?" Yugi asked.
"I don't know," admitted Bakura. "Until we can separate ourselves, we have to walk around like Siamese twins."
Bakura and Yugi were stuck together for the rest of the evening, and soon, it was time to go to sleep. They both slept on the floor, as far away from each other as humanly possible.
"Ow! Get off my leg, Yugi!"
"Only if you get off my arm!"
Because walking together all day was very exhausting, both of them fell asleep quickly.
Yugi and Bakura began to dream, but since their Millennium items were fused together, they were having the same one . . .
It began with Yami walking into a black, murky place that looked like the Shadow Realm. Not far behind was Yami Bakura, who was walking much more slowly.
"Yugi, listen to me. I am speaking to you from the Shadow Realm," Yami said. "I think I know how to stop this. Your grandfather's machine caused the Millennium Puzzle to attract other nearby items."
Yami Bakura didn't say a word. HE had forced Yami into the Shadow Realm, since there was no way he'd allow Yami to be out and not him. He figured that he had the Millennium Puzzle right where he wanted it. All that was left for him was to come out and get it.
"I've spent all day evaluating the way the Puzzle was affected by the machine," Yami continued. "A combination of ultrasonic waves and electric impulses made the Puzzle attract Bakura's Millennium Ring. Now, the two items have a bond that cannot be broken by brute strength. The only way to break it, I think, is to use nonphysical means."
Like what? The items are physical, so how can we break them using something that is not?
"I have a theory, though it might sound outrageous," Yami explained. "During the Duelist Kingdom, when around Kaiba's Duel-Disk holograms, I sensed a strange current-like force creating them. That force allowed us to experience the realism of the monsters, and ultimately led to my first and only loss." Yami snarled at the memory. "Sorry . . . course of habit."
Suddenly, Yugi's alarm clock rang. The dream ended.
"But he wasn't finished!" cried Yugi, springing up from his sheets. A choking noise rose from beside him. "Ooops, sorry, Bakura." He laid back down. "Now let's try this again." Together, they rose slowly.
"I had the strangest dream, Yugi," said Bakura. "The spirit from your Millennium Puzzle was telling us to use Kaiba's holograms to break this bond."
Yugi nodded. "I had the same dream. I guess that means we have no other choice. This was clearly a message from the Shadow Realm. But . . . does that mean we actually have to involve Kaiba?"
Bakura nodded sheepishly. "Neither of us possess a Duel Disk. [This was before Battle City.] We're going to have to either ask him or break into Kaiba Corp."
Neither of them had the guts to do that, so they agreed to ask Kaiba himself. Yugi was about to call on the phone to ask, but Bakura stopped him.
"If we ask him on the phone, he might hang up on us and beef up the security at the company," Bakura explained. "We'd have a better chance if we ask in person."
"Good idea," Yugi said, trying to contact his yami. Unfortunately, Yami Bakura was somehow cutting the communication, shutting him out from outside contact.
It took nearly an hour and a half for Yugi and Bakura to inch their way to Kaiba's company. As they came out of the elevator onto Kaiba's floor, they heard the strangest thing: Kaiba's laughter.
"What's the matter, Yugi?" Kaiba snickered. "Ring got your Puzzle?"
"Kaiba, please," Yugi said nervously. "Bakura and I are in trouble, and we need your help."
Kaiba laughed again. "Why should I help you? After all, your little friend, Téa, caused me a decent grade on the silly old project."
"But I helped save you and Mokuba from Pegasus," Yugi protested, feeling the pressure from Bakura trying to pull away.
Bakura was suddenly mad. "Oh, forget this guy! He doesn't know how to treat people at all! He just hangs out with hologram monsters all day!"
Kaiba looked mad. "Don't judge me. Sure, my life's work has been dedicated to my technologies, but now, you'll know what it's like to 'hang out with hologram monsters' firsthand!"
Two security guards carried Yugi and Bakura into the same room that Kaiba and Yugi first dueled in and locked the door. Kaiba had climbed onto his platform.
