Shadow Turned Light

by High Crystal Guardian

Yugi discovers a strange portal similar to the Shadow realm portals and is pulled through. Suddenly he discovers himself in a completely alternate universe, where there is even more danger than he could expect--and his Yami is missing. *complete*

6. Oath of the Healed

HCG: *sniff*

Karma: o_O;; What's up?

HCG: I got only one review for chapter five *cries* I worked on that chapter so hard, I thought it was gonna get the most results!

Karma: Um...well, I'm sure more people'll read it.

HCG: I guess...Oh, hey, I've got more character guests! ^_^ First of all, introducing the "Dead Characters!" *points to Yugi, Mokuba, and Tristen*

Yugi, Mokuba, & Tristen: o_O;;

Yugi: Could you...not refer to us like that...please?

HCG: *shrugs* Suit yourself, but in the Negative Realm you are dead. (What's the Negative Realm? Have you not been paying attention?! Go read Chapter Five!!!!)

Yugi: ¬_¬;; Don't remind me...

HCG: And the last guest of the day is...Yami!

Yami: ^_^ Hello!

Yugi, Mokuba, & Tristen: O_O!!!! *dive to hide*

Yami: What? *Enraged fan girls of the "dead characters" start pelting him with garbage* AH! *dives to hide behind Guardian*

HCG: Woah, woah, woah, stop! *sends Karma and Slash out to round up the enraged fan girls and make them stop torturing Yami* This is not the Negative Realm Yami! I only invite characters from the Regular Realm!

Yami: *coming out from his hiding place* What is going on here?!

Yugi, Mokuba, & Tristen: *also coming out from hiding places* You killed us all in the Negative Realm!

Yami: o_O;; Ooooh...

Slash: *returning with Karma* HCG, we've got a problem.

Karma: Yeah, we shoved all those crazy fan girls outside the room, but they're trying to break the door down to get at Yami. Oh, and there's some Yami fan girls trying to get in here too.

Yami: O_O;; Oh dear Ra, spare me, please!

HCG: o_O;; yeah...let's start the fic. Tristen, since you don't get ANY time in this story whatsoever, you can do the disclaimer.

Tristen: Sure. HCG doesn't own Yu-gi-oh or us characters--but she still thinks she can kill us all off...*gets smacked by Guardian and continues* She does own Slash and Karma, however.

HCG: Thanks, Tristen! Now, to the fic!

Notes:

You know about Yugi and Ryou.

italics are thoughts or dreams/memories--pay attention to this one!

/word/ --a hikari to a yami

//word//--a yami to a hikari

Oh, and as a side note about the story--the Kaiba flashback happens only a week or two before Ryou's "accident." Just saying this to fit all the pieces together, because Ryou wouldn't get more memories after he got "lost," he just remembers what happened before it.

Another note: Ryou would call Bakura Yami, of course, considering it is his Dark side. Don't get it confused with Yami Yugi.

Shadow Turned Light

Chapter 6: Oath of the Healed

Yugi sighed as he ran over the plan to be used the next day for the umpteenth time in his head. It was dangerous, he knew, and he might be putting his life on the line at more than one point. But he was more than willing to take the risk, in order to help out his friends in this Realm. They needed his help desperately, and they were leaning on him for support heavily.

I might be the one that turns this whole fight in their favor, he thought to himself. And knowing that, he could never abandon those that needed his help.

"Y'alright, Yuge?" Joey's voice penetrated his thoughts, it's calm and friendly tone perking him up.

"Oh, I'm fine," Yugi said hastily. "I'm just thinking about the plans for tomorrow."

Joey nodded. "So am I. It's too bad I can't go into the building itself with ya."

"It's okay, Joey." the young Hikari smiled at the protective tone buried in his friend's words. He wants to look out for me, even here. "You've got an important job anyway."

Joey shrugged. "I guess."

Wanting to get off the subject so his friend didn't feel bad, Yugi asked him quickly, "Do you still play Duel Monsters?"

His friend laughed. "'Course I do. I had to sell a few of my own cards to help out with the Opposition, but Kaiba let me keep most of my deck. I still have a few of my favorites...my Flame Swordsman, my Red Eyes Black Dragon..." He grinned. "Why? I take it you're up for a duel?"

The Hikari laughed. "Sure. It'd be nice to do something familiar for a change."

Joey steered him over to a table and sat down across from his friend. "Is it also familiar for you to beat me in a duel all the time?"

Yugi smiled. "Usually. But you come pretty close to beating me quite a bit."

They shuffled their decks and drew their first hand, launching off into the first round almost instantly. During the duel, Joey kept asking about his friend's Realm and how life was there. He seemed particularly interested in hearing of himself in the Realm, and his dueling skills. Yugi ended up relaying the entire Duelist Kingdom battles, explaining how Joey had grown from an amateur duelist to an experienced second-place winner. The Negative Realm version of Joey, caught up in the excitement of hearing about himself in Yugi's dimension, made several mistakes during the duel. Yugi easily defeated him, laughing at Joey's grumbling attitude.

"Okay, Yuge, try me in a new duel this time," his friend said, grinning, as if he knew he was already going to win. "I won't be distracted, and so I can play to the best of my abilities."

Kaiba had been walking by the table as Joey spoke, eyeing the cards on the table with a mix of scorn and regret. It was obvious he knew that Joey was the looser, as well. Yugi flinched, expecting the usual argument to break out--Kaiba insulting Joey, who fell into his trap and let his temper rise--but it didn't occur.

Instead, Kaiba rolled his eyes at Joey and sighed. "You didn't use that Dragon Maneuver I taught you, did you? Use it this time, it'll wipe out a good chunk of his life points."

Joey shrugged. "If you say so, Kaiba."

The teen CEO stalked off towards another of the computers to read over the data, acting as if he had already forgotten the two duelists were there.

