. . . = Yugi's thoughts
~ . . . ~ = Yami's thoughts
Yami perked up when he saw Kaiba walk into the room. He felt as though that was one of the longest waits of his life.
"It's time to duel," Yami said, clenching his fist.
Kaiba laughed. "What brings you to duel me? Tell me, Yugi."
"Why duel you?" Yami restated. "For my fighting spirit and the healing of my heart." He put his hand to his heart.
Kaiba turned around. "Well, I don't really care what your reasons are. This is one rematch that I cannot refuse!" He looked out the window. "The limos are here. Are you ready to duel?"
Yami sprung from the couch. "I always am."
* * *
Bakura, shocked by the news of Joey's departure, was walking down the street, talking quietly to himself. "I'd better find Yugi and give him this . . . totem . . . quickly. Hopefully we can catch Joey before he leaves." He looked at the totem closer, and saw that a greasy paper was inside. He read it.
When the notion of wishing registered through his mind, his Millennium Ring glowed. His yami had come out.
"After countless centuries," Yami Bakura snickered, "I can finally posses all seven Millennium items - with one simple wish!"
Bakura, who knew as soon as he knew about the wishing that his yami would try to come out, fought his hardest to keep the world for destruction.
Yami Bakura held the totem upside-down, and said, "I wish to posses the seven Millennium items . . . I wish to posses the seven Millennium items . . . I wish to-"
The normal Bakura managed to fight his way out, but he was so weakened, that he fell to his knees. Quickly, he held the totem upside- down and wished three times to be rid of the evil spirit from his Millennium Ring.
* * *
Two people were blocking Yami and Kaiba's way to the two limos outside.
"Seto," said Mai, walking right up next to Kaiba.
"Uh-h," Kaiba choked.
"Yugi!" Téa cried, hugging him.
But Yugi had come out.
Téa pulled away. "Where is you-know-who?"
Kaiba pushed Mai aside and said to Yugi, "Excuse me. I need to take care of something first." He took Mai into a neighboring room.
"Listen, Téa," said Yugi. "You cannot see him."
"Why not?!"
"I am protecting him from you. Don't you see? He was crushed, and now, we're here, about to face Seto Kaiba in a duel!" Yugi explained.
In a way, Yami was quite touched that Yugi came out to protect him.
"I'm sorry." A tear appeared in her eye. "Just let me see him."
Yugi shook his head. "I can't let you."
* * *
Meanwhile, a car pulled up in front of Joey's house. Joey's mom and Serenity came out the car and dashed into the house. Joey and his dad came out to see them.
"Joey!" yelled Serenity. She hugged her brother. "We were already on our way, even before Mom got off the phone with Dad! You should have seen us on the road, cruising like mad! I'm so happy! I hope you have your things packed."
Joey's mom laughed. "There's no need to rush," she said.
"And then," Serenity went on, "when we get back, I'll show you around before my operation."
"Yeah," Joey said, putting his thumb up.
"I'm so proud of you, son, for winning that money for your sister," Joey's father said. "I've raised you well."
Joey's mom was suddenly offended. "I helped raise him, too."
"Yes, you did," Joey's father said, patting his son on the back. "But you have to admit, under my care, he has gone from a street chump to a pretty good duelist and person."
"Are you blaming ME for his becoming a bully?!"
"No, no. Our separation was just hard on him," Joey's dad said. "It doesn't matter now, I've fixed him up."
"FIXED him?!" Joey's mom fumed.
The arguing went on, and Joey and Serenity could only watch helplessly.
* * *
"What are you doing here?" Kaiba asked Mai.
"Well, you said we should get to know each other," Mai explained. "This would be a pretty good time to start." She grabbed his hand.
Kaiba pulled his hand away. "Listen, I have a duel to take care of now. I can promote my company by beating Yugi in this duel!"
"But . . ."
"You can use my mansion all you want while I'm gone," Kaiba went on. He changed his tone. "Don't worry. You're the first woman who has seriously tried to get close to me, and believe me, I appreciate it. I look at this with the greatest hope that one day, you will be able to help me take care of Mokuba. And maybe mother some Kaiba heirs."
Mai was shocked. "Is THAT all you care about? You think this is all some kind of business arrangement?!"
Kaiba stammered. "But Mai, we are both getting what we need out of this. You will never have to worry again." He left the room, and Mai just stood there in a stunned silence.
* * *
"Yugi, please," said Téa. "I made a mistake."
