Yami: Bet you're all surprised that Borath is updating on a Tuesday. You have no idea how rare this is.
Borath: Collage. Hard. How am I still finding time to write? Easy; I don't sleep. Picasso said that sleeping was a waste of time and although I do not support that statement entirely, I have found better uses for that time. Hopefully I'll be able to get a sufficient amount of shut-eye when this fic is over. That'll be a while though so you'll have to put up with a degree of crapness as I write with sleep-deprivation.
Yami: How can there be more?! You've put me through enough as it is!
Bakura: I'm inclined to agree.
Borath: I'm aiming for less than 30 chapters so bear with me please. Still in 'serious mode' but it'll go away soon as I am treating this particular topic with no-where near the amount of delicacy and time that it deserves. If you have a problem with how I am writing this then FUCK YOU. Better yet; flame me then I can respond to it in the next chapter. I'm taking a leaf out of Jackass's book here as the idea is pretty damn good.
Yami: Are you done yet?
Borath: Pretty much. Humour returning soon. Trust me; part of it is already written. Updated chapters are going to be shorter than usual and please continue to ignore the following;
OOCness. (I don't give a damn so don't point it out) Swearing (You HAVE to be used to it from me by now, surely?) Glaring deviations from the YuGiOh thread. (How long have I been ignoring that now?) Spelling and grammar mistakes. (Piss off I'm tired) My impatience with hovering over one bit. (All of this is in Chapter One) The lack of Yugi. (I got a complaint about this but he'll be back soon. I just don't have a huge fondness for the character. I don't hate him as much as Tea/Anzu by any means but I don't see him as essential either. Now Yami on the other hand...) Tea/Anzu-bashing. (I'm restraining myself in this fic but if it does manage to slip out, don't whine) Anything else you'd love to nitpick but I haven't listed. If you can't excuse it, stick it in a review and let me bitch at you in the next chapter. Or have some balls and leave your e-mail address with it. Better yet, get MSN Messenger and we can have a verbal scrap. I warn you now though; I'm good)Bakura: (Hitting Borath over the head with his Anime Mallet) Right, on with the story now and I'll apologise for being such a bastard now because even *I* feel bad.
Yami: You'll all get a formal apology if things are still this bloody serious and somber at Chapter 24. Then the wackiness comes back Ra help me. Someone (Borath can't be asked to search through all those reviews to find out who exactly) complained that Chapters 10 and 11 were too serious ('where's the humour?') and that comment has been taken to heart EXTREMELY seriously.
Bakura: (Snickering) Something to look forward to.
Chapter 22: Prospects
"Ryou get Yugi *now*!"
Yami blinked sharply out of his own little world back to his surroundings, his back hurting terribly and a lump the size of a walnut rapidly swelling on his forehead. Neither of these concerned him as much as the ominous stillness in his gut. The twins were *never* still. One was always kicking or rolling even at three in the damn morning.
Joey's face appeared above his eyes, one hand going to his shoulder whilst the other clasped over his own on his stomach. "Are you okay?"
Not daring to speak he simply shook his head in a negative way before closing his eyes and trying to extend his senses. The pain lacing up his spine was distracting him though making it difficult to concentrate his powers.
That was, it *would* have been difficult to concentrate his powers if he *had* any. Where the trickle and surge of his magic through his being from the Puzzle should have been there was only a void; a black abyss of nothingness that mocked him and his unborn children maliciously.
Panicking now Yami switched from trying to repair the damage he knew had been inflicted onto the twins to shifting back into his Soul Room where he would have better access to his magic which was, apparently, untouchable right now whilst he was in a physical form.
"Damnit you little twit! I need this arm-what's wrong?"
Bakura had staggered over to them now, clutching his throbbing wrist to his chest and breathing through a bloodied nose. Glancing down at them both he seemed to sum up the situation for himself and dropped to his knees beside Joey, brow having disappeared into his bangs.
"What the hell are you waiting for Pharaoh? Get in the damn Puzzle!" he shouted, already having sensed that Yami wasn't using his magic to heal himself, which implied shock of some sort.
"I can't. I can't do anything," the Game King replied sounding afraid and extremely pissed off at the same time. Afraid that he still couldn't feel any movement and pissed off that he was powerless to do anything about it.
"Fine. If you can't move then I'll do it," Bakura growled before dropping his injured arm and clasping both hands about the Millennium Puzzle hanging slanted on Yami's chest. Instantly it began to glow a blinding white, Bakura having to close his eyes against the blaze as he struggled to work.
"What the hell are you doing? Get the hell off him!" Joey cried trying to yank the Tomb Raider's hands away. They had seized up about the Puzzle though, the metal beginning to grow hot in the light now. Yami had stiffened when Bakura had grabbed it, surprised more than anything, but now sparks of pain were coming together inside his mind and throughout his form. It was all he could do not to scream.