Yugi was staring wide-eyed at his friend across from him as the two began to gather up their cards for the new duel. "Woah..."

Joey caught his friend's eye. "What's wrong?"

The Hikari shook his head. "Just...just...that was really weird."

"What? He just told me to use one of his special tactics."

"No, see, in my Realm he loathes you. You hate each other's guts. If he had seen you loose a duel that badly, he'd bring it up for weeks afterwards to ridicule you."

"Oh." his friend shrugged. "Not here. You and him taught me everything I know about Duel Monsters. He just gets mad when I mess up one of his strategies."

Yugi blinked in surprise. "Ah..." he muttered, shaking his head. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to this."

Joey laughed. "Don't worry, man, it'd confuse me too." He shuffled his deck and drew five cards, his friend hastily doing the same to catch up.

"Wonder where Bakura is," Joey muttered, looking over his hand carefully.

"Why?"

"Sometimes, when he's bored, he'll make the duel monsters look like they're alive when he duels me. It's pretty cool looking."

Yugi chuckled slightly. "He would do that. I don't think he's here, though; I saw him go off down that hall over there." He pointed to one of the darkened corridors.

Joey looked over his shoulder at the indicated hallway. "That's were the rooms for sleeping and living in are. He probably went off to bed." He shrugged. "He needs to rest anyway. Ryou's tough to handle in that state." He shrugged and turned back to the game.

"So, I know about me in your Realm, now what about the others?" he asked, placing his prized Axe Raider down for an attack. Yugi countered easily with his Curse of Dragon, throwing the Axe Raider into the Graveyard.

"Oh, there's a lot different from here. Most of the allies you have here are enemies in my Realm...like Pegasus."

"I can't imagine that guy being evil. He's always helping the Opposition out, financially or otherwise. Whenever Kaiba has to disappear for a few days to work on the Opposition's problems, Pegasus'll cover for him with a "Business trip" story. To the regular people, it looks like Kaiba's debating over whether to merge his company with Industrial Illusions."

Yugi laughed at that. "Funny, in my Realm Kaiba had to try and stop Pegasus from merging with his company." He explained the whole ordeal to Joey, easily taking a good eight hundred life points from his friend as he did so.

Kaiba was sitting at a nearby table, machinery parts scattered all over it's surface as he worked on some new invention for the Opposition. He was also watching the duel, however, staring intently at the cards as Joey lost another two hundred points.

It looked as if Yugi was going to win...until it became clear that Joey had been leading him into a trap the entire time. He grinned as he placed his Red Eyes Black Dragon down on the table, adding his Dragon Nails and wiping out the Hikari's Dark Magician in one attack. The "King of Games" looked shocked at such a quick comeback. At the nearby table, Kaiba smiled slyly as well; it was obvious he had been expecting the play.

Yugi grinned. "Nice move, Joey," he said, laughing. The duel continued on, Joey now fighting like one of the monsters themselves. He lost, eventually, but it was a struggle for the Hikari to defeat him.

"Man," Joey laughed, "You're still as good a duelist as you were before." He gathered up his cards again and placed them in his jacket pocket.

Yugi laughed as well. "Remember, Joey, it's all the Heart of the Cards. That's why I win."

To his surprise, Joey frowned slightly, as if he couldn't place what he had just heard. Then, slowly, a grin spread across his face. "Oh yeah, Heart of the Cards. I remember that now."

Yugi blinked. "What? You mean...you don't believe in it?"

Joey shrugged. "I lost faith in that concept the day you died. Especially because your damned Yami believed so strongly in it, and he was the one that did you in..."

The Hikari looked shocked, and his duelist friend hastily looked for something to reassure him. "If you're looking for somebody who still believes in the Heart of the Cards...I think Kaiba over there is still using that philosophy. It's pretty weak in him, of course, as he hasn't dueled in a while, and after you died he started to believe in it less...but nevertheless, he's faithful to the idea."

If anything, Yugi looked more surprised. "Kaiba believes in the Heart? But he's always telling me that it's a dumb idea!"

"Hey, you are in a different Realm, Yuge," Joey said, laughing slightly at Yugi's shocked look. The Hikari nodded, sighing, and Joey continued. "I dunno, now that I think of it, the Heart of the Cards seems like a good idea. I mean, the two best duelists I know, you and Kaiba, believe in it, and look were you stand among card-players. Well, just you, really--"

"Shut up, Joey," Kaiba's voice sounded from the table nearby.

Now that's Kaiba, Yugi thought to himself.

Joey chuckled. "Don't mind the Blue Eyes....he's just touchy when it comes to people mentioning he's not a duelist anymore. He really loved those cards he sold--especially the Blue Eyes White Dragons--but he did what he had to in order to support the Opposition."

Yugi glanced at the teen CEO with a bit of pity in his eyes. He does so much to keep this resistance movement going, he thought to himself. He hardly even thinks of himself.

His thoughts true only a second later. Kaiba's eyes were drooping, and his fingers were working in just a tiny bit more clumsy fashion on the machinery scattered around the table. Tired, but still working on whatever it might take to win the Opposition an edge.

Joey must have noticed the Blue Eyes' fatigued look as well, because he checked his watch. "Oh, man, three in the morning!" he yelped, walking over to the Opposition leader quickly. "Kaiba, you need rest if you're gonna go on this mission tomorrow."

Seto shook his head. "Can't. I've got to finish up this prototype, then review the data on Yami's Special Guards, then--"

"I'll do it all, Kaiba, I promise. Get some rest!"

"Joey," the leader hissed warningly, "I am in charge here. You have no right to order me about--"

Joey sighed in annoyance. "Kaiba, you haven't slept in two days now! How useful to the Opposition would you be if you keeled over from exhaustion in Yami's complex?"

Yugi could see that his best friend was winning the argument; Kaiba growled under his breath softly, but stood up and headed off towards the "living quarters" hallway. "Fine," he muttered.