Yami was trying to come out, but Yugi was holding him back. "You have to understand," Yugi said.
"I - I don't," she said quietly as Kaiba walked in.
"So are you ready?"
Yami took over, pulled off his coat, and wore it as a cape.
"Let's do it."
* * *
Bakura's yami was gone, but he was still wearing the Millennium Ring. He took it off and admired it.
"Now I can enjoy its true beauty and not have to worry," he said to himself.
A shadow suddenly loomed over him. Bakura broke and ran.
* * *
One of the limos was for Kaiba, while the other was for Yugi. There was no way Kaiba would want to even be in the same limo. The two went into their limos. Much to Yugi's distress, Téa quickly got into one of them as they began to drive off, but since the windows were black, she mistakenly got into Kaiba's.
"Ahh! What are you doing here?!" Kaiba exclaimed.
Téa looked embarrassed. She tried to change the subject. "So . . . how are you and Mai?"
Kaiba's pupils darted as he leaned forward in his seat. "How did you know about this?!" He relaxed back onto his seat. "No matter. You can watch me defeat your friend, Yugi, in a duel."
The limos reached Kaiba Corp., and Téa, Kaiba, and Yami got off and went up the elevator to Kaiba's floor.
* * *
Mai had finally left the mansion after hearing about the duel from one of the butlers, aiming to go cheer Yugi on.
"That will sure make him mad," she said. "Nobody uses Mai Valentine!"
* * *
"Give me that ring!" a voice yelled behind Bakura, chasing him down the street with a knife. "Give it here, and I won't hurt you."
But Bakura's father had given him the Millennium Ring, and he would not part with it. He continued to run, and at the same time, wished on the totem to get away safely.
They reached an alley in the Kaiba Corp. parking lot.
Forgetting that he no longer had a yami, Bakura, heaving from the running, stood his ground. "I cannot let you have this." He clutched the Ring and offered the totem. "Here, you can have this."
"That ugly thing? I'm no fool!"
Without an evil spirit, the mugger stripped defenseless Bakura of his Ring and left him on the floor of the alley with a knife through his shoulder.
* * *
Just as the duel was about to begin, Mai burst into the room, not wearing her jacket.
"Come quick!" she cried. "Bakura is hurt!" She signaled the gang to the elevator.
"How?!!!" Téa cried. "Bakura!" Tears welled up in her eyes.
"He's in the alley in the parking lot," Mai continued. "I used my jacket to try to stop the bleeding, but I need more first aid!"
Téa, Kaiba, Mai, and Yami rushed to the scene. Kaiba checked Bakura's pulse and said, "What was this guy doing HERE?" He picked up his cell phone to call the paramedics.
"NO!" Yami cried, watching the more and more blood appear on Mai's jacket, which was wrapped around his shoulder. "Bakura!" He noticed the totem lying a few feet away and picked it up.
"Someone . . . stole . . . the . . . Ring . . . " Bakura mustered.
So it WASN'T destroyed in the fire!
~No.~ Yami thought for a bit. ~I sense that the evil spirit of Bakura's Millennium Ring was gone.~
Gone? Did Bakura wish him away?
~Mmmm. We have to keep him alert; we'll ask questions.~ "Bakura," Yami said. "What happened to the spirit?"
Couldn't he have also wished whoever hurt him away?
"The . . . spirit . . . I . . . wished . . . away," Bakura said, clutching his shoulder.
"What about the person who hurt you? Where is he?" Téa chimed in.
"I wished . . . but . . . nothing -" Bakura fainted.
"Bakura!" everyone yelled, except Kaiba.
So that totem . . .
~I think there has been a misunderstanding. People think that wishes come in threes because of television and fables. But, as we saw today, that might not be the case.~ He clutched the totem. ~This totem can be mighty, but it can also be very dangerous.~
The ambulance and a police car came. The police traced Bakura's body, and the paramedics took it away and put it on a stretcher. While the police stayed on the scene, the ambulance whisked away. Mai went along with him.
"It must be that cursed creepy stick!" Téa sobbed. "I don't know if it really grants wishes or not, but I bet that because of it, we almost lost Bakura!"
Kaiba swiped the totem from Yami. "Don't think that just because your friend Bakura is nearly dead, you don't have to duel me!"
"Give me that totem, now!" Yami said. "Somebody could get hurt!"
"Only if you win the duel!" Kaiba headed towards the building once more.