"Getting inside another's Item isn't impossible," Bakura muttered through clenched teeth as sweat starting forming a film over his face. Then Joey found herself utterly alone in the park, hands hovering in thin air still warm from the magic that had been there.
"Hurts like a bitch for all parties though," the teen finished, finally able to release his hands and fall back from Yami's writhing form. Landing hard on his rear inside of the other's Soul Room, Bakura took a moment to regain his senses and strength.
Forcing inside another's Item meant breaking through a lot of hefty barriers, all charmed to lash out when they were passed in hopes of deterring the intruder. The Puzzle was the most fortified Item in terms of shields, so it was no wonder that he was having difficulty forming a single coherent thought right now.
"How?" Yami gasped out after a few moments of silence, pushing himself up onto his elbows and staring at the other spirit bewildered.
"I can take peoples' souls out of their bodies with little effort. You really thought it would be a strain just to *move* yours? We're only spirits in essence; it wasn't hard," Bakura snapped back, slightly miffed that Yami thought so lowly of his skills.
And there was that *little* bit of guilt that had popped up from the remaining shred of humanity that he had left. Bloody thing. He *knew* that that surviving bit of compassion would be pain in the ass sooner or later.
"I want to leave," he stated flatly; sugar-coating things wasn't exactly his strong suit. "Yugi'll be here soon, no doubt."
Feeling no pain in his metaphysical form Yami rose to his feet, shivering despite himself at how cold it had become inside his sanctuary despite the pained-heat radiating from the walls. //Yeah, I'm going to really feel this when I re-materialize.//
"Thank you," he said stiffly.
"I think I've apologized," Bakura replied tipping his head to their surroundings. He was not going to utter the words 'I'm' and 'sorry' to Yami in the same sentence until they were the *only* way to end five million years of torture.
With that Bakura released his hold on the alien Soul Room and dropped back to the grass where he had just been. Returning had been relatively painless compared to entering the Puzzles, the barriers practically shoving his essence out as they raised behind him. He knew he'd caused a bit of damage to the shields with his forced entry but he was more concerned about the damage he had glimpsed elsewhere in the Puzzle, marring that he had *definitely* not caused.
If the Puzzle was damaged as bad as he thought it was then there was no way Yami was going to be able to save the children.
****
Stepping up onto his bed, Yami felt no urgency now as he had before. Whenever he was injured in his physical form his condition never continued to deteriorate whilst inside his Soul Room. The same could be said of his children; whatever harm had come to them was not going to be worsened whilst they, and himself, where here.
But if he had no access to his magic then they would not heal either.
Taking a calming breath he dared to raise his eyes slowly from where they had been focussed on the black silk sheets up to the two creatures he knew were being represented above him.
His knees gave out instantly and he fell back in shock.
The twins were identifiable as humans at this stage in growth, their physical characteristics being portrayed inside his Soul Room as if they were holograms. Unfortunately the damage they had endured during the fall was also clear.
Yami bit his lip and rose to his feet shakily, walking around the pair trying to assess their condition rationally and think of something to do concerning it. It was clear that his son had received the brunt of the impact, his daughter still injured but not badly in comparison. Yami had been to enough talks about pregnancy to know that there was no way that a hospital could repair damage this extensive to either of them.
//Why the Hell can't I help them?//
He was getting scared now. Very. A deep, harrowing fear that came from the pit of his belly and tried to freeze his throat as it clutched him in an icy grip. Sitting back down on the plush cushions behind him he brought his fists to his temples and pressed against his skull hard. His knees to his chest, he found himself unable to look at them anymore and lowered his head and closed his eyes.
Yami wasn't sure how long he'd sat there, trying desperately to access his magic over and over to heal them and finding that it eluded his grasp each and every time. A small hand to his back snapped him out of his efforts though, crimson eyes that had turned dull dragging up to meet bright violet ones.
"Yami?" Yugi asked quietly, his face pale and hands trembling as he regarded his Dark with fear. Joey had relayed the details of what had transpired to him immediately and he had gotten into the other's Soul Room as fast as he could, but for some reason he had found it difficult. Like trying to run through thick mud, clinging to your every step.
"They're dying," he replied simply by way of an answer. "They're dying and I can't do anything."
He didn't react when the smaller boy lunged at him, arms enveloping him firmly and tri-coloured hair tickling his nose as Yugi sought to offer comfort and deal with his own remorse.
"Aibou? Can you tell Seto? I can't... I want to stay here for a bit," Yami asked softly after long moments. He narrowed his eyes slightly when he realized that there was no real reason for staying here other than to mourn. //But there has to be something that I can do. Something that I haven't tried yet. It *cannot* be this way!//
Nodding slightly in understanding Yugi stepped back and was gone in a flash of white light, returning to his physical body and leaving Yami alone. Sighing slightly and uncurling his legs from his body, he reminded himself that he could stay here and think until he figured out something because nothing else could happen to the twins as long as he stayed in here.