As soon as the CEO was out of sight, Yugi looked at his friend in confusion. "What was that all about?"

Joey shrugged apologetically. "Sorry about that, but I gotta do it periodically. He'd probably stay awake until he hit the dirt from exhaustion. He's deadly devoted to avenging his brother, and keeping this whole organization going; he stays awake too much to check over the status of the movement. You have to force him to get some rest, or he'll never get some for himself."

Yugi raised an eyebrow in astonishment. Not only is Kaiba really into this movement, but Joey of all people is looking out for him? This will never seem normal.

His friend continued speaking. "You ought to get some rest yourself. We're leaving at noon tomorrow to break into the complex, and you'll need your strength if you're to stay alive."

The Hikari nodded, then frowned. "Noon? Why noon? Shouldn't it be at night?"

Joey shook his head. "Yami would expect that, remember? I knows we've got a tomb robber on our side, and he thinks Bakura would advise us to go when it's dark. But in broad daylight we wouldn't be expected--after all, Yami'd think us fools to try and break into his complex when anybody could see us."

"Ah," the Hikari said, understanding perfectly. "Well, I guess I'll get some sleep then."

"Great," Joey said, smiling. He pointed to the hallway Kaiba had entered. "Head down there, go to the fifth door on the left. It's empty, right now."

"Thanks," Yugi said quietly, walking slowly towards the corridor.

Entering the hallway, he strode past the doors with a feeling of fatigue slowly growing on him. He had slept only a few hours ago, in the cell, but it seemed as if he had been awake for a week. He found himself thinking of sleep gratefully, and he couldn't wait to get to his bed to rest.

However, the feeling left him instantly as he heard somebody talking nervously. He traced the sound to an open door on his right and listened carefully.

"Ryou, come on, wake up! You're letting yourself loose, don't do it!" The voice was desperate sounding, almost frightened. Yugi recognized it as Bakura, and instantly he walked into the room.

Ryou was laying on the bed, his breathing ragged and torn, and even worse than it had been in the prison cell. Plastered with sweat and eyes squeezed shut, he looked as if he wanted to die from all the pain he was in. Occasionally a tortured moan would escape his lips, but if there were words in the sound they were unintelligible. Bakura was standing next to the bed with an anxious look on his face, trying to calm his hikari, but all his efforts were for nothing.

"What's the matter?" Yugi asked, worry evident in both his voice and on his face.

"It's getting worse. It's getting too strong, tearing his mind apart--killing him." Bakura's tone sounded calm, but he was getting scared for his Light, and he could not hide it.

"No!" Yugi's voice sounded sharp, as if he was giving a command. The tomb robber looked surprised, then sad.

"There isn't anything that can be done about it. I've tried at least a hundred times."

"No," the young Hikari growled angrily. "I won't stand by and allow this to happen."

Bakura shook his head. "You cannot do anything," he said, firmly, but almost gently. There was no hiding the sorrow in his voice now. "It is incurable. Yami's Millennium Puzzle is too strong, his magic too powerful. I cannot reverse it--"

"The Puzzle!" Yugi yelled suddenly, coming upon a discovery. "His Puzzle...that's the key!"

The Ring spirit frowned. "What?"

"You said the Puzzle that Yami has is tainted. It's impure, and that impure magic was what did this to Ryou." The thief near the bed nodded, and Yugi continued. "I also have a Millennium Puzzle, though. The same magic that Yami used, but pure. Shouldn't I be able to reverse the effects of the tainted magic?"

Bakura's face lit up with hope. "Perhaps...it may work." He moved aside, no longer next to Ryou. "I will allow you to try to help him. But hurry; he is nearly gone now."

Doing as he was bid, Yugi practically leaped forward to stand at Ryou's head. He stroked the golden pyramid hanging around his neck for luck, then gave a start.

"What's the matter?" The tomb robber behind him asked worriedly.

"I...I don't know how to use the Puzzle's magic to help him," the Hikari confessed sadly. "I myself don't usually control the magic in my Realm...Yami does it, mostly, and even then it's at random. Half the time he can't remember what he did."

The spirit behind him cursed several times in Egyptian before returning to his calm state. Then, surprisingly, he muttered, "I'll guide you as best as I can."

"What?"

"Just as I said; I'll try to guide you into tapping the Puzzle's magic. It will be hard for me to explain, of course, considering that I don't reside in it, but I try to help as best as I can."

"Right," Yugi said, waiting for his instructions.

"Good. Close your eyes, first of all--it'll help you concentrate." The Hikari did so, and Bakura continued. "Now, concentrate on the Puzzle. Think about it very carefully, about how you are linked to it. You should feel a powerful surge resting in the Item...all you must do is reach out to it."

Doing as he was told, Yugi concentrated on the golden item around his neck. He found himself stroking the eye symbol on it's front to help him concentrate; it seemed easier to focus his mind that way. Suddenly, without warning, he felt an unexpected rush of energy flood through him once before returning to the Puzzle. It wrapped itself around the Puzzle like a cloth, almost waiting for him to use it's energy for something.

"Woah!" he yelped involuntarily, eyes snapping open. Behind him, he heard Bakura shift on his feet.

"Found it? Good. It you concentrate carefully, you can separate the magic in the Puzzle into it's different abilities. From there, I can't help you much. Each Item's magic is different."

Yugi nodded once before closing his eyes again to concentrate. As before, he could sense the magic within the Puzzle, waiting eagerly for him to tap into it. He focused his mind on the energy, trying to separate it as the Ring spirit had said.

Unexpectedly, his mind seemed to snap and fall into a steady rhythm. Without even thinking, he suddenly knew how to handle the magic the Puzzle presented him with. The energy seemed to spread out in the Puzzle, separating into different levels, different types. The Hikari was surprised to find that each level of magic assumed a color to represent it, until it was spaced out like a bright line spectrum in little bars of shining energy. He vaguely thought he recognized a few of them; the molten red-and-black magic had a dangerous feel to it, and he knew it for the Mind Crushing technique immediately. Others had softer colors, such as brilliant green or light blue.