(To be continued.)
Yami perked up when he saw Kaiba walk into the room. He felt as though that was one of the longest waits of his life.
"It's time to duel," Yami said, clenching his fist.
Kaiba laughed. "What brings you to duel me? Tell me, Yugi."
"Why duel you?" Yami restated. "For my fighting spirit and the healing of my heart." He put his hand to his heart.
Kaiba turned around. "Well, I don't really care what your reasons are. This is one rematch that I cannot refuse!" He looked out the window. "The limos are here. Are you ready to duel?"
Yami sprung from the couch. "I always am."
* * *
Bakura, shocked by the news of Joey's departure, was walking down the street, talking quietly to himself. "I'd better find Yugi and give him this . . . totem . . . quickly. Hopefully we can catch Joey before he leaves." He looked at the totem closer, and saw that a greasy paper was inside. He read it.
When the notion of wishing registered through his mind, his Millennium Ring glowed. His yami had come out.
"After countless centuries," Yami Bakura snickered, "I can finally posses all seven Millennium items - with one simple wish!"
Bakura, who knew as soon as he knew about the wishing that his yami would try to come out, fought his hardest to keep the world for destruction.
Yami Bakura held the totem upside-down, and said, "I wish to posses the seven Millennium items . . . I wish to posses the seven Millennium items . . . I wish to-"
The normal Bakura managed to fight his way out, but he was so weakened, that he fell to his knees. Quickly, he held the totem upside- down and wished three times to be rid of the evil spirit from his Millennium Ring.
* * *
Two people were blocking Yami and Kaiba's way to the two limos outside.
"Seto," said Mai, walking right up next to Kaiba.
"Uh-h," Kaiba choked.
"Yugi!" Téa cried, hugging him.
But Yugi had come out.
Téa pulled away. "Where is you-know-who?"
Kaiba pushed Mai aside and said to Yugi, "Excuse me. I need to take care of something first." He took Mai into a neighboring room.
"Listen, Téa," said Yugi. "You cannot see him."
"Why not?!"
"I am protecting him from you. Don't you see? He was crushed, and now, we're here, about to face Seto Kaiba in a duel!" Yugi explained.
In a way, Yami was quite touched that Yugi came out to protect him.
"I'm sorry." A tear appeared in her eye. "Just let me see him."
Yugi shook his head. "I can't let you."
* * *
Meanwhile, a car pulled up in front of Joey's house. Joey's mom and Serenity came out the car and dashed into the house. Joey and his dad came out to see them.
"Joey!" yelled Serenity. She hugged her brother. "We were already on our way, even before Mom got off the phone with Dad! You should have seen us on the road, cruising like mad! I'm so happy! I hope you have your things packed."
Joey's mom laughed. "There's no need to rush," she said.
"And then," Serenity went on, "when we get back, I'll show you around before my operation."
"Yeah," Joey said, putting his thumb up.
"I'm so proud of you, son, for winning that money for your sister," Joey's father said. "I've raised you well."
Joey's mom was suddenly offended. "I helped raise him, too."
"Yes, you did," Joey's father said, patting his son on the back. "But you have to admit, under my care, he has gone from a street chump to a pretty good duelist and person."
"Are you blaming ME for his becoming a bully?!"
"No, no. Our separation was just hard on him," Joey's dad said. "It doesn't matter now, I've fixed him up."
"FIXED him?!" Joey's mom fumed.
The arguing went on, and Joey and Serenity could only watch helplessly.
* * *
"What are you doing here?" Kaiba asked Mai.
"Well, you said we should get to know each other," Mai explained. "This would be a pretty good time to start." She grabbed his hand.
Kaiba pulled his hand away. "Listen, I have a duel to take care of now. I can promote my company by beating Yugi in this duel!"
"But . . ."
"You can use my mansion all you want while I'm gone," Kaiba went on. He changed his tone. "Don't worry. You're the first woman who has seriously tried to get close to me, and believe me, I appreciate it. I look at this with the greatest hope that one day, you will be able to help me take care of Mokuba. And maybe mother some Kaiba heirs."
Mai was shocked. "Is THAT all you care about? You think this is all some kind of business arrangement?!"
Kaiba stammered. "But Mai, we are both getting what we need out of this. You will never have to worry again." He left the room, and Mai just stood there in a stunned silence.
* * *
"Yugi, please," said Téa. "I made a mistake."