"I've perfected the holograms in this arena, Yugi," Kaiba said, looking down at the two and taking out his Duel Monsters deck. "Now you will experience the realism of these monsters!" He drew the top card, which was the Battle Ox.
Bakura embraced Yugi in fright. "We're going to experience the power of these cards . . . firsthand!" he cried.
"Calm down, Bakura," Yugi said. "I have a plan."
"You can't fight back against me," Kaiba said. "Because this time, you're IN the fight." He laughed. "But don't worry, there won't be any REAL damage. Just some unspeakable fright."
"Please," whined Bakura. "This isn't fair, or honorable, either. We are not easily scared."
The Battle Ox breathed a foul-smelling breath at them then.
Bakura shuddered. "I take that back. Yugi is not easily scared."
Kaiba laughed again. "I wouldn't expect anything less from him, and I hope that after today, both you AND Yugi come to respect me just a little more. Don't you see? This is my life. This is what I work long hours to protect - my company. And look at how far it's come. You've the Duel Disk . . . you've seen this arena. But now, the technologies of both have been combined!"
"But Kaiba," Yugi said. "This doesn't solve anything!"
"Oh, does it?" Kaiba responded. "At least this will directly show you my talents. You may have outfoxed me in duels, but when it comes to Duel Monsters technology, you're nothing but a helpless little boy! It's time, Battle Ox! Show them what it is like to be a Duel Monster!"
"Yugi!" cried Bakura, paralyzed in fear. "Can that thing really hurt us?"
"I doubt it," Yugi responded, "but if duelists feel the effects of these attacks, then I really cannot say what is coming to us. Kaiba might just be trying to psyche us out. We have to stay calm, even if our heads ARE chopped off." He laughed nervously.
The Battle Ox raised its sword and snarled.
(To be continued)
"Ow! Ow!" screamed Bakura. "My neck!"
"I'm sorry, young man," Grampa said. "What did you say your name was again?"
"Bakura, sir," answered Bakura.
"When you said 'secret weapon,' I thought it was a little more . . . advanced than this!" Yugi yelled.
After five minutes of trying, Grampa stopped pulling. "I'm sorry, boys. I thought that a little old-fashioned wisdom pull would help. It worked when my shoe was stuck to the ground one time . . ."
"What do we do now?" Yugi asked.
"I don't know," admitted Bakura. "Until we can separate ourselves, we have to walk around like Siamese twins."
Bakura and Yugi were stuck together for the rest of the evening, and soon, it was time to go to sleep. They both slept on the floor, as far away from each other as humanly possible.
"Ow! Get off my leg, Yugi!"
"Only if you get off my arm!"
Because walking together all day was very exhausting, both of them fell asleep quickly.
Yugi and Bakura began to dream, but since their Millennium items were fused together, they were having the same one . . .
It began with Yami walking into a black, murky place that looked like the Shadow Realm. Not far behind was Yami Bakura, who was walking much more slowly.
"Yugi, listen to me. I am speaking to you from the Shadow Realm," Yami said. "I think I know how to stop this. Your grandfather's machine caused the Millennium Puzzle to attract other nearby items."
Yami Bakura didn't say a word. HE had forced Yami into the Shadow Realm, since there was no way he'd allow Yami to be out and not him. He figured that he had the Millennium Puzzle right where he wanted it. All that was left for him was to come out and get it.
"I've spent all day evaluating the way the Puzzle was affected by the machine," Yami continued. "A combination of ultrasonic waves and electric impulses made the Puzzle attract Bakura's Millennium Ring. Now, the two items have a bond that cannot be broken by brute strength. The only way to break it, I think, is to use nonphysical means."
Like what? The items are physical, so how can we break them using something that is not?
"I have a theory, though it might sound outrageous," Yami explained. "During the Duelist Kingdom, when around Kaiba's Duel-Disk holograms, I sensed a strange current-like force creating them. That force allowed us to experience the realism of the monsters, and ultimately led to my first and only loss." Yami snarled at the memory. "Sorry . . . course of habit."