It was the faded yellow bar of energy that caught his eye. It radiated with a friendly sense, and it seemed to Yugi that it had a feeling of safety, of protection. Hesitantly, unsure what to do, he reached out with his mind and grasped at the line of magic.

The power of the energy swept through him without warning, and his eyes snapped open. He stared around the room quickly; everything seemed brighter, for some reason.

He discovered quickly why the room looked so. His Millennium Puzzle was glowing brightly, enough to temporarily blind somebody. It would have been like staring into a car's high beams for minutes on end, but for some reason the effect was dulled when it came to Yugi.

Of course, he thought to himself. it's my magic, after all.

Bakura was staring at him in astonishment, as well as at the Puzzle. He looked disbelieving, as though he didn't expect a mere mortal to be able to summon so much energy.

Yugi cleared his mind of such thoughts and bent forward to place his hand on Ryou's forehead. Before he had the chance, however, the tomb robber behind him grabbed his wrist.

"I'm warning you, before you start," he hissed. "If you let anything happen to my aibou, you'll find me acting very much like the Bakura in your Realm." His eyes were cold steel, boring into and through Yugi's own innocent, friendly violet orbs. His hand was tight on the Hikari's wrist, and his jaw was set dangerously. The threat was obvious, and Yugi nodded quietly.

"I'll do what I can, Bakura. I'll try my hardest."

The thief glared at him and released his wrist carefully, stepping back a pace. He watched Yugi warily, ready to jump forward and tear the boy away from his hikari if he had to.

Taking a deep breath, Yugi reached forward and touched the mind-torn boy's sweat-soaked forehead with his fingertips.

As soon as his hand touched Ryou, the boy began to scream in endless, pain-filled torment. His eyes snapped open, but they were still dull, still unseeing. He thrashed helplessly, his yells ripping the air apart and tearing at the other Hikari's ears.

Yugi felt an odd, dark presence snake up his arm and dull his senses. He felt sick, suddenly, wavering on his feet and only just catching his balance in time. He was vaguely aware of Ryou's screams, of Bakura yelling something into his ear, before the darkness rolled around his head and enveloped his mind.

* * * * *

Yugi's senses slowly returned, and he snapped his eyes open instantly. He looked around, trying to place were he was. He attempted to do so quickly; there was a feeling of urgency in the air, and it was strong.

He was standing in a corridor, that much he saw instantly. It was dark and dim, stretching onwards endlessly. One side of the corridor had an ancient feeling to it, and was built with stone. A heavy door bore a symbol that looked much like the Millennium Ring Bakura resided in. The other side of the corridor was simply built, with a small door and a quiet, calm-looking interior.

Yugi realized where he was instantly. These are soul rooms, he thought to himself. But not mine, or Yami's. Shock overtook him suddenly. These must belong to Ryou and Bakura! Which means...I'm in Ryou's mind, not mine.

He wasn't as surprised as he should have been. He had seen a few Millennium Items that allowed their owners to walk though other minds--Shadi and his Millennium Ankh, for example. He wasn't quite sure why he was in his friend's mind, because as far as he knew the Millennium Puzzle didn't have the power of mind-traveling. It didn't matter to him, however; so long as he could help Ryou, he'd use whatever magic he could, even the unknown energies.

He quietly checked each soul room first. Bakura wasn't in his, of course; he was in his fake physical form, and therefore was currently absent from his soul chambers. Surprisingly, Ryou was not in his soul room, although he should have been.

What was it Bakura said? he thought to himself. His mind was lost, and couldn't be found. That would explain his friend's absence from his soul room as well.

The Hikari looked down the darkened corridor, noticing the detail in it for the first time. All along the hallway in the mind, the materials forming the walls were cracked and rotted, looking ready to collapse at any moment. In fact, in a few places sections of the walls had fallen, leaving open chunks were a solid wall had been, and debris all over the floor.

This is worse than I thought, Yugi whispered mentally to himself. From the condition of the hallways making up the boy's mind, it was obvious that Ryou's mentality was falling apart. The Hikari had to do something to help his friend, and quick, or Ryou would be lost.

"Lost!" Yugi shouted suddenly. "He's lost...in his mind! He must be somewhere around here, hidden in one of these corridors." He looked at the broken walls ahead of him, coming to a conclusion. "If he can't find his way out alone, I'll find him and get him out of there myself."

He strode forward resolutely, half-running as he moved. The corridor's condition only got worse, as it had fallen apart and spewed rocky debris all over the floors more and more, the farther Yugi traveled.

More than once, the young Hikari would leap out of the way just in time as he heard a rumble, followed by a section of the wall tumbling out at him. It had startled him quite a bit the first time it happened, and he had taken to running down the halls instead of walking.

He felt like he had been moving for hours when it first happened. He had stepped gingerly around a boulder-like piece of the wall when a sudden thought--no a memory--flashed through his head.

Pain, pain, it hurts so much, god it hurts, Yami help me, please--

It ended as suddenly as it had come, but it was real. Very, terrifyingly real. And yet, it hadn't been his memory. He was positive he had never thought that, or experienced that, in his life.

He came up with a conclusion in a few seconds. I must be seeing Ryou's memories. It would make sense, seeing as I'm in his mind...

He walked a few steps further before another memory darted into his mind.

I was standing in front of Yami Yugi, watching him closely. He seemed different today--not much different, but not exactly normal either. If you could call a five thousand year old Egyptian Pharaoh spirit normal.

He seemed, I dunno, preoccupied. As if he was battling something in his head. Strange, I know; the only thing in his head that could battle him was Yugi, and they never fought. No, it was something different.

//What is it, Ryou?// Bakura called through our mind link.