Shoving his hands into his pockets he yelped when his hand practically burned at the contact with his dueling deck. Eyes widening, he snapped out his cards and flicked through them rapidly until he found the one that he sought. //How did I not think of this?!//
Throwing the card out infront of him he waited anxiously for a few seconds before growling in exasperation and screaming into the darkness around him. "Damnit! I can't summon you! And if you are who you say you are you know that perfectly damn well!"
Satisfied when the card glowed brightly and a figure stepped forwards from the area it had been occupying, Yami bit his lip hard and pointed to the representations of his children still hovering above the bed. "Help me," he forced out, not caring that it sounding like begging even to his ears.
Tetsuo's robes shifted as he brought his hands up from his sides and placed them gently on Yami's shoulders. "Of course. But with the Puzzle damaged that will be difficult."
"I don't care," he hissed back, crimson eyes flaring, indignant that the Monster before him would think that he would put himself above his children's lives.
The Horus Guardian shook his head slightly, lavender bangs shifting about his face. "No, you don't understand Yugioh. The Millennium Puzzle's magical conduits are damaged beyond my ability to repair, at least here. With no magic to access we have no choice but to use the existing energies here."
Understanding came slowly, be that through denial or some other emotion Yami didn't know. Eyes widening from where they had been slits his gaze turned to the two forms and remained there as he tried to force the words out. What came from his throat came as little more than a whisper. "You can't mean...?"
"Yes," Tetsuo confirmed gently, a flicker of sadness in his demon eyes. "To save one the other must be sacrificed and it's energies used to heal its' sibling."
****
Borath: I'll quit with the dramatic cliffhangers next chapter, honest.
Bakura: Bullshit you will.
Borath: And I'll clarify on the whole 'The Millennium Puzzle's magical conduits are damaged' thingy soon as well so don't go all 'I'm CONFFUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSEEEED' on me, gottit? It's called, wait for it, A SECONDARY PLOT! Ha-ha! I *am* capable of planning! You'll get more information on that over the next few chapters (so don't send suggestions as they have all been planned already. Actually *writing* them is the problem.)
Yami: Yes, we are pissed at her also so just review and then she can carry on with this extraction from hell.
Borath: I'm tired now and I really should get a start on that 1500 word essay that has to be in tomorrow...
Yami: Review and flame! Both are fun!
Bakura: Borath has turned sadistic since 'Submission' had to be taken down. Fucking ff.net and it's 'All NC17 must go!'.
Borath: I LOST 99 REVIEWS! AND THEY WERE ALL PRAISE!!!
Yami: Yeah, and now it's re-posted as a PG13 which I think is just wrong.
Borath: (Looking indignant) I reckon I can get away with it.
Yami: (Looking irritated. Mind you who can blame the poor sod?) Anyway, reviews are good and flames will be twisted into something truly unspeakable-
Bakura: -that even I wouldn't touch with a ten-foot pole.
Borath: (Pointing to the bottom left corner of the screen) There's the button. (Shrugs) Say what you feel.
Yami: NO update Friday because you got one today, so I can get a breather and Borath can work her ass off FIXING THIS MESS!
Bakura: You want the painting of Yami-In-A-Dress then send an e-mail with a request and a copy will come back to you. Give it a few days though as Internet access is limited.
Yami: This week has just been weird all round so this update is rather special.
Borath: Oh! Oh! This is the first time I've done this but I think it's worthy of praise at the end of one of chapters! If you haven't read Spyder's (With a capital 's' as there is more than one) 'Chibi For A Day', then you are seriously missing out on something.
Yami: Go read it! Well, review or send an e-mail and THEN go read it.
Bakura: (Groans) I'm going domestic in it! It's so wrong!
Yami: But the chibis love you!
Bakura: Oh! Question; define 'chibi'.
Borath: Is it a toddler or any small child? Kiara is about one now so would she count as a chibi? See? Yet ANOTHER excuse to review me. I stayed up bloody late into the night to write this damn thing you know!!! I don't think that a little effort on your part is much to ask for!
Yami: Um, yeah. We're gonna gag her and make her do that essay now because it really is getting into 'pointless rambling' territory here.
Bakura: So what's new? The last 22 chapters have consisted of nothing BUT ramblings.
Borath: Fuck off.
Yami: And on THAT happy note we bid you goodbye. (Grabs duct-tape and chases Borath)
Bakura: (Picks up his trusty Anime Mallet and his WEAPON OF MASS DESTUCTION (A two-hour tape of Barney; the God of all Fear) and follows eagerly)