Suddenly, Yugi's alarm clock rang. The dream ended.
"But he wasn't finished!" cried Yugi, springing up from his sheets. A choking noise rose from beside him. "Ooops, sorry, Bakura." He laid back down. "Now let's try this again." Together, they rose slowly.
"I had the strangest dream, Yugi," said Bakura. "The spirit from your Millennium Puzzle was telling us to use Kaiba's holograms to break this bond."
Yugi nodded. "I had the same dream. I guess that means we have no other choice. This was clearly a message from the Shadow Realm. But . . . does that mean we actually have to involve Kaiba?"
Bakura nodded sheepishly. "Neither of us possess a Duel Disk. [This was before Battle City.] We're going to have to either ask him or break into Kaiba Corp."
Neither of them had the guts to do that, so they agreed to ask Kaiba himself. Yugi was about to call on the phone to ask, but Bakura stopped him.
"If we ask him on the phone, he might hang up on us and beef up the security at the company," Bakura explained. "We'd have a better chance if we ask in person."
"Good idea," Yugi said, trying to contact his yami. Unfortunately, Yami Bakura was somehow cutting the communication, shutting him out from outside contact.
It took nearly an hour and a half for Yugi and Bakura to inch their way to Kaiba's company. As they came out of the elevator onto Kaiba's floor, they heard the strangest thing: Kaiba's laughter.
"What's the matter, Yugi?" Kaiba snickered. "Ring got your Puzzle?"
"Kaiba, please," Yugi said nervously. "Bakura and I are in trouble, and we need your help."
Kaiba laughed again. "Why should I help you? After all, your little friend, Téa, caused me a decent grade on the silly old project."
"But I helped save you and Mokuba from Pegasus," Yugi protested, feeling the pressure from Bakura trying to pull away.
Bakura was suddenly mad. "Oh, forget this guy! He doesn't know how to treat people at all! He just hangs out with hologram monsters all day!"
Kaiba looked mad. "Don't judge me. Sure, my life's work has been dedicated to my technologies, but now, you'll know what it's like to 'hang out with hologram monsters' firsthand!"
Two security guards carried Yugi and Bakura into the same room that Kaiba and Yugi first dueled in and locked the door. Kaiba had climbed onto his platform.
"I've perfected the holograms in this arena, Yugi," Kaiba said, looking down at the two and taking out his Duel Monsters deck. "Now you will experience the realism of these monsters!" He drew the top card, which was the Battle Ox.
Bakura embraced Yugi in fright. "We're going to experience the power of these cards . . . firsthand!" he cried.
"Calm down, Bakura," Yugi said. "I have a plan."
"You can't fight back against me," Kaiba said. "Because this time, you're IN the fight." He laughed. "But don't worry, there won't be any REAL damage. Just some unspeakable fright."
"Please," whined Bakura. "This isn't fair, or honorable, either. We are not easily scared."
The Battle Ox breathed a foul-smelling breath at them then.
Bakura shuddered. "I take that back. Yugi is not easily scared."
Kaiba laughed again. "I wouldn't expect anything less from him, and I hope that after today, both you AND Yugi come to respect me just a little more. Don't you see? This is my life. This is what I work long hours to protect - my company. And look at how far it's come. You've the Duel Disk . . . you've seen this arena. But now, the technologies of both have been combined!"
"But Kaiba," Yugi said. "This doesn't solve anything!"
"Oh, does it?" Kaiba responded. "At least this will directly show you my talents. You may have outfoxed me in duels, but when it comes to Duel Monsters technology, you're nothing but a helpless little boy! It's time, Battle Ox! Show them what it is like to be a Duel Monster!"
"Yugi!" cried Bakura, paralyzed in fear. "Can that thing really hurt us?"
"I doubt it," Yugi responded, "but if duelists feel the effects of these attacks, then I really cannot say what is coming to us. Kaiba might just be trying to psyche us out. We have to stay calm, even if our heads ARE chopped off." He laughed nervously.
The Battle Ox raised its sword and snarled.
(To be continued)