/Nothing, Yami. Don't worry, it's nothing./ If he started to think something was wrong with Yami Yugi, he'd have a fit. I--

The memory cut off again. Yugi blinked in astonishment; he could have sworn he had just done every single thing mentioned in that memory. It was so real...

He was also surprised to discover that the entire memory was through Ryou's eyes. It made sense that it would appear that way, but nevertheless Yugi found it odd to be looking at himself through his friend's eyes.

He took a few steps more, turned around the corner into a new corridor. And was faced with another memory.

Yami Yugi had been acting strange for months now. I was sure something was wrong with him. Even Bakura had caught on by now, and he was studying the Pharaoh carefully for signs of definite change.

When Yami Yugi started to vent his anger in rather violent ways, Bakura made his move. He wanted to make sure that he figured out what was wrong with the Pharaoh before he got dangerous enough to hurt Yugi. I doubted he would go that far--Yami Yugi was very protective of his aibou--but Bakura told me that anything was possible.

He approached the Pharaoh using me. I had allowed him to take over, but he didn't block me out completely. I could still see and hear everything, I just didn't have control.

"Yami," Bakura said slowly, carefully. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Why wouldn't I?" the other spirit snapped. It was very unlike him, to yell in such a way.

"You've been acting strangely for some time now. Is something wrong?"

"What the hell is your problem, tomb robber?!" Yami spat, anger blazing in his eyes. "Nothing's wrong with me! I haven't done anything different, nothing has happened to me!"

Bakura was startled; I could feel it through our link. //I don't get it,// he muttered. //Why wouldn't he remember what he's been doing? Something's wrong...//

I agreed with him, suggesting--

Again, the memory ended suddenly. Yugi stopped in his tracks momentarily, replaying the memory in his head. Yami had been acting so strange, so different, that he was becoming confused.

He broke out of his thoughts as the wall next to him rumbled warningly. He leaped out of the way and ran forward more, escaping the stone just in time and avoiding it dropping onto his head.

The memory had been longer that time. Did it mean he was getting closer to Ryou?

Hastily he moved forward more, and found himself enveloped in a new memory.

I was studying for my math test tomorrow when it happened. Bakura suddenly let a whirlwind of emotions break through the link, and I heard him cursing wildly.

/What's wrong?!/ I asked, startled.

//The Shadow Realm, it was broken into,// my darker side hissed angrily.

/So?/

//So, Aibou, that means Yami Yugi has used his Millennium Puzzle to use dark magic,// he snapped. //Something is wrong, I can sense it. We have to go, right now.//

I nodded, standing up hurriedly as I sensed my dark side's nervousness. He was worried about Yugi; something big must have happened. I allowed him to take over my body, though of course I was present and took in everything we saw and heard just as much as he did.

He ran outside, looking around, and cursed again. Abruptly the Millennium Ring began to glow, and it's two right-sided pointers lifted to indicate which way to turn. He ran, using the Ring to guide him. Both he and I were hoping that we weren't too late for...for whatever had happened.

Eventually we reached a street half-way into the city. There was a small crowd of people milling about; I soon saw why.

A building had collapsed and had scattered debris far out into the street. It was half on it's side, with walls crumpled and windows smashed.

/I hope there was nobody in there,/ I said slowly, my mind link full of concern.

//There was,// my Yami said curtly, turning my head to look in one direction.

There was an ambulance waiting in front of the building along with a few police cars. The police were trying to push the crowd back and away from the building to allow the paramedics to get back to the ambulance.

A stretcher was brought out slowly from the building. There was a man on top of it, although it was nobody that I recognized. He was injured pretty badly, I could see, but he was still alive. I could tell from the way the paramedics rushed around him, trying to perform various medical procedures.

My attention was torn from the man as a second stretcher was carried out. I gasped mentally in surprise, unable to do a thing physically with my Yami currently in possession of my body.

The figure on the stretcher was small and bloody, covered in dust from the building's collapse. One hand hung down the side of the stretcher limply; the rest of his body sagged just as much on the carrying tool. His head was turned to one side, the side facing me, and I could see his facial features clearly. Maroon-and-black spiky hair, and golden bangs that were brushed away from his eyes. I couldn't see his eyes, but I knew what they looked like--a deep, friendly violet color, full of innocence and happiness. I couldn't see his eyes because they were closed; in fact, they would never open again to share his friendly gaze at the world.

Dead. One of my closest friends, dead.

/How?!/ I shrieked mentally, my emotions breaking on me like waves.

//Yami,// my darker half said quietly. //Yami Yugi let him die.//

I felt sick. How could a Yami let that happen to his Hikari, the one he was supposed to guide? It was wrong. Wrong.

My emotions collapsed on me, and Bakura tried in vain to calm me down. Yami Yugi let one of my closest friends die. He wasn't Yami anymore...he was evil now.

Yugi shivered as the memory ended. He had seen...had seen himself on the stretcher, dead, dead at his own Yami's hands. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to drive the memory out of his head, but it wouldn't leave.

Bakura said Ryou's mind was plagued with dark memories, he thought to himself. This must be what he meant.

That memory had been long, as well, and far more detailed. He really was getting closer to Ryou. The stronger the memories became, the greater they would be, the more terrifying they would become.

Yugi swallowed and ran forward again. He found himself plunging straight into the next memory as he ran.

"We have to do something!" Tea said stubbornly, talking to myself and Bakura. Joey and Tristen stood next to me, shaking their heads.

"Too dangerous, Tea," Tristen muttered. "Yami's unpredictable now. You saw what happened--"

"I don't care!" Tea's anger was plainly heard in her voice. "Something has to be done to stop this. This is wrong! He hurt Yugi...he let Yugi die! Don't you see, that isn't right! It isn't like him! I know we can find him in that mind of his somewhere..."