Yami was trying to come out, but Yugi was holding him back. "You have to understand," Yugi said.
"I - I don't," she said quietly as Kaiba walked in.
"So are you ready?"
Yami took over, pulled off his coat, and wore it as a cape.
"Let's do it."
* * *
Bakura's yami was gone, but he was still wearing the Millennium Ring. He took it off and admired it.
"Now I can enjoy its true beauty and not have to worry," he said to himself.
A shadow suddenly loomed over him. Bakura broke and ran.
* * *
One of the limos was for Kaiba, while the other was for Yugi. There was no way Kaiba would want to even be in the same limo. The two went into their limos. Much to Yugi's distress, Téa quickly got into one of them as they began to drive off, but since the windows were black, she mistakenly got into Kaiba's.
"Ahh! What are you doing here?!" Kaiba exclaimed.
Téa looked embarrassed. She tried to change the subject. "So . . . how are you and Mai?"
Kaiba's pupils darted as he leaned forward in his seat. "How did you know about this?!" He relaxed back onto his seat. "No matter. You can watch me defeat your friend, Yugi, in a duel."
The limos reached Kaiba Corp., and Téa, Kaiba, and Yami got off and went up the elevator to Kaiba's floor.
* * *
Mai had finally left the mansion after hearing about the duel from one of the butlers, aiming to go cheer Yugi on.
"That will sure make him mad," she said. "Nobody uses Mai Valentine!"
* * *
"Give me that ring!" a voice yelled behind Bakura, chasing him down the street with a knife. "Give it here, and I won't hurt you."
But Bakura's father had given him the Millennium Ring, and he would not part with it. He continued to run, and at the same time, wished on the totem to get away safely.
They reached an alley in the Kaiba Corp. parking lot.
Forgetting that he no longer had a yami, Bakura, heaving from the running, stood his ground. "I cannot let you have this." He clutched the Ring and offered the totem. "Here, you can have this."
"That ugly thing? I'm no fool!"
Without an evil spirit, the mugger stripped defenseless Bakura of his Ring and left him on the floor of the alley with a knife through his shoulder.
* * *
Just as the duel was about to begin, Mai burst into the room, not wearing her jacket.
"Come quick!" she cried. "Bakura is hurt!" She signaled the gang to the elevator.
"How?!!!" Téa cried. "Bakura!" Tears welled up in her eyes.
"He's in the alley in the parking lot," Mai continued. "I used my jacket to try to stop the bleeding, but I need more first aid!"
Téa, Kaiba, Mai, and Yami rushed to the scene. Kaiba checked Bakura's pulse and said, "What was this guy doing HERE?" He picked up his cell phone to call the paramedics.
"NO!" Yami cried, watching the more and more blood appear on Mai's jacket, which was wrapped around his shoulder. "Bakura!" He noticed the totem lying a few feet away and picked it up.
"Someone . . . stole . . . the . . . Ring . . . " Bakura mustered.
So it WASN'T destroyed in the fire!
~No.~ Yami thought for a bit. ~I sense that the evil spirit of Bakura's Millennium Ring was gone.~
Gone? Did Bakura wish him away?
~Mmmm. We have to keep him alert; we'll ask questions.~ "Bakura," Yami said. "What happened to the spirit?"
Couldn't he have also wished whoever hurt him away?
"The . . . spirit . . . I . . . wished . . . away," Bakura said, clutching his shoulder.
"What about the person who hurt you? Where is he?" Téa chimed in.
"I wished . . . but . . . nothing -" Bakura fainted.
"Bakura!" everyone yelled, except Kaiba.
So that totem . . .
~I think there has been a misunderstanding. People think that wishes come in threes because of television and fables. But, as we saw today, that might not be the case.~ He clutched the totem. ~This totem can be mighty, but it can also be very dangerous.~
The ambulance and a police car came. The police traced Bakura's body, and the paramedics took it away and put it on a stretcher. While the police stayed on the scene, the ambulance whisked away. Mai went along with him.
"It must be that cursed creepy stick!" Téa sobbed. "I don't know if it really grants wishes or not, but I bet that because of it, we almost lost Bakura!"
Kaiba swiped the totem from Yami. "Don't think that just because your friend Bakura is nearly dead, you don't have to duel me!"
"Give me that totem, now!" Yami said. "Somebody could get hurt!"
"Only if you win the duel!" Kaiba headed towards the building once more.
(To be continued.)