Bakura took the time to possess me, speaking with my voice. "I doubt you would," he said harshly. Tea glared at me before realizing that it was my Yami that spoke. "That dark shadowmagic in his Millennium Puzzle has dug too deep into his soul. The only thing you'd find is somebody angry and willing to kill." my darker half softened my voice slightly. "I know you hate it, Tea. We can't do anything about it. This is what has happened to him; it can't be stopped."

The girl wouldn't give up. "I'm going to try anyway," she said calmly. "I know I can find him in there somewhere. I--I won't give up!"

I could feel Bakura's annoyance through out link, but he smoothed it out quickly and spoke. "Fine. If you're so interested in going to meet him, at least let me come. If he tries anything, I can protect you with the Millennium Ring."

She looked angry at first, but seeing the sense in the offer she nodded. "Good idea. I'll go tomorrow, first thing in the morning."

She did as she said. The next morning, Tea, Bakura, and I were headed to Yami's office. That's right, office. He had taken control of a business building and had claimed one of the best rooms in it for his own. We marched in on him, taking him by surprise.

He studied us calmly, his eyes no longer a friendly imitation of Yugi's. He sat behind the desk, the darkness in him practically radiating off of him in waves. His magic had been tainted, for sure, and he was tainted as well.

"And what, may I ask, are you doing in my private rooms?" he said calmly. The coldness in his voice was enough to send a chill up my spine. I felt Tea shiver next to me. Nevertheless, she strode forward a pace and spoke.

"Yami, I know something is wrong with you. I know that Millennium Puzzle of yours has become absorbed by dark magic. But don't you see? You can fight it! We can fight it! We can help you!"

"We?"

"Yes, we. Your friends, Yami. Me, Joey, Tristen, Ryou. We can help you overcome that darkness! But you have to let us help you. Please, Yami, please listen to me!"

His cold stare stopped Tea's speech in it's tracks. Slowly, a sickening grin spread over his face. "You don't really understand, do you?" he hissed. "Fool. You're a fool. The shadowmagic isn't something in me to be overcome...it is me!" He laughed, a harsh, evil sound that did not fit him. Standing up, he walked around the desk and stared Tea in the eye. "Did you honestly think you could change me?"

Tea swallowed a bit, but when she spoke her voice was strong. "Yes, I did. Do you even realize what you've become?"

"I do." The grin was back, making my stomach churn. "I have become more powerful than I could ever have dreamed of!"

To my surprise, he pulled out his deck--Yugi's deck--and began sorting through the cards. Tea ignored this and continued talking.

"NO! You haven't become more powerful. You've weakened yourself, turned yourself into a monster. Do you know what you did to Yugi? Your light side?!"

The laugh came back, and I had to stop Bakura from running forward to attack him. Yami Yugi pulled a card from the deck, turned it for the both of us to see.

The Dark Magician. My stomach twisted as I recognized it as Yugi's favorite card.

Yami placed the card on the desk, isolated in the center. He opened a draw and rummaged through it calmly, speaking. "Yugi? Weak. He couldn't stand up to the shadow in the Puzzle. But I could. Oh, I could, and I did, and I harnessed it to my own control. It is mine. Mine. But Yugi could not survive it." He found what he was looking for in the desk, a seven-inch long letter opener. It was silver, and sharp. Without warning, Yami Yugi stabbed the opener through the center of the Duel Monsters card. The point buried into the wood of the desk and stuck there, pinning the card to the surface. "And it slaughtered him."

He crossed his arms, glaring at the two of us, Tea and I. I was shocked. Tea, however, continued to talk, although her voice was wavering.

"He was not weak. He was your friend. Your best friend. Although I am beginning to wonder if you even know what that means." I was amazed; she was actually getting angry! "Please, Yami, please let us help you! It's not too late for you, but you must let us help! We can still be your friends. We're still willing to be! Please, Yami!"

Yami shuddered, closing his eyes as he thought. He was fighting it again. He wanted to believe Tea's words, wanted to reach out to them. When he opened his eyes, I could see a brief second of sanity in his eyes, a quick moment when he as the old Yami that we had all known.

Abruptly he fell to his knees, arms wrapping around his chest as if he were cold. "Get out," he hissed angrily. "Get out now before I kill you." I couldn't tell if it was a threat or a warning; the way he said it, it could have been either, or both.

Tea could see she was getting through to him. "Yami, please..."

"GET OUT!" he roared, his Millennium Puzzle beginning to glow. His mind had been snapped when she spoke, and the shadows had rushed in to control him again.

Bakura took over before I had a chance to react. He dived forward, Millennium Ring glowing, and deflected the beam of energy that exploded from the Puzzle around Yami's neck. The energy blasted off of Bakura's shield and was reflected at the ceiling instead. It hit with a bang, sending a shower of material raining down on us.

I heard Tea cry out in pain and rushed towards her. Some of the debris had fallen on her, but it wasn't enough to do much damage. No, something else had hurt her.

I saw what it was in a minute. Yami had jumped up, grabbed the letter opener jammed into the desk, and had thrown it at her. It had given her a cut across the cheek, a scar that I knew would never properly go away.

Behind me, I could sense that Yami was gathering huge amounts of energy and was preparing to throw them at us. I didn't waste time; I picked Tea up and ran for it, counting on Bakura to protect us.

We escaped, but not unharmed. Both of us had injuries that would never go away. But the worst injury I received wasn't physical. As we ran, I turned my head to look over my shoulder.

Yami was standing in the doorway. He was shaking hard, and that evil grin was on his face again. It didn't reach his eyes; his eyes were frightened and sorrow-filled.

Yami, you are the shadows indeed.

Yugi couldn't take the memories that were crowding his head now. He yelled in anguish, still running. Forward, he had to go forward. He could tell that he was almost there, as the memories were getting even stronger. Almost, Ryou, I've almost found you. Another step forward, another terrifying memory he was forced to watch.

I had been hiding from Yami Yugi for several months now. The Pharaoh was becoming quite dangerous, and he was interested in finding more Millennium Items if he could. I had to run from him, or he'd catch me. It was getting harder, now; he was taking more and more control over the city, over neighboring cities. More and more control, more and more land to rule under that Madness of his.

I hid out with my friends when I could. Yami expected this, of course, but he never got the chance to catch me. I was always on the move, always staying just out of his reach. He hated it.

Of course, he had other things to worry about, too. For example, KaibaCorp was becoming more and more of a threat to him, day by day. I did warn Kaiba himself that Yami would try something, but he didn't listen to me. I wish he had.

I found him outside Yami's new office building. He had, as before, taken over the building and claimed it all his own. But it wasn't the building that was important; I never even went in it.

Kaiba was sitting on the steps in front of the building. He was more slumped over than sitting. He was a bloody mess, and that wasn't just a figure of speech. His face was covered in scratches and cuts, as was his torso and arms. He looked close to passing out, and I knew I had to get him help right away.

I tried to talk to him, to get him to answer me. He didn't seem to hear me. Disposing of that idea, I tried to pick him up, to have him lean on me for support. He was mostly dead weight, so I asked Bakura to help me out. Reluctantly, he did so. It wasn't that he didn't want to help; it was just the fact that the both of us, looking nearly exactly alike, would catch some unwanted attention. Nevertheless, he assumed a temporary physical form and assisted me with Kaiba's limp form.

With the CEO's arms held across our shoulders, we held him carefully between us, sharing the weight. His head slumped, and his feet dragged along the ground. We managed between the two of us to bring him to my old home. Yami would never expect me there; he would have realized by now that I wouldn't return to my home, as it was unsafe.

I got out a few medical supplies and carefully cleaned and bandaged all his wounds. There were quite a few of them, some of them more like gashes than cuts. It was startling. During the entire time, Kaiba was awake and staring at nothing. I don't think he cared if I was healing him or not; he probably would have let himself die and would not have cared at all. He didn't object to my help, however, so I continued.

When I was done, I tried to talk to him again. He seemed surprised, as if he had only just realized where he was. I told him he was safe, then asked what had happened.

"Nothing."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive."

I looked at my Yami, worry plainly shown on my face. He shook his head; he didn't understand any more than I did.

"But you were in front of Yami's building." A thought suddenly occurred to me. "He didn't try to get rid of KaibaCorp, did he? I knew he was going to try and get rid of you. Did he give you those cuts?"

"No. I did."

This surprised me. I didn't understand; none of it made sense. Yami had to have hurt him somehow, or he wouldn't be acting like this. But if he had given himself those wounds, then what had Yami done?

"Kaiba," I said gently, "You don't have to worry. Yami can't get you here. But what is wrong? You can trust me, Kaiba."

He bowed his head slightly. I could see that he was trying to fight back tears, and trying to hide them.

"It's okay, Kaiba. You can tell me."

Tears were streaming down his face now. "M-mokuba."

His brother. I mentally cursed. I guess my Yami heard me, because he contacted me through the link.

//What?//

/Mokuba. Seto's brother. Yami always did go for the heart./

Kaiba let the tears flow openly, telling his story has he spoke. How men had burst into his office, kidnapping his brother and himself. How he had been dragged, unwilling, into Yami's building, been forced to sit on a chair in the Pharaoh's office. How Yami had come in, using his magic to place a spell on the CEO so that he could not move forward towards the spirit. How Mokuba had been dragged in by one of Yami's Special Guards, kicking and struggling.

I didn't want to hear any more at this point. But I had to help Kaiba bear this burden. I couldn't let it all fall on his shoulders. So that was how I ended up imagining myself in his place. I listened, but at the same time I was there.

Mokuba being dragged before the Pharaoh, made to kneel. Staring back at his brother, scared, but encouraged by his closest relative's presence. The Puzzle glowing brightly, with blazing bone-white light. And then the screams. Mokuba's screams of pain, of torment, of terror. Begging his brother to help him, to save him, to stop it all, to make it stop, to make it all go away.

And Kaiba, jerking forward to help his brother. Finding he couldn't move forward, for there was almost a wall of magic between himself and his younger sibling. Kaiba, throwing himself forward, meeting the wall, injuring himself in desperate attempts to save his brother.

And when that didn't work, kneeling on the floor, screaming as loud as possible to block out the other yells of his brother. Clawing at his face, his head, his arms, his chest, anything to make himself suffer the pain his brother was going through. Anything, just to take it from his brother. Anything. Anything.

And eventually, silence. His brother, laying at Yami's feet, no longer moving, breathing--or screaming. Yet Kaiba continued to claw at himself, tears running down his face, calling his brother's name desperately.

True, the screams were gone. But not really. They were going on, living on, endlessly. Never ending. Never ending. Never ending...

Tears ran down Yugi's face now. This was horrible. Horrible. But he was close now, so close. Ryou had to be around the next corner, that was it.

He plunged forward into the last memory to face, still running.

I was in the hallway outside Yami's office. Pegasus stood next to me, golden Millennium eye gleaming.

"Ready?" I asked.

"Ready," he replied slowly.

We burst through the door, facing Yami. He was watching us coolly, as if he had been expecting us. I had no doubt that he did.

With unexpected sureness he released an attack full of dark magic; Pegasus blocked it as Bakura, currently in control, retaliated. Yami managed to neutralize my darker half's attack, and everything became still again.

"Interesting," the Pharaoh muttered.

There were more blasts of energy, more attacks, more defenses, more sudden ends to a particular round. It was endless, yet I could see that Yami was weakening. And...

I started, seeing that there was some emotion in his eyes. Something filled with sorrow, regret...it surprised me. I wanted to discover more about the look. I turned to my Yami for help.

/Bakura, let me talk to him!/

//Aibou, are you crazy?!// He sounded angry.

/No...I saw something in his eyes. He's there! The Yami we used to know, he's there, like Tea said! Please! Let me read his soul...let me try and pull the true Yami out!/

//Are you sure you want to try it?//

/I'm positive. Please, Bakura. Let me try./

//...Very well...//

I assumed control of my body, took a step forward. Yami noticed my switch and glared at me.

I saw sorrow for one second in his eyes, before I saw triumph. He gathered his magic together...and unleashed a wave of energy so powerful it was terrifying.

The magic swarmed outward, coming towards me. I had one more moment of consciousness, in which I heard my dark side scream in panic. Then the magic rolled over me, and...

Pain. Hate. Sorrow. Destruction. Fear. God it hurts, it hurts so much. It's eternal, God please let this pain stop. Let it stop. Make it stop. Let me die, if only it will end...

The memory faded away, and Yugi whipped around the corner, tears still streaming down his face.

Ryou sat in the dark, the walls crumbling around him. He was slumped, as if dead, but Yugi knew somehow he was alive.

"Ryou! I found you!" he gasped in relief, darting forward to the boy.

Ryou raised his eyes wearily. They were pain-filled, and Yugi didn't blame him at all. He understood all too well what the boy went through.

"Ryou! Come on! I have to get you out of here now, or everything will collapse!" To prove his point, the floor rumbled beneath their feet, and one of the walls buckled, groaning.

The silver-haired boy glanced up at him--and smiled weakly. "It's nice to be found again," he murmured. But he didn't move, didn't' attempt to get up.

Yugi darted to his friend, bending down to kneel next to him. "Ryou, listen. I'll help you get out of here. You don't have to be worried; I'm here to help you. Please, just get up! Please!"

"So much pain..."

"I'll make it end, Ryou, just follow me! Please!"

Very slowly, the silver-haired Hikari nodded. "Okay." He stood up, leaning heavily on Yugi for support. The young boy didn't mind; he was terrified for his friend, and wanted desperately to get him out of there.

All that he could remember after that was running. He helped Ryou, navigating the passages, leading him to freedom. Each of the memories he had endured returned, but they were weaker than before. Ryou was winning; Ryou was coming back.

The walls behind them started to crumble, caving in on themselves. At the same time, a doorway of light appeared at the end of the corridor. Yugi knew somehow he had to reach that light, had to get to the safety of the shadow-destroying light in order to save his friend.

And suddenly he was there, at the door, Ryou leaning on him, still safe. He shoved his friend through the doorway, diving through himself just as the walls caved behind him. He felt a sharp pain on his shoulder as one of the rocky bits of debris hammered down on him, cutting into his skin, but in seconds he left the corridor behind.

* * * * *

Yugi's eyes snapped open suddenly. He was standing, once again, at the bedside, Ryou laying in front of him. He jerked his hand away from the boy's forehead and gasped in pain.

His shoulder, the one he had been hit on, had a deep gash running halfway down it. It hurt, too, and blood was beginning to seep out and soak his jacket.

"What happened?" Bakura snapped, moving forward. He looked concerned, and the look doubled when he saw Yugi's shoulder.

"I found him," the young Hikari replied weakly.

Ryou stirred on the bed, eyes opening slowly. He glanced at the Ring spirit and his friend, recognizing the two of them--really recognizing them. There was no fear in his voice anymore, his breathing was normal, and he had stopped sweating.

"Yugi?" he asked slowly, before drifting off to sleep. A peaceful sleep, not tormented by memories of the past.

Bakura looked amazed. He was staring at his Light as if seeing the dead being raised in front of his eyes. Slowly, he spoke.

"You healed him," he said, voice full of wonder. "You...you saved him. I...I thank you." His voice stopped wavering as he spoke quietly. "Yugi, for what you have done, I promise to help you as much as I possibly can tomorrow. I will defend you until the end, and act as your spirit guardian, since Yami has abandoned you. I swear this on the Millennium Ring itself."

"You don't have to," Yugi muttered weakly, clutching at his shoulder.

"But I do," Bakura said softly. "I owe you something, in return for saving my Hikari's life. Just accept the offer, Yugi, and put my mind at ease."

"Fine then...thanks, Bakura..." Yugi's voice was faint. He suddenly wavered on his feet and collapsed, exhausted.

Bakura caught him just in time. He sighed, shaking his head. "Used too much of his energy at one time." Carefully, he took the young Hikari to his room, bandaging the wound on his shoulder before placing him in the bed. He then returned to his own Hikari's room, laying on a second bed and gazing up at the ceiling.

Ryou was back. A mind thought to be as good as lost and dead, found once again by a stunningly powerful Pure Millennium Puzzle and it's Hikari owner.

Perhaps Yugi Moto was not as bad as he had thought.

* * * * *

HCG: ^_^ Fun to write.

Yami: I'm so...evil o_O;;

HCG: Yup.

Yami: Well...it's sorta cool to be the non-responsible one for once. I think I like the chapter ^_~

Yugi, Mokuba, & Tristen: O_O;;

HCG: ^_^;;

Yugi: You don't really mean that, do you? I was DEAD in that!

Mokuba: Me too!

Yami: o_O;;...I think I'm going to leave now....

Karma: *holding a bulging door closed* Can't. Yami fan girls, remember? They love you even more for your evil-ness!

Yami: O_O;;

Slash: *assisting in holding door closed* I don't think I'll ever understand fan girls.

HCG: hmm....*smuggles Yami, Yugi, Mokuba, and Tristen out through a very large, suddenly-appearing air duct*

*fan girls burst into the room, but can't find any of their beloved characters. Whining, they all leave*

HCG: _ That was close. Alright, people, give me some reviews here! I need em! Oh, and also, did anybody notice the rating change? I changed it to PG-13 cause it's starting to get more violent.

Karma: But interesting.

HCG: And sorry this was so long. I rather like it though. Alright, review before I go